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Nov 25, 2024 22:38:08 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2013 4:03:08 GMT -5
Great see some real modelling taking place, that why I love MSC  Rear vents are a superb example, how many times is stuff like reworking the plastic this overlooked for PE? Keep it coming  |
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Post by Tobi on Jun 30, 2013 4:13:12 GMT -5
It was late in the build and only by the review of Mike Shackleton when I realized, that the three ribs on the hull bottom are wrong for an A4 version. They had to go! I'm not sure what to recommend? When I worked on the bottom plate in the already assembled situ, it was more difficult to reach some areas, of course! On the other hand, the part had no chance to warp and bend when I applied force on it with my tools... Hers's the result.   |
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Post by Tobi on Jun 30, 2013 9:19:12 GMT -5
AFV-Club AC35012 M1A2 Anti reflection coating lens stickers (why not for Leopard? - Got too much of the other type and have to cut them to fit anyway) Tobi, don´t use the stickers on the Leopard 2. The sights on the Leopard 2 do not have this "multi- colour" effect. Thomas Hi Thomas, thank you for the hint. I was going to run some test first. I already thought about toning it down with clear blue. Tobi |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 30, 2013 16:27:27 GMT -5
Tobi, The day anyone produces a perfect model is the day we can all hang up our #11 blades and glue and just become spectators!  It's always good to see how builders overcome challenges and issues in their builds, one of the reasons why build logs are so valuable IMHO. Keep it up!  |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 3, 2013 0:21:59 GMT -5
With the major flaws out of the way it's time for detailing.
But first some general thoughts about photo-etch. In the past ten years I've used many different sets of different companies on different models.
Not always is the PE the better choice, a mandatory replacement for better detail or a welcome correction! Also, on this model, though it was made for a Revell Leopard, the Eduard set I used was originally made for another kit.
And again I learned something new with this one. Enthusiastically I removed the front track covers to replace them with the thinner parts from Eduard, but boy, I shouldn't have done that! With the plastic sawn off I dry fitted the photo-etch and had to recognize to my great dismay that they were 2-3mm too short!
What followed was a session of major surgery. I cut the parts in two, placed them on the edges, superglued a piece of sheet-metal from behind and filled the transition area with putty. It took me several innings of puttying, sanding and cursing, not necessarily in that sequence! So, if you want to replace a part, better check if the replacement does fit before cutting anything away from your model!
Another example is the storing of the tools on the engine deck. For the big wrench there is a little loop on one end bolted to the engine cover. This should be round and not square like the PE. Also the parts from Eduard, though bent correctly, are strangely asymetrical. So I ended with making my own. I needed a second one for the pickaxe also.
Last but not least I want to show the mesh screens on the big ring coolers. Revell has made a beautiful rendition of the original on this model. I think it would be a shame not to keep them, because one can even see the reinforcements beneath. So just because there is a replacement part from PE available, this does not mean it has to be mandatorily used. Keep that in mind when tuning any model.
Next time I will go into detail on the detailing...
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paulh.
Senior Member
Member since: November 2011
build, fail, learn, succeed - ENJOY
Posts: 2,389
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
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Post by paulh. on Jul 3, 2013 4:59:13 GMT -5
[So just because there is a replacement part from PE available, this does not mean it has to be mandatorily used. Keep that in mind when tuning any model. [/p]
Next time I will go into detail on the detailing...
