1⁄35Updating an Italeri M4A1
I went for the Plain-Jane OD look on this one, choosing
to represent a mount from the F Co., 33rd Arm’d regt. 3rd Armored Div. in
Belgium late summer of 1944. I figured I’d wait to do another multi camo job
and save some time and effort. Yah, Right! I painted the OD on this tank
when I painted the Nichimo M4A1 using the same Model Master OD acrylic
thinned with alcohol and the dreadful drop of dish soap. The paint went on
smoothly and flawless, until it sat for the two weeks drying. Dust, bugs,
spiders and God knows what loved clinging to the turret and barrel. So after
finding out what the problem was, I stripped the turret and re-painted. The
second time around went smoother. I will however never buy a paint I have
not heard of before, even if it is on sale for 50 cents a bottle. I finally
figured out why stuff is put on sale. I masked off the turret markings and
sprayed them with zinc chromate yellow. The rest of the tank was then
sprayed with Future, washed and weathered with oils. I put one circled star
on the top of the turret for the only national markings.
I scrounged stowage from my spares box and a few other
kits. I made a tow cable from 10lb. picture wire and aluminum tubing,
painted and washed and then glued onto scratch built tow eyes from brass
rod. The duffel bag was made from the left over modeling clay and detailed
with a PE buckle and masking tape straps. After gluing on all the stowage
with white glue, I then went to install the tail lamps. The left one went on
without a hitch, but as I was putting the right one on, yup! BING! The
tweezer pressure was too much (of course it being 02:25 in the a.m. didn’t
have anything to do with it. No luck on the search and rescue so it was time
to go to bed. I got the idea to cover the light instead of trying to make a
new lens. I scrounged a German helmet from a Flak 36 kit, painted it and put
on decals. The tools were swapped for a TW resin set. The whole tank was
then shot with Poly-S Dust and sealed with 2 coats of Floquil Matt. I glued
the helmet to the light, picked out the commander’s cupola windows with
blue-green oils and covered both with Future. The helmet and windows stand
out with a little shine, vice the over-all matt of the tank. Copyright ©2002 - Text and
Photos by Lauren Blakley (chief).
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About the Author
FROM: WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES
I started modelling when I was 6 and with a few short breaks here and there due to the Navy, I pretty much havn't stopped. Started with cars, ships, aircraft and then armor. Can't say which is my favorite. Spend most of my time in the navy in the Reconnaissance "Shadow War" business and am looking f...
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