DML Hetzer Early COMPLETE Pics p7 03-13-11

Hey Bill,

Looking great so far. I've not long finished the Tamiya Mid Production one. It turned out well but darkened quite badly so I'd like another crack at it now that I'm using different glosses and matts (no more 'hot' rattlecan stuff and all over washes).

Perhaps the Dragon version like yours - I like it.

ATVB

Ben

Thanks Rob and Happy New Year to you too! The 38t family is my favorite class of vehicles, so it's fitting I suppose to kick the year off with one.

Ozzman, thanks for the comments as well!

Ben, the DML kit is still around if you look for it...probably at a pretty decent price too considering its age. This one's only the 2nd Hetzer that I've ever built, the first being a command version done several years back in an ambush scheme.

NFL playoffs have been stealing a lot of my time lately, more than I expected to be honest! Have enjoyed the games and also managed to sneak in some bench time here and there and finally have enough progress to warrant an update.

After the major paint work was completed the last time, work turned to the details. I finished up and installed the roof MG along with all the pioneer tools and the spare track runs. The muffler/exhaust also got some attention as did the rear convoy light.

The road wheels were given some pre-weathering treatment as well courtesy of some stippled burnt umber and an overall wash of raw umber. They are still a work in progress and not finished yet but far enough along to justify installing them. The sprocket and idler were also added but left movable so I can install the tracks and tension them properly later on.

Next up will be the decals and then on to the weathering with the tracks bringing up the rear.

LOL!  Same here... was hoping to spend more time at my workspace yesterday but it didn't happen til 10pm after the last game.  Your little Hetzer is looking damn good!   Believe it or not I am going to try your paint formula for the first time tonight or tomorrow on my Marder II...50/50 MM Dunkelgelb and Light Gray.  Like always, thank you for posting this.

p.s.  I haven't brought a Hetzer kit yet... I am doing my best!

Yep...understand playoff fever.....it cuts into many of us!!......Just think in two week, after the Super bowl, it will be super bench time.....toooo cold to go out and nothing on TV

At least you are keeping it moving...that's what counts....and you are enjoying EVERYTHING you are doing.

Feels good to you I hope!!

Rounds Complete!!

Bill, did you glue the side skirts on? If so, wouldn't that interfere with the assembling of the tracks?

Andy, looking forward to seeing what you get with the mixing results! The MM straight DY is too greenish for my taste and adding the Light Gray both lightens the overall color and reduces the green, something that adding straight Flat White wouldn't do. Stay strong and resist the kit purchase urge as long as you can!

Mike, too true! We've had a bizarre winter here...even by our standards. Temps were in the mid-60s last week for example, who knows what will happen between now and March weather-wise! Does feel good and am glad I'm able to make some progress and keep this one moving down the track.

Eric, yes the side skirts are attached. It won't be a problem adding the tracks though as they are MK workables and I did a test run with them with the wheels dry-fitted and didn't have any problems installing them. Just have to use a pair of tweezers to guide them over the return roller and the rest is easy. The tracks are going to get painted and weathered off the vehicle so that's why they aren't installed just yet.

Thank you sir. I have the Tamiya kit, so I'll to think of something else.

I checked to see what kind of paint I have in stash... I have both MM 'Panzer DY 1943' and MM 'Afrika DY'.  I assume you were talking about the first one MM Panzer DY 1943?  Thanks again for your help! 

Nicely done.  Any weathering you decide to do will show wonderfully on this one.  Looks as if your Hetzer has the ball now and is running  

Love it, Bill!

You really got the shade of DY looking "right" to me. Love that new barrel in primer, too. Very cool beans!

It's no less than what we've come to expect from Bill.

Always the best results.

I have to build a Hetzer one of these days.  i always like them when I see them And I really like this one.

Is it the camera angle or do the idlers have a little camber?

Andy, you want the Panzer DY '43 for sure. Not sure what the other color is, are you sure about the label and that it doesn't say Afrika Dunkelgrau?

Rob, Karl, and Steve, thanks as always for the kind words/comments!

Marc, the Hetzer is one of the better designs IMHO...got that armored beetle/fast-back look to it IMHO that makes it appealing. Definitely should build one! On the idlers, it's likely a combination of camera angle + the idlers not being completely fitted that you're seeing. Once the tracks are installed they will be tensioned and glued into position to avoid any tilting.

Looking real nice Bill.

Nate

Thanks Nate! Since there aren't any games this weekend (the Pro Bowl doesn't count IMHO) , I should be able to make some good progress on this one before the big game in Feb.

You were correct... my mistake... it was actually MM Afrika 'Grunbraun'.  I liked the color so much that I used it on my 234/1 earlier instead of Dunkelgrau.  I airbrushed my Marder II using your formula and I think it came out good.  Will post pictures later tonight... thanks buddy!

No problem Andy, glad to be of service!

More progress was made this weekend although much of the progress involved the model sitting and waiting/drying/curing before I could move to the next steps in the process. Hurry up and wait I suppose!

First order of business was protecting the paint work from previous steps. I applied an overall coat of Future acrylic floor polish by airbrush and let that thoroughly dry before adding the decals. The markings on this vehicle are vary simple, just a pair of balkenkreuze on the hull sides. The kit decals were treated with Walther's Solvaset to insure they laid down properly with no silvering. A 2nd coat of Future was applied over the hull sides to protect the decals and allowed to dry overnight.

The weathering process began with an application of an overall wash of thinned enamel Raw Umber. This was followed with a dot filter treatment using Flat White, Deep Yellow, my original 50-50 base coat mix, and Raw Sienna to generate some tonal variation in the monotone scheme.

Next up will be a pin wash application of Burnt Umber and there's a lot of detail so that will take some time and is scheduled for next weekend if all things go according to plan!

Looking great as usual Bill!  I started this same kit 3 months ago but had to shelve it and now your build is inspiring me to dust if off and get back to work on it!  Can't wait to see your's done!

Bill,

I am really liking the base color you've applied.  Not to mention the contrast of the barrel. A very nice touch indeed.

Cheers

Dave

Ernest! Nice to see you back posting again and thanks for the comments!

Dave, glad you like where this one's headed!

Moving nicely....and showing patience of a vulture......Keep it coming!!

Rounds Complete!!

Bill,

With so many funky paint schemes available to these little buggers, it's refreshing to see one finished in plain ol' DunkleGelb! I agree that the color is perfect, and the tonal variations and streaking are exactly what it wanted. 

Superb, as always!

Thanks Mike, steady but surely this one is moving along.

Karl, appreciate the comments especially since you're half-way around the world! One of these days I will tackle a later variant with the hard-edged 3 or 4-tone schemes that were common on the later Hetzers just to say I did! Believe it or not, aside from the RSO Pakwagen build, this is the first overall DY scheme I've ever done so am having fun with it.

Looking good as always

  You can always expect to see a well grounded and historically presented replica from Mr Bill Plunkt!

'Ya can't go wrong here.................'ya haf 'ta go somewhere else for that.

Thanks Rob, appreciate the comments!

Steve, I always do my best when it comes to accurate representation but still have room for some artistic license here and there. Always a pleasure to see your smilies in the thread and thanks for the comments.

I must say Bill that I'm impressed yet again, as I always say I am am so jealous of your ability to be restrained with your weathering. the nearest I got was a Centauro.  Another beautiful vehicle Bill.

Regards,

Terry.

Thanks Terry! The weathering is still in progress so not quite done with it yet, appreciate the comments!