This looks to be a cool project!  What kit?

I will be watching this for sure.

Terry

It sounds like it will be a nice project.  Your idea of using lead foil is a good one.  Thin sheet styrene will also work.  Either way, the key to making it look realistic is to be sure the point where the kit parts and the added damaged part meet is seamless.  Blending, filling, sanding, etc. will be in order.

In the bottom photo, it looks as if the wheel rim is laying to the right of the tank. Some of the tangle may be the control cables as well, which would be interesting to model. I agree with making it seamless, that's a major goal. There would also most likely be some shrapnel damage to the right side of the trail. Maybe some work with a hobby knife, or Dremel bit, denting and tearing the plastic would be good. I would also guess that if the wheel was torn off, the steering link would also be bent up and maybe even the brace plates (perforated plates top and bottom)?

Looks like  fun project!   Too bad they detailed the insides of the sponsons, but not the rest of the tank interior. 

Ron

MrT

This looks to be a cool project!  What kit?

I will be watching this for sure.

Terry

 

This is the Takom Mk I Male in 1/35, #2031.

I used a cab correction resin piece and metal gun barrels from MR Modellbau from Germany.  (MR-35517 & MR-35516).  

I have some decals from New Penguin Decals in Russia, but they'll have to be modified for Creme de Menthe.  

HeavyArty

It sounds like it will be a nice project.  Your idea of using lead foil is a good one.  Thin sheet styrene will also work.  Either way, the key to making it look realistic is to be sure the point where the kit parts and the added damaged part meet is seamless.  Blending, filling, sanding, etc. will be in order.

 

I'm sure you're right, there will be much blending and filling and filing and sanding.  As a strategy, should I build up some damaged pieces first, and then attack the kit parts?  Maybe that should be my route.  I have some thin styrene, so I can experiment with that a bit.  

Poniatowski

In the bottom photo, it looks as if the wheel rim is laying to the right of the tank. Some of the tangle may be the control cables as well, which would be interesting to model. I agree with making it seamless, that's a major goal. There would also most likely be some shrapnel damage to the right side of the trail. Maybe some work with a hobby knife, or Dremel bit, denting and tearing the plastic would be good. I would also guess that if the wheel was torn off, the steering link would also be bent up and maybe even the brace plates (perforated plates top and bottom)?

Looks like  fun project!   Too bad they detailed the insides of the sponsons, but not the rest of the tank interior. 

 

Ron

 

Yes, I think you're right about the control linkage and brace plates.  It looks like those stringy ribbons are about the same width and length as the wheel spokes.  However, I don't see anything that resembles a wheel hub or the outer rim.  I wonder if the wheel hub is still there, but the rest of the wheel are the ribbons.  

I understand that Meng's Mk V has a nice interior.  Driver training and transport was often accomplished with the sponsons off.  That would be a good way to show off an interior.  On this model, I left some of the guns' interior details off.  They were installed, but then knocked off.  I had some challenges.  I decided they weren't worth fighting and left them off.  

This is a very cool project, looking forward to following this one!

Thank you sir, 

The recent FSM special feature, "100 Years of Tanks," sparked my interest in this subject.  The Solomon camoflauge of the Mk. I tanks really peaked my interest.  I was originally going to model a vehicle called D20 HMLS Daphne.   There are some pictures and video available from it.  The vehicle even had a crew member which was feline.  However, I started reading about Creme de Menthe.  It had an increadible first day.  

It's hard to tell from the picture.  I'm beginning to wonder if the body of the tail assembly was heavily damaged or just the wheel.

-Chris 

There has been work on the Mk I, but things have been slow.  I guess it's fitting.  These things had a max speed of about 4 mph.  I decided to use some "artistic license."  I'm not claiming to be an artist, but I need an excuse.  I centered the damage around a destroyed wheel.  The rim and spokes of the wheel were considered as the origins of the mangled strips of metal to drag along the fields of the Somme.  Lead foil was cut to strips at about the length and width of the wheel spokes.  I also fashioned some lead foil into an arc of about a third of a rim.  The kit wheel was used as a model.  Hydraulic piping is solder wire, and a couple of references were found on landships.info.  The horse-shoe fits a reference pic and I found the PE pieces on ebay.  They look good, and they are from Hauler out of the Czech Republic.  The chain is from the kit for Gaza strip versions.  Here's how she's looking.

Thank you for looking,

Chris

ridleusmc

 

 

Poniatowski

In the bottom photo, it looks as if the wheel rim is laying to the right of the tank. Some of the tangle may be the control cables as well, which would be interesting to model. I agree with making it seamless, that's a major goal. There would also most likely be some shrapnel damage to the right side of the trail. Maybe some work with a hobby knife, or Dremel bit, denting and tearing the plastic would be good. I would also guess that if the wheel was torn off, the steering link would also be bent up and maybe even the brace plates (perforated plates top and bottom)?

Looks like  fun project!   Too bad they detailed the insides of the sponsons, but not the rest of the tank interior. 

 

Ron

 

 

 

 

Yes, I think you're right about the control linkage and brace plates.  It looks like those stringy ribbons are about the same width and length as the wheel spokes.  However, I don't see anything that resembles a wheel hub or the outer rim.  I wonder if the wheel hub is still there, but the rest of the wheel are the ribbons.  

I understand that Meng's Mk V has a nice interior.  Driver training and transport was often accomplished with the sponsons off.  That would be a good way to show off an interior.  On this model, I left some of the guns' interior details off.  They were installed, but then knocked off.  I had some challenges.  I decided they weren't worth fighting and left them off.  

 

I was seeing something that looked like the rim, rather than a hub, but looking at it again, I'm not so sure. Looks like you're making some great progress. 

