Rob, she is looking absolutely amazing. The detail you have put into this is superb, a first class effort! Keep up the great work!

You are really making a amazing model of this tank.

Lars

Thanks Justin and Lars.
I worked on the motor comp and aux motorI spent about four hours on it and it's finaly done.Here is how it looks
.







The aux motor is hidden away under the radiator and is hardly visible, atleast I know it's there and it fills the empty space near the motor.
Here are the subassemblies ready for paint. Time to work on the tracks, trackguards and the rest of the kit's more fragile parts along with the PE. If all goes to plan I will start the priming on the weekend and maybe a base coat too.

Rob

Looking forward to seeing this one painted although it's almost a shame to see all that beautiful scratch-work get covered up.

not alot to say fantastic rob carnt wait to see it finished

Thanks Bill, ya it is a shame to have to paint this model. I always hate that part, and that's why I try to take lots of pics of my models before the painting starts.
Thanks Wayne glad you like it, I to can't wait til this project is done.
I glued all the indi links together yesterday and today i'll start on the rest of the model. No new pics to show today but I will be sure to post pics before I start priming this baby over the weekend.

Rob

Rob, forgot about this build as a lot has been going on around here. Great job keep it up. When you do a build like this how do you decide how much wear and tear to put on it after the explosion has occurred?

Thanks James, as far as the wear and tear goes, it's all a matter of studying dozens of photos to see what happens to a tank when it blows up. It al depends on what happened to the tank, most major wrecks occur when the fuel tanks ignite setting off the ammo, especially when there are HE rounds in the tank. In the gulf war I saw an iraqi tank get hit and the rounds in the tank went off like fireworks. In the case of my ausf E, there was an internal explosion which lifted the superstructure and turret and of course the fuel tanks ignighted. I hope I answered your question, it's basically years of practice I guess.
Well I did manage to finish the model on saturday and started priming on sunday. I had a pc virus over the weekend and I lost all the pics of the model before priming. I had planned on useing the kit suplied track guards with a little cutting ans thinning. I didn't think it would look right so I came up with plan B which was to scratchbuild new ones or what would be left of them. To achieve this texture I used thin aluminum foil from a food tray and a piece of metal sceen. I placed the foil over the screen and rubbed the foil down with a block of soft pine from a 2x4. The result is that there is texture on both sides of the track guards. This is an old school method most of you may remember from the past before PE.
Ok enough talking for now. Here are a couple of pics of the first coat of primer. I will give it another coat today, then the fun begins with the actual painting.



I'll try to post updates on the painting when I can get on the computer.

Rob

Just a quick update for now. I've given all the sub-assemblies a couple more coats of primer and started the actual painting. I mixed differant shades of dark brown to black and heavily thinned with robbing alchohol and water. I will be giving the interior a heavy wash with burnt umber and black. I will explain the painting process as I get a bit further in the painting, right now it all looks monotone as you can see in the pics below.


I'll be posting updates soon, starting with the motor.
Stay tuned..
Rob

Rob I have been looking at the projects you have on the go, I take it you are aware of the concept of sleep? great work all round.

WOW, you call this "slowing down"

this is really top entertainment,and verry helpfull to other builders
please do so for the F too

big fan here

Looking forward to learn something in the upcoming painting stages
The construction looks very interesting!

Keep it up!

Great work mate the detail is outstanding !

Its going to be intereasting how you weather this wreck

keep it up

Hi all,

James,AW and Tha Pit, thank you, the weathering is the fun part of building a wreck so stay tuned because it will move along alot quicker now.

Darren..Sleep,what's that? I only spend about 3-5 hours a day on models, I've been scratchbuilding and making wrecks for so long now that I can pump them out this fast. Happy to hear you like my work,thank you.

OK, I spent about 3 hours on the weathering of the interior last night, 30 min for the motor. I tried something different this time. I usually apply my rust with a thinner but decided to try doing dry. I first applied a wash/filter of Vandyke brown and black oils and before this dried compleatly I started with the rust powders and pastel chalks. Haveing a damp surface helps the rust and chalks adhere better and gives texture to the burnt metal. I started with the motor and it was so quick and easy I did the rest of the interior. Here is how it looks so far. By the way, the rust isn't as bright as it apears in the pics. For some reason when I use real rust instead of color piments it always looks much brighter.











I will work on the rest of the model when I can work atleast 2 hrs straight. I can't have any breaks in the next phase of painting because it has to been done in one sitting and FAST. I will be using the hairspray tech on two differant colors with washes inbetween. The first color is Panzer grey and then Afrika yellow. I'll explain that process once it's done. It's something new so i'll try it first,and if it doesn't work then i'lluse my usual method.

Stay tuned guys.
Rob

the weathering looks superb is that actualy real rust??????

keep it up its going to look stunning when its finished

sleep...no rest for the wicked ay?

Thanks James and yes it's real rust in powder form. I collected it over a 2 month span. I took pieces of metal, differant thicknesses and set them outside to rust. All I had to do is use fine sandpaper to sand it down and collect the rust. I have four shades of rust from fresh yellow to dark colored rust. I use this rust on all my wrecks. You can't beat the real thing.

Rob

nice work love the weathering carnt wait 2 c more

Great work, Rob, your weathering technique is superb, cannot wait to see it done.
Libor

Hi Rob just had a look at your latest pics and what can i say i'm speechless your attention to detail is amazing really amazing stuff how do you find the time?

Wow Rob!

You've really taken modelling to another level with this masterpiece.I thought the Jagdpanzer iv was great but this is just superb. How you managed to transform a pile of plastic into one of rusty old metal is just beyond me...

Please don't stop producing these works of art and i cant wait for your next build!

Mick

Thank you all for the kind words. I tried something new but it didn't quite work the way I had hoped so I did the painting the old way. I managed to repaint the upper hull and some of the debris this evening and hope to get more done tomorrow,but for now just a quick update and a couple of pics.



If all goes well, this wreck should be done in two weeks then it's onto the F2 wreck.

Rob

Very nice. I noticed inside the drivers area that the "Upper hull blown off" light was on. Seeing your work makes me want to give this a try. Lord knows I have enough candidates sitting on the shelves. Very nicely done. Looking forward to seeing more. "Q"

Your work is amazing.
Great detail and plus what even more amazes me is your use of Super glue.
I have a time just getting a little part to stick not even the stuff you have glued on.
Amazing indeed.

Nothing can beat the real thing! When are you selling your own rust pigment serie?

I never thought your going along so fast with your great work.

Regards,

A. W.

Great idea witht the real rust

The wreck is really coming along the burtn out look you've got looks really accurate

are you going to have any camo left on the vehicle or not ?