As I’m working on the paint plan for my BA-6 build, I wanted a model I could test out different techniques and colors on. This little guy has been in my stash since I got it as part of a lot a few years back, and the low parts count and low cost convinced me to at least put the hull together to have something to mess around with various paints and weathering products.
Well I can report that this copy, at least, went together shockingly well, with excellent fit, no warpage, very little flash, and seam lines in clever places. Other than some fiddling with the bits designed to be motorized, the whole thing basically “fell together” as they say, and I had it from box to fully assembled in just a few hours. Even the rubberband tracks welded and fit just perfectly.
Certainly the detail is lacking compared to a more modern kit but as a palate-cleansing fun build, well, what a joy. Almost feels like a shame to not paint it up for African service right away. The sprue of Afrika Corps infantry is a nice touch, and though they definitely are a bit more “melty” than modern figures, I’ll be saving them for future projects/practice.
It’s built totally OOB of course, except for drilling out the MG and exhaust pipes, and adding a hollow muzzle to the 2cm gun.
If one can assume that current runs of this kit are as good as this old one (scalemates suggests mine is from the 80s) I really think this kit would make an excellent “first armor” build, especially since it can be still had for around $15.
It’s such a contrast to the $15 aircraft kits of the same vintage — the ones that call to me like styrene sirens every time I’m at Hobby Lobby. “I would be such a fun, easy build!” They say.
Invariably they have terrible fit, melted detail, etc etc., when what I want is an experience like this.
I’ll have to keep my ears open for some other good old Tamiya kits.
I’m sorry to piggyback on your post, but I just couldn’t put my Pz. II ausf F in Africa. So, I put it as part of Operation Barbarossa, with the 3rd Pz. Division in its original German grey.
Hey, all right! No apology needed. It looks good in dunkelgrau.
Mine’s suffering all kinds of weathering experimentation indignities. Had these extra Soviet decals I stuck on there too, so I guess it’s an imaginary captured Pz. II? My reading suggests that by the time the Soviets were in a position to capture any of these, they were obsolete enough to be undesirable for front-line use.
Captured PzII Ausf. F tanks often fell into the hands of the Red Army, but Soviet specialists were not interested in them. This tank was yesterday’s news for Soviet tank building in 1941. The Soviet analogue of the PzII was the T-70, against which the PzII had no chance.
Looking at the BA-6 article, it looks like you went through a few iterations with your basecoat and 4BO overcoats. Is this the Vallejo 4BO with the VGC Sun Yellow and VXC Lizard Green mix you talked about? And is this still over the brown undercoat or had you moved onto black?
I understand there’s a specific vision for the colour you want though, and as long as you’re getting the finish you desire then that’s all that matters at the end of the day. I think this model and your BA-6 both look fantastic!
From my reading since embarking on the T-34 project, 4BO is supposed to be kindof grey and desaturated as you described, so I’m personally not too worried about it coming out as such on my own project. Interestingly, it would appear that time has distorted our idea of what 4BO should look like, given the delayed onsite of colour film/photography in the Soviet Union and discontinuation of 4BO in 1955. Any vehicles surviving in Soviet service thereafter would have had routine repainting redone in ZIS 508, which is a warmer colour that’s more akin to how we envision Soviet armour from popular media.
Mig Jiminez put out a leaflet describing the evolution of Russian Greens, where Page 2 shows the colours and timelines - Well worth a look!
I regularly reference War Thunder for colour and weathering - Occasionally someone will even drop a state secret or two in the forums!
Yes – this is essentially the same paint job as the BA-6, although this photo is a phone picture, so it’s been auto-saturated and white-balanced by my phone software and looks much yellower/warmer than IRL.
Thanks for this! According to this, certain pre-war construction (and painting, natch) of my BA-6 would put it in the pre-4BO era. Which still works, I think, especially once you consider the variations in paint suppliers to the various “tractor” factories, batch differences, field touch-ups, UV fading in field use… etc. etc. etc. I think you really can’t go wrong with “Soviet Green.”
Unless, of course, you call it 4BO when it’s on a vehicle that hit the field before 4BO was invented!!
And there you go, the creative choice just happens to fit with the history! I’d personally rather be lucky at scale modelling than good at scale modelling but you sir appear to be both!
