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Cuban Cigar


Mig Eater

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Hi Mig Eater. Sorry you have been unwell but good you are feeling better. I'm glad you have managed to get back to the bench but it's annoying you are having fit issues. Hopefully you will be able to get them sorted. Looking forward to seeing some progess photos.

Kind regards,

Stix

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After a week of filling & sanding & sanding & filling I've got all the gaps plugged & smoothed. Next I'm going to add a layer of Mr. Surfacer to help blend it together & add some texture, I'll probably slap a layer of mud on the bottom of the hull to hide some of problem areas later too. The front needed less filling work BTW but I had to the remove the (only) weld detail on the front plate, after I'm done with the Surfacer I'll scribe some panel lines, torch marks & add some weld seams. 

I also worked on the wheels, which other then a lot of flash & some annoyingly placed sprue connections went together without any problems. The kit was originally motorized so the wheels are workable & simply friction fit onto the suspension arms. Because of this they are a pain to get back off though so they will be left off until everything is painted.

t55_sa2_04.jpg

Note the Jagdpanzer 38(t) in the background that I started on while waiting for the putty to dry on the T-54, it's a paper panzer variant fitted with an 15cm gun. I might start a thread about it in the Film & Fiction GB if I decide to continue with it...  

Edited by Mig Eater
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Great to see the photo..........so your model will be 50% plastic and 50% filler!! :banghead:I'm glad you have been able to make some progress though.

Kind regards,

Stix

Edited by PlaStix
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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry I haven't posted any more updates, I've just been so engrossed with working on the model that I haven't been able to stop & get the camera out. I'm actually nearly done with construction, just the last few scratch build bits & the tracks to do. I hope to have them done & get a coat of primer on this weekend.

I haven't completely decided on what colour scheme to paint it in yet, there are three different ones that I can find photos of:


The light green, dark green & black, the 2006 parade colours that it was first seen publicly in.
S-75-T-55-TEL-Cuba-2006-1S.jpg


A tan yellow, OD green & red scheme, date is unknown but I think was from an earlier military inspection.
s-75-t55-image01.jpg



Lastly a bright green, OD green & brown scheme, which is the most recent photo I can find from 2013.
Tanque-T-55-con-misil-Volga.jpg 
 

Edited by Mig Eater
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Hi Mig Eater. Good to here this project is still underway and I'm looking forward to seeing some photos of you progress when you get chance.

Kind regards,

Stix 

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Hi Mig Eater. Good to hear this project is still underway and I'm looking forward to seeing some photos of your progress when you get chance.

Kind regards,

Stix 

Edited by PlaStix
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I've finished construction, I made lots of small additions to the hull:

Scratch build brackets on the front of the hull.
New wooden board on the front.

Copper tow rope made from old electrical wire.
3D printed second crew hatch for the radio operator.

3D printed rear cable drums, with covers made from an aluminium drinks can & plastic wire rapped around.

New scratch build squared off front & rear fenders.
Added weld seams & torch marks to the front plate.

Left over epoxy from the weld seams was made into a tarp.
I'm not sure what it does but there was some sort of box next to the exhaust that I 3D printed.

3D printed drive sprockets to fit the new MiniArt RMSh tracks.

t55_sa2_05.jpg

 

t55_sa2_06.jpg

 

t55_sa2_07.jpg

 

t55_sa2_08.jpg

 

Only a week left of the GB so I'm going to go get some primer on it ASAP, next update will probably have the base camouflage colours done.

 

 

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Great to see that it's all together now and what a brilliant job you have done with it! It looks awesome! I can't wait to see it with the paint going on!

Kind regards,

Stix

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The base colours are now done, I decided to go with the bright green, dark green & red/brown scheme from 2013. These tanks are always seen freshly painted for display in a parade, which I find to clean & boring so I took some artistic licence & went the complete opposite with a bashed up & warn look. I did this by first painting a darker base colour, a layer of chipping fluid & then a lighter top colour. The contrast between the two colours was a bit strong (should have tested them first) so I then mixed the light & dark together to make an in-between shade, which I then painted on with a sponge, it helped to blend the colours together & add even more colour variation. Still lots more to do, filters, washes, paint chips & mud/dust etc.

When seen in the parades the SA.2/S-75 missile is always painted in the same colours as the tank, I decided to instead paint it in the standard light grey with the idea that the original one has been used & a new missile from storage has been fitted. I want to break up it's monotone colour though so I'll probably paint the panels & fins in different shades. The tracks just have a base colour made of dark brown primer, then a layer of gun metal & dark grey randomly mottled over, still needs washes, mud & dry brushing. I put my 3D printer to use once again this time making a mask for the wheel rims, it has a ridge on the other side that fits around the wheel so I dont need to hold it in place while painting too.


t55_sa2_09.jpg

 

t55_sa2_10.jpg

Edited by Mig Eater
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Your paintwork is looking very impressive! Very nicely done! :thumbsup:

Don't forget you need to get up to 5 photos in the Gallery by just before midnight this coming Sunday.....good luck!

Kind regards,

Stix

 

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I'm unfortunately not going to be able to finish my build before the end of the GB. I was on-track to have it done with possibly just hours to spare, but in order to do that it I've had to push myself really hard the past two weeks, some times spending up to 10 hours a day on the build. This pace proved unsustainable for me though & I'm now burnt out 😪 I'm going to need at least a few days of rest before I can do anything else, I'll slowly continue with the build next week & hopefully get the last few bits done by next weekend.

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Hi Mig Eater. I am sorry to hear that - it would have made an excellent addition to the Gallery. It's better that you take your time and have a nice relaxed build - it's not worth rushing something as excellent as what you are making. I will look forward to following your build to it's conclusion when you feel up to it.

Kind regards,

Stix

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