Dragon Elefant w/Zimmerit - Now Complete! Final Photo Update March 9th:

Looks great Ben and I'm liking the sound of your planned finish. Brilliant job with the scratched springs...big improvement...I'm going to have to remember that one.

Take heart with your weather mate...it's -21C as I type this, with a forecast low of -35C coming my way tonight. Perfect modelling weather...the kind where I can sit at the bench guilt free and look out at...lol

I'm following this with interest ,

Cheers,

Hi fellas,

Thanks for the kind comments, CaSSius

A very quick update to bring the blog up-to-speed!

It has been left in three sub assemblies - the Casemate, the Hull and the front deck with hatches. The Muzzle Brake has just been assembled (the barrel isn't permanently fixed) and looks very good. I'll keep applying a touch of Tamiya Extra Thin so it gradually 'blends' together.

I've taken notes of what is left to do pre-basecoat painting:

• Assemble the Friuls and wheels (I will be doing that next weekend and will then assemble the sub-assemblies)
• assemble the travel-lock (I want it stowed but the instructions don't show that option. I've seen a few of the builds where it has been done that way so it must be easy enough. I can't get that in position until the front deck is fitted as the hull and deck have locating holes all meant for the travel lock.
• Fit the one pistol-port and chain that I'm leaving exposed

Stuff to be fitted on top of the basecoat but before Whitewash application:

• Jack and Jack Block and Sledgehammer (all painted in their proper colours) 
• Tow cable and mounting brackets (a tow cable will be shown on the left hand side only)

The Whitewash will be heavily worn to show a Springtime Elefant that is just carrying a bit of leftover white - I want to remove the bulk of the whitewash from the tools and tow-cable to show a bit of colour variation.

None of this is set in stone definate yet but I'm really liking this whole whitewash idea. I'm not planning on going mad on the battle damage but would like to show a good, grimy finish with mud build-up.

I've not been able to get much done this weekend but I have the next two weekends clear plus the 23rd/24th Jan on holiday! Serious build time!

Here is how she looks - remember these sub assemblies are not fixed:

I hope you like her folks - she's coming on really well now! I'm loving this build!

I'm impressed at just how big this thing is - it dwarfs the Tiger! It's going to weigh a bit when the Friuls are on!

I'd really appreciate any comments, helpful photos and the like

Have a good week guys,

Ben

looking great so far Ben. I'm glad to hear that the metal gun was just a slight oversight and not a huge hiccup. Dragons instructions could use a overhaul yes there good but compared to the level of detail and care they put into there kits you would think they would reflect that in there instructions too  

Cheers buddy!

The barrel was a simple oversight and an easy thing to miss - unlike Tamiya they don't make a big thing about pointing out these little jobs. The barrel looks realy good and just needs a little bit more work to make it look like one solid piece.

It's snowing and very cold here so the plans for this weekend are to get the wheels off the sprues and assembled ready for painting - I'll be fixing them after the usual weathering on the lower hull walls behind the whhels has been done. Whitewash on top followed by more mud spatter.

I've got my Friuls now so the bulk of the weekend will be taken up sorting them out - they look good and should build up pretty quickly.

I'd like to get the mounts for the tow-cables fixed in place so I can finish this weekend by priming her ready for basecoating during the two days I have off work next week (sweeeeeet)!

Proper update tomorrow!

Take care,

Ben

Good evening folks,

As usual it's the Saturday evening update!

Righto, there were a few things that I wanted to sort out before hitting the running gear today - namely getting the PE tow cable clamps in place on both sides of the lower hull. The easy option would have been to use the plastic options BUT I went with the PE option as I want to use PE on more of my builds and I'll only get better by choosing the PE option! Each side requires two simple bent pieces of small Brass, one as a tow-cable support and the other for the eyelet to hang from. The other are two pieces that are basically a 'square' holder that on the real thing would trap the cable in place and would need to be unlatched to release the cable - I don't think I did too bad? There's only going to be a Tow cable on the left side so for now, I've had to leave the right side open to allow me to pop the cable in before I add the final pice to close the holder - I'll sort it out! I've got a PE Jack and Jack block holder to go on yet along with a single tool clamp and holders for the Sledgehammer at the back.

