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CHIEFTAIN MK2 TAKOM 1/35,OLD WARRIOR OF THE COLD WAR, **FINISHED**


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Hi Pals,

 

I have finished the model, along with its base.

A well detailed OOB kit and easy to assemble, with the exception of the tracks, which are very laborious, although not
particularly difficult.

 

I added some small extra bit, such as the headlight wires, and the rearview mirror rods, and the strips of the
barrel's thermal sleeve straps, as well as a pair of antennas.

 

The only thing that could have focused better, is the behavior of the bogies of the undercarriage, when climbing the
vehicle on the slope, although it is not too steep, and the solution was, or take off parts (too risky), or lay it
flat on the terrain, but I prefer as it looks ... and that is that at first, I didn't think about making a base ... I
wrote it down for a next occasion ...

 

I have had a lot of work with the photos, because although I have the means to do them quite well, the backgrounds are
a real headache to get them to have a pure color, either white or black.

 

As far as I can tell, you have to do post-process, that is, some software to use (Photoshop).

 

There are different series of photos, with different background color, different lighting, and different post-process.

I include some photos of the real model that have inspired me, and to see how much I approached the real model.

 

I will indicate a small comment in each series.

 

The main thing for me, when making them, is that the color of the model does not change, and if it does, the minimum
possible, because the one that has, for better or worse, is the one that I want to show.

 

Thank you very much everyone for taking time to watch, comment and suggest improvements.

 

Until the next model and Cheers.:cheers:

 

Set of black background, with two lights, and white / black Photoshop setting.

 

pBLbS3e.jpg

 

 

YuQyuzi.jpg

 

 

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xDSMDm3.jpg

 

B4sSwbl.jpg

 

 

 

MYdr33Z.jpg

 

L0W66pN.jpg

 

cHLxswl.jpg

 

Set of White background, with a lights, and brightness adjustment with Photoshop.

 

JuOC9uJ.jpg

 

h7fHICv.jpg

 

zHVNWKZ.jpg

 

 

 

NhTDO3l.jpg

 

Set of White background, with two lights, and brightness adjustment with Photoshop.

zRvfltW.jpg

 

FXVCiEI.jpg

 

3cO1lVy.jpg

 

hAVIJ3V.jpg

 

RRRG3TH.jpg

 

LdXkr4H.jpg

 

HceF5qm.jpg

 

XE3a1Tt.jpg

 

yl7GO2q.jpg

 

vA92vZS.jpg

 

KBmSmnC.jpg

 

8JsC3dv.jpg

 

uRtN08Z.jpg

 

pefQx4l.jpg

 

j1dfGQq.jpg

 

vehDfB8.jpg

 

Set whit diorame, and white background, with two lights, and brightness adjustment with Photoshop.

 

1GjlGtc.jpg

 

U8z4Apx.jpg

 

l0toqgm.jpg

 

wRcbRz8.jpg

 

kkUJa59.jpg

 

N21znLB.jpg

 

Bvdmszg.jpg

 

ERUsX7h.jpg

 

 

Black background, with two lights, and brightness adjustment with Photoshop.

 

6JnVQb9.jpg

 

jKlU2em.jpg

 

Enbrxfy.jpg

 

Real photos of the model and box art, for inspiration ...

 

V5Eoilb.jpg

 

lp08L3b.jpg  I5j6zDY.jpg

 

sOReCSC.jpg

 

 

 

Edited by FrancisGL
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Truly excellent, looks like it's had a hard few days on Salisbury Plain or Sennelager. 

 

I'm doing the Mark 11 at the moment, if it turns out half as well as yours I'll be delighted.

 

Pete

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Tea leaves are a triumph - I used oregano and still get a whiff of it every now and then!  With the barrel straps, did you just extend the existing ones, or did you use a strap over the top or what?  Very impressive - you've set the bar very high!

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Hi Francis. That is a really fantastic result!! Your finish, detailing and presentation are all superb!! Very well done! :thumbsup:

I have the same kit in the stash so I am going to bookmark your build thread so I can refer to it when I build mine....so thank you in advance!

