Hi Guys,

Just picked up this monster of a kit.

Ansel, I'm not sure about Flikr but sites like Photobucket give you the option of selecting an image/IMG code that you just paste into the forum and it shows up.

Sure is!

Chris, nice idea I shall give that scheme some thought, I was thinking of mainly white but with an alternate colour for the bonnet(hood for all you yanks!) with either a flag painted or drapped across it.

Paul

Thanks Christopher.. figured it out... my brain is still slow from a long week of work.. almost friday

Hello All,

Managed to complete the front suspension and the front armor plating.. a lot of delicate parts and a lot of patience. Also for anyone planning to build this, please note the locations of A15 and A16 of the manual in step 2, is wrong and needs to be exactly the opposite.

Made a lot of progress last night and today. Upper and lower hulls complete. The amount of detail in the set is enormous, just wish that trumpeter detailed an inside as well.

Note that the two halfs are not yet joined. Waiting for everything to set and will let it lie for 24 hours or so.

I guess this counts as an update. Basically I got the T-34 together and decals on. I haven't done any washes, drybrushing, etc. Mainly, I just wanted to get the project off the back-burner. I haven't done anything with it in a while.






Next up, I'll probably start the serious work on the figures.

Hi Alex,

Looking very nice indeed sir, can't wait to see the figures!'

Cheers Mike

Great build so far Ansel. Very nice!

Alex, sweet T-35 bud...well done! Bring on tha figs my man.

Gary

BAM!


I'm in with the SAS.

Hi Richard,

Welcome on board!! , Were do you plan on doing the Landy from??

@ Alex love the look of the Tearoom what kit is it again? And is it the one that comes with the .50cal mount??

@ Ansel that is one big APC I have the LAVIII partly done so I know how big a beast it is!!

Keep up the great work guys

Cheers Mike

Mike, it's the CyberHobby T-34-85M (#9139). It's a nice little kit. It has the 50 cal mount and comes with a set of NVA Sappers. And it comes with a set of Magic Tracks and the older on-the-sprue style individual tracks. No PE though.

Gary, I'm working on them now.

Alex
Thanks for that I will keep am eye out for it
Mike

It'll be like the box art. SAS Pink Panther in the Dhofar Rebellion.

That is unless someone has a good reference pic for an SAS series IIa in Malaya or Borneo or any other interesting place

Richard, I cannot help you with pictures but I'll be watching your build. That Rover is one of those kits I always don't buy when it's in stock and when I go back later to get it it's gone.

Chassis together, nice Tamiya build so far. I based the thing in gun metal and then sprayed rust on the axles, transfer case and leafs. After that some different pigments to add interest. This is all going to be painted over with pink so these colours are just to show through the chips and scratches.

Holy smokes! I actually made some progress on my figures this weekend. Unfortunately, they all look like Al Jolson from "The Jazz Singer". I'll still have to work on the faces and try to not set race relations back too far.

Anyway, I had to cut down on the figure numbers a bit. So I've now got four infantry, as opposed to the original six. I've got two tankers, as opposed to the original three. I've got one captured guy, as opposed to the original two. I really am taking some artistic license with these.

The figures were a big hurtle on this one. And while I'm not done by any means, I do feel like I am "making the turn". I still have to throw together a base and a backstory to go with it.

I'll try to get some pictures up in the next day or so.

Update.

Here are the figures. I made some changes from the prior figure lineup, mainly swapped out legs to give more of them that, "standing around" look. Here's some different shots of them. Between them, I think they're all shown to some degree. Sorry about the tanker picture. It's pretty blurry.






Now the base. I went with a piece of 3/8 inch particle board I had. It's been clear-coated to prevent warping from the Celluclay. So I get out the tank and figures and start arranging the layout. I use a marker to mark rough positions. I decided to go with some rough countryside with a washed out road.


I wanted rough terrain so I made it rough. I used styrofoam pieces to build up parts. I hope this will save my Celluclay and limit the volume of water I have to put on the board. I only trust the clear-coat so far. I locked the styrofoam down with white glue. I went ahead and applied the Celluclay. I didn't get any pictures of the process because I had Celluclay and white glue all over my hands. I ended up using more Celluclay than I wanted. I clamped the base to a second board to reduce the risk of warping.


While the base dried, I started on the bushes for the base. I used floral wire. I bunched strands together and twisted them around to make the frame. I then wrapped them with white glue soaked tisse paper. I made three to start, but might add one or two more if needed. I'll tack on some green ground foliage and it should work.



It took a couple of days for the base to dry. I shot a coat of dark tan. I ended up adding some more Celluclay so that the tank looks like it's sitting on the loose ground and not floating on it. Add another day to dry time.


With the patches dried, I shot another coat of paint. I actually gave it another coat after I took this picture.


And that's where we stand.

Alex,

Loving how this is all coming together & that you are doing an African diorama so different from how we normally see T34s in Russia or Germany

I should hopefully get to down load some photos of my build now I finally started....so slack a campaign leader I am!!!

Cheers Mike

I here ya... same here. I still have much work to do.










~ Jeff

Thanks Mike. Part of the appeal of modeling this particular T34 came from it being used by folks you normally would not associate it with.

Anyway, I got my trees done last night and I should start getting this base wrapped up. This is a pretty straight-forward base and most of the features have been thought out beforehand so it should go together pretty quickly.

To be honest, I was really close a few times in just doing the T34 and forgetting the base and figures. I'm really over-enlisted for the first half of the year. I had to rethink and simplify some projects and I am probably going to miss finishing at least one campaign.

Update. Big update

This one should have been in the last update but got left out. It's my scrub trees with foliage.


Over view of the diorama. A little fuzzy.


And some clos-ups.




















I think I'm going to call this one done. I'll give it a few days to settle in. Then I'll work up soem pictures for the gallery.

By the way, did anyone see the lizard?

Hi Alex,
A fantastic looking diorama for sure, love how all the elements come together & the lizard is a very nice touch!! I won't say we're he is hiding tho!!

Mike

Alex your T-34 is turning out really good. Defiantly tells the sad story of what trully happens in most civil wars.

Well it’s been awhile since my last update on the saladin I was building. I got burnt out on the build, family life work and moving into a new house just took away the time I had. The sad news is I no longer have the saladin to build anymore; it along with other models got damaged in the move. So now I have to start over from scratch on a few projects I’ve been working on and debating on which kit to start over with. I’ve spotted the Tamiya T-72 in my stash and remembered that I also had a miniarm T-72B conversion that would be prefect. I’m planning to build a Russian or possible Georgian T-72 from the Georgina civil war in the early 90’s.

I’ve started some work on it last night while at work and here is what I’ve done so far.

Alex-----Great looking T-34 and superb looking diorama. Is the one figure getting ready to get his melon lopped off? Ouch!!!


Christopher-----Looking forward to the T-72. Georgian Civil War will be a good venue to cover.


Best wishes, Ian