Well it has been a couple of weeks and finally I am finished.
First I mounted the turret. Then I assembled the 30 cal MG using the PE shield and ammo box holder. I used an AFV ammo box for their ammo box kit.
Now the fun detail….I made a mold of a section of track. Once the mold was cured, I cast a resin section of track. Once that set, I removed it from the mold and while it was still soft, fit it to the model so it would sit properly over details and let it cure in position. Once cured, it was painted with the kit track with Tamiya Flat Black primer and Alclad Steel finish.
Next I assembled the tracks using CA glue and clamping the two ends tight and allowing to fully dry for about a half hour. Now the fun….I fit the drive wheel in the area where the track is glued and pushed the teeth into the slats in the track. Then fit the track around the road wheels, while holding the drive wheel in place. Pulled it all tight and with a bit of glue on the axel, fit the drive sprocket in place. Now I built the outside suspension and mounted.
I mounted the rear ammunition storage door then I cleared the masking circles I had covering the PE ammunition.
The base was done with Sculpclay, then with a coat of stucco gel, sprayed with US Earth Red and tinted with MIG Vietnam Earth.
Then it was time for weathering. The model is weathered with MIG Vietnam Earth. The barrels inside, on the end and breech were treated with MIG Smoke. Both were applied with Turponid as a “wash” and after drying, the excess pigment was removed. Pin washing on the MG and the spotting rifles used MIG Dark Wash
Grass…..I mixed green grass with brown grass, the cut varying lengths and using landscape cement glued “clumps” into place. After all the grass was mounted and dry, they received a coat of the MIG VN Earth wash to get a dusty look.
Lastly, I painted some .020 brass rod and cut two 3.375 inch antennas. These were mounted in the RB antenna mounts on the back of the turret and hull.
Well….that’s it….and here it is, the finished M50 Ontos
As always your comments either good or bad are appreciated.
Next up, Commanders Models M561 Gamma Goat.
Rounds Complete!!
EOM!!