Tamiya 1/35 Sd.Kfz.124 Wespe -German self-propelled howitzer

Post by **planemaker** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 7:59 pm

Hi! I'm starting this build because I just wanted to build something with a big gun and tracks. -Yeah!

But I didn't want a tank so I bought this for quite cheap a couple of weeks ago. I thoght it looked quite cool. I have never built a tank or a self-propelled gun before so I'm looking forwards to build this thing. The kit is nicely detailed despite that it is a 1996-tool, and beeing a Tamiya kit the fit should be pretty good.
-Well this means that I am now on the dark side!

History lesson first!

Here is a quick review of the kit:

To be continued...

Post by **SyntaxModels** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 3:58 am

Looks good Sebastian, I'll be watching closely

Post by **Donkeywalloper** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 10:31 pm

Nice one Seb, should be a ace build mate.

John

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 12:40 pm

Great intro. Enjoyed that one! And btw happy late independence day. Good luck with the build!

Post by **UKguyInUSA** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 2:31 pm

Looks like a good kit from Tamiya, as expected, so enjoy building her

Post by **planemaker** » Fri Dec 12, 2014 3:45 pm

Thanks for your nice comments!

First update. The build is going quite well right now. I really like this kit because the detail is superb and the fit is really good.

Here is some work that I have done:

Suspension glued in place.

Exhaust added.

Fighting compartment's floor built up.

Lots of Wheels.

Howitzer barrel glued and sanded.

Some other parts added.

Gun mount built up.

Fits well.

Stand glued on.

To be continued...

Post by **Hillbilly** » Fri Dec 12, 2014 4:30 pm

You are off to a great start so far

Post by **SyntaxModels** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 1:55 am

As Steve above me said, you're off to a great start. You are definetly more bold than I was with my first armor build, a 1/72nd StuG 3 G from Airfix, a 1970's mould

. Keep it up!

Post by **PaulAyrey** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 6:54 am

The Wespe is a great kit from Tamiya. You are doing a great job

Post by **planemaker** » Sun Dec 14, 2014 11:11 am

Thank you for your kind words, guys.

Post by **Nev** » Sun Dec 14, 2014 11:20 am

Looks really good I like the look of that AFV

Post by **Yevgeny** » Sun Dec 14, 2014 2:39 pm

Looks like a nice kit

Post by **planemaker** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 7:27 pm

Thanks for your nice comments!

Second update.

More bits added to the howitzer.

Topside built up.

I made my self a masking template for the roadwheels from some old PE.

Side armour plates glued in place.

Some bits to be added later.

Primeing started.

To be continued...

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:48 pm

Getting there! Whats are your thoughts on the camo?

Post by **SyntaxModels** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 11:24 am

Certainly on your way out of the gates!

Post by **planemaker** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:39 pm

Thanks for your comments, guys.

gustavlekstal wrote:Getting there! Whats are your thoughts on the camo?

I'm gonna do the third marking option. It's a Weape based at Normandy in 1944 with three-tone camo.

Post by **Tiger131** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:46 pm

Looking good so far buddy like your home made mask look foward to seeing more of your work

Post by **planemaker** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 9:03 pm

Thank you Tiger!

Third update. More progress on the Wespe now. Next up is the camo and it's not gonna be easy.

PS: I am bad at names on tank parts, so I'll try my best.

Tracks primed.

Top half primed.

Almost everything sprayed in dark yellow (RAL7028). Does it look a little bit too green?

Here is the ready howitzer with some detail painting.

I have also done some detail painting in the interior.

Parts of the suspension painted in a wood colour.

Gunshield glued in place.

Some howitzer rounds painted...

...and placed inside a box.

After a gloss-coat in the interior it's time for a rust wash in the interior.

Followed by a dark dirt and a mud wash in the interior.

Howitzer glued to the top half of the Wespe.

Top half glued to the bottom half. It's slowly starting to take shape.

To be continued...

