Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) The final chapter: Mission accomplished.

 

 

And so, at last, after more than thirteen years of neglect may I present the finished article. I hope you like it.

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 15: Final stage weathering & tilt cover frame

 

 

Oil paints were used again to accentuate areas at the rear of the vehicle over existing acrylic dust layers. This was done by adding both oil paints and pigments and speckling it onto the surface. Once dry, areas around the handles and steps had the dust layers smudged and dirty deposits were also added onto high wear surfaces. 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 14: Second stage weathering (dust layer)

 

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The next stage of weathering effects is one I have used on a couple of projects to date, and the results can look convincing. Looking at progress so far, I decided to add a subtle toned-down application to just the lower front, rear, and sides, and see where it would take me.

Hairspray and acrylic dust weathering effects SBS

If you like a dusty operational look to your AFV models and are quite handy with the hairspray technique this process can create realistic looking disrupted dust effects. What we are aiming for is to selectively remove, mark and disrupt an airbrushed dust toned layer of paint. We are effectively reverse ‘hairspray chipping’ the surface to leave deposits rather than creating small chips. This works best using acrylic paints over a layer of hairspray or chipping fluid. 

It is worth noting that any heavy built-up textured dirt layers are best applied before this dust layer so as to keep the overall dust and mud tones consistent and realistic.

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 13: Oil paint rendering

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These oil paint stages are not for everyone but as soon as I saw Mike Rinaldi’s work in his Tank Art books this was something that very much appealed to me. The richness, depth and versatility that working with oils brings is unparalleled in my opinion, and has now become an important step in many of my projects. In my pursuit of in-scale realism I will happily spend days going back and forth adding tiny effects to try and compliment the overall look, often spending hours on one particular feature. I love the results that can be achieved and find the whole process enormously therapeutic.

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 12: First stage weathering begins

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With the vehicle fully built up it was time to put a personal stamp on the project. For this first stage of weathering here are the steps I followed:

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 11: Connecting the body to the chassis

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After being kept apart for so long it was finally time to permanently fix both sub-assemblies together!  They are mated by way of small, keyed connections. Fixing them together early on in the build is instructed if you do not intend to keep the two main assemblies separate. You simply turn the body upside down and align all the keyed connections and fix the chassis down onto the body. I left my test fit a little late, but as already noted in Chapter 3 the connection is not at all precise. It requires a little work to achieve a clean flush fit between the two assemblies which I thankfully accomplished before the main painting steps began.

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 10: Weathering stage prep work

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Before commencing the first weathering stages of the build, there were a few areas of the model that I wasn’t 100% happy with. Firstly, the paint colour on the re-worked sprockets still wasn’t a great match to the rest of the running gear. I realise now this was likely due to mixing the dark yellow with buff and not with deck tan. They exhibited a creamier tone as opposed to having a greyish hue. Adding dust pigments hadn't helped either! Rather than masking and re-spraying paint I found a solution. Abteilung buff oil paint was carefully stippled on and blended out from the centre. Left for 48hrs to cure I then sealed them with VMS matt varnish. This was essential as I would need to use both enamels and pigments again to maintain the tonal consistency in weathering them.

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 9: Decals and front wheel options

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Regarding decals, what’s provided in the kit is not surprisingly extremely limited. In addition to the instrument dials only a pair of licence plates along with a 'prototype' plate are included. Interestingly they don't copy the ones that are found on the restored vehicle!  Both licence plates were added and sealed with varnish.

 

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 8: Painting the exterior

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It’s difficult to ascertain from the rescue images under all that rust a clear paint finish, but it’s almost certain it would have originally received a dark yellow base coat. As to whether it had any traces of camo, I have not read of any evidence that it had. The Polish resto team never added any, which leads me to believe that it didn’t, but with just the one surviving vehicle it's always possible that others did.

