Bill, great work as always. I have been steering away from anything requiring adding the zimmerit. After seeing how this build has gone I'm going to hjave to try the one of the ATAK offerings!

Thanks Guy! Atak stuff is generally easy to work with. Just make sure you test fit and trim a bit if needed, have good glues, and most importantly take your time with it and it provides some excellent results. Plus, if you ever decide to go that route, you can "chip" or damage it relatively easily as well.

The Memorial Day weekend just happens to coincide with the completion of my latest MBA class so in celebration I'm posting an update a day earlier than usual because this is as far as I'm going to get this weekend!

Work continued on the fighting compartment roof as called out in Step 10. All of the hatches were installed in the closed position with the exception of the commander's "rabbit ears" scope hatch. I installed the base for the scope to the roof plate and will add the scope itself later after painting since a test fit revealed I could easily install it through the opening without problems. The plate was attached to the vehicle first and then the hatches and details added to avoid any complications with the fit. The gunner's sight and the driver's periscopes were masked with small amounts of blue tack putty to keep their faces clear during painting and small amounts of Steel painted on their rear faces to provide a little reflective color.

I also paid a little more attention to the ball mount collar...I wasn't 100% satisfied with the fit/gap look around the edge so I used some of the thin resin carrier film from the Atak set and some CA gel to add some strips around the curved portion to tighten things up a bit. Careful trimming with the tip of a #11 blade removed the excess and a little bit of sanding to make sure it was flush was all that was needed to improve it to my satisfaction.



With that done, it was a case of going through the various steps in the instructions and looking for details that needed to be installed before painting and cleaning up the stuff that had been temporarily skipped. I used the kit-supplied PE to add the rear superstructure scalloped braces, installed the fire extinguisher, the rear Notek light, and the rear side tool box. The antenna mounts had their bases drilled out with a #76 finger drill to prep them for the installation of brass antennae later on. I also surgically removed the spare wheel portions from the original kit rear engine deck plate and transplanted them to the Atak plate and added the rest of the mounts with CA gel.



The front fender details also received some attention. The front Bosch light was assembled and installed with some 0.5mm solder added to create the missing wiring conduit. The jack was also assembled and installed into position to round things out. The other fender tools and details will be added later after the hull base coat is applied.



The reason this is where the update stops for this weekend is due to the fact that the next step is the MK track assembly. That's a somewhat repetitive task and won't get done this weekend so there's no point in holding off as a result. Once the tracks are done it will be on to the painting stages!

Bill,

I have one of these in the stash. Mine already has the zimm on, but this looks very good. The seams of the zimm look especially nice! Good job blending.

Are the dark areas of the zimmerit the showthrough of the adhesive? Did you mention what adhesive you did use?

That looks great Bill!

Looks better than the real thing and I bet the paint is just dying to jump on there now!








~ Jeff

Thanks for the comments! I use a combination of adhesives depending on the size and area of the panel in question. For large panels I will use Gator Grip glue since it has a good work time but also grabs quickly once pressure is applied. This is followed up with liquid glue around the edges to seal things in and, if needed, some CA gel to tack down any edges that might "snag" or require sanding/blending. For smaller panels, I use only the CA gel and liquid glue combo. The darker patches you are seeing are where the adhesive has been applied to the hull and are not areas of irrgular fit or problems (the panels are very thin and translucent in places) but once painted that all vanishes. HTH!

Jeff, thanks for the comments as well, it's getting close to paint time for sure!

Dealing with the track assembly is always a time-consuming and repetitive exercise but the payoff comes in the end in terms of flexibility with the weathering and other finishing steps, so it's worth it. The MK set assembles fairly straightforward, just a matter of removing the links from their sprues, cleaning up the attachment points, and using the supplied jig to assemble the runs. The set includes 2 jigs, so it's possible to work on two sections of 8 links at a time which allows the glue to set up on the pins and guide horns but not cause an interruption in the process. The pins come with their own handles which simply twist off while the guide horn handles need to be removed with sprue cutters and the attachment point cleaned up a bit with a sharp blade tip.



The set recommends 99-100 links for a Pz IV family vehicle but I stopped at 96 links to allow for flexibility when the time comes to install the tracks onto the suspension and will add the extra links needed at that stage. So 192 links, 192 guide horns, and 382 track pins later, the runs are done!



Next up will be painting the exterior and moving on to the remaining details.

I couldn't sleep tonight so thought I'd jump on here to see what was new. I was happy to see that you're still working with Model Kasten tracks like you did in your build thread of the Trumpeter Geschutzwagen IVb. I will be building that kit soon ... finally and trying out the MK set for the first time too.

You make them look so easy to work with.

It'll be interesting to see your painting process on top of the zimm too.

Thanks!









~ Jeff

Nice build again Bill. Good job on the zimmerit as well!

Jeff, the trick I've found with the MK tracks is to get into a "system" of assembling them and work in sections so that you can see progress instead of trying to tackle them in one straight session. I usually will remove all the links from the sprues that I need for 1 run and then clean them up in groups of 8 and assemble them vs. trying to clean them all up then do the assembly for example. Has the added benefit of allowing the glue to set up a bit as well on the 1st section while I'm working on the 2nd. Good luck with your planned IVb project!

