My son has an Accadamy Achillies 17lb Tank bnuster, and we wish to build this as close to detail as possible.

Neither of us has built this, or many of these types of models before, and deciding on paint shading is being a real pain.

After much searching we have found many sites offering help with colour choice, and some tips on how to apply. We would like the idea of spraying the large model parts, but pocket money does not yet lend itself to an airbrush, so can anyone offer places to get spray can paints, of the correct shading, or as close as poss., in the UK, Ipswich area?

Also we have few pictures of the beast, and so deciding on what part should be what colour is very hard. Not knowing what each part is in real life makes choosing the correct colour very hard. From what I have found the model is an overall colour of Olive Drab or Dark green, the interia is of a Matt white, but is this true for most of the other fittings? Ok water bottles are Karki, I believe, but for instance the ammo is stored in tubes, according to this model which is suggested as wrong for the UK M10, these are of an Olive Drab, but the racks they are held in, should they be white or what??

Any pictures of this version would be most gratefully appreciated, as we have both spent many hours searching for pictures, but most are of the US M10.
Many thanks in advance.

Barnstormers

I think you got it right. Exterior is Olive Drab. Interior is white. The equipment should be the original color regardless whether it's in the tank or not.

From what I understand the Brits don't load the Achilles with the tubes. They stored un-tubed rounds

Tamiya paints are stocked by most model shops, and they have a range of spray cans including Olive Drab, although I don't think they make Khaki Drab in this range. Tamiya XF51 is the correct colour for an Achilles, in the brush-on range.
I have made the Achilles, and will try and dig up some reference shots of an interior for you.
BTW - Alan is correct - the ammunition for the Achilles wasn't stored in tubes.

Here are a couple of links to reviews that show interior shots of the completed model:

http://ampsnz.hobbyvista.com/reviews/Kits/kits1.35/WWII/USA/SPG/M10/acadm10.htm

http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/m10achillesreviewcs_1.htm

Many thanks would love to see your completed version.

Info from yours, and the other posts here very helpful.

Thanks to all

Barnstormers

[quoteMany thanks would love to see your completed version.[/quote]

Your wish is my command, as they say:

Thre are other close up pics in my gallery.
I made this a couple of years ago, and think that if I made it again it would be significantly improved. Figures are by Ultracast and the ammunition and cases by Accurate Armour.
I have the AFV Club version of this vehicle on order for the 'Tank Teror ' campaign as well.

PS: despite the pic the base is actually flat, it's the camera lens at close range distorting the view.!

Hi- just to add that the interior is white, but those areas (such as the turret interior and fighting compartment) visible from above should also be khaki
A useful link is here
http://membres.lycos.fr/barkmann/document/allied_forces/achille-fs.html

And here's some info from dgs about the hull ammo stowage.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=47208&messageid=1012295580
"The Brits didn’t store the ammo in cardboard tubes, but loose in wooden racks tightened by fabric slings. The 17 pdr ammo is longer and never fit into these tubes."
"The 17 pounder rounds for the Achilles were stowed without tubes, and information provided to me claims that the hull stowage was 22 rounds per side (44 total with 6 up in the turret). Photos I have of the interior are unclear as to how these Achilles rounds were stacked - my guess is three layers of 3 rounds with two strapped to the top, four times over (?)."
http://www.howitzer.dk/vehicles/vehiclephoto/denmark/m10/m10OD19.jpg
http://www.howitzer.dk/vehicles/vehiclephoto/denmark/m10/m10OD31.jpg
"The racks were wooden and divided into three horizontal yokes with cutouts for shells in them. Each rack with three rows of shells was hold in place by means of fabric strap running on top of the upper yoke, tightened around a buckle. To remove the shells from the bottom rows of shell rack the loader should loose the fabric belt from the buckle and raise the upper yokes to get the shell. Just as Ian said - these racks operate much like the wine racks storing the bottles inside."

Hope this helps
Mark

Model zone sell tamiya spray cans, but i am not shure if there is one near you.

cheers

Philip

p.s Dave cox: Are those by any chance Games Wokshop buildings you used in your M10 dio?

Yep, I've used quite a few of their parts - they do some quite nice hedgerow sections, but most of the buildings aren't suitable - this one just looked 'Gothic' enough to make as a ruined monastic buidling.
Their 'catachan green' is pretty close to British late-WW2 bronze green too.