T-55 & Russian "Terminator" Arms Expo 2013 Desert Camo

Model Maniac

SKIF's T-55 - by "Art Instructor":

I'm now familiar with SKIF's T-55 series models  Looks like a solid OOB build. I see he used the kit supplied tow cables from the vinyl sprue that include the tracks. Good paint/weather on those goofy things. They actually look convincing.  The tracks too.

Shame that he didn't putty and sand out the gaps where all the lower hull parts meet with the upper hull parts. It's very noticeable esp. at the bow. Also along the bottom of the turret.

That fragile head light 'bird cage' is super aggro to deal with but looks clean from here 

Outstanding Terminator. Been waiting for this post. I hope that mine turns out just as well. It's currently on my bench, but my camera is being repaired at the moment.

The only thing I have changed is the gun barrels for which I am using RB's barrels. They show that Meng's kit barrels are too short!

SprueOne - thanks for your kind comments. This kit is a T-55AK but I told my artist to leave out the radio antenna (I already have one with antenna and it's so high). You're building 3 different types of T-55, right? I think I've seen your thread around here.

Snapdragonxxx - thanks for your kind compliments. Glad to know that you've been waiting fort this post. I didn't know that there are metal barrels from RB, they released them so fast. I don't know how you will paint your Terminator, I know that AI first painted it free-hand, and then used tape masking so as to get sharp edges. Here he showed it on his workbench:

www.facebook.com/photo.php

photographically speaking, the depth of field is too shallow. The photos actually bothered my eyes. LOL.

add more light or slow down the shutter to open the f-stop.

now, the kits look great.

As I build I will paint. At this moment, apart from the tracks and the barrels the entire thing is getting an all over coat of Vallejo Desert Tan primer which is a good rendition for the sand colour the Russians use as a base coat.

I will then spray a disruptive coat of Russian Green (Vallejo MA 71017(?)) and also the odd bit of black to represent current Russian vehicles. Will do the same with Mengs T90A which I managed to get from Ebay with about £10 of the RRP :)

cb1 - the depth of field is good when the model lines parallel to the camera, but that's not always the case. The only way to add more light is to take pictures under direct sunlight which was something I did in the past with film cameras. Thanks for your kind comments on the kits.

snapdragonxxx - you might have been busy, how far from finish is your Terminator now? Looking forward to seeing it here soon.

The Terminator is not far off being finished and the lens is back from being repaired.

That's fine! Nice to hear so.

Funny how that Terminator doesn't look as radical as it does on the box art. Great modeling again, as is the norm now from your artist, but I expected that model to look more...."Star Wars". That's a neat finish on it. :)

Thanks for your kind comments, Karl! I think his first Terminator in standard Russian camo (shown earlier) looks more radical because its cannons point higher up into the sky.