ARMOR - M1 Abrams Group Build - FineScale Modeler - Essential magazine for scale model builders, model kit reviews, how-to scale modeling, and scale modeling products

zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Monday, February 16, 2004 5:42 PM

that's a great idea. I think I'll try that. See, that's what had me confused. I saw a few articles in TMMI (tamiya's mag) where the authors used buff as a basecoat, but failed to explain how they weathered the damn thing. I usually use a lot of buff as a 'dust' coat, so using that instead as a base-coat had me confused
thx!

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Dwight Ta-ala

Member since
July 2003
From: Philippines

Posted by Dwight Ta-ala on Monday, February 16, 2004 5:34 PM

zokissima,

If you are doing the desert camo try Tamiya's Dark Yellow as base coat. I did 2 M1a1s in desert camo and dark yellow seems to work just fine. You can use a light coat of buff to simulate dust on the tank.

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zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Monday, February 16, 2004 4:52 PM

Maybe I'll wait till you start, tigerman, then you could give me a few pointers. I think I'll go back and re-read that superdetailing article in FSM. Maybe then I can get enough guts to do the desert sand scheme

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tigerman

Member since
March 2003
From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA

Posted by tigerman on Monday, February 16, 2004 3:59 PM

Zokissima, I plan on trying both paint schemes (Desert Sand and NATO cammo) for each of my M1's. For the build I'm probably paint it Desert Sand. The NATO cammo sounds and looks pretty cool. I'm just a bit tired of three color cammo jobs right now.

Eric

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 16, 2004 1:35 PM

By the way how do i upload on Rons site. Never done it before.

Thanx a lot.

Keep well.

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zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Monday, February 16, 2004 1:02 PM

You might want to look ahead into what kind of kit you want to build, as in scale, manufacturer, etc.
I'm not very familiar with any scale other than 1/35, in terms of armor, so I don't quite know what to suggest. However, in the 1/35 scale, there are pleanty of kits around. The more expensive mainstream ones are the Tamiya and Italeri kits. Trumpeter makes 3 or 4 different kits of the M1Ax, and they're fairly cheap. HobbyCraft also has one, albeit a reboxed Trumpeter kit :)
I don't know about Dragon. Personally, I'm not a fan. I have so far only built one Dragon kit, of the MAZ-543 TEL, and the quality of that kit was less than average. It took me weeks of cleanup and prep work, so much so that at the end, I got so tired I didn't even bother to add any details such as cables, etc.
Maybe someone else out there has suggestions...

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 16, 2004 12:20 PM

Hi there
I might b able 2 join in. Just got an academy nitro stadium truck so the parents' bank balance might be to low.(They r expensive over here). But maybe i can get a kit 4 my B-Day. 7th of next month so wish me luck.

Will let u guys know.

Keep well.

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zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Monday, February 16, 2004 11:47 AM

lol, yeah you're right.
Maybe I'll give the desert scheme a go. I don't quite know yet. I still have to finish my current project before I start this one. We'll see how it goes. I think it'll be easy enough to build a 'factory-fresh' one. A base colour of tamiya buff should be ok, washed with burnt umber. But I have NO CLUE as to how to weather a tank with this scheme.

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tigerman

Member since
March 2003
From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA

Posted by tigerman on Monday, February 16, 2004 11:16 AM

Zokissima I know how you feel, but as the old saying goes, practice makes perfect.

Eric

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zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Monday, February 16, 2004 10:05 AM

thanks for the suggestions. I like the NATO colour scheme, so for now I think I'll maybe stick with that one. I'm too afraid of the desert sand scheme. I did a couple of models that way, but they never turned out quite the way I wanted them. I generally like to work with the darker colours, as I find it easier to wash/drybrush/weather them. The results are much better in appearance.
I guess I just need more knowledge with these techniques pertaining to desert schemes.

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J-Hulk

Member since
February 2003
From: Tochigi, Japan

Posted by J-Hulk on Sunday, February 15, 2004 6:14 AM

Hmmmm...you'd think I'd be able to get that li'l Revell HA done in three months...
Thanks for the info, T-Man! (J-Hulk obviously too lazy to check first post of thread!)

~Brian

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tigerman

Member since
March 2003
From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA

Posted by tigerman on Saturday, February 14, 2004 1:38 PM

March 15 until June 15, Brian.

Eric

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J-Hulk

Member since
February 2003
From: Tochigi, Japan

Posted by J-Hulk on Saturday, February 14, 2004 7:28 AM

Oh boy...another group build I would love to join in on, but I have so much stuff going on right now, it's impossible (for a slacker like me!).
The frustrating thing is I just bought Dragon's "Baghdad 2003" Abrams, too...
And I do have Revell's wee 1/72 M1A1 HA (and a PE set!) waiting in the closet...
When's this build starting??

~Brian

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mjohnson

Member since
August 2003
From: PA

Posted by mjohnson on Saturday, February 14, 2004 7:14 AM

I am in. Not sure if I will be able to get it done in time do to deployment but will try my best. Sounds like lots of fun. My 2 cents [2c]

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MartianGundamModeler

Member since
November 2003
From: Tennessee

Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Saturday, February 14, 2004 3:24 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by M1abramsRules

I think I'll do 3-tone nato camo on my dml, and I already got a "what-if" scheme on my 72nd revell one. its for urban nocturnal operations

I'm building the Trumperter M1 with mine plow. I'm not a big fan of cammo and I hate masking that's why I like WWII vehicles and my modern vehicles are U.N. white with some desert tan ones to come. I plan to do this one in a "what if" U.N. white paint scheme just to be different. It isn't "too" far fetched considering one of the U.N.'s major duties is mine clearing.

