Tiger 131 In South Wales

[mark j. radick]

Looking great !!! great workmanship !

[davidwilkins]

Hi Mark,

Many thanks for your kind words.

Sorry I have completely missed your build blog. I have just finished viewing your tiger build a truly outstanding model, your all round skills are of the highest standards. The weatheringthat you have done is absolutely amazing it's the one of the jobs that I have no confidence In trying to do but I will have to try and give it a go.

Cheers

David

[Vince Cutajar]

The weatheringthat you have done is absolutely amazing it's the one of the jobs that I have no confidence In trying to do but I will have to try and give it a go.

I know the feeling as I am also in the same boat. Unlike you, I will "chicken out" of the weathering and just say that it is a brand new Tiger 1 just coming out of the factory in June 1944.

Vince

[davidwilkins]

Hi Vince, My first armortek model was a Centurion and this was built as though it had just come out of the factory so no weathering was carried out. However I now feel that as I am trying to build Tiger 131 I have try and do some sort of weathering, what it will look like and weather it's any good we shall see.

I was planning on sealing the rear deck to start some weathering but then notice that there are a few parts to fit one of them being the antenna tube brackets. Looking at photos of these brackets I decided to remake and change the fixing positions (and because I have lost the original parts).

I also thought I would try and improve the photos on my updates as some of them are not very good so we shall see at the end of this update.

Now back to the tank factory and tidy up those antenna brackets.

Regards

David

[Stephen White]

David, Vince

Weathering is the difference between a model and a scale model. It adds the evidence of operational use and tells a story. There is a lot of bunkum associated with weathering in the plastic kit world, a lot of which is intended to promote a mystique amongst professional model builders and above all to sell a lot of dodgy and unnecessary "weathering products". Although we have a large canvas to cover, you don't need to go overboard and even a light touch will enhance a model. Indeed, if it's overdone, the model will suffer. The great thing about using oils is that they're infinitely reversible. Practise on the model and if you don't like something, wipe it and start again. It's more difficult to do that with acrylics or enamels but not impossible. The only way to build up your own style is to dive in.

There are some lucky souls who have exceptional talent and who achieve outstanding results. I'd (embarrassingly for them) highlight Simon Manning's models and in Australia, the painting done by Noel for Dale Jordan (Sherman, Tiger I & II, Panther). Tim Bowman and Chris Fry have also put some stunning photos on the forum.

Weathering is a bit like the fashion trade, always trying to promote this year's styles. It seems to take on a life of its own in some quarters and becomes an end in itself. To keep grounded, it's good to have a few reference photos to inspire. I'd say that 90% of the weathering videos on YouTube are either tedious or irritating or both and utterly useless. If you do find someone whose style is to your liking, it's usually because they're not a "YouToober" and because they keep what they do simple and focussed. My personal muses are Michael Rinaldi (who publishes some great books) and Jamie Haggo, ("Haggis") who does some exceptional aircraft models. They're to be found here:

Rinaldi Studio Press:

https://www.rinaldistudiopress.com

And Jamie Haggo:

http://haggismodels.blogspot.co.uk/?fbc ... 6oSvM61Hns

and here:

https://www.facebook.com/ScaleAircraftWeathering/

I've tried to document one style in my Cent thread and I've written a couple of topics on the Knowledge Base.

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... bd856e0231

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... bd856e0231

Dive in, if you don't you'll miss out on another fun and rewarding bit of the hobby.

[Phil Woollard]

Go on go for it! Start with a wash behind the road wheels and really pile it on and let it run down! You can't bugger that area up it gets the most environment sticking to it than any other area. Just try to be random. If you don't like it rub it off or paint over it again.

[davidwilkins]

Stephen,

Many thanks for taking your time to offer your advice and thoughts on this subject. I have been following your latest updates on your cent and I have to say the weathering job that you have done has totally changed a truly brilliant model and taken it to a absolutely stunning level. I will be taking your advice and sealing the base coat and then using oils and pigments particularly around the rear of the tank.

Phil,

Thanks for the encouragement to get on with it. I did do a bit weathering behind and on the wheels about 2 years ago and was generally pleased with the results. However the 2 year break has not done my confidence any good (I blame the boss for making us move home) but it has to be done if this model is to look anything like Tiger 131

Cheers

David

[Brian Ostlind]

First of all...amazing build.

I also love the shrapnel damage on the fender, could you provide any tips how it was done?

[davidwilkins]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your kind words, good to see your new work shop taking shape and the zim looks brilliant on your tiger.

As regard to shrapnel damage on the fender first I drilled a 1mm hole at each and then used a thin cutting disc to join up the too holes.
Then it was a case making sure the fender was well supported, heat up the holes and punching through with a sharp punch. When I was happy with size of the holes I heated up the slot between the holes and punched through with a sharp screwdriver.

I did grind off any sharp edges on the inside of the fender just to save my fingers from cuts.

Hope makes sense and is of some use you.

Cheers

David

[Vince Cutajar]

Thanks for that useful information.

Vince

[davidwilkins]

Hi All,

Have fitted the antenna tube this now sites half way over the side panel rather than completely as the original brackets would have positioned it as according to my photos of tiger 131 it's halfway.

I have attempted to make a new thin walled Feifel filter drum so that I could do some more shrapnel damage unfortunately this failed and ended up in the bin, nearly two and a half days wasted. I have now admitted defeat on trying to do shrapnel damage on these drums and have now fitted the original armortek parts to the tank although I managed to reduce the weight of these parts by drilling out 16mm of the centres to the drums.

Regards

David

[davidwilkins]

Hi All,

I have been looking for some citadel purtiy seal to seal the paint on my tiger tank but since found out that this is no longer available. There is a new product out called citadel munitorum varnish does anyone know if this suitable to seal the base coat ?.

Any advise would be gratefully appreciated.

Cheers

David

[Daniel Scholefield]

Citadel's 'Purity Shield' was just Acrylic Satin Varnish so any equivilent product will do the same job. Games Workshop frequent rename their products so the new can may well be the same stuff. My personal preference is Vallejo's spray can varnishes but obviously other brands are available...

[davidwilkins]

Daniel, Thanks for your advice and information much appreciated.

Cheers

David

[davidwilkins]

Hi All,

After delaying painting the como to my tiger tank I finally plucked up the courage to give it a go. I have to be honest I am not that pleased with it! I have watched quite a few videos and have done a lot reading up on the subject but it still comes down to taking the plunge. I have now gone back to my lathe and milling machine where I am much more comfortable while I think about the camo job, whether it is good enough. My thoughts at the moment are to seal it up and try and do some weathering and by the time the bits and pieces are on hopefully it will look a bit better.

Seeing some of the posts on the forum and some of the models at shows with there is some stunning paint work and weathering it really makes you appreciate just how much experience and knowledge there is out there.

Cheers

David