La Gleize KT revisited

[wouter]

Hi everyone (with a Doctor Nick accent ;D)

I was thinking of revisiting my very first build ever: the KT of the s.SS.Pz.Abt.501 which was part of the Kampfgruppe Peiper during the Battle of the Bulge in the southern part of my beloved country.

The KT was commanded by SS-Obersturmführer Helmut Dollinger and lost near Wérimont farm (probably because the allies shot the gun barrel into pieces leaving it useles). She has been restored years ago and is now on display in the small Ardennes town of La Gleize.

Anyway, as said this one is my very first build when I started the hobby and although I'm still happy with the camo, I think she can be improved. One of the things which I'm less happy with are the chipping.

I started the repainting of the tools (think it was very much needed!) and I bought me an Alpine (Panther)Tank commander...

First of all: the shots:








and the commander figure: I made a start with a basecoat for the face and I also made a start with the splinter pattern on the trousers and inside of the parka


Now, mud will be applied of course, but I think she needs some more weathering steps before she is ready for the next show at the end of April

Can you guys help me out a bit and tell me what I can do next to improve the Tigger?

Thanks for looking

Cheers

[tonylee-Rest In Peace]

Not me Wout it looks just fine to me.

Tony

[spud]

thats you first ever build....... man o man you need help if you think it needs improving ;D, A little bit of dirt on the low haf wouldnt hurt tough

[danb.]

Ooooooo loving the big cat Wouter camo and weather look just right how did you achieve the camo pattern? only advice i could say is what the Spudster said a little muck and grime would really finish her off.

Dan B

[wbill76]

I think you've already identified the area (tools) that I would offer suggestions on. Maybe also add some variations to the tone/color to the exhaust pipes? I agree with the others that it's an impressive finish and the fact that it was your first makes it even more impressive...adding some weathering to the tracks and suspension will make it stand out even more.

[bigjohn]

Hey Wouter,

Nice build buddy. I'm really intrigued by Kampfgruppe Peiper and La Gleize, so this one really has my interest.

As far as recomendations on improving her. Looks pretty good to me. I would agree about repainting to tools, but what else could be done to such a fine looking model? Maybe a little more defined straeking?? But what do I know?

I'll be watching this one.

[wouter]

thanks fellas, glad you all like my little first one

tools will be done, just thinking about the grime and mud: I don't want to apply it as heavy as I did on the Tiger I (I think), not sure how to do it yet.

Dan: I achieved the camo with a blu-tack kind method: I rolled some pieces of kneaded eraser and applied them to the surface to mask the camoscheme. Was quite fun to do. Though I can imagine that this method will be very hard to do on a model with loads of PE

Here's the real La Gleize KT '213' btw:


again, thanks for the positive and helpful comments guys

Cheers

[wouter]

CSS: thanks a lot mate, I'm happy you like the kitty so far

Cheers

[wouter]

a bit more progress today, we are slowly getting to the finishline!

I continued painting Herr Dollinger and slapped some mud on the lower hull. Quite happy with the mud, though it doesn't resemble cold Ardennes mud - whatever that may be ;D. Still some washes etc. to be done. This tiggy has to look cold!!!!





And I realised that I painted the splinter camo trousers for nothing...it won't be visible when he's fitted into the cupola ;D ;D

Cheers

[406 Silverado]

Man that KT is looking saweet.

[rondriaan]

I like youre colors that you have used.
Maybe some pinwashes on the weldseams bring it more alive I think?

[tonylee-Rest In Peace]

Wout,you're doing one more fine job

No need to stop because of me ;D

Tony

[TRM]

WOW Wouts!!! Great work my friend!!! Can't wait to see the mud fly!!! Great fig work too!!

[eastrock]

Wouts, the work is awesome.... will plan for a winter theme in the future

[wouter]

jackwagon: yeah, lucky us ey ;D

Rob: thanks mate, no saweet enough though, I think it still can be better (hopefully)

Ron: thanks, roger that, will do some more pinwashing to the welds ^^

Tony, thanks mate, I won't ;D. No worries though, the Sturer will pop out in a while

T: thanks dude, me too, hope it don't flies against my walls though ;D

east: thanks! And lookin' forward to your winter themed build

Cheers

[Mence]

You're spoiling us again Wouts, very nice indeed!

[danb.]

Very nice Wout the figure is awesome the trousers are amazing and lets not forget the KT are you making a base for the beauty?

Dan B

[wouter]

Prof, thanks and yeah, I'm a bit like a grandpa spoiling his little brats ey ;D ;D

Dan: thanks mate, glad you like her so far! And I know what you are trying to do : converting me into a modeller who puts his models onto a base...it's working ;D ;D

One thing...dunno if I have the space for all of that...

Cheers

[robbo]

Love this one mate, smashing colours

[wbill76]

Coming along nicely wouter! The mud looks perfect on the suspension.

[wouter]

thanks Prof and Bill

I thought the mud was a bit too monotone and dull, and a bit on the light side of shade. So I decided to go a bit heavier on the mud. Maybe not ultra realistic (don't think I have seen such a muddy Tiger II in the Ardennes ;D) but I like the way it looks.

I also added a bit more muck 'n grime using AK Interactive Winter Streaking Grime and some oil paint streaking (it doesn't show very clearly on the photos though).

Here and there the paint and weathering left a 'shiny' sheen on the model (also not quite visible on the photos) so I think I'll add a very light spray of Buff on top of the tank tomorrow to matt things down a bit.








Suggestions are still most welcome of course

Cheers

[TRM]

No suggestions Wouts!! Looks great buddy!! Couple days left for the MoM ya know!!

[406 Silverado]

Nothing from me.

I love the subtle weathering and especially the neat camo scheme, well done Wout's.

[wouter]

thanks fellas. Well she needs to be finished by next Sunday because she enters comp...will send her in for the MoM...her or the Elefant...darn, that's a huge dillemma...and quite frightening because this months comp is evil!!!! ;D

Cheers

[tonylee-Rest In Peace]

If I had to pick one I wonder which one it would be Wouter????yeah right. ;D

But then again the Panther does shall we say Tickles my Fancy too. ;D

I'm so confused
Tony lee

[wouter]

Apr 25, 2012 10:51:22 GMT -5 tonylee-Rest In Peace said:

If I had to pick one I wonder which one it would be Wouter????yeah right. ;D

But then again the Panther does shall we say Tickles my Fancy too. ;D

I'm so confused
Tony lee

I think I can guess it yeah ;D, but this one's got a special place for me as well being my first ever kit

Think you are confused indeed, this ain't no Panther ;D ;D ;D

Cheers

[tonylee-Rest In Peace]

At least i'm honest

Tigers,Panthers,wasp,Bears and even Crickets, it's a zoo out there ;D

What ever you want to call it it's one heck of a good lookin creature.

Humor me
Tony

[wbill76]

Layering's always a good thing, looking sharp.

[wouter]

thanks mate, glad you like it Tony! And btw: speaking of Panthers...I think the JagdPanther is way cooler even ;D

Bill: thanks a lot mate, means a lot to me

Since the pigment fixer left a bit of a shiny edge here and there I sprayed some very thin layers of Buff onto the tank today, I tried also to spray some rainmarks using the buff. Still a bit shiny here and there but a lot better now.
Initially the plan was to add some track links to the turret sides, but it didn't look as good as the turret without them, so I've decided to leave them off.

I just have to finish the figure and then I think I'm going to call her done...whehey, finally ;D ;D

Photos will follow tomoz or the day after hopefully

Cheers

[tonylee-Rest In Peace]

That's not Humor Wout, that Jagdpanther statement is a fact. ;D

Tony lee