Char B1 bis * Color Modulation *

[wouter]

Hi fellas, me again with another(!!!) build:

since I joined the got gun, got wheels GB with the Stryker I lost a bit of 'modelling interest': I accidently threw away a piece of sprue of which I thought was empty...afterwards it seemed that a piece of the vane sight on the muzzle brake was on the sprue...so with this piece missing I completely lost interest in continueing the Stryker build...

luckily, over on the SMA forum, they organize the 'Big Spring Contest' every year. I had a kit in mind to get me up and running. Last year I bought a couple of kits of our own Mister Wild Bill: one of them being the Tamiya Beute Char B1 bis kit (Guy has built an awesome version of that one over here!!!!!). So I decided to try this kit...believe it or not, it's my first Tamiya one

I must admit: this kit truly is a revelation to me.
It is very well engineered, fit is ace, it practically falls together. And the sprue attachment points are often in areas where you won't be seeing much of it afterwards, even is you screw up...very clever!

Anywhoo, done a lot of the hull in a fairly short amount of time:






Cheers

[bullardino]

Wow, lightning fast start mate. Sorry for the stryker, have you tried writing the manufacturer to ask if they can provide some spare parts?

[Leon]

Off to a really good start Wouts,Looking good .Soz to hear about the missing part for the Stryker,hope you can get it sorted.

[bigjohn]

Nice start wouts!! Looking forward to this one, I've heard nothing but good things about this kit.

[TRM]

Awesome stuff Wouts!! Off to a great start too!! Was just about to get an entry in myself today!! Good luck my friend!

[afvfan]

This is the perfect kit to ease your modeling woes. Not only is it an easy build that needs almost no improvement, it makes for a great canvas for painting and weathering. You'll have a blast with it, Wouts!

[wbill76]

Nice to see this one getting built Wouts! Looking forward to the project for sure.

[Deleted]

Great choice mate the kit practically builds it's self!

[danb]

Great start Wouts man i love your piccys the lighting is perfect welcome to the world of Tamiya i love em

Dan B

[deafpanzer]

Great start buddy! Have same kit in stash... heard only good things about it.

[elco]

Looking sweet mate, i like the boxart camo. What are your plans?

[wing_nut]

1st and foremost. NIIIICE!

Wout this is one of those kits that you would be happy to build again and again. I really enjoyed mine. I don't want to hijack your thread so check the gallery in a bit and I'll post some pics.

In case you have not seen this site... I was turned onto this website by someone at the time that had lots of great stuff.. If you use Chrome you should be able to translate the page. near the bottom is a link to corrections for the kit too.

www.chars-francais.net/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=524&Itemid=66

[wouter]

Luigi, thanks mate, yeah was impressed with ease of things...never built something as fast as this one . mmm sending a mail to AFV Club ey? Might be a good idea

Leon, thanks bud, glad you joined me ^^

BJ, welcome bro, I can imagine, it's awesome to build

T, thanks a lot bud!

AFVfan, yeah, one of the reasons why I bought this kit from Bill, gotta love those rivets

Smudge, me old fruit, glad to have you here mate!

Dan, thanks bud...yeah lighting was ok, Photoshop Elements helps a bit

Andy, thanks bro, and will look forward seeing you pop that box open one day

Hiya Elco, thanks mate. Plans? Well, was thinking of doing a panzer grey effort again...just not sure wether it will be in combo with a worn whitewas or a dusty summer finish at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa...what do you think?

Marc, thanks a lot for that link bud, it's most interesting I must say!

Well, the build has carried on since last update

pretty much nearly finished apart from some details: some rivets needed to be added, texture and weldmark on the turret and scratching some muffler covers.
Tamiya provided to types of fenders: the narrow ones and broader ones...the narrow ones weren't to be used, but I think they look cooler and give a great opportunity for weathering: the gap between fender and upperhull is great for some caked on mud deposits. Also, according the instruction the exhaust ends need to be pointed upwards...but there were different types and I chose for the ones pointing downwards: great for sooth stains on the fenders!

The running gear is completely workeable btw, what a great stuff!





That's it for today!

Cheers

[bigjohn]

Nice update Wouts, looking good! Looks like a weathering dream!

[bullardino]

Really nice wouts

[deafpanzer]

Man, it is looking great! Now I am tempted to pop mine open...

[danb]

Looking good Wouts looking forward to the colouring in stages

Dan B

[TRM]

A thing of beauty!!! Can't wait to see the paint fly!!!!

[wbill76]

Looking good Wouts, almost time for the real fun to start!

[elco]

If you ask me, leave the whitewash on this one. It looks great on it but most builds i see finished with a whitewash so i should go for the dusty version...or the camo

[Leon]

Making great progress Wouts,looking really good.

[Deleted]

Built up very nicely .

[wouter]

BJ, you nailed it there, I think it's a weathering dream indeed...both Guys version and the one of Michael Rinaldi are a big inspiration!

Luigi, thanks bud

Andy, as one of your presidential candidates said once: 'Yes you can!', just do it mate

Dan adn T:, thanks mates

Bill, almost, almost...first some small things do to...but getting there

Elco, you read my mind, think I agree with you...a (very) dusty panzergrey it will be

Leon and Carl, thanks a lot gents

Well, no photos yet but I did some stuff: added texture to the turret, filled some gaps, scratched a mudscraper or two, added missing rivets...well that's it really Will post photos tomorrow or so when I sanded down the dried milliput

Cheers

[wouter]

Well, finally a photo update!

I added several things, some of which weren't provided in the kit: first of all I scratched some mudscrapers which are located on the front of the sponsons. I also added missing rivets: theser are Archer Fine Transfers ones, basically you place them like you place decals. I also scratched some track hangers which are located on the front plate

the gap on the driver plate is filled with white Milliput, this gap wasn't there in reality

A weldbed was added on the turret using stretched sprue. I also added texture by brushing Tamiya Extra Thin on the turret, immediately followed by dabbing a short stiff brush onto the surface. The commanders cupola is a two piece cupola and needed some filling as well


And finally a shot of the back with the cool chains hanging on the backplate


That's basically it for today ^^

Cheers

[paulh]

Thats speedy!
Looks pretty awesome too Wouts.

[afvfan]

Good job with the "add-ons". I like your cast texturing. It came out great.

[dupes]

I've got one of these in the finishing stages as well - have to agree that the engineering is top notch. Those tracks? Awesome!

[deafpanzer]

Excellent improvements there! Can not remember if the chains came with the kit or not... no I didn't have a Duvel this morning I swear! LOL

[wbill76]

Nice work on the add-ons Wouts! The Tamiya kit is nice and these little details just up the ante. The turret texturing looks just right as well. Now on to the paint!

[tonylee]

Fine as Frog hair Wout

Tony lee