Random Updates August 25, 2013

I am just finishing 3 weeks of vacation and got to spend a bit of time with the hobby in between other chores. So before I go back to work..

I was testing a few things and got to practice some painting techniques on some stowage. I put together and painted some US and German jerry cans. I also made myself a little paint chart with colors I have on hand, for when I do paint other stowage items. I would rather go right out of the jar than mix, that way I can repeat much easier when I need to.

I was also trying to figure out how to build an air recognition panel for the back of my WWII AFVs. I tried two methods. One was build with Apoxy Sculpt, the other was to use think aluminum foil. Foil was a none starter, couldn't form it right and paint didn't cover well.

 I used Apoxy Sculpt (2 part apoxy putty) and flattened it as thin as I could with a glass pickle jar -not opened ( I think I can go thinner) and when it dried I painted it. It took a while to find something that I could call Cerise, it is actually Brilliant Magenta. I THINK this is the color they used, but will have to try a few other things yet. This shot is the result of my testing and fooling around.

I made some progress on my M10 Tank Destroyer. I painted the stars where I could and used a decal for the front. I recently bought a jar of chipping fluid and tested that out so that I could use it on this TD. The rear deck gets a lot of wear and tear/scratch traffic, and the side plates get scratches going through the woods. So I decided to chip that since I painted the stars with a Lion Roar stencil. I painted the base color, then sprayed on the chipping fluid, then painted the white (actually light gray) stars. With a Testors brush and some water, I was able to wear away some of the paint. I did better in practice, but with some weathering and other effects, this will look OK.

Shots of chipping practice and the M10. It looks shiny because I Future-d it to put on the front star, the bumps made stenciling improbable, and the bumper codes. I had to make the codes up from a small decal sheet with individual numbers – front and back! It looks mostly lined up J Didn't make up the unit though, 702 TD was attached to 2^nd Armored for the whole European campaign, using M10s up til Jan 45, then they switched to M36 with the 90mm gun.

Not sure why it struck me to dip a Tamiya Willys Jeep in Easy off and start from scratch, but I did it. Who doesn't love a jeep J. This is the third paint job in about 4 years for that particular model. I scrounged through my decal pile to come up with authentic decals for it, and that is where it stands now, and probably will for a while. Next steps would be to paint the details: rear lights, seats, dashboard, etc, then go at the weathering. Should be fun, again!

Lastly my Sherman rear deck stowage came and tonight I painted the base coat. Next up is a coat of future, an overall filter and then some washes/highlights. Still got to put some pigments in the road wheels, and other little touch ups.

And the Sherman Jumbo? Nothing new on that, BUT I wouldn't be surprised to see that get a coat of chipping fluid to build a weathered winter white camouflage, finish all chipped and worn.

That’s enough for now..

More coming, stay tuned.

Update Sherman M4A3 (76mm) Thunderbolt VI - Aug 17/2013

A few minor things to update.
I have added the tow cable and the board across the nose to hold up the Jerry Can and Ration box. I also added pigment with pigment fixer against the lower hulls sides. This stuff drys rock hard and the pigment becomes a permanent part of the model, no mushing or drying up and falling off, even after handling. I will add some pigments to the road wheels as well, and then give it a shot of XF57 Buff overall to blend together. The fixer will allow me to do this. I should have gotten some of that a long time ago.

My Value Gear Sherman Deck accessory is on the way, will add that when it comes (and I paint it).

Some more streaking over the star and Thunderbolt and more storage hanging from the turret.

I also experimented with using Apoxy Sculpt (2 part apoxy putty) to scratch build a recognition panel for the rear, but will have to build a new one when I get my deck piece. OR I can make one out of painted aluminum foil. Will try that too.
This is a fabric panel with the color Cerise, for observation by friendly aircraft. This would have been the WWII version of International Distress Orange. I can make Cerise by mixing Red Blue and White.
This is what it is and where it goes.

Stay tuned....

Update Sherman M4A3 (76mm) Thunderbolt VI - Aug 10/2013

More detail work in this update, seems like the small things take as much time or more than the big things, while hardly noticeable to the average eye :) .

The big thing I have done last night that I have not attempted before is the streaking on the large flat side of a Sherman.

I dabbled with it on the "yellow" Jagdpanther, but taking lessons from Andreas Grewin's fabulous Sherman Jumbo http://modelhobby.eu/2012/10/sherman-m4a3e2-jumbo-king-cobra-completed/ I was able to go further with it by doing almost a whole panel, instead of selective large streaks.

Still a ways to go. I have to put on the big streaks from the overflow of the gas tank refilling cap, and have to do the mud splatters on the running gear, and lower front and back.

No pictures of it, but this morning there are more highlite details with pinwashes around the small details the bogey wheels. I have also cleaned up the tracks a little, adding more mud for consistency where there was little, and I have used my graphite pencil to make the constant contact points of the track/sprocket shiny.

I also toned down the large streaks on the transmission cover, I thought it drew too much attention.

As well,I have a stowage pack for the rear deck coming from Value Gear Models. It looks like this (Manufacturer photo of painted product on an unfinished model).

More to come. Stay tuned ( I am on vacation and getting at this regularly).