Hey Gang,
well, first off this is less a build-log than a 'paint-log'. turns out I have become sort of a slow builder these days... started this kit when I first saw it at my LHS, and just finished the build one or two days ago.
second: I know that this is not an actual A2 variant but rather an up-armored SLEP A1 vehicle. as I already explained in some other threads I figured it'd be easier backdating the A2 kit rather than bringing it to where it should be (jsut had to scratch built one optic instead of both as well as some other bits that needn't be changed)
as far as the kit goes, I was really disapointed when I opened the box as it would look more like a diecast tank than any thing else when built OOB. I also used blast models' AM set which I don't think stands in line with most of their other offerings. despite the cast quality is quite good the fit is horrible plus there are some missing details such as screws and above all some of the shortcomings from the trumpy kit (smoke dischargers, optics etc.) have simply been left out...
Hence I had to add a few scratch built additions to the entire thing, also note the two different kinds of anti slip coating I added.
so here's where I'm at right now, still buisy painting the details. I thought of some heavy hairspray applications for some of the details in this kit so it'll propably take me some time to get there before I can start out with the weathering.
Von LAV-A2
Von LAV-A2
Von LAV-A2
Von LAV-A2
Von LAV-A2
Von LAV-A2
Von LAV-A2
in this last pic you might be able to spot some of the CM I've applied though i tried keeping it simple I've applied somewhat between five, to ten different coats of shadows and highlights(the undersides are almost black). I'll post some more pics once I'm done with painting all of the details.

Cheers, Max

Outstanding progress!

Nice and clean so far!!! What's the next step?

Thank you guys,
Captain Caveman (do you have a first name btw? ), kudos for your abv build, I've been following it closely, like the way your pearson plow turned out!

Yufkey, glad you ask. next up: lots of detail painting. I'm planning on using the hairspray technique on some of the additional equipment such as cooler, fuel- and water-cans, and some markings (shipping lables) to make it look even more complex. the problem however is that that'll cause me lots of work...
now here's my latest progress (was a long long night)...

From LAV-A2

From LAV-A2

From LAV-A2

From LAV-A2

From LAV-A2

in this last pic you can see the CM. I just realized that it's not evident at all in the previous pics. well, as I said above I tried keeping it simple so it'd look more realistic than artistic.
From LAV-A2

after I'm done with detail painting, decaling, airbrushing on the remaining markings I'll apply some filters to begin with the fun part...

Cheers, Max

ok, so here's a little bit of yesterdays work...
From LAV-A2
From LAV-A2
the cables were done using lead wire and a thin strip of good ol' tamiya tape...
From LAV-A2
From LAV-A2
the fuel cans to the right were finished using the hairspray technique and some vallejo buff. the marpat was done using a 0/5 brush. I painted little stripes, 'T' and 'L' shapes on first then continued by adding tiny dots in a random fashion..

Cheers, Max

next update!
thought I'd be a little less fast working but well...
finished the detail painting, and decaling, next up filters (sin industries) and dot filters...





Cheers, Max

looking damn good!!!!!!!!!

looks okay

Cheers Christopher

thanks guys,
I'm hoping I'll have an update for you later today... first two filters are on and have now had some time to dry, so after clear coating I'll apply some dot filters and some preliminary washings.

Cheers, Max

Looking good...Good luck Max....

Hakan, thank you!
so here's the update I've promised.
though it's hard to tell the difference to the last pics you can see how the colors have now, after filtering, merged together...
I'm already done with the dot filtering as well but, as it usually does, the thinners have attacked some glue seams hence some parts simply disconnected. so I'll post another update after everything is back in place...





Cheers, Max

Nice clean work, looking forward to see how it turns out!!!

hello, I have been watching this one with intrest, and its really starting to come together very nicely. I cant wait to see it all weathered up and are you going to be putting some figures with this and if so , which ones.
Keep up the great work

Cheers Andrew

thank you guys
Andrew, I'll be using the warriors LAV crew, I'm still undecided wether I should rework 'em so they're wearing nomex suits or leave everything as it is and paint some more marpat I'll propably have to do some updating to the IBA's however to bring 'em up to date....

