WIP 1/16 "Tiger In Wait" 321 .SS.Pz.Abt.101 Normandy 1944

[housecarl]

Great work Dave. My experiences of PE involves a lot of "pinging", swearing and rummaging around on carpets. So fair play to you.
Carl.

 

[mil-mart]

Dave very impressive work, following with interest.

Cheers Ken

 

[Dr Force]

Carl & Ken

Thanks for your comments.

I have finished the catches for the turret box and now need to concentrate on adding the rivets.

I have shown the old moulded box to show the direct comparison.

I'll start to think about the Zimmerit as its a bit messy before going in for further detail:-

 

[Ferris]

Nice progress David. Looks like a lot of fiddly work....

Following with interest.

Cheers,
Adrian

 

[JasonB]

Need some zimmerit advise???? Do get it done early, before there are lots of details to be knocked loose and lost. Is that some Aber insanity you are working with on the turret box? I started to use their stuff, but the voices in my head told me...well...I sold the set.

When I did the Zimmerit on mine, I used a product called PC-7 (or maybe 11). They are a 2 part epoxy paste (not putty) that you mix together 1:1, and has the consistency of thick cake batter. Its workable for a couple of hours, so you can get the pattern JUST right. For a applicator, I used a piece of the cutting teeth that you find on boxes of aluminum foil or wax paper, which I used just like the toothed trowels that were used on the real thing. Just had to find the one with the right sized teeth, they vary by material that they are cutting. I think the one from the wax paper is what I ended up using. I used a pair of hemostats that could be locked close to hold it. They are quite like the PE zimmerit tools you can buy.You can cut them to any size you want to get into tight spaces as well. This allows you to spread the paste and texture it all at the same time, unlike putties that you may need to form,spread and smooth, get it a uniform thickness, then stamp a pattern into. I think the last time I used it I went over the patten 3-4 times until I had it just like I wanted, its actually kind of fun. You can see the stuff here:

http://www.pcepoxy.com/our-products/paste-epoxies/paste-epoxies.php

After they set up, paint sticks to them well, and the putty, with a little effort, can be flaked off realistically, like the real thing, so battle damage can be shown easily.
Cheers
Jason

 

[Dr Force]

Adrian, Thanks for dropping in.

Jason, good stuff there and thanks for the link.

I will experiment with magic sculpt first on some old card and different size flat headed screwdrivers to obtain the pattern and see how that comes out. If it is not successful then I'll try your method or any other method for that matter, until I am satisfied with the results.

There is a great demo in my Tiger 1 Osprey book which looks very authentic.

Added some rivets last night using epoxy resin and a careful dab with a cocktail stick, just to add that little bit of extra detail. Once painted it will look pretty good.

I'll have a crack at the air intake cover tonight/ weekend as that is out of the way, once agin it will be scratch built using copper sheeting.

 

[kagemusha]

Just keeps getting better David. Great stuff. Always loved the Tiger 1 in all its incarnations and you are doing it justice, big time.

Ron

 

[Dr Force]

Hi Ron & thanks for your words of encouragement it is helping to spur me on.

The scratch built air intake cover has gone better than expected and taken around half the time to complete (around 3 hours in all) It's all copper and the through bolts are also homemade.

It's an example of not cutting corners as you will not see all of it as the turret will only be partly turned in the scene so you will probably see around half but it could be viewed from another angle so for the sake of an extra hour..........................

 

[housecarl]

I thought you'd have gone for working padlocks Dave?
You're Mr Details,
Carl.

 

[Dr Force]

I thought you'd have gone for working padlocks Dave?
You're Mr Details,
Carl.

Ha Ha......................if I could...................!!

It's funny you should mention this as the front Jack box will definately have a padlock!! I love the detail and learning new skills doing stuff like this. I have already realised that copper sheeting is my new best friend.

I have a spare afternoon so I may just crack on with some of the tooling and try to start the zimerit.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Dr Force]

Is that some Aber insanity you are working with on the turret box? I started to use their stuff, but the voices in my head told me...well...I sold the set.http://

Hi Jay

I just noticed what you asked in an earlier post!!

Everything to do with fine detail is being scratch built, there is no PE stuff, it's taking ages but it's far more rewarding, especially when you have to find an appropriate pic to model the catches etc.

Cheers
Dave

 

[JasonB]

Ok, now I'm not sure which is crazier. Using pre-made PE parts that have 12 pieces that need to be folded, soldered and glued, or making it yourself???!!!!

 

[Dr Force]

Ok, now I'm not sure which is crazier. Using pre-made PE parts that have 12 pieces that need to be folded, soldered and glued, or making it yourself???!!!!

Ha Ha.......I'm definately bonkers!!!

Ok a very busy afternoon and managed to scratch build the Jack box by carving some wood and using the spare bits of thin copper left over from the engine grill.

I also could not resist just putting the grills in place and with my current amendments, this thing is slowly coming alive.

I will make the clips for the tools Jack box etc that sit on the lower hull, once I have added the zimmerit, as Jay pointed out, you end up knocking them all off when messing with the hull.

 

[sam b]

I'm enjoying your progress.
Sam

 

[smudger1960]

Great work dave,i love german tigers and panthers and i'm looking forward to seeing this completed,great work as well on the etch detail.

Brian

 

[Steve Ski]

Nice Dave, great concept and I like the research. This should be a show stopper for sure.

As for building such a large beast in need of a bigger base, display is the only way to go. I'd hate to see this in some sealed box in your loft. I built a curio cabinet specifically for my "Hue City" dio. (I'm a handy wodd butcher too). There wasn't anything on the market, so I did it myself. You may want to consider that. And an advisory caution is in order here a this time; if your wife or girlfriend sees that display space it may get commandeered, so guard it with your life.

Will be watching this beauty as you make it happen Dave. Cheers, Ski.

 

[Ferris]

Progressing nicely David.

I am enjoying following your progress on this ambitious project!

Cheers,
Adrian

 

[Dr Force]

Sam, Brian,Steve & Adrian

Thanks for your comments and interest, I am glad you are enjoying the progress and I hope it is meeting your expectations.

I had a set of 1/16 tools which were specific to the tiger and made out of lead, but they lacked rigidity & I asked myself why paint a wood finish when you can have wood? So I re-worked the tools this morning :-

 

[housecarl]

Excellent Dave. I've got some brass sheet and lead wire that maybe of use to you, I'll bring it to FW.
Carl.

 

[Dr Force]

Excellent Dave. I've got some brass sheet and lead wire that maybe of use to you, I'll bring it to FW.
Carl.

That would be fantastic thanks Carl................& do not forget Mr S & T !!!!!