Hi, this is the Italeri's Puma for the Spahwagen campaign. I reckon i would get more comments and criticisms here and also since there isnt any option to choose the campaign name in the CCC topic title.

This is my first real dirty vehicle, i dirtied it up alot and i thought i overdid it but weird when it comes to pictures, alot of the dirt dust etc doesnt seems to show up. Oh well...













Comments and criticisms welcomed!

That's a pretty cool Puma. I have one exactly like yours given by Blade48mrd. That will be my entry too for the Spahwagen campaign.

I like the way you weather the vehicle...not too much, yet not too little. How did you do the paint chips? I'm always at a loss on trying to make realistic ones such as yours.

Personally, I would like to tone down the rain streaks, they look a tad too thick.

A couple of other things.

1) If it is still possible, replace the antenna with wire or stretched sprue. It's quite thick.

2) If it is still possible, replace those parts with the balls at the fenders with wire. They are quite thick for the scale. Also, paint the little balls white.

3) Add some stowage (i.e. bags, crates, etc.)

4) The tools are quite clean, especially the jack. Dirty em up a bit by adding rust, dust and grease.

5) The straps holding the jerrycans need to be drybrushed with lighter color a little bit more so they would appear as straps, not part of the jerrycan itself.

6) The periscope guards a little too thick. If possible, it would be nice if you could substitute thinner styrene plastic or aluminum sheet for them.

7) It may be the picture but the co-axial machine gun doesn't look right. If you can find a spare barrel in your spare parts box, that would be great.

8) The grenade launchers are a little too thick. If possible, you can replace that with those of thin drinking straws or brass tubing. Add a few wires behind the tubes and make them disappear into the hull. Grenade launcers were fired electrically from inside.

Other than those things, i think this Puma is a winner!

Angela

Hi guys,

Angela, thanks for taking the time to write out those tips. I appreciate it. I built this kit OOTB and not much research is done. I'll try to dirty up the tools but for scratch-building stuff, i'm a goner! :-)

Hey Harrison, I gave the puma a satin finish so that kinda explains the partial shine.

Chips are done by painting (Tamiya German Grey) with a sharpened toothpick.

No worries, Spirit's Eye. Even if it's OOB, it sure looks beautiful. Those were just suggestions. I wonder if I could ever weather something like that.

Don't worry about the researching thingy. Blade48mrd gave me a book on the Spahwagens. Your Puma is excellent and "coincides" very well with the pictures on the book.

Angela

Hi Danny,

Angela makes some valuable suggestions. Since she has actually built a Puma and spent a great deal of time researching the topic, I agree with her comments.

The only aesthetic thing I could pick up was a seam on the spare tyre.

Other than that... love it! Well done!

Rudi

Angela, as usual hit the nail on the head with the suggestions. Others as usual seem to take any oportunity to make a pointless comment...

As the expression goes:
...Jim

Simply, it is extremely bad manners, to belittle the conribution of another poster, particularly when the other has made so much effort to help...

Danny, that's a great looking Puma, I having been looking to pick one up for ages, looking at this one I definately will. OOB is good, I particularly like the finish of your wheels/tyres. I too spotted the seam on the spare, but the jury is still out on seams, as new tyres have mold seams in real life. The new Pzr IV sets from Tristar and Dragon actualy boost that they have added the mold seams for added accuracy....

Jim, the phrase ' one step forwards, two steps back' springs to mind...
:-)

Cheers
Henk

Henk, that's a very good point... one which admittedly I never thought of. IMHO though the seams wouldn't be as bold or large as these here... scale-wize they would be very fine... or at least to my mind's eye - I just went to have a look at my wife's new tyres after reading your comment, and they really do seem very fine...

You have given us something to think about... thanks

Very nice, only thing that comes to my mind is painting the gas can straps.

nice build
-Shain

Spirit'sEye, did you take that photo with a digicam? Try to activate the Macro settings (flower). I think that will sharpen up the image.

Angela

The 1st thing that caught my eye were the tires wow! If you want, along with carrying out Angela's suggestion concerning the tools, you may wish to rust up those mufflers as the heat passing through them would do away with thier painted surface rather quickly. That would help tie in the chipping you have already done, pointed out by Harrison.

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advices!

For the seam on the spare, well i did sand it but the more i sand the more i realised that the details are being sanded away! So i stopped and let it be.

Angela, i did turned on 'macro' on my digicam but i guess my photo-taking skills sucks and i do not have a tripod.

I agree that the seam on the real deal doesnt look that big like in my Puma.

I will try to rust up the mufflers and exhausts.

Replace the antenna with a stretched sprue.

Paint the tip of the width indicator white.

Dirty up the tools and paint the straps of jerry cans in a different shade.

I was surprised at how the wheels turned out. I used MMP powders and am loving it!

Danny,
Great job, I think you have done a great job, but by following some of the advice given, you could take it to the next level. My good friend and modelling buddy has a thing for Puma's, his model has been awarded best of show at two contests along with numerous other awards, so as a shameless plug to him I will post a picture of his, now granted he added a lot to the base kit, but it can be made into a respectable model as you have shown with modest improvements. So here it is.


Best regards,
Robert

Hmmm....don't paint the straps with a different color. It's good as it is.

Just make a dark wash (burnt umber is a good one) that is thicker than usual. Pinwash the edges and lines of the stap it so that it would have a dark shadow at the edges and crevices. Then, drybrush the strap with a lighter version of the original color so it would contrast with the shadows.

No need to change the color of the straps....just a little accentuating.

Wish MMP powders are available here in the Philippines. What should I do to make an "MMP-powder-like" substance out of chalk pastels? Anyone?

Angela

Angela,

If I recall correctly, besides coming in military colors - I think MMP Powders selling point is their ability to bond to a model when applied wet and not lose thier "potency". I, however, have not used them so I cannot really add any more other than you can't do that with chalk pastels.

I have found that an airbrush and the right amount of diluted paint can achieve similar results as mmp powders or pastels & you can handle the model afterwards.

Hi guys

Robert, your friend did an excellent job with that Puma! It will take me some time to build up that skill.

I find that powders gave me alot of control than normal paint. If i dont like how it turns out, i can rub it away with a wet tissue paper or smear it around with my finger.