Dragon Hummel

[Tarasdad]

Taking a break from the Arizona while I try to figure out some paint issues so I decided to get a start on my 1/35 Dragon Hummel Late Production.

First off let me say I am simply amazed at the level of detail of this kit! There are parts on the trees that are so tiny I can barely see them to tell if they're actually parts or just bits of flash! Here's my progress so far:



I'm debating whether to start painting the interior at this point or wait until the sides are on. The driver's compartment lacks any detail so I may end up with closed vision ports rather than open although I hate to pass up the detail there. The wheels still need to be cleaned up, seams and sprue attachment points mostly.

More pics as the build progresses.

(Oh, and please pardon the messy workbench. I've been meaning to clean it up but keep getting distracted!)

[Hillbilly]

Excellent start on an awesome looking kit.And remember...a clean workbench is the sign of a sick mind

[rm6239]

Hi mate

Dragon kits can be impressive, pity about their instructions.

Leave your vision ports open mate, this model has a pretty detailed OOB interior, I added lots of extras, like cigarette packages, helmets, personal equipment etc and with all the vision ports up you can't see anything except the hint of colour where I painted it.



As for the interior, without seeing the instructions I wouldn't dare advise.

Still I'll be watching whatever you do.

cheers
Rossco

[Tarasdad]

A bit more progress:


There are a LOT of parts on this gun! Right now there are 37 parts installed with many more yet to go. I decided to go ahead and paint some of the bits that will be difficult to access once the gun is in position. I may just paint the whole thing prior to installing it on the chassis, haven't decided yet. One thing I do know is that Model Master Acryl Panzer Dunkelgelb sticks to turned aluminum WAY better than it sticks to plastic!

[mick]

good start

[AchtungPanzer]

Nice kit and metal barrel . Good work - Keep it up mate

[felisbarcinonensis]

Looks very promising!

[Tarasdad]

No progress today worth mentioning. Still working on the gun - 66 parts in that sucker all told! Starting to work with a bit of the photo-etch. Since this is my first time using PE it's taking me forever to get anything done.

[Tarasdad]

Finally managed a bit more progress.

Fighthing compartment





First bit of photo-etch - 45 minutes to fold this!


There's still a long way to go. I haven't even thought about the tracks yet - 144 links per side provided although 13 links go on the front of the hull. Still a lot of photo-etch as well. Only mangled one piece so far, not bad considering the delicacy of some of the pieces and my lack of a proper bending tool.

[Tarasdad]

Taking a little break from the Hummel to work on my USS Arizona build some more. Painting time on that one! Lots of detailed hand painting on the decks, yikes!

[Donkeywalloper]

Tara, you have done some superb work on this mate.
Sometimes it's good to step back and work on something else, and let the blood come back into the fingers and the eyes adjust away from teeny tiny PE.
Its an awesome job though so far.

John

[Tarasdad]

Got the Hummel just about ready for paint. Still need to build the tracks first so I can get the idlers glued on. Here's where it sits now:






I'll be using Model Master Acryl paint over Tamiya primer. Here are the camo colors:



I'm sad to see this build getting close to the end. I've really enjoyed this kit despite the challenges it has presented. It has most certainly made me a fan of Dragon kits! I look forward to building more of them!

[Tiger131]

looking good there are so many builds on this site now it hard to keep up...so i will look forward to seeing more of this build if i can find it

[Donkeywalloper]

looking good there are so many builds on this site now it hard to keep up...so i will look forward to seeing more of this build if i can find it

Your right about amount of builds, I thought this was a very inclusive club
How did I get in the door then
Lovely work.
John

[UKguyInUSA]

Looking brill so far Father of Tara!

[Tarasdad]

Weather the last couple of days hasn't been kind to my arthritis - cloudy, humid, and hot. Finally cleared up today (just HOT now) so I felt like tackling the tracks, the last bit I need to do before painting. Got the left one done!



