War in the Desert - African campaign GB - 12/9/07 to 5/13/08

Wadi, an Arabic way to say dry riverbed, one that only has water during heavy rain. {also used to describe a valley}

 and using the spare with a tire iron so the cable goes though the wheel then attaches to the tire iron, then burying the tire will give a tow point. It takes more time than tree but when you spend time offroading in the desert......

Alright, got a pic of the 222 after decals were applied - didn't get to do the sealer coat of future last night, some of the decals I couldn't trim (those little palm trees and unit id's) didn't quite want to sit down and needed some Solvaset. Hopefully I can run home at lunch and hit this mofo with a quick A/B session at lunch.

dostacos,

Kinda' thought a wadi was something like that.  I had the same "wash-out" concept as soon as I thought of the desert...sounds do-able!  You seem to have some experience in this buried tire thing...you learned that in Cub Scouts right?...hmmmm.

SMJ

Looking good Dupes .  Very nice work.

Regards,  Rick

Dupes-the speed of your builds is amazing.  And it's quality work to boot.

Darren & Rick-your targets...errr..tanks are coming along quite nicely too.

I did get the Spitfire cleaned and primed-maybe I'll find time to paint the interior bits this weekend.

Dupes,

Nice, clean build. take a powder man...making the rest of look like we're dragging our feet.

You're starting to stress me out now!!! (I think the caffeine level has reached +.08)...FELLOW GB MEMBERS, the voting for what I plan to build is still on...for those who read this scroll up a few posts and chime in and vote.  I need a winner...you know Santa is coming and I have to get the model on my wish list.

SMJ

How much snow ya' got there in Maine?!

SMJmodeler wrote:

Dupes, Nice, clean build. take a powder man...making the rest of look like we're dragging our feet. You're starting to stress me out now!!! (I think the caffeine level has reached +.08)...FELLOW GB MEMBERS, the voting for what I plan to build is still on...for those who read this scroll up a few posts and chime in and vote.  I need a winner...you know Santa is coming and all got to the model on the wish list. SMJ How much snow ya' got there in Maine?!

OK, I vote for the deuce and a half truck!  I haven't seen one done in a while.

bufflehead wrote:

SMJmodeler wrote: Dupes, Nice, clean build. take a powder man...making the rest of look like we're dragging our feet. You're starting to stress me out now!!! (I think the caffeine level has reached +.08)...FELLOW GB MEMBERS, the voting for what I plan to build is still on...for those who read this scroll up a few posts and chime in and vote.  I need a winner...you know Santa is coming and all got to the model on the wish list. SMJ How much snow ya' got there in Maine?! OK, I vote for the deuce and a half truck!  I haven't seen one done in a while.

  I like the Duece.

Regards,  Rick

bufflehead wrote:

dupes, looking mighty fine so far!  When you say run back home to hit with it with the AB, you literally mean run back home don'tcha??

Actually, if the weather is halfway decent, I can.

Thanks again you guys for all the comments...I have some bad news - didn't get to do the future coat until late this afternoon, and had to take a break while that was drying - so no progress today. No progress on the 222, that is! Broke the Macchi 202 out of the box to start in on that guy a bit!

Let me tell you, there's a reason I got that kit for 9 bucks at Walmart...already decided that this one is going to be done "wheels up" for reasons I'll get into later. Let's say this one is going to be "airbrush practice". Heh. 

Hermesminiatures,

...the votes are in (minus any hanging chads)...and the winner is...the DUECE-AND-A-HALF.

I'm in this G.B.!!! Put me down for a Tamiya 1:35 U.S. 2-1/2 ton 6 x 6 Cargo Truck.

O.K....anyone know how the to replicate a washed out wadi with a truck stuck in it...dostacos this means YOU!!! Anyone know if it ever rained in the desert!!!

Seriously though...any of you WWII effcianados know of any soggy battles in N. Africa I would surely appreciate you sharing them with me.. Fee to be paid upon receipt of verified evidence. Need to start my research, ASAP.

Got the major painting done on the Pz.III.  Started with a dark grey primer, then overall with RAL7008 Grunbraun.  Followed that with a thin spray of Desert Yellow & topped it off with Floquil Depot Buff, sprayed in a cloud pattern & mostly on the horizontal surfaces.

The pics were taken with flash which tends to hide some of the more subtle color variations, but the overall effect looks pretty good when viewing under natural light.

Now ready for a coat of Future & decals .  Comments welcome. as I'm a relative rookie Armor builder.

