I use this stuff every now and then and I’ve not had a primer that goes on as smooth as this does. On the other hand…the clean up out of the AB and paint cups is a real bear for me. Progress looks great so far Tom.
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For me, as long as I get after it right away, 91% isopropyl alcohol does a fine job of cleanup.
That said, it seems really susceptible to dry-tip and nozzle clogging for me. I added a little Vallejo thinner and flow improver which helped, a little.
Like you, I really like how smooth it goes on, how fast it dries to the touch, and how sandable it is – no peeling/tearing like the Vallejo poly primers.
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I used to have that issue with Vallejo as well. Then I started to use a paint dryer. After that, the Vallejo primers sanded with no issue for me.
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Right on…this stuff goes on awesome with NO drawbacks for me. I’ll keep that in mind about the 91% Isopropyl alcohol for the clean up.
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Stynylrez primers are now on my “when the weather gets warmer” order list.
Cheers,
Mark
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There are some out there who will argue against them but they have my vote. Goes on like silk.
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And just like that… it looks like a panzer! Ha. A few small areas to touch up, and then on to color.
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You sure made quick work out of that Tom! 
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Sorry for not taking lots of progress photos for this update. And wow, these macro shots really highlight errors and grainy paint finishes 
Making a quick edit here, as I forgot to include the reference info I used for the paint colors.
Soviet WWII armor and vehicle colors are infamously hard to pin down – but that’s also because they were not as standardized as, say, the Germans or Americans were. As a modeler, depending on one’s tendencies, this can be a blessing or a curse. For me it tends to be the latter. I have a hard time with uncertainty. 
However, I have been able to find some photos of, at least, restored vehicles in Russian museums.
Here’s one image of the engine that I used as my primary guide:
Here’s the same engine in a restored Soviet GAZ truck:
I also found a wonderful PDF booklet called "Russian Armored Cars 1930-2000", by James Kinnear and published by Darlington. To my delight it contains this photo of an abandoned BA-6 in Finland, 1940 which, I believe, shows the interior side of the door painted in a lighter color than the exterior green – presumably light grey/off white, like other Soviet vehicles.
Notice it also shows the optional “rough terrain” tracks jumbled up on the fenders. Going to have to do something about that.
So:
I sprayed a base coat of off-white for the crew compartment and Soviet 4BO green (the straight Vallejo color) on the engine. Then I started picking out engine details with various colors and those wonderful Vallejo “metal color” metallics. I gave the green a quick dry brush, and then shot a gloss coat for a blackish grime wash, then a flat coat and a touch of Vallejo rust effect. Then a little more oily black and a hint of gloss over the oily spots to make them shine.
You can see on the back side of the engine that I did add a fuel line going from the sediment bowl to the carburetor – just a bit of copper wire – but it won’t be hardly visible once this is closed up so I resisted the urge to try to paint the sediment bowl like a half-full glass jar – let alone add a throttle cable, spark plug straps, etc.
The crew compartment is going to be less visible than the engine, so I left it a little more spartan – just painted the seats a Soviet leather red color and picked out the steering column, shifter, and brake lever in the 4BO green. A little bit of a shade/grime wash and some dry brushing finished it off. Once it’s all buttoned up, if it looks bare, I’ll hit it with some extra weathering.
You can also see in the photos that I’ve started removing the paint and primer from the contact surfaces in preparation for the glue-up. A pointy q-tip with some lacquer thinner does a fine job of that.
My first time painting an engine – it was pretty fun! My Warhammer 40K miniature painting definitely paid off, what with knowing how different paints/colors/metallics will behave, and having the confidence to brush brush paint things that a couple years ago I would have struggled to mask and spray.
Hoping for some free time tomorrow to get the upper shell cemented on. Once that’s done, I can spray the base green color and move on to weathering.
Thanks for checking in!
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Looking good! The engine turned out nicely!
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Thanks sir! Now it’s time to hide it away forever. 
After sleeping on it, I think that pebbly/grainy texture on the engine is from the flat coat. I think that in the wintertime with this super low humidity (it is -16°F air temp outside right now) it has a strong tendency to start to harden between the airbrush nozzle and the model.
Whoops, almost forgot the Degtyaryov!
I don’t know why I bother to take these ultra close up macro shots. It just makes things looks worse 
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We’re our own worst critic. 
Given the scale of the item I think it looks great and given the normal viewing distance it should look fantastic.
Don’t fret about the macro shots. I think they are cool even if they reveal the man behind the curtain. 
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Brace yourself for some more, then. 
Final glue-up is done, and only took a couple clamps. Masked the inside faces of the access doors, with the help of a brand new #11 blade, and then stuffed some sponge in to keep overspray out of the interior.
As for the process from here on out, I’m following Adam Savage’s philosophy of “you don’t have to be able to see the final result right now. Just do the next step.”
After some experimenting with colors on my “paint mule” Panzer II, I’ve decided to basecoat in a dark brown color instead using the grey primer, or using black. It seems to give the Soviet 4BO green a slightly warmer tone. The paint mule Panzer:
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Ahoy Tom. I’ve seen several modelers using “sponge” to fill openings for painting. What exactly is the sponge used. I’d like to give it a try.
LOL, Tim Kidwell just shared an old FSM article that involved guess what? That’s right, a BA-6!
BTW, still like the Macro photos!
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I’m going to say it…
Say hello to my little friend…
(sorry, I’ll go away now)… LOL…
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That’s amazing! In all my research I never came across that article or even mention of that particular kit!
Heyo @Strongeagle — if I remember right, this is just chunks of “pick and pluck” foam from my pelican camera case. It’s very soft so it conforms to openings nicely without risking damage to delicate parts.
It also happens to be perfect, when torn into bits, for painting chipping on 48th or larger scale vehicles.
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Thank you for the info. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for a source.
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