Tiger 412 - s.pz.abt 506 - Ardennes Offensive

[BREL]

Nice work Rik

[grim_marmazet]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Just a little update tonight. I ordered some Pershing headlights from Jason's Store on evilbay (can't recommend him enough for Tamiya parts, excellent service, and rapid delivery! ). They're a little small to fit onto the headlights themselves so i've mounted them in the Bosch headlight blackout caps a little way back, and although you can barely see them, its another tiny detail that I felt was missing.

Now the pictures!




Excuse the wobbly cap, I need to sort that.



The light leaks from the cap between the caps and lights, so I need to fill it, and add the retaining strap.

More coming soon!
Cheers,
Rik

[littletankman]

Hi Rik , What can I say your work just keeps getting better and better . Spot on job with the lights mate.

Andy

[grim_marmazet]

I received some more of the pioneer tools from Wecohe today.
First is the wonderful functional wire cutters. You have to cut them from sprues, and they take a bit of cleaning up, and assembly, but look wonderful when finished.
This shows the original wood colour of the handles


And with a touch of wood stain


I also received the axe and hammer, and they are both excellent and worth the wait. I've already stained the handles


Now, the heads of these tools, would the be left bare metal? Blackened? Or painted hull colour? I'm thinking of painting them matt black and sanding it down at the business ends. Though if anyone can tell me what the crews would've done, that would be great.
Cheers,
Rik

[littletankman]

Hi Rik. Now there amazing mate . I probaly could scratch build a metal axe and hammer head . But no way could I do those cutters . Realy good job you have done there . Have you made the Aber tool clamps yet . Mine are still in the packet .

All the best Andy

[grim_marmazet]

Thanks Andy, I haven't started on the clamps yet, they seem quite daunting! O.O I need to make the rest of the barrel cleaning rods and the shovel, and a starter crank handle.

I've been experimenting with trying to get a rolled steel effect using various tips i've picked up. The basic premise is to use humbrol liquid poly cement, brush it over the surface, then stipple it with a chopped down brush. To add extra effect, before you do this, use a round burr head in a dremel on slow speed and bounce it along the surface, to create pits from impurities in the steel. Once the glue has dried then lightly sand it down. It looks weird when you first do this, and to improve the effect I recommend doing it a second time to soften it, or even just apply a thin layer of poly cement to smooth it out.
Test this on a spare part before doing it though, as it took me several attempts to get it looking right.

Unfortunately the effect doesn't show in pictures taken on my crappy camera phone, but it does look awesome. Though I will say for anyone who's after deadly accuracy, this effect does look a bit to much compared to real tanks though, but its a vast improvement over the perfectly smooth sides of the German tanks we have now. Oh, and this works on surfaces painted in Halfords Acrylic Primer, and Vallejo Acrylic paints as well, it doesn't need to be bear plastic.

Cheers,
Rik

[xrad]

wow. looks very real.

[grim_marmazet]

I've got a few little bits done today. I've pulled something in my back so I couldn't move much, so only did some little bits. The turret detailling is almost finished! I still need to add the very tiny and very fiddly locking clasps to the turret bin, and a rack for a couple of jerry cans on one side of the turret bin. Battle damage will come later.

First up, some pictures of the texturing of the hull and glacis.




Im still experimenting with some lighter textures for the upper hull roof and the turret roof, and I still need to texture the turret sides. The effect is quite heavy, and bit more than I wanted, but at this scale its hard to see a realistic texture.

Next is the bolts for the waterproof MG cover. They have functional M1 butterfly bolts from Wecohe on them, I love the detail.


I added some casting numbers to the mantlet. I cut these from the sprues, and it took a lot of attempts to get the two numbers, lol. I think they may be a little bit big, and I think I may replace them later.


I added the bolt on mounts for the turret bins, they just need weld seams added.



Finally I decided to add the washers to the side skirts. I'm going to try to bend up a side as rivetcounter told me about, but at the size they are I don't think it'll work.


Thats all for today guys. This build is going slowly, but i'll get it finished soon! lol
Cheers,
Rik

[littletankman]

Hi Rik its absolutly amazing . The effect on the sections is excelent . You realy are pulling out all the stops on this one mate .

Andy

[grim_marmazet]

Some more to show today guys, just a few little bits done.

I got the little welded supports for the spare aerial tube. I was wondering about the end, whether it was a cap, or just open?



I lightly textured the turret roof. It just breaks up the flat surface.


And finally are the tiny clasps for the turret bin lids. Now these things almost drove me insane! They are so small and fiddly, and took forever to put together, but they were well worth it, as they look great. I didn't bother to make them function as the turret bin lids don't open.


I just need to texture the turret sides, and add a rack for a couple of jerry cans and the turret is done. More pictures to come tomorrow!
Cheers,
Rik