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AMX-13 Light Tank - Tamiya 1/35 **Finished and in the Gallery**


PlaStix

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Hi all. As planned, this will be my build for the GB:

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I bought this kit when it first came out in 2016 and it's one I've been looking for an excuse to build for quite a while now. I always thought this was an interesting looking vehicle.

 

I'm hoping that, now I have finished my two builds for the Less Than A Tenner Group Build, I will have the time this weekend to make a start on this one. I still need to wash the sprues in warm soapy water, but, after that, I'll get it underway.

 

I won't probably get as much time on this as I'd like until after the LTAT GB has finished - because I'm the host of that one - but we'll see

 

According to Wikipedia:

The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1952 to 1987. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 26 other nations. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and reliable chassis, it was fitted with an oscillating turret built by GIAT Industries (now Nexter) with revolver type magazines, which were also used on the Austrian SK-105 Kürassier. Including prototypes and export versions, there are over a hundred variants including self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft systems, APCs, and ATGM versions. The Wikipedia page for the AMX-13 can be found: HERE

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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When I was five or six (many, many years ago...) I had a little 'pocket book' of tanks, and the AMX-13 fascinated me. I still think it is one of the coolest looking tanks ever.

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On 13/08/2021 at 16:08, modelling minion said:

Interesting choice Stix.

Not a vehicle that ever floated my boat but I have no doubt that you will create another of your usual masterpieces.

I am ready to have my mind changed.

Hi Craig. This was one of those kits I liked the look of as soon as I saw the box art! Not a vehicle I remember noticing before, but I thought it has a vague sci-fi appearance. We'll see how it turns out!

 

On 13/08/2021 at 17:16, Wez said:

This tank is just so French, a fabulous choice Stix!

Welcome to the GB and good luck.

 

Thank you Wez. I'm looking forward to making it.

 

On 13/08/2021 at 22:45, Natter said:

When I was five or six (many, many years ago...) I had a little 'pocket book' of tanks, and the AMX-13 fascinated me. I still think it is one of the coolest looking tanks ever.

I totally agree!!

 

On 13/08/2021 at 23:41, Scargsy said:

Nice choice of subject, will be an interesting build to follow!

Thank you Scargsy.

 

On 14/08/2021 at 00:18, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Welcome aboard Stix, I've kinda always wanted to do an AMX 13, that or the M-24 with the AMX turret. 

Cheers Dennis. I've also got a Takom version with a Chaffee Turret - but it's a bit more of a complex kit for this GB than I've got time for.

 

So first off here are some photos of the contents of the box:

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This Tamiya kit even comes with one bit of photo-etch!

 

I'm not sure about the tracks but I will wait and see what they look like with some paint on:

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Apparently they are a bit too tight as well. I might try and stretch them a bit, if I can.

 

A sample of the instructions:

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...and the kit comes with a two sided information sheet about the tank:

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Over last weekend I did manage to make a start. First off I added all the parts I wanted to add to the lower hull. I tend to only add parts which I can easily brush paint over at this stage. Other parts will be brush painted separately and added later when some of the weathering has been done. The fit was good - it's a typical Tamiya kit - although there were a few ejector pin marks in some annoyiong places.

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These photos show it after three(ish) thinned coats of Humbrol's acrylic matt Olive Drab which were applied with a medium flat brush:

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Next up I will be starting some of my base weathering and getting the running gear ready.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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Aye up Stix,

Hope you and Mrs Stix are both keeping well.

 

That does look a nice kit. I really like the sand coloured plastic Tamiya use, nice and easy to work with. Your off to a great start as usual and look forward to seeing another Stix master class 👍

 

Will you be having a bash at the canvas cover on the turret?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

Edited by fatfingers
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Hi Stix,

 

Looks like a nice kit. I have only ever seen one of these, beside the road when touring through Switzerland back in the late 1960's I think. It was next to a large camouflaged "door" in the hillside which I presume was some sort of concealed Army hangar.

 

Pete

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi @modelling minion, @fatfingers, @PeterB, @exdraken and @JOCKNEY. Thank you very much for your kind comments and interest in this build. I am sorry I haven't replied sooner, or updated this thread for a while, but life is still busy and when I have been here on Britmodeller I have been concentrating on keeping up with the Less Than A Tenner GB - which I have been hosting. The polls (yes there are currently two polls) are open now - so please go and vote.

