Red Storm on the Reich GB - Sept. 8, 2008 - May 9, 2009

Alright fellas, Bufflehead got me a bit fired up about doing something over in the "Big Cats" GB, so I'm going to throw my hat in the ring with this here DML 1/72 Jagdtiger (Porsche). Sweet little kit...tell you what, if I didn't have soooo much 1/35 (and 1/48) armor I could see getting into these bigtime. Anyways, got the start pic, and where I am after a couple of hours of work:

Still trying to decide on a scheme...not sure what I want to go with. 

Geez dupes!!  I read that you started your Jagdtiger and when I check it out its ready for paint!!  At this speed you'll pass me for sure!!  Personally that camo scheme at the top of the instructions just catches my eye...... 

Yep, those Dragon Armor Pro 1/72 kits are really nice.  I've got a few of them in the stash!

Here is the work I have done so far on my entry.

Calibri (Fort) 1:72 Gaz-67B Jeep, which went together remarkably well. I have yet the add stowage, which you can see at right of the image.

Italeri 1:72 IS-2 which is another kit that went together well, though it had its moments. Italeri 1:72 kits are nice but do not come up to the Dragon Pro 1:72 releases detail or quality wise.

I apologise for the quality of the images. These were taken at my workbench, not where I normally take images with my good digicam, lights and tripod.

Figure and base is next.

Cheers

Mike

I'm glad you guys are making progress on your builds. I on the other hand have made none lately. The only changes my build has seen is how much dust its accumulated. Too much school work and wroking. Oh well, christmas break starts tomorrow. Maybe I can get some work done then?

EDIT: I actually worked on it tonight. I got my school work finished and found the time to build! Its been so long I had forgotten what its like. All I did was glue on some small detail bits before I paint this weekend. Every bit counts though...

EDIT 2 ( don't want to double post):I just put down the first coat of paint on my ISU152. I'm using the same method Doog used for painting his Jagdpanzer Kanone. It entails a darker version of the base color, then the normal un-altered color, then a lightened coat of the base color. I hipe to complete the second coat later tonight.

Erik

dupes: I like the paws in the pic's, is your cat going to help you build too...

1/72 is so friggin' tiny I can't get the guts to try it.  I like that paint scheme with the white zig-zag...never seen that before it's pretty cool!

madmike: The builds look really good, but you may want to dullcote them...they're a wee bit shiny IMO.

I'm in the same boat, Geist.  Got one post up and than work started kicking my rear (ahh, Christmas at retail).  I have started working on the road wheels, at least.

MadMike:  Looks good.  1/72nd is way to tiny for my eyesite, but you seem to have tackled it with gusto.  Nice job so far.  Is that Jeep really as tiny as it looks in the pics?

Dupes:  heh.  I hadn't even noticed the kitty paws at the top of the pic.  My own kitty assists in my modeling efforst by winding around my ankles while I'm at the bench. 

  Thought I'd drop in to see what's been happening.

 Nice work MadMike on the 1/72 Gaz, The detail on both look pretty good. A couple of nice Soviet builds.

 Dupes, The 1/72 Jagdtiger looks like a big cat, until I saw the Kitty paws. I think your kitty is telling you he's "Da Big Cat". The winter camo or the 3 tone would be my choices.

 Looking forward to updates,

 Merry Christmas,

 Mobious

Hello all.

Sorry I haven't been posting any WIP pics for my SdKfz 7/2 but the whole build has been going pear shaped from start to finish. The first problem I had was trying to get the tracks to stay together, I tried everything, I did eventually get them stuck but it doesn't look pretty. Once all the body work was done, I thought I'd have a first go at using Vallejo primer before painting, but I ended up spraying to thick a coat on one side. As a result the Lifecolour Dunkelgelb I use wouldn't cover the primer!!!!!! So I ordered some Xtracrylix Dunkelgelb, only to find it's a darker shade compared to the Lifecolour one. So after a coat of Xtracrylix Dunkelgelb and another Lifecolour coat all traces of the Vallejo primer are gone.

Once all the base coats are done and the flak 37 is built I'll post some pics.

Merry Christmas

Mark

About a week ago I realised that I glued my tracks together backwards...

Fastforward to today, I just picked up a set of Fruil tracks for my ISU152 for $30. I've only put a couple together and I love them. Now I see why everyone raves about them.  I'm excited to work on my build now that I don't have to worry about those old Dragon tracks!

Erik

Lofweir wrote:

Dupes:  heh.  I hadn't even noticed the kitty paws at the top of the pic.  My own kitty assists in my modeling efforst by winding around my ankles while I'm at the bench.

