Brian, Roel thanks for the encouragement!

Fuel filler armoured cover
Paul –yeah your right the shape is a bit off. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve it? In my view the location and orientation is correct it’s just the shape it's…. Well it's just screwy.

The radiator filler and external fuel caps all have the same basic issue. Almost a cone shape. I usually just sand the sides down so it has more of a rounded shape.

Paul

Just amazing. This build is just right on. Brings back memories of 2/41 in Texas. Either I will have to close my hatch on my 113 or send it back to the bench for a total re-build. Excelent job tat you should be proud of.

Great stuff Wayne. I'll be using this as reference when I start my own Aussie Armour kit.

Dear Wayne. you simply have a winner! this build will greatly imfluence many of us. as i said in a P/M, the photos will be of a huge help. and for the advice from everyone, thank you, it will all be used to great effect! best regards Wayne and all, michael

Gday all,

Have put the broad patter for the camouflage down. The scheme is based on Al’s C/S 88 from 1 BASB / 101 FD Wksp. Note I still need to sharpen up the demarcation lines of the camouflage but the reason I am posting now is that I have a question:

Question: have I got the colours right? I mixed them by eye from Tamiya paints. The green looks good to my eye the brown is a little too bright.

What do ya reckon?

FYI Paul, I rounded off the fuel filler cap. Thanks for the tip. I never really noticed but it sticks out at me now I know. Ill have to go back and fix my M113A1 LRV and M577A1 ACV!

Thats some crazy super detailing on the exterior!

Really nice interior as well, I love the leaves and debris inside! This is a really inspirational project, I'm about to start a BMP-2 with a scratch built interior and seeing blogs like this really get me fired up for that! The camo is also very nicely done. This will be a real jaw dropper when finished!

Awsome, you have inspired me,great detail a real show stopper

grgrgrgrgrg [drooool] wish mine was that good! but someone at mapleleaf won't do me a kit so yeah!!!!

Hi all,

Thanks for the encouragement all!

Moving forward carefully. I think I have got the camouflage under control. Warmed the tone of the brown and tightened up the demarcation lines of the camouflage. Aust vehicle camouflage colours are really hard to nail down. The brown in particular shows a lot of variation due to sun fading and ambient light conditions. Sometimes it looks light brown other times it can look almost pink. I chose to match my brown to a photo of a bushmaster as it was a newly built vehicle, had minimal dust accumulation and was photographed on an overcast day with diffuse ambient light. Note the bushmaster photo come from Tankograd’s excellent Australian Army 1st Brigade book which I can recommend to any modeler of the Australian Army.

Also compare the brown on the bushmaster to the photo of the sun faded ARVL c/s 88 at the start of this thread. Lots of variation. The photo of 88 was taken in the mid 80’s. I am not sure but the brown might have been a subtly different shade back then as most photos aust armour of that era seem to show a lighter and less red shade of brown. Or maybe the colour gets shifted by the 80’s vintage film used to take the photos or perhaps the 80’s vintage colour gets shifted when its scanned into the computer. Frankly I have no idea, all I know is that its FRUSTRATING!





Now its onto markings for ARN 134392 C/S 28B which will be an unnamed vehicle. And then after that weathering, colour modulation and stowage.

Cheers folks!

W

The Colours look pretty good to me. When we first painted her we had to mix the paints (hardener - not colours) with verbal instructions. As a result we added too much hardener which significantly lightened the Tan. On one of the fitters tracks it was almost pink! The LOD was the original scheme and a bit weathered. The black was very matte but the tan had a slight sheen.
I wouldn't worry about tightening up the demarcation as she was a pretty rough spray job
Looks fantastic, if you add a crew we all wore CVC's with DPCU cloth covers made from worn out and faded shirts. The CC had a very bushy mo which was not quite reggy (& still does).
CHeers
Al

That's looking smart Wayne, great stuff!

Fantastic, can't wait to see it weathered and finished.

Gday all,

Hey thanks for the comments guys!

Am ½ way through weathering. The vehicle has some oil washes and still has a gloss coat hence the sheen from the lights. This will change when I dull it down.

As you can see I have put the markings on the vehicle. It’s a fairly Spartan affair as these vehicles really don’t have allot on them, most of this came from the ¾ Cav Auststencil PE. I didn’t use the PE direct on the vehicle. I made a mask out of masking tape and a super sharp scalpel. I find this makes placing the mask easier and it also means you get a sharper demarcation line. Its hard to stop bleed through under the PE when using it direct on the vehicle – I think it’s something to do with capillary action between the brass and the vehicle, and the masking tape is slightly translucent so it helps line things up!

I’m pretty happy with the look of the .50. It’s a tasca item with a little PE on it from the Eduard vehicle PE set. I used Arms Corps Models .50 cal liners which are nice and very finely molded. I tried their .50 cal decals but found them so translucent that I threw them away and went with some items from the spares box. I see from their website they have re-jigged the decal product so recent versions could be better. Does anyone know?

Made some webbing using Aussie Armour’s Aussie packs and pouches set and lead sheet for the straps.

Asides form that not much room for more stowage. The tarp is putty and the cam net is surgical gauze and Italian style herbs! Cam net poles are just stock styrene and the barely visible slave lead under the drivers hatch is lead wire with little styrene plugs on each end. I just realized there are no OMD115 or OX47 jerry cans on the vehicle….. Oh well, my bad. Might thrown one inside if I can find room. There really isn’t allot of space in these things!

That’s about it for now. More weathering to come.

W

Al,

outstanding guide thru the assembly of your great model!!!

I have one M806 conversion set from MAPLE LEAF with all their goodies laying around waiting ti be build, after finishing my Ward LaFrance M1 wrecker.

Al, please keep us in the loop in respect to your progress.

Thanks

Cheers

Hauke

Wayne,
Decals fixed and now working.
This is the yellow and white .50cal on a black cigarette lighter. Check you PM mate.

Jason

Jees Jason, those decals look brilliant! You have obviously worked through your printer’s issues, and thanks for the offer for a replacement set it's appreciated.

Keep up the good work buddy. Have respect for you guy’s at Arms Corps & Mouse House and the products you produce.

W

Wayne, that is simply outstanding. You've got the colours spot on and the weathering is perfect. A truly stunning replica of a very important vehicle.
Arte et Marte

Al

Colors look perfect to me. Love the nice lived in look.

Is that a slave cable running by the driver's hatch?

Paul

Hi all,

Big thanks to Jason who kindly sent a replacement set of .50cal liner decals and Hazmat diamonds. Sorry mate they arrived too late for this project. I’ll use them on my next though.

The guys at Mouse House and Arms Corps Models are, I have to admit, my favorite model vendors. Keep up the good work folks.

Cheers

W

Hi all,

It’s been a long build but I think I am finally done with my ARVL.

A few overall shots.


Slave lead nice and handy near the driver hatch.


A few detail shots



Commander Webbing

Brews are up!




And finally the ARVL at home with my growing stable of Australian armour.


Thanks for all the advice and encouragement to one and all. It’s very much appreciated.

Cheers

W

That is amazing...

Simply stunning Wayne! You've nailed it It looks amazing!

Very well done. Your attention to detail is Outrageous!

Fantastic job!

Dont forget the exhaust pipe!



SD