hello everyone, here is the start of tristar build number 2


here is the head of the instructions

whoops, better put my glasses on!

there we are,
these are that paint schemes on offer

because im naughty, i have actually started this before the marder is finished,
only minor construction though the details are Very nice!

Not naughty - normal!

This does look to be a very nice kit. Looking forward to the result.

Scott

Looking good so far James! As you know from poking into the thread going about the two-tone scheme, Tristar's finishing guide isn't correct in the Polish scheme of straight panzer gray.

way ahead of ya Bill

hey guys, i have been testing making feathered ege with my brush to no avail, i may have to stick with straight panzer grey if i dont get it right soon.
here are soem more wip shots

hello, the interior painting is nowhere near finished, im gonna detail apint some bits over the top of the heavy weathering!

Hello James! Please share your thoughts on the track assembly with this kit when you get to them. I built the original Tristar Panzer I ausf A and the tracks had tiny thumb tack like pins that passed through holes in one side of each track link to pin it to the next while the opposite side of the link has an almost microscopic, insanely delicate molded pin that engaged a blind hole on the mating link. It was theoretically supposed to allow the links to move but the only resulting movement was them falling apart as soon as they were handled, no matter how carefully. I finally gave up and bought Fruilmodel tracks for it. I have since acquired the transparent upper hull version of this kit you are building (and the Verlinden Panzer I interior for additional detail), but mostly I was hoping the tracks had been improved on or if I should save what remains of my sanity and go the Fruil route again. I'll be following this build! Thanks for posting it!

hey Jim, i think they were the Modelkasten tracks that were included the first time, or few times tristar put out the Pz 1, i just have indy links on this one, 7'th pic down!

I saw that pic, but didn't know if they still had the little pins and you didn't show them. Yours looked the same as the links that came with the first kit except yours are on a large sprue while the first kit's were on individual sprues. I haven't opened the box yet to look. It looks encouraging!

Behold the original madness!!

Jim, your in luck, good news is, i double checked, and there are no pins, but apparently the runs are fragile anyway, but only time will tell.
:)


been working on the interior!

hello, i got some work done on the engine today





and a size comparison

Interior's looking great James! One small suggestion, the exhaust hoses that go out to the mufflers from the engine were flexible ribbed hard rubber so they wouldn't have had any rust on them. It's a common misperception for the I-A that the connections are metal just like the exhausts and so often get rusted right along with them.

Wilco Boss

Hey strange question, is that the same engine as in the Krupp Protze? Nice work by the way.

Hey Jim, sorry dont have a clue D'oh

Gather round Gather round, the main construction phase is nearly complete.
Bill as promised the thingymajigs have been repainted but you can no longer see them

Jim, everything you are doing looks great. I would only reccomend a bit more light in your photos.

What paints are you using?

Hey Jon, paints are tamiya acrylics, i have not had the colours i needed from my few Vallejo paints, sorry about the light thing, i shoot on my window sill so the weather dictates the brightness,
but, what brightness setting is your monitor?


cheers
James

James superb work!.

One thing why do you paint at random stages its always fasanated me the different stages you paint lol

James, i dont really know, the grey you see on the hull of this kit is a colour test, to see if i like it im trying to do this by painting when its all complete:P
notice i said trying

trying lol i just wondered but it looks great!

Having things disappear from view is a common occurrence when working with the interior for sure! But never fear, the tubing extends to the exterior right into the exhausts themselves, so you will have had good practice with the interior portion already.

I guessed as much:D
and the hosing on the front of the vehicle, is that rubber too?


i have just put the first layerof paint on the hull
for the brown, im gonna go hard edge, i figure with enought DB everywhere it will look fairly soft,

because i couldnt source any spare polish campaign dry transfers, i am gonna paint the markings on except for the numbers, if anyone can jump to the rescue with a number in DT i would be very grateful

all the best

James

okay, i couldnt resist, and i couldnt not post this

i started the camo,
the pics arent great as they are using a flash at night time
but, here we go, im very very happy how its turned out