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RedRoo
Kerry COX (RedRoo)
AU

Erwin Rommels "GREIF" Dragons version.

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All those who know me are familiar with my passion for haveing two models of the same subject. 
 

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Obviously, the 'Box art' of the Dragon kit. 👍 
 

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Even though the wheels don't turn, the tracks are provided in a 'working' configuration. 
 

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The tracks can be removed for the painting of the rubber rims of the road wheels and the rubber blocks that make up the tracks. 
 

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I always like doing 'sub' assemblies, allowing me to work each section as a seperate kit in it's own right. 
 

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Hand painting is best done with enamels, as it allows you to really 'spread' the pigment around, where as, acrylics dry too quickly causing it to lump up and become un workable. 
 

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For the best look, you will have to get three more jerry cans for the frame and paint them with a white cross, meaning "Water". The frame is a joy to assemble. 🙂 
 

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The radio stack. a touch of super glue here and there, and the wires come from a broke down CD player drive motor windings. super thin. 
 

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Patience in the matching of all the surfaces that need to be glued. There will have to be a small amount if 'trimming' to get a flush fit, but no real dramas. 
 

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Every visible part to fit up goes togerther perfectly and there is no miss fit or cursing involved. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Note the top of each light a protrusion. This is the 'lights on' indicator lense. 
 

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Like I say. perfect fit all round. 
 

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The 'finger' looks like it has a heavy duty bandage on it, but I have trimmed it back from the pork sausage it was. LOL 🙂 
 

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I cut a protective 'stencil' to prevent any overspray from spoiling the inner blue green gray. 
 

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Now comes the 'fine tuning' of the whole build. the weathering here will have to be spot on if it is to look 'believeable', but that's what we do. 🙂 
 

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The type of light globe has played a big part in giving the impression that the paint comes in so many variations, and digital imagry gives me the shits. 🙁 
 

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The 'ear' pieces from an old kit I had built previously and these were 'left overs'. 
 

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Micro drills are perfect here, able to drill a hole just big enough to take this lead wire. 👍 
 

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The spring bar attached and ready to be painted soft brown for the ear pieces . 
 

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A twist of copper wire and a dob of super glue will look the part with a coat of paint. 🙂 please note the ex CD player drive motor. THE finest copper wire I have ever found.  
 

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Bonded rubber painted on and It looks a bit 'rough', but eventually, any blemishes will all become part of the wear and tear work yet to be done. 
 

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For those who know what AFV tracks eventually look like after being used in dirty and dusty conditions, they will know that the steel really does get quite shiney and polished. 
 

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Hand painted 'Continental' off road tyres and rims. 
 

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"Cross ply" tyres and the size clearly evident here. 600 x 20  
 

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Mont Marte is Chinese.This is the most important item on my modelling desk. This saves your decals from 'silvering' on matt surfaces. It is almost like a liquid decal film you apply to the surface where the decal is to go on and then lay the decal on top. 
 

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I had to nick a small piece of the letter 'R' so that the decal would fit properly. NOTE. The surface is matt and yet, NO silvering is evident, as the clear jell eradicates all trapped air in the paint and pulls the decal down onto the surface very well. 
 

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I can't sing the praises of this glue enough. It does such a great job and no preperation is needed.It is water soluable, so mix a drop of water equal to a drop of the gel/glue and spread it where the decal is to go. 
 

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Once the decal is applied, use a wet cotton tip to gently squeese the excess glue from under the decal. 
 

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This is the most perfect example of what I mean by the compleat elimination of any air from the paint surface, and the decal just stays there. perfect.The dust particals will be gone by the time the weathering is done. 
 

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A 'peachy pair'. One is the Dragon and the other the Revell. 
 

