Kallisti Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I've found that is can be as simple as rubbing an B or 2B pencil on the raised pieces is enough to give it a metallic sheen, so you can essentially draw your worn spots 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 That is a magnificent view.....Why not pose it fully opened up with a figure sitting on it smoking a Gaulouises? With something this simple and beautiful, who needs a plot? It's a tank, it's French.....It's marvellous! Like Kallisti, I am a fan of the humble pencil for highlighting metallic areas. I think you may have a spot of wayward rust pigment from the exhaust on the right side track.....Hopefully it's not fixed yet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 That is a magnificent view.....Why not pose it fully opened up with a figure sitting on it smoking a Gaulouises? With something this simple and beautiful, who needs a plot? It's a tank, it's French.....It's marvellous! Like Kallisti, I am a fan of the humble pencil for highlighting metallic areas. I think you may have a spot of wayward rust pigment from the exhaust on the right side track.....Hopefully it's not fixed yet. Thanks. I actually saw an old photo somewhere with the two man crew leisurely posing with their opened tank during my searches. Why not? The rust pool under the exhaust was actually put there intentionally, there were/are some other but they have decreased a lot during the work. The idea was that the tank has been standing there for a short while drying up a little with water having run down the rusty exhaust forming that mark. Perhaps that is too far fetched and should be removed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I think so TBH.....Only my opinion, others may differ. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 You are probably right, especially when I consider it two days later. I'll see what can be done to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Yes, that's right, it's definitely better now that I've removed most of it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Sorted! You just have to leave that model opened up dude.....I'm not familiar with the engine access arrangements on the FT-17 (though I probably could be in an hour or two), I'm wondering just how much you can show without actually leaving any parts loose? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Good work jorgen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 Thanks guys. The idea is indeed to pose the model with all these hatches opened. Everything removed here, except the turret of course, is hinged on the real thing. I started with the driver's vertical front hatch. The support strut was too short to pose the hatch in an angle that would allow the two main hatches to open. I'm quite sure this is not down to my error this time. I cut the strut up and started to elongate it with an Evergreen strip. Installed and with some paint touch up done it looked like I wanted it. The two main hatches were also fitted. That green in the pictures is not quite like it is for real. I must try outside daylight photo some day. The turret hatches were fitted in their open position, hinges touched up and then the whole turret was fitted at an angle that will allow the centre engine hatch to be resting in open position. I tried to dull down the orange tone on the exhaust to a more brownish. It's another change more visible IRL than in my tatty pictures... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I forsee you picking up a prize in the 'AFV Modelling' category in the not too distant future.....Seriously! The way you've tied the groundwork and weathering in on the tracks is a masterclass.....I wasn't completely convinced when you started with such a dark base colour for the track-links, but I've seen your other stuff, so I thought I would stay schtumm on the subject. Glad I did, cos no advice I'd have offered could have made them any better than they look now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 This would look superb IF there were some French figures available but as yet I don't know of anything that would be suitable - its a real shame as this version of the kit is so fully of detail that it deserves to be fully displayed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Lovely. just lovely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Kallisti is right, I can't find anything for WWI French Tank Crew.....It might be possible to bash a figure from A WWII French tanker as from the waist up the uniform looks pretty similar. The new Takom kits appear to include a figure.....I was seriously considering their 1/35 St.Chamond, but unfortunately an Extratech 1/72 Austin-Putilov fell into my shopping basket instead. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 This is a thing of beauty Jorgen and the journey has been a delight too. Cheers Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Sublime jorgen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted November 1, 2014 Author Share Posted November 1, 2014 Thanks for all the kind praise. I think I have much to learn though before I master this kind of art to some degree. It's been a daunting task, but I had actually feared it would look a lot lesser that it does. I'm very happy for a first attempt at a tank since I was a kid and glued them together. The lack of French figures struck me too when I started this build, so it will do without. Today I fitted the last parts, the engine hatches. Then I did a little touch up with flat clear around the hinges before removing the masking tape from the base. I was afraid it would tear the edges so I was prepared to cut, but there were no problems. So this is what it now looks like. I think this is now pretty much finished. I tried a few pictures in front of the window, and here the colours, especially the green, look more like reality. Today I also bought a small tripod for my camera and will try some tips I picked up from Will Vale and see if it can improve my pictures of the finished builds. We'll see for the gallery. Edit: I see now that it's not done at all as I have messed up the chain at the right side... That will have to be corrected... That was easy enough, chain back in shape. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 I love it, an outstanding display of modelling skills as ever. Thanks for sharing. Nigel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 A nice colourful model that we'll done 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Absolutely gorgeous Jorgen. I do think the inside of the engine bay doors may be a little too clean though, given the other weathering in the bay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 That is truly stunning! A masterclass in modelling in anyone's book! Karl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy wood Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 very attractive 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 I have been playing with my camera over the last few days, but mostly just to realise - again - that I'm no good at understanding it. But I have managed some photo's that are at least a bit truer to the real colours. They are added to the gallery now. Thanks everyone for the support and kind words during the build. Having not built a subject such as a tank since I was a kid it's been a bit scary but very interesting to see what I could do. Although I have a long way to go to master this dark art of weathering I'm very happy with how it came out now that I look at it with a week's hindsight. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 thats nice good camera work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Absolutely fantastic result.....Have to say your photographs always look good to me. I certainly know what you mean about being mystefied by a camera though! I've also discovered that the the main beam of the running gear in my Flyhawk kit is missing two very prominent rows of rivets! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oileanach Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Magnifique! Thanks for sharing this, Jorgen. I'm just finishing a Christmas present, a 1/35 Super Hellcat. I'm at the weathering stage and tbh it's quite terrifying! I've never made a large scale tank before- when I was a kid I couldn't afford them and as an adult I've never had the time. Your build is inspirational and I'm really hoping I can achieve a standard somewhere approaching yours. Here goes... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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