Schwerer Panzerkraftwagen

[Phil Woollard]

Very very nice indeed and probably one of the best I've seen.......now wether to weather, I think you should start with a wash?

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

Thanks Phil for the very kind compliment.
The wash was the chosen solution but I combined it with a postshade to give the rivets an other details a very subtle accentuation.
You feel it more than you can see it.

Best wishes
Oliver

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

.


February 2021
Boots on!


Finally, the time has come! I could put on the tracks.
As already described in the other construction reports here in the forum, this is a somewhat more complicated matter with this model.
The front chain tensioners have to be moved back to close the chains - in the end, every millimeter counts!

With the aged chains, the tank already gets a somewhat better look and gives an idea of the different ways of weathering.

Best wishes
Oliver


.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Phil Woollard]

A good background, filmed in black and white and with a little battle field smoke you could be back there all those years ago !

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

Phil
Can it be that you are capable of predicting the future?

[Phil Woollard]

I knew that you were going to say that lol

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

this confirms my assumption

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

.


February 2021
Spin me round – motion testing


The TechRack was charged and used for the first time. Now, finally, the movement came into the tank. Not yet on the ground but still jacked up, I set the chains in motion. Apart from the usual wear and tear on this model, everything worked as planned. I would love to drive the tank in the wild now, but before that, some weathering should be done so that the chains fit the rest of the too-clean model. So a little patience is still required.


Best wishes
Oliver



.

Loading outside the tank

.

.

Start of the usual wear in the front

.

Something that concerns me is the sharp noise when the chain lock hits the rear rollers. That needs some optimization.

.

The chain files down everything in its way

[Phil Woollard]

The witness marks. Initially I wouldn't worry to much as once run in a little oil on those areas will help, or you remove a little material with a file.

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

When jacked up, the abrasion caused by the chain is in different places than later when driving.
Then sand and mud will do the rest.

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

.


March 2021
Weathering - my first wary steps of shading



I had already had some experience with oil paints on the doors and decided to get out of my comfort zone and try the whole model.
The first step was careful shading.
Afterward, I applied a very subtle shading to the lower part of the tank and some of the rivet rows with an airbrush.

Oil paints and airbrushes don‘t go well together. But with a few tricks and experiments, they do. A combination of oil paint, a strong thinner of a little turpentine and a lot of isoIsopropanol alcohol and a suitable nozzle on the airbrush did the job.

Weathering the tank with oil paint was so fun that I couldn‘t stop. With the black and white picture, I wanted to check if the tonalities of the colours were going in the right direction.

Best wishes
Oliver


.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Phil Woollard]

Love the period photo Oliver! A tip to help you with your excellent weathering....gravity will always pull the weathering lines straight down on vertical surfaces, much thought must go into the angle plates for those to be convincing. Wait till you get into " chipping" that's addictive .
Keep it up it looks great.

[Damon Resch]

Beautiful work Oliver; really, a wonderful tank you've got there.

[Gary Richardson]

Hi Oliver

Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed following your build. Your tank looks brilliant, good luck with the rest of the weathering.

Regards
Gary

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

Thank you gents for all the compliments and helpful hints

Regards
Oliver