Here are some photos of my two current projects, a RMASG Centaur MkIV CS and an E100 Sturmgeschütz.

The Centaur I posted some WIP photos about a week ago and had some excellent comments on finishing it off. I hope I have interpreted those comments as their authors' intended. Still need to finish off the crew (The kit ones, bit basic but I'm trying to keep things simple on this build and practice technique rather than go overboard with aftermarket bits and pieces)

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There are a few errors on the build, all due to me not researching this vehicle thoroughly enough. Chief among them is me using the Cromwell style track tensioner. D'oh! That aside I'm quite pleased with the overall result and I have definitely got the British armour bug.

Moving onto my other project, the E100 sturmgeschütz. This is the Dragon E100 hull with New Connections conversion kit and Atelier Infinite sprocket, idler and tracks. Plus a few scratch built items (grab handles, periscope covers, plastic rod towing brackets etc).

At the risk of getting removed from their christmas list, the Dragon E100 is terrible. Soft and vague details and really quite poor when compared to Trumpeter's (Rinaldi's) Ausf. B. That said, it is an ideal base for this conversion as only the lower hull and running gear are needed.

The New Connections conversion set is an impressive set of castings and metal gun barrels (17 cm and 3 cm MK103). Marred only by the thousands of tiny air bubbles on the surface (discussed here http://tinyurl.com/3zw8q5). I got rid of the air bubbles using two techniques. The first was to use a thin layer of Milliput worked into the holes using a razor blade and smoothed off with 800 wet & dry. The second was to use Mr Surfacer, first time I have used this stuff and I'm a convert as it is excellent. Both techniques have worked well and I am now almost in a position to begin spraying. I just need to add the tool holders (Royal Models Tiger 2 and heavy towing sets) and spare track hangers.

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Thanks for letting me share my work with you all and as always all comments are welcome.

Andy

p.s. Anyone have any idea on what aerial would fit in the mounting on the left rear of the fighting compartment (photo 2)? I was going to use a 2 m rod but I think that the mounting could be for a 1.4 m star aerial instead.

Oooooooooooooh, love the Stug, gotta do me one of those

...as this takes up a lot, especially when you add the gun barrel.

I'm beginning to wish I had bought the Atelier Infinite working suspension as I'm sure that this big girl would be nose heavy.

Keep it up. Dave

Lovely bit of modelling on both vehicles and some very nice weathering, I think you're right about the track tensioner on the Centaur, as the tracks are way too slack. Typically on Cromwell/Centaur tanks when the tracks are correctly tensioned the top run should just rest lightly on the centre three road wheels, but not touch the first and fifth wheel on each side.

The tracks are too loose as I used two too many track links fromthe Friul set. First time I ever used them and it was a steep learning curve Hasn't put me off from using them, but I will be a bit more careful about checking references and dry fitting them during the build.

Making mistakes is the best way to learn anything new...

Andy

Was your machine gun a pile of resin too? How bad was the warping? Looks like you are off to a great start. Stick with it- it will look awesome when complete. Keep us posted on your progress!

Mine took bottles of glue and piles of sandpaper to correct. I ended up snappingg several of the pieces in half and re-gluing them. I opted for an octopus camo- Ill try and find the pics if you are interested of the build and painting.

Email me-

jdun91764@yahoo.com. There is also an article on the build I did (although in French) in Military Armor magazine (I think thats the name? )-

JD

The MK103 was a blob of resin with some bits that looked vaguely familiar. I nearly went out and bought the Dragon Jaboschrek to replace it with, however I persevered and carved it out and made something that looks like it should. On the plus side it did have the rather excellent Schatton brass barrel.

There was a lot of warping of the two parts of the glacis. A good dosing of steam and some sellotape (scotch tape for those on the wrong side of the Atlantic ) soon sorted that out. There was only some filling to be made between the hull and superstructure and the two parts of the glacis. The rear plate was a different matter though as it wouldn't fit without some major carving and structural work.

I still haven't made up my mind about camouflage yet. There are two options I'm considereing, one is based upon an option that Dennis Brändle considered for his 17 cm Geschützewagen, the other is to do something similar to the APG jagdpanther.