#96: Tamiya Pz II C Polish *Complete PICS p5*

This will be interesting to watch Bill,

Julian

Bill - Hummm...as I see you start #96 I think of horse racing calls...."your in the club house turn"....I know, I have a warped mind!

Off to a "clean" start

Rounds Complete!!

   Bill not wasting anytime I see. I'm looking forward to seeing one of your builds done up in the classic panzer gray. You are going that way or do you have a surprise for us?

Thanks for following along Julian!

Mike, I know exactly what you mean...and believe it or not, the choice of this kit was partly driven by the need to insure I get across the finish line this year...it's already 6 months in after all!

panzerguy wrote:

Bill not wasting anytime I see. I'm looking forward to seeing one of your builds done up in the classic panzer gray. You are going that way or do you have a surprise for us?

Steve, this one's going to get the ordered scheme of 2/3 Dunklegrau and 1/3 Dunkelbraun since it's a 1939 Polish Campaign vehicle. If you follow the orders, the "classic" Panzer Gray doesn't come into effect until July 1940.

wbill76 wrote:

Steve, this one's going to get the ordered scheme of 2/3 Dunklegrau and 1/3 Dunkelbraun since it's a 1939 Polish Campaign vehicle. If you follow the orders, the "classic" Panzer Gray doesn't come into effect until July 1940.

   Does this mean a two-tone pattern or does this mix mean a darker gray than the later panzer gray?

Watching with interest, Bill, I learn a lot on every build.  Just think, you are 4 from 100, I am 4 from zero.  At this rate, I'm onnly about 14 years behind you!

Bill   

panzerguy wrote:

wbill76 wrote: Steve, this one's going to get the ordered scheme of 2/3 Dunklegrau and 1/3 Dunkelbraun since it's a 1939 Polish Campaign vehicle. If you follow the orders, the "classic" Panzer Gray doesn't come into effect until July 1940.    Does this mean a two-tone pattern or does this mix mean a darker gray than the later panzer gray?

I'd say a dark color gray, with little more than dust for weathering, afterall this was the very beginning of the war, I can't believe these vehicles were anything other than very well kept and maintained.

ps1scw wrote:

panzerguy wrote:  wbill76 wrote: Steve, this one's going to get the ordered scheme of 2/3 Dunklegrau and 1/3 Dunkelbraun since it's a 1939 Polish Campaign vehicle. If you follow the orders, the "classic" Panzer Gray doesn't come into effect until July 1940.    Does this mean a two-tone pattern or does this mix mean a darker gray than the later panzer gray? I'd say a dark color gray, with little more than dust for weathering, afterall this was the very beginning of the war, I can't believe these vehicles were anything other than very well kept and maintained.

The color naming convention on the Nov 1938- July 1940 scheme didn't use the RAL numbering scheme when first ordered, that convention came in later. The colors in the orders were referred to as Nr. 45 Dunkelbraun and Nr. 46 Dunkelgrau and were standard colors. Factory-produced vehicles were to have this scheme in soft-edge before acceptance while in-field vehicles were to be repainted by the respective units. This didn't always happen as there are photos of equipment in the pre-war scheme in the Polish and even the French campaigns out there. The Nr. 46 Dunkelgrau color later received the designation of RAL 7021 and the Dunkelbraun was dropped and didn't receive a RAL number. Nr. 46 Dunkelgrau and RAL 7021 Dunkelgrau (the name panzer gray is a modeler's term and not an official one) are exactly the same colors regardless of timeframe. The pattern I'm using will be a two-tone pattern following the presecribed ratios between the two colors. HTH!

Bill, I like the symmetry!

James, glad to have you along as well.

Hi Bill, Looking forward to #96 and a panzer II too boot. What a choice, I bought a dragon II not so long ago but its the lack of imagination on my part that is stopping me from getting a start. I just know you will provide some inspiration.

Good luck with this one and I hope there is not as much drama as on the III. I don't know why but I just hate Panzer III's thats just me.

Goodluck,

Terry.

Thanks Jeff!

tigerman wrote:

Go Bill, go. Go Bill, go. Cool. I saw one recently selling on ebay for pretty cheap, but I had a Dragon one. This should be a fun easy build for you. One color scheme. LOL I expect it done in a week.

Been a blast, and a week is probably not too far off. Update coming soon...just have to edit the photos from today's efforts.

Ever just get in a groove with a build and really get rolling? Today was such a day...probably one of the most productive model-building days I've had in a long time in fact.

Picking up from yesterday, I did a check with the top run of tracks and the clearance with the upper fenders and decided I had enough room to work with once the upper and lower hulls were joined. The test fit also revealed to me just how much of the underside of the fenders would be visible, so I went back and filled and sanded all the ejector marks on the underside as a precaution.

With that out of the way, I proceeded to work on Step 7 and join the upper and lower hulls. The fit here is good but the contact surfaces are not very large, so I used some rubber bands as added insurance to get a solid join all around.

Step 7 calls for the installation of the rear engine access hatch as well as the radio operator's hatch. Curiously the engine hatch actually has latch detail on the underside but since it's molded as one piece, you'd have to cut through that if you wanted to show the hatches open. The detail on the hatch is very good and the gap around the perimeter is supposed to be there just like on the real vehicle. After checking references and realizing that the fenders weren't jointed, I carefully filled the slight gap where the fender extensions met the hull from the previous step and sanded down the edges smooth.

Step 7 also adds the glacis plates and large access hatch for the driver. This fit beautifully and just required a little bit of liquid glue at the front to get the weld seam join to look the part. The correct style of view ports for the C were installed for the driver, these are called out properly on the instructions but are right next to the type for the c, A, or B so a double-check is a good idea to be sure you don't accidentally grab the wrong ones. The one piece tow rope/transmission hatch was also added along with the front tow hooks. The front fenders supports were also installed to complete the step after some ejector marks on their rear surfaces were sanded down.

Step 8 takes care of some sub-assemblies in preparation for later steps. These include the 4 part jack, the spare barrel box and lid, the two front headlights with blackout covers, the two-part antenna tray, the three-part tow hitch, and the 4 part muffler. The antenna holder had some ejector marks on the inner surfaces that I sanded down out of an abundance of caution. The muffler required the most work, with it's seam sanded down and some putty added to fill small gaps on either ends where the armored pipe from the engine and the hollow exhaust pipe installed. 

