scratch building

[pibber]

Hi all !

Thanks a lot to estimate my work

This is not a decal on the fender... I have taking my fine paintbrush N°2 and I have painting the original badge from Churchill AVRE's WWII photos I have.

The bridge and the fuel tank on Churchill AVRE are scratch built.

To build the "Crocodile", I have the chance to use TAMIYA's notice of Churchill "crocodile" 1/35's model for reference. I have build trailor in small sheet styrene "Evergreen" (very good soft styrene). I have converted 1/35 model's sizes.
I have recover two wheels from GHQ's M26 "Dragon wagon" pack to put them on the trailor (good size). For articulate freely the trailor with the Churchill, I use a small piece of cotton thread glue between tank and trailor.

To build Churchill SBDG, I have used very fine sheets styrene too.
My inspiration came from an old Matchbox 1/76 model, WWII photos and profiles in various WWII's french books.

Sorry, I have no photo of these works before painting. Because, when I have building them, few years ago, I haven't got a camera yet

I try to post others photos of these Churchill soon

[pibber]

To Ritter :

I have seen yours russians figurines WWII's photos....
Very, very, very beautiful work

I like so much your figurine's paint style and the small details's fineness
Congratulation 8

Which paints reference do you use to do this job ?

[Ritter]

Thanks Pibber -

Humbrol mostly - and some testors.

Troy

[Ritter]

Hey all.

Just messing around with the dremel, solder and some sewing pins and managed to construct some new barrels for some T-35/85's and Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf F2's.

The T-34 is easy - cut off barrel, drill small dia. hole (same size as replacement pin) with a pin vise. Nip off the end of a sewing pin, chuck into a dremel on low and taper with emery paper to represent the 85mm ZiS-S-53 barrel. Glue in with crazy glue - presto; a non-bending barrel.

The Pz. F2 is a bit more involved. I used foil for the mantlet, wrapping it on the pin. A short length of hollow solder for the muzzle, shaping it into the bulbous muzzle of the 7.5cm Kw.K.40 L/43 - looks very convincing! Mine is on the left - original (complete with all too common bend) on the right

Troy

[tstockton]

Troy;

VERY nice work!

A question, though... don't know how much sewing needles cost -- but would brass rod be

(a) cheaper?

(b) sturdy -- or at least sturdy enough to resist most "casual" bending?

I use brass rod in various sizes to "re-mast" or add yardarms, etc., to my 1:1200 / 1:1250 ships. I have read that many use plastic rod for the same purpose, and I can see an advantage to plastic in that it's easier to work with and takes solvent-type cements well -- while brass requires a "mechanical" connection, in the form of glue or solder. But I would imagine that plastic is more fragile... more "breakable"... especially in such small sizes as masts on a ship or a gun barrel on a micro armour tank.

I am going to have to "re-barrel" some of my micro armour (because the cast barrels have broken off), and my current "line of thinking" involves using brass rod -- or in some cases (such as the machine guns in the turrets of PzKfpw I's and II's), piano wire. I've always figured I'd use brass rod... is it "tough enough"?

Regards,
Tom

[Ritter]

Hey Tom.

The needles I use are sewing pins - not needles. They are used to alter and hold fabric for sewing. I stole 'em from the wife and I am told they are very cheap - 2.00 for 100. Also they come in various lengths and diameters. They take primer and paint well once roughed up in the dremel and they are almost unbendable when cut to length. Glueing with CA glue holds them in place.

Brass rod is good too, its advantage are it will take solder readily, comes in a variety of sizes, and is maleable. Its chief disadvantage is it is somewhat bendable in the finer diameters.

Plastic - would'nt use it as you already stated. is quite brittle.

Good luck with the conversions!

Troy

[tstockton]

Troy

The needles I use are sewing pins - not needles.

Which is exactly what you said in your first post -- but in my muddled, early morning "fog of consciousness", I read the words "sewing pin" and my brain translated them into the words "sewing needle".

As Homer Simpson would say -- "D'oh!!"

