Bish and Gamera, thanks. I am so looking forward to completing this project.

Looks great! And I'm going to have to pick up some of those Tamiya paving stone sections for myself. 

Enjoy your vacation, I'll be waiting here to see how you finish her up.

Looking great Stik, figures are coming on really well and great job on the AK.

Pawel, I was thinking of adding some crosswalk markings like that. And also possibly a street lamp or sign for some additional interest. We shall see.

GM, yes, Shep did say something along those lines. But the tank will be offset.

I think it was Shep used to advise to avoid having elements parallel to the edges of the base. Just sayin"

Hello!

Lookin' good!

My idea for you would be to paint some markings on the cobblestone - like on this photo here, the pedestrian crossing:

Adding a gutter, a manhole or some tram rails could help add interest to the base, too! Hope it helps, have a nice day

Paweł

Ok, I had a little more time, so one final progress update:

stowage added to the turret rear

and the curb stones painted and the sidewalk glued in place, and a better test shot of the tank on the base...

No more bench time left this month... 

Silly Putty for masking the road wheels? I like it! I'm still new to the stuff myself, but that is a great idea me thinks!

Ok, here are my final updates for the month. I started working on the base. Just a wood plaque from Hobby Lobby with Tamiya paving stone on top. The little sidewalk corner is some sheet plastic with a different Tamiya cobblestone and square strip styrene for the curb edge. I still need to paint that, but not time left for that.

And a test fit of the tank on the base

I'll be back on this to finish it up in mid November when I return home from vacation....

Thanks Rob.

Stik, 

Belay the following question - I've just used some silly putty like material I saved from when I was going through physical therapy after a small procedure on my right hand. It looks like it'll work fine. Sorry for the intrusion in your thread.

Another naive question: In what order do you paint the road wheels? I am currently working on Tamiya's M48A3 and have airbrushed the wheels OD. I now must either hand brush the rubber on the wheels or try to figure out how to mask for the "rubber" painting if I'm going to airbrush it. Any suggestions?

Your work is an inspiration to me. I wish I didn't get stuck on what must be a very simple step for you guys in armor.

1943Mike

"Mike, you could always just leave the hatches shut."

Yea Bish, I will probably do that. Since I know virtually nothing about armor, would tanks be rolling with hatches closed? I know that sounds like a strange question but, like I said, totally ignorant regarding tanks.

 

Depends on the tank, the era and the situation. American tanks rarely operated with hatches closed. When the Abrams came around, it was probably the first of the tanks that the driver stayed buttoned up all the time. Before that, guys heads were out all the time.

Name tag defilade is the term we used. You stay out of the hatch to the height of the name tags on top of your pockets. Basically armpit height.

When maneuvering, you need to kept all tanks abreast and the only way to do so is by having the TCs keep an eye on one another. In darkness and while buttoned up, this is very hard to do and takes practice.

Both the tank and figures are coming along great!

I'd read too about the Soviets plans for an all out offensive to overrun Europe. Neat book I read a few years ago, don't remember the title or author about how the Soviets learned the art of blitzkrieg first to defend against the Germans and then begin to employ it far better than the Wehrmacht ever did. Seems during the Cold War they intended to carry on the same tactics that worked back then. 

GMorrison

Weird but photos support.

No tactical markings, unit numbers, speed limit or any of the other crap that's all over the fenders of NATO tanks.

 

Yup, Soviet markings were always very simplistic. Sometimes a geometric unit insignia, often times with a three digit number, and sometimes a combination  numeric/geometric insignia. Aside from Guards and VDV Airborne unit badges,  everything else was enigmatic.

NATO markings on the other hand are quite descriptive when you know what you’re  looking at. 

Had the ”balloon gone up” for real between NATO v. Warsaw Pact, I suspect that WP ground forces would have adopted white IFF stripes like they did in 1968 (or 1945). An army on the offensive has less concern with concealment compared to the defending army. And WP doctrine was always about the offense. 

Weird but photos support.

No tactical markings, unit numbers, speed limit or any of the other crap that's all over the fenders of NATO tanks.

Thanks and your welcome Stik, I like the textured look on the turret and how you "filled the void" looking forward to your completion.

Thanks armor. I couldn’t tell ya why on any paint finish. All the Russian built AFVs that I’ve ever seen up close and personal in real life were all repainted or so beat up and weathered that they lost any semi gloss finish long ago. 

Rocking the T-double nickle Stik, curiousity question, why do the Russians paint almost all thier vehicles gloss or semi gloss? 

Griffin25

Looking great. Awesome job on the AK mod. Where's that guy going to be on the finished tank?  

 

I am thinking of perhaps over the drives hatch. I have to finish the kit figure first and see which I prefer.

Looking great. Awesome job on the AK mod. Where's that guy going to be on the finished tank?  

Thank you much guys. Glen, the texture is molded into the kit. It is very well done I think. 

Well here are my latest update photos.... 

A few close ups of the oil wash work before I seal it up with a flat coat in the next few days....

I have also begun painting the figures- Gunze  for the flesh base and custom mix of Humbrol for the coveralls. I built the full Trumpeter set of four figures as one may replace the kit figure for the driver

Now this figure I want to explain upon a bit...

As you can see, Trumpeter provides you with an AK for him... but it's an AK-74 and not an AK-47. Perfectly fine for 1980's but not for 1960's. Rummaging thru my spares bin, I did turn up a fixed stock AKM. But as a tanker her needs a folding stock AKMS like this guy...

So I found some parts to modify the AK from my spares bin into a folding stock AKMS....

it fits the figures hands just fine and now I have some folding stock AK-74's in my spares bin....

I really like that soft semigloss finish. Just like the real thing!

Im waiting to see how your figures turn out. That'll be the icing on the cake for sure. :)

Thats looking spot on Stik. Great work.

Mr. Stik,

Friend your build turned out amazing. It looks just like the photos you posted at the beginning. Wonderful work of that kit. And once you finish the figures it's going to be a trophy winner!

Hey friend, I've gotta know what you did to your surface or paint to get that cool looking texture?

Yes I was admiring the texture on the turret especially.

Lodni and Gamera, thanks. Yes, the finish line is coming soon!!! Yay!!!

Nice! Almost to the finish line now! 

Wash on and flesh tone base on crew figures....

back on track...

1943Mike

"Mike, you could always just leave the hatches shut."

Yea Bish, I will probably do that. Since I know virtually nothing about armor, would tanks be rolling with hatches closed? I know that sounds like a strange question but, like I said, totally ignorant regarding tanks.

 

Depends on the situation. Even in a real war situation, commanders would often be heads up, allows them a better view of whats going on. But in some situations, such as a chemical attack, you would close up. We would often conduct live fire training with everyone closed down, even when on the move, to reduce the risk of injury.

"Mike, you could always just leave the hatches shut."

Yea Bish, I will probably do that. Since I know virtually nothing about armor, would tanks be rolling with hatches closed? I know that sounds like a strange question but, like I said, totally ignorant regarding tanks.

Mike, you could always just leave the hatches shut.