I made a German half-track Diana of the Afrikakorps. It was built from March to April 2014. It is a considerable volume kit. It was b
Now I run out of thinner and surfacer; I can not paint the other two under-making tanks. I began to make this German 5t half-track “Diana.”
There is a heap of parts…
I had made two Bronco kits in the past and compared them with them; this Diana is excellent. The past two are also not so bad, but it’s easy to assemble.
The dragon models half-track that I made before also has the engine. These inside contents disappear portion when all are completed.
Although the inside is individually unnecessary, when it is turned and seen in this photo, I’m delighted that all the parts are arranged exactly like the actual vehicle. It’s a big difference between tanks and truck models.
Can you see the photo-etched parts on the panel? There are many parts, and some of them are tiny, but no problem. Like the side panel’s small photo-etched parts, there are as small as 1/10 the size of a rice grain.
(06-March-2014)
I just assembled each part roughly. The radiator filter was painted black before attaching it to the body.
I am now handling tiny parts. It’s good if there are many spare parts in case of loss.
I’ll hold this body for a little; the tiny photo-etched parts attaching should have been later. I lost three pieces and searched for them, re-pasted up.
A small gap on the bonnet is necessary to correct later. I decided to stand on a windshield.
Usually, I hardly used a movable track; it’s fresh for me to make a movable half-track caterpillar. It’s exciting.
It is an assembly of 76.2 mm field gun M1936 captured from Russia.
It’s better to have adjusted and fixed the angle at this stage because the main barrel interferes with a standing windshield.
The assembly of the field gun was completed. I didn’t know that the whole field gun was on a half-track and continued use, and this gun was from Russia.
To attach to the 5t half-track, the gun mount was shortened. The long stick in this photo was the left long mount.
It’s wonderful that the main gun inside has a rifling.
The complicated mechanism of the back side is pleasant to taste.
(10-March-2014)
Because it’s difficult to paint after all assembled, I stopped this. Though I usually like painting after assembling completion.
Blew surfacer lightly.
I found a very nice figure for Diana. It’s a DAK panzer & Artillery Crew Libya 1941 set from Dragon Models. They left two crew, a good pose. An illustration of Mr. Volstad is a remarkable, precious historical document. I’m thinking about the right two crew that it’s matched for Panzer III in North Africa in my stock kits.
The linkage of the camping pot and both hands’ finger-tip was the most important in this figure, I adhered to it first, and I can take care of both shoulders later. Minor finger-tip adjustment is sensitive work.
I used the same shape camping pot the days of a child. Because many parts learned the modernization of the Army from the German military, the Japanese Army influenced such a small part. For instance, the schoolchild’s satchel, too.
(19-March-2014)
Completed two soldiers. It is scarce that plastic injection kits desert soldiers in North Africa.
It’s not tricky assembling coat parts.
The expression is not good-looking as the Hornet’s but is enough tasteful faces. I suppose it’s the skillful model sculptor’s handling of the German soldier kit who is changing its clothes which I assembled before and this North African kit.
(25-March-2014)
I made a trial and error and finally completed it. What I regretted was having glued a caterpillar with the body. I should have put it on after painting it.
I think I’ll repaint coats of the figure because Mr. color yellow ocher, as indicated in the instruction manual, is different from my image.
I had the camouflage painting of the red-brown this time. German gray of the groundwork is left here and there. Initially, there was no conclusive evidence painted in German gray; this is my feeling. In other words, it is an image of the North African painting of a German vehicle.
Regarding the white aviation identification mark, I thought that decal was in the box but wasn’t there; I must paint it by myself. I masked it and now painting it matte white.
I blew sand dust. I found a white identification mark is run off here and there; I need to repaint it later. The open-top vehicle has many painting areas and is hard work. There are a lot of processes to complete.
(01-April-2014)
This is the 5t half-track tied up the 7.62cm field gun on the loading platform, which was captured from Russia. The total length of the models is 18 cm.
Nine vehicles were produced, and this type of vehicle was operated all in North Africa as the 605th tank hunting battalion. So a small number of productions, you may think it’s the same as a trial manufacture vehicle or vehicle for an emergency.
I did the weathering paint exaggeratedly because of the challenging condition of the vehicle in the severe climatic of the North African battlefront.
The good accent of the measurement pole is vivid color.
The bottom of the box compartment where an antitank gun was in only blew earth brown lightly, but I should have done more tipping weathering. I feel it’s a bit simple.
The loader area was shone in silver and looked good.
Bronco prepared many decals for the dashboard panel and after using them, like the real stuff.
Because it was where a gunner worked busily, I painted the floor with rust and soot moderately. I think the gunner’s area is a very narrow space.
There is a board on the rear side; I painted the rust and shone some edge rubbing place in silver.
I did weathering after a deluge of rain, especially on the seat. The long-distance moving outfield beat many places in a hard condition climate.
I wanted to make the feeling that the painting came off and show up the German gray undercoated., but the hue of the gray painting part was too dark.
The camouflage of the red-brown was too much contrasted at the beginning, finally matched with the base color of dark yellow.
Caterpillar was made of metal and rubber, the side was metal, and I shined by dry-brushing. I painted the rectangular parts in rubber black.
This kit includes helmets and shells, putting them on the rear rack during operation.
The artillery crew is relaxing now to serve coffee.
After finishing the face and the coat by oil painting, a drawing brush spot appeared. I can not see these spots as far as decorated on my shelves, but it was unpleasant when I took a photo especially zoomed up. I’m not good at handling oil painting; maybe I should have thinned down by thinner or something.
All two looked down, and it was hard to take a photo; this shot was from underneath by force. The oil painting is easy to do blending, but the drying time is too much longer. It takes a few days until I can touch it without a problem.
I need to do trial and error a little more for figure painting. This figure’s back site is also good-looking. The color taste of the coat matches this vehicle.
The crew pouring coffee is a sergeant, and the other is the command sergeant major. The piping color of the artillery is red in the German Army.
This kit was considerably important content. The notation of the assembling manual was careful and of good quality. One point I would like to say is that Bronco Model merchandise prices are higher than other makers. If their price falls a little, there are no words.
(13-April-2014)
