Hello there!

Years ago I built Trumpeter’s 1/35 E-100 Jagdpanzer and to be honest, I was never really happy with it.

Last December, I was at a loose end in the studio and wanted a quick turnaround project to keep me occupied over the Christmas holidays. I happened upon this older build and wondered if I could renovate it?

Paper Panzer

The term “paper panzer” is basically what it says. These were advanced German tank designs that were for the most part never built or put into production.

So a lot of manufacturers and modellers have fun taking these designs off the historical drawing board and bringing them to life in the form of models.

This is exactly what the E-100 Jagdpanzer was, a very ambitious design that thankfully never got off the drawing board.

The Renovation

Having already built and finished Trumpeter’s E-100 Jagdpanzer I was happy with it at the time and the paint and weathering combination applied to the model was reasonably well done. It was displayed on dirty street base with a German tank commander figure and I thought it was pretty good at the time.

As years past I often wondered to myself what if I built the kit again? What would I change? How had my technique improved?Could I do it better?

So there I was in my studio on a bleak winter afternoon, planning my projects for the coming year. I wanted to work on something that wouldn’t take too much time to complete and at the same time, give me a challenge. It was a no -brainier, take the old E-100 and renovate it into something I can be proud of.

Here is the starting point, the original build as it was completed in 2018:

Looking at the model years later, my self criticism pointed out a lot of areas that could use improvement. It was during this process that I reimagined the build and decided on what I was going to do.

The Plan

I decided that if such a tank had been built near the end of 1944, the allies would have discovered it abandoned in an old bombed out factory somewhere and whoever stumbled across it would be in for a shock when they saw it.

That was the scene in my minds eye! I would add new paint, and multiple layers of weathering to depict a disused E-100 gathering dust in an abandoned factory discovered by a couple of American GI’s

Work begins!

First, I designed and fabricated a new display plinth for the E-100 to sit on and I raided the spares box to recreate factory rubble strewn about the place.

Next I removed the E-100 from its former display base and I also ditched the tank commander. I then added several layers of rust effects to the exposed bare steel areas of the tanks sides where it’s track armour would have been attached. I did this with a combination of MIG Ammo enamel rust streaks and rust pigments. I also applied the pigment to the lower hull, road wheels and tracks.

I also used oils and enamel washes to add stains, chipping and dust effects over the tanks hull. This have the model a more muted appearance. I also repainted the tanks gun barrel in black primer to add visual interest.

When I finally finished reworking the tank, I still thought it needed something extra, that is when I hit upon the idea of a huge tarp being draped over the tank, half exposing the hull and tracks. To do this I took some old latex gloves I use for painting and I cut them into rectangular shapes. I then applied them to the model with PVA glue and manipulated them into position.

It was a simple matter of painting them once the PVA had dried and I chose a very dull beige shade that would lend itself to weathering. The completed model was then re sealed with a coat of VMS Satin Varnish.

The last task was to find some appropriate US figures to add to the display. I found two American GI’s from Alpine Miniatures that were perfect! Below you can see them in the paint phase.

The completed project

This the first time I have renovated or reworked one of my models, it was a cathartic experience and I was very pleased with how it turned out. Also, it’s a fantastic way to recycle an old build and practice new techniques or approaches to your modelling.

Here then is my reworked 1/35 E-100 Jagdpanzer……

ABANDONED.

I hope have enjoyed what I did with my E-100, maybe you might feel encouraged to revisit an old build and breathe new life into it?

Thanks for visiting, until next time take care and Happy Modelling!

Darren.