@ Eddy, thanks for the encouraging words - it's only my 5th kit since returning to the hobby, so it's nice to know I'm moving in the right direction.
Thanks also for the link - my barrel's not too far off: 84mm mantlet to end of brake
Only, the 'rust' on the running gear is supposed to be dirt

@ Remco, the base coat you liked so much is just straight forward Humbrol 155

THE MULE
Trying to catch up...
Skif is giving some kind of interior for the vehicle. I have not yet decided whether I would leave any door open, with a little bit of research, I tried to make a little more of the interior:

and here I am so far:

Am I the only one modelling in this campaign???
any way, the MTLB, is closed an I need a lot of putty, to fill all the gaps around the joints....

the p.e. parts are all included in the kit.

Orestis,
You are not the only one in this campaign, just the fastest builder. I for one am a slow builder with all of the campaigns that I have entered BTW nice interior.

Bob

Well actually, I'm using every minute from my sick-leave from work...
a month, immobilized due to a fractured leg, has also its advantages: just laying around and modeling...

Orestis, thats what got me back into the 3 years ago, just make sure you dont do what i did. listen to the doctors and go to therapy or you will need surgery 2 years later, feel better and enjoy the modeling time

Hi dear friends,

my T-55 (PST 1/72 scale) completed and two photos in campaign gallery... here is some photos, other photos is in my blog..http://miniafv.blogspot.com/2011/06/pst-172-t-55-eatalay.html

Hey guys,

@ Dierk- Nice save on the decals! The sherman looks good!

@ Orestis- Your interior looks promising. I hope you see it when its done

This is my progress on my tank. i hope you like it, although its not finished yet...







The things i have to do are;
- pre dusting
- dusting
- light mudding, not to much...
- oil stains
- track weathering like giving it a metal look on the guiding teeth.
- make a metal look on the boogie wheels and the drive sprocket.

Feel free to comment

Keep up the good works!!!!

Regards,

Remco

Hi Remco!!!
Well, actually, the interior is no longer visible...
Everything is shut, and I will play with the painting and weathering, of the mule...
I saw it as a warm-up for the next one...

pre dusting??? That's a new term for me....
Please specify... sounds interesting....

Hey Orestis,

Well, pre dusting is a technique with the airbrush. With a mixture of highly diluted paint (Buff or light sand color) we spray verry low paintflow and 0.5 bar airpressure little clouds arround the eges of the model. If you don't want overspray over the panel you're airbrushing, (lest say the side to the top) use a small paper so you don't hit the ''clean'' parts.

Then we create the final dust by using mig pigments.

Regards,

Remco

Thanks Remco!!!
I'll proceed with it in my WIP projects!!!!!

By the way, very cool T-34, you made!!! I like the "3D" chipping you achieved!!!
May I give you a hind (actually, my way of reproducing steel)?
I mix Vallejo's natural steel with black, in an 3:1 ratio... Then I apply it with dry brush
This gives out a worn, not very shining steel effect at the bogies, the track teeth, and the track itself...
And here a twist: Did you think of replacing the missing wheels with Tiger wheels????

@Maeusemelker – Dierk, I really thought it was rust! I took a close look at the rest of the running gear and really didn’t see any of the rust color on the running wheels. From the photographs that you posted it does look like some rust has come through a thin coating of paint on the suspension. I was waiting to see what it would look like after you weathered over this area. I was thinking of adding this effect to a future build because it looks so realistic and natural in that area. The rest of the vehicle really does look realistic though.

@orpant – Orestis, You’ve done an excellent job on the interior of your Mule, and now your going to cover it up? Bob, aka – Bigrip74 is not alone in that I too am a slow builder. Somehow I’ve already enlisted in a dozen campaigns, mostly to help me stay focused and manage my building time. I may even get a few more builds under my belt and finish a few this year?

@erhntly – Erhan, You’re already done! That’s not right! Looks really good. I wish I could build that fast and have my kits come looking good too, but I can’t! I always have to add that little extra bit of detail and that just snowballs into detailing everything else on the kit, even when I know its going to take forever to complete the kit. Someday. . .

@4-BO-Green – Remco, Your T-34/76 is turning out nicely. I like how you’ve aged the paint, looks so good. Your tracks are outstanding and you haven’t even started to weather them. Your exhausts look the part too!

Well it’s back to the bench if I’m going to get anything done on my build today.

-Eddy

@ Remco - really like what you've done! Sweet T-34

@ Eddy - looks like I'll have to do something about it, then. Although the pigment I used is called 'brown earth' I can see what you mean about it looking like rust - although I really like rust-effects, IMHO they should be kept to a minimum on 'operational' AFVs, as it generally takes a period of prolonged inactivity for 'serious' rust to take hold, so substantial amounts of rust should only be used on knocked out or abandoned AFVs.

Hey guys,

@ orpant (Orestis)- your idea of the steel is verry close to my technique. I paint the wheels surface black, make a mix of dark steel and fresh steel then drybrush it on the black paint to have a ''deep'' color effect. Thanks for the tip!

The tiger wheels idea is verry cool, but i don't think it wol'd fit....

Thanks for the comment and tips!

Regards,

Remco

Wer'e doing great here!!!!