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Comments

12 October 2017, 11:39
Holger Kranich
Ha, first! 😄 Cool work on this Griffon, so far! I love the cables on the radio!
12 October 2017, 11:58
Holger Kranich
Are tracks and road wheels detachable for painting?
12 October 2017, 11:59
Kerry COX
Holger. G'day mate. 🙂
The tracks are detachable for the detailed ware and tare I need to do, but there will also be lots of 'dust' applied and a 'sun bleached' look I want to attain. 👍
I have seen there is a resin kit of Rommel in shorts, just what I need to give it the really hot look, sunburned.
I am pleased you like the radio stack. 🙂
12 October 2017, 12:05
Rui S
Looking good Kezza 👍
I also like the cables but didn't find (yet) the head phones😎
Definitely in.😉
12 October 2017, 12:18
Holger Kranich
Yeah, thats how a DAK vehicle has to look like! Dusty and faded. 🙂
I often wondered why so many DAK vehicles show rust. But i discovered that it rains there more often than i thought. So some nice rusty spots will make it a nice Griffon, too!😢
12 October 2017, 12:20
Holger Kranich
Where is my behavior? G´day buddy!8)
12 October 2017, 12:21
Holger Kranich
And because of the fly-plague, add some on the front grill?
12 October 2017, 12:22
Kerry COX
Rui. The headphones draping on the top of the radio stack are in production as we speak. hehehe 🙂
12 October 2017, 12:30
Kerry COX
Holger. hahahaha 🙂 You rekon a sprinkling of ground black pepper will look like the flies that didn't get out of the way in time. ? hehehe 😉
As for the rust, Mmmmmm 🙁 I have never seen rust on vehicles that have been used in just a sandy and dry environment). just a fine white dust that covers EVERYTHING. and bright steel tracks from the constant abrasive action of the desert sand and stones. 👍 Not to mention the chunks taken out of the running blocks on the tracks, and in some images, I have seen they no longer exist because of the stones and rubble that they transverse, as well as the road wheels suffer the same damage and ware too. 👍
"worn and torn". :-O
12 October 2017, 12:33
Rui S
In Tunisia yes, it rained. We see mud in several photographs, but in Libya not so much.
I think they where always "near" the Mediterranean and temperature amplitude between night and day, would provoke condensations and moisture brought by the northern winds. That could have provoke a bit of rust, but I would go very very soft on that😉
12 October 2017, 12:34
Holger Kranich
Kerry, yes that could work with some pepper. 🙂 Dammit flies!

Rui, condensation could also turn into rust, yes.
12 October 2017, 12:37
Rui S
@ Holger, That was what I meant, but the dust would cover it in a minute and don't forget the sand storms that would work as abrasive sandpaper work 🙂

@ Choppa nice provocation hehehe 👍

@ Kezza, I had suspected that 🙂
12 October 2017, 12:41
Kerry COX
Rui. I had never even considered the condensation/dew aspect of nights in the desert. OF COURSE. !!! :-p
A lite touch will be what will happen then. Thank you again mate. 👍
12 October 2017, 13:21
Kerry COX
Rui. Just for your satisfaction. I have just whipped up a set of head phones with cables attached. 🙂 I hope you like the little motor and the copper windings it has. SUPER FINE indeed. 🙂 👍
12 October 2017, 13:26
Rui S
Yeah, nice work. Thx for showing the little CD motor 👍
Keep them coming...🙂
12 October 2017, 14:11
Choppa Nutta
Hehe Rui, I'm sure Kerry has noticed 😉 😄

.... btw Kerry, nice work so far 🙂

I think the vehicles of Rommel would make for an interesting collection 🙂

[img1]
 
12 October 2017, 20:13
Choppa Nutta
Interesting to note he used more aircraft than you might have supposed,
Bf108, He 111 as well as the famous Storch but also, apparently the six engined Gigant too.
I did some googling 😄
12 October 2017, 20:22
Kerry COX
Choppa. I have found that Hobby Boss 1/35 Storch that will fit in with the dio I have in mind. But $55.00 Au is a bit steep. Rommel was very well supported there for a while, but it was, "The Rat's of Tobruk" that held him at bay long enough to see him give up the effort and be defeated.
12 October 2017, 20:34
Kerry COX
The more I look at the German vehicles and all the technology they developed, the more fascinated I am becoming and my collection is getting more diverse now. 👍
12 October 2017, 20:39
Choppa Nutta
Hasegawa's offering seems to be more expensive still ... and 1/32 ......
perhaps easier and cheaper to do the aircraft in 1/48th seeing as no one does a Bf108 in 1/35th
or even 1/32nd scale !
Eduard's 108 kit looks nice though 😄

