Is still possible to join? I got jagdpanzer 3 idea floating around and summer is coming so i have plenty of time.

Sounds like a great idea, Karl. You are most welcome to join!

Looking forward to see more of your idea.

Ill be ordering parts next week when i have enough money and then ill get doing.

I did some weathering with pastels last night, mostly just toning down the washes and blending, a little detail painting, then enough assembly to fit the tracks, at which point I stopped- the HB tracks have such small pins that flexing them enough to start installing them caused them to start falling apart. This is not a big deal, but I was trying to get this one close enough to being done to take it to a show this weekend, and decided I would rather wait and see if I could scare up something in the way of tracks that would be more appropriate for what I'm modeling. In the meantime, here's pics of how far I am at the moment:




Things to do (that I'm aware of now, I'm sure I'll add to this list), are: Turret MG, TC fig, tow cables, stowage, head and tail light lenses, fuel and oil staining.....

Looking very nice and unique looking so far Russel. I'm hoping to get the parts for my campaign project- been thinking of making a heavy tank by adding thickened armour and a 90mm Turret to an early E8 Sherman.

Looks great, Russell.

Only detail are tracks: they float a bit over the top of the rear drive sprocket, but that is maybe because you have not fixed them in place yet.

Looking forward to see more. It is awesome.

Time to post something on this one.

The Nilpferd, or Hippo, was designed by the German military as an amphibious personnel carrier and fire support vehicle. The design was rushed in to production for the planned Operation Sealion. It suffered from a horrendously slow water cruising speed, limited troop capacity, and stability issues in open water.
Production was halted with 35 examples built. These were re-designated as armored prime movers. They saw extensive use in the Pripyat Marshes.

Starting with the gratuitous box of miscellaneous parts. The major contributors are Italeri's old Panzer IV (F1/F2/G) and Italeri's Armored Maultier Nebewerfer kits. Basically, I'll be mounting the latter atop the former.


The first task was the removal of the flat sections of the rear upper hull.


Added the dash/firewall, seats, armored vision flaps. I modified the steering wheel by removing sections. The openings on the hood/bonnet are supposed to be covered by an armored pieces but these were missing from the box of parts.


I went ahead and cut the Panzer IV lowerhull. For size I used the bottom of the Maultier body. It has location strips for the kit's frame. I reinforced the pieces using the removed center strip. I used the Maultier body to keep it square while the whole thing dried.



I did the same with the rear and was able to retain the idler mechanisms. The styrene pieces are temporary until the thing dried.


I used styrene strips to add detail to the cab's interior walls. You can see the armored covers for the side hood/bonnet intakes. At this point I was not unsure what to do about the front radiator opening. I thought about a trim-vane but it looked odd.



Test fit of the upper hull sections. I ended up just fairing over the radiator intake on the front. You'll also notice missing suspension assemblies. These broke off while I was cutting the hull and will need to be fixed.


A shot of the cab interior with the top on. I'll be adding more details.


I had planned on using a set of old Dragon indie links. I found the tracks from this kit and used them instead. Test-fitted tracks. The gun is a 2cm weapon from Italeri's Bergepanther (I think). THe barrel is bent but I can fix that. The two figures are placed to give you a sense of size and help me work out some of the details.


Added parts to the cab. These were donated from an old Tamiya Grief I have in the spares. I also went ahead and pre-painted the cab and fighting compartment Tamiya Field Gray.


I added a bow shape to the front.


Time to start on the armor sides. Originally I was just going to continue the angled sides and make then flush with the cab roof. The problem with this was it left the rear compartment really narrow. So I went straight up with them instead.


I was able to use the kit's rear. I cut away the top of the door.joining sections were made to connect the side plates to the front and rear.


More details added from the Tamiya Grief kit. Fixed the panzer iv suspension.



Off to paint. I went with a coat of German Green.


Masked it off. Second color was Dark gray.




Decals and a light wash. Roadwheels painted. Added a tarp and a few 2cm magazines from the spares.




Shots from outside.




And that's it...she's done for now at least. I'd like to find something interesting for it to tow. It took about two weeks. I like the look of it. It looks like a rugged tow vehicle and it looks German.

I've already started on my second submission. It's a revamp of my Panzer IV from the last What-If Campaign. I never liked the way the turret looked so I'm making it a fixed casement like a Ferdinand/Elefant.

Wow! Looks awesome, Alex. A great build. Really looks like something that could have existed in real life.

Cannot wait to see your next build.

