JAGDPANZER IV, SS PzJ ABTEILUNG 9, OOSTERBEEK, 17TH DEC, 1944

[HERMAN BIX]

Herman!
Enjoying the details and overall realism of this TD. Everything has come together extremely well. Following along,
regards,
Painless

Oh Gday Mr Wolf, great to have you stop by
It one that has grown on me as it’s progressed.
Never be a Tamiya L70 but it’s good enough and differenterer enough for this kid!

[HERMAN BIX]

Looking great. The rear deck tools on the JPIV are fun. Really looking forward to the finished model especially how you do the exposed smashed edges of the concrete

Thanks Mr Mech, I do have a plan for the edges but we all know no plan survives first contact with the enemy, be that enemy real or broken concrete!!

[HERMAN BIX]

A bit of Mr Surfacer 500 dabbed then dry brushed out.
It needs another dry brush of white over it too.
The colour contrast is wild but will tone down after the weathering.
Spare track is on as a test fit.

[HERMAN BIX]

Now the scrapes are on the concrete, and the crosses on the wings , I can seal it.
Still a bit to do but close to the end now.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Bix, for years now, I have been trying to confirm that the cutters on Panzers were reddish. (One of the model paint companies so indicates.) Do you know how to confirm the color? (Black and white photos in books just don't help. Do you have any idea of what material the handles were made? Are the handles just primed steel?

[HERMAN BIX]

Bix, for years now, I have been trying to confirm that the cutters on Panzers were reddish. (One of the model paint companies so indicates.) Do you know how to confirm the color? (Black and white photos in books just don't help. Do you have any idea of what material the handles were made? Are the handles just primed steel?

Apparently they were a reinforced Bakelite & wood chip material. Allegedly non-conductive.
The shades were variable from an orangey colour to a more red-ish , so I went with the red-ish version.
I was handed an original set in the Museum in Montórmel, Falaise some years ago as I was curious about the same thing.
Those were a darkened orange shade, probably from being handled by travelers like me for decades on end !!

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thank you, Bix! I had guessed that the handles were Bakelite, but I could not confirm so in any of the many books I have. I can see the benefit of insulating qualities, but I thought Bakelite would snap. Even I am too young to be very familiar with Bakelite.

[Jofaur86]

Bonjour a vous
Wikipedia
https://fr.wikipedia.org › wiki › Bakelite
Bakelite, developed between 1907 and 1909 by the Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland (hence its name), was the first plastic made from synthetic polymers of the ...
Bakelite: material used in the years after the war, as insulation, in many electrical devices, switches, sockets, panels supporting equipment, and others, old tube TSF, etc.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thank you, Jofaur86: I have my late wife's mother's toaster from the 1930s: it has heavy black Bakelite handles on the shiny tin.

[HERMAN BIX]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJbMS06w56Q

The Bakelite/wood impregnated handles were over the core of the tool.
Thats what I meant sorry.