For our upcoming modelling competition, I've decided to build a braille scale model for the first time in my modelling history...

The kit I selected is the Master Box 1/72 Mk I Male.I've built an Emhar 1/35 Mk IV before and I have some quite good ideas on how to paint this tiny monster.

Here is the box art:



Though I am not an expert in 1/72 scale details, the kit seemed to me quite nicely detailed for this scale.

Here are the parts:

Ive started putting it together and in less than 2 hours I joined the upper and lower halves and finished the two sponsons.

The bottom hull was warped and it took some hot water and wresting to smooth it out.



One advice for the ones who are to build this tiny tank, in the instructions the top and button hulls to be joined and then the driver/commander cab glued over the top hull. It should be the cab glued to the top hull first and than the buttom and top hull pieces joined. This makes sure that the necessary leveling for the top and bottom hulls are correct for the cab.

I made some progress on the kit.

Finished the tail wheel assembly:



and glued the track carrier assemblies to the sides of the hull and put some of the bits and pieces on the hull top.

Looks good. It's fun to watch your build moving along.
I hope that you will show us a photo of the Mk 1 and the Mk IV next to each other.

Warren

I can do that!

The Mk I 1/72 can probably sit on top of the 35 scale Mk IV's sponson..

The build of this little monster is finished.

All in all it was an easy build with minor glitches.

Here are some shots from the workbench:









Now we are off to priming and painting.

One thing that I havent made up my mind is whether to paint the tracks after I put them on the vehicle or before. Normally I would paint & weather them seperately, but I have some worries about paint flaking when trying to put it on the vehicle.

Looks like a great kit. I like the etch anti-grenade netting.
Looking forward to seeing the completed model.

Hello, nice work! Unfortunatly, Master Box kit not contains decals. Nice examples of Mk.I transfers in 1/72 is here:
http://www.ddecal.ru.com/#!page2/cjg9

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Regards
Denis

Thanks for the praise Stephen!

Denis, unfortunately you are right, there are no decals in the kit which is strange. Anyhow I looked in your decals and they look really good. However I need to finish this kit until the next weekend, so I am afraid theres not enough time for the decals to arrive...

Now to the progress... Ive primed the kit. It's now ready to be painted.

Here's how it looks so far:

Last night I started airburshing the model. I started painting with tamiya Flat Earth XF-52 with a little black mixed in.

Painted the bottom hull, side lower areas and the other parts that are to stay shaded with this mixture.

By the way this model is also a test model for my new iwata TRN-1 airbrush. Ive been using an iwata hp-ch for some years, but has always disliked the conventional plunger at the top. After 15-20 minutes of using the airbrush I always end up loosing feeling of my index finger.

So Ive decided to give the trn-1 trigger airbrush a try. Although it seems like a single action type, actually it's a double action device.



Ive thought this might not be as good as the hp-ch, however I was wrong. Although trn-1 is a much cheaper than my original one, I think I am quite fond of this trigger action. So I recommend it to everyone especially new to airbrushing. Trigger action is much more natural to get used to.

Anyway, after finishing the base coat, Ive started to gradually apply lighter coats with the base color plus XF-57 buff and xf-55 deck tan on the middle of the hull plates.

This is the result as of this point:







How do you like it so far??