That's Amore (Italian GB) Jan 1-June 30 2012

Thanks Eric!  It's little things like the tow cable and extra fuel cans that can make these less than stellar kits look pretty good!

Jack, thanks for the kind words and also for the great pic!  I was just wondering this afternoon if I should mark one as a water can!!  I wasn't sure how the Italians marked theirs and was contemplating adding a German can with the white cross, but you pic answers that question!  Now I've got to figure out the best way to add "ACQUA" to a can.

Ernest, that is looking wonderful!  Almost makes me want to start one, or at least add to the stash.  Will you be labeling one of the fuel cans ACQUA ?  There was a pic in the link provided when I answered your query about jerry cans.  Can't vouch for it's authenticity, but certainly is different.

regards,

Jack

Sweet Ernest. Your sag is very similar to mine, though my pictures didn't show it.

I like the Jerry-cans and the tow cable.

Good tip Eric!  An easy way to fade a paint job, and that desert sun sure did fade many a wartime paint job!

Well after constant internet access problems today I finally managed to get a stable connection!    Here's the latest update on the Zvezda 1/35 Carro Armato M-13/40 (or M-14/41 as I've been told).  First up: pics of the new accessories...

Ebay to the rescue with some Royal Model Italian fuel cans.

Remember those Model Victoria decals I was tempted to buy?  Well, I couldn't resist so here they are.  I figured I would build another Italian tank eventually...right??

Assembly is done!  Several items are just dry-fitted in place as they will be painted separately, hence the moving jack on the fender! 

I was able to add more sag to the tracks by sanding down the idlers a bit.  Also, I ran out of that  .016 dia brass rod so I had to resort back to the wire supplied by Friul.  Turns out this allows a more loose fit of the links resulting in a even a bit more sag.  I was only able to do this for a few links, but I am happy with the resulting sag.  If they tighten up after painting I'll pull out some of the brass rod and replace them with wire.

Some detail work:

The Royal Model fuel cans and Eduard PE add a bit extra

The molded kit tow cable sucked, but I salvaged the tow hook and clevis, added more realistic  Karaya copper tow cable and simulated the loop connections using fine thread and CA glue.

And now she's headed to the paint booth!

Thanks for the kind words.

I know my limitations. Another coat and I'll mess it up for sure.

That looks good Baron. Now on armor, I go over that with a light basecoat to fade the camo and blend it in. That's up to you though.

wayne - nice looking boat you're building.  I like the wood effect you did on the inside!

bsyamato - great work on the Falco!  The paint job and decals look stellar!  Looking forward to the finish!

rrbaron - MC.202 folgore right?  Never tried paper masks myself, but I may have to one day....your camo job looks very nice! 

I'll have a photo update on the M-13/40 in a couple of hours.  Assembly is done, just working on some extra details.

Here is where I'm currently at.

This is my first try at mottling…

Because its in 1:72 I cut the masks out of paper and had them sitting slightly above the plane to see if I could fade them a little. Some spots are too big, but the majority of it looks good to me.

Cool project there Wayne.

Decals look great bsyamato.

decals on! not bad for really old decals

Thanx guys TD keep the roma away from the falco for her safety :)

here after two thinned layer of gloss, tomorrow the third layer and ready to receive decals

probably need to use the re-2002 decals, the 2001 sheet is yellowed actually triyng to repair it with direct sun exposition

this the original decals and intruction sheet

Lookin' good.Almost ready to start bombing her own ships.

I'm liking it bsyamato.

Thanx guys

but now the reggiane is ready (tomorrow) for the gloss cote; highlights and shadows with drybrush done.

Not in pictures but other pieces are near complete and retouched the cockpit upper zone with missing interior green

feeling the panic coming near to the 99% complete!!

Paint job is coming together nicely bsyamato!  Your brush painting work shows that you don't need fancy stuff to get a good finish on a model!

Looking good there BSY Just about ready for a gloss coat, decals, and washes...

Yesterday at the AMPS Chapter meeting was one of our "build nights"so I took my AB to work on. I got a bunch of the little fiddly bits on the body attached and nearly completed the main gun assembly. I am starting to see the finish line!

Pics coming soon...

After last green layer i removed bends:

some imperfection to correct tomorrow

Bufflehead holy work on these tracks!!

i probably matched the correct green on the reggiane!

i'm on the final stage (?)

Oops!   I miscounted the track links!  I forgot that I only put together 19 of the 5-link sets making it originally 95 links when I first fitted them to the model.  Then I removed seven to get the fit you see in the photo.  That actually makes it 88 links, possibly 87 if I try Jack's suggestion of stressing the pins to get a bit of stretch in the track. 

I'm not too keen on too much track sag.  Most of the period photos I've seen show just a bit of sag, if any at all.  Only the photos of destroyed vehicles exhibit the kind of sag that I have right now.  

