Smokey

Casting numbers now added to one of the fan housings. These are somewhat abbreviated, as there wasn't really room for the rest, but it's still a nice touch, regardless. Even at only 1/16" tall, these Plastruct letters/numbers are a bit too big, but I can't justify spending $16 for the Archer set right now, so I'll just use what I have to hand. I'll sand these down somewhat too, as has been suggested.
 

Hope this works this time.  Dan

Kevin,  not to hike jack your build here but you are doing a great job.  On my Tiger I exhaust shields I used numbers off the Archer set that Ray posted a picture of them.  Here is a picture of mine without anything added on top of them for you to compare.  
 
 https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/gXdMFx.png
 
 

I would still sand the casting marks down a bit; Ron is right: they are a little too proud. Look good though! Somewhere in my stash I have some PE letters and numbers I got for the same reason. They are in the stash...somewhere... We should twist Woody at Archer to do some more casting marks, he has some Sherman stuff, but we could use more generic sheets in different sizes.
Archer Sherman casting marks:

After one coat of surfacer and some minor stippling (on the mantlet). I think from what I see here, this method will be more than satisfactory.
 

 

I dragged this out last night and started cutting gluing and painting;
 
will be Stab, 111/ JG 52 (Black chevron)
moving right along...


Revell 109 G-10 spinner with Trumpeter blades


days left...may make it

I ordered some more small (very small) Plastruct letters/numbers to add casting marks where needed on this beast, certainly on the front superstructure piece and the exhaust guards; possibly the main gun shield (whatever it's called) as well, as I’ve seen photos of casting markings there too.

 

Road wheels, 18 sets of dual wheels, each dual wheel set consisting of 5 pieces each, for a total of 90 pieces, all glued up now, and awaiting cleanup. Two sets were glued incorrectly (my fault), and will need to be sawn apart and re-glued, correctly this time (I hope). All of the inner wheels in the dual wheel sets (18 wheels), part # RW1-1, & RW2-1 have a depression around the entire periphery of the wheel that will need about a quart of Gunze liquid putty to level out.
 

Hello! One master from Russia produces them. I can search for his contacts.

I find some barrel fotos.

Good day! It's wery interesting blog! I've got the same kit. I've started it in past year, but it "stuck". I was lucky to bought turned metal barrel for my "JagdT".
I'll try to find some pics with my JagdT.
 
Sorry for my poor English.
 
Regards, Sergey Budyansky.

All 18 torsion bars and connectors now cleaned up and installed. Now the remainder of the engine flanking area guts can be added, which may take a few days. I’m fairly confident that the engine cooling fans and deflectors/diffusers will be able to be observed through the engine deck, at least to some minor degree, so these will be suitably painted. Engine, residing as it does in its own middle compartment, will not be visible from the exterior at all, so will simply not be installed.
 
Oh, and a word to the wise; not all of the torsion bars automatically line up like I’d assumed they would, so great care will need to be taken to keep them all at the same distance from the ground, at least for the way I’ll be having mine sitting.
 

Here are a trio of photos of Bovington's JagdTiger, but I believe it is a Porsche variant?:
 

Bow machine gun armored cover now given some cast texture. After a teeny bit of buffing with Scotch-Brite, it should look just fine (I hope).
 

Here is another pic
 

This is the only King Tiger I've ever been close enough to touch. It's in the German Tank Museum in Munster.
 

Kevin,  excellent build so far.  have you seen this series on U-Tube of this guy's  build?  I just starting watching them when I get a chance.  In this one he was saying something about the directions putting the road wheels together are wrong.  
 
 
Dan
 

3/4" plywood base now cut, measuring 16” x 28” and will have 7/8” walnut edging all around, giving an interior size of 14-1/4" x 26-1/4". Lots of dead space there, but necessary, as the whole shootin' match will be under an acrylic cover.
 

 
 


 

One cool thing I noticed, sort of, is that the barrel has rifling in the outermost portion near the muzzle. How I'll deal with that seam, remains a mystery. I think P.E. might have worked better for this. The rifling is also grievously inaccurate, so I may just sand it off and leave it as a smooth bore, not real sure yet.
 

My one serious grail kit, armor related, was the announcement of this big monster from Trumpeter. Far more important to me than most 1:32 aircraft kits, I just knew that I'd eventually have to have one, and now I do.
 

Progress on the paint. I managed to get all the paint down on the main part of the build. It's been a long time since i've sprayed Light Gull Grey, i used Model Master Acryl.
Forgot how ill behaved this paint color could be. I first primed overall with Tamiya flat while, XF-2. Also did the underside with the white. Did remember the Acryl needed a primer, found any of the Tamiya spray or bottle paints worked well. Anyway, the LGG spattered, plugged the tip and just misbehaved. Remembering forgotten lessons, i thinned it thicker than any other paint i would use, and upped the pressure, Worked fair after this, but found the finish grainy, like it needed more thinning. Real fine line between good and bad. To polish the grey i used a 3600 sanding pad. Corogard was sprayed on using Vallejo Dull Aluminum.
 


Got a head start on the exhaust area for weathering.
 
 

 
Don

Pics show another variant of warhead used. Still debating whether to have weathered empty launchers, loaded launchers, one loaded/one empty...also shows the grime and dirt they accumulated, especially the inner surfaces of the gear doors. have found pics that show the doors and legs almost black from grime, guessing the pace of usage determines maintenance. I too enjoy the painting part, makes or breaks the build.


 
This one was a lot of work, ended up with a ball of masking tape a foot wide, worth it in the end. Have most of the color on it, will apply the black and Corogard today.
Don

In these trying times have to support my micro brewery.