Dads203 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 If you use talc powder you can roll it out really thin like you would making pastry. Hope this helps Si. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Well, just in case anyone what so ever is interested, Howard (KFS) and I have a little debate raging about this gun and the tilt of the balance springs. I think we were settled until I found thisIts in the RA museum in Northumberland. Howard very kindly sent me theseThese are extracts from the actual manual. The top one shoes the Balance Springs at a tilt when the gun is stowed. I've reached out to the Shopland Collection who have a real 5.5" and are currently restoring a 4.5" to ask the question, and I am hoping to get to the Rotal Artillery Museum in Woolwich tomorrow afternoon for a little peep at one - they have a 5.5" gun in there. I've only got an hour but I feel I may not get out once I cross the door!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courtney Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Thanks for the great reference materials guys - great for detailing the airfix Matador and the erm 5.5" with fantasy fixtures and trail legs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 if you are interested, these three shots illustrate the problem with the InAccurate Armour 4.5" & 5.5" gun When the gun is fully depressed for towing, the red like shows where the stirrup should line up with the Balance Spring, which is doesnt on the kit - that means if you depress the gun for stowage, the springs lean back at a ridiculous angle. so the issue is that the mounts for the balance spring are pushed too far forward on the cradle which is the bit the gun sits in that mounts it on the carriage the problem with this gun is the geometry is all wrong on the cradle. Its taken me 2 weeks to establish that, unfortunately after the gun was built. Currently disassembling it, dipping it in Detol to strip the paint off it. InAccurate Armour have quoted me a fiver for a new cradle which I will have a crack at re-modelling. I was hoping to get the the Royal Artillery museum on Woolwich yesterday with a tape measure, but I ran out of time. They have a 5.5" gun in the main hall. So its back to the little lads and I need to finish the Mat which still has a few things to do on it before its weathered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 There is a bit of debate in Mat circles (apparently) on the colour of the inside of the cab. the view is they hit the field primed grey straight out of the factory. Anyway. I asked a lad with three of them (1:1 scale ones) and he's got 3 x 5.5" guns and an understanding mrs! Anyway the response Well this is a bit of a debate I have had with a friend of mine in the past, and I think will always be a bit of a grey area (no pun intended!!) unless it is possible to find someone who painted the vehicles either in the factories or at the base workshops in which ever theatre they were destined for. My mates thinking is that the vehicles would have all been painted the standard green (or whatever colour was the norm at that point in time) and then when they arrived at where they were going the 'local' colour/camouflage would have been applied. This could well be the case as there is a series of films floating about showing vehicles being painted in desert workshops, but this could well be as vehicles arrived from a different theatre and not from a factory. I do know that the RAF post war painted their cab inners in a strange green shade (I had one), but I also had an original condition 1950's Army Mat and this had a drab green cab interior to match the outside. So maybe that is where his idea is coming from?? Sorry I can't be of much more help than this. Regards Mel The AFV model has an error on it as well..................... only minor though:-) Also on the model Matador body, you have two rows of canvas tie down hooks, however the lower row would not have been fitted on a Matador with a tin top (which the Mat in the picture you have copied from would have been). The canvas top type that used the lower row of hooks for securing the roof canvas did not come in until around 1943/44. I hope you don't mind me mentioning that to you. The AFV Mat is an early model. The cleats are on the mid production one I'd guess, which this one is not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 back to the gun.primed these fellas today, and reached for my trusty matewhich is ace for paint strippingstripped and waiting for the new Cradle from InAccurate Armourresidue from the gun. Its ace stuff if you want to restore or redo anythinghalf an hour steep thenre steep it.primed and waiting. Having stressed about the gun, I'm toying with trying to re-engineer the balancing springs to make em work....... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stesca Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Coming along superbly and great to know about the Dettol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 i'm liking your build I like your treatment of the figure with the added gratecoats. I take it it's acrylic your removing with the Detol? Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 i'm liking your build I like your treatment of the figure with the added gratecoats. I take it it's acrylic your removing with the Detol? Colin Thanks fella. I'm copying the figures from the 1943 photograph. The coats are turning out OK so far. Yep its acrylic and Halfords primer. I've not stripped enamel paint with it but I suspect it will work OK - give it a shot. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 If anyone is going to do the early Mat dont put the lower cleats on as its a tin roofI have attached a picture showing what I mean about the lower set of cleats being used for the roof sheet (excuse my black pointer lines but they should hopefully help). The side curtains are fastened on the same was as on a tin top Mat, and the curve of the body has about a foot of rolled steel, which stops the canvas sagging. The canvas top is then put on and covers the top of the side curtains and then the tie down ropes for the roof pass through large eyelets in the top of the side curtains and drop down the back of them and come out at the bottom to be tied onto the cleats. This way they were still able to roll up the side curtains without having to undo all the roof ropes first.