Stokesy's Desert Clanker - Trumpy 1/16 Pz IV Ausf.F2

[Kevthemodeller]

That turret is a kit in itself More lovely PE work there mate, can't wait for the paint and weathering

[BigWall]

Very nice detailing! This is an amazing build!

[Tomcat64]

Great work on the turret interior mate - especially with that PE shell bin!

[Stokesy44]

Well, I think this is the last major assembly. 44 pieces, mixed media, just over 2 hours

The cupola has been on the radar for a while now, mostly because on the video build I've been following, the builder stuffed it up so naturally I thought I would too

Its just your basic 2 layer sandwich with 5 sets of double vision blocks, coupled to panzer-glass vision ports with PE panels between them!

On the whole, I'd rather be in Philadelphia!!

Buy hey, I've fought bigger battles before so here we go......

Here's the document of doom, leading me to ruin......



And then it all went rather smoothly. Cut, sand, glue, mask, repeat.





Test fitting the sandwich



Then it was on to the PE plate inserts. School boy error to start with, I put all 5 panels on upside down.



Managed to prize the f****** off and refitted them



This was the point where it fell apart on the video build but thankfully it all seemed to slide in ok. The key was to drop the ring onto the lower part of the sandwich, not try and poke it through after both parts were together (like in the instructions) as the fit was so tight.







Nice and snug on the turret.





Long planned trip to my local model shop in the morning tomorrow then its priming time in the afternoon

[BigWall]

Top notch! It's looking great!

[Casper]

excellent

[digger303]

After the worry it all went together as snug as a bug in a rug despite the inevitable hiccup. The result is a another impeccable detail looking magnificent.

[Stokesy44]

Thanks Guys.

I painted all the turret interior bits yesterday then got to work on detail painting and chipping today. Oils still to do and unmasking and glazing the viewports.

Commander's cupola, ammo bin and turret hatch door interiors







Main mount, sight and co-ax. Needs a bit of tidying up but a good wash and oil will help.







Basket and base of the turret. The serrated turret ring will get plenty of work with washes and rusting.



I finally pained a couple of shells. They still need their decals but they're pretty much done

[Tomcat64]

Nice work mate - I had no idea you could cram so much junk into a cupola

The paintjob is really starting to bring it all to life too - really enjoying this one

[BigWall]

Once again, it's looking great!

[digger303]

Ya must be running low on white paint by now

[Stokesy44]

Ya must be running low on white paint by now

Ha ha. As luck would have it I took a drive out to my local model shop on Sunday morning. I caved in and bought a couple of very nice kits. I also bought a tin of white and 2 tins of desert yellow!

My old white ran out Sunday afternoon - God is good.

[Stokesy44]

Nice work mate - I had no idea you could cram so much junk into a cupola

The paintjob is really starting to bring it all to life too - really enjoying this one

Thanks mate. Its beginning to feel like the Lord of the Rings extended edition. It just keeps going and going......

[Kevthemodeller]

That cupola is just amazing, as is the whole turret detail work mate

[RangerNeil]

Really looking forwards to seeing the finished kit - I was, and remain, gob-smacked by both the detail in the kit and the detailing being carried out.

[Garion77]

I hadn't came back to this post for while...great to see the progress.... and still looking more than great ! keep up the good work

[BigWall]

It's looking amazing and the patience to maintain this quality of work is definitely commendable. It's got to feel good to be reaching the end with the interior.

[Stokesy44]

That cupola is just amazing, as is the whole turret detail work mate

Really looking forwards to seeing the finished kit - I was, and remain, gob-smacked by both the detail in the kit and the detailing being carried out.

I hadn't came back to this post for while...great to see the progress.... and still looking more than great ! keep up the good work

Thanks Guys

It's looking amazing and the patience to maintain this quality of work is definitely commendable. It's got to feel good to be reaching the end with the interior.

