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My two tanks so far...


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Hello fellow modelers, I just joined the forum here and thought I would post a few pics of the only two armor models I've built thus far.  Primarily, I've been an aircraft  builder in the past thirty years or so but I do find armored vehicles somewhat easier to build.  Being rougher in nature than airplanes, mistakes and flaws are easier to hide, and there are no damned canopies to mask!  🙂

 

One is the venerable old Tamiya Panther Pzkpfw. V Ausf. A and the other is the Italeri M24 Chaffee light tank. Both are 1/35 scale.  The M24 was built first and a couple years later, I added the Panther. 

 

These pics were made out at my farm a few years ago. Please excuse my crude attempt to create a cool diorama base for them. I threw the base together in about 10 minutes or so, and it was really just an experiment I guess. I did manage to get a few photos that weren’t too bad. After I had taken about 5 pics the damned battery played out on the camera and I left the card table and base in the pasture and drove back to town to recharge. When I returned a couple hours later, some calves had over-turned the table and messed it up and I had to start over, lol

 

I did add a few scratch-built details such as the Schurzen plates and mounting hangers on the Panther, jack block on the Panther, the tarps on both tanks, tow cables on both and a fire extinguisher on the Panther. I added engine deck screens on the Panther and drilled out the exhausts as well as adding a bit of battle damage here and there.

Please excuse my very amateurish paint work on the Panther’s figures. I debated about adding them or not and probably should have left them off. They do lend a bit of scale to the tank though. So, please just “squint” a bit when viewing them. 🙂
Gary

 

M-24 Chaffee

 

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Pzkpfw. V Ausf. A Panther

 

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Thanks for having a look!  Hopefully, I'll soon have another to show.  😉

Edited by Gary Brantley
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Thanks Gorby!   Both of them were third-place winners in their respective categories in a scale-model armor contest at Camp Mabry in Austin several years ago.  I was shocked when winners were announced.  I chalked it up to "beginner's luck"; my late dad would've said, "Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then."😉

Your comments are much appreciated, Gary.

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Hi Gary,

You have all the reason in my opinion, the tanks are more "suffered", and hold almost everything we throw on them ... lol, which does not mean they are easy to do, and that they are "decent".

Not bad at all, especially the Panther, the Chaffee, I have an equal in the forum, but in "winter camo", I put some new tracks afterwards, because the ones I had were a real ruin, and ended up splitting. For my taste, something clean, (it is not critical) but that is very subjective.

After 30 years making airplanes, it is impossible that the tanks that you make are bad, because of all that experience, you can extrapolate something without a doubt.

For what you comment, you're a lucky man, 2 of 2 prizes, bingo ... lol, I've never won anything, although I have not submitted to any contest, because there is nothing worthwhile here, and I do not think I will win anyway.

Cheers Gary. 👍

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Thanks for your comments Francis!  I appreciate them very much.  As for the prizes, I think it really was just beginner's luck.  There were a lot of fantastic models at that show and I was lucky to be considered.  Again, thanks for replying!

Gary

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13 hours ago, Mohawk said:

A great looking pair for your first two armour models.:clap2:Now that you have come over to the dark side,I hope too see more of your work.

mohawk

Thank you mohawk!   "The dark side" awaits!  😁   I hope to have something new to show before too long. 😉

Edited by Gary Brantley
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6 minutes ago, Buzby061 said:

Good job, the figures don't look too bad either & always enhance a model.

 

Pete

Thanks Pete!    You're too kind, but don't stop, lol!  Yeah, I need a lot of practice painting figures.   I will admit that they sort of intimidate me.😉

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16 minutes ago, Gary Brantley said:

Thanks Pete!    You're too kind, but don't stop, lol!  Yeah, I need a lot of practice painting figures.   I will admit that they sort of intimidate me.😉

My figure painting isn't brilliant but I find if i use a good quality figure like Alpine Miniatures it doesn't seem so much of a chore.

 

I don't have a calf problem in my attic but the fekking cat does get up if I forget to close the hatch!

 

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Pete

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20 minutes ago, Gary Brantley said:

Pete, your assistant might sure add some additional "texture" to your paint jobs.😉   Cat hair at 6 o'clock!  😁

 

Do you paint your figures with oil paint? Or?  Thanks, Gary

 

Doug's whiskers come in handy for aerials as they bend but don't break. (No moggies were hurt, they shed them).

 

I use acrylics for the uniforms & oils for the flesh as they give a little bit more wiggle room. I've recently bough an acrylics flesh set but not tried them yet.

 

Pete

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8 hours ago, Buzby061 said:

Doug's whiskers come in handy for aerials as they bend but don't break. (No moggies were hurt, they shed them).

 

I use acrylics for the uniforms & oils for the flesh as they give a little bit more wiggle room. I've recently bough an acrylics flesh set but not tried them yet.

 

Pete

That's funny Pete!   I have a few figures that came with tank kits; I'll be practicing on those I imagine.

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Hi Gary. They both look great and well done on both of them getting their third places! You obviously have a knack with this armour stuff - so what's next? You could always build a Tiger down in the Tiger Single Type Group Build which can be found here:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/660-panzer-vi-tiger-stgb/

 

Kind regards,

Stix

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1 hour ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Gary. They both look great and well done on both of them getting their third places! You obviously have a knack with this armour stuff - so what's next? You could always build a Tiger down in the Tiger Single Type Group Build which can be found here:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/660-panzer-vi-tiger-stgb/

 

Kind regards,

Stix

Thank you for the kind words Stix!   I really appreciate them.  I was the most surprised guy in the hall when my name was announced among the winners at Camp Mabry.  Beginner's luck I'd say! 🙂    As for what's next, well, I do have a brand new, barely looked into, kit of the Tamiya Tiger I, and Monday's mail delivered the Dragon "Arab Panzer" Mk IV as used by Syria in the 1967 Six Day War.  That seems to be an incredibly detailed, and somewhat intimidating, model for my third tank build.  So, I'm considering the ancient Tamiya M-41 Walker Bulldog.  I've had that kit in the stash for a loooong time and have always loved how they looked.  I've found a few good reference photos of South Vietnamese M-41s and they seem to have had some interesting engagements.   

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Seventeen ARVN M41s were deployed into Laos as part of Operation Lam Son 719 between February and March 1971, an abortive cross-border incursion to disrupt strategic supply lines for the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Viet Cong.[20] The tanks were to coordinate their actions with several ARVN heliborne and paratroop units, who would be joining them by air.[20] Their offensive soon stalled when a PAVN tank battalion equipped with T-54 and PT-76 tanks attempted to overrun one of the ARVN's designated landing zones.[20] In the first major armor engagement of the Vietnam War, the M41s counterattacked and destroyed six T-54s and sixteen PT-76s.[21][22] Five M41s were lost during the same encounter, mostly to land mines and rocket-propelled grenades.[21

 

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What do you think about that for a project idea?  I've already been looking into flexible sandbags...😉

 

edited to add:  I just took a quick look at your finished Mk IV in 1/48.  Wow, what a nice job Stix!   Expect me to "pick your brain" for some tips on that mud on your tank.  Very impressive weathering man! :worthy:

Edited by Gary Brantley
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