Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Hasegawa Pz.Kpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Late Model

I bought this tank a little while ago to go with my recently finished Esci US Paratroopers. I'm thinking about the possibility of - dare I say it - starting a new wargame. This is probably a terrible idea, since I already have a handful of unfinished wargame projects sitting around, but I like the idea of a skirmish-style WW2 wargame set in Normandy after the invasions.
I learned after I got the kit that the rough zimmerit coating (applied to late war German tanks to prevent magnetic grenades from sticking to the hull) was not modelled in the plastic of the tank; in other words, I had to apply it myself.
I looked up methods of doing this on modelling forums and such, and was inundated with a wealth of accumulated knowledge on the subject. Wow. It's amazing how much people have to say about zimmerit coating.  Anyway, one method rose above the rest, and it works very well.
Apply a thin coat of regular modelling glue (I use Testors) over the surface area to be treated. (The surfaces to be coated with zimmerit are the sides of the turret, the front of the turret, the sides of the hull, and the front and back). Wait for the glue to dry, about 30 minutes. Wait too little, and the glue will be too wet and sticky. Too long, and you won't be able to make an impression in it.
Once the glue has dried for about 30 minutes, take a small screwdriver and make horizontal marks in the surface of the paint, forming columns running vertically down the vehicle.As you can imagine, this takes a really long time.
Unfortunately for me, the Tamiya Dark Yellow paint I ordered for the dunkelgelb camouflage (literally 'dark yellow' in German) will not arrive for several weeks, so even after I finish the tedious task of applying the zimmerit, I won't be able to finish the model for a while.

You can see my attempts at zimmerit on the side of the tank

The size of the screw driver I use in comparison to the model


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