Ye olde Tamiya Jagdpanzer IV L/70

Magneto

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That paintwork is to be envied, well done, and on the build itself.
Thanks Michael - I dont think you will be saying that now! I kind of messed up at the last hurdle - I have only to put a few pieces on and thats it. Ill post update in a sec:thumb2:
 

Magneto

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well, here it is almost finished. No false modesty here - I made a few blunders but it’s all good. Should be able to post this weekend - maybe I can fix a few errors or at least tidy up a bit? Cant wait to move on! That said it has been a tremendous experience - I have a couple more old kits that I pledged to breath some life into before I can start a new one!

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Scratchbuilder

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Stop knocking yourself, that is a superb job. I would have to think twice before attempting that paint job. As for the blunders, if you do not tell us then we will never know...
 

Magneto

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Stop knocking yourself, that is a superb job. I would have to think twice before attempting that paint job. As for the blunders, if you do not tell us then we will never know...
:thumb2: hey Michael I appreciate the encouragement - I’m half and half with the paint job finish - Im happy with the pattern but other aspects not so much. I will make a list at end of build to see if anyone has any advice that I can carry over to next builds:nerd:
 

Jakko

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As for the blunders, if you do not tell us then we will never know...
I thought the whole point of build threads is to show the mistakes you made along the way? ;)
 

Magneto

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I thought the whole point of build threads is to show the mistakes you made along the way? ;)
A good but delicate point Jakko - me personally I welcome any points or tips at the end of the build but we are not all built the same (pun intended):smiling5:

I have tried so many different techniques with this build it’s been a bit of an odyssey - I have experienced the whole gamut of emotions from contentment to despair but for me it was all about making it to the finish. This is my icebreaker:nerd:
 

Scratchbuilder

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:thumb2: hey Michael I appreciate the encouragement - I’m half and half with the paint job finish - Im happy with the pattern but other aspects not so much. I will make a list at end of build to see if anyone has any advice that I can carry over to next builds:nerd:
Look forward to helping you out.
 

Magneto

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Look forward to helping you out.
dont make a rod for your back! There are a litany of things I need help with in kit building. I tend to learn through trial and error but I will consider any shortcuts…

one things for sure I think Fruil tracks were not needed here. Mud and side skirts not good for expensive tracks. However for desert and heinous Dragon Jagdtiger I think they come into their own
 

Magneto

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Sorry for the paucity of updates. I‘m pretty much finished now - just tweaking here and there. I’ve been neglecting my studies lately so need to get back to it!

Here is where I am right now. I like the fact you guys are taking the journey with me because it gives me a little impetus to get this thing done!

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Magneto

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Finish this tomorrow- one Jerry can to throw on. I’ve experimented with a lot of techniques. As I’m from the school of Verlinden and Shep Paine, well I’m not really from their school lol but I followed them for a long time.
Verlinden was the master of dry brush, oil and pin washed. Shep tried to refine that even more - both geniuses and pioneers of modelling.
So I tell you that to say that I have avoided any dry brushing. I needed to practice the multitude of new techniques and have highlighted (pun intended) my own interests in this area - a lot more trial and error to follow.

One more thing I wish to say about the above late Gentleman - they were not afraid of passing on their techniques. I was learning to figure paint hands and faces with oils etc.

Some may find this contentious but the books nowadays are self indulgent, ostentatious all form and zero substance product catalogs
I have many of these books by the Neo corporate giant Parvenus - they look gorgeous. Beautiful photos, sewn bindings and lovely long list of all the different products and ‘car showroom-esque‘ presentations of what can be achieved and the full potential and lots of empty words. THEY TELL YOU NOTHING!

I have learnt nothing from all these books. Nothing. Everything I do now is from memory or my own experience and experiments.

Thanks for reading my rant. I feel much better now…ahhh!

See you all tomorrow.
 

Magneto

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Finished! I forgot a couple of things to add but wanted to ‘close the show’! I have enjoyed the struggle between this kit and my own inexperience but hopefully now I will be a little better prepared for the next builds. Dropping down to 72 to finish off a Bf 109 I started but then left in a box. Whilst building this kit I managed to try to remask the canopy (I messed it right up) and primed it. But more of that later…

The Spiel
Quiet the story with the example build which represents an early Jagdpanzer IV L/70. This ‘Ausfürung’ has all rubber tyres, the early exhaust muffler and no roof tie loops (the crews were complaining of water ingress). There is no ‘Nahverteidigungswaffe’ - (that is the close defence mortar that fired off small but deadly single HE grenades to protect the tank from enemy infantry clambering on) there were not enough to go round.

This vehicle was part of the 6. Panzer-Division. From around July 1944 after the Division was resent to the Eastern Front after refitting and training, 21 new Jagdpanzers were added to the Div OOB and joined them a month later in August.
They fought together in Lithuania and Poland. Only one Jagd.pz was lost. From there they went to Budapest where half of the jagdpanzer Abteilung were lost. A further 8 were added before the retreat back towards Germany. The Division finally managed to Czechoslovakia where they surrendered in May 1945. 8 Jagdpanzer were still on strength but only 2 were operational. Perhaps this was one of them?

I wanted to make the vehicle look miserable, like it had been in very inclement weather, with mud and damp. I forgot a couple of things to fix on but I’m calling it finished regardless.

Any constructive comments are of course welcome. Thanks!IMG_3642.jpegIMG_3643.jpegIMG_3654.jpeg
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