Tamiya M1A1 with mine plow

[Miketheexrock]

So the rain is pouring, the kids have headed off to school and the wife is at school working . That means one thing - a new project. 

 

Mr Daddow was kind enough to gift me a couple of kits to get stash started.

 

So I started this a couple of days , I started with the normal prep work , wheels ect. 

 

 

 

Diving straight in to the PE with the Iraqi rear engine grill ,6 and a half hours later , and it is finished ,just need to find the elusive glassfibre brush to give it a good scrub down, then added in the locking pins 

 

 

 

 

 

About to start the hull and get it all squared away. Going to go and research more on the top hull and try and decide which unit this is going to be . She will be painted in nato 3 tone. Hopefully with light dust weathering  and general wear and tear . Going to be practicing on loads of plastic food  boxes.

[Miketheexrock]

Anti slip paint any ideas on how to recreate this ,looks like it is really sharp edges lots of masking me thinks

[Silenoz]

Recently came across this:

http://leopardclub.ca/reviews/ModelscaleBrigadeBruchsal/anti-skid/

 

IMHO: it looks nice, but not on an Abrams

 

http://35thscale.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=216726

 

https://vodnik.net/pages/nonslip/nonslip.htm

 

example of creative taping...

https://www.next-level-models.com/merkava-mkiiid-early.html

 

Embossing powder is also a nice method, a lot of tape is needed to mark the panels, but... on the Abrams the patches are rather square.

 

and then there are the products from MIG and the like with antislip paste 

 

so there are many way's to Rome... I can only point you in different directions 😉

Edited October 17, 2019 by Silenoz

[Miketheexrock]

Hmm , been experimenting with super glue and salt ., seems to work ...... must remember to take photos ........

[Miketheexrock]

Hmm looks better than I thought

 

 Think I might leave it , Tilly his afternoon and run a light undercoat which will also seal it in 

[Miketheexrock]

 

So put down the super glue very thinly of the relevant areas , sprinkled on the salt and left it of 24 hours .  Gave it an undercoat with good old Mig Ammo under coat , happy with the results .Maybe next time I will crush it to make it a bit finer . So now just got to prep the turret , well build the it to be honest , 

 

Hope you enjoy , be safe and keep your powder dry 

[phildagreek]

Looks good!

[Silenoz]

idd

[Miketheexrock]

Ok so , I got a little carried away with out doing any updates .  i was on an experiment of salt and superglue for the anti slip on my M1 , wee on the body it turned out well. I decided to carry it to the turret. This time however i decided to crush the salt just a little.  after building the turret , and fighting with the PE. Once I had this finished i have laid down a light (ish) coat of MIG ammo One shot grey , with a view of modulating the  three tone camouflage , yea right lets see how that goes. Thinking about a little mix and match and doing the plough in Sand, just to MR D a heart attack   .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

well I hope you enjoy Be safe all 

[Dads203]

That’s starting to come together Mike, Looking forward to seeing the paint going on mate.

[Miketheexrock]

Oh No ... Issues  , To MERDC or not to MERDC for this is the question , or do i do the standard 3 colour Nato ......

[Dads203]

I think the track version that you are building might be to late for MERDC Mike? 
 

So the 3 colour might be in order mate 

[FrancisGL]

Hi, I'm sorry I missed this, I see you've done a great job so far, and the anti-slip surface looks great.
A long time ago, I tried to make the same model, but the Dragon rebox for Revell, and I had to throw it away, because the kit was horrible in the settings.
I was doubting between that one and Tamiya's, I had to have gone for sure ...

Cheers mate 👍

[Miketheexrock]

So then  its Friday , to days the day I start the paint on the M1, Started by giving a Nato black undercoat 

 

 

 

 

Then I continued on the the Nato green , for the general 3 tone scheme i was using this one as a general rule of thumb 

 

 

 

On to the green , a good clean out or the airbrush , let the compressor cool down after the 45 minute run on the black . and we start  on the next colour. Keeping the PSi way down 18-20 Psi Nice tight lines to start , the a gentle to and fro to fill 

 

Getting the Sharp lines between the black and green was a bit of a bugger on the anti - slip ( crushed salt ) 

after another hour we end up with this 

Interesting concept, what id the UK had successfully trailed and bought them , well good chance it would have looked something like this ,  So far then this is 2.5 hours work , numerous coffees and I am thinking that I am not sure on using black to start with , however through adversity I will fight through.

