Tamiya Jagdtiger 1/35 Early Production

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 3:06 am

One of the biggest AFV of WWII, I've wanted to do a Jagdtiger for some time, and this GB is the perfect opportunity to finally make it happen. I actually started the Tamiya GB with a Panzer II, but because of some serious behind-the-scenes trouble, I've decided it's better to go aftermarket on the tracks which will disqualify it from the GB. No problem. Jagdtiger here I come!

The Panzerjager, or Hunting Tiger, was the heaviest production armored vehicle ever produced. It had a massive 128mm gun that could defeat any allied tank. But the large gun platform came at a price. It's sheer size made it a fuel hog and prone to mechanical breakdowns. Less than 90 were ever produced, with the first ones reaching the lines in September of 1944. 20% were lost in combat, with most losses self-inflicted by crews who abandoned them after breakdowns or running out of precious fuel.

While in no way a game-changer for the Germans during the war, it was an impressive fielding of massive firepower. Only 3 survive today in museums.

Tamiya's kit looks impressive. Parts have zero flash and are extremely sharp and crisp. Detail is typical Tamiya...a little limited but what is present is molded very well and appropriate, a happy balance between form and function.

Since there were so few built and production was so short, there are very few variations...they were all pretty much the same. I will be building Jagdtiger 331, the one that was displayed at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds Museum. I believe it has now moved to either Ft. Lee, Virginia or another Army museum. There appears to be a lot of reference photos of this one which will make my job a lot easier, although I will be including the fenders and will be weathering it a bit different than the "museum" version. At this point, I believe I will also be using the vinyl tracks versus the individual links..much easier and I seem to have better luck with them (i.e. Panzer II disaster).

Augustus · Post by **Augustus** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 4:08 am

Now that's a big beastie!

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:55 am

Its a superb kit, made it earlier this year, an absolute dream.

Are you going to use the link and length tracks? They'll look superb if you do. The detail and sag are beautiful. Good luck with the build.

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 1:29 pm

I'm not sure yet on which track method I'll use. I might actually do both at the same time just for the experience and to compare results but might nix that if I run out of time. The vinyl ones look very good for pre-molded tracks. Plus they are so much easier since my process is usually to paint and weatherize them before installing them...much easier to do with the vinyl ones.

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 2:19 am

Finally getting a start on the gigantic Jagdtiger....and she's a monster. Hull is assembled along with the suspension. Also got the wheels removed from the sprues...

...Wheels.....lots of wheels and parts and stuff...the worst part about AFVs. It's always neat when they are assembled but it's always a pain in the wrist and fingers to get there.

My god...it's full of wheel parts!...

schweinhund227 · Post by **schweinhund227** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 12:42 pm

nice.....

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Mon Sep 19, 2016 2:56 am

Didn't manage a lot of scale modeling this weekend but I did manage to get the Jagd's wheels assembled!

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Tue Sep 20, 2016 3:05 am

The Jag is now mostly assembled. The main hull has been dry fitted and everything lines up perfectly...which is why I heart Tamiya!

Since mine will have the hatches closed, there isn't any need to completely deck out the inside, so most of the gun breach has not been included in the assembly...just the parts that will be seen and that are required to install the gun...

I've left off the tools and boxes for now. I usually like to prime and paint them separately before installing them...personal preference. I will prime and paint the body and then install the tools so they are included in all the filter, wash, and pigment applications.

Next up: finishing the install and then it's off to the paint booth!

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 11:57 pm

We now have a completed assembly!...except for the tools and the tracks themselves. Tools will get added right before filtering and the tracks somewhere after that. At this point, I'm planning on leaving off the spare tracks so it looks a bit more used like the reference photos show. It will also make the sides of the vehicle seem much larger, which will add to the shear size effect this thing has.

As per the norm, the Tamiya fit is wonderful and the details are nice and crisp. There is some slight cleanup I will need to do before priming. I always notice something I missed when I take photos.

PE parts fit pretty much perfectly and add a great amount of detail to an already solid ket.

After a little cleanup, it's off to the booth to prime this monster! Later fellas!

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 1:22 am

Had time to get this thing cleaned up and primed this evening.

Before priming...

