Happy 4th of July everyone! I would like to share with you all my recently completed Tamiya E8. Finished out of the box with the exception of Dragon tracks and copper wire handles. Enjoy.

Awesome build.

you should take 10min and glue down tracks on top of drive and idler wheel. It will look much more realistic (=

Very nicely painted and weathered. Nice tonal variations on the overall OD finish.

Hi, JM! Please don't take anything that I'm about to say as criticism of your work- I think you did a VERY NICE JOB!

As regards to your "loose Tracks"- I would have monkeyed with the Rear Idlers and their Axles to make the DRAGON "DS" Tracks fit a bit tighter; i.e, moved them aft. The M4-series Mediums used "Live Tracks", as most US Tanks have done since the 1930s, up to and including today's M1s and Bradleys. All is not lost- You can always remove a link or two from the bottom of each Track-run to improve the look of the Tracks, and then re-glue the Tracks to "tighten them up and keep them from coming off on you...

Also agree with Timothy and dvsand regarding your build and paint work. I like the way you handled the mud and road dirt in the Suspension area, Tracks, on the Front & Rear Fenders, and the front & rear areas of the Lower Hull. I also like the way you did the road dust and weather-staining on the Upper Hull & Turret. looks VERY convincing!

BTW- I noticed "rust streaks" flowing down the Upper Hull sides out of the Fuel Filler drain holes. Gasoline is a petroleum-based liquid, and that would prevent any rust from building up, so the staining should be a Semi-Glossy Dark Brownish-Black- Check out the Fuel Filler areas found on Construction Equipment, i.e, Dozers, Backhoes, Road Graders, etc, in your area if and when you get the chance, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Dirt and dust tend to accumulate in oily, greasy, or fuel-soaked areas. The accumulations of dust and dirt soak up the oily residue, creating a tar-like goo. When these areas, such as Fuel Filler Caps, Grease-fittings, etc, receive replenishment, this "goo-making process" is repeated, and adds more of this mess to the vehicle in question. Gasoline, of course, will run quite freely when spilled, so the staining will course down the vehicle's sides, rear, or wherever the Fuel Filler(s) is/are located. Gravity wins again!

Once again, I'm NOT trying to put your work down; I'm just trying to point a few things out, that's all...

The only other thing I would have done differently in the assembly & painting processes, besides the work on the Rear Idlers, is I would have painted the tools in OD, with pencil graphite applied to their metal wear areas, and perhaps just a tiny bit of "wood" showing where some chipping or scraping might have occurred. Many a Motor Pool Sergeant has said in his time, "If it don't move, PAINT IT!!!"

Other than that, I especially like what you did with the National Markings, i.e. the "imperfect application" of BLACK over the original WHITE of the Stars on the Turret. However, the Stars on the Hull sides should also have been "Blacked-out", as well. Leaving them white would have provided the enemy with good "Bulls eyes" to aim their guns at. It's not too late to change that, if you care to. Perhaps, you might want to add a bit of stowage to the vehicle, also...

Again, VERY NICELY DONE, and keep up the GREAT WORK!!!

JM,
great work! Love the wood effect on your tool handles. Your mud is quite convincing, too.


Gaz

Very nice job , great paint job