 

  

To say that I am a little proud of the little or no over spray is not doing it justice 

 

Lunch  - 1 egg banjo 1 coffee , and a compressor that is working its tits off , time for the brown 

 

 

Ok as i admit not as many photos of the brown , because the pigment is so much brighter, the contrast took me back a little , Christ have i got the wrong colour ? A little wee weed of a it of speckling on the middle patch should be able to weather it out , Have the light buff to go over it all , to tone the entire tank down. 

 

Unlike all my other 3 builds this is not going to be weather to hell , yes it will be loaded up with stuff, Bergans , Cotbeds , coolboxes , water bottles and such like , its not going to look like it has been dragged off the ranges where it has sat for 5 years, but a well Maintained MBT.   

 

Some of the points where a little soft on the rear decks , so I've had to sharpen them up a little 

 

I know me thinks , i will get the light box out for some  better quality WIP shots , Issue is with the plough on it doesn't fit in the booth 

 

 

you have to excuse the bloke, i need to put  him some where safe 

 

 

 

 

so then as it stands , I have an M1A1 that is painted in the three tone Nato camouflage , that is as naked as the day I was born.  there must be at least a minimum of about 40 hours work still to go on her.   All i need now is to do some rearch on toning down the cam using Light buff , Wish me luck 

 

thanks for all the comments so far , be safe and watch out for those Christmas elves , the sweethearts steal your wallet and pour wine beer and whiskey down your throat ,  

be safe all 

[FrancisGL]

A good base to work it, for me, without a doubt the crucial part comes now, the weathering that integrated all the work so far ...

Cheers mate👍

[Miketheexrock]

thanks that's the part in way I am dreading , I want gentle and soft , more pastel if that makes sense 

[Tiger]

I really like the super glue and salt technique, something to remember for future builds. 
The camouflage pattern looks nicely done.

[Miketheexrock]

Well the weathering has started, general XF57 buff ,low PSI sprayed at distance. just to take the sharpness of the paint work off.  Going to start on the subtle dirt streaks next. picked up some earth pastels from good old Amazon. 12 different shades and colours for about £8 . 

 

Like a Muppet I have forgotten to gloss the decal area so a little bit of silvering , so it's setting solution galore to try and soften them up and maybe lift them 

 

 

 

[Miketheexrock]

OK so I  have made a school boy error and never glossed the decal area , --Learning curve .......

 

So not giving up on the decal lark i had a crack at decaling my cmdr -   wor d to the wise , ther trumpter decal that come in the over sized infantry pack are as thick as a winter duvet , the need hours of gentle soaking brushing , easing about to get tthem to bend to the right shape- 

 

 

 

That said , Yes i can see why people are going down this route  , just time and patience will make it better 

 

Been carry on with the stowage on the turret . 

 

Yes there is always one in the crew that will not give up that Gucci piece of kit - or the bit that says I  was there and you where not. 

 

 

the roll of wire will eventually be painted blue   for a piece of water pipe -  there is no way you would take the Jerrycan out to fill the kettle  -  take kettle and siphon it out  . the antenna mounts have been cleaned down , i felt that they needed some more love. Will proverbially look at those eventually.  

 

Still got a load of kit to paint up -  I am going to put a DI staff on the back of the wagon , sitting on that large pack , in a day-glo safety vest and white banded helmet  as this is going to be moving on to the ranges  - so  flags and such like , loads of little detailing to 

 

 OH well have fun all and remember say safe -  don't Zig when you should have Zagged .  

[Miketheexrock]

Just a quick update on the photo front  be safe all 

[Miketheexrock]

When you go to Dan's house , make sure you have plenty of time the next day.....

 

 

You end up spending 3 hours making a gunnery instructors seat for the back of you M1