Hello all
This time I started build a new MiniArt kit: SU-122 in 1/35 scale. This is variant without interior.

This is my first time with MiniArt kit and I am pleasantly surprised by contents and quality. After seeing the sprues I can say that the model is very well detailed and I didn't see any reason to complain.
Painting plan is winter camouflage- very interesting in my opinion.

So far I haven't done too much- only the few first instructions steps.




It's a pity that these nicely made springs after the assembly will be almost invisible.
Of course my little helper work with me

Nice, I will be following.

Thanks Greg
Last time I decided that I will left hatch on the roof open so I started painting the interior.
First I applied a few coats of Vallejo white:

Next I applied gray filter, oils and MIG neutral wash:


Hull painting process was similiar, but on darker parts I used black AK wash.


In meantime, when paint layers were drying I assemblied suspension arms which are very well made.

And all painted parts glued together.



Now it's time to start work with wheels

Though references are few (I've seen maybe a dozen photos) it appears that no wartime T-34 or any of its variations had white/light colored engine bays. They are always dark. The T-34-76 sent to APG in 1943 had a bay that was semi-glossy and almost certainly 4BO. Recovered tanks that I've seen show no sign of white or even grey, just red primer and black.
Unfortunately no one has published an official painting guide just yet (there has to be one at least, right?) but dark is at least a safe bet starting point.

Best of luck and I'm enjoying your build!

Mark

Mark, thank you for interesting informations., it seems that MiniArt made a mistake in instruction. In my model interior will be visible only through open hatch so the engine bay color is not very important because it will be invisible but for someone who build version with full interior it is valuable information.
A little bit of progress with SU:
I had a small test of patience with these tiny pe pieces:

I wonder for what purpose they were assembled, I was looking for any information but I couldn't find anything.
Next I finished the rear deck:

Everything fit together very well, only exhaust pipes need a little bit work. Producer give in the box exhausts from kit with interior, they must be cut but when we do it only way to mount them is glueing them directly to the rear deck.


I also spend some time with front plate, so I managed to finish assembly in this area.

Small update:
I finished wheels in the vehicle. The assembly was a little bit time consumpting because each road wheel consists of four parts: front and rear half, lid and plastic bushing (something like poly cap in Tamiya kits).

The wheels details in compare with real vehicle are really good reproduced.







Now I'll start track assembly, a little bit arduous task but I'm wonder how much "workable" these tracks will be, so far all single track links I glued together.

And the tracks are done. While working with them I noticed that the pins inside each link are so tina and fragile, they easily broke down so I glued all links together, just like oridinar separate track links.
Now they aren't workabe but stil looks pretty good, one of the best plastic tracks that I ever build.

Anyone live here?
Almost all weekend I spent with SU and construction stage is finished.
Almost all parts fits tohether very well so build go fast. I only replaced the plastic handrail on the cooper wire and add the wooden log at the fender and some stuff on the engine deck.






Now it's time to use some paints

Nice clean build! I was interested to hear how this goes together.

David

Nice, what paint scene are you thinking.

David- kit is good engineered, parts fit together well but some of them are very small and hard to clean up.
Greg- I will paint winter camo with trees in front part of the vehicle. It's hard but very intetesting scheme in my opinion.

Matt,
Excellent build. The kit does appear to be well detailed. I like the way your finishing it up. My only comment would be concerning the 55 gallon fuel drum you have as stowage. When they are full they are very heavy and will tend to roll a lot when the tank is going over uneven ground. Since the tank already has the external fuel tanks on the sides it may not be needed. If you keep it, it will need to be secured appropriately. Again, really good build.
John

I'm loving the build its refreshing to see someone build a kit that isn't mafe by trumpeter and I look forward to seeing your finished kit soon

Thank you for comments.
John- let's assume that barrel is not full and I think that soldiers taken everything that could be needed, barrels with gasoline too
Let's write something about the build progress:
First I sprayed two coats of gray primer:



When primer coat was dry I applied green base colour. I used mix of Vallejo russian green and yellow to make it lighter.

Then I sprayed gloss varnish on entire model.




Next I started paintig the white camo. First, I applied thick coat AK chipping fluid and when the surface was dry i started paint white colour. I covered almost all model and when paint was ry I started doing scratches and remove some white colour. To do this I used old stiff brush and wated. I moistened brush in the water and remove the white coat of paint. This is the effect:






I repeated the ame process with the wheels nad painted the rubber bands using Vallejo dark rubber paint:

I also put the big red decal on the roof but unfortunatelly the decal broke into pieces, so I'm very disappointed how it looks now but I will try to paint some sctarches and chippings to make the final look better.


Also I painted the tracks:
First I applied gray primer, next paint all tracks with the black colour, drybrushed them with gunmetal and washed using AK track wash. When the tracks was dried I applied on them mox of differend pigments and fixed with AK pigment fixer.

Step by step I'm coming to the finish.
First I corrected the damaged decal. I repaint the red circle.

Wash on the wheels:

Also I finished painting all details, put decals and a few gray and green filters.





And lastly I made some mud and snow effect on the hull:


Now, time to my favourite part of modelling: oils and weathering

Matt,
Great looking beast.
It just happend that im building the same kit at this moment.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/251424

I decided to close all hatches so i didnt paint the interior.
I faced some minor fitting issue when attaching the roof to the hull but a little filler will cover the issue.

Nice paintjob. Love the chipping effect. Do u hand painted the tree branches? Looks real enough and finally what did u use for the snow. I like it.

Keep it up

Sil

Ps: hugs to the baby..

Zaidi,
Thank You
I will be watching at your progress with the build.
I decided to not glue the roof, and paint the interior, more for practice than watching inside the finished model.
Yes you' re right, the roof didn't fit perfectly but a little bit of the putty did the job.
Thank You. Yes I hand painted the tree branches, I used small brush and Vallejo brown. The snow is a mixed glue for the wood diluted with water with the baking soda. I applied this mixture on the model and sprinkled the soda.
Today I did the fading and put a few coat of gloss varnish. I used white, yellow, green and brown oil paints. Now it'stime for the wash




In meantime I primed started a half year ago Tamiya Humber Mk.IV

And the all weathering is done, so the kit is almost ready.
How's you like it?

Very nice job

Matt, it looks fantastic. Nice weathering, really looks like it saw some hard use in the field. Good job
Terry

Thank you guys for positive feedback.
And I can call SU-122 finished. Final Photos:















Hows you like it?

Matt-- well done! A great build log. Very nice workmanship
DJ

Matt,

that was awesome. I'm speechless, saliva dipping, jaw drop.

Fantastic... how did u get the ice on the manlet.. it look super freezing cold now..

I decided to build a vignette with SU and this is how it looks like:





Also I will add the figures from this set:

Matt,
Your SU came out great. Really excellent work. And I really like your diorama base as well. Very realistic look with the snow fall. Looking forward to seeing your figures to round out the scene.
John