Parrahs Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 Yeah, you're not about to have another Nordic groupbuild without me barging in on it. The way things are looking at the moment this may not even be my entry for it, but rather my first entry. Anyway, some time back I noticed the ModellTrans Modellbau/Silesian Models sold a 1/72 conversion kit for Revell's T-55 to turn it into a Finnish ItPsv 90 SPAAG, aka T-55 Marksman. As the less formal name implies the real world vehicles were themselves conversions created by the Finns buying a few second hand T-55AM from the Poles and slapping on Marksman AAA turrets. That seemed like an amusing enough subject and so here we are, even though my previous experience with Silesian models (turning an Academy Stryker into an M1128 MGS) had been a somewhat mixed bag. The "Before" picture. With their usual generosity Silesian models have included not only the resin parts in the kits, but also a few bits of the moulds they were cast in. On the other hand you get no decals. I thought I'd source those form Revell's 1/72 T-72 since that shouldn't cost all that much more than a third party decal sheet and maybe I'd feel like building an Iraqi tank some day. Looking around though that one's apparently been OOP for some time judging by its non-existence in stock just about everywhere. Turning to eBay I was then lucky enough to spot someone selling just the decal sheet, minus the Iraqi part, for a good deal less than the entire kit, so that turned out pretty close to ideal. A British seller, so if any of you sold such a sheet a while back and the phrase "Your Local Hypnotherapist" rings a bell then you're about to find out what fate you consigned that sheet to when you sent it over the top. Now luckily the more visible sides of the resin parts are in a much better shape than the underside of the turret, but still, there's been a number of blobs and whatnot to slice off. Having hopefully cleaned up the main turret chunk itself I decided to do something else for a while, like make a place to put it as it starts accumulating fragile bits. Likely unsurprisingly this means heading over to the Revell side of things, where it all starts out unremarkable enough on the whole. We do run into the first conversion job though, slicing off the extra fuel drums. Wheels on, the rest dry fitted. Quite a bit of tower on this one. I also glued together the T-55 turret just because. I guess it'll be handy if I want a small paint mule some day. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeroenS Posted September 18, 2021 Share Posted September 18, 2021 Wow that is a huge difference. The Marksman turret almost seems like another scale it's so big! It makes an interesting vehicle though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 18, 2021 Share Posted September 18, 2021 gosh welcome along with a very unusual beast, with a huge long name I'm not even going to attempt to say....... even if I could!! I just looked up this beast on Wiki, what an awesome machine!!! Even from that photo, the resin casting looks "interesting", but for some of these more unusual subjects you have to rely on these specialist casters. Well good luck with the build, looks like you're off to a great start, this is one I'll be following with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrahs Posted September 19, 2021 Author Share Posted September 19, 2021 First piece of resin to go onto the lower hull is the upper glacis. A bit of a gap on the right there filled with plasticard, otherwise it fit well enough. On the other side of the tank we have a pair of boxes. The pour stubs were kinda in one of the lower corners for each, cutting that off revealed a massive air bubble for the lower one that's in the process of being filled there. Anyway, these are to be glued onto the rear of the hull with just the two tabs on the upper one making contact, butted right against the flat plate. I'll trust that joint about as far as I could throw the real thing, so... That'll help, and remain largely invisible behind the boxes. Otherwise rear hull assembly was largely uneventful, apart form the tow lines not being terribly well shaped. Some gentle bending there, some superglue there, and a pair of fixed breakages alter that was taken care of though (just in time for em to notice that I don't see them on pictures of the Finnish SPAAGs...) The side skirts were also quite warped but straightened themselves out quiet well with some scalding. Hm, somewhat familiar... Well, maybe more alike in idea than actual shape. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 gee that turret looks huge on that chassis!!! She is coming along nicely, with all the normal rein issues as well, nice job with correcting them! I agree about the similar look to the beast at the bottom!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrahs Posted September 20, 2021 Author Share Posted September 20, 2021 14 hours ago, trickyrich said: gee that turret looks huge on that chassis!!! In some ways it feels les like a turret and more like a sheet steel garden shed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrahs Posted September 24, 2021 Author Share Posted September 24, 2021 Plodding on. The second major air bubble to fill, a bit more visible but a lot smaller than the first. Otherwise it was mostly just chopping away some excessive bits of resin before it was time to glue the few turret parts together. Barrels have been pinned in place and a lifting eye that broke off in shipping (ok, so I couldn't find it in the bag, but it broke off in shipping, totally can't have been me being a bit careless while I chiselled away all the flash/blobs/bits of mould), replaced with plasticard. And save for a forgotten headligth that's the assembly finished. Primer done and a quick hit all over with a greenish almost-black as step one of the Finnish three-tone splinter camouflage. Seeing as how it's damn close to the Swedish dito (much too close for coincidence, but I haven't been able to find anything specific on how they're related online so far) I'll just be using Mr Paint's Swedish camo paints for the black (used here) and dark green, staring at various pictures will tell me whether to use the lighter green as-is as well or if I'll add a drop of the dark stuff to it. