LATE STUG,10PzGREN DIV,MORAVIA 1945

[HERMAN BIX]

Zimmerit flavoured cereal
Sure does look like the stuff !

The yellow-splodge has now been partially covered by the salacious scent of primer
Now I've had a flash-back to the F-05 Tiger and all the missing zimmerit patches I had to mask-putty over
I could charge on with that on the primed lower hull & get it to the point of a running base, but the late return rollers and other bits are still held up in the airport in Germany so its looking certain to be in hold-up mode.

Might have to park it and do tidy ups & other odd jobs on my other ones in the mean time.
Not a complete wasted effort, as there is always something to do on these things, but I dont like being held up on projects.
Ah well ...............

[EAO]

Herman,

Looks very fine, is it just me that finds red oxide primer so attractive?

Whenever I look at Zimmerit of this type, HB- images of 'Shreddies' cereal come to mind (and no, not the fart-suppressing underpants )

Shreddies.jpg

Roy,

I'm confused by "fart-suppressing underpants". Are you Gent's in the Isles hiding more amazing inventions from us across the big pond?! The Shreddies do look just like Herman's Zimmerit though!

Cheers,
Eric.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I wondered about that one, too, Eric. C'mon you! 'Fess up! Just what are "shreddies" if not the cereal?

[HERMAN BIX]

Well, until Mr 43RR lets us in on the story of the 'Shreddies' that are not cereal, all I have for progress is a nicely printed late muzzle brake from Hearns Hobbies here in Auzz.
As its for the Das Werk static, it wont go straight on the end of a standard H/L barrel, as the barrel is too big, but the idea of having the option to MAKE it fit on a standard H/L barrel is sound.
Careful drill out & a bit of filing, shes on & looks fantastic.
Once(if ever) the Saukopf mantlet arrives I can permanently fix it in place. Until then, its just a tight fit for looks

[PainlessWolf]

Good morning, Herman!
Always progress to be made on these complicated builds. The mods and fiddly bits have to be done at some point. Great looking muzzle brake!
regards,
Painless

[SCHWEREPANZER]

Hey Herman,

It's amazing what a little primer can do to put the yellow zimm against the gray body in better perspective. I think your zimmerit hits the right note. To somewhat paraphrase what baby bear said: not too much, not too little, but....just right.

And, oh yeah, that muzzle brake looks just great. These variations on the theme have also come on the market in light of the Das Wek and Heller /Trumpeter Stugs: https://www.afvmodeller.com/product-cat ... man-tanks/

Nice work, as usual!

[HERMAN BIX]

Thanks for the link Mr Schwpzr, its full of goodies that outfit !!

The primer was/is the thing that for me defines tangible progress. And in this case covers the awful yellow Miliput & at least allows a bit of synergy across the overall work to this point............

(translation) it just smells soooo good

I got on with the recoil function today, been flogging with rain for several days(to the point I flashed back to N.Z.!) & the super rugby is back on, so any excuse to stay indoors & make stuff.
Slicing the bottom off the H/L recoil unit that came with the tank means I can make an adaptor plate which is secured to the bottom of it, and servo mounts solder-pasted to that.
Once the servo is in place, I can get the link sorted out from the servo horn to the mechanism. Thats always a bit of a piss-fart around to get right, but it gets there in the end.
The Topfblend I ordered from Germany is going to be ages I reckon, thats the world. I might just have a crack at making one out of the box mantlet I have & seeing how it goes. At least it will pass the time while DHL does their end of the deal

[EAO]

Herman,

Hope you're staying dry! Very nicely detailed muzzle brake and some fine craft on the recoil mechanism!

I may have to PM Roy to find out more about the "suppressing underwear"! I'm curious, so very curious! Hopefully he will enlighten us within a few days.

Cheers,
Eric.

[HERMAN BIX]

Modified loaders hatch now in place.
Pretty simple to make, lucky I have a lot of hinges to select from.
I'm really just marking time until the topfblende arrives

[HERMAN BIX]

More time marking, this time the 3-section spaced M.G. shield.
Not needing it to hinge made putting it together easier. Its going to be fixed in a forward/collapsed position rather than fully upright.
I dont want it to be fully laid flat like in the pictures either, so the added armour sections seem to help the structure find its own happy medium.
Once the unused remote M.G. mount is on(if it ever arrives from Germany ) the empty space between it and the hatch will be filled in a bit.
I may change my mind on the position, but for now its a leaning forward idea.

Used some old H/L shields and a brass section made from annealed sheet, spaced with styrene angle, to replicate the fabricated 3-part gun shield like the picture.
Am going to make an assumption that the picture reflects some level of damage to the shield as it looks to be torn from its mount or at least pushed so far over that its broken one side.
I cant get mine to replicate the odd placement of the pictured one without lifting one side off the mount by a lot.

C'mon Topfblend