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

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.

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

Wow Stik....nothing short of amazing. Great job sir!

Thanks Hunter. Now that I’m back from my grand adventure vacation, I can get this puppy finished up

Glad to read you were on vacation Stik, I hadn't seen a post from you for abit and was wondering where you got off to. Hoping everything was good in Stiks house of course.

Thanks Armor! I had a great adventure for the past several weeks and now it’s back to the routine of regular everyday life. I did get a bit of modeling inspirations on my travels. But first I gotta finish up this baby. After I get my home back in order after time away. 

stikpusher

Thanks Hunter. Now that I’m back from my grand adventure vacation, I can get this puppy finished up

 

Thought you had been absent, good to see you back and rearing to go.

Bish

 

 

stikpusher

Thanks Hunter. Now that I’m back from my grand adventure vacation, I can get this puppy finished up

 

 

 

 

Thought you had been absent, good to see you back and rearing to go.

 

Yup... a little cruise like Columbus from Spain to the Americas via the Canaries. Just in a bit more comfort. Then some time in Florida and Georgia. Now I gotta get things in order again at home and I can get this all wrapped up.

Now that the holidays are over, things put away, and all visitors back where they came from, I got in a good couple of hours at my bench today. I worked on the base a bit, just a Czech flag for context, and airbrushed on a coat of Humbrol Matt Coat. I also had to scratch up a new antenna as the last one broke off when I failed to think ahead properly and left a box nearby that shifted when I took it to AMPS last month...

Anyways, here is the now Matt coated tank and on the base....

Next up, some dry brushing and light dust weathering on the running gear

Sure looks good to me Stik!

I follow most of your builds - at least I was following them in the aircraft forum - and think of you and Joe (Lawdog) as two of the finer modelers from whom I've had the pleasure of viewing works in progress. Now I'll have to pay attention to your armor builds as well.

Thank you Mike. That truly is a compliment for you to put me in the same league as Joe Lawdog.

Looking good!

Thanks G! I’m really looking forward to wrapping this one up.

Well donw Stik, looks just like the picture....only in color LOL. Nice build.

armornut

Well donw Stik, looks just like the picture....only in color LOL. Nice build.

 

Thanks armornut!

Well today I did the final bits of work on the tank itself.

I added dry brushed highlights yesterday, some clear parts glue for vision blocks & periscope lenses last night and added some paper details- cargo straps and “cover ups” today in the midday...

The brown paper on the front sides of the turret was seen on some of the Soviet tanks during the occupation move, it was likely some sort of security measure to cover the standard tactical numbers...

A little while ago I did the dusting coat, so I’ll get photos of that later once it is completely dry...

back in the saddle looks awesome there stik. I like that white cross !

Thank you Nick. I agree about the white cross. The Czech Invasion markings really set stuff apart from your average everyday plain old green Soviet Cold War AFV.

Ok, I’m calling this done.... 

Now I am wondering if I should or should not add the crew figures...

Nice finish, Stik. A figure would add scale to this display.

SprueOne

Nice finish, Stik. A figure would add scale to this display.

 

very true... it’s all in the context I want to present... stationary or dynamic. They rolled in buttoned up, but came out once positions were occupied. As it looks now, they are rolling in.

Nicley done Stik. Nice job on the base as well.

Yeah, nice work there on the tank and the base! 

Stik, I agree with the others here - great job on the model. I like your details and the historical context. Glad I never saw one for real. Seeing the Berlin wall in '74 close enough.

This subject has probably been covered before, but when you said you had added some paper details - cargo straps, etc., what kind of paper did you use for the straps? I've been using foil strips, but I'm not real happy with the results.

Very well done, Stik! 

Thanks for looking and commenting guys. This was a fun project. 

M1 I used some receipt paper or something similar for the cargo straps. Just painted it flat black and then later cut some small strips. For my next try at it I want to use some more brownish paper, because the paint flaked off a bit in cutting and revealed some white. At least if I use a brown paper, like from a lunch sack, if that happens, it will look like worn leather.

Thanks for the tip. I should be able to find a paper bag around here somewhere.☺

I have been using lead foil for awhile now and thought that I’d try something new here.

here is a better shot of the paper straps

I took some new photos today with better light.

Thanks for looking....

Comments and critiques welcome...

Stik,

The paper straps look real good, but I can see why you want to use brown instead of white next time. Thanks for the tips, hints and pics.

John

Really nice finish on this tank Stik. When I get around to mine I'll reference this thread.

Since completing my first piece of armor I've gone nuts and now have in my stash several 1/35 scale armor kits:

Tamiya ........ Sd.Kfz.166 Sturmpanzer IV Brummbär

Tamiya .........Easy Eight

Tamiya .........T-55A

Tamiya .........M26 Pershing

Dragon .........Sd.Kfz.171 Panther G

AVF Club ......M60A3 Patton

Meng ...........Bradley M2A3 w/Busk III

Meng ........... Mk. A Whippet

Meng ............French FT-17 (Cast turret)

Academy ......M3 Stuart "Honey"

That is, of course, in addition to the 43 aircraft kits and over 25 ship kits in my stash. Is there a 12 step program for kit collectors?

Thanks Mike. Yes there is a 12 Step Program for plastiholics... but I think it gets you 12 steps deeper into this hobby...