BringUpThePIAT

Agree with you on the PE - it really improves it. I went the whole hog and got the resin stowage etc and it looks great. I've got some pics on my Insta - @bringupthePIAT What's the bar / slat armour on the Meng one like? Is it cast styrene or PE? I took one look at the PE set I got for the Academy one and longed it right off, made me need a drink just looking at it.

Yeah I struggle with this too. For German WW2 we know the primer was always red oxide but I always feel the red oxide chipping on panzer grey looks really lurid. I tried it and hated it. For panzer grey I have a two step chipping process. Firstly instead of red oxide I prefer Burnt Umber so this goes on over the black primer coat and grey preshaded primer highlights for the whole model in a layer thick enough to be visible through the primer but thin enough to mist it on and be a tinge to the primer coats rather than a flat layer per se, if that makes sense, as you want the preshaded primer highlights to still be very stark. Couple of coats of medium chipping fluid and then the base layer of quite thin panzer grey plus three or four progressively lightened post-shaded highlights. Then toothbrush, cocktail stick and knackered old brush out to do the paint wear areas. Second step is sponge chipping. I just use a nice light grey. I quite like the VMC Neutral Grey for this as it is lighter than it looks in the bottle if that makes sense. I tried Tamiya Sea Grey for this recently and didn't hate it but the chips need to be absolutely minute. Once the light grey chips are down with the sponge, I just use Burnt Umber again for the brush chipping. I tried using MiG Chipping colour over a model I'd already done first stage fluid chipping/wear using Burnt Umber and it doesnt look right at all - its way too brown and looks really different when you put it down, so I think it is important to use the same brush chipping colour as you use for the first stage fluid chip/wear if that makes sense. The colour difference doesn't look good. In your case the Mig Chipping colour paint is much closer to Red Oxide than it is to Burnt Umber - doesn't look it in the bottle but I have found it does dry a bit lighter. Anyway that's my opinion. Ive only been modeling since September 2020 so most probably others know a lot better than me.

Ive got this in the stash - i loved the Academy one so much i decided to spring for the Meng which i hear is another exceptional one from them. I'll be following with interest.

Love this. I think the texturing looks great - Instinct would be that I'd have sanded it down a little before priming but it does look great like that. Its one of those things that require a little bravery. I've only been modeling since September 2020 so haven't developed the instinct yet to know when to leave stuff and when to tone it down. It means sometimes new builders like me build within themselves a bit as they are worried about over-doing it. The only way we learn is by seeing other builds such as here online. Next Sherman I do I will push the boat out on the texturing like you have.

Meng do that. It appears in this case though that the pins are long enough. Which cannot be said for the Meng ones I had on a Buk launcher build a while back. Lovely idea in theory and they do go together nicely but as soon as you push the pins in all the way and snip them off, the tracks fall apart with the pins still inside.

See that I can 100% agree with. They aren't for beginners or even intermediate modelers. I used to think AFV Club was the pinnacle of challenge when it came to assembly but I think Miniart has them beat hands down. Both are difficult. I wonder if i'm the only one who puts aside a couple of months to build a kit like that but needs a couple of mojo builds in the middle to keep my interest - nice Takom blitz StuG or a Tamiya etc. Just to stay fresh and not get bogged down.

I must say you are a more patient and gifted modeler than I. I'm on a self-imposed ban of Miniarts as I don't like anything about them - Am scratching and battling my way through their Werkskraftwagen bus/mobile workshop right now and it is giving me nightmares. Not the tools and equipment etc as they are great and are straightforward, great detail. I'm on about the vehicle itself. Fit is a case of guessing correctly with the instructions, the squillions of parts are ludicrously over-engineered, laughably brittle and come on so many sprues you need the Dewey library coding system just to keep track of them all. Plastic is somehow both soft and incredibly brittle and doesn't like TETC as much as say, Border etc or Tamiya. The sprue markers are too faint, the sprue gates are in stupid places and are way too thick, the instructions are akin to being screamed at in Ukrainian by ten different people at the same time, the carpet monster got so fat he needs to go on a diet from his cardiologist... its just not fun. It has six tyres. Each of these are eight (yes really) flat pieces that do not sit ideally well and have the merest hints of guide points and so require a lot of putty and sanding to look even vaguely decent. I spent almost an hour on one tyre and had to go for a whiskey and a look online for some resin aftermarkets.... 🤪 You know when you look up from the cutting mat and give your head a wobble and think "am I enjoying this?" - was that sort of moment. I haven't enjoyed a single minute of it and I LOVE modeling. I've got several 1000+ trumpeter kits under my belt, a couple of the really serious Dragons and I've even built tracks by RFM out of the box (hahahahaha) so am hardly a newb, but these were at least enjoyable if not always fun and even the difficult areas on these were doable and didn't make me want to put my hands in a breadmaker. Miniarts I find akin to ritual self flagellation - some folks are into it but I struggle with putting myself though it. I am impressed at the quality of your build - it looks sensational. As you say the one thing Miniarts do do is provide oodles of detail and its all there. Very nice, amazing effort. Are you enjoying it though? Fair play to you if you are. I'd love to be the kind of modeler who can make kits like this good decent.