I love that I don't have to worry about a separate turret, but I also had to get creative on installing my holding rod...

Primed and ready for the chipping layer!...

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 3:09 am

Let's talk paint. First up, I'll be using Tamiya Hull Red knocked down a bit with some dark grey to make it a more German brown color. For the main camo pattern, I'm going with what's in the instructions...

For the camo pattern, the instructions say to use Tamiya XF-60, 61, and 64. I like this, but I'm going for a more weathered look, so I've chosen complimentary colors that are a bit more worn-looking: XF-78, 22, and 52 respectively...

The battle plan at this point is to put down a layer of the hull red and then a layer of hairspray, followed by XF-78 (lighter tan color), and then perform the majority of the chipping. This will be followed by another layer of hairspray and then the XF-52 (darker tan), more selective chipping, then the XF-22 (green) and the insignia (painted on using masks), followed by even more chipping and streaking.

The goal is to get a weathered and worn look by not only revealing the hull red below but also some of the other colors as well. I'm really hoping that this combined with filters and oils will result in a more natural looking weathered AFV.

Stay tuned! You may be watching a train wreck here!

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:30 am

And now, the chipping color has been added along with a good coating of hairspray. I airbrushed the hairspray and gave it two coats...

Then, my first coat of actual paint, the light tan from the camo pattern. Care was taken not to put on too heavy a layer. I wanted a bit of the undercoat to come through for a bit of "pre-shading", though not much...

Next, the fun starts! Chipping! And boy is there a lot of fun to be had. With the size of this vehicle, it's going to take a long time to finish...

I've only got the top hatch area and one side started. Still need to go back and touch up a few spots to get rid of "patterns" and create some smaller chips in certain areas. I'm guessing this first chipping stage will be done in the next couple days, but possibly longer.

The plan after this is to hit the whole thing with hairspray again and then put on the green and brown camo colors as well as the insignia...then chip those layers as well. I'm hoping that the extra HS layer will allow some of the chipping from this first step to show through as well as some of the tan color to simulate a bit more realistic wear and tear. I'm going to take some detailed photographs from every angle so I can see where the first stage chips are. This will allow me to hit those areas again in the second stage. It's going to take some time though...lots of chipping!

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 2:47 am

Tonight I was able to continue with the first round of chipping. After that, I did some chipping, followed by a course of chipping. I ended with a little chipping.

...and I'm still not done. Probably another evening yet before I can move on. But on the bright side, it's coming along nicely. Patience is a virtue I guess!...

Even got a couple wheels chipped as well...

Still got some work ahead but in all seriousness, I really do love the builds from this stage forward. Loads of fun!

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 11:24 am

Looking really good. I love the idea of using the slightly paler colours across the board. One of the things I always battle with on AFVs is trying to keep the kit from going too dark during the painting and weathering process.

Excellent so far

TommyKillander · Post by **TommyKillander** » Sat Oct 08, 2016 8:23 am

This bad boy is coming along nicely... chipping looks fantastic!

Tommy

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Sat Oct 08, 2016 9:41 pm

Camo pattern is complete...

r

All the wheels are also painted and chipped...

Next up, I will be making the insignia using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and cutting them directly into Tamiya tape using a Cricut machine. Stay tuned!

Kevthemodeller · Post by **Kevthemodeller** » Sun Oct 09, 2016 8:10 am

Looking good

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Sun Oct 09, 2016 8:57 am

Camo looks superb

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Sun Oct 09, 2016 7:25 pm

Thanks everyone!

Decals have been applied. Originally started out with home-made masks but was having difficulty getting them to look right. Decided to go with decals on this build as it's technically out-of-the-box anyhow. Might as well use everything! I've also dulled them down with a bit of airbrushing...

Next was painting the exhausts and the tools and tows. Exhaust is done and the tools have their metal paint applied. Some are also now attached to the body with some touch-up painting still to occur...

Hopefully get the tools painted and attached in the next day or two. Then it's on to filtering! Have a great night everyone!

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 2:26 am

Tools are on and painted. Still have some touchups but we are about ready for filter time.