Frank, thanks as well for the comments, glad you like the way it's turning out.

This weekend was a productive one with a lot of progress on the paint work for the exterior. Not a lot of prep work was required except for the mounting the road wheels, sprockets, and idlers on trusty toothpick handles using blobs of blue tack poster putty. First round of airbrush work involved the application of a primer coat of Model Master enamel Italian Dark Brown. This helps check the putty work and insures there isn't any bare plastic peeking through the base coat.



Speaking of the base coat...that was applied next by airbrush using a 50-50 mix of MM enamel Panzer Dunkelgelb/Light Gray. I used multiple passes with the airbrush to slowly build up the finish instead of applying as a single heavy coat. This is particularly necessary due to the increased surface area and nooks/crannies produced by the zim application.



Next up was the camouflage pattern. Using the reference photo I dug up earlier along with the box art, I applied a brown squiggly pattern freehand using a 50-50 mix of MM enamel Military Brown and Leather. The pattern deliberately stops at roughly the height of the schurzen plates on the hull side to mimic what the reference photo shows.



Last step involved applying a mist coat from roughly 12" away from the model using a heavily thinned mix of the base coat and opening up the airbrush needle all the way to create a nice wide pattern. This toned down the camo work, fading it slightly, and tying it in nicely with the base coat as a foundation for more work later on in the weathering stages.





The road wheels, sprockets, and idlers got their due as well. They were primered at the same time as the hull and the rubber portions painted via airbrush using MM enamel Gunmetal (not the Metalizer!). The hubs on the road wheels were airbrushed using a circle template to mask the rubber tires.



Next up will be working on the exterior details and getting things ready for the weathering stages.

Very nice build. Now I want to build one

Thanks for the comments and glad to hear it helps spread "Brummbar fever".

Spent some time working on the exterior details and getting them installed. First order of business was assembling and installing the road wheels into position on either side and the spare road wheels for the racks at the rear. Then came the tools and tow cables. The left side received the idler tensioning wrench and jack block and it's important to note here that there are 2 holes that need to be opened up on the fender to accept the block but the instructions don't call this out at any point in the assembly. I modified the block somewhat, adding in the missing woodgrain texture on the sides by scribing in some lines with the tip of a sharp #11 blade. The block was given a foundation application of the 50-50 dunkelgelb/light gray mix used for the hull followed by a thinned wash application of MM enamel Leather. Once the wash had dried, I added some Burnt Umber pastels for a bit more variation. The wrench was detailed with MM non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal and lightly dry-brushed with MM enamel Steel.

I also detailed the gunner's scope and installed the "rabbit ears" scope for the commander at this stage.



The right side didn't have much to install, just the track changing tool and the tow cables. The tool was painted the same as the wrench on the other side as were the tow cable ends. For the cables themselves, I replaced the kit-supplied steel wire since it was too stiff with crochet rope thread of a similar diameter. To prevent "fuzzing" of the thread, I dipped it in Future and let it air-dry before painting it with the MM non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal and attaching to the cable ends with CA gel. The result is a more flexible cable that could be positioned as needed. The instructions-recommended length of 115mm is about right and DOES NOT include the length of the cable ends in that calculation.



The rear hull details got some attention as well. I used Tamiya Clear Green for the Notek convoy light lenses and Clear Red for the reflector. The exhaust was detailed with a base coat of MM non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal followed by a thinned wash application of enamel Rust. I used black artist pastels on the domed pipe cover to simulate exhaust accumulation. The starter crank was detailed and installed with CA gel, the only slight modification coming in the form of removing the molded on clamp handles and replacing them with PE handles from a Griffon tool set for added detail.



I still need to work on the spare track runs for the front hull but will take care of that when I finalize the main track runs for consistency. Then it will be on to the decals and weathering stages.

Looking good! I like how the side snake pattern does not go all the way down.

The rear fenders on the pz iv's always get me. They look nice.

Looking good Bill. I can't wait to see how the washes and weathering look on the zimm.

Nice work Bill... As always...

Mark, thanks for the comments and have to agree with you, Pz IV rear flaps can be a little tricky depending on the kit!

Guy, the Brummbar provides a lot of "canvas" to play with and the addition of the zim just adds to that. I always have fun weathering zimmed vehicles and am looking forward to this one myself as well.

Jim, nice to have you pop in as well, thanks!

How's the Brummbar going, Bill? Its really looking great so far

Hi Kirk! It's moving along slowly but surely, should have an update posted this weekend if the model gods are willing.

Managed to get in a good bit of work on the Brummbar this weekend and have some solid progress to report as a result. First up, some "pre-weathering" attention was given to the lower hull and running gear. I stippled some MM enamel Burnt Umber to simulate scuffs and scrapes and also applied some MM metalizer non-buffing Steel to the contact surfaces on the return rollers, idlers, and sprocket teeth. I used blue-tack to dry-fit the sprockets and did a test fit of the MK track runs to see how many links I needed to add to get the sag I wanted. 99 links in total did the trick and the idlers are still movable to allow for final adjustments when the tracks are permanently installed later on.