That 1:35 Topol-M is going to ruin me. Oh my gosh. Ive been excited about this one for a couple of years now and I wonder if this year will finally be the year. Fingers crossed.

Truly amazing so far. Keep us posted!

Super work, mate. Keep the updates coming.

Do keep us posted on how it goes - i have this in my stash so will watch with interest.

Seems a shame to paint it. I'd leave it as it is on the shelf to highlight your stunning work.

Spot on, yes

Yah - give it a satin coat before you do the oil dots otherwise the enamel thinner you use on them will ruin the coat below. Re modulation, (and in this i mean post-shading modulation not pre) the best way to approach it (i find) is go dark to light. Looking at your pics above you've already done this but for the benefit of any noobs reading this, this is how i do my modulation. So you spray your base coat, let it dry. Important to do that as layers on top of wet-ish paint can crack. When your base coat is down and dry, take the same colour and add a drop of Iraqi Sand if you're using Vallejo or Buff / Deck Tan if you're using Tamiya. Turn your pressure down to 10-12 but don't over-thin it as it doesn't go down well if too wet. Then get in close to your flat surfaces and really gently spray the flat areas and exposed edges lightly with the lighter shade. Rinse repeat getting lighter and lighter until you're happy. Trick is to stop right at the point where you start to wonder if its too much, not after. I find when fully assembled and with weathering and washes, filters added, etc the modulation is always slightly too subtle even if it looks too much when you're doing it. Ive seen some guys do the lightest shade through a mottle template on the flat areas to simulate sun bleaching but thats mainly on aircraft and I'd struggle to imagine using that on 1/35 tanks but i'm sure some do.

Thanks a lot mate, appreciated. I think in this day and age you could make an argument that no armour is survivable, and the same Kornet/Konkurs/Chinese copy that will do for a Boxer or Ajax will also likely do for a C2 or C3. Armour can only get you so far. After that its all about APS, mobility, stealth and targeted lethality. A real step change in how armoured warfare is conducted.

I thought that as well. Although those huge Union Jacks on the turret bustle look like fun decals. Not. hahaha

I like the C3 upgrades. I think once you wade through the hysteria and see it for what it is, I actually think it has covered the bases quite nicely. What we were after was just enough to keep C2 capable (so the new L55 smoothbore, better thermal sights, much better battle-management system and a few other bits to help survivability, datalinking, new suspension and the new powertrain/powerpack etc) for the time it will take for us to work with <insert partner state here> on a new generation, optionally-manned MBT platform. We’re probably fifteen years away from something like that being cleared to transition into, and C2 wasn’t going to be able to last that long in her current form. The upgrades are merely to buy time whilst retaining skills and training. 148 isn’t enough for a Cold War style tank-centric conflict but then we don’t fight like that any more and neither will C3. The upgrades are to keep the deterrence and to keep the skills and training current, as well as introducing the Regiment-level command to working with current spec battle-management hardware, all the new toys etc and of course, the logistics support for working with common NATO ammunition. I think a lot of the reason for such a small number of them is that a lot of the jobs where we used to use MBTs for, jobs that required an MBT, we no longer have to use MBTs for. Their actual utility these days is far narrower than it was. For those jobs where we really do need an MBT, C2 is, sadly, so far behind in some important ways, that even if it could soldier on for another fifteen years, dropping the notional new optionally manned MBT drone/hybrid platform into service to replace it would be challenging. Like going from Lancaster to Vulcan, if that comparison makes sense, Upgrading C2 to C3 standard makes that transition a lot easier. I see it as a tracked training course for what is coming next. We may well see Trophy or similar tacked on later to get the British Army up to speed on fighting with APS systems in time for the C3’s replacement. I do wonder if the improved powertrain was in part down to a requirement for more electrical power than C2 could currently provide, to enable something like Trophy or whatever to be fitted. Between that and the raft of new computers, systems and what have you, the C3 will be needing a lot more electrical juice than C2 uses. The C3 regiments will no doubt get some showy deployments to the Baltic and elsewhere and once upgraded, will present a credible deterrence. Bear in mind for all the scaremongering, Russia hasn’t deployed the T14 in any numbers and is unlikely to do so in the next couple of years. A C3 would retain a meaningful fighting edge against the T-72BM3, T-80U and T-90 variants that Russia’s fighting power actually relies on. C3 would retain an enormous fighting edge against anything Iran, Syria or any of the sub-Saharan African nations like Mali or Sierra Leone etc have where we could ever envisage sending heavy armour for any reason. C3 would also (tank for tank, we'll discount the numerical imbalance) handily beat anything the Chinese have, save for perhaps latest version of the Type 99. The Armata bogeyman is just that. For now. As others have said upthread, it would be good to see some of the mothballed C2s upgraded as well but in this fiscal climate that is simply not going to happen.

