DML Brummbar Mid COMPLETE 07-30-12

Phew ! Lots of small parts Bill

Heya Bill :  )

Thats a lot of work, but I know you use these MK tracks all the time, and one thing I know, they sure look great and that is the important part in my opinion.  

Looking forward to instillation !

tread

PAINT?  Did I hear someone say paint?

Bill: You sure know how to roll with the punches...the tracks look nice.  I cringe when I think of indy links and this sounds like even more work! 

BUT...I'm reaching a point where rubber band tracks just aren't cutting it!  I like the ease and speed but the process to attach them and then gluing them to the road wheels to get the sag stinks..not to mention that it doesn't look very authentic.  

Can you give me a bit more info on MK Tracks?, maybe a web link?  A quick PROS vs. CONS? 

Thanks Bill...looking forward to seeing the paint!!!

Separate guidehorns? You have way too much patience.

Carl, yes indeed...but fortunately MK designed them intelligently so they are easy to handle.

Tread, thanks for the comments and support! I've gotten pretty comfortable with MKs and they've become a staple on builds the way some guys always use Fruils.

Marc, I think you've been spending too much time on your Enigma...you're starting to hear things!

Steve, it is more work, no question there, but the payoff comes in the end in terms of weathering and handling for installation. As you've discovered, working withe one-piece tracks for "dead" track design vehicles is always a challenge. Workable sets overcome that, allowing you to tailor your sag accordingly. This is even more flexible when you have a kit that includes adjustable idler wheels (and some MK sets include parts to allow you to adapt mounts to be adjustable as well depending on the "host" kit you're working with).

MK stands for Modelkasten, they are a company in Japan that produces the sets (among other things). Here's their home page (it's in Japanese, so Google Translater will help). http://www.modelkasten.com/ As far as quick Pros/Cons...here goes:

Pros: Styrene links, no special glue required to assemble, produce workable track runs, sets include spare links/pins, can be painted using standard model paints/methods, not kit-specific, wide range of tracks available for different vehicle types (1/35 scale), cheaper than metal tracks (depending on supplier/source, I use www.rzm.com for all my MK track needs).

Cons:  More fragile than metal tracks, time consuming assembly process, sensitive to "hot" paints like lacquers, some clean-up required depending on set in question, not ideal for "live" track types (i.e. Sherman tracks).

HTH!

Eric, separate guide horns add a little bit to the assembly time but not very much...and you can't argue with the in-scale result!  

Bill:  Thank you for taking the time to write that thorough and helpful info on the MK's...I do appreciate it.

My pleasure Steve!

Ahhh...indy tracks....the knitting of scale modeling.....

Just remember, too many indy track sets in succession could cause brain damage

Looking good

Rounds Complete!!

Very true Mike...that's why I only do one set per build!

Progressing along very nicely.

Looking very well done as usual! Keep it up.

Thanks Will, glad to see you back around these parts.

This weekend was a productive one with a lot of progress on the paint work for the exterior. Not a lot of prep work was required except for the mounting the road wheels, sprockets, and idlers on trusty toothpick handles using blobs of blue tack poster putty. First round of airbrush work involved the application of a primer coat of Model Master enamel Italian Dark Brown. This helps check the putty work and insures there isn't any bare plastic peeking through the base coat.

Speaking of the base coat...that was applied next by airbrush using a 50-50 mix of MM enamel Panzer Dunkelgelb/Light Gray. I used multiple passes with the airbrush to slowly build up the finish instead of applying as a single heavy coat. This is particularly necessary due to the increased surface area and nooks/crannies produced by the zim application.

Next up was the camouflage pattern. Using the reference photo I dug up earlier along with the box art, I applied a brown squiggly pattern freehand using a 50-50 mix of MM enamel Military Brown and Leather. The pattern deliberately stops at roughly the height of the schurzen plates on the hull side to mimic what the reference photo shows. 

Last step involved applying a mist coat from roughly 12" away from the model using a heavily thinned mix of the base coat and opening up the airbrush needle all the way to create a nice wide pattern. This toned down the camo work, fading it slightly, and tying it in nicely with the base coat as a foundation for more work later on in the weathering stages.

The road wheels, sprockets, and idlers got their due as well. They were primered at the same time as the hull and the rubber portions painted via airbrush using MM enamel Gunmetal (not the Metalizer!). The hubs on the road wheels were airbrushed using a circle template to mask the rubber tires.

Next up will be working on the exterior details and getting things ready for the weathering stages.

Thanks Bill :  ) .... been waiting for Sunday  ... Looks great man !  

tread

Humm looks like you are up to your usual painting voodoo......

Now as a side note....for the older modelers....looking at all the road wheels on sticks reminds me of the plate jugglers from the old Ed Sullivan show...I hear the music in the background!!

Rounds Complete!!

Tread, thanks for the comments as always!