Thanks mate It does feel good! I'm probably 1 serious oils session away from finishing. I need to do the various glazing finishes on the viewports and I still need to decal the radios but other than the shells, its almost there

[bfrd]

Having heard no objections, this build will be extended by 6 weeks. It will now end on 07.12.2021 at Midnight GMT.

[Stokesy44]

Having heard no objections, this build will be extended by 6 weeks. It will now end on 07.12.2021 at Midnight GMT.

Awesome news. Thanks

[Stokesy44]

After the failure to apply myself last week, I finally got down to doing the oils yesterday.

Commander's cupola and side hatches. I tried to create a kind of 'panzer glass' effect with the vision blocks by adding a little yellow to gloss varnish before applying. Result is meh.









Gun mount, breach and turret interior shell







Base and basket





Gunner's dials. Not sure what they're for but they look good



Gun now properly attached to the turret base and basket









Beauty shots to finish Test fitted for now but it all sits nicely







Can I finish during the extended SIG time........

[BigWall]

Absolutely superb man!

A little grease on that turret ring would probably keep it from rusting up on you.

[digger303]

BW said it ...SUPERB.....Marvelous damn marvelous.

[Stokesy44]

Absolutely superb man!

A little grease on that turret ring would probably keep it from rusting up on you.

Thanks for the encouragement.

As for the turret ring - true. I'm going to blacken it up a bit as there are bits of it that can be seen through the cupola and side hatches.

[Stokesy44]

BW said it ...SUPERB.....Marvelous damn marvelous.

Cheers Digger. I put the turret on the vehicle last night, for the first time the kit can be seen in its 'all up' configuration. I'll load some pics tonight because it looks a proper beast now

[ElCapitan]

It's looking awesome Stokesy!

[Stokesy44]

It's looking awesome Stokesy!

Thanks mate

[Stokesy44]

As mentioned, I put the turret on the hull, just to see how it looked. Took a few quick pics.













I have the return rollers and half the wheels left to build then the clanker is going to get some primer.

[Kevthemodeller]

BW said it ...SUPERB.....Marvelous damn marvelous.

What he said

[Garion77]

LOOKING GOOD !

Go habs Go !

[BigWall]

I'd have to sell one of my boys just to have room to store that.

[Stokesy44]

BW said it ...SUPERB.....Marvelous damn marvelous.

What he said

LOOKING GOOD !

Go habs Go !

I'd have to sell one of my boys just to have room to store that.

Thanks Guys

As mentioned, the return rollers, remaining wheels and tracks were up next

The rollers have got beautiful detail on them



I finished the remaining wheels then got to work on the tracks. Got 1 side finished and test fitted. Number of track links look spot on. I need to move the idler back a fraction - I think the sag is a little too much as it sits right now. Still, well pleased with the fact the Clanker is now technically 'a tank'.





I'll do the other side next - once the feeling has returned to my fingers!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looking like a booming tank alright

Is it weird the rollers say ‘Continental’ on them
Kinda not so German?

[Stokesy44]

Looking like a booming tank alright

Is it weird the rollers say ‘Continental’ on them
Kinda not so German?

From Wikipedia

"Continental AG, commonly known as Continental or colloquially as Conti, is a German multinational automotive parts manufacturing company founded in 1871"

Truth is stranger than fiction

[BigWall]

Looking great! Very nicely detailed

[Casper]

wow nice work on the interior Stokesy This kits amazing

[Stokesy44]

I feel like I'm in a Hitchcock film. The one where the depth of field keeps changing and the background suddenly seems further away?

I worked on the second set of tracks yesterday - 99 links, cut and sanded then guide horns added. Finished off with the track pins. Quite pleasant TBH, I decamped to the lounge and watched the sport while I worked.





That was yesterday. It was back in the den today. The work station was in need of a tidy as it was showing the effects of 4 months' work on the PZ4



Then it was time to get the hull ready for priming.

