Here are some more updated photos. I tried using a different flash setting, looks like the yellow is gone. Hopefully these pictures turned out better. Also you can see the wash I applied. I used MIG Sin Filters, it was my first time using this. I think the effect I was trying to get came out OK. First I used the Brown for Desert Yellow. I let it set for about 30 mintues. Then I cleaned it up using someTamiya Thinner. After that I let it dry for another couple of hour. Then I repeated the process using Ochre for Gray Sand. This give it some depth and shadow.







Hopefully everyone likes what they see. Any and all feed back is welcomed

The Filter turned out fantastic! Very realistic look of the complex shades in a military vehicle. I think I'll check out those filter sets from MIG, was going to already but now I'm certain.

Wow! The new camera settings definitely worked, and your filters look great! You're building quite the good-looking Abrams! I particularly like the way the side skirts came out--they look worn and weathered in the right proportions.

to yufkey 70
nice clean build . very nice . i got 1 as well to build as i work away on a iron ore mine , thought i could build it in my free time but got scared too big (boo cu ) . not enough time so building gundam kits . Our army are using abrams now and are using ASLAVS / Strykers in Afghanistan . does anyone make a aftermarket PE or otherwise addon for the anti-RPg bar work seen on strykers in Afghanistan ? keep up the good work .

@ Punchy

Being from another country I don't consider myself the authority on US Army vehicles but ASLAVs aren't used by the US Army, in fact AS stands for Australia. There is a Photo-Etch Slat armour set from Eduard for the Stryker, it is very big and quite expensive. If you were intimidated by the Dragon Abrams kits I wouldn't even bother with the Slat Armour set, It's about as difficult as it comes.

What color or colors did you use on the Vision blocks and sights? They look great, how did you get them to look so real?
Don

The only parts of the Vision Blocks that I painted were the areas that matched the Abrams. The rest I left clear. What I did was cut small pieces of reflect confetti and placed them behind the clear Vision Blocks parts. This way you get that glass shine. With the reflect confetti behind the plastic clear Vision Blocks it gives a more Realistic look

I like your idea for the vision blocks. I just added mine using a similar technique only I used sequins. Probably the same stuff actually. She looks great Yufkey! What is written on the right side of the turret? Can't quite make it out.

Great work,I really followed your build and I hope I can put to use your instructions when I start my own kit which has been sitting for awhile.

Thanks

hi yufkey
ive been following your abrams since day 1 and would just like to say how good i think it looks.my question to you is when you applied the mig filters did you brush them over a gloss finish and then matt varnish or straight on to the top coat of sand yellow ?
all the best
neil

I did both just to see the results. First I used Tamiya Clear from the Spray Can. I didn’t like how the model looked after that, but this is something that needs to be done. After that I applied the Decals and went back over it with some Dullcoat. I left some parts unsealed. The results of the filters are about the same on a plane surface. It gets a little tricky when comes to applying it to the grip surface. Also I used a plane paint brush to apply the filters. One last thing the filters will stain the paint area you apply it to.
Thanks for all of the great feedback I should have some new pictures soon.

Hello to all I thought I would post some more updated photo. Its be a while since I have worked on the Abrams but I have made some progress.

Wow, it's looking really good, Yufkey! Congrats! Can't wait to see it finished.

Thanks Lucas for all of the positive feedback. Right now I have been very busy at work, so I haven't work on my Abrams much lately. What I have done is played around with the stowage, trying to figure out the best way to place it. More pictures to come soon

I guess we've all been kinda busy with work and haven't been modeling as much as we would like. Just a little here and there. Any progress is still progress! Your Abrams is definitely one of the best I have seen so far Yufkey. With mine I probably re-positioned the stowage at least a couple of dozen times before I thought it looked right. And even than, well you know. Damn duffel bag. Can't wait to see more. She's a beauty!

Here are some pictures of me trying to figure out how to place the stowage. I still need to paint and weather some of it.






let me know what you all think??

The only thing I would change would be the camo covered ALICE packs. The colours don't quite look right. The sand colour should be a little lighter and the weird green colour should have some of that same sand colour mixed in so it doesn't stand out so much. Here's a couple of pictures that helped me with my build.




Other than that it looks great. Keep going, your getting closer to that finish line.

-Matt

Good day to all,
its been a while since I posted some new pictures of my build I should have some new ones by the end of this weekend

All looks good to me .
Look forward to seeing more.

Nicely done Matt. Thanks for sharing. It was very well done.

Its been a while since I added some new pictures. I have be very busy at work, but finally I have been able to work on my project. I painted and weathered the stowage along with adding some chips and scratches to the Abrams.My first attempt in doing so. Hopefully it looks Ok. I still have to dullcoat it and add some more detail and finshed parts. Let me know what all you think?

looks great!
the M1A2 SEP from dragon will be my next model to buy. i hope,there are not problems during the build.i love what you made from the kid

Yep , thats a winner . The only part i do not like is the hub cap things on the wheels , in that scale I think they should be painted black , as the clear parts seem a bit gimmicky to me , otherwise its a fantastic model.

Wow, very nice work, Yufkey! I agree with John about the hub caps--you may want to paint them black on the inside. I think the paint chipping came out fine, but you may want to cover it up with some dust to blend it in a bit--it seems a bit too stark right now.

I noticed that one of the rear light lenses (on the left of th tank in the pictures) is missing--you may have forgotten it.