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Saving a Churchill MkVII from the bin.


Badder

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(Udate jan 13th This tank has officially been saved and is now available to view in the diorama 'Lost in France')

Hmmmm. Brimming with confidence after my 1st build and diorama for many years, I immediately set about tackling Tamiya's 1/35th Churchill MkVII tank.

All was going well. I had the turret, hull, wheels etc all assembled and then airbrushed base coats, oversprayed with dark green. Then I applied the decals.

That's when things started going wrong. I used micro set solution. This left a satin sheen on the otherwise pristine finish. No matter, I thought. This will not show after a coat of matt varnish and all the weathering. Only, the matt varnish dried gloss. Now I know that in reality British AFVs painted dark green have tended to have a satin or even gloss finish (I'm thinking of the Saladin and Saracen in particular) so maybe I am being a bit picky, but I just HATE a gloss finish on models.

And no amount of cleaning and soaking would get the blooming varnish off!

So it looked as though the model was a 'binner'.

Being a binner, and with nothing to lose, I wondered if I could scrape the varnish and paint off. A labourious and fiddly task. I did a test scrape, which worked, but to scrape a whole model?

I have to confess something now... I am an old-school modeller, having been a school child when I last made models and as such, I still use enamel paints. Soaking an enamel-painted model in thinners doesn't do the plastic any good! So I decided not to bother.

I thought some more, and figured that rather than bin it, I could use the Churchill as a piece of diorama scenery.... blow it up and tip it into a water-filled ditch. I could submerge a whole side of the tank in water, and only have to worry about 'fixing' the exposed surface. I could cover the whole thing in dried mud and hide a lot of it with bankside vegetation.

So, today, I set about the task and attacked the model with 'dark earth weathering powder' applied in several washes of varying dilution and also applied 'dry' to wet surfaces. This has covered a lot of the 'glossy' patches, but not all. There are areas such as the side skirting and turret sides which still shine horribly (well, at least to my eye they do) More weathering powder will cover this up, I have no doubt, but I will end up with a tank ENTIRELY covered in mud. Still, it's better than nothing.

Anyway, I am now wondering what I can do to 'fix' the 'dried mud'. Weathering powder comes off when handled too much, or rubbed with a brush and I'm not sure I want to risk another coat of the so-called matt varnish!

Can anyone suggest the best thing to do now, and also what was my mistake in the first place? Using enamels, I've never bothered varnishing my models before. I just used to wet brush and dry brush them once the enamel was properly dry. Was I actually mistaken to varnish this model at all?

Pics to follow shortly.

Thanks, in anticipation, Badder.

Edited by Badder
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As you can see, the tank looks ok at some angles in certain light, but at other angles there's that horrible gloss finish shining through. I've gone heavy on the weathering powder dark earth, and covered up a lot of it, but how do I 'fix' or 'seal' the weathering powder? I don't want to risk using the varnish again. I've heard that Decal Fix can be used.

Edited by Badder
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and yes, I know the hull machine gun has snapped off. This happened when I decided I was going to bin the model, and so was a bit carefree when handling it. lol. I will replace it.

Meanwhile, I think I'm going to forget about all these modern methods/products and continue with good old fashioned wet and dry brushing! lol

Edited by Badder
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I've just spent an afternoon continuing with the weathering powder and then did some dry brushing with a dark green. While patches of gloss still show through, it's a lot more subdued and the overall effect is probably close to being acceptable. I still haven't attempted to 'fix' the 'mud' permanently though. I really want to do some wet brushing with very dark brown and green enamels, but I know this will ruin the washes/applications of weathering powder. Will a coat of airbrushed varnish affect the weathering powder?

Edited by Badder
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Maybe I am being dense. I've wet brushed VERY dark green over the weathering powder and it's obviously moved the weathering powder, causing more patches of gloss to be revealed. I am really NOT liking this build and am on the verge of returning to my original idea and 'blowing it up.' lol.. I may post pics if I get it back to any semblance of decency!

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Hi Badder,

Yeah I like the idea of saving the old tank....make it new again. Do you know what paint was used? I've used brake fluid in the past...it works well after an evenings soaking on enamel paint. Then wash it good with dish soap and water...

PHIL.

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Hang on, I've got a plan.

What about having the tank as is, sat in a pond or river bed? With just the top half of the turret exposed? And a seriously hacked off looking figure looking on?

Accurate armour do some good British NCO types that could work, clearish pond water would explain the odd finish and you get to keep the tank. It could be a small scene, just a bit bigger than the model. Or, a small part of a larger scene to show off a growing armour collection.

Just a thought. Good luck.

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Yeah, it was humbrol enamel paint... airbrushed. Then humbrol 'matt varnish' over the top... it was that which dried gloss! Humbrol weathering powders over the top of all that, trying to dull down the shine... which worked in patches. I'm still in two minds now. I kinda rescued the paintwork for the 3rd time with washes of thinned down dark green! lol. Model still has a gloss/satin sheen to it, but at least it now looks more even and deliberate! I will try to make it good enough to display it on 'dry land' but if not I will defo tip it sideways into a drainage ditch a la Bocage terrain! I will post some pics when I have reached the point of 'this is the best I'm going to get it' stage! Still no one has told me whether it is possible to airbrush 'thinned-down matt varnish' over weathering powders' without ruining the weathering.... ho hum....

Edited by Badder
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So... I might have saved this tank. I'm still not happy with the finish, but it's a lot better than it was. Ok, I have to repair the hull machine gun, and I don't think the main gun is supposed to be made from two parts 'welded' together. The seam line is visible on the end of the muzzle. lol. Still plenty of work to do, but here's some pics.

