1/35 Dragon Leopold--Build Complete: 89 hours over 21 days!

Mike,

I drybrush the MM Steel and it dries pretty quick. I then follow along with black artist pastel (the stuff in the harder square blocks) in powder form rubbed with a small fine brush over the MM Steel. This is not chalk but real artist pigment and it binds with the base paint and MM Steel pretty readily even when dry. If too much gets applied, I use a stiff bristled brush to work it in more or go over it with lighter pigment to achieve the same thing.

It's true if you seal pastels, they lose their dusty look. In this particular case, I'm sealing it because I want the sooty look to "sink in" to the crevices/shadow areas and will come back along it and apply lighter levels if needed/desired. It's a technique that has taken some practice to develop, but I like the results. I had to seal it because some of the pastel was getting on my fingers from handling and I was starting to see sooty fingerprints show up in very unusual places. [:0] Ordinarily I do weathering as a last step but this monster is requiring a little different handling due to its size and numerous sections.

As a side note, I did not work on the Leopold today but focused on the T34. Hopefully my parts will arrive tomorrow and I can keep on trucking with her and take care of the remaining bits.

Thanks for getting me straight on the pastels Bill. You're not going to believe this but I have been using the wrong pastels? I've been trying to get a weathered look with pastels using regular chaulk pastels not much luck using them. I just picked up some soft pastels by Loew Cornell from "Michaels". I'm anxious to try them out. I also purchased some "Artists oil pastels". I've had some minor success with them using a mineral spirit mix for doing some weathering. Hell! if I don't have any success with these pastels I might go back to my old interest. Starving artist. semper fi, mike

Mike,

The type I use is from Hobby Lobby, Mungyo Earth Tones, and I apply it without using a liquid medium of any kind. Just rub the brush over the block to pick up the fine pigment and brush it on the area it needs to go. The regular chalk works for weathering if you grind it up or use sandpaper to get a fine grade powder but that's a lot of work IMHO.

Well Bill, I've got pastels up the "WAZOO" so I guess I better start showing some results I'm sure that given some patience and experience I'll start to reap the rewards of working in the pastel medium. I apprieciate the pointers you've shared with me. Sorry to be taking everyone off this great project of yours. Semper fi, mike

Wbill, do you work? I wish I had your time becuase you are banging these projects out like tomorrow is the Apocolypse!!

Wbill, I agree with Mo, you are a modeling machine. I dno't think I could afford to keep up with you pace, even if I had the time. Unless I decided to spend my boys college fund Seriously, you are making amazing progress. I suppose I am just jealous

QUOTE: Originally posted by Moses Wbill, do you work? I wish I had your time becuase you are banging these projects out like tomorrow is the Apocolypse!!

I have a simple answer...No Children.

It's also been extremely quiet in the work arena for a long time now...it's starting to get scary, I keep waiting for the big disaster/storm to break...our company is adopting Six Sigma as a methodology and I'm slated to be the regional Black Belt, so my modeling time will be curtailed somewhat over the course of the next few months, but not too severe I hope.

Day 16 Log: September 20, 2004

Errors/Issues: 1

The USPS was kind enough to deliver my replacement parts today. Dragon customer service can't be beat...they clipped off the parts I needed and sent them to be in a bubble-pack envelope...4 E5 and 1 G9, 1 G44 just as I needed, nothing else, and no charge. I have this vision of their warehouse stocked with canibalized kits waiting for someone to say they need part X...pretty cool when you think about it.

The issue I encountered had to do with the extendable ladders. Turns out I built the first one way back when to be too long! The instructions are again misleading on this and the second time around set me straight. Fortunately, I was able to correct it without too much trouble. There should only be one rung on the top section before the next one nests, not two as I originally interpreted the diagram.

I again had to fight with shallow pin holes and the tendency of the ladder halves to roll or twist off center, lessons learned from the first ladder assembly helped and this ladder took 1 hour less due to already knowing the rung configuration, just as I predicted it would.

Steps Completed:

Used the replacement parts supplied by Dragon to build the second ladder arrangement. Also rebuilt the gun elevation axle clamp half that my cat spirited away. Both are now ready for painting, which will be done tomorrow weather permitting.

Total Time today: 1.5 hours

Total time to date: 71 hours

Progress Pic:

Great work on your K5 wbill76,
Your progress pics have provided some of the best looks at the K5 that can be found anywhere on the net. This is particularly helpful to me for my recently completed scratchbuilt K5 (1/160 scale) Thanks for describing your MMsteel weathering technique.

