Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. A - Condor Legion

[MZsolt]

Hi all,
This is an intro and a test of publishing on this site. First of all about myself: I'm from Hungary, 32 years old and began modelling two years ago (after 20 years of pause - everyone had models when was a child like me, am I right?). My first victims were: Sdkfz 234/1 from Italeri and Panzerjager I from Zvezda. They were good for practicing, but the result was below my expectations towards myself. They were followed by a Pz I ausf B (slightly better then the mentioned two) and now I'm working on a Pz I ausf A and a Pz II ausf F, both from Dragon. And now, let's get down to business...

The Dragon PzKpfw. I Ausf. A (6289) is a love for first sight. Tiny and beautiful, I am sure of making at least one or two of them in the future. This one is purely out of the box, next time I will use some photoetched upgrade but let's see her naked on the sofa:
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/DSC03176.jpg

The assembly was easy and without any problem - the only pain was the material of the visor ports. It would be much easier to see what I did if it was not a clear but a grey plastic, but that's all and no other problems. Really.

I wanted to try a three-colour camo and chose the Spanish Civil War as a period to depict. I read about the Condor Legion and tried to find pictures of Spanish Pz Is in the late 30's. And that is the point I became confused, as half of the pictures showed a pattern with sharp edge while the other half with smooth. Let's mask - I chose the sharp edge variation, and used my imagination to reproduce a could-be-pattern. This is my little darling after the base (Gunze Sand Gelb) and the first coat (Gunze Green).
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/DSC04024.jpg

... and after the third layer, Gunze Mahogany:
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/DSC04041.jpg

The decals are from Bison, this was my first experience with the brand and I was fully satisfied, the decals went on easily and the result is quite nice. Also painted the black cross on the top, unfortunately not much is seen from it when the hatch is open. And I plan this little one with a Condor Legion crew from Warriors.
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/DSC04105.jpg

[MZsolt]

Finally after several washes, filters, pigments I am quite close to the finish. I will never paint track already assembled to the tank, that was really awkward but turned out quite well at the end.
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/pzI_sp_001.jpg

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/pzI_sp_003.jpg

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/pzI_sp_002.jpg

And my favourite, the jack-block...
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/pzI_sp_004.jpg

It needs only some finishing touches to be ready - the machine guns, lenses to the headlights and of course the figures...
cheers,
Zsolt

[James Tainton]

I likey.

[Sticky]

me two

[panzerjager]

No bad after 20 years, uh? :D
I don't know about the veracity of the colors or marks, but I like the entire model. Maybe a very light black wash o the mufflers, but that is just my "taste"

Regards from Argentina

Darío

[Markus]

Hey Zsolt,
I like it a lot!
The whole tank looks very, very nice, especially the tracks.
What I like most is the chose camo scheme. One you don´t see every day.
Keep it up!

[RickLawler]

Welcome to the Planet! Nice little build and great choice of markings. The last photo shows that you might need to add color to the rear light / reflector.


Rick

[Petarted]

Nice but what did you use to mask it

[Flak]

Welocme to PA...Zsolt. Great finished model :thumb: I like it.

[MZsolt]

Thanks to all!
Darío, I don't know about the authenticity of the colors, and did no real effort to find it out... this was a fun-build and first of all a practice of painting and weathering.
Rick, you're right: the rear light (and also the handle of the jack-block) are waiting for painting.
Petarted, as the first goal was to have more experience in masked painting I tried Revell's masking sheet (cut the shapes from the original A/4 format sheet), Tamiya masking tape, a kind-of-a-blu-tac from Pritt, MrHobby masking solution and even simple post-it - the experience was mixed
- the first was very good on flat surfaces, but weak on curved ones
- the Tamiya tape was excellent on both surfaces, but found difficult to cut it to shape
- the blu-tac-like thing was hard to remove but the result was fine
- the masking solution pulled off some of the original paint (surprisingly - I used it on earlier models and there was no problem)
- the post-it was fine, but fell off during painting, so I had to secure them with masking tape

I hope I find some free time in the near future, and could finish this little one - and start the figures&base for the vignette.

So thanks again for the welcome messages,
cheers,
Zsolt

[Petarted]

thanks

[greybeard]

In North America there is what is called "painter's tape". It is blue, very much like masking tape but with much less 'stickiness' and comes in rolls 3cm wide. It is easy to cut with a swivel knife, will usually stick well except over very tight compound curves, and lifts without damaging the paint. You might watch for it in a hardware store --- it works very well.

Excellent model. I like it very much. I want to build my PzKpfw I as one from Spain, too.

