Italeri 1/35 38t Hetzer review

[Modelcrazy]

http://www.hasegawausa.com/index.html

It's about time I got on this one from Hobbyco.
This is a new boxing of the 1976 kit which received new parts in 2016 and new decals this year for the World of Tanks theme.
I won't be adding any WOTs markings, rather I'll be painting it in the eastern front scheme of whitewash over camo. I would like to put it into a dio but we'll see how ambitious I am and if I can order some snow that will arrive in time. I would like to try Krycell snow and the snow and ice wash. They look like great products.
The kit looks simple and comes with 3 sprue trees and rubber band tracks.The instructions are laid out well and the decal sheet has a lot of bling you can add to the hull to represent the markings you can get for your WOTs Hetzer. The left over decals could also come in handy for a post-apoplectic "what if" build or some paper tiger kit.








I started on installing the parts in step one but shut down the bench for the night shortly afterward. I will get some progress pictures when I have some more done.
Steve

[Thomas_M]

Backflash!

I remember having build this one waaayyy back. I even think it´s older than 1976!
A simple but nice kit so far, except the tracks. The colour schemes look well done! Like this!

[Modelcrazy]

Thanks Thomas,
The kit could be older, I found the info on Scalemates. It's a pretty simple kit like you said, a good kit for beginners.

Here is where I'm at. The fiddly bits are on but I'm leaving a few things off until I'm finished with the paint such as the wheels, tools, track and skirting. I added some Mr Dissolved Putty for the cast mantle roughness.
The kit is going together well, no supersizes. The handles and fender decks are a little out of scale but they would need to be replaced with PE and sheet metal or thin styrene to bring them into scale. The fender deck will be covered by the skirting anyway so it won't make any difference.



Steve

[Thomas_M]

The classic lines of this Jagdpanzer! Good idea to use Dissolved Putty for the cast surface. Simple, but very effective!

[Modelcrazy]

Thanks Thomas, I'll be starting the camo tonight.

[Modelcrazy]

Hmm, this didn't turn out quite like I wanted. I sprayed the colors in than I should have reverse. I wanted the red and green over the tan not the other way around. Believe it or not this is the first time I used masking to apply a camo like this. I usually spray freehand for a three tone scheme. Oh well no problem, this gives me practice for future builds and it is going to be covered in a whitewash so it is only for a base anyway. I also ordered so products from Precision Ice and Snow from England for a snow scene.

[Modelcrazy]

I sprayed AK Interactive Worn Effects then went over the entire thing with flat white acrylic. Now the fun begins!

[speedgraflex]

Took me a little while to find this great build/review... but now I am subscribed for the duration. I hope you don't mind. Your paint work looks great so far! Very exciting to see armor coming together. Thanks as well for mentioning Precision Ice and Snow. What products did you order? All the best!

[Modelcrazy]

Thanks Bruce, I ordered the Krycell and Ice and Snow wash. They look amazing and can't wait to give them a try.
I removed some of the white wash and then added some weathering and rust. I still have quite a bit to do. It does look kinda natural against the white paper towel.
I installed the tracks (not shown) but I was having a difficult time getting them to fit the drive sprockets. The track guides are too wide to fit inside the drive sprockets so I removed some to fit then I noticed the track teeth holes did not line up with the drive sprocket teeth either, so I removed some of the teeth. Now the track fits onto the drive sprocket and looks better. One can't see the missing teeth or guides. Once it get the snow added no outside observer will ever know.

[mostrich]

Oh wow, that chipping looks the part! Very nice.