What's the best way to assemble & paint the bogies/suspension on the tamiya 1/35 universal carrier?

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hi folks,

I just finished cleaning up all the mold seams on these bogies and I’m trying to figure out the best way to assemble and paint them. I already know that there are going to be gaps to fill once the pieces are glued together. So:

  1. Do I just glue everything up, puttty, then paint?
  2. Paint the wheels/tires; glue them into the suspension pieces then putty and paint the suspension?
  3. Something different from 1 & 2 above?

I know this might be a beginner question, but it’s been a long time since I built a model!

2

It will help considerably if you could tell us what your’e building?[2cnts]

3

It depends a lot on the kit and if you plan to weather it.

4

Easiest if the wheels are allowed to turn to paint the rubber portion after the base coat goes on.

To make that task easier I like to deepen the separation between the rubber & steel by turning in a dill and scribing this seam deeper with a aircraft panel scriber.

Looks like you have Sherman instructions, should work well as the wheels turn in most Sherman kits. The top return rollers can be touched up with a lead pencil after as the steel will wear to bare metal after a short run out of the factory.

5

I haven’t built Tamiya’s universal carrier, but I usually build the suspension and do any filling etc. after it’s been completed. I’m a build it complete then paint it guy. I found a book on Amazon called “Step by Step Finishing German Armor” by Glenn Bartolotti; that has a different technique for painting a completed model. I’ve tried it on a couple of builds and have found it to be interesting. If you pick up this book be prepared to ignore a bunch of typo’s, he could’ve used an editor, but the pictures and text are certainly clear enough to apply the technique.

6

I guess I wasn’t clear enough in the subject line…sorry!

I’m building Tamiya’s 1/35 British Universal Carrier Mk II (Kit # 3589).

Thanks

7

I built this kit some time ago. I assemble the wheels and bogie’s then paint and then fix them to the model.

I’m no good at painting my models when complete altho’ some modellers do…cheers…Kenny

8

Clean up the parts. Paint them, then assemble.

9

I’m building Tamiya’s Early Sherman right now. I ended up painting everything with Tamiya NATO black first, then MM Olive Drab, then MM Faded Olive Drab. For the wheels, I sprayed through a circle template as a mask. Then assembled everything. I didn’t worry so much about seams on this one, but next time around I’ll probably paint then assemble the bogies off the tank, then do any seam work, then repaint just that area (masking the wheels off), then put them on the tank.

Still, I’m happy with my lazy method for a first armor build in nearly 20 years…