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Binge Build: Takom T-55s
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Thursday, July 26, 2018 - 07:32 AM UTC
I've completed 3 out of 5 T=55s. Here is the first one, the Iraqi T-55A.











Will post the other two that I've completed.

-Joseph
panamadan
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Posted: Thursday, July 26, 2018 - 01:17 PM UTC
Hats off to you Sir!
Nice looking 55s!
Dan
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Monday, July 30, 2018 - 07:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hats off to you Sir!
Nice looking 55s!
Dan


Thank you very much, Dan!

My East German T-55 AM2B is also done. Here are the pictures.












Thanks,

Joseph
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 - 06:13 AM UTC
My African Union T-55 AMV is also done. Here are the pictures.











Along with some detail shots.








Three done and two more to go (so far). I still have to finish painting the Type 69 and I'm still in the build phase for the T-54B. I will post pictures of these soon.

Thanks,

Joseph
panamadan
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Posted: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 - 10:25 AM UTC
Nice!
Type 59 next?
https://www.google.com/search?q=takom+type+59&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS770US770&hl=en-US&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZirnasMrcAhUJMawKHc4yBeYQ_AUIEigC&biw=375&bih=591#imgrc=vSjgTLzXRDmkiM:
Dan
KoSprueOne
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Posted: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 - 12:23 PM UTC
Very nice. The super detailing and realism in paint.




BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Thursday, August 02, 2018 - 04:08 AM UTC



Thanks Dan! I have 3 more in my stash:
- T-55A which I am planning to be an Operation Danube version
- T-55AM, to be a Russian Marine version
- Tiran 4, I haven't selected a scheme yet.

The Type 59 looks nice. I might add it to this build.


Quoted Text

Very nice. The super detailing and realism in paint.


Thank you, sir!

I was reviewing photos on my phone and found some WIP pictures for the AMV. Here are the photos I took when I made the left mud guard retaining rod.

I got a nice gauge brass rod from my stash(unfortunately, I don't have the exact gauge). Since it was slightly bent, I'll show a brief SBS on how to straighten it.

I learned this technique of straightening rods online (thank you, whomever you are). I roll the bent rod on a hard surface using the flat end of a tweezer.


Here's the result.


I used a Xuron 90 degree wire bender.


And here's the bent wire.


Using another Xuron needle nose pliers, I hold the wire right next to the molded detail to get the approximate distance of the bends.


Once I am satisfied with the overall shape, I glue it on to the fender. BTW, I have pre-drilled a hole. Also, since the brass wire is very soft and flimsy, I coated it with thin CA to make it firm. If I am not mistaken, this is the technique that Calvin Tan uses to make 1/35 rifle straps out of paper.


Here's how it looks all weathered up.


Same procedure for the left fender which you can barely see in this photo.


Hope this helps.

-Joseph
Removed by original poster on 05/13/19 - 21:31:59 (GMT).
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, August 03, 2018 - 03:35 AM UTC

Quoted Text


I fookin love your Iraqi T-55 at the top of the page, it looks very good indeed good sir, a very nice worn and weary looking T-55.



Matt


Thanks very much, Matt. Means a lot to me coming from you. I am very impressed with your Grizzly Guardian project.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, August 03, 2018 - 03:36 AM UTC
Here is a quick update on the T-54B. It took longer than a month that I anticipated but the build phase is nearing completion. Nothing fancy, just straight OOB.


-Joseph
Thirian24
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Posted: Saturday, August 04, 2018 - 11:17 AM UTC
These are so so nice! I've really enjoyed this thread and can't wait to see more.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Monday, August 06, 2018 - 03:59 AM UTC

Quoted Text

These are so so nice! I've really enjoyed this thread and can't wait to see more.


Thanks, Dustin. Glad you are enjoying this thread. Thank you for chiming in. Yes, I will be posting some more. I started working on another one, Kit 2041 T-55 AM. I will try to post pictures soon.

-Joseph
KoSprueOne
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Posted: Monday, August 06, 2018 - 01:38 PM UTC

Quoted Text




Thanks Dan! I have 3 more in my stash:
- T-55A which I am planning to be an Operation Danube version
- T-55AM, to be a Russian Marine version
- Tiran 4, I haven't selected a scheme yet.

The Type 59 looks nice. I might add it to this build.


Quoted Text

Very nice. The super detailing and realism in paint.


Thank you, sir!

I was reviewing photos on my phone and found some WIP pictures for the AMV. Here are the photos I took when I made the left mud guard retaining rod.

I got a nice gauge brass rod from my stash(unfortunately, I don't have the exact gauge). Since it was slightly bent, I'll show a brief SBS on how to straighten it.

I learned this technique of straightening rods online (thank you, whomever you are). I roll the bent rod on a hard surface using the flat end of a tweezer.


Here's the result.


I used a Xuron 90 degree wire bender.


And here's the bent wire.


Using another Xuron needle nose pliers, I hold the wire right next to the molded detail to get the approximate distance of the bends.


