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Post by jkb on Apr 24, 2023 18:10:07 GMT
With the Stug IV and the Pz II Luchs finished, just waiting for the matt varnish to dry, I was looking at the box of this one for some time now. It is a large box. I need the space. 😛 So here is the 1/35 Zvezda Tiger (P) Elefant. A Zvezda with the sprue trees in bags. 😁 It also has zim in stickers form. Detail looks good. Tracks are link ang length. Periscopes are in clear plastic. Everything looks good. Let's hope for an easy build. Now regarding the vehicle i want to build. I am trying to find pics from the last two Elefants that took part in the battle to defend Berlin. Till now i was able to find only one pic and not of good quality. If someone has any info on the matter he is more than welcome to pitch in! Looks like a green main colour with dunkelgelb lines? Green would be correct for a vehicle in 1945 and with the frequent visits this type had to base factories, it would make sense to be painted in a late war fashion with green as the base colour.
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Post by Paul B on Apr 25, 2023 3:57:49 GMT
This looks like a good kit John . As for Elefants in the battle of Berlin, I have never heard of that. I'll see if I can find something for you.
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Post by tommygunn on Apr 25, 2023 6:08:52 GMT
It was news to me too. Interesting, though.
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Post by jkb on Apr 25, 2023 6:42:35 GMT
Thanks for coming to look Paul and Tommy.
Yep, two Elephants were present in Berlin and at least one managed to give a very good account of itself. Although they were completely unsuitable for a fight in a city, they were available and the situation was worse than desperate. Further four or five, varies according to sources, in Zosen with Kampfgruppe Ritter. The last act of a tank destroyer with lots of potential, that although had serious issues due to the very advanced hybrid technology, when used in the right scenarios proved devastating.
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Post by Robbo on Apr 25, 2023 10:49:09 GMT
Can't wait to see how you get on with that zimm
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wouter
Plastic connoissuer
Posts: 1,319
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Post by wouter on Apr 25, 2023 11:33:53 GMT
The Elefant has a special place in my heart. Second piece of armour I ever built. Great behemoths which weren't as useless as many try to make us believe. Never realised some were used in the defense of Berlin, interesting. Looking forward to this one being built! Green with Dark Yellow lines sounds good anyway!
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Post by jkb on Apr 26, 2023 15:44:13 GMT
The Elefant has a special place in my heart. Second piece of armour I ever built. Great behemoths which weren't as useless as many try to make us believe. Never realised some were used in the defense of Berlin, interesting. Looking forward to this one being built! Green with Dark Yellow lines sounds good anyway! I will agree with you and i will go even further. They were anything but useless. They were very efficient in their role. It is a thing of our time, to see efforts to discredit anything German WWII related. The political aspect is one thing. The machines quite another. If i am not able to find more pics of the two Elephants i will probably use the one i found as a general base for my build.
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Post by jkb on Apr 26, 2023 16:20:47 GMT
The building part is over except for the tracks. The kit has some issues. Generally speaking it is not bad, but not brilliant either. Detail is good. Fit is good, although you have to look into the matter as to how to glue a few big parts to make them sit well without gaps. The big problem is the waterslide decals for the zimmerit. The kit's plastic is slightly oily, so a wash at the parts that zimmerit goes on is a good move. The decals now, need a punch and die set, plus cutting at the slots for various things if you want to actually get them in place if you don't want to commit suicide or throw the kit to a wall. Microset is also a good friend of yours if you want them to stay put! I think the reason i cannot find in the net pics from the decals on the kit is because they can't be perfect, no matter how hard you try. This is how it will look after all that. (I did make a stupid move on the right side, but there was no way to repair that without destroying the whole decal). The zimmerit appears to be good on the card, but after you place them on the kit they are hardly felt. The relief is not pronounced enough. (Not sure this was the correct word.). In my humble opinion the waterslide decals was a bad call from Zvezda. Too much work and you cannot be sure it will survive the process. They should have used dry transfers. Now regarding the tracks. They are link and length. That means that you don't have enough parts to absorb any gaps if there are any, in conjuction to the fixed sprockets, ( the Elephant has no tension wheels, but sprockets on the front and the back), that means a possible disaster. So since the forward sprocket doesn't have an axle but is glued with two attachment points on the hub, i scraped the positioning pin at the rear ones. They can be rolled, so i can place the parts as required to make them fit properly and be glued at the end. Next step, primer. Let's see if the decals stay in place and if the zimmerit will be visible..... PS: I apologise for the lengthy post. I thought i could save some trouble for someone by writing about the kit, since it actually sold really well! I also apologize if i didn't explain some things properly, but English isn't my mother tongue.
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Post by Boots on Apr 26, 2023 18:41:06 GMT
Pictures speak a thousand words as the `ol saying goes.........terrific work and that Zimm looks da biz!!
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Post by Paul B on Apr 27, 2023 4:12:43 GMT
John, that is a bloody good build report on the kit fella and your English is far better than that of some English people on here .
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Post by jkb on Apr 27, 2023 8:34:37 GMT
Thanks Boots and Paul. Well, we have progress. Primer is on and the decals haven't left the building! 😁 They look more correct regarding to scale when compared to other solutions but hardly seen. I guess we'll know after weathering. Time for some pre shading.
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Post by tommygunn on Apr 27, 2023 11:28:16 GMT
The weathering should make the zimmerit pop.
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Post by jkb on Apr 27, 2023 12:36:56 GMT
Tommy let' s hope so. Meanwhile, preshading was done. Hopefully it will be painted today.
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Post by Paul B on Apr 27, 2023 15:43:26 GMT
It all looks good to me. The Zimmerit might be a tad light, but with a wash it should jump up good
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Post by Snipersmudge on Apr 27, 2023 16:49:00 GMT
very nice work indeed.
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Post by jkb on Apr 27, 2023 17:37:19 GMT
Since i had the day for myself, i decided to relax and model some more. So we have paint. First five shades of green, (a German love story... ) and then three shades of dunkelgelb. The colours were sprayed to be much lighter at their final shades. Filters, washes etc, it should be fine. We'll see. Next step, the tracks....
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Post by Boots on Apr 27, 2023 17:47:40 GMT
Oh yes!!........most excellent sprayage there John
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Post by tommygunn on Apr 27, 2023 23:02:08 GMT
Oh man, gorgeous already.
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Post by Paul B on Apr 28, 2023 4:36:04 GMT
That is just fantastic
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Post by jkb on Apr 28, 2023 13:18:51 GMT
Thanks guys. Well, tracks are on. It was an easy and fast process to build them and they seem to be well detailed. I was correct about the positioning pin. If it is retained you will have a slight gap. Now there is no such issue. Now it is time to paint them...
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