Early Xmas for me

My wife took me to Perth to pick up my xmas presents I have waited nearly a year for the 1/16th scale early Tiger from Andy's Model Headquarters to hit our shores.
It is a collaboration between him and Takom (I think) so I'm doing up Michael Wittmanns S04 command tank and 1/16th scale it's a big kit so is going to be a while building it.

I was going to do the Jagdtiger 1/35th scale as a 8.8/L71 variant having done the 12.8cm one but noted the 12.8 in this kit had a bulky thing on the back deck so will build that variant.
I don't think I have seen that in any of my Tiger books and I've a few of them so I'll just have to build another Jagdtiger with the 8.8/L71 main gun.

Then a late model Panther came home with me this one I have not decided what it will replicate but again never built a Meng kit so here is hoping it is a good kit.
Getting to the painting stages with my 1/35 King Tiger II with the Porsche turret so when its done I'll pop a pic up doing metal tracks on this one.

And a few supplies/paints/glues etc to help me along, I nearly brought a 1/48 Hawker Tempest but planes take allot of space which I don't have right now.
Was going to do it up as JF-E as piloted by Pierre Clostermann in WWII.

Anyway Merry Xmas & Happy New Years to you all.
CINDERS

Nice stuff!!!

Looking forward to progress reports!

Last couple of weeks I've been working on my Armortek 1/6 scale Tiger #131. This week I'm ordering the motion pack and sound and smoke kits for it. Have the 1/16 King Tiger to work on at other times. Someday I hope to fonish something.

Enjoy the builds. Merry Christmas!

Later 42rocker

Progress on the Porsche turreted Tiger II getting to the point of starting to put all the bits together doing pre cammo shading before applying the scheme yet to decide whether Dk green, Dark Yellow/Desert Yellow base.
There is one pattern I like but feel with weathering it will look too dark, anyway will decide a bit latter one thing I did get earlier is a pick up stick for small parts a godsend for those pesky front hull hooks which are about 1mm in size.
It's like a pen with a rod & silicone ball on the end will hold the part lightly just put the glue down place the piece in it and viola done no more shaky tweezers or losing the part when it sprongs out of them had this happen with handles!

So not sure on the 1/16th scale Panther yet it has 2,300 parts so is a mammoth build as paint as you go is a must in fact with all models this is what takes the time paint a bit clean the airbrush etc.

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

the 8.8/L71 main gun

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Did I mention to you recently I was offered another 88mm cartridge complete? The early version of straight walled flak or the Tiger 1...turned it down and it sold local for $1250CDN plus shipping. Building the models HAS to be cheaper.

The "Porche" turret is actually just the first iteration and one of the first (50?) group. They found the round front would direct shots straight down into the deck armor.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

$1250CDN

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Whoa. Nice item, but certainly make one think about it.

Agreed, I knew he would sell it for more than he was asking me to pay which he did. I ended up getting something much nicer that didn't have the issues I saw present in the 88 Flak.

Do tell the something better !

Truth be known Krupp made both types for the King Tiger but the Porsche design (50 as stated) was very complicated to build the commanders bulge on the side was the main problem to do as was the curved front they sort of jumped the gun a bit by building them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

the something better !

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Was sold to me as a 105mm HE projectile but turned out to be a 4.5inch navy. This one turned out to be one of the fixed types so I had to procure a casing, came from the UK. I had to get a time fuze elasewhere here and it's all assembled now... Cost less than the 88Flak all said and done.

Really nice. A most impressive addition to your wall.

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Originally Posted by Low & Slow

A most impressive addition

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Thanks, that was the way I saw it too. Well worth the coin. An 88flak? Sure I'd have one but it would have to be really nice.

Taking shape Tiger II Porsche turret.
Discovered a few things going Mr Hobby grey primer - flat black shading - Dk Yellow that the yellow looked greenish tinged.
So put a layer of desert yellow over it in the sunlight its hard to tell the 2 tones but under the neon lights it shows up well.
Will do the Red brown/Dk green cammo & gloss varnish it for the decals & weathering/Pigments/Chipping/washes.
All the hull gear is painted commander prisms etc done not fitted yet, more to come in due time.
Yes have not started the tracks yet putting that off till last.........!

Coming along nicely...look at all the track pins.

Looks really good so far. I could see why you'd set aside track work for last. I'd be cross-eyed after linking up half of the first one.

Small amount of progress 80% completed the 3 tone cammo.
Got some red/brown to do on the gun & wheels then mark out the guards and do them.
Still lots to do but its taking shape nicely.
Tamiya acrylic paint thinned 60/40 with about 10 drops of retarder to 1/2 bowl in the airbrush 5-6 psi Iwata Eclipse .3 needle.

Done and dusted !

Very nice...

You did an outstanding job!

Well Done!

Later 42rocker

Cinders

What do you think of the "1/16th scale early Tiger from Andy's Model Headquarters" kit? Couple of pics inside the box and your thoughts Please?

Later 42rocker

I think it will be a good build but the instructions are vague in areas like they give you no measurements to cut the towing cables to insert in the towing eyes, same for the track cable they used to take the transport tracks/cross country tracks on & off.
There are some things Andy explains when he builds the tank that are not mentioned in the instructions then there are the fans and their covers which are hinged so you can see the fans then you put the air filter plumbing over them stopping the covers from being lifted.
I'm doing Michael Wittmanns S04 Eastern front one where he fought at Kursk

I think it will be a good build it seems to be of good molding I want to build it next but have got no where to store it as look at the size of the bottom hull pic #2 I used a can of coke as a scale but yeah its a big model.
But spare a thought for me I have a Trumpeter 1/16 Panther to build 2300 parts then to top it all a 1/35th scale Meng late model Panther I brought has a full interior as well OMFG what have I done to myself!!!!!!!

