Italeri Group Build Sept. 1, 2006-Jan. 15 2007

DURR wrote:

tigerman  i bet i can answer your question to customizer i find doing wheels /tires seperatly easier sometimes too

I'm still new at the armour and I find it the only way to paint those overlapping wheels. The front wheels were painted so I could do the tires.

 Besides, seeing it up on it's "feet" inspires me.

Ron.

terry35 wrote:

Customiser and comet, looking good, I agree with doing the wheels first as it kills a boring part for me at the start,(most of the time) and comet photo etch is a very addictive extra, origami for modellers. Looking Good guys, Regards, Terry.

customizer wrote:

DURR wrote:  tigerman  i bet i can answer your question to customizer i find doing wheels /tires seperatly easier sometimes too I'm still new at the armour and I find it the only way to paint those overlapping wheels. The front wheels were painted so I could do the tires.  Besides, seeing it up on it's "feet" inspires me.   Ron.

You're doing fine Ron, and whatever works, works. I just thought it would save a cleaning of the AB if you did the hull at the same time.

here is  my update

the pics are not great  ( but then again the model is'nt either) 

Finally snuck some time in to progress the Hetzer a bit more. 

I've put all the parts on except for the antenna and the muffler.  I tend to accidently bust those types of things off so I figured I would wait until most of the handling was completed before attaching.  Also, I haven't glued the top & bottom hulls together yet, hence the visible gap.

This is my "practice" paint job and simple weathering.  I'll be repainting the entire thing since I put this big Thumb Print on the side guard.  I need the practice anyway.

One more pic for posterity. 

I scored another 1/35 Italeri Elefant off eBay....this time for $6 .  But since I'm alternating US and German builds, I need to move on to either the M10, M36, or Pershing kits first.

I'll post more pics when after the makeover.

Cheers

Larry

Great job Larry. Nicely done. One of my favorites.

Thanks for sharing

Zip

I'm glad I'm not fighting you on ebay Larry. $6? Wow. Nice job so far on the Hetzer, way ahead of me.

Joe, keep at em, you'll get the best of your Pz IV. It's coming along.

Comet wrote:

I'm really liking your Hetzer Larry,I think I'll have to get one of those for a future project. I'm being won over to the dark side of German armour since joining this forumJust won a Italeri SD KFZ 234/2 Puma and a SD KFZ 234/1 armoured car on ebay,both come with Eduard etch set,Jordi Rubeo barrel and Tiger resin wheel set's and I got them for £12 each,might even get one built for the GB

Nice steal. The Puma is staight forward, easy buildup. Just don't drool over the Dragon one when it comes out this month. 

No progress today so far, but did get most of the hull completed with fenders. I will have to spray the gun seperately, as the inside of the tank. Once together, I can spray the camo. Probably not until next week or Friday.

Wow, I envy your excellent progress, guys. Gives me the itch to start my entry. However, I still need to finish up the Trumpeter kit that I am working on right now. Just need to add the tracks and add some weathering this weekend. I could probably start after this.

Thanks for the complimentary remarks Comet, Zip, Tigermana and Ta-ala.  This is my 2nd build, and the first one that I had to do some simple improvisation on.  Three of the hull handles were so brittle that they cracked in half as I was cutting them from the sprue.  So I had to make replacements out of wire.  Then I lost one of the hooks that go in the back and had to replace that one with wire also.  Last night I was doing some superficial weathering with powerdered graphite chalk and managed to bust off 2 handles, both of the the "things" on the right rear fender, that darn ad hoc hook I replaced on the rear panel, as well as the spare tread on the back.  I guess I must have adopted the Herman Munster approach to handling models.

LpC

i finally finished

if i have time b4 it is over i may do another

Way to go Joe. It's a shame about the pics, the background is fine, but the model is all blurry. Is there a way to get some closeups? Maybe someone with more camera knowledge can help you out.

Don't forget to pickup the GB Badge.

it is the crappy digital cam i have

a 5 mp polaroid  more like a hemoroid      lol

Great progress guys and GREAT pz. Durr.

Well Ive been making some progress i have honest. I am most likely not going to get anything done this weekend . Its not cause homework but it's wisdom teeth getting pulled tomorrow.

Ill try to get some pics up though.

Ok, I'm building really slow here. I like to take my time and make everything almost like the real deal. This week as been slower than usual though, first night working on the project in 5 days... I got buddies going oversea soon , and let me say that the training schedule (and unschedule) keep me really busy.  Consolation prize.....  started to glue some etch tonight!!!!!!!!!! 

