What I currently have on my bench is a Tamiya mid production Tiger. I spiffed it up with the following: Aber barrel, mud flaps, fenders, deck screens; Cavalier zimmerit; Friul tracks (not shown); a bit of scratch building. This is my third go around to post the pics. Please be patient with the under medicated bipedal monkey. I just found the "shutter" button on the digital camera today. Constructive criticism is openly welcomed. Thank you in advance.

Dave

I've got two more pics.
Dave

WOW!!

Loving it, Get that camera busy!

The hinges on the flaps are awesome. Careful not to lose that detail with baint build up. Also, the damage on the side flaps really adds character to the model. The Zim armour is first class too.

Can't wait to see it painted.

Stuart

Looking really good so far. Looking forward to continued progress shots.

Hi Dave. The PE and zimmerit work looks to be top class. Good job you´re getting to grips with the camera, as this work deserves to be seen. Looking good ...kepp us updated !!

Dave,

I have to "ditto" what the others are saying.....very nice! The hinge/flap detail is killer. Soldered? Damage looks good and authentic...suhweet!

I do have a question for you: How's the CAV zimm? Good fit? I take it you use CA to attach? I see little bits of PE attached to the zimm...did you just CA those to it or did you "cut" through the zimm to get to the plastic below? Sorry for all the Q's, but I have some German armor on the way and they'll need the "zimmy fix."

Mike

Thank you everyone for the compliments.

Mike,
I used a resistance soldering unit on all of the flaps/hinges. Not saying using CA would have been impossible, but the loss of sanity would be at a dear cost. I "damaged" them after assembly.

As for the CAV zim, it was very nice to work with. I did not notice any shrinkage. It fit perfectly. If anything I had to trim it down ( less than 0.5mm). The one exception that comes to mind is the zim for the rear. One the backside of the zim(the surface that attaches to the tank itself), the two armored covers for the track tensioning access, had to be lightly, and ever so gently ground down. They were slightly bulged. Afterward it laid down perfectly. The zim was attached with 5 minute epoxy. mixing a small batch for each panel. It requires only a very thin layer. The small bits of brass you see are for the light cable. I took some fine flat brass stock, bent to 90 degrees, marked my locations on the hull using the stock kit piece. I drilled holes through the hull and fill them with thick/slow CA.

I have used zim only twice. The first was Atak for a Tiger Ausf B (I'll try to get a pic up later tonight) and used CA glue to attach it. The second zim is as described above. The Atak zim (the only one of theirs I have used) had some shrinkage, but it isn't anything some putty, patience (followed by a couple of couldn't handle. The epoxy was nice to allow more work time, but potentially more messy.

I hope that helps. Good luck and thank you

Sincerely

Dave

Dave,

Couldn't ask for a better explaination! Thank you. Already "subscribed" to the thread....very much looking forward to following this build.

Too kool!

Mike

Here is the latest with the mid Tiger. The colors or MM dunkelgelg and panzergrun. The green is freehand using my Iwata. It sprays light enough so as not to loose the detail on the fenders. The exhaust shrounds are Aber with some tears I put in with a straight pin. I love "breaking" stuff! I have not gotten to the hull yet
Dave

I got a bit further with the Tiger. The first pic is a mock up with the road wheels (not glued yet)I took a dremel to the road wheels before painting

The numbers are from the Tamiya kit. The balkenkruz (sp?) is from Archer.

Friul track treated with Blacken-It

Aerial view

Finally got the shrouds on.

Couple of comments/questions:

The decals sat down VERY nice! Your Balkenkreuz is a dry transfer??? Dang! They all look like they've been painted. I would not have expected a dry transfer to have sat so nice.

The "Blacken-It," how do you like it? Looks great to me! Little bit of rusty-ness...and wow!

Mike

Mike,
Thank you for the compliments.

The decals were applied as follows: sprayed a couple of light coats of Tamiya clear, dry 24 hours; separate decal numbers from each other, and cut away as much clear film as I can; apply Micro-set; apply decal; blot excess fluid; apply Solva-set; after Solva-set has evaporated EVER so gently with a tooth pick push the decal into the nooks and crannies of the zim. I almost ate the first zero decal on the left side of the turret. It floated as soon as I applied the sova-set I got it back into place just before it reacted to the solution.

the dry transfer was applied with a steel burnishing tool. It was worked into place same as the decals with a tooth pick. the transfer backing paper was still in place while doing this. it was my first time using a dry transfer, I will use them again.

