Geting started on a M1A2

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hi I am SSgt Dustin Burgin. Well i am stuck in Korea for a year at Osan AB and wanted to find a way to make the time go by a little faster so i shiped out the little A-10 model that I got about a year ago but never put togerher. It came out ok for my first ever model but not that good at all so i just thought i would take it as a learning experience and move on to the next model. Now i have a Shanghi Dragon M1A2 I would like to start on but could use a point in the right direction. It looks easy to put together but i dont know where to even start with the paint job at all. Here is 2 links of what i would like it to look like. http://www.rongeorge.com/albums/armor/m1a2_1.jpg

http://www.rongeorge.com/albums/armor/m1a2_5.jpg

Now I know that it wont come out looking that good on my first tank and second ever model but I will take any help that i can get.

Thanks alot Dustin Burgin

2

This site has a tweaks list for the kit you have. It may help point you in the right direction.

http://missinglinks2.tripod.com/index.htm

3

I would suggest getting a book that introduces armor modeling if you don’t already have one.

Here’s a few good books:

Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles by Sheperd Paine

Modeling Realistic Tanks and Artillery by Mike Ashey

How to Build Dioramas by Sheperd Paine

Armour Modelling by John Prigent

This first book listed is a great introduction to armor modeling but it is a little dated.

Hope this helps,

Jesse

4

Thanks guys! I found the tweaks list but that a little deeper than i wanted to get into the kit. Supplys here in Korea a limited to what I can get at the BX and downtown because I have a hard time finding a place that ships to APO. Like usmc1371 suggest I would like to get a book but like I said its a little hard to find here so do you know of any place that sells EBooks about tank modeling?

5

I am currently working on a M1A SEP that I have weathered very similar to what you posted, check out my blog for pics

http://redmodeling.blogspot.com/

Basicaly I achieved the look you see with the following steps:

  1. Paint the model in your chosen camo pattern

  2. A thin future was w/ a nice rich brown, I used a vallejo color called brown earth I think…

  3. a quick cote of testors dull coat.

  4. I mixed up some of my pigments to get a nice yellowy-grey color that I then mixed w/ some alcohol and a drop or two of future, then i coated the whole model w/ this wash.

  5. When it was dry I then went over the model w/ a stiff short haired bristle brush and created the “streaking”

  6. the “mudd” was made by mixing some dark pirment, real dirt(as fine as you can get) and a little bit of a dark brown paint, then water and future. I then applied the mud where I thought mud would be.

  7. the muddy areas were then washed w/ a dark brown, then painted via airbrush w/ an even darker brown and finaly a shot of straight future to give the mud a “wet” look.

I know that is not very detailed but it might help you get started.

Ashton

6

Doesn’t Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com ship to APO? I know Amazon.com has How to Build Dioramas in stock. Here’s another good one: How to Build Armor Dioramas by Lynn Kessler. That one is in stock too.

Jesse

EDIT: I just checked Amazon.com and they do ship APO. So there you go…

7

SSG Burgin, check your private messages.

Steve

8

reply sent thanks again!

9

hmm…i think i know this guy [:-^]

10

Ashton, you rock!

Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” as a blog site opener? That rules! Your tips here should be ebshrined as well. They’re going in my files as of …now. I believe that our original poster would need little more.