Italeri Kfz 305 Opel Blitz with Tamiya 20mm Flak 38 MIT Sd.Ah.51

[RM6239]

Great base and nice work on the gun, Steve.

cheers
Ross

[Steve Jones]

Hi Everyone

Scottie - Cheers mate. I was amazed at how well it came out
Peter - Bit like yourself beautiful:smiling2:
Ross - Glad you like it mate

Well it was back to the scratch building of the shields. First the detailing on the back of the back shield was done. The latch was a pain but needed to be done

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The kit part shows a long bar to attach the shield. In fact on the real thing there are brackets. So these were made from etch out of the spares box. These will be all straightened out and fixed properly during the weathering and dusting stages. However there is a pic to give you a rough idea of how it will look.

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On the front side of the rear shield I needed to add four hinges. I could not find any in the PE spares box so I eneded up making my own. Micro detailing at it's worse:smiling2:

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I added a few more rivets and called it done. It is nowhere near as good as the kit part but it was great fun and my first attempt at "large scale" scratch work.

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The front of the two front shields were completed with their side panels and rivets. This just leaves the reverse to do and that will be all the shields done

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Thanks for watching

Steve

[scottie3158]

Steve,
great work on the shields.

[Steve Jones]

Hi Everyone

Scottie - Cheers mate. All finished now (See below)

The rear of the front shields have been done. Although time consuming they were fairly straight forward. I have kept the original kit bar as they have connectors on to make sure the shields fit centrally and tightly

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The dry fit was a good one. These will be left off now for ease of painting

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This has been the largest scratch build that I have ever done from all the extra detailing, to the sledge, to the shields. I am certainly no Ron Lebert or Steve Bellerby and for that reason I will probably not be doing any large replacement of kit parts again. I do however enjoy adding detail so I will hone my skills on this part of modelling.

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There is still some detailing to be done but I have had enough of it and I may get on with doing the paintwork. I will see how I feel next week

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Steve

[Fernando N]

Hi Steve, just had a good read trough from where I'd last checked in and my some truly fine work has been accomplished.:thumb2:
Great looking base and love the use of the old PAK for it but the details added to the truck and Flak are really cool.

Looking forward to see the paint hitting them.

Fernando

[Steve Jones]

Hi Everyone

Fernando - Thanks for the support. Glad you like what I have done to the kits

Sorry to disappoint the artists but I still haven't done any wet stuff yet. Due to work, World Cup and the US Open I have done precious little. However I am happy to say the build is complete and everything is ready for painting now

There was no final detailing on the Opel as I have lost the will to live on the chassis. As for the Flak the first task was to put a seam line around the base. Have I ever told you I hate doing seam lines? I haven't? Okay then - I HATE DOING SEAM LINES!!:smiling3:
After two burnt fingers, five super glued together fingers, ten sore fingers and a dodgy toe (Dont ask!), I finally managed to get them done. The final look is a good one after all the grief.

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Screw thread detailing was added to the ends of the feet

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Using bits and bobs from the spares box I made the ratchet system for the foot rest

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Finally detailing was added to the sight with wires, screws and rivets

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The whole build has been washed and dried. Also a coat of Mr Hobby Metal Primer has been applied to all the metal work. Tomorrow the primer will be added.
Thanks for watching

Steve

[Tim Marlow]

Going great guns on this....paint will tie it all together and lift the effect even higher.
Nice one
Tim

[scottie3158]

Steve,
Top work Sir.

[Jim R]

Hi Steve
I seem to have missed a load but just had a great catch up. Your attention to detail is amazing. A lot of patience and skill to recreate what your reference photos show. The base is looking superb. This is mogglin at it's very best.
Jim

[Si Benson]

Hey Steve,

I’m really sorry....Seems I’m in the same boat as Jimbo as I’ve missed loads of your super detailing!
You’ve certainly pulled out all the stops on this little beauty mate...I’m very impressed in what you did :thumb2:

This is gonna be a gem when you get to work with your weathering technique:smiling4: ....now stop with all that sport oop: and get back to the bench:tongue-out:
Si

[Guest]

Fwoar!

[Allen Dewire]

Stevie,

This is really great scratchy going on here Buddy. but there are a few points worth mentioning. First, why did you photograph the gun shield on your pink bathrobe??? Also, this is a modelling site, so why do we need to see your attempts of making Oreo cookies in the shape of a Flak gun base. You are a man of fantastic talent and I think it's time to stick to the subject at hand Sir...A flak 38 on a 3 ton Opel Blitz!!!

As Jack Webb used to say in the old TV series 'Dragnet', "Just the facts"...………..

Prost
Allen

PS. we still love ya though!!!

[JR]

Steve .
At first I thought that was early pink camo net !! Then as Allen pointed out your bathrobe . What was the idea of using it for a ground base clour ?
Apart from the above a worrying thought that you had taken up kintting.
The gun detail is suberb a joy to see, full of admiration in the way you manage to work with such small parts with out great amounts of CA on display . I myself empoly the large blob method. Sticking every together including my fingers and twezzers.

John .

[Steve Jones]

Hi Everyone

Terrific feedback on this build guys. I am very humbled

Tim - The paint is finally on and looking good so far:thumb2:
Scottie - Cheers mate
Jim - It certainly pushed me to the limit on this one. By the end I just wanted to get on and paint her. However I did enjoy and learn a lot during the build
Si - Managed to do some painting during the half time intervals:smiling2:
Peter - Nearly as beautiful as you dear:smiling3:
Allen - Luv you too beautiful:blow-kiss:
JR - Not knitting mate. Just gluing my fingers together like you:smiling3:

Before I get under way with the wet stuff I need to address the issue of Bathrobe Gate. Not being a dressing gown man myself I was disappointed to hear that certain members of the fraternity would imagine me in a bathrobe let alone a pink one. If anything I would be more of a Kimono guy. Any way I will just stick to my sack cloth and ashes:smiling5:.

The pink cloth was in fact a flannel used to protect detailing on the other side of the piece I was working on

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Sorry to disappoint. Maybe the pink bathrobe was a better alternative:smiling:

So before the primer went on the dials on the dash had blue mask applied to prevent paint going on them

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Then the airbrushed base coats were added (All Vallejo acrylics). Dark Brown on the underside of the flatbed and light brown on top. The cab, wheels, boxes and wheel arches were done in Buff. The Flak unit was coloured in Tan Yellow. The chassis was done in Panzer grey.

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Next will be the brushed on base coats along with highlights and lowlights

Thanks for watching and now its back to the golf. Come on Justin Rose!!

Steve

[Fernando N]

Great start on the paintwork Steve.:thumb2:

Fernando