#6 Tristar Panzer 1 Ausf. A sd.Kfz.101 (Early) WIP

Edmund, why do you keep coming up with these gorgeous looking builds. Mrs. Grem56 thinks I am completely mad buying micro dental brushes to clean my airbrushes, makebrushes for weathering, kitchen sponges for chipping etc. etc. Now I will have to explain why I need hair gel in spite of the fact that gel is last the thing I need with with my "hair challenged " head. Thank you very much

It's turning into a magnificent piece of bulding Edmund, way to go.

Julian

Lookin' good, Schnobs! I just today finally got all the roadwheels attached myself.

Sorry to hear about the lost headlight lens. I have a way I scratched the headlight lenses for the scout car in my WIP thread(it may offer up an idea.) Just scroll down a bit and you'll spot the post......./forums/5/1146616/ShowPost.aspx#1146616  

Grem56 wrote:

Edmund, why do you keep coming up with these gorgeous looking builds. Mrs. Grem56 thinks I am completely mad buying micro dental brushes to clean my airbrushes, makebrushes for weathering, kitchen sponges for chipping etc. etc. Now I will have to explain why I need hair gel in spite of the fact that gel is last the thing I need with with my "hair challenged " head. Thank you very much It's turning into a magnificent piece of bulding Edmund, way to go. Julian

LOL!  It wasn't my original ideal I am an innocent victim!!  I have bought so many feminine products to support this hobby that's it's nice to use a manly personal hygene product for a change!!

THanks for the kind words as always Julian.  I can't wait to sse this guy with tracks on!

wbill76 wrote:

Nice work on the details Edmund, the pad looks spectacular.

Thanks Bill.  I want to marry my Mr. Surfacer bottle  and have an affair with my Vallejo Model Color paints!

 You sure have a well groomed tank here. Everything about this looks just super. I like it alot.

I have a smiley with a hair problem.....  hope he reads this.

disastermaster wrote:

You sure have a well groomed tank here. Everything about this looks just super. I like it alot. I have a smiley with a hair problem.....  hope he reads this.

LOL!  Thanks Steve I am glad you like it!  You need to take that smiley face to Cost Cutters immediately!

Build Update:

Panzer 1 Build Hours:

Assembly: 16 hours

Painting & Weathering the interior: 6 Hours

Painting & Weathering the Exterior: 19 Hours

Assembling, weathering, and mounting Fruil Tracks:  10 Hours

Aggregate Build Time: 51 hours

I am finished with my first Fruil track experience and it was a lot more challenging and time consuming than I had anticipated as compared to DML Magic Tracks. I am happy with the results but I did learn I have no career plans to be a Jeweler anytime soon!   It probably had a lot to do with the small size of the individual links of the PZ.1.  I replaced the soft wire that came with the kit with .015 music wire.  I also drilled out each individual hole on each track.  I do not know if the guide horns are supposed to be drilled out or not.  If they are please let me know and I will incorporate that into my next Fruil build.  I do know that they are on correctly thanks Wbill! 

As I have read the track sag was so natural that I almost had to slip it a little blue pill!

I adjusted the track sag to a more believable presentation.

I ended up with 91 links for each side and slipping the final pin to connect the entire track was very challenging.  I f there is an easier way to do this let me know.  I finally put some painter tape sticky side up mated the little metal demons and threaded the needle!

I then sent my Friul out for a Spa treatment.  First on the agenda was a soapy hot bath

Followed by a two hour soak in distilled vinegar:

I also added some fine and medium copper chain to the mix for this build and future builds:

Next came the Blacken-It Treatment:

I did do two ten minute treatments and I could have got by with one looking back on it.  I will stick with one ten minute treatment in the future.  The second one turned it too black and I had to do some sanding to get it back to how it looked before the second bath.

I then applied a couple Burnt Umber oil washes followed by some Track Brown and Desert Sand MIG pigments.  I mounted the tracks and here are some shots:

Here is a few Plunkinator Shots for Bill!

I am happy with how they turned out and they look like the real think that's for sure.

I was still trying to find some kind o suitable replacement for the dropped headlight which I had a lot of detail plans and I went as far as to buy a DML PZ.! Ausf B kit to take out the headlight abut it is such a nice kit I can't do it. I want to build it too!!

