BIG CATS GROUP BUILD 2008

dupes:  I have a tackle box with all my building supplies and it's very easy to transport, I brought it to SoCal to start my Panther G last week.  Maybe I'll grab a 1:48 something...sniff, sniff, Tiger I...and work on that if the symptoms get UNBEARABLE...thanks for the idea!

Hey, shoot me a PM about your work/life schedule for May.  Maybe we can get together sooner than later!  Any coupons yet for those T55's!?!?!

SMJmodeler wrote:

Guys: Here is a WIP pic' with a red brown zig-zag/cargo net camo' look.  Somewhat like the AC guys do...MAN it's tough getting those thin lines...ANOTHER reason I build tanks...I'm having a lot of fun with this build!!!...let me know what you think.

SMJ, you're making the rest of us look bad.  You've almost completed your build only a week or two out from the start of the Group Build and on top of that, put together a unique and interesting Panther.  It's been neat to see this come together.  Although I agree with the comment you got from Manny in the Armor group that the decals need to be blended in better with the camo.  The contrast as is looks too sharp.

I guess that I'll have to get going and post some WIP pics of my simultaneous Panther late A and early G builds, although still only in the "road wheels out the wazoo" stage.  And Dragon doesn't help much with 4 sprue attachment/node points on each wheel to clean up... 

Hi all,

I've got as far as demothballing the beast from the stash. Here it is:

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She sure looks the part, it'll be an adventure opening the box. There's that almost spiritual moment when you slit the shrinkwrap to broach a new kit -- it's a mental flavor I've come to crave.

I wonder if I should indulge in it tonight... Or hold off a bit, seeing as there are other projects in line ahead still. Hmmmmmm...

TB379

Thunderbolt - glad to see you're doing this kit, I've got the same one in my stash and am eagerly awaiting it's turn in the build-cycle. Even have a scheme already picked out:

Those big fat stripes and the barbed wire just did it for me, I guess. Let me know how construction goes!

SMJ - May's fine for me, Maine is still pretty ragged until about mid/late June (especially with the late winter we're having...snowed again last night ). No luck on coupons or even a sale yet at Lucky, I keep looking every week though.

pordoi: (is that pronounced poor-doy?) I got out of the starting block quick, but I'll be on a modeling hiatus for about a month...that should give everyone a chance to catch-up.  I feel your pain on those road wheels...I counted 48 sides to mask and paint!  I used a circle template, it worked well and didn't take too long...hang in there!

T379:  That was such a sentimental description of opening the shrinkwrap I have a tear in my eye.  Maybe you should conduct a small, ceremonial unwrapping ritual!!!

dupes:  I'm diggin' that camo' scheme, I like the fat stripes too!!!

Dustin -- that's an entirely reasonable reason to ask for spare parts -- I'd be surprised if Dragoncase weren't sympathetic!

Dupes -- we think alike! Love the scheme you've picked, I'll have to make a decision fairly early as the wheels all need to be painted off the beast (template method -- I once did a Panther's tires totally by hand, with the wheels on the sprue, and it took forever. You might remember, FSM published that one in the late 90s.) I'm craving opening the box, and wondering if i can reasonably put another item on the bench...

SMJ -- Glad you liked it! I'll speak an invocation by the waning moon to this beast of steel as I take the sacred knife and part the mystical shrink-wrap. It's that delicious feeling of embarking on a whole new venture!

Cheers,

TB379

Williamsfw28: I've dealt with DragonCare before with good results, they will usually send you the parts you need (or in my case, the entire sprue) within a couple weeks, check out their website and they will tell you what to do. (a photo of the box art is usually required along with a photocopy of the receipt as proof of purchase)

Chris,

Thunderbolt379 wrote:

SMJ -- Glad you liked it! I'll speak an invocation by the waning moon to this beast of steel as I take the sacred knife and part the mystical shrink-wrap. It's that delicious feeling of embarking on a whole new venture!

amen brother...may the modeling gods be with you!!!

I've gotten a bit of work done on the DML pre-zimmed KT- mostly the lower hull parts, some of the upper hull and since I'm going to use Fruils I went ahead and linked up both runs of track ahead of time- nothing like having two runs of track waiting for a vehicle to motivate the build.

I've got so many kits in the works (4) that I feel like a bee in a floral hothouse- I don't where to go next because it's all good everywhere.

WOOHOO... Construction starts...

TONIGHT 

Hi all,

With construction clear to begin shortly, I decided I'd check out the Academy Tiger. With my invocation to the gods of modelling spoken (grin!) I slit the shrinkwrap and checked out the contents. The instructions seem clear and well-presented, and parts breakdown seems logical, if a little different from the pattern one comes to expect from Tamiya or Dragon. The lower hull, for instance, extends clear to the top of the flank armour, and all the upper hull details are panels to be added on. We shall see how bright an idea this is...

