I got the Tamiya M41 for $4 and the AFV Club tracks for $5, and I thought: "what the heck!". This thing gets worked on when I'm waiting for paint to dry on something else, or just need a break. I don't want to go nuts, but want an improvement on the original kit, so we'll see. Anyway, here it is so far. As the title implies, I did the mantlet cover from Aves putty. Welds are textured .025" rod.

I'll probably always enjoy working with the old Tamiya kits......

Nice work Russell. I use a few older kits as my test mules. I have had some come out so well, I give them a make over and keep them. lol. Good looking effect with the AVES. I use this stuff as well as Magic Sculpt for my putty work. Lots of avenues to go down using it. Thanks for sharing. "Q"

Red4, I was just thumbing through an old issue of FSM and saw one of your builds in the Readers' Gallery. Talk about co-incidence......

Very impressive. Ordinarily, I wouldn't bother trying to fix the old Tamiya item, but your bargain acquisition of the new tracks made it very cost effective.

nice putty work!


I think at that rate it will be
1) a far better model
2) you're gonna spand more on putty then the kit cost


great seeing modellers gettin down with the putty

Hi Russell. That must have been my Finnish BMP-2 as I think that is the only one I have ever had published by them. Paul Boyer took the photo at an IPMS regional contest several years back. Thanks, "Q"

That was it, excellent camo.
I'm going to try and find some unusual paint scheme for this M41, just to be different. Maybe snow/whitewash, or a desert scheme (movie tank?).

Progress! Close to painting-time. Since I took these pics I've added lifting points on the front glacis, and still need straps on the 5-gal cans, but I'm running out of stuff to do, anxious to paint. I would like to do this one in something other than OD, but no luck finding pics of anything other than a quickie white-wash job.


Thanks for any comments, and for checking in!

Russell,

Looks real nice! Just my two cents, but as this is a bit of a test/bargan build, why not just paint it how you'd like? Think of it as an excuse to practice painting camouflage. If I might make a suggestion, paint it in the service of a fictional Middle Eastern/African nation. Desert/Savanah camo is always fun and a nice break up from green.

Cheers,

Don

I'm leaning that way.......
Thanks for the comments!

How about a camo New Zealand M-41? some colour pic's halfway down!


https://archive.kitmaker.net/forums/131019#1085768

That's very neat. I'm going to consider that seriously. The mods I'd have to do are still possible at this point as well.

Well, I found the pic I was thinking of, it's a MIG ad from a few years ago and has a pic of an M41 in overall sand. I do wonder what the scheme is based on.....

I'm thinking something in the Canal Zone, so it's OD. That in mind, a shot of Krylon was in order.

Big bag on the side of the turret, made from Aves putty, covers up all the teenie tie-downs I didn't replace, and tarps, also from Aves, are not stuck on but I think I like them. Ideas?

And it's green. Base is MM Dark Green, for depth, and I had some.....
A movie tank is not out of the question at this point, or maybe something heavily chipped and scuffed. Off to Wikipedia......

Looks really good, can't tell it's the ancient Tamiya kit. A fictional African camo would look cool though! I'll be starting the Skybow M41 in a few weeks.

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks, Stefan. I keep thinking "what if the French had had M-41s instead of M-24s at Dien Bien Phu" with that wacky camo"......
I really need to find out what the prototype was for the desert tan M41 was/is in the old MIG ad.

A little more paint and the first wash.........