UPDATE - Shermans Shermans Shermans

After a 6 month hiatus of updates I bring you some  - updates.

I had dipped two previous projects back to plastic.

The first was a M4A3 76mm Sherman (Dragon 6325) that did not turn out like a I wanted, so I cleaned it off and primed it a while ago.

This weekend I painted the base coat, using some color modulation techniques with three different colors blended together. This one I am now going to paint as Creighton Abrams Thunderbolt VI, circa Battle of the Bulge. I got a set of Bison decals a year or so ago that has Thunderbolt V, VI and VII. I have a Dragon M4A3E8 that I plan to do as Thunderbolt VII at some other point.

The other tank was an M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo that I built from three different sources. I had another Dragon M4A3 76mm Sherman that I added on the additional armour from the Tamyia M4A3E2 kit, along with a Tank Workshop built up glacis and Turrent. I used a spare 76mm turned aluminum barrel from a Dragon Sherman kit. I don’t plan to model ant particular version, there have been many examples of Cobra King out there, so I won’t bother.

I had painted this one up before, I used Sommerfield matting on the sides, but realized I couldn’t weather it with all that on, so I abandoned that idea and dipped it back to plastic. I had primed that one a while ago was well. Tis weekend, while I was doing the M4A3 76mm, I painted this one in a color modulation scheme similar to the other one.

The third kit I worked on was an M10 Tank Destroyer with duckbills. I finished the build and primed it last week. Even though it is a TD, it uses the hull of a Sherman, so to me technically it is a Sherman J. The built is pretty much out of the box, with some clean up. The interior was complete and painted since my last update, I now have the hull and turret primed.

Thats it for now, will update again in a few or two.

Thanks for looking. 

Next - M10 Duckbill - Update 1

And the choice is... 

Not sure why this one is next, but I have had my eye on it for a while. This is one of three M10 kits I got from John O'Reilly, one before he passed and the other two after.

They are Academy's examples - M10 Gun Motor Carriage, British Achillies, and M10 Duckbill. I will build a second one at some time, but not the Achillies, the gun is just too funny looking :) Yes, it is a better gun, but I am building models, not looking for superior firepower.

I had cut out some parts, did some clean up, read the instructions about 20 times, and left it there for a bit. So formally putting the Jagdpanthers to bed, I needed to move on and took this one back out of the box and carried forward this weekend.

I had all the suspension parts cleaned up but I HATE Sherman suspension build. I usually leave it til last. There are not as many parts to the Academy kits as there are with Dragon, but still...

So far it is all "out of the box" building. I have no aftermarket stuff for this kit but I have to make a few scratch mods. The weld seams where the front glacis and where the rear plate meet the hull is horrible, so I cut that off, and scribed a line where the glued-on plates met. I will put some styrene rod in there with some liquid glue and will make my own weld seams.

Progress this weekend - much of the interior and the outer hull basics are done. Spent some time painting and weathering the interior.

More weathering to come..

That's all for now...

Stay tuned.

What next.. Choices, Choices..

I was hemming and hawing on a lot when the Jagdpanthers were winding down on what would come next.

There is a 72 scale Hasegawa F-4E Thunderbirds that I want to do in early 80's Europe-1 camoflague. I want to make one to look like the one that buzzed me in southern West Germany on REFORGER 81. They are big, they are noisy, they smoke like a son of a bitch, but they look positively malevolent, terrifying, and beautiful.  I have the squadron markings, just need the stencils (might have that from eBay) and the low res USAF roundels (anyone got some hanging around that they don't need?)

I have a Dragon M4A3 Sherman completed, I used to have it painted but had a tragedy testing out mud spatters. I dipped it back to plastic and it now sits with primer on it, ready for new paint. I got some Bison decals with Creighton Abrams Thunderbolt VI. I may do that – soon.

I have another Dragon M4A3 that I converted to an M4A3E2 Jumbo with some Tank Workshop resin parts. I had that painted and put Sommerfield matting on, but it wasn't conducive to weathering. I took the matting off, but had to sand down the sides, it needs to be painted again. I have the new Tasca Jumbo, but that is not assembled.

I looked long and hard at my Bronco M-24 Chaffee as well, but decided that I am going to do a few more kits and learn some more stuff, before I tackle that one.

I gave my Dragon Panther a hard look too, but I think I am Panzer-ed out for now.

So.. choices, choices… I made my choice..

* * * * * * *   RANDOM    * * * * * * *

A pic of my workshop.
A space for building and a space for painting.
Display space, work-in-progress space, book space, stash..

