SimonT - 1/35 Zvezda Stug.IIIB - Bobs StugGB

[SimonT]

Thanks Lee

Andy - turned out to be worse than I thought

Jakko - nope, all the same. They supply two B sprues to give left and right parts but there are more arms than required

Paul - thanks

Allen - Trooper has been going for a few years now

All the best everyone

[Jim R]

Hi Simon
All the best for the New Year.
Fine work as always. PE wing nuts work at 1/72 but are too thin for 1/35. Interested to see how you replace the damaged dot pattern. I have used those decal rivets but I doubt they would make them large enough for this. I once tried putting dots of PVA onto greaseproof paper and letting them dry - didn't work! :sad:
Jim

[SimonT]

Morning Jim - all the best

I have just mixed up some quick silicone moulding putty and pressed it on to one of the complete sections - hopefully I can use that to cast some replacement bobbles

[Jim R]

I have just mixed up some quick silicone moulding putty and pressed it on to one of the complete sections

That's a good idea. Is that moulding putty 2 part stuff like rubber for resin?
Jim

[SimonT]

Soft two part silicone rubber - like soft plasticine
Mix together and press onto what ever you wish to take an impression of - since it is a soft putty rather than liquid you can stick it to pretty much anything at any angle
I bought it at a craft shop but you can probably get it on ebay (the jars are 50mm dia)

[Guest]

Thanks Steven

Allen - you must have some very boring TV where you live! First look it appeared not too bad but the more I looked the more I found that needed work - cheers

Pete - thanks

Graeme - thanks

Bob - haha, nothing special just normal modelling stuff

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a few bits added at the rear end

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I then spent about two hours making the headlights - needed considerable fettling to remove flash and flared edges and to get the etch to fit

used Grandt Line wing nuts rather than the wafer thin etch ones

Also cleaned up the rest of the suspension arms and made a start on the dampers

The damper tubes are badly moulded with a huge step between front and back - if I clean them up to get rid of the step this will result in the tubes being way too thin

I will therefore replace the dampers - the top and bottom mounts cleaned up ok so I only need to replace the tube part

HI Simon, so glad you posted this. My Headlights are a tad gapy. I will work on them next to get them looking like your ones. Great work once again mate!

[SimonT]

Cheers James


thinned the radio aerial channel down considerably

made up the various etch support brackets ready for assembly

Did a few other small bits but no photos -

• suspension bump stops cleaned up and added along with bolt heads
• smoke candle rack added along with thinned brackets and some bolt heads
• bolt heads added to left upper side of superstructure

[Guest]

:flushed::surprised: Wow !

[SimonT]

the aerial channel parts assembled and installed - still need to add the bolt heads over the Eduard holes


new crowbar in progress - snapped the kit one whilst sanding off the kit tool clamps and half of it flew off somewhere never to be seen again

It wasn't the greatest anyway so no great loss

This just needs sanding once filler dries


made a new set of cleaning rods and installed them in the etch brackets

the rods are from brass tubing drilled out so that they could be telescoped

the end is from Duro

the wooden handles have been textured by scraping with a JLC saw blade


the rods and holders installed on the vehicle


part of the main hatch surround was missing so I've replaced it with an offcut of etch fret - just needs a skim of filler and a light sand to blend it in

all in all not a lot to show for a days working on it

[Si Benson]

Look very good Mr T :thumb2:

[Jim R]

Hi Simon
Still posting while the rest of us sleep I see :tongue-out3:
Looking very good. The fabric weave in that photo of the cleaning rods brings home just how tiny this all is.
Jim

[SimonT]

Thanks Si

Yes Jim, still having the same problems :disappointed2:

The long rod is about 35mm


cast a small section of tread plate from the mould that I made the other day


cut a small section off the casting and sanded it really really thin so that the resin between the dots was translucent

CA'd it in position - not perfect but with a little weathering it should hopefully disguise the bald patch


assembled the three etch lifting hooks for the engine deck - these are really tiny and took ages to do

kept dropping the tiny parts and then having to search for them


added bolt heads to the various etch brackets


made the dust cover for the barrel end from plastic tubing capped with plastic card - the whole thing was then sanded down wafer thin so only just larger than barrel

still need to add the lanyard that stopped it rolling off the vehicle when not in place on the barrel end


added the four top hatches in the open position

the large hatches got etch padlock brackets with their corresponding other half on the roof

hinge bolt heads added on all doors

locking handles still need to be added to the inside of the two smaller hatches


I also investigated the starter handle and wire cutters and found them to be rather poor due, I suspect, to mould wear - they suffer from large mould line steps and blobby indistinct detailing so will need replacing with something better

Back to work Monday, boo - had been hoping to have this all assembled and ready for paint by the end of the holidays but it doesn't look like that will be happening. There are still a lot of little fiddly bits to sort out

[Guest]

Simon, are you sure this is the same kit !
The excitement to the aerial mount is building .

[SimonT]

It was when it started John

Looked at that aerial mount yesterday and it is rubbish - think I will be making a new one

[Guest]

assembled the three etch lifting hooks for the engine deck - these are really tiny and took ages to do

In a way I'm glad to hear that.

The Voyager ones I fitted seemed to take me forever and I almost gave up. To know that someone with your experience also had issues gives me hope.