While inspecting the transmission hatch I noticed it was attached by bolts as per the bolt heads on the panel edges. I drilled out the corresponding holes in the hatch edges as I plan to leave the panel off



It was then that I found out the hatch didn't fit. Cue nearly 60 minutes of fettlin' and test fitting. The underside of the hatch has a lip that fits against the lip on the hull and it was this that was stopping it from sitting in properly. I got there in the end without damaging any of the edging which was a minor miracle!



Although the hatches and panels will be open for display I need them on the kit so I can paint them and also not have to mask all the entry points.

The rear deck was simpler



Then I remembered I hadn't done the tow cable or the rear mudguards. The instructions call for 300 mm for the cable. Its nearer 350! Bad Trumpy!





Forward hatches added



Then buttoned down for priming



All I need to do now is remove the turret, mask the turret ring then the entire main hull and running gear can be primed!

[digger303]

Going to be front and centre of the display case I think.



PS....Any weld lines to add ?

[BigWall]

There's just not words. I've run out. This is a great build!

[Parker]

so good!

[Stokesy44]

Going to be front and centre of the display case I think.



PS....Any weld lines to add ?

I think they're all there. They dont jump out at you like they would on a T34 but they're there.

[Stokesy44]

so good!

There's just not words. I've run out. This is a great build!

so good!

Thanks Gents. If by 'great', you mean 'long' then I completely agree!

[Tomcat64]

Lovely work mate - you'd never have known there'd been a fit issue with that front hatch

[Kevthemodeller]

Lovely work mate - you'd never have known there'd been a fit issue with that front hatch

I'll second all that the tracks look great mate. As for display I think you're going to need a new cabinet I also think this my not be your last 1/16 armour kit

[Stokesy44]

Lovely work mate - you'd never have known there'd been a fit issue with that front hatch

I'll second all that the tracks look great mate. As for display I think you're going to need a new cabinet I also think this my not be your last 1/16 armour kit

Thanks guys. You know me too well. I do have a couple more beasties on the large side in the stash!

But never mind that s**t! PAINTING HAS BEGUN.

After working out a painting plan (I love a good plan, me) it was time to whip the turret off, seal up the hole and all hatches and access points and fire up the AB. After selecting the light grey magic juice from Ultimate, I shook it till I couldn't feel my arm anymore and got to work. I selected the grey because I reasoned the black would be too dark to cover with a desert scheme. I would have had to lay the paint on with a shovel to generate enough opacity me thinks.

After a bit of a false start - my bad because the needle was dirty - I got going properly.

Usual result, the magic juice compensated for my shortcomings and went down nice and smooth.

Its been a while since I did the old wheels on sticks routine but after prizing off the rims I got to work. The return rollers, just visible at the back, will be primed in black then I'll use a mask for the yellow hubs.



Closed up the hatches and wrapped the turret basket. I'd earlier glued it together for the first time and added some filler around the joints at the front of the turret.





Then the hull. If just about fitted into the booth!







That's close of business today. Hope to get the return rollers primed tomorrow and the base coat on. Should also be painting the tracks in burnt iron too as their base color.

[digger303]

Your going to get a scaled up sized display cabinet , other wise it's going to look super sized in a normal one of course then you have to move the back wall out another metre and raise the ceiling 500mm

[Tomcat64]

Great to see the paint finally going down mate - that looks like a lovely primer coat all over

I think Digger's right though - with the 88mm and this one (plus the others) you're going to be knocking through to next door an nicking some of their living room for display space

[Stokesy44]

Your going to get a scaled up sized display cabinet , other wise it's going to look super sized in a normal one of course then you have to move the back wall out another metre and raise the ceiling 500mm

Great to see the paint finally going down mate - that looks like a lovely primer coat all over

I think Digger's right though - with the 88mm and this one (plus the others) you're going to be knocking through to next door an nicking some of their living room for display space

I like what you're thinking Guys

[Kevthemodeller]

But never mind that s**t! PAINTING HAS BEGUN.

Oh yes the painting

Couple of bottles/jars about to go down I think

[Casper]