That one's been around for quite a while. I did it back when it first came out. Pay close attention to the front of the turret area around the main gun. The profile is not properly shaped, somewhat of a shell trap. Correct with picture references or you can replace it with an aftermarket turret.

 This picture should help. Check the vertical shape of the turret to the right of the turret lifting hook and staight down from the searchlight linkage mount.          

  I just used plasticard and squadron green putty to fix mine.

           Hope this helps.

Hello Hugo.

may be this pictures in rusian web pages will help you. probably it will be easier to do syrian t-62

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your tips, since this is a very very easy kit with few parts but still a great kit, I will use it for experimentation. 

I first noticed that turret of the kit is way too smooth and flat, so I wanted to change it too look like a casted turret...  I did not felt comfortable using Tamiya putty, it dries too fast, difficult to apply and too expensive to use all over the turret...so it was invention time.... .

Looking around what I had on hand, I found in the garage a crack repair jar, this is used to make small repairs to the wall before painting it. It comes in sizes as little as 1QT, for around $7 USD. It comes already to use, but since it's acrylic based you can use just water to reduce it even more. 

I simply used a wide flat brush and tap the turret with it, use as much or little as you want/need. 

Initially I used a little but I wanted more....specially thinking that after several layers of paint and weathering it will level out itself.

Yep, it looks bad, I was afraid I had damaged the kit....  I did not panic, I saw I had some areas with more than others making small lumps, so I used a fine grit sanding stick and leveled it all out until I had a even look, however, I liked the differences so I did just a little.

Then used Humbrol grey acrylic spray can and primed it.

WOW, what a difference it makes!! 

I completely liked it, the texture is perfect, random and rough. Since I will be using several layers of base color, final color, chipping and weathering it will level out perfectly.

 As I said, you can use as much or little, I really liked mine, it may look like too much but I'm sure it will be a nice used/abused turret.

Now, I'm even thinking...I should had primed it firts in olive green, then do the "casting", primed it grey and used the final color. I think you can achieve very nice realistic chipping, scratching the paste... so I will experiment more, using it for very old rusting and as you can see, if I mix it with a brownish, earth color you get.....perfect mud splatters.

See you around.

Hugo

Hi, Hugo

There is another way to do a custed turret if it's too smooth and flat. You need to apply turret by model glue. It makes plastic very soft. And then (before the glue vaporize) poke by hard brush. So plastic will have texture like casting. But after that brush will be spoiled. This is a good way for USSR armor (for turret only, especially fo WW2 armor, bacause it has very accented texture) and for some of USA tanks (for ex Sherman. So it depends of factory technology of real tank.

Your way is not so dangerous for model and. i'll try it, thank you

Nice results. What brand of Crack repair did you use.

Nice! I normally use Mr. Surfacer and a rough brush but I think yours looks better than the results I've gotten so far.

Vladimir, thanks for your advice, but as you mentioned, that technic is very dangerous, I'm afraid I could permanently damage the turret. But hey, whatever it works for each one.

RX7850, since I'm from Mexico I used a local paint company named Comex, and their product for crack repairs. I looked up at Home Depot website and found something I'm sure should be the same, is named "Crack Patch" by Red Devil company. It's water based acrylic, it should have the consistency of cake frosting. By the way, buy the 8-oz, it's just $4 USD.

Gamera, yep, I also have Mr.Surfacer 500, but also it is too "watery" so at least for me, it's difficult to control how much and where you want it. Again, I used this paste because it's what I had on hand. There is only one Hobby store  in my city and 2 around 100 miles and still mainly carry kits and some woodland scenics. So I have to become very "inventive" to whatever I found in my garden, garage, pantry  to build up kits and dioramas. I travel to the US maybe twice a year where I find more weathering, specialized tools, but mostly I get good things from Internet although it's very very expensive.

   Yeah, it's the original formula "old school" sheetrock spackle ("mud" as it's called in the trade) which can have many uses when you thin it right (not difficult and does quite well).

 It's water soluble which means you can soak it in water (before you paint anything) and rub it right off (even if it has dried and you don't like how it's looking.

  Much cheaper than all those "glamour products" a pimping  out there, and works just as well for texture.

 I've also used it for snow successfully many times without any negative side-effects.

 Now, go out and invest in this item because this post is probably gon'na 'cause a lot'ta people to run out to buy and try this out.

