Mark Cassidy Posted February 1, 2023 Posted February 1, 2023 I stumbled across so of the last T-55s in Russian service and decided to do a diorama of one based in the Russian far east island of Sakhalin. I got some really good help from members of the forum and some more pics of the vehicles. Im using a Revell T-55AM in 1/72 scale, I decide to place the model in a firing berm some where in the Kurils. I started building the base with tile grout mixed with brown acrylic over foam board. I also wanted to try making a tree and bush from florist wire and latex. Im intending to partially flood the berm with some muddy oily puddles. Im hoping to start the kit this week, heres my progress so far... BTW the T-80 was used just for sizing the base of the diorama Ill try and keep this upto date with my progress 🙂 3
badger Posted February 1, 2023 Posted February 1, 2023 Looking good so far and I like the unusual colour scheme for the T-55 1
Mark Cassidy Posted February 2, 2023 Author Posted February 2, 2023 19 hours ago, badger said: Looking good so far and I like the unusual colour scheme for the T-55 Yeah its so much more intresting than the stock green scheme
Mark Cassidy Posted March 9, 2023 Author Posted March 9, 2023 A wee update on this project, I kinda lost my modelling mojo for a few weeks but I seem to have got it back so time for a wee update on this. I tried to create an interior for my T-55 , I appreciate that its going to be mainly hidden but it was a good opportunity to try out designing my own 3D printed components, its hard to get it right lol after much test printing I got something that was broadly right so am happy with it TBH , I know that its not super accurate , but its close enough for my purposes' One thing I have realised is , how in general with Russian tanks how cramped they actually are! It seems a nightmare for the crews. Ive also progressed the base and have it looking reasonably ok, as always half way through I have decided to change it slightly, it was meant to be a fighting position but Ive decided to make it a muddy firing point on the range so I plan, to half flood the firing position with manky dirty oily water, maybe a red flag to indicate firing and a sign say some kind of warning, like "clean up the firing point on completion " or some such warning or instruction, I do want it to feel like its decayed and no one really cares , in this far away from moscow part of Russia. I also have a couple of oil barrels that I intend to rust up and have a minor POL spill somewhere on the diorama, again it gives the impression of decay and neglect. Annoyingly my tree needs a repaint as it bent on being glued in and you can see the green florist wire through the trunk. Any suggestions on how I can avoid that in future or make my trees better, Ive seen latex hardner and wondered of that would work? I also think next time I would dye my latex brown and also paint the green florist wire brown as well. Most of the hull furniture is glued in and the upper hull affixed to the lower, Ive sorted started camouflaging around the lower hull and road wheels and tried for the first time to use pigments and home made pigment fixer , I tried the airbrush blown through a brush technique to simulate splattered mud, that didnt really work well , it seemed to splatter in globs too bix, so I used a stipple brush to apply the liquid then i took some crushed up pastels on a dry brush and applied it and to my eye it worked quite well, I need to finish the wheels next sort the tracks weather them and affix them to the running gear, then I can get onto the home straight and get the upper works cammo'd. Any thoughts, feedback or suggestions would be great folks and thanks for reading this far. Mark 1
Mark Cassidy Posted March 18, 2023 Author Posted March 18, 2023 A wee progress update on this build, Ive pretty much got the base completed with the rusty barrels and spent main gun rounds to be scattered around, I am going to add some empty bottles of booze and when the kit is complete I will put some standing water around the tanks tracks. The T-55 is built with the exception of tow ropes, fuel barrels and the hatches. The camouflage is partially done , ,just got the mint green colour a 6 Vallejo Pale Green - 1 of AK interactive blue green mixed, the orange is AK's orange brown, so its in the final stages really. Whats everyones experience with masking putty Vs blue tack? I find the masking putty doesnt take too well to my builds and blue tack is better even at the risk of leaving residues. The masking putty comes away at the least wee touch. Regards Mark Regards 1
Mark Cassidy Posted March 23, 2023 Author Posted March 23, 2023 Last bits of the build , the 55 has been finished and weathered with some more mud. Ive added the weathered spent shells and muddy puddle in the berm. 2
Mark Cassidy Posted March 23, 2023 Author Posted March 23, 2023 Its done its done!!!! Ive created a Ready For Inspection Post Here Thanks for all your interests and thoughts. Mark
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