Dodgy

Top job Mike! Can't wait to se the diorama.

 

Thank you, Dodgy! I'm glad it pleases you as much as it does me and I'm also looking forward to seeing the diorama lol.

RBaer

Still watching....  In my best Sgt Schultz voice: Verrrry INteresting!

 

Good impression, Russ. LOL

Top job Mike! Can't wait to se the diorama.

Still watching....  In my best Sgt Schultz voice: Verrrry INteresting!

dazzjazz

Fabulous work on the Sherman!

 

Thank you. Tamiya made it easy lol. The engineering is superb.

BrandonK

Superb work. Such a great looking kit. Well done!!

BK

 

Thank you, Brandon. The kit is fabulous and leaves me with little work to get such results. I blame Tamiya lol!

Gamera

Oh cool, those are good sets. The Dragon one is a little old but they're still well detailed figures. Heck of an improvement over the ancient Tamiya set. 

 

I am definitely looking forward to getting these together to tell a story.

Fabulous work on the Sherman!

Superb work. Such a great looking kit. Well done!!

BK

Oh cool, those are good sets. The Dragon one is a little old but they're still well detailed figures. Heck of an improvement over the ancient Tamiya set. 

Thank you.

I've got two crew sets showing up some time this week.

Hence the reason for the open gas cap. This should be fun.

Weeeeelllllllll, I can see these photos just fine... 

Nice work! 

Not much to report, but I've built the main structures.

I've opened up the left side gas cap and added some ad-hoc stowage handles to the turret. Time to start planning my stowage options.

C-32 is coming along slowly, for now.

Thank you, GerySnake. Its an easy to replicate finish.

I started with Tamiya O.D., highlighted (mild modulation) with Vallejo U.S.A.F Olive Drab, glossed to seal (which made it a dark brown tone) and the gave it an overall Vallejo Dark Green sludge wash and returned it to it's former green glory. Once I wiped off the excess I added the decals and matte sprayed it. I painted the stowage and added the last of the dirt effects with Vallejo pigment and Mig enamel washes for variations so it wasn't an overall plain dried dirt.

The stowage is from Value Gear. I now have several sets for the next couple of builds. It's pretty good stuff. I only added the German trophies (helmet, Mp-40, and ammo pouch) near the commanders hatch to make it a little different. I stole those from the Tamiya Hanomag half-track kit lol.

I am happy with the way it's all turned out so far and the second build is stalled for the moment because of life, but I'll be back into it soon enough.

Thank you again for the compliment.

Ah. Well that sucks. But it explains a lot as well.

Okay. Recommendations for an Android compatible free hosting app?

This one has been a pain since I downloaded it anyways.

Yeah as Gamera pointed out, I'm having trouble seeing your photos, but some that have loaded really look great. Another awesome job Mike.

I'm using Link Picture and they're in Turkey, I believe. There may be complications because of that.

Works fine on Android.

Hmmm, so no one else has an issue with seeing the photos? On Pale Moon I don't see the photos. I get a link but clicking on it gives me a 500 Internal Server Error.

On Microsoft Edge I only get a broken link icon and clicking on it loads nothing- the server eventually times out.

Gamera

A dio base is a pretty simple thing if you just go with a simple field or road like I like to do. Much more complex if you want to add buildings etc. 

I just add some plaster (Durham's Water Putty is better if you can get it) to a cheap craft store wooden plaque. Add ruts while the plaster is still wet and when dry paint it with cheap 99 cent craft paints. Then cover it with glue and sprinkle on static grass. 

BTW: I can't see your photos at all. Is it something on my end guys? 

 

I have already started a basic topography on a cheap wooden plaque building up elevations with cardboard and plaster over that. Still need some supplies and I've been watching tutorials on making plant life to populate the scene. Well, things I can't buy anyways. I've made some pretty convincing bushes, but I'm thinking of ferns which are everywhere here in the PNW. This first base is going to be my practice base for photo shoots later so I'm sticking with what's local for inspiration. That way it should blend into the local background better for outside photography.

You can't see the pictures? Odd. Does anyone else have this issue?

Tojo72

Finished up nicely

 

Thank you. It might need some environmental adjustments after we get the layout visualized and I still need to tie down the stowage. I'm just looking for the right "rope" lol.

M1GarandFan

Excited to see what your concept will be for the dio. Sounds like you might need a separate garage or warehouse for it though!

 

I think we will be compartmentalizing it and making it in small vinettes that interconnect. There is going to be a main layout, but dividing it up makes sense for transport and displaying.

A dio base is a pretty simple thing if you just go with a simple field or road like I like to do. Much more complex if you want to add buildings etc. 

I just add some plaster (Durham's Water Putty is better if you can get it) to a cheap craft store wooden plaque. Add ruts while the plaster is still wet and when dry paint it with cheap 99 cent craft paints. Then cover it with glue and sprinkle on static grass. 

BTW: I can't see your photos at all. Is it something on my end guys? 

Excited to see what your concept will be for the dio. Sounds like you might need a separate garage or warehouse for it though!

Thanks! 

The idea this far is that we're combining different platoons from the 4∆35∆  (4th Armor Division, 35th Armored Regiment) heading up the road to Berlin in the spring of 1945. I'm thinking I may even include some abandoned german vehicles along the road side. Lord knows I could spare a couple lol.

So this is going to be grand in scale and I'm just now getting into learning how to make a diorama base because I've never actually built one before. I did make a dirt brick for my son's 1/72 M-4A2 5years ago, but it wasn't a diorama. So this is going to be a learning experience and I'm all for it.

Two more tanks for me to build. 

Looks very good Mike. So, diorama: with the variation in Sherman types, it almost looks like you guys are doing a scene from Fury......

I do believe tank C-31 is now done for the moment.

That's pretty much one done. Two to go.

Big thanks, M.C. and Gam! 

I finished the gear on the turret! Details, highlights, more pin washes and some decals for the German helmet trophy.

I started by hand painting the bumper numbers. I don't have my stencils right now and I'm making an assumption that they were not always readily available in the field. I'm still looking through boxes for spare reg. numbers for the sides.

I'm happy I've got it all level lol.

The mess on the back deck is next. My wash was done over the matte coat so it turned into more of a filter and it all blended together as a brown lump, mostly. I should've glossed it first, then the brown wash would've worked as intended, filling in the margins and crevices.