Steven Van Dyck
The frame has a lot of parts that can each be located wrong. I only misplaced 3 parts and corrected this in step 2. One letdown is that Trumpeter often uses overlapping connectors, making each cleanup more difficult. But I must say detail seems to follow the WWP book.

Steven Van Dyck
The model is very true to the original, but I found some interesting errors. Some of them are caused by my decision to make a right turn: one of the back steering arms touched the frame reinforcement. I milled that away so the angle could be increased. Another problem is the exhausts touching the longitudinal drive axles. This will also be solved by bending the tubes a bit. The extending hydraulic cylinder with dust cover is replaced by generic PE-rings over a wire thread. But one very sneaky error I found when comparing the steering system with the WWP book: the front steering rod is mirrored and so the connection with the back end is impossible to make. There is one long missing rod, that only gave away its omission by the small unused slots in the frame. One section of plate near the exhaust silencer will have to be cleared to make way for it, and two extra elbow parts will have to be copied from the one correct part in the kit. I already removed the front perforated plate and copied it on some 0,5mm styrene sheet. It needs a center bore and the front steering rod needs to be redirected to the right, with its elbow connected to the other side of the frame reinforcement. I presume this has happened because somebody looked at a mirrored picture; then they decided to leave out the conflicting parts.

Steven Van Dyck
I found a suitable figure that seems based on some nbc protected crewmembers seen in this training video: Youtube Video but I will ditch the walking stick. At 4.25 they all don their suit.
Stalker (Evolution Miniatures EM-35150, 1:35)

Steven Van Dyck
Now, the true PE fun can begin with the aft end of the Frog. I also reproduced the missing steering arm.

Steven Van Dyck
The engines are assembled, the details seem all correct. I hope these can still be left off for a while.

Nathan Dempsey
Following 👀

Steven Van Dyck
Welcome, Nathan. Today's update is about the addition of some home-made brass plating above the front lifting jacks. I found this an omission in the Voyager upgrade because it is very visible. But after I had added my own version, it seems that angle correction for the top wall is still necessary.

Steven Van Dyck
About 200 PE parts are now assembled to form the truck working floor. Also, the stalker figure has arrived and has some parts that are detached so I don't need to do lots of sawing.

Steven Van Dyck
The floor is done and it looks like the pictures now, but for some small openings and the filler cap that has to be moved over from the kit part.

Nathan Dempsey
That is some serious photo etch work.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks for the comment, Nathan. And today, a fair amount of resin is thrown in, too. These wheels needed 4 hours of non-stop sawing under water to remove them from the block. I decided to not use the PE boxes because the embossing lines are too shallow. It's not possible to emboss these with a pen and the plate also rips. But the plastic is as useful as the PE. The lids are better and can be embossed. The seat is not ready yet. The supports for the floor had to be improved with an L-profile, so the floor would not get wobbly.

Steven Van Dyck
The instruments in the cab are improved with the Voyager PE. All cab elements are fitting nicely, but I can't glue it yet to be able to paint it. And why did they have to put the production lettering on a spot where I can hardly reach it to remove it?

Sven Schönyan
Great effort you´re putting in this build! Watching with interest!

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Sven. Today: the rocket. Because of the fisheye distortion it seems bent, but there is actually only about 0,5mm deviation. You can compare with the kit rocket, that has smaller winglets, is shorter, less pointy and has shorter combustion pipes. But it is straightened out for you, while the resin kit has to be aligned carefully. Then, I tried to replicate the missing 3d sunscreen panel in the Voyager set (these panels are each shown in a nonlogical position between 2 windows) using my MF70. But I'll need more experience and a better clamping system for this, which is currently on the way. Then, I decided to paint the zones that need to be closed up, like the cabin and the transmission area. I used Gunze 319, which is quite a vivid color.

