Tamiya 1/35th Sd.Kfz 251/9 Ausf D

[adt70hk]

Hi Bish

Really loving the look of the camo job, it's looking very nice indeed.

I have some questions about celluclay as I've not come across it before.

I've just started making some terrain (link) for the small-scale battles I have with my son.  Having no specialist modelling stuff I started with good old papier-mache made from newspaper and wallpaper paste but it took quite a while to dry because of the thickness of the terrain.

I see from some quick research that Celluclay is often labelled as an instant papier-mache and wonder if it would work for my purposes:

- How long is it workable for after it's been mixed and how long does it take to fully cure?
- What's it like to work with - does it have a similar consistency to say a heavy poly-filler or plaster of paris? 
- What's the finish like - smooth or porous - and can it be be sanded?

Apologies for all the questions.

Andrew

[bish]

Thanks for the comments guys. I am pretty pleased with how the hedge is coming along.

Andrew, no problem on the questions. When I first started dio's, I just laid down paper mache and painted it. As you can see from the pics, I still use paper mache on some bases and then ad the celluclay on top. Yes, it is sometimes called instant paper mache. I have used a different brand which was simply labelled as that but found it was not as good to use as Celluclay.

As for your questions.

Once mixed, it will stay workable for days. I mixed mine over a week ago and what I have left is right next to me and perfectly usable. I usually mix more then I need and spread it on as thin as I can. I then bring the base into the warm, which speeds up drying, and leave the unused stuff in the shed. Even in summer its col out there so will stay soft longer. If you have any left over once your done and think you might to use some a few weeks later, just add some water. Once your ready to use more, add some celluclay and re-mix. What I am using now started out with what I had left over from my E-100, about 5 weeks.

If mixed right, its is very thick, but soft and easy to spread. I would say like a lumpy poly filler.

It can be spread very smooth, i'll take a close up pic of the base so you can see. But as it dries, it becomes harder to spread out, it will start to stuck to what your using to spread it. That why I have to get the timing right for putting in tire and wheel makes. To soon, and it will just level out, to late and I bring up big clumps. I have never tried sanding. But once set it is rock hard, I have to drill holes to put figures into the base. But give me a few days and I will find out. I will spread some of the excess out and let it harden and try it.

A few other tips. Add some white glue to the mix, this does seem to help. Add as little water as you can. It will shrink around the edges especially. the more water, the more it shrinks. So I always make excess to fill any gaps. Add paint to the mix rather than try and paint it later. The glue and paint will also reduce the amount of water you need.

I love the stuff. I used it for plaster for my lath and plaster ceiling and for filler before adding rubble around the house. Its grey when mixed un-painted and any that showed through gaps did not look out of place.

Hope that helps.

[adt70hk]

Bish

Thanks very much for taking the time to respond (and in such detail)!!!  It's very helpful indeed and looks like my credit card will be taking even more of a battering!!

Karma +1 on it's way.

All the best!

Andrew

[bish]

No worries Andrew. In case your having trouble finding any, I now get mine on Amazon. Our local art store in Bury St Edmunds used to stock it, but not any more. I buy the 5Ib bag and my current one I have had about 3 years and its over half full. But the price seems to have shot up. My last one was a tenner, its now about £30.

[joelsmith]

Thank you for the Celluclay tutorial, Bish. I have had problems in the past, and your dissertation illuminated where I went wrong. Thanks again, Joel. PS, you SdKfz is looking really fine.

[bish]

Thanks Joel, and glad I could help. I have been using this stuff for 20+ years, so I have made all the mistakes and hopefully learnt all the lessons with it. Of course, I still make mistakes with it, especially when rushing it.

If I could only give one piece of advice when using it for a base, it would be to start early.

[bish]

After several days of trying, i can finally get on line and post an upate. This is a few days old and i have move don a bit since these were taken.

The vehicle got an Alclad aqua glos coat and then some light weathering. I used a thin wash of MiG Brown wash all over. This was followed by pin washes and some dry brushing.







Also got the Dragon tracks together.



I am using a set of tracks that come with metal pads. These were only in use for a couple of months in 1944. I can't be sure the vehicle i am doing had them, but it fits in that time frame.