I also bought these two as well!!  I have a problem! 

I decided I was going to work with what I have and strip some cat5 wire and model twisted wire coning out of a mounting strut and put some rusted effects on the front.  Question was the wiring for the headlights within the mounting post?

I did get some extra guys with Ausf B kit and a lizard!!  He is going into my Diorama that's for sure.

Well I have earned a little rest.  I will start the weathering process sand final details tomorrow.

Thanks again guys for all your help and support!

Congrats on completing your first Fruil endeavor Edmund! . To answer your question, the guide horns on the Pz I track were solid so no need for drilling.

I might have a spare headlight from a previous Pz I build rolling around, let me dig through the spares bin and I'll shoot you a PM if I find one.

Not sure if it's because of your problems with the hull warpage or just the alignment of the suspension, but the road wheels seem to be floating just a bit on the left side and more so on the right. You've also got some torquing going on with the rear idlers, not sure if that's something you can address at this stage or not or will have to try to address with the base/groundwork.

wbill76 wrote:

Congrats on completing your first Fruil endeavor Edmund! . To answer your question, the guide horns on the Pz I track were solid so no need for drilling. I might have a spare headlight from a previous Pz I build rolling around, let me dig through the spares bin and I'll shoot you a PM if I find one. Not sure if it's because of your problems with the hull warpage or just the alignment of the suspension, but the road wheels seem to be floating just a bit on the left side and more so on the right. You've also got some torquing going on with the rear idlers, not sure if that's something you can address at this stage or not or will have to try to address with the base/groundwork.

Thanks Bill and great to hear about the guide horns being solild.  My research seemed to to bear that out and I did drill one link out just to see what it looked like.  If you could find an extra headlight shipping would be on me!! 

Yes the warpage really showed up for a final tweak at me when I mounted road wheels, rear idler and metal tracks.  It has been quite vexing!  You should of seen it before I started tweaking it.  I will try some more final adjustments tonight and the rrest like you commented on will have to addressed "hidden" with the goundwork. 

Thanks again Bill,

Edmund,

PM sent.

Edmund,

I see what you mean about the tiny Fruils for that you have here, the IS Fruils I am working up for the IS3 are about thigh high on a scale figure.  Neverthelss, you have some cool looking track runs there, I really like the blacken it effect, I will try that soon.

Glad to see you pressing ahead on this build, it's looking fine.

Bill 

wbill76 wrote:

Edmund, PM sent.

Thanks for sending out an extra headlight Bill as always you are a very helpful Hombre! 

Citadelgrad87 wrote:

Edmund, I see what you mean about the tiny Fruils for that you have here, the IS Fruils I am working up for the IS3 are about thigh high on a scale figure.  Neverthelss, you have some cool looking track runs there, I really like the blacken it effect, I will try that soon. Glad to see you pressing ahead on this build, it's looking fine. Bill

Thanks Bill I ended up shoving one of the .015 pieces of wire almost completely through my finger last night as well!  Isn't this a fun hobby!!!  I didn't even scream or jump I was so concentrated on trying to align the tracks and pin them together.

I am ready for weathering and final details.

Join the "Friul purple heart club" Edmund. I didn't stick the wire in my fingers, I drilled a scale hole in my thumb and also managed to super glue a link to my index finger which resulted in a minor bloodletting pulling it off. Despite these minor gripes the effect of the "heavy metal links" (this will get Karl/Doog excited) is really fantastic. I'll try and get a few snaps up of the "Beast" this week.

Julian

Grem56 wrote:

Join the "Friul purple heart club" Edmund. I didn't stick the wire in my fingers, I drilled a scale hole in my thumb and also managed to super glue a link to my index finger which resulted in a minor bloodletting pulling it off. Despite these minor gripes the effect of the "heavy metal links" (this will get Karl/Doog excited) is really fantastic. I'll try and get a few snaps up of the "Beast" this week. Julian

Hi Julian,

LOL!  I actually still like the Magic Tracks and I do like the weight and feel of the Fruils but the cost!   I want to try Model Kasten as well.

I can't wait to see the "Beast"!

Hey Everyone,

The more I looked at the pictures today the more I saw I needed to do about the angle and set of the tracks.  i did what I could for now without mounting it into groundwork to help keep it straight. I had left the road wheels free so I corrected that by gluing them into a static postion.