Steven Van Dyck
The radiators and the engine hood are tacled once the cabin has been filled with glass panes and masked. the air vents are hard because you need the plastic core to put the PE on. The engine mesh is no good even with Voyager, because you actually need diamond plate like in the kit and not square pattern. I went with the Voyager stuff though, which is much finer.

Steven Van Dyck
The resin wheels were assembled, but first I had to take one extra millimeter from the hubs, to make these sit right. Also it's important to take note of the driving direction. The fit is quite well, though a few wheels need a drop of CA to fill in at the rim. I will not be using the tread ring for the front tires, because it should be hollow. This wil be easier to make with the PE I have.

Steven Van Dyck
Just added the nuke rocket fixing contraption. To assemble this PE, you have to copy the kitpart very strictly or it won't fit. I had to break it down three times. The arrows indicate profiles that have to be split up to make the fit.

Ingo F
Very nice PE work mate. 👍

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Ingo! Today, some improvements of the crane turntable. It's just a bit too heavy and two-dimensional. Check the hex-nuts on the hydraulic couplings that are flattened, it's impossible to add the pressure lines if they're not replaced with Meng bolt heads. It should have been 1,2mm but this is missing from the set. Then, the ribs are replaced with thinner styrene strips and the crane arm is assembled. It has a conspicuous seam in the middle, but the welding beads must not be removed.

Steven Van Dyck
I added the jerrycan holder, but the rocket rail had a center seam that could only be filled by covering it with plate metal. It had also a distinct sinkmark along its length because of the interior structure. Nothing that could not be handled byh gushing some CA over it.

Dietmar Bogatzki
So much PE fun and scratchbuilding, fantastic 👍

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Dietmar. I now posted some dry-fitting pictures that show the launcher is nearing the finishing state. But still a lot of details have to be added, like the cab outside, the hydraulic lines and the rocket holding straps.

Tini Hendriks
Impressive work!

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Tini. Now I'm scratching all the hydraulic ducts. I also milled a replacement for the missing Voyager sunscreen. This means I can paint the interior and close it down to complete the cab exterior.

Dietmar Bogatzki
That gets a Masterpiece, Steven, all the PEs, the hydraulic lines and everything else you scratchbuilded 👍

Dominik Weitzer
wow. i'm speechless about your work.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks for your nice words! Now I had to scratch the entire main elevation cylinder, it was left out by Trumpeter to facilitate moving the launching arm, but the more you elevate it, the clearer it is missing. Also the ducts are a lot of work, but with the WWP book it can be reconstructed meticulously.

Steven Van Dyck
More ducts are added to the launcher and the crane. I hope this metal wire will not impede with the frame.

Villiers de Vos
Impressive detail that you incorporating.

bazza
What are you using for the cables. It looks like some of them are single strands of copper wire but the yellow coloured cables are the same thickness.

Mathias Decommere
Wauw Steven, I read a lot of stubbornness to get this build perfectly your way. Hat off for that! Looking forward to your painting skills as well.

Steven Van Dyck
The yellow is 0.6mm, the red is 0.7mm and the black is 1 mm soft bonsai binding wire. I don't have any 0.8 or I would have used it in stead of the red one.

Michael Kohl
Impressive

Dietmar Bogatzki
Awesome, Steve 👍

Steven Van Dyck
Matthias, Michael and Dietmar, thank you!

bazza
Thank you. Excellent work btw

Steven Van Dyck
The electrical lining is now added with 0.4mm thread.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Villiers. Now all Voyager hydraulic line brackets are mounted. I had to scratch some too. The launcher rail should have some canvas fixing points so I added these with wire.

Dietmar Bogatzki
Awesome, Steven 👍

Daniel
Wow, that's some serious detailing😲
Stunning work, this will be a majestic display, already is 👍🏻

Villiers de Vos
Your attention to detail is paying off. You are creating a beautiful and detailed miniature.

Steven Van Dyck
Thank you, Villiers. I now added the instruments and closed up the cab. Then the Voyager light set is used.

Steven Van Dyck
A basic paint layer is applied, Gunze 319 semi-gloss light green. No primer was needed to hide all those different colors.

