Made In USSR GB

Dre

Yeppers, Russia Armor Green can be a bright color...  I was asking more in respect to livening up the monotone green to add depth as opposed to a weathering approach.   It's fairly easy in theory- darker green for the shadow areas and a lighter green on the top surfaces.   It's something that I myself am slowly trying to incorporate in my paint jobs.

Learning curve?  I wasn't even building aircraft until last year (after a 20+ year hiatus)...  it is all patience and a willingness to try a new thing or two.  This MiG represents the most scratchbuilding that I've ever put into a kit, and compared to bsyamato's work I should pull up a chair to learn. 

Keep plugging away and asking questions, that's what we're here for after all.

Good idea.  Thanks for the input.  Any success I have is strictly by accident.  I've started to keep notes on painting mixes, compressor psi, etc on the kit instructions and then I keep a loose-leaf notebook of the instructions and any other references I used.  Guess its a bit OCD (ever notice that the letters for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are out of order?), but you never know and the notebook doesn't take up too much room.

I'll definitely lighten up a 2nd coat of Russian Green on the upper areas of the T-62.  Maybe 50/50 Russian Green and Light Grey?  If I don't like it I can always paint it flat black and start over.

Didn't mean to go so long, but these threads are the best sources of information.

Cheers.

MAJ Mike

 

Dre:

 

MAJMike, looking good with the PE.   Are you going to shade or modulate the Russian Green?  It ought to be relatively easy after the black base coat.  Keep it coming.

Khalee2, bring'em on!

 

 

The "Russia Armor Green" is real green.  I may start with a straight coat in the original color, then try a lighter coat on the upper surface.  Red Army vehicles were typically stored under cover in sheds or car port-like structures, so unless they were in active operation (like in Afghanistan) there probably wasn't a lot of weathering.  They'd get dirty during maneuvers, but weathering might not be an issue.

I'll fiddle and experiment with it.  I'm still on a learning curve compared to you guys.  Thanks for the feedback.

i used just the 116 from humbrol on my su-85 wrong?

bsyamato:  Looks good to me.  I was just thinking that some builders go too far with the rust and weathering.  Cold War Soviet vehicles weren't used much due to economic expense and unit vehicles (according to some sources that I've read) were not parked out in the elements.  My thought was that my T-62 would be a straight-up Red Army vehicle and not one sold to a client nation.

I don't know what historical period your SU-85 represents.  But as with all of your builds it looks good to me, better than my poor efforts.

Bsyamato, from what little I know of WWII Soviet armor, that shade of green should be OK, and it certainly looks OK by my eyes.   There seems to be quite a variance of acceptable shades/tones of green for that era...  apparently lime green is right out.   In the end, if it looks right to you then it is right.  Historically accurate is whole 'nother thing entirely (and something that I don't worry to much about).

MAJMike-  if you lay down a good (but not too thick) base coat of black and are careful and patient about building up the basic green paint, then you can be a lot more sparing in the use of the darkened/lightened areas.  When I color shade or modulate or whatever its called, I try for a really dilute mixture so I see how well that particular shade is working, but it does take longer to build an noticeable tonal difference.  I find it's easier than mixing up a stronger mix and shooting it in one go- that's when I break out the SimpleGreen and have to start over. 

Alternately...  you can get away with using Tamiya clear Smoke, highly diluted, as a shading paint.   I think that it works better on aircraft than armor, but it does work.  For the highlights, I use Model Master acrylic flat mixed with a very small amount of buff or sand color to both flatten the paint and add a suggestion of highlight effect.  In the end, there's a lot of different ways of achieving the same effect through different methods, finding the one that works best for you is the challenge.

Dre: As usual good tips.  I'll hit it with the Russian Armor Green first (thinned 50%), then experiment on scrap with various mixtures of the Green and Light Grey, Tan, etc.  I'll keep detailed notes as to proportions for use in the future.

Thanks for the suggestions.

bsyamato:  WWII Soviet armor received very hard use, so extreme weathering could apply, but the photos I've seen don't look like the rusty wrecks that some builders produce.  I admire their skill and its their build, but I still think some folks over-do it.  Your SU-85 looks good to me.  We should remember that the vehicles are also home to their crews and unit discipline will impose a level of cleanliness and repair.