Alex- very interesting, looks the part.
Jesper- You're correct, tracks were just fitted to see if I wanted to use them at all. I'll be using some Dragon steel chevron tracks, but they're four links short, so I have to splice two sets. I have one set with the correct guide horns, and another set for a Sherman, same tracks but different guides, and I need to double check I have enough of the correct guides before I start cutting and splicing.
Timothy- I've had the same thoughts, using an extra M10 hull and E8 suspension, adding the applique armor and a Pershing turret. I think it would be very interesting....

Russell, that sounds like a very interesting idea. Should have very American Panther copy look.

Thought so too.....
I've been toying around with it for a while, and have all the necessary parts in the stash, including a built-then-disassembled Academy, M10 but haven't managed to slot it in. If I finish this M26 and have time, I may start with it, just for the relaxation factor that I get from "what-ifs". It's almost a no-brainer in execution, and shouldn't be terribly difficult. In fact, there's a drawing in the Hunnicutt Sherman book of an M4 turret on what really looks like the M10 hull, an actual design proposal for the next-generation Medium. Intriguing....

Some lovely stuff around and some major surgery performed. At least my whiffy was simple in that respect....I suck at scratch building Kudos to ye gents!

First coat of paint. Primed with rattle can Desert Yellow and brush painted with Vallejo IDF Sand Grey watered down. Second coat has been applied since I took the photo and looks a lot better now



Now to start all the detailing. Doors are just dry-fitted to aid painting but will be in the open position when complete

Looks cool, Sean. The weapons station really makes it look unique.

Looking forward to see more

It's looking quite interesting so far Sean. Strange that you brush basecoat with VMA though.

Finally finished my Australian Churchill Mk XX from the WIf IV campaign last week.

Will post photos Sunday.

Then on to my next magical trick, a Swedish STRV-103 "S-Tank" with the main gun removed, a 3 foot plug in the hull, a dismount area in the rear hull and one of those kickin' Live Resin remote gun mounts on the roof for protection.

Have the hull mostly together but all the fine work yet to do.

Paul

Every time I look at getting an airbrush Timothy I think of all the kits I could get for the money. 😀 Used be Humbrol enamels only to a few months ago and a friend recommend I try these even with a hairy stick. Once watered down I find they give good coverage nut are thinner than the enamels and you lose less detail. Plus they dry faster so I can do more per session.

Some light weathering and was then able to take the window masks off. Detailed insides of hatches and doors. Finished the RWS too



Ready for the decals now then wing mirrors, lights and aerials....

Looks great, Sean! You should reconsider the airbrush though. I hesitated for a long time like you, but in the end it is a great and worthwhile tool.

Sounds like an awesome idea, Paul!

Looking forward to see more

Sean, looks excellent.
I have to weigh in on the airbrush discussion... I don't use one either, mainly because I have very little space in which to model, and no place for a painting area. All my spray work is done with rattle cans, outdoors. And to further muck up the werks, my wife bought me a very nice airbrush and compressor last Christmas. So I have to say it's not impossible, as I've been told, to get a good finish without an airbrush, but would I use one (mine) if I had room: yes.

Almost forgot:



I got the Dragon tracks spliced to the right length, added 176 guide horns, painted them and when I went to install them, realized they were too wide for the drive sprockets. So rather than stop yet again, I pulled a shelf queen out of hiding and robbed the Friuls from it. Bingo, problem solved. I'm working on stowage now.

Russell, you should start using that airbrush - it is really great to work with. Your result so far is great without it though.

Excellent fit on those tracks. Great work! Looking forward to see more.

Jesper, we've got a relocation somewhere in the future, and I've been promised a dedicated modeling room, or maybe a shared modeling/music room in the new house. Should taht happen, there will be a paint booth and ventilation to the outside, as well as room to paint.
Guaranteed.
In the meantime, rattle cans outdoors.....
A start on stowage:

The rear bin has a sanded-down Tamiya tent bag, from their modern accessories set, as a "cover", too easy.

Again, it's looking very nice and unique.

Thanks, Timothy.
I noticed the other night that I had forgotten to replace the kit's closed driver's periscope with an open one, so rather than try it with the hatch installed, popped the hatch out and started over with a spare. It's painted and ready for weathering, should go on next time, along with the rest of the stowage and some jerry cans. I also dug out my bag of IDF and US kit figs, need an appropriate looking dude for the TC hatch.

Some progress from last night: turret stowed up, rear bin cover base coated, jerry can rack straps in. I also have the jerry cans themselves assembled and base coated in, and the new driver's hatch in. A ponderable: why do so many manufacturers mold all periscopes closed? Notable exception being Dragon.... anyway, pics: