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1/35 Italeri M108 105mm SP Howitzer, WIP, 05/30/11 Finished

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154 replies
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  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Connecticut, USA
Posted by Nachtflieger on Monday, March 21, 2011 3:09 PM

Looking real good Mike. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Nate

 

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, March 21, 2011 6:22 PM

Since so many like the stucco, here is the product information

http://www.liquitex.com/Products/texgelmedceramstuc.cfm

I added some burnt umber acrylic paste to give it the reddish orange color. That makes the MIG pigment cover much better. I like the acrylic paste to keep the stucco thick but you could also use the cheap acrylic paint.

Andy – Thanks.  The stucco is clean easy and gives a nice effect. Try it you will like it

Karl – Thanks….glad to bring back good memories.  File the link above for info!

Kevin – Thanks for stopping in.

Steve – Glad you like my mudifications!!

Noah – Thanks for stopping in. Yep, the MIG VN Earth pigment is perfect. The time I am looking for is around Tet. Moving into position with mud but now dried. The stucco give a nice chunky effect and the pigment, laid on heavy gives the dry deep clay red color. I still have to dust the main deck and turret. That will be part of my final weathering along with more chunky in the tracks.

Thanks again

Nate – Tanks for stopping by!

 

Thanks again everyone

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Monday, March 21, 2011 7:03 PM

Tet was during the end of the rainy season. So if it's in January you'll see a lot more rain. It stops abruptly in February as far as I have read.

I'm still doing the Hue Dio so I am trying to dial on on a certain phase of the battle during a certain time period that seems to be in the middle/end of February when the rain is stopping. You'll notice when you look at pictures from the battle of Hue some seem like it's a lot of the red and in some pictures it's the sandy color, that later part would be when the rain stopped and the ground dried up.

I would think about lightening the color of the mud on the sides of the vehicle and inside the road wheels a bit. That's what I see in a lot of pictures, unless you are going to do the early part of Tet, then keeping the color more homogeneous would be the way to go IMO.

If anybody is interested in the battle of Hue a book to read is "Phase line green", it was inspiring and disturbing at the same time. It was heart wrenching reading about the Marines begging their commanders to give them fire support which they would not do as they were ordered to make infantry attacks against dug in NVA / VC positions manned with heavy weapons over and over again. A similar thing happened at Monte Cassino in WWII.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Monday, March 21, 2011 8:45 PM

Making good progress on this one Mike, just have to keep "slogging" away! Wink

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 5:19 AM

Bill - Thanks....slogging...now there is a good term with the mud on this one!!   

From one slog to another..thanks Wink

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Piscataway, NJ!
Posted by wing_nut on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 6:22 AM

Stucco on a tank?  You can get the Guys at Garden State Brick Face to carve in some mortar linesWhistling

Seriously, looks great.  Will it be ready for AMPS? Are you really not coming to MCon?  Won't be the same without you.

Marc  

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 3:10 PM

Marc - Thanks......brick armor!!!!

No it will not be rady for AMPS.....slowed by RL and you cannot rush art!!  As far as MCon....yep, leaving on Tues to head to AMPS. After spending almost a week at AMPS, it is tough to hit MCon the week before.....sorry, I will miss it too.

Thanks Again

Rounds Complete!! 

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by minimortar on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 10:16 PM

Do the locals know that you're heading their way Mike? Toast Drinks Beer Coffee Camera

Have a blast and 'good hunting'!

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe

Mortars in Miniature
A Scale Model (Plus!) Collection of the Infantryman's Artillery

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Thursday, March 24, 2011 5:19 AM

Kevin - I am sure they know....the National Guard has been alerted....extra stocks of burbon have been brought in.....large quantities of Italian food have been emplaced Wink

Thanks old friend....really looking forward to the two trips, first to the National Marine Museum and their restoration area, then the next day to a large private armor collection. Plenty of pics for the website!!

Ahhh the smell of starch and diesel.

Rounds Complete!! 

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Sunday, April 24, 2011 8:18 PM

Well it has been a while between my trip to AMPS and spring chores, this has been the first good weekend on the bench in almost a month.

As a diversion to start, I began working on the base. I was able to pick up an old OOP Verlinden Firebase. After some body work with putty, I applied a prime coat of using a generic grey primer. The dirt areas were given a base coat of Poly Scale US Earth 505366. The sandbags were coated in Poly Scale US Mid Green 505390 and the drums were painted Tamiya flat black, Here is the basic base.

 

After drying, the stack seams between the sandbags was treated with a solution of MIG Viet Nam Earth pigment in mineral sprits. After drying I use a soft makeup brush to clear the excess and dust some areas of the flat areas of the bags.