Post by **planemaker** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:14 pm

Fourth update. I have now been hurrying up the Wespe a bit because I want to start the GB:s. I am planning to do a little diorama with it, so we'll see how it goes.

Plus that I,m probably gonna put a german motorcycle in the diorama.

Masked up for camoflage.

Camo is painted free hand with airbrush. Started off with Dunkelgrun (RAL 7009)...

¨

...and finished with Rotbraun (RAL8017).

Wheels painted.

Tracks plus spare track painted and drybrushed in gunmetal.

Some tools painted and attatched to the upper hull.

Spare track attatched.

Gloss-coated.

Wheels gloss-coated.

Tracks matt-coated.

Decaled.

Gloss-coat put on the decals.

A little bit weathering and it's done!

I'm looking forwards to doing the diorama.

To be continued...

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:07 am

Dont know why you was worried about the camo! You nailed it!!! Great work my mate from the east with the tools!!! The Tamiya decals still stand out quite a lot. Are you gonna give the panzer a filter or some oil dot fading?

Post by **planemaker** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 11:25 am

gustavlekstal wrote:Dont know why you was worried about the camo! You nailed it!!! Great work my mate from the east with the tools!!! The Tamiya decals still stand out quite a lot. Are you gonna give the panzer a filter or some oil dot fading?

Thanks Gustav!

I was just thinking about the decals, they do stand out a bit.

The problem is that I don't have any filters but I think that a light brown wash on a matt surface will do the job. I also have some AK pigments to fade it up even more. I don't really know what you mean about oil dot fading? You see, I am not that kind of AFV modeller so I really don't know much about these techniques on AFV modelling.

This is the first time I build AFV. I was worried about the camo because it had to be done free hand. I was a bit worried about the thinning ratio on the paint so that it would spray nicely. It went quite well although I had to fix it here and there. On the other hand it's fun to try to build something different. You learn a lot from it.

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 4:57 pm

planemaker wrote:
gustavlekstal wrote:Dont know why you was worried about the camo! You nailed it!!! Great work my mate from the east with the tools!!! The Tamiya decals still stand out quite a lot. Are you gonna give the panzer a filter or some oil dot fading?
Thanks Gustav!

I was just thinking about the decals, they do stand out a bit. The problem is that I don't have any filters but I think that a light brown wash on a matt surface will do the job. I also have some AK pigments to fade it up even more. I don't really know what you mean about oil dot fading? You see, I am not that kind of AFV modeller so I really don't know much about these techniques on AFV modelling. This is the first time I build AFV. I was worried about the camo because it had to be done free hand. I was a bit worried about the thinning ratio on the paint so that it would spray nicely. It went quite well although I had to fix it here and there. On the other hand it's fun to try to build something different. You learn a lot from it.

Watch out for matt surface and filter. I do satin and several times instead.

Some tips from the pros

Post by **planemaker** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 8:33 pm

gustavlekstal wrote:
planemaker wrote:
gustavlekstal wrote:Dont know why you was worried about the camo! You nailed it!!! Great work my mate from the east with the tools!!! The Tamiya decals still stand out quite a lot. Are you gonna give the panzer a filter or some oil dot fading?
Thanks Gustav!

I was just thinking about the decals, they do stand out a bit. The problem is that I don't have any filters but I think that a light brown wash on a matt surface will do the job. I also have some AK pigments to fade it up even more. I don't really know what you mean about oil dot fading? You see, I am not that kind of AFV modeller so I really don't know much about these techniques on AFV modelling. This is the first time I build AFV. I was worried about the camo because it had to be done free hand. I was a bit worried about the thinning ratio on the paint so that it would spray nicely. It went quite well although I had to fix it here and there. On the other hand it's fun to try to build something different. You learn a lot from it.
Watch out for matt surface and filter. I do satin and several times instead.

Some tips from the pros

Thanks for the tip, Gustav!

The videos where great. I'll probably gonna have to do some kind of homemade filter. Any hint on a homemade filter would be greatly appreciated.

