Panzer Spirit Build 2022 - ?

[PainlessWolf]

Herr Doctor!
I was very pleased. All the vehicle has had done to it was a charge on a battery and a few drops of smoker oil added. I was watching it run out in the rough and I have to say, I cannot remember having had a tank perform so well initially in the dirt and gravel of my drive. Lots of cleanup and detailing coming along here for it. Today, a heavy snow storm has swept in so I will content myself with adding some detail to the Sherman.
regards,
Painless

[EAO]

Painless!

You got the Rommel Rod!!!! It was cool when I was 10, and it's still just as cool today! One funky vehicle for sure, regardless of scale! Love your new .50 BMG, really looks good on the Sherman. I didn't realize that the JP has the flame dampers that I'm so infatuated with!

Following along with a smile on my face! It will be very cool to see how you handle the RRod when you get to it!

Cheers,
Eric.

[PainlessWolf]

EAO!
I'll try to do a better job than the first time I built it for sure. The .50 cal with a Tamiya ammo can and the resin ammo should be some nice eye candy for the Sherman Build. Those flame dampers will need a little brass and some etching to be worthy of infatuation. Work to do!
regards,
Painless

[PainlessWolf]

Last of the parts and bits for this dual Build trickled in over a week of back to back snow storms. I am pleased ( mostly ) with everything. I am going to have to paint the new Upper as it has one of those cheesy HL paint jobs on it. I had contemplated swapping out all of the electronics from the new one to the original but there is way to much of the Glue Monkey's touch in the new one to remove boards and such without destroying them and the wiring. Another rattlecan paint job in the offing....I should get out the airbrush but having never used one, matching the excellent paint on the original Upper will be nigh impossible. Time to leaf through the novel again and see if I can pin down what kind of paint scheme was on Von Norden's Jagdpanther. I think I read "Ambush" somewhere but also "Dunkelgelb" so we will see. The UV paint arrived undamaged so that is something to be happy about. To get the effect of the "blue glow" when the armor is powered up should only require a Blacklight fixture and bulb now. Some stencils from Rad will be needed after the paintwork is complete.
Pics: ( Click to Enlarge )

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I wish I were close by, Painless. Then I could harass you with my unwanted help. I have changed out a number of "bone stock" HengLong and Taigen electronic boards, etc., generally to exchange for newer versions. And, yes, each time at some point I am convinced that I will make some mistake that will leave nothing but a small pile of electronic as junk. Yet I have never done so by accident

My first step is to remove wiring. I first try to identify which colored wire belongs where on the board and to which gizmo in the hull or turret. Then I take a close-up pictures from different angles. I almost always find the wiring held down (if at all) by masking tape (!) or hot glue. Both can be pulled loose quite readily.

The main boards are held down by double-sided tape (I have not encountered any exception to this). Once the wiring is off, those boards enclosed in plastic cases can be pulled up with care, but without too much fear. Those not so enclosed can still be pulled up. I use three fingers along one side at a time, a little pull left, a little pull right, a little pull top, a little pull bottom. Stop, sip, grumble naught words, resume pulling gently but firmly.

I still use spray cans for priming, with a special preference for Mr. Color 500 or good ol' Rust-Oleum. But to spray on camouflage, its airbrush time. For base coats, Tamiya is super-duper, but I so is Testor's for Olive Drab FS34087.

And concerning air-brushing, no doubt you have heard a millions times, "Practice, Practice, Practice." Every time I set up a color, I practice first on cardboard or, if I am really scared or using an unfamiliar paint, a piece of plastic primed with Rust-Oleum primer (gray for US, etc., red for German).

[PainlessWolf]

Herr Doc,
I've been caught up in prep for my 9th Wedding Anniversary so apologies for the late reply to your post. I was looking at the new Upper vs the old and aside from paint, the exteriors are the same simplistic HL detailing and molds. Even down to the bug eye led on the headlight. Lots of room for improvement so I will go ahead with the paint on the new upper and spare myself the electronics swap over. Per the novel, it reads like Von Norden's Jagdpanther was a dirty Dunkelgelb in color with faded traces of previous camo paint schemes. No doubt from years of being parked, lost in an over grown forest. I picked up a simple UV Blacklight last night. Some tests of the new UV paint on Olive Drab and Dunkelgelb will follow soon. Thank you again!
regards
Painless

[HERMAN BIX]

Takes me about 7 minutes to prepare for my wedding anniversary once I remember it
Ask my Mrs, she will agree that’s the limit of my attention span when it comes to such things !

[PainlessWolf]

Herman!
Takes some thought here on my end. I'm slow and deliberate now. Gone are the days when a new Coffee Maker ( with a nice brass mini plaque on it ) to denote the Anniversary will do. ;o)
regards,
Painless

[EAO]

Painless and Herman,

Last year Jess got leather goods. A boot in the..., and a belt in the...! Seriously, just kidding (totally abhor spousal abuse ) but my Grandpa used to love that saying!

As for the paint scheme on Von Norden's JP, I too took it for Dunkelgelb, with a faded striped disruption camo like what's already on yours underneath it all. At least in my mind's eye that's what I envisioned.

Following along,
Eric.

[PainlessWolf]

EAO,
That's what I am reading\seeing in my mind's eye. Rust may not affect that vehicle but dirt and paint degradation surely would. But first, the Sherman. A little detail work and a few pics of that progress along with the first test of the UV paint on a piece of scrap Olive Drab painted plastic and a piece of Dunkelgelb painted metal.
Pics ( Click to Enlarge )