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1/35 Italeri M108 105mm SP Howitzer, WIP, 05/30/11 Finished

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  • Member since
    June 2005
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by minimortar on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 7:38 AM

Came out awesome overall Mike...  Its got that good "heavy" look to it but I gotta tell ya that I just love those tracks! I'd be willing to bet that the 1/40 boys are going to be real proud to have this!

Looking forward to seeing it in the pit.

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe

Mortars in Miniature
A Scale Model (Plus!) Collection of the Infantryman's Artillery

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 8:49 PM

Noah - The 1/40 is not one of my old units but as far as brothers especially artillerymen are all my brothers. As my "brother" Gino....Heavy Artillery here at FSM would say..." my brother from another mother".

They reached out to me, for a favor.

As far as the M48 and the camera, I have sent you a note on your private push.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 8:31 PM

That's a horse of a different color, yeah if it's for your old unit or any military unit.

Did you checkout my M48? I need a new camera for sure or maybe it's the program. The camera does not show any small details no matter how good the lighting is. Any suggestions?

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 7:46 PM

Noah  - I am not normally a "commission" builder. I found it very hard to turn down my "brothers" from 1/40 FA. I have recieved copies of personal pictures, articles about the unit and the history and many emails. It is not about $$$ but brotherhood. The price paid will cover my costs. I have earned a treasure of shared memories. It is not about the destination...it is about the journey. I try to give back in many small ways.

Duty, honor, country...and all my brothers

Marc - The frequency is always open for you....whatever I can help (and yes there is an Eduard PE and a barrel made....I will turn the radar on for availability)

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 5:46 PM

redleg12

OK.....first thanks for the comments. Now, you will not see it at AMPS as this is a commission job and will be off to the client before then!!

As far as the M110A2, yep, by all means send me your questions. Hit me up on my email or PM!!

Great to see you come up online...have not seen you in awhile!!

Rounds Complete!!

There's the money aspect (obviously!) but I think I would have an AWFULLY hard time giving up an awesome build like that, commission or no commission.

Re: the forum, can finally get online semi-broadband tethering to my phone - limited bandwidth, though, so I have to stay away from pic-heavy threads if I can. Better than dialup, anyway!

As far as the M110A2 - will most definitely contact you (and if you happen to have a line on the Eduard PE set or the Barrel Depot barrel for the Italeri kit, keep that in mind)!

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 1:22 PM

You mean you have to give that one up? I guess it's like having your child married and leaving your home....LOL. I hope you got a good price for it, with the diorama that's a lot of money tied up in plastic, resin and paint, then add the hours of work.........wow.  I started counting the money I spent on my dio and stopped before I started feeling a little foolish. One I hit a grand I was like OMG!!!!!

But Man have I learned a lot in a short period of time. I am now working on making better faces. I am using a pin, I cannot do eyes with a brush. Although I just saw a set of mini brushes in the micro-mark catalog.

If I am feeling up to it I think I am going to put up some pix tonight so everybody can rip it apart...Big Smile

I don't know how it will come out in pictures but it looks pretty good to me. I did so many things backward because I did not know what I was doing.

Anyway that looks so good I want to eat it, yeah man it kind of looks like a cake. I think if an armored or artillery officer were getting retired hiring someone to make a cake like that would be cool.

I can tell by the way you do your work a certain amount of pride is in there. I felt something as I studied and researched the battle of Hue I found myself being more drawn into it. Not just making a diorama of models anymore but a piece of history. Those little plastic and resin guys were real, I used real pictures and video but embellished a bit. My dio is a tribute now not just some model kits thrown together to look cool.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 12:58 PM

OK.....first thanks for the comments. Now, you will not see it at AMPS as this is a commission job and will be off to the client before then!!

As far as the M110A2, yep, by all means send me your questions. Hit me up on my email or PM!!

Great to see you come up online...have not seen you in awhile!!

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 10:47 AM

Oooooh, nice! Looking forward to seeing this in September at AMPS! Big Smile

Side query - have some questions about the M110A2...might you be the guy to ask?

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 5:58 AM

Chris - Thanks, enjoy the M109, the entire series all are great kits.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by gunner_chris on Monday, May 9, 2011 8:04 PM

Just caught up to your build, and it looks great!

Looking forward to seeing it continue before I brave an M109.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, May 9, 2011 7:42 PM

Bill - Yep....it takes a mother to get on the bench on mother day......(actually the day before Whistling )

Thanks for stopping by

Andy - Thanks for the love.....good old red clay! Surprise   Thanks again

Noah - I am sure you did that because you just enjoy weathering details sooo much you wanted to do them again Whistling....lol. Hey, we all have done worse things....but I am sure you won't do that again.

Thanks for stopping by

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Monday, May 9, 2011 11:41 AM

It looks great!!!!!!!

