must say those oil drums are great.... really add to the scene

Would you be interested in making a few dollars off of those drums?

Yeah Rob,evey little bit is pulling it together now. I'm working on loading up the back deck of the gun truck now (with lots of guestimation going on), but just adding ammo boxes back there changes the look of the truck!
Matt I'm sure we can do something, are you looking for dented or newish? Let me know.
Now it's time for anniversary celebration!

Wow it has been busy around here, but I have managed to sneak down to the basement for a bit... and this is what I've been working on.

I've been stacking that back deck, still searching for just the right height...


It is looking pretty close to where I will need it to be, but until I get the rest of those figures roughed out it will be a tough call.

So I started on three seated figures for the back and a possible remake of the gunner...



I think it will take a bit of patience, a little clay and some waiting, a little more clay and more waiting...

Just a bit of an update with the sculpting...







I have a sneaking suspicion that I may have to redo one or two of them. Well see!

Well, sometimes I hate being right! So it was time to start again on the figures... My "free style" approach was just not cutting it! What I needed was another jig! I love the jigs! A little measuring and a chunk of wood...


This gives me a standard human frame every time, they can still be adjusted. It doesn't take much to make a guy a little taller or a little shorter. Any way armed with the new frame work I went right ahead bending and fitting the new figures...

Another change in the program is in the sculpting. Instead of going right for the clothing I've been fleshing the figures out a bit first and it seems to be working really well.
Here are a couple more shots of the progress...



The process is a little slower (if can get any slower) but these may be the ones! I should have a couple closed to be finished soon!

awesome work

J thanks man!
I do have a little update on the figures,
Here is a group shot of them...

Here is a close up of the uniform...

Since I haven't been so good at the photo record of these figures I did start another seated figure that I'm doing step by step pictures for.

So, I was on my way home and I had this idea. Since I am using the leveling compound to build up the base, I was wondering if there was a grout that I could use that would be a little closer to the color of landscape... Well there is, an unsanded grout that looks very promising!
Here it is...

And an example...

I think using it for the dust effect too will help, of course I need to do a little more testing, but it's looking good... I think?!?!?

Wow, that looks awesome. And if you can find a specialized tile shop they should have grout in just about any color you can think of, from red to brown to black and tan or buff etc etc etc. And I would think that one $20 bag would be about a 30 year supply


Gary

You're right Gary, that bag is huge! I'm going to keep my eye's open for damaged bags. It would be cool to have a bunch of different colors available. Maybe I can get sample sizes somewhere! Hmmmm...

Along with the sculpting I have been working with the new grout on the base. The base coat went great but I still needed to come up with the small rubble. I spread a thin coat of grout on some plastic, after it dried I just crushed up a bit and what do ya know, that was it! I wet down the base and sprinkled on the rubble, that is the texture I was looking for!

I couldn't help it,,, teaser test fit...




Man I want to get this thing done!

Ace! Can you explain how you use the wood jig?

I sure can David. The jig was cut and notched to give me a soldering guide and markings for joints, shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees...


Then the frame work can be posed...


Since I am still scavenging hands and boots from my old figure kits, I can vary the height a little to give some variations in size. Then it is just the slow process of building up the body...

Wow, this is just amazing work.

Just wanted to pipe in that according to my knowledge DAK vehicle were sometimes field-camouflaged using "organized" (i.e. stolen or bartered) RLM80 Olivgrün paint, intended for Luftwaffe-units.

Eirik, thanks for the info! It makes sense that they would be using whatever they could, I had not thought of Luftwaffe colors though, cool.

A buddy of mine helped out with a web site for WWII jerry cans. I had noticed that the cans on the fender were darker than the vehicle, but I didn't realize that black cans were being produced at that time! So a repaint was in order... of course then I discovered that I had water cans (not black) so it was a recast and paint to get to where I needed to be...


I went ahead an repainted the water cans while I was at it...


I have also been working on the base, I got the drums glued in place and rubble tossed around them...

I'm working on a test strip to get the sealer, washes, and dry brushing figured out.

I don't want to take any chances with the base at this point!

@Babcat - do you have a link for that Jerry Can info? I've been researching myself lately.

I do! Here ya go... http://ww2jerrycans.com I hope they keep getting more info!

been awhile since ive been back o dry land but here I am and boy o boy this is certainly coming along mate the base looks awesome

Glad you're back J, and thanks for the positive feedback on the base. I know I've been greeting fired up as this project gets closer to the end... Maybe a little too fired up! I gotta keep the pace, no rushing! I almost blew it last night with a poorly executed layer of dust!
I have another dilemma too. I believe that I have identified the vehicle immediately behind the Horch, I almost positive that it is a Protze... So, do I ignore it, or do I build it... I'm weighing all that out now...
I should have some update photos this weekend, I kind of got out of the habit with all the sculpting, but there has been some progress in other areas!
That's it for now!

not saying it isn't but I don't think its a protz you cant see the bumper or the headlight which you would see between grill and fender ...?????? I thought it might be part of a sidecar...???

Yeah, it looks like you are right. There isn't enough of a dip in the front of the fender either to be a Protze. It looks like there is a fold down windshield there, and maybe a canvas covering a side mounted spare... but in truth there just isn't enough to make a call...

It does look like I can get close if I turn the ammo cart around backwards.

Any way, here is a side shot of the first layer of dust on the Horch...


I have been working on the base quite a bit too.
The wash and dry brush went well...



I have some more bits and pieces to add, as well as pastels, but it is getting close to done!

As always any insights are appreciated!

Thanks for looking...

A little more work, a near disaster, and closer to done!

I decided to get the steering wheel on there, so I needed to take a look at the etch parts... Hmmm... where did I put those? Well after a bit of treasure hunting (and good discoveries lost in the stash) I finally found the tin I had put them in! Sadly the etch is a flat and overly wide four spoke piece... that's no good. I tried thinning the kit wheel, but that just wasn't cutting it either. I ended up using the kit ring, some brass rod (.016), and the photo etch hub. I used a couple drops of epoxy to give the hub some shape.
Here it is before painting...

The installation though, pshew, that was a near disaster! I ended up with super glue on the dash, and goobered up on the steering shaft.... Noooooo! I was able to scrape it off, with the paint of course. Repainting the steering wheel, not so bad. Repainting the dash, very scary! I didn't want to brush it in. So I turned the pressure way down and sprayed it (while holding my breath!).

I'm glad that worked out!
I went ahead and mounted the fuel cans and straps on the fender.


And that is pretty much it for now!

keep going......
god I love them wheels

Oh I'm still going! I've been working on finishing the figure sculpting, heck I even started painting the ones that are done...


I have also been touching up the ammo trailer and searching for all of those small projects that are left to finish her up... I hate to say this as I have missed so many shows already, but I would like to get this done for AMPS international in April... fingers crossed! It will be ssssoooo close!