Hi mate, If youre getting back into the hobby after a few years out (I did recently) then Tamiya is a good shout as a starting point for airbrush colours. They airbrush nicely and with minimum fuss. I use them for base coats as i still think they are pretty accurate if you have the ubiquitous Ivory/Buff/NATO black/yellow to add as required. I am not a huge fan of airbrushing Vallejo, and find their Model Air range more hassle than they are worth. Lots say they can be airbrushed from bottle to pot without thinning but that simply isnt the case in my experience and thinning them is finicky as you have to sue Vallejo thinner and different colours require different amounts to thin them, it isnt uniform. You can get much better results thinning a little and using a little retarder as well but as i say, if youre just coming back and wanting to build confidence and skills back up, i'd avoid them for now. For brush work, Vallejo Model Colour, Mig Ammo acrylics and Lifecolour all day - all of which you only need water to work with and don't need to thin with thinner. Occasionally white spirit-thinned Humbrol acrylics for some metal work, gun metal finishes etc but rarely. Tamiya doesnt brush nicely as others have said and colour accuracy is much more important for things you brush - figures - so better to go for the more accurate colours. As an aside - primers. I LOVE Vallejo rattle can primers. I know lots hate them and i understand why as they are a bit unsubtle and hardcore but they level out so nicely and the finish is wonderful, every time. I love them. For armour models you cant beat them in my opinion. What i find is that matching the primer coat to the base coat a bit lets you go thinner and lighter for the base coat than you normally would on a black, grey or white surface and can produce some nice modulation effects. EG Russian Green Vallejo primer, then you base coat a Russian Green over it a shade lighter but thinner. It works very nicely. Hope this helps.

Sorry to dredge this back up chaps but i started mine last night and wanted to know people's thoughts on replacing the plastic rotation threads for the rocket tubes with copper wire. I've looked at them in the box and Shermaniac is spot on right, it has a load of sprue attachment points and will be a cast iron bee hatch to clean up. It is an older kit and I'm worried i may snap them if they have become a bit brittle. The Trumpeter thick plastic i find isn't very bendable at the best of times. I am thinking some stiff copper wire might be a better option, what do you guys think?

Top stuff thanks mate, owe you a beer

Gday mate, Ive got the new Meng Merk 4LIC with the mine roller. Got it for EUR42.95 so excellent value i reckon. RE the APS, Trophy is "hard kill" but Droid is soft kill; it is a form of powerful laser blinder to confuse seeker heads on ATGMs. There is very little online about the droid system.

Has it ever been done? Trophy and Droid/Windbreaker on the same vehicle? would have to be something huge like an MBT, right?

Afternoon all. Couple of questions. Does the Merk 4LIC equipped with the Droid APS, ever have Trophy fitted as well? I mean, are the two systems used at the same time or is it an either/or thing? And two, would the metal barrels available on Ebay for the Academy kit fit the Meng? I'm really not keen on a two piece plastic effort for this. Lastly, are the aftermarket chain/ball fittings worth it over the plastic ones in the box? Cheers guys, CM

I'll post on here when i have started on it. Its going to be a huge challenge.

I've got the older Trumpeter one in my stash. The RLM SOC radar is a ncie addition but i'm building the bog-standard one. Got it for EUR22 new which was a very good price. Anyway, could I please canvass your opinions and humbly seek your advice on something please? I’m in a bit of a quandary. After recent chastening experiences at farking up camo on a Tamiya Hummel so badly it almost ruined the whole model, I’m a bit hesitant to go after the Arctic scheme. I got a bit brave and creative and it was dreadful. This Arctic scheme looks very difficult. Also I find Tamiya white tough to work with and it’ll be difficult to get a really nice realistic finish. The alternative would be a desert yellow all in one scheme which I am very confident I could do a great job on with highlighting and shadowing etc. It’s a part of my modeling game I’ve improved a lot on and reckon I’d do a great job. I’ve discovered that if you water down the highlight layers more than the base coat and use a dry brush to blend it in, you can get amazing results. I'm really into it. Am building a Meng Buk right now and absolutely loving the fun you can have with one base colour and really going to town on the high and lowlights, lightering up sections etc. I reckon a desert yellow Pantsir would be a nice vehicle to really push the envelope with, if perhaps a little boring in terms of end result. I agree the Arctic one is more interesting to look at - subjectively - but I think perhaps beyond my capabilities to do it right and make it look good. I'm just not that good yet. But **IF** I did do the Arctic one, how would I actually go about it? It’s not just a case of spraying the whole thing white (Tamiya rattle can perhaps even) and then adding grey and black camo and doing the highlighting afterwards, is it? I’m thinking black primer, mask off the black camo parts then base coat of light grey. Mask these off then do the white. As you’re supposed to go dark to light, right? And how would you mask the camo markings? Thin Tamiya tape or putty? Or do I prime in light grey with some darker grey shadows added and then have a white base layer, and add the camo after? Really not sure how to approach this one. Any thoughts guys? Easy Desert or Extremely hard Arctic?