I've read what I could find on the K5's but Does anyone know how many K5's there were? and where they were predominitely used and targeted at? I've seen pictures where there were 4-5 of them lined up and firing (I guess on those turntable things) but I have no idea when/where and at what these were pointed - what a diorama that would be in 1/35 scale

Ibeam,

A great resource for information on the K5(E) series can be found here:

http://www.aopt91.dsl.pipex.com/railgun/Content/Railwayguns/German/k5.html

They say between 25 and 28 were produced with the first ones entering service in 1940.

Very nice work on that scratchbuild!

Thanks for the compliment on the log, it started out as a whim and has slowly taken over virtually my entire existence...

Speaking of which, here's the latest installment!

Day 17 Log: September 21, 2004:

Errors/Issues: 1

I placed the retaining clamps for the gun elevation axle and they were an extremely tight fit. I cleaned them of paint, made sure there weren't any seams interfering, and they still went on incredibly tight. End result is that the gun is virtually in a fixed position, every attempt to elevate it produces enormous strain on the clamps and actually popped one clean off before it would elevate up. It doesn't bother me as I've planned to have the gun in the loading position all along, but for those who build this wanting to have a fully workable elevation mechanism, you'll have to watch out for this and possibly shave down the axle pins to get the desired result.

Steps Completed:

Every get really in a grove so that time just disappears on you? That happened to me today with the weathering process. I intended to work on this for just a couple of hours but I got rolling and couldn't stop. I blame the MegaJug Diet Pepsi from KFC, but that's another story.

--Painted the assembled parts yesterday to match up to the cradle.

--Weathered the front end ladders as well as the side ladders off the cradle as it was much easier to do this than if they had been mounted and then weathered.

--Prepped and weathered the upper deck rails. They have a lot of sprue attachment points but came off easily enough with minimal cleanup.

--Weathered the upper cradle deck area in preparation for placing the rails.

Total Time Today: 4 hours

Total time to date: 75 hours

Progress Pics:










Additional comments:

Tomorrow will be the final assembly. The ladders will go on and I'll have to be very careful with the handling from that point onward. Still need to get the decals on and complete the weathering on the lower cradle. Figures haven't been touched either. This one could go over the 100 hour mark at the current rate... [:0]

Dang! your building this thing super fast! Looks incredible. Nice wear ant tear too. The painting is superb! Cant wait for more pics.

Bill,thats a great looking kit,me i would not have the cash to get the kit never mind the paint.but it looks great,keep up the log on this one.

gdarwin[roy]

Day 18 Log: September 22, 2004

Errors/Issues: None

Steps Completed:

--Attached the ladders to the front end of the cradle as well as the sides near the loading deck.

--Weathered the lower cradle surfaces on both sides.

--Attached the handrails to the upper cradle deck perimeter.

--Added safety chains to the ladder entrances on the loading deck. One chain positioned in the closed position, the other left hanging in the open position.

Total Time Today: 2.5 hours

Total Time to Date: 77.5 hours

Progress Pics:







Additional comments: Will seal up the gun cradle surfaces with dull coat and apply a gloss coat to the lower sides only since all the decals will go there. If all goes well, the only thing left will be the figures for this weekend. The finish line is in sight!

I have the trumpiter leo, and am currently working on it (well i have some of the rail trucks done on one of the carriges) and it is a complicated kit also. looking at your log and compairing the two it seems the trumpiter kit is a little more detailed, but doesnt come with men (have to buy them seperately), has only one shell, and costs more. trumpiter has some cheesey turntable thing that doesnt look like the one on the box, and doesnt look like it would work, so i opted for the straight track( I used all the pieces and came up with about 5 feet of rail bed so i can put a flat car on behind it) both kits seem to have the same railbed problems though. if this one turns out good, i think i might opt for the karl mortar from trumpiter next.

its nice beeing able to read your log and see what you have to say about that kit, i think some of the things will help on mine. I dont usually build armour so i think im going to try to "borrow" you weathering technique

thanks for all the info in the log
jim

QUOTE: Originally posted by inpw1 I have the trumpiter leo, and am currently working on it (well i have some of the rail trucks done on one of the carriges) and it is a complicated kit also. looking at your log and compairing the two it seems the trumpiter kit is a little more detailed, but doesnt come with men (have to buy them seperately), has only one shell, and costs more. trumpiter has some cheesey turntable thing that doesnt look like the one on the box, and doesnt look like it would work, so i opted for the straight track( I used all the pieces and came up with about 5 feet of rail bed so i can put a flat car on behind it) both kits seem to have the same railbed problems though. if this one turns out good, i think i might opt for the karl mortar from trumpiter next. its nice beeing able to read your log and see what you have to say about that kit, i think some of the things will help on mine. I dont usually build armour so i think im going to try to "borrow" you weathering technique thanks for all the info in the log jim

