All right, I finally finish it. I was supposed to build this OOB but I had a good kick in the %?$%7 from another fellow modeler and I decided to add details and to improve others. Off course, this is really basic stuff but I had a lot of fun doing it. You can see electric wires for the fuel lines, electric wires to the headlights, retaining plates with bolt heads for the spare tracks (the bolts were from the Academy M-36 Jackson kit) Grab handles ont he fuel tanks are made with small braid of electric wire and aluminum foil. And other small details here and there. I had plenty of reference pictures to do this.
I also tried to mud up an armor for the first time. I used cheap acrylic paint (paste) mixed with some talc powder to give thickness and some dirt and sand. I cut some paint brush hair to simulate some grass mixed in the mud.
You created another masterpiece for sure ! The construction is super crisp/tight. The fine detailing and extras you added looks great. The weathering effects are very dramatic…and downright stunning. Thanks for sharing your work with us. Your method of improvisation always produces striking and original looking results. There’s definitely no mud in your eye…it’s all on the tank.
Thanks Larry, I like it a lot. This is a wonderfull kit to build, I recommand it to everyone. It is very well detailed OOB and can still be enhanced greatly with some scratchbuilding.
After seeing the pictures though, I think I’m gonna drybrush some raised details again.
Oh man, this thing is fantastic. Hehe, maybe I’m just biased as its my favourite vehicle, but damn this thing really looks sweet. Gives me a few more ideas for my next one (last one i did turned out not as well as I wanted it). Great detail work.
Zoran, that kit is fantastic indeed. It builds like a charm, have plenty full of details, several version can be built and still room for superdetail. Can’t wait to see yours.
Concerning the paint, I simply followed Tamiya instructions and used Tamiya acrylic “olive green” with just a little bit of “deck tan” to lighten it. The rest was pretty much improvised, some “hull red” here for the rust followed by lighter “red brown” and some “buff” everwhere to dust it up but not very much since that tank is supposed to have run into wet mud and endures very wet temperature (that’S the story in my head).
Oh, and I did lighten some spots using “RLM grey” which is more like a greyish green. It gives that faded look to the “olive green”.
Udaman Yann! That’s a good looking piece of russian plate. I’ve got one stuck back to do if I ever get off this german tank trip. (Did I say ever?) You do really nice work. Of course, the Tiger I of your menagerie is my favorite beast. Keep on tracking. I look forward to the next one. Steve
For future use with the bristle hairs, I’d recommend cutting them to shorter lengths/tufts and sticking them in a more “clumped” fashion in various places to add to the realism and simulate torn up grass/mud, either that or get a packet of “static grass” similar to what Woodland Scenics produces and do the same thing. The cheap acrylics and talcum looks like an effective way to produce mud, will have to give that one a try sometime in the future. [:)]
Aside from the paint bristle grass really doesn’t really seem to work, I think your T-55 is outstanding[tup][tup]. You mud is quite believeable and seems to have a nice scale texture. The finish and it’s weathering are superb. All the little details really add to it. Heck, if you wanted to sell it on e-Bay and call it Professional Built, there p[robably wouldn’t be too much grumbling from the forum here![:D]
great job yann!!— the little super detail parts really bring the build 360 degrees-- and you had fun doing it— what a bonus!!2 thumbs up!!-- and the pics are clear and crisp also–super— treadwell:)
I hope you don’t mind if I add your photos to my personal “how to” collection. The one part I was not too sure about was “Of course, this is really basic stuff.” Wow, I don’t think I want to know what comes after “the basic stuff.”
Beautiful work, and most excellent close-up photography.
Great work Yann. The added details and attention to the finer points really add to the build IMHO. You are a great model builder, looking forward to your next build.
Thanks alot Steve, the German tank factory will be operational very soon, I bought the AFV Club Sturmtiger and I can’t wait to build it. Hopefully it’ll turn out as good as the Tiger I late.
