Maus trap

Jeep

New Member
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
398
Nothing like waiting for the last 15 days before the end of a group build and decide to enter! I had intended to order a Amusing hobbies Lowe kit for this group build but with my current situation that is not possible. So we will requisition a kit from the stash, In this case a 1/35 scale Dragon Maus #6007.

For reference I have a copy of Panzer Tracts no. 6-3 Schwere Panzerkampfwagen Maus and E 100. I highly recommend these reference books especially if you plan on detailing the tanks in each title. I got mine on a trip to Aberdeen proving ground several years ago, they have a web based store available through amazon.com




The kit so far has the dimensions right but some of the detail is lacking, with 15 days left in the group build this model is going to be out of the box. I once again am struggling with some warping issues on some of the larger injection molded parts. I need to go heck on my stash and see if they are over heating in storage. This is the second kit that has had warping issues in a row! :'(






I started with the lower hull, it was necessary to clean every part as this kit also has some flash and seam lines that need dealt with. The warping meant that I had to break out the clamps and superglue to hold the upper and lower hull in place until the plastic cement took hold. Some of the detail on the suspension is lacking but I am planning on muddling it up pretty well so it should not be that noticeable on the finished model.



 


It is my habit to put the tracks on a tank model closer to completion, this plan back fired on me when I realized that the link and length kit tracks top run is encapsulated by the lower hull and side armor. OOPS! progress is slow because I have to assemble the upper track run and wait until the plastic cement is partially curred to make the joints "rubbery" then carefully slide them across the boggies and around the final drive sprocket and idler wheel. Time consuming and fiddly work at best. This is what I get for thinking that this kit was simple! Oh well at least I caught it.
 
Once the tracks were on, assembly went really quickly. I had some extra track links left over so I attached them to the front hull plate in a typical manner since this is a 1946 build I have some license for some creativity. I am considering some other extra detailing and hope to start painting tomorrow.



















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I have started finishing with a coat of flat brown enamel spray paint. I followed that up after waiting a couple of days with a wet coat of burnt umber oil paint and my multitude of rust colored pigments. This is the second coat of pigments before dusted it with lighter shades and dull coated it.
 
Here is today's progress on this tank. I started with a heavy coast of hairspray and some coarse table salt over the earlier rust pigments. I follower this up with a coat of Tamiya Dark Yellow XF60 over the entire tank. then lightened the top, panel edges and center of the side armor panels with a spray of Tamiya XF57 Buff mixed with XF60 dark yellow. Once this dried I sprayed a loopy JA. green XF13 camo pattern roughly emulating my references. I had some pressure problems with the compressor again so I have some spatter issues and some of the camo is a little heavy in places, I think I can fix this with some touch up and the filters and washes I have planned for tomorrow. Anyhow, here is how the project is shaping up with the salt scrubbed off.





 
Finishing this project up, rust streaking with oils, pin washes and some more highlighting, Folowed my some AK interactive mud and mud pigments, I even went "old school" with some tooth brush mud spatter, I am going to let this dry and then see if I want to continue with more.

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