#6 Tristar Panzer 1 Ausf. A sd.Kfz.101 (Early) WIP

Edmund,

I'll DEFINATELY be following this build.  I'll also be checking out your fig WIP.  Those ones you've been painting look outstanding - I definately need to improve on that skill.

As to your build and dio.  I will follow it because:

1) I have a Tristar 38(t) that I'll be starting soon, so having a Tristar build companion will be nice

2) Your idea for the dino fossil is outstanding - way to think 'outside the box'!

3) I'm an anthropologist and osteologist (bone guy) so if you have any questions, let me know how I can help.  One thing I will say, as illustrated by your painting of that skull, is that as part of the decomposition process, bones get stained, both by the goo that was the body, and by the surrounding soil.  Many people make the error of painting skeletons white, or off-white.  In reality, they tend to be almost the same color as the ground they are in.  You nailed it with you skull.

bbrowniii wrote:

Edmund, I'll DEFINATELY be following this build.  I'll also be checking out your fig WIP.  Those ones you've been painting look outstanding - I definately need to improve on that skill. As to your build and dio.  I will follow it because: 1) I have a Tristar 38(t) that I'll be starting soon, so having a Tristar build companion will be nice 2) Your idea for the dino fossil is outstanding - way to think 'outside the box'! 3) I'm an anthropologist and osteologist (bone guy) so if you have any questions, let me know how I can help.  One thing I will say, as illustrated by your painting of that skull, is that as part of the decomposition process, bones get stained, both by the goo that was the body, and by the surrounding soil.  Many people make the error of painting skeletons white, or off-white.  In reality, they tend to be almost the same color as the ground they are in.  You nailed it with you skull.

Glad to have you onboard Boyd!  Cool Job!  I will definately be tapping you for some suggestions on how to layer the bones into the rock.  I am really excited about that.  Thanks fo rthe kind words abut the skull and figures.  That was just fun and very addictive.  I want to make an army!! 

Enough pleasantries, lets get some progress!

I shot you a pm. 

Citadelgrad87 wrote:

Enough pleasantries, lets get some progress! I shot you a pm.

LOL!  Nag Nag Nag......

wing_nut wrote:

Hey schnobs... that is a great looking figure.

Thanks Marc, Will, and Wayne I appreciate the kind comments on the figure results.  I really enjoy doing men.  Who knew?   

I have been really busy with work and family so I have not even touched the PZ.1 yet.  I did go through the box and the Aber PE Basic set.  If this is the basic set I would hate to see the Advanced Set! 

I had to address this growing hobby as well.  I was running out of space and feeling disorganized so I took back control of my Garage and Work Bench.

Here are the results and I should be able to get started on #6 soon.

Build Update:

Panzer 1 Build Hours: 3 hours

I am back!  I was able to get a little build time last night and tonight and was able to start assembly of the lower hull and interior.  So far I am not impressed with the Tri-Star quality and over engineering.  I regret at this point not going with DML's Panzer 1 but I am committed to doing the best job with the materials I have at hand. 

The side panels were horribly warped and the gaps will have to be filled with Milliput.  I was able to get most of the interior in place and the lower hull subassembly as straight as possible.  This is my first full interior so all color suggestions for painting are welcome.  

Here are a few pictures of the progress so far:

Missed the kick-off here Edmund, love the idea for the combination of panzer and fossil skeleton. The heads and figures are fantastic, your skill at painting these munchkin size Germans is developing rapidly. I am very interested in how the Tristar model holds up, I have bought both of their Panzer Grenadier sets to place on builds and the molding and fit was fair to excellent. Also interested in your experiences with the Friuls.

Julian

Citadelgrad87 wrote:

Woohooo, progress at last.  It's looking good, Edmund, there's certainly nothing visible in the photos regarding fit.  I can't wait to see this with some color on it.  Those mechanicals are crying out for some nice weathering/wear and tear.  I also can't wait to see what you do with the Triceratops.  This whole project is cool.

