Wheel of fortune - Pzr IV, Asf. D & Stug IV Early

[TheTroyster]

[*]Such a nice summer I missed out on building models - and am a full month behind on this. Have a great diorama planned for this - but time constraints may prevent me from building more than just the model:



I opened the box and cringed - look at all those parts!

[TheTroyster]

One thing that drives me crazy about Dragon kits - parts! Millions of parts - 4 hours to do step 1. As in 1, 2, 3, 4 hours - step 1! 4 hours! Four! (Also four - beers! Four! May have slowed me down just a little but it was fun).

[TheTroyster]

Page two of the instructions - 3 hours, three beers, and now we are in the top of the 9th - all tied up - game 7 - hoping the Cubs blow it!

[TheTroyster]

I have to say this kit is posing little problems! In fact, a real joy putting together (unlike the last Dragon kit I built). As soon as photoshop unbugs I'll upload the picture - boring I must warn you.

[TheTroyster]

You see that PE? That's about the top of my skill level on that crap - hate that crap!




Top view:



Big gap in the front here - seems like someone had the same issue with this very kit.

[RonBurgundy]

This kit always had my attention and is on my wishlist just because it was one-of-a-kind thing, if I am not mistaken. Nice build so far until that gap. That is one serious hole.
How are you planing to fix it?

[TheTroyster]

Nearly done building this - -super easy build thus far...

[TheTroyster]

This kit always had my attention and is on my wishlist just because it was one-of-a-kind thing, if I am not mistaken. Nice build so far until that gap. That is one serious hole.
How are you planing to fix it?

I'm going to use these plastic strips - I'll document it in next day or so.

[SergioSolo]

Looks like a nice kit, and it's starting to look awesome

[TheTroyster]

Wow for a dragon kit this was great. Finished in such a timely manner I'm going to try for my diorama idea. Had a metal barrel lying around and even dug up a pair of fruitracks....





I'll fix that gap in the morning after this dries up for the night: it's going to be an easy fix (famous last words right).

[TheTroyster]

Now to takle that huge gap issue:

I take my .04 x .05 mm StripStyrene:



Cut a couple of lengths a little long:



Glue them together:



Cut to size and fill gap - that easy (took me longer to type this post than to do the fix).


A before picture:


(A side note - found these in my sock drawer - word! A slightly older style of track but will look better than those rubber band tracks that the kit came with)

[TheTroyster]

Here is the second model I hope to finish for this SIG. I really like all the color/marking options - bonus it comes with Magic Tracks;

[TheTroyster]

I guess taking five months off building helped, because I am rocking this out! Page one of the instructions done, beer drinking in mass achieved, played some Skyrim with my boy, and even managed to acknowledge my gf's existents on this planet - hopefully now she won't bug me again this weekend!

[SergioSolo]

Haha, you're managing your time like a boss

[TheTroyster]

Flying through this build - had about six uninterrupted hours on Sunday:

[martin57]

Great progress , I do like the look of those dragon kits ,

[TheTroyster]

Amazing enough there is a nearly compleated StuG. In this picture. As some of you may know - I hate - I mean hate- building models - it drives me crazy (love the painting on-ward part), but I must say I have actually enjoyed building these two kits - god forbid my taste is shifting?


]

Go figure Photobucket isn't working again - shocking! I'll up load when I get a link.

UPDATE: I had to write the code to get the picture to load - what a PITA

[TheTroyster]

So got this wrapped up this morning:

[TheTroyster]

Have the basic layout and crap for the diorama:




Also going to throw this on there as well:



Question - anyone else having issues with photobucket - some reason my IMG link is blank - so I'm having to write the photo code myself? Any solution / ideas? Thanks in advance.

[TheTroyster]

put a coat of primer of all units to be used on this diorama:

[TheTroyster]

After adding a dark primer I then put on a coat of hall red mixed with a light grey to give a sort of authentic primer color - I then went over parts of the model again with some wood color added with a hull brown color to show a more exposed rust type color. I'll be adding hairspray before painting this unit (in this case dark yellow). Also put on some battle damaged.

[TheTroyster]

So painted the unit your basic dark yellow, threw on a light camouflage pattern.

Untitled by ]love the paint effect with the hair spray as this adds a heated look - which is what I am going for here:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Nt5WYT]Untitled by https://www.flickr.com/photos/149517514@N02/

ever light chipping:
Untitled by https://www.flickr.com/photos/149517514@N02/

Close Up:
Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr


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[Stokesy44]

A superb battered beast.

Really great work on the damage and chipping.

[privatepete]

Hi Troy this is what is known as used and abused, love the chipping and all the battle damage.
Pete

[TheTroyster]

What is up with StuG.s and Tarps - like Honey and bees, Beer and me, Pees and pods...oh well here we go I make some tarps out of DAK:

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

[TheTroyster]

So painted those tarps. Then I added a filter to my model. Also as I was painting those German crosses, when I removed the stencils that I had taped on, it took off a huge piece of paint - exposing the PE silver metal - so rather than get upset, I just messed with it, all kinds of crappy paint colors and it turns out decent.

