Sd.Kfz.167 StuG IV LATE (1/72 scale)

I finally had some free moments to write about my third model. This time, as the title suggests, I decided to model a famous German assault gun. Assault guns for those who may not be very acquainted with the subject are identical to classic tanks except for the fact that they don't have a mobile turret, instead their cannon is fixed to the armoured chassis. To aim the cannon the entire tank had to move and point in the general direction of the target. This wasn't very practical, but gave the assault guns a lower silhouette which was harder to spot/target by the enemy and lowered industrial production costs. Assault guns were first used as elite mobile artillery support, but later were found to be excellent in the tank hunter role.
I built Dragons beautiful 1/72 StuG IV late model which in my opinion is the best plastic kit on the market today of the subject. The kit has an incredible amount of detail and has several clever solutions that help building and painting.
The painting was done in the same fashion and style I used for the T-34. This is the procedure: acrylic base coat, enamel dry-brushing, first oil paint wash, ename dry-brushing, second oil paint wash, two last enamel dry brushing layers, chipped paint and oil stains. The colors used were: German dark yellow (acryl and enamel) lightened with tan for the dry brushing process, raw umber/burnt sienna/black oil paints for the general washes, stains and rust effects.
The final appearance shows the heavy dry brushing which by todays standards is unrealistic and I agree. However I managed to apply painting techniques I was always eager to learn when much younger. This little model was a great satisfaction for me back in 2006 when I finished it. Thank you for reading and if you feel like it leave me your comments.

T-34/76 M 1942 (1/72 scale)

What hasen't already been said about the legendary T-34? The tank that surpriesd the Germans and contributed to the final victory of the allies. The tank that is a synonym for mass serial production, cost reduction, simple and effective design, extreme roughedness for constant reliability in extreme conditions. I have always been fascinated by the incredible reputation this tank earnd it's self. It was very reliable, easy to repair, simple to mantain, had excellent mobility on all terrain and could operate in very low temperatures; an absolute must for any WW2 AFV modeler.
The second model I fineshed for my collection in 2006 was Italeri's 1/72 T-34/76. It's not the most accurate kit of the T-34, but it has a good price, simple construction and great link and length tracks (When I baught the kit Dragon hadn't yet released their new T-34 series in 1/72).
I used a different painting style this time. I tried to adopt Verlinden's style for this tank by using extensive layers of heavy washes (artist oil paints)and drybrushing (Humbrol enamels). These techniques were common back in the 90'ies, but are kind of obsolete today. Pigments, filters and all the rest have overtaken the scene (yes I know that drybrushing and washes are still used today, but more sparingly and only for certain effects). I also started experimenting with pigments on this tank (notice the overdone rust!! upss), but you can see that there is no earth stuck to the wheels. It,s just too damn clean!!! Most people (probably not modlers) really like the way this tank looks, I guess the strong chromatic value achieved by the green drybrushing pleases the eye.

SD.KFZ.234/2 PUMA (1/72 scale)

This was the first kit I bought after a loooong time back in 2005. The PUMA is regarded as the best scout/reconnaissance vehicle of the German army in WW2, possibly the best scout car of the whole war. The slick and functional design of the PUMA inspired the development of wheeled fighting vehicles to this day (like the American Stryker or German Fuchs).
This little 1/72 kit is very simple to build, has no fitting problems and offers good quality and detail for the price. The model was hand painted with Vallejo acrylics and weathered with Tamiya's weathering kit. It was a fast build and the paint job was done in two weeks (I had to study for exams so I had very little time to spend on my AFVs).
My skills have improved a great deal from back then, but I still like the way my PUMA looks. If you are curious about the model or have any suggestions please leave your comments and I will answer. Enjoy the photos, Thank you.

BACK TO WORK

I started this blog because I have the need to share my passion for model building with others. When I was a kid I saw a beautifull Messerschmitt Bf 109 E model and got curious about the hobby. At that time Verlinden was doing the coolest stuff around and his art inspiered and motivated me to become a modeller. While growing up I got interested in other more dangerous stuff and forgot about the whole thing.
During the later half of my University student days I got back to the hobby discovering with pleasure that the modelling community evolved. New techniques, art, kit technology, the internet set new quality standards and captured my attention once more. Armed with passion, 2 new paintbrushes, 6 acrylic colors and a new model kit I enterd the second fase of my model buildin career.
Don't ask me why, but I love to build tanks or AFVs (armoured fighting vehicles). I guess its all the mud, oil and rust that make them so attractive. Since my budgets are very low I build only 1/72 kits and have no airbrush, so everything is handpainted by paintbrush.
I will be posting all of my tank/AFV models built from 2005 to present in chronological order. It will be a great satisfaction to share my art and models with you. My desire is to inspire others like others inspiered me. Dont forget to share your oppinions with me. Thank You and Enjoy ;-)

CIAO

Greetings to all of you on the net/world. This is my first Blog ever!