I bought a Trumpeter M1A2 very recently. This is my first armor model. I use the spray model paint instead of airbrushing my models. I need help on making this look good. I was wondering what colors of spray paint and bottles of finishing paint I need to make a weathered looking desert sand M1A2. I am fairly new to modeling. My other models being a USS Missouri Battle Ship, a few WWII era planes, and a F-22. Any tips on how to make this look great would be greatly appreciated!

Also, are the aftermarket AFV club tracks worth the buy?

First off welcome to the BEST site on the web !! As for the A2 depends on the paint scheme . The Tamiya line of NATO black , green ans brown will do the trick for that . For a desert tan I suggest Testors Model Master U. S. Army/USMC sand part # 2136. I'll post a link to a few sites I use for refference later also . Tank on Toad out .

Thanks alot, will be waiting for the links...

Yes, these are worth the money. Much better than the Trumpeter Abrams tracks. I wish you luck on your build, the Abrams tank is a relatively easy tank to model and the Trumpeter kit should give you little problem in the build. Testors Model Master makes a modern desert sand spray paint (#1963) that is a darn good match for the desert sand used by Fort Hood units. While air brushing gives you a better finish and is cheaper in the long run, you can do a good job with the MM desert sand spray can if you take your time and be careful. Remember, several light coats are better than one heavy coat.

ZT, welcome to the site. The Tamiya M1A2 is an excellent choice. It is very well detailed. As for paint, what colors are you doing, what type of Abrams variant are you doing, Army, or Marine A1 or Army A2? These will matter in how you paint it.

As for the tracks, the AFV Club tracks are great, but need a lot of clean up, the have injector pin marks on the inner pad. The new Tamiya rubber band tracks that came with your kit are probably the best vinyl tracks I have seen, they need little clean-up, plus they are cemented together instead of melted, and you can paint them. For a newer modeller, I would probably recommend just sticking with them.

For more info on the abrams check out the Abrams question and answer forum at the begining of this forum.

Rob

It's a Trumpeter, not a Tamiya. :-) As for the scheme. I am trying to duplicate a US Army Desert Schemed. I know Trumpeter comes with two types of tracks, vinyl and link and length, but I am still trying to decide whether the AFV tracks are worth it. I have heard of a aftermarket rheinmetal 120mm barrel but I heard that the Trumpeter barrel is well made a very accurate. Is the aftermarket barrel worth the price? If I paint it in desert sand, what colors should I use to weather the armor and tracks?

Once I have all my supplies, what is the first step in tackling this project?

Also, where is the best (cheapest) place to get AFV club M1 tracks?

Thanks for all the help so far,
- Zerotide

Hey ZT-

I used the AFV Club tracks on my M1A2 and was really happy with the result :


I found that the nice thing about the AFV tracks was that they were molded in black plastic. So I painted them the rusty brown color, and just sanded the track pads to get that look. It sure beat painting every pad black... at least as far as I am concerned.

I bought my tracks from Robert (Alpenflage) at his site.... fast shipping and good prices.

http://home.comcast.net/~alpenflage-hobbies/alpenflage.htm

HTH-
Jeff

Here is a site I refer to often :
http://www.combatindex.com/hardware/detail/land/m1a1.html

Hope this helps.

Toad

Sorry, ZT, if I was a smarter man I would have seen that. In that case the AFV Club tracks are well worth the $12 you can get them for. The tracks in the Trumpeter kit aren't that great, either set, and the AFV ones do look really nice when done. Look in the Campaign Forum for a post from the member "Melon." He has done really well on some AFV Club tracks and he decribes how he did it in that post. It will be a couple pages back.

As Major Gronovious pointed out, Model Master 1963 is a really good match for Desert Sand. Washes need to be real subtle over it or they look too dark. I use pastel chalks and Mig Pigments for weathering.

I paint my tracks rust colored, then use Model Master 2096 Schokoladenbraun for the pads. I then drybrush MM 2104 Panzer Interior Buff over that. The edges of the end connectors get a little gunmetal where they contact the drive sprocket and the center links also, where they rub on the roadwheels. Last I use Mig Pigments and pastel chalks to weather and "dust" up.

Sorry for mis-reading your earlier post.
Rob

Thanks for the pics toad.
I found this site: http://www.geocities.com/idfarmor1/WeatheringIsar.htm showing a technique to weathering armor, and I was wondering what everyone thinks of this, or if they have a better way of doing it.

