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One weeks hard work - Tamiya Stug IV
Jamesite
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 03:43 AM UTC
I visited my LHS last saturday with a promise to myself and SHMBO that I would not buy any kits, as the stash is seriously bloated at the minute and I may need to shed a lot of kits when I plan to move house (+ continent) at the end of the year.

Well that obviously didn't happen, and I picked up Tamiya's old old Stug IV for under a tenner to distract me from a exhausting dio i've been putting together over the last couple of months. With this in mind I decided to make it quick and easy and tried to make a target to get it finished in a week.

Well I started last Sunday and by the end of the day yesterday (yes I know thats a week and a day) this is where I was.......


Base kit: Tamiya Stug IV
Tools: Tamiya Panzer IV accessory set
Tracks, sprockets + return rollers: Academy
Figures: Tamiya German tank crew with Dragon heads
Stowage + everything else: Various sets + Spares bin

I would also like to add that I made this far more difficult for myself by adding zimmerit which is really my first time (I did just a panther turret badly years ago). I also got Lionroar's PE schurzen which I intend to add but haven't yet.

Appologies for the blu tak holding certain bits together at the mo.

All questions and feedback more than welcome!

More pics:


James
dazzer
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 04:05 AM UTC
hHi James
looks great so far,I love this old kit of tamiya's.Just one thing you could try,the springs that hold the mud guards at front and rear are abit weak looking.If you can remove them and wrap some thin copper wire around them (from electric cable) this will make them look better, have done this to a few of my older kits,Keep up the good work

Darren
Jamesite
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 04:12 AM UTC
Thanks Darren,

Yes I did originally plan on doing this for the front and rear mudguard springs, but I needed to cut a few corners to get this thing done in a short time! As I removed one rear mudguard and the other will be partially hidden by the schurzen I decided to let this one slip!

Cheers,

James
tjkelly
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 04:41 AM UTC
Wow James, one week (plus a day) worth of work! I'm jealous! Looks really great, looking forward to some paint!

Good luck with the move, always lots of work involved with that! Cheers -

Tim
Jamesite
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 04:53 AM UTC
Thanks Tim,

I surprised myself actually! Usually I am quite a slow builder. As mentioned there were a few short cuts in order to meet the 'deadline'; PE and scratch building were kept to a minimum (its really surprising how much time these take up).
However, I think the lionroar schurzen i'll start tonight might take another week!

Thanks,

James
exer
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 05:13 AM UTC
Good work James. the change of heads really brings the Tamiya figures to life-I've done the same myself. Great result for a weeks work and a good price for that kit.
bizzychicken
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 06:54 AM UTC
Looking good James. The Stug IV is a great base kit, been doing similar thing to my Stug. Used Dragon Wheelsand tracks and cut loads of the front track guards off. looks well abused! Payed about the same for mine and only used spares out off the box, cheap modelling. Try and post some photos later cheers Geraint
spitfire303
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 10:58 AM UTC
Hello friend! I see a you did an excellent job here within so little time! Really impressive. What can I say? I love the stowage at the back, the figs will add a lot to the model, the zimmerit is so good I thought at first it was a resin kit... really outstanding work. What did you use to do it?

One question . I see you used the rubber tracks from the box how do you get the sag?

I'll follow this one closely.

spit

PS
I hope you'll beat this one up heavily
bizzychicken
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 11:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text



One question . I see you used the rubber tracks from the box how do you get the sag?






I used an old set of dragon tracks off a lateBrummbar. I would also like to know how you got the sag? Looks A1
Jamesite
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 10:13 PM UTC
Thanks for all the comments guys!


Quoted Text

Good work James. the change of heads really brings the Tamiya figures to life-I've done the same myself. Great result for a weeks work and a good price for that kit.


Thanks Pat, now Tamiya have finally reduced their prices on their older kits you can build a nice model on the cheap.
I was going to use some Resin heads but again went for a quicker and easier option of the Dragon one's which are still fairly decent. I have seen several pics of Stug crew wearing steel helmets and wanted to replicate the look.


Quoted Text

Looking good James. The Stug IV is a great base kit, been doing similar thing to my Stug. Used Dragon Wheelsand tracks and cut loads of the front track guards off. looks well abused! Payed about the same for mine and only used spares out off the box, cheap modelling. Try and post some photos later cheers Geraint


Thanks Geraint, yes its a nice way to knock together a kit on the cheap if you aren't too anal about dimensional accuracy or the little details. Dragon wheels and tracks seems a good way to go.
I thought about the Tristar wheels set which is excellent but wanted to keep cost and time down, plus the schurzen will hide most of the suspension details.

