#6 OLD Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf H WIP- COMPLETED!

Bill- I am so glad we are still friends! LOL  I still have so much to learn about those AM tracks.  You will probably hear from me again about which MK tracks I should buy for my future builds.   I am assuming that MK Winterketten set should work well for an old Imperial StuG kit because it is a Dragon.  That's my next build...

Tony-  Great having you here!  I hope to finish it this weekend... not much left to do, MIG pigments and final paint job on the wood handles, etc. 

Hercmech- Thanks for dropping by!  Loved your wall of fame... all of those badges.

deafpanzer

Eric (Tigerman)- You have been a great help at Ostfront GB... am really looking forward to your BITW GB.  I will probably use same technique on my Char B1 but maybe less dirty because the Invasion of France was over in few days or weeks.

5, but may as well been 2.

Man this build just gets better every time I look in here.

Hey Andy you've crossed the line with this one.

That bad boy is really coming along guy.

Keeping an eye on you bud.

Tony lee

Eric (Jester)- I am glad you stopped by.   I am glad you liked the weathering and streaking as I wasn't too sure if I have gone overboard this time.  Thanks!

Eric (Tigerman)- You have been a great help at Ostfront GB... am really looking forward to your BITW GB.  I will probably use same technique on my Char B1 but maybe less dirty because the Invasion of France was over in few days or weeks.

Kdawg- Thank you so much for dropping by! For some reason I got bitten by old kits bug... my last build was an Italeri Chaffee kit and my next build will be an Imperial StuG kit from Dragon.

No worries about offending me Andy when it comes to the MK tracks! Sorry you had a struggle to get them on...some of the older kits fight harder than the newer ones depending.

Kudos on the finish you've got going so far, very nice work on the schurzen and streaking.

I agree with Tigerman! I really dig the camo as well!... GREAT job updating this old kit! Well worth it i'd say!

Love, love, love the camo. It's really coming all along so nicely. 

Sure turned out to be an awesome looking build Andy!! Love the camo and I think the weathering is just right for it too!! The streaking on the schurzen looks really good.

Thanks Psstoff for stopping by!  It is good to see you around more now.  I have been following your Tiger build... looking real good.  One thing I have learned from this... go easy with washes and do few tries.  I didn't when I worked on the turret and it came out much darker so I had to fix it with alot of thinner at end.  Good luck!

Nice work Andy!

Looks like everything came out really well. I like how those washes turned out, good streaking.  The tank is weathered perfectly IMO. I hope my Tiger will turn out half as well.

deafpanzer

Manny-  The old Tamiya kit decals came with numbers with black or white with red outlines which didn't work out for me.  I should have taken the picture... I can do that tonight. 

Thanks again! 

Manny-  The old Tamiya kit decals came with numbers with black or white with red outlines which didn't work out for me.  I should have taken the picture... I can do that tonight. 

Thanks again! 

deafpanzer

Manny- Thanks for the nice words!   Yes, I agree about the size of numbers as I gave a lot of thoughts about this before I placed the order.  Archer Dry Transfers didn't have the right size after talking with a very nice lady at Archer... either they were too large or too small so I went for it. 

I sure do remember Biffa and his work! I haven't seen him for a while and I do miss his WIPs.  Always good hearing from you. Thanks again!

Like I wrote before, I thought those numbers came in the box---or were you just trying to stick with dry-tranfers? 

Manny- Thanks for the nice words!   Yes, I agree about the size of numbers as I gave a lot of thoughts about this before I placed the order.  Archer Dry Transfers didn't have the right size after talking with a very nice lady at Archer... either they were too large or too small so I went for it. 

I sure do remember Biffa and his work! I haven't seen him for a while and I do miss his WIPs.  Always good hearing from you. Thanks again!

This is some fine armor work...reminds me of Biffa's builds.  The turret numbers are too large for the ref you are using but I wouldn't sweat it...I thought that the kit actually came with some waterslide numbers for that scheme???  Comparing your work to Biffa's is about the best compliment I can give out... 

Modelers #1- I didn't those transfer earlier but I do now... my dry transfers arrived last week.  This one was little bigger than I wanted but it didn't stop me from using those.  Loved those and I will definitely use them again! 

Bill- You are not going to believe this.  Had to add one more link making total of 103 links and it was little tight.  It is obvious that this O-L-D Tamiya isn't accurate or it wouldn't required that many links.

Guys-  Update on my Panzer IV... camping was a total bust because of the heat wave on first day and rain the following day so we all agreed to check out a day earlier. 

DECALS: Used Archer Dry Transfers for the first time and I was pleased with the results even on the Zimm.  Next time I should have marked lines using a pencil to ensure that the numbers are in right positions. 

That was the easy part... insignia symbol and fire extinguisher.  No silvering especially when you are dealing with the Zimmerit. 

Rubbing transfers without breaking the fragile skirts was not that easy... that's why not all of transfer appeared but I wasn't concerned because they will be painted. The numbers seen in the actual #505 pictures were solid so they were painted on at end.

