modelling minion Posted July 31 Share Posted July 31 Have to agree with Mipps there Stix, you have done a great job persevering with all those decals and the turret is looking really good mate. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted August 7 Author Share Posted August 7 Hi @Mippie & @modelling minion. Thank you very much for your comments. Yesterday, I decided to go all out and get all the remaining Velcro and other decals applied to the hull, whch I managed to do. Plus I got them all sealed on with Humbrol Matt Varnish: That was about 5 hours' worth of modelling time, but I was pleased to get them sorted! Next will be detail painting and then some light weathering. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 She looks fantastic mate, I really don't know how you had the patience to add all those velcro decals. A great many of us (myself included) would be very happy if how she looks now was the end result. 🇺🇦 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 wow...what a fantastic looking model! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneheadff Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 Looking great!!! The fight with the velcro decals was worth it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 Looking really nice, Stix. Keep up the good work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted August 14 Author Share Posted August 14 Hi @modelling minion, @Mippie, @coneheadff & @spruecutter. Thank you very much for your very kind comments. A bit more progress. I got some of the detail painting finished on a variety of areas of the vehicle, including the rear lights, tools/equipment, etc. before deciding to start adding the bar/slat armour. It was a very slow process adding the latter. I started by fixing the back sections in place first, on the hull and turret, letting them dry for a few hours, before adding the side sections, one at a time. Once the bar/slat armour felt solidly attached - I added the smaller parts - machine gun, tools, antenna holders, tow ropes, etc: One to try and show the tools/equipment on the rear deck: You may, or probably may not, notice the lightness of the weathering I have applied. To be fair, it's not really evident in these photos. The reason for this light weathering is that, although Hobby Boss suggest this is an Afghanistan based tank, the smaller amount of Bar/Slat Armour configuration and the lack of Barracuda Camouflage System, suggests it pre-Afghanistan - possibly between delivery and deployment. Maybe during testing in either Canada or Germany? I've tried to find more concrete evidence for it's time period and location but, as usual with the internet, opinions seem to differ! Who'd have thought?! Anyway. I need to do a little bit more detail work - including adding the antenna and then take some photos of the finished thing. I'd like to try and get it in the Gallery next weekend. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 That is very neat work mate, very neat indeed. She's about as close to being finished as is possible too. The lightly weathered look looks very good to me and highlights what a top rate job of the build you have done as you haven't got to hide any mistakes with patches of dirt or snow. Top work mate and I look forward to seeing her in the gallery soon. 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitriy1967 Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 I really like your Leopard! Neat and accurate. And weathering is better less than too much. Every tank is completely new and clean at least once in its life. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 Love it! The understated look is 👌 I'm fairness to Hobby Boss alot of the modifications like the additional bar armour were added during the time in theatre or as a result of lessons learnt, not necessarily as part of initial delivery (thinking of the umbrella you sometimes see as well 🤣 ). Also, the barracuda matting is an interesting point, and I don't think I've actually seen one represented by a company in 1.35 scale. Cheers, Mipps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneheadff Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 @PlaStix Great job! @Mippie Well, there's a German company which makes a Barracuda conversion set. Not really cheap, but it's possible to build one 😁 Perfect Scale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 3 minutes ago, coneheadff said: @PlaStix Great job! @Mippie Well, there's a German company which makes a Barracuda conversion set. Not really cheap, but it's possible to build one 😁 Perfect Scale Interesting, hadn't seen that before...wonder how they did it and yeah 100 Euro...EEEEEKKKK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted August 17 Author Share Posted August 17 Hi @modelling minion, @Dmitriy1967, @Mippie & @coneheadff. Thank you all for your kind comments. I've had a bit of time over the past few days to do the final touches and get some photos taken. It's not the finish I expected to have - I was expecting to be doing a desert based, well-weathered vehicle but, as I explained before, it seems unlikely that the tank, in this kit's configuration - which includes the bar/slat armour but not the Barracuda Camo system - actually appeared in Afghanistan. So, as mentioned, I've done it as it perhaps appeared during testing in Germany or Canada before being deployed. So, a few photos here: The Gallery photos can be found here: ....and a lot in the AFV Ready For Inspection area, here: Finally, a big thank you to @modelling minion for suggesting and hosting this GB and to everyone who took the time to comment in this thread. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneheadff Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Congratulations Stix! Your Leo looks great 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Brilliant result mate, absolutely superb. I think you have nailed the weathering for how this vehicle was being used at the time, it shows a vehicle that is being used but from it's home base and not under combat conditions. You also deserve a huge thank you from me for agreeing to and doing such a great job of co-hosting the GB, couldn't have done it without you mate.👍 Very well done on another brush painted masterpiece. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickhenfrey Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Stix, that is fantastic!!! It looks so right in that clean look, it seems almost a shame to drive it across a muddy field On 14/08/2023 at 19:15, modelling minion said: highlights what a top rate job of the build you have done as you haven't got to hide any mistakes with patches of dirt or snow yeah, the mud is really handy for that 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 What a fantastic finish! Really clean and well executed model there! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 A great result, Stix - it looks very effective and I take my hat off to your brust painting skills! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted August 28 Author Share Posted August 28 Hi @coneheadff, @modelling minion, @nickhenfrey, @Mippie & @spruecutter. Thank you all once again for taking the time to comment in my thread. I really enjoyed the build and taking part in this GB. I really enjoy GBs, especially when they have been as supportive as this one. Thank you to everyone who commented and to Craig for being such a brilliant host! Now……..off to the Desert! Kind regards, Stix 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now