As for the Blacken-It... I think I am on the steep end of the learning curve for it. I have used Friul tracks before, just never with Blacken-It. One mistake I made was forgeting to wash the tracks in a soap solution. That made getting the solution into the recesses a real pain. Ended up doing each recess induvidually. There is not enough medication or beer in the house to do that again anytime soon. Need to refine the process. I do have to admit applying the Blacken-It can achieve a rather nice effect while eliminating several other steps. The tracks will be weathers with MIG pigments and "dirt"/"mud" will be forth coming.

I'll be applying washes and filters this weekend. There is a scratch built tree in the background of pic number 1 that I'm contemplating on incorporating it into the dio I'll place the tiger in.

Cheers

Dave

hi dave, nice what you did on the tiger. did you used a roller for the zimmerit? i used a small screw driver to replicate the ruffles on my early tigers. would a small rotor gear be okay to use as a roller? similar to a pizza cutter.

thanks again. ed

Hello Ed,
Actually the zimmerit is a resin set by Cavalier. Quite nice to work with. I have seen various "roller" set ups, and have thought about trying that out.
I've done the filter/wash to the road wheels. I'll get some pics posted soon.

Cheers
Dave

It's been a long week. Slow to get photos updated. The first is with the first of the weathering. I used W&N oils thinned with mineral spirits.

I haven't applied a satin coat for the filters yet. The road wheels are still not glued on.



That camera shows more flaws. I did not notice the edges of the clear film until this pic. I'm hoping a a gloss clear coat before the satin and flat coats covers it up. I've had pretty good luck with that technique before.

Cheers
Dave

Its looking really good and i think the zimmeritt and damage look first class not to mention the paint job and weathering that you used it looks really authentic. Hope you do have some luck with the decals.

Thank you for the comments. I got it prepped for the filter today. I'll apply it tomorrow, and possibly start to make the beast look downright dirty. I'm working on some dio ideas. Will soon be starting on the commander.

Cheers

Dave

The washes, filters and pigments are done (mostly). Now to put some dried mud, and mostly dried mud. Nothing too fresh. Time to start breaking out the wood working tools and getting started on a dio base.
Thank you for view these.
Dave


The lighting really makes the rust effect brighter than it is. These are the Friul tracks treated with Blacken-It.


If nothing else I like how the drive sprockets turned out.

Dave -

Greetings from just north of you. Really impressed with how this is turning out. If you don't mind, I plan to "go to school" on this outstanding work as I've got a 'started' Tamiya Tiger I (Mid) in my yet to be completed section. Mine is planned for a 'Winter' Russian front scene (can see it in my Gallery). I'm also using the Cavalier 'Zim' also and found it great to work with. I'm going with the WW II Production resin tracks, though your Fruils came out great. Especially like the fenders, shrouds, and related details you've done. Are you adding a wire to the Bosch light? Keep us posted

Blade48mrd

Mike,
Hello from the south of you. Thank you for the compliments! Wire?!? What wire? Oh, the one that I kept reminding myself to put on before I painted. The one I kept reminded myself about before the washes, the filters, the pigments. "That" wire. I'll get to it later today . Thank you for the reminder.
I had originally intended to place it in a winter dio, but changed my mind to a summer dio.

I am satisfied with the damaged fender effect. Nothing simulates bent metal like .. well bent metal. I tried it with plastic, but was not satified. That resulted in a severe flare up of AMS. My wife tried sedating me. No effect. Then I heard a very dark, heavy stout being poured. Ahhhh much better

Cheers

Dave

Nice looking Tiger their Dave.

I like the color a bunch.

So where did you get those containers of Earth Colors liquid pigment?

Again good job

Hello Jeff,

Thank you for the compliment. The Earth Colors are by Woodland Scenics. I picked them up in the railroad section at my local hobby store.

Cheers

Dave

Thanks Dave

Good use of the Graphite pencil also.

i think best for steel color weathering

Well the beasty is done. I started on the commander the other day. He received a transplanted DML left arm (the basic figure is Tamiya), the right arm received major "plastic" surgery to show him keying a throat mike. Anyway, the commanders hatch is shown closed until I have the figure done and ready to place. I will be placing this beast in a dio. Thank you all for your comments.
Mike, I took care of the wire right after I replied to your comment. Thank you for the reminder.





I couldn't get the lighting right on this top view

Your tiger really looks good. I like that you chunked the tires a little. It always seems strange to see heavily damaged tanks with perfect tires. The holes in the exhaust shields is another nice touch. Great build.