Also,
I was wondering if anybody knows of a place to get small stencils so I can stencil in things with spray paint. I would like to stencil in a tank nickname on the gun and various other things not included in the decals. Does anybody know where to get tiny stencils?

Your local arts and crafts store such as Michaels, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore's, will carry small dry transfer lettering. You can either apply the letters directly to the model surface or apply them to clear decal film (available at your local hobby shop) and make your own decals. If you have access to a good laser printer, you can print them directly to the decal film. Create the decal on a program such as MS Word or PowerPoint. Since most US markings on desert sand vehicles are black, a color printer isn't required.

Thanks for the tips Sabot. I'll probably begin working sometime next week when I have all my supplies together.

What is the first step to starting this project, after I have all my supplies?

BTW, What makes good bustle rack filler, to make the tank look 'inhabited'?

ALICE packs, duffle bags, bedrolls, MRE boxes, oil cans, coolers, cots, helmets, whatever you think you would want on a long trip like that.

Rob

Ok, at Hobby Lobby they have 1/35 Modern Soldier equipment so I have that solved, and I found a great site with all the paint colors I need and the AFV club tracks are only $10! I am still looking for a good spray lusterless finish, which I believe you are supposed to spray on after everything is done. Does anybody know where to get a good price on a good lusterless spray product? BTW, the site is http://www.hometown-hobbies.com, they have very good prices.

Also, do you just lightly spray the grill on the back and the tips of the guns with flat black to make them look used?

I would use Dullcote if you want a spray can, it is from Testors and most hobby lobby's carry it.

As for the exhaust and gun; The guns usually don't seem to show a lot of residue, so a little black pastel chalk around the very tip should be more than enough. The exhaust is a little harder, since they usually don't appear that blackened by soot. The are usually very rusty, a dark brown rust. They sometimes have black paint on the grill and vanes to protect them from rust, you will have to find out what your particular models unit does.

Rob

Does Model Master 3oz. Flat Clear give the same effect as testors dullcote?

MM Flat Clear and Testors Dullcoat are one in the same animal, just in different containers. For the best dullcoat finish, it needs to be sprayed on from the can or with an airbrush. It doesn't matter what brand it is, they are all about the same. Just don't brush it on.

I found the MM clear flat in a spray can though. So that would be the same as dullcote?

Yes it's the same. I said dullcote because you can usually get testors at walmart or wherever, Model Master isn't as prevalent, but it is still readily available.

Rob

Ok, I bought the AFV club tracks. Looking at this Trumpeter M1A2 Model: http://tanxheaven.com/m1a2mod/m1a2mod.htm I would say you would use some sort of copper color in between the rubber pads, and dry brush lightly with brown where the road wheels rub the tracks. Is there any more info on weathering the tracks?

Do you lightly mist over everything with "modern desert sand" which is what the tank will be painted in, to make everything blend and look dirty and sandy?

For the track, paint them overall a gunmetal color, then paint the rubber tread blocks a blackish-grey. Next drybrush the metal areas of the track with a rust color. Lastly, drybrush the rubber parts with a sandy color.

For blending the colors together for a sandy effect, best bet is to paint the model your base color first. Next, apply a light wash of a light earth (brown) color over the recessed ares. Next drybrush with a color that is slightly lighter than your base sand color. Drybrush everything to include gear and added on items. This will give the tank an overall dusty appearance.

For more info on weathering, check out this article post on weathering.
Weathering

Welcome Zerotide. These are very helpful people in here. Enjoy & happy modeling.

I have construction on the hull done, the bustle rack game me a bit of problem and I never did get it perfectly aligned.

I am having a problem getting the suspension arms that hold the road wheels to line up. The alignment pins that are on the hull are a little off.

Will post pics soon.

I need some good reference pics of the 50 cal and the loader's 7.62mm.

Also, I am confused about the suspension arms on the hull. If anyone has made a trumpeter M1A2, do the suspension arms go above the little nobs on the hull or does the little nob go into the back of the suspension arm, or maybe the suspension arm goes below the little nob. Does anybody know?

Im trying to find out.

It goes into the hole on the back of the suspensionarm, thus keeping it there..

hope this helps