Hi all,

This is my completed Tamiya M4A3 75w. This was a "reclamation project" of a kit I built over 10 years ago. Took it apart, re-did the whole thing, then put it back together.....I think the lower hull and running gear I originally did as part of a Jumbo conversion (Verlinden).

Anyway, I posted the pre-paint pics a few months back, but thought I'd include one again, along with an in progress paint shot and then the completed pics. As you can see, I did the mold seams, some texture, the thickened cheek, the sandshield strips, and lots of other little things, but no PE (not a big fan...I try to be a PLASTIC modeler, mostly).

The whitewash is white pastel chalk mixed with water, brushed on heavy (several times), the lifted off with a drybrushing motion. This is my first ever whitewashed vehicle of any type, and I thought it came out okay, but far from perfect (there are a few clumps I should have eliminated around headlight guards, etc.).

Mud is dirt, paint, and Future. The snow is white painted spackle with Woodland scenics snow sprinkled over it....the grass is unpainted jute twine.

I guess that's about it. Comments and questions welcome (that's why it's here). Thanks.

Rob

Gday Rob
She's a beauty mate!
This is practically the embodiment of my next project, and I have used the method you describe for white wash, and subsequently think the result is most effective. Gives a good impression of a slopped-on whitewash that is wearing thin as it would There is even scope to add some rusting, as often lime was used where paint was in short supply, and this ate into the surface a little.
The base is good too, although I find the contrast between the snow and mud too linear? Maybe some slight variety in the mud colouring, and some muddy slush on the verges to ease the transition slightly...
The effect of some mud/rocks showing through on the snowy edges looks the part though!
Top notch
Brad
P.S. i thought Tuesdays was the red air identification panel? LOL

Very nice!

Rob I like the idea of the use of pastel chalk and water for the whitewash and will definitely try it out. The work you've done on the Tamiya kit is excellent.

I woukld agree with Brad on the delineation between mud and snow it should be graduated a little

Good work.

Hi Rob
Good work on reclaiming an old kitset. Ditto comments from Brad and Pat; I'm also thinking that the rear stowage is a little clean. Otherwise

Rob,

The tricky thing with these "slopped-on" winter white finishes is that it's always a very thin line between the finished artricle looking "messy but effective" and ..... well ..... just "a mess".

But you've pulled it off nicely and landed on the right side of that line, so very well done!!

I'd echo the other guys' comments about the too-clean stowage and the too-sharp snow-to-mud transition - but those are easily remedied.

- Steve

Very nice , Looks great

Hello all,

Thanks for all the kind words. As my first whitewash project, this was certainly a learning experience. Watching my first coat of chalks completely disappear under a coat of dullcoat and having to re-do it taught me quite a lesson. And though the base is far from perfect, I hope to have learned enough to apply the lessons to a larger "snowy" diorama I have planned for the future.

I'll try to do a couple quick fixes before storing this model based on the comments here and over on ML. Thanks again.

Rob

Rob,

I have a noob question; you mention you took the old kit apart, how did you do that?

Wonderful model by the way, the mud looks particularly gloopy

Simon,

Good question. As I noted above, I used the lower hull and suspension for a "Jumbo" conversion. As that was resin, I used krazy glue to glue the lower to upper hull. Therefore, it was easy to just pop them apart. The suspension units were hopelessly glued together, and I found getting in there to get a few mold seams I'd missed 10 years ago all but impossible. Some are still visible, others masked a bit with mud.

The turret and upper hull sitting still attached to the sprues, so no difficulty with them. A lot of other parts, though, I'd used for other projects (tow hooks, handles, tools, etc.,) which is why you see all the different colored parts in the first pic. For this one they came from Academy, Dragon, and other kits or were even scratched.

Rob

Very nice build! I like it!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

Turned out looking good Robert.

Great job, it sure has that rode hard and put away wet look to it. Thanks for sharing.

Rob-- very nicely done. Keep the photos coming.
Nice work.
DJ

What did you use for the tie-down rope?

Hi Robert,

Another great looking build. Excellent stuff.

Only obs would eb the yellow ID marker looks a bit shinny/plastic but that might just be the camera. I would have thought it would be a little grubby.

Al

Well, it should be a bit shiny since it was made of a cellulose-vinyl-like material. It was quite glossy/rubbery in real life. But it should be a bit dirty, I guess.

Rob