Thanks again guys,

James
Jamesite
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 10:35 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hello friend! I see a you did an excellent job here within so little time! Really impressive. What can I say? I love the stowage at the back, the figs will add a lot to the model, the zimmerit is so good I thought at first it was a resin kit... really outstanding work. What did you use to do it?

One question . I see you used the rubber tracks from the box how do you get the sag?

I'll follow this one closely.

spit

PS
I hope you'll beat this one up heavily


Hi Spit mate, glad to have you along.

Thanks, the short time and low cost of this build allowed me to experiment a little. The stowage rack was part of this as usually I wouldn't glue everything down.

The Zimmerit was another part of this as I say i've never done a whole AFV before.
This is the technical equipment I use for zimmerit application:


I prefer humbrol filler over all other brands I use as it bites the plastic better, has a longer drying time (giving you time to work it), and sands much better.
I spread about 2-3 square cm of putty over the desired area taking care to keep it as thin as possible (It is almost impossible to get in scale as the real thing was very thin) using a broken sissors part of a swiss army knife (I have always used this for applying putty, don't ask why). With it spread thinly and evenlt I use the thin end of the peice of PE to apply the horizontal ridges and then use the long edge of the PE to mark the vertical ridges. You need to be quite quick as the putty dries quickly.
With this done you continue onto the next part. It's pretty easy to blend a new and a dry area together but helps if you do an entire vertical 'line' with one application of putty if that makes any sense.
Afterwards I sanded the surface down slightly to remove and prominent raised areas and then used and x-acto blade to neaten up any neccesay areas.


Quoted Text

I used an old set of dragon tracks off a lateBrummbar. I would also like to know how you got the sag? Looks A1


Sorry to disapoint guys but I used Academy's indy links! The sprocket and idlers are also from this set. Some of the spares are placed on as glacis armour you'll see.

Something I didn't mention however was the gun barrel and muzzle brake which are spares I took from DML's Pak 40 kit.

Thanks for the interest guys,

James
integraguy95
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 10:58 PM UTC
I'm doing my own Stug IV right now too! I think yours looks better tho!
Jamesite
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 11:36 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm doing my own Stug IV right now too! I think yours looks better tho!


lol! Thanks Justin, still time for me to mess it up with the paint though!

James
Jamesite
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Posted: Monday, November 03, 2008 - 11:54 PM UTC
OK, last night I started to tackle the PE schurzen.
It is the Lionroar set for Dragon kits but I figured it would fit ok. Only trouble was with the instructions, as they largely just give replacement parts for DML part no's. Fortunately a quick post on the big A and Jean-Vincent Roy, Damon R Whiteman and Phil H all came to my rescue with scans of the DML instructions and spruce layouts so I could correctly identify what wen't where; Thanks guys!

First up the fittings to the hull:

Then the schurzen plates themselves. A nice touch is that lionroar make the plates out of a thicker sheet of brass than the fittings for better scale appearance:

These were then 'hung' on the brackets but will be left seperate for painting:


Unfortunately there is a bit of a gap between the last plate and the one in front. Not sure why yet, but I intend to ding and bend them, plus show a couple missing, so this won't be a big deal.

I should note that Lionroar provide thin brass rod and tiny bolt heads to acurately portray the schurzen fittings (hence the little holes in all the PE). However, in the interests of time and personal sanity I didn't use these, they will come in handy for detailing future projects and the old lead foil rivet technique will give a similar appearance in a fraction of the time. I'll add these to all visible bolt holes when both sides are done.

You'll notice only one side done so far, but not bad for a nights work!
I'm out tonight but in tomorrow when SHMBO is away so should get the other side finished!

Thanks,

James
bizzychicken
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 07:54 AM UTC
Looking good, no worries about the gap in the Schurzen.It always got bashed about and even came off in the field. Some good referencesfor the Stug IV in MMI oct 07 issue. YOUR Stug looks alot like the pics of stugs with 5 Pz Div (ss) Wiking. Also alot of IV's were sent to Italy with 16 PZ Div to stop the Salerno landings. keep up the fast modelling,maybe a world record on the horizen Geraint
jimz66
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 11:53 AM UTC
Fhew, I wish I could work that fast. Hope your move goes okay. That in its own right sounds tough. Take care and happy modeling.
spitfire303
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 12:00 PM UTC
James, great work on the PE parts. Have you considered leaving behind one or two shurzen? IMHO it would give some nice view on the details behind and would give the model some "battle experience". Just a thought.


spit
muchachos
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 02:37 PM UTC
It looks like a great build. The only thing is, you're sick in the head if you call ths "hard work!"