Next was the drum area where the same pigment solution was used for the area between the drums. Again some of the excess was used to dust the drums. The chimes on the drums along with any side bungs were highlighted using a #2 pencil. This was also done to the two drums off to the side which are half buried. Here is the current status of the base.

In between working on the base, I completed the assembly of the individual track links. Two sets of tracks are prepared with 78 links per side. The tracks were first primed with Tamiya flat black. Then they were painted with Alclad Steel. After drying, they were coated with future for wash protection. Next the pads were painted with a 50/50 mix of Tamiya Flat and NATO black.

After this the tracks were treated with the same MIG solution used above to begin the track weathering.

That’s it for now. Looking at the home stretch here, hopefully the next week or two will finish up

As always thanks for stopping by. Your comments good or bad are always appreciated.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by minimortar on Sunday, April 24, 2011 8:34 PM

Looks great Mike! Man, finding that old and long OOP Verlinden Fire Base... WOW!... good haul! Lovin' what you've done to it too!

The Home Stretch... bring it on!!! Stick out tongue

Thanks,
Kevin Keefe

Mortars in Miniature
A Scale Model (Plus!) Collection of the Infantryman's Artillery

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Michigan
Posted by tonka on Sunday, April 24, 2011 10:07 PM

Nice job on the base Mike!  Very realistic looking. Wish I had your patience on those individual track pieces...My Marine M26 has been on hold due to the tracks,,can't get into the tracks....

So is your next piece a Marine vehicle after visiting the Marine Museum?? Whistling

Kevin

]

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, April 25, 2011 5:34 AM

Kevin – Thanks….yep, the old OOP Verlinden base saved a LOT of sandbag time for this old bag Wink

Kevin – Thanks….indy tracks can be a big time PITA. I usually use TV time to cut and clean the parts. Then I keep them ready until the mood is right….if I am in the right mood I can bang them out….if parts are a struggle, it’s best to wait for another day.

The Marine museum was fantastic and would recommend it to everyone…..now to think it might influence my building…..well they do have artillery Surprise

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Monday, April 25, 2011 10:25 AM

Nice to see some progress on this one Mike, the FB looks like it's ready for some action. Beer

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Carmel, IN
Posted by deafpanzer on Monday, April 25, 2011 11:00 AM

Looking great! Yes  I haven't thought about using one of those Verlinden diomara bases for my previous builds.  Gonna look into it and see if anything will work. 

Bet you had fun at AMPS, now it is coming back to Aubrun, IN and I will be there! Big Smile

 

Andy

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, April 25, 2011 1:29 PM

Mike that looks really perfect.

The whole scene should be just a peach!

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Monday, April 25, 2011 1:57 PM

Mike's stuff always looks perfect.

So neat and clean.

Hi Doog, I am working on a similar M48 to yours, I don't think it will look as good but I used a lot of your tricks, thanks.

I'm curious to see if Mike is going to make his diorama neat and clean......

OR

What I see in all the pictures of Vietnam, chaotic, dirty, messy and many of the equipment looks jerry rigged in some way or another. Which works out great for me because I am a little sloppy still with my work.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, April 25, 2011 7:25 PM

Bill – Thanks…looking forward to position occupation shortly Wink

Andy – Thanks for stopping in. As for the Verlinden base, be patient and search. I had been looking on ebay and they were going for quite a sum. I did an internet search and found a “gamer” who was selling it on a game forum for a very reasonable price. Embarrassed

Karl – Thanks….look at the actual pictures on the first page…then go to the Verlinden base….I thought of this base from the moment I started this build!! Always a pleasure to have you peek.

Noah – Thanks for stopping in. Neat….hummm that’s a new one….organized maybe!! Yep there will be more….I am just getting the basic colors in place. I will be spending time with the actual pictures from the firebase to find the right “junk”. And there will be dirt everywhere!

Thanks guys

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Monday, April 25, 2011 8:03 PM

You have to be organized to be neat......Yeah your work is neat and organized looking.

Yeah like I look at pictures constantly trying to figure out what half of the things are. They just grabbed anything they could and used it. Like in Hue the Marines went into the battle with most of their equipment left back at their base. So they stuffed their pockets with grenades, you won't see them hanging John Wayne style. And used any bag they could like empty Claymore bags and demolition bags.

