The grill screens are here!  The grill screens are here!!! 

Now I can finally move forward on my Das Reich StuG III Ausf. G! 

Ok here is my progress, I know it's not much, but with the new baby and everything else going on, progress has been SLOW as I haven't had time to work on it.  I want to get it done though.  I just hope I have the green paint for it.  LOL.  So here are the 2 progress pics.

Not sure what I did with the one piece vinyl tracks, but these link and length tracks SUCK!  I can't get the indies to align or stay aligned to go around the drive sprocket.  Seems like they are "stretched" if that makes sense, but that's only part of it.  They just kind of keep misaligning.  No matter what I try.  I much prefer the more solid location from say Tiger, Panzer III, or Panzer IV tracks.

Madmike - Nice looking Su-100, buddy.  I've had mine painted for 3 weeks, but haven't been able to decal yet.  I'm mired in home improvement hell...

Tigerman - Very nice work area, you've got lots of good natural lighting in there.  I need to try to create a spot by a window like that.

 Jeff

Lt. Zogg wrote:

Madmike - Nice looking Su-100, buddy.  I've had mine painted for 3 weeks, but haven't been able to decal yet.  I'm mired in home improvement hell... Tigerman - Very nice work area, you've got lots of good natural lighting in there.  I need to try to create a spot by a window like that.  Jeff

Yeah, when it's not cloudy and raining. LOL That is another modeling killer. Rain and darkness. 

panzer123 wrote:

I'm new so whats "The Hunters GB"?

   Go to the first page panzer123 it will give you all the info

You can enter my comments into the  "........What the ?"    Category

I was finishing up my jagdpanther - a little more wash, some drybrush.  Looking pretty good I thought.  There was a little bit of shine on the hull area where I had brushed on some future prior to applying the decals....so I thought I'd lay a coat of Testor's Dull Cote for good measure. 

Looked around a bit and noticed something

Looked closer and got freaked out

Some serious cracking going on here. I've not experienced this before.  Can anyone tell me what the heck happened? 

Larry

Plastic_Cross wrote:

I was finishing up my jagdpanther - a little more wash, some drybrush.  Looking pretty good I thought.  There was a little bit of shine on the hull area where I had brushed on some future prior to applying the decals....so I thought I'd lay a coat of Testor's Dull Cote for good measure.  Some serious cracking going on here. I've not experienced this before.  Can anyone tell me what the heck happened?  Larry

Testors dull cote is a lacquer based paint, thus "hotter" than enamels and acrylics. So what has happened is the underlying paint has softened and crazed due to the overcoat of dull cote.

It happened to me once using Aermaster flat coat thinned with Tamiya acrylic thinner spayed over Tamiya dark yellow.  The thinner softened and reacted with the dark yellow. I was not impressed and I thin flat coat with distilled water now!

The unwritten rule is "LEA" (Lacquer/Enamel/Acrylic) You can alter that order but only using a good barrier coat. For example, Future over enamels in order to use oil washes.  If you really want to use hotter paints over paints that could react, then apply multiple light coats to reduce the chance of the carrier reacting with the paint it is covering.

I have used both methods successfully on many occaisons, even with Tamiya spray can lacquers over Pollyscale/Vallejo acrylics.

Can you carefully repaint that section and re-weather at all?

Mike 

Ohhh man, that's too bad. Looks like it's everywhere.

Guess you're going to have to build another one to make up for it...that and buy some flat coat that ISN'T Testors Dull Cote.

madmike wrote:

Testors dull cote is a lacquer based paint, thus "hotter" than enamels and acrylics. So what has happened is the underlying paint has softened and crazed due to the overcoat of dull cote. It happened to me once using Aermaster flat coat thinned with Tamiya acrylic thinner spayed over Tamiya dark yellow.  The thinner softened and reacted with the dark yellow. I was not impressed and I thin flat coat with distilled water now! The unwritten rule is "LEA" (Lacquer/Enamel/Acrylic) You can alter that order but only using a good barrier coat. For example, Future over enamels in order to use oil washes.  If you really want to use hotter paints over paints that could react, then apply multiple light coats to reduce the chance of the carrier reacting with the paint it is covering. I have used both methods successfully on many occaisons, even with Tamiya spray can lacquers over Pollyscale/Vallejo acrylics. Can you carefully repaint that section and re-weather at all? Mike

Thanks for the info Mike.  Looks like my bad habits have finally caught up with me.  I've used the Dull Cote before and this never happened.  I'm guessing that I may applied too heavy of a coat this time.  I painted and finished in the following order:

1. Acrylic base
2. Acrylic 2nd 3rd coats of mixed dark yellow shades
3. Acryic camo
4. 2 weeks dry time
5. future, just over the areas to be decaled
6. 3 days dry time
7. filters and general washes using oil paints and mineral spirits
8. pin wash using oil paint and mineral spirits
9. 1 week dry time
10. drybrush with oils
11. 1 week drying time
12. Spray with Dull Cote
    
    

I don't think I'll repaint and fix the areas though.  I'll leave the result as a reminder to me to be more careful in the future.  Hopefully ze Man 'o Tiger will see fit to slip me a Hunters GB badge under the table anyhow, in spite of my lack of fortitude. 

dupes wrote:

Ohhh man, that's too bad. Looks like it's everywhere. Guess you're going to have to build another one to make up for it...that and buy some flat coat that ISN'T Testors Dull Cote.

