Global Scale Modeller

I'll explain the title first.

I have joined the local IPMS model group here in Leicester. A few of them meet once a week for an afternoon at the group admin's house for a build session. Its only 10 minutes in the car for me, just up the road from my local curry house!

I have been along 3 times now and each time it has been about half a dozen guys, entry price is bring biscuits or cakes and a cutting board to work on. Its a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon, the banter is good, everyone is relaxed and they all know what they're doing with the plastic!

Obviously its easier to build rather than attempt to paint a model in these sessions so I went through my stash and picked out the Border Models 1/35 Pz4 Ausf G to work on. I've been working on it today and thought I should post the progress so far. Its a little late in the build to get started but nobody's perfect.



Its a very nice kit. Recent tooling, very nice plastic, metal schurzen, link and length tracks. Instructions freaked me out at first because I couldn't see any locating arrows, just pictures of parts that somehow go together. It was only when I took my glasses off that I saw the ultra thin pale yellow arrows on the instructions. Nice one David!!

Here's where I'm at after 3 sessions and a nice long time at the bench today.

The hull is more or less done with with just a few greeblies left and the schurzen framing to add.













Started on the turret today







Hatches and cupola added, as I mentioned, the plastic is nicely detailed and the fit is great, very little fettling required.





This is the current state of play.









Looking forward to Tuesday

Very nice details in the kit and well put together as usual.

digger303 wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2026 12:34 am Very nice details in the kit and well put together as usual.

Cheers. Its the kind of kit where you can just while away the hours and build, no real drama, just relaxing provided you stay on script.

I went to work on the remaining turret screening today. I'm impressed with how everything lined up, particularly as the hinged screens in front of the side hatches are separate parts. A recipe for disaster if the hang rails are not level. I had to reposition the rear screen slightly because on of the supports had slipped its locating point and dried out of place. The screen was thus wonky and would not take the connecting panel flush. Once I had cut it free and repositioned it the alignment was much better.









You can see from the pictures I also completed the schurzen supports. The kit really shines here. Once the parts were cleaned up for seams (lots of seams), the supports were all attached and levelled before the hanging rails were added. What could have been a potential disaster of broken pieces, wonky angles and schurzen that would not hang has turned out pretty much ok.







And here's the proof of the pudding. Note how they overlap front to back? I'm not blowing my own trumpet, its because I got the other side round the wrong way!



Its no problem as there's no glue involved and I have corrected it all

Here's the OOPS







There's a few bits left to go on then its ready for paint

Sweet.

Nice. The build group would be interesting

cor wrote: Sat Apr 04, 2026 7:07 am Nice. The build group would be interesting

It certainly is. The chat is fascinating, the guys I have met so far are all long into the hobby so they know suppliers you have never heard of, who the movers and shakers are in the wider area and they're all VERY good modelers.

There's one guy who just builds Phantoms in 1/48 and 1/32, the group leader is working on a whole squadron of Airfix 1/35 Ferret scout cars, building them representing different theaters and with some really cool resin mods. Just shows the hobby fits all sizes and types.

Its less about like minds, its more about having company for a hobby that can be quite insular if you're not careful.

They are also big into event attendance. There's a show next weekend and they will be there with their builds on display. Its only half an hour from me so I'll be there supporting.

The speed in which you put kits together is impressive. Looking forward to the painting and weathering, looks a great kit.

Really nice and not a seam to be seen.
It takes so much time just cleaning seams up, but totally worth it.
Not sure if it's just me , but I have so much trouble with paint not sticking well to PE. I rough it up, use metal primer and it still comes off as easly as anything.

Kevthemodeller wrote: Sun Jun 14, 2026 8:12 pm The speed in which you put kits together is impressive. Looking forward to the painting and weathering, looks a great kit.

Thanks Kev. I'll probably go for a Normandy 3 tone camo. Need to get it primed first though!

That does sound like a nice club - you'll have to share some photo's of the club's table if you attend the show.

Fab build - that's gone together really quickly. I wish I could build Armour that fast. I love working in 1/35 but a build can take me months.

