New forum member StuG IV... ** FINISHED PICS with FIGURE! **

First of all:

I have never built a STuG IV so I won't comment on that. 

I will suggest that you read this: /forums/824087/ShowPost.aspx

This is The Doog's weathering toutorial.  It's the best weathering tutorial I've ever seen. 

First of all... what DHM said and ...he's has great suggestions on The Doog's weatheing tutorial as it is the best I've seen documenting the process as well.

Also ...post some pics of your progress when you get the chance....great to have you on board!

DHM wrote:

First of all: I have never built a STuG IV so I won't comment on that.  I will suggest that you read this: /forums/824087/ShowPost.aspx This is The Doog's weathering toutorial.  It's the best weathering tutorial I've ever seen.

(Thank you DHM!

The StuG IV is a cool kit to build--this was the DML "early" kit with Cavalier zimmerit. 

Everyting I could tell you about weathering is in my tutorial--I hope you find it useful! AND PLEASE DO POST YOUR WIP PHOTOS!!! 

the doog wrote:

DHM wrote: First of all: I have never built a STuG IV so I won't comment on that.  I will suggest that you read this: /forums/824087/ShowPost.aspx This is The Doog's weathering toutorial.  It's the best weathering tutorial I've ever seen.  DOOG HERE!!! (Thank you DHM!

First off

A few of my "germahaloic " friends have given you good info. I'm mainly into US items but just dropped a line to you. I know what it's like to get back into modeling. The armor model family here make it that much more fun.

Enjoy

Rounds Complete!! 

Thanx for the forum welcome folks, highly appreciated!

The doogs weathering tutorial is already bookmarked and read several times. Guess I got quite a way to go before I can get results like that. 

As for posting WIP pics of my StuG IV I guess I could do that if it's of interest to this community. Remember that this is a trail and error project, and that I'm a TOTAL newbie when it comes to building armor models the way you guys do. But hopefully due to constructive critisism and feedback I will improve my armor skills.

Doog: When lookin' at the pics of your DML Stug IV (man, I've got a long way to go!) it seems like I've screwed up the zim on mine already. The Cavalier zim on your StuG seems to be of the standard ridged type. I read an article on TrackLink describing that the StuG IV should have a ridged zigzag pattern type of zim, and that's what I've started doing.
 

Maybe I should sand it down and start over again, or would this zim pattern be correct for the IV?
Anyways...here goes nothin', my for now WIP pics of my StuG IV...nothin' much so far.

 

Added a spring to the rear fender instead of the kit supplied rod.


Added some extra detail from a reference pic to the front and wired the lamp.

Hey stampede! NO, NO! DON'T STRIP THAT ZIMM!!! It looks excellent, seriously! How are you doing it? I would guess a knife blade scraping it into some putty of some sort?

I have seen both types of zimm on JgPz IV's--I think one style is "early", one is "late'--but as with nearly everything regarding German armor, there would yndoubtedly be overlaps and exceptions. That's one of the things I love about modeling German stuff--so much "wiggle room"!.

This looks really good, honestly! Keep the WIP photos coming and don't change a thing! Glad my tutorial helped you--I hope you achieve the finish you want on this build! I'll be following ya on this post!

Thanx doog, I really appreciate this kinda feedback from ya!

Nothing fancy when applying the zimm, just some Squardon Green, an X-acto with a #11 blade to spread the putty and a 5 mm wide throvel I made from Evergreen .25 sheet which I sanded tapered at one side.
Now I just hope that my backordered Lion Roar PE from Internet Hobbies can arrive soon so I can get down to some construction as well.

Thanx again and I will keep the WIP photos coming...  

Thanx for the cudos on my build and zim so far guys, appreciate it.
I may be in over my head here, but I kinda like stepping into modeling again with both feet in a demanding project. Gonna be kinda cool to see how the final result will look.

I'll keep ya posted, thanx again!

Made a tow cable yesterday to replace the kit supplied "blobby" one.
Will this be useable when weathered properly and the eyes cleaned for flash?

I made it out of three slightly flexible wires that I twisted and inserted them into holes drilled in the original eyes.

Those tow cables look great!  I have never been able to get tow cables right.  From what I see it should work fine. 

I'd like to add that your zimm looks awsome, too.  Not a pattern that you see every day. 

DHM wrote:

Those tow cables look great!  I have never been able to get tow cables right.  From what I see it should work fine.  I'd like to add that your zimm looks awsome, too.  Not a pattern that you see every day.

Yeah--cool cables!

Got some more zim layed down today, man that's tedious work.
Dunno how this looks to you guys, so comments and critics are welcome...

The final strip of zim in front will be applied when the lower hull is glued to the upper hull.

Please do comment...

HELLO NORWAY! WELCOME!

Here are some shots of an ITALERI Stug. IV before camo painting and weathering. It's an early zimmeritt attempt and I used a series of production shots for reference. I used SQUADRON white putty spread with an artist paint spatula with the handle removed so that I had a wide end and a narrow end for tight spots. I textured it with a small flat blade screw driver.

I'll eventually finish this model.

Hope this helps some.[/img]" border="0" />" border="0" />" border="0" />

The herringbone pattern of Zimmerit looks very cool! You sure jumped back into modeling with both feet and hit the ground running onthis build. Very nice work! Good idea to do sections before they are glued together and are easier to get at.

Phew!....got the final zim on the lower hull layed down yesterday, I'm glad that's over.
I hope it'll look ok once painted and weathered.
Comments and critics are welcome as always...

Now if only my PE could arrive so I can get down to some serious building. Anybody got any experience in shopping at Internethobbies and Squadron, cause that's where I've ordered my stuff.

Pics...

Applied some weld seams up front below and beside the saukopf opening and around the base of the commanders cupola. The seams were applied according to my references, hopefully they are correct but opinions and corrections are welcome.

The weld seams are PE from Lion Roar, with quite nice detail. They come in different widths so I applied a narrow one around the cupola base and a tad wider one below the saukopf opening.

Here are som pics of the result, I think they will look good once painted.

Below saukopf area...

Commanders cupola base area...

Man....PE weld seams! What will they come up with next?!

This is looking superb, really! It is definitely a unique look to a StuG build and I'm excited to see the paint finally go on! 

detailfreak wrote:

the projection from the front of the cupola ,being concrete,would not have a weld seam.but rather seperation marks where the lack of or poor bond to the steel is apparent.with yourself and 9 toe tanker applying zim there should be no need for any of us to apply zim in the field..have relatives in dorotea sweden,i believe they have a resort there.welcome.

detailfreak, you need to enlighten me here.

I've been checking out some references in Panzer Tracts #8 dealing with the various Stugs and it seems to me like there should be a weld seam around the base of the cupola. If you check out the two enclosed pics and compare the weld seam drawings in the saukopf area to the ones around the cupola base, don't you agree that this does look like weld seams?

Feel free to chime in here...

Thanx...

Stampede wrote:

detailfreak wrote: the projection from the front of the cupola ,being concrete,would not have a weld seam.but rather seperation marks where the lack of or poor bond to the steel is apparent.with yourself and 9 toe tanker applying zim there should be no need for any of us to apply zim in the field..have relatives in dorotea sweden,i believe they have a resort there.welcome. detailfreak, you need to enlighten me here. I've been checking out some references in Panzer Tracts #8 dealing with the various Stugs and it seems to me like there should be a weld seam around the base of the cupola. If you check out the two enclosed pics and compare the weld seam drawings in the saukopf area to the ones around the cupola base, don't you agree that this does look like weld seams? Feel free to chime in here... Thanx...