Just been building this Crusader.

I first did it in white primer then preshaded with black:



However, this tank has too many angles and corners and too much white was left showing so I re-sprayed it totally black then built up the coats from there.

The Tank is in North Africa and as such is worn and slightly dirty and dusty. The dust doesn't show up too well in the pics.

Using yet another tip from this site, I bored out the searchlight and filled it with tinfoil and to my amazement it actually worked. It is far better than the boring "plastic" look just painting it leaves.

I've added the decals, weathering and Klear. Hopefully all I have to do now is put on a matt coat.

Criticism Welcome!







Sorry about the blurriness of some of the pics, I'm now the proud owner of a Canon D60 digital SLR which is a lovely camera but I'm still getting used to it and the "close up" shots are giving me grief.

The really blurred one is to show the tracks which I haven't rusted as I'm not sure tracks would rust in the North African desert... Or would they?

I must admit, the pre-shading and the tin foil trick have net you great results. I think it looks grewat. I don't know much about British armor, but I know what I like, and I like it!!

What kit is this??

I think it looks great my friend. I love the subtle weathering you done. Very realistic!

I wouldn't think the tracks would rust that much in the dry air of the desert. Perhaps some surface rust?

I work around alot of tracked construction equipment and am always looking at it with a modelers eye to see how they weather. I find that unless the thing has been sitiing for a few days there is very little rust and even then its only bright surface rust. Any movement seems to remove it.

I think its something that can be overdone easily.

Thanks for sharing!

I like the level of dust you applied on the tank. Perhaps its just me but the pre-shading was overpowered the amount of dust you placed on so the bolts on the turret and main hull no longer had the highlight to it.

I would probably weather the tracks a bit more since North Africa is predominantly sand and dust.

Great build nonetheless!

Hi Jeff, this was the 1/35th Italeri Crusader III. A lovely kit to build.

Thanks Jeremy,

I'm trying to learn to apply subtle paint, weathering etc. My first couple of models looked like I'd applied the paint with a trowel it was that thick. :-)