Consider this your invitation to reply to the Weekly Update, with a post of some of your work, whether completed or "in progress" of kits, figures, and dioramas.

This is not a private club or group, anyone and everyone can add to the thread, & is openly encouraged to do so.

All skill levels are encouraged to participate, & everything Braille and relating to this forum is in scope.

There is no need to write a "short story" to accompany any work submitted, though some notes about what you are posting is usually useful (though you may write at length if you wish) and queries for assistance, opinions or advice with a build or kit are encouraged.

Comments are encouraged, be they suggestions, tips, advices, hints, warnings of kit or instruction deficiencies, questions, etc, with the proviso they show the level of respect to the poster and the work they have taken the time to show us, that is customary on the forum.

The intention is that a new WEEKLY UPDATE is created each week on the same day, to allow people to post new pictures and updates of their work, as the original will "move down" and will be hard to find after a week.

The WEEKLY UPDATE is not intended to change how people already use the forum, though anyone is welcome to add their updates and comments, its intent is to draw a few of those who work away on braille scale subjects and seldom or never post, to share some of what they do each week, for the inclusion and enlightenment of all forum visitors and regulars.

Hi all,

I managed to finish my Sherman; now I can truly plan my vacation










Cheers!

florinjenica.blogspot.com

Great job!. Nice to see a model lik that.
Have a good vacation.

Carlos

No vacation for you sir : first you must make a base or diorama that fits your stunning build. it is way to beautiful to just sit on its own !!

Well done, it almost looks like a real one to me.

Regards, Alfred

Hi Florin,

Well, what a beauty. That is an exceedingly nice tank and following the build to the finish has been a great joy. Well done, I think you deserve a nice holiday after this and then come back refreshed to produce yet another gem. Thank you for sharing the build, most impressive.

All the best,

Paul

Your Sherman is just perfect. Congrats'

It was a really fun project, and I'm quite happy how it turned out. Thanks again for all the encouragements and feed-backs during the construction stages.
Cheers,
Florin

florinjenica.blogspot.com

Great model. At the begining the model looked very well. I see I wasn't wrong.

Best regards.

Pedro.

MECHANICAL DOG
http://neloan.blogspot.com/

I'm happy you like it.
Cheers!

florinjenica.blogspot.com

Something a little more serious than Girls and Terminators. "Serious" mind I don't drink more than one beer when working in that.

Setyr from MAC, the vehicle is not completly painted yet, and pigments must be added. Just working in the base for now, to chek the interacction base-vehicle.Figures in prosses.










Tatra t57 from Attack. Working in the base. Just one figure will be there, in process now.









Constructive comments are wellcome like allways.

Carlos Pitteri

I like it! The bases look promising, and I like the canvas of the Tatra. BTW Your Terminator is realy cool!

Think the canvas is the more problematic part in the Tatra Attack kit.
Many thanks for the comments Christian.
Cheers

Carlos.

That is one sticky machine you made Carlos, I hope they found a FAMO to pull it out (or to tear it apart !!).

Can you tell me more about the Tatra build. I know the Attack to be hard ones !

Well done, regards, Alfred

TAbouth the tatra Attack, is not a complex Kit, easy to ensamble, but poor in details.
Detalis must be added, but we have to consider that the vehicle was quite simple too, so is not a dificult work (the Steyr MAC, needs by far more extra work, in the detailling, cause was a more complex vehicle and the Kit is not so good). The problem with Tatra is the wheels (I replaced it) and the canvas. Any way, is a funny kit.
Thanks for the comments.

Carlos

Hi Carlos,

Two very nice builds on interesting bases. I have done the MAC Steyr and realise how much you have done to make it as good as it is. It can be a bit of a swine for fit and detail, but you have done a really nice job on it. I want to get the Attack Tatra, I am making the Attack Phanomen ambulance at the moment and I find them like Ace kits, they need a certain amount of care and devotion to get the best out of them and then they reward you with a nice little model that no one else does. Yours looks really good and reminds me I really must get one soon.

All the best,

Paul

Yes, the MAC steyr is a scary model, lot of pieces must be replaced, wheels are usless (the wheels from the CCWK 2 1/2 de airfix could works). Think like you abouth the Attack and ACE models, may be ATTACK have a more simple assmbly wich help at the momment of the detailling. Any way, good or bad kit,knowing your experience sure you will get a good result with the Phanomen ambulance.
Manny thanks by the coments.

