This is the third vehicle i've built, but the only one i've really taken seriously. My last models were built a few years ago, and I just completed this tonight.

I have a few questions as well as asking for constructive criticism.

First of all, I have some Tamiya figures that seem much too large for the Dragon tank. Do the two companies not make things to proper scale or something? Both boxes say 1:35.

Also, what is the best way to tackle painting this thing? I have some plastic primer that I was using for my Tamiya figures and it seems to work well, and I have some Tamiya paint too. However, I have all brushes and no air brush. If you could just give me some good tips or tricks or whatever that would be great.

Okay, so here she is, just finished and unpainted. First of all I know there are a lot of glue lines and a few inconsistencies with how things mated up. I probably used too much glue on the parts and that's why it leaked out everywhere along the seams and such.

The track system looks a bit off as well since I just had to glue things in place free hand without anything really restricting the parts from drying on a little bit off each time, leading to the tracks eventually going on weird.

Also, I left one or two small details out because they were simply too small for me to deal with, I either couldn't get them on, lost them, or both.

Any constructive criticism is welcome!

Randall,

You took one hell of a kit to tackle as your first after a break, and whilst there are a number of things that you will improve with your next, this one will not look to bad once painted and weathered. You will be surprised what a generous application of mud can cover up..

Brush painting Tamiya is a pain, as you have to thin it (never use Tamiya paint straight from the jar) fairly thin, and paint multiple thin coats, with a good quality brush. That way you avoid the thick layer of paint with brush strokes that most people assocciate with Tamiya brush painting. I have several kits where people do a dubble take when I tell them they have been brushed with Tamiya.

Use this one to experiment, and to learn.

Tamiya figures are not only very tall (more like 1/32 scale) compared to Dragon, they are also very 'chunky'... Tamiya figures are best avoided, there are a number of other makes available, and the plastic manufacturers have been catching up with the Resin market, so a set of figures need not break the bank.

Cheers
Henk

Thanks a lot, Henk!

I did paint one figure with Tamiya paint that wasn't thinned at all, and I can see what you are saying about it being so thick. Maybe that's why I was having some trouble getting the details in there. I'll try to buy some thinner or buy a new set of paints.

So as far as painting goes, should I just use my plastic primer and then paint it with thinned Tamiya paint / whatever paint I buy? I don't want to just start painting anything if there is some certain technique or method I should use that I don't know about. Maybe it's more straightforward than I imagine.

I think i'll try some weathering I read in an article here on Armorama (the mud one) and see how that turns out.

Once again thanks very much for your input, Henk.

Regards,

Randy

I also have one more question.

What is the advantage of building something before you paint it? It seems like it would work better the other way around, so you don't overpaint and stuff. Thanks.

Hmm. You're gonna have to do something about the tracks. They don't even engage the drive sprocket teeth on the right side, so that tank isn't going anywhere. If you don't want to spring for a new set (Friul, for instance), maybe you could partially disassemble them for a maintenance diorama or something. For future reference, the Dragon Magic Tracks, introduced a couple of years ago, are designed to friction fit together, so you can assemble a run "dry", install it, then apply the cement.
As for the figures, a 5'10" man should stand exactly two inches tall in 1/35th scale. In the World War Two era, a six-foot man would be considered tall (and usually nicknamed "Stretch"), as they were born before the "vitamin-fortified everything" period. Most Tamiya figures come in at around 5'6", though more recent sets may be taller.

Yeah, the tracks are really bad. I don't think it's a problem with the way they were built, it was a problem with the way I assembled the gears and wheels. They aren't perfectly straight, so it is pretty off. I'm going to keep them that way probably because this is my first model i've taken seriously, and just improve on it next time.

However, actually, I could do a maintenance thing. That's a good idea because the right side did come out really bad. I want to put it in a diorama with some other things i'm building (sandbags and MG troops), so maybe I could do a maintenance scene in there too.

Right now I am in the process of painting it, and thankfully it's covering up my gluing mistakes.

I'd like some tips on weathering. Basically what I want to do is maybe some mud on the rear track / fenders, dirt and dust on the tracks, and I want to do some bullet hole / dent thing in the muffler. I also want to do some bullet marks or something on the turret maybe.

I'll post pics when i'm finished painting it.

Well, here she is partially painted. I didn't notice all of that paint missing until I took the picture, I look at the model and it's perfectly covered, then I look at the pictures and look at all of the paint missing!

The paint is darker in person. It's Tamiya German Grey. I'm gonna go buy more because I ran out and touch it up, hopfeully I can get rid of all of those little spots. They're mostly on the front where there are a lot of crevices and such.

randall nice work on your first kit back

hey mate

you sure jumped in at the deep end !

one thing though - one of your tracks is on backwards


I have made this same mistake myself - It's a bit hard to correct i'm afraid once those tracks have set

That is a hell of a kit to tackle after a long break and considering the complexities of it, you may a far effort. I have that kit and still have not gone beyond looking at the parts and putting them back in the box. I look forward to your next effort, and with the areas to look out for pointed out in here you can only improve with your next offering.