The extra effort going into the rear deck area is paying off big dividends. All that scratch work looks amazing stik. 

So the last couple of days I've been working on the engine. Yesterday I cut off Italeri’s sorry excuse for the auxiliary motor and generator

Which looks nothing like the real thing

And I also sanded off all the incorrect detail molded on the oil coolers, and drilled in holes in preparation for plumbing lines.

Today I measured and cut lengths of styrene rod to make up the ignition harness for the cylinder banks, then glued them in place. I also created a section of the right side hull fuel tank that goes under the auxiliary motor

Then a test fit into the hull with the top on to show what will be visible

I still have a couple more sessions worth of work to add more details in there.

I have to agree strongly with Mike, tan or sand as an undercoat makes yellow cover FAR better. 

I still hate spraying the stuff but the undercoat makes it at least workable. 

Andy of Andy's Hobby Headquarters once mixed Olive Drab on video by mixing black and yellow. It works.

Bill

Thank you Bill. I hope that you saw my comp,eyed M46 last month on here. BTW, I airbrushed on the Insignia Yellow directly over the Olive Drab, no coat of white or whatever underneath to brighten it up. I suspect that the Yellow goes so well over OD is because OD is supposed to made from a mix of black and yellow, so yellow is part of OD's pigments.  

Thanks, gentlemen!  I will try these recommendations soon.  Carlos, that is a beautiful M-46! FYI . . . there is such an M-46 (with Tiger stripes) at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA.

Bill

warshipguy

I have never successfully painted yellow coats with Testor's enamels, or using any brand of paint.  Yellow is a difficult color for me!

Bill

 

Try spraying a desert tan or sand color first, Bill. That's how I've been able to get good results with yellow since trying it that way. It will be a lot less troublesome with a base layer of a similar tonal value and you won't have to build up the color as much to achieve a good coverage. Just make sure you don't use any gloss for that undertone color of desert yellow or tan.

That should help you out.

warshipguy

I have never successfully painted yellow coats with Testor's enamels, or using any brand of paint.  Yellow is a difficult color for me!

Bill

 

Yellow tends to airbrush ok, it just takes more applications. Ive had good luck with Testors, but better results with Humbrol, like on my M46 here.

I have never successfully painted yellow coats with Testor's enamels, or using any brand of paint.  Yellow is a difficult color for me!

Bill

stikpusher

Thanks Mike. I've been looking hard at photos of the engine and surrounding items to figure out the next phase of gizmology in that area.

The Rocketeer GB sounds very cool. You can still build it. Im sure that you've gotten better with applying yellow.

 

Lol, yes I've become much better at applying yellow.

"The Rocketeer" One of my favorite all-time movies, and a great paint job on that GeeBee.

Thanks Mike. I've been looking hard at photos of the engine and surrounding items to figure out the next phase of gizmology in that area.

The Rocketeer GB sounds very cool. You can still build it. Im sure that you've gotten better with applying yellow.

Guess I'll have to put my two cents in on the yellow Testors boxes as well. They were some of my favorite kits through the 90's. My most memorable being both 1/72 scale kits of the Stuka and a Spitfire Vb with the clipped wingtips.

I also have a fond memory of the 1/48 Gee Bee racer that I desperately wanted to paint in yellow and black like the one from the movie "The Rocketeer". Unfortunately I never could get a good finish with gloss yellow Testors enamel and a hairy stick, lol.

****

I love what you've done with the plumbing! I'm eager to see it painted.

Yeah I really like the added plumbing in the engine compartment. 

Think I've said it before- my first 1/35th kit was the Testor's yellow and black box Panzer IV F/G. Waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy back in the dawn ages when I had much more hair but no internet... 

plasticjunkie

That is really looking good stik. These older Testors kits are nice. I have a couple from the 80s in the yellow and black box and are very nicely detailed. I like what you did with the electrical wiring details.

warshipguy

It's interesting . . . Italeri 1/35 armor kits are generally maligned but the old Testor's kits were "nice kits" or "great".  They are one and the same, except for those kits that Italeri have redesigned or retooled.  I love them.

Rob, the Italeri Leopard kits are still considered by leopardclub.ca as being among the best on the market, with disappointing reviews of the newer Meng and Hobby Boss offerings. I just finished their Leopard 1A2 kit and am  very satisfied.  There are minor detail problems as with any kit, but it built into a very respectable A2.

