Tamiya Wespe..

[Bill's Bunker]

Hi All,

A couple of weeks ago I won 2 Tamiya kits on eBay. I thought the Wespe was a really old kit, going by the box artwork. But no it's not that old, 1996. I was very suprized the molding is very good, nice sharp details and no flash.

So I dropped the Jagdpanzer that's waiting varnish and weathering and made a start. No problems at all really.

I feel like doing my first DIO with this, also I want to try the chipped paint kind of thing, what if I start with a metallic base colour, and perhaps some rusty wash ,Then varnish before painting.. Use the salt idea, etc. Would welcome any advice or hints. In the mean time here's a few pics..

Regards

Mel

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[Bill's Bunker]

Tamiya Wespe continues..

Hi Folks,

Well I suppose this is part two, what have I got done since yesterday!! This really is proving to be a very nice kit. The Gun has a nice working cylinder/piston damper or such like, even a small pinion gear for the rack, if you can fit it?? Two hands and tweezer job. The simple wheel arrangement makes a change, as I have'ent build anything based on the Panzer II, it's quite narrow too. The white stuff is Tipex used for filling in small gaps and seams.

So here's a few more Pics.

Regards

Mel.

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[Sky Raider]

A fantastic resin kit, love the intricate detail. You are moving along with this one at a rate of knots. Keep up the good work.

Cheers

Andy

 

[papa 695]

Looking good will keep my eye on this one Keep up the good work

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Hi Sky Raider,

Yes the detail is very good, good as resin, but it's plastic!!

Cheers

Mel.

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Tamiya Wespe continues..

Hi,

Well tonight it was a bit of detail painting, adding tools, towing hooks, etc.

Don't know where the crew is supposed to be but they look pretty cold, so somewhere in Russia,perhaps!!

I got caught out with the front bar that holds the spare track links, usually you fit the bar and the links just drop in, but these links have two guide horns, it does'ent work, you have to fit it all at once. Still it's proving to be a nice build and enjoyable that's the important bit.

Regards

Mel.

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[Fenlander]

This is looking very nice Mel. The gun is a real work of art and the figures are really well animated and posed, are they the figures that come with the kit or are they third party?

Doing a great job on yet another iconic and stunning German designed vehicle

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Tamiya Wespe continues..

Hi Fenlander,

Thanks for you comments, the figures are the kit figures. As I said this kit is a lot better then I thought it was going to be!! It's going together nicely, and as it's Panzer II based and I've not built anything like that before it's good.

Could do with a bit of help with the idea of doing chipped paintwork, like base coat, using the salt and water method, who's the expert (ex- an has-been, spert-a drip under pressure)?

Regards

Mel.

 

[Fenlander]

lol

No expert and had little success with salt method to be honest. I tend to do all my chipping using a tiny bit of ripped sponge and a dark grey paint, usually Vallejo Dark Rubber That is the method I used on my Afghan BMP and it worked out OK.

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Tamiya Wespe continues..

Hi Graham,

Thanks for your help, that sounds like a much simpler way of doing things. Dare say Tamiya German grey would look very similar, but I am slowly changing too Vallejo...

Regards

Mel.

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Tamiya Wespe continues..

Hi Folks,

Well last night I finished the basic paint and cammo job, this morning gave it some glass varnish where needed for the decals.

But tonight the first couple of decals fell to pieces, as I tried to apply them. Looking on the decal sheet, I can see their all cracked up, no chance of using them. Unless some one out there knows a very good trick?? I have managed to rescue the odd torn decal, but nothing like this.

Anyway here's a picture or two.

Regards

Mel.

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[Krieg-Hammer]

Nice so far! What do you use for a background for taking pictures?

Thanks

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Tamiya Wespe continues..

Hi Hammer..

Photographing models! Well photography has been my life-long hobby, whatever else I've been doing, it has been there too, and I've just finished 31 years in the photographic trade (Sad).

First of all get yourself a big box, something like 24 inch cube, paint it white inside to reflect light, fit it up with some 12" tubes to give light from the front and top. Sometimes I find this gives rather flat lighting, but not much in the way of shadows (just hump the contrast up a bit) . Cut one flap off completely, cut the others down by about 50% so you still have flaps to hide the lights and stop glare.

I use an A2 sheet of cartridge paper in a neutral Grey, This hangs at the back on a bulldog clip,(both ends in the clip) when not in use. When needed is just hangs from the back, a gentle curve at the back leaves no horizon, etc. This box also doubles as my spray box, so I must fit some kind of vent or extraction fan or something.

A neutral Grey is just that, and is ideal for taking white light and exposure readings. The pictures which I took tonight show blue Daylight coming thro' the window.. But still a neutral grey on the background.

Hope this might be useful to someone.

Regards

Mel.

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[geegad]

nice build looking good nice camo looking forward to seein the weathered model

oh and the figures i don't know if you mentioned it did they come with the model????

geegad

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Hi Geegad,

Yes the figures are the kit figures. This build is on hold at the minute as I have to look out some decals, the kit ones fell to bits, quite old and gone brittle.

Regards

Mel.

 

[geegad]

You've done a good job on building them bud And the decals what are they I have a large decal bag full of old decals if you need help I would be glad to look for them and if I have I could send you them???John

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Tamiya Wespe continues..

Hi John,

Thanks for the offer, if you or anyone else can help. I have uploaded a pic of the faulty decals. I have some but nothing that is quite right!

Happy building all.....

Regards

Mel.

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[geegad]

Hello mel got everything but these I've got single numbers but not of this design sorry I cNt help you hopefully somebody else can John