Hi guys, here are some pic's of my completed Kingtiger by Dragon (seconed newest) The fix was great, the hull halfs went together better than any other kit I have built, but there was a gap at the back, on top just behind the air intakes. Anyway here are the pics...(some may look bright/shinny but it is just the flash)











Enjoy!

Very eye catching try and add some rust to those tracks it would make a lot of difference,and point the gun up a wee bit.other than that good job

That's a nice King Tiger, well done! Particularly like the camo finish and decals. Not quite so keen on your snowscape though! :-)

Excellent job! The camo tones look great, they're very consistent. Are those indy tracks? Is the lower tow cable in the first shot styrene or wire?

...Kevin

Anthony,
I have to echo Tigeriv--rust up them tracks!

Nice, clean build and great paint job!

Are the links hanging on the hull rusty/weathered? They look like they have been camoed along with the tank. It could just be the flash though.

I like your tow cables. I take it by the 'natural' way they hang and sag that you replaced the plastic with wire?

Keep up the good work!

Keith

Thanks for the comments...

For the tracks on the side, I have auctally painted them in the camo, I found a pic on the net that showed this. Here are two, one model and one real...





Yes they are indy tracks...

Tow cables, they are wire...

And now I as you guys a question...

How can I rust up my tracks?

And...

What should I use to rust up my tracks?

Thanks guys...

None, Tracks don't rust if the tank is in battle.
Tracks only gets rust if they lie for 40 years outside.

Try to dirty them up, that;s the only I can say.
Even the exhaust pipes don't rust, only the end of the pipe became black that's all.

I hope this will help you.

Bye

Hilbert,
Is that right, they don't rust? I've read in many sources that they rust very quickly after rolling out of the factory and that only the high points on the tracks shine bright from wear. Though I imagine if one were weathering with dirt or mud then little rust would show.

I could be mistaken, I'm certainly no expert.

...evin

It dont take that long to get rusty.steel or most metals will rust after a short while if left in the right enviroment.ok smarty pants how come my 5 year old daughters bike chain has rusted after only 2 months left in the garden or is the bike 40 years old :-)

Yeah, just about any unpainted metal will start to show signs of rust after just a few hours of being left outside to the elements.

I guess the peanut gallery is finished arguing now, So I'll give you my method of rusting and I'm sure the others will give you some eqally great ways to do it. I take a medium brown and mix some burnt sienna to it. That is my base color, then I highlight raised portions with steel, them I go back over them after I install them on vehicle with a black / brown wash. I know some guys use black as thier track base color, I've done this and used gunmetal too. I like to vary things up . My rust base though stays the same. Others I'm sure have their own versions and I 'm sure they'll be only to happy to give you their methods.

The Peanut Gallery? I will give my two cents here, stemming from almost twenty years field experience as a tanker in the field.

The rust "thing" on all metal tracks is usually overdone on most German WWll armor models,IMHO. Yes, the track could/can develop surface rust when exposed to the elements. One good drive through mud, loose dry soil, sand, etc. will "scrub" it off. If the model is depicted in a static state (i.e. unmoved for some time), one can get away with coating the track with a lot of surface rust. If the tank is moving, shooting and communicating, (no or very littlerust), well you get the picture, I hope. Most German WWll all metal track on tanks that are in combat exhibit a "dirty brown" patina with bright metal in the areas where sprocket teeth and center guides, etc., meet metal to metal.

Even rubber blocked "Live" track will exhibit rust on end connectors and center guides, when the vehicle is left parked in the elements.

This comment is based on my observations over many years, in climates from the extremes of South East Asia to Germany to the Desert sands. Not only US armor, but armor from other countries as well.

Check the pic below of me standing next to the T-62 which had been outside on static display for over three months-The track is not a block of solid rust.

Sometimes the "Peanut Gallery" is pretty smart, and deserve a little more respect.

Regards,
Steve

Thanks all...