Sd.Kfz 184 Ferdinand (Dragon 6495) Chapter 3: Revising project aims

 

Previous chapter

For this project I originaly envisaged a fairly new, lightly weathered vehicle. Having been hastily despatched to a new bridgehead, I planned to have it sat on a heavy duty SSys rail car awaiting disembarkment. No camo had yet to be applied yet there had been light damage to both track guards and the tools stowage box. To get this project finished I now aim to build this as a stand alone vehicle with maybe a few figures.

Sd.Kfz 184 Ferdinand (Dragon 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 the finished model in soapy water, then rinsing and letting it dry overnight, it took about three light passes of primer to get a good coverage over the entire model. This was then left for 24hrs to cure.

  

Sd.Kfz 184 Ferdinand (Dragon 1/35 kit #6495) Chapter 1: The kit and the build

 

 

The Ferdinand was a heavy tank destroyer (self-propelled) used by German anti-tank units during World War II. Ninety-one units were built in 1943 under the name Ferdinand (after its designer Ferdinand Porsche) using VK 45.01 (P) tank hulls, which had been produced for the Tiger I tank before the competing Henchel design had been selected.

Following their use at the battle of Kursk, in January to April 1944 the surviving Ferdinands received modifications and upgrades. They were renamed Elefant in May 1944. The official German designation was Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Sd.Kfz.184.