WASHES: I am afraid I went overboard with the washes this time.  I used MIG Brown Wash designed for German armor with Dunky for the first time as it has been sitting on my shelves for more than a year.  Turret has been washed (still wet when picture was taken )while hull hasn't been. 

After allowing the washes to dry for 15-30 minutes, I used MIG Thinner as instructed to tone down and make streaks using right brush.  I liked the results!  My Panzer is in middle of Russia where it was very dusty and it rained recently.  Often I would see streaks on my car as a friendly reminder to take it for a car wash.

TRACKS-  I am afraid our friend Bill isn't going to like this part.  I had issues adding ModelKasten tracks to the old kit. Keep in mind I didn't have issues in the past with my Dragon kits.  So I'd think twice before I order MK tracks for kits other than Dragons.  The tracks broke apart few times and it drove me nuts but after two hours I was able to get them on. 

I applied heavily thinned W&N oil paint Raw Umber on the details last night.  My favorite part as it helps bring out the details.  Will take more pictures when I have the chance...

Comments and feedback are always welcome.  Thanks for looking!

Can't speak to the replacment track set having never used it myself. Not sure how many links come in the set. I would personally just go with the extra Magic tracks you've got (I keep all my sets for similar uses when I replace with MKs) and leave it at that.

deafpanzer

Guys- Once again I need your help... remember I am going for this look.  It has white turret numbers and yellow unit insignia symbol as shown below...

I was able to locate the yellow insignia decal from Archer Transfer... that was the easy part! 

Now I have been having difficulty locating a good match for the white numbers.  The shape of numbers is unique especially the number five.  The only thing I could find couple of potential decals from Archer Transfer...

I am leaning to this second set but its an outlined so I can always paint white to fill in the hollow space.  The number '5' looks like a good match. 

Do you have a better suggestion? 

do you have the decals with you because their specifed hight is tiny! (7.11 mm)

Psstoff- I agree... I rather to use the b/w photo as my primary source of information.  I learned my lesson not to rely on the color plate too much.  But it gives us a better idea what colors were used for the numbers and insignias. 

Now I am leaning toward to the hollow 5 so it means I will need to paint white covering the hollow space.  Have anybody painted over the decals without an issue?  I use MM enamel...

The hollow 5 looks a lot closer to the black and white pic., the 5s on the color guide look a little different to me.

Guys- Once again I need your help... remember I am going for this look.  It has white turret numbers and yellow unit insignia symbol as shown below...

I was able to locate the yellow insignia decal from Archer Transfer... that was the easy part! 

Now I have been having difficulty locating a good match for the white numbers.  The shape of numbers is unique especially the number five.  The only thing I could find couple of potential decals from Archer Transfer...

I am leaning to this second set but its an outlined so I can always paint white to fill in the hollow space.  The number '5' looks like a good match. 

Do you have a better suggestion? 

This is the place my dad and I have been going to for a while now, I used to live a little closer to it, but hey. The owner's a nice guy.

http://www.piperhobby.com/

Don't know of any closer ones, might be a good drive.

Psstoff- NO KIDDING!!!  My brother teaches American Sign Language full time at NVCC in Fairfax.   Small world, huh?  Is there a good hobby shop you can recommend for me to visit next time I visit my brother?

Bill- Yeah, I agree with your comment about the size inaccuracy.   What did we expect from 35 years old kit? LOL  I checked www.rzm.com website last night to see if they sell spare links and they do!  But they were asking for $15 per set and it comes with racks.  I am not sure if it is worth the money... it didn't say how many extra links.  Have you brought one of those spare tracks sets?

Greg- Of course you will be first to know when we are coming!

deafpanzer

Psstoff- Thanks for dropping by!  Bet your day was exciting because of the earthquake today.  My brother lives in Fairfax, VA and it was his first...

I'm also in Fairfax! Pretty exciting, but I hope they don't start becoming more frequent/powerful, I don't want my models to fall off the walls next! 

Glad your track issue got worked out Andy! The Tamiya hull must not be the correct length if it required that many links to get the tracks fitted. "Normal" Pz IV track runs are usually 98-100 links and the MK track sets always include extras for breakage but not always enough for the spare runs too if you break too many.

                         Just keep me updated. Glad to have jogged your memory on the track issue.

                                                           Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley

Psstoff- Thanks for dropping by!  Bet your day was exciting because of the earthquake today.  My brother lives in Fairfax, VA and it was his first...

Greg- I am so glad you brought up the subject Magic Tracks!!!  I didn't think of those earlier...   I went thru my stash and found a perfect match... coming from Hummel kit.

Problem solved... thanks to you my friend Greg!

I learned few days ago that I may take my family to Minneapolis next summer for my son's performance at Danish Culture Center.  I am going to buy you couple of if you can meet me there!

                    Hey buddy,would a small quantity of leftover magic tracks doya,and if so solid or open guide horns,and late cleated type or not.Let me know I already have your 1020.

                                                  Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley

That's very odd (as far as I know) and unfortunately I have no tracks to give you.

However, the tank is looking very nice...  Maybe the crew had the same problem with cutting their tracks off the sprue as well and that's why they only had a couple left...