The kit decals feature markings for five vehicles, including Michael Wittmann's, and two vehicles commanded by Otto Carius. The selection is great but the decals themselves look a little thick, and are very glossy. I may look for AMs.

The tracks are vinyl, with deep, clear detail both sides. Hopefully they'll be okay.

I'll need to compare the parts to Tiger in Action to make a call re accuracy, but my first impression is it's probably pretty good.

I'll report again after a few parts have been assembled.

Cheers,

TB379

Greeting Big Cats fans,

Would anyone have a Late Tiger 1 with Zim reference pic  ? My armor sources are very slim at this time. The Tamiya box art shows Zim, but I would like to see the real thing. Thanks  

Thunderbolt379 wrote:

I'll need to compare the parts to Tiger in Action to make a call re accuracy, but my first impression is it's probably pretty good.

If you head over to this site:

http://tiger1.info/models/products/AC1348.html

it should give you a breakdown of the majority of the inaccuracies. That link is for the kit w/interior, but the one you're doing is the same kit just without the interior sprues.

Summit - if you can't find any pics online, I've got piles of them in Tigers In Combat I + II. Can scan them in if you're hard up. Just off the top of my head, you should probably try primeportal and alanhamby.com/tiger first...bucketloads of goodies on those two. 

Dupes, Thanks for the links ..I guess that is what I should of asked for. Google and I don't get along to well as my mind wanders off track too fast and I forget what I was searching for.

Also will be placing an order for the books.  

As soon as I finish removing this hulking Model Railroad out of my Hobby area I plan to get started on my Tiger  

Hi Dupes,

Thanks for the link -- excellent data. I can do a comparison as I go but at eye-level resolution she's looking highly comparable to photographs. I might start the suspension tonight.

Cheers,

TB379

Hi all,

April 1st is upon us here in Australia in 9 minutes! The plastic bags are open and first parts are off the sprues!

Here's the first WIP shot:

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First impressions -- not bad. There are a couple of ejector pin marks on the outer face of all sixteen suspension arms, but as they're invisible behind the overlapped roadwheels I can't see me breaking a sweat about it. The two bolt-on covers that attach below the engine bay are separately molded. Cut away their positive location tabs on the hull bottom -- they don't fit at all! I could spend time filing away the copyright information and eliminating the injection stub, but this isn't a competition model and nobody is ever going to look under this tank to see what's there. So long as I can live with the fact...

Cheers,

TB379

What? You aren't going to file off the COPYRIGHT INFO? Blasphemous!

dupes wrote:

What? You aren't going to file off the COPYRIGHT INFO? Blasphemous!

Oh, alright! The copyright info is now all filed away, the injection stub is filed, the plastic re-milled by wet-sanding, and both the stub and all the dimpling under molded detail on the inside of the hull is now all filled with Squadron White, cut with Testor liquid cement. Happy? Well, it was worth giving me a prod, it was only a ten-minute job when I actually decided to do it... Keep prodding!

TB379

God only knows I don't need more to stress about while I'm riding my bike ...dodging potholes is going to be trouble enough, this year. Ugh.

That, and the snow will have to melt at some point to actually ALLOW me to get on my bike. Damn winter!

See? I'm already stressing out.

dupes wrote:

God only knows I don't need more to stress about while I'm riding my bike ...dodging potholes is going to be trouble enough, this year. Ugh. That, and the snow will have to melt at some point to actually ALLOW me to get on my bike. Damn winter! See? I'm already stressing out.

Finally got a chance to snap a few photos this evening.  I'm doing a dual build of big cats

Had both in the stash and when I saw that the late A also had call outs for a Pz.Rgt 26 Panther, I decided to do both.  It makes an interesting comparison, a late A with zim and an early G without.  The G also includes additional roof armor.  However, my understanding is that the early Gs of Pz.Rgt26 without zim also had schurzen and additional add on armor over the fans and rear deck.  The Gryphon Models PE set will take care of that

 Construction is still in the early stages, as you can see from the photos.  The early G hull:

late A with Cavalier zim in place:

and both:

Still a little clean up to do and a small gap to fill between the rear plate and the hull.  But the real fun has yet to start.  I have limited experience with PE and the Gryphon set is comprehensive, to say the least.  7 frets.  The PE supplied with the Premium kit is a bit less intimidating.  Nonetheless, I've yet to make a convincing tool clasp.  At least there's the option of using the molded tools provided in the kits.  Updates will be posted as the builds progress.

Don

Hi Don,

I have the Panther A premium in my stash, so i'll be most interested to see how this one goes together. Great work so far!

TB379

Wow, a 2-for-1! Interesting project.

InterestingLY enough, I just finished the aforementioned Panther A Premium. Pics got posted last night over in the armor forum!

Guys:  Good to see projects are taking shape!  I'll be handing things off to dupes while I make my move to NY.  I should be back on line in about 30 days...hopefully less, talk to you then.

SMJmodeler

Crap, I'm in charge? What GB is this? Japanese Zero Variants?