HI all,

been forever since posting, havent been quiet, infact have been modelling like a madman. I have a Facebook profile set up to catalog all my works in progress:
https://www.facebook.com/shelfqueenmodels/?fref=ts

Ive recently started work on Trumpeters' behemoth Jagdtiger in 16 scale. Its an awesome kit and would be line ball with the Panther G as my fave German vehicle of WW2.

Quite a lot of the interior parts (at least in the lower hull) are from their King Tiger, so theres a bit to fix/enhance/replace. I'll be treading the middle ground between what Dave Parker did on his incredible King Tiger in terms of enhancements, and a straight out of box build. He added detail that would ultimately be covered up, for the sake of showing it in the mag (and book). I wont be doing that. If something eventually will be covered over or totally hidden from view, it gets built out of box. If its remotely visible, i'll fix it.

Heres where Im at now.



















Sam

Wow! That's a big build....looking forward to the updates.

Havent worked on the JT for a while, with other projects and the Xmas break getting in the way of things. Started working on the ammo stowage which isnt too bad mostly. Theres at least one rack that will need to be re-built, I havent photographed it as yet (as im still scratching my head as to how to fix it!)



Relocated master switch/fuse panel and fuel primer pump on firewall (some putty to sand still):


Corrected engine bay:


Rebuilt fan housings and air ducts, as the ones in the kit are more accurate for Panther, not Jagdtiger:






Scratchbuilt replacement trunking, rather than use the awful vinyl parts in the kit, as well as detail the fuel and radiator header tanks:



Detailed the engine, but only the stuff that youll end up seeing once its encased in the engine bay:




Lots of detailing/scratchbuilding required in the operators position:

Including fixing the simplified oil tank mount, and new fittings for oil lines:



Drivers area needs a lot of work too, new seat, lots of hull side stowage and a stowage bin on the sponson:






Transmission needs a bit of work too:








And finally the lower gun mount (the bridge) needs to be totally rebuilt. Trumpeter got this area totally incorrect.





The gun breech is actually quite nice, but will need a little work:




And a quick shot of the ammo racks for the cases (projectiles were stowed elsewhere). These are quite nice.


Im keen to get back into this monster undertaking now, sort of!

Sam

Some more pics.

I made a simple jig from some copper wire and plastic card for the seat back springs. Here I trialed it with 10 thou Evergreen rod. Didnt work as well as i'd have liked so went with copper wire instead for the springs:





Heres a shot of the kit supplied seat, with my new one as comparison:



The trans needs a lot of work, as id previously mentioned.

Its missing the drivers accellerator extension. This was added on the real thing so that the driver could drive with his head out and still reach the pedals


The large fuel tanks in the engine compartment should be a large singular tank each side, so they were joined, the gaps filled and new straps and bolts added


I cast up some details that will need to be used over and over, a 7.92 ammo liner, a gas mask container in its bracket and a spare episcope in its mounting bracket:


New engine bay trunking to replace the awful kit parts:






This is how Trumpeters' kit looks against Tamiyas' 48 and 35 scale kits. HUGE!



Sam

I don't think your last image got input into the thread....no scale comparison shot.

What you have is very good, nonetheless.

Yep. That's big all right..

Sam, I like that trunking and could do with making something similar for my Scorpion. Is that aluminium speed tape wrapped round a length of styrene rod? I had been planning to wrap it with thin wire but it would take ages....

Hi Bob,

Yep, aluminium adhesive tape wrapped around sprue from the kit. Covered with Mr Surfacer to seal it. Dave Parker came up with the idea, which is simple and woks well.

Sam

Not a huge amount achieved on this as of late.

Worked on the superstructure roof, Trumpeter did a good job on the detail here.



Also added the drivers and MG operators hatch mechanisms, and the 45 degree chamfered edge on the hatch plate above the driver and MG operator. This corresponds to a 45 degree locating strip that I also added in the hatch plate recess. Trumpeter didn't include this in their kit, but was a relatively easy addition.





