Winter Warriors GB 2008

Right, wrong or indifferent, I decided to 're-apply' the tread track camo scheme.  Not sure if I'm completely happy with it (not that I would ever be) but I'm either going to stick with it or repaint and not try the tread track theme.  Time will tell.  Still facing(dreading) the Indy tracks...that might be a Sunday afternoon project...either before or after the oil washes....

Comments & critiques are always welcome

Looks sweet from where im sitting. Why did you redo it? I thought it looked good before.

...Guy

Boy have I gotten behind, especially in this thread!  Great job to all of you posting your finished builds, really amazing work! 

GROUP BUILD ALERT!!!

Today is the official halfway point of the GB. Some of you have banged out some good ones in the first couple of months , some of you are well on your way, and some of you haven't started yet. This is your friendly reminder that we have exactly 61 days remaining to throw some snow on some kits...which reminds me, I need to get my *** in gear! Halfway done on my Panther (but it's back on the bench!) and an entire Ju-87 Stuka still sitting untouched in it's box to crank out.

You can do it guys! Build! Build! Build!

dupes wrote:

and some of you haven't started yet. This is your friendly reminder that we have exactly 61 days remaining to throw some snow on some kits...

That'd be me, dupes. Slight mixup at the LHS....seems they'd misplaced my address, but I called today and have been assured that my Airacobra is on its way (along with a few other goodies). Already have the decals, courtesy of our forum "wing_nut".

Here's the bird I will be building....

....and although I have not been around much, I have been enjoying looking at what everyone's done so far. There's some outstanding work being displayed, and I'm hoping that mine will measure up as well.

Hey dupes and winter warriors, just wanted to check in. I had to travel overseas for about 6 weeks and the server did not support access to message boards. I was able to track the GB by checking the email replies option. There have been some great posts so far. I'm traveling back to the states and should be able to do some work on the M36. Looking forward to finishing it up. T Ellis

 Ok winter warriors, I'm calling the M36 complete. After the whitewash cammo scheme, I applied a wash of dark umber, followed by some dry brushing of burnt umber and some heavier weathering to the road wheels and tracks. I used up a dilluted mixture of dark umber artist ink, some turf and dead grass from the model railroad scenery to apply to the tracks and suspension.  Again, the project depicts an M36 that is relatively new to the ETO, having been issued to units in October of 44. The crew applied a whitewash in vertical patterns to help blend into the forrest during the month of December '44.  This was my first GB and has been very enjoyable, thanks again to dupes for organizing it.

Hey guys, good to have you back! I'm in the same boat as both of you...1.5 builds still to complete in the next 2 months! I think I can pull it off, though.

Ruddratt - looking forward to your Airacobra! Neat scheme! From what I can make out in your scan, it's a plane given to the British, given to the Russians? Is that right? 

 Here is my M8 completed, I tried to match a paint job from the Squadron book, not super pleased, but I think I will do another an try to follow the tutorial

In case no one noticed, I've been AWOL from this build for several weeks...model show over, I will plan on finishing my entry now, the M18.

Some great looking builds here! 

Nice work Dan!

And glad to have you back Hermisminiatures! 

dostacos wrote:

Here is my M8 completed, I tried to match a paint job from the Squadron book, not super pleased, but I think I will do another an try to follow the tutorial

Dostacos - do you have a scan of the pic you were working off of? Maybe if post what you're shooting for, someone may have a bright idea to help you achieve that look.

When you say "I'll do another", do you mean another M8, or another winter build in general?

Hermes - did notice your conspicuous absence. How'd the show go for you?  

Making some headway on my Tristar 1/35 PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf. F by assembling the drive sprockets and idler wheel assemblies.  The assemblies work i.e. the sprockets and idlers turn on their mounts.  The parts are very thin, detailed and delicate and do require care when assembling them to make them work.  The detail is outstanding!  This is my first Tristar kit and I must say I'm impressed!

And here are two shots with the bogies, drive sprockets and return roller assemblies (minus rubber wheels).  The wheels and rubber parts will be attached after painting.

dupes wrote:

dostacos wrote:  Here is my M8 completed, I tried to match a paint job from the Squadron book, not super pleased, but I think I will do another an try to follow the tutorial Dostacos - do you have a scan of the pic you were working off of? Maybe if post what you're shooting for, someone may have a bright idea to help you achieve that look. When you say "I'll do another", do you mean another M8, or another winter build in general? Hermes - did notice your conspicuous absence. How'd the show go for you?

I am doing another couple of 1/48s a SU 122 tank destroyer and a T34 I want to see if I can get that almost all gone look with the white wash.

dupes wrote:

dostacos wrote:  Here is my M8 completed, I tried to match a paint job from the Squadron book, not super pleased, but I think I will do another an try to follow the tutorial Dostacos - do you have a scan of the pic you were working off of? Maybe if post what you're shooting for, someone may have a bright idea to help you achieve that look. When you say "I'll do another", do you mean another M8, or another winter build in general? Hermes - did notice your conspicuous absence. How'd the show go for you?

