Marder IIIM * *DONE* *

[ij001]

Weird the random thoughts that occur to you and were you are when it happens, right ? - sitting at the traffic lights in-town this lunchtime and realised that in forty-eight years of building plastic models, I have NEVER completed a German WWII vehicle, not once, been pretty close, but never actually finished one.

So… time to change that, I think. I bought Tamiya’s Marder IIIM (35255) a couple of weeks ago, and have made myself a promise… this time I’m going to finish what I start.

Please stick with me as this could take a while, but this time, this time I’m going ‘all the way’.



Ian.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Marder IIIM

OK Ian, I will be watching.

 

[MrT]

Marder IIIM

 

[moon puppy]

Marder IIIM

Pass the

 

[ij001]

Marder IIIM

Thanks guys, unfortunately juggling work with the 'little stormtroopers' being off school for two weeks on Spring Break, which means any meaningful bench-time is both rare and illusive just now.





Ian.

 

[lupanzer]

Marder IIIM

Great choice Ian!...one of my favs :frantic

Luiz.

 

[Skinny_Mike]

Marder IIIM

Ready and waiting sir!

 

[ij001]

Marder IIIM

Ok, going to break this down in to two or three posts as quite a lot has happened (in sort bursts). After assembly I left the major sub-assemblies and  component parts of the fighting compartment off the hull so I could paint and weather them.



Prep'd with 'NATO' black:

Then mixed my own Dunkelgelb (roughly, 60% Tamiya 'Dark Yellow', 25% 'Buff', 15% 'Chromate Yellow'):

Chipping with (again) my own mix of Tamiya's, incidentally the same mix I use for the basic tank tracks colour.

More in a minute.

Ian.

 

[Adam Baker]

Marder IIIM

Looking good so far! I built Dragon's command version of the Marder III a few years ago, the Befehlsjager, and it makes for a very nice vehicle.

 

[ij001]

Marder IIIM

The next thing was two light coats of Johnsons Klear / Future / Pledge which changed the tone a little but was needed to help with the washes. I started with Flory's 'Dark Dirt' which I simply worked into all the corners & recesses were all the cr*p, oil and general filth would be [naturally] pushed.:

Later-on I also carefully added a pin wash just to enhance the shadows around the numerous raised bolts, shelves and especially the breech mechanism of the gun. Unfortunately when I took the photos, I completely forgot to take one of the gun, so you're going to have to use your imagination !



Next I mixed some white, brown & ochre oil paint to make a light buff tone which I dry-brushed into the top third of the shields to lighten the tone and try to simulate where the sun & weather would have 'bleached' those areas. Couple of jobs before attaching the gun, storage, storage bins, shields etc. I placed a few dots of Raw Umber oil paint with a cocktail stick and drag them to simulate rust streaks from the major chips. And lastly a good dusting of the horizontal surfaces with a couple of different Mig pigments to make it properly dusty, dirty workplace.

As this is written, the shields are all in-situ, and I'm ready to mask off the fighting compartment ready for priming, pre-shading and painting the hull. Busy weekend coming-up, and the little stormtroopers are off school for another week yet, so once again any progress will be' 'evenings only' and therefore slow and rare. Ahh well, it's just modelling and not brain-surgery. Thanks as ever for the comments, please feel free to criticise or question. Have a great weekend everyone.



Ian.

 

[moon puppy]

Marder IIIM

Looks good Ian.

 

[lupanzer]

Marder IIIM

So good until now!!...the weathering is looking impressive!

Luiz.

 

[jknaus]

Marder IIIM

Looking good there.
James

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Marder IIIM

This is looking good Ian!

 

[ij001]

Marder IIIM

Paint has occurred:

As with the Cromwell I would really value and appreciate all your comments and feedback. Thanks in advance folks.



Ian.

 

[lupanzer]

Marder IIIM

So great Ian!...great control on the airbrush work...liking it so much!... congratulations ldguy

Luiz.

 

[moon puppy]

Marder IIIM

Pretty cool

 

[ij001]

Marder IIIM

Looking for some ideas and opinions please folks (yes I know everyone has one and I may be opening a flood-gate)... I'm not too experienced with the enamel filter method, I know what it is, I know how it can be applied and I know what the idea behind it is. So, I have in the past achieved the same blending & harmonizing of basic tones by simply adding a tiny drop of paint into a clear coat and spraying overall - the Sherman Firefly I built about 18 months ago.

Any thoughts as to the 'advantage' of the filter method... Really would like to get your feedback and experiences. Thanks in advance.



Ian.

 

[Gator]

Marder IIIM

Nice work Ian.

 

[ij001]

Marder IIIM

Decals and an 'earth brown' filter.

Ready now for washes & weathering (layer by layer). Thanks for all the interest & comments so far.


Ian.