COMPLETED! Tiger I Ausf E c/w Zim (15.12.12)

[danb.]

Wow Ben the Tiggy is looking good nice to see the paint stages started this will look killer when finished im seeing the pre shade technique is getting more popular on this forum im thinking of trying it with the Panther keep up the good work buddy

Dan B

[Hinksy]

Cheers guys!

I'll try not to dissapoint - I'd love to be able to get this pre-shade attempt to work!

Ben :-)

[wbill76]

Looking good so far Ben, looking forward to seeing it with paint on over the pre-shade.

[eastrock]

Ben, just keep it to thin coats one at a time. looks great from here

cheers!
ER

[wouter]

Nice work so far mate, Tiggy looks good.

About the preshade showing through the paintwork: well, it's actually not that hard to obtain. I do it a bit different unlike many others but it seems to work well. I spray my heavily thinned paint at a high pressure (pretty much near 2bar) and from a distance with very fast passes, you get very thin layers like ER says and gives a good result

if you do it like this it will even show through the paintjob very subtle after color modulation, you get something like this:


Looking forward to the paintjob!

Cheers

[Deleted]

great work on the model, I have wondered how these zim covered kits look like and yours looks very good indeed

[Hinksy]

Cheers guys,

I'm off to paint it now so wish me luck - update later!

Ben

[spud]

i have yet to try preshade. maybe on the next build,

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

First off - LOVING that Panzer Paint Job, Wouter!

Righto, after about 3 times of thinking the build was properly painted and cleaning out the airbrush only then to notice something wasn't right or needed touching up and having to reload it again I'm finally very happy with the outcome!

The preshade worked ok. It's well visible through the panel lines and barrel etc and generally looks good. The paint used for the basecoat was all Tamiya - the usual Dark Yellow mix (Thinner mixed 1:1 Dark Yellow mixed with Deck Tan and also a tiny bit of buff added too). The wheels have all been done too .

Next week I'm going to work out the cammo scheme and get that laid down then get on with some light weathering.

I've taken some photos - the first half were taken outside whilst we still had some decent daylight and the rest were taken indoors where I usually take them. I need to get my decent daylight lamp rigged up for photo taking but with a mix of overcast outdoor light and the indoor lights you'll get a good idea of how she's looking - I can't wait to get some cammo stripes on her and washes. The open turret hatch will need some ivorwhite around the edge and the locking bar inside the hatch will need detailing too - they will all add some nice splashes of colour.

So far:



Outdoor Photos in Cold Light:











Indoor Photos in Warm Light:







Below - The inside of this hatch will paint up really nice!


I hope you like her guys - I'm really pleased! The fact that the pre-shade worked is great!

I'd love to hear any comments and suggestions!

One thing - should I add any filter now to the plain basecoat or leave well alone?

Update next Saturday!

Have a great week guys,

Ben

[spud]

Looks Awesome Ben, Leave the filter until you have the camo on then add the filter, till will help tie all 3 colors together

[wbill76]

Looks like the pre-shade efforts have paid off so far Ben, looking good.

[Hinksy]

Cheers Spus and Bill!

I'm going to be taking it very easy with the weathering. As you probably know I favour a well used, war-weary look i.e. lots of mud, chipping and damage etc. The idea this time is to keep it restrained and perhaps show some light surface chipping around the hatches and some simple muck streaks. The track guards have some light bends in them but that's all. I'll get the slithers of olivgrun and rotbraun cammo on followed by simple filters. I'll add the tools and tow-cables then an all over light wash. The inside of the side Turret hatch will be left open and painted with Ivory white interior colour and I'll drop 2 or 3 of these 88mm spent shell cases that I have over the rear engine deck as if they've been chucked out of the hatch. I might even try for a simple base with this one too.

Update next weekend!

Ben :-)

[wing_nut]

Hard to believe that's the same model in those photos. Like the pre-shade effect.

[bbd468]

Great paint work Ben! Shes a beauty. Luv it!!!

Gary

[Hinksy]

Hi guys - I hope you are all well

Todays work - apply some colour to the Tiger! I had wanted to replicate the instruction scheme which showed slithers of cammo and left plenty of basecoat visible so I tried applying Blu-Tack on some sections where one colour would go with the idea of applying the second colour later on. Unfortunately the applied paint didn't look right and was waaay too hard-edged for any realistic German scheme that I've ever seen on a Tiger so I decided to hit it with an attempt at free-hand which turned out really well. It didn't exactly match what I was attempting to paint but the scheme looked more realistic and I'd left plenty of basecoat showing so this will weather up very nicely.

