1/35 Sdkfz 251Half track diorama

Just about to start my next project, mostly straight from the box, apart from the tracks 

Started with the axles. Fits not great but given the age of the kit.  

Got most of the construction finished. Did get some printed instrument dials, as there are no decals for them in the kit. 

Started putting the tracks together, they are from Hobby Boss ( a rebox I think). They come in 2 parts, track and cleat. I'm glueing them and then once set clicking them together. This seems the best way as you don't have to worry about using to much glue and ending up with a frozen track length. 

Spraying the undercoat, the top and bottom half are not attached yet. 

Used Migs white undercoat to add some pre shading 

 

Got the base colours for the interior painted 

Masked off the seats 

And spray on "leather" brown, with some very diluted light brown for high lights.
 

Then I have applied a wash over the base colour 

 

After its dry for 5 minutes clean off with a brush and thinners. This is done in a vertical direction to start the streaking process 

Weathered the front bulkhead, added some instruments as the kit doesn't have any decals  

Started add some weathering/ rust on the inside using weather pencils from Ak 

Also started add some oil stains to the floor 

Test fitting as I going along, I have the seats and gear box to finish weathering so nothing is glued yet 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Started the chipping process, which looks quite stark at this stage, but once the rest of the filters and weathering has been done should blend in. 

 

 

 

 

 

Spray the model with satin vanish ready for some weathering 

To get some tonal variations I have added some oil dots using mig oil brushers, with dots to match the camo and lighter dots at the top darker towards the bottom 

This is what I call the "oh god what have I done to my model!" stage. Blending the dots with a flat brush, moistened with thinners. 

Keep going.... 

Until its almost gone. 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the oil dots are blended, I'm starting on the next stage of the chipping. Using an ultra fine gundam sepia pen to partiality fill in the gray and rust sponge chips. I use a dabbing motion, it's like rust chipping pointulism. Again it's quite stark but when the dust layer is done it will tone down. The slight outline from the underlying layer gives the chip more depth. 

It's then a case of working around the whole model 

 

Side done, bonnet still at the first stage 

 

 

 

It this shot the left side bonnet chipping has been started , and the right still to be done.  

 

 

 

Track disaster!!  

After my plastic track balls up, I got some Masterclub metal tracks that came in the post yesterday 

They 3 parts, the track links, cleats and some tiny resin pins. Spent the evening drilling out the holes and making a jig. 

I a jig to make the tracks with, 2 bits of balsa with a spacer in-between and then double sided tape along the top to hold the links. The tiny resin pins are a bit fiddle, but do the job. Might replace them with wire next time I use metal tracks. 

Undercoated with one shot black primer and a base coat of rusty track 

Then a enamel wash of rust track and orange rust dabbed on while both still wet. The dry step, industrial dirt and track rust pigments 

Used the ferrule to take the tops of the guide horns back to bare metal 

 

Painted the tools and attached 

 

 

 

Tracks fitted 

 

 

 

 

Started on the rest of the diorama, cut out the sections of the house 

 

 

There will be a little secret on this side that I will reveal at the end of the build. 

 

The roof on this kit is a bit basic, so I have improved it by gluing in some buttons with white glue 

And then some rafters with some cocktail sticks inserted in hole to represent wooden pegs in the joints 

Filled around the base with vellejo putty 

And wiped off with a damp cotton bud 

Not sure yet where the half track will sit yet. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masked the door surround and windows 

The spray the a dark grey, followed by chipping fluid and a bone white. 

 

Gave the road and pavement a light grey coat. 

Picked out a few cobbles in white, black and dark brown. 

After 24 hours gave the whole thing a brown and dark wash. 

Waited 30 minutes and wiped off with a makeup sponge. Also started to weather around the base of the house 

Some green slime around the down pipe. 

Fence painted with acrylic wood tones 

Wood painted with Burnt umber oils, edges highlighted with cream. 

 

Furniture from Miniarts living room set 

Just started to do some more work on this, wire armature tree, covered in paper towel and then diluted PVA. 

Branch have been detailed with Sea foam, this will be the basis for the leaves. Undercoated with Ammo black undercoat 

 

Tree is nearly finish, glue in the clumps of leave took for ever. 

Started to add some wood fading go the facia of the roof using grey weathering pencil, also on the fence. Started to high light the cobbles as well, although this will get toned right down. 

Wall paper added in the down stairs room, skirting board are painted, just waiting to dry. Also the furniture is made and under coated. 

 

"Planted" the tree this weekend. Stuck in the foam base with PVA 

Once it had dried over night covered the ground with light earth past from Ak interactive. When this was dried used various pigments (factory dirt, dark and light earth) to give it some tonal variation, fix with thinners. 

 

Cover this with diluted pva and started to add the ground cover. This is lots of layers of crushed cork, grass tuffs, dark and light grass flock, some dried roots and final some of the left over leaf material from the tree. 

 

 

 

 

 

Also added some rust weather to the down pipe with weathering pencils The nails in the fence and gate got a similar treatment. 

Added some grass tufts to the front of the model and also more green mold around the downpipe. 

 

 

 

Finally start painting the furniture. Airbrushed a dark red shading followed by highlights. 

 

I`m going 3d print most of the bedroom furniture, designed a fairly simple bed, and then exported this from fusion 360 as an stl file. 

This was then imported into Blender, where I made some pillows and created a bedsheet. 

Next stage is to import into my 3d slicer program ready for printing. 

Finished modelling the rest of the bedroom furniture, a bentwood chair, chamber pot, wash stand and wardrobe. I don`t thing I need much else and it might end up that these are too many things any way. If anyone has any ideas about any other items to make it look lived in let me know. 

Printed out the main parts for the bedroom. Decided to leave out the wardrobe, not enough space. Upgraded my 3d printer to a Anycubic photon mono X recently 

The bentwood chair is modelled on one I own and we bought from a carboot sale. Really please with how it printed as its a really delicate piece 

Washtable from a image I found in old furniture catalogue from the 1930s 

 

 

Chamber pot 

Few issues with the bedprint, some of the geometry was too thin, so its blown through, I suspected this might happen . Not a huge problem, should be easy to fill 

Added the windows and doors. Had some acetate with a lead glass pattern, which works quite well. Added some highlights to the door with weathering pencils. 

 

 

 

 

Done a bit more painting, just deciding whether to go with a uncovered helmet or one with a camo cover. 

Outlined some of the elements like webbing and pockets. Started to do some of the high lights on edges. 

Also have used the base coat as a filter to tone down the camo pattern