I've gone back and done a little fix up work on my M35a1 for the Welcome to the Nam campain. Thanks to everyone who responded in the last thread. I used several of those sugjestions to help improve the model. I mainly worked on the base to make it look less glossy mud to more of a dry and dusty road bed. I sprayed flat clear on the base and then sprinkled real dust over the wet clear. Brushed off the heaviest areas and sprayed a mist of mixed flat colors over it for some more depth. I also sprayed some more flat on the trucks tires to help reduce the glosslike glare from them. I also added some more small details, adding rifle straps to several of the figures and tailgate chains to the truck. To help keep from getting a glare from camera flash I took the pics outside to use the natural light. It was kind of funny taking pics of a warm Vietnam piece while standing in snow and 20 degree weather on my front deck.

Looks much better. Good job.

love the dirty look of the truck,
how did you get it?

It looks exelent! I like the weathering on the truck, though the right door looks too clean (is it the photo?)! Great work with the groundwork (wish I had done one similar to my Kfor dio!)! it looks very real and wet! The figgies could be better ones, but they were very well used from what Tamiya gives you! As an overall look I would say: Congatulations!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

That looks good. The figures in the back and the civilian with the bicycle bring it to life.

Cheers
Cliff

Gday Dave
fantastic job Dave i love it,

Very nice build. The weathering is terrific without being over done, and the composition of the diorama catches the viewer's interest.

The only suggestions I'd make are VERY minor. During this period probably most of the helmets would have had a camo style cover, usually the "green" side of a two sided with brown on the other. This had several different shades of green in blotches and I think it may be on the box art somewhere for the figures. The only other thing I remember is that usually the color of the web gear tended to be a little more brown than the color of the fatigues. But you've got that color nailed!

Very nice job!

Tom

The truck was painted with authentic US Army OD Green #24087 semi-gloss and then weathered with a wash of burnt sienna. Then brushed with weathering powders of brick red and dust tan. There's more about the build in the original thread from last week https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/71043&page=1

The helmets are painted to represent the Mitchell leaf patten cover from that period. There is a base color green, and two colors of green leaves, and one tan leaf color and a brown color for branchs. It is hard to see in the pics becuase of the weathering powder applied to them to help represent the dusty conditions. It kind of caused the greens to blend together. I have an real Mitchell leaf pattern helmet here in my collection of military items and used it to help paint the pattern. This pic shows the pattern a little better on the helmets.


Thanks everyone.

OK, I can see it better in this photo Really does look great!

Tom

Dave it is a really nice build and I hope you will forgive me in mentioning something that may be a trick of either the light or your camera. I have looked at the pictures very many times and still feel that the 'brick Red' weathering dust, rather than looking like the reddish orange soil of the vietnam region looks bright blood red where it shows in the grip of the tyres or tires whichever is your chosen spelling. If they are a little red maybe some sienna and umber oil washes might tone them down to a more realistic colour. I have waited to see if somebody else may mention this as I hate to be the one to deliver a critical posting on what is a really great build that has obviously taken a great deal of care and work in its presentation.

Regards,

John