#12 Tamiya German Horch 1A mit 2cm Flak38 (Conversion)

Edmund, Edmund, Edmund,

Just don't start eating the crayons or the paste. LOL . I like the cactus in the ravine.  It looks like one of them picked up your thumb print (third pic, cactus below the rear wheel).  The salt should look "sharp" when you get the cactus painted. I like the composition in the fourth pic with the cactus in the side view.  Very well done!

Cheers

Dave

Edmund,

Cactii look good! The salt ought to be just right for scale representation of spines. Only thing I can recommend is to clump the cactii together a bit more. The type you have represented is a type of prickly pear cactus and they typically don't grow as independent "ears" and instead tend to spread out as clumps due to the way their roots work at the base. Just a very minor thought in terms of how you have them laid out at the moment, I think they will add tremendous visual interest to the base!   

WOW Edmund!  This is friggin' AWESOME!  Your forum is one of the sites I have to look first as soon as I log on.   

I guess you have no choice but to follow wbill's advise because he is from Texas  and he eats cactus for breakfast. 

That's a pretty unique addition there, Edmund. Nice work on the cacti.

You gotta get some kind of award for the longest running thread./build here in a while? lol

Dave:  In second grade I went through a stage where I could not eat enough Elmer White Glue.  I would coat each finger and then eat it off!  My Dad was quite upset when he got called to the school for a conference about me.  The teacher presented her case is a very patient gentle way about her concerns and my Dad looked at me and said what are you Stupid %$&^#* &#%*^##) &$(%^@)*^*  My teacher was shocked but to me it was just Tuesday!   My Glue eating stage ended that day.

Wbill: Thanks Bill yes you are absolutely on target this type growns in clumps or fields.  I will be clumping them closer together and have them extending up one part of the wall.

Andy: Thanks for the enthusiastic support Andy it made me laugh.  Yes, Bill's thoughtful advice is golden!

Karl: Yes they should look better clumped naturally and painted and dusted up.  I am looking forward to that.  This is the Hotch's 2 month birthday today.  My average buidl time is just about 1.5 months per build so considering this one included a scratch built conversion, scratch built trailer box and the Dragon Flak that makes sense. I figure about another 2-3 weeks for the base, figures, stowage and suprise details.  I want to have it ready for our Spring IPMS show on  April 17th so that will be my hard stop for this project.

When can we expect another armor subject from you Karl?  You are missed here!

Those cacti look great! Nice work

Edmund,

I'm like Panzerguy - just getting caught back up on your progress.  And, can I say, it is really impressive! 

May I offer one suggestion (and only a suggestion)...  The guy sitting on the hood...  When I was in Iraq, I learned pretty quickly just how hot the surface of the vehicle got after baking under the sun for any length of time.  For that reason, whenever I sat on the vehicle, I'd usually throw something - a rag, empty MRE case, something, onto the spot I was going to sit to insulate me from the heat.  I'd think your guy might do the same thing?  Particularly wearing shorts? 

Just a thought....

Edmund, that is fine work all around.  I love the guy on the hood... bonnet... ah... whatever

 Psstoff995's lbro:  Thanks my friend.  i am glad you like them.  I can't wait to paint them.

Panzerguy:  Thanks I aprreciate you taking the time to post your support.  It's nice to know there is someone on the other side of the screen.  My wife wanted to know what I was cooking last night in her oven and when I told her she busted out laughing and when I told her they looked really tasty and I ate one she fell off her chair.  I have a sneaking suspicion she thinks I am a little wierd!

Boyd:  That's a good thought Boyd I used to use Insurgents to sit on!  Just kiddng that would be demeaning and insulting to someone that was shooting at me!   Seriously though that is a good thought and I love my Milliput!

Marc:  Thanks Marc!! 

STOP EATING THE DIO ED!

LOL.........Love the cacti bro, looks like some Texas pricklypear.............no only if a 140 class white tail walked out...............Oh sorry.......Im dreaming of some backstrap.

Bob

Thanks Bob!

I only ate one!  I tried out Model Master Medium Green Acryl out on the cacti tonight. I still need to do some oil washes and dry brushing or probally misting of Buff or Deck Tan to bring out the spines when I paint the base hopefully tomorrow.

Here is a test shot of a more clumped approach crawling up the rocks.

Ed that really looks outstanding.  So tell me, after you ate that.....did you experience any colors man................LOL

Bob

Edmund,

Nice work on the cacti  Those are going to look great the way you described how you plan on finishing them.  That base is going to look pretty darn sharp when you are done.  Yet again this is/ has been a blast to follow.

If you keep sampling your dios your wife is going to fit you for a helmut where you can't put anything in your mouth!

Cheers

Dave

After...no post from Schnobs all day........I wondered into the desert...........until it was time for me to post.  Ahh.....thank the Father.........good Wi-FI connection out here.

Return to us oh Schnobulent One............and post.

Hey Indy, I think he got my delivery today and whence opening the box and seeing that strange wingy thing he may have passed out and has not recovered yet.

Bob

  Thanks for the grins guys! 

