Robert.....I'm liking that M2

Hmmmm.......I found out that indy links for HT's are a bit different to assemble than the everyday panzer tracks Since the guide horns are pointing down during assembly, building a quicky jig like this may help some of you......



Of course, having a helper doesn't hurt either!

Live tonight,10 / 21 7 PM EST
http://www.blogtv.com/people/TankCarl

The diminutive 250 is slowly taking shape, don't forget that most of this is done in the cab of my truck, when I'm waiting for the milk to pump on or off the truck... .





The tracks are really nice, and apart from a very tight fight around the drive sprocket, go in place with relative ease. Make sure that you glue the idler at it's most forward position, to fit the standard (well, indicated in the instructions.) 38 links. If you don't, you'll have to add an extra link.
Current progress actually stands at both hull sides finished and in place, tracks and wheels on both sides finished, and the roof will be next. That may cause some problems, as a quick test fit has revealed that it doesn't line up properly... ah well, nothing new there then.

I have finally decided on what I going to do with it paint wise. When looking for some figures to go with it, I came across these two. Possibly Tamiya's all time best figures, they look so cold and miserable, they could make a Desert diorama look freezing...



Cheers
Henk

Henk,those figures look outstanding already,I really like their faces,I wish I could work so small,can't get my figures to look that good!!!

Over the past 3 days,I have assembled the engine to the Trumpeter M-16.

Nice job guys, I will be posting some pictures of my advances as soon as post-call...hehehe

Nice tip on the jig, James. I am actually planning to start on the tracks today or in the weekend, so the tip is just in time.

Henk, nice progress on the interior of your Sd.Kfz. 250.

Hi James, nice pics on constructing your tracks. It seems to be a good idea with the jig, never tried this out before. Is that plastic card you used for the jig?

Henk, your 250 looks good, nice interior and the engine looks cool, very nice start on your figures.

Thanks for sharing your pics and happy modelling.
ro

Henk......looks great, can't believe you're doing that in a 'makeshift' work area! I'd like to know how you do the faces on your figures and how you do your tracks. Very nice!

Carl.....looks like Trump did a real fine job on that engine, and so did you!

Jesper and Robert......hope it helps, doesn't take long to make (just a few minutes), just some scrap plastic card (Evergreen) about 6 inches long.

Looking forward to seeing more of everyone's builds

WOW ! Some Very Fine & Exciting builds going on here. Hope mine turns out 1/2 as good . I've finally some time, so I started the Old Tamiya Sd.Kfz 250/9. I've always wanted to build one but somehow I never picked up the kit until recently. It will be built basically OOB. I'll post a few picks as soon as I can borrow my sons camera. Until then, Keep On Modelin ! milvehfan

Here some progress on my AFV kit







A little blurry and dark.. some new shots soon..it was late

Here is an update on my Sd.Kfz. 251/22. Construction is almost finished. I have painted and weathered the interior minus the gun.
The camouflage has been applied. I did it freehand. I was inspired by the colour profile shown below. I do not want to make this exact vehicle as I am planning for a diorama from Bohemia 1945. This vehicle was left in the sea on the Baltic coast. However, the camouflage was too attractive to pass.

More to follow....

Nice camo Jesper !
My pics are a little blurry, hope to post some new ones.
I started working on the driving panel and the hood.
Might win some time on working on the tracks too.

Thanks, I think it will look even better under some weathering and without flash on the camera.

Work is progressing well - more to follow soon

Good builds people, keep them going!

I didn't have a chance to start my build until yesterday thanks to school and some construction at home. I have made little progress, but it is better than nothing

Here's the kit I will be building:


It comes with a figure set, driver, some extras and a little fret of PE. Not bad, not bad at all (considering that I got it half-price at a discount sale)



I started construction from Step 1 of course... But then I realized most of it would be invisible beneath the floor... So I skipped them all!


Step 2, assembly of the suspension arms are completed. Careful to align them properly, Dragon supplied two guiding pins so that you don't misalign them. However, the holes into which the pins pit are a little too large, so the arms tend to sag. Check twice before they dry.



I am now working on Step 3, the wheels. I think I will clean them up and put them aside for paint, let's see how it turns out.

Look at that!!
My build has been kind off slow the last month, but you guys really are steaming ahead!!
I see to much going on to comment it all, but I really like the snakelike camo shown by Jesper!

keep it up!

Hello everybody, all of your projects are really great!!!!