Step 9 deals primarily with the rear hull plate details. The muffler is installed along with the rear brake light, the tow pintle, and the rear tow eyes. The PE mesh heat shield cover for the muffler was annealed over a gas burner flame and then carefully curved to shape using a Mission Models Multi-tool. The PE, since it's steel, is stiffer to work worth vs. brass so it took several sessions to get it to shape properly. The hull has small cut-outs molded in to take the mount tabs, so getting it into position was easy with no guess work required. The rear fender supports were also installed along with the mud-flaps. The tool box and spare barrels boxes were installed on the right side fender while the jack went on the left. The radio operator's view port was also installed and, unlike the driver's ports, this one is the earlier c/A/B type and not the C type. It's the only option provided so there was no choice there and is a minor thing in the long-run. Last but not least all the tiny little lifting eyes were added to the upper hull. No spares are available so I worked slowly and one at a time to make sure I didn't have any casualties along the way.

Step 10 deals mostly with the fender gear and I was selective in terms of what I installed and what was left off for later. The left side fender received the antenna tray, the fire extinguisher, and the long pry bar but the shovel, axe, and jack block were left off for later. All of the tools on the right fender were also left off and the front headlights were installed. I added the missing wiring conduit using 0.5mm diameter solder cut to shape and carefully glued down with liquid glue as an added detail.

Step 11 deals with assembling the commander's chair and the interior detail for his hatches. Since I'm not posing the hatches open, I skipped this step entirely.

Step 12 deals with the main armament and the first order of business is to install the MG34 and KwK 30 into the interior mantlet. Since the KwK 30 is molded as all one piece, I removed the molded on barrel portion with sprue cutters and sanded it down smooth. A mount hole was drilled with a pin vise and the Lionmarc turned brass barrel installed. The open sighting view ports were also added to the mantlet along with the circular elevation parts, the elevation parts are not glued. Only one of these receives a poly cap and the result is a very snug, but still movable, fit while the other just fits loosely on the other side elevation pin.

Next was the addition of the external mantlet plate which also serves as the turret front plate. This has to be carefully installed by getting small D-shaped tabs to align with the elevation parts.

The other half of this step is the assembly of the turret itself. The top and bottom halves were joined using a combination of regular and liquid glue and allowed to set up. The splash guard for the commander's hatches and the signal port cover were also added.

The step is completed with the installation of the mantlet and guns into the turret proper. I used a careful combination of liquid glue and regular glue, making sure that the guns could remain movable throughout. Some slight finger pressure was needed in a couple spots but otherwise a very snug fit. The main open sight hatch kept popping loose on me so I decided to pose it in the open position since that gave a larger glue surface. It also has the added benefit of the feel that the vehicle is "crewed" since most of the other hatches aside from the commander's hatch don't have any interior detail and have to be posed closed as a result.

Step 14 deals with the installation of the commander's hatches and the remaining side vision ports. The turret lifting eyes were also added. I also added some weld texture to the missing areas on the angled lower turret plates by carefully scoring the plastic with the tip of a sharp #11 blade. I then came back and sanded it down to make it smaller and more regular...the photo makes the area look a little more pronounced than it actually is.

Step 15 calls for the installation of the turret into the hull as well as the addition of the rear rhomboid number plate. This was added using a drop of CA gel and some liquid glue. I also added an Armorscale 2m brass antenna (trimmed down to fit the 1.4m antenna tray) by removing the stub in the mast and drilling out a small hole and gluing it in place with CA gel. The mast was then installed to the hull side in the down position.

Incredibly as it sounds...this one's now ready for painting!

Bill - "Holy excrement Batman" you are ready for painting already!! You are getting like the Blues Brothers...."your on a mission from God". Your becoming your own group build, "making 100 GB"

Nice work on the little guy. Also nice work on the documentation

Rounds Complete!!

Missed this one  Bit I am here now

As I was scrolling down I was sure the last post was this all painted already at the rate it was going.  So let's see some paint there big guy!!!

Mike, thanks as always! Definitely felt like I was on a mission yesterday...time flew by and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was a rare combination these days!

Marc, it's like one of those small towns on the Interstate, if you blink you'll miss it! This one has definitely moved faster than the "normal" build...and I guaratee you will see paint by the end of the day today, just be sure to watch for it or you'll miss it again!

I saw the first post but had no time to post anything, and now this little baby is nearly done. Wow Bill your quick.

OK, this #96, what I'd like to know is what will 100 be???? Any clue yet or is it top secret!! I'd say it has to be something special, like say a WRECK

She's looking good Bill, looking forward to the camo scheme, you rarely see the early war schemes be applied. I'll try not to blink or I might see a new post, #97.

Rob

Thanks JeanMichel!

scratchmod wrote:

OK, this #96, what I'd like to know is what will 100 be???? Any clue yet or is it top secret!! I'd say it has to be something special, like say a WRECK She's looking good Bill, looking forward to the camo scheme, you rarely see the early war schemes be applied. I'll try not to blink or I might see a new post, #97.

Rob, no clue on what #100 might be...since it's 3 kits down the road that I would have to finish first, that could easily be 12-18 weeks away (can't take #96 as a base case for how the rest will go!). I don't plan that far ahead! The early war schemes are indeed not often seen but more of them are starting to pop up here and there now that it's been clearly documented that's what the ordered schemes were. The entrenched "panzer gray" only will die hard though...even the Tamiya finishing instructions on a brand new kit from 2008 still calls for the straight panzer gray scheme.

wbill76 wrote:

Thanks JeanMichel!  scratchmod wrote: OK, this #96, what I'd like to know is what will 100 be???? Any clue yet or is it top secret!! I'd say it has to be something special, like say a WRECK She's looking good Bill, looking forward to the camo scheme, you rarely see the early war schemes be applied. I'll try not to blink or I might see a new post, #97. Rob, no clue on what #100 might be...since it's 3 kits down the road that I would have to finish first, that could easily be 12-18 weeks away (can't take #96 as a base case for how the rest will go!). I don't plan that far ahead! The early war schemes are indeed not often seen but more of them are starting to pop up here and there now that it's been clearly documented that's what the ordered schemes were. The entrenched "panzer gray" only will die hard though...even the Tamiya finishing instructions on a brand new kit from 2008 still calls for the straight panzer gray scheme.

hard to see the brown

   Ready for paint in one weekend! At this rate you'll be passing one hundred well before the end of the year. Can't wait to see this with paint Bill. I've got a Pnz II D that will be hitting the bench soon and this will be a big help when it comes time for painting.

ps1, yep and that's why many are still convinced that some vehicles were painted in straight panzer gray even though there's no documentation or orders to support that before July 1940. The scheme prior to the 2-tone was a 3-tone scheme...so vehicles that hadn't received the repaint would've had a 3-tone scheme and not a straight panzer gray scenario. Vehicles from the factory were painted prior to acceptance by the Waffenamt with the two-tone, so there's no foundation for them only doing panzer gray and leaving off the brown. The two colors have a very low contrast relative to each other and all it takes is a little bit of dust and poor lighting and they can vanish in a color photo...nevermind in a b/w. The scheme is gaining wider acceptance slowly but surely though...kind of the same was as the DAK schemes in that regard.

