M109A2 Howitzer, AFV 1/35 Improved photos!, oct, 25.

That does not look so horrid at all. Certainly nothing that a few more airbrush sessions can not cure. Set it aside, until your ready to do so, then come back and finish it up.

2 psi??

I don't even think mine can be set to that

I think it was 1-2 issues ago FSM had an article about thinning for airbrushing, and the immediate actions for various issues

Don't give up on it yet.  Usually, if you get air brush spitting, it is from the paint being too thick and/or the pressure being too low.  I usually paint at about 2 or less psi and the paint is pretty thin, about the consistency of milk.  The more you thin the paint, the lower the pressure you can go.  Too thin and it takes multiple applications to cover.  I would re-shoot it in the overall green and give it another go.

I can totally sympathize with an unsuccessful paint impacting your motivation.

My only suggestion, put it on a shelf and walk away.

Another round of green and some silly putty to mask the camo could fix this but if you get fed up with it then try getting back into the game with another one.

You did a great job on the kit, don't completely give up on it just yet.

Thanks man!, but I just lost interest in this one... I will just finish it and put if for sale "as is"....hahaha..

Im already eager to start my new project, which will be a cool diorama...

Man, that's a bummer.  You can always try spraying the green over everything again, then using blue-tack to mask the cammo pattern.

OK...so it happened what I was afraid....

I screw it.... camo is so hard, I got the airbrush "spitting" all over, puddles of paint so it looks awful 

I will just finish it, just because of the time I spent assembling. I will put another color of camo and thats it. I was wanting to add some mud and other weathering but will not spend more resources on it.

I presume the problem is the compressor, it does not has a tank so it fluctuates and cannot control the pressure output...ebay garbage...

Here´s the mess....

Ahhh....always good when the paint starts.

Have to agree with my brother Gino, the AFV kits are a cell phone compared to the Italeri which is a cup with a string.

Rounds Complete!!

Nice progress with the basecoat Garzon, looking good.

I think your 109 is coming along great.  I have only built the Italeri kits and have been happy with them and was just wondering how the AFV was..

Its coming along great.  The initial paint looks really good.  Keep up the good work.

How does this kit compare to the Italeri?  I have built a few M109s & a M108 and was thinking of a Paladin.

The AFV Club kit is lightyears ahead of the old Italeri kits.  It is better engineered and way better detailed.  If you want to build an M109A2 or A6 Paladin, go with the AFV Club kits.

Hi to all, and wishing you are having a nice weekend..here it sunny and warm..24C  

I just laid the green color to all the model. My personal preference is not to cover everything perfectly in a nice layer. I prefer varying the distance, amount of paint, pressure and flow of paint, trying not to add to much paint to the areas I pre-shaded and  the lower areas. I think it breaks monotony and makes it more interesting to the eye and this subtle effect makes you think it has been on the sun and the paint has been affected differently, at least this is what I think,

Next step, first brown cammo pattern...freehand!!  

Hi,

I cannot say, since I have not built an Italeri at all...

I did had a lot of problems with fitting, I did a lot of trimming, filling, cutting to make it work, it also has a lot of small pieces which I think is too much, since some of them will be put into places never to see the day of light, but also adds a lot of detail to it, like the "basket" at the back of the turret which was very challenging but it gives a lot of detail.

The cannon is aluminum and copper, and although AFV states that it recoils...I was never able to make it do that, which also I do not see the functionality in a "static" model.

Other builders said that AFV is a very good company with very precise kits. As I mentioned I think I just got a defective one...or maybe Im the defective.... and could not make it work.

Overall, is a good kit which I recommend.

How does this kit compare to the Italeri?  I have built a few M109s & a M108 and was thinking of a Paladin.

Looking good, off to a good prime!

Rounds Complete!!

OK, so after some delays...I finally assemble it and now started a pre-shading painting with black.

I will start painting with the green base color tomorrow.

See you..

Thank you very much DeskJockey.

I did not had problems with the hull.... the issue started with the cannon mount and turret. Im glad I had finally went through it.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the color numbers are XF-67, 68 and 69, respectively.

Use Tamiya's NATO Green, Brown, and Black--they are the correct ones for the box-top scheme.  I'm currently building the same kit, but I'll be painting mine in the MEDC gray desert scheme.  I haven't had any major fit issues yet, but I've only built the hull so far.  Two of the hull parts were slightly warped, though.

Thank you all!

I will be starting painting process by mid or end of next week.

I will like to paint it as the box art,,,what colors do you recommend (Tamiya) for painting this 3 cammo color scheme?

Don't let the kit defeat you! Looks like putty is solving your issues, once under paint you won't be able to tell the difference.

Looking good, keep on with the mission

Rounds Complete!!

It looks like you handled it well to me.  Good job and keep plugging away at it.

Hi to everybody and thanks for your invaluable advice and knowledge trasnfer.

I think I got the 1 in a million defective kit from AFV. I just kept having fitting issues all over the turret. I had to trim, cut down, redesign and fill everything I could possible do with my limited experience. It's like the one in a million car that is new and it just keeps having mechanical issues.

It looks pretty bad, but I guess that with a base coat of black it will blend in everything.

The kit has delayed me more than I thought, but keeps progressing.

Will see how it all ties together.

Looking good so far, I would agree with my brother Gino, AFV normally makes top kits. I think it may be warped like Tony showed....stuff happens. Keep your head up and eye on the target.

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks! man, that's what I will do, put it in hot water to make it straight.

Garzonh my AFV Club M-40 started with this mess:

Front

Rear

Top

With the help of very hot water and patients it turned into this

Don't let a hunk of plastic beat you down

I will fix it this evening and see how it progresses... thanks!

Maybe your kit is warped or something.  AFV Club kits are very good, some of the best in my book.  I wouldn't write them off because of a few issues with one kit.  Also, others have not reported any problems with this kit, only praise.  I haven't built mine yet, but I am definitely looking forward to it.

I just wanted to release some steam off....

The cannon base mount is impsossible to be aligned correctly. I had to trim off a lot and I men a lot of excess plastic with my dremel at high speed...

Then mounting to the hull is another nightmare... and when testing how will the hull sit, its all bended and its so thin its very difficult to aling...

No more AFV for me.... I was just about to throw it all!!.. since it was a expensive kit I will just have to deal with it.

Not sure how it will come out if I keep having this problems...