I'm in...been working AFV's Flak 18...what a monster! The darn tiny pieces have been kicking my behind, yet so far pleased with the progress. Have the rear limber to finish putting together, should have a couple of 'in-progress' pics posted soon.

Cheers! Tim

Excellent looking ribbon. Much easier to see than the previous one. 50x20 is correct for a ribbon.

I will start my build as soon as I get a few other things of my work desk. It will be Tamiya's 1/35 Tiger II, late version OOB.

nice work on the ribbon Jesper....looks good......thank-you

That's great !

I think the ribbon looks great !

I've started my OOB project, the old Tamiya 88. I don't think it will be anything elaborate, just the 88 in desert scheme on a little stand with some groundwork...at least, that's the plan right now

Cheers,
Mike

I am glad you like the ribbon, guys. However, I was only quoting JP's post. He made the ribbon, so I cannot really take credit for it. Although I would like to as it is a nice ribbon

Well here is the beginning of my submission:


Perhaps you already can tell what i've got planned....

This is a complete "what if" and is a stretch of the imagination. It's a break from the regular grind of modelling and making everything historically accurate. I just needed a break and my imagination came up with this:

1944, the Germans have stopped Market Garden in its tracks. Allied vehicles litter the roadside for miles out of Nijmegen, Arnhem, and Eindhoven. German recovery vehicles bring in their own disabled vehicles including one knocked out Tiger, who took a round into the engine. A mechanic, Heinz, notices the turret, gun, and associated parts are still in good order. As he climbs out of the tank, a captured Sherman is driven by, its cannon bent and twisted as a freak round struck it. Then, an idea pops in his head as he hops off the Tiger, he calls a few other mechanics over and during the ensuing few days, secretly work on their own small project, hoping to get the feared 88mm gun back into service as quickly as possible. This is what they came up with: the M4(A) Beutepanzer mit Tiger Turm. (this name I can not take credit for, it was given to me by Scratchmod)





The hatches are welded shut. The only reason for this was the fact that they would not have been able to been opened as the front of the turret sits on them. I guess the driver and radio op. are going to have to get in through the turret.


OVM tool locating holes are filled with tamiya white putty.

a look at the turret for fitment...



P.S. Anyone need a Sherman 105 turret? I'll trade for an Academy Turret...

That is one freaky machine, looks brutal Justin

Rich

Hey Justin,
It's definitely going to be one top heavy sucker !!!
FYI - I have 2 of those Academy Tigers in my stash, I could probably part with a turret in a swap.
PM me and we'll "haggle" !!!
Cheers

jjumbo

NIce concept. Very cool idea to mate the Tiger turret with a Sherman. Very nicely done.

Rich, I hope she looks good once I am done painting.
John, i've sent you a PM for that Academy turret.
James, thanks for the encouragement.

I'll be posting some pictures of the first attempt at zimmerit that i've done with some Tamiya White Putty and the finished Sherman. Till then.

This is the old 1/48 Bandai Elephant with a Faxon Ferdinand conversion. Man, I was lucky to find someone willing to part with the Track48 tracks. Now I'm hoping a Barrel from MR Models or Armorscale becomes released before this campaign ends. I think I'm doing it as # 501 at Kursk.

At Justin, that will be an interesting one!

Greg, that looks like a fine kit!. Amazing what 26 cents can do for you! Looking forward to that guy being done, too bad my Sherman w/ Tiger Turret is on the same side.

Here are some progress updates:

My first attempt ever at zimmerit was alright at best. I used Tamiya White Putty (you know the stuff that smells really bad) and using the cap to add texture.

Justin, I've never heard of using the cap for the zim texture but I think that's a cool idea. It has a good worn look to it.

I've used coins for vinyl tracks too, especially their weight comes in handy when there's no fenders to brace them in between. They can add sag that way too by stretching overnight. Here, I needed them to prevent toe-in of the rear part.

What color/camo are you going to do? Before the zim. I thought all grey would be cool. Now, maybe some German yellow/brown stripe camo on top of the OD green? to blend the turret with the body.

Have fun

Greg, thats an great idea with the coins, i've never thought of that. Thanks for the zimm comments, I'll have to geat an actual zimmerit tool, i like the roller idea, so i'll look for one of those. I am going to give the entire model a basecoat of dark yellow with some reb brown and olive green camo. I was thinking about leaving the hull OD green and the Tiger turret dark yellow and camo but I am not quite sold on it yet.

Made a start to detailing the flak36. Drilled a sight hole and glued some bolts to the armour. Filed off the kit detail between the recuperator and the recoil tube with .5mm wire. Also added some blocks of evergreen to the recoil tube to be carved into shape once the cement has set. Will even up the surface of the armour once the cement has set too.
Update:
I can see a seam I've missed under the recoil tube. Darn digital photography.

Here are some progress shots of the basecoat of Mr.Base White:

Looks awesome Justin.

Maybe you should put the Sheman turret on a Tiger while you're at it

Rich

Justin, cool build. actually I think the boxy tiger I looks good on the sherman.

Greg who made the tracks in that scale? Im lookin for sombody who makes T-54 tracks in that scale

JP, looks good.

anybody know what units had the pak 43 with the cruciform mount? I want to put it on a base in the end and Im tryin to think of a good scene, like a city streetbut Ive only seen them in open fields

Rich, that would be a weird looking tank!

Matt, Thanks for the encouragement, I think the turret looks good on the sherman chassis, i've been looking at it for so long that it looks almost normal. Plus, I think it looks better than the Sherman Turret on it.

Matt, these tracks were done by Track48 at track48.com but they are not making them anymore. You can find Sherman tracks at Fighting48th in UK, or like this pic below of modern tanks from the Propaganda Kompany (in France - don't know the exact website). Gaso.line in France also has modern kits. HTH

Well, shes made it through the paint booth. I got a bit excited and forgot to take pictures of the preshading. I lined most joints and panel lines with red brown. I also applied Tamiya Hull Red mixed with Flat Red to the turret and placed a few small pieces of masking tape for places where zimmerit was knocked off. Then gave her a coat of Tamiya Dark Yellow. Then came the camo and a coat of Mr. Topcoat Semi-gloss (this one didnt eat my paint or model this time). Then i applied a filter using the "dot method." I used various Windsor and Newton artist oils for this. Here are the pictures so far:






First, you use small dots of paint..

Next, with a wide brush damp with thinner, stroke downwards.


Here you can see its about gone, but the color is left behind.

Here are the results (flash on for help in seeing color)



Hopefully, you can see the streaks created by the brush.


Next up is the gloss coat and dark pinwash

Great work Justin !
The mighty Sherman 88, what a beast !!! It would be could to see one of those on a 1:1 scale

Yes, it is the Mighty Sherman 88. I think it would be cool to see in 1:1 it would be interesting.

Stuff is looking really good. I am officially joining this GB if you'll allow me too. i am building two DML kits. Money is tight so I will have to spread out buying everything. I have the kits already. Just need to buy the tracks and Archer stuff. I am going to build one Elefant and on Ferdinand. I actually think I may have a good set of Elefant tracks already but not sure.

And if Time and money allow perhaps a Tiger I or Tiger II. Started my Ferdinand last night should be able to post some images by Monday. Maybe Tuesday. I will see how it goes. I need to pick some paint schemes. I like the Ferdinand in the MMIR Jagdtiger book, so I am hoping to do that one. Will see.