Ugly Baby...

[Jarlath]

I will always commend the resin poured floor! Great job!

With the metal tracks you will want to fit a Henntec idler system or similar for any long term usage.

[tankme]

I will always commend the resin poured floor! Great job!

With the metal tracks you will want to fit a Henntec idler system or similar for any long term usage.

I've been seeing posts of folks with broken idlers on the M41 hull. I actually have some different sized metal shafts here so I may come up with my own solution. This was supposed to be a relatively cheap build.

[tankme]

It's always a great day when you are finally able to get paint on tank. Even if it's just the base coat of Model Master Olive Drab. I scuttled some away when supplies started to run out.



Still deciding what camo scheme I'm going to use.

That's all for now...

[