Hi Guy's. This is the Academy M18 I've been working on. I had very rare access to a digital camera, and thought I'd put up some pic's. Please be aware that ONLY the CHASSIS, SUSPENSION & TRACKS have been painted & weathered BUT the HULL & TURRET has only it's base coat and a very light "1st coat panel fade ." I still need to add tool's - airbrush a 2nd "panel fade " - apply airbrushed washes - some pin/local washes by brush - drybrushing - pastel's - and a few thin coat's of TESTORS DULLCOTE. So I still have a way's to go. I also will be adding a TD crew composed of Warrior & Verlinden figures and lot's of stowage and then put it into a diorama. ( The Battle for Aachen )
ANY QUESTIONS - COMMENT'S and CRITICISM ARE WELCOME !

Airbrushing a panel fade at 2:00 AM - " Lot's of coffee that night .... caffeine over-dose ! "
( LOL )












http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SwDiAjsVCATIrxpEIv3y0Q3DUAetna3a8TmMeme8v3yHIMkFVksBYtNr0ADnR98zJdA6m*VA7Ksh7xU!ORoMwFDlW7a*F7y0YgJFUsSPMEfWUGLzprpdfw/dsc00613(0).jpg?dc=4675406689531972817" BORDER="0">





http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0aQDhAqEedy!20HsQPzrEWiPQPEDReguN3VDmfo5Fvyu2LHwajLQM!JKy5AKm3imJ7E2kaTBdhRD8cNXivsPCSgvHi0xyQRKw2gy0p!Q6fHQ6dBpk3R3dm7SyuIxvlZdmf5y6MSxxCk8NqI49uOzn5f!fTyFBQ2wd/M18---Top-View-Turret-Interior-#4.jpg?dc=4675406693717232331" BORDER="0">






MORE PHOTO'S IN MY MSN ALBUM:
http://groups.msn.com/armorama/insidetheeaglesnest.msnw

And you can see some of the figure's that will join the M18 in my Battle for Aachen diorama at the FIGURE TOPIC'S here ar ArmoramA:
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/8240&page=1





- ralph

looks great to me.. just a quick question for you .. any fit or other problems with the kit? I have this one and will prob want to do it soon.. .. maybe even within the year...

I love this kit. This kit sold me on Academy kits. It won me a Best out of Box award last year in my first competition. The fit was great and the extras are numerous. This is one Kit I would love to build again.

the only prob i have with it is the seem inside the idler wheels. other than that a good kit, you might want to add some 76mm ammo too it als well.. stug

THANKS Delbert .................I had a problem
with the hull being slightly warped and trouble fitting it to the chassis .... but I did manage it ok. Also, the rear end is shaped/molded like an M10 which is wrong. So I re-worked it using
good photo's of the real M18.


- ralph

Very nice work Ralph. I especailly like the weathering effects, and the mud on the chasis....

By the way, who is that dude airspraying? #:-)

Great Model!

Ralph,very nive looking M18 What did you use for the mantlet cover? Is that the kit part or did you scratcbbuild it?

Ralph:

Great looking M18. I've built this one and its a great kit!

I also thought the convas cover was neat, how do you make em?

Paint job looks very good. I liked the dirt on the lower hull behind the road wheels, and also would like to complement you on your picture selection i.e. lots of different views for us to enjoy.

Please post pics when she's done. Thanks.

Steve
aka WeWillHold

Thank's for the kind word's guy's. But as you can see, there is still alot that need's to be done. About the canvas mantlet cover; it's from the Verlinden M18 Exterior Accessory Set #1516. A good set made exclusively for the Academy kit. The VP set includes with both PE & resin parts and they also make an interior set ( VP #1512 ) which I DID NOT use, because I thought the Academy stock interior was good enough.

ralph