That turned out Very OK!

Shawn,
That looks very good! I've never seen the octopus scheme before.

Gaz

Nice progress on the builds guys! I'd second the method of hand-painting the octopus scheme. Here's how it was then:



I gather this is the sole example of such camo available, so far. The swastika's been added post-war. There's another view of this same Tiger in the net.

Matthew: thanks for the detail shots. The molded in Zim looks really good. I know what you mean about all the pieces. There's probably almost a whole extra tank in there.

-zon

Interesting... I was initially thinking of making a stencil or a stamp but seeing how good a handbrushed one looks, I think that will be my best course. I noticed that the rings weren't uniform in that Tiger II pic as well.

Sorry if it's digressing a bit. More on that octopus-camo Tiger, this time as a model:



Fantastic paint job. It's a WIP over at ML http://www.network54.com/Forum/110741/thread/1470060839/last-1470192615/View+Thread

Well here are the sprue shots of my proposed build Dragons Master Series Fw190A-8 with underwing 30mm cannon and if the resin detail parts arrive quickly enough some Sg 113 recoilless cannons instead of the 30mm.

Chris,
I did some more reading on the subject. I never would have guessed electromagnetic activated firing. Thanks for the lesson!

Gaz

Alright, got to the place where I have to wait. Tracks and barrel on order, but have not arrived yet, hopefully soon.

Kevin,
Progress is good. Sux having to wait, though. Looks weird seeing the engine deck followed by fuel tanks. Then I remembered: It's not a StuG!

Gaz

Your welcome Gaz! I also think they worked with photo-electric trigger systems as well, large enough shadow and it would trigger the weapon. It was even more indiscriminate than the electromagnetic trigger.

They gave up the idea in the end as it was to indiscriminate it would fire on ANY large magnetic signature friend or foe. That and the war was coming to a close and the resources to refine the weapon just weren't there. It would however have been a bad day in the Russian tank corp when a squadron of these puppies were flying around the battlefield.

Kevin I echo Gaz's comments great work so far. The mantlet is interesting as the factory design team was given exactly 5 days to design and cast it! It does have the look of something cast in haste!

Tat the octopus camo looks intriguing I think I might wait till much later to give it a try though!

Tat: interesting camp scheme Thanks for sharing that.

Chris: that's a pretty wild weapon system. Would hate to find myself under it.

Kevin: nice progress. Hope you get your parts soon.

My laptop took a dump, so no progress shots until we can sort out a replacement for it. In the meantime I'm limited to commenting from the tablet. I am done with construction of the main components, which I will leave apart for easier painting.

-zon

Master Box’s Volksstrum Tank Hunter bicycle is a beautifully petite injection molded plastic piece... but it is the photoetch brass that really makes it pop!


I made the springs under the seat from fine brass wire, but everything else in the pics is what was in the box – this is one awesome kit!

Tim,
I'm speechless! I was getting nervous looking at the plastic bike before the PE.

I am totally impressed,

Gaz

Agreed, that bicycle is astounding...yikes!

Holy heck! I don't even want to know the pains it took to get the PE on that tiny bicycle just right.

Its marvelous!

You MUST BE a surgeon in real life with nerves of steel do build like this!

Very sweet!





Jeff

Hello, this is my kit for the campaign (scuse me, my english is very basic and bad)







Regards

Flavio

Hi Flavio,
Thank you for submitting your build! Your english is just fine.

Gaz

Time to get started on my Trumpeter E25 Tank Destroyer. I had planned on posing my first update last week but I decided to make some changes.

Started with the suspension. Each sub-assembly is made of two-halves with a domed cap. The instructions are a little vague.


Suspension mounted to hull. Also added tow brackets and drive sprocket housings and idler arms. Wheels, drive sprockets, and idlers done.
I decided to go ahead and paint the lower hull and running gear. I plan on making this a dedicated night fighter so I painted it Gunship Gray for its base coat.


I had planned to add skirts but decided to add "mud" to the lower hull just to be safe. I used Elmer's Wood Glue. I let it start to set-up then used my finger to poke at it to get some texture. After it dried, I then painted it Tamiya Flat Earth to represent mud and dirt.
Added "steel" to the roadwheels.


Trumpy offers indie tracks and rubberband tracks with this kit now...it is noted on the bottom left corner of the box top. The tracks were pretty typical...but a huge improvement over the rubberband tracks.


