1:72 M48A3 Vietnam DONE!

Now that is a fine build!

Needs a base though

OK, I did a lot since the last time I wrote, so:

It became necessary for me to clear out my hobby room, so I decided to step on it and finish this project before the move, so as not have to move it in pieces. And I did it!

Since the main components of the model were already in place I had to concentrate on the stowage. I managed to lose one of the spare track segments, so after the carpet monster didn't wanna let go off it, I decided to build it again. While I was at it, I built two pieces, using the old ESCI model's track segments and plastic rod and sheet. I also decided I have to have C-ration crates on my tank, so I glued two pieces of styrene sheet together and cut according plactic cubes out of it. I also detailed the insides of the loader's hatch:

The C-rations crates should measure 2x4,5x7,5mm in 1:72. I painted them mixture of white and Humbrol 62 for that cardboard color. Later I took a black Pentel pen and marked the imprints on the crates. The track segments were painted Humbrol 53 (Gun-metal) and later "pigmented" Vietnam earth.

Then I started putting the tank together, creating new detail as I noticed the need for it. I added the ammo boxes, one more tarp and one more duffelbag (from the Legend set), then I created the Xenon-Searchlight cable out of 0,5mm soldering wire with masking tape plugs. I hung another (spare) cable from the bustle rack. I installed the tow cables. I also fabricated a wire with four smoke grenades hanging from it on the commander's cuppola. I "equilized" the weathering a little bit with an airbrush and here's what the model looks like now:

I didn't really have more time to work on it or shoot better photos, I'll do that later. Currently (27.08.2011) the model is on display in a hobby shop in Poznań. When I dig in in a new hobby room, I'll describe it in detail on my web page and I'll take better photos. Looking forward to your comments, thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

Will, thanks a lot for your comment, it means a lot to me. So I'm back now, let's see what I can do until the end of the week! Thanks again, have a nice day

Paweł

Getting closer and closer to the finish line! Glad to see you're still working on this guy, looking good.

Even more time passed, but I managed to return to this project and paint the crew. And here's how I did it: First I assembled the figs, filled the seams and did some little conversions (older helmets, rolled up sleeves). Then I painted the flesh sand - Humbrol 63 if I recall right. I let this coat dry really well (hence those two months delay . Then I used a brown oil wash, and before it dried I drybrushed the flesh with custom-mixed light pink. The photo below shows the result:

Next thing to do was to paint the non-flesh areas with flat black:

Then, before the black coat could dry throughly (after some 45 minutes) I gave the uniforms a not-so-dry brush coat of Humbrol 116. Then I added some yellow to the 116 and lightly drybrushed the highlights on the uniforms:

Finally I painted the helmets, boots and pistol holsters wwith harnesses. The finished figures (minus the final red dust) look like that now:

Hope you liked it, thanks for reading, and have a nice day

Pawel

Hello!

It's been a long time, but I wanted to let y'all know, I'm still working on it. Here's what it all looks like:

So, from top left we have the major tank components still on their painting holders - pigmented some, futured and decaled. The crew is almost formed - I took 'em from the kits by Preiser company, number 72524 and 72530. Nominally they are year 2000 figs, but I say in this tiny scale they can be backdated to 1968 - the helmets were modified and the sleeves rolled up. I mean in 1:72 it's hard enough to tell the holstered Beretta 92 apart from a Colt 1911

I also started to prepare the stowage - the big things like Ma Deuce, the Xenon searchlight and spare road wheels (which I carved from Old Glue's leftovers). There's also the small stuff, like fuel cans, ammo cans, duffels and tarps. There are also the spare track links, doubling as add-on armour for the weak turret sides.

Now to paint it all... Hope you liked it - thanks for reading, have a nice day

Paweł

Kevin, thanks a lot for your kind words! I hope, with a little more work, to make it even better.

Thanks again, have a nice day

Paweł

Pawel, I just love this little gem of yours! The detailing that you're doing is outstanding and the painting is coming out real, real nice too... WOW!

And the beat goes on!

After thinking about it for a while I cut off the plastic handrails off the turret and replaced them with ones I soldered from a thin wire - much more realistic now! I also added a transport bracket for the xenon searchlight on the fan housing (the xenon searchlight is hung glass-down from this bracket when not in use). So after I was done, the turret looked like this:

Then I did what we were all waiting for - started painting!