Rommel is an interesting historical figure
12 October 2017, 21:40
Rui S
@ Choppa, you forgot the Condor...😢
The collection of vehicles Rommel used (although a very interesting one) is a BIGGGG collection... 🙂

@ Kezza IMHO, I don't agree, he didn't give up the effort or was defeated by the Desert Rats in Tobruk.
It was much later and much more than that, like:
- the problems of long lines of supply (Malta worked as a big aircraft carrier in is back) disrupting it; the lack of interest the "big boss" had in the desert affairs; the huge superiority of means which Monty gathered; the second front opened by the first big landings of the American troops in Marrocos & Algeria (Operation Torch), etc.😎

So a new dio coming up?
12 October 2017, 21:53
Kerry COX
Rui. It is always a pleasure to see your history knowledge, and I was not inferring that the "Rats" defeated Rommel, but that they were the biggest thorn in his side and why he could not make much headway, being constantly stuffed around by the Aussies determination to not let him in. 🙂

As for the dio, I am always flipping ideas and 'visions' around in my head and in the drawings I do. But nothing concrete as yet, but I do like the KISS approach. Keep It Simple Stupid. And I am working on two 250's on a mound, looking out over a wide expanse of desert and the 'heat' of the day beaming down, and generally, looking hot and bothered and working out the next try at getting into Tobruk.
12 October 2017, 22:14
Choppa Nutta
what figures are you using ?
12 October 2017, 22:45
Rui S
Ok, that's true, Mate. I might miss understood your words.
As to the dio. reminds me, my very first one, where I used also my very first 1/32 vehicle the 250/3 Greif from Airfix 😉 Remember?

scalemates.com/kits/130015-a..01-6-half-track-sd-kfz-250-3
12 October 2017, 22:51
Kerry COX
In fact Rui, I went looking through your albums for that build but it wasn't there. !!! Because I remember remarking on how hot it looked and how you had captured that 'feel' of the desert heat. YES I do remember it well and now I get to see it again. 🙂 🙂 🙂 👍
13 October 2017, 00:33
Kerry COX
Choppa, the figures you see there at the moment are the Dragon kit figures, including driver.
13 October 2017, 00:35
Rui S
Kezza it is still there you can see it here: My very first - project. | Album by mig (1:32)

But I think that comments where about the Sd.Kfz.10/4 another more recent Afrika Korps model: Esci sdkfz 10/4. On Hold | Album by mig (1:35)

I'm uploading a surprise for you in my MT3 Album. Hope you like it... 😉 Military Thinking MT3 | Album by mig
13 October 2017, 00:39
Dan M
Nice info with the glue for decals. I'm always learning something new from your albums Kerry. Thank you for being so generous with the explanations.
But speaking of your albums, i've tried recently to look at your M40 one as I know you built one in the past (and I am building one right now) and the album is gone 🙁 (and it's not the only one apparently gone from your older work)
13 October 2017, 08:14
Kerry COX
Thanks for letting me know that what I posted was of some help, as I was always pissed off that I could not get over the 'silvering' of decals until I tried the clear gel and all went well. 👍 The M40, I can repost it for everyone Dan. I had an issue with myself and deleted quite a few albums, but now I am over my ego, I will get it all reposted. hehehehe 👍
13 October 2017, 08:41
Dan M
Sorry to hear about your troubles Kerry and thank you for adding it again. I find your builds to be very interesting and useful, having so many detailed explanations. My thanks for your sharing!
13 October 2017, 11:10
Kerry COX
Dan. I really do appreciate your words and support mate. 🙂 I have uploaded what I have and there are more to come. 👍.
Cheers. 🙂
13 October 2017, 15:11

Album info

Tell me I'm wrong, but the Revell and Dragon kits are exact twins in every way. I have scoured each one and even down to scratches in the tooling, they are exactly the same.
BUT, the back of the Dragon made drivers seat has the springs and the Revell hasen't.

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