HI

OK, so let me tell you this PE is not fun... at least the first time. This PE really requires ALL of your patience and time, you need a lot of glue to make things stay where you want.

It also took me a lot of time, cutting the original plastic parts to be replace by the PE.

One side came out so-so, but as in anything else, second side came perfectly smoothly after you understand how it works.

I will now continue working with the details on the upper hull.

However the level of details it gives you is amazing.

Also, it gives weight to the model, and you can bend and twist the parts so they become more really with damaged made on the field.

Happy modeling!

For your first time with PE, it looks like you have taken on a challenge. Its looking really good so far. Once you get used to using it, its not so bad. I can't do a kit now without adding some metal work. Just one piece of advice if I may, don't feel you have to use all of the PE. PE tends to be flat, and some times the flat PE parts are not appropriate.

Thanks for the great advice!. Yes, in this case, it seems a small box goes under the hull, its confusing, where it should go and how to paste it, and  not even sure its worthy.

Soviet tanks are not really my thing. But I found the Eduard instructions on there site. I can't make out the part you mean. What's the part number.

Looks like an impressive project! Bish's advice is dead-on with regards to PE and you're doing fine with it so far.

Its on second page, bottom left. part number 8 & 9.

Bish

 PE tends to be flat, and some times the flat PE parts are not appropriate.

Agree completely.  That is why I can't stand seeing those 1/350 PE sailors on ship builds.  They are supposed to bring a model to life, but all I do is sit there thinking it is a ship crowded with ginger bread men.  flat, flat, flat.  I would rather see NO sailors than flat gingerbread sailors populating a ship.

Hahahah, yes, I know what you mean.

garzonh

Its on second page, bottom left. part number 8 & 9.

Ye, I see it. I was looking at the main set rather than the fenders and tool box's. It looks like it goes under the front track guards right up against the side. No idea what it is for, I would have said some sort of electrical box, but there's no lights or anything on the track guards. Looking at those tracks, I really doubt you are going to see it. So if your not sure and prefer to leave it off, I don't think it will be an issue.

NH, I have thought the same about those figures. And aircraft brake lines in PE are just not right, I use a piece of fine wire now.

Thanks, yes, I will leave them out, I do not see any use.

Hey!

Finally finished all the PE.

Im not sure I will ever get so much PE on one model.

Its one of the toughest things; you need to have the patience of Dalai Lama, the hand skills of a neurosurgeon, the eye of Hawkeye.

This things get pasted everywhere but where you want to, and you only have 2 seconds to reposition a piece before it settles FOREVER.

It took me one full month to finish the assembly, although I must say almost a week and half I did nothing due to hell weeks at work. Being working for |3 to 14 hours daily...anyway...this is not the forum. 

Im already thinking in the colors, I wil do some chipping experimentation with a product from 502 Abteilung that works as liquid mask, so will see how it goes.

I already gave some harsh damage to one of the front benders, now, this is where PE comes to be a friend.  Anyway, hopefully I will be able to paint it this weekend with blackp primer and a coat of green.

See you around.

Happy modeling.!!  

Hi,

So, here it is with the black primer.

Next step once is completed dry, and I have some time, will be to add the liquid mask and then paint with green, so I can later chip it.

We,ll se how it goes.

Saludos!!

That is a lot of PE!  You indeed have a lot of patience!

A quick tip....if the part has enough surface area and is able to stay fairly well in place during the drying time, you can use Future floor polish as PE "glue".  Much longer set time, so if you need to spend time fiddling with it you get that, plus if the part winds up just not looking right in it's position, then a little water will dissolve the Future and free the piece.

Looks mean under that black primer!

New Hampshire

That is a lot of PE!  You indeed have a lot of patience!

A quick tip....if the part has enough surface area and is able to stay fairly well in place during the drying time, you can use Future floor polish as PE "glue".  Much longer set time, so if you need to spend time fiddling with it you get that, plus if the part winds up just not looking right in it's position, then a little water will dissolve the Future and free the piece.

Thanks!m thats's a great tip, I would not thik it could dry as a glue. 

wbill76

Looks mean under that black primer!

Thanks a lot!!, now comes the tricky part, doing the chipping and green colors pre and post shades.

OK, so now with the painting.

I have tried to find some reference on what color was this tank painted, and also the uniform of the tank commander. The instructions basically say to use gloss black and flat black, but it would not look good.

What colors should I use for commander uniform?, grey, black, green?

See ya.

Wow,this looks great.athat sure is. Lot of tin-knocking,it's gonna look real nice.

Garzonh: I'd think the interior should be painted white for visibility. The inside of the hatches though would be painted the same as the outside of the vehicle.

The exterior should be a dark green, during the Second World War the Soviets weren't too picky, almost any dark green should do. With a post-war tank like this they may have had more standardization though.

As to the figures during WW2 again the uniform was supposed to be black with a black leather helmet. Due to shortages uniforms in infantry tan and even blue showed up sometimes as well as helmets in brown leather. I think post-war though you'd only see black uniforms and helmets. So painting the uniform black with semi-gloss leather items like the helmet and boots should be right.  

And nice work! I love the crumpled up fender. 

OK, great information and will do. Probably will only leave the helmet in brown leather just to brake the color monotony.

I ran out of black flat, and it's hard to find, so will have to scout the city or even have to travel 90 miles to get one. Inconveniences of a not so popular hobby in Mexico.

I might get it over the internet but postage costs the same as the paint, so I will order 5 to have my stock.

Phewww...finally got my black paint.

Now, lets get dirty!

Made good progress today, lets see.