I also wanted to take a few shots of what Blacken-it can do to copper fine chain. 

Build Update:

Panzer 1 Build Hours:

Assembly: 16 hours

Painting & Weathering the interior: 6 Hours

Painting & Weathering the Exterior: 23 Hours

Assembling, weathering, and mounting Fruil Tracks:  10 Hours

Aggregate Build Time: 55 hours

I started weathering this evening by applying two filters:

I then appiled a couple of Pin washes:

Followed by some oil dot fading:

First nght of weatehring went great.  Rust and rain streaks coming!

Just for Fun!

THAT LOOKS SO GREAT!!!! I love all of it, the paint, the tracks and above all the weathering!!

     Thanks, Jim

wing_nut wrote:

I dunno if it's the result of good clean living or what but that really kicks some asxxxx... hind quarters.

LOL!  You can chalk this one up to pure good old fashion stubborness!!  Glad you like it Marc I am ready to really go to town with some super detailing and little tweaks.

model maniac 96 wrote:

THAT LOOKS SO GREAT!!!! I love all of it, the paint, the tracks and above all the weathering!!        Thanks, Jim

Thanks Jim I hope you are having a great summer earning extra money for your modeling in the hot sun!! 

Hey, just steped in on the forum and cought this thread.

Been very buisy with my excavating buisness this somer, not much time for modeling lately!

Just 2 pieces of constructive critisisum on an otherwise awsome build you got there.

(1) When the crews in the field re-painted with desert camo, they wouldn't have applied it to the bottom of the hull.

(2) Don't forget to shine-up the tracks where the road wheels run inbetween the guide horns.

Nice looking build though!

Tom F.

Lookin' good, Schnobs!! The weathering is giving your panzer this very arid, dry feel that really makes the build feel like it's been out in the desert. Just one question, are you gonna add a wash to the machine gun barrel? I feel it needs just a slight black wash to add depth to the air holes. Keep the updates coming.

PS: I'm still weathering the tracks(started on Sunday), but some of the rear engine hull was worked on.

wbill76 wrote:

Looking good Edmund, the fix with the suspension is a definite improvement.

Thanks Bill I will be able to align and straighten it a little more by a little form I am going to make for the base that will keep everything aligned correctly and then hide it with a little bit of white sand.

PANZERJEAGER wrote:

Hey, just steped in on the forum and cought this thread. Been very buisy with my excavating buisness this somer, not much time for modeling lately! Just 2 pieces of constructive critisisum on an otherwise awsome build you got there. (1) When the crews in the field re-painted with desert camo, they wouldn't have applied it to the bottom of the hull. (2) Don't forget to shine-up the tracks where the road wheels run inbetween the guide horns. Nice looking build though! Tom F.

Thanks for stopping by and providing feedback Tom it is appreciated!  I am constantly torn between the engineer and artist inside me so your comments are well received.  I was more interested in how the effect would work than anything. Same goes with the tracks I was experimenting with Blacken-it and do not want to sand off the effect until I get a chance to study it more.  I have some ideas going forward for effects between the guide horns it should look cool.

  Other than the seam on the fire extinguisher and the other issues you seem to have under control, this is a real knock out to me.

 The composition thus far (if this is the end game) is absolutely excellent in my book. Great talent here.

mg.mikael wrote:

Lookin' good, Schnobs!! The weathering is giving your panzer this very arid, dry feel that really makes the build feel like it's been out in the desert. Just one question, are you gonna add a wash to the machine gun barrel? I feel it needs just a slight black wash to add depth to the air holes. Keep the updates coming. PS: I'm still weathering the tracks(started on Sunday), but some of the rear engine hull was worked on.

Hey Build Buddy!

Yes I plan to go back and redo the MG barrels along with a lot of additional detailing.  I am in the process of picking out stowage, chains and other little items for the overall presentation.  Wbill i ssending me a replacement resin headlight for the one I lost and I need to paint and mount the little headlights or reflectors on the front fenders. I am not sure what they are.  Are they just red refecltors I am not sure?

You are using the kit included plastic tracks aren't you?  I am really interested in how you assembled, mounted and wethered them...  I can't wait to see the post!