Martin;
SWEET! I mean this is COOL, and really inspirational to me (I have this kit lurking around my bench with some PE...)!
The interior is really nice- I like those bits where you have wired the radio and supplied the MP40 with a strap, for example. All in all, quite splendid and I will crib a few leads from you for my inners, Thank You!
I do have a couple of things: I think that your muffler heat-shield is, frankly, too rusted! It's a heat shield, and it will have both road dirt and, likely, some paint, left on it. (By the way, I think MANY folks overdo this... look under any car or truck on the road- see that muffler. It's almost always dirt-grey or brown and little rust is showing. I think the same would apply to any tank in the field- just my experience (oops! opinion, too!))!
The muffler beneath may be rusted, but the heat shield less so. Maybe more painted as your Marder is in "winter-plumage" with white-wash over its usual paint. That white-wash would go over "everything"- and cover some of that rust?
Likewise... you have depicted what looks like a somewhat "field-expedient" white-washing- maybe done with some old brooms or brushes... did the crew carefully pull all the tools and stuff off to do this? I have seen a large number of field pics from WWII showing German vehicles where it is apparent that everything got painted. I should think it was likely in "your front" as well! So, seeing a nice, clean jack looks a little odd.
Of course- it could be a replacement after the painting, so...
Already been mentioned- but maybe some weathering and dirt over the white-wash? (Not that a fresh white-wash job is bad- it had to go on new sometime!)
Maybe get the track and lowest hull dirty- and this could be pretty fresh job otherwise!
Just a couple of thoughts! Your Marder is really nice either way you go on these! I really like it and, again, think I'll look at your pics whilst working mine!
Cheers!
Bob
