Magic Tracks!

Little late in finding this but will be watching closely. Kit is on the list of things to buy after some bills are paid.

Thanks Guy! Since I work with enamels and not acrylics I have to get a little creative in my methods at times since things like the "hairspray" method aren't options. Glad to hear this is helpful for you and may get you off the fence to try a whitewash scheme in the future.

Joe, better late than never! It's a good kit, I've always been happy with the DML Pz III/StuG III Smart Kit line and this is one I'd definitely recommend when you get the chance.

Looking great Bill. Not sure if the HS method would be appropriate here as IMHO it's better used on vehicles with overall white camouflage and not on a pattern like this. BTW I've read and seen in a build story a recent AFV Magazine that the white ink can be used as white camo medium. Interesting and worth to try.

spit

Looks great Bill...Interesting idea of using a white wash... I'm taking notes!

Pawel, always more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to creating a whitewash effect, using diluted ink could prove equally effective depending on the ink and the carrier it uses. If you give it a try, let me know how it works out.

Richard, thanks for the comments as well, I kept looking at the reference photo and was coming up empty with a way to create the effect I was seeing until it dawned on me that all I needed to do was allow the base color panzer gray to show through. Best way to do that was via a wash so I carefully tried out the mix on the underside of the hull to be sure I had it thinned properly before committing to it on the whole vehicle. It was still a risk as I'd never tried this approach before but was happy with the way it turned out.

This is great stuff Bill! I haven't been able to track this log as well as I would have liked. Hopefully I can get a chance to backtrack sometime tomorrow as it looks like there has been quite a bit of interesting stuff going on here

Hi Bill
I have also been reading your 2008 BLOG of the Ausf N Afrika https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/113894&page=1
I am trying to get my head around any changes and improvements in the Dragon range and wondered whether this is basically the same kit in terms of major mouldings just with extra sprues for the Winterketten? Or is it a brand new moulding?
Thanks

Just answered my own question with your thorough In Box review of this kit
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/5356




I really must learn to do more research before asking dumb questions!

Thanks Jeremy, this one moved rapidly due to the added bonus of the Labor Day holiday...definitely not my normal build speed!

VM, glad you were able to find the answer you were looking for. No such thing as a dumb question!

very nicely done Bill, this thread is chock full of great reading and comments and the finished model is a gem. the camo scheme turned out wonderful. thanks for sharing and for taking the time to write so in-depth. cheers, mh.

My pleasure MH and thanks for the comments.

What a great build so far. I love it when people do such detailed builds like this. It's so helpful for those of us that follow behind.

Thanks Dirk, appreciate the comments and support. I too find build logs helpful and look for them whenever I can to help avoid problems so I'm glad to hear this one is providing the same assistance to others.

This is a rare mid-week update vs. the normal pattern of the weekend updates but since the tracks were the last real item remaining, I've been working on them slowly a little bit at a time. After cleaning up the links, I went ahead and assembled them one track side at a time. I formed the bottom run first, adding enough links to go up and over the sprocket and idler and let those fully set up. The runs were then painted with MM non-buffing Metalizer Gunmetal, dry-brushed with enamel Steel, and given a wash of enamel Burnt Umber. Then I quickly assembled the top run, painted and weathered it, then inserted it over the return rollers while the run was still pliable enough to bend without breaking. The sprockets and idlers were added next and then the fixed run assembled earlier joined with the top run to complete the whole track. Even though the instructions call for 94 links, I only used 93 as I didn't want that much sag on the top runs.

The sprocket teeth and contact surfaces on the idlers were detailed with non-buffing Metalizer Steel and the same Flat White wash used earlier applied to them so they would match the rest of the vehicle.



The instructions also give you diagrams for the option of spacing out the ice sprags at intervals of either every 3, 4, or 5 links. I spaced mine at every 3 but didn't install them along the entire run. The top run and, of course the bottom run, aren't visible so I just added them at the front and rear and kept the rest as spares for possible use on future builds. I also detailed the rear Notek convoy light with Tamiya Clear Green for the lenses.



Once the main track runs were done, I could take stock of how many spare links I had left over and assembled the two spare runs. I used 7 links for one run and 14 links for the other for a total of 21 links. There aren't enough spares left from one side or the other to do all the spares required so the mix-and-match is needed. I added the missing pin detail on the end links for each run using small pieces of 0.5mm diameter styrene rod. For the front links, I created the open pin holes by drilling the links out with a #76 finger drill.

These links were also base coated with non-buffing Metalizer Gunmetal but were only lightly dry-brushed with Steel followed by a wash of thinned enamel Rust. This was followed by additional dry-brushed enamel Burnt Umber to finish the look I wanted. The runs were then carefully glued into place in their respective racks.





Now the vehicle will get a sealing coat of Future and its on to the markings and final weathering.

Let me be one of the first to say, Wow! Very nice paint job and weathering.

Hey Bill congratulation good job

I think you really nailed those tracks. Great work!

Your Panzer 3 is looking great.

Are you going to be placing decals on the tank?

Luis and VM, appreciate the comments!




Steven, yep will be marking this one as #116 with the 502 sPzAbt outside Leningrad using the kit decals.

Next I think that you will need to build an early Tiger 1of 502nd heavy tank battalion Leningrad Front.

Your Panzer 3 needs a friend

It's actually the other way around...I built the Tiger I Initial back in 2007 and it's been waiting for its companion for some time now on the display shelf.

Both models are very nice Bill.....

The Tiger is superb!

Paul

Bill: You did build this one pretty darn fast mate! And with a quite the sweet model as an end result A great companion for the Tiger, but I'm thinking you may want to spray some dirt on in the spirit of consistency?

I agree with MH's comment about your information packed entries during your build log here, always appreciated

Thanks Paul




Jeremy, thanks for the comments and never fear, the build isn't done just yet. While some people have commented on the "finish", I stated at the end of the last update ("now it's on to the markings and final weathering") that there was still the need to apply the decal markings and weathering to round this one out. Should be done this weekend though, more to come!

Bill- absolutely superb workmanship (once again). I apologize if I missed it in the thread, but what color and brand did you apply to the tool box and tool handles?
thanks
DJ