Great work Mike with both the palstic and the photo etched parts. Perhaps you would consider sending in a build feature of this blog in order that it can always be found and be of help to the members here.

Mike, you have truly outdone yourself here. Great build, Great paint and weather, Great display of a great tank. Can't wait to see it up close at the next meeting. It is beautiful.You did it in a relatively short period of time too, which is even more impressive.

GREAT JOB, SCOTT

WOW Mike. That is really something to look at. Kinda neat seeing the end product 1st then going back to see how it was all done. Great PE work.

Now put it in a box and send it to me

Hi
Thanks to share a great work of the production process, it gives me a lot of inspiration.

Cheers
Blackwater

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the kind words and complements! You're gonna make me blush, tho, if you keep it up...

@ Big John: Hopefully I'll resurect the Stuggy over the next week. I've got to blow the dust off if and hope that I haven't lost any of the bits and bobs (don't think so...). Stay tuned.

@ Jerry: Hey ol' buddy, we missed you at the IPMS Lafayette Scale Modelers show in Fayetteville, NC yesterday! Your name came up in conversation a bunch as I was catching up with some of the old gang there. BTW: I took a couple of "happy snaps" of a "Jerry Ruttman D-13" conversion installed on a very nicely done FW-190. Looked pretty good for a stinky ol' wingy-thingy!

I'll send you the pics when I get 'em down loaded and all.

@ Albert: No worries about the display idea! I don't have any copy right on it!

In fact, if you get a chance to look through a copy of the "Osprey Modelling No. 30: Modelling the Panther Tank" by Steve van Beveren, check out the Panther on page 69 by David Parker - a VERY dramatic presentation and one that gave me more than just a little inspiration!

Share some pics of your build with us when you get a chance. I'll look forward to seeing it!

@ Darren Baker: I'll put something together. PM to follow.

@ Scott Amey: Yea, quite a "rush job" for me! Only 2-1/2 months from start to finish - some kind of record for sure!

See ya at the meeting on Wednesday!

@ Marc: One of the things I like most about this site is how the forums are structured to make it easy to post additions to and keep up with the build-blogs.

And speaking of that, I'm enjoying that B1 bis build you have going and am looking forward to the next installement!

@ W.J.: Glad you found some of the posts informative. I'm just trying to give back a little to community to repay some of the debt that I owe to all the other guys who've shared techniques and methods before me.

I've been inspired by and learned from so many other model builders over the years that I could never even begin to thank them all in person, so the next best thing is to pass on what they've all freely shared and given to me!

In the end, I hope I never stop learning new and better ways to do this stuff -

Take care and happy modeling!

Appoligies to anyone who experienced problems downloading the photos over the last couple of hours.

Hopefully the Photobucket issues have been resolved now!

@SdAufKla – Mike,

Fantastic job! You could almost hear the sound of the engine straining to overcome the uneven landscape on its way to the next target!

A lot of effort on your part went into this project, I know how time consuming it can be to process a build and post it here and successfully communicate to your audience how you go about transforming a plastic kit into what appears to be the actual 1 to 1 scale prototype. Most Excellent!

Thanks for sharing your build, techniques, information and time here with all of us, hope this won’t be the last time. I really enjoyed reading through this post, very inspirational. I noticed your man-cave (hush your mouth ), I mean studio ,in another posting here, too cool!!!

~ Eddy

Why I havent been aware of this thread, silly me!?

Mike, I do remember our conversation in August 2011 and I really enjoy to see what came out.
You did a great job buddy!

May I´m allowed to share a few of these pictures on my website and on facebook maybe? Of course full credit included!

When ever I can do something for you, just shoot.
You have my email address.


Please let me know.

Splendid!

Best
LX

Hi Alex!

Of course I remember our correspondance back in August. I also recall and appreciate the quick service and shipping you provided with my order!

I'm sorry that I didn't send you a message to let you know about this build blog. I can't imagine why I didn't do that, but I'm glad that you found it in the end. Thanks for the kind words about the final results.