As I'm going to do a whitewash build I want a cold country Elefant so I have looked at the instructions and have chosen a nicely decaled 'green web cammo' over DY. I'll build it up and paint it as normal, treating it like a 'normal' build but then lightly whitewashing it. I want the highly worn whitewash to reveal something attractive underneath splashes of colour and and cammo scheme. I'm sure they would have whitewashed the odd Polish Elefant in winter!

The wheels all built up without hassle and cleaned up nicely. It was a good idea to leave the suspension arms unglued as they needed some shaving to ensure the wheels sat flat all round.

The Friuls arrived midweek and look really good when assembled - they build up pretty easy too. I was a bit dissapointed to find there were no Friulmodel drive sprockets with mine (that part of the writing on the box had been blacked out) so I thought I'd assemble a string of 10 to make a 'tester run' to wrap around the  front and rear sprockets to make sure the teeth were a good fit and they are perfect

Tomorrow, I'll get the Friuls sorted and move onto the paint stages next weekend I've also got two days off later in the week as holiday so I'll do a chunk then too. I'd like to be thinking about making a start on paint next weekend (basecoat & cammo, fit tools and tow cable and then the whitewash). I also need to add the torch cut effects to the Casemate assembly.

One question - I want to model this build as 'in action' so the travel lock will need to be modelled as stowed away which the instructions do not show. Can I model this lock as stowed or will I need to make some 'modifications' to allow it to lay flat? I can't fit the travel lock yet as half of the four fitting points need to go on the lower hull - the rest go on the front deck so I need to get this beast properly assembled before I can try fitting the travel lock in a stowed position. I've seen it done so it's obviously possible? 

Photos:

The PE tow-cable clamp holders:

Friuls - the test track fitted to a drive sprocket:

Thanks for looking guys - now I have my Friuls I can start getting this build really going! I'm in no rush - I want it to be perfect for the big show my club are at on the 18th March. I want this finished and on our table. The show is on Sunday 18th March so I have what's left of this month, next month and up to (and including) 17th March.

Finally my thanks to Andy for helping with my AK Chipping Questions and if anyone can help with my Travel lock question I'd be super grateful!

Thanks guys - please feel free to comment and make suggestions!

Take care and happy modelling

Ben

Heres a link to some pictures ,  maybe they'll give you a small guide 

http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/tank-hunters/elefant.asp        

Looking great Ben. Love that metal barrel.

Cheers Eric,

It comes with the kit - the other option is a very old two piece job that's ugly but useable but why use it when you have this sweeeet Aluminium jobbie and slide moulded muzzle brake assembly!

This should look killer with the Friuls in place!

I'd like to get the bulk of them done tomorrow. The wheels were a 30 minute job from sprue removal to fitting.

Now she has feet she really stands tall! A great kit!

Ben

Eh, you should be able to get this done for your show, Ben. Looks like you're pretty much done with most of the work anyway.

Ben, that is looking just fantastic!  I've never built one of these before so I can't comment on the assembly, other than you're doing great!  And the Friul tracks....well, you can't go wrong this full metal working tracks!!  How are you planning on painting them?  

Ben, that is looking great. Regards the travel lock. Are yiu trying to find out how the real thing was stowed or how to alter the kit one. If the latter, could you post a pic of it.

Nice clean progress Ben,looking real good so far

Hi guys,

Doog - She's nigh on complete old buddy, just Friul assembly which gets more boring every time! Still, these Friuls are VERY nice and well detailed and will be well worth the effort - I must start using more magic tracks mind you - they'll save me a fortune and I've got stacks of them building up where I've used Friuls instead of them. We are totally covered in snow at present so I'm getting everything done that I can at the minute that doesn't involve getting cold. I HATE the cold

Buffle - thanks for the kind words Sir! I'll be using AK's Friul Blemeishing Fluid to soak them in to add the original rusty/dark tones then I'll see how it's going. Washes and mud accumulation will be added to tie it in with the main build but I need to see how the main build turns out first! All I know is that the whitewash will be very worn exposing the light cammo beneath so it will be a Winter into Spring Elefant so will probably be pretty muddy from the Winter thaw but I'll see.

