Bowman AS-90 Complete

Well the bowman vehicle is now almost done bar adding antennas and some exhaust soot. Again I tried hard to keep the weathering subtle and in keeping with service vehicles. I'm pretty happy with the result, looks like it's just had a jolly around Salisbury plain. 

So I now have two figures to paint and two bases to construct hopefully by next Thursday as I would really like to take these two models to Belgium for the annual IPMS Belgium show next weekend. No pressure then!

BATUS AS-90 Complete

Finally the BATUS vehicle is now finished after adding a few more pigments to the lower hull and turret. I finished it off with some slight exhaust staining and a carbon fibre antenna. Of course I still have the base & figure to finish, hopefully before I go to Belgium! Oh and the Bowman vehicle still needs pigments & figure & base, talk about a tight deadline!

I'm very pleased with the final finish, it's dusty but not overly so. Likewise it's worn but not knackered!

AS-90 Final Pigments

I've now started adding the final stages of weathering to the models using pigments. I am using wilder GP08 dry european mud & GP27 beach sand for this on the BATUS vehicle. Starting with the hull sides and tracks a slurry of pigments was added then once dry the excess was brushed off. The wheels and the rest of the lower hull have had very light applications of pigments to suggest some dust residue. 

With the side skirts and rear mud guards fitted more pigments have been lightly added for more dust effects and the engine deck has been worked over too. The turret is next with all the hatches and fittings to add as well.

New Review

I've just posted a new review on some stowage & accessories in 1/35th from Red Zebra models, check it out in the reviews section and see for yourself!

100 Years Of The Tank

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the first use of the tank during the battle of the Somme. They changed forever the conventional ideas of warfare and gave us modellers something interesting to model! 

Remembering 9/11

Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks across America. So much has happened since then in the free world's fight against terror and so many have died in the pursuit of freedom and safety for their respective countries and communities in the pursuit against evil. So today spare a few minutes to remember all those brave souls who lost their lives on that tragic day and all the other victims of terrorism since then.

AS-90's Figure Work & Turret Stowage

I've now finished off the left hand figure after filing the magic sculpt then adding the chest pocket tops using the same. Onto the models and the barrels have now been fixed in place with epoxy glue for a solid bond. The fuel and water cans have had pigments added and then some of my rapidly dwindling supply of Arkebuza model art barracuda netting was added after painting in suitable colours. 
I've purposely left it shiny as the real thing has a slight sheen to it. I just pushed the netting into place without the aid of glue. finally Further pigments were added to this and the tarps.

Tamiya Jagdpanther Wheels

I've now made up all the wheels for the kit and have also added some knicks to the rubber rims along the way. With the way the kit is made up I think I will be keeping the upper and lower halves separate until the last minute. This will allow me to fully paint and weather each half easier as the fit is so good.

AS-90 LIghts & Figures

I've now finished off the lights on the model after adding three bars from thin plastic card on each side light / indicator pod. A tricky operation which in hindsight I should have done during construction. However it's done now after much swearing and general mumbling! The figures have also arrived from accurate armour and just the job they are too. 
The right hand figure has had the supplied head replaced with a hornet one and I've removed the molded on chest harness and filled in with magic sculpt. Once dry these areas will be refined and chest pockets added. 

Next up will be a light dusting with thinned tamiya buff on the lower hulls in readiness for pigments.

Next Project

Here's the next project on the bench, tamiya's rather splendid 1/48th Jagdpanther. Yes 1/48th again I'm seriously thinking of building WW2 stuff in this scale as it's a nice diversion from my usual modern 1/35th stuff. I've been mucking about with this for a year or more so it's time to get it done whilst I'm in the 1/48th zone. I've got some hauler etch screens and an RB models barrel, here's where she's at right now.

Tamiya BA-64B Finished

Today i have finished off the base for the model and after lightly dusting the model with pigments can add another finished model to the ever expanding display cabinet. For the base I sprayed a dark brown over the entire area then using vallejo colours picked out all the bricks in different tones and painted up the wood. The jerry can and pipe were painted with rusty tones and some lead wire was added to the pipe for broken cables.

The base then got a major dusting with lots of different pigments varying from light brick dust to dark brown for scorch and burn marks. This was all fixed in place with pigment fixer. The model received a similar amount of pigments but the effect was kept light so as not to loose all the details added previously. I think the finished base conveys perfectly a destroyed city scene and the model works really well adding some colour to a very desolate scene.

Again I've really enjoyed modelling in 1/48th and have decided to do more of these super little models in the future. The fact they are easy to build, have great detail and compared to 1/35th models take no time at all to finish is a real bonus, as is the smaller space needed to display the finished items.