Steve, I did make a New Year's resolution to pass 100 this year...and I'm a little behind schedule. It's all Marc's (dupes) fault, he's the one that took a magnifying glass to my finished builds list and discovered the count was off by one.

wbill76 wrote:

I guaratee you will see paint by the end of the day today, just be sure to watch for it or you'll miss it again!

So wht is your definition of end of day?  My glass of grand Marnier in nearly empty, I just put the lest of the wood intp the chimnea, the cigar cigar is just a nub and i have 8% left on the battery for the laptop.  My day is done and i don't see any paint

Marc, that's why your laptop has a power cord! I'm on Mountain time so end of the day for me is right about....now!  

Weather was perfect for painting today, so the first order of business was the usual prep. The turret was separated from the hull and mounted on a cardboard tube with strips of blue painter's tape for easier handling of both the turret and the hull. The road wheels, idlers, and return rollers were mounted on toothpicks with only the return rollers needing some blue tack putty to hold them in place since the others had the poly caps.

Everything was primed using Model Master enamel Italian Dark Brown. This was particularly helpful since the Tamiya plastic is already dark gray to insure that all the plastic surfaces were painted before applying the base coat. The base coat of Panzer Schwarzgrau was then added in multiple passes to build it up over the primer coat.

The next step applied some highlights and variation in the form of about an 80/20 mix of Panzer Schwarzgrau/Light Gray in a reverse shading pattern. Some of the areas were going to be covered with the camo pattern but that's ok, the idea was to get the gray areas looking the way I wanted to first.

Since the ordered scheme in effect at the time of the Polish campaign called for a 2/3 Dunkelgrau 1/3 Dunkelbraun scheme, I used Model Master enamel Panzer Schokoladenbraun as the Dunkelbraun and applied it freehand. I tried to break up the pattern a bit and also adhere to the required ratio even though the temptation was there to go 50-50. Given the overall size of the vehicle, it was a balancing act and I worked slowly and deliberately since the Tamiya instructions were no help at all in terms of the pattern.

The road wheels were also painted at this stage in preparation for mounting. They were also primered with the Italian Dark Brown and then the rubber portions painted using enamel Gunmetal and then the hubs painted using a circle template. In the 2/3-1/3 spirit, I painted 6 in Dunkelgrau and 4 in Dunkelbraun. The return rollers also had their hubs painted using the same method.

This will sit now until next weekend and then it's on to the tracks and other remaining details.

Interesting combination, brown/grey. Looks good Bill, must try that myself.

Julian

Paint looks great Bill but I have to admit I had never heard of that particular paint scheme.

Was it very common?

OK...I know Marc was pressing you but....you quit early last night!

Nice work on the shading......very strange color combo

Rounds Complete!!

WBill,

   Outstanding work so far. Nice info on the Dunklegrau paint. I hope to see good info on weathering techniques as my next build is going to be a PzIVE during the Balkan campaign. I have no idea how to weather the Dunklegrau paint. Looking forward to more.

-Stephen

Julian, thanks for the comments! Definitely recommend giving it a whirl sometime if you're doing an early war tank.

Schnobs wrote:

Paint looks great Bill but I have to admit I had never heard of that particular paint scheme. Was it very common?

Edmund,

All German vehicles were ordered to have this scheme from Nov 1938 until July 1940, so it would've been very common. It was the standard scheme for all theaters/operations and is appropriate for Polish as well as French campaign vehicles. The Balkans, early N. Africa, and Barbarossa would've had just the straight panzer gray scheme.

Mike, I did quit sort of early due to needing to take care of some other things before heading off to bed. I did get some additional work done on some of the details but not enough for photos so that will have to wait!

Stephen, thanks for the comments as well! Weathering darker finishes requires a little different approach for sure, I hope it's helpful when I get to that stage.

Marc, yes those pesky timezones are always getting in the way...it could be worse, I could be in Australia and have the International Date Line (no not that line Manny!) to contend with as well.

She's definitely looking great Bill. The camo scheme is some thing else. I may have to try that scheme out some time. Looking forward to the weathering, Bill style.

Rob

wbill76 wrote:

[Marc, yes those pesky timezones are always getting in the way...it could be worse, I could be in Australia and have the International Date Line (no not that line Manny!) to contend with as well.

A buddy of mine was flying back from Japan on his birthday, he had his birthday 2 days in a row! Gotta love the date line!

I like it, Bill, that's a differnt looking paint job, although my ignorance as to this particular tank is limitless.

You are certainly doing it justice, but I cannot count rivets for you on this one.

Bill   

  Looking really sharp there Bill. I had no idea that this type of pattern was so common early on.

   And as far as #100 how about one of these

Rob, Bill, thanks for the comments! Check out this little summary Bill, it will help you get some background on this guy. http://www.achtungpanzer.com/panzerkampfwagen-ii.htm

panzerguy wrote:

Looking really sharp there Bill. I had no idea that this type of pattern was so common early on. And as far as #100 how about one of these

Steve, that's more likely for #200!

wbill76: What is the retail on this kit?  I noticed the ad from Tamiya on the inside cover of the current FSM and liked it!  This years AMPS East theme is based on early war vehicles and I think this one would qualify.  My build schedule is full but for anyone looking to build a theme build, this looks likes a nice choice.  Sorry... a bit there.

To your build...You may want to hit those brown spots again...IMO.  Unless the photos aren't picking them up well they look a bit subtle.  I'm afraid you'll loose 'em after washes...  food for thought Bill.

Question:  What was the purpose of that sloped rear deck area?  It sure gives it a unique look but I don't know its purpose.

Gunmetal on the road wheel rubber portions!...YEE HAW COWBOY!  Different, but I like it!  Do the washes cut the shimmer?

Beautiful uniform camo, this has made me decide to go back and start painting my German Panzer Grendier again: there is a difference between painting camo and dabbing blotches of paint. Back to the drawing board for me

Julian

panzerguy wrote:

Looking really sharp there Bill. I had no idea that this type of pattern was so common early on.    And as far as #100 how about one of these

Man, that is some nice looking camo.  Did you post this in an earlier build?  I'd love to see a tutorial on how you paint that!

