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ARL 44 French Heavy Tank (Amusing 1/35th)

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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
ARL 44 French Heavy Tank (Amusing 1/35th)
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 10:08 AM

Wow, my second tank finished this year! The ARL 44 Heavy from France. Very bizarre AFV. I'm not going to bore with details, you can go here for the full story but it's another weird AFV I love these so much. 

https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=531

The Amusing kit is fantastic. I blanched a bit at the complex suspension system but it went together without any issues. All in all it's one of the best fitting 1/35th tank kits I've ever built. 

BIG thanks to Stikpusher, GMorrison, and Capt Mac for helping me with the French tank crew. They're not entirely accurate but they should be close enough. And not sure the guy is right for a French farmer but I wanted a guy to indicate the size of the tank and he's all I had. 

As usual any of these you can click on of the photos for a bigger picture: 

 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 11:53 AM

You usual impressive work!

(And I can just hear the farmer saying:

"But...er...Mon Capitaine...you cannot get zere from here...." Big Smile)

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 12:40 PM

That looks real good Gamera! Good job on all of it- the tank, the base, and the figures! Yes

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 6:03 PM

Gamera,

A very nice build of an uncommon tank!  Until Amusing Hobby came out with the kit, I was unaware of the ARL44.  I wonder what the designers were thinking when they decided to put the OVM tools on the front glacis plate?

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 7:59 PM

Thanks guys, you're too kind!

I guess putting the tools on the front glacis plate makes them easy to get to. Makes sense for a peacetime tank- but yeah kinda bad idea for combat...

BTW: This was the second Amusing kit I've built. I'm on number three now- their British Conqueror Mk II. They'd not as detailed as Takom or Dragon but the fit is fantastic.

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 8:08 PM

thats some beast you got there,and a great scene.

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 10:43 PM

Well done, Gamera. That must be a bumpy ride in that thing with those tracks. OOFF.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 11:07 PM

Nicely done.  Sure looks like one big tank!

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    February 2011
Posted by GreySnake on Thursday, August 20, 2020 10:33 AM
Very well done Gamera! Never knew that tank existed till now. What a unique looking tank.  
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Thursday, August 20, 2020 1:37 PM

This came out very nicely..... gotta love those french tracks.

Sherman-Jumbo-1945

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

 

 
  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Thursday, August 20, 2020 10:56 PM

Very nice work my friend, I see your flare for the figures and base with cobbled stone pavement, leaves and mud tracks. This will be a great addition to your collection.

Harold

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Friday, August 21, 2020 7:59 AM

Thanks guys!

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Monday, August 24, 2020 10:36 AM

Very nice build. I've got that one on my list, gotta do it.

Apprentice rivet counter.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, August 24, 2020 6:49 PM

Thanks! It's great kit. A joy to assemble.

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Saturday, August 29, 2020 2:03 PM

I'm in love with the scene! Love the wet cobblestones and the leaves! 

This resonates with me.

Fantastic!

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Saturday, August 29, 2020 4:16 PM

That built up incredibly well, just an outstanding build.

Nick Moran would be able to tell you better, but, from what I remember of his accounts of the French war, those were laagered in the rear, being held "in reserve" doe a push that never coalesced.

What's still amazing to me is that the Germans never repurposed them.

Those cobblestones are great.  It might have wanted the farmer to be leading a cow, but you leapt more than enough hurdles for this.

Bravo.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Sunday, August 30, 2020 12:24 PM

Thanks guys! 

Mike: Lol, I sprayed the base with matte varnish but it still looks shiny. I decided I liked the shiny 'wet' look so I just left it that way. 

The base was a cobblestone rolling pin from Green Stuff World in Spain. You just cover the base in plaster and then roll the pin over it granting a cobblestone finish. 

 http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/amazing-tools/562-mega-rolling-pin-hobby-roller-cobblestone.html

The plaster had some dips in it that didn't cover completly so I added some leaves over the bad areas. Here also I used a Green Stuff World product - a leaf punch. You just stick a leaf, coloured paper, or whatever in there and punch out a miniature 'leaf'. 

http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/101-punches

 

Captain: Thanks! This was a post-war tank though. The French didn't start production until 1944 when the Germans were run out of France. I like the idea of a cow, and I have Tamiya's livestock set- I may have to stick a cow in a future build... 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    May 2020
Posted by Keyserj on Sunday, August 30, 2020 8:31 PM

Nice trick Gamera, gonna have to try that in the future.

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves?"- Oddball

 

John

On the bench:

 

                     

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