The fire bases I have looked at were crazy unorganized looking. Again they grabbed whatever they could to make shelters, any type of those wood ammo boxes pilled up and 55 gallon drums filled with sand. I have a diagram somewhere on how a mortar or howitzer pit should be built. They did try to follow the basic idea but just wow, especially after a fire mission, what a mess....LOL. I guess the SPH pit would be different, much different. But if they were there for a while I did see them set up those RPG barriers made of mesh screen.

By the way if anybody is reading this please let me know if y'all have pictures of a M48 Dozer tank.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Sunday, May 8, 2011 8:33 PM

From one mother to all you others….Happy Mothers Day!! In a nice way!!!!!

The tracks were washed with a burnt sienna wash and then dusted with MIG Viet Nam earth pigments. The road wheels received a coat of my stucco mix, mostly around the outside part of the rim where it would normally accumulate. After drying, they were dusted with MIG Viet Nam Earth pigments. The drive wheel tips were dry brushed with Alclad Steel.

After gluing the drive wheel in place, the tracks were then put on and the ideler wheel glued. Finally a light dusting with some more MIG VN Earth to make all the parts flow together.

Some details on the back. You can see the tail lights done with Clear Red and Smoke. The communications wire spool was done with some painters tape to make under bulk. Then it was wrapped with 32 gauge SS wire to cover the painters tape. Then the wire bundle was painted Flat Black

I finished the turret similar to the chassis. The vertical sides was given a dot filter using White, Flesh and Green oil paint dots and stroked to create the stain effect. The top surface was given a coat of MIG Grey for Dark Green filter. Then a solution of MIG VN Earth pigment and Mineral Sprits was used for pin washing. Nest a #2 pencil was used in some high spots to create ware. Lastly some dry dusting of MIG VN Earth was used to create highlights.

I have mounted a few tools, the tripod for the M2 and the M2 itself. The last few little items to complete are some ammo cans and ammo for the M2 and adding some straps on some of the storage, otherwise it is essentially complete.

On to finishing the base for my final and next update

As always thanks for stopping by. Your comments good or bad are always appreciated.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Sunday, May 8, 2011 11:04 PM

Seriously cool Mike.                 http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/yy205/bloody_bagheera/Smileys/blush2.gif

Of course you gotta know I luv the mud and the traces around the drivers area.

The evidence of any mods on the top of the turret are very well done.

                                      http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b232/gluetank/Animated/th_1-Animated-Disastermaster.gif?t=1296616998

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, May 9, 2011 5:39 AM

Steve - Thanks....like you, it's the little things that make a build Wink

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Monday, May 9, 2011 10:03 AM

Nice to see someone else got some time at the bench for Mother's Day. Looking good Mike, now on to the base! Yes

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Carmel, IN
Posted by deafpanzer on Monday, May 9, 2011 11:34 AM

I like it!  I like it!  I like it! Big Smile  You did an outstanding job weathering and applying pigments to your build.  The soil reminded me of my days living in NC...

 

Andy

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Staten Island
Posted by BigDaddyBluesman on Monday, May 9, 2011 11:41 AM

It looks great!!!!!!!

I just almost finished my tracks on the M48A3, I was going to do the same thing with the silver, that's were they wear and get shinny. Right in there.....A lot of the weathering was lost when I sprayed the cover coat of clear. I was like were did all that cool stuff go???????????? So I'll add some on now. I didn't want to over do it but maybe I should have if I would have known that most of it disappears with a coat of clear dull coat.

I bid on a M108 on ebay but lost it. I bid $95 and it went for $96. I just was not going to go to $100. I'll keep trying for this and a M125.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, May 9, 2011 7:42 PM

Bill - Yep....it takes a mother to get on the bench on mother day......(actually the day before Whistling )

Thanks for stopping by

Andy - Thanks for the love.....good old red clay! Surprise   Thanks again

Noah - I am sure you did that because you just enjoy weathering details sooo much you wanted to do them again Whistling....lol. Hey, we all have done worse things....but I am sure you won't do that again.

Thanks for stopping by

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Ontario, Canada
Posted by gunner_chris on Monday, May 9, 2011 8:04 PM

Just caught up to your build, and it looks great!

Looking forward to seeing it continue before I brave an M109.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 5:58 AM

Chris - Thanks, enjoy the M109, the entire series all are great kits.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 10:47 AM

Oooooh, nice! Looking forward to seeing this in September at AMPS! Big Smile

Side query - have some questions about the M110A2...might you be the guy to ask?

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 12:58 PM

OK.....first thanks for the comments. Now, you will not see it at AMPS as this is a commission job and will be off to the client before then!!

As far as the M110A2, yep, by all means send me your questions. Hit me up on my email or PM!!

Great to see you come up online...have not seen you in awhile!!

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

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