Cheers,

Ron

Thank you,

I decided to show a broken wheel with the rim holding the damaged metal together.  It gives me a place to start, and it simplifies the construction.  I have yet to find a picture of the right side of the vehicle from that day, so I have a bit of license.  It's hard to find 100 year old reference pictures.  Oh well, I'm glad you like it.  So far, I'm pleased with how things are turning out.  

I have some time off from work, so I've been busy.  Right now, I'm waiting for primer to dry on the tank, and glue to dry on the "No-man's-land" base.  The black Vallejo Surface primer tends to clog my airbrush.  It says airbrush ready, but can it be thinned?  

This is how the display mocks up.  

Thank you for looking,

I'm still having a ball with this project and my time off.  My vacation days expire with the new year.  Use them, or lose them.  

I started painting.  I like Vallejo primer, but it clogs my airbrush.  It applies great, but I have to keep clearing the tip of my airbrush.  I like Ammo by Mig Jimenez acrylic colors, but it clogs my airbrush.  It applies great, but I have to keep clearing the tip of my airbrush.  

Goodnight all, and thank you for looking.

-Chris

Yea, I gotta keep in touch with this, really good start on the damaged wheel.

Thank you Templar, 

I did some painting last night.  It was hard for me to determine colors from the reference pictures.  The pics are 100 years old and all black and white.  I can't tell what's grey, tan, brown, green or mud.  I based my paint scheme from the kit instructions with adjustments.  I'll be hand painting black borders soon.  I used sticky-tack masking, and some parts came off with the sticky-tack.  None of the damage was serious, and most of the parts are accounted for.  The one part that is missing has a replacement left in the kit box.  All is good.  This is how she's looking.  I'm happy so far.

-Thank you for looking,

Try either the vallejo flow improver or CreateX. I am using the CreateX which i got at Pat Catans. Really helps eliminate the issues  with clogged tip.

Maybe I can get CreateX from Michaels, on Monday.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all. 

-Chris

This looks fantastic!  I can't wait till you finish this one!

Toshi

Thank you Toshi,

Progress is slow, but I'm having fun.  The camo has been touched up, and the black borders have been applied.  I'm going to paint a few details, then I'll get to weathering.  Here's how she's looking now.  

Thank you for looking,

Oh wow, love how the camo is coming Chris!

I'm loving how this is coming out. Maybe a WWI tank is going to make it into my stash.

Thanks Gamera, Thanks Alan,

She's getting there.  I'm waiting for a little Celluclay to dry on my base, and I'm waiting for some Vallejo Mud Effects to come in the mail.  I plan on applying a little light mud on and around the tracks.  My references show some mud on the vehicle, but it's not covered.  

I'm happy with my weathering so far.  I gave it a wash with Vallejo Oiled Earth Acrylic Wash, then I cleaned up the wash with a little ammonia glass cleaner and cotton swabs.  I put some Vallejo black wash around the exhausts.  I airbrushed some Tamiya X-19 Smoke at the business ends of the 6-pounds guns, around the exhausts, and around the damaged wheel hub.  Testors Dullcoat Lacquer is my old standby for the final dull.       

Thank you for looking,

Chris

It looks great. Nice paint work. Very interesting these WWI tanks.  For years there was nothing available in this area and now several nice kits are out.

The camo looks even better with the weathering. 

Thank you Wilbur, thank you Gamera, 

This was a fun project, and I'm happy with the way it turned out.  Originally, it was just going to be mounted to a simple base, but I wanted to mimic one of my reference pictures.  The base turned out well, but I decided that there was too much open area.  I went ahead and got some Tamiya Infantry to accompany the Mark I.  C5 - Creme de Menthe attacked Courcellette while supporting Canadian infantry.  (21st Battalion - 2nd Canadian Division.)  References indicated that Canadian troops used British uniforms and equipment, so I used British Infantry figures.  Here's how she looks.  Constructive critism is always appreciated, it helps me get better.  

Thanks for looking,

Chris

Now that's some nice work! 

I love seeing something displayed in it's natural environment as it were, can't do much better than muddy 'no man's land'. And love figures added, they provide a great sense of scale as to how big these monsters were. 

Now that is really nice. The camo is very well done as is the weathering. And the whole scene is just spot on. I dolike the ground work and the two figs are just enough.

Brilliant.

Chris,

Wow! The entire dio looks spectacular! The infantrymen are a great touch! Very nicely done!

You've outdone yourself with this one. A-1 work.

Thank you all very much,

It was a fun project.  

The kit did have some issues, but it is generally a very nice kit.  It went together well.  The cab is undersized.  It's appropriate to a Mk IV.  MRModellbau in Germany makes a nice resin correction.  Other than that, accuracy is good.  It seems to match my two reference books.  

It was fun to paint and weather, which was what originally drew me to the subject.  I started thinking about this project after reading "First in the Field, British Mark I"  in the September 2016 issue of FSM.  However, my approach was slightly different.  

The base was fun.  I've never built a base like that before.  It's shaped styrofoam with Vallejo Earth Texture and Brown Thick Mud.  It was fun heat cutting and shaping the foam, and it was fun building the textures with the Vallejo products.  

The figures are Tamiya, and they were great.  I liked the poses, so I didn't change those.  The figures were very nicely engineered.  They went together very quickly with no doubt how arms or legs should be positioned.  I changed the location of the gas-mask-bags to match reference pictures, but they are their own part.  It was simply locating a part contrary to the directions.  

Yes, this was a fun project.  Next project is a B-24D Liberator.  I think I'll enjoy that too.  

Thank you for looking,

Chris