Mike, painting is always one of those major milestones in the build process...fortunately I was able to get the blocks of time necessary to get it all done this weekend. Next weekend will be a busy one with Father's Day and what-not so had to take advantage! Plates on sticks...now there's something I haven't thought of in a while.

  HOT DOG!

This is gonna be a real weiner!

  All corny puns aside Bill,

     this is looking great.....   as usual.

Looks good Bill,I call it road wheel madness,sort of like white line fever !!!

wbill76

Bill:  Really nicely done.  That freehand airbrush work is not easy...you executed in masterfully

Crikey... me likey!

as always Bull very fine work. hate painting road wheels yours look great. i like tristars more parts but very easy to paint.. again awesome work.

Clay 

DM, thanks for popping in (pun intended!)

Anthony, it's an inescapable fact of life when dealing with German armor...the price must be paid!

Steve, thanks for the comments as well. I've gotten very comfortable with the double-action feel of the metal-body Aztek after years of using the plastic-body version. Wouldn't have thought it would make that much of a difference but it does!

Marc and Clay thanks for the comments as well!

wbill76

...I've gotten very comfortable with the double-action feel of the metal-body Aztek after years of using the plastic-body version. Wouldn't have thought it would make that much of a difference but it does!

Bill:  I used to use the most basic Tamiya single action airbrush available but now I'm using an Iwata double action.  I'm getting more comfortable with it too and experimenting a lot.  I sure enjoy the extra control of paint/air and the ability to do detail work.  Can't believe I waited so long to get one.   Again, nicely done on that free-hand work, I want to try that sometime!

Steve,

Double-action is the way to go for sure when it comes to detailed paint schemes. I've used double-action ABs for years and they provide a lot of versatility. The neat thing about the Aztek is that it can function as either a single-action or a double-action and I will often just open it up wide for applications of things like primer coats or Future coats and then return it to double-action for detail work and what not. You should give it a try! Practice on an old model or a sheet of styrene (I have one pinned to the back of my spray booth for mini-test runs before committing to application on the actual model) and remember that thinning ratios and air pressure also play a role.

Spent some time working on the exterior details and getting them installed. First order of business was assembling and installing the road wheels into position on either side and the spare road wheels for the racks at the rear. Then came the tools and tow cables.  The left side received the idler tensioning wrench and jack block and it's important to note here that there are 2 holes that need to be opened up on the fender to accept the block but the instructions don't call this out at any point in the assembly. I modified the block somewhat, adding in the missing woodgrain texture on the sides by scribing in some lines with the tip of a sharp #11 blade. The block was given a foundation application of the 50-50 dunkelgelb/light gray mix used for the hull followed by a thinned wash application of MM enamel Leather. Once the wash had dried, I added some Burnt Umber pastels for a bit more variation. The wrench was detailed with MM non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal and lightly dry-brushed with MM enamel Steel.

I also detailed the gunner's scope and installed the "rabbit ears" scope for the commander at this stage.

The right side didn't have much to install, just the track changing tool and the tow cables. The tool was painted the same as the wrench on the other side as were the tow cable ends. For the cables themselves, I replaced the kit-supplied steel wire since it was too stiff with crochet rope thread of a similar diameter. To prevent "fuzzing" of the thread, I dipped it in Future and let it air-dry before painting it with the MM non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal and attaching to the cable ends with CA gel. The result is a more flexible cable that could be positioned as needed. The instructions-recommended length of 115mm is about right and DOES NOT include the length of the cable ends in that calculation.

The rear hull details got some attention as well. I used Tamiya Clear Green for the Notek convoy light lenses and Clear Red for the reflector. The exhaust was detailed with a base coat of MM non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal followed by a thinned wash application of enamel Rust. I used black artist pastels on the domed pipe cover to simulate exhaust accumulation. The starter crank was detailed and installed with CA gel, the only slight modification coming in the form of removing the molded on clamp handles and replacing them with PE handles from a Griffon tool set for added detail.

I still need to work on the spare track runs for the front hull but will take care of that when I finalize the main track runs for consistency. Then it will be on to the decals and weathering stages.

Looking real good. I have the pre zimmed offering in the stash begging to be built.

Hey Bill,

As always looking superb!

I really fancy another go at a Brummbar! They are awesome machines and great fun to model. Those slab-sides are weathering heaven!

What plans do you have going forward?

Ben

panzer88, thanks for the comments and glad to hear you have a Brummie in the stash as well. Mine waited a while for its turn but eventually I could no longer resist. They are such hulking beasts but so much room to play with too.

Ben, thanks for dropping in! Plans for the near term are to get a few more of the remaining details done and squared away, paint the tracks, then on to markings and weathering. It's getting close to the finish line.

Keep her coming Tex.

Tony lee

wbill76

... I used black artist pastels on the domed pipe cover to simulate exhaust accumulation.

Bill:  Is the domed cover the "shelf" thing above the exhaust? Strange design...looks cool though.

  Lots of road wheels there...nice work!