Trumpeter KV-1C

Looks great. Only comment is that the soot deposited by the exhausts is a little too pronounced. I'd have softened it a bit, and not dragged it out accross the entire top of that panel.

well it doesn't look like this one. the link has a bunch of pics showing this one being pulled out of the river.

http://www.nortfort.ru/np/index_e.html

i really like the way it turned out too. working on LCM and still have to build dioramas for this and 3.7cm at gun. will try making a wheat field for the gun and a rutted road for the tank. i may have to get a kv-2 and the 2 land battleships (t-28 and t-35 i think). at least the tracks won't take as long this time and i will cut the holes before i build the hull. and i can work on my camera skills.

i think a wash will work better than the powders for the rust on the tracks. maybe used artist acrylic paint for the deeper color and a really watery orange for the new rust. really watery should pool in areas just like real water would pool. i like using the powders for the dust, dirt, and soot.

thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Hey Wayne...YES!

Boy,comparing these new shots to the fist ones, you can really see how the whole tank just blends together now with those tracks being aged a little...I have to sat that it really looks excellent!

Now all you gotta do is find a contest to enter and take home the trophy! Looks GREAT!

made some minor tweaks based on suggestions and took some more photos. this is it until i build the diorama. you gotta know when to fold 'em.

Hey Wayne, just a suggestion for photography--try to keep your model out of the sunlight when you photograph it, to avoid the deep shadows and high contrasts. If you have a nice big window in your house, position your model so that the AMBIENT light is your source; sunlight can also alter the shade of your colors in photos. Also, experiment with background colors; different cameras seem to prefer different hues. For instance, I can't seem to get mine to cozy up to blue as a background; white or off-white seems to do it for me.

The model still looks as good as I thought! Be nice to see it with the wash on the tracks when ya get to it!

Well, what can I say .

 Fine job on the assembly and finish. I'll still go

                                                                                             Joe

Panther 44 wrote:

Hi Wayne,  Like the dusty look you've achieved, but the thing that really strikes me about your build is the tracks. I think you've done an excellent job on the track sag. Some kits I've seen make the tracks look as if they're ready to fall of because the sag is too great. You've hit the nail square on the head. The sag is what ties everything together and makes for a very good job.  I'd go .                                                                                                     Joe

can't take credit for the sag. the trumpeter kit comes with rubber band tracks AND semi-individual links. the top sag is one piece from forward to aft return roller, the bottom is one piece from first road wheel to last road wheel. there is a set of 4 links which goes between road wheel and idler and road wheel and sprocket. 10 -12 individual links to wrap around idler and sprocket. oh hell. here is a pic.

Hi Wayne,

 Like the dusty look you've achieved, but the thing that really strikes me about your build is the tracks. I think you've done an excellent job on the track sag. Some kits I've seen make the tracks look as if they're ready to fall of because the sag is too great. You've hit the nail square on the head. The sag is what ties everything together and makes for a very good job.

 I'd go .

                                                                                                    Joe

Really nice job-the weathering and outdoor lighting really make it look like you could climb right in and run over a couple of pedestrians- wish I was that good.

I see where you were going now Wayne. Doog and Chris worded it better than I, just thinking of the added depth. I know how bright flashbulb pics can wash detail out, that's why I have shooting mine outdoors as much as possible (when the weather in the great NW cooperates)

thanks for all the suggestions. i think i will put dark rust on the tracks but not the edges. the decals were put on before weathering but i think the flash didn't show it. very interesting photo contrasts. here are pics of same model taken outside this morning with no flash. some of the track links are "newer" than the rest so they aren't as weathered. on to the tank commander.

Looks realy good, Wayne! I see you got those indy tracks together just fine!

Nice weathering with those powders too. I agree you might be better off with a bit of a raw umber wash on the tracks--not so much to age them per se, but in the interest of giving them some added visual depth. The contrast between the darker recesses and the drybrushed steel on the track faces really makes them jump out--just like those powders do in the camera!

Looks HEAVY!

i was going for a 24june41 look. would have been in pretty good shape as this would have been first combat so i didn't want to rust it up too much or mud it up too much, ie the dust of the summer wheat fields. what are the pigs on the tow cables?

am going to take some none flash pics outside on monday and see if the wash tones down. it looks rather garish in the flash pics.

Pretty nice weathering Wayne, love the dusty look to it. I think it might benefit from a rust wash or maybe some pigs on the track and tow cable. I'm working on the heavy cast turret right now. A bit more cleanup than I would have preferred on my kit, but way better than their older M1.

Good overall job though Wayne.