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 Good progress on an uncommon subject Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrahs Posted September 28, 2021 Author Share Posted September 28, 2021 (edited) Compared to the old four tone Swedish splinter camouflage the style used here is pretty quick and easy to mask, not just because there's one colour less but also since the fields are generally much larger. Though given what I'm comparing with there... I think there's a SPAAG under there somewhere. Masking would probably have been a bit easier if I had gone with the darkest green last, but I went with the lightest (pic above is just before I started removing the masking tape) since that meant I always had a darker background to work with. Whether any of the unevenness I prayed in will remain visible through the weathering remains to be seen. Masking removed. Maybe not entirely surprisingly the forward-left turret lifting eye went AWOL again. Probably can't blame it on transport damage this time... Detail painting done, all four decals added and varnished up for the weathering. Edited September 28, 2021 by Parrahs Forgot a bit. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted September 29, 2021 Share Posted September 29, 2021 That´s an impressive build, congratulations! Speaking of the Marksman, it doesn´t look any less impressive on its current Leopard 2 chassis either: https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilmatorjuntapanssarivaunu_90_Marksman#/media/Tiedosto:Kalustoesittely_itsenäisyyspäivä_2015_17_Leopard_2_Marksman.JPG V-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted September 29, 2021 Share Posted September 29, 2021 Looks good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted September 29, 2021 Share Posted September 29, 2021 11 hours ago, Parrahs said: Maybe not entirely surprisingly the forward-left turret lifting eye went AWOL again. Probably can't blame it on transport damage this time... Check the masking tape. That looks really good, it is a very cool looking device. Now I reckon you need to try one of these. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paramedic Posted September 29, 2021 Share Posted September 29, 2021 Looking good. Really like those colours - nice camo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 wow she looks amazing, and in splinter scheme as well, awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrahs Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 Final stretch: oil it up (etc). Overall filters and wash. Dot filter. Finally some airbrushed dust (a hint of XF-55 in highly dilute matte varnish), then a touch of pigments and it's all done. I thought I heard a pussycat Hind... As for making a Leo marksman, well... I may want to limit my exposure to this resin manufacturer to only what's absolutely necessary. Though they do seem to be the only way to get a Gepard in 1/72, and that is a pretty Kitty. Well, time wounds all heels and all that, we'll see how long I can resist. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paramedic Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 Yeah that looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 Cool On 9/19/2021 at 1:00 AM, trickyrich said: with a huge long name I'm not even going to attempt to say....... even if I could!! channel your inner Kimi Google translate has a speech button. See here https://translate.google.com/?sl=fi&tl=en&text=Ilmatorjuntapanssarivaunu&op=translate&hl=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 well done on completing her, you did a great job on her, despite the best attempts of the resin! Plus a great finish as well. A great subject forsure, i'd be very tempted with a 1/35th beast!! Thanks for joining us here, was a pleasure to have you along and to follow this build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert falcon Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 You did a great job on that Parrahs, congratulations on the final result 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrahs Posted October 13, 2021 Author Share Posted October 13, 2021 On 12/10/2021 at 03:01, trickyrich said: A great subject forsure, i'd be very tempted with a 1/35th beast!! https://www.scalemates.com/kits/takom-2043-ltpsv-90-marksman-spaag--1072376 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 On 10/13/2021 at 9:12 PM, Parrahs said: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/takom-2043-ltpsv-90-marksman-spaag--1072376 I really didn't need to see that!!! I will resist the urge for now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sardaukar Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 Very nice job, I'm a big T-55 fan and this conversion is somewhere on my wishlist... after the Tirans and all the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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