Cheers, Max

ok, update...
I'm now done with dot filtering, chipping and the first few washings. I also applied an acrylic air-brush filter with tamiya xf-58 olive green as the base color seemed a little too greyish to me...
so by now there are still three to five more different washings to do as I like to keep stuff subtle and slowly build up the weathering in layers.

I used 502 abteilung's wash- and shadow-brown these are ideal for first base washes and the first layer of spots to give more depth to the surfaces. later I'll incorporate different variations of other colors and these tones for dots and streaks.






note the three different colors used for chipping:
a light sand color (vallejo buff) to represent the carc-sand primer, a dark bwown for worn metal and the non slip texture (vallejo german-camo-black-brown) and finally a metal color for recent chips and aluminum parts...








Cheers, Max

Yo Max!
Not that easy to get some visual results with an plain green model !
But you are getting there ..... Bet the pics do not show all the results, dispite your efforts !

Looks very good !
Cheers Christopher

Nice use of Mig pigments

Did that 240 come with the kit? If not where did you get it?

Chris, no sarcasm, are you alright?? nah, thanks and yes, the pics are horrible, I could've written jokes in yellow and orange and whatever else fluorescent color all over the surfaces and it wouldn't show up in the pics... sad...

yufkey, there are no pigments on yet (except for the rusty BFT mount)... just plain oils and acrylics...

Steve, there's a 240 in the kit but it's horrible... this one was in the BLAST update set. it's a copy of the afv-club gun (and PLATT mount) as found in their stryker update set that might be a little cheaper if you don't plan on building the A2 version with all bells and whistles...

Cheers, Max

Amazing work.The two things that stand out is you oil cans, they look so realistic because some times you get a section leader who wants the oil cans to be the same color for the MEU commander inspection. And after a while the paint would chip off. I always see oil cans painted one color on models and yours look very realistic. And the 240 is outstanding, its like you shrank the real gun for your model. Cant wait to see the end product. Keep it up.

thanks Joe,
yeah, the fuel cans were something I've been observing on lots of current lav's... i'm quite happy with how it turned out... on the downside the pairspray 'washed' away the red 'JP-8' writing I had put on before the second layer of paint. just left me with nasty redsih streaks which I could fortunately cover with some more paint...

so here we go...two layers of washings later...
maybe I'll add another coat of washes I'm not yet completely satisfied as I'm trying to break up the monotone surfaces just a little more, let's see..
in the meantime I tried finding some references on the real model coolers, seems like they're supposed to resemble some 'coleman' coolers but I can't find the exact model... anyway, I think I'm gonna go with a standard blue and white finish followed by some hairspray and a black or dark grey coat to make it look a little more interesting...
as for the rest of the vehicle I'm pretty close to start out with the dusting... been looking forward to this step as I'll try some completely new (at least to me) techniques and am not quite shure on how it'll turn out... this is going to be the make- or break part of this build...











Cheers, Max

here we go again,
been really busy and had to put this little project aside for a while, however I got some dirt on...
everything you see here was done using the hairspray technique and tamiya buff and deck tan acrylics... it didn't really turn out the exact way I wanted it but after a second application I think it now looks kinda nice.

materials I've used:


just prior to chipping. you can see how subtle the dust looked before chipping, if I'll ever give it another try I'll apply some more color prior to removing it as the whole effect got kinda subtle after all...












Cheers, Max

WOW, this is coming along beautifully now, really looking good. I like the extra detail you have added to take it another step forward.
The weathering you have done so far also looks great, cant wait to see it all done and with figures. Keep up the great work.
Andrew

.... does your girlfriend know she is out of hairspray now ?

Breaks up the green to a convincing result, still think you need a little more "dust"
though. Like the wiring and the jerry cans detail.

Cheers
Christopher