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Binge Build: Patton Tanks!
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Wednesday, March 06, 2019 - 12:23 PM UTC
Tank 01 Update: M60A2 - I forgot to take pictures after I applied primer. The pictures below are after application of the base coat, Forest Green for the MERDC Snow w/Trees Camouflage scheme. I used the paints from the AK Interactive MERDC Camouflage Colors set.







The next color I will apply is the Insignia White.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Wednesday, March 06, 2019 - 12:31 PM UTC
Tank 03 Update: CM-11 w/ERA Brave Tiger. Made a lot of progress on this kit. Build phase is almost done.


The MGs look great!


The ERA blocks consisted of a lot of parts.


I went ahead and brush painted black primer on the undersides. The connection points looks pretty sparse, we'll see how secure these will be when attached to the turret.


The most challenging part to assemble is the stowage rack. Here's the instruction that shows how many fragile pieces are needed. I almost gave up in frustration!


But, in the end, I was able to complete it. TIP: do not anneal the PE parts for this stowage rack. The flame was too strong for the PE that they were deformed. It added to the difficulty in the assembly.




I will be gluing the ERA blocks in place and then I'll be applying primer. I will black base this kit.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, March 15, 2019 - 06:54 AM UTC
Tank 02 Update: Sgt York - Base color of NATO Sand FS 30277 has been applied.









Next step is to apply the second color.
m75
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Posted: Sunday, March 17, 2019 - 02:48 AM UTC
I was hoping to see if the horizontal hull seam across the bow of the York would have been erased prior to the paint. Since the seam is so noticeable, are you going to correct it, or let that sleeping dog lie?
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Sunday, March 17, 2019 - 05:21 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I was hoping to see if the horizontal hull seam across the bow of the York would have been erased prior to the paint. Since the seam is so noticeable, are you going to correct it, or let that sleeping dog lie?



Don’t worry. That’s going to be taken cared of. I’m not very linear in my approach.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Monday, March 18, 2019 - 10:37 AM UTC
Update on Tank 04: USMC M60A1 with RISE/Passive Armor - Build phase complete for this one. Here are the latest pictures.









I think this kit does not look bad at all. Considering this is an OOB build.






The material for the netting was a pain to work with. It unravels easily.


Next step is the application of primer.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 03:50 AM UTC
Here is Tank number 5, Takom's M47 E/M



This was an easy build and I ended up forgetting to take WIP pictures. It took me about a week to work on this. I give Takom an A+ for the track jigs included in the kit. I wish they had track jigs for the T-55s too. Anyway, build phase is done and here are the pictures.









TankCarl
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Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 11:23 AM UTC
Love the M47,but the right side tracks catch my eye every time. Are they not glued, so you can remove and paint?
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 11:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Love the M47,but the right side tracks catch my eye every time. Are they not glued, so you can remove and paint?


I forgot to mention that the parts are dry fitted for the photoshoot. And yes, you are correct. I dis-assemble them for primer and painting. Of the five tanks I am working on, this is the only one that had the tracks on because they are not the DS or vinyl type.
m75
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Posted: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 - 06:46 AM UTC
Oh, I agree about the searchlight mount to the turret. Very weak, and not a lot to be done about it beside AVOIDANCE! I'm afraid to dry-brush the darned thing.
TankCarl
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Posted: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 - 11:08 AM UTC


Quoted Text

Of the five tanks I am working on, this is the only one that had the tracks on because they are not the DS or vinyl type.


I bought AFV club after market tracks for my 60 series(M60) and various A2's.Lots of parts, but no Disintegrating Styrene tracks...
m75
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Posted: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 - 01:21 PM UTC
Love the AFV tracks. Used them on M728 conversion and an M88A1 a few years back, made quite an improvement on the lits.
tangodown
#494
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Posted: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 - 02:33 PM UTC
What's your photography/lighting set up? ( nice builds btw)
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, March 22, 2019 - 04:12 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I bought AFV club after market tracks for my 60 series(M60) and various A2's.Lots of parts, but no Disintegrating Styrene tracks...




Quoted Text

Love the AFV tracks. Used them on M728 conversion and an M88A1 a few years back, made quite an improvement on the lits.



Carl & Jim, I went ahead and ordered tracks. Thanks!


Quoted Text

What's your photography/lighting set up? ( nice builds btw)



Thanks, Cam. I originally bought a Shotbox. It worked well with my 1/72 subjects. Here's a sample shot of my 1/72 PTS-M and BS-3 project.