Certainly, you have my permission to use some of the pics here. If you need some larger format files for close-ups, etc., just let me know. The pics are already stored on the computer, so it's an "easy do."

Frohliche Weinachten!

To all of my Armorama friends, both real-world and “virtual:”

It with a heavy heart and much sadness that I must say to you all that as of today I can no longer, in good conscious, remain a member and active participant here on Armorama or any other KitMaker Net site.

For many years, I have enjoyed my time here on Armorama. I have spent countless hours sharing my own builds and works with you, my friends. Over many hundreds of hours, I have tried to repay the debt I owe to modeling by sharing my techniques and methods while also answering questions. My intent has always been to try to help others to achieve their own modeling goals and to realize their own modeling potential. Through it all, I have tried to remain civil and respectful – To disagree without being disagreeable and to always be tactful. I think that in the main, I was able to do these things.

I have especially enjoyed viewing and commenting on the works that you, my friends, have taken the time to share. It is this interaction and social contact with you that I will miss the most.

Unfortunately, two recent incidents here by one of the official staff members have made Armorama a place where I cannot remain. Many of you may be aware of these two threads started by staff member Kevin Brandt, aka: SgtRam:

Armorama::Armor/AFV::Ode to Rivet Counters

Track_Link::General and Site News::Just Curious

Although I was willing to overlook the first of these threads as a momentary lapse of judgement and civility, when Brandt pursued the targets of his vicious personal attack to another forum, I could no longer rationalize nor passively accept and condone his behaviors and actions.

As an official member of the staff here on Armorama, Brandt holds a position of responsibility and represents both the site and its publisher. His behaviors are no longer the acts of a lone, anonymous internet voice; they become an extension of Armorama and its publisher. It does not matter that he (or anyone else) performs his functions here as a volunteer. As a staff member, he, his actions and his behaviors are inseparable from Armorama.

I sent PMs and emails to some of the staff and the publisher to protest Brandt’s behaviors and to ask that the publisher, Jim Starkweather, aka: staff_jim, take responsibility for Brandt’s actions. Unfortunately, my protests fell on deaf ears.

You may read Starkweather’s open reply here:

Armorama::Site Talk::staff_jim post

We are all judged, to some extent, by the company we keep, and at the time of my protest, it was my intention to simply cease any participation on any threads or topics that Brandt started or posted to. That intention, however, has shown itself to be impractical. I cannot separate the staff member from the site.

The real issue here is one of personal and corporate responsibility and civility. As long as the publisher refuses to take responsibility for his staff members, or as long as Brandt refuses to accept and show remorse for his own actions, Armorama is a site that condones and supports such behaviors.

To remain here, to continue to participate and contribute to this site’s content, is to effectively lend my own support and endorsement to what Brandt did and said. My personal ethic will not allow me to do so.

I suppose the possibility remains that the publisher, Jim Starkweather, and or staff member, Kevin Brandt, will do the right thing. It is possible that one day they might take responsibility for Brandt’s behavior and demonstrate some remorse by publically apologizing to Kurt Laughlin and Christophe Jacquemont for Brandt’s aggressive and viscous personal attacks on them. Accepting responsibility and apologizing would do much to restore this site’s reputation and establish some reasonable boundaries for civil behavior by all.

However, unless and until that day happens, I am afraid that I must bid you, my friends, farewell and…

Happy modeling!

Mike Roof, aka: SdAufKla

Dear Mike,

I am very sorry to hear that you feel that you can no longer be a member here. I did not read your link to the 'argument' thread because I did not want to waste half an hour of my life, but I have spent hours reading your great posts and build logs over the years.

I wish you the very best of luck and many years of good modelling on another forum.

PS, I am going through a similar should I leave internalised debate, not because of arguments but because it does not seem like the same forum that I joined years 5 ago.

Best of luck

PS, I did just read it and I don't think that many people came out of that one with much dignity. If I do come pack and finish my Tiger Build here I don't want to be associated with stuff like this.

I hope both of you would reconsider. It would be a sincere shame to not see your stuff any more.
J