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy Fullmer, on Flickr

[TheTroyster]

I woke up early this morning with the full intention of finishing this model and started by doing a slight pin wash, and then added wheels. You'll notice that a couple of wheels are sort of bent up - I did that by heating the wheel post with a fire so the wheels would look messed up - hey no secrete here - this model will represent a knocked out vehicle (my first). Also I worked on that armor panel where the paint peeled away, looks much better now. Then I sat there thinking about what I want to do with the Oil Paint Rendering? Just blank, nothing - empty - mindless. So went to work and I'll think about this later...

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

Untitled by Troy, on Flickr

[Kevthemodeller]

Wow, great weathering love the damage effects

[TheTroyster]

well this is about the best I could come up with on the oil paints. Going to let them dry for a week or so then Ill add a matt finish and then pigments. I want to get the diorama built first before I do the pigments - my guess is it will be easier to match pigments to diorama verse the other way around.

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[TheTroyster]

Now I am going to start on the second half of the this diorama the Panzer IV - the ole German grey. I used the Tamiya paints but added 1/3 white to the German grey - going more for my own taste than realism here as the German grey color is too dart. Once filter are added I am sure it will look great.

I add two different tones to this unit to add some interest to the model....

Untitled by https://www.flickr.com/photos/149517514@N02/,

Untitled by https://www.flickr.com/photos/149517514@N02/

[url=https://flic.kr/p/NBwRrb

[TheTroyster]

Got started on my second tank, painted the tools. Have I mentioned the thing about decals and armor? Yea, I hate putting decades on armor all that gloss paint always ruins my beautiful flat paints so I only use stencils now - and keep them limited - two marking are enough in my book.

Untitled by Troy, 0n

Untitled by Troy Fullmer, on Flickr

[TheTroyster]

The BAD NEWS is I am in sever pain at the moment! Had a double hernia surgery at six am this morning - so I've been sitting here not moving while spacing out on the pain killers.

Going to give a shout out to my girl - she took her lunch late - drove across town - cooked some amazing Pho for my son and I and even cleaned it up, then went back to work (Asian women are epic).

I also have learned that working with Panzer Grey is much more difficult than I ever thought! Really has me stumped on oil paint rendering and weathering - I have almost finished my Grey Panzer and will post pictures when I can move.

The GOOD NEWS is I had double hernia surgery this morning which means I can't work out or do much for the next four weeks EXCEPT build models! Epic!!! I know - it rocks!

[privatepete]

Hi get well soon and please don't do anything silly use the time to heal, I had a single hernia operation so I know what you are going through, just rest and relax have a good Christmas.
Pete

[TheTroyster]

So played around with the oil paint rendering on this unit - man I am at a lost on this - this simple grey color has me thrown off my game...



Wheels on the bus go around and round...


OPR coming together on the turret:



http://www.intscalemodeller.com/posting ... 51&t=20317#



A little rust action on those leaf springs: Funny my 2014 Mustang has the same suspension system - guess ford is slightly behind the times:




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I put this in my air brush and went over the model:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/PTkqLA]

Let this dry up for a day or more:



Before pigments:


apply the pigments:


Used Tamiya 20 in my airbrush to fix the pigments in place:



apply pigments to the upper hull - in areas where dust would naturally gather:






Here you can see that lower hull pigment job - looks good on the first round:

[privatepete]

Hi Troy, love the rusty Mustang spring just don't get carried away and fit a jack up kit and wheelie bars tools look good it's coming on nicely.
Pete

[TheTroyster]

So threw these Fruiltracks into the burnishing liquid for 45 minutes.







I love the lag in these tracks - looks great>

[Stokesy44]

Tracks look superb. Love all the staining and rusting on the running gear / suspension too.

[TheTroyster]

So not part of the SIG but thought I would share some issues I've had with the diorama and my solutions so if you run into the same issues it might help you.


The first issue is with the structure I chose for this diorama - a church. A Verlinden Production piece. Normally they are awesome, but this time, nothing fit together, things broke and one could call it a total lose - take a look:

Huge gaps in the base - I can not get it to glue together as there is not enough surface area touching to make a connection:



You can see here how the mold cracked even:



Just god awful!





My solution: (kind of my go-to product - works for almost everything diorama related):



Just slather that crap on like Peanut butter on bread!



Once it dries up you have one solid piece...



Now on my ground work - I take a book shelf, as my base and then I use DAS and break off small pieces:



Flatten it out with a rolling pin - In my case I use a scale weight:



Add Glue:



add some cobble stones in there for some interest using a pencil where I have removed the eraser:


And it looks great.