Yes good job !
your colors are very realistic....

Olivier (bison),

You are correct. The 3rd bracket was knocked loose removing the tape. It has happened to that one 3 times now. Figured I would reattach after the main paint was complete.

Good eye for noticing.

Olivier,

Thanks again for the kind words.

John

Feel like I am getting to the home stretch here. Put on the gloss coat (Future) and decals (aftermarket set from Echelon). Then I got the tracks and road wheels on her! She really is starting to look like a tank now! Started some detail painting and that and some charcoal dusting (after a dull coat) and some dry brushing on the the treads (adding some steel color).

Here is how she looks now.

and from the 'business' end!

I know this Leclerc


Now you just have to weather it a little bit.
Olivier

I did a little touch up and detail painting. Also, put a couple antenna on using Guitar string cut to length. Plus just one photo showing her with her skirts on (drying still). Still am hoping to get it complete by Saturday morning to be my first entry into a contest (the one in Columbus OH). So hope to get some mild weathering, plus the last few details added and painted. If I have more time than I expect, maybe a little 'heavier' weathering...



Thanks again for watching and I appreciate it. It helped motivate me to finish!

Finished! A last couple photos and some comments.

First, thanks for the kind words thru my build. I got the kit entered into the contest this weekend like I was hoping to do, but wish I had more time. Would have liked to take more time on the weathering. I feel I was too heavy handed. It looks like the tank took a mud bath. I used ground pastels (earthy tones) with water. I didn't think it gave much to the model, so I did a few darker tones with some thinned white glue and roughly brushed it on. I thought I would be able to remove some, but didn't have time once it dried to wet it down again before the contest.

Comments/tips would be appreciated. Thanks again.

Working in the hotel (detail painting before weathering):


Wet still




At the show

John,
the chassis is not overdone but I think you should try to brush some mud from the turret top. Except from some spots where the crew members are walking on, there is generally very few mud this high on this tank.
If you only used pigments and water you should be able to tone down the mud effect by gently brushing the surface of the turret.

Olivier

I can only second what Olivier said.
Hull looks ok with especially sideskirts looking good in my opinion. But top is a little overdone. I think some more colour variation in the mud would be good.

Nice hotel workbench!

Olivier and Jaroslaw,

Thanks for the comments. I started 'cleaning up' the turret and top of the tank a bit. It is still a little wet, so I hope I can take a couple pictures tomorrow to upload and show the difference.

John

Okay, here are a couple pictures. First one when it was still damp showing the material I removed in the bowl to the left.



Here it is dry. I think I want to add a little more back, especially on the 2nd picture where the track is too shiny.




Thanks again for the tips/comments!