"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html

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Dwight Ta-ala

Member since
July 2003
From: Philippines

Posted by Dwight Ta-ala on Friday, February 13, 2004 6:01 PM

I am considering the 3-tone scheme or a maybe a winter scheme ala frosty?

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tigerman

Member since
March 2003
From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA

Posted by tigerman on Friday, February 13, 2004 4:59 PM

Thanks Frosty. See, I've learned something already. No, no, you're not going to tempt me with a three color scheme. I've reshot my tri-color cammo on my Panther 3 times! Yes, I guess I'm a litle too serious sometimes. Oh....never say never. Stop! I already have the paint, I'm going one color. However, I have two M1's, so I think I'll shoot the other in the mentioned NATO three color pattern. This will be interesting. I have never built a modern AFV.

Eric

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 13, 2004 2:44 PM

Welcome zokissima!

Ron

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 13, 2004 8:36 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by tigerman

Welcome zokissima. Yes a group build is a great way to introduce yourself and meet the forum. I'm doing mine in Desert Storm Sand. The only other color I'm familiar with is the three color camo, which I don't the names of the colors. I'm more WW II, so I should learn a lot about the M1.

on the

2 zokissima !

hi, tige !

the three color camo colors are :
NATO Black (actually a very dark green),
NATO Brown
& NATO Green (that's the lighter green color).
US vehicles use a soft edge (overspray)
between the colors. French & German vehicles seem 2 have a hard edge demarcation,
& i think the Dutch ones also...
i know tamiya has these 3 colors in their acrylic range( XF numbers)
labelled as 'NATO Black', etc. so u'll know it's the rite stuff.

zokissima:if ur a small scale builder, u may want 2 lighten these colors up a bit 4 'scale effect'...

HTH,

frosty Smile [:)]

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M1abramsRules

Member since
June 2003

Posted by M1abramsRules on Thursday, February 12, 2004 11:58 PM

I think I'll do 3-tone nato camo on my dml, and I already got a "what-if" scheme on my 72nd revell one. its for urban nocturnal operations

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 12, 2004 8:50 PM

In my time as a tanker have seen plenty of M1s and IPM1s in strait olive drab but M1A1s and A deuces I have seen only in three tone NATO and Desert Sand. Hope that helps Zokissima, welcome and take it easy…

Brian.

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tigerman

Member since
March 2003
From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA

Posted by tigerman on Thursday, February 12, 2004 7:12 PM

Welcome zokissima. Yes a group build is a great way to introduce yourself and meet the forum. I'm doing mine in Desert Storm Sand. The only other color I'm familiar with is the three color camo, which I don't the names of the colors. I'm more WW II, so I should learn a lot about the M1.

Eric

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zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Thursday, February 12, 2004 1:27 PM

I picked up the Trumpeter M1A2 kit (I think it's a little inaccurate, but whatever), and I've been waiting for an opportunity to build it. This sounds like fun, so what better way to join a forum then to participate in my first GB.
I'm not really a fan of aftermarket products (namely cuz I can't afford them Big Smile [:D]

) so I'm going to build this straight out of the box.
I'd like some suggestions for paint schemes...

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M1abramsRules

Member since
June 2003

Posted by M1abramsRules on Thursday, February 12, 2004 10:01 AM

don't worry, I'll be finishing my revell 72nd as well, and if I have time I will do more 72 scale kits (I have 2 more now coming from the LHS [hasegawa])

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 12, 2004 9:58 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by djmodels1999

Looks like this is going to be fun..! Frosty, I'm glad you are considering small scale again... Hate being the odd one out!

Domi:
any talk of building in 1/35 is really just 2 keep me from feeling 2 silly 4 buying kits
i won't have space 2 display if i ever do get around to building them ! LOL...
i think my heart & soul r totally with the small scale thing
not 2 mention whatever little skill i have.
i will b honored 2 keep u company, mon ami !

frosty Smile [:)]

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djmodels1999

Member since
December 2002
From: United Kingdom / Belgium

Posted by djmodels1999 on Thursday, February 12, 2004 2:07 AM

Looks like this is going to be fun..! Frosty, I'm glad you are considering small scale again... Hate being the odd one out!

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Spamicus

Member since
April 2003
From: Central Wisconsin

Posted by Spamicus on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 5:24 PM

I've got two of Tamiya's; the original M1 and the M1A1. I'll do the old one just like my first real one. That'll be nice and I think I can get it done in the time frame. I've got to finish a Nascar car I'm doing as a gift for my daughter in law. Oh, by the way, Nascar cars are awful, won't be doing that ever again.

Steve

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 9, 2004 8:54 PM

I think I'll get in on this one too probably an M1A2

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Dwight Ta-ala

Member since
July 2003
From: Philippines

Posted by Dwight Ta-ala on Monday, February 9, 2004 7:07 PM

An M1 Abrams Group Build? Hmmmm....sounds interesting. I do have a 1/35 Dragon M1A2 on top of the shelf. Hmmmmm. Decisions. Decisions.

Think...

Think...

Think...

Think...

He-he-he.

I'll start in April.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 9, 2004 6:54 PM

Any penalties for those who dropped out of the GB? Blush [:I]

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ARMOR - M1 Abrams Group Build