#1
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Panther turm
SCALE 1/25
Dimensions: W28 x L30cm Author of the kit: Michal Rafalsk, available free in this forum Some "period photos..." |
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#2
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During WW II Germany deployed prefab bunkers, especially in the eastern border.
They were a steel box reinforced with concrete, cast on site. Several tank turrets were used, but the most common was a simplified version of the Panther turret (the model in this kit). The cramped interior space allowed for a small living space with bunks and above, on the roof, the turret with the basket. An interesting detail was the retractable smoke stack, eventually to allow full 360º rotation of the gun and to become conspicuous to enemy sighting. The kit depicts two doors; I presume they were for underground connections with other structures. The reference photos show emplacements on countryside, obviously dominating some strategic lanes, but also found photos of these bunkers in urban settings, turning large avenues into lines of fire. The kit assembles flawlessly and the 3D drawings give good clues on how parts interact. I decided to give a try to the “polish school”, so I painted the model and used it to build a diorama. |
#3
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I don’t know how you guys call this kind of approach. I call it fusion and as with Jazz, it stirs a while, especially with the purists.
The modifications and additions I made: 1. –To be sure to get a well defined box, I built the bunker with 5mm illustration board and clad it with the kit parts 2. – The graphics of the concrete walls are great, but I tried to add some relief to the concrete castings. Marked with a pin the joints and on the back of the printing I created a crease the same way we prepare a fold. 3. – Used another set of the concrete walls and the roof top to build the stairs and retaining concrete wall. I also used here illustration board as the core. 4. – To correct my assembling imperfections I used diluted Tamiya putty as I would with a plastic kit. Then I sanded lightly with fine sandpaper. In order to prepare the paper surface for the abrasion, I impregnated it with cyanoacrylate glue, wiping off the excess immediately with a rag. 5. – The welding on the roof top of the turret was done with Milliput. The wet marks are a result of using wet fingers to press the Milliput roll. 6. The whole base of the diorama and the terrain were built with illustration board. Over it I laid a “matt” of Das Pronto, modeling clay that hardens on contact with air. As a safety matter, I spread PVA glue over the illustration board, before laying the Das Pronto “matt”. 7. – The ground cover is a mix of real dirt (clay soil sifted and sterilized on a designated electrical oven) mixed with used coffee powder (my two pots/6 mugs a day paid off…). I was looking for a grainy rich forest soil. 8. – The retaining boards on the slope are made of a lamination of wood planks from another kit with a core of 0.5mm cardboard. I’m still unable to make slim rolls of paper, so I used toothpicks for the poles holding the boards. I had to use Milliput to cover the gap between the bunker and the retaining wall form the stair well. 9. – The tree stump was modeled with Das Pronto. 10. – The vegetation is from Noch. The pine needles was made with common rope cut into small pieces (they came a little too long for the kind of pine tree normally found in Germany. 11. – The camouflage net is not a sophisticated after-market. It’s just an onion bag, first sprayed with black lacquer and then with Tamiya acrylics. 12. – The turret was painted with Tamiya acrylics and the whole structure detailed with dry-pastel in powder or used as a gouache. 13. – I didn’t used any figure, not only because nowadays I have difficulties performing such delicate tasks, but also because I felt the diorama would be more effective without anybody on sight. The place is a bare hill, probably windy. “Merging into the scene”, we look at the bunker. We know there’s a garrison. Are they watching us, the same way we’re watching them? |
#4
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Cool little diorama.
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Ray Respect the Paper, RESPECT IT! GET OFF MY LAWN! |
#5
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Please, more photos Carlos!
I'm curious about the welding marks. I wish I could see more details. To be frank, I got tricked by your photos in the first moment. I REALLY thought you're showing period photos. That speaks volumes. Amazing.
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"None so blind as those that will not see" |
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#6
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Very nice Carlos. I was thinking of building this my self !!
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#7
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Coming soon in a theater next to you
I'm preparing the photos. Good you like it Best regards Carlos |
#8
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1st photo
The white reveals the places I sanded. The interlocking of the plates (visible white mark) was enhanced with a groove less then 1mm wide. With a scalpel I incised the first layers of the cardboard (0.20mm thick, eventually 180gr). Then I peeled away those layers, thus creating the groove. I also incised some indentations on the ends of the plates to give the illusion odf a cut done with a torch. Also visible on the photo is the hatch’s protection ring that I finished with Tamiya putty. The kit had provision for a tiny circle, but it was way out of my league to use it. 2nd photo Starting to define the composition of the diorama 3rd photo Pre-shading with a rusty brown. It revealed the blemishes I caused to the paper with the sanding. Some, whilst still the paint wet, I could polish with my nail. Others I left intentionally as I saw a potential for rusty areas. 4th photo The first layer already glued to the bunker wall 5th photo The door ready for painting. Last edited by carlos filipe; 09-27-2010 at 11:30 AM. |
#9
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1st photo
A light weathering with airbrush and acrylics. Applied green to look like moss on the damp walls of the stairwell. I also punctured the holes on the graphics of the kit walls. 2nd photo Turret painted and lightly weathered with pencil lead 2B and pastel chalk (some of the redish dots). I used very basic painting techniques. Pre-shading and then tone variations of the same color to add life. Finally the pastel chalks. This time I even used them directly, no grinding and use of a brush. Also noticeable oil stains and rust. The rust color is not much convincing. I tried with diluted pastel chalk powder with an airbrush. Somehow the final color came out a little different form what I expected. Paper doesn’t allow for (much) mistakes… 3rd photo The volumes are defined and the stairs become an interesting volume, although in the rear. I painted the edges black to prevent from showing the core of the diorama, when I would apply the finishing black cardboard. The camouflage net is nylon net used in the supermarket here in Portugal, to pack onions and garlic. I first coated with lacquer in spray (spray can, black) and then a second coat with an acrylic mix of black and brown.The gravel is H0 railroad ballast from Woodland Scenics. 4th photo My hinges assembly is crude. I’m showing it here because they were my first and I’m having fun doing these little details. I used to work with plastic kits, remove a part, clean it up and glue it in place. We don’t even realize the complexity of the smallest part. With paper everything has to be made from sheets. 5th photo A side view of the finished diorama More photos will follow Rgds Carlos |
#10
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That is really well done, Carlos. I mean _really_ well done. The composition is excellent. Amongst your many upgrades, it strikes me that the airbrushed camouflage looks way better than the original kit camouflage. I really like the "greenness" of the grass and the texture of the foe dirt as well. The timber sections look very realistic.
How did you like thinned Tamiya putty as a filler? Did you have any problems with the paper becoming rough as you sanded, absorbing paint differently? Did you try any "wet" weathering techniques like washes? -Doug |
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