[/quote] Got to agree with you on that- Tamiya's rendition of this same part is also far superior to any PE upgrade IMHO Very nice progress and a good recovery btw. P |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 4, 2013 7:04:13 GMT -5
Yeah Dicky, but that little bugger doesn't have the slightest chance! Like I always say: "If it were easy, anyone could do it!" I can rely on almost 30 years of experience and started modelling really early at around six or seven. I have seen a lot... Just got to contain myself not to over-detail this. There seems to be always more that could have been done, but I want some paint soon. As the model is a kind of test object I only want to try if I can further improve/unify the anti-skid with ProArt's new surface powder. But then I'll call it done. Glad you like my blogging style. You're right, Plastruct and Evergreen are the best for rods and such. Cheers, Tobi |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 5, 2013 1:36:58 GMT -5
I wanted a really deteriorated look on the running gear, so I worked with a coarse file on all the parts. This is also great for covering slight molding imperfections on the roadwheels, e.g. if there is a little offset and the details are not perfectly centered (like in early Trumpeter kits). The roadwheels got further treatment with a scalpel blade. The sprocket wheels have a small knob to easy the orientation. I shorted it a little and glued a nut from Verlinden Productions in place. In reality this is a greasing spot. I left all the dampers, track tensioners and such off the hull and will mount them only after painting.    |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 8, 2013 0:39:26 GMT -5
The towing hook was replaced with a Resin part from Perfect Scale. The Revell part just didn't look good, though it could be reworked. Some brass wire and a nut from Lionroar completes the detail. The maintenance hatches got new nuts and bolts on the hinges made from styrene with a Punch & Die. The bolt heads are relatively thinner, flat and round just like on the original, the nuts are hexagonal, of course! I also added locking pins and safety chains on the recovery hooks made from brass. In order to install the lenses from SKP I decided to rework the lamp carriers for a better fit and a even more realistic look. The original reflectors sit only on thin discs and the lamp bodies are way smaller. Some screw heads from Lionroar were also added. The carriers will be left off until after camouflage painting. I won't use the small lenses supplied for the black-out lights, because these are too big! Eduard provides beautiful etched parts for the mudflaps and the convoy light (Leitkreuz). The mudflaps have been soldered together for greater persistance. What the Leitkreuz is obviously lacking is the lighting unit. I made it from small discs of styrene, again with my Punch & Die. On the original the Leitkreuz body is made from rubber and fades differently in sunlight from the rest of the vehicle, only the protection bars and the housing of the light are metal. Mudflaps and Leitkreuz are also left off to ease the painting.   Attachment Deleted |
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Post by Leon on Jul 8, 2013 1:28:07 GMT -5
Progressing nicely Tobi.Nice work on the rear hull details. |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 8, 2013 6:22:25 GMT -5
Progressing nicely Tobi.Nice work on the rear hull details. Thank you Leon! Yesterday I gave the model a wash in warm soapy water, then rinsed clean and air dried. Only some minor parts came off but were recovered. There will be paint soon, but I still have to clean up a lot of track links!  Would do more tanks if it weren't always for the running gear... monotonous work is my nemesis! Tobi |
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paulh.
Senior Member
Member since: November 2011
build, fail, learn, succeed - ENJOY
Posts: 2,389
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
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Post by paulh. on Jul 8, 2013 6:25:21 GMT -5
Very nice progress Tobi. Really enjoying this build. P |
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Post by deafpanzer on Jul 8, 2013 13:25:55 GMT -5
Nice work on the rear especially the mudflaps.
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Post by wbill76 on Jul 8, 2013 19:52:26 GMT -5
Making good progress on this one Tobi, there's no way around the tracks, have to tackle them sooner or later! |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 9, 2013 0:35:15 GMT -5
Thank you guys for your nice comments. Now I come to the weak point of every A4 model: the track skirt hangers on the front. Unless you are not going to model a 6th-8th batch vehicle with a different style of skirts and functionality, these have to be improved. I know two possibilities. Aftermarket parts from Perfect Scale or scratch... As the track skirts themselves were done really beautiful by Revell I opted for the last. Nothing serious that could possibly impress our Dicky, but well within my scope of buisiness. First I cut a filling for the space on the hull, using the original parts as a template. Attachment DeletedOn the early versions the complete front part of the skirts had to be fixed in an upward position for train transport. I was told by former colleagues that the railway loading gauge is given by a single small tunnel somewhere in Belgium... Later models of the A4 already had the skirts from A5/A6, where the thickness of the skirts themselves could be reduced by turning down the outer half. It's a different system without the distinctive rails. I used Plastruct T-profiles for a start. Attachment DeletedWith the first steps done the position of the rails was checked by hanging the kit part in position. It stayed there without any glue, nice. I let the glue cure over night.  The heavy track skirts are lacking three anti-skid patches on the upper side. Why is this always missed by the kit manufacturers? Whether Italeri, HobbyBoss nor Revell got it right to this day! I used Cast-a-Coat powder for a first shot (photo), but later reworked them with the new metal powder from ProArt, which came out in June. |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 9, 2013 0:58:57 GMT -5
Skirt hingeing part #2:
For the upper part of the rails I took small stripes (0,3mm thickness) of styrene and heated one end over a solder iron. I let gravity do the work to show me when the part is ready for bending. I did the bending free-hand. One has to be quick or the plastic will be stiff again.
Attachment Deleted
Hints:
1 - Take great care and don't burn yourself!!! Place the iron on a solid and non-inflammable base (I use a floor tile).
