Winter in Luxembourg
Started two-and-a-half years ago, then parked on the 'Shelf of Forgetfulness' until about four weeks ago. Kit is the old but still OK'ish' Italeri kit - but the later re-box with the WWII tracks. It went together fairly well, but the suspension arms are surprisingly delicate and don't stand-up well to rough handling and the tracks are waaaayyy too thick and generally un-co-operative, if I ever build another I will definitely be investing in a set of AM tracks.
Two 'firsts' on this - First time using MIG's US WWII OD set - but only the base tone and the first lighter one, and first time attempt at the Rinaldi hairspray chipping method. BECAUSE it's my first time using this technique, I'm sincerely asking for feedback, because it's the only way I will get better, right ?. So that's pretty much it, as ever thanks for taking the time and effort to comment or criticize, have the rest of a great weekend, folks.
Best from NZ
Ian.
Looks like a lot of nice work to me, Ian.
Great job! What type tank is it?
It's an M24 Chaffee - a light Scout / Recce tank. They arrived in Europe just in-time for the 'Battle of the Bulge', initially attached to TD units.
My wifes' family come from Luxembourg, there's photo's in the local museum of many 3rd Armd Div vehicles that were lagered in the area around Esch sur Alzette, so for me, there's a tenuous personal link.
Nice looking Chaffee Ian ! Take this as a serious compliment from a person who actually served in real life tanks... Yours looks spot on ! As far as the paint chipping goes, it looks authentic. On ours, the paint would chip in high traffic areas, or in places that you recently worked on. It wasn't uncommon to see a tank painted in overall "Desert Sand", but then it would have a "Forrest Green" colored replacement road wheel. One thing I never saw on any tank was rust... other than the tracks if they sat still for several weeks at a time in the motor pool. My thoughts are the steel composition used in the armor was of such high quality that it didn't have a propensity to rust when exposed. That and the fact that we painted our vehicles a part of the quarterly service. Plus metal doesn't rust too easily in arid environments.
What did you use for the aircraft recognition panel ? I need to make a few for some Sherman's I'm building... On a side note, we still used them on our tanks too in the 1980's and 1990's. Some things never change.
"liked"
Cheers Louis - good to hear from you again, matey.
Used folded wine bottle 'collars' for the ARP and all the tarps - got loads from a close friend who enjoys her vino far more than I do !.
Ian.
Thanks for the tip... I'll substitute foil tops from those little dog food containers...or yogurt container tops... That would work too.
I don't know anyone who enjoys vino. Brilliant idea ! Thanks again !
@ij001, That is a seriously nice tank build Ian. Very attractive and imaginative as well; great use of "stowage gear". I've built this model myself, one of only two tanks so far, although I'm close to finishing another one now. That is a fantastic, inspiring model Ian! ?
Thanks Gary... still have this one in the cabinet !