Italeri M110A2 -- FINISHED PICS!

Thanks, wayne and Steve!

garzohn, no damage or extreme weathering. I'm going to keep this one rather like a museum piece. I haven't done a "clean" model in ages. I think I'll just do this one "old school". Good luck with your camo!

karl, really sorry I missed this thread, will teach to get out of GB's more often and check the WiP's. Been a while since I have seen one of your builds, and this is looking as good as I remember of your builds. I do like the effect you have got with the AK powder.

Nice update you've sneaked in there Karl! Replacement tracks are a definite improvement, no question about it.

I like it doog, lookin fine.

Confession: When I read your thread title today, with its current update sub title, the first thing that popped into my head was a picture of the doog, with a goofy headband on, waving his hands at a model, saying: "tracks ON, tracks OFF".

Sorry.

Karl that is looking real good so far. As far as those yellow declas, i dont know why Italeri always seems to pull that bonehead move. Bumper codes (thats what those are- unit identification numbers), are usually painted on a sand/tan back ground, or directly onto the vehicle camo color. There are variations to this, but it is usually somewht low visibiliity... NOT ON YELLOW!!! LOL! There are lots of Dry Transfer ordecal letter/symbol/number sets out there to help you correct this goof. Just paint a strip of tan/sand in the appropriate size and place, then apply your decals/dry transfers there to match the kit decal numbers.

Bish and Bill, thanks for the nice comments, guys!

Rbaer, that's easy to see how that would get into your head, lol! Funny!  

stikpusher

Karl that is looking real good so far. As far as those yellow declas, i dont know why Italeri always seems to pull that bonehead move. Bumper codes (thats what those are- unit identification numbers), are usually painted on a sand/tan back ground, or directly onto the vehicle camo color. There are variations to this, but it is usually somewht low visibiliity... NOT ON YELLOW!!! LOL! There are lots of Dry Transfer ordecal letter/symbol/number sets out there to help you correct this goof. Just paint a strip of tan/sand in the appropriate size and place, then apply your decals/dry transfers there to match the kit decal numbers.

IIRC and it has been a few years (39) we never painted a tan back on the tanks, just black on whatever color cisibiliyty be damned. don't think we did on the tracks either, may have on some of the trucks as the numbers were on the bumpers. the tan back could have been a unit thing too.

RBaer

I like it doog, lookin fine.

Confession: When I read your thread title today, with its current update sub title, the first thing that popped into my head was a picture of the doog, with a goofy headband on, waving his hands at a model, saying: "tracks ON, tracks OFF".

Sorry.

 Hey dude,

     time ta step back from those glue fumes.

Karl, I will point you to those once I get home... Out picking up my youngest offspring right now.

Like I said, it is not universal Armywide on dark camo'd vehciles, be it NATO or MERDC. But when done, it is like on this Abrams

or MLRS

but not on this M60A1

anyways companies like: Archer

http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35065B.html

Echelon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/400450349990?lpid=82

TL Modelbau (look like the best ones I have seen)

http://www.tl-modellbau.de/TL-Decals-1-35/Int-Streitkraefte/US-Army-Bumper-Codes-1-35.html

and Verlinden

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/390243011254?lpid=82

All make what you need. 

Just use the same letter and number combos to  match what the kit decals show for that vehicle/unit.

AWESOME, Carlos! Just what I needed! Thanks so much for the information and the photos!!

I'll be ordering some tonight!

And thanks, too Wayne, for your recollection!!

Glad to be of help my friend ;-)

Karl, looks fantastic. great job on the tracks. Looking at the breech the internal looks dark...the block screw and barrel internal should be a shiny steel. Maybe the picture does not show it well.

Rounds Complete!!

That's what I get for being absent again!!   I almost missed another awesome DOOG build!! 

Hey Karl!  I've been away from the forums for a few months, only popping in every couple of weeks or so, and I totally missed this build until just now!  You're doing your usual fantastic work, but it never ceases to impress and inspire me!  I love your choice too.....that has got to be the biggest SP gun I've ever seen!!  I've never been an artillery fan before, but lately my interest has been piqued and your build is lighting a fire in me!  I'm definitely hanging around to see this one completed!

The tan background on bumper numbers is a later addition, about mid 1980s. Older 4-color MERDC vehicles may or may not have it depending on the year. A vehicle in the later standard NATO 3-color camouflage will definitely have it, unless it is an "unowned" vehicle drawn from a pre-positioned fleet or a training set of vehicles like the ones used by National Guard units at their annual training sites or major training centers like the NTC, JRTC or CMTC.

Often vehicles drawn from the training sites will have temporary bumper numbers applied to 100 mph tape (aka green duct tape) so the numbers can be stenciled on and then removed easily when the vehicles are turned back in.

IIRC the tan background was added about the same time we stopped adding the small tan squiggles to the 4-color scheme.

The yellow bumper backgrounds is an odd mistake they seem to replicate again and again.

