Marklo Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Having finished the T34 and almost completed the T55a I’m enjoying large scale armour so I’ve decided to start on my M3, as with the previous it will be largely oob but I’m going to do a Caunter scheme as I think it’s a wonderful looking camouflage. The kit has rubber band and link and length tracksThe rubber band tracks are quite good and could be stuck down to get realistic sag so I’m not entirely convinced that the individual tracks are all that much better, but I decided to use them. So I’ve started on the individual tracks, talk about fiddly, but I shall just chip away at them. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Hi Maklo, I have just finished an M3, but in the U.S. version, although it is from Italeri, I think it is an Academy or Airfix rebox, it even includes the pieces to make a British Honey. I tried to use the indi-link tracks, but they were too difficult for me, so I opted for the vinyl ones. IMHO I think the result was more than good, if you want, you can see how it turned out in the RTI section, and assess what you like best about the tracks. Cheers and TC Francis.👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 Afaik the Airfix kit is indeed an academy reboxing. I now have about two inches of track, we’ll see who wins. I do think they the rubber band tracks are pretty good. But since this is may first individual like build I’d like to see how they look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 Wow that’s an amazing build @FrancisGL Those tracks look fine to me I’d say the individual links would make a subtle difference to the sections over the return rollers. Hmmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Hi, I imagine you mean the saggy of the tracks, when they are indi-links, it can be molded to your liking, not without difficulty, but when they are in one piece, you have to do a trick to make it "appear". Although I have noticed that the Honey had the side skirt, which almost hides the top of the tracks, so the saggy can be almost invisible. I myself was thinking of doing some saggy in mine, because in boxart, the model appeared like this, but apart from the extra work to do it, I have not seen any American Stuart with saggy on the tracks, although I may be wrong, I decided to make them tense . Cheers and TC Francis.👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 After a lot of fiddling I have about half of one side done. I’ll probably persevere but I too am sceptical as to wether the links will make much of a difference. Gave the main hull sections a blast if humbrol metalcote followed by some hairspray. This worked out well on the T34 so using the technique again. Next up give the interior a shot of white. I’m using rattle cans all the way so far, but will switch back to my trusty airbrush once I get to the camo colours. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 (edited) Took a look at some stuart pictures on the web and it does look like @FrancisGL is correct the tracks do not sag and seem to actually hog upwards a bit, very like a badly sitting set of rubber band tracks I think Airfix will be making a very large contribution to my spares box very soon. Edited July 11, 2020 by Marklo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 After a few thin coats of white.some detail painting next. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 Sprayed everything in Tamiya Deck ran. More assembly next. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 27, 2020 Author Share Posted July 27, 2020 Upper hull done. I’ll brush paint the various bits and bobs as I add them. Easier than trying to get the straight lines in the camo with hooks and boxes and gubbins in the way. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted July 31, 2020 Author Share Posted July 31, 2020 Most of the suspension on. Decided to stick with the rubberband tracks as they actually look more like the real thing than the individual link ones. Ho hum 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 After a long break back to the M3, assembly now more or less finished. Time for detail painting and some restrained weathering. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaastav Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Nice work. I am sure the weathering will be great too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 20 hours ago, Vaastav said: Nice work. I am sure the weathering will be great too Thank you. I’ve only done two 1/35 tanks since returning to modelling but these are they. I’m aiming to be closer to the T55 for the Honey. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaastav Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Wow. Nice and subtle. You definitely shouldn't have trouble 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 Some chipping, some AK streaking grime and some grey and brown pigments( chalk pastels in white spirit) . Will see how the pigments dry out may need another coat but should be done. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EpicPlastic Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 That is a very nice looking Honey! Great job! I do have a question if i may: i noticed in one of your previous posts that you base painted the model with a metal color. Before i started into armour again recently, I've been watching lots of youtube builds and read posts here and saw that mosts people use black as a base coat and then white to create contrast before applying the camo. What is the thought behind the metal base coat? Is that for chipping later on so that metal shows through when stripping away some of the camo paint? (sorry of this is a dumb question, just haven't seen this before and am trying to learn about techniques used). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 (edited) 5 minutes ago, EpicPlastic said: What is the thought behind the metal base coat? Is that for chipping later on so that metal shows through when stripping away some of the camo paint? Yes I spray my armour with humbrol silver then hairspray then the camo for chipping. On this build I decided to use green paint for very light chipping as I wanted a fairly clean tank, but on my T34 I wanted a very beaten up look so used this method for chipping. Edited October 16, 2020 by Marklo 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EpicPlastic Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 oh wow, that looks like a very effective chipping method indeed. I'll have to try that too on one of my next builds. Thanks for sharing that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 (edited) Dust added. Chalk pastels made into a slurry with white spirits then brushed on. The nice thing is you can build it up coat by coat but if you overdo it just wait till it dries then brush it off as required. Not sure if I’ll brush this one back or not. Will let it sit a bit while I decide. Then it’s just some rfi photos; I’ll wait for a brighter day before taking those. Edited October 20, 2020 by Marklo 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 It's up to you, but I would definitely cut that back quite a bit, as what's on the wheels/suspension, looks more like mud instead of dust, and this tank would have operated in an environment that was very dry. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted October 21, 2020 Author Share Posted October 21, 2020 6 hours ago, Bullbasket said: this tank would have operated in an environment that was very dry. I’d probably agree, it would look fine for light mud, but I want it to look dusty; could also do with being a tiny bit greyer. Will let it settle a bit then give it a good rub down with a bristlier brush, I have a fibre glass brush and a toothbrush for that exact purpose. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 rfi. Been scrubbed up a bit to hopefully look dusty not muddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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