Portman wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2026 2:16 pm That does sound like a nice club - you'll have to share some photo's of the club's table if you attend the show.

Fab build - that's gone together really quickly. I wish I could build Armour that fast. I love working in 1/35 but a build can take me months.

We've got a show in Coventry in a few weeks time so I'll see what I can do.

I really like 1/35 as long as the manufacturer doesn't try to be too clever for their own good and overload the kit with tiny PE bits that really add no value - one of my pet peeves

digger303 wrote: Mon Jun 15, 2026 2:14 am Really nice and not a seam to be seen.
It takes so much time just cleaning seams up, but totally worth it.
Not sure if it's just me , but I have so much trouble with paint not sticking well to PE. I rough it up, use metal primer and it still comes off as easly as anything.

I'll see how I get on with primer on the PE. I've painted PE skirts before and its been ok. Hopefully the trick is to handle them as minimally as possible and only attach them when the kit is completely finished.

Stokesy44 wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2026 10:04 pm

digger303 wrote: Mon Jun 15, 2026 2:14 am Really nice and not a seam to be seen.
It takes so much time just cleaning seams up, but totally worth it.
Not sure if it's just me , but I have so much trouble with paint not sticking well to PE. I rough it up, use metal primer and it still comes off as easly as anything.

I'll see how I get on with primer on the PE. I've painted PE skirts before and its been ok. Hopefully the trick is to handle them as minimally as possible and only attach them when the kit is completely finished.

Why is it that as called metal primer isn't stronger. It should and the paint stuck to it be as good as any other paint job.

digger303 wrote: Thu Jun 18, 2026 2:59 am
Why is it that as called metal primer isn't stronger. It should and the paint stuck to it be as good as any other paint job.

I've only ever used standard acrylic primers except for Ultimate's gloss black which can be used for when painting the kit in metal colors. Never had an adhesion problem with their stuff, or Vallejo's for that matter. Provided the compressor has enough guts to blast it out of the air brush, if it lands on the kit then all is well!

Stokesy44 wrote: Thu Jun 18, 2026 5:01 am

digger303 wrote: Thu Jun 18, 2026 2:59 am
Why is it that as called metal primer isn't stronger. It should and the paint stuck to it be as good as any other paint job.

I've only ever used standard acrylic primers except for Ultimate's gloss black which can be used for when painting the kit in metal colors. Never had an adhesion problem with their stuff, or Vallejo's for that matter. Provided the compressor has enough guts to blast it out of the air brush, if it lands on the kit then all is well!

Hmmm ....I generally just brush on the mtal primer, because the pe is usually small and that method is quick. Maybe I should use the airbrush ?
I've used mr hobby and Tamiya metal primers with no difference. I did buy some VMS metal primer, but I kept it to long and the stuff solidified to a jelly. I'm attempting to bring it back to life with clean slate another vms product......seems the mp shelf life is limited.

Stokesy44 wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2026 9:58 pm

We've got a show in Coventry in a few weeks time so I'll see what I can do.

I really like 1/35 as long as the manufacturer doesn't try to be too clever for their own good and overload the kit with tiny PE bits that really add no value - one of my pet peeves

At the Midland Air Museum? Nice little place that - I've not been there in years.

Oh I hate pointless PE - that's on of the things I didn't like about Tamiya's Spitfire mk.I. All the PE parts in it could have been moulding in plastic.

digger303 wrote: Thu Jun 18, 2026 1:35 pm
Hmmm ....I generally just brush on the mtal primer, because the pe is usually small and that method is quick. Maybe I should use the airbrush ?
I've used mr hobby and Tamiya metal primers with no difference. I did buy some VMS metal primer, but I kept it to long and the stuff solidified to a jelly. I'm attempting to bring it back to life with clean slate another vms product......seems the mp shelf life is limited.

Right, I see where you're coming from. I dont tend to paint PE until its on the kit and then I'm spraying primer or base coats.

I would absolutely try the air brush. Brush painting the primer onto the PE is a really tough ask. I'd use the airbrush regardless of size. Its a faff but it must be worth it.