For the cammo I used Vallejo Model Air Tank Brown and Panzer Olive Green. The Dunky Basecoat is Tamiya Dark Yellow mixed 50/50 with Deck Tan and a drop of Buff then thinned 50/50 with standard Tamiya Thinner.

I'm definately getting the hang of freehand ab'ing now! I've put on a couple of light coats of AK Fiter (Brown for White Yellow and Brown for Tri-Tonal Cammo) which have softened the sheme up nicely. Tomorrow I'm working from home (2pm-10pm) so in the morning I'll put on the Gloss for the decal areas and when my shift starts I'll pup the decals on and then seal them with an all over coat.

Next weekend is my Birthday and I've booked off the Friday and Monday on either side of the weekend so I'm hoping to get a good chunk done next weekend. I've got the Friuls to start and the wheels to finish - not to mention assembling them Lion Roar Tow-Cables, painting the ivory interior of the hatch and painting and fitting the tools.

Two questions before photos:
•Gloss & Satin Varnish - When I've put the Decals on I tend to seal the whole thing with gloss varnish then I finish up with Flat Varnish to tone things down . What would happen if I were to use Satin? I've now got some Vallejo Satin but am still trying to work out where it fits into my modelling? When would I use Satin Varnish?
•Steel-Wheels - The wheels have been painted but what colour should I use for the 'steel' areas. A bare Steel colour painted on or drybrushed on? A stick of Graphite rubbed over the Steel contact surface?



















I hope you are liking her so far guys - I'm super chuffed with the cammo! I haven't tried anything this complex applied freehand yet - the Model Air is definately a lot easier to work with.

I'd love to hear any feedback / comments that you have.

Cheers fellas - update tomorrow!

Ben

[panzerman75.]

Hey Ben first off it looks fantastic gret build and the paint job is great i like how the pre shading showed through just enough it looks great man and you are right about the fenders it looks great.

Phil

[wouter]

Nice work Ben, basecoat looks good and those filters sure did work out well, nice camoscheme!

about the satin or gloss varnish: I always seal my decals with a satin varnish, never with a gloss one. The satin varnish makes it easier to do a pinwash since it helps using the capilary action to flow the wash around the details and in recesses

Cheers

[wbill76]

Congrats on breaking the barrier on freehanding camo Ben! It's not as scary as you might think and you've got a good pattern going here.

As to your questions on the bare metal contact surfaces, unless you're showing it on a base that makes it look like it's just been running, the bare metal contact surfaces wouldn't be bright steel. Instead they would be dull with a thin patina of oxidation (and of course dirt from the tracks and such) and should provide something that will still show up after your weathering process is done but not be something that's blinding. With that in mind, paint them a metallic color and then tone it down either with graphite or washes or combination of that along with pigments and you should be just fine.

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

Just a quick update for today:

I'm supposed to be working from home today but it's been mega quiet so I've been able to get a nice bit done!

First off on with the decals and then and overall layer of varnish as I'm planning to keep washes to mainly pin-type washes. I thought I'd be marking her with a number '1' but it seems that I had 1, 2 or 3 to choose from and I thought that the 3 looked the best. It's not easy getting them to sit down on that Zim!

In brief I wanted to get the wheels on but that meant adding some muck build-up behind the wheels. I made up a mix using Plaster of Paris and Tamiya Earth coloured Acrylics to make a nice dry mud accumulation which I applied using an old brush and stippled it on lightly in a thin layer. I'll be able to add some additional colourations later.

Each wheel, which I had already painted with Dunky last week, had the rims painted with Gunze Metalcolour Stainless and then polished to a nice worn metal look - like Bill says not shiny but just worn. The outer wheels I did the rims using a 2B Graphite stick as they are the ones that can be seen properly and the effect from the Graphite looks better than the Stainless paint imo. I drybrushed the outer faces to show worn metal on the raised areas and added some Mig Brown Wash to each wheel face - the effect looks great. I must have spent two hours on the wheel detailing and it was definately worth it!

Next week I want to paint the turret hatch interior and paint and fit the tools and the tow cables before I start on further weathering. I must start on the Friuls too. I'm using some of my holiday up so will have the Friday and Monday off either side of next weekend - it's my Birthday on the Sunday so a long weekend will be perfect!
Here's a few photos:















So, that's where I'm up to. I hope you like her so far!

Back to work tomorrow so updates a-plenty next week during my 4 day weekend!

Have a good week lads,

Ben

[Deleted]

First off, Nice Tiggy Ben. Camo looks great

And as its Sunday today.... Happy Birthday!

[wing_nut]

Nice job onthe Camo Ben and gettinbg those decals down into that zim too.

[Hinksy]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the comments!

