Topcat_Ern

She does like to be involved. Although, chasing a fly one day knocked the Polish Airforce off the shelf so they went into the repair shop! Andy

Forgot to mention that I had a helper for this build. Guarding the tracks and decals until I needed them. Andy

And to complete Airfix's triumvirate of vehicles based upon the Panzer IV chassis. Another enjoyable build, with the only filler needed on ejection marks on the open hatches. Photographs from the time depict many vehicles with a missing plate or two from their skirts, so decided this one had to lose a plate. Decided to go for a mild soiling for this vehicle just to be different from the others recently made. Although it was Humbrol weathering powders in decal fix to the fore. I keep to the decal fix as it is easy to adjust weathering by re-activating with water until the desired finish is achieved. Also it is so easy to make washes with weathering powders 'diluted' with decal fix and capillary action works on glossed panel lines. Of course weathering powders work best on a matt surface as they have something to adhere to so have to get the order of application right. Where there is metal to metal contact, cogs and return rollers etc. the paint has been stripped to reveal steel. The crew member has recently transferred in from a Tamiya Pzkpf 38(T) and seems to be comfortable with his new perch, as the model needs something to lift its visual appeal. Once again (as with the Stug IV) the fitting of the skirts is omitted from the instructions but is pretty straight forward. An internet search reveals that these vehicles had zimmerit up to September '44, but as yet haven't summoned up the courage to do such. One of the Tiger's in the stash requires Zimmerit so will endeavour to practice that before attempting that build. Come on Airfix, a Jagd Panzer IV next please. Andy

Been sitting on the workbench for a while and not being able to make the build look interesting enough to post. I did scheme B, the mono tonal one and thought that pre shading would suffice. It didn't. Worked hard to make it appear more interesting over the months. I'm going to call it done job done. Next time, will be duo or trio toned! Rust added to exhausts and generally dirtied up but, still not happy, but I'm calling it "job done". Humbrol weathering powders to the fore here and decal fix to keep them in place. Andy

I have added the 3D printed design for the wheel masks to Thingiverse. It can be used for the Panzer IV, Stug IV and Brummbar kits. Andy

After TDA's inspiration and after doing the Panzer IV, the process of build was in mind, so here's the result. I did things slightly differently to attempt to create some visual interest. For example, I had read that many crews used a tarpaulin over the mantlet to keep the weather out so added that. A couple of Jerry cans were added etc. Again, this was an enjoyable build. The aerial mounts supplied with the kit (B28 and B29) were filed down to the flat angle bar and as there are spare H sprues, piece H16 was carefully cut to replace the moulded aerial "stump" and drilled with a 0.7mm bit and glued on and aerial inserted. The Jerry can strap was made out of the metallic foil from a drinks bottle. Just noticed a shine on side decal posting this so that'll be knocked back with another matt varnish! Many years ago I contaminated a bottle of decal fix, best thing I ever done! The tarpaulin was made from tissue suitably soaked in a colour and then drenched with the Decal fix and applied to top of mantlet, arranged into folds etc. and given another drenching with Decal fix. Photographs vary on the skirts having an angled front piece and some not so thought I'd go with the not angled front. As TDA and I found out mounting for it is not included in the kit instructions, so the pilot locations need to be filled and determine new positions to mount the brackets. Andy

TDA, as you have given me the "Stug bug", I thought I'd better make mine. Rather than hijack your thread I'll start another. Thanks for the inspiration. Decided to make mine to look different to yours so that there is a contrast on how the kit can be put together. Andy

