Here's what I have been working on. I'll finish the roadwheels and tracks tommorrow. I should, also, start the weathering, tomorrow. I have to order some decals to make it accurrate and am trying to figure out how to make some small tree limbs to add to the camo. I plan on this being a freshly captured vehicle and will be using Photo for the Newspaper Russian Infantry 1944 by MBL to represent the victorious Russians. This means, I will have to make a base. I'm dreading this, as I have never done a winter scene.

Wow! That gun is a busy assembly. I really like the padded binocular sight.

Blood, sweat and tears. I'm set to buy a line of pigments for this and my future builds. My next arti piece will be for the Art of the Battlefield Campaign. I just found a old Italeri M110 for $46. I will be building that or a Hummel with the Voyager Prem. Ed. upgrade.

Hi Matt. I havent built this kit, but I think you might have to do some cutting as this kit uses spacers to allign the internal gun travel lock, as they do in the hummel kit. These are only placed to located the fixtures, and are then removed. You appear to have glued them in place, painted and weathered them. They are on the floor ... left and right side ... of the fighting compartment. You are not the first to do this ... many top builders have also done this ... Dragons instructions are very unclear about this.

Plasticbattle: I'll leave the spacers where they are and add the travel lock to the hull.

Hello Matt,

I like your build so far as I think that the Hummel is a very interesting piece of metal. But there are two things I want to mention.

1. In my eyes the two big grey blotches of chipped paint are very large/oversized and I doubt, that the paint continues chipping away over the borders of different panels like the right one. I think chipping each panel for itself is more realistic.

2. I feel that the scratches in the rubber of the roadwheels are very, very large and deep. Im absolutely not sure, if these would have been still held in place if 1/5th of them was missing.

Best Regards

Dennis

I'll fix the chipping issue today. As for the roadwheels, there aren't any that are missing 1/5th of the rubber.

Great build so far, especially seeing you are going for out of the box! I wish I could build out of box, but you see I have a disease called photoetchadidous!

I feel like your chipping and wear so far is excellent, all except for that spot in the fighting compartment right next to the breech block. I really think it is to sudden and solid. you need more wear, and small scratches around it for transition, like you made in the other areas.

I have to agree with Dennis on the road wheels, a bit too big and deep.
I hate criticizing others work, but I love it when people critic mine, it has helped me become a better modeler. So please don't feel like we are bashing your work!
Keep us updated!

As soon as it warms up, I'll be outside to correct the chipping problem. This was my first try with the hairspray method. When in the field, there is not always time to replace worn roadwheels. I'll hold back a little on future builds. I really can't wait to get started on the figures. I enjoy the critic. That's how one learns.

hello,Matt. I noticed you still had a seam on top of the gun's recoil cylinder.

Hey Matt, what are you going to build your base on? I am curious to see. I have found this to be best for snow:

1) Woodland scenic snow (or which ever brand)
2) Scenic cement or white glue

I then mix those in a slurry and apply as necessary, and the results look pretty good. You need enough white glue else the snow flakes look a little out of scale when dry. The glue smooths the snow out.

Additionally, I'll slurp some future in the mix or apply it at the end. It is good for making the snow look wet or icing.

I have not found a way to do icicles yet though. Anyone else wanna weigh in?

BTW Matt thanks for taking the time to keep us posted. I like watching as much as I like building. This is a real treat.

Mark: I'll be using a picture frame for the base. I have not decided how to do the snow, as I am completely new to the winter wonderland. I have a bag of white talc-like flakes that I may use. I have an idea on how to create icecycles. Use the Testor's tube glue. put a small ball of it on a piece of tinfoil or glass. Let it harden and use a needle to start drawing it out. I used this technique to simulate dripping blood and it works pretty well.