As mentioned on my previous posts it's my Birthday tomorrow so I booked yesterday off work and I've also booked Monday off too Due to family stuff yesterday and today I've had to put work on hold but will be hitting it as much as I can during tomorrow and Monday. I've made a to-do list for the next couple of days:

◦Paint up tools and tow cables (I've primed them tonight so they'll be ready for paint tomorrow)
◦Once tools are on add chipping, streaking weathering and pinwashes
◦Assemble and fit Friuls
◦Flat coat everything then add pigments and fresher surface mud around the running gear and hull

I was going to use them Lion Roar Tow Cables in place of the kit cables but the kit cables look brilliant and will be a perfect fit. The bits that hold the cable down are a bit too small to hold the Lion Roar ones. I'm going to assemble the Lion Roar ones and use them on my Birthday 'Elefant' (sorry, did I mention it is my Birthday tomorrow)

Everything ready to go for tomorrow:







The detail on these moulded cables is so crisp it's a crime not to use them imo! I'll use Gunze Steel for the cable - obviously it's an ideal colour!



My 'tool tip and Wooden handle paints' (Vallejo Old and new Wood, Tamiya Red/Brown for the cutters and for the metal tool tips Gunze Buffable Steel Metalizer, 2B Graphite Stick and wet & dry paper plus various other acrylic shades for adding woodgrain - I might add Tamiya Clear Orange to some for a varnished effect):



And finally a couple of Questions:

1) Were the rods that are mounted on the insides of the tow cables made from metal or wood on the late version Ausf E?

2) What colour should I paint the metal parts that are moulded onto the Jack Block?

Update tomorrow guys,

Sorry I've not got more to show you now but when these are painted up and fitted bu this time tomorrow this Tiger I will look killer (probably)!

Take care you crazy kids

Ben

[deafpanzer]

Happy Birthday! Now I can call you an old man, right? LOL

Again, great work on the camo!!! Looking forward to see your magic work on the tools.

If you are talking about those cleaning rods, they were wood with metal at both ends. I usually use MM Gunmetal on the metal parts of jack boot.

Looking forward to your next update!

[Deleted]

jolly fine work old chap!

[spud]

Looking good Ben, I hate doing the tools

[wbill76]

Tools are always an integral part of a Tiger build and looks like you're off and running with them Ben, enjoy your b-day!

[Hinksy]

Cheers for looking in guys,

I'm not a fan of tools either Spud - a necessary evil though! I love them when they are done and look good mind you!

Even though it's been my Birthday I managed to find enough time to get the tools underway. I've painted the metal parts and tomorrow will be painting up the wood effects.

UPDATE: Today I've only had two hours build time so I've painted and fitted the tow cables - the two on the top deck and the single slimmer one on the left side. A tricky job!

I used the kit one's and I'm glad I did - a fiddly task with moulded-to-fit kit cables! It would have been a nightmare with made up metal affairs! They'll come into their own when they can be draped across fenders etc.

Here's my attempt which I'm very pleased with. I'll touch up the paintwork on the cables and eyelets when I fit the rest tomorrow:







Thanks for looking guys - do they look alright? Obviously there's the cleaning rods still to be fitted.

Ben

[deafpanzer]

Nice work on the steel cables. They will look just great once weathered when they are not shiny. Keep it coming old man!!! LOL

[wing_nut]

Looks good all around Ben.

[Hinksy]

Hi fellas - tools complete!

First off, thanks for the comments guys!

If anyone is wondering in what direction this build is going - I'm not going for mega mud and rust. I just want to portray a reasonably 'Tidy Tiger'. I'm going down the light weathering road this time i.e. AK weathering streaks, light pigments and light chipping - perhaps a couple of non-penetrating shell hits? I like to get everything done and fitted (i.e. the tow cables and tools) and then weather it all as one. There's a long way to go yet!

:)This rolls me nicely onto this brief little update. Next weekend I'm starting Friuls but I wanted to get the build completed first THEN colour and fit them then hit the whole tank as previously described. So, this afternoon I've finished the tools off and fitted them - they look okay. Tools aren't my favourite painting job but I'm happy with them. I'm still struggling to get this whole 'woodgrain painting' to work though so they had a simple Vallejo Wood colour laid on them then finished off with some Clear Orange. The Jack Block was done with a different shade and looks great as it has the moulded on grain. I wish they'd do that with the tool handles!

So, next weekend I need to paint the Periscope lenses (which I forgot to do earlier) and add the Turret spare Track links and then onto the Friuls!









Definately looks much better now with tools - I'm just glad they are out the way!

Next Weekend - A light wash to tie it all together prior to main weathering and Friul assembly!

Have a good week guys!

Ben