J-M

Hetzer Update: I may have gone overboard a little with the weathering.  There used to be a camouflage pattern underneath all that grunge.  Top hull is still sitting loose. I was going to repaint this guy, but the drabby finish has endeared itself to me. I've got another Hetzer (Dragon) kit, so I can try a more flambouyant camo pattern when I build that one.  Or better yet, just save the paint and cover it with foliage.

Talk about building slow, I have not even started on the crusader yet! I think I opened the box to look it over but that's about it. Glad we have til Jan. to finish it. BTW is there a consolation for being the last to finish because I think I might be that person.

Still working on my hummel, if I can get my camera to take some decent pics then I'll post it for some comments.

Great job DURR,

I love the camo! Great! Wear your badge proudly!

Zip

Plastic-Cross,

Na, I think its just right. Super job. I love it! Hope to see more of your work.

Thanks for sharing,

Zip

Well, I'm at work, and actually have some progress to report on the LAV.

First few steps are completed, all the underside is finished, lots of filler needed for the shock absorbers on the back half of the kit...

Also, closed in the compartments with plastic stock, sidewalls, back and front half of the interior, not going to scratchbuild, but will airbrush the interior dark to give an illusion of depth.

Will post some pics later tonight... looking to pick up a P/E kit for it at the NORDICON show here tomorrow...

PC, the Hetz looks really slick... a dirty tank is a winning tank in my opinion...

NucMedTech wrote:

Talk about building slow, I have not even started on the crusader yet! I think I opened the box to look it over but that's about it. Glad we have til Jan. to finish it. BTW is there a consolation for being the last to finish because I think I might be that person. Still working on my hummel, if I can get my camera to take some decent pics then I'll post it for some comments.

 Know what you mean. I was going to start my build a couple weekends ago but evertime I walk by the bench I see three builds just sitting there not finished. So I told myself before I start another I will finish them. I did finish my Zero, and this weekend I will finish my P 262C and I really hope to finish my pop's B-25. They are both so close to being done. Oh ya and I got a KV-1 going too. If I stick to my plans I will get going on this build in about two weeks...Guilt free!

Zip

Hey, people are getting it on now! I'm going to spray the gun and inside today.

Larry, it does look like your camo got a bit lost in your weathering. I'd apply some drybrushing and that will help and break it up a bit and make some things pop.

Keep at em guys, I know tomorrow and Sunday are football days, so much won't get done. 

Here's a couple of progress photos. I got a bit carried away with the AB. Good thing too, I found out what a horrible puttying and sanding job I did. I'll have to fix things up. Of course, the shields weren't applied for the photo's, but wanted to give you an idea of why I figured it would be easier to paint the gun and the inside seperately.

Thanks Gun-Tech. It's a nice kit with little putty on the hull, but other parts......

As for the return roller.......I gave it to a friend who's going to ask a friend if he can cast it for me. Crossing fingers. They are quite poor compared to the Tamiya kits. The real PO'er here, is you know that Dragon is going to put a new Marder III with all the bells and whistles once they release their Pz 38t. Wah!

Still, the purpose of this GB in my book, is to respect Italeri kits, because they do build up to nice displays without a million pieces. As for putty........hahaha, that keeps other companies in business. LOL

that looks great eric i still intend to grab one of these of ebay it certainly looks the part to me and is more than worthy, lots progress from everyone in this build, Durr pz turned out looking nice from what i can see would like to see more, plastic cross nothing wrong with a bit of grunge heh hetzer looks nice

i have made some progress but didnt have my camera for a week but here is where i am at so far,

i came across a set of zim made from paper for a $1.50 and i was really curious so decided i would try the stuff just for the heck of it seeing as i concider each build just a practice for the next one heh anyway deciding this kit aint goin to be the most acurate what the hey i thought ill try playing with the camo and have fun with it, basic paint job is on and now its time to get the details and weathering started. there are a number of things ihave to fix yet but i will as i go.

this pics shows with the first of many washes 

and this one with a bit of chipping and scarring, it looks stark at the moment but the later washes will tone it down.

Nice to see Ron and Glyn making such great headway. Super camo Ron.

Well disaster #2. I bent the needle on my AB. How bad? It doesn't look too bad to the eye, but it's bent. How it will spray? I don't know. I might have to step out the LHS on Monday and see if I can replace it.