Filip
Just WOW. Great detailing.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, wasaby. Yesterday, the wheels and the post-shade were done. But part of the exhaust system was left out by Trumpeter and I had to replace that with straps.

Steven Van Dyck
The launcher is now almost assembled. i left off the wheels and the rocket still. It also did not get its highlight yet, that will also remove a bit of visible glue.

Nathan Dempsey
Looking great.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Nathan. I now made a base in wood and plaster showing some tire marks. Also, the highlight in light green is added after the middle axles had to be completed. and the rocket was painted white with a yellow shadowing (not visible in flashed pictures).

Steven Van Dyck
The base is painted green and the rocket got its decals. it got a lot of them and it's not easy to align the stripes. It even matters in which direction you wind these decals. Then I added the AK brown wash for green vehicles. To fix the wheels to the base, I drilled holes in them and added wires. The truck is now glued to the base and the finishing can begin.

Steven Van Dyck
The model was not sitting well on the base, so it was removed and holes were made in the base that were filled with pigmented plaster and a wet contact was made with the wheels. This will require some blending in with the base color. The rocket got lined with some grime and then the PE spanners were added. Sadly the rocket diameter has increased and it is not possible to get the perfect fit on top. It improved after I removed some resin from the rocket guide on the rail. I also added a pin to it, so the rocket can't be knocked off the model.

Villiers de Vos
Lots of hard work. The result is very nice.

Michael Kohl
Definitely a good decision to lay hand again on the base.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, it means some color experimenting but I will find an acceptable mix for the base. This is just black primer, it's still too shiny. The Stalker is now ready and he got a wash and a dry-brush (after these pictures). He got his gun but his other hand still remains empty.

Mathias Decommere
Maybe a walkingstick? He surely has the pose for it.

Steven Van Dyck
In the game, that would make sense. But this is a crew nember in a training environment, so the walking stick and the teacup had to go.

Steven Van Dyck
I mean the parts are connected to the sprue by a plate that also partly touches the front of the part, so you need to sheave off the rest of the burrs after removing it from the sprue and then you have to sand both sides of the part.

[img1]

But this is used in only part of the connections.

Steven Van Dyck
The Frog is finished. I weathered wit a lot of dry-brushing and red and yellow pigments. The Trumpeter masking is not recommended with an enamel wash, this makes it peel off and let the wash bleed under. I mostly remedied this with a wooden brush shaft in a piece of cloth and some cleaning benzine. The Stalker got a scratch trunk with some cleaning tools as seen in the video I posted earlier. He's still supposed to connect this to the truck, maybe to the hose reel after the hood. After the catwalk I found out that I frogot about the rocket engine, so that's only added on 1 picture. I hope you all enjoyed the ride, now you can come over to the freshly started V-150 Vulcan project.

Sven Schönyan
Excellent result!

Neuling
I agree with Sven. This is an impressive build with lots of amazing details (wires, cables, tubes .......) and very appealing paint work. I also like the figures added. And your photography here does the model much more justice than it has in your earlier albums. Great achievement! I´m looking forward to your next build.

Nathan Dempsey
It was great to watch this build with all your added detail. A lovely final result!

Simon Nagorsnik
I don't know what to say about that....
You have achieved something great- just a awesome thing!

Dietmar Bogatzki
Agree with simon 👍

Lex Jassies
Business as usual. In short, splendid and beautiful detailed work Steven 👍

Steven Van Dyck
I'm humbled by your encouraging comments, at the same time thinking ahead to how I can bring on the next projects. One thing I can promise you guys, I'm planning to have it in Veldhoven next month. I should arrange that soon...

bughunter
Congrats - found you name and "Frog" a minute ago in the WME results list 👍

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Bughunter. I had no idea that the Frog and the sd.Kfz.11 were highly commended, this did not show up near the models or at the proclamation. You had to check this at a certain location but I had paid no notice.