My first serious Russian AFV, an miniart T80.

Ive build it whit an Eduard Photo Etch (original for T70). Its my first attempt to use photo etch fenders, and its not as easy as it looks. I also added asbestos to the exhaust pipes, whit tamiya masking tape.

The model is now ready for Paint.





















Best Regards Manuelke

very nice.

how well did the eduard T-70 photo etch mate up to the T-80?

I guess pretty well since the main difference is in the turret.

Hello Vance,

The hull and everything else except fore the turret is the same. When you open the box from the T80 kit, there is an extra sprue for the T80 turret everything else is the same as The T70. So all the parts from the eduard photo etch set can be used. I'm not sure if the gun is the same to, but eduard also provide some parts to pimp up the interior of the turret.

I hope this is the answer to the question you have.

Best Regards Manuel

Manuel -

Fantastic build! Your model looks great, I cant wait to see it with some paint. How was Mini Art’s T-80 to build? Any fit problems or tricky steps etc?

Noah

Looks like a nice clean build. Just one thing. Have a look at the picture where you have the tarp. The tarp should be hanging in the straps. Right now you have the tarp and the strap loops hanging.

Darryl

It was a very nice build i had a lot of fun. The fitting is perfect. The only problem what i had where the tracks, they are very fragile, so they had to be cut very careful out of the sprue.

Manuelke

Darryl,

Someone on the Benelux section also told me that, my biggest mistake was to glue the strap at the same time when i glue the strap holders, and i have seen it to late. The tarp is also leaning at one of the lifting hooks.

Maybe you can give me a tip that i can fix this whit out damaging the straps they are bonded whit ca glue.

Thanks for the positive reactions to all of u.

Manuelke

The T80 is painted in its base color whit Model Air Russian Green, after the base coat, i started lighted the base color whit toning the base color down in the ratio 12 drops Russian Green ans 1 drop Hemp, both of the Model Air Range by Vallejo. After this had dried, i sprayed a layer Johnson Klear on it, as starting point for the weathering.




The Weathering starts whit filters of Sin Industries(MIG) starting whit 2 layers of P401 Ocher for grey sand en 1 layer P241 Brown for Dark Yellow. Between eache layer is a drying time of 2 hours recommended and this guideline i stick whit, so this hole step is spread over 6 hours. The tank is less bling bling now and its a good starting point for the fading technique






I also put the lens of the headlight in lamp housing. This lamp housing is first brush paint whit XF-16 Flat Aluminum from Tamiya and when this was drying i drill a little hole in the lens and fill this hole whit a drop of X-24 Clear Yellow from Tamiya to simulate the light bulb. The Lens was glued in the lamp housing whit Microscale Industries Micro Kristal Klear.



Comments please. Saturday i start whit the fading process.

Mvg Manuelke

Looks very good, Manuel. Interesting to see the T80 kit build.

Looking forward to see more.

Today i have faded the T80 whit oil paint, whit the colors whit,ocher,blue and Raw umber. Ive put little dots onto the T80 and blend them whit white spirit. Now it must dry for about 2 days, and i started whit the running gear, the road wheels where painted whit the base color, and received some oil paint washes. After that, iv starting dusting them whit a mix of Mig pigment powders. For the first time ever i also put on some wheels oil stains. I'm very happy whit the results.












Best Regard Manuelke

The T80 is finished. It was a very fun build where i have used new weathering techniques like fading en dusting, and finally after a period a really find my drive again. So there is more to come, here on Armorama,






















I really like your comments on the model, this is the only way i can learn something, to build,pant and weather better models.

Best Regards Manuel

nice job. I like the weathering on the lower hull and road wheels. Neat tank!