I am working on the Tri Star Panzer I Ausf A kit. The Panzer is for Armorama's Barb Campaign.

This is a nice little kit with virtually no fit or flash problems. The basic hull, turret, and suspension build up very quickly. However Tri Star supplies a lot of little plastic detail pieces, (that are fiddly to work with), but add a lot of snap to the kit. In addition the kit includes Aber PE muffler guards which are a nice touch.

The tracks for this kit are a beast. The plastic indi links are extremely delicate and have to be joined with track pins that are about as big as a gnat's eyelash. It will take a number of days to complete the tracks with approximately 88 link assemblies per side.

The pics atttached are in progress, showing the basic assembly before painting, and after.
Decals are not yet applied, nor are the tracks available for installation.

This is a good kit, that just takes some patience (and a couple of beers) to complete

As always, helpful comments are appreciated. Thanks.

Steve

SteveWWH

Finally see your post of the PzIA. Your piece of art work really impressed me. I like the way you paint the kit. I have the same PzIA but lazy to build it. Keep it up man, you are one of the best modelers that I know in the armorama.

Very cool. I think the overhead shots of the painted tank are the best. How are the exhaust ends? Just solid stubs, or are they somewhat hollow?

Steve WWH, such beautiful work. any tips on those tracks??? STUG

PERFECT! Lord WWH your superb skills in painting is awesome. as Sushi had said you are one of the best modelers here in Armorama. I like both yours and Obe's (remember Obe? he is fine) approach to this great kit. His is very well weathered, and yours is subtly weathered nevertheless effective just the same.

Great work!

Very nicely shaded, I look forward to seeing the final photos as well.
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Beautiful Panzer! I like the detailing, and photo etch! I love the progress pics. You are certainly one very talented modeler. An eye for detail, too, is evident. Looking forward to seeing the completed model. Sel has worked with tracks like that before, I was sure he'd need new glasses and another eye exam. LOL they can be a real pain.

Great job, very impressive.

Steve, You continue to impress me with your skills at both building and painting. I just wish I had half your talent in the painting field. Good job on what looks to be a nice kit. :-)

Lord Steve great looking Panzer I Are those tracks really that bad to work with?

Verry nice and clean build Panzer I Steve btw are tose winterketten

Chad, yes they are!

The links come in pairs, (on little individual sprues), one marked "left" the other as "right". It takes 6 snips to get these very delicate links off their sprue, and there are approximately 88 indi links per each track side. Even with a good quality sprue/part snipper, fine sanding is required to clean the links up so they will fit together properly. You have to be careful here as these links can break if the sanding is done too firmly.

For assembly, a piece of double sided sticky tape is required, one side sticks to the work surface, the other side holds the links as they are assembled. The assembly side can't be too sticky, or the links/track will bust when you are trying to get them off the tape after assembly.

After slipping two individual track links together, a very very tiny pin, that is molded on the end of a small sprue, (the sprue looks like a mini sausage---see the first two pics), has to be inserted through a small hole in the links to join them together. Once these pins are fully dry, (I wait a day), they have to be snipped off cleanly from the little sausage shaped sprue.

Positioning the links together on the tape, and holding them still, (while trying to insert a teeny glue laden track pin), takes patience, (cause you get to do it about 170 times --- lol).

Dave Tong, (aka SS74), has told me its no picnic trying to get the fully assembled track onto the suspension either, as a final little track pin has to be installed (when the tracks are on the suspension), to tie the whole thing together.

Chad, don't get me wrong, these tracks look great once a length is done, its just very time consuming work to get to that point.

If I had to chose between similar kits, with the only difference being these types of tracks, or something much simpler, I'd take the simpler route. That's just me however. If someone enjoys the challenge of working/fiddling with petite parts, then the tracks in this kit are right up their alley.






Hi Ron---no sir.


Thanks to all for your kind comments.
Steve

Rock on, Steve-O. That is a fine plane you have there. Good camo too. It looks just like a tank. How do you do it? #:-)

It really does look good, buddy.

Steve,this is a very well done build.
For the final connection on the track,get it installed with the open at the bottom.Put a piece of masking tape to connect the bottom,and stick/glue the pins.To ease the stickiness on the masking tape,put it on your arm,and remove it a few times to reduce its power.

We ought to find a way to compare the various Pz-1's that are being built.And then we can all comment on the pros and cons of everyone's build,in a FRIENDLY way...

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Wonderful crisp and clean build. the paint is awesome. Great work.

Clean building ... with no smudges and everything sitting nicely, one can commend the kit but the paintwork and subtle weathering is excellent. Well done steve, nice one old chap!! Looking forward to seeing this one finished. Very impressive.

Da paint master
I applaude you on your bueatiful Panzer 1 the paint work brilliant, the attention to detail awesome and weathering excellent.

ROCK ON DUDE!!!!!!!!! #:-) #:-) #:-) #:-)

Steve:
Yet another fine looking piece of work and a break from your usualy OD paint schemes. Don't fall into the trap of Kraut armor, you'll start bleeding dark yellow (or dark gray)!!!

Looks Awsome Steve.. your coming down the final stretch!!!

Well done ! Like the paint job. What do you use, acrylics or enamels ? Nice fading.

Very nice looking little tank Steve! Stay with those tracks and you'll be done in no time.

Are the drive sprockets and idlers glued on already? If they aren't you can link the two ends of the track together and attach them like rubber band tracks.

Good luck!