Oh a very cool project! This will be great to follow! 

Oh yeah, that will be a good one! I have to show it to my friend who was a T-55 tanker back in the early nineties! Maybe even he could help you, should you have any questions.

At work he told us how he got a really nice place to sleep, atop of the personnel heater, because he was the only one short enough to fit there!

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Yes definitely a nice project to follow. 

Awesome Gino! Looking forward to more. 

Super cool. Definitely watching.

BK

    There was a cartoon of  Iraqi tank commanders recieving flight pay because their turrets would launch when we hit the tank. That was during Desert Storm aboard the Ranger no less. Neat project.

Thanks all.  I hope to get some more work done on it soon.

Gonna have to keep my eye on this project, should turn out to be a super cool build!

Thanks all. I have been working on it a bit more. I decided to change tack on the engine. Instead of the solid, drop in engine area from Mig, I had a MiniArt T55 engine as well. I built up the MiniArt engine and modified the hull to fit it.

I also made the rear wall out of thick aluminum foil and destroyed it as if it was in an internal explosion. I made it by pressing the foil down over the kit part to duplicate it. I also punched holes in the driver’s wall and the tank on the right side wall.

This is how I am sort of seeing the final product, something like this.

Next up is to start the burned-out, rusty, sooty painting process.

I am Vatching Youse!

This looks like it's going to be epic. 

Very cool Gino, I love the busted-up bulkheads... 

I have finished the interior painting and finishing.  I added some loose debris inside; empty shell casings, wire, ammo cans, and various bits and bobs.  I sprayed a thin coat of a rust color overall, then liberally coated them with rust colored and black pastel chalks.

This is what you will see w/the hull closed up.  I plan on leaving the deck plate over the engine off and thrown to the side a bit mangled.  The right rear door over the cooling fan will be blown open, and the upper grills will be blown off/opened as well.

On to the turret.  I added some wires and then gave it the same finishing treatments as the hull.

Next up is to add all the exterior details...then destroy them.

Fabulous work so far. The rust looks real enough to me. Can't wait to see more!

Very cool, looks just how I'd think a burnt-out tank should look.

Awesome work. The damage looks very realistic.

Seriously looking awesome!

Side bar please; can anyone tell me the diameter of the actual external fuel tanks on the T-55. length is not an issue, but I could really use the diameter dimension; inches or metric works. I can recalculate as needed.

Thank You.

Awesome work so far Gino. Your use of pastels and wires really give this burnt out T-55 that realistic look. 

Thanks gents.  I like how the rusting and damage are coming along so far.    More to come soon...hopefully.

Nice! Very nice! Where are you going to put the penetration?

Thanks Stik.  I'm thinking about melting a hole in the side of the turret from a SABOT round.  It may help explain why the turret came off as well.

M1GarandFan

Fabulous work so far. The rust looks real enough to me. Can't wait to see more!

 

yea me too

Looks super cool. 

Construction on the hull is basically complete.  I was going for the look that the rear deck has been blown off in the explosion that also separated the turret.

I added some damage to the front as well.

This is how I see it sitting with some debris around it; the separated engine deck and a dislodged fuel tank.

I just need to add the fuel lines and wheels and the hull will be done.  Then onto the turret exterior.

The amount of detail you put in the interior is spectacular! Can't wait to see more!

Glad I woke up in time to see this epic production.  Now cought up and ready for your next post---------is it ready yet?----------ow 'bout now?

Never mind I'll go in the corner and be good-ish