Carlos

Hi Carlos,

I have got another one of these beasts to do and I invested in the Tracks & Troops resin wheels, they are beautiful.

http://www.tracks-n-troops.eu/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_10&products_id=9239

I will be doing a lot of work on the next one I do in an effort to make it worthy of the actual vehicle.

All the best,

Paul

Hello Carlos

I really like these builds. The chains on the Steyr is a great idea. Looks like you added internal detail on the doors too. The canvas on the Kubel is very well done, much better than what comes with the kit and the addition of the hinge frame to hold it up is a nice touch, as are the door handles. I like how the dust was done on the Kubel too.

Very nice work on the bases - I like how you are making something from nothing - very artful

cheers
Neil

Just in time for the holidays as I will be in the Dordogne region of France soon with my family for the summer holiydays.

This job took much more effort than originally thought. Lots of research through pictures and other files showed this variant to be a lot different from its base, the 1/76 Matchbox PzKfw III L.

Some background info on this special Panzer III variant :

The PzBeobW III H, as its official name seems to be, was built on tanks sent back to the factory so different chassis, updates and details were used !!
It is safe to say that for sure the Ausf G, H and J were used (considering the building timeframe) and every pic I have seen at least shows the bolted-on armor plates to the front chassis, making for an Ausf H standard...

Detail varies like : zimmerit, sprocket and idler wheels, position of vision ports, different fake guns, and serveral engine and brake hatch configurations...
Also the kept turret in a (French ??) museum only has one vision port on the front of the turret.

All of them had a fake gun, central ball MG, one Stabs and one Stern antennae.

From the Panzerwrecks books no. 1 and 5 we know (sometimes) two types of errectable periscopes were used : - The small TSR-1 periscope that was also used in the PzBeobW IV H/J (see Tech Intell 1 book).
- The larger TBF-2 observation periscope. A similar periscope (named JUX 27-1605) was also found on some SdKfz 234/2 PUMA's, which, according to the Tech Intell 2 book, had a loading stencil, naming it SdKfz 234/3...!!

Both of these periscopes could be raised in full and so I did on my model, with a little commander peeking trough it (see Pzwrecks pics). Most 1/35 models do not show this feature.

If someone wonders about the crude Schurzen fixture to the turret : they were hell to fix on the model so must have been hard in reality too, hence, crude welds...

And now : on to the PzBefW III E !!!!

Advised reading and pictures : Panzerwrecks 1 and 5, Tech Intell 1 and 2 (Darlington Prod.) and the Panzertracks book on Beobachtungswagen which unfortunately I do not own...

Enjoy and see you all after the holidays, Alfred van Netburg

The small TSR-1 periscope rising from the commanders cuppola


The large TBF-2 periscope removed


Inside the turret : sliding mount and associated turret hatch for the TBF-2 periscope


The start of the project, still unaltered engine deck and brake hatch configuration.


Finished : A land submarine !! "Raise periscope XO !!"

I like it, a really unusual vehicle!

Thanks Ian, they were quite common too when compared to more known exotic German types...(see also comment below)

Regards, Alfred

Good conversion for a very interesting vehicle.
I didn't know that there were vehicles like that. It was used for the artillery?.

Carlos.

Thanks for the comment Carlos. As the tactical sign shows these vehicles were dedicated to artillery units, as well as platoon as regimental /command sections.
Usually no division sign, only numbers and /or letters.
Allocated especially to the Hummel and some Wespe units. Also reported in Brummbar unit...

Regards Alfred

Hi Alfred,

You have made a wonderfully different model again, it looks really good and the photographs of the actual vehicle are excellent, thank you. Yet another nice addition to your heaving cabinets, keep up the good work, look forward to your next update.

All the best,

Paul

Thanks Paul, your comments always much appreciated!
For me time for holiday now.
The two Hummel /Wespe -Hummel and PzKfw IV F mit 88 mm are close to finish too...then : pzbefwg III E by Overby Motorpool resin.
(And thereafter : 2X Maus, E 100, T 37 and T 38, T 60, NbFz 1, SdKfz 251/20 UHU...etc, enz, et -al....whaaaah -heeeelp.. )

Alfred

Hello Alfred

neat work & job well done, you now have a unique Panzer III in your collection.

enjoy your holidays, hopefully no rain down south

cheers
Neil

Thanks Neil, the sun should be OK in southern France, were we rent a cottage with a private swimming pool...wife happy...kids playing in the pool...daddy dreaming of all the models he is going to finish and or build next....hope to return very inspired !

Thanks, Alfred

As always another rare model. Excellent Alfred

Best regards.

Pedro.