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 7: Construction completion of the exterior

 

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Viewing the recovered vehicle a fair chunk of upper body armour plate has been replaced, and weld lines criss-cross the repaired sections. Some prominent welds, such as on the rear plate to the lower body may well be original so it is curious to note the absence of any significant weld lines at all on the kit. And whilst not all the welds may be original, I have decided to add my own in the most visible areas like where the rear plate attaches to both side and lower plates. I have also re-scribed the panel lines as I felt they were too shallow.

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 6: Completing the interior

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Before the upper and lower body sub-assemblies were fixed permanently together the interior required a few parts to be painted and added. The largest items being the kit supplied wooden benches. Along with the steering wheel these were kept separate for painting. I had long since removed the kit fire extinguisher from the driver’s side wall as it was pointed out to me that it was of an early design. In its place now sits a 3D printed late style empty bracket. Two other features that look peculiarly placed are the MG ammo box and leather pouch. As these were already fixed per the instructions and well bonded, they were left to avoid damage. They have yet to be detail painted.

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 5: Painting the re-worked sprockets and solid wheels

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The sprockets and solid tyred wheel sets have now received paint. They still require a very light application of dust to match the tones used on the track wheels. Some work is still required with oils to replicate the leaking wheel bearing hubs as seen on the restored vehicle. 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 4: Re-working the alternative kit sprockets

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Larger kit sprockets ready for primer with large kit PE step ring and 0.7mm bolt heads added to replicate those visible to retain the track pads. Observe how the re-worked track rollers are now repositioned against the track pad to accommodate track fitment and now represent a left- and right-handed sprocket.

 

 

 

Dragon 1/35 Sd.Kfz 184 Ferdinand (kit #6495) Chapter 2: Paint

Continuing on from the build in Chapter 1 way back in 2020, it has since been primed with Tamiya’s rattle can red oxide fine surfacer. It's a perfect foundation for German armour, especially if you fancy employing the hairspray technique. 

 

After carefully washing and drying the model overnight it took about three light passes to get a good coverage over the entire model. This was then left for a couple of days to cure.

 

 

Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD) S3000 Truck (ICM kit 35451)

 

This is the first ICM kit of the KHD truck. Released in 2015 this is the S3000 rear wheel drive version. ICM KHD S3000  Subsequent releases include a civilian, a maultier, and 4WD versions

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 3: Kit vs the restored vehicle

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Now I have had time to examine my twelve-year old build in detail there are some issues with the kit vs the restored vehicle. There are two main areas I need to address, one of which is making good an original build mishap, and the other, a very prominent inaccuracy issue with the bodywork. Then there will be some additional detail to add here and there.

 

For sale

March 2025

Dragon Panther A Normandy 1944 kit #6168  Sd.Kfz.171 Panther A Late Type

Fully boxed unopened kit

For sale to UK mainland buyers only £50 including postage

 

Sd.Kfz.8 DB10 Gepanzerte 12T (Trumpeter 1/35 kit #01584) Chapter 2: Resurrection time

Continuing on from Chapter 1 let's begin with a brief recap of this extremely rare vehicle.

The restored vehicle was recovered from the Pilica River in Poland. It is believed that only a handfull (period images show just three) of these were ever manufactured, making this surviving example pretty unique indeed! This armoured variant of the Sd.Kfz 8 was all but forgotten until it was recovered and then restored to running condition. Having a full lightly armoured hull around the chassis and drive train, it is believed that this was a prototype of an armoured artillery tractor.

Since commencing my build the below three period images are the only ones to be currently found online. The first one appears to show a vehicle fitted with pneumatic tyred front wheels and a four door rear panel.

Both the lower front panels shape and design and the large upper panel overhang are very different on this example compared to what is offered in the Trumpeter kit.

 

Unlike the kit this vehicle has just two rear doors.

Flakpanzer IV Ausf G "Wirbelwind" Dragon #6342

Here we have Dragon's 2011 kit #6342. This features an Ausf G early hull without zimmerit.