Track assembly was pretty straightforward. The links fit tight to each other. I used Popsicle sticks to force the tracks to sag.


I removed the tracks and sprayed them with Dark Gray Auto primer from a rattle can. I then painted them red-brown, medium gray, and then steel. I mounted the tracks.


Time to start on the upper-hull. Driver's hatch, antenna mount, driver's vision port, and ventilator. The driver's hatch is molded as one piece.


Top plate on. The kit gives you the option of a turreted version and a non-turreted version. I went with the version with the turret....for now.


The kit gives you the choice between two different plates for the rear deck. I went with the one with the access doors, but without the circular vent. I figured access to the engine "might" be important.
I'll paint the vent flaps red-brown then add the PE covers.


Now the E25's money-maker...the Panther's 75mm gum.


Assembly was pretty straight-forward. The gun was loose on both axis so i glued it in place.


Here is where things changed. The turret really is too small. I tried to add a MG42 handle to the inside and it was silly. And I hadn't even tried to get some other details added. I test fitted a figure and really was too small. I imagine the commander's periscope really got in the way as well. Look at it compared to a Panzer 1 turret.
The kicker was the lack of a gunner's sight. I was going to scratch up something but I really didn't like having to place it on the angled plating.
I decided to change to the non-turret version.


So I was able to remove the turret top with minimal damage. I added the non-turret top, which does have the gunner's sight...the binocular sights in front of the commander's hatch.
The kit's periscopes do not fit the commander's hatch. I had one in the spares...from a Dragon King Tiger I think. It fit with a little sanding.
I also scratched a cleaning rod case. I put mine on the rear. I wanted to keep the vehicle's sides clear...at least for now.


I decided to go with the kit's exhaust. It works with the rod case up there. The upper hull is just sitting on the lower hull...hence the gap. I'm going to add crew figures and need access.


I went ahead and painted the upper hull with a base coat of Gunship Gray. I'm still debating on how I'll do the night camo. Probably just dark gray and maybe redbrown. I might do a splinter pattern...I'm still thinking on it.


I'm going to scratchbuild the IR equipment. I'll give the commander a setup like I did for this JagSherman I did for a what-if campaign. I might rework the gunner's site hatch a bit to accommodate it. The IR scopes for the Gunner and Driver may differ a bit from the convention scope. I am thinking the Germans would make a case for them. I'll probably add a IR light to the gun mantlet.
I'm still debating on the skirts...though I am moving away from them.


That's where I a now.

G'day fellas

OK, the progress continues. All the wheels and those pesky little covers for the ends of the axles are now ready for paint.



As are the tracks. I don't like plastic link to link tracks, but this time seem to have managed them a tad better. Mind you, I still have to get them on after painting!



Front left view of the beast itself, and I used the plastic barrel for the gun because the metal one is a lousy fit and wants to droop all the time. You will notice that all of the tools are missing. That's because I can't see any tools in any of the photos, including gun cleaning rods, so had to scratch build some racks for those. You will also notice that there are no side skirts. The photos show that none of the Jagdtigers surrendering in Iserlohn had any - makes me wonder if they were ever fitted.



Back right view. You will note that the short piece of round rod on the engine hatch has been drilled out. This is because it was intended to insert a crowbar into the hole to lever the hatch open - that hatch was armoured steel and VERY heavy. DML make the same error on their King Tiger kits.



Finally, loud outbreak of cursing here.

I've just realised that X2 had six spare track hangers each side, not four! Back to the building!

Regards

Rob

Alex,
Thank you for the detailed description of your building progress. I like the idea of a dedicated night-battler. It should enable you to have some serious freedoms with the camo. I find the suspension interesting. Like it has some hydraulic component.

Looking good!

Gaz

Rob,
Great looking work there. Thanks for the tip about the back deck. I can put that in my memory bank for later. What are your tracks held together with? All I can imagine is pieces flying everywhere while I was trying to stretch them over the running gear.

I've wondered about the metal-barrel thing. If you are adept at seam removal and the kit supplied plastic barrel is straight, is the metal barrel an improvement? And for that tank, it would be a heavy beastie, too!

Looking forward to more!

Gaz

Hi..

it just happen that i just started building miniart su-122 last week.I would love to join this campaign if the kit is eligible.

thanks

Sil