Build Update:

I approached the base as logical yet creative as possible.  First of all I had to borrow a cup of cat litter from the neighbor.  It was a little awkward but that is another story!  I flooded the base with Woodland Scenics Scenic cement and then applied the cat liiter and some woodland scenic fine ballast. I then used a pipette to flood the rocks to ensure they would stick.  Ithen dried it with a blow dryer and then primed with Tamiya Light Sand.

I then mixed up a 50\50 mix of Tamiya Nato Black and Red Brown to create shadows followed by Dark Yellow and Buff.

Next up was alternating oil washes of Burnt Umber, Raw Unber, and Sepia.  Then I dry brushed Buff, and Faded Grey.

 I then applied my weathered cacti and assorted roots I collected from our nrighborhood park.

It's not done yet but I thought I would give my public what it wants!!!   

Edmund,

OH WOW!!! This is incredible.  How long have you been at this? Really?

Oh, by the way, what kind of wingy thingy did the prop fairy bestow upon you?

Cheers

Dave

Thanks Dave I am glad you like how it is turning out so far it was blast to do.  No package as of yet it is probally bieng delvered cia a planc ewhich are not as reliable and dependable as a rugged piece of armor.  I hear UPS is mocing to armored delvery vans soon.

Build Update:  I woke up early and started applying pigments for color and sand effects.

Edmund

I just got home a bit ago and, thought I'd unwind by checking the forums.  Then I see this and I have to say that what you've put into this has been most enjoyable to follow not to mention inspirational.  It's gotten some ideas rolling around in my mind for a base for my Panther.  Oh yeah, and the humor that you've added certainly added a bright spot to the end of my day (shift ended at 0730 this am).  I sense a rebuke from Bob.  It's kind of like not-quite-full-contact tennis.

Cheers

Dave

My pleasure Dave!   I love to share this experience with others.

I took some natural shots in my driveway just now to check colors.

Base is really coming together nicely Ed, the multi-layer approach and colors look spot on. The organization of the cacti looks great too, they go where they can get good water and that little gully is perfect to collect what little run-off there would be. Top notch!

Thanks Wbill that means a lot to me that you like it.  You have a good eye for symetrical detail.

For a lark I put the Chevy on the new base and the Horth on the Chevy base and something clicked and I have decided to switch gears.  I really like how they look  so I am going to call the ball and use the base i just made for the Chevy it just seems a better fit.  I also like how the Horth pushed the limits of the other base and breaks the boundaries and they guy on the bonnet is going to extend it even more which to me is just really cool.  Breaking and extending boundaries is what I do!

Ed - Im speechless.........WOW! and

FREAKING SWEET!

Bob

Build Update:  Hi Guys I have been off trying to improve Opuntia Cacti Ver 1.0.  I did not like the end result the sand which I tried to use to simulate the spines which are not very prominent was not consistent and the paint colors and shapes were not quite up to speed.  Also  I left fingerprints in the Sculpy III that was baked in! and I am now at Ver. 3.0 which I like much better and I was able to leverage lessons learned from my first two attempts.  First of all Adam sent me a real world reference picture from his front yard that really helped.

Here you can see the progression from Ver 1.0 to 3.0 from left to right.

To avoid finger prints on the fresh clay I used latex gloves that had a texture grip that was exactly what I was looking for and so I leveraged that and left off the sand and went to town with oil washes and dry brushing.  I also did nto noth the palms this time and used CA kicker to assemble each cacti after baking at 225 degrees for 15 minutes.  I also adjusted my base color and used Model Master medium green  and lightened it with about 10% Armor Sand.  I used extreme discipline to ensure I left not finger prints.

I then removed Ver 1.0 from the base with maniacal glee and here is how it turned out. I took these pics immediatly after i was finished so you will see a little white PVA glue that dried matt and clear.

Thanks everyone for your patience I couldn't leave it alone and I knew I could improve the end result.  Now back to the regular scheduled Horch Conversion build.  I will turn my OCD on the figures!

Edmund

I am very familiar with the saying, "There is always room for improvement".  You have taken something that was very visually impressive and, and made it even better.  Nice use of the texture on the gloves.  Well done on the fingerprint discipline!.  Oh man, I'd love to be a fly on the wall watching this take shape.  Of course taking notes as a fly would be problematic at best.

As for "turning your OCD" to the figures.... The word that comes to my mind is "UNLEASHED"!

Cheers

Dave

Wow, unreal brother Ed.  just

DONT EAT THE DIO!

Bob

V3.0 is much improved indeed Ed, nice work on the latest release of cacti!

 Thank you Dave, Bob and Wbill for stopping by with your comments.  I am glad you guys are patient with my OCD.  I am alsl glad you like the Cacti.  I am making masters today and shipping them off to R&J Enterprise who are going to cast them in resin and make them into a product. 

Build Update:

I was able to finish final prep on figures and final poses.  I primed with Tamiya Grey Metal and Plastic primer.  I will let set up overnight and start painting each figure one by one.  I decided to go with more a quartering away shot than a straight on sideview pose. It just looked more interesting.