_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV: Group Builds
Build a model with your online buddies!
Hosted by Darren Baker
Cold War Campaign Entry: M41A3 Walker BullDog
GunTruck
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 5,885 posts
Armorama: 3,799 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 03:55 PM UTC
Here's my completed entry for the Cold War Cook-Off Campaign. It is Skybow's M41A3 Walker BullDog displaying arctic training maneuver colors circa 1961. It is a tank attached to the 40th Tank Battalion in the vicinity of Fort Richardson, Alaska. Training exercise maneuvers WILLOW FREEZE took place from 5 Jan to 8 Mar 61. The US Army's arctic warfare training center is immense - a lot of terrain for units to maneuver in. Cold Warriors were trained here not only for the defense of nearby Fairbanks, Alaska - but for warfare in North Korea, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union should the need arise.

I wanted to provide four portrait photos of the basic model before I add crew gear and park it in a scenic setting representative of early March before the maneuvers concluded. I'm not sure I'll be able to finish the base and the lot of gear I'm modeling for the tank before the conclusion of the Campaign, so the basic model kit suffices for my entry. For the most part, the weather was pretty cold and I set the model as moving over frozen ground - so no muck and icicles would be found here. Snow on the road wheels and lower portions of the hull comes later when blending it in with the completed display base.

I added some minor details to the Skybow kit, but it really doesn't cry out for them, and none changed the basic kit drastically. This is a great Cold Warrior subject to model for your collection. More detailed views of the model under construction and finishing can be found at the link I provided in the Campaign Folder - or by heading to my website by clicking the banner link below.

Gunnie







Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:02 PM UTC
Dang,Gunnie. I give up, you win.
Superb job on the Bulldog. I guess it really was a Cold War for them!
Bender
Visit this Community
Wyoming, United States
Joined: October 20, 2002
KitMaker: 323 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:05 PM UTC
been following this build up on your web page, and as usual incredible work, looks awesome...udaman

Bender
Grasshopp12
Visit this Community
New Hampshire, United States
Joined: September 28, 2002
KitMaker: 757 posts
Armorama: 459 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 04:23 PM UTC
Looks great Gunnie!!! It looks like the Skybow kit has much nicer castings than the old Tamiya kit I have. That plus your fine painting/weathering make one impressive model.
SniperSoldier
Visit this Community
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Joined: August 09, 2002
KitMaker: 1,638 posts
Armorama: 1 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:03 PM UTC
GREAT - CONGRATS
ROBERTO
WeWillHold
Visit this Community
Wisconsin, United States
Joined: April 17, 2002
KitMaker: 2,314 posts
Armorama: 1,905 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 05:29 PM UTC
Gunnie:

Good build, great paint job. Congrats!!


Steve
DutchBird
#068
Visit this Community
Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: April 09, 2003
KitMaker: 1,144 posts
Armorama: 526 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 07:21 PM UTC
Congrats, looks good...

Harm
Plasticbattle
#003
Visit this Community
Donegal, Ireland
Joined: May 14, 2002
KitMaker: 9,763 posts
Armorama: 7,444 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:24 PM UTC
I love the camo scheme and choice of an unusual subject. Great building and finishing as well Gunnie. Well done
SS-74
Visit this Community
Vatican City
Joined: May 13, 2002
KitMaker: 3,271 posts
Armorama: 2,388 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 09:35 PM UTC
Gunnie,

Great build as usual, and the painting is impressive, and the photos are great. I can never took pics that good!

Congratulations on this one impressive model!!! And Thanks for share the pics with us!
stugiiif
Visit this Community
Virginia, United States
Joined: December 13, 2002
KitMaker: 1,434 posts
Armorama: 868 posts
Posted: Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:19 PM UTC
Gunnie, nice to little tank there, but i have to ask were there any problems with the kit? I ask because that is a rather nice build there and it make me want one, don't tell my though she'd kill me. hehehehe stug
Marty
Visit this Community
Massachusetts, United States
Joined: June 16, 2002
KitMaker: 2,312 posts
Armorama: 1,054 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 12:55 AM UTC
This kit looks great. I really like the paint scheme on it. One question; does it come with individually linked tracks or one piece rubber ones?
GIBeregovoy
Visit this Community
Metro Manila, Philippines
Joined: May 31, 2002
KitMaker: 1,612 posts
Armorama: 449 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 01:39 AM UTC
Wonderful job Gunnie! Query: how'd you do the mantlet cover - most especially the clamps? When I gots time, I'll build my AFV Club M41A3 (probably next year).
Kelley
Visit this Community
Georgia, United States
Joined: November 21, 2002
KitMaker: 1,966 posts
Armorama: 1,635 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 03:07 AM UTC
As usual, nice build Gunnie, I also like the paint job, it's always nice to see something a little different. Stug if you want one of these kits you better get it quick, unfortunately Skybow is no-more. I saw one at my local shop yesterday, and I think I'll run over and pick it up today. (if someone else hasn't already)

Mike
GunTruck
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 5,885 posts
Armorama: 3,799 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 03:41 AM UTC
Thanks everyone!