Kind regards,

Stix

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On 21/01/2020 at 21:30, Tiger said:

Francis you have produced a super model and the colour, weathering and attention to detail is first class. Thanks for sharing..

Hi Tiger, 

 

Many thanks for your like and kind words, i'm glad you like it.

This is my first Takom kit, because so far, the other models I have in the forum, are oldies or cheap kits, although you can do a good job with them, they have helped me to give way to something like this.
You're welcome, it's a pleasure to share my work in the forum, learning from mistakes and improving with each following model.

 

Cheers mate 👍

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On 22/01/2020 at 17:45, Buzby061 said:

Truly excellent, looks like it's had a hard few days on Salisbury Plain or Sennelager. 

 

I'm doing the Mark 11 at the moment, if it turns out half as well as yours I'll be delighted.

 

Pete

Hi Pete, 

many thanks for your kind comments, It is precisely what I wanted to achieve, for someone to think of the real "action" model.
I will love to see how yours looks, although I have not seen any WIP thread, sure good.

Cheers mate 👍

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Hi Francis,  Brilliant, what more need I say, just brilliant!

 

The photography really sets it off, particularly like the black background or possibly the gradeuated one...

 

Looking forward to your next one. 

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On 26/01/2020 at 09:48, FrancisGL said:

Hi Pete, 

many thanks for your kind comments, It is precisely what I wanted to achieve, for someone to think of the real "action" model.
I will love to see how yours looks, although I have not seen any WIP thread, sure good.

Cheers mate 👍

Francis,

 

I don't do WIPs due to my glacial build rate! I'm finding it a bit over engineered in places, the outer road wheels for instance. Overall not a bad build so far & I've got 2 crew figures from Firing Line.

 

Pete

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On 23/01/2020 at 14:40, Alpha Juliet said:

Tea leaves are a triumph - I used oregano and still get a whiff of it every now and then!  With the barrel straps, did you just extend the existing ones, or did you use a strap over the top or what?  Very impressive - you've set the bar very high!

Many thanks for your like and kind words, i'm glad you like it. 

As I commented in the WIP, it occurred to me to make the strap extends, because I really liked the detail. It was a bit, I will try, with what I have at hand, spare parts box, utensils, and whatever is around the house ...
I tried aluminum foil in the kitchen, and after many attempts, I picked up the bits that I thought were better and less damaged, and hit them with AC just at the point where they meet with the buckle.
I imagine there will be sets of PEs for this, but apart from being expensive (?), PEs and so small, for me they are a headache ...
And maybe another "homemade" or craft material is better.
I thought I was going to like it (at least I do, what is important ... lol), but for now I think you are the only one who has noticed and commented, so I was doubting if it is a "wrong" detail .. ., although the photos show the leftovers ...
Cheers AJ.:thumbsup:

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On 24/01/2020 at 15:47, PlaStix said:

Hi Francis. That is a really fantastic result!! Your finish, detailing and presentation are all superb!! Very well done! :thumbsup:

I have the same kit in the stash so I am going to bookmark your build thread so I can refer to it when I build mine....so thank you in advance!

Kind regards,

Stix

Hi Stix,

 

many thanks for your kind words, like, and follow. I will love to see how yours looks, and there is no need, serving as a reference to another good modeller is a joy, it is to be assumed that something good, I will be doing ... lol


Cheers Stix :thumbsup:

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On 26/01/2020 at 20:08, Jasper dog said:

Hi Francis,  Brilliant, what more need I say, just brilliant!

 

The photography really sets it off, particularly like the black background or possibly the gradeuated one...

 

Looking forward to your next one. 

Hi Darryl,

 

many thanks for your like and kind words, i'm glad you like it. I think that good photos of the work done are very convenient to show what we want, for better or worse.

It has taken me a lot to take these photos, because although I have more means, I don't know why, now the backgrounds are a headache.
Although I have already confirmed that for that, software retouching is necessary, always trying not to alter the object (model) photographed, hence, many attempts.
I already have some basic parameters for the next ones, so I think it will be easier and faster.