But, when it came to 1/35 scale subjects, there's not enough room. Good thing I stumbled on the AmazonBasics Portable Photo Studio .

The photo studio is great. I'm sold and I highly recommend it. When folded, it occupies minimal space but when unfolded, it's big enough that I can stack up 6 boxes of kits.


I still use the Shotbox for smaller subjects. If I use the AmazonBasics one for the 1/72 scale models, I'd have to use some pretty extensive digital zooming. Here's a close up of the BS-3 on the Shotbox. Very little noise.


For camera, I use my iPhone XS. I am happy with the results of my photo setup. Both photoboxes come with their own lighting. And both are quick and easy to setup.

HTH,

Joseph
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, April 12, 2019 - 10:23 AM UTC
Hello,
Started working on this tank again. Insignia White, the second color in the camouflage scheme will be applied. I used the online guide as a reference and outlined the pattern using Derwent white colored pencil. I learned this technique online. The pattern you draw can easily be erased by just using water. Also, when the actual paint is applied, the line will be blended. You won't see any marking as you would when you use a pencil.



I took out my high end airbrush, the Iwata Custom Micron-B for this occasion. I was hoping to be able to spray some fine lines. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I made a mistake of thinning the paint too much that, the coverage was very weak. Spider veins everywhere or orange peels everywhere. Not very happy with the results. Too much over spray too. Murphy's Law was pretty much in attendance. Here are the resulting pictures.



I contemplated whether to throw out the whole thing. I took a break and tried to see if I can salvage this. I went and thinned down the first color, Forrest Green and brush painted it on the over spray. That seemed to work, then I applied the rest of the colors, Sand and Black. Here's how it looked afterwards.







Still not completely happy but at least I won't be throwing this kit out. Maybe, weathering will help later.
I have also removed the mask from the search light. None of the red color I applied showed up. Oh well.


Looking at these oversized pictures, I see that I still have some more over spray to clean up.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 09:40 AM UTC
Tank 03 Update - Primer has been applied on the Brave Tiger.



Thanks,
Joseph
JSSVIII
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 11:44 AM UTC
What do you think of the Brave Tiger kit Joseph? I have it but haven't started it yet.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 12:04 PM UTC

Quoted Text

What do you think of the Brave Tiger kit Joseph? I have it but haven't started it yet.


Hi John,

I just found out that I skipped posting the build phase for the Brave Tiger kit. Overall, it was a usual high quality Takom kit (I built several already and I have not built one I didn't like).
Build phase complete prior to primer application.


The trickiest part was the stowage basket. My advice is to use the Tamiya Thin Quick Dry glue. You'll see in the pictures here. Look at how many thin parts the stowage rack consists of.


Here are the pictures of the completed stowage rack.




Here are other pictures of the build phase for Brave Kit. The ERA blocks.


Of which I have brush painted the underside with black primer. Just so I know everything's covered when they are installed, I was expecting these to be hard to reach.


The turret with most components attached.







Thanks,

Joseph


JSSVIII
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 12:16 PM UTC
You mentioned earlier about the ERA attachment points that, "The connection points looks pretty sparse, we'll see how secure these will be when attached to the turret. " How were they?
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 04:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

You mentioned earlier about the ERA attachment points that, "The connection points looks pretty sparse, we'll see how secure these will be when attached to the turret. " How were they?


The connection points are pretty sturdy.
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Monday, July 22, 2019 - 09:53 AM UTC
Tank 05 update - black primer has been applied on the M47.







BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Tuesday, July 23, 2019 - 03:52 AM UTC
Tank 03 update - base color has been applied to the CM-11













Thanks,
Joseph
JSSVIII
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Posted: Tuesday, July 23, 2019 - 11:24 AM UTC
Coming along great Joseph!
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Thursday, July 25, 2019 - 06:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Coming along great Joseph!



Thanks very much! About to apply the second camo color on the CM-11.

Tank 04 update - M60A1 has been primed.














Thanks,

Joseph
BravoTwoZero
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Posted: Friday, July 26, 2019 - 09:48 AM UTC
I worked on Tank 06 - this one is the Dragon M46.



I didn't take a lot of wip shots, only the following. I thought the fender covers are a little on the thick side.


I went ahead and scraped the edges to narrow them down a bit.


The exhaust pipe was also thick.


And was thinned down to this.


The other modification I did was to add handle bars on the hatch covers.


The following pictures show how far I got.












-Joseph
 _GOTOTOP