I just almost finished my tracks on the M48A3, I was going to do the same thing with the silver, that's were they wear and get shinny. Right in there.....A lot of the weathering was lost when I sprayed the cover coat of clear. I was like were did all that cool stuff go???????????? So I'll add some on now. I didn't want to over do it but maybe I should have if I would have known that most of it disappears with a coat of clear dull coat.

I bid on a M108 on ebay but lost it. I bid $95 and it went for $96. I just was not going to go to $100. I'll keep trying for this and a M125.

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Carmel, IN
Posted by deafpanzer on Monday, May 9, 2011 11:34 AM

I like it!  I like it!  I like it! Big Smile  You did an outstanding job weathering and applying pigments to your build.  The soil reminded me of my days living in NC...

 

Andy

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Monday, May 9, 2011 10:03 AM

Nice to see someone else got some time at the bench for Mother's Day. Looking good Mike, now on to the base! Yes

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, May 9, 2011 5:39 AM

Steve - Thanks....like you, it's the little things that make a build Wink

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Sunday, May 8, 2011 11:04 PM

Seriously cool Mike.                 http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/yy205/bloody_bagheera/Smileys/blush2.gif

Of course you gotta know I luv the mud and the traces around the drivers area.

The evidence of any mods on the top of the turret are very well done.

                                      http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b232/gluetank/Animated/th_1-Animated-Disastermaster.gif?t=1296616998

Sherman-Jumbo-1945

"I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now"

 

 
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Sunday, May 8, 2011 8:33 PM

From one mother to all you others….Happy Mothers Day!! In a nice way!!!!!

The tracks were washed with a burnt sienna wash and then dusted with MIG Viet Nam earth pigments. The road wheels received a coat of my stucco mix, mostly around the outside part of the rim where it would normally accumulate. After drying, they were dusted with MIG Viet Nam Earth pigments. The drive wheel tips were dry brushed with Alclad Steel.

After gluing the drive wheel in place, the tracks were then put on and the ideler wheel glued. Finally a light dusting with some more MIG VN Earth to make all the parts flow together.

Some details on the back. You can see the tail lights done with Clear Red and Smoke. The communications wire spool was done with some painters tape to make under bulk. Then it was wrapped with 32 gauge SS wire to cover the painters tape. Then the wire bundle was painted Flat Black

I finished the turret similar to the chassis. The vertical sides was given a dot filter using White, Flesh and Green oil paint dots and stroked to create the stain effect. The top surface was given a coat of MIG Grey for Dark Green filter. Then a solution of MIG VN Earth pigment and Mineral Sprits was used for pin washing. Nest a #2 pencil was used in some high spots to create ware. Lastly some dry dusting of MIG VN Earth was used to create highlights.

I have mounted a few tools, the tripod for the M2 and the M2 itself. The last few little items to complete are some ammo cans and ammo for the M2 and adding some straps on some of the storage, otherwise it is essentially complete.

On to finishing the base for my final and next update

As always thanks for stopping by. Your comments good or bad are always appreciated.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Monday, April 25, 2011 8:03 PM

You have to be organized to be neat......Yeah your work is neat and organized looking.

Yeah like I look at pictures constantly trying to figure out what half of the things are. They just grabbed anything they could and used it. Like in Hue the Marines went into the battle with most of their equipment left back at their base. So they stuffed their pockets with grenades, you won't see them hanging John Wayne style. And used any bag they could like empty Claymore bags and demolition bags.

The fire bases I have looked at were crazy unorganized looking. Again they grabbed whatever they could to make shelters, any type of those wood ammo boxes pilled up and 55 gallon drums filled with sand. I have a diagram somewhere on how a mortar or howitzer pit should be built. They did try to follow the basic idea but just wow, especially after a fire mission, what a mess....LOL. I guess the SPH pit would be different, much different. But if they were there for a while I did see them set up those RPG barriers made of mesh screen.

By the way if anybody is reading this please let me know if y'all have pictures of a M48 Dozer tank.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, April 25, 2011 7:25 PM

Bill – Thanks…looking forward to position occupation shortly Wink

Andy – Thanks for stopping in. As for the Verlinden base, be patient and search. I had been looking on ebay and they were going for quite a sum. I did an internet search and found a “gamer” who was selling it on a game forum for a very reasonable price. Embarrassed

Karl – Thanks….look at the actual pictures on the first page…then go to the Verlinden base….I thought of this base from the moment I started this build!! Always a pleasure to have you peek.

Noah – Thanks for stopping in. Neat….hummm that’s a new one….organized maybe!! Yep there will be more….I am just getting the basic colors in place. I will be spending time with the actual pictures from the firebase to find the right “junk”. And there will be dirt everywhere!

Thanks guys

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Monday, April 25, 2011 1:57 PM

Mike's stuff always looks perfect.

