hey guys, here is a crusader i have been working on, it was built oob with just a bit of stowage added some of which isnt the greatest but it gets the job done and its good enough for the shelf, any how it was painted with mm acrylics as always and weathered with oils in the manner of a little chipping and plenty of washes to acheive a nice desert worn look i purposely left some green to the tarp to give a little contrast to an otherwise boring finish all comments welcome and thanks for looking.

Really nice, what else can i say!!!

Great looking Crusader Ron

Im working on a Matilda MKII and found i had to addopt a different approach when weathering and painting a desert vehicle (no loverly mud to start with )

Nice effects on the exhausts and the tarps look nicely dusted , is the centre headlamp a clear lens or is it painted in , its looks really good ?


Ian

Just wanna say: Nice tank and I REALLY like the TARP!

That looks very nice. Can you tell us in more detail how you achieved the dusty sandy look?

Ron, excellent looking build...great weathering, tarps, oil stains, tracks... etc etc...one thing that always bothers me about everybody's tools though...kinda like everyone's tires on their trucks, they always look weathered but never worn. Your handle looks as if it has seen alot of wear and tear but the shovel blade itself has no dents, chips or bends to it. Perhaps even some shiney tip. Go out to your shed and pull out your shovel (your in Tenn. so I know you have one in your shed) and look at the way it's worn and weathered. My shovels all have small dents and bites out of them where i used them for more than just digging the dirt as i'm sure the soldiers on your tank did.

just my 0.02 's worth bro...keep it up

Kevin Glackmeyer

Hi Ron,

This is one of the best looking Crusaders I've seen in a long time. I think you hit the nail right on the head with this one. Looks really excellent.

I'm not sure what the straw type thing on the front is thought although it's early in the morning and my brain might not have switched on yet.

I've been toying with the idea of building one of these for a long time but could never really make up my mind, seeing the job you done on this one is inspirational, another kit to add to the long list of stuff yet to build.

Cheers and thanks for sharing

Al

The tarp do give a nice contrast to the rest of the crusader. Boring finish, no way.
Excellent build Ron. I really like it.

Nice job, looks like a tank and not a 'model' tank!

And nice to see yet more British armour, keep it up.

What about a dio?

Cheers

The rectangular boxes on the fender rear are air_intakes with air filters inside. They should not be rusted up. Crusader had one fish tail ehaust coming out of the rear louvers in the center. Italeri never thought to add the kit part. Many people confuse the air intakes as exhausts.

Awesome build! Great painting and weathering job! Everything looks perfect for me! Congratulations!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

Hi !!!!!!!


Great paint !!!!!

I like this model. I did it a few times ago. Here a photograph.



Other images here
http://globetrotter08.free.fr/crusader.htm


Le Globetrotter

What a beautiful finish Ron! Tarps are tops in realism too! Just looks like the desert has ground itself into the AFV.Great job!
cheers!

Very nice Ron. Very impressed!

thanks guys for the great comments and feedback,

ian, the headlamp was painted in with bright aluminum then a couple of coats of future to shine it up a little and yes how we miss the mud sometimes heh.

borntodig, the dusty look was done totally with oil washes, lots of oil washes i started with thin darker all over washes gradually lightening them up then towards the finish light sand coloured pin washes probably ten or so by the time i was finished, i generally use this method for all my weathering just the colour that changes to match whatever im doin at the time.

kevin, good point about the tools its definatly something i have always over looked except there is a brighter worn edge on the shovel but the pic didnt pic it up thats about the extent i go to, its something i will be concidering from now on.

AlanL, the thing on the front is suposed to be some old frayed rolled up cammo type netting, i was trying to add a touch of diferent heh.

Bob, hi welcome to the site and thanks for the info i just assumed by looking at them that they were exhausts i should have done my homework heh so now i have a model of the crusader with the rustiest air intakes in the entire desert campaign

bruno, great build i love the disguise was this scratch built?

Beautiful work ron, the weathering and extra touches with the tarps and such is very well done. I too wouldn't have picked up on the air filters vs. exhausts and have filed that little bit of information away for future use.

hello RON!

I used the crusader Italeri as well as conversion verlinden to make of them a CRUSADER of the beginning of the AFRICAN conflict.

The camouflage truck is a total scratsch with shaped EVERGREEN and handkerchief paper.

Le Globetrotter

I really like the Italeri Crusader, It is an easy build into a really nice tank.

Here's one of mine:

Nice work Ron - it's always good to see the desert wear and tear on a British vehicle. Makes me want to go looking for one or more of those Crusader Mk I for myself.

Something else which catches a lot of people out on the Italeri Crusader series are the 'stepped' front track guards over the idlers - in real life the top of them was flush with the rest of the trackguards.

C|:-)

very nice looking finish on the crusader murdo, i agree it is and very easy build with great results, thanks again all for the comments.