Jim,

I'm glad it helps even with the Trumpeter kit! The Trumpeter kit is more complicated, 1100+ parts vs. 758 for the Dragon kit and is more expensive. I had thought about getting it but the turntable wouldn't have been practical and Dragon's figure set is specifically made for use on their kit and has multiple posing options to boot without having to resort to surgery. Trackbed is straight rail and came out to 43" in length and 6" wide. Height depends on the elevation of the gun of course.

Well Bill! it looks like you've just about reached the end of the tracks. She's a beauty for sure and been a real pleasure watching it all come together. Your log has been invaluable and I do hope you keep a record of it just in case I get the urge to build big. Semper fi, mike

Mike,

No worries there, the log will be converted into a full document and posted up on my web page once the build is completed. I'm too attached to it now to let it go!!

Here's tonight's installment:

Day 19 Log: September 23, 2004

Errors/Issues Found: None

Steps Completed:

Today's efforts were very straightforward with very little fuss!

--Applied gloss coat to cradle sides and dull coat to non-decal related surfaces.

--Applied decals to both sides of the gun cradle. Used entire sheet provided (no spare/extra decals in this set!) for the various Deutsche Reichsbahn stencils. Wierdest one was a single word "Spezialwagen" which makes sense of course but typical of German labelling...would anyone seriously confuse this with an ordinary railcar?

Total time today: 2.5 hours

Total time to date: 80 hours

Progress Pic:



Additional comments:

Decals will be left to cure overnight and a final overcoat of dullcoat applied along with some weathering to blend in the white with the rest of the worn/sooty look of the carriages. Also found a few areas that need a bit more attention (always happen when you start taking pics since the camera doesn't lie!) and will fix those tomorrow as well.

Saturday will be the figures (hopefully) and maybe, just maybe, I can wrap this one up before I have to leave for the week on business...otherwise it will be left hanging until I return.

bill i can honestly say i dont want this one to be finished. this is one of the most informative threads i have read.


joe

Beautiful job, Bill!
Curious--how did you paint the wheels? Is that a straight flat black with a silver dry brush, or did you use some other technique? Regardless, it's quite convincing.

Gip Winecoff

This is a huge model when finished , I will be getting one of these as well real soon

Nice job so far , I love P Grey on tanks and guns , the best scheme for old german stuff , yours is looking great !

QUOTE: Originally posted by styrene Beautiful job, Bill! Curious--how did you paint the wheels? Is that a straight flat black with a silver dry brush, or did you use some other technique? Regardless, it's quite convincing. Gip Winecoff

Thanks styrene!

The wheels were airbrushed with MM Burnt Iron Non-buffing Metalizer as a basecoat and then drybrushed with MM Steel enamel. Black artist pastel was then applied as a dry powder by brush over that to give the sooty/aged metal look and then sealed with dullcoat to sink it in and pop out the details.

Spector,

It is indeed a huge monster. 43" long, 6" wide and can be up to around 48" tall if you put the gun in the full elevated position. I'm seriously thinking about getting a custom made case to hold this one to protect it from the dust that gets everywhere in the desert. Not sure if I can get that past the CFO or not though...

Stupendous build Bill. Thanks for sharing this with us. It has been quite interesting, and I felt like I've been on a ride of sorts.

Eric,

I'm glad you've enjoyed the ride thus far, on the last leg now!

Day 20 Log: September 24, 2004

Errors/Issues: None

Steps completed:

--After letting the decals cure up overnight, the thickness of the decals revealed themselves for all the world to see! All of them adhered perfectly to the surface but you could clearly see the outline of the film. Applied an overcoat of glosscoat and let it dry. Then applied a dullcoat over that but the decals still stood out. Tried blending it in first with pastels and then MMP powder with little success. Sealed the pastel and MMP with a 3rd coat of dullcoat...this helped everything tie together but now I had a light/dark contrast between the decals and the rest of the cradle. Finally hit on a novel solution. I very carefully drybrushed MM Scwarzgrau around the contrast areas and it worked beautifully. The decals look painted on and slightly faded in addition to being dirty/weathered. A good result out of a potentially bad situation and another technique to keep handy for the future.

