Hello an hope everyone is having a good day. Just wanted to show some more shots of my Tadpole on base with what little weathering I could muster up the courage to do. Im not really likeing the mud on tank think its too much but would like your opinons so my 3rd afv comes out just a notch better. Taking me forever to get this one done and before I call it done was wondering if any of you had some advice on what else I should do before calling this completed. Thanks for taking a peek.



Sorry for poor photos don't have much light or a tripod and was in a hurry. uhh real life sucks wish i could just sit around building.

One last thing for my next build I have 5 kits and Im really not sure which one I should go with. Im a beginner and if anyone has any suggestions on which I should build next Id be most gratefull.. Heres the 5 I have:
Tamiya M48A3 Patton -Item 35120
Tamiya British Ambulancee Rover 7 -Item 35082
Academy's M1A1 Abrams "Iraq 2003" -13202 18000
Dragons Firefly Vc -Item 6182
Dragon Sd.Kfz.181 Panzerkampfwagen VI(p) -Item 6210

Thanks guys n' gals

A.J.

I would put on a wash and dry brush the big beastie. It will really make the rivet detail "pop." Looks really nice but a little more weathering would help I think.

As for you next kit I would stay away from the Firefly. Those tracks scare me and I have been at this a while...

Shaun

Thanks Shaun for the reply. I'll keep that firefly tip in mind. I tried doing my first wash on it but guess I need another or it doesn't show with pictures. Does it usually take a few washes? An drybrush a lighter shade of base coat?

A.J.

Washes are tricky and will take some practice. I usually do one over all wash of raw umber and then do a "pin wash" over the details with black. It is just something you have to get a feel for.
After your washes have dried, dry brushing brings out the raised areas, the high spots, like all of those rivets. Take a wide flat brush and a pallet with your base color and some white paint. Mix a small amount of the white into your base color so it is just a bit lighter. Then, take a rag or something (I use my apron) and remove 90% of the paint off of your brush. Lightly swipe the brush with almost no paint on it (hence the term dry brushing) over the raised detail on your rmodel. You should be able to se the raised details start to stand out.
You can keep lightening the tone of the paint until the final one is almost white. Dry brushing is really easy to over do also. Another one of those things you have to get a feel for.

Glad to help,

Shaun.

Howdy HALO,

Being a big fan of the 'Great War' and its subject matter, I'm really enjoying your Tadpole. Nice work so far

Our good keenan as usual is 'spot on' with his input. With those big, wide flat vertical surfaces the ol' Mark IV {?} would benefit from a wash.
You could also add a couple of verigated 'filters' first, but the washes are a good idea. And as to the pin washes, concentrate on {around} the rivets but try to create a downward pointing area of wash around each rivet head. Reason being is, that opposed to the rather more mobile activity of WWII vintage Shermans and such, the WWI era tanks spent a surprising amount of time as slow moving pillboxes....heck, even when they were underway, that was no more than walking speed.

Tread.

I know this is kinda off topic, but where did you get this kit, and how much did it cost? I've always been interested in WWI armor....but I've been too afraid because of prices.....Thanks for your time.

Squadron has the Emhar WWI line at pretty typical prices.

Yes, the Emhar kits are pretty reasonable in terms of pricing, however, if you are a detail nut (aka rivet counter, like me) then these kits will drive you to distraction.

If you are a "I just like to build it out of the box" type builder then the Emhar kits will give a result that looks pretty much like a Mk IV or Tadpole, especially to the casual observer, and you will be pleased with the result.

If, however, you really like to get the details spot on, then you'd be better off getting a good set of plans and scratchbuilding one as all the shapes and dimensions in this kit are off, occasionally by a fair amount. I have had a couple friends who have complained bitterly about the differences and occasionally about the poor fit of the components.

That said, a couple of the resin kits on the market (especially the older ones) aren't much better with respect to accuracy and are both much more expensive and much harder to correct.

Buyer beware and pick a level of detail that will make you happy with the result.

HTH

Paul

That sounds like me! Al, thanks for the link! Thanks for your time and consideration!

In that case, buy, build and enjoy.

Unlike me who buys, researches, buys more books, rebuilds or scratchbuilds everything and still doesn't get anything finished. :-)

Paul

......interesting statement, and one that most definitely generates a big "Hmmmmm?" Meaning, I couldn't agree with you more. I unfortunately suffer from the same disease, performing so much research, and investing so much time in trying to get it 'right', that my supposedly "big" project gets derailed {ie, unfinished} because of my own mired conflict of when is too much accuracy simply too much?

........don't listen to anything I just said.

Back to the Emhar kits....our good modeler from the Great White North is correct when he says there are inaccuracies with the Mark IV kits. The profile of the romboid is a little off, especially at the top rear. And if you are looking for any kind of accuracy in regards to the provided rubber band tracks, well................don't.
But, as you just said, OOTB is just dandy.

Tread.

PostScript: If you want a really nice build, try Emhar's Whippet kit....very nice kit, it's still got some small inaccuracies {such as a missing view port, etc} but it builds up nice when done.
Oh, almost forgot. Unfortunately the Whippet sports the very same mediocre tracks as the Mark kits......