Bish - thanks buddy. The instructions show a chunky old travel lock in the raised 'lock' position only. I want it collapsed - looking at photos it seems to collapse and lay forward. My buddy Wouter who has also built this kit did a great blog when he did. He has told me the blog details how to to make it laid in a stowed position so I'll try to look that up later:

The Tavel Lock:

This isn't my build (I wish it was mind you). I've found a great blog on a Forum I'd never used before when doing my initial research on the Elefant. The name of the guy who built this is Andy (username 'Panzerjaeger' from Chicago). He's obviously a very talented guy and this is the older Dragon kit without the moulded on Zim - he applied his own. I really hope he doesn't mind me using his picture! Lovely build, Andy

• As you can see 'Chicago Andy' has modelled the Travel Lock stowed away (see below - this is how it needs to look. Even though my kit is newer the lock is all on the same sprue used in all the kits). Unfortunately it just 'appears' like this and he doesn't explain how it's done. Not being in the position to even attempt to assemble it yet as the whole thing needs to be fitted i.e. front deck, Casemate and lower hull all need to be fixed together as the locating point for the feet fall on both the deck and the lower hull too.

Overall a great kit - let down by the inclusion of the very old 'non-Zim' sprues but that is made up for by the inclusion of the metal barrel, slide moulded new parts and the stack of new PE.

Updates later!

I'm off work on Wednesday and Thursday this week so hope to make a dent on the build time! I definately chose the right week to use a couple of days off!

Ben

Hi fellas,

Sorry but I had to pop out to do some work stuff after my last post so I've got the last few bits done prior to painting and am now just making up the last of the first Friul run.

Like I said yesterday I'm trying to reach a half decent level of PE workmanship so again I opted out of the easy choice and used PE to make up the Jack Block mounting straps and Sledgehammer head holder. The Sledgehammer things were simple but the Jack Blog fittings were fiddly as hell but they'll look ok when painted. I've also assembled the Jack - that has PE brackets too so I'm going to assemble the main sections of the Jack brackets that attach to the tank and paint them in place then I'll paint up the Jack and fit the final locking part of the Jack Clamp after paint - like I'll do with the tow cable.

There are four pistol-ports; one on each side at the rear of the sidewalls and two on the back end either side of the large round entry hatch. 3 will remain closed up but one of the two at the rear is going to be left open and dangling by chain. The kit chain is stupidly overscale so I've used some of my  own pre-blackened chain which is a bit smaller but I still might go the whole-hog and use some 46 LPI chain which looks much better. At present the chain is just glued inside the inner wall of the Casemate to hold it in place.

Finally, I've been messing with the Friuls. All the 4 sprockets are in place - the two at the rear are glued in place but the two up front are left loose as they are a tight fit and I might need to do some altering yet. The DS Tracks fitted fine but Friuls are needed to really make this Elefant look the business!

I've also test fitted the two hooks at the rear where you can hang a few spare track links. In the photo I've shown a run of 12 as that's how I'm assembling them but there will only be 5-6 links when I do them for real. The kit supplies Elefant Magic Tracks for the rear and front spare tracks but I'm hoping that Friul will give me an extra dozen so I can use Friul Track links for these spares insted of the kit issue Magic Tracks.

I hope you like the following final build photos: hopefully the bext ones of the build will have a basecoat on them - at least!

PE Stuff - the Sledgehammer will have the moulded-on bracket removed when I manage to assemble a decent PE Tool Clamp! Should be easy enough!

Rear spare track hanger in use (I'll be using half as many links when I do it properly) and the Pistol-Port with chain can be seen here too:

All I have to do now is get the Friuls done during the week and I can fit the three main sub-assemblies together and sort the Travel Lock before getting the painting done

Cheers for lookng guys! Please comment away and drop any hints and tips too

This week - running gear get's sorted during my days off on holiday

Next weekend - Start of Priming and painting

Have a good week folks!

Ben

How do you plan on attacking those Friuls Ben? Paint or some type of Blacken-It? Your build looks awesome so far! I can attest to the weight of the Friuls having used a set on a King Tiger, they are heavy!

Hi Jester,

Thanks for the kind comment!

I actually use AK's Friul Blemishing Fluid. It is blue and comes in a 100ml bottle - it looks like blue water. You assemble your tracks and clean them very thoroughly with VINEGAR (never soapy warm water - they labelled their original bottles up with the wrong instructions saying the Friuls need to be cleaned with warm soapy water)! Doing this affects the reaction that takes place and has a very negative impact so always use Vinegar.

You then rinse your assembled or unnassembled tracks and drop them into a shallow container. Pour in the blue fluid, fill the empty fluid bottle with water and pour that into the bowl too so you just basically mix 100ml of tap water with the Blemishing Fluid and agitate the tracks for about ten minutes until they take on a very dark, rusty colour. It's VERY realistic.

