Well, its been a while since I’ve posted over here. Mostly had my head [and workbench] in the clouds. So I decided to finally do the model i’ve been dreading for a while. The Dragon [DML] 1/35 M46 Patton, with the famous Tiger Face. I’m not a fan of Pattons, and the only reason I ever bought the kit, was because I love Tigers. And I am quite pleased with the results [yes, I know there are some things I missed like roadwheels.]
It was about the most complex paint scheme I have ever done, for a tank. And I loved the look on the box art, but I hated the look of the finished model on the ide of the box. So I tried to copy the boxart, including the white stripes.
TOTALLLY COOL! Is it all hand-painted freehand by brush? Man, that’s something to be proud of! Kudo’s to you for fearlessly jumping in and conquering your “dreaded build”! You totally nailed it!!!
Thanks guys. This tank just took over the spot in the display case that USED to have an M48 Patton that was sitting on a trailer. Now this one is on the trailer.
MANNY & DOOG- It is a combination of decal and brush. The stripes are all freehand, hoever the claws, mouth, and eyes are decal. Though I am thinking of going back and enhancing the look a bit more to match the box.
WBILL- Panther is correct, it is an M46 Patton. It was originally the M26E2, but entered service as the M46 Patton 1.
Here are some pics of the actual tank the kit is based on. It resides at the Historical Museum of Armored Vehicles and Equipment [England I think]
Pershings and Pattons are similar, except for the drive sprocket height, the rear deck and exhaust are not the same plus the M46 had an idler wheel just in front of the drive sprocket to prevent the track from wraping around the sprocket when reverse was engaged.
Pretty interesting development to read up on. I learned a lot when I built my 1/16th M26A1 Pershing.
the place I worked actually had a brand new M46 setting inside the plant for over forty years. It’d never been rained or even wet! Yet it was in running condition thru out all those years. They also had the very first jet engine completely designed and built in the United States as well as a working cut away version of it. When they did a major office remodeling project back in the early 90’s they no longer had space for it, and sent a letter to the Army asking them if they wanted it. The Army said “no.” So they then decided to offer it to someone else, and then TACOM found out about it. They had a flat bed trailer there the very next morning! The folks from the Army couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw it without even a paint chip on it, and then they were even more stunned when we just fired it up and drove it on the trailer. Think it’s down at Ft Knox.
If I remember right the M46 had a different drive train than the M26. The M46 used the CD850 transmission like the M48 & M60 use.
Nice job.If you guys ever want to do something different,try that scheme on for size.I built me one of these a few years ago as well.Had a lot of fun doing it.