Or, as my teenaged daughter would happily point out -- "Another senior moment, huh, Dad!?"

Regards,
Tom

p.s. I guess this could serve as an example of some of the difficulties in communications... If my brain can't understand what my own eyes are seeing, then it shouldn't be surprising that other communications get misunderstood...

[Ritter]

I hear you Tom!

I've also been re-doing the barrels on one of my all time favorite GHQ sculpt - the Panzerjäeger Tiger 'Ferdinand'. This mini has always caused me problems keeping the 88mm L/71 barrel straight. I used the same sewing pins and may drill out the ports on the muzzle break (if painting them in doesn't do the trick.


Also Pibbers Churchhills motivated me to paint some up. This is a really good mini - practically paints itself. I made bundles from 'Fimo'. A bake to harden clay that is awesome to scratchbuild with. Decals are painted. (Man, If he can do it, then I can too...)

[tstockton]

Troy,

OUTSTANDING work on both the Elefants and the Churchills -- as usual!

I know that as one perfects a technique and does it over and over... and over... the amount of time it takes to do a process reaches a (shorter) "standard" time. Roughly -- how long does it take to "re-barrel" a tank? And is there any "trick" to obtaining a uniform length for the new gun barrels? Do you use a "Chopper" or some such cutting device (to obtain a uniform barrel length) and a drill press (to obtain a uniform depth of drilled hole)?

Just trying to "think this all through" before I attempt the process myself... although sometimes, I think I think too much -- I should (to borrow the old commercial phrase) "just do it"!

Regards,
Tom

[David F]

Troy,

Fantastic work! Very inspirational. I like doing a bit of modelling mixed in with the gaming as well. I have buddy to game with but when he is not around I have to find ways to occupy my time.

I have been using brass rod on my WWI projects and have not come across the need for muzzle brakes. As for my WWII, I am cauht up in 1939-1942 so not too many long barrels bend on me. I will use you experience as I get on to such types and as my WWII armies grow.

Dave

[Mk 1]

Thus spake the Rittermeister:
Also Pibbers Churchhills motivated me to paint some up. This is a really good mini - practically paints itself.

Well... I don't know about the rest of your boyz, but MY GHQ Churchills, nice as they are, never managed to paint themselves up quite like THAT!

Bravo, Troy! Bravo! Truly magnificent. Love the weathering (as always). Love the kit-bags, and the variances between them from one tank to the next. Love the painted-on detailing.

Inspriational is an understatement. I see it as closer to enlightenment ... almost a religeous experience. We are witnesses to the holy grail of micro-armor.

Bravo.

[Ritter]

OUTSTANDING work on both the Elefants and the Churchills -- as usual!

I know that as one perfects a technique and does it over and over... and over... the amount of time it takes to do a process reaches a (shorter) "standard" time. Roughly -- how long does it take to "re-barrel" a tank? And is there any "trick" to obtaining a uniform length for the new gun barrels? Do you use a "Chopper" or some such cutting device (to obtain a uniform barrel length) and a drill press (to obtain a uniform depth of drilled hole)?

Hey Tom - I now do tanks in batches, repeating each step ala H. Ford, but it takes apx. 10-15 minutes per tank. I did nine T-34/85s in a couple hours. ( although the PzJg took an evening for 4).

I use the amputated barrel for length. I add the machining and insertion distannce to this and cut the pin with side cutters. I flatten the muzzle end and taper in the dremell. Finally, I drill the hole in the turret after marking the center with a pin to reduce wandering of the bit. I wrap tape on the bit to drill a set depth.

Thanks for the comments guys!

Troy

[Wayne]

I`d like to try to open many of my tanks and apc hatches how can I do this and keep the same dimensions? What do I use to replace the hatches and have them in the open positon? I would like to place some crewmen inside the turrets or hull of the vehilces. If the figures are to big what do you guys use for crewmen?

[Ben]

Hi Troy!

Some very impressive work!!
The paint job on the Chrchills is brilliant and the new guns are just amazing!

Beste Grüße aus Hannover,
Ben