Hello Mirko,
Looks great to me. Nice touch with the boots, jacket and water bottles.
I have not started my build yet, I have 2 ships to build first.
Thanks for the photo update.
Cheers,
Bruce

Very nice work guys. I really love that Panzer III and the 232 keep em coming.

Well thanks for the compliments on the Panzer III, I used Grumbacher's Academy artists watercolors for the chips, it was easy to apply very quick drying and best of all if I didn't like what I put down then I used a damp cloth and easliy wiped it off. after that I sealed it with MM Acryl flat clear then went over certain spots with graphite to simulate worn metal. The Dust was Africa dust by MIG Pigments.

The paints are available at any art store that sells Grumbacher.

hey all, I havnt had the time to satrt mine but I finally did today so I will get some photos in soon hopefully! Everyones builds are looking top notch! Great job all!

Later,
Johnathon

small progress

Hi,
@ Roman – nice tiny bugger . I enjoy small vehicles but I don’t really like to build’em .

@All:
I’ve been bit busy last few days but finally I have some time to sit down, take few pictures and post info on my progress. Here it is: I’ve done double-layer paint chipping. Why? Because I thought that first vehicles delivered to Africa were painted Panzergrau, and than repainted to desert-yellow. Therefore also paint chipping should have two layers: chipped yellow paint should reveal Panzergrau, but if you chip some more raw metal should be revealed – I hope you agree with me.


Still a lot to do, but I hope to finish this one within two weeks or so.

Andrzej

@ Roman: nice job so far, I like the rivits and how you accentuated them.
@ Randy: well I had the same kit in my stash hope you dont mind, it will be my build also.

Now as soon as I can master the photo thing I will post my progress, I only have 3 more weeks before school starts again. The VA thought it better to send me back instead of helping with job placement, they want to change my vocation. Anyway I have the time to build a couple of models before accounting classes resume.

Robert

Hi Mirko. You made some very nice additions to this kit, and it looks good. Before you start the weathering, you might consider replacing the jerry cans. Jerry cans have three handles, and the old Tamiya "two-handled" jerry cans never existed, and let down your otherwise nice build. Italeri have a set that would be prefect for this, as would later Tamiya cans.

No problem Robert. I am sure that my Panzer II would like having some company.

HARV

I know I promissed to do a leFH18 with crew, but I couldn't help myself...

For me Africa is the DAK and the DAK is Rommel and Rommel had his Greif... so I am going with that one first. If I have time left I will do the artillerypiece, too... I promise!!

Since I am enjoying my vacation not at home, this will be a holidaybuildingblog, too...
I am doing the revellversion of the Sd.Kfz.250/3 Greif SOOTB and allthough the sprues say they're revell, I am sure they are old Dragon-sprues.
Here are the first shots, as the interior has been completed in subassemblies,




I started with the hull bottom, too, but ran into some trouble right away!

Hello Ron,
Great choice for your build. You are right about Rommel being DAK.
When I put the hulls together I use Super glue thick formula. I have found it gives me time to get the pieces right and then it about 1-2 minutes it is done.
Your start looks great, Thanks for the update and photo's.
Cheers,
Bruce

I had some small disaster with matt coat - now I'm trying to cover it with heavy washes and pigments so you will have to wait a bit for results...

Ron - it looks like your model could use some heavy book for a night... it would straigh it to proper shape .

Andrzej

The warping was relatively easy solved. Just glue and 2 clamps and enough time to cure.... More trouble was heading my way though!
@Andrzej; sounds like you used to much clear coat at once. Hope you can get it fixed.

The greif has been built in all its sub assemblies, ready to get a paintjob.... which will have to wait untill I get home again..




Here some views of the additional trouble... More warping and bad fit!!
The hull was warped too. All other edges touch the table except......


And if that wasn't enough, check out the gaps left, when the front end is alligned....



'
Oh well, I'll sort that out at home.
For now I will do some more building.....
the promissed leFH18 by AFV Club.
I was a bit shocked though to see all these tiny parts stuck in those big frames..... It'll be a challenge to get them out and NOT loose them...

I must say the AFV kit isn't as much fun to build as I hoped it would be.
It is quite a complicated kit to build. The instructions are vague in some areas, the kit has numerous very small parts, which could have been cast on and the parts are attached to the sprues in needlessly complex ways, which for some will be a recipe for disaster as these parts break easily or vanish into thin air.
I'll post pictures later on, but for now I'll leave the gun in peace.......

Here are some pics as promissed.
I replaced the plastic rod from the kit above the guntube for a metal one. That's more durable and straight.


Here's a comparisson between the constructed parts and the small parts in the sprue.


Unfortunately more pictures will have to wait untill I get home, because the camera's battery is dead and I failed to bring the recharger with me...

Hmmm..... things seem to be quite at the African front...

I managed to get the leFH18 build up into it's subgroups, ready for paint.
Allthough the fit of the parts is generally quite good, there were some areas which needed extra attention, like the connection between the metal parts of the barrel and the plastic parts. The upper brass tube did not fit over the plastic socket, so that had to be altered. In the end the metal rod had not been necessary either.
The other area was the fixing of the spades to the legs. There some thinning of parts was necessary too.

Here's what things look like now;


And the lot ready for transport home;


The picture quality is not up to the required standard, but you can not be picky with a borrowed camera, can you?

I had to put my Panzer II on the back burner for awhile. I have another campaign that ends this month that I need to finish up. I am also finishing up yet another campaign that doesn't end for awhile yet but I am close to being done. So I am hoping to finish both of them up and get going on the Panzer II again in the next couple of weeks.

AAARRRGGGHHHH.........................................campaign addiction!!

HARV

Hello Ron,
I think that the Africa Front is in a lull so the supply guys can get the resupply up to the front.
With any campaign, You have to make sure you are ready for the next round of fighting.

RING!!!! Round 2 is starting.

I am so far behind that I am working on a build from last November.
Cheers,
Bruce

hi guys some nice builds going on like them all will post some picks of my RTR sherman when camo is done.not getting alot of time at mo kids work wifey ya no how it is

finaly some work done.