Total time today: 2 hours

Total time to date: 82 hours

Progress Pics:





Additional comments:

I'm about 95% happy with the decals (as the builder I'm my own worst critic in this regard...) and extremely happy with how the drybrushing worked out to mitigate and blend them in to the body. When viewed at a normal viewing height and lighting my wife thought I'd handpainted them on so that's good enough for me I guess. The decals didn't silver at all, which was another big worry from the sheer size of the decals in question and the fact that they went on a dark gray background.

Every journey must have its end I suppose and this one is no different. Today marked the end of the journey of my Leopold build. Hard to believe that 21 days and nearly 90 hours later, all the sprues are empty, paint bottles litter the desk, and what once was nothing more than 758 pieces of gray molded plastic have been transformed into the behemoth resting on it's own shelf above my computer desk as I write this. Ladies and Gentlemen, the last installment of the Leopold Log is hereby presented for your reading enjoyment.

Day 21 Log: September 25, 2004:

Erros/Issues Found: 1

Dragon's included figure set is supposed to be custom designed specifically for the Leopold. It includes 6 figures. One of those figures the "A" figure or officer figure, has two options for posing. One has him climbing a ladder, the other has him resting against a rail with one foot elevated. The only problem with this second pose is that there is NOWHERE on the Leopold that he could possibly make such a pose, leaving you really only one option if you want to include this figure in the final display.

Steps Completed:

---Revisited the decals one more time as I wasn't satisfied with the results from yesterday.

The following was done:
1) Shot another coat of dullcoat on them to settle in the drybrushing done previously.
2) Drybrushed just the outline areas with a little wetter brush to seal in edge and provide a smoother transition.
3) Very lightly applied some black artist pastel to blend it all back in to the surrounding surfaces.

There's still just the slightest hint of the outline on some of the larger decals but due to lighting/angle, that's always going to be the case as the decal is fractionally thicker than the rest of the surface. Looking at it dead on and level, it vanishes. I'm now 99% happy with the decals and going to leave well enough alone. Under normal lighting and not knowing it's there, you can't see it unless you put your nose right up against it and there's just nothing I can about that except get a case....hmmm....

---Painted the figures as pieces on the sprue to better handle the details and multiple paint colors required.

---Assembled the figures starting with some of the more interesting posing options. As mentioned above, some of them are neat but totally unusable on this kit. (Another example is one that has a figure operating the breech lever, this is possible only if you want the breech open and the lever in that position...something you have to take care of much earlier on in the construction phase).

---Dullcoated figures and placed them on the kit but have not yet secured them. Have to consider whether to permanently place them using CA or use something non-permanent like poster tac or other substance.

Total time today: 6.5 hours

Total time to date: 88.5 hours

Progress Pics:





Additional comments:

The figures will be secured down in some fashion. The officer climbing the ladder is positioned unsecured, when he's secured his position will change slightly to more accurately reflect him acctually climbing the ladder as opposed to hanging on to it for dear life...

I did not have time today to put together a gallery of shots of the finished Leopold but I will do that as a walkaround and post it up when I return next weekend from a business trip.

For all those who have enjoyed this journey along with me, thanks for your encouragement and support. It wouldn't have been the same without you.

For those seeking to build this kit, I highly recommend it for the experienced modeller only. It's a complex kit with a lot of quirks that can be turned into a great finished product with dedication and work and a little help with the instructions. If this log contributes to your success in some small way then it's done its duty.

At some point in the near future, I will be turning this into a pdf file and also posting it up on my personal website, who knows when but definitely "soon".

bill i have thouroghly enjoyed taking this journey with you. it has been one heck of a ride. thankyou for steering one of the more interesting threads i have seen in the nine months i have been associated with this forum. your build is outstanding. i am glad you solved your decal problem. i cant wait to see the final pics on this build.



joe

I agree with everyone about this Kit. Not as mindbending as the TRUMP version and if you treat the instructions with a pinch of salt your left with a beaut of a model.I will always have a soft spot for it as it was my first model to be shown in an exhibition and then accepted by the Warsaw museum of technology for permanent display.Good job as I do not have the room to keep it at home.

Great job! It was great watching your progress on that monster, and the final result is awesome.

Just excellent job overall, Bill. Just excellent!

Wbill, I have lurked around here since you started and I have to say, you have done a remarkable job. You are a true model builder. Gives me something to aspire to.