[/size]Cheers[/size]Mel[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Just been looking at the bl@@dy balance springs again...................................This is what I'm after re-creating by the way - hence the greatcoats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foghorn Leghorn Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Only just picked up this thread. Beautiful work, especially the figures. She'll certainly look different to other Matadors models when finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 (edited) Thanks fella - I'm reasonably pleased with them and am getting better at the sculpting thing now. The challenge is buying enough of the buggers to get the right poses without having to fundamentally butcher them and start from scratch. I must say thought once you get the hang of it, I can see scratch figure building being quite rewarding in saying that.I've had a crack at the Balancing Springs (again....................) and think I'm just going to say sod it and bite the bullet as it is. I have got a new cradle turning up next week which I was going to have a crack at also to try and get the geometry right, but to be honest, there is that much needs adding to/correcting on this gun I'm in the 'what's the point' space on it. It will do 'as it' as a reasonable representation. Here it is now assembled, but not stuck togetherI've just invested in a mid -production mat as well. AFV club have just released it. I think I'm turning into a closet loggie! Edited January 17, 2015 by simmerit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Looking at the ballance spring problem, it looks like the bottom brackets are too long pushing the bottom of the springs out too far. It's not going to be a total cure but I htuink they would look better. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Looking at the ballance spring problem, it looks like the bottom brackets are too long pushing the bottom of the springs out too far. It's not going to be a total cure but I htuink they would look better. Colin I've been all over this like a rash mate - the bottom brackets are too far out. That is absolutely the problem with the angle of the springs. The cradle is the major problem. There is about a much resemblance between the one on the model and a real one as there is between the real one and a banana. The blokes that did the original design for the model must have based it on another gun or something. Its wrong on every level mate. That's why i've concluded no point in makign the changes and I'll live with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Quick digression for Dan. Mate its come.The new tooled casting is numbingly good and the wheels (always iffy with Firing Line) are ace (have to count the nuts though!!)and just to get back on track 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 Just on with the fella with the bent knee now which I think is probably the last one I'll be doing. I've not used the InAccurate Armour Mat driver and Rupert as the molds are pretty poor, which is a tad irritating as they came in at about 15 sheetslegs from two different lads selected and the shorts clipped offmust finish LT 42 AA at some point. Found it when looking for the rest fo the Hornet Heads I've got lying about the placeknee amputation as the bend isn't at the right angleand its like an ISIS convention on my table at the minute.... I must get these lads painted up sharpish so I can pick the ones I'm running withI have had a bit of an issue with some of the heads as they are a bit on the small side. anyway. There are enough to crack on with 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GruntZone360 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Well, some people have small heads while others are fat, narrow, skinny, etc. xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 Well, some people have small heads while others are fat, narrow, skinny, etc. xD You'll be telling me there are gings next!! Quick heads up Gone into mass production. I'm not really sure how much to do beyond this. Its Libya in 1943 to these blokes will have been tanned and pretty rugged as they were on the road, so covered in dust. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Nice work on the painting Si, they all look good. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 I always find painting little fellas is a hugely personal thing by way of technique. I've had a look at a few people's work, and i've come to the conclusion its about finding a technique that works for you and gives the right end result. I'd say mine aren't the best, but they arent the worst either. You can form your own view.How I go on is get a base coat on first. I use Vallejo as there are about 85 different skin colours and I quite like the choice as you can get some consistency in your painting. That said, we are all different - as pointed out some people have bigger heads than others and skin tone varies. Look at spotty young lads for example. Not painted any with a healthy rash of spots before, but there is always time yet!! Blackheads after washing cam cream off may be a bit of a challenge I suppose.....then I got for a brush on of basic skin toneI've stuck sunny skin tone on top of thatI'll pick out bits with highlights next then give em a wash of burnt sienna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 Right here's the line up. 10 to pickI think its 6 of em want flat heads for tin hats. 5 more to do - 4 with tin hats on already, but two of them are doo-doo - they were from the placcy kits I bought for the bodies. Reasonably pleased with them, but heads are a complete lottery IMHO 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Decided to crack on with one of the lads. I'll know how well he's turned out tomoz in the natural lightA look in situand done a bit on those bloody awful caps they used to wear.Not sure if the blonde lad has worked yet. Will find out in.................. the natural light. He really needs to be white blonde in the desert, so it may be a bit too yellow. Not enjoyed painting the Greatcoat and pants. Shading is so hard with the British uniform in the 40s - not really much you can do with it in my view unless you slap a load of colour in it which wouldn't be right, which is what I've seen having looked at some figures. No matter which way you look at it, its brown! It looks OK - its just not a great shot in electric light in my kitchen, and a healthy splattering of dust will probably make a huge difference 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 A bit of MIG Gulf War sand for good measure appears to have made a difference. He needs some buttons on though...and his laces painting, and his puttees finishing.... and his stripes,,, and and and. I couldnt help it having a crack with the MIG!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 done a bit more shading on this but mixed views on it when you see it blown up close in a piccie! Its not bad. Not bril. Hopefully not sh*te, but maybe adequate.Ordered theseThese (nicked from Dan's blog - thanks matey)and made a start on this one 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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