Once I am satisfied with the overall shape, I glue it on to the fender. BTW, I have pre-drilled a hole. Also, since the brass wire is very soft and flimsy, I coated it with thin CA to make it firm. If I am not mistaken, this is the technique that Calvin Tan uses to make 1/35 rifle straps out of paper.


Here's how it looks all weathered up.


Same procedure for the left fender which you can barely see in this photo.


Hope this helps.

-Joseph




Those tracks and cable look sexy real! And nice detail touch with the fender spring.




BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Wednesday, August 08, 2018 - 03:27 AM UTC
Thanks KoSprueOne. I like how it turned out as well. It is pretty neat to see the progression.




I hope I can complete 3 more soon.
horrido666
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Posted: Thursday, August 09, 2018 - 02:31 PM UTC
Those tracks are some of the best I've seen. Please elaborate on your technique.

BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, August 10, 2018 - 03:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Those tracks are some of the best I've seen. Please elaborate on your technique.



Thanks very much. I will try to do an SBS on the other tanks.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, August 10, 2018 - 06:28 AM UTC
My wife enrolled for a course to add to her credentials. However, there are no online options, she has to drive 70 miles (an average of 1.5 hours) one way to attend a class held on Sundays. She will be on campus from 8AM through 4PM. Rather than have her drive alone, I volunteered to accompany her. That way she'll have a driving buddy. I can wait for her 8 hours in the lunchroom. What to do in 8 hours? Build a model!

Here is my mobile kit building gear!


Most of my tools are in this rolling case.


I am going to start working on Takom's Kit 2041, T-55AM.


I do have backup entertainment (the portable hard disk contains lots of documentaries). Background noise or just in case I get bored building.


Here's my setup for the next 8 hours.


Watching/listening to Calvin Tan's Painting Figures DVD while building the T-55.


AC was running at a minimum. Good thing I brought a fan along.


Taking only about 30 minutes break for lunch, this is how far I got working from 8AM-4PM. Didn't find the need to read my scale modelling books.


I had 8 hours of scale model building and my wife is happy with company for the long drive. I'd say it is a win/win situation. I have 4 more Sundays like these to go. I might start working on some other kits too!

-Joseph
panamadan
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Posted: Friday, August 10, 2018 - 01:41 PM UTC
This looks like a win-win situation!
Dan
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Wednesday, September 12, 2018 - 04:10 AM UTC
Don't count me out yet. I have not posted pictures since I have been busy with multiple builds. Happy to report that both T-54B and T-55AM are almost done with the build phase. Individual track links are great but very labor intensive. I've saved it for last. I am hoping to apply primers next week.


Thanks!

-Joseph
panamadan
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Posted: Wednesday, September 12, 2018 - 05:55 AM UTC
I was wondering where you went Joseph!
Dan
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Wednesday, September 12, 2018 - 06:08 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I was wondering where you went Joseph!
Dan


Thanks, Dan. I was planning to attend a local model competition next month with my T-55s but then I found out that the vacation my wife and I scheduled conflicts with it. Since I won't be able to attend, I lost the urgency to complete the T-55s by October. But, I have not given up on it. I still want to complete these eventually.

BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 04:41 AM UTC
I started working on this, May 14th of this year. Now, I can declare that build phase is done. It seems like it took 4 months but I didn't really work on this all that time. At most, it probably is around 1 month's work. Next is the application of the primer.







This was an out of the box build. No modifications at all.



The T-55AM is also done. I will post pictures as soon as they have been uploaded.

Thanks,

Joseph
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 05:47 AM UTC
The T-55 AM build phase is also complete. Not bad, I started working on this August 10th, so it took me a little over a month. This will be primed along with the T-54B









This was mostly an out of the box build with the exception of the U-bars in the rear of the turret. From my previous experience with the T-55A (which also had these), the kit parts lack sufficient support. One slight brush against it and off it goes. I bent a couple of brass wires to shape, drilled holes in the turret and affixed them with CA.


Here are some more detail shots.



A little note on the photo etched frame that goes around the engine exhausts, on my other builds, I took these off the frets and glued them in place. It was frustrating because they have the tendency to become unglued and spring off on to a curved shape. To remedy this, I anealed the parts first before I glued them. These parts now stay put!




Thanks,

-Joseph
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Thursday, October 04, 2018 - 02:39 AM UTC
Finally got around to applying primers on the both the T-55AM and the T-54B. I used the black Stynylrez and it was a breeze. Highly recommended. I used a .5mm AB and sprayed all the parts for both tanks without experiencing any clogging nor messing around primer/thinner ratios. It was about 2 hours of AB session! No problems encountered. Just add primer on the cup, spray and repeat. Cleaning the AB was also very easy.

Here are the pictures of the T-55AM.









I'll also post pictures of the T-54B.

Thanks.

-Joseph
canismalus
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Posted: Thursday, October 04, 2018 - 03:37 AM UTC
Hi Joseph,

Those are all superb builds - looking forward to seeing paint and weathering on the 54B and 55AM.

Cool little portable setup for modelling on the road, too.

Jerry
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