I appreciate your interest and suggestions.

not for the weathering (i'm really beginner on tank or veichles) i did just a black wash on it and some little mud effect (drybrush) on tracks.

the kit is from um 1/72 ,the unit is from 3th guard tank army, voronezh front in autumn 1943 (just read instructions )

Tracks was in hard plastic , more easy to paint and cleanings flashes, but lots of problem to put on

On it i finished the main body, then glued wheels and at the end finished tracks with ca glue .

On the next tank i'll try to finish under body seaparated from upper armor parts, and glue after finish to put tracks

oh some more reply between i'm reply

At the time i just want to finish it, without exageteate with wheatering (need a little friend to put with a finished js2... and that's my complete red army tanks.. ) . Have lots of time to do better armors

Well, I think it looks just great as it is.    If you're going to display it alone, without a base, then I think it ought to be clean....  add a base or a dio setting and then more aggressive weathering puts it in context.

Dre

Well, I think it looks just great as it is.    If you're going to display it alone, without a base, then I think it ought to be clean....  add a base or a dio setting and then more aggressive weathering puts it in context.

The mig-31 diorama will probably my first real diorama if not finish first the ka-18 subject diorama.

You're well ahead of me then, as I have not yet attempted a dio....  I have some ideas, though..`

Where are the the rest of the folks that sigmned onto this GB?  Ozzman?  You started it, get back here!

My T-62 has its flat black primer coat applied.  Planned on hitting it with the basic MM Russian Armor Green today.  I'll take photos and post ASAP.

No fingerprints, let it dry!

I envy you, I'm still a day or two away from the paint booth... last night was the last round of assembly.  Just a bunch of clean-ups and details to sort out before I can get to painting.  I hope the humidity drops soon..

Well, Murphy is my co-pilot.

Co-pilot?  I had one, damned dog walked away muttering something about the Red Baron.... 

Dre

Co-pilot?  I had one, damned dog walked away muttering something about the Red Baron.... 

Well, perhaps I should've said, "Murphy is my track commander (TC)."

Hehe, imagine the Political Officer's face when Murphy is called at roll....

I've gotten the last of the main body assembling, filling and sanding finished, now everything must dry before I can begin painting.

The kit bomb racks are fairly boring, so I dressed them up with 4 PE wingnuts from a Panzer set and added a short length of superfine wire (from a broken PS3 controller's vibration motor!) to simulate a gravity release safety (or something like that, it seemed like a good idea).

The other stuff is ready for paint and installation- the canopy sections are Future'd and drying, the struts got a length of lead wire to simulate brake lines and the prop is clean.  There are ton of sink marks in the wheel covers that are just going to stay there as I just don't feel up to that task.  Sorry.

The kit decals are for two birds- one white over light grey with red markings, including racy red arrows on the cowling and a motivational slogan.  The other bird is green/light grey with red markings only.   In my spare decals, I found an Arcer dry transfer set for a T-34/85 that has some interesting looking slogans and a decal set for an Su-100 that also has a slogan...  which opens up my finishing options quite a bit.  

 I'm leaning towards a green scheme with the racy rad arrows and a stirring slogan in white on the under the cockpit...

Dre:  Looking good.

bsyamato:  Looking forward to more photos of your MiG.

I'm in the Panzer III GB that starts 1 July and I'd like to finish this one before starting another.  Already have one WIP put aside in a box (Tamiya Tiger I from the 25 year old stash).  This Group Build stuff can get to be addictive.

Gentlemen,

Here is some progress so far on the Katyusha. The peaces are fitting well, not excellent but well, some trimming was needed, it was a bit chalenging to put this together.

Cheers

dre good wiring there, whooo.. what large bomb wings

i'll have same problems on all mig-31 missiles 

Castelnuovo ,lots of pieces there like!

Some nice work going on there guys!