Like Kelley pointed out - Skybow's molds of this kit (and others) were recently sold to AFV Club. It's a rare model now. I'm glad I purchased a couple of them, and I think I'll get one more. With AFV Club already producing their own range of Walker BullDogs, I wonder if this one will continue to be produced. A shame as it is excellent.

I used everything that came in the model kit Marty - including the "dreaded" rubber band track runs. Skybow's polyvinyl tracks are wonderfully detailed and cast, no need to replace them. Being polyvinyl, however, they tend to float above the return rollers. But, if you build the model and set them into place, they will settle properly after a few days.

Stugiiif - there really isn't a weak part about Skybow's kit. I created my own problem by the assembly sequence I chose in mounting the tracks after painting. The suspension components for the Idler and #1 Road Wheel are cast to scale thickness - meaning they're easily bendable. I created a lot of stress on the parts trying to slip the track run back onto the painted model - by starting at the Idler Wheel and working backwards. It warps the alignment of the two wheels, and I had to go back and set them in place with superglue. On the other side, I began fitting the track around the Drive Sprocket and worked forward to the weaker joint at the Idler and #1 Road Wheel - and had no problems.

The second area was setting the alignment of the main gun barrel. Skybow's polyvinyl Mantlet Cover is a nice touch, but in my model, the Collar tended to push the gun barrel off centerline to the left. It's like resin "memory". To counter this little characteristic, I set the gun barrel with 5-minute epoxy, allowing me time to line it up properly and set blocks into place to keep it straight until the epoxy setup. The Mantlet Cover also has casting seams as tough to remove as Tamiya's Dragon Wagon wheels were - but just stick with it and you'll get rid of them. Without - it takes away from the appearance of the Mantlet Cover considerably.

GIB - the Mantlet Cover is cast with the clamps in place - it is one sweet casting. Hats off to Skybow! AFV Club has followed suit and now are selling Mantlet Covers for their line of Walker BullDogs - separately - so you can get one for your model when you decide to build it.
Trackjam
Visit this Community
Ontario, Canada
Joined: April 12, 2002
KitMaker: 831 posts
Armorama: 614 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 07:32 AM UTC
An excellent piece of work. I particularly like the finer details such as the straps on the jerry cans.
scoccia
Visit this Community
Milano, Italy
Joined: September 02, 2002
KitMaker: 2,606 posts
Armorama: 1,721 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 08:26 AM UTC
Grat job Gunnie. As usual, it's really excellent.
Bravo!!!
TankCarl
Visit this Community
Rhode Island, United States
Joined: May 10, 2002
KitMaker: 3,581 posts
Armorama: 2,782 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 08:54 AM UTC
I like the camo scheme too,it proves there is life beyond OD.
This gets a (++) (++) (++) (++) (++) (++) (++) (++) (++) piggies rating!
Tanks46
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: June 02, 2002
KitMaker: 113 posts
Armorama: 98 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 12:11 PM UTC
Hi Gunnie great Walker Bulldog. Interesting subject as well. I liked the details and paint job.


Quoted Text

Anger cannot be dishonest.



Butch Cassidy Tanks46
Pig#3 Head Armorer (++)
DSB
steve203
Visit this Community
North Carolina, United States
Joined: May 25, 2003
KitMaker: 579 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 05:50 PM UTC
Outstanding job.
blaster76
Visit this Community
Texas, United States
Joined: September 15, 2002
KitMaker: 8,985 posts
Armorama: 3,034 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 06:44 PM UTC
I built the old Tamiya kit several months ago and was quite pleased how it turned out. Wish now the Skybow had been avilable, it is a much better kit. Never saw that paint scheme before so I learned something. Finished up my Sheridan recently, I am unable to post pics could I email tnem to the campaign leader. I did that with the ship build and Yoda set me up on how to post them. Who is the campaign chief?
GunTruck
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 5,885 posts
Armorama: 3,799 posts
Posted: Monday, June 09, 2003 - 01:52 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I built the old Tamiya kit several months ago and was quite pleased how it turned out. Wish now the Skybow had been avilable, it is a much better kit. Never saw that paint scheme before so I learned something. Finished up my Sheridan recently, I am unable to post pics could I email tnem to the campaign leader. I did that with the ship build and Yoda set me up on how to post them. Who is the campaign chief?



Sure, I am this Campaign's Leader - send them to: [email protected]

Gunnie
 _GOTOTOP