1/16th scale Tiger 1 Ausf. E.

[Airframes]

Thanks again chaps.
Andy, yes, I really like the MM paints (you said I would !), although I need to try some brush-painting with them, using a proper brush, on a decent, easily accessible surface. They remind me very much of the old Humbrol 'Authenti Colours', both in the way they perform, and with the smooth, matt finish.
I'm going to use the RLM 71 green from MM on the Tiger, and I'm about to start the painting just as soon as I log off from the forum.
I'll have to mix the 'Wein Rot', using Humbrol Dark Earth and Red, as the LHS is out of stock, and the tin I've had for 20+ years is looking a bit dodgy.
Should have some pics later.

 

[Airframes]

Just taking a break from spraying the green stripes on the Tiger, and this is what it looks like so far.
I wanted to use the Model Master RLM 71 green, which. although not quite the right shade, is close enough. However, I couldn't get the bl**dy lid off the bottle, so I had to 'make do' with Humbrol Green 105. This is the correct shade, but I just hope it dries with the same matt finish as the MM paint - having been thinned a lot, it's still wet, in places, in the photos.
Back later, hopefully with pics of the stripes - green and red-brown - completed.

 

[Crimea_River]

I've found the lids of the MM paints to be their biggest drawback. Try running them under hot water for a few minutes then, if you have a nut cracker or a channel lock wrench, twist open using those aids. When putting the lid back on, clean all mating surfaces thoroughly.

The model is looking great Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy. I used a grip pad thingy, given to me at the hospital, to remove the lid on the MM Middle Stone, but the green would just not budge, although I'll admit my arms and wrists were aching and painful, so I probably didn't have much strength at the time !
I remembered what you'd said about the lids, and the possibility of leakage, so I ensured the Stone lid, before I used the whole bottle, was really tight when replacing it, after cleaning the neck and rim of the bottle, an the rim of the lid. No leakage problems !

The Tiger has now got its stripes !
It took almost as long to spray the stripes, as it did to spray the entire model !
But then, I did have to take care with each stripe, and ensure they all followed a pattern, in order to look like a general colour scheme used by the 2 Kompanie of s.Pz.Abt 101, in June 1944.
The green was, as previously mentioned, Humbrol 105, which went on without problems, for a change, although I did get a bit of spitting due to moisture on a couple of occasions, no doubt due to the length of time spent spraying (I'd swapped airbrushes, and used the one without the moisture trap filter fitted to it).
I changed back to the 'filtered' airbrush for the 'Wein Rot', mixing this using Humbrol 60 Matt Red, and Humbrol 29 Matt Dark Earth.
It looks a touch bright in the photos, but this is due to the mixed lighting, with some pics taken using flash too.

Next step is to paint the tracks, including the spare links for the front, and road wheel tyres, before hand-painting the turret numbers, tactical and unit markings, and the German crosses. Once that's done, the entire vehicle will receive a coat of 'dust', along with some dirt, staining and general weathering.
Back soon with another up-date, and thanks again for looking.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

Thats pretty damn good Terry.

 

[Crimea_River]

I agree. Terry, the problem I've had with MM lids is not leakage but the fact that the paper seals tend to stick to the bottle rim making it difficult to twist them off. Once they are stuck, the paper can delaminate, making the problem worse.

Love the paint work but noticing that the drape of the tracks on the right seems less than on the left, as though there are one or two less links on that side.

 

[VALENGO]

Nice model and a very good job. What kind of terrain will face that Tiger?, indoors, grass, mud?.

 

[Gnomey]

Great work so far Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks very much chaps.
I'm relatively pleased with it so far, but the camouflage turned out 'heavier' than I envisaged - enthusiasm took control of the airbrush I think !
I'm going to re-spray a couple of small areas with Dark Yellow, just to tidy things up a bit, then once it gets its cot of dust, grime and staining etc, it should tone - down and look better.

As for terrain, it'll mostly have to deal with a wooden shelf in the display cabinet, but I will take it with me on my travels, and find suitable areas in which to leave tank tracks !

Andy, as they're working tracks, I can't do much about the drape. But in the pics, it's probable that one track is under more tension than the other, due to pushing the model around 'in gear', as the drive system does not 'free wheel', and only operates under power.
I have noticed that the drape of the tracks has increased since 'driving' it a couple of times, and now looks slightly more realistic compared to when it was first unpacked, when the tracks were virtually straight and rigid.

I'll do the re-touching some time tomorrow, then get the markings sorted out. I found some unit badge decals in the spares box which I think might fit, and I might have some numbers decals for the rear of the turret bin - the rest will be hand painted.
I also need to paint the tracks, to make them look more like used tracks, and that'll take time, as I'll nedd to power-up the model to revolve the tracks a bit at a time.
Then I want to try to scratch-build a mg mount for the turret cupola, s the one supplied with the white metal part is somewhat 'heavy' and crude in appearance. There's also a rather neat Commander figure, which I'll enhance and paint to be used for photo shoots or display only !
The pic below shows the figure after removing some of the moulding seams. The arms move, but the joints at the shoulders will be filled before painting.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Great job Terry! Is that the Ambush scheme?