All the metal parts of the tools were painted with Alclad Magnesium (primed with Alclad gloss black primer). The wood handles were painted with MIG old wood and washed with a bit of MIG red brown. The exhausts were hand painted in steps. First, I used Tamiya XF-60 straight from the bottle. This was followed by stippling a wash of slightly thinned MIG red brown, then slightly thinned MIG rust tracks, and finally slightly thinned MIG shadow rust. The layering gives it the rustic colors while the stippling gives it the texture.

Hoping to get to some filtering on Wednesday. Pretty busy tomorrow so it will have to wait a day.

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 6:19 pm

It looks fantastic,

could I ask what you used for the wood on the shovel and hammer shafts?
Paul

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:32 pm

Sure! They were first painted with MIG Ammo old wood and then washed with slightly thinned (with water) MIG Ammo red brown.

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:59 pm

Thanks Jeff, I'll look it up.

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 3:12 am

Main filtering is complete. You can't tell really well from the pictures but the filters definitely brought together the camo pattern. Much more uniform...

I did two separate washes, both with Abteilung oils thinned with Bob Ross odorless thinner. The first used light mud and the second sand brown...

I brushed it on like a wash except the goal was to cover all surfaces, not just the edges and seams. Next up: pin washes and dot filtering. Can't wait!

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 2:19 am

For me, the REAL fun begins now! First up is the pin wash. For this, I used Bob Ross van dyke brown thinned with B.R. odorless thinner. I then used a sharp brush to touch all the edges, seams, and bolt heads. The effect isn't dramatic, but it's the first small step in my weathering scheme...

Tomorrow I will do a second round with the same color and also clean up some tide marks that I missed the first time around. Once the pin washes are done, I'll do another round of filters to highlight the light and dark areas a bit more.

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Fri Oct 14, 2016 2:18 am

Let the weathering begin!....well, at least the top anyhow. Started applying the oils and pigments. Will be using a few different layers and combinations till I get it to look the way I want. I'm using Bob Ross van dyke brown for seams and feature edges and Abteilung engine grease for some edges and for the hinges and bolt heads. I'm also applying MIG Europe earth and Russian earth pigments in the corners and using it to dust some of the surfaces.

So far, this is looking the way I like. Just needs some touch-ups and I'll apply a similar scheme to the rest of the vehicle.

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:29 pm

A little change in direction for the cables. I decided that Alclad metal was not fitting in with the weathering theme so I decided to go with a more rustic effect. I re-painted them with MIG dark tracks color and then lightly dry brushed them with LifeColor's light shadow rust color...

I also weathered the metal surfaces by dry brushing and stippling LifeColor rust, shadow rust 1, and shadow rust 2. I'm liking the effect...

This repaint stage started out as more of a catastrophe. I originally started by trying to mask the cables in order to airbrush them. The result was one cable broken, the shovel broken, two spare track holders snapped off, and one other tool snapped into three pieces. After much cursing and a 3K run to clear my head, I regrouped, re-glued, and went with hand-painting. I ended up finishing the night on a high note. Gotta luv that!

Still need to add the filters I used on the rest of the body to the newly-painted areas as well as add some sponge chipping. They look a little too pristine yet. Once that is complete, I'll get back to the oil paints and finish the color modulations as well as the pigments.

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:37 pm

That is looking superb. The weathering is bringing out the detail beautifully. it looks spectacular around the hatches and vents on the top of the vehicle.

Liamcraven666 · Post by **Liamcraven666** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 5:55 pm

It's looking great! That chipping is superb

TommyKillander · Post by **TommyKillander** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 9:22 pm

Exceptional work!

That rust-chipping is amazing, well done

Tommy

demarcation · Post by **demarcation** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 9:31 pm

Wow!! Fantastic build, weathering looks awesome!

hias · Post by **hias** » Thu Oct 20, 2016 10:31 pm

amazing job
the weathering in my opinion is just perfect for a vehicle like this (not really in service for a long time)
not too much and not to little
....you really put it straight

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:29 am

Thanks everyone!

Attempting to get a bit more done on the tracks tonight...