 

Here and there, I have been doing some work on my AMX-13 - but it's not as far on as I would have liked after three weeks. I have been taking photos - so I'm afraid there's going to be a lot of photos - but you know that's the case with a lot of my threads!! :banghead:

 

So, with the paint now on the lower hull, I decided I fancied building something - so I made up the parts, I wanted to, for the upper hull - including the photo-etched grill. As I brush paint, I usually only add the parts I think I can successfully paint and weather without the remaining parts getting in the way:

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I then built the turret:

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At this point, I decided I wanted to go back and get the lower hull and running gear completed. I first got the sides of the hull dirtied up by stippling on very thinned Humbrol's acrylic Dark Earth and then Desert Yellow. I created some streaks with a variety of thinned colours. Next, the wheels were painted in the base colour of Humbrol's Matt Olive Drab. Then I applied my usual base weathering. This consists of a very, very thinned wash of Revell Aqua's Gunship Grey - applied with a soft medium brush. The latter, to my eye, gives a dusty appearance and tones down the base colour. Once the latter is dry, I use a small, fine, pointed brush to apply some very thinned Revell Aqua's Antracite in and around the details - to create a sort of deeper shadow effect. With this dry, I then dry-brush over everything with a lighter version of the base coat, to which I add a touch of matt yellow. The tyres on the road wheels were painted with thinned Anthracite and then toned down with very, very thinned washes of Gunship Grey. I then used a fine pointed brush to apply some very thinned Humbrol's Gunmetal to what, I think, would be worn metallic areas. These are then somewhat toned down with an application of very, very thinned Anthracite over them. Finally, I use very thinned Railmatch's Acrylic Light Rust to create slightly rusty/dirt areas - in and around some details. With the wheels, drive sprokets, idlers and return rollers in place it looked like this:

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The tracks were given a base coat of thinned Anthracite before the metallic areas were dry-brushed with Gunmetal. The pads were left Anthracite. I then applied a wash of Desert Yellow:

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I'd read that the tracks, supplied by Tamiya in the box, were too short and didn't allow for any sag along the top run. I did some careful stretching of the tracks - which was more successful on one side than the other. They were both stretched to the same length but one side's running gear is obviously closer together - so the sag is more than I would have liked on the starboard side.

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With the tracks in place I next painted the upper hull and turret - Humbrol Olive Drab again - applied thinned, with water, using a medium flat brush:

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Once dry, the upper hull was fitted in place:

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I then couldn't resist a test fit of the turret:

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I'm hoping that, now the Less Than A Tenner GB has finsihed, I will get some more done on this, this weekend.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Very nice work mate, very nice indeed.

It looks to be an extremely well fitting kit as you would expect from a modern Tamiya kit, especially in your capable hands.

The painting is up to your usual very high standards and the weathering is taking effect very nicely and highlighting the details.

I am looking forward to the next update.

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Aye up Stix,

 

Excellent job and as said above the painting and weathering is looking great. Did the tracks hold the sag from the stretch or have you pinned them to maintain it? 

 

Regards,

 

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/09/2021 at 16:46, modelling minion said:

Very nice work mate, very nice indeed.

It looks to be an extremely well fitting kit as you would expect from a modern Tamiya kit, especially in your capable hands.

The painting is up to your usual very high standards and the weathering is taking effect very nicely and highlighting the details.

I am looking forward to the next update.

Hi Craig. Thank you for your comments. Yes the fit has been pretty good. A couple of bits where the location pins could have been a bit more precise but generally a typical Tamiya kit.

 

On 10/09/2021 at 18:41, fatfingers said:

Aye up Stix,

Excellent job and as said above the painting and weathering is looking great. Did the tracks hold the sag from the stretch or have you pinned them to maintain it? 

Regards,

Steve

Hi Steve. Thank you too for your coments. With regards the tracks - no, there's no additional pinning. All I do, when I glue them in place after stretching them, is add slightly more Super Glue to the top surface of the return rollers and the inwards facing portions of the sprockets and idlers - so that it glues the tracks in a downwards angle, as the come of them. I usually use a bit of folded kitchen roll, wedged between the sections of tracks that need to sag and the undersides of the mud guards.

 

On 14/09/2021 at 08:58, Ned said:

Lovely work, Stix. Your magic brushes have lost none of their power.

Thank you very much Ned, you are very kind.

 

Sorry for such a long gap between updates. This has mostly been due to me spending the little time I get on Britmodeller, looking after the closing stages of the Less Than A Tenner II GB which I was hosting. The GB has now finished so I'm hoping to get a bit regular time on here.

 

So, since last time, I have got all the additional parts painted and my usual, basic weathering applied - please see the posts above for more details on this, plus I've also got all the decals applied - not that there were a lot:

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I've also done some more detailed, wear'n'tear weathering on the tank itself - not that I'm adding a lot on this one:

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A few photos of the tank on it's own:

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Next up I'll try and get a bit more weathering completed on all parts before doing the final assembly of parts. Then I should have just a final bit of weathering to add. I'm not planning on making this too weathered. I also have the commander figure to do and I may make a base for it too.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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Hi @modelling minion and @Bertie Psmith and thank you very much for your comments.

 

I managed to get this project finished over the weekend.

 

The weathering was all finished, all the tools and equipment attached and the figure painted and fitted in the turret:

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I also made up a base using photo frame backing board MDF, some emery paper and a few scenic bits and pieces:

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The emery paper looks okay as tarmac:

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And finished:

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Lots and lots of photos can be found here:

 

The Gallery photos can be found here:

Thank you to all hosts of this GB and to everyone who took the time to comment in this thread.

 

It was a thoroughly enjoyable build.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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  • PlaStix changed the title to AMX-13 Light Tank - Tamiya 1/35 **Finished and in the Gallery**

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