I am new to modeling AFV’s but have experience in car and airplane modeling. I have noticed reading forum boards that there are two schools of thought on assembly and painting armor. One way to model armor is to assemble everything and then paint your major color scheme then go back and pick out details, like tools, guns and track, the other way is to assemble most of the model leaving out the small details and adding it in later already painted. I am about to start the Tamiya Walker Bulldog and my questions is that would it be better to assemble most of the model, paint, leave the detail and tracks off, then add them later already painted? any advise is greatly appreciated!!! [:)]
I’m one of those that will assemble the majority of the kit and then go back and pick out the details. There are occasions, like in the instance of a self propelled gun, that I will stage builda kit for painting. In the case of the Bulldog, I would assemble everything I could, except maybe the tracks, and then paint the base coat. Pick out the details, paint the tracks seperately and then add them to the kit just before final weathering.
Hope this helps a bit.
I’m currently working on a DML Panther II. I have the hull completely assembled and painted. The turret is seperate from the hull, but it is completely assembled and painted. The tracks are off . They are completely assembled and painted. The pioneer tools ( shovel, hatchet, towing hooks, starter crank, etc) are not yet mounted on the hull sides. They have been painted and are still loose. I’ll glue them on soon. Everything is painted. I’m currently weathering it all, right now just finished two ‘washes’ the other day. Am waiting for some after-market dry transfers to arrrive. Am planning not to use kit decals. So that’s where I’m at right now. This is my second tank kit and my first German AVF. Been fun!
The way I’m doing it…is just one way. There are many ways to assemble a great model. You just have to decide on how you want to go.
Glenn
p.s.- I started armor last March with a Tamiya 37mm PAK kit. Prior to that I spent the last 9 years building cars. The last car kit I built I converted the AMT '58 Plymouth Belvedere into a police cruiser.