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My first attempt at Armour (for 35 years anyway!)


Duncan B

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As a modeller I have become very set in my ways, aircraft (and not just any old thing but quite specific types), 1/72 scale with a drift into 1/48. The subjects are generally the same or very similar as I build to themes. Lately however my Mojo has been almost non existent so in an attempt to kick start it back into life I have decided that 2018 should be the year I just build models, no themes, no single type builds just build whatever comes along.

 

So with that in mind here I am with my first attempt at an armour subject since the very early 1980's (even then I was 99.9% an aircraft modeller). The poor innocent kit about to be mangled is the Modelcollect 1/72 scale T-72BA. Please feel free to offer suggestions along the way.

 

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Before I go any further I must state that I know nothing whatsoever about the subject, the kit or the accuracy thereof or, in fact, how to go about building and painting it (which will probably become apparent fairly quickly).

Here are the contents of the box. It all looks really nice and well detailed to me and I like the fact that there are optional tracks. A metal lower hull will give the completed model a weighty feel but I'd have preferred the turned gun barrel that they include in some of the other kits in the range.

 

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I suppose I'd better start cutting bits off the sprue!

 

Duncan B

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Work has started on my T-72, lots of parts to be stuck onto the turret to begin with. I’ve also drilled the barrel out.

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Then I had a few stowage boxes to make. These weren’t the best of fits but clamping and gluing has helped.

 

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I’ve been told that the normal approach to building these is to stick everything on then paint. I suspect I’ll end up knocking all the little bits back off before I get to the painting stage but we’ll see.

 

IMG_3446-600x450.jpg

 

Duncan B

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Heretic!

 

latest?cb=20100217012548

 

Must admit that building something well out of my comfort zone seems appealing. None of that is it right or wrong? Is the colour scheme correct? I’ve also got an urge to build something without wings too. I was in Hobbycraft at the weekend and even picked up Tamiya’s SAS jeep as I have a long standing itch to build one.

 

Build it and enjoy it. I’ll be interested to see how you tackle the tracks.

 

Tips? It’s probably green. All tanks are green aren’t they?

 

Trevor

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A little more progress (I can only get an hour a day at the bench at the moment). Still working on the turret.

 

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Tomorrow I'll get started on the upper hull. It's fiddly but I'm enjoying it so far. That lowest smoke grenade launcher (?) looks like it'll be bouncing off the ERA in front of it if they fire it!

 

Duncan B

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7 hours ago, beefy66 said:

Looking good Duncan I often find as they say a change is as good as a rest it will help recharge the old MOJO thinking about something different  :idea:

 

beefy

There are so many great kits out there it seems a shame to stick to one genre so I'm reverting to childhood by building whatever my pocket money allows this year.

5 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

Nice to see you back at the bench Duncan, I don't know anything about tanks either, but I'll tag along if you don't mind :)

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

I've been struggling with shelf sitters (try saying that in a hurry!) for a while so it's nice to get some out of the way and move on to something completely new. I've been feeling the lure of armour kits for a while although I had planned on giving a 1/35 scale kit a go. This kit came along at a good price (freebie) so it would have been rude not to build it.

 

Duncan B

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The turret is now 90% complete so time to start on the upper hull. 

IMG_3451-600x450.jpgIMG_3452-600x450.jpg

 

You can see in the top picture the top hull comes in 2 main parts. The front part is separate and also has a separate armoured panel. I guess this makes it easier to model different versions?

A few minutes cleaning up the parts then they were stuck together. 

 

IMG_3457-600x450.jpg

 

Hopefully more progress to report this evening. 

 

Duncan B

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19 minutes ago, 06/24 said:

Splendid stuff, I keep meaning to have ago at some small armour - there's a very nice Abrams I think?

You should, it’s great fun. 

Oddly enough the last Tank I made all those years ago was, in fact, a 1/72 ABRAMS. Don’t quote me but I think it was a Hasegawa kit?

 

Duncan B

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Upper hull completed including fiddly cages over the headlights. I know some of the other Modelcollect kits have PE parts which would be equally fiddly but would look better. 

IMG_3459-600x450.jpgIMG_3460-600x450.jpg

 

I am now onto the wheels and will be starting the lower hull later. 

 

Duncan B

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1 hour ago, 06/24 said:

Superb detail, easily as good as many larger scale kits. And quality workmanship. :worthy:

I'm just cleaning up the parts that are provided and doing a quick dry fit before gluing, the praise goes to Modelcollect.

 

Duncan B

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Hi Duncan - I'm an 'aeroplane fan' too - but in recent months I have also been straying over to the 'dark side' of the forum - that is the AFV section...

...a brilliant time I've been having too - with 1/72 kits - amazing fun and really nice folk that have been helping me out.

 

I'll be keen to follow along on this one and promise not to make 'too much of a nuisance' of myself - with a quiet seat on the back row :popcorn:

 

I do have a quick question though - there seem to be two sets of tracks - 'line and link' - I think that's the right terminology on a sprue and then some 'rubber bands' - my own term in a tray...  Do they both come with the kit??? 

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2 hours ago, BIG X said:

Hi Duncan - I'm an 'aeroplane fan' too - but in recent months I have also been straying over to the 'dark side' of the forum - that is the AFV section...

...a brilliant time I've been having too - with 1/72 kits - amazing fun and really nice folk that have been helping me out.

 

I'll be keen to follow along on this one and promise not to make 'too much of a nuisance' of myself - with a quiet seat on the back row :popcorn:

 

I do have a quick question though - there seem to be two sets of tracks - 'line and link' - I think that's the right terminology on a sprue and then some 'rubber bands' - my own term in a tray...  Do they both come with the kit??? 

The dark side is certainly a lot of fun.

Modelcollect seems to vary what comes with which kit but this one has both sets of tracks, a metal lower hull but no Photo-etch or turned metal barrel unlike the Syrian war T-72 kit.

 

I'm getting closer to the painting all the time now and have the 3 main sections completed (well 90% anyway). I set the lower hull on it's wheels to get an idea how it's going to look, they aren't glued yet just sitting there.

 

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My thoughts are turning to the paint colours now. I do have some AK Interactive Modern Russian AFV paint sets in stock so could use them but I also have some Mission Models colours that might do too. Does anyone have any recommendations for paint?

As mentioned above Modelcollect have supplied both the vinyl tracks and a set of plastic tracks. How well does paint adhere to the vinyl tracks? I'm thinking of using them as they should be easier than the plastic or am I wrong?

 

Duncan B

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Welcome to the one true scale ! At least it was a good kit to start with makes it easier to assemble (not like some I could mention), regards the tracks link and length is the better way to go (I would recommend being in the right frame of mind to tackle them), built quite a few now from makers like Revell, Unimodel and Maco.

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51 minutes ago, Yorkshire man said:

...regards the tracks link and length is the better way to go (I would recommend being in the right frame of mind to tackle them),...

Have to agree with the White Rose gentleman Duncan, link and length are the way to go. And if I can manage them, anyone can! The Abrams took me about an hour in total, and I feel it was well worth the effort.

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The tracks are the one thing I've been fretting (only slightly) about. The link and length ones could be painted before being built up which makes things a little easier. I've only got to get the bottom and sides right anyway I guess with the top being hidden.

 

Duncan B

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20 minutes ago, Yorkshire man said:

If you have not attached the top to the lower hull yet the tracks will be easy to fit then paint as two sections.

How true, the wobbly Esci Abrams meant i had fitted the upper hull to keep everything in one piece - which meant fitting the links round the sprocket was... challenging.

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