Track Assembly

Well I'm no expert, and this is what you might call a 'coming-out' for me, since I kind-a hang out at the aircraft forum all the time. Looks like that backwards group build is really starting to get to me, lol. But here goes: the rubber/plastic/vinyl (?) tracks you have there need a good wash in lukewarm soapy water, because I remember they tend to be pretty greasy and paint won't stick too well. I would then paint them using regular enamel paint, but not too thickly. You can dirty them up with a redbrown/black wash if you like, after a couple of days drying time. Using Tamiya or Gunze paint minimizes the chance it will ruin your paintjob. If I remember correctly your kit doesn't come with side skirts, so you may want to superglue the top of the tracks to the roadwheels to simulate sag. The tracks should go on without the paint cracking. Then again, my last tank was built a while ago, so the real experts may have some better suggestions. O, another thing: the old Tamiya tracks had to be heat-welded together with a heated screwdriver. Check your instructions for that, they may have included some glueable ones in your issue. Have fun!

Howdy. I believe that acrylics are the choice paints, because they won't flake off the vinyl tracks. Haven't had any problems. Make sure you wash them good.

There are many ways to paint the roadwheels. I prefer to spray the base them paint the rubber seperately with a brush. You can use a circular template to spray the wheels hubs, or some people use a sharpie pen to paint the roadwheels. Finally some wiill assemble the wheels and spray it the base and them weather real dirty.

I'd make one change to that. Enamels can "tack up" on the rubber band tracks and never seem to dry. I've got a set of Trumpeter 1/72 scale tracks that just won't dry. I'd try thin coats of acrylic paints. Than do washes and dry brushing with oils and enamels.

Of course, you could tripple the cost of the kit and put AM indies on it!!

As to the order, we've got quite a mixed bag of members here, and you'll find many that paint the tracks and wheels separately, and many that assemble them to the tank first then paint everything. I prefer to paint the tracks separately.

btw; this is the kit that Derek (claymore) and I both used for the Panther Group Build.

Good luck. Post pics when you can.

I'm not sure what every one else thinks of the Model Master Metalized paints but that is what I use for my Tracks and they turned out well. I will get the exact names when I get home. As for the Road wheels I used to paint them by hand and depending on how much room I have to work with as far as rubber area to paint I still will hand paint them but I have found that Sharpies are easier to control. Follow the sharpies up with Testors Dullcoat and you should be good to go. Oops forgot I will normally paint them before I attach them to the Vehicle. Hope this helps.

My method: assemble and base coat hull, wheels and tracks seperatly. then I paint the rubber tires or drybrush steel rimmed wheels and drydrush the steel parts of the tracks.
Once all this is dry i add the wheels to the vehicle and then the tracks do the final camo/markings and weather.

Hi
I assemble the lower hull completely, then paint. I assemble and paint the roadwheels, then mount on lower hull. It's here that general weathering in the form of chipped paint, etc, get's done. Then, the tracks. For vinyl ones, wash them throughly in warm water and allow to dry. I've always basecoated mine with acrylics, then a rust wash, if desired, over, using enamels. I've never had a problem using acrylics on this material, so I assume it would work fine for you as well. Just give it ample time to dry. Afterwards, mount on roadwheels, make rest of vehicle, then weather overall.

My assembly of vinyl tracks, drive sproket, idler wheels, and road wheels will vary from model to model depending on several factors. One of the first things I check is the "stiffness" of the track. More than once, I have broken loose ider, road, or guide wheels when trying to attach an overly stiff track.

If the track is overly stiff, I will expore ways of leaving the drive spocket, idler wheel or even road wheels unattached until the very end of the build. For example, on my Tiger I builds, I have left the drive sproket unattached. Once the tank is completely build and painted, I loop the pre-painted track around the idler and through all the roadwheels then hook the drive sprocket into the front of the track and gently pull it to it's mounting hole.

It's about a 50-50 split on my builds between painting the wheels before or after assembly. Much of this depends on how much of the wheels are visible on the finished model, how much weathering I'm going to apply, and the ease (or lack of ease) in painting the assembled road wheels.

Tracks are almost always pre-painted. Thus far, I have always pre-painted vinyl tracks and pre-painted indi tracks 1 out of 2 times. The one set of Fruil tracks I've used so far were also pre-painted.

I have had some flaking of paint on vinyl track during assembly and like others have stated above, always use acrylic paints as a base coat after thoroughly washing the tracks. However, I think it's far easier to apply a few spots of "touch-up" than to try and paint the tracks completely after assembly on the model.

Good luck and have fun!