First I sprayed a lot of Humbrol 113 red-brown, then I picked up certain areas of the model with Humbrol 66 - the closest thing to Olive-Drab I could find in my neighbourhood. After I was done the model looked like this:

And the undercarriage:

From what I've seen on the photographs, uder certain conditions the surfaces of the running gear being rubbed constantly  maintain the colour of the material (in this case rubber or steel), the other surfaces remain dusty red-brown. That's what I want to get, so I took a fine brush and started applying Humbrol 32 (Dark Grey - my favourite for weathered black) and Humbrol 53 Gun-Metal. When I was done, this is what it looked like:

I hope I proved you can assemble first and paint later. Not that I insist on this sequence, but in case of this model (and some others with styrene tracks, for that matter) it was of advantage. How do you like it? Thanks for reading, and have a nice day

Paweł

Gentelmen - thanks a lot for your very nice comments!

You want to see it painted? Me too! And I hope I can do it soon, I just have to make a tough decision or two on the turret. Then I'll be good to go.

The 1/72 scale is funny - there is some detail, I thought I won't be able to reproduce, and then I gave it a try and it worked. After soldering the eyes on the towing rope I had a hard time I pulled it off - four times in a row

Thanks again for the comments and please stay tuned - and have a nice day

Paweł

Some fine looking work there.

Looking forward to seeing a layer of paint on it

Pawel - Very nice work and then realize it is 1/72.....impressive

Rounds Complete!!

Pawel, you're really doing this build justice, It looks awesome; nice detailing!

Can't wait to see it come to life in color!

And here I go with another update. First I got the hull almost ready for paint. I made the sand shields out of thin sheet styrene, and I also added the telephone box, taken from the Revell kit:

I also added the lights and finished the fenders

On the turret I built the commander's cuppola (opened up) and the details around. I added the resin bustle rack loaded with stowage. I also made the lifting rings and the MG-limiter frame out of wire. Curiously enough, if you take a closer look at, you can see slight recesses in the turret's surface, allowing to accurately position details not included in the kit, like the lifting rings, or the towing rope hooks. The turret:

And since we were talking about the towing rope, look what I managed to solder:

The whole tank is slowly starting to look like a Patton:

Hope you like it, thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks a lot, Ron, and please stay tuned!

Paweł

nice build great pics .

Ron

Rob, thanks for your help!

I put the turret together and started filling the joint between the top and the bottom part. In order to do that, I had to take care of the main gun. I removed the old gun and shield and put the Italeri gun and shield in. I drilled out the muzzle brake so that it doesn't look ultra-heavy (scale!) and I also filled the big hole between the turret and the shield. OK, so now the gun isn't movable anymore, but hopefully it will look a lot better with a scale mantlet cover. Here's what I got so far:

As always waiting for your comments, thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

It's the gunner's primary sight housing, often referred to as the doghouse.

The return rollers have arrived!

That was good news... Like six weeks ago I wrote a polite letter to Revell with requestt for parts. About two weeks ago I begun to lose hope, so I phoned 'em and the very nice lady I talked to told me the have always a real flood of requests like that after every christmas, but they are taking care of it - and here we go. I put them rollers on as soon as I got my hands on 'em:

I'm also working on the upper hull right now. I decided to model the driver's hatch open and the fenders disturbed a little, so I took advantage of having two upper hulls and I cut three of the quarters out of the new hull, then I cut the quarters of the "old glue" and put them on at slight angle, so as to suggest bad things that happened. I also drilled out the driver's hatch and cut the hatch out of  "old glue", so now I'm ready to show it open. I also made the lifting rings out of wire - rear was no problem, because there was nothing there in the kit, but in the front I had to get rid of the "blobs". Here's what it looks like now:

I also started working on the turret - I drilled out the loader's hatch (it will be open too), and I drilled out the visor in front of the TC's cuppola (by the way - somebody help me, what's the correct name for this visor? Rob? anybody?). And I'm using the turret that is many years old. Here's what it looks like:

What do you think? Thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks for your comments guys!

Madmike - yeah, tracks! And machine guns. And aerials... But it all can be fixed with enough creativity. I'm not surprised 1:35 is more popular than 1:72, but I like 1:72 a lot, and I know you do, too!

Mike - thanks a lot, and I hope to give you some more details in my next posts, so please stay tuned.

Thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

And I complain about 1/35 track........Outstanding.....I would be blind for sure!! Nice details insuch a small package.