Chris

SMJmodeler wrote:

What is the retail on this kit?  I noticed the ad from Tamiya on the inside cover of the current FSM and liked it!  This years AMPS East theme is based on early war vehicles and I think this one would qualify.  My build schedule is full but for anyone looking to build a theme build, this looks likes a nice choice.  Sorry... a bit there.

Retail is $38.95. I got mine from LuckyModel as part of their anniversary sale for $18.

SMJmodeler wrote:

To your build...You may want to hit those brown spots again...IMO.  Unless the photos aren't picking them up well they look a bit subtle.  I'm afraid you'll loose 'em after washes...  food for thought Bill.

Thanks for the suggestion but the color contrast you're seeing is appropriate for the colors used in the scheme depending on your monitor settings of course. The weathering will be tailored to insure they don't disappear completely...but even if it did it wouldn't be inaccurate.

SMJmodeler wrote:

Question:  What was the purpose of that sloped rear deck area?  It sure gives it a unique look but I don't know its purpose. Gunmetal on the road wheel rubber portions!...YEE HAW COWBOY!  Different, but I like it!  Do the washes cut the shimmer?

The sloped rear deck area is actually the engine compartment. Have to remember this vehicle isn't large, only 8 tons in total weight, and had a three man crew. The left side was left clear to allow room for the radio operator who sat facing the rear of the vehicle and had an entry/exit hatch there. As for the question about the Gunmetal on the road wheels, I have to stress this is the enamel color and not the Metalizer color. When applied by air brush, it doesn't have a shimmer but does provide a better, slightly grayish, color vs. straight Flat Black. When it gets the pigment weathering, it responds very well in terms of replicating synthetic rubber IMHO.

Appreciate the comments as always!

wbill76 wrote:

Retail is $38.95. I got mine from LuckyModel as part of their anniversary sale for $18.

$18!...nice..I wish you would've grabbed me one.

wbill76 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion but the color contrast you're seeing is appropriate for the colors used in the scheme depending on your monitor settings of course. The weathering will be tailored to insure they don't disappear completely...but even if it did it wouldn't be inaccurate.

Cool!..just watchin' your back buddy... Hey, on that tailored weathering topic, I used local, and I mean REAL LOCAL washes on my 251.  I wanted to give the three-color camo' some pop so I dotted some color oil washes with a small brush and carefully watched and controlled the flow to  stay where I wanted.  I could see you doing the same on the brown on yours.  Or is that already what you had in mind.  Please remember Bill, you're on kit #96, I'm on #18.  Forgive me if this sounds old hat, or should I say ol' cowboy hat, to you.

wbill76 wrote:

The sloped rear deck area is actually the engine compartment.

I thought it would be, but why sloped?  Lower profile?..weight distribution?, drive train...???

Steve,

The sale is still going on...so grab one if you can!

I will target the dot filters when the time comes for the different colors. The patches are large enough that I will be able to work them separately but still keep the finish unified. Don't forget this one's also going to get some very prominent white markings on the turret, so there will be plenty of varied visual surfaces to work with.

The compartment is sloped for the simple fact that it has to match up with the superstructure since that's where the fuel tanks are on that side of the hull (and also connect to the final drive and transmission at the front of the hull) and then the rest of the space is shaped to be able to house the engine. Like most engines, it's got a high portion over the block and then the rest of the apparatus like the air intake fans, radiator, etc. have a lower height. Sloping it saves on armor which saves on weight and cost. The vehicle already sat fairly low to the ground so the design was driven more by simple engineering than any specific intent. The armor on this version of the II C wasn't particularly heavy, the thickest was 14.5mm on the front and as thin as 5mm (that's the same thickness of schurzen btw!) on the hull belly.

wbill76 wrote:

The sale is still going on...so grab one if you can!

Really!?...I may have to surf over there and check that out.

Does the kit delineate multiple paint scheme options or was this vehicle mostly the standard gray scheme?  I like what you got going and I'm intrigued by the white markings you mentioned...besides, I'm a little tired of Dunkelgelb theses days so a gray scheme with some camo' sounds fun.

SMJmodeler wrote:

Does the kit delineate multiple paint scheme options or was this vehicle mostly the standard gray scheme?  I like what you got going and I'm intrigued by the white markings you mentioned...besides, I'm a little tired of Dunkelgelb theses days so a gray scheme with some camo' sounds fun.

Tamiya incorrectly provides only straight Panzer Gray in the finishing guide. This kit is specific to the Polish campaign and the markings provided are for 3 vehicles from 1939. The straight Panzer Gray scheme wasn't ordered until July 1940 and the standrd scheme for Poland, Norway (18 Pz IIs were sent as part of the PzAbtzbV 40), and France is the two-tone scheme. There's no documented orders to support plain Panzer Gray prior to July 1940 as the pre-1938 scheme was a three-tone scheme. Since this vehicle has 1939 features in terms of the round nose and not yet up-armored, it would not ever have seen the "standard gray" scheme. The II-Cs did see service later on in the Balkans and in Barbarossa (and possibly also N. Africa but I don't have photos to support that) where they would've had the "standard gray" scheme but would also have the up-armored features that you see in the Tamiya French Campaign kit and the DML II-C kit. HTH!

The white markings are very prominent...large crosses on the turret and of course large turret numbers. The crews often tried to tone these down using mud creating a "yellowed" look because they soon found out that the Polish gunners found them to be excellent aiming points.

Bill:  HOLY CRAP!!!...I did a quick surf over to lucky model...they have a TON of good stuff on sale!  I've got $300.00 (received and reserved for modeling expenses, thanks FSM) burning a hole in my pocket, I gotta' shut-down the comuter now but I'll be sure to get back over there REAL soon.  Thanks for the heads-up on the sale...heck I may be buying this PzII...it looked like it was available.

The white markings sound cool... and I could see how they would be a "bulls-eye" for the enemy.   I'll be watching as you finish this bad-boy!  Thanks again Bill!

Hi, Bill the scheme looks great, the idea of highlighting the grey separately has paid off to no end. It seems to lend itself to to separate the two colours and I just know that by the time the weathering takes place all will blend together seamless. Keep up the good work.

By the way, I'm enjoying reading the other thread about your 100th build, very interesting read. Just sprinlke it with your usual magic.

Terry. 

terry35 wrote:

By the way, I'm enjoying reading the other thread about your 100th build, very interesting read. Just sprinlke it with your usual magic.

Thanks Terry! I just have to use the pixie dust sparingly...a little bit goes a very long way!