2 - Cut the stripes an idea wider than needed. The deformations and deviations from bending can thus be levelled out with a quick pass from the file.
Attachment Deleted
The stripes where then cut to size and installed. Again I let the glue cure over night.
To finish the rails I added the connector links on the top where the skirts are fixed for train transport. Small nuts from Lionroar completed the details.
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Post by Leon on Jul 9, 2013 4:35:26 GMT -5
Great SBS Tobi,Nice work on the skirts. |
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Post by TRM on Jul 9, 2013 5:03:36 GMT -5
Nice job there Tobi!!
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paulh.
Senior Member
Member since: November 2011
build, fail, learn, succeed - ENJOY
Posts: 2,389
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
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Post by paulh. on Jul 9, 2013 6:48:09 GMT -5
Superb job on those hangers Tobi- thoroughly enjoyin' this build!
P
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Post by dupes on Jul 9, 2013 8:24:26 GMT -5
Because of some mental disorder I can't build models OOTB... Hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa...funniest thing I've heard all day! It's funny because it's true. Heh. Stupid aftermarket obsession. Doing a great job integrating all of the various bits so far! |
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Deleted
Member since: January 1970
Posts: 0
Nov 25, 2024 22:38:08 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2013 14:27:15 GMT -5
very nice indeed great additions
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paulh.
Senior Member
Member since: November 2011
build, fail, learn, succeed - ENJOY
Posts: 2,389
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2011 15:54:51 GMT -5
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Post by paulh. on Jul 9, 2013 16:14:47 GMT -5
OOHH - I'm with you jackwagon- no pics- but they were there earlier  P |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 9, 2013 22:29:36 GMT -5
Hmmmmmm is it just me or can anyone else NOT see any pics on the Skirt Hingeing Part 1? Anyhoo Tobi - I can see the work yer've done in the second section and that is some seriously great scratching fella - I'm thoroughly enjoying this build and am learning lots for future Leo projects - great work It's always good when a builder has a deep knowledge in their subject - good stuff Pictures are back again! Strangely, since a week or so I can't any longer properly edit the thread with my PC at home. I have to do it from work. The edit tool bar won't show up and I'm not able to add attachments, but in the past it did work! Even tried different browsers... my Firefox is up-to-date. Anyone else already faced the same problem? How to solve? Cheers, Tobi |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 11, 2013 1:24:53 GMT -5
Thanx Dicky, but only "small time" scratching compared to the work of yours. For my tech issue I will have to consult my personal PC-crack I guess! 
Let's turn our attention to the front of the Leopard. The anti-skid patches have been patched up, the skirt hangers are also improved and I fixed the problem with the front covers, the rest of the front almost falls together with only little part count and that is stunning...
They may look strange first on the sprue, but once installed the rendering of the ice grousers with their fixations is superb, both for those on the glacis and the ones above the tracks. The latter also feature nice track connectors moulded to the parts. Unfortunately on my kit the turning signals weren't moulded correctly. I therefore replaced them with resin parts from Perfect Scale again. The kit parts for the Netherland version were intact in this regard, so with a little surgery the signals could have come from there as well. Or one would take some clear sprue and turn them, then it's also possible to make good use of the PE provided by Eduard.
The diffusion discs on the headlights are moulded flat which is not so convincing and will be difficult to hollow out because of the part's design. Enter SKP! To make the aftermarket lenses fit I had to decrease their diameter just a little. Unfortunately SKP didn't get the design of the diffusion discs right when I compare them with my references, but that's peanuts. Alternatively the headlights could also be disguised for combat with their camouflage covers made from lead foil or so.
On the driver's hatch I tried to improve the look of the periscopes with little frames bend from lead wire. I also added lifting loops from brass. With the recovery hooks on the glacis plate I proceeded like on the rear, and Revell also didn't forget to include the signal horn next to the left headlight!
Attachment Deleted
A prominent feature that has always been left out on every A4 kit I know is the second set of plugs for the MG tube and telescopic sight in the mantlet when it comes to deepwater fording. The A4's carry these on the left of the driver's hatch on long chains. The idea is, once the water obstacle has been crossed, the plugs are pulled out simply by traversing the turret, without the need for a crew member to step out! It took me some time to figure out how they are stored away, but finally I found a picture. Small halfround blocks with a hole are welded to the far left of the hull and in these go some spring retainers, rather simple! I show it in the next picture. The retainers were made on a little jig of needles from copper wire, the chains are from Accurate Armor.