Regards,  Rick

A couple of progress shots.  Cockpit is finished in all it's OOB glory, or lack thereof.  I'll be going with closed canopy on this build so I wasn't too concerned with spending a lot of time on the cockpit.  It looks like one, moving on.

Next is to cut the tail off the fuselage halfs for the resin replacement.  Demolition!

Looks good so far arki.  Good luck with the surgery to fit the resin tail.

Regards,  Rick

Joe,  darson, bufflehead - sorry I didn't provide any specifics about the three panzer III pics - photos had no captions.  The middle wartime photo I would guess is a reworked Ausf F upgunned with the 50mm KwK L42 canon.  It could be the quality of reproducton, but the main gun looks a bit bent, perhaps a wooden dummy, which would make it a command tank.  The third photo, I agree, most likely another F.  Yes, the tracks are backwards - you guys did your homework but can't say as much for the museum curator.

dupes - great progress!  Do hope you add some sand/dust weathering on the lowers and crevices & such.  At the moment the finish looks at odds with itself.  True, vehicles arrived in their panzer grey colour, but unless you are modelling a vehicle that just came off the Tripoli docks (the grey would be much darker) then there should be seen the effects of kicking up dust from such a sun bleached vehicle.

SMJmodeler - my vote would of been for either soft skinned vehicle.  I'm not sure if the Stug G saw action in North Africa, but please do enlighten me if it did.  There were three Stug Ausf C/D with the special unit Sonder Verband 288.  Have also seen a photo of the Ausf F/8 in Tunisia.

Jack 

jgeratic,

Thanks for checkin' in.  The soft-skins were the definate favorites.

arki30 wrote:

Next is to cut the tail off the fuselage halfs for the resin replacement.  Demolition!

Ooooh...major surgery! Never a big fave of mine. Good luck!

JGeratic - not to worry - I'm not nearly done weathering this baby! Made a bit of progress yesterday (when I wasn't Christmas shopping with the wife) in the form of a couple of enamel + oil washes:

She's getting there. Might even be finished by tomorrow if the timing goes right. Still have some drybrushing, chipping, dust/pigment coats to do, but the forecast today is a blizzard followed by freezing rain...I ain't going anywhere.

Looking better all the time.  Nice work dupes.

Regards,  Rick

dupes wrote:

arki30 wrote: Next is to cut the tail off the fuselage halfs for the resin replacement.  Demolition! Ooooh...major surgery! Never a big fave of mine. Good luck!

It's done.  Easy cheesy .  Today I'm finishing up the chin radiator intake in preparation for fuselage assembly. 

Dupes, the detailing is really starting to give some nice depth.  I suppose the crummy weather is good for something

Lots of great work on the armor, guys.  You're providing plenty of targets for Arki30's and my 'Kittybombers!' Now that I've just finished up my previous group build, I can start concentrating on this one.

Regards,

Mark

Mark Joyce wrote:

Lots of great work on the armor, guys.  You're providing plenty of targets for Arki30's and my 'Kittybombers!' Now that I've just finished up my previous group build, I can start concentrating on this one. Regards, Mark

Muaahahaha!  Fish in a barrel.

I've a question.  I'm chugging along with my Panzer IV and have gotten shockingly far over the last 5 days.  Pics to be posted someday, but I don't have a step-by-step sequence going on.  Anyways, Dragon recommends white for an interior color.  Is that accurate for the African Theater or should I be using a buff color?  If it is white, I'm assuming that a wash would be needed, perhaps Burnt umber.  Or would that be too dark for the theater?

Sorry for the noobish questions, I'm an armor modeler in training here.  Floaty things are my usual forte. 

...as I understand it...panzer interiors were of an off white color. I would start with Tamiya white and add Tamiya buff at a 80% white to 10 to 20% buff and season to taste....others will chime in I'm sure.

Good luck.

Glamdring,

I use white on the interior then wash it with straight black (no future coat).  Focus on the details/crevices first then hit the flat sections.  Move FAST and coat every surface, then quickly grab a q-tip, dip it in mineral spirits, dab on paper towel but keep nearly soaked.  Rub it over every surface, removing the excess, it's O.K. to press kinda hard.  What's left will seem darker than you expect but it's O.K.  Let it almost dry then grab another q-tip and repeat.  Finish all the additional detailing on the interior then lock it down with dullcoat.  The interiors are in shadow anyway and I think the black has nice contrast and seems appropriate considering the amount of grease the crew would have on their hands.  Go see my Stug III in the armor posts,  "more photos of my completed Stug..." I have a photo from a higher angle, you can see the interior pretty well.

Good luck!