This weekend was kind of a slow model-building weekend...I guess that's appropriate considering how much got done last weekend! I did make progress on the detail front with the first order of business being to paint up all the tools and get them installed. This followed my usual pattern with the metal portions painted with Non-buffing Metalizer Gunmetal and lightly dry brushed with Steel. The wood portions were painted first with my custom "wood" color and then given a light wash of Leather followed by a strategic dusting of Burnt Umber artist pastels. The jack block was also counter dry brushed with the "wood" color to give it more variety. The wire cutters had their Bakelite handles painted with Italian Dark Brown and the rubber end caps painted with enamel Gunmetal. The tools were then installed to both fenders.

Next up was the final hurdle, the tracks! This is what the instruction diagram looks like back in Step 4.

This process turned out to be longer than I thought it would be. All of the links and lengths sections were removed from the sprues and cleaned up. Since the contact surfaces are so small due to the small size of the Pz II links, I went ahead and formed the curved parts first. To do this, I used the sprockets and idlers as, well, formers, and glued the curved sections together and then left them to dry overnight resting on their respective surfaces.

Once those had set up, I attached the sprocket curved portion to the angled length portion and glued that into the long base piece. This was done for both sides so that they would form as a single piece that could still be removed for painting. This was possible due to the fact that the sprocket could remain movable courtesy of the polycap.

The different sections were then base coated with Non-buffing Metalizer Gunmetal, heavily dry brushed with Steel, and then given a wash of Burnt Umber to prepare them for installation.

The final steps involved getting the remaining lengths to join up into a single track run. To accomplish this, I first positioned the top run and then glued the idlers into place but didn't yet glue the top run onto the idlers. A little bit of slack is needed to play around with to get the front and rear portions lined up, so it's best to do this last. Once the top run had set for about 1 hour, I then joined the bottom run up at the idler to the top. At this stage it was no longer desirable that the sprockets and idlers be able to rotate as they kept putting a little bit of "play" into the way the tracks were setting, so I applied some liquid glue to their inner contact surfaces with the mount arms and they are now fixed firmly into position. Then, using some strategic toothpicks to hold it down and prevent floating, the top run was glued down to the return rollers.

Process was repeated for the other side and after several hours (much of it spent waiting for glue to set up), both tracks were finally installed.

Next up will be adding the markings and then onto the weathering stage!

Hey Bill!

What a beauty!  I really appreciate the detailed track assembly steps due to the fact that the smaller vehicles track assembly processes can be challenging at best.

Love the paint scheme!

  Bill the little guy is looking sharp! I was a little bummed that there was no Saturday night update, glad to see you were able to get some time in. I'm sure those tracks were a patience tester but once again your step by step has more than likely made it a little easier for the next person to tackle one of these.

  Was this pattern the standard or was it common to see the wavy line pattern also?

Hey Bill that update should be worth oh say 10 extra points on the scoreboard.

Still watchin                                                                                                                 Tony the Mutt

Thanks Edmund! I'm not a big fan of link-and-length tracks and prefer indys or workables. It took me twice as long to get these on as it would've otherwise but didn't have any other choice under the circumstances so it's a "first" for me...the first Tamiya with link-and-length that I've ever built!

panzerguy wrote:

Bill the little guy is looking sharp! I was a little bummed that there was no Saturday night update, glad to see you were able to get some time in. I'm sure those tracks were a patience tester but once again your step by step has more than likely made it a little easier for the next person to tackle one of these.   Was this pattern the standard or was it common to see the wavy line pattern also?

Steve, my Saturday really got taken over by other things...all I will say is that e-bay can be very addictive and I stayed up way too late last night for my other hobby (coin collecting). The wavy pattern is probably a little more pronounced than it ought to be but isn't outside the realm of possibility. They were steel skeletal links and the Pz II suspension was low to the ground, so I'm sure keeping the tracks properly tensioned would be a regular chore for the crew. Shots of them sitting parked do show similar amounts of sag. Tamiya molded the sag in place so you have to go with it and ride the wave!

Tony, I'll take the 10 and call it a success!

wbill76 wrote:

Love this photo Bill, excellent work!!!  This tank is like a little "sports car"...it has such nice lines and I like how you're bringing it all together.  Those tracks sounded like a real hassle...they look good though!  The white on the turret should really make this baby pop...I can't wait to see it!

Based on your photo above, I could see myself post-shading this much more and weathering it in my style. I know we differ in that department, and of course this is with no-disrespect...in fact just the opposite, you've portrayed such a fine example I'm itchin' to build one myself and you have just about got me convinced to buy this from Lucky Model.  Can you do one more thing for me and give me the kit #?  Is it 35299?

Thanks Bill!

Looking better and better Bill. Is this a photo of grey/brown camo or are my eyes decieving me:

cheers,

Julian

SMJmodeler wrote:

Based on your photo above, I could see myself post-shading this much more and weathering it in my style. I know we differ in that department, and of course this is with no-disrespect...in fact just the opposite, you've portrayed such a fine example I'm itchin' to build one myself and you have just about got me convinced to buy this from Lucky Model.  Can you do one more thing for me and give me the kit #?  Is it 35299?

Thanks Steve! Glad to see this one has inspired you. You've got the right kit #, 35-299. Look forward to seeing what you do with this one!

Julian, This photo is most likely in Russia since the Pz IVs and IIIs are fitted with the turret bins (and one is a J) and that puts this one the Eastern Front long after the two-tone was dropped. The color patches that appear to be brown are likely just distortions due to the photo film, dust, exposure, etc.

Hmmmm.. wonder how that camo scheme would look rusted up!!!

You know I like to hold back and soak up all the up dates, so I'll only say SWEEEEET. Oh ya I agree with you on the L&L tracks, Indy links all the way.

Rob

Looking great, Bill, my new bane has been discovered:  Tracks.  I hate tracks, I love finishing but hate working on tracks.  Yours look so nicely done.

Yours look great, the whole project is very neatly coming along.

Bill

Hi, Bill, looking great so far. An absolute rapid build so far. If I may just shoot a comment, I think that when you get to your filter stage (only my opinion at this stage) you may want to consider darkening the grey slightly, I know the dot filtering will completely change the look but its just that it looks a bit bright against the brown in your latest posts. Well I am in the back garden on a MAC  at the moment and that might not be helping.

Keep up the great progress.

Terry. 

scratchmod wrote:

Hmmmm.. wonder how that camo scheme would look rusted up!!! You know I like to hold back and soak up all the up dates, so I'll only say SWEEEEET. Oh ya I agree with you on the L&L tracks, Indy links all the way.

Thanks Rob! There are pics of II-Cs burned out in Poland and Russia...I'm sure if anyone could do it, you could!

