Sixty years Germany divided

Started by Michel Verschuere · 117 · 2 years ago · Berlin Wall, DDR, East Germany, NVA, scratch
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    Michel Verschuere said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Today I continued with the base. The point is that weathering and finishing of the guard tower is not possible without base. Once washes are applied, fingerprints become the worst enemy of modeling, so you get the idea: With a base, there is always something to touch.



    I used ready-made wall finishing plaster and glued balsa to the sides of the model, then sanded it in shape. This is now all setting, and the tower has been fixed in place as well. There is an electric cable running through the side of the model because I added a little light to the tower.


    So what is next? I cleared my bench to start constructing a little vehicle that will go with the diorama. In between, I will apply soil texture and start applying grasses and other flora.

    Happy this one is evolving!

    Take care, chaps!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    And what a great evolving it is, my friend @michel-verschuere!
    Looking forward to see the vehicle!

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    Morne Meyer said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Wow. This looks VERY realistic. This is a masterpiece worthy of a museum exhibit!

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    Michel Verschuere said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    @fiveten the car is a Gaz 69 soviet built 4x4 staff car, widely used with the NVA (Nationale VerteidigungsArmee), the DDR armed forces.


    Beauty of a kit by BRONCO, really finely molded. Small car, heavy parts count including PE.

    Started assembling the chassis this eve!

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    Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Oh yeah, that car is ugly enough to fit in perfectly with that tower. 🙂

    Excellent work with this, Michel.

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    Michel Verschuere said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    @tcinla You are very right: The kinda car only its mother can love! The NVA had Trabants too but could not find a kit for it in 1:35th...

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Ahhhh, my friend @michel-verschuere: the famous GAZ: so ugly it's beautiful!
    Looking forward to it, too!

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    Michel Verschuere said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Hi all
    Thanks @mornem for your kind words! I'm trying to meet my standards first, I leave it to other experts like you to judge the museum-quality!

    I continued a bit today. Here is what I did:

    • General sanding of the plaster superstructure
    • Applied the concrete perforated panels that were printed 3D in an earlier step
    • Crushed cork to get little pebbles ca. 1 mm diameter for the covering on the back side
    • Mixed acrylic paint, PVA glue, earth and water to smear on the spots where there will be grass, this usually closely matches the appearance of real earth, short of dry brushing.


      Here is the result, I hope you like it!

      Will keep you posted of the next steps! The Gaz-69 is still in the workshop, first pictures soon!
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    Marcus Vinicius Teixeira Borges said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Just plain awesome.

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    Morne Meyer said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    You are a true MASTER of the craft! This is going to be awesome!

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    Erik Gjørup said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Nice base!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Master of the craft, indeed, my friend @michel-verschuere!
    Gute nacht!

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    Michel Verschuere said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Thanks and Kalinixta, Spiros! @fiveten

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    Michel Verschuere said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    I worked a bit on the tower now. These watchtowers each had a hatch to the roof, up from the 2nd floor. I will build the opening closed but had to think how to make the searchlight. The solution existed in the form of some 11 mm styrene tube, some H profiles and some round styrene. From that, and from some scratch engine parts from a vehicle kit, I assembled something that looks like - a not too basic - searchlight.

    Here are some more shots of it, hope you like it.

    I will now set to the railing, as you can see on the detail drawing, where also the searchlight is visible.

    Bye for now, Michel.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 8 months ago:

    Guten morgen, mein Freund @michel-verschuere!
    The searchlight looks very nice and detailed.
    Looking forward to your railing!