OK...... You ! I just might do just that

madmike - very sweet build! Looks better than mine at 1:48 :) cheers mate!

tigerman - I really dig your NY METS hat collection ;) Go Mets

Townsy11 - Really nice job so far!

fantacmet - Looknig good, and hope all is well with your new 1:1 Cheers

Plastic_Cross - Bummer about the cracking... so WHAT is a good way to "dull" a shiny coat at the end? I usually do enamel base/Future/Decals/Future/Acrylic wash/pinwash/pastels... and for the wingy thingies, another Future coat to end. Im finishing my first armor, and debating what to use at the end instead of Future. All my finishing solutions are lacquer based (MM & testors flat/dull). I guess Ill try applying some thin coats with the AB first, see what happens...

Pollyscale or Vallejo flat coat.

Just be certain to stir, stir, stir and stir some more when using Pollysclae. It is in my opinion, the best flat coat on the market but must be prepared properly to avoid frost white blushing appearing. Once you have stirred the paint, thin it with distilled water ready for airbrushing and lay down thin layers.

Being acrylic, that makes a perfect barrier coat for weathering washes etc.

Plastic-cross sorry to see your troubles. It was looking so nice. Will you try to fix it or call it a wash?

Fantacmet- Glad to see you back!! I posted some interior pics awhile back but then hadn't heard from you. I see now that you've been busy in other areas. Since you are past the interior part, I still have one or two different camo patterns if you like.

Here are some update pics. I've pretty much have the M-18 complete, just the tools and some other small bits to finish up.

Fantasticosso on the M18 NucMedThech !

You've got a great build going on my favorite WWII vehicle.  Is that the AFV Club kit?  Looks superb all the way around.  I find the machine gun to be one of the most difficult parts to obtain a realistic looking result......yours looks spot on.  Can't wait to see it finished.

I've already got the jagdpanther sitting on my desk over here at my new job.  I've turned it to have its "good" side showing.   So I probably won't be doing any reburshing work on it.  I want to try to finish up my Scimitar in the next week or two, so that will be my primary build focus.

Best Regards,y

Larr

NucMedTech wrote:

Here are some update pics. I've pretty much have the M-18 complete, just the tools and some other small bits to finish up.

Oh yea, I forgot to ask - are you going to do the protective cover for the gun mantle?  If so, I'll be interested in how you do it.

Also - I notice you used the muzzle break on this build.  I like that feature, and I often wonder why it wasn't used on all of the production M18s. 

Larry

Plastic-cross, I'm planning on covering the mantlet. One day I hope to put this in a dio and my references indicate that they rarely went without the cover. My kit is from AFV and from what I can tell it's supposed to be an early version with muzzle brake, 36 tooth drive sprocket, and Steel tracks (which I still have to figure out how to paint). Thanks for commenting.

Stephen

BTW are planning to go to Scalefest?

Hey guys, now that my Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. F is finished for the Winter Warriors GB, the Tamiya StuG III Ausf. G is back on the bench.  I have installed the grill screens and attached two small strips of thin sheet styrene to cover the open sponsons.  I really wish Tamiya would do those properly.  There is nothing more "toyish" than looking through the cammanders hatch and seeing a huge open space on either side. 

Looking good Espns. Glad to see you're putting the screens to good use after waiting so long to get them!

I have a question that I hope you all can help me with. Is there a different position for the 50 cal mount when it is being fired? At it's current position the gun handles will stab  the gunner through the chest. If it will help I'll get some pictures up to help illustrate.

Well I made quite a bit of progress this week on the LAV; I painted the superstructure & wheels, along with adding all the tools, and it now awaits the jerrycans and weathering.

Chris,

Hi

   Guys/Gals

        Well, started my Tamiya 1/48 M-10  a few days ago. Just got the package from Great Models yesterday with the Aber M7  main gun.  So thought I'd give you all an update photo.

I'll be away till Saturday night so I'll give you all another update again in about a week and a half.

Seeya

Scott 

Thanks Dupes & Scott!

Dupes: To rearrange the wheels, I just cut apart the steering bar assembly: trumpeter makes it as one part (but in real life it is made up of four) into four sections, then glued them at the my chosen angle, It took a little fiddling with at first but it's not really that difficult.

M1 A1 A2 Tanker: Nice work so far on your M10, did Tamiya provide a die-cast hull with this one like they did on their Shermans?

Chris,

Nice work guys, here my jadgtiger, I painted her couple days ago and I just started with weathering. input and comment are always welcome to improve this destroyed jadgtiger .

Here my JS-2 in progress.......