Bill, tracks are definitely something that has to be dealt with in its own separate category. Even though they take more time in general, it's why I prefer workables. They provide a lot more flexibility vs. the static indys and overwhelmingly more vs. link-and-length. I was suprised at just how much time they took to get together...lots of "5 minute" hurry-up-and-wait sessions but eventually it got done. Thanks for the comments!

terry35 wrote:

Hi, Bill, looking great so far. An absolute rapid build so far. If I may just shoot a comment, I think that when you get to your filter stage (only my opinion at this stage) you may want to consider darkening the grey slightly, I know the dot filtering will completely change the look but its just that it looks a bit bright against the brown in your latest posts. Well I am in the back garden on a MAC  at the moment and that might not be helping.

Thanks for dropping in from the garden Terry! The final colors are going to be different and the lighter gray shows up more in these photos because I changed the angle of the lighting vs. the previous set of shots for some other things I was working on and didn't move them back. The gray isn't quite as light as what shows as a result but I'm definitely keeping this in mind for the filters and weathering stage. Comments are always appreciated!  

Cool,. I understand now, at this stage of a model I hate to be second guessing my own work, but I do know that you are more than capable of knowing where your going and how to get there. I still have not considered theh washes or pastel/pigments (Is that the secret Pixie dust?) all of which change a paint finish so much.

Terry. 

Thanks Michael! The decals are the next hurdle because of all the complex surfaces...another case of "hurry up and wait" before I get to the weathering stage, but it's closer!

Terry, I hear you! Sometimes I have to remind myself that it's a holistic process and that something in the middle may not look right if that were the stopping poing but to just let it ride through to the end. As I've added more steps to the process this has become a more complex deal of course...sometimes I wonder if I might need a shrink before it's all over!

wbill76 wrote:

panzerguy wrote:   Bill the little guy is looking sharp! I was a little bummed that there was no Saturday night update, glad to see you were able to get some time in. I'm sure those tracks were a patience tester but once again your step by step has more than likely made it a little easier for the next person to tackle one of these.   Was this pattern the standard or was it common to see the wavy line pattern also? Steve, my Saturday really got taken over by other things...all I will say is that e-bay can be very addictive and I stayed up way too late last night for my other hobby (coin collecting). The wavy pattern is probably a little more pronounced than it ought to be but isn't outside the realm of possibility. They were steel skeletal links and the Pz II suspension was low to the ground, so I'm sure keeping the tracks properly tensioned would be a regular chore for the crew. Shots of them sitting parked do show similar amounts of sag. Tamiya molded the sag in place so you have to go with it and ride the wave!

  Bill sorry what I should have asked was "is this cammo pattern the standard..."

Guney, thanks for the comments!  

panzerguy wrote:

Bill sorry what I should have asked was "is this cammo pattern the standard..."

Ah, that makes more sense to me now. The photos where you can pick out the camo pattern show that it was the large patchy type of approach. The orders only stated the ratios of the coverage at the 2/3-1/3 and I would say the "standard" is the patches variety, especially since it was done largely at the factory and not with a template.

wing_nut wrote:

Fantastic work as usual Bill.  I have to say though... the drawing of the track assembly in the instructions kinda scared me a little

Now imagine that it was intended to be done before the upper hull was mounted!

There hasn't been much in the way of good stuff on TV the past couple of days so I decided to use the time in the evenings to get the decals on. First up was the usual sealing coat of Future applied by airbrush. This was allowed to air dry for a couple of hours and then the work began with the decals.

I opted for the "R03" designation since I had a reference photo to work off of from "Panzer Vor!" Vol 1. The kit markings are pure white even though it looks like the photo has had mud smeared on the markings so I'm going to have some fun in how I approach that one.

The decals were applied using Solvaset and, due to the complex surfaces that most had to conform to, several doses and some careful prodding with a soft brush were necessary to get them all to settle down properly. The decals did tear slightly in a couple of places so some touch up with some Flat White paint was in order but nothing too dramatic. A second coat of Future was air brushed to seal in and protect the markings and will be allowed to sit overnight at a minimum before the weathering process can begin.

Hi Bill,

I really like how subtle and toned down the camo ended up.  Decals look quite nice as well.

Much better than watching TV!!!

The want to apply decals he blames on the lack of TV......hummmm

Nice.....as always

Rounds Complete!!

Edmund, Mike, Josiah, thanks for the comments!

Mansteins revenge wrote:

Good job taming those decals down---hatches and vison ports are always a challenge to cover...my refs tell me that many German vehicles also toned down the white markings with yellow paint...

MR, thanks for the kind words, the Pz II turret isn't very decal friendly for sure. Some of the areas needed upwards of 3-4 targeted applications before they all finally snuggled down. My refs say the same thinga bout using yellow paint and Tamiya provides that option for a 3rd vehicle in the finishing guide/decals. The blurry/soft nature of the turret markings for R03 in the pic combined with the visible dust/dirt on the turret suggests the mud option in this case and that's what the caption indicates, so that's the angle I'll pursue with this one.

The placement of those decals would definitely test your skills.

Another 10 points for the man from Texas.

Mighty Fine                                                                                                                  Tony the Mutt

wbill76 wrote:

I opted for the "R03" designation since I had a reference photo to work off of from "Panzer Vor!" Vol 1. The kit markings are pure white even though it looks like the photo has had mud smeared on the markings so I'm going to have some fun in how I approach that one.

Bill: It's hard to tell frm the photo if it's mud on the markings or overspray/wear.  I recall you saying the crew's would try to tone down the white but I'm not getting the impression that it is mud from this photo.  I read you approach, in your latest post...I'm looking forward to seeing how you pull-it-off.

BTW: Great photo!, a perfect example to work from...look at that track sag!...I'll need to search for that book.  I'm leaning towards the white/yellow cross markings, hopefully I'll find a good photo to work from too. 

*EDIT* I just read Manny's reply and it made me wonder...is the yellow over the white on the decal sheet to represent the yellow crew applied efforts in question?...or is it a different tank designation?  If it was the yellow effort it looks WAY too perfect to be applied as a decal, IMO...what are your thoughts Bill...

Thanks Tony!

Steve,

A little context is called for here in discussing the markings. The authorized markings for the Polish campaign were white crosses and turret numbers to go with the rhomboid plates. So far as I'm aware, the use of yellow came about as an expedient in this particular campaign and not as an intentional design. The white markings would've been pretty "crisp" in terms of having been applied pre-war by the crews when the vehicles were issued. The addition of yellow on the other hand was something that was done by some, but not all, crews in an attempt to tone down their very prominent markings while in the field and the campaign was already under way. Remember that the Polish campaign didn't last very long, it was all over in a single month.