Real small chain would look better of course, but then there would be again a mix with the Eduard PE on the smoke dischargers and I would have to replace these as well and so on, you know the story...
As I was not fully happy with the surface of my anti-skid pads I gave the new metal powder from ProArt a try. The Cast-a-Coat stuff, according to my experience, is difficult to handle when you need the surface to be really smooth and regular, so I did only use it on the side skirts and was not satisfied. Bundeswehr vehicles have the smoothest anti-skid of all. The patches are actually sheets of sandpaper, not that sprinkled on gravel or texture paint like on other tanks (the turret top of the Leopard 2 A5/A6 may be the only exception here). I have included the next two pics for comparison. After scribing and polishing the pads I felt too much detail had gone and I tried to recover it by stippling on some surfacer, but in the close-up it would not match the moulded on ones. This worried me a lot, I think now it's better but I let you decide. First came a coat of Tamiya flat clear, applied with a brush, and then the metal powder was sprinkled on.
 
The plugs, rearview mirrors and spare track links are left of to ease their painting and won't be mounted before weathering.
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Post by Leon on Jul 11, 2013 1:42:25 GMT -5
Tobi,very nice work on the front hull .Looking forward to your next update. |
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danb.
Reviews member 
March 2013 MoM Winner
Member since: November 2011
Posts: 2,808
Nov 17, 2011 9:22:52 GMT -5
Nov 17, 2011 9:22:52 GMT -5
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Post by danb. on Jul 12, 2013 1:59:55 GMT -5
Im with Dicky on this 1 just read through whole blog again and what an impressive build so far i bought a model mag with a ref section on Leos at the weekend and the mag and this blog is inspiring me for a future build keep up the hard work Dan B |
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Post by wouter on Jul 12, 2013 7:41:35 GMT -5
great blogging indeed and very cool extra detailing. No doubt this will look great when painted! Just one small critique: the small photos...I know you can enlarge them by clicking on them, but I'm a lazy guy when it comes to surfing on a forum or the internet in general : I often don't want to click them all to see them enlarged...would be easier when they are posted large already ^^ other than that, looking forward to next great update! Cheers |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 12, 2013 11:19:38 GMT -5
You're right about the photos Wouts!
Unfortunately I have only "Jurassic Internet" at home. When I make the pictures too big my own thread will take so long to load. I simply want to avoid that.
Glad you like the model so far. Soon I will switch to the turret.
Tobi
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Post by Tobi on Jul 13, 2013 15:42:27 GMT -5
Can't help you with the tech issues I'm afraid Tobi - dunno why that should happen and not come across it before! Sorry, I use Firefox and not had any issues, might just be a Proboards thing, they are constantly making adjustments and can have diffferent effects with different users. Anyhoo, all yer pics are now back and all I can say is....TOP NOTCH SCRATCHOLOGY fella My friend gave me the tip to allow pop ups for the homepage and I did also activate all options for Java in the Firefox settings. Now my reply and edit function works again as it should. Thought this might be interesting if anyone gets the same problem! Cheers, Tobi |
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Post by Tobi on Jul 14, 2013 15:52:09 GMT -5
A large share of the photo etch is used on the engine deck. I also replaced all the handles with brass wire. Around the air filters came the photo-etched meshes. These look way better. The weld beads have been burnished with a dentist tool with a small sphere at the end. An old biro might work as well. The close up shows the moulded on anti-skid patches. They're looking really good, too bad they are not that way on the front. I did my best to replicate them.  The lifting gear for the engine deck plate is pretty over-simplified. A suitable bracket is supplied by Eduard. I also added steel wire and chains (last picture).  All holes for the tools on the engine deck have been filled and sanded smooth. The tool holders are partially soldered. For the stowing of the hose I added a missing guard rail on one edge. This is only to be found on one edge! The tools themselves have also been reworked. They are only draped for the picture. I will paint them separately. If the glue is used scarcely on the gun travel lock, it will stay moveable. I hope it will be easier to paint this way. Of note might be that the rest for the wrench head has a small gap to the deck plate!  And this closes the work on the hull. Next I will switch to the turret. |
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Rear vents are a superb example, how many times is stuff like reworking the plastic this overlooked for PE? 
It's always good to see how builders overcome challenges and issues in their builds, one of the reasons why build logs are so valuable IMHO. Keep it up! 
