bombed out

This might help a little, maybe not. Shoot a real piece of thin metal with a rifle and replace the part where you want the impact with the piece of thin metal.

QUOTE: Originally posted by gringe88 secondly, because steel in most knocked out vehicles doesnt melt, its just blown apart into pieces. only with weapons like a bazooka hit does the steel melt, and then only immediately around the impact site

Not really the case. Most modern armor, especially APCs and the like arre made out of aluminum alloys and when hit, melt quite well. Here is an example of a T-55:


How about a Bradley:


Abrams:



Also, most hits cause a secondary explosion of the onboard ammo and fuel, which causes the vehicle to burn and melt down.

Older vehicles had more steel in them and melted less, but still did melt. If any metal gets hot enough, it will melt down. The Sherman was known as the Ronson Lighter because it lit up so easily.

M4 Sherman:


I do agree though. Like I said, depends on how accurate the kit is and how much work you want to put into making it look properly destroyed, not just a pool of melted plastic.

id go with either. it would depend on how much id want to scratch build. im an accuracy lover, so...anyways, i dont tend to melt stuff, firstly because im so clumsy using heat and candles to work plastic, id probably destroy the kit, and secondly, because steel in most knocked out vehicles doesnt melt, its just blown apart into pieces. only with weapons like a bazooka hit does the steel melt, and then only immediately around the impact site

sorry. direct answer- depends on what im gonna show in the vehicle.

I agree with you there. If you are going to build it as a destroyed vehicle, go with the cheaper one. One caviat though, make sure the cheaper one has all the parts you want to show in the destroyed vehicle, i.e. interior, engine, etc. That is the key that many people miss when showing a destroyed vehicle. Usually, interior and/or engine compartments are blown open and exposed, but some people leave out the details of those areas. A destroyed vehicle can be (and usually is) harder to make look accurate, than a fully mission capable vehicle in good condition.