Thanks for the support and patience Bill.  As per our offline conversations the challenge of work and family are prosperity problems yes but do offer up a challenge to modeling time.  I used to dream about vacations that involved me going somewhere and now my vacation dreams involve a 5 foot work bench and plastic. 

I was surprised at the small size of this vehicle.  I knew they were small but I was still surprised.  This is my first interior and it is going to be an Early so I was thinking Elfenbein for the interior.  I am not sure what color the transmission was and also the color the seats were.  I am guessing that the transmission could be hull red for primer and the seats could be a Khaki canvas color.  I am going to add Mr. Surfacer to the seats to rough them up.  I do not know if they were leather or not

I plan to open every hatch if possible so any direction you rivet counters and historical reference guys can provide about the interior and engine compartment which is coming up next would be greatly appreciated.  Yes I am typing at you Manny and Bill!  This is my first one and I want to do it right.

Grem56 wrote:

Missed the kick-off here Edmund, love the idea for the combination of panzer and fossil skeleton. The heads and figures are fantastic, your skill at painting these munchkin size Germans is developing rapidly. I am very interested in how the Tristar model holds up, I have bought both of their Panzer Grenadier sets to place on builds and the molding and fit was fair to excellent. Also interested in your experiences with the Friuls. Julian

Hey Juliian!

Thanks for the kind words about my minute army I am creating!  Yes I am excited about the Friuls as well.

They are handed and I am not sure how to tell that yet.  Here are two links I found that shold be helpful

http://www.rollmodels.net/nworkbench/onlinebuild/howto/lordtracks2/tracks2.php

http://www.ipmslasvegas.org/Friulmodel1.htm

http://www.ipmslasvegas.org/Friulmodel2.htm

http://www.ipmslasvegas.org/Friulmodel3.htm

Schnobs wrote:

I was surprised at the small size of this vehicle.  I knew they were small but I was still surprised.  This is my first interior and it is going to be an Early so I was thinking Elfenbein for the interior.  I am not sure what color the transmission was and also the color the seats were.  I am guessing that the transmission could be hull red for primer and the seats could be a Khaki canvas color.  I am going to add Mr. Surfacer to the seats to rough them up.  I do not know if they were leather or not I plan to open every hatch if possible so any direction you rivet counters and historical reference guys can provide about the interior and engine compartment which is coming up next would be greatly appreciated.  Yes I am typing at you Manny and Bill!  This is my first one and I want to do it right.

Off to a good start Edmund! The vehicle is tiny indeed...only a 2-man crew! Elfenbein is correct for the interior surfaces while the engine components would've been painted in green primer, not red oxide. The seats would've been elfenbein and the cushions themselves black leather. Shoot me your email by PM and I can provide you with some detailed interior shots (b/w), but they at least will help you ID stuff and go from there for colors.

Lookin good so far, Schnobs! Heck, I think you already passed me by construction wise(I've been working on my scratch build multiplane two days straight, had problems with painting the wheels.) Anyways lookin' forward to seeing your Panzer come along.

mg.mikael wrote:

Lookin good so far, Schnobs! Heck, I think you already passed me by construction wise(I've been working on my scratch build multiplane two days straight, had problems with painting the wheels.) Anyways lookin' forward to seeing your Panzer come along.

Nice progress Edmund, looking good. Mr. Surfacer is a bit like Jewish chicken soup: cures all illnesses . I used it to add texture to steel plates, have to remember that you can also use it for seat textures . Think the engine bay can use a tad more "dirtying"when the engine is fitted, other than that the traditional big 

Julian

P.s. nice links you posted on Friul construction, not too sure about the balckening liquid though.

Grem56 wrote:

Nice progress Edmund, looking good. Mr. Surfacer is a bit like Jewish chicken soup: cures all illnesses . I used it to add texture to steel plates, have to remember that you can also use it for seat textures . Think the engine bay can use a tad more "dirtying"when the engine is fitted, other than that the traditional big  Julian P.s. nice links you posted on Friul construction, not too sure about the balckening liquid though.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting Julian it was nice to get back to the bench.  Unfortuately none of this will be seen but I will know its there and I wanted to practice my interior techniques since this was my first full interior.  Mr Surfacer is great stuff to be sure!  Question was the engine compartment elfenbien as well that was a guess on my part?