Hmmmmm......another armor modeling condition.....STS - Saggy Track Syndrome!!

Ernest - nice work on the individual details.  Regarding tracks, seems in period photos you can find evidence of different degrees of track sag.  Looking at line drawings, I came up with a count of 83 links?!?

Are the brass pins you used  pliable enough so you can add some stress and lengthen them out a little and avoid surgery on the hull?

The openings on the inner front fenders - I'm not sure what those are about, but seen mention of them as inspection windows for the tracks.

regards,

Jack

I think I used 86-87 for my Semovente. I do have slack, but could have added another link for more pronounced sag.

Same here Eric!  I have to rely on other modelers to come up with all these cool techniques!

Finally started working on the Friul tracks.  Fortunately I have a small supply of  .016 dia brass rod that I picked up at Hobbytown some time ago that worked perfectly as a replacement for the lame wire that Friul includes with their sets!  For the most part the holes in the links were clean enough that I could just push the brass rod all the way in, however there were just enough clogged holes to warrant having a #78 drill bit at the ready.  I left a bit of the rod sticking out in the example I used for the photo:

To break up the monotony I spread out the assembly of one track over a few nights, while also working on the final details of the kit.   Having no idea of how many links I would need  I prepped 20 sets of 5 links each:

Turns out I only needed 93 links, which is just a tad long for my taste.  Unfortunately 92 links is just a tad too short!    I'm not sure how to deal with this....either find a way to increase the length of the suspension to remove some of the slack or shorten it so that 92 links fits with just a bit of sag.   The idlers don't have any adjustment built in so I may have to do a little surgery.   OR I could just live with the extra sag.....

The mesh idea is cool too. Man, why can't I ever think of things like that.

Thanks for the kind words guys, but I can't take credit for the lens technique.  I learned that on these very forums a few years ago!  Can't remember who it was I that posted the technique (disastermaster?  biffa?)  Whoever it was, their technique was slightly different in that he used the mesh screen from a common faucet aerator to produce more of a grid pattern on his lens.  I tried that myself but wasn't happy with the results so I tried wire wrapped around the metal ruler and I was happier with it.  Been using it ever since.  Maybe if I find a mesh pattern that works I'll change it, but for now that's what works for me!

Nice tip on the lens! I learn so many new things here.

Bufflehead, another thumbs up for your scratch lense method!  Can''t wait to try it out.

waynec

what are you trying to do with the green? i like the faded look especially around the tail. would be interesting if the wing streaks went front to back but againg not sure what the end result is suppose to be. what is that blueish grey grren thing in the back? looks like withe a railroad passenger car or a condola for a zepplin. ps finished ths gb but will be adding a BARCHINO some time this month and will be starting on an RO-43 or CANT Z-501 for floatie thingie group build.

this is just the first thinned layer ,i'm not convinvced about the tonality of colour, must search some other green that match the original green. Will try a darker green as base this afternoon. Fading usually i did with after drybrush post shading

LOL the gondola in the back are nothing of these things :D is the fw-200 condor nacelle bomb bay that have two gun turrets on the front and the back . 

One of too many wips i have on the workbench. Wip actually in the aircraft section 

tigerman

Brilliant idea for the lenses. I wish i was more creative with mine. That was one thing really stinking on my Semovente.

Bufflehead

Brilliant idea for the lenses. I wish i was more creative with mine. That was one thing really stinking on my Semovente.

Looking good bsyamato!  Don't know much about Italian fighter plane paint schemes so I'll take your word if you say the green isn't working for you!

Detail work on the M-13/40 has been slow.  I have been managing to do a little every night this week and here are some updates:

The solidly molded headlights have been hollowed out in preparation for some scratchbuilt lenses

The lenses are made from clear sprue thats been carefully melted at the end (without singing or charring the plastic) and then quickly pressed onto a steel ruler that has had copper wire wrapped around it. 

This has the effect of creating some nice grooves to simulate the diffuser pattern found on many headlight lenses. 

Then I cut off the extra sprue, chucked it into my dremel and the diameter gently ground down to fit inside the headlights.  The remaining sprue stub is cut off and sanded and polished to a glass like finish.  Here's one fitted inside the headlight.  The inside hasn't been painted silver yet...the lens will be installed at the end once all the painting and weathering is done

Turrent MG cleaned up and the plastic barrel replaced with some brass tubing.

 I originally thought about scratchbulding replacement exhaust mufflers but I couldn't find any styrene tubing of the right diameter so I stuck with the kit parts.  They're actually not bad, but could use some extra detailing.

The exit housing is molded solid and since it will be painted the same as the hull, I decided to remove it and hollow it out to be installed separately.  Muffler was detailed with some of the Eduard PE, some tiny hex bolts and a piece of styrene rod for the exhaust tube.  The muffler will be painted separately and installed later.

There was some other detail work done, but I'll post those pics in my next update.

Ciao fellas!