I have done most of the pin wash, but not the top of the tank. There is a weld bead on the top edge of the tank but not really noticeable since there is no pinwash. You can appreciate the difference between this and the roof of the cab and engine compartment behind the cab.

I narrowed the scratched ladder; it seemed too wide before.

Something I just noticed while pinwashing the wheels. Front pair and rear pair on each side are different. Hubs are different and rims are too. Rims on one pair are more curved on the inside face while on the other they come to a right angle. I think they are merely flipped since the spare has this feature on both sides, i.e. one side the rim is rounded and the other side it is at a right angle (you can see this on the lower wheels that are black in color - the one on the right has a rounded inner face and the one on the left is at a right angle). I understand there are different wheel rims and tire patterns in the real world. Can anybody comment on these Pro-Art wheels?

Note the bottom wheels depict replacement wheels. Thus, the hub and bolts are sand, but the rim is black. There are a number of other replacement parts depicted throughout the model, like rear mudflaps, tailight, tow shackles.









No highlighting has been done yet. The spare will blend in more in relation to the stowage that is to come. It will have the sand in the crevices too. I might try to remove a little from the treads though in the spare. The other wheels will look pretty much like this when they are mounted.

Here are two pics of a real HEMTT at the NTC while parked at a FOB. Plenty of MRE trash in that bag. I have read that in OIF1 the crews were to try to do the same, but after a few days kind of gave up on trying to bag everything. On the move stuff just tended to end up on the floor. When at a rest then maybe they cleaned up a little.





Let me know what you thin. I intend on removing the fantasy steering rods and cutting them and using them as the pitman arms where there supposed to be near the steering gear box that Gino pointed out the other day.

Cheers.

Bob

Very, very nice! I'm particularly impressed with the weathering of the spare tire on the back of the cab. How did you weather it?

I used Mig Pigments to do the tire. And I will do that with the stowage too. THere was plenty of sand build-up on vehicles due to the large sand storm mid-way through the invasion, and just normal running. The pigments are rubbed on wet and then rubbed off after it dries, leaving this look behind. I also used some German Grey to highlight.

Very nice! I have one to be built and can only hope it comes out half as nice as yours! How did you make the tie down strap on the spare tire?

Darryl

The tie down strap is an Eduard piece from the detail set for the M978. The Eduard set is quite helpful. One could make the strap easil enough. Note that it is two straps together. I did not shadow and highlight the strap yet, but you can just see where the two connect over the tire. And then there is a hook that goes over or under the tie-down on the lower part of the frame. The retainer block and locking handle are also Eduard parts.

Wow! I love how this is turing out. Awesome man Truely awesome. Love the weathering too. You are an inspiration to all. Thanks for sharing. I will definately be checking up on you.

great job, I started this kit several years ago and it just sits while I think about painting it. You are inspiring me to move on.

Thanks folks. Some spots of the pinwashes did not turn out the best,but I can still tone them down a little.

Anybody ever mount these Pro-Art wheels to the model? Any fit issues?

Bob

Is this for a Curly dio? Anyway, I like it. As already mentioned - it bears rementioning - your weathering thus far is great

One of these days I'm gonna build up enough courage to build on of these.

Can't wait to see this done.

Jeff

Coming along very nicely. You brown pin wash goes great with the base color, and the tires are very well done.

Yes, this will be in a Curly vignette. In reading the Thunder Run book I have been very much inspired to do something with Curly. When this project came up it was a perfect setting since it was a very close thing for all involved, especially the support guys. I have seen a few photos of burned out HEMTTs, including one or two fuelers at Curly.

I plan on showing the truck pulled to the side and the two soldiers dismounted, returning fire. That way I can show the driver door open too.

Anybody have any thoughts on what I can use to make Skittles? Off hand, I can not think of anything the correct size. I'd like to show some spilled on the floor and on the seat too.

I just applied the color coat to my truck, with the overall black as a pre-shading base. On the base kit, I added the Pro-Art additions for the open fuel pumps/reels in the rear, as well as the chassis and cab detail sets. The instructions left a few questions, but the Armorama crew helped a lot with detail photos to further explain "what goes where".

I have the resin wheels, which, as mentioned earlier, are different for front/rear/left/right. I have not tried to mount them yet, but on just a dry run, they appeared to be satisfactory. The color coat also showed part of the fuel tank seam on the left side, which I'll now have to re-visit and remove. Even I don't "weather" a truck heavy enough to hide that sucker!

Is the PE set real costly? I am satisfied with the overall appearance of the truck, and although the PE would add another level of detail, the Pro-Art sets have essentially quadrupled the cost of the base kit. I don't think I can handle another purchase for his one model.

On the 1:1 scale reference photos in the first part of the thread, I noticed that the different unit marking on the rear are fresher than the warning placards, and that each set of markings appears to have weathered differently. I want to capture that look, and will find it a little challenging,,, you know, like the REST of this model!

Jim Peterson

Jim, I feel your pain! I did not pay for this kit or the AM parts as it is being made for someone. Even if I were makiing this I probably would have gone for the PE too since the PE fixes so many more things the resin stuff does not. Like the Oshkosh logo on the front and all the mudflaps. I did not like the Pro-Art mudflaps that much. Some of the best parts were the tank supports. The kit supports are too basic. When compared to the real thing the Eduard parts are dead on. Eduard also does a nice job w/ the door mirrors and spare tire frame and tie-downs.

Some of the toughest decisions we have to make are in the AM purchases. Back when this deluge started I could not imagine paying $100 for everything when most kits were in the 20s and the most expensive were $35. Now, for me it is quite regular I am at $100. But my output is also slow too. This kit is now one year in the making. But I am motivated now as it is coming alive.

Skittles....hmm...sand painted. I mean a skittle is what less than a centimeter diameter? So 10 millimeters in 1/35 scale is 0.29mm. That is really small. I think sand is about the closest thing. Now if your talking about the bag, I'd buy a bag, eat the skittles, scan the bag, and print it out in 1/35 scale.

Jeff

Actually, there are two Skittle bags in there already. One in the window on the driver's side and one on the driver's side floor.



I might try that sand thing and see how it comes out. It might not be worth it though. We shall see. THanks for the advice.

Bob