It costs about £10-£12 per 100ml bottle in the UK.

You can add your own washes to the tracks or pigments/mud mixes etc.

They do add a great scale weight to your model which, personally, I love! A pair of 1/35 Tiger Tracks weigh a fair old bit, as do these Elefant tracks!

On a Tiger (for example) don't use the supplied wire as it's awful and too thin (imo). For my Elefant I'm using 0.6mm Jewellery wire and I'm drilling out each hole with a 0.65mm drill bit in my Pin Vise. Smaller Tracks like Panzer I or II's need smaller wire. I keep the supplied wire for detailing jobs like adding Notek or headlight wire etc.

Ben

Hi fellas,

A quick update on the Elefant for you:

I've done one side of Friuls which are fitted and look great and I've about 20 links to go on the other side. This thing will weigh a fair bit when complete! I love the extra weight that Friuls give

I've had a PITA time getting the length correct. Iirc I used 111 links on the completed side and they look about right.

Ideally it needs 110.5 links ! 110 make the links just a fraction too short as where I want the tracks to make contact on top of the 3 centre wheels it is just hovering by about 1mm over them. 111 are a fraction too long but ok as it's only a fraction. Obviously I have to go with 111!

I've made up a 5 spare tracklink run which hangs over the back hooks. They look cool so I'm going with them. I've also managed to change over the chain for that one exposed pistol port from that big chain to my smallest 46 links per Inch pre blackened Tank Workshop chain. It looks so much better now.

I really need to get this thing moving now as I only have until the 17th March (weekends only). I've been able to get the Friuls done as I've been on holiday yesterday and today.

This weekend I'll test fit the other Friuls then they can come off along with the wheels. I'll fix the build sub assemblies together, sort the travel lock and a couple of other parts that are left and then prime and paint basecoat and cammo on followed by tools and then a light whitewash which will be heavily worn. Once that's out of the way progress should be quick.

I'll post a proper update at the weekend - we all know what Friuls look like! LOL!

Cheers guys,

Ben

Hi guys - just a couple of photos:

Here's a photo of the completed side and the rear:

1) Left side view - I'd like them a tad tighter but as my last post says, remove a link and then they float too high off the wheels. The photos I've seen seem to vary but there's definate contact between the middle three wheels at the top and the underside of the top track run (it's difficult to remove one link anyway as every other link has a guide horn - had I decided to lose a link I was going to hide that area behind a sprocket:

2) Front view - looks good (the gap needs filling - that front area was a pig to assemble properly):

3) Rear view - a 5 link spare track run is in place and I've changed the pistol-port plug chain over to the smallest chain I have (46 links per Inch iirc):

I hope you like her guys - the other run will be in place tomorrow and then the sub-assemblies will be fixed together and she'll be primed ready for paint. The wheels will be put on sticks for spraying and the tracks put aside for Blemishing with AK's stuff later on.

Do you think the sag looks about right for an Elefant? Remember it won't go any tighter!

Cheers fellas,

Ben

Looking good Ben! The chain on the pistol port plug looks much more in scale now!

Hmmmm, Well, to be honest, Ben. I think you could get a better representation with the kit tracks; they're really quite good, and honestly, easy to form up--and you can perfect the sag with them. Even though some photos of the Elefant seem to show a "tight" track, that looks a bit sketchy to me. It's not so much the high-ride of the track over the drive sprocket, but the fact that you've also got air under the front wheel. If you took that out, I can only imagine that you'd have even more slack to take up somewhere?

I know it's not probably what you wanted to hear, having made that investment, but if it were me, I'd go back to the kit tracks.

The chain looks pretty scale...good job there.

Hi guys,

I know exactly what you mean fellas - it looks like I should easily be able to remove a link but it really tightens them right up as in TOO tight!

Forget the kit tracks - they are really lacking in detail as they are the DS type and you lose that nice little overlapping pattern that should be present on each link.

I reckon that when the other side is done tomorrow they will be square and will sit right. I've looked at other photos of this kit and one thing everyone seemed to have problems with was the wheels - that's why I left the suspension unglued at one end so I could either add shims of plasticard or file some plastic away so they all sit level. At present this thing is sitting on a big slant as it only has one run fitted and will be raised up about 4mm when the other side is on. I'll see how the other side goes.

It looks like there's enough slack but take out a link and 'boom' - too tight!  