As to whether or not R03 is wearing white with mud or white overpainted with yellow? Either is possible and all I really have to go by is the information in the Frank de Sisto authored-caption...but since Tamiya provided the decals in white, I'm going the mud route vs. the yellow route. The decals that they do provide for a vehicle that has the yellow show a white border/outline remaining for the crosses but not the vehicle numbers and I agree that those are a bit too "neat" for the conditions, but I don't have a photo of that vehicle available to compare against so no idea how close or far it might be in terms of accuracy.    

     Bill, sneaking an update in midweek?! Good thing I decided to take a break and see what's going on.  Well done on those decals. I probably would have torn them to pieces trying to get them on.

   The cammo is easier to see in these latest pics and I can see why it wouldn't show up in B/W photos to well. When I get to the paint on my IID I plan on using yours as a guide. I just hope it looks as good.

Thanks again Steve and Dre!

My Polish Panzer II. Built to specs for a friend. 314 did have yellow painted over the markings, to reduce visibility. Even though it was a very short fight, the Poles fought fiercly, and didn't make it easy for the Germans.

Sorry about the pic quality.

A very nice looking little "two" Bill. Can't wait to see it weathered.

Julian

Steve, can't have too many early war panzers floating around! You're right about the fierceness of the fighting...I often wonder how long it would've really lasted if the Soviets hadn't invaded on the 17th. The Polish campaign experience produced quite a few changes in how the Germans organized their armored forces as well as changes to the panzers themselves that would manifest themselves before the French and Balkans campaigns.

Thanks Julian!

wbill76 wrote:

...The white markings would've been pretty "crisp" in terms of having been applied pre-war by the crews when the vehicles were issued. The addition of yellow on the other hand was something that was done by some, but not all, crews in an attempt to tone down their very prominent markings while in the field and the campaign was already under way. Remember that the Polish campaign didn't last very long, it was all over in a single month.

Bill:  Thanks for the context on this issue.  It really makes for an interesting build premise.  Based on your struggle with the decals( I figure if you had trouble I'm dead meat) I'll probably opt for a crisp white cross stencil made from masking tape using the decal as a guide.  Then I'll do the same for the yellow cross.  The yellow will be less perfect...I may even take a moist brush and smear it a bit before it dries.

As far as your approach is it concerned, it's sounds like its based on solid info and it should look great!...I can't wait to see the results.

I don't want to hi-jack your thread, so a PM response is fine if you prefer.  Here's the question: If you recall I'm buying the German 3ton 4 x 2 truck with my PzII order and I'd like to know if they would be appropriate together in a dio?...if so, what context?  Were there specific/unique supplies that were called for in the Polish attack that might make for something interesting?  How about a bunch of figures in the truck bed?...your thoughts/ideas?...

Man, I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas trying to be patient on my order...where's that darn UPS truck!?

SMJmodeler wrote:

I don't want to hi-jack your thread, so a PM response is fine if you prefer.  Here's the question: If you recall I'm buying the German 3ton 4 x 2 truck with my PzII order and I'd like to know if they would be appropriate together in a dio?...if so, what context?  Were there specific/unique supplies that were called for in the Polish attack that might make for something interesting?  How about a bunch of figures in the truck bed?...your thoughts/ideas?...

This is the Opel "Blitz" if I recall correctly? I don't know that much about softskins but the "Blitz" was in service in the '30s so wouldn't be out of place IMHO for Poland. As far as cargo goes, the same "stuff" that was needed for the advance as in any other campaign I suppose! Figures in the truck bed would work, although the % of German divisions that were motorized was still fairly low at that period of time. Sounds like the wheels are turning, ought to be interesting whatever you come up with!

wbill76 wrote:

This is the Opel "Blitz" if I recall correctly? I don't know that much about softskins but the "Blitz" was in service in the '30s so wouldn't be out of place IMHO for Poland. As far as cargo goes, the same "stuff" that was needed for the advance as in any other campaign I suppose! Figures in the truck bed would work, although the % of German divisions that were motorized was still fairly low at that period of time. Sounds like the wheels are turning, ought to be interesting whatever you come up with!

Bill: I believe it is the Opel Blitz...I like the little history lesson Tamiya gives in the instruction booklet and I expect to learn more about the truck when I read it.  What I had in mind was a pre-attack preparation scene.  I have a pretty nice spare parts bin in the stash but I'd like something unique in the bed of the truck that could represent the "Prelude to War" theme (recall, this might be my AMPS East submission in that category).  Hmmm...I'll have to think about that some more.  Let me now if someting comes to mind as you continue your build.  Thanks!

PS. You said the duration of the Poland invasion was about one month long right?  What was the date/month?

SMJmodeler wrote:

PS. You said the duration of the Poland invasion was about one month long right?  What was the date/month?

As a former history teacher I have to shake my head at this question Steve! WW2 began with the invastion of Poland on Sept 1, 1939 and the Polish campaign was over by October 1.

wbill76 wrote:

SMJmodeler wrote: PS. You said the duration of the Poland invasion was about one month long right?  What was the date/month? As a former history teacher I have to shake my head at this question Steve! WW2 began with the invastion of Poland on Sept 1, 1939 and the Polish campaign was over by October 1.

You're probably saying...how can he NOT know that!?...right?

I get that same feeling when people on the street are asked simple questions about the U.S.  like, "Where is Montana?"...or what/where is "Washington D.C."?

Ok..mentally noted and engrained in my gray matter (I'll be ready for the pop-quiz) SEPT 1, 1939!

With the decals on, the next step was to proceed with the weathering. Since the camo colors are dark to begin with, I first applied an overall wash of enamel Raw Sienna with a large round sable brush.

This was followed by dot filters of enamel Flat Sea Blue, Flat White, and Italian Dark Brown to fade and add variation to the overall finish. The dots were blended together with a square tip blender brush moistened with clean thinner. I liked the results on the fenders from the Raw Sienna wash so I left those areas alone, applying the fading/streaking only to the hull and turret surfaces.

The Raw Sienna was a good compliment to the base coat colors and I applied it again as a pin wash to all of the raised detail and panel lines to simulate dust/dirt accumulation. I also used it to simulate the "mud" on the turret crosses and numbers by carefully building it up with multiple applications and fine-tuning along the way. I didn't want it so heavy that it obscured the underlying white totally and this required several attempts before I got it to look the way I wanted.

The entire vehicle was then given a sealing coat of Testors Lusterless Flat via spray can and allowed to dry for an hour before starting in with the pigments. I used Mig Europe Dust combined with regular tap water with a touch of dish washing soap added to break the surface tension. This wet mix was applied to the lower hull, running gear, and fender edges and then allowed to air dry.