I also worked on the hull front spare track runs. I used the kit-supplied Magic tracks for these to add some visual variety since the solid-horn type of tracks were a later type than the main track runs with their hollow guide horns. I used a #76 finger drill to open up the track pin holes on the first and last links of the larger run on the hull nose for some added detail there and the small cleat faces needed to be trimmed off to allow them to fit into the holder due to the zim pattern reducing the clearance a bit. Both track runs were given a base coat of MM non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal, lightly dry-brushed with enamel Steel, and followed by a couple of applications of a Rust wash. I added some dry-brushed enamel Burnt Umber for variety and installed them into position. I also detailed the driver's periscope while I was at it.



Those were the last remaining details needing attention, so the entire vehicle was airbrushed with Future acrylic floor polish straight out of the bottle to seal in the paint work and prep for the coming weathering stages. I applied the simple decal markings consisting of a single-digit hull number and crosses using Walther's Solvaset to get them to lay down over the zim surface. A 2nd coat of Future to seal in the decals and she's all set for the next stage of the finishing process.

I really like your work,very nice.

I have one question though,how do you intend to paint the periscopes?

Kind regards,Sven.

Thanks Sven, appreciate the comments! Not sure I understand your question about he periscopes...they've already been painted? I used a small detail brush (18/0) for the driver's scope and the others were easily painted with a little care. Hope that answers your question!

The latest round of effort focused on the tracks and beginning the weathering process for the exterior. First step with the tracks involved airbrushing a base coat of MM enamel Burnt Umber and letting that thoroughly set up and cure before proceeding with the next steps. This is something I had done last week, so they had a full week to sit before work began with them.

Next step involved dry-brushing MM enamel Steel with a 00 round sable brush. This adds a metallic look to the links and replicates the contact wear from the idlers, return rollers, and sprocket teeth.



Track on the left has been fully dry-brushed, track on the right is in the base coat only to show the contrast.



Next step involves applying a wash of enamel Raw Umber using the same 00 brush. The wash isn't applied too heavily but is used to blend in the Steel from the previous step and provide a more subtle look/feel to the track.



Track on left after wash, track on right pending wash application to show the contrast.



This gets the tracks ready for pigment weathering in later steps, I also dry-brushed Steel on the track faces but didn't apply the Raw Umber wash there as there's no real point to that and it runs the risk of getting thinner into the pins, which can make the runs brittle potentially.

I turned to the exterior and started the weathering process with the application of an enamel Raw Umber wash. This is only a foundation for the later dot filtering steps and will get blended in with that process.



In the course of applying the wash I noticed something strange going on around the barrel sleeve. At first I thought a small hair had gotten left behind by one of the brushes but closer examination revealed it was a series of hairline cracks.



I hadn't dropped the vehicle and it hadn't taken any damage, so I can only assume this is a legacy from the fit issues I had earlier with the ball mantlet. A quick check on the other side revealed similar cracks appearing there also. These didn't show up during the assembly process or during painting, but we have had a lot of rain lately and perhaps the increased humidity caused it to flex and reveal the cracks.



I had to give this some thought as to how best to repair and settled on liquid glue to fill the cracks and restore some integrity to the sleeve. I used finger pressure to help seal the cracks but that alone wasn't enough, so some added putty work was necessary. I used small amounts of Squadron White putty rolled over the cracks with a round toothpick and carefully sanded down with a sanding twig. The liquid glue application revealed the extent of the damage was greater than I had originally thought.





Some careful work with a detail brush and some light dry-brushing restored the finish.





I'm going to let that sit and fully cure and then will have to re-seal the barrel sleeve with Future before the weathering can proceed. Didn't get as far as I wanted to as a result of the repairs but glad they surfaced now instead of later on when it would've been much harder to fix!

Didn't quite get as much done as I'd hoped...my wife forgot to put our outside cat who spends the night in the garage out on Friday and he must have fallen asleep in the engine. I went out in the afternoon to run an errand and started up the car and the engine belt must've caught him as he tried to get out...he lost quite a bit of fur (has a naked strip down one full side of his body!) but no serious injury and the fur caused the belt to come off...so I spent Saturday getting the car repaired instead of at the bench. Friday the 13th and a cat combined in a bizarre way!

Today had no such incidents and some progress can be reported. I started in on the weathering with the application of a dot filter using MM enamel Flat White, Raw Sienna, and Panzer Dunkelgelb. Since this finish has large zimmed surfaces, the dot filter approach has to be done a bit differently. Instead of downward strokes with a square tip brush, I applied the strokes in the direction of the zim pattern.



This takes more time and patience to get the desired result, so lots of time wearing the breather mask and working with clean thinner is required. The process blends the previous paint work together and also creates some shadows/depth to the zim and dirt/grime accumulations here and there in the pattern.



This process was repeated working in small sections at a time across the entire vehicle except for the lower hull. That area doesn't need dot filters since it will be weathered with pigments in a future step.





Next up will be a pin wash to bring out some of the details before sealing it up and getting ready for the pigment process.