I'm going to let the glue cure a bit before pulling it off for painting. Also going to count links to match the right side up. The idler isn't glued so I can pull it off to make track removal and installation easier. It'll get glued on once painting and weathering is done.

The blue tape in the pic was used to get a basic idea of how long the tracks needed to be. I wrapped it around the running gear, trimmed it at the overlap and used it to judge when I had enough links glued together. Worked okay, kept me from stopping short at least! Now I'll just match the link count from left to right and done!

[Tarasdad]

Got the first paint on!



Model Master Panzer Dunkelgelb 1943 over Tamiya Light Grey Fine Surface Primer. Thinned 30% with distilled water, went down like a champ with my old Badger 200. Only had to wipe the tip twice, far less than I had anticipated given our dry desert climate. Going to let that cure overnight while I try to finally decide which camo pattern to use. Been trying to decide since I started the build and still can't choose one! Maybe you folks can help? Here's a photo showing the options (photo courtesy of Modelwereld.eu):



The two schemes I'm considering are circled. The left one is a unit assigned to 2.SS Pz.Div."Das Reich", Eastern Front 1944, the other to Pz.Art.Rgt.103, 4.Pz.Div., Eastern Front 1944. All others are listed as unidentified unit. I'm not doing either of the winter schemes as I just don't like airbrushing white paint that much.

Opinions? Suggestions? Help?

[Tarasdad]

While I try to decide which camo to go with I finished up the tracks. Primed, painted with Metalizer Steel (non buffing), washed with brown and then rust, finally dry-brushed with steel again:





First time ever actually weathering German tracks. In the past I always just painted the steel and left it. Might have gone a wee bit heavy on the rust but it'll do.

[rm6239]

Tarasdad

Looking good, really like the look of the tracks. I would be tempted to do the scheme on the left mate.

cheers

Rossco

[officercrabtree]

hi Tarasdad,

always have loved the hummel! so far this kit has been amazing to watch, for the colour scheme i'd go with das reich...just because I think it looks way better!

whatever you choose though, it'll be amazing.

james.

[Tarasdad]

Camouflage is done!



I went with the "Das Reich" scheme. Not my best work - got a couple of "oopsie" spots that I had to...err...camouflage - but I'm happy. Next up decals and weathering. Need to get some Pledge Multi Surface Finish first so I can do washes right. Or I can try pin washes, never done that before.

[AchtungPanzer]

little poorer version of this camouflage (Dragon instruction) , but looks not bad . I look forward to more - good luck with weathering.

[Tarasdad]

In the process of painting the road wheels. Using a very dark grey rather than black for scale appearance. My hands aren't as steady as they used to be so I'm going to have to do a bit of touchup painting with the dark yellow. That may wait until I can make myself a mask of the correct size so I can just re-spray the suckers.

One question regarding the small return rollers - do they also have a rubber tire that needs to be painted or are they all metal?

[Tarasdad]

How to cap off a perfectly shitty day in five seconds flat: wet brush with Model Master Metalizer; drop brush; observe result:



FYI the thinner used in Metalizer will strip Model Master Acryl like nothing you've ever seen before. So damned pissed off right now I'm ready to put every kit in progress in an unmarked box, tuck it up in the garage rafters, and stop even pretending I can build models.

[Tarasdad]

Ugh. Taking a forced break from any modeling activities. Our air conditioner broke last Thursday and it's been too dang hot to even think about modeling, especially since everything I have left to do is pretty much painting related. The previous post is a good example. It was 91°F when I was trying to paint some of the detail parts and that disaster happened. I'm going to have to wait until the AC is fixed before I even think about trying to fix it. Hot temperatures, PTSD, and delicate paint repairs are not a good combo.

Not sure exactly what I'm going to do anyway. Debating whether I should just lightly sand the damaged areas and try to repair or sand the entire thing and repaint. If I do the latter I'll go another route for the camo job.

[bradsbunker]

Love the Camo work on this one.