I thought we needed some more threads in this new section, so here's some pics of my nearly complete King Tiger. I built it straight OOTB, the only thing I added being the wire to the headlight. The newest pictures show the model how it looks right now. The decals have been applied and faded, but there has been no drybrushing or wash. How much further do you think I need to go with the weathering on this thing? I plan on putting it in a muddy dio, so I will cover the tracks and wheels in mud, I think.







This one's just supposed to scare you


Here's a close up. This shows how I faded the decals and painted the tow cables, spare tracks, and some tools. Though the decal film is visible here, I was really pleased with my job on that part. From most angles, you can't see the film at all.


This is just to show how much I managed to tone down the camo. This was the original camo job.


The motorbike that came with the kit. My first ever, so comments are welcome.


If there are some more views you'd like to see, just ask and I might be able to take a few more shots of this sucker.

Thanks,

Nic

Looks good, did you consider adding brake cables to the handle bars? I do like the tank, impressive.

No, I didn't think of adding anything to the bike, but that's a good suggestion, Rob. I'll see what references I can dig up and add what I can. Thanks.

Nic

Here's my .02
The model looks great, but seems very dark. Even on the M1's paint scheme colors tend to get lightened from wear and mud constantly getting tracked onto it. IMHO it could use a little wear on high traffic areas.

John

Hey Nic, that KT is really looking good ........NICE JOB !
Have you considered a "post shading technique " as done
by James Blackwell on his German armor ?
It really add's to the realism of a scale model, even though
you've done a spetacular job !

- ralph

Folgore,

What method did you use to fade the decals?

Actually Ralph, that is what I attempted to do with this model. After reading the article I gave the "post-shading" a try. I had some difficulties controlling the paint flow with my new airbrush, though, and made a few mistakes. This is one reason why I sprayed a fair bit of dark brown over top, to bring it all together and hide the mistakes. It resulted in a darker finish. I could go over it with a light coat of buff, but I'm not sure. It's not quite as dark as it appears in the pictures. Of course, I haven't drybrushed yet, which might lighten it a little. Any suggestions here?

Nic

Octupus--I used the method Same one I was telling you about before. I just oversprayed the whole model with a thin coat of dark brown paint. For a different effect, you might want to use a buff colour.

Nic

Nic,

I've tried your method on my Luchs but the outcome is not so obvious, maybe I thinned the paint too much.
I'll try to wash it later to see which method is better off.

Steve

That could be, octu. First time I sprayed mine, I couldn't notice the change, either. Try adding more paint.

Nic

Nic,

Sure, I'll give it a go later. I just finished putting the decals on my Luchs yesterday night and will try your method again.

Steve

Very Nice stuff Folgore, I think that you can also blacken the exhaust and muzzle a bit. Over all I like the tank very much, as Rob had pointed out, adding some brake wire on the bike will be nice, it's easy to do. I just use two fine wire and glue to the handles.

Nic, looks great so far.
With the drybrushing coming up soon in your next to do things, I would suggest doing the whole model with several varying shades of the drybrush. Start off with the darkest of the drybrush colors on all areas of concern, i.e. bolts, corners, hatches, etc. From there, as the drybrush color gets a little lighter, start to pick out only the areas that would get more wear, i.e. hatch edges, engine panel corners, fuel caps, etc.

Keep up the great work and let us see it along. :-)

Once you get your dry-brushing done, if you go over everything with a heavy misting of dullcote, I've found that after a good doseing, the decal film isnt so noticeable. Like has been mentioned, a dusting with pastel or a dust overspray will help to lighten up the vehicle if it is to be moving out in the open. If you were going to place it in some evergreens on an overcast day, you could leave it just as it is.

Hi Nic, I think the buff is the way to go. Don't go heavy though. Airbrush 2 to 3 very light
coats, and I'd use a ratio of 70% thinner/30% Buff.
Drybrush your raised detail .........and the area's that get abuse & wear drybrush 2 shades lighter than your first drybrush. Then airbrush 2 light coats of Dullcote, and as was mentioned, pastels would add a nice finishing touch.
Whatever you decide, please let us see the finished product.
ALL THE BEST TO YOU.

- ralph

Good tips guys. Thanks.

Ken--What colour would you use to drybrush? Could I just drybrush the whole thing in varying shades of tan, or would it be better to do each camouflage colour separately? I must admit, I'm afraid to drybrush the whole thing, because I don't want paint streaks to show, but I think I will give it a try.

BlueBear--The tank is going to be in a muddy winter scene, kind of like Ken's "White Out" diorama. I don't think I will spray a lightening coat on it, I'll just see what the drybrushing does. And I will definitely be giving it a dull coat.

Once again, thanks for the help. I will post more pics after the next few steps.

Nic

I must have been typing when you replied, Ralph. Well, maybe I'll give it a very light coat of buff; I have to spray some on a Cromwell I just decaled anyway (maybe I'll put some pics up of that tank too ). I haven't done the pastels yet, but as always I will be blackening the exhausts and muzzles. Don't think I'll do any dust with this one. I'm going to make a mud paste with oils paints and pastels. See how that works.........

Nic

Nic--nice work. Does the Black Out drive light have a cable? If so, what size wire did you use? The photos do not do justice to the tone down effect. The camo job is superb. I trust you will post some more shots when you complete the weathering.
Well done!
DJ

Well, I tried fading it down, but I fear a little too much
Oh well, I guess I know better for next time.

DJ--I just used some thin copper wire I got from my uncle's farm. I don't know what the size is, but it's pretty thin.

Here's the picture of the faded King Tiger. The lighting's different because this pic's taken inside, but it's darker outside and freezing cold (winter is coming to Canada ).



Nic

Looks good to me. Maybe a little chiping around the wear areas. (:-)

Talk about the drive light, does the wiring on the light has rubber sleeve or not? Just wonder.

Nice job,

Paint job looks spot on.

I hope the edge of the decal doesn't show as much as in the photo.

Have you tried glossing the area where the decal will rest then matting the area down???

Or try cutting the clear edge off as close to the marking as possible.

Carry on the good work.

Folgore, have you tried to use Decal Softner? It's amazing, after I use it, my decal looked like painted on.

Hi Nic .........I don't think it's at all too much. look's great !
I think the fading really tie's in the camo pattern's very well with the base coat, and
give's the tank a very realistic & weathered appearance.
WELL DONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

- ralph

Thanks for the replies guys.
I'm a little surprised with all this stuff about the decals though. What I was trying to say in my initial post was that from virtually every angle, the decal film is not visible. I just got unlucky with the photo. I did put the decal on top of a gloss coat and I did use a decal setting solution. It worked really well. After the fading coat of paint, it's even less visible and I still have to put the dull coat on, so that should make it even better. I'm not really too worried about the decals. Having said that, I think I am going to try dry transfers on my next King Tiger (with a Porsche turret this time), but this is more because I need custom markings that don't come with the kit.
Thanks again for the comments,

Nic

PS--Dave, the wire I used did have a rubber sleeve, but I cut it off. Actually, there were a number of thin copper wires inside it, so I've got a lot of wire to work with now.