Kugelblitz Reborn

After a year or more in a spares box after a screwed up paint job, I stripped back my second attempt at a Kugelblitz ('ball lightning') and started again.

The kit

The kit is by Maco and uses sprues from Revell's Panzer IV Ausf H kit plus some one of their own. 

As a kit it goes together pretty well and I was pretty happy with the build ... until I started painting it the first time around. 

The only problem I have with this kit is that Maco should have supplied some Ausf J style exhausts as this conversion would have been applied to a late war Panzer IV Ausf J chassis.  But who cares? It's a paper panzer. There were reportedly only a few were built but no pictures survive except for an example of a turret in museum in Germany. 

Rebuild

To be honest, there wasn't much to rebuild. I just added back on the parts that fell off during the strip with oven cleaner. 

After consulting a few of my Panzer IV reference books, I decided to add on a heap of spare track from the first Kugelblitz build that went totally wrong in the spray shed. I did use some white plastic card to fashion strip brackets. 

What I think I aiming to show is a Kugelblitz prototype turret fitted to a reconditioned Ausf H chassis that the previous crew have welded on some track for extra protection. 

Prime Time

As usual, I have primed it with Vallejo polyurethane primer in black. Also gave the turret a touch up of RAL 8012 Rotbraun AK717 from AK's German Late War Colours Set (AK 554). I'll be using the rest of the set on the chassis. 

To be continued ......

Cromwell White Wash Part 4 - Try again

Step #1. Prime again. 

First stop was Vallejo 70.602 Surface Primer. Went on okay but you can tell the surface isn't completely smooth due to the remains of the old paint job.

Step 2. SCC15 again

I applied a mix for SCC15 - UK OD of 5 parts XF61 (Dk Green),to 2 parts XF62 (Olive Drab) and 2 parts XF3 (Flat Yellow). 

Then lightened with 2 parts XF-2 white for the upper part and a bit all over. Then the same again for the top surfaces only. Seems a bit lighter than last time with less gradations. Smaller air brush tip would have been better.

Step #3. Adding some more interest

I wasn't really happy with the initial paint job. It looked a bit plain. So I did it again. Same base colour mix made progressively lighter with XF-2 white. Paint job is based on highlighting the top bits and putting lighter colours in the centre of various panels. Also painted some of the features such as vents, handles, etc a bit lighter again. Much more interesting. 

Step #4. Washed to make the detail stand out

Next step before adding decals was to wash the tank with AK 's Dark Brown Enamel Wash for Green Vehicles (AK 045). Worked well after lots of playing around. Pity most of it will be covered in white wash. 

Step #5. Apply decals

Applied decals using Micro Set and Micro Sol for the first time. While I am not sure about Micro Set, Micro Sol definitely does the business and I was much happy with the result than from using Humbrol's Decalfix product. Decalfix is a little too hot chemically and seems to upset the paint. Next step is flat varnish in preparation for the great white wash. 

To be continued .....