Ammo How to Paint IDF Vehicles (Solution Book 03) A.MIG-6501

[Mike]

How to Paint IDF Vehicles (Solution Book 03)

AMMO by Mig Jiménez

 

 

Over the last few years we’ve been treated to a mini-explosion of models of Israeli Defence Force (IDF) vehicles, figures and even aircraft, and given the environment that they usually operate, painting and weathering is quite important if you want to depict their hardware in anything other than a factory-fresh state.  Dust and sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. 

 

AMMO have a range of Solution Boxes designed exclusively for carrying out the painting and weathering of specific subjects, and this accompanying series of magazines have been launched to put the flesh on the bones of the Solution Boxes.  Unsurprisingly called Solution Books, they are useful whether you’ve bought the solution box already or have your own tools available and don’t need any more to complete the job.  It’s best to have a dry run through the book first though, just in case you’ve missed something as you don’t really want to stall half way through if you can avoid it.

 

 

Arriving in a magazine binding, it’s more of a bookazine really as you’ll doubtless come back to it again and again.  Consisting of forty four pages including the covers (there is some content on the cover), the first section revolves around the tools, paints and solutions you’ll use during the task and the descriptions are given in English, French, Spanish and German with a picture of each type by the side.

 

After a brief introduction and a shot of the kit being used, which is the Takom Merkava IIB we get down to it in the AMMO style with a step-by-step description, starting with the anti-slip coating on the horizontal surfaces.  The next few steps cover the painting and use of filters to subtly change the tones, then moves onto washes, track preparation, chipping, streaks, dust, and finally, oil and fuel spills just to finish off the lived-in look of any in-service machine.

 

 

Toward the end is an overall shot of the finished model with a set of arrows showing which products were used where, and at the back you’ll find some profiles of various tracked vehicles used by the IDF over the years.

 

 

Conclusion

Whilst it might be teaching your grandmother to suck eggs for the experienced modeller, it would be a great help to anyone looking to grow their skillset, or someone like me that has an awful memory and often forgets what to do because I also build aircraft…slowly.  It’s also a great advert for other AMMO products of course!

 

Recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

[Kingsman]

I eagerly bought this book, but was disappointed. It is less of a "how to" and more of a showcase for the featured modellers - each of whom tackles the subject differently.  Which actually confuses the situation no end. And as noted it only advocates the use of Ammo MiG products, correct, appropriate or otherwise.

 

I had perhaps expected a book about the evolution of IDF colours over time and the "best" way to represent each evolution. This is not that book.