I would like to correct my self, regarding the proposal, with the tiger wheels...
The correct is PANTHER wheels...
During the battle for Berlin, the Soviets, used almost anything they could, in order to keep the tanks rolling:
for example:

just a thought to make something different...

Hi all this is my contribution to the build ,Iam using the old Trumpeter 1/35 T-54,
with a metal barrel and Fruimodell replacement tracks ,otherwise OOB. Scheme is for a Czech army vehicle.


Iam currently assembling the tracks. Does anyone know how many links per side by any chance .Many thanks Charlie

Great progress here team !!

I've painted the lower hull of my T-64B and added the tracks, I need to do a little fading and weathering to those before I add the skirts and go onto the turret and upper hull. Pics in the next few days

@ Eddy - that KV is a monster, thanks for the great background story Good progress.

@ Bob - nice work on the lower hull dirt. Thanks for the pics !

@ Remco - that T-34 is coming along really well, keep posting updates

@ Darren - We can't have enough T-80's here Congrats on finishing !!

@ Erhan - nice little T-55. Very fast build my friend. Thanks for posting your pics. I love the tracks - good work !!

@ Grant - welcome mate.

@ Dierk - that Shermie is a ripper !!! Amazing progress !!! You've done great with that save of the decal too.

@ Orestis - welcome You are off to a fast start. Thanks for posting info and your feedback.

@ Charles - another T-55. Good work, looking forward to the tracks !!

Keep up the great work team.

Cheers

Paul

@tupolev – Charles,

Great to see you put this kit together. Until I seen your T-54 I had almost forgotten that I have this same kit in the stash.

I only have a limited amount of experience using Fruilmodel metal tracks. On my last build using this track set I assembled enough length to go around the drive wheel sprocket and both the top and bottom runs. After which I made the other side. Then I placed one of the track runs around both the drive wheel and idler with the tracks running along the top and fitting the unconnected ends on the bottom side of the road wheels. You should be able to make adjustments for the track sag and then guesstimate how many links will be required to connect the tracks together. You will need to have both idler wheel arms loose to be able to adjust for track tension.

Some Fruilmodel track assembly videos you may be interested in seeing?

Friulmodel Track Tutorial


Building 1/35 Scale Metal Tank Tracks Tutorial (part 1 of 2)


Building 1/35 Scale Metal Tank Tracks Tutorial (part 2 of 2)

Hope this helps,
-Eddy

Here's where I'm at on the T-64B.

Hull 85 % complete.

Turret 40 % complete. I also need to clear some resin, it's not sitting down ATM.

I'll try to have the building done in the next week so I can move onto paint.








Keep up the good work.

Nice info Eddy.

Cheers

Paul

Hey guy's,

@ orphan- I like the panther wheels on the T-34. I thought that it never would fit because of the size but it fits great! Love the idea!!!

@ tupolev- I like your colors. it doesn't matter how many track links you put in. It was not an issue. Some had more links, some had less....

@ ppawlak1- I like the T-64 much. It was Russia's most advanced tank in armor protection. I'm looking forward to your painting of this fantastic beast

Currently i am busy to paint the logs on the side. I have scribed the boogie wheels and the drive sprocket with a H-6 pencil to have a used metal look.

I have pre dusted the model including the tracks prior to the mudding down of the model.

The vegetation on the model i have to make also but i have difficulty's to assemble it

Regards,

Remco

This T-64B Building process is almost finished now guys, I still need to add a couple of lttle details, and then this baby will be ready for primer





Keep posting and keep up the great work team !!

Cheers

Paul

Here’s where I am on this build as of today.


I’ve added the three stowage bins and a single toolbox. Also added both exhaust pipes on the upper rear hull.


Almost have the hull front complete with all items installed minus the antenna.


And here I’ve added the grab handles to the turrets roof that I fabricated out of brass wire.

@ppawlak1 – Paul, your T-64 is coming along nicely. I don’t know a thing about modern armor but it sure looks interesting. Your figures are superb and already add action, scale and realism. If you figures are an indication of your painting skills then your vehicle is going to come out looking totally awesome!

@4-BO-Green – Remco, sounds like you’ve included the Panther wheels to your T-34? That sure would be an interesting addition as I have yet to see this done to a T-34 scale model kit. I hope you will be posting some photos soon!

-Eddy

Hey guys!

I am busey to make some dry mud on my T-34. When it's done i post some photo's.
The logs on the side come out great! They look good!

@ Eddy- I won't put the pantherwheels on this one. I have a T-34/85 from dragon with the "bedspring" armor in berlin. Your KV looks very intresting. Love your scratchbuild. Looks fine

@ Paul- your figures look awesome. Figures make the model alive. They tell a story. I hope that my figures look that good... I going to make my first figures for my diorama

Keep on posting updates!!

Regards,

Remco

Fellow eastern European builders,

Here are my last photo's of the progress i made. Its almost finished...

Things to do list;

- dusting the body and turret
- make a third layer of wash on the logs
- oil stains
- weathering the leather straps for the spare tracks
- probably more but i see it when the work goes on...











O, i see something i forgot!
Make a rope to bind the logs and tool box on the side!

Feel free to comment!

Great progress everyone!

Regards,

Remco

Nice work Remco !

I've primed and put a base coat on the T-64B, I'm now highlighting and post shading - lots of work to do

Pics a little later

Cheers

Paul