This is the Academy Merkava MK IV in progress for about three years! Unfortunately, I build in spurts due to work and lately I have had the opportunity to work on this one a bit more. The kit went together well actually with minimal filling/sanding required. The next two hurdles are finishing the ball and chain armor (not hard just tedious) and the anti-slip coating (still trying to determine if it's worth doing). Any suggestions/comments as I progress are most welcome - thanks!

Many mixtures to determine the "right" color still a work in progress...


Legend Production bustle rack and combination of kit and Legend ball and chain armor.


Just a side view of the current progress.


Turret top with a lost part (left side sight) finally found under my work bench!


Again, thanks for any comments/suggestions!

Tim

Updated with better pictures thanks to Photo bucket!

Humbrol 84 is a good match. I usually use Vallejo 74.614 (FS 30372) as a base coat and the second coat after the shading.

Awesome thanks for the advice!

Guy,

Found AK Interactive #790 Sinai Gray Modern - do you have any experience with this particular color?

Tim

PS - just ordered the AK 790 from Spain will post pictures when the kit is painted!

Tim

Just and update on the Merkava. Received the AK Sinai Gray in the mail Friday so now it is all masked up and ready for some texturing. After a ton of research I decided upon the Testers textured paint in Moss Green. Hobby Lobby had it for a good price. After looking at the various colors there seemed to be some variation in the size of the texture based on the type of diorama the specific paint was for. The Moss Green seemed to have the best balance of shape and size. Should have a coat on later today and if I get some extra time even have the lower hull all primed!

Cheers,

Tim

http://www.testors.com/product-catalog/testors-brands/createfx/specialty-paint/texture-spray

So a very good modeling day for me between the work on the MK IV and the UH-1N finally complete! The Merkava lower hull is all ready for some pre-shading at this point and the anti-slip turned out pretty darn good. Hours of looking at pictures brought me to the conclusion that the anti-slip shouldn't hide hull details and the stubble shouldn't be larger than the rivets on the hull. With that the product I mentioned earlier worked out surprising well. Take a look and let me know what you think all! Thanks as always.

So I used this old hull as my test bed. BLUF - just read the directions!!! Take a good bit of distance at least 10in or so from the model and hit it with short bursts. The front half was basic spray paint technique and the back portion was the proper way to apply this product.



I was actually really nervous as to how this was going to turn out because it looks so dark on the model...


In progress getting all the masking off what fun...




...and the finished primed product not too bad!








...and now for the turret!!!

Cheers,

Tim