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Edited by Badder
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Washes and dabs of Dark Earth weathering powder over dark green. Additional wet brushing with 50/50 dark brown/sand yellow. 2B graphite stick for 'wear'. No dry brushing as yet. (well, no dry brushing on this 3rd rescue attempt!)

Edited by Badder
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So, the hull machine gun assembly snapped off while I was drilling a hole for the replacement machine gun. Tut. Out with the cyano glue! Replaced gun barrel with metal rod. Will have to do. Bit more stowage to add, and final weathering to do... mostly on the tracks and skirts. Debating whether to re-apply decals with the tank's name as I took the previous ones off, airbrush name instead, or just leave the name off completely. Anyhooooo... I'm thinking this model won't end up submerged in a ditch after all. The kit comes with 6 figures in all (including a farmer and infantry figure) and I have also purchased Tamiya's BSA motorcycle/military police kit. So, I'm starting to think of a scenario for a diorama. I already have a diorama I can 'plonk' the finished tank/motorcyle/figures in: the 'somewhere near villers-bocage' diorama I've posted already. The Tiger tank and panzer grenadiers can be lifted out and replaced. This will just be for photographic purposes.. a kind of 'before and after liberation photo record' But I'll make a diorama just for the churchill and bsa kit and post my progress here. Cheers!

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Today I've added padding to the inner surfaces of the commander's hatch as per the real thing... nothing fancy, just pieces of card cut to shape, glued on and painted leather brown. The commander figure will be standing on his seat and will be visible from the trouser pockets up, concealing much of the outboard hatch, so I haven't bothered trying to represent the internal latches. I've also made a bundle of scrim by mashing some milliput into some netting and coaxing it into shape before it sets. The netting I sourced from one of those nylon mesh 'shower scourers', the things you scrub yourself with. The mesh is perfect scale for 1/35th. I will add small strips of PVA'd tissue paper painted green, black and brown to complete the job. Oh, and I did decide to re-apply decals to the tank. The original ICENI decals were removed when I messed the varnishing up and decided to repaint. I've put the new BRITON decals lower down on the side stowage bins where there is a long smooth panel, which makes more sense than where the instruction sheet said to put them, across the three stowage hatches. All that's left to do is add a few more bits of 'deck furniture' and a bit more weathering, mostly on the tracks, and of course, the figures. I hate painting faces so don't be surprised if my tank crew end up wearing balaclavas! lol[/url]

Edited by Badder
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Looks spot on to me. Nice one.

I have found that when I apply streaking/ rain marks using oil paints and artist's turpentine the turps tends to matt down the finish.

Mick

i will try that. thanks. The missus might not appreciate me nicking her oil paints though. lol

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With just a final bit of weathering and adding a few bits of personal kit to the tank, I am beginning to think about the diorama. I have the British BSA motorcycle and military police figures, and the figures that come with the Churchill to do, but I've just purchased Tamiya's British Infantry kit to go with it.

My thoughts are to recreate a rural crossroads, where the MPs are giving directions, and where a farmer comes out to hand bottles of wine out to the 'liberators'.

It would be great if some company made models of children in 1/35th scale, because I had an idea that the little rascals were throwing pond mud at the tank for a laugh... Does anyone know if there are kits about that might be suitable?

Oh, and I understand that it is 'customary' that a tank should ALWAYS be equipped with a bucket. No diorama featuring a tank is complete without one. Well, I have the bucket and will scratchbuild the handle because every single one of the handles in the kit broke. And I had an idea. The bucket will feature only in the final diorama. I will leave it off until then. Now, don't expect the diorama to be completed in a week or two. I like to spend a lot of time on them. The last one took me most evenings for 2 months.

Edited by Badder
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Ho hum....

Sometimes I hate model-making. Whilst I was actually quite happy with the finish on the turret and upper hull surfaces, I was still very unhappy with the skirts. I just didn't like the patchy satin/gloss sheen showing through the 'dried mud' and dust when viewed from certain angles. IF it had been a consistent and deliberate sheen, then I wouldn't have minded. The skirts would have tied in with the rest of the model. As it was I had a choice... leave it as it is, or try to cure it. Yesterday, I purchased some matt acrylic varnish and matt acrylic medium, in anticipation of my NEXT project. I wondered if I could use it to dull down the sheen on the Churchill, and for it NOT to affect the weathering powder.... So, this afternoon, I gave it a coat with the airbrush.

Well, it certainly dulled it down a bit! The sheen was ENTIRELY gone, and the model had a lovely matt finish. However, the acrylic varnish DID interfere with the weathering powder. In fact it completely negated it. All colour was lost. So I had to go over it again. Last time, I used thinners and applied the weathering powder as a wash, as well as dry-brushing with it. Obviously, I can't use an enamel thinners wash now, so I tried mixing the powder into the matt acrylic medium and applying it with a brush. It worked. Sort of. It dried slightly satin!

So, out with the airbrush and another coat of matt acrylic varnish.

The tank is now a uniform matt, with no sheens anywhere. THIS IS GOOD. I am content at last.

I will have to do the weathering on the skirts again (using acrylic paints and dry-brushed weathering powder)

Pics to follow later tonight.

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I actually really like the finish it has now. Looks like it's actually made out of metal. Might be the lighting but hey, nice work

I liked most of it too, just not the hull sides. Well, it's all matt now. What it will end up like, I don't know!

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The tank is sitting on a chopping board which will be used as the base for the diorama. It's not too big and not too small, and cost about 8 quid from The Range. The board is sealed with polyurethane varnish and has a nice finish. I will mask around the edges to protect what will be a nice border. Then I will score deep gouges into the rest of the surface, and slice it all up with a scalpel to give a decent surface for the polyfilla to grip to. But that is yet to come. I will carry on working on the tank and the figures. In the pics you can see the farmer figure and his little hand cart. I've not finished painting either.

Edited by Badder
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