I had hoped to be a bit further ahead with the Tu-160 than what I am - hence the lack of posting. As well as being a relatively detailed kit (for 1/72) it's also proving pretty difficult to get accurate pics & info for areas like the wheel wells & what not, many pictures have equally contradicting versions....... I guess thats possibly down to the low rate (very) production these birds.

Any-hows, here is where I'm up to at the moment, cockpit, front landing gear, weapons bays, weapons, part done main gear bays & exhausts;

One weapons bay is going to remain empty;

While the other one is patiently waiting for a full load of Kh-55s, which I'm expecting decal to arrive soon so that I can wrap it up;

The Kh-55's were a bit on fiddly side, with three double folding fins on each;

& I've just started on the exhaust nozzles, which are well detailed & fitting six part jobs;

One issue with the nozzles was the seam which appears where the cross section of them reduces back down in size where they fit into the exhaust body. I tried re-scribing them before removing the seam, so that the recessed lines would remain, but found it pretty much on the impossible side, so unfortunately some detail has been lost - I may try & make up for it when painting them;

Just before finishing these pics, the postie arrived with some much waited for decals. These are from Begemot in Russia & are quite superb, there are two sets, one with the regular decals for whichever Blackjack takes your fancy (they are all named after famous Russian aviation geezers) & the other has a full set of very detailed stencils for everything including the weapons. Both of the sets come with detailed placement guides & accurate colour guides for the aircraft;

& here is the UK version of the Blackjack;

Milair, that is mighty fine detail work that you're doing there.   Makes mine look down-right shoddy in comparison...

This should be a beauty once you're finished with her.....  all those weapons decals make my head hurt.  Good luck with that.

Milairjunkie these decals sheets really beat the mig-31

how many days you predict to put on all stencils?

Missiles and the bay are really detailed , good clean work here

Someone see Ozzman?

wishing to put on another russian piece here.

I have this started giant helicopter on the workbench, the whole post is started on the helicopter section:

and no reply for the harke

Dre

all those weapons decals make my head hurt.  Good luck with that.

bsyamato

how many days you predict to put on all stencils?

Thanks Gents.

I'd figured that this kit was mighty expensive & would take a while, but looking at it now, it's going to take so long that it may just be the best value for money kit that I have ever done!

Hey!, do u want me to put your helicopter on the list? just tell me the name, scale and brand.

Ok, the one above is the Amodel ka-18 1/72.

The fuselage is about to close, interiors are finished, dunno if is under 50% of build.

The other is the mil mi10 harke 1/.. don't remember the scale, need to calculate,

brand bsyamato

Wow guys, looking good.

The quality of your work pushes me to greater efforts.

Guys, I came across this picture while surfing. Its a shot of a Soviet WWII army tank Vet who found the actual tank he was manned thought-out the war. This picture is powerful and a reminder as to who actually manned these tanks we try so hard to model. Lets not forget there is a human element to what we represent in our builds. Man, what a emotional Picture. It just hit me hard and I thought I would show my fellow modelers. If you've seen it already it's worth seeing again. I put this picture in GB because we are doing a USSR GB. Does it effect anyone like it did me?

Chazzer (Scott)

Great image, Chazzer.

He could be thinking of lost comrades.  He could be asking himself why he survived and why those he loved didn't.  He could be the lone survivor or a tank crew or of his family.  He could be thinking of the ice-blasted steppes outside of Moscow in 1941 or the smell of victory in Berlin of 1945.

He could be wondering what happened to his youth.

Thanks for sharing, man.  O/T -- how's the snake bite?

bsyamato

Ok, the one above is the Amodel ka-18 1/72.

The fuselage is about to close, interiors are finished, dunno if is under 50% of build.

The other is the mil mi10 harke 1/.. don't remember the scale, need to calculate,

brand bsyamato

The mi-10 harke is 1/444 scale .

nice picture chazzer, very emotional.

I'm trying to fing good pictures in a huge russian picture share site.. but all in russian language, found till now some good reference for the mig-31 diorama (the kamov too will put in a diorama). I miss again a good picture of mig-31 exhaust. From many pictures seems that they have a fixed external part.