Rounds Complete!!

Amazing stuff.

Tracks are always the big bugbear with 1:72.

Hello!

I'm almost done with the tracks - at least no more cutting and glueing those little center guide teeth. I still don't have enough of the return rollers, so this is what I have so far:

Now as soon as I get those rollers, I'll put this side together, in the meantime I'm movin on to the top hull and the turret. Thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

Karl, DM - thanks a lot for your comments, it really means a lot to me!

And Karl - I'd also like to have it painted and stuff, but of course it's gonna take some time.

Well, thanks again and have a nice day

Paweł

Dude.........

    You got talent.

        Remember folks, this is 1/72 scale.

Pawel, you're a detailing ANIMAL!  Wow; I didn't think you'd go the full mile on those tracks, but you sure showed us! That looks awesome, and it's great to see you tackling this one with vigor and dedication!

I know we say this a lot here, but I can't wait to see what you do with this when it's painted and weathered!

DM - thanks for your comment and welcome to my thread! I agree with you, that the risk is there, but I say I can hack it and I got photos to prove it!

I mean I have an update for you gennulman!

For starters I glued the rear part of the hull on and filled the seam. I replaced the door handles with thin copper wire. When this was done I added the final drive housings. Before that I drilled out the original drive sprocket axles, because they were damaged (all these years!). I replaced them with a 3mm shaft made out of sprue. And finally I put the wheels on:

I narrowed the mounting points for the wheels slightly, so that the tracks fit inside the fenders completely. Without narrowing the tracks have a tendency to stick out slightly.

Currently I'm doing one side only, because I still didn't figure out what to do about the return rollers. As I wrote before I need ten of them and the Revell kit only has six. I wrote a polite letter to Revell Germany about ten days ago where I asked them for the parts, let's see what are they going to do.

Meanwhile I went on with the tough job - the tracks. I decided to sandwich the Esci/Italeri and the Revell tracks. That wouldn't look good if I didn't adjust their thickness, so I attached the track to a wooden brush handle with painter's tape and started sanding. My measurement showed that the Esci/Italeri track needs to be sanded on the flat side until it's about 0.7mm thick. I removed the track shoes of the Revell tracks and sanded until only the deepest marks were visible near the centerline of the tracks:

Then I glued the sanded tracks together. To do that I cut the Esci/Italeri tracks in three-link segments to compensate for the slight differnce in length between the Esci/Italeri and the Revell tracks. For glueing all the styrene together I used liquid glue/lacquer thinner, it works like charm. To impress you more I took a surgical blade and cut off the guide teeth off the track and moved them to their correct position between the track links. Here's the photo of the completed track section:

For now I have four sections completed this way - the bottom section (26 links), two short diagonal sections (6 links) and the long top section that consists of two subassemblies (idler-roller and roller-sprocket - 33 links). To complete the track run I also need 12 individual links which I'm going to use almost straight out of the Italeri box. Together it makes for 83 links - I wonder if it's correct number?

And then I went on to assemble it all - I started with the individual links on the sprocket, then I went on toward the road wheelsand up to the idler. I scored the flat side of the individual links with the tip of the knive to give them some structure and to blen them with the straight runs. Finally I installed the long top run. By bending the short and the top sections I tried to give the tracks a little sag, nothing dramatic. After I was done it looks like that:

So I think as soon as I get the remaining rollers I can do the other side without burning out, it's not so bad. I'd say I put about 4 hours in the tracks so far, so it's doable. Hope you liked it, looking forward to your comments and thanks for reading

Paweł

Off to a good start Pawel.

  if you sweat the tracks you might run the risk of burning yourself out, but that's up to you.

        I'll be waiting........

Hello everybody!

Sorry for replying so late, but I was on a business trip...

Rob G - I need to do something about the track, the center guides are the absolute minimum here. Your idea with the U-channels sounds very interesting. I think I'll have something figured out by the weekend.

Rob (PANZERWAFFE) - Thanks for your comment, welcome aboard!

Karl, Mike - glad to have some of my favourite modellers onboard! Karl, I'm afraid I have to do SOMETHING about the tracks, to keep the model consistent. I've also seen another 1:72 Patton with the tracks fixed and I think it was worth it. Mike - 1:72 is a nice scale and this way I can have a tank and my choppers in the same display case :D

Thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

Such a nice project in a small size. I admire anyone working in this scale!!

Rounds Complete!!