Been "popping" in on occasions to take a look, it is looking great so far!

Looking forward to seeing it finished...cheers....Kenny

Mike, thanks for the heads-up on he breech, I didn't even get around to that yet, but I honestly didn't know it. I'll make sure I get it done when I get home.

I ordered some of those "Rain Marks" too, just for fun! :)

Ernest, thanks man--you're always so kind in your comments! I appreciate the enthusiasm, and hope I don't disappoint you!

Rob, you are always a welcomed font of useful information. that's great stuff to know there. I ordered some proper numbers and will have to make some tan rectangles to complete the correct look.

Thank for taking the time to type all that and share your knowledge. It's much appreciated!

That's for dropping in too, Kenny!!

disastermaster

RBaer

I like it doog, lookin fine.

Confession: When I read your thread title today, with its current update sub title, the first thing that popped into my head was a picture of the doog, with a goofy headband on, waving his hands at a model, saying: "tracks ON, tracks OFF".

Sorry.

 Hey dude,

     time ta step back from those glue fumes.

                                       

                                                

HI all,

I'm happy to say that I've finally wrapped this one up. Between traveling and some other distractions, it's been longer than I've wanted, but I"m finally ready to call this one "Done"!

I didn't really take time to document the weathering--it was pretty standard stuff, and  I didn't want to break my pace to have to photograph everything, so sorry about that.

Weathering consisted of these steps after I had applied the decals and painted all details.

1. Oil wash of 502 Abt "Buff" oil. Stippled with a wet brush to diffuse on flat panels

2. A light wash of Adam Wilder's pigment-based solution (Dry Russian Earth + Dark European Terrain)  in mineral spirits. This was mostly removed, leaving traces and areas of "dust"..

3. Sealed with Wilder Pigment Fixer (MM)

4. AIrbrushed AK's "Rainmarks for NATO Vehicles". The technique to use is to spray one side of the vehicle, then use a thinner-wetted brush (NOT soaked in thinner) to pull the color down in streaks. Pretty nice stuff.

5. Added various pinwashes of contrasting colors--grays and browns--from Adam Wilder's "Gunpowder" line.

6. Lightly sealed with acrylic flat.

7. Used WIlder's "Mud Effects" to spatter the hull and tracks after masking the top hull.

8. Added some oil and fuel effects and graphite powder for highlights.

Without further ado, here she is.

Thanks, Carlos, for the ideas about the identifying caps on the 5-gal. cans!

The rear spade was finished by first masking a straight line about 2/5th from the bottom of the blade. This was then sprayed with Tamiya Chrome Silver. I then painted rust and dirt stains with oil paints, and next added pigment washes in the creases. Lastly, acrylic resin was used to mix up a "Dirt" mixture of pigments and real dirt, which as then carefully applied.

Thanks, everyone once again, for the help, interest, comments, and information and critiques that you have either offered or will offer now!

All the "redlegs" out there--please let me know if there's anything that I missed! And thanks to you all following along!

Beautiful work Karl! (as always) ;-) As a 5th ID alumni, I do appreciate your choice in memorializing those redlegs from the bottom of my heart.

Karl....I am feeling the 240lb projectile lift now!! Love the big 8 inch!. Two things, I am having a brain cramp but the Italeri kit should have the screw breech block...it seems to be missing on the model, the breech is open and I see the pin hole for the screw block to fit into.

I can't tell by the pics but the loader tray would be steel from the wear of the projectiles sliding on it into the breech.

Otherwise I am smelling the wolfs pu$$y (muzzle blast). Nice build

Rounds Complete!!

Karl- been following along. Another outstanding build

         Welllll..........I'll be doog-gone.

That's really first rate and you know it.

             SUPER!         

It's about as close to the real thing as you're gonna get.

stikpusher

Beautiful work Karl! (as always) ;-) As a 5th ID alumni, I do appreciate your choice in memorializing those redlegs from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks again for your help in getting this build to the finish line!

redleg12

Karl....I am feeling the 240lb projectile lift now!! Love the big 8 inch!. Two things, I am having a brain cramp but the Italeri kit should have the screw breech block...it seems to be missing on the model, the breech is open and I see the pin hole for the screw block to fit into.

I can't tell by the pics but the loader tray would be steel from the wear of the projectiles sliding on it into the breech.

Otherwise I am smelling the wolfs pu$$y (muzzle blast). Nice build

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks for pointing this omission out! I know what you're saying--I googled the breech, and you're right--it's a big screw, but the kit doesn't have it--not even in the instructions. I"ll have to see if I can fashion the part. It shouldn't be too hard. I DID miss filling that hole in the breech face. AT very least I'll attend to that.

The loader tray is weathered with silver paint, but I will put down some nice graphite powder on it and shine it up with a Q-tip. That's make it shine better! I also noticed that I didn't paint some of the little buttons, like the red firing button.

Thanks again for the critique! Much appreciated, Mike!

Stage-left, and Steve---thanks guys; I do appreciate the cheers!