The next step involved removing the excess pigment using a round stiff-bristled brush. I wore a dust/sanding mask during this phase to avoid inhaling the very fine pigment particles.

The next adjustment was done using a combination of wet and dry q-tips to further remove and position the pigments in the desired locations.

That completed the build and then it was off to the photo booth!

Hi, Bill the results look great, I really like the way the grey worked out with the brown. To me it seems very well balance as in actual photos where you cannot tell if camo is applied. The dirt and dust look great, well restrained and still looking like a vehicle in service, in country and in combat. Almost a situation where the crew didn't quite get around to cleaning house. I can almost feel the engine rumbling.

Looks great,

Congrats Bill,

Terry.

Congratulations Bill another fine effort and end product on your part!  I really appreciate your historical accuracy blended with a 'touch" of artistic license that is the hallmark of all your builds.

Like what has already been commented on your cammo blends in with the weathering so well that the camo pattern can almost be overlooked in a macro high defination shot much less a 1930's or 1940's analog photograph which captured far less detail.

Excellent work as always Bill!! 

     Bill another beautiful piece to add to your growing collection.

     Just one question...what's #97 going to be?  

Terry, Edmund, Jeff, Gunney, thanks as always for the kind words.

panzerguy wrote:

Bill another beautiful piece to add to your growing collection.      Just one question...what's #97 going to be?

Thanks Steve! The next one...funny that you should ask that question...it's something that was originally going to be #96 but got bumped to #97 when the Pz II arrived. It will be the Sdkfz 251/9 using the DML 3-in-1 kit. I may even be able to start on that tomorrow since I've got half the weekend still to go.

Very good Bill. Lets see now 20 bonus points that would give you a grand total of 120 point score for your efforts.

No deductions for not being a SPG                                                                                        Tony the Mutt

Freakin' nice, Bill...realy fine work...

No wonder those early war two-tone panzer-grey schemes appear to be monomochromic: the two colors almost blend in in color; in B&W they are almost impossible to detect as separate colors...

Thanks Tony! Sounds like a good score to me!

MR,

Thanks for the comments as well...and now for my next act "Now You See It..."

"...And Now You Don't!"

wbill76 wrote:

Thanks Tony! Sounds like a good score to me! MR, Thanks for the comments as well...and now for my next act "Now You See It..." "...And Now You Don't!"

wbill76 wrote:

Thanks Tony! Sounds like a good score to me! MR, Thanks for the comments as well...and now for my next act "Now You See It..." "...And Now You Don't!"

I'm sure your Tropen Panzer IV would have a similar effect going from color to black and white.

Well.....I'm speachless......I don't know what was better, the model or the excellent description of weathering......what more can I say

Rounds Complete!!

panzerguy wrote:

Bill another beautiful piece to add to your growing collection.      Just one question...what's #97 going to be?

Marc, Mike, and Jim, thanks as always for the comments!

Mansteins revenge wrote:

Yep, that's exactly what happpened during the war when pics were taken of the early scheme...makes it almost impossible to know exactly which vehicles carried it and for how long...that would make a good Fine Scale article...

I agree with you up to a point here MR. If you used only period photos, it would be tough to know as you point out and there's some debate as to whether or not this scheme universally was used on softskins and non-AFV weapons. There are color parade photos showing Sdkfz 7s for example in the two-tone scheme and also photos of Flak 18s in the pre-war three-tone scheme, suggesting that the use of schemes did apply further than just the AFVs. The case for the AFVs being painted in this scheme though is very strong in regards to the documented orders as researched by Jentz and Doyle for the time period of Nov 1938 to July 1940. AFVs not having the two-tone scheme by the time of the Polish campaign would've had the pre-war three tone scheme and not straight panzer gray if they hadn't been repainted in time (and photos exist of those types as well). I agree with you that an article in FSM on paint schemes and the vagaries of period photos would make for an excellent article for sure!

ps1scw wrote:

I'm sure your Tropen Panzer IV would have a similar effect going from color to black and white.

I did the same exercise then and the results were roughly the same...although not quite the disappearing act as with the dunkelgrau/dunkelbraun scenario.

  Much much to say that the others haven't already said Bill. Another excellent model. I'm looking forward to #97.

  That pic of your F2 reminds me that I still have to finish mine .

  Top notch Bill.

Rob

An excellent little panzer Bill. Looks fantastic. I enjoyed reading your descrpition of the weathering process. The pigment application to the roadwheels is like a "how to weather using pigments for dummies" (with me being the dummy at this point in time who will gladly make use of your tips).  A big on this one.

Julian

wbill76 wrote:

Bill: Top notch, sir...TOP NOTCH!!!  These two photos are exceptional!  There is something about the simplicity of this tank that I really like and your weathering is perfect!  I was looking forward to seeing how you handled the mud on the crosses and you definately didn't disappoint me on that!  It's well done, in just the right amount, and with enough "smear factor" to make it very convincing.

I'd have to say this one and your Tiger with the two-color camo' have to be my two fav's of your work.  Thanks again for the inspriration (my kit should arrive in a day or two)  All around superlative work Bill!

Bill, I don't usually write a lot of "ooh, look how good that is" posts, but I gotta tell ya - this is one of the best builds I've seen in a very long time, maybe ever. The relative simplicity (although I'm sure there's a better word for it) of the subject, together with the subtleties of your shading and weathering, have combined to produce yet another top-notch build.

And that's the thing, brother. All of your builds are like this. You are a truly impressive modeler!

~Jerry

I like it, Bill, I like it a lot.  Although I have tended towards larger, even paper, projects, I like these smaller tanks, I think you have inspired me to try an early monotone (yes, I paid attention, your is monotoneonly in b and w photos.)

Nicely done, very neat build, neat subject, subtle and effective weathering.

Bill,

Thanks for the comments! It always amazes me just how far things went in the span of 6 years in terms of tank/vehicle sizes...when you put one of these up against a KT or JT, it's quite literally dwarfed by comparison! The early war designs are always something that has fascinated me and have only recently started to get more widespread attention, give it a whirl and look forward to seeing what you do with it when the time comes!

Jim,

Thanks as well for the comments, I cut sprue on #97 today so it's on the way!

Been quietly watchin' ..........from my office.

 Looks like 'ya nailed it good. Now, get ready for the Ersatz M10......... build 100.

DM,

I like your office! Just have to watch out for the splinters! Thanks as always for the kind words...now if only DML would get off their duff and actually release the Ersatz we'd be getting somewhere!