Tamiya Jagdpanther G - New coat of paint - Update 5 - Let's call it done.

The final iteration of Tamiya Jagdpather G -New Paint.

I added some pigment dust, but you  can hardly see it, added some oily grease to the back deck, added some mud spatters to the lower schurzen and wheels, along with the front and back. And finished off with some streaks. The guys at the club liked it, and suggested a few other things. I may come back to it as I learn more techniques for those little things that could make a big difference, but for the moment I am finished and pleased. I need to move on to something new.

And you can see what in a moment.

Some final shots.....

Tamiya Jagdpanther G - New coat of paint - Update 4

I have spent some time over the last two weeks on fading the overall paint job and applying pinwashes.
The chipping is done. I didnt want to over do it. I am going for an example of a late Jagdpanther in the early 1945 western Europe campaign. The vehicle itself is either a G1 or G2, but would not have been out of the factory all that long.
So the fading was started with a couple of filters using Winsor and Newton Yellow Ochre. I wanted to try and lighten the paint job. I did do some modulation with lighter colors on edges and uppper surfaces, but it may have come out too dark overall.
After the filters, I went with the dot filter method, at least twice everywhere, and three times in some spots. I like the effect that came out. No dull coat, the filtering with oils took the sheen off somewhat, but I dont think German AFVs are completely flat coated, but I could be wrong...
Once that was done, I did the pin washes to bring out the small detail.

So that is where it stands now.
Next up is some grimey streaks on verticle slopes, some selective dusting with pigments on the lower portions,  some mud spatters on wheels/Schurzen-front lower hull-rear lower hull, andsome engine oil spatters - in that order I think.

Progress do far

Tamiya Jagdpanther G - New coat of paint - Update 3

Small Update.

Got the clear coat on, and the decals.
The clear coat will make the filters and washes flow better.

I inadvertently left my Future floor polish out in the shed and it froze.
So I went with my my Tamiya X22 Clear, thinned 1:1 with Tamiya X20A thinner.
Next up, paint the tools and details, and a coat of Future or Clear, haven't decided yet.
Maybe I will test Future on the bottom of the hull. (that's why I don't put my stuff on mirrors :)

Tamiya Jagdpanther G - New coat of paint - Update 2

I have the running gear prep'ed and mounted. I needed to do that in order to glue on the side skirts, so I could paint the camo on the whole body. I have that completed now.

Next steps are to give it a couple of coats of Future polish to make it glossy, put on decals, more Future, then wait for a few days to start chipping, filters and washes.

I have a few progress shots.

Tamiya Jagdpanther G - New coat of paint - Update 1

So this is the Tamiya Jagdpanther, the one I tried a couple of times, did some learning on, and finally stopped.

It started on this blog entry
http://joegmodelhobby.blogspot.ca/2011/08/in-progress-jagdpanther-update-1.html

and ended on this one, with a few in between if you have the time to go looking.
http://joegmodelhobby.blogspot.ca/2012/01/done-with-it-jagdpanther-update-34.html

I dipped it in Easy Off and started from scratch. I am still trying to pull off a late war/Eastern Front G model with the dark green base coat, and I had finally found the inspiration for this try. I won't post his pictures here, but you can got to this website and see. It is a 1/16 scale RC, but I think the pattern will work quite well with my 35th scale beast.

http://precision-panzer.moonfruit.com/#/jagdpanther/4543165665

I am painting in the house these days, so it's back to Tamya XF colors with X20-A thinner.. Not much smell, cleans up with 70% ISO Alcohol. I like the Tamiya lacquer thinner better with these acrylic paints (which are lacquer based though - did I get that right Steve R?) ), but this works for me until I can go out in the shed again.

I usually mix paint to thinner 1:1.
The green is XF-58 green : XF-60 dark yellow in a 4:1 ratio.
The dark brown (which is actually red primer at this stage of the war) is XF-9 Hull Red : XF64 Red brown in a 2:1 Ratio
The yellow is XF60 Dark Yellow : XF57 Buff : XF2 White in a 7:2:1 ratio.

This version also has skirt armor over the wheels and lower hull, or Shurzen, as it was called by the Panzer forces.

If I can do a decent job with the weathering and finish I think it will look sharp.

Here are the first progress shots of the base coat. It took a couple of passes with the airbrush (Badger 200) with each color to get the edges sharp enough for my liking, but the weathering will blend that together when I get to that step.

Have a look and please pass on your comments.