I like this effect. For cast look or for chipping effect maybe 

Thanks for the tip 

Hi guys,

So, I have finished the build, so its ttime to the best part...  painting and weathering!.

I have painted a dark green color which will be my base for the chipping, once completely dried overnight I will lay a very light color of brown, a dust color I will say. this will allow me to do the a very convicing chipping green scratches and marks.

And finally some rusting and and lots of dust.

This is how it looks.... see, the casting looks very convincing and its leveling out nicely as I put color over color.

Looking good, Hugo!

Be bold, be brave in your weathering!!!

Hey Karl, definitely will experiment... following your advice, I will go brave on this one... here I goooooo  

So, I made some minor filling, re-painted with primer and.....here it's my current status, for now I will keep it secret on what I'm attempting to achieve...hehehe...so, yes, currently looks like a BIG mistake.

I also think so, so for now, Im doing it only on the turret, if it goes as I want it, I will do the same on the hull.

Here it is:

Have a great sunday!

Hugo

Oh no.......  here comes 'da snow!

Looks good, please keep the updates coming!

Hi guys!

Ok, so I just painted only the turret In a very light brown, I liked it very very much how it looks very close to the actual iIaqi/Syrian desert color, its almos a dusty color. 

Too bad the photo cannot capture the subtle difference of more white it's on the top than the sides, which gives a more dusty, faded look.

I have to leave it dry fully before I go ahead and reveal my true intentions... muahhha..muahha.... (insert evil laugh here) 

if you are going to oil wash, try a really thin white on all the upper surfaces. just enough to lighten it a bit to simulated fading from the desert sun. Just tried this on an Syrian SU-100 with good results. also some light wash of ocher will slightly add subtle differences in colors on panels, hatches, etc.

Hi garzonh,

Great effort so far!

One thing, the hand rails need to be closer to the turret.

The hand rails only extract 10 -15 centimeters.

Looking for a reference picture but off line from the NAT right now, sorry.

Best Regards

Johan

Nice to see you taking chances, Hugo! I'm definitely interested!

Hi everybody!

So, the model is completed, between my old ppst and this new one, everything was done. So airbrushed a light desert color, take off the liquid mask, then create a wash of plaster, dust color and apply over it, then saned most of it, several washes of other colors, pinwash, blackwash, pigment, rust, oil and diesel marks, pigments, etc..etc..

I will start working on a basic dio of Iraqi desert and a figure to go with it. and some fuel drums abdoned... I really liked the dusty, sun burned and not well maintained tank which has not moved in days, gathering dust and rotiing. Photos do not make justice to real life colors and subtle tones of dust.

Thank you for your comments and visiting my post.

Now I need to order the figure and drums over the Internet, this may take week so I will see what is my next project...

Moving out of my "comfort zone" I will build my first plane.

have a great weekend. 

Hugo

Nicely done!! I love the heavy weathering!  :D

That's some mean looking weathering!

Exceptionally well done, I just picked up one for cheap at a show, will tackle it later.

M.Brindos, thank you very much, yep I did not want to add too much rust since its a dry place, mostly is all sun burned and lots of dust.

Disastermaster, appreciate your comments, photos are very bad, I hope to have better once I build the small dio.

CarnivourousDonut, yeah, it is a cheap, very very easy to build, I had a lot of troubles with the rubber tracks they seem a little small for the lenght needed so the return idler came off. Lost of glue were needed. Thanks for commenting.

Ohhhhhh very cool, big kudos sir!

Truly nasty looking, I love it.

I've got the same kit in the stash, and about five pounds of old Verlinden AM stuff, starting to get the urge.....

It did turn out well. for a quick base you lay out some sheet plastic cut like large concrete slabs, slightly stippled and painted concrete. or put it in a u shaped hull down revetment.

Soorryyyyy....it took forever to finish this model. So many things going on, work, life, travel, stuf... 

Anyway, I was able to finish the model in a nice desert setting to make it look abandoned..

I really like how it turned out. I was even able to finish it on time for the regional IPMS contest. It did not won any prizes... which is weird for me since I really look the cooked, fading color...HOWEVER...I also put a couple of other kits:

• My dio of the Hummel: WON 3rd place in dio.
• The Renault FT 17 WON 2nd place!!   in armor before 1939

Also, lots and lots of model stores...too hard to keep my wallet inside my pants..

Thanks for stoping by...

Just....Excellent!

Well done Hugo. I really like the weathering, it seems to fit the vehicle perfectly.