Haven't seen any new tips for a wee while, so here are some of mine. Make life a little easier without costing anything. Corrugated cardboard is great for drying parts on cocktail sticks etc. Roll it up, cellotape and insert sticks to dry the part safely. Where an axle locator is too big for a cocktail stick use two. And have a selection of coffee stirrers from those abundant coffee shops on the high street. For airbrushing flexible tracks don't cut off the ends, use then to clamp the tracks over cardboard to which you have cut out a slot. The clamps mean that the tracks are held off a surface allowing one session with the airbrush for both sides. To make airbrushing a vehicle easier use UHU to glue a drinks stopper to the underside and hold that to rotate the model when spraying. And finally, if you have access to a 3D printer, make some wheel masks to allow the hubs to be neatly airbrushed after applying an all over tyre coat. By making a sandwich of the wheels both sides can be done in one session. Andy

IPA is an easy option. Made a complete mess of painting over liquid mask on an aero canopy, looked awful. Dunked the canopy in IPA and worked over with a tooth brush and easily removed. Went back to masking with tape and no one is the wiser! Also use it when I have forgotten to wash a paint brush, a soak and a rinse and resurrected paint brush. Andy

It does like nicer with the skirts attached, nice job TDA. Andy

Thanks James, it really is a good kit to build. Andy

Skirts CA'd and hanging correctly. Have to work out how to change the depth of field on this phone camera! Andy

And then the skirts, not sitting right without glue so that will be the final step. Now that, finally, I have found a CA that I can work with, nice and thin that will be a doddle.

Decided on Vallejo 74.604, 70.887 and 70.872, went for a wide spread camo as for some reason my 0.2 airbrush wasn't playing nicely, so went for the 0.3 was called up (had a few schnapps by then, so looked okay to me)! To my surprise the rubber tracks worked well and in fact no adhesive was needed to keep them together. Washes were made with Humbrol weathering powders in a Decal Fix solution, easy to adjust effect with moistened cotton bud. Didn't go for caked on mud just dust.

A wet Bank Holiday used worthwhile. Never attempted a build with skirts before so gave it a go. What a thoroughly enjoyable kit to put together, not to easy and not to difficult. Initial research showed that most of these skirts were coated with Zimmerite so as I haven't attempted that yet thought it was one for the future as I didn't want to make a dog's dinner of it. Plan was to make everything up as sub assemblies and then get on with painting and piecing it together.

That's a shame about the skirts. As I had to dig out the IV to look at the instructions for you, I thought a rainy Bank Holiday was ideal to make it up. Andy

"I'd ideally like to add those side plates to this Stug, they come with the kit, but there are no fitting instructions provided either by Airfix nor with the original Academy kit. All suggestions welcomed" Download A1351 Panzer IV instructions, steps 18 - 20 depict fixing locations. Both kits have shared sprues G and H. Brackets H23 attached to skirts G50 and G51. Andy

Sorry, the Pug Ugly award has to go to either the PZL 106AR Kruk or PZL M-15 Belphagor in my opinion. Andy

Agree, no advantage here for club members, we pay the same price as non-clubbers. Added a few kits to the basket and realised only 5% benefit so didn't bother as the stash is healthy at the moment. Andy

How about "633 Squadron" the 1960s film? Andy

Airfix are not a party to the original contract and therefore not obliged to provide remedial actions, that is for the original seller to provide to honour their Consumer Rights Act 2015 responsibilities. In this instance, the seller refunded £12 which was accepted by the original contracting party and therefore is unactionable for future claims. Unfortunate, but Airfix are not culpable for the actions of third parties. Andy

Last one, Andy

A few more, the Gannet was nestled next to a 190 so not easy to photograph. Andy

I was at Gatow airfield last month and took a few pictures in readiness for my pre-order to arrive. If they help folks, here they are. Andy

PIcked this up at the North East Aircraft Museum and thought it could be the basis of a decent diorama, until I started. The realisation that it would be much too large for SWMBO to allow means that this is probably as far as I will get. A lot of fun though, especially the sentry hut. Rommel's half track (I like this kit) makes an appearance. The pillars on the bridge need to be made solid so scribed plasticine did the trick nicely Lesson learnt, do we do it for display or for the joy it brings putting it together and testing ourselves? Oh well, up it'll go into the attic! Andy