Jsu 122 - English version text

JSU 122

5th Army Destroyer of Guard

Eastern Prussia Naidebourg

February 1945

DRAGON 1 / 35

For some time I thought of creating a model with winter camouflage and heavy mud.

But I had postponed pending finding the right idea, an image that allowed me to give "big guns"

Skimming through the Russian Heavy Tank volume - of Concord has made the right moment, in fact I noticed the picture is a 122 JSU with a mimetic winter to say the least unusual.

MOUNTING

I already had the Dragon kit 6013, I soon identified what I needed, a good set of detail, the tracks and the metal barrel since that provided in the kit is in two pieces.

For the set I opted for the product cod Royal Model 406, for the mythical Friulmodel Track ATL 14 and the barrel set CMK. The latter component was not easy to find because the after market manufacturers have preferred to focus on the Isu 152.

But with the precious support of friends in some Forums was soon arrived at the solution.

After first examining the visual model is of medium quality, not comparable to the latest productions, but still a good model.

The biggest flaw of this kit is the wrong height of the tank that being lower by about 2 mm from the correct measure because an incorrect proximity between the upper roller of the train compartments and rolling of the wagon. View some photos and the vintage wagon I dry fitted the incident occurred.

I have therefore decided to make the change to the hull with strips from 2x1mm, in addition to modify accordingly the inclined plate in the rear of the wagon itself.

It was also necessary to close the sides of the hull to the top of the wagon as missing in the kit, with the help of plasticard.

Outlined the structure of the wagon, I hand the set of detail Royal Model, the set is truly complete by enabling to make a big leap in quality to the model, provided that you have so much patience in the mount.

For brevity I post the following list of major improvements to the model.

grilles replaced the engine, removing those in solidarity with the plastic model, with parts in photoetched, slightly damaged playing for damages suffered as a result of poaching by the Infantry, partially rebuilding the interior with plasticard

replaced fenders of plastic kit with its Royal Model set

brackets replaced the fuel drums and the fuel drums themselves

replaced the visor of kit with resin of the Royal Model. , oltre a sostituire interamente i portelli in plastica con le ottime parti in fotoincisione.(foto 16 – 17 - 18) In addition to entirely replace the doors of the plastic parts in good photoetched.

handles all of the kit were replaced with brass rod of the appropriate section

played signs of fusion in the front of the tank

the signs of the cuts on hot plates cut, played with a triangular rasp and remade all the welds with White Milliput to make them more obvious and crude

improved the air power of the engine by affecting the inside with a cutter to obtain a correct depth effect

replaced on cannon and coat with set of CMK (cane turned aluminum coat and resin), detailing the latter with the appropriate welding and playing a very coarse texture, as documented by photos taken from the internet, with Milliput and thinner. Also replaced the top of the protective mantle of the gun with one hand in photoetched

reconstructed protection of electric cables (forward and sideways to upper hull) with brass rod and wire internal reproduced stretched sprue with a hot

included electrical wiring for the horn and the lantern, I rebuilt it for the bracket but I failed the lantern that gives a more operational in the middle

reconstructed the media and the brackets on the closure of tracks in stock, the bolts have been recovered from the kit

inserted metal profile (sheet) placed on the circular inspection hatches to the engine

replaced metal box located on the right side of the upper hull with one option of the set Royal Model

reconstructed part of the brackets that hold the front plate placed just above the tracks of light with photoetched waste

replaced the brackets for the rear towing cable, copper rod with

Finish of detail, I prepared the tracks of the kit Friulmodel, most had mesh holes occluded and was required to clean it by manual cutter and small drill tip.

COLORING



 

Finish the assembly of the model are moved to color, certainly the most artistic phase of the project.

I started airbrush the model with a base made of acrylic Tamiya, XF 13 and XF 60 in proportion of 70% and 30%

For Tamiya colors always use the appropriate diluent of the house to avoid the undesirable effect of dust that determines using denatured alcohol.