Sam

Great looking model and a very clean build. I like the scratch building that you are doing and will copy when i eventually get round to building mine

Nice work, and fast and effective modelling too!

Arild

Worked on the engine deck lid, as I'm waiting on some aftermarket to arrive from overseas, and need to keep momentum going on this build.

Added welds using Tamiya epoxy putty, and tiny tie downs. Repositioned the AA MG base too.






The engine hatch itself had a series of seals and flanges (for want of a better word), these had to be replicated out of styrene. Also added a 45 degree chamfered plate in the hatch opening itself as per the real thing.






Sam

Hey Sam,

She is looking fantastic,can't wait to see her in real life at the next get together!!
Mike
Ps is that the 2 part tamiya putty you used?? I have seen Sheeds use it for making Zimmert, but have no idea how you clean it up?

Gday Mike!

Cheers, yep its Tamiya putty. Its good stuff. As for clean up, it doesn't require much clean up at all. For the welds, i make a thin bead, then apply and texture it, then use a knife blade to neaten it up. Pretty quick and easy.

Sam

Hey Sam,

I have borrowed some mig waffle tools from Steve & was going to use the putty as the base,Steve said I would need to clean before making each impression, to save clogging. But i have no idea what cleans it?? I thought Sheeds had mentioned water at one point??
Sorry for the 20 questions lol
Mike

Great update Sam, I love the gaskets you have added to the engine compartment door. You're level of detail is really well thought out. Looking forward to the next update.

Work continues on the engine deck. Added Aber mesh, which is finer and represents woven mesh better than the kit supplied PE.



Also lots of welds. Lots.


Added the rim around the circular mesh, and the welds that attach the mesh to the air vent.




Sam

good progress, Sam. Very fast and accurate work.

An update.

Added the sealing gasket around the rear hatches, Trumpeter only provides the bolts for this, not the gasket themselves.






Added flame cut texture to the hatches too, these were built quite roughly in real life.




Then spent most of Sunday adding dome lights, intercom boxes, steckers (power plugs), atemsloch (breathing tubes), spare vision blocks and gas mask containers to the interior. And all the associated wiring.


















Doesnt seem like much done for an entire days' work, but i'm pleased to be making progress again.

Sam

Sam

Phenomenal work and attention to detail. Can't wait to see what you'll come up with next.

Tom

Wow, amazing attention to detail Sam!

Hi all,

Ive been working on two difficult areas, as evidenced by the amount of Evergreen styrene used in each.

Firstly, the drivers dials and radio racks. In the Jagdtiger these were similar to the King Tiger, Trumpeter did a pretty poor job with this in the kit.
I started with the AFV Modeller King Tiger radio rack, and modified the rack to the Jagdtiger configuration. The JT rack was quire simplified when compared to the KT, I used a ton of Evergreen here to scratch build a more accurate rack.







Also worked on the bow MG. Again Trumpeter didn't do a great job on this. Whats included in the kit is basic at best. I replaced the barrel with an Aber barrel, which is lovely.











Sam

Looking very nice there, Sam.

Bodes well for their upcoming 1/16 Abrams.

Outstanding work, thanks for posting such a comprehensive build log.
Regards
Dave

Added radio transformers to the sponson shelf next to the radio operators position. 3 radios = 3 transformers. Trumpeter missed these entirely from their kit. I added these from AFV Modeller. Same with MG ammo gurtsacks, also added from AFV Modeller.







There was a semaphore or signaling device that ran between the commanders and drivers positions, for the commander to communicate with the driver if the internal comms went out. I added this to the commanders station, the internal glacis plate in front of the driver, and added the cabling next to the driver on the hull side wall. Cabling needs to be added at the commanders station.











Replaced the fighting compartment floor with better looking treadplate, and added lifting handles, something Trumpeter missed entirely. Also corrected the vertical projectile stowage in the left rear corner of the fighting compartment.







Sam