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:33 pm

1 part oilpaint 9 parts thinner for filter. Have the dark yellow as base and make the oilpaint lighter for a worn look. The best tip is to test on a area under the tank. Leave a bit with nothing to see the diffrence. Humbrol enamel paint can work as filter if you have it at home.

Another option is like hamikar does

I dont know his ratio but it looks like 20-30% oilpaint. A dark brown would work great on the three tone camo.

Post by **planemaker** » Sun Jan 04, 2015 12:51 pm

Many thanks for the help, Gustav!

I might have to get some Mig oils and AK White Spirit. I don't really have any good enamel paints at home.

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Sun Jan 04, 2015 2:17 pm

Mig oilpaints are good start. Wash brown and black you can make most washes you need.
But dont buy ak white spirit. (lakkabensiiniä) Expensive!!!
Get a bottle of odorless thinner. (tärpätti). Not as harsh on the paintwork as white spirit and alot less smell.
You can get it art or building stores.
Btw there are ready made filters from mig production and mig ammo. But expensive.
Good luck!!!

Post by **planemaker** » Sun Jan 04, 2015 2:34 pm

Thank you Gustav!

I'll get the odorless thinner instead.

Post by **planemaker** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:58 pm

Thanks Will! Much appreciated.

The oils have finally arrived.

Updates will soon follow.

Post by **planemaker** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 6:27 pm

Fifth update. Well, I have finally managed to finish the Wespe!

I am now doing a diorama for it and I think it's gonna look great.

Washed with Ultimate rust.

And then with Ultimate mud.

Then I made a filter using oil colours.

Pinwashed using oil colours.

And lastly I did some fadeing and streaking grime.

Mud effects.

Wheels and tracks attatched.

FINISHED!

Here is some work on the diorama.

I had bought a ready-made diorama base.

And a cheap picture frame.

Cut to the right sise.

Ta-daa!

I made a fence using matches!

I made the road muddy.

Fence painted.

And attatched to the diorama.

This is how the Wespe will be sitting on the diorama.

I'll be adding this motorcycle to the diorama and some left over Dragon figures from when I built a 1/35 V-2. I'll add a total of three figures to the diorama.

I started some work on the motorcycle.

Here are the figures. The grey ones are Dragon figures and the yellow one a Tamiya motorcycle rider.

This is how they will stand.

To be continued...

Post by **SyntaxModels** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 2:06 am

Top notch work here mate!!

Post by **Coen** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 3:11 am

That's some fine work Sebastian. That wespe is wel made up.
That dio is really slick bud, nice touch with the matches and the mud. That's going to look really cool with the bike and figures.

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 8:13 am

Great work mate!

Post by **sluglet** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 11:55 am

Great work pal

Post by **planemaker** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 11:59 am

Many thanks for your kind words, guys!

Much appreciated.

Post by **Hillbilly** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 1:38 pm

Very nice work

The camo and weathering looks just right to my eye

Post by **planemaker** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 7:15 pm

Thank you, Steve!

Post by **planemaker** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 9:15 pm

Here is the last update. Well, I've finished it now!

Here is some of the work.

Motorcycle primed and painted in dark yellow.

Camo was done free-hand. Engine and details painted.

More parts put on.

And after gloss-coat, decals and weathering with an oil wash and pigments, it's finished!

Here are the finished figures. (I forgot to take pics of when I painted them).

Here is the finished diorama! More pics here: http://www.intscalemodeller.com/viewtop ... 46&t=11105

Post by **SyntaxModels** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:37 am

Lovely! Top notch work here mate!

Post by **Donkeywalloper** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 6:27 pm

Wow and golly, what a ace job mate.
The BMW is superb.
Love it.
John

Post by **planemaker** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 7:40 pm

Thanks for your kind comments!

And John, just so you know the bike is a DKW.

Post by **Donkeywalloper** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 7:42 pm

Stand corrected, still a lovely job mate.
John