I then profiled the most obscure and the various panels only XF 13, and to lighten the central part of the surfaces I used XF 13 and again XF 60 in the rate of 50%.

After drying, I made a lining made with black oil Maimeri very diluted subsequently with Tamiya black acrylic airbrush I have the motor and related areas of air grids, in order to give depth to.

After leaving the model to dry for a few days, I continued with the filter obtained with Humbrol enamels .

At this stage I was followed again with a black lining, oiled drybrush alternating with bright colors to highlight the various details of the model .

The bottom of the hull in order to prepare it to receive the mud, I airbrush with earthy colors very diluted (+ XF 57 XF 52) .

The white camuflage, reproducing the mimetic winter, after several attempts, I decided to play with white china of Pelikan, this product has left me pleasantly surprised by the ease of use and for the excellent performance that has pleased me much more enamel or acrilic .

A dilemma has been the identification of the number of photos in this era which identified the medium, I had suggestions and quite different interpretations, in the end I considered to interpret the number 175, but of this I have the utmost certainty.

The metallic effect of the wheels I got with a base metal colored acrylic Vallejo completed and placed on the graphite surface with a brush tip from the female is in packs of 5 or 10 pieces at low cost (photos 42-43)

To obtain a further effect of the dirty half I deposited small amounts of color oil color ocher yellow, green bladder, titanium white and raw umber on the surface of the medium previously moistened with white spirit, after a few minutes I pulled the color with a flat brush moistened in white spirit, in down (vertical) and from the center outwards (flat surfaces) (photos 44 - 45 -46).

I also played some scratches, some stronger, others more surface varying the color reproduces them, adding in some scratches effect metal (with 2B pencil) and effect rust (color oil Earth tones and black very diluted) .

Some sagging fat and fuel were simulated with color black oil diluted with linseed oil.

Complete the look of color I started with the aging "heavy" means putting the mud. I played this with putty and pigment taken at a shop of fine arts. With the mixture clearer simulated mud dry (placed as a base), the darker the wet mud (overlapped with that clear and in smaller quantities.)

Always with the various pigments have dirtied the zone of the bonnet playing land and mud deposited by infantry troops, and the upper zone of casamatta.

I set aside some 'of the mixture of pigments used on the tank, and then use them on the base which houses the middle.

For the realization of the frame of the board, I entrusted to a framer, so strongly suggest, at least to give the board the same attention that you place your model.

I prepared a mixture of fine sand, Vinavil, sand and brown pigment on the basis, then I waited for the partial drying of the same to make the shape of the tracks of the wagon, in order to avoid the draft.

I played with other fingerprints and a wheel with an old track, to complete drying, I applied a little 'pigments preserved above the fin and slightly vary the tone color of the land, then to mix everything I have done with a washing white spirit.

Later I realized the snow to put on a non-uniform base, as seen in historical photo. (historical photo)

To realize I have used bicarbonate , Vinavil and a small amount of water.

The compound obtained I deposited with a small wood and then with a brush trying to get the layout I had in mind, in some areas where the compound was more liquid, I sprinkled pure bicarbonate. (photo snow)

With the help of the Future on a thin veils with the airbrush, I wanted to make the effect of the wet ground and the train rolling.

The figures are present on tank are Tristar which I replaced the heads with reference Alpine. (Photos 52-53)

I have painted over with acrylic-based , after with enamels and oils for the nuances and the flesh. (54 photos)

To complete the construction of this model has been challenging for the first time I faced materials and new techniques for me, the small structural changes and related problems, the use of pigments and the implementation of the mud, playing in snow, etc. .

Special thanks for Robeto Reale of Royal Model inc. e Alberto Cazzavillan for traslate of the text.

Documentation

Photofiles on internet

Russian Heavy Tank - Concord

Michelangelo Sicilia 2009

In AFV MODELLER issue 52 the complete article