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Jim.
No, it's one of many variations on a 'standard' scheme used in northern Europe between about late 1943 to summer 1944. The 'ambush' scheme arrived around Autumn 1944, and used larger areas of all three colours, in 'heavier' patches, with 'spots' of the Dark Yellow over the Red Brown and often over the green too.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Beauty Terry. I read a tip in Finescale Modeler about removing the plastic liners from pop/soda pop bottle lids and inserting them into the lids of the MM and Polyscale paints. They are supposedly the same size and resist jamming up

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Wojtek and Geo, and thanks for the tip Geo. As I don't normally buy pop, I don't really know what those 'liners' look like, or what type of bottle they're on - but if I see something that might fit, it's worth a try. But first, I have to be able to get the bl**dy lids off the MM bottles !

Anyway, as I mentioned, I wasn't totally happy with the camouflage pattern, so I spent a few hours messing about, and re-sprayed some areas to adjust the shape and overall colour demarcation.
I've also made a start on painting the tracks, although there's much more to do yet.
Next step is to get the turret numbers and other markings applied, then paint the tyres on the road wheels, before misting on a coat of 'dust', doing some detail painting, and adding grime etc.
The 'accessories', in the form of towing hawsers, track cables and tools, also need to be cleaned-up, and painted and weathered, before fitting to the hull. The parts are pre-coloured, and some R/C tank owners replace these with real metal cables etc, but I'm sure that, once moulding marks have been removed, and with a decent paint job, they'll look convincing enough.
Due to the sheer size, and the weight of this model, everything takes longer, and just moving it around to gain access for painting various areas has been quite tiring - my arms are aching with the effort !
I'm aiming for the first attempt at painting the turret numbers later today, and hope to have some pics by tonight.

Pics below show the comparison of how the model looked after the first painting attempt (First pic), and the remaining shots are how it looks now. These 'new' shots have been taken at what would equate to eye level with the real tank, as that's how it would normally be viewed, and also a shot of the top surfaces.

 

[Wayne Little]

A well thinned very light coating of the dark Yellow will go along way toward toning down the Brown and Green....if it takes your fanccy...

 

[Airframes]

I'll be doing something similar Wayne, but with a light misting of 'dust' - Dark Yellow mixed with a very light grey, very thin, misted overall, with a more pronounced 'dusting' along the edges of the track guards, the bottom of the front plate (and spare tracks), and the rear plate. This will be done once the markings are in place, and the weathering and grime has been completed.
The beginnings of the effect can just be seen on the tracks, in the last photo in Post # 55.
I've started on the basic weathering and wear, with paint wear around some edges, hatches and the damaged areas, and have picked out the damaged zimmerit.
I found some red Luftwaffe numbers decals which are just about large enough for the rear of the turret stowage bin, and these have been applied, along with the LSSAH badges, from (very) old 1/35th scale decals, which fortunately were over-sized for that scale. The numbers will need to have a white outline painted in, and this will be done at the same time as I hand-paint the turret numbers (which are slightly larger than the rear numbers) and tactical sign. I'm going to see if some Luftwaffe crosses will settle down on the zimmerit - if they don't break up when soaked !
I tried to apply some, which looked like they'd settle, but they broke up when moved into position. Being old, and from Microscale / Superscale, this didn't surprise me - even new decals from that company have a tendency to disintegrate. So I've given the remaining decals a coat of clear varnish, and I'll see what happens second time around.
If they don't work, or if they break up again, then it's out with the fine brush again, and hand-paint the crosses.
I'm hoping to get some more done tonight, so i'll post pics then if there's any progress.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks the biz Terry. Wish I'd known Geo's tip while I was still using those paints. The lid issue was one of the reasons I stopped as, once open, I had some paints thicken up on me in the bottle.

For the crosses, I'd be inclined to mask these and airbrush them on but hand painting would certainly work as well.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy.
Having looked at the photos, I'm still not happy with part of the camouflage - that large green area on the center of the turret, left side, is bugging me. I reduced it in width, and now it seems to be shouting at me, so i'm going to alter it again !
If I end up painting the crosses, I will make masks, but they'll be as a guide only, as the corrugations of the zimmerit will prevent them sitting down enough to be accurate. I'll use outline masks to get the proportions right, then brush-paint the crosses.
It'll be a similar situation for the turret numbers, but thankfully, these weren't always perfect, so a little bit of 'rough edges' will be acceptable !

 

[Airframes]

Not much to report at the moment. Been out most of the day, but I have managed to alter the camouflage to my satisfaction, at last.
Going to get the turret numbers and other markings done some time tomorrow, all being well, although I need to spend some time working on preparing the van for it's next trip later in the week, so i might have limited time at the bench.