1. I first started to damage a little more the fenders and sides, a ricochet damage on the turret.
2.  Then added a second layer of black to the paint that came off due to added damage.
3. Now, comes the fun part...I bought this Masking Liquid to create a chipping. So I used a piece of foam from an electronics package I had.  Layered a bit of it all over it, and specially concentrating on where I think the most damage "chip" will ocurr. The fenders, sides, where the crew will walk over, hatches, engine grill, wheels, front and muzzle. (was this spelled correctly?)

This thing dries very fast, I mean a couple of minutes so you have to work fast.

As you can see in the sponge it dries like a "silicone" so I now know how it will come off, like peeling off some white glue from the skin. Cool stuff.

4. OK, so now I added some green, I did not put too much under it, so the black I layered before will be more dominant and will start to give my first lighting variations.

5. I added more green over it and randomly put the airbrush closer to it, layering more color in some areas than others, hopefully will give some pre-shading.

So, whats next?

I will put the decals on, so the lighter tones of green will look like if they are fading. Some post-shading.

Also, will have to put some dirt to my tracks, I will experiment by using just regular dirt passed through a mesh, mixed with equals parts of white glue and water and add it to tracks.

Then, I will start to do the peeling off the mask, and see the dark chipping.

Add the drybrush, tone variations, rusting and hopefully finisht it.

See ya around.

Have a beer...cheers..

Hi guys & girls??,

Good question are there any girls in this hobby?

Anyway, todat I put another clearer coat of green, I did not added it to the lower hull to keep it darker. Added some post-shading on some panels and looks great!

I made a trick where theres a missing fuel tank, leave it darker, making an assumption that paint around it has faded but the fuel tank is lost just barely, so it left it's "shadow"

So, now in business and keep momentum..I started peeling off the mask.

I think it looks a little bit overdone. so, I will put another clearer, mist of green with white to tie verything together. Then the decals, some pin wash, black wash, drybrush and filters...

So, here it is for now...

Now, experimenting with photo filters, it starts to look like an old WWII vintage photo...cool!!  

Let me know, what you think...this is just my second model and Im experimenting with techniques...

So I ask forgiveness from all Master modelers at this forum... 

Saludos!!

Nice looking. Get it close to the color and don't worry.

Always fun to experiment, you never learn what does or doesn't work otherwise! :) Green looks good from here, have fun with it!

Thanks for al your advice and support.

Today, I was about to put on the decals and thought "why not paint them?, it was hard to cut off the decals to create the layout. I put in on the tank and airbrush the numbers. I did no protect the sides of it so I spray off a litlle bit on the sides, I think painted them makes it look more realistic even with the the no so perfect lines, it gives a more realistic look then perfectly cut numbers and perfec white. Besides you dont have to worry on silvering, softening and fixing them.

I added another layer of even lighte green, so this makes 4 different tones of greens!.

The photos do not make any justice as the color variations, it provides.

I also did the pinwash, blackwash, added some drybrushing to metalize the tank, added some rain water effects, motor oil and light rust, I will add some earth wash on the rollers.

Also, added the first layer of dust in the tracks. So I think I will jus finish the tracks and the wheels and will call it off.

I like the not muddy but scratched look it had.

Hopefully for the final phots I will be able to have better lighting and camera and take betters shots. Again these pictures do not make the justice.

Upss...Im also still struglling with the figure...as you know this is my nemesis.

Not much of an expert here since I don't weather my tanks that much other than slapping mud and dirt on them but she looks good to me! I like how you concentrated the worn paint and damage to where the vehicle would get banged up, the fenders and front glacis plate etc.

garzohn,

You're doing some nice and valuable experimenting here in this thread, I like the way you banged up the brass fenders, and how you used that masking stuff--I never quite got the hang of that stuff, and I have some of it here. I"m going to give it another try after seeing your work with it,

One important question---is your front lower hull really not-joined correctly to the top hull? There's a huge gap in there--is that going to be corrected at some point? I ask, because with all this work you're doing on finishing, it's more important to correct building errors first. That huge gap has to be fixed if you hope to make this a respectable model. You can make the best finish in the world but if your construction is done poorly, it is a big problem.

Next, if I might offer some advice--if you don't like the big, black patches on the fenders, use that sponge that you used to apply the mask, and dip it into the green base color, and then "sponge" the black area to add random green to it and break up the big black areas. You can also do that wherever you don't like the black concentration.

Gamera

Not much of an expert here since I don't weather my tanks that much other than slapping mud and dirt on them but she looks good to me! I like how you concentrated the worn paint and damage to where the vehicle would get banged up, the fenders and front glacis plate etc.

Thanks a lot my friend.

This product is very good, it dries fast and allows you very good control of where you want to put it. It might even work for some camouflage patterns. 

Many would recommend the hair spray technique, but I'm not so sure of that technique. The stability of using hairspray over the years is not proven. My main concern will be the humidity, heat, and lifetime of the product. Not that I will not try it, just to see how it works, but definitely I'm sure I have a life lasting model.

The doog,

Yes, I been trying to experiment a lot on them, I think my next model will be for winter camouflage.

On the lower hull, I only presented it to see how it looked all color blending in. Don't worry I will make sure it will close tightly. Finally, I think I will have finished by today. I just put in the tracks, painted detaisl, figure, AAA gun and will most likely glue everything together by tonight. I airbrushed some "dust" mist over it.

On the black "patches", since I lay down a dust mist I has toned down.

You will see on the photos, it came out beautiful, I liked a lot the green shades (4 diferent ones) I got and the "water rain marks"

Thanks for all your advice and compliments, specially coming from a Master Modeler like you.