"Out of your comfort zone" GB '17

Looks great BD, it dosn't look like you lost your touch with armor.

Very coolk build Brandon, I like what you did with the tracs and the tools on the side is a nice toutch.Thanx for taking part.

It makes me think of the British TV series "Alo Alo" with Lt Gruber and his little tank LOL

Theuns

Okay, so all the wheels and tracks are installed. I see on the pic that I missed some of the lower outside edges when going over the tracks - and really not too worries about the top side, since that will be covered. While doing the edges, I may dirty up the upper/inside of the track on the bottom side a bit as well.

Yes... I know the brown is not a 100% desert shade. But really, an auto guy that has ANY shade of brown is surprising... close enough for me!

Thanks, guys! It was a lot of fun.

-BD-

Some more progress. With these sections (esp the turret section I have now started) I am finding just how little I know about these types of builds. My usual painting techniques does not quite match some of the patterns these are supposed to be built in - but it's still fun and I learn a lot! And that's what this is supposed to be about.

Anyhow, current state - wheels have company.

Yeah, armor is a whole other beast than airplanes or ships. I'm not so good on them either.

sorry for being absent for bit, I had to get some other projects out of the way first.

This kit is rather poor, I am having to rescribe all of the pannel lines because they are almost non existant. I did the fus. now I'll have to do the wing too.

speaking of the wing, the fit to the fus. was pretty bad, and I had to shim it with some Evergreen strip.

Also the resin gun pods don't fit well either. you will see in the pics that I am going to have to putty of Mr Surfacer the joints to make them look better.

But here are a few pics for now...

Here are some more pics.

I want to fair in the pods then scribe a seperation line around them once the putty dries tonight.

Slow progress is better than nothing at all! Turret is starting to take shape.

Nice work on the turret :-)

As for the filling of seams like on the glider, this was one of my pet hates as one usually sands away some surface detail to smooth the putty.

I use to mask the area, apply the tamiya putty and fare it smooth with an earbut dipped in a solvent like thinners, this hepled lesten the sanding.

Since I descovered perfect plastic putty I am a believer! When cured it simply wipes off with a wet ear bud and no sanding needed :-)

Theuns

Some more progress on the turret. Slowly getting to the stage where I must join it to the chassis and then for all the figures and the "luggage and spare wheels"... Now if building armour was out of my comfort zone, this is really going to take me to a different time zone. I have done nothing of this kind before, so no laughing at my attempts to make it look "realistic".

Anyways, here's the turret in current state. Oh, the light MG's a bit on the short side - it snapped when I clipped it from the sprue. The mat monster is still holding the barrel hostage. Negotiations have not even started. 

Nice work on the turret :-)

Theuns

Say, do you armour guys glue all these extras in place or just park them there loosely?

I have been way out of my comfort zone on this. And learnt a bucket load... I do not do figures and in the world of gloss auto's, there is very little need for dry brushing and shading. Just doing the extras was an eye-opener. And I set out the figures for very last. But busy with them now... 

The M1A2 itself is done, but for one set of decals. As is most of the extras. Just want to add some wear to some of the metallic sections. And then just to finish off the figures... They will surely shoot me somewhere for what I did to these poor figures, but trust me this is not is NOT my first love! Even on race cars I tend to pose a helmet only...

Well, I'll be totaly late for this one and not a chance to finish on time. But...finaly I got my s... together (hey life gets in the way ), and will build Italeri's Harvard Mk. IIa in 1:48...as soon as it arrives

Theuns - I can't get the Figure Vinette done as  I thought. The conversion of one of the figures involves some parts from so old kits that I haven't got in the stash, so I'll flick the switch and make a change.

I've been asked to build a 1/72 Airfix Spitfire Mk 1 in a non military, non commercial, fictitious, made up, imaginative scheme for a club display. It's not something I'd ever dream of doing really, and I  plan to leave it at the display :)

I'm thinking that maybe it could be a Batplane...

Theuns - feel free to sack me if this doesn't qualify.  I won't be offended.

Anyway, here's the beginnings of it.

Cheers

Tony

Go for it Tony.

I understand about modling having to take a backseat sometimes , no worries atall, enjoy the Harvard :-)

Theuns

Well, after scribing in all the almost non-existant panel lines, furring in all the resin blobs that didn't fit and countless hours of body and fender work.

Here it is..... DONE!

I am never building another Czeck Model kit again.

Enjoy!

Looking at the result you got there one would not say you had any issiues with that kit, it looks really good well done.

I like the paintwork on it.

Thanx for taking part.

Theuns

Theuns

Looking at the result you got there one would not say you had any issiues with that kit, it looks really good well done.

I like the paintwork on it.

Thanx for taking part.

 

Theuns

 

Thanks Theuns,

 You have no idea how crappy this kit was.

The pannel detail was so faint you could hardly see where to scribe them in.

I am also not super experianced wit scribing pannel lines anyway, I've probbably done 5-6 kits where I had to scribe pannel lines.

Also this is the 1st. time with a vacu-formed canopy, that was a trip too. Pretty flimsy.

I'll stick with my Tamiya and Hasegawa aircraft kits for now.

Besides I mostly build armod and sometimes a hot rod or two.

Hey, we don't have a badge for this GB yet, do we???

Nobody has sugested a badge yet, do you have ab idea for one?

Theuns

Okay, so the armour itself is done. GB was definitely a success from my perspective. It got me to build a kit I don't think I'd ever have the drive to pull out, I learnt a lot, incl. some new techniques and subject, plus I had fun! 

Most of the peripherals have also been completed, just finishing up on the figures.

So some whots of the M1A2 as it currently stand - empty.

One place where some decalling skills helped, the multiple segments on the rear CIP to create the F2... 

And some of the peripherals...

Is there anyone who needs another week or so to complete a model for this GB or can I call it a day?

Theuns

cool I will replace pic when you send me a new one.

Theuns

Hey Theuns, at last got around to taking some pics! Nothing studio quality, but at least it's something.

Again, thanks for this GB - think it was a great idea! I really learnt lot, most of which was with techniques I don't usually used and got to try out. Also, the concept of figure building and all the peripherals (bags, tents, etc.) was foreign to me - and very good fun!

Anyhow - here's the end product, some more detailed shots below...

Right rear corner

Figures

Left-side 

Very cool, I like the waterbottle :-)

Pic updated.

Since no one asked for an extention I will say this GB is now closed, thanx to all who took part.

Theuns