Messages

166

Showcase & Gallery / Re: Jgd Pz SU 85(r) WIP

« on: June 23, 2017, 10:19:08 pm »

 Nice work on the IS2 & I like the way your abandoned KV2 is going.
  I find the Mr Surfacer products pretty reliable for adding casting texture (though I suppose all they really are is a variant on the liquid green stuff theme), as you can ususally guarantee some sort of consistency in its 'grain'.

167

Showcase & Gallery / Re: UVS models

« on: June 09, 2017, 12:09:54 am »

 Nice work, as Pinky mentioned, gorgeous soft stowage as usual.

168

General Discussions / Re: Q2/17 New Releases - Final Box Arts 170602

« on: June 09, 2017, 12:06:44 am »

 I also stuffed them full of Milliput (never really understood why they released them like that, at that size, casting them whole shouldn't have been too much of a challenge, even if you reduced the detail on the rear - or cast them in two pieces, either would have been preferable) - anyway, good catch Swamprat33.   

169

General Discussions / Re: Q2/17 New Releases - Final Box Arts 170602

« on: June 07, 2017, 10:35:34 pm »

 

I am going to use the spare turrets to convert 2 of the Bolt Action plastic sdkfz 234/2 Puma into 234/1

Swamprat33, that is an excellent idea that hadn't occurred to me, consider it stolen!

170

Showcase & Gallery / Re: Steel wheel Panther F conversion WIP

« on: May 29, 2017, 10:19:46 pm »

Thanks Ripley, I'd read that, but never seen a representation. That a shortage in lmg production would've resulted in the return of an Ausf D type letterbox slot to fire the crews personal weapons through, (also no more AA mounted lmg) always struck me as something that represented Germany's worsening situation rather than a reflection of design preference (though of course there's a discusion to be had of the relative merits of the two mountings, with arguably the smaller the hole you cut into your glacis the better for it's overall strength). Evidence, (such as it is) certainly agrees with you that F turret & hull never actually met - probably why nobody gave any thought to the one the Brits got their hands on at the wars end - it being used as a hard target on the range at Bovington before being partially restored (or in this case, the bits welded back together) for the museum.
 For my conversion it means that I'll probably stick with the standard G hull (less work for one thing), but I've now fixed the wheels, which now have the central large disc bosses as opposed to the stubs.

171

Showcase & Gallery / Re: Steel wheel Panther F conversion WIP

« on: May 27, 2017, 10:43:06 pm »

Hi Swamprat33, which hatches did you mean - the forward crew hatches (driver/bow gunner) are usually represented as the same as the Ausf G, sometimes with more elongated hatches, though in the same position, & occasionaly as angled like those on the Ausf D (& the Panther II for Panzertracts & the Doyle book).

172

Showcase & Gallery / Re: Steel wheel Panther F conversion WIP

« on: May 25, 2017, 03:58:44 am »

I managed to forget to put blank discs at the centre of the outermost roadwheels, but that's fixable If I were to really go for authenticity I'd have to fill the guide teeth - they found that steel wheels tended to break the hollow ones of the standard track.

173

Showcase & Gallery / Steel wheel Panther F conversion WIP

« on: May 24, 2017, 01:47:53 am »

The Company B E-50 I'm expecting soon comes with a spare schmalturm, so I thought I'd have another bash at a Panther F, this time giving it the steel wheels the first one lacked. Thanks to being able to acquire the tracks/wheels from the Rubicon Tiger (many thanks Captain Blood) & with a Panther G in hand I thought I'd have a stab at swapping the wheels.
 The first issue is that Panther & tiger roadwheels were different sizes (the Panther's were slightly bigger), which required that the newly liberated tiger wheels needed to have a band of (in this case very thin plasticard)added to increase their diameter/circumference. I then had to extend the axles of the innermost set of wheels in order to securely fit the outermost.
 The Panther wheels that were attached to the tracks had to be removed & replaced with the Tiger ones  - & thats about it for the tracks (aside from a bit of tidying).
 It'll probably get additional armour plates on the rear deck/intakes & turret roof & some Thoma skirts (I've found some fine woven steel mesh which'll look the part) Hopefully this project can be fitted around the others currently on the go - will post pics as it comes along.

174

General Discussions / Re: Q2/17 New Releases - coming soon! 170515

« on: May 16, 2017, 10:53:19 pm »

I've really been looking forward to these

175

General Discussions / Re: An approach to optional Zimmerit

« on: May 13, 2017, 09:09:36 pm »

I'd see products such as these as optional add-ons, as has been said, these are models for gaming - but the choice/option as to whether or not to add additional detail to your models, while not essential, can only be a good thing.
 While I agree that 1/35 provides a larger, easier surface on which to place decals such as these I would argue that they would provide a possible approach for models in our chosen scale. 1/56 doesn't, for the most part, have the level of detail of larger scale models - & that's fine, they're primarily wargaming models (that said, Rubicon do a great job in finding the balance) - so I'm not sure it would be as problematic as suggested - & even if it were, it is after all, your choice as to whether to use them or not.

 
 
 

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General Discussions / An approach to optional Zimmerit

« on: May 13, 2017, 01:29:57 am »

 The Modelling News posted pictures fron the Shizouka Hobby Show, a couple of which demonstrated Tamiya's new  1/35 Brummbar kit - this contained extremely effective Zimmerit, in the form of a textured decal. While not the first example of this approach, it does clearly demonstrate how good it can look.
 Given the number of vehicles that could be depicted with Zim (Pz III, IV, StuGs, PJg IV's Panthers & Tigers - I & II with their tank hunter variants) it seems a viable approach, likely to be better & more user friendly at 1/56 than PE or resin add-ons. I don't know what it costs to produce the textured decals compared to the other approaches, but the potential quality of the results must make it worth investigating.

177

Work In Progress / Re: Digital Sculpts - BASES 170512 !!!

« on: May 12, 2017, 10:17:11 pm »

The dimpling on the bases is a good idea, I'd taken to scoring the surface of plastic bases as it helped prevent any 'peel-off' in the PVA type glues I use to attach basing materials. The height looks good, too tall & the whole figure to vehicle scale thing crops up.

178

Work In Progress / Re: German AA/AT Guns - 2cm FlaK 38 Prototype 170505

« on: May 06, 2017, 08:21:22 pm »

 I agree that in-scale barrels that are that small are inherently fragile, though I don't knonw how practical the inclusion of barrels in other materials is - perhap a blister of replacement barrels would be possible. I've tended to replace the barrels on any I've previously made with readily available brass or aluminium rod or tube, (art shops tend to carry them, as do Amazon & Ebay) which are far more robust at scale (or near scale) size.

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Work In Progress / Re: German AA/AT Guns - 2cm FlaK 38 Prototype 170505

« on: May 05, 2017, 10:14:26 pm »

That is very nice, way better than any of the pewter ones out there - I see an SdKfz 7/1 in my future...
 That said, will the 3.7cm flak 36/37/43 get the same treatment ? Playing late war I'd particularly favour the last of those.

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Work In Progress / Re: British 15cwt CMP Truck - TS1 Plastic 170502

« on: May 03, 2017, 06:44:36 pm »

Looks fantastic, the canvas tilt is beautifully done, when can I have one?