I don't know what to do for the next one, well honestly, I thought that such an emblematic British tank, in a with British flavor forum, was going to like more ...

 

Cheers mate :thumbsup:

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On 27/01/2020 at 19:58, Richard E said:

Model making and finishing of the very highest order complemented by a very realistic and dynamic diorama display all presented in a well photographed presentation.

 

Thanks for sharing the build with us.

 

 

Hi Richard,

 

many thanks for your kind words and interest, A pleasure to share my work with others.

 

Cheers Richard   :thumbsup:

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Firstly it's a very nice model, so with that out of the way can I just mention that the pics are all very large, which is why they take a while to load.  Some of the pics are almost 600kb, and the biggest I found (didn't check them all) was almost 1mb, which is clearly going to take longer to download.

 

You should seriously consider optimising your photos for display on the web, so that the photo size is around 200kb and bear in mind that smaller is better as not everyone has super-fast broadband and may get bored waiting for them to load.  I ran one of your pics through Photoshop and reduced the size to 1024 px wide, whilst optimising it for web (jpg high), which massively reduced the size in both senses of the word, as you can see below:

 

The original 2856 x 1751 px (the forum shrinks down oversize pictures anyway) and 918kb

 

spacer.png

 

My edit 1024 x 628 px and 126kb

 

spacer.png

 

Sure, my offering comes out a bit smaller looking on my 1080p screen, but the original is forcing every user to wait while it downloads almost a meg of data only to have it compressed down by the server to fit the screen of each user, all the time showing the grey place-holder block, risking losing the attention of more impatient users or those on a slow connection.  Hopefully you'll see what I mean, and please don't take this as a dig - it's a piece of useful advice to help you, our members and the server to run a little smoother. :yes:

 

You also may have a think about the quantity of photos, as some of them seem a bit too close in terms of content. :)

 

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2 hours ago, Mike said:

Firstly it's a very nice model, so with that out of the way can I just mention that the pics are all very large, which is why they take a while to load.  Some of the pics are almost 600kb, and the biggest I found (didn't check them all) was almost 1mb, which is clearly going to take longer to download.

 

 

 

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your kind comment. Before, i took the photos with reflex camera, so they were even "heavier", so I made them again with mobile phone.
If I see that they were still "heavy", but when I hosted them in a "third party", I didn't think it would affect the forum server, and my connection, although not the best in the world, I imagine, as you say, with good judgment, that there will be members with slow, or very slow connections.

I will keep it in mind for the next model, and if I did not misunderstand, do I have to change the photos for lighter ones?
It is true that there are some photos that are somewhat similar, but there are colleagues who show even more than me, and therefore also very similar :).
If there is a limit of photos per topic, please tell me, and the compilations will be subject to that maximum.

Best regards Mike.👍
 

Edited by FrancisGL
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35 minutes ago, FrancisGL said:

do I have to change the photos for lighter ones?

It would be advisable, yes.  It would probably be appreciated by the members too, I'm sure :)

 

Incidentally, the size of pics do affect the server, but not from a storage point of view, at least not long term.  It uses a proxy to hoover them into our webspace in a cache to speed up servinig, which it retains for a short period of time in case anyone else requests to view them.  So there's a little space taken up short-term, and our server has to serve those pics up, and I'm not sure whether it will optimise them once and cache those, or do that on the fly depending in the requester's device.  If it's the latter, which I suspect it is, there will be a hit on performance as it shrinks the photo down to serve it.  That all adds to the time taken, and it's why we usually limit our review pics to 1024 x 750 px or 1280 x 800 for BIG stuff.  Not everyone has a 4K LED screen on their PC yet, and many people are now eschewing PCs and using only phones and tablets to view and participate in the forum.  Time marches on, and one day we'll all be using 4K screens, and by then hopefully storage will be cheaper :pray:

 

It's also helpful for members with limited online photo hosting plans, as they can be limited by space they take up on the host's servers, or by the amount of data they use.  I don't use other photo hosts myself, but I can imagine it varies. :hmmm:

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