Showcase: Mark I male tank

 

WIP: Takom Mark I male, Part III

 

Since I'm still figuring out how to handle the dusty weathering on the lower hull, I decided to turn my attention to the sponson crane framework. 

I had long ago decided that the framework would be left as bare steel in order to contrast with the painted hull armor. Thanks to my circle of modeling friends, I've been expanding my library of modeling books, and in the age of digital publications, this has been easier than ever. One of my recent additions was Adam's Armour 2 by Adam Wilder, which aside from showcasing some of Adam's best work, features a chapter on painting bare mild steel.

I started with a grey-brown painted with a mix of Vallejo paints and after carefully masking the the top of the hull—including over the photo etch exhaust deflectors—I gave the frames a couple of coats of Ammo Scratches Effects. I mixed together a blue-grey steel color using Tamiya acrylics, sprayed the frames, and proceeded to chip them to serve as the base steel. On top of that, various rust enamels were blended over the surface and then darker tones were speckled on top of those, blending any specks that appeared too large. After everything dried, I added a couple areas of orangey rust tones using oils and then rubbed the edges with metallic pigment.

WIP: Takom Mark I male, Part II

 

Since I focused my effort into working on—and finishing!—the 1/48 scale Fine Molds TIE fighter, the Mark I had to take a bit of a back seat after I got the base colors and initial pin wash done. Returning to it now, I started to develop a weathering plan for using a combination of Andy Moore's fantastic build that was featured in The Modelling News and Martin Kovac's equally wonderful desert weathering video.

To begin with, I applied the oil paint rendering technique for discoloration mainly along panels and raised surface details. I primarily used 502 Abteilung Starship Filth and Industrial Earth, which I consider the two most versatile colors available for this kind of work. Following that, I gave the lower areas a predusting with a sandy color thinned heavily and built up lightly in a couple of layers, being careful not to completely erase some of the oil work I had previously done.

After evaluating what I had done thus far, I decided to add more visual interest to the the large vertical hull plates in the form of streaking using Ammo of Mig Streaking Grime and Starship Wash. I also took this opportunity to paint the sponson crane frames using a dark brown-grey that I mixed with a couple of Vallejo paints to serve as a base for a rusted bare steel effect.

Showcase: Sienar Fleet Systems TIE/LN starfighter

 

WIP: Takom Mark I male, Part I

 

I know that the title says "Part I," but I must admit that is a little bit of a lie. The truth is that I've had this kit painted twice before. The original paint, which was water-based acrylic that I attempted and failed to chip, was painted over with a Tamiya mix, but I was again unhappy with it. I was on the verge of binning the entire kit, but decided to strip it and start again. 

This time, I primed it a dark red-brown I made mixing  a couple different Stynylrez primers together, sprayed a couple of coats of AK Scratches Effects, and then gave it a coat of Tamiya Khaki XF-49 to serve as the base drab color and then lightly chipped. This color, of course, is an approximation (I firmly believe that the exact color was lost to history) and that's good enough for me. After a coat of X-22 Clear, I added the handful of decals, four in total, and then went to work on pin wash using Mig Wash for Desert Sand Base and yes, this was applied to every rivet... Every. Single. Rivet.

From here, I'm unsure of what direction to take the weathering. I'm leaning towards adding some post-shading with an airbrush and definitely a nice pass of pre-dusting to kick off the weathering, which will eventually be a dusty and dirty finish (this is one of the eight tanks that were sent to Palestine in December 1916). Regardless, I'm pleased just by getting to this point considering the struggles I've had with this kit. Part of my new outlook of scale modeling has been to "let go," trust the process, and know that the finish will turn out okay. If it doesn't, just chalk it up to learning and move on to the next one. 

They don't all have to be barn-burners after all.

Showcase: Armored Fighting Suit C.D. Type "POLAR BEAR"

 

WIP: Ma.K Armored Fighting Suit C.D. Type, Part II

 

I got to spend a couple of hours working on oil paint rendering on the helmet and body. Most of the work was done with Abteilung 502 Industrial Earth and Faded UN White to add some grimey tones in the recesses and refine the whitewash, respectively.

There's more OPR in the future as I turn my attention to the lower areas. I also need to figure out what do with the hand, which has been left in the base olive drab so far.

WIP: Ma.K Armored Fighting Suit C.D. Type

 

This was my first go at a whitewash and it turned out... okay.

I initially tried Tamiya Flat White thinned with water, but it sprayed like shit and didn't chip the way I was used to so I tried to remove as much as I could, which left a kind of interesting effect. I added a couple more coats of chipping fluid and sprayed AKRC Off White thinned with MLT just over the OD areas and it chipped much better. This, of course, will be further enhanced with washes and OPR as I move on with the build.

Showcase: StuG.III Ausf.G

 

WIP: Dragon StuG.III Ausf.G, Part IV

 

I spent some time flexing my Warhammer muscles and put some paint on the figures. Overall, I think they turned out okay and definitely look good in the hatches. In my reference photo, there's an Stg44 resting in the machine gun mount, but I couldn't get the kit parts to play well with the the figure standing in the hatch, so I'll leave it off for the time being.

WIP: Dragon StuG.III Ausf.G, Part III

 

For me, mounting the tracks is always a momentous occasion on an armor build; it signifies the beginning of the end of the build. I refined the mud from the earlier pictures and added some wet effects in a couple areas for more visual interest. 

Now I can turn my attention to mud and dirt effects on the upper hull, which I’m still trying to decide how to tackle and to what degree.