MECHANICAL DOG
http://neloan.blogspot.com/

New base for my Krasnaja Zvezda

Hi Augusto,

That looks so much better than the awful plastic ones you had the model on before, most realistic. I look forward to seeing the train and the tracks mated up, it should look pretty good.

All the best,

Paul

Hello Augusto

these railway models always require a railway track base to put them on, which to me is a good thing, except not one manufacturer makes a good railway track base, the weakness on Hobbyboss's base being the ballast.

However it is fixable, as your picture shows, you have improved it greatly. I have also cut the sides off my hobbyboss track and laid it 'flat' and used model railway gravel to cover the "rocks".

cheers
Neil

Hello

I have been mainly painting figures to populate around the late war convoy, still working on that

but also started something new.. I've been wanting to get this one built since I bought it from Till Huber a few years ago, but had misplaced it inside a box and couldn't find it till recently.

RPM's kit of an R-35 Bergeschlepper 731 (f) which is a turretless R-35. This kit comes with a shield and MG to mount on the turret ring, as per a period photo, which seems to have been a field workshops modification.

This kit has the road wheels and tracks moulded as one piece, and really these must be the WORST tracks - thick and smooth on the outside and almost no detail on the inside, and smooth on the edges. I had no option but to carve off every trace with an exacto blade - all up 1- 2 hours work for both tracks. Then the problem of a substitute track. From pictures seems Pz I or Pz II is a close match, so went through my spares and found old ESCI Panzer II tracks, however these were useless - they snapped at any attempt to put a bend in them, due to age. I borrowed the tracks from a Revell (Matchbox) Panzer II, which though not great are close enough. It seems RPM improved the tracks with some detail for its Hotchkiss series.

I may need to add some missing bolts and other pieces to the running gear and rear body of this tiny tank. It has some nice interior engine & drive train detail, no drivers seat, though levers to control the tank have been included, which look very overscale & will be easy to replace.

Other than the awful tracks everything has fitted together very well so far.

I may actually make this as a hybrid, with a T-26 turret in axis use, as per a wartime photo. Research shows that Rumania had a lot of R-35s and captured a number of T-26s in the early war period and sought to upgun them with 45mm cannon armed T-26 turrets.

I haven't put any pictures of this build in my blog yet, am still updating the blog with other recent builds, link is below

http://braillebuilder.blogspot.com.au/

cheers
Neil

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Can't beleave it, tracks are flat!. Good you find the way to resolve it.
Waiting to see it finished.

Carlos

Hi Neil,

Those tracks are truly awful and I was thinking of getting some of these kits to do for early war French and Polish, maybe I should think more carefully about that. You have done a sterling job in correcting them and the result is excellent, I look forward to seeing it painted and finished.

All the best,

Paul

Good work on that tiny bugger R 35 Neil. I bought a few too but sofar I will only use a turret with the long gun to mount on a SdKfz 251...
Good idea for the tracks but it is a huge shame RPM did not put just a little effort in the tracks. That would have made these models (and the Hotchkiss and Lorraine) invaluable models. Now they are all a pain in the a..

Regards Alfred

Hello

Thanks Carlos, Paul & Alfred for the comments.

The Renault models have the bad tracks, the Hotchkiss kits have tracks with details (you can see this on Henks site). It appears the Lorraine's tracks have exterior detail too. I just noticed they have an Ambulance version also, but a bit too late for the Medical Services Group Build.

The tracks do spoil what is otherwise a great little kit, but it takes no skill to cut off the old tracks - just time and patience, you also need aftermarket tracks (or lots of spares, or a donor kit as I used)

In the future I'd really like to scratch the Panzerjaeger version of this with the 4.7cm pak mounted.

cheers
Neil

Hi Neil,

I have a set of these PE tracks from Armory, they are for the PzI and Maultier, would they do for the R-35?



Thanks,

Paul

Hello Paul

The Renault tracks do closely resemble Panzer I or Panzer II tracks from doing comparisons on the web. Probably in 1/1 scale (or 1/35th scale) the differences would be more apparent.

The guide teeth on the tracks in your picture look kind of prominent for Pz I, maybe its just the macro lens or angle of the photo.

cheers
Neil

Hi Folks,

This week I started a new build for a campaign on another forum and thought I would share it here as well. The model I am doing is the UM Marder IIIM and this is the actual vehicle I am basing it on is this one from Pzj.Abt.243 which was in action around the Sainte-Mere-Eglise area on D-Day +1.....



I have begun with modifying the gun barrel to take the excellent RB metal version, I began by cutting off all the plastic additions that would need to be stuck to the metal one to complete the upgrade...