Yes, they are the vinyl ones but I'm ok with that. I really messed up the indie ones which dried too fast to get them positioned properly. Plus the fenders made it really difficult to try so I just deep-sixed them. While the picture doesn't show much, so far the tracks have been primed with black Sty primer followed by a base coat of MIG dark tracks. Then they were layered several times using Lifecolors rust shadow, earth, and sand colors thinned with water and stippled with a brush. I'm now gluing them with some CA and clothes pins for clamps. Once dry, I'll add a bit more color and then begin some pigments.

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 4:07 am

Got the pigments applied to the tracks early this afternoon.

For colors, I'm using MIG Europe Earth and Russian Earth. For the fixer, I'm using Tamiya's X-20A thinner. The left two brushes are for applying the pigments while the right brush is for applying the fixer...

Here's what the tracks looked like before I began the pigment applications...

Here I've added some dusting with both pigment colors. I simply ground in a light layer of pigments to get a dusty patina...

Now I've applied some raw pigments using both colors...

I apply the Tamiya thinner (fixer) using a soaked brush. I'm just touching areas as lightly as I can as to not remove any pigments, and let capillary action take care of the rest...

I then use a hair dryer set on low speed to hurry along the drying process...

Here's another area finished...

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 4:11 am

And now the tracks are installed! Huge milestone in any build...

They still need adjusting but they're gonna get moved around quite a bit yet while I finish up the weathering...

I've added some graphite to the track wear surfaces but will most likely add more before the build is done...

I've also added some more colorizing on the sides of the vehicle using some green, orange, tan, and yellow oils...

Finally tonight, I managed to get the rear deck oil painting finished...

Closing in on the final leg of this journey! Just need to finish the oil painting on the rear end and the wheels, then it's some final detail work and this monster will be done!

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 7:50 am

Looking really good. Track work is very nice. When working with oils, what thinner are you using? I've only just started with oil filters myself so any tips would be most welcome.

Great work

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 3:32 pm

I'm just using Bob Ross odorless thinner. My wife is an oil painter and has a lot of different oil stuff around. The Bob Ross stuff seems to work the best. I also use Abteilung's thinner on occasion as well. I also use the Bob Ross oil paints themselves as well...mostly burnt sienna and van dyke brown. I also have a set of Abteilung oils as well that I use for more precise colors and effect.

Best advice I could give is that I've learned that layers is the key. The more you get accustomed to layering to build up an effect, the more realistic it seems to look. When I started with AFV's, there seemed to me to be only a couple steps that defined the actual color of the vehicle: the paint, the filter, and the wash. In reality, there are dozens of colors and hues that make up a single "color"...and the more worn the vehicle is, the more colors are present.

I'm still pretty new to AFVs as well so I'm learning tons with every build. This one has been the most interesting to date!

Liamcraven666 · Post by **Liamcraven666** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 4:12 pm

Looking great! The weathering on the tracks looks superb.

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Mon Oct 24, 2016 1:36 am

Well, I'm making it official. It's FINISHED!!

I still have some touch-ups before the reveal photos but I'm calling it. I finished up the oil painting and pigments this evening. Here's some sneak-peak photos just for proof that it's done...

r

Before the reveal photo session, I'll complete my customary "post-build" checklist and touch up what I can. What a massive and fun build this thing was!

sheppsea · Post by **sheppsea** » Mon Oct 24, 2016 6:26 am

She looks great

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:55 am

The "I Heart Tamiya" Jagdtiger is complete! Reveal thread posting shortly. What a ride!....

This was a great kit to put together! Easily assembled and easily handled all throughout the process. And it's BIG!

rwsmith14 · Post by **rwsmith14** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 6:09 am

Beautiful !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 10:17 am

Superb work Sir. Completely agree about the kit too. A big beauty from Tamiya, one of the nicest armour kits I've made for sure.

Kevthemodeller · Post by **Kevthemodeller** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 6:47 pm

Great build really like the way you've weatherd it

RCehFFan · Post by **RCehFFan** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 11:54 pm

Wow what an amazing model. Inspiring work.

Cheers

SteveAFV · Post by **SteveAFV** » Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 pm

Very inspiring build.

I didn't read any use of gloss coat. Did you use any for the decals or pin wash?

Navcom · Post by **Navcom** » Sat Nov 05, 2016 7:20 pm

Nope. Not a single clear coat was used during the build, not even at the end.