Bill

It is virtually impossible to classify Testors yellow box kits as "all nice" or "all bad" since they were all reboxes of other companies' kits. Their armor kits could be Peerless Max from the 50s or Italeri kits from the 70s & 80s. There were even some Fujimi car and plane kits I believe.

The Peerless Max armor kits were okay, just old. They included the M3 White Scout Car, the WC Dodge series kits, GMC 6x6s, Chevrolet tractors and the 105 mm howitzer.

The original Italeri kits like the Leopard, M24, M47, Willys Jeep, Puma, Crusader, etc. were not bad for the time.

Chad and Steve, thank you. I figure two more bench sessions on upgrading and plumbing the engine compartment, then a paint session, and it’ll be all ready to install and close up.

Bill I agree. I love the old Italeri armor kits, and their Testors boxing’s. I’ve always had good results with them. 

It's interesting . . . Italeri 1/35 armor kits are generally maligned but the old Testor's kits were "nice kits" or "great".  They are one and the same, except for those kits that Italeri have redesigned or retooled.  I love them.

Rob, the Italeri Leopard kits are still considered by leopardclub.ca as being among the best on the market, with disappointing reviews of the newer Meng and Hobby Boss offerings. I just finished their Leopard 1A2 kit and am  very satisfied.  There are minor detail problems as with any kit, but it built into a very respectable A2.

Bill

That is really looking good stik. These older Testors kits are nice. I have a couple from the 80s in the yellow and black box and are very nicely detailed. I like what you did with the electrical wiring details.

Stik the wires and hoses really add some zest here. I bet It'll gives it a really nice 3 dimensional effect too through those engine grates.  

stikpusher

Yup, those yellow box Testors kits are great. Good decals, good clear instructions, and usually a nice kit at the end of the build. I can see why you like this one Rob, it’s a fine kit.

This kit (1978) and Italeri's Leopard 1A4 (1977) are thought of as two of their best armor kits and each is still a respectable build 45 years later. And have only been surpassed in recent years.

Yup, those yellow box Testors kits are great. Good decals, good clear instructions, and usually a nice kit at the end of the build. I can see why you like this one Rob, it’s a fine kit.

Easily one of my favorite kits from my college years. Who loved the Testors yellow boxed kits like I did? Those instructions with history and detailing guide were the best!

I did get the Takom one.

Keyserj

Looking good Stik. I recall seeing you post something about a mechanic figure in the latest acquisitions thread. Are you gonna do a maintence scene for this build?

 

John, that’s kinda what I had in mind. Have that figure kneeling on the engine deck by the open grilles looking in. A simple base to look like a motor pool hardstand. 

Looking good Stik. I recall seeing you post something about a mechanic figure in the latest acquisitions thread. Are you gonna do a maintence scene for this build?

Thanks Ben. These roadwheels rotate on their axles, so painting the tires will not be a problem before I add the tracks.

As far as painting the road wheels before or after installation goes, that depends upon the model and on what my finishing look will be.

Looks like your headed in the right direction as the detail you added in the engine bay look really nice so far.

I see that you added all of the roadwheerls before painting the rubber. I see other people paint them prior to assembly. In your opinion, which is better and why, or is it depending on the model?

Also, thanks for sharing the build with all of us....

Ben

So today was spent doing steps 5, 6, & 7. Although step 6, adding parts to the underside of the upper hull, and 7, finishing the fender items and attaching the engine and upper hull to the lower hull, I only did partially due to my choice to upgrade the engine compartment.

I am also backdating the kit to an early production model, so I had to swap out the driver and assistant driver hatches periscope brush guards for the older type used, rather than what comes with the kit. Fortunately I have some in my spares bin.

and lastly I started detailing the engine part that comes with the kit. I only did the transmission section today.

And this is what you can see thru the open grilles

More to come in a few days...

Bill, I can just picture such madness with all the parts cut off the sprues. Who does things like that? The potential for parts mix up is big! I’m glad to hear that you have some organization to the mess.

Gamera, yeah, the running gear is a bit tedious, but not too bad on this beastie. And pretty familiar i might add, after building multiple M60s, M48s, and M26s for years and years. The M46 that I built last year was just a refresher.

John, I’m glad that you liked the last Patton build and I hope that you like this one also! At least this time I’m doing my research before I get to the steps where I need it! Lol!

Carlos,

I missed your previous Pattons.  I will search for them. I'll bet they were great!

Bill

Your last Patton tank was impressive stik! Can't wait to see how this build turns out.