Well, I sold my two best models a couple weeks before the show, so my only entry was my mostly-complete Tasca Firefly. Being an IPMS contest they're all asthetics and not really into accuracy, so although the Dragon Firefly that took first was missing weld seams left and right and had the hull length uncorrected, it was washed and drybrushed to IPMS-accepted "perfection".

I need to go to AMPS....these IPMS guys are rather ridiculous.

Not that I'm too sore about it. I already have piles of awards, including a best of show from that show two years ago, and I'd rather have the $750 I got for my Ferdinand and a Panther G than I would two more plaques on the shelf

Whoa!  I can't believe its been a month since I last participated in this GB.  My last post was on Feb 1...right before that killer cold/flu knocked me out for 3 weeks!!  That and working in a different office 90 mi from home!  I did manage to pop in very briefly a couple of times to see what was going on, but I've missed a WHOLE lot!

Wow!  There are lots of great builds lately!  detailfreak's Pz III, bobbaily's T-34/76, panzer88's Sd.Kfz.251, Luftwoller's KV-2, dostaco's M8, Slightly Altered's Tiger I, Arki30's Bf-109, Jthurston's T-34/85, Plastic Cross's M7...awesome work guys!!  I know some of you aren't totally done yet, but awesome just the same!  Now that I'm back at the main office and feeling WAY better I should be able to participate more.  When I left off I was getting ready to paint my DML Pz. IV Ausf G "Kharkov".  Well, its still not painted yet, but here are a couple of photos of the almost finished assembly.  I was facillating back and forth on what basecoat to apply, but I've decided to go with dunkelgelb.  Yup....well, at least for now that's what I've decided...maybe tomorrow I'll go with dunkelgrau.  OH, photos....

Built OOB except for this little box that many of the LAH Pz IVs had during the Third Battle of Kharkov.  Just a little scratchbuilding with cardstock and aluminum.

I wanted to paint it today, but had too many chores, so I'll probably be painting it late this week or on the weekend. 

Oh man, Buffelhead that looks great. Your in the same boat as me. Tank on the bench ready for paint. With me theres not enough hours in the day. Cant wait to see yours painted though.

...Guy

Holy flurry of activity Batman! You guys all appear to have had VERY productive weekends...I'm sad to report that after fiiiiiinally getting my PC back together (replaced the mobo) after 2 months of downtime, I ended up putting myself into a video game stupor to help end my withdrawal symptoms...all instead of building. I feel both good and bad at the same time. Hehehe.

Hermesminiatures wrote:

Not that I'm too sore about it. I already have piles of awards, including a best of show from that show two years ago, and I'd rather have the $750 I got for my Ferdinand and a Panther G than I would two more plaques on the shelf

SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY for two kits?!?!? Holy crap! I really dug your Ferdy, but I don't think I could pay $375 for it. WOW. Who do you sell to? And how do you arrive at prices? Dang, good for you Hermes. Talk about paying to stock the stash...

Good stuff guys! Keep it up!

I sold the Ferdinand on eBay for $300, and the Panther was a commission project from a guy who pretty much writes me a blank check and tells me what he wants
 

I hope to get some work done this week on my M18, but my modeling room is a disaster right now, so I'll probably have to do some cleaning first. I should probably finish my other two commissioned projects sometime this year, too....I think I need a model-you've-been-avoiding GB.

I could have cleaned last night, but I was tempted into playing Company of Heroes for three hours instead

Hermesminiatures wrote:

I think I need a model-you've-been-avoiding GB.

THAT is a GREAT idea....  You might be on to something here, Hermes!!

P.S.  I have not done c^&p on this GB yet.  Hope to get my rear in gear soon!

I will be a bit more active with this build within the next week, I almost have the interior for my MiG-3 finished, I'll post photos as soon as I figure out how to get some decent ones. I was pretty impressed to learn that the Classic Airframes kit I got includes both PE parts and resin as well. I look forward to hearing your comments in the near future.

-Paul

Corvettemike - I'll add you to the front page. Glad to have you!

Fyuri - can't wait to see some pics. Always liked the lines of the MiG-3.

Hermes - I hear you about CoH. If you don't already have this map, go to planetcoh or something like that and look for "Operation Ground and Pound". By FAR my favorite user-made map...2 on 2, lots of building and chokepoints. I think if I just had that and The Scheldt on my desert island I'd be pretty happy...

Though i'd post some wip pictures of my 1/72 T34/76. Nothing special, though hopefully it will be good when done. The kit is really nice to build but the instructions are awful. 'Armour PRO' seems to be a Dragon excuse for producing substandard instructions. They are vague and often part numbers are completely wrong or have left and right mixed up.

Mostly Built

Black base coat

Basic painting and clear varnish applied (hate how garish models look at thsi stage)