Cheers
Scott Fraser
Canada

[MZsolt]

Thanks, Scott! Is there a specific brand name (and manufacturer, etc.) for this painter's tape? I try to find it here, in some of the local hardware stores or try to order it online...
cheers,
Zsolt

[greybeard]

Hi. I think it's made by 3M, but only because they make every other kind of tape you can get. I'm sure you can find it locally in a painter's supply house. It is is just like masking tape, except it is used to mask walls where it does not stick strongly enough to lift the paint off when it is removed.

Cheers
Scott

[RickLawler]

Yep, Scotch 3M...I'm looking at it right now!

[MZsolt]

Scott, Rick - thanks! Good news as 3M is distributed here in Central-Eastern-Europe as well... now I only have to go shopping :)

[MZsolt]

Little advance on this one - I looked for a headlight painting method in the tips&tricks section, and found one with some Nutella foil, or so...
I tried simply to paint the lamps with silver (Vallejo), and then use plastic discs cut with my new super-tool, as I bought a leather-puncher last week (surprisingly cheap, only HUF 800 ~ EUR 3.5 in the local hardware store). The clear, thin plastic sheet is normally used as a cover sheet to lace documents. To be even happier I found that the leather puncher makes this thin plastic to be a bit curved when cut, like real headlights are, so here is the result - compared to my previous PzI's headlight, made OOB. I think maybe not 100% realistic (no bulb, no vertical "stripes" on the "glass") but much better than the previous one.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/headlights.jpg

Painted the rear light and the handle of the jackblock, the mufflers really need a black wash - on this picture they're too orange :(

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/MarvanyZs/Panzer%20I%20Spanish/rearlight.jpg

I only need to paint the machine guns and the figures (also cut and glued this weekend, pictures to follow...) and make an easy vignette base now... As far as the tank is not a representation of a real one, my location could be also free to choose - of course not leaving Spain. Some dirt-road, maybe ruins and vegetation... Does anyone have pictures to share of the Spanish countryside (Toledo, Merida for example) in summer? Thanks in advance :)
Cheers,
Zsolt

[nsmekanik]

Soooo, whats the policy for posting pics stolen:D from e-bay around here?

[alanmac]

Soooo, whats the policy for posting pics stolen:D from e-bay around here?

You don't have to "steal " it, just post the link

http://cgi.ebay.de/Foto-Panzer-Pz-Kpfw-I-der-Legion-Condor-mit-Kennung_W0QQitemZ180303292762QQcmdZViewItem?hash=i tem180303292762&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318


Alan

[FJCabeza]

There´s all kind of weather here...
http://w3vq6pi37.homepage.t-online.de/z2201-2300/2218.jpg
http://w3vq6pi37.homepage.t-online.de/z2201-2300/2219.jpg
By the way these tank didn´t belong to "Legion Condor" but to "La Legion" (El Tercio)

[nsmekanik]

QUOTE=alanmac;70707]You don't have to "steal " it, just post the link

http://cgi.ebay.de/Foto-Panzer-Pz-Kpfw-I-der-Legion-Condor-mit-Kennung_W0QQitemZ180303292762QQcmdZViewItem?hash=i tem180303292762&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318


Alan[/QUOTE]

No can do, I swiped them sometime ago and the link no longer exists. But, whatever, here are mine.

This one is tagged as being in Spain
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b218/nsmekanik/DeutPionierPanzerIAusf2alsSpreng-1.jpg

Also Spian
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b218/nsmekanik/condor.jpg

Damaged in Poland

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b218/nsmekanik/Tank1PaktrefferchaindamagePolandcam.jpg

And for a teaser, a couple of period color pics as broadcast on Spanish TV and posted on Hyperscale by a gentleman whose name I do not recall, albiet aircraft, some trucks in the background

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b218/nsmekanik/58.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b218/nsmekanik/14.jpg

[MZsolt]

FJCabeza, nsmekanik, thank you guys for the photos!
cheers,
Zsolt

[FJCabeza]

Sorry gentlemen, you didn´t tell me you wanted color pictures...Check this:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/450448/thread/1184800032/Documental+GCE-+para+Tankeros
And this:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/282066/message/1184800764/SCW+in+colour

[nsmekanik]

Sorry gentlemen, you didn´t tell me you wanted color pictures...Check this:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/450448/thread/1184800032/Documental+GCE-+para+Tankeros
And this:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/282066/message/1184800764/SCW+in+colour

WOW:thumb:, thank you. If you go to the next topic of the first link, there are some of the ones that I have.