Hisham: I'm going to paint the area around and under the ERA blocks before adding the top ones.
I'm going for one of the Syrian SAA versions with the more greener paint schemes, with some brown patches and thin lines of yellow.
I've found plenty of pictures on Google under Syrian T-55AMV featuring that kind of color scheme.
Jacob

Initially, I was hoping to do this one..



But maybe this one would be easier..



Hisham

I'd say the first one is cooler looking and it'll probably be more fun doing 😉
I don't think you need to paint the camouflage pattern under the ERA blocks, because I believe that the vehicle was delivered in plain Russian green or such. The different cammo colors were then added locally.
Jacob

That first one is very cool looking.

Very disappointed about the kit's headlight guard. It's unusable and even if it was molded properly, it's extremely out of scale. Surprised that in an otherwise very nice looking, detailed kit, TAKOM would have included this part.

I had planned on building one of these but I think I'll pass (unless the aftermarket comes up with a replacement). I scratchbuilt one of those guards years ago and it was such a PITA I swore I'd never do it again.

Nice job on your kit though, the workmanship is first rate!

Thanks for the nice comments guys.
Today I added the ERA blocks on the front of the turret. I painted the mounts and area of the turret, where the upper ERA blocks will be located, so if the air brush can't reach, there will be colors. I used a Russian green for this.

Thereafter I got on all the upper ERA Blocks. Like the mountigs, these blocks are not all alike, so agian, go slow on the build and check with the instruktions.


Also managed to get the sighting assembled and fitted to the turret.

All over view of the turret so far.

Jacob

That last image... *gulp*... is that an alien? Looking really great so far!

Ha ha, yeah you're quite right, it really does look kind of alien like
Glad you like the build.
Jacob

Yours is looking fantastic, I just started mine a few days ago so I'll be watching this carefully

Hey Jacob

I have just painted my T55AMV with base color,
For the etch part on the engine deck i used
Tamiya Fine Surface Primer, later i used Tamiya
"rattle" can Nato Green TS-61.
Now i have to paint the Syrian Camo scheme as
a very used vehicle.







Best regards
Kjeld Pedersen http://put.url.here

Hey

Some detail photo of my Takom T55AMV:





















Best regards
Kjeld Pedersen

Hej Kjeld
Very nice looking T-55 you've got there. I really loike the way you've damaged the side skirts and ERA Blocks, looks very realistic. Thanks for showing.
Regards
Jacob

Finished the turret.

Some of the items on the turret were actually a bit hard to get in the right possition, such as the big search light to the right of the gun and the tube(?) next to the commandor's hatch.



It would have been nice, if Takom had provided the lens for the search light in clear styrene, insted of the light grey parts.
Both crew hatches can be built workable, and inside the commandor's hatch are some really great details.



The laser range finder on top of the gun mantle looks very nice as well.

Jacob

Hey Jacob

Do you not want to use part H41, Commander hatch extra
armor, shown in step 32. (i forgot it, until i saw photo
of the real Syrian T55AMV in action).

Best regards
Kjeld Pedersen

Kjeld, you're absolutely right. That sucker ran under my radar too.
It's now been added, thanks for the heads up
Jacob

Todays update.
The heavy machine gun is very well detailed, but the gun and mounting is built up of several small parts, which ddoes challenge ones patience at times. The instructions are a bit blurry when comes to show the correct attachment points, so do be carefull here.


The tracks are really excellent. They are just like the Magic Tracks from Dragon Models, and require a minimum of clean up, just a couple of small ejector marks and a tiny "lump" a piece. Took me around an hour or so to clean them all.



Jacob

Assembly is done. I've used soe blue tacand masking tape to loosely stick all the sub assemblies and tracks together.







And now to the paint shop!
Jacob

That's a very nice build! Can't wait to see the paint scheme.

that looks great. I am planning the same type of damage to mine, when i eventually build it. I cant wait to see it with paint on it.

Primed in Chaos Black from Citadel.

Jacob

Finally some paint was applaid.







I've used Tamiya paints for the base colors. To make the overall scheme come more alive, I painted some of the ERA Blocks a slightly different color, to break up the camouflage pattern. I'm sure the ERA Blocks have been changed over the time due to battle damage and such, and when exchanged, the colors would not have been the same as the rest of the vehicle.
Jacob

Hi Guys;

Great Job on your T-55s, and don't forget the Electrical conduit that runs under the Luna search-lite. These two new kits from Takom are A Great Add to the T-55s. Keep going fellas and keep all of us in the up with your progress.

CHEERS; MIKE.

Started to add some paint chipping. Each ERA block and other item has been individual chipped.


Jacob

It's looking very nice, Jacob.. the cammo looks good.. Which Tamiya green and sand colors did you use?

Hisham

This looks really ice, indeed! Love the green ERA blocks scattered between the others.