I finally had some time to make some progress on my Sdkfz7 from Tamiya. Somebody asked me about how I was planning to weather this kit so, here it goes, hopefully the pictueres and explanation are enough.

1. This is the kit paiinted with Tamiya Acrylic German Grey and Flat white to light the paint to be able to apply some washes later. After drying for about 1 day a coat of Testors Flat Cote was applied:


2. After 1 day of drying the kit is ready to receive some "sun and weather damage". For this kit in particular I am going to use oils as posted on the following pics, turepentine and mineral spirits and a round 3/0 brush and flat 3/0 brush:






3. So let's start. First I applied some "dots" of titanium white, black something and earth something:

Then, with the flat brush dampened on turpentine and dried with some TP I start to mix the colors over the surface :



And this is how it starts to look, adding more dots here and there and repeating the process makes the base color more rich, with lighter and shadier areas....




Technique PROS: Inimaginable variety and richness of shades that break the monotony of one single color.
The CONS: Since using oils and turpentine, the drying time is very long about 48 hours at least, and the fumes are kindda toxic.....

Well that's it for know, I will keep posting as I progress with the weathering...

Mirko

Mirko

The techinque and the result looks good. I am in the process of thinking about having a go at it on a Hellcat. Have you experimented with brighter colours , like blues and reds??

Thanks for the update

Mirko, looking good. I like the effect pin wash (?) makes, I'ts good to notice promodellers use same oilcolours as I

I haven't had much time for my sdkfz 251/22, because I am building focke wulf for aces high campaign and its not long time left anymore there. This has longer schedule so I do the "busy" models away first and then start again my 251!

Mirko, very nice results with you wash for the Sd.Kfz. 7. Interesting technique. Have tried this over a camouflage scheme such as mine below?

Here is my finished Sd.Kfz. 251/22. A great little kit with lots of cool accessories. There are no problems with the kit except for the tracks which have raised pin marks on the inside of the track. Not very noticeable, but could still have been better.

I kept weathering at a minimum as this vehicle will be included in a diorama later. When I make the diorama I will weather it more to tie in with the ground work in the diorama.

Comments are welcome.

Nice shading Mirko, you built an old dog into a nice model.

Good Sdkfz 251 Jesper. Don't forget to paint the tips of the antennae thingies on the front white, the driver has to see them easily you know

My progress, albeit in a very very slow pace, continues...

I have built the front wheels and the things that roll the tracks (I always forget their names, what did you call these large gear like things? Not return roller, not idler, but what was it?). Also, the remaining wheels are ready for paint before assembly.



I built the interior and the front console.





Now, I am thinking whether I should first attach the sides on the chassis then place the interior? Or paint the interior, fit it onto the chassis and then fix the sides?

Hello Emre, thanks for your kind words. As far as your project, I made one of those a while ago and believe me when I say that you really want to fit all together including the sides and interior before painting..otherwise will be a terrible experience as happened to me. You will notice that once everything is painted as far as the interior, ther is a ton of blind spots and areas that will never be seen.....

Mirko

Thanks for the comment my friend. And my answer is YES, I have used colors such as prussian blue and crimson red in the past, particularly when I used to build WWII german aircrafts......the main idea on this technique I think is that you start from a base color and then try to make shades adding or decreasing tones

So, for example, if you work with a grey base color you will use white and black, as those combined together will give you different shades of gray......
If you use desert sand or earth you can play with combinations of yellow, red and white.....as they mixed together will give you shades of your base color.....
And again, the great deal of the oil paints as you may know is that if you dont like the result you can just wipe them off with some turpentine and start again.........

Thanks again for your comments.......

Mirko

Thanks for the comment. I used to enjoy building WWII planes. I built 9 FW-190 from Tamiya and Dragon over the past 5 years....most of them published at www.aircraftresourcecenter.com, you can check them out there.....as i think I used some oil weathering techniques on those.....
Anyway, thanks for your comments and good luck on your FW....

Mirko

Hello Jesper, very nice work with that 251. I still can't understand how the germans fit a Pak 40 over that halftrack...is insane...hahahaha...
Anyway, in that type of cammo the weathering technique I am using can certainly be applied but you will have to be extra careful..maybe to tedious to be done.......
I think your kit will look even better with just some washes, drybrushing and filters....I usually use the "oil dots" technique just for monotone or "boring" colors, once they have cammo patterns I usually dont use that.....