Yeah, that's Boots...he tries to get into EVERY picture if he can, and if not, he's sure to contribute plenty of hair to whatever paint I'm spraying at the time!

Got a bunch done, but have been bad about posting (or even taking!) any pics. Will try to get something up in the next few days.

SMJmodeler wrote:

madmike: The builds look really good, but you may want to dullcote them...they're a wee bit shiny IMO.

The flash did that unfortunately. They are not that glossy, verging on satin perhaps due to the oil washes.

Lofweir wrote:

MadMike:  Looks good.  1/72nd is way to tiny for my eyesite, but you seem to have tackled it with gusto.  Nice job so far.  Is that Jeep really as tiny as it looks in the pics?

Mobious wrote:

Nice work MadMike on the 1/72 Gaz, The detail on both look pretty good. A couple of nice Soviet builds.

The Gaz kit surprised me as I thought it would be a tough build. Recommended.

Cheers

Mike

Hey guys!  Now that the holidays AND some GBs are wrapping up I will soon start working on the JS-2 for this GB.  However, there has been a change.  I received a visa gift card for xmas and coupled with a Hobbytown discount I decided to get this for less than 1/2 price!

Soooo....if its OK with you Scott, I'd like to switch kits from the Dragon to the Tamiya JS-2.  The Tamiya kit is supposed to be easier to assemble whereas the Dragon kit needs some work.  Shimming the entire hull with .040 styrene to get the proper fender/return roller spacing isn't something I want to get involved with.  Not with so many GBS and so little time! 

Let me know if its OK Scottie!

Roster updated!  You're really going to like the kit Ernest, I'm about halfway done with mine which I'm doing for this GB. 

Hello, im just curious right now but would i be able to join this GB this late? If yes im not totally sure if I will or not. If so then would Dragon's Marder III H fit the deal?

-Brandon

Finally got some time at the bench and tackled the wheels, sprockets, and idlers for the Panther.

I really like the way the road wheels came out.  I stuck them onto a bit for my Dremel, spun them up, and brushed them with thinned steel acrylic paint.  I put down a nice, uneven coat of paint which matches a couple of reference pics I have.

Should get some serious time on the bench on New Years Day.  Need to paint the small bits that go on the hull )tow cables, tools, finish gluing up the upper hull, and get the base coat down.

Hey Lofweir, Looks like a great tip on painting roadwheels, will be giving that a try. Looking forward to seeing the Panther progress updates.

 Best Regards,

 Mobious

modelfreaks wrote:

Hello, im just curious right now but would i be able to join this GB this late? If yes im not totally sure if I will or not. If so then would Dragon's Marder III H fit the deal? -Brandon

As long as it served during the final Soviet assault on the "Reich" you're good to go! 

Lofweir wrote:

I really like the way the road wheels came out.  I stuck them onto a bit for my Dremel, spun them up, and brushed them with thinned steel acrylic paint.  I put down a nice, uneven coat of paint which matches a couple of reference pics I have.

They do look good, I typically don't add the wash until their mounted...I like how you did that early!  I've used the Dremel for road wheel work too (sanding mostly), it works great!!!

Lofweir wrote:

...it went flying off the Dremel and across the workbench like a discus.  i would recommend eye protection (which I put on after the second occurrence) and a light touch.

Who would have thought, eye protection for model building?!?!?...I guess it's just one of the hazards of our occupation....

SMJmodeler wrote:

Lofweir wrote: I really like the way the road wheels came out.  I stuck them onto a bit for my Dremel, spun them up, and brushed them with thinned steel acrylic paint.  I put down a nice, uneven coat of paint which matches a couple of reference pics I have. They do look good, I typically don't add the wash until their mounted...I like how you did that early!  I've used the Dremel for road wheel work too (sanding mostly), it works great!!!

 I've used my variable speed drill to sand the roadwheels but never to paint them. the variable speed works great for control of speed.

 Mobious

Ok, well on my painting guide for the marder it gives you a choice of a marder that served on the eastern front. I reasearched the division and they fought against the Russians in Slovenia and Austria from April 1945 thru May 1945. So, i guess I'll give this a spin. Put me down for Dragon's Marder III H.

-Thanks a lot, Brandon

SMJmodeler wrote:

Lofweir wrote: I really like the way the road wheels came out.  I stuck them onto a bit for my Dremel, spun them up, and brushed them with thinned steel acrylic paint.  I put down a nice, uneven coat of paint which matches a couple of reference pics I have. They do look good, I typically don't add the wash until their mounted...I like how you did that early!  I've used the Dremel for road wheel work too (sanding mostly), it works great!!!

I generally wait till further along in the build, but the Panther has road wheels tucked behind road wheels, so I figured I hit them with an initial wash before installation.