When I'm done tomorrow I'm going to try removing a link again and seeing what I can do.

Glad you like the pistol port chain now - the kit chain was huge!

Ben

well, if you don't mind the tracks being non-workable (and cheating a little); you could press the track tight around the drive sprocket and glue it in place...

hmm it does seem like there is some air space there you can take up but yet again that might be due to the road wheels not being fixed yet (are they glued down yet??) but best thing to try would be like you are going to do and get the other side strung up and see where you sit then

Hi guys,

Righto: I've removed a link and the space where two of the flat links without horns meet have been rolled around and hidden behind the drive sprocket

All I've taken out is one link and look at the difference it's made. I did this last night and they look like they 'stretched' a bit over night and now look better? They may still stretch some more?

So, this is 110 links - the previous post showed 111 links! It's amazing the difference that the removal of ONE little link can make!

What do you reckon? I can't do much more so it's one or the other. Most pictures I've studied show the tracks leaving the back of the front sprocket and just missing the front Fender. They then just brush on wheels 3 & 4 and sometimes make contact with wheel 5 (counting back from the front wheel). I think I've achieved this here and it's a definate improvement - a bit taught up front under the drive sprocket now but something has to be sacrificed!

Let me know what you think - like I say I can't do much more. The DS kit tracks are ugly and lack detail and and will need a fair bit chopping off them to make them look anywhere near acceptaptable plus the guide horns are lacking the hole they should have.

Rambo - The wheels nor the sprockets are fixed permanently. They are all a very tight push fit and the sprockets roll freely if made to. Glue isn't needed and I might leave them unglued too. When the other Friul run is on I could push this around the living room carpet making 'tank' noises -  Brrrm! Brrrrm! BOOOM! BOOOM!

Here you go guys - my photo of the shortened track (one link shorter)! This is as good as it gets without the tracks becoming 'live'! Remember this is on a slant as the other side is without it's tracks

When the other side is on and the wheels are sitting square I think this will look pretty good

Thanks for your honest input guys - I do want to get this looking right so it all helps.

I've looked at photos of the real thing AND other models and the variety is amazing. This one below is on display at Aberdeen.

I'll post an update later depending on how much progress has been made. I'm working from home today and it's been pretty busy so far but I'm getting there!

Take care,

Ben

I'd say that that looks pretty good, Ben. That really made a huge difference!

Sorry too--I didn't realize that you had those crappy DS tracks--what a huge step backward for Dragon. I thought you had link tracks. My "old" Dragon Elefant (pre-zimmed) has indy links tracks.

I agree too, that you can find pics of Elefants with tracks in just about an length or slack. I've seen some pics where they're laying right down flat on the very first roadwheel after the sprocket--and that's while traveling with soldiers hanging off them. not burnt out with collapsed suspension.

I think the sag looks just right now Ben!

Little known secret about the Elefants...they had odd-numbered link counts on the real vehicle. They just connected up two links with a guidehorn together and didn't worry about it. Drives modeler's nuts though! Sag looks good Ben.

WOOOOO - HOOOOOOOO!

I must admit that I thought it odd that the doog was telling me to use DS tracks OVER Friuls! LOL! 

If it had come with Magic Tracks I wouldn't be using Friuls now but needs must. I'm so glad you think this about right now as I want this perfect (as you know)

Finally, I know some of you were looking forward to this but I've decided  against a WhiteWash. I've looked at the link showing Gary's Ferdinand and have  seen LOTS of other builds too and I really want to show it with a DY basecoat  and cammo with my usual AK style Weathering.

I'm only doing this as I love how the Elefant looks in it's 'normal' colours with cammo. I'm also a  bit wary of doing my first proper WW on a build I've put so much care and love into  

Not to worry as my next  build will be a Kharkhov Pz. IV with FULL whitewash - I'm going to go to town on  that one big time!

Update later - I want ALL the Friuls on by the end of  today and by the end of tomorrow she needs to be assembled  and primed with the  barrel removed for easy access when painting the front deck and all the road  wheel mounted on spikes for separate painting - the Steel surfaces will be brush  painted with Gunze Metalcolour 'Stainless' and buffed to a nice shine  

Take care,

Ben   

Sorry guys,

I've just though about what Bill said re the odd number of links. This must now have an odd number so it would have had 110 links before and now it should have 109

I'll have a proper count up when I go to fit the other side.

Ben