No help here Cinders, I struggled with Tamiya's 1/35 scale models!

My tile monster eats small parts on a regular basis so I went and got a sticky pen works a treat for those 1mm & less sized parts & for photo etch.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Was sold to me as a 105mm HE projectile but turned out to be a 4.5inch navy

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Is that you in your cave, Jim? Looking good....you must be multitasking on the treadmill all day while keeping tabs on our forum! ;)

Cinders
Thanks for your thoughts and pics of the 1/16 scale "AHHQ's Tiger 1". I'm thinking about adding one to my tank collection.
Need to take and post a few pics here also.

Later 42rocker

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

but have got no where to store it

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Put up an/some additional shelving?

Dang, Cinders, that really was a job well done! The cupola MG sure gives a sense of proportion that could be easily lost otherwise.

Yeah F10 I'm looking at getting a clear display case with lighting and fairly good seal on the doors as dust is a killer on these things very easy to snap an aerial or knock an MG off.
For instance the rear mounted MG 42 on the Jagdtiger model it mounts on a ball to the MG that is half a mm see pic !

I revisited my Tamiya 1/35 Wittmann as there was a part of the build I was not happy with the effect I was trying for so a bit of a light white touch up and some better closer pics.

Cheers.

Very interesting effects.

Looks good.

Thanks for sharing.

Later 42rocker

Easy 8 going ahead slowly had to wait for some Drab 2 to paint the Sherman then some Dark Grey for VK45.02 yet to start on that one.

Done left it as factory fresh straight off the LCT, plus did not do the Tiger front.

Started VK45.02

Very Nice Work!

Later 42rocker

My good wife brought me a small display case for my completed models I used a flash as its a little dark inside.
I may put in some battery LED's but these tend to be a bluish tinged light which alters ones perception of the cammo details on the AFV's.
Anyway here they are;

Top shelf L - R ~ Sturmtiger 38cm rocket armed opened to show rockets, Wittmanns SO4 Tiger 1 from Kursk winter cammo, Tiger 1 I built in 1990, Jagdtiger 12.8cm TD, Koenigs Tiger L71/88mm Henschel turret, Koenigs Tiger L71/88mm Porsche turret. (Krupp made all the turrets Porsche just jumped the gun thinking they would get the KT II contract.) I goofed Krupp made all the turrets for the KT II checked my resources.

2nd shelf L - R ~ Crusader desert cammo dusty, Wirbelwind, front Hetzer TD eastern front winter, Easy "8" Sherman, T-34/76, Brumbar assault gun, Ruscher 2 x 75mm assault gun only made wooden mock up never built 2 man crew, Jagdpanther, Panther.

I have VK45.02 on the go its a slow build this one as has a full internals for the turret.
The Tiger 1 in 16th scale is next on the build list.

Postscript ~ I left out a Pnzr Mk IV long barrel 75 in dirty as condition of a battled AFV.

Cheers have a good day.

you got plenty more room in that case. I'm looking forward to you filling it up!

Looks nice. I agree with the LED lighting. It surely has it's advantages, but I just can't warm up to it in many applications.

Bit more progress on VK45.02 the turret basket was quite the fiddly challenge had a few tile monster moments.
Pretty happy so far it took time as I let the small parts set o/night to ensure they stayed put, I do have gumby hands.
Not fussed on the breech's top seam line it won't be visible as only the rear hatch will open, even then I had to delete the handles so it would open.
The plans leave a little to be desired on the orientation of some of the very small parts this causes a few stop/go's.
But it's going together ok pretty time consuming trimming very small mm parts due to fit issues.
But the actual tank looks nothing like it's final product the Tiger II only thing it really had in common was the L71/88mm main gun!
Anyway should be done with it in a couple of weeks I have the tracks to face yet................!
Wont be too much weathering did a little on the basket more to follow on the internal turret & whole model.
But as they only built 3 prototypes there won't be that much weathering over the whole model.

So VK45.02 is basically finished bar the tracks which the kit supplied ones are absolute sh*te and anyone buying this Hobby Boss kit may as well get an aftermarket set like I have (In the post waiting for them) I can then finish it with the weathering ready to join its mates in the display case.
I've included here some pics with it's two final production models of the Tiger II of the Porsche turret (Left side of pic) there were only 50 units supplied with that turret the rest were of the Henschel design all of the turrets were made by Krupp.

Also shown is my new build of something in much bigger scale....................!

So the big build turned out to be a total faff up missing a complete sprue of parts along with the ring section for the lower turret I'm bl**dy p*ssed, of all the 000's of kits made and sent throughout the world and I got this one, it does have 2 sprues of the same parts for the turret top etc.

Yep a $319/Aud kit that is now at a hiatus until I hear back from Andys Hobby Headquarters in Glendale AZ if they are going to send me free of charge the missing parts .

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

missing a complete sprue of parts along with the ring section for the lower turret

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I ran into that rarely too. Usually on something much smaller though, that would be frustrating.

Rough deal on the tracks and missing parts. At least you have a source for better tracks, replacing an entire sprue might be a bigger challenge. Good luck on that.