These were painted tamiya XF-69 then dry brushed with steel on the areas of wear. After that a raw umber oil wash. One issue i have had with this stage is that the white spirits i use to thin the oil paint has an adverse effect on the small pins that hold the links together. I am going to have to find a less harsh thinner or maybe try Fruil washes instead of oil.



And the bike was put together. I got an Aber PE set for this but only used some of it.



This was painted DY and given a brown wash.



And finally the figures have been primed and are ready for painting.



More soon. The vehicle is now almost done, just a few bits to add. So i can now concentrate on finishing the base and figures.

Andrew, I did take some close up pics of the celluclay but seem to have deleted them. But to answer your earlier question, yes it can be sanded. its quite hard, but I used sandpaper and my mini drill with a sanding attachment and it just produced a fine dust. I was expecting it to flake and brake up, but nothing like that.

[Leon]

WOW...The HT and bike are looking really good Bish!

[chromdome35]

The detail work you've done on this is amazing!

That paint job is spot on.

[deafpanzer]

I struggled with same issue when weatherings were too strong for plastic tracks too. Looking forward to more updates!

[bish]

Thanks guys. deaf, glad I am not the only one., I have had it eat through attached axel arms in the past.

[adt70hk]

Morning Bish

You were up early this morning!

That's really looking very nice and the bike looks great.

Thanks as well for testing out e celluclay, it's much appreciated.

Andrew

[bish]

Evening Andrew lol. Yes, I am not one for sleeping in late anyway and we had to get up early this morning.

No worries, I have been using that stuff for years and never thought about sanding it.

[wbill76]

Always nice to see progress on the HT front Bish, looking good.

[bish]

Thanks Bill. Just got it finished today so will post some pics soon.

[bish]

Time to wrap this one up. The final touches to the vehcile were adding some MiG pigments. Mixed with water they were applied, allowed to dry and then the excess removed.









And then all was brought together to finish it of. For the figures, i used 2 from the Tamiya maintenance set. These both wore one piece overalls so posed a bit of a problem. Then checking my book on SS uniforms i found some images of camouflaged one piece outfits worn by AFV crew, perfect. So i painted those in plane tree camo. The Commander is a Verlinden figure. He must be an old one as he seems to be in scale. He is painted to match the figure in the colour drawing of the vehicle. And the rider has Italian camo trousers and a plain tree jacket.

The hedge was finished off with polyfibre wrapped around the wire trunks and various scatter materials add.

So, let me set the scene. A 251/9 of the Das Reich's Deutschland Pz Gren Battalion need some urgent repairs. So, finding a narrow track with high hedges it pulls over. Adding some foliage in the hope of avoiding the eyes of prowling allied jabo's, the driver get to work while the gunner takes the chance to sort through his ammo.



But then a Motorcycle dispatch rider arrives to issue some verbal orders. maybe the unit is on radio silence. He tells the commander that he is ordered to move with all haste to help cover German troops withdrawing in the face of the allied advance.











And then, a short time later, the vehicle was in action close to Elbeuf near the Seine river.



And this may have been the reason it fell into enemy hands. Perhaps the driver, forced to complete his repairs in a hurry, didn't fully fix the problem. And maybe this lead to the vehicle, seemly undamaged, was abandon with the crew who hurriedly gathered their things from the side bins and left their vehicle to the pursuing Canadian troops.



And there is my last build of the year, and what a joy it is to finally have this on the shelf.

Thanks forfollowing along and for all your impute. Comments welcome as always.

[deafpanzer]

What a great finish!!!! Something to be proud of!

[Tojo72]

That's a great scene Bish

[bish]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

[panzerjager2]

Very nice indeed

[joelsmith]

Very nicely done. Great fidelity to the art work and photo. Talk more soon, Joel.

[Leon]

Excellent finish Bish! It tells a great story.

[bish]

Thanks guys, and glad you like the story that goes with it may not, been what happened that day, but its nice to speculate.

[wbill76]

Nice story to go with the finish, love it!

[bish]

Thanks Bill, coming from you, it always means a lot.

[chromdome35]

Just excellent work! I really like your scene and the story behind it.