Glad you like the Friul links I am going to pick up some blacken-it from the LTS  (Local Train Store) when I get my haircut this afternoon.  I will be logging that whole experience!  Question for you how the H E Double Hockey Sticks do you differentiate handed on Fruils?

Thanks for stopping by and commenting Julian it was nice to get back to the bench.  Unfortuately none of this will be seen but I will know its there and I wanted to practice my interior techniques since this was my first full interior.  Mr Surfacer is great stuff to be sure!  Question was the engine compartment elfenbien as well that was a guess on my part?

Glad you like the Friul links I am going to pick up some blacken-it from the LTS  (Local Train Store) when I get my haircut this afternoon.  I will be logging that whole experience!  Question for you how the H E Double Hockey Sticks do you differentiate handed on Fruils?

A cryptic question Edmund. Based on my experience of my first and only Friul experience (half a JS 2 trackset) I have worked out that each link has one open side (for the pin) and one cast nut and bolt on the other side. To decide which side is right or left you have to take a d*** (extremely good) look at some reference photo's to see if you have them on the right way before super glueing them on . The bags would be extremely easy to label right and left but luckily they aren't (raises the "track roulette level" for the unwary builder). I am extremely curious regarding your adventures with "blacken it", at the moment I am sticking with Vallejo's track primer, pastels and other nasty ingredients

cheers,

Julian

Hi there! that's just some awesome plastic I must say! are the Tristar kits really that bad?

      Thanks, Jim

  Edmund, great job on the interior. Nice to see that those little obstacles that we run into with some of these kits are not getting the best of you.

Howdy Edmund,

Coming along nicely.  Will I get a chance to see this in McMinville in Sept.?  

Take care,

rick

model maniac 96 wrote:

Hi there! that's just some awesome plastic I must say! are the Tristar kits really that bad?       Thanks, Jim

Hey Jim I wouldn't say bad I just had higher expectations I guess based on the reviews I read and I am falling in love with it though:

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/tristar/tri35028.htm

I was doing some more research on Friday night and I found a posting of a DML Pz.Kpfw.1 Ausf A and it was brilliant and just at the end the guy got frustrated about the technical shortcomings of the model itself and busted it up.  I was terribly surprised and heartbroken.  It was beautiful and never got a chance to live!  I know I need to get out more!  :)

panzerguy wrote:

Edmund, great job on the interior. Nice to see that those little obstacles that we run into with some of these kits are not getting the best of you.

Thanks Steve and Bill for the comments and encouragement I needed it!

Build Update:

Panzer 1 Build Hours:

Assembly: 5 hours

Painting & Weathering the interior: 6 Hours

Aggregate Build Time:  11 hours

I pushed on with detailing the interior and even though it might not be seen I wanted to do it justice.  I even added some Sand MIG pigments. I then added some last touches to the transmission before I permanently mounted it and then assembled the engine.  I was going to paint it a Green Primer as suggest by Bill but I decided to try out this neat Engine Grey MM Acryl I had picked up on Friday and I liked how it turned out.  I did some dry brushing non-buffing MM Metalizer Steel and then applied various black and raw umber oil washes.  I am finished with the interior and if anyone has a link to a DAK Full driver figure let me now.  I want to add a figure if I could.  TC is done but it is a two man tank you know! 

Enough words here are some pics:

RickLawler wrote:

Howdy Edmund, Coming along nicely.  Will I get a chance to see this in McMinville in Sept.?     Take care, rick

Howdy Squared Rick!

I am planning on it.  I will be bringing my Stug III Reload\Resupply Diorama and my Trumpter 38H as well.  Keep an eye on this one Rick and if you have any improvement suggetions lob them over the wall!

See you soon!