So neat and clean.

Hi Doog, I am working on a similar M48 to yours, I don't think it will look as good but I used a lot of your tricks, thanks.

I'm curious to see if Mike is going to make his diorama neat and clean......

OR

What I see in all the pictures of Vietnam, chaotic, dirty, messy and many of the equipment looks jerry rigged in some way or another. Which works out great for me because I am a little sloppy still with my work.

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, April 25, 2011 1:29 PM

Mike that looks really perfect.

The whole scene should be just a peach!

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Carmel, IN
Posted by deafpanzer on Monday, April 25, 2011 11:00 AM

Looking great! Yes  I haven't thought about using one of those Verlinden diomara bases for my previous builds.  Gonna look into it and see if anything will work. 

Bet you had fun at AMPS, now it is coming back to Aubrun, IN and I will be there! Big Smile

 

Andy

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Monday, April 25, 2011 10:25 AM

Nice to see some progress on this one Mike, the FB looks like it's ready for some action. Beer

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, April 25, 2011 5:34 AM

Kevin – Thanks….yep, the old OOP Verlinden base saved a LOT of sandbag time for this old bag Wink

Kevin – Thanks….indy tracks can be a big time PITA. I usually use TV time to cut and clean the parts. Then I keep them ready until the mood is right….if I am in the right mood I can bang them out….if parts are a struggle, it’s best to wait for another day.

The Marine museum was fantastic and would recommend it to everyone…..now to think it might influence my building…..well they do have artillery Surprise

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Michigan
Posted by tonka on Sunday, April 24, 2011 10:07 PM

Nice job on the base Mike!  Very realistic looking. Wish I had your patience on those individual track pieces...My Marine M26 has been on hold due to the tracks,,can't get into the tracks....

So is your next piece a Marine vehicle after visiting the Marine Museum?? Whistling

Kevin

]

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by minimortar on Sunday, April 24, 2011 8:34 PM

Looks great Mike! Man, finding that old and long OOP Verlinden Fire Base... WOW!... good haul! Lovin' what you've done to it too!

The Home Stretch... bring it on!!! Stick out tongue

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe

Mortars in Miniature
A Scale Model (Plus!) Collection of the Infantryman's Artillery

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Sunday, April 24, 2011 8:18 PM

Well it has been a while between my trip to AMPS and spring chores, this has been the first good weekend on the bench in almost a month.

As a diversion to start, I began working on the base. I was able to pick up an old OOP Verlinden Firebase. After some body work with putty, I applied a prime coat of using a generic grey primer. The dirt areas were given a base coat of Poly Scale US Earth 505366. The sandbags were coated in Poly Scale US Mid Green 505390 and the drums were painted Tamiya flat black, Here is the basic base.

 

After drying, the stack seams between the sandbags was treated with a solution of MIG Viet Nam Earth pigment in mineral sprits. After drying I use a soft makeup brush to clear the excess and dust some areas of the flat areas of the bags.

Next was the drum area where the same pigment solution was used for the area between the drums. Again some of the excess was used to dust the drums. The chimes on the drums along with any side bungs were highlighted using a #2 pencil. This was also done to the two drums off to the side which are half buried. Here is the current status of the base.

In between working on the base, I completed the assembly of the individual track links. Two sets of tracks are prepared with 78 links per side. The tracks were first primed with Tamiya flat black. Then they were painted with Alclad Steel. After drying, they were coated with future for wash protection. Next the pads were painted with a 50/50 mix of Tamiya Flat and NATO black.

After this the tracks were treated with the same MIG solution used above to begin the track weathering.

That’s it for now. Looking at the home stretch here, hopefully the next week or two will finish up

As always thanks for stopping by. Your comments good or bad are always appreciated.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Thursday, March 24, 2011 5:19 AM

Kevin - I am sure they know....the National Guard has been alerted....extra stocks of burbon have been brought in.....large quantities of Italian food have been emplaced Wink

Thanks old friend....really looking forward to the two trips, first to the National Marine Museum and their restoration area, then the next day to a large private armor collection. Plenty of pics for the website!!

Ahhh the smell of starch and diesel.

Rounds Complete!! 

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by minimortar on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 10:16 PM

Do the locals know that you're heading their way Mike? Toast Drinks Beer Coffee Camera

Have a blast and 'good hunting'!

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe

Mortars in Miniature
A Scale Model (Plus!) Collection of the Infantryman's Artillery

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 3:10 PM

Marc - Thanks......brick armor!!!!

No it will not be rady for AMPS.....slowed by RL and you cannot rush art!!  As far as MCon....yep, leaving on Tues to head to AMPS. After spending almost a week at AMPS, it is tough to hit MCon the week before.....sorry, I will miss it too.

Thanks Again

Rounds Complete!! 

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

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