The original barrel...


The RB upgrade barrel...


Beginning to remove the plastic parts required for the metal barrel...

I then drilled out the breech area to take the new barrel and then began to attach the plastic bits onto the metal barrel, which I had marked with the location points before I cut up the kit one. I added the barrel to the cradle parts and that is now awaiting filling of the sink hole and extra detailing of the breech area.


The breech drilled out...


The barrel added to the breech...


The cradle parts...



The barrel and cradle joined up...


The finished item with a lead foil strap going around the forward barrel rest on the cradle.

Well that's it so far, hopefully I can get some more done this week.

All the best,

Paul

Great one to make Paul, I am in love with all Marder and their likes. As I recall only three (or four?) different vehicles were officialy called Marder by the Germans in WW2. The term was later (mis) used for all Tankjager...
A Marder II D (by MMS metal )is currently eagerly awaiting WIP in my stash, together with its French vehicle based predecessors!

Is the one in the pic a command version with star -antenae?
You may also consider finishing your vehicle as per Panzerwrecks 1 and 5 isue. It was found in a weapons dump in Amersfoort /The Netherlands and had a Leopard scheme and a birdpicture chalked onto it....if you want I can scan the pics for you!

Regards Alfred

Hi Alfred,

I don't think it is a command version as the numbering is 112, thank you for your kind offer and I would be interested in the photos. Unfortunately I am limited by the campaign rules to vehicles only used between 6th of June and the 9th of June. There were a lot of Marder III's in use as they were mostly equipping the Panzerjaeger units of the infantry divisions, hence my choice. I will keep posting the development of this one, so you will have lots of Marder stuff to view.

All the best,

Paul

Hello Paul

I agree with Alfred, the Marder series are great looking vehicles and the UM kits are quite good. I have one of these unbuilt, and with so many other great kits awaiting a build, it will probably be years till I get underway, so I'll be watching your build with interest

From the way you are approaching this build, seems certain its going to be a winner.

cheers
Neil

Great start, Paul, that RB barrel is a killer. I wanted to build a Marder for a long time, and that's the perfect chance to steal some tricks from you
Cheers!

florinjenica.blogspot.com

You work very fastly. Another model in a few weeks. I hope your progress.

Best regards.

Pedro.

MECHANICAL DOG
http://neloan.blogspot.com/

A least, last step for my Cougar. The gunner, the antenna and a bit of dust.





Next build will be the UM M10 (just open the box today, it looks to be a good kit).

Regards
Arnaud

Hi Arnaud,

Wonderful build and finish, excellent modelling. I love the cool-box on the fender, really nice touch. This has been a nice thread to follow and you have done wonders with what is essentially a wargames model. I look forward to seeing the progress of the M10, I have the Extratech one and the running gear is totally over complicated, it will be interesting to see how this one compares.

All the best,

Paul

It was a good challenge and a good idea to post every week.

I'll soon began the M10, it looks to be a very good kit with a bit of PE, detailled interior of driver and radio, turret (no engine). I just bought a aluminium barrel.

See that next week

Hello Arnaud

I always find it rewarding to finish a build, your build looks to have plenty of reasons to give a rewarding feeling too, thanks for having shared the progress on it each week

cheers
Neil.

As said before, it was a great challenge so I am very happy to finished it.

I have watched this one growing through the weeks and I know you put loads and loads of hard work into it.
You have pulled it off : a big beast you can be proud of.

Lots of detail sticking out everywhere.
Maybe you can give us some detail pictures with background info about the purpose of it all, would be interesting to know.

Lovely build and you earned yourself a good rest.

Alfred

Thanks you Alfred.

For all the details, i will see that. Maybe with real thing and kit pictures side to side, as I worked for that buidling.

Great work. Congratulations.

Best regards.

Pedro.

MECHANICAL DOG
http://neloan.blogspot.com/

Great job on what I'm guessing is a "challenging" kit.... You've gotten GREAT results!!! I'm waiting for my order then the fun begins..

Thanks for the inspiration!

Matt

Another Cougar there \o/ I can't wait to see your.

If you want some advice or poictures or so

Finished some days of holidays, I have begin with my model again. I have added the charge and the canvas support.

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[IMG][/IMG]

Best regards.

Pedro.

MECHANICAL DOG
http://neloan.blogspot.com/

Hello Pedro

the soldered canopy support looks very nice, as does the truck

cheers
Neil

Well, I think I'm done with the details now. It'll receive some coats of paint before I start the final assembly.







Cheers!
/ Joakim