I am still moving forward in this corner if slowly.

'There was a boy who hated painting road wheels...

He was stuck with them up the gills...

He painted them all day...

He painted them all night...

Till he committed sepukku with an X-Acto knife...'

Armor_Aficionado

Hey Schatten, when you gonna update the front page of this GB?  I’ve already finished my first subject and have a second one in work...

 

I haven't even seen Clemens/Schattensparten in over a month. Hope things he's just busy and nothing bad is going on.

Hey Schatten, when you gonna update the front page of this GB?  I’ve already finished my first subject and have a second one in work...

Hi I’m just stopping by, so please don’t mind me!  But I have two Strv-103B questions:

1.  Trumpy’s color callout for the hull is RLM-02, which I think is wrong. What were the early S Tanks painted in?  Some variation of OD?  I have access to a few period color photos in books, but they all have heavy color shift, and poor quality and lighting.

2.  The B version had different tracks than the C.  I read an article in Model Graphix where the builder used aftermarket Leopard II tracks for his C build.  The Trumpy B kit has crummy belt tracks, and although they sell plastic workable indy tracks, they depict the same type in the kit.  The design of the tread pattern seems kind of wimpy to me.  I seem to recall reading somewhere that the B used two different tracks, and the other style resembled modified Centurion tracks.  Is there any credence to this?  Inquiring minds want to know.

BTW, I too was intrigued by the “fence” on the snout of the C versions.  I had initially thought it was some absurd camouflage to blend in with picket fences around houses or pastures!  Bar-type slat armor was not commpnplace when I first saw photos of S Tanks fitted with the anti-HEAT/RPG fence.

Ben: That looks good! If you want to go with the camo pattern you might look around the internet. I found a set of three view drawings of the camo on my Abrams which I blew up using the work photocopier to 1/35th. I'm not sure if I'm going to try to cut them out and tape them to the model or use Silly Putty to replicate the patterns before airbrushing. It seems the easiest way to me. And if you don't like it you can always just spray solid green over it. 

Svenne: Cool! Gino's way probably looks best but I still hate painting over clear parts. I just paint the backs of them chrome. The candy bar wrappers you have would probably work just as well glued to the backs of the clear parts. 

You guys are doing good work. It's going to be a while, maybe Christmas before I can really get going.

I went with my cousin to Europe this spring for several weeks and I'm putting a DVD together of the trip as well as regular work so not a lot of free time.  I loved it all but Rome and London were my favories.

Right,

So I have actually started a bit...

Some ugly sinkmarks here...

The kit shares some parts with Zvezda's T-90, the lower hull is identical, which also means it has the same issue with the stance of the hull, it is riding to high.
I have tried to correct this by genly bending the swing arms upwards, they are now paralell to the hull. Sorry about the picture quality.

And this is where I am right now:

I have an issue with the optics, adressed in the Armor forum already.
The clear parts are very prominent and I can't decide on the best approach here.
Right now I will use the technique suggested by HeavyArty (Gino) for the smaller periscopes but the large windows I have not decided yet.
As you can see below they are actuallt clear(ish) but that also means you can see what is behind! And there is nothing provided in the kit.

Anyway - all good fun ;)

Svenne

Congratulations on your finnished builds John, Steve.

They have turned out excellent!

I have some serioues catching up work to do :) and can only hope to achive your standard.

Svenne

Hi Ben,

Nice start!

I suggest that you pick your reference picture and go from there.

I honestly do not remember from the top of my head but I think you will find that there are 2 things to look out for:

Wading Equipment on/off

Fence on/off (tricky to scratch)

You often see the S in splinter scheme with both of the above and oposite you often see the solid green without them.

Something to do with training vehicles and /or fileded equipment if I remeber correctly.
Will check with some friend from back then.

Svenne

Nice work Ben. From pics it looks like a hard edged camo so you could go either way, but i would always airbrush.

Sorry guys but life has been keeping me busy; here are a few updated photos. 

This one shows the basic sub-assembly of the road wheels and sprokets. I noticed some rather large mold ejection pin marks on the back side of the parts but they will not be visible on the assembled model.

The next photo is actually top side down. Here is step three in the instructions and show the hydraulic actuators that are used when adjusting the main-gun elevation. 

This shows the lower half of the kit completed (road wheels, drive sprocket, return rollers, track, etc.) I have already applied some of the light "wear" weathering with dry brushing and pastels. I have not decided how dirty or rusty the end result will be just yet.

I noticed one big difference with the track from the earlier models to the "C" variant is the "C" now has track pads (black squares) and the earlier versions did not. 

My next pictures will be of the assembled upper hull. I have not made a decision on how the hull will be painted; soild green, or the Swedish splinter camoflage. If I do the splinter scheme I am not sure if it will be hand or airbrush painted (?). What do you all think I should do?

Ben

Thank you Gamera,

Sort of share your concern :|

I have actually started on the kit, just waiting for a go-ahead for the thread ;)

I will get some posts up as soon as I am back at the home office.

Hope  that is OK with the rest of the "Roster" as well.

Svenne

Guys I'm going to try to catch up here:

Nuckss: Looks good, looking forward to more- the Type 10 is a good looking tank. 

Ben & KC: Looking forward to more progress from you guys! 

Svenne: I haven't seen Clemens/Schattenspartan for about a month now- hope things are well with him. Personally I'd love to see you enter the Terminator- it's a really cool looking fighting vehicle. 

Hi again,
just to be on the safe side and for your consideration:

Not:

But:

Svenne

AA & Steve: Those both look fantastic guys!!!

My apologies- I've been on vacation/holiday. I've got a bunch of stuff to finish up by the end of the year and hopefully I'll be able to get back to the Abrams. 

I am not keen on Trumps painting guides. The flat black suggestion is ok but certainly not OD. Yours came out well.

Cheers guys,

Jack, I used silly putty to mask.

Bish, I used MM enamel med green and Tamiya NATO Black. The Olive Drab and flat black Trumpeter recomended just didn't seem right.

Nice job Steve, the colours look good to me, what did you use.

Put the dodgy code down to the guy haveing a few to many beers the night before. I doubt the troop commander would even notice

Hi Steve, good job on the gentleman's scale Challenger.

How did you do the camou, any masking or just freehand (brush or airbrush)?

regards,

Jack

Done and done, thank you SchattenSpartan for hosting. I'll continue to watch as the others finish.

Oh poo, I just noticed the 31 is backwards on the right turret LOL, SS please use the first pic and I'll fix the marking. Luckly Trumpeter supplied several duplacate decals.

LOL, the only reason I know, is they're named the same on ships; hull, turret......gun. 

I painted the Challanger, I hope the colours look right, and need to finish the tracks, painting the little thingies on the hull and turret and stick everything together. It should be complete tomorrow.

Nice start Steve. I think you have the names of most of the main parts sorted.

I started the Challanger, and it's ready for the paint booth.

Not knowing anyhing about armor, I don't have a clue what most of the stuff I installed is. I know what the tacks, road wheels, drive spockets, the turret and main gun do but the rest???? 

Hi,

Happy to join with the "Star" No3636 Терминатор if that is OK? 

Svenne

AA Good job on the 109.

AA great looking 109.

I'm hoping to start my Challanger II on Friday night or Saturday.

A_A your M109 turned out great - glad you and Jack sorted out the posting so we can all enjoy your build.

Mike

Hi Again,

Here is an image of the Trumpeter 1/72 JGSDF Type 90 MBT box and an image of what I have completed so far.

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/583990276657703668/

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/583990276657703782/

AA, good to see your pics, i often had issues with Pinterest. Thats a really nice looking build, well done.