My First Tiger and Still Upgrading

[n1ghtpony]

really stunning job done on that tiger !! just have to know how you get that rust chipping effect on the hatch and storage box and stuff it looks perfect

[sunray]

really stunning job done on that tiger !! just have to know how you get that rust chipping effect on the hatch and storage box and stuff it looks perfect

Alright mate.

Believe or not its easy. Once the decals have been applied I gave it a coat of flat vanish with an airbrush. Now I used a Sepia wash and painted around bolts, panels, edges, etc. Then using the base colour and a small brush I painted on the chips on the camouflage. Once that's done I changed to a Panzer Grey and painted on the chips all over the tank again using a small brush. It takes a few hours but I found it quite relaxing, listening to the match on the radio, drinking coffee away from the wife and kids and painting chips on a Tiger tank.

To get the metal shine is the easiest of the lot. I used a solid graphite pencil. You run the pencil along the edge or on a chip to show bear metal and just polish with your finger.

I may have said earlier that all the paints are acrylic made buy Vallejo. They also do a good dvd "AFV - Acrylic Techniques" which tells you about washes, chipping, etc. But to be honest my experience of rust and chipping started when I use to own a T reg Fiat!

[n1ghtpony]

im starting a similar tiger myself and i just have to try this ...may even give it a go on my king tiger hatches i appreciate the advice .that is a seriously awsome tiger ,also the relaxing away in the garage away from the wife and kids sound pretty good too
wish i tried it on my last job
thanks for the advise buddy

[amoruso44]

Great build ...plenty of ideas. Canyou advise how you managed to cut out front hatches ? Looks very accurate cut. Have recently purchased metal hatches but having difficulty/courage as best to remove. Cheers.

[Dietrich]

Hi Sunray,
WOW !!.....This is a really interesting thread and if you have got all this information from the Forum then I need to do more reading ...... ......and actually try and use the spray gun that I bought years ago...
Alb.

[sunray]

Great build ...plenty of ideas. Canyou advise how you managed to cut out front hatches ? Looks very accurate cut. Have recently purchased metal hatches but having difficulty/courage as best to remove. Cheers.

Hi. The way I did it was to use a small drill bit in a pin vice and manually drilling loads of small holes from under the hull using the recess as a guide the joining the holes up carefully with a modelling knife. You could use a dremel etc but I did it by hand as you have a "bit" more control it you pardon the pun. It does take more time but I found this way a lot easier.

That done its just a case of using a small file to tidy up the holes for the hatches. The secret is to use the smallest drill bit you have and drill lots of small holes (the bit I used was 1.2mm).

Once all is filed and sanded smooth using a bit of water and wet and dry paper, I just super glued the hatches in place using to the small pins to correctly seat the hinge.

I hope this helps and thanks for the comment.
Ian

[sunray]

Hi Sunray,
WOW !!.....This is a really interesting thread and if you have got all this information from the Forum then I need to do more reading ...... ......and actually try and use the spray gun that I bought years ago...
Alb.

Thanks mate. Believe it or not this was my first attempt of using an airbrush.
Ian

[amoruso44]

Many thanks for your quick reply and advice..now for the practical! Keep you posted. Cheers.

[Dietrich]

Hi sunray,
Great looking tank there...You have made the spray-gun a bit less frightening..... ......Reference the Zimmerit on an early tank....I think that it can be done and I am certain that it was retro-fitted in the field....the Zimm was fitted from July 1943 with the new style cuppola, from the factory but I will have a look to see if I can find a photo of the early cuppola and the zimm.
Alb.

[sunray]

Hi sunray,
Great looking tank there...You have made the spray-gun a bit less frightening..... ......Reference the Zimmerit on an early tank....I think that it can be done and I am certain that it was retro-fitted in the field....the Zimm was fitted from July 1943 with the new style cuppola, from the factory but I will have a look to see if I can find a photo of the early cuppola and the zimm.
Alb.

Cheers mate. I am sure I have seen it somewhere but I can't remember where. I have just finished a Walker Bulldog and I am doing a Panther G now and I am having a problem trying to find metal track that I can afford for the Panther. As for the airbrush, it wasn't an expensive one (around £20 -£30) but I would recommend a gravity feed one.
Thanks Ian