Scott
Jamesite
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 09:03 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Looking good, no worries about the gap in the Schurzen.It always got bashed about and even came off in the field. Some good referencesfor the Stug IV in MMI oct 07 issue. YOUR Stug looks alot like the pics of stugs with 5 Pz Div (ss) Wiking. Also alot of IV's were sent to Italy with 16 PZ Div to stop the Salerno landings. keep up the fast modelling,maybe a world record on the horizen Geraint


Thanks Geraint,

No worries, this schurzen won't be looking so straight when i'm done with it! I intend to have several panels missing too.
I'm at the stage in my build where i'm begining to think about unit markings and so would be interested in some of that info you have. I was thinking Normandy or Italy, but found out that there is only definate evidence for one SS division using Stug IV's in Normandy and I wanted to make this a heer stug so i'd be interested in any info or pics you may have of those 16 Pz Div stugs if possible?
good Stug IV reference pics seem to be very hard to come by!

James
Jamesite
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 09:05 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Fhew, I wish I could work that fast. Hope your move goes okay. That in its own right sounds tough. Take care and happy modeling.


Thanks James, as I said i'm usually much slower!
The move may well be tough, pending a job offer i'll be moving from Northern Ireland to Western Australia! Fingers crossed!

Thanks,

James
Jamesite
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 09:08 PM UTC

Quoted Text

James, great work on the PE parts. Have you considered leaving behind one or two shurzen? IMHO it would give some nice view on the details behind and would give the model some "battle experience". Just a thought.

spit


Hi Spit, thanks for checking in.

Yes I will, the pics you see where just to test out the panels fit. I'll probably only use about half of the schurzen panels on the finished peice. You're right about losing detail, all that lovely track sag would be completely hidden!

James
Jamesite
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Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 - 09:19 PM UTC

Quoted Text

It looks like a great build. The only thing is, you're sick in the head if you call ths "hard work!"

Scott


lol!

Perhaps 'one weeks fast but fun work' may have been better?

James
DT61
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Posted: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 - 11:43 AM UTC
Great job on a old kit. Just shows what can be done with a good spare parts box and skill. Looking forward to seeing some paint on this one.

Darryl
bizzychicken
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Posted: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 - 12:54 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Looking good, no worries about the gap in the Schurzen.It always got bashed about and even came off in the field. Some good referencesfor the Stug IV in MMI oct 07 issue. YOUR Stug looks alot like the pics of stugs with 5 Pz Div (ss) Wiking. Also alot of IV's were sent to Italy with 16 PZ Div to stop the Salerno landings. keep up the fast modelling,maybe a world record on the horizen Geraint


Thanks Geraint,

No worries, this schurzen won't be looking so straight when i'm done with it! I intend to have several panels missing too.
I'm at the stage in my build where i'm begining to think about unit markings and so would be interested in some of that info you have. I was thinking Normandy or Italy, but found out that there is only definate evidence for one SS division using Stug IV's in Normandy and I wanted to make this a heer stug so i'd be interested in any info or pics you may have of those 16 Pz Div stugs if possible?
good Stug IV reference pics seem to be very hard to come by!

James
James the Stug pics in Italy of 16 Pz Div are plain Yellow without any markings, also no side skirts. Its a column of 3 very clean stugs heading to the front. Found another pic of a Stug IV being reloaded in france unkown unit . lots of spare track all over frount of it . When Girl friend comes home 2moro I will try and send as many pic's as poss, shes the wiz on the computer. Got pics of early IV's in the Ardennes 1944. hard to say but to be honest, most photos I have none look camo'd all plain Dunkelgelb. I'm enjoying this build and also doing a Stug IV so will keep looking for good pics keep in touch, happy modelling Geraint
Jamesite
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Posted: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 - 09:11 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Great job on a old kit. Just shows what can be done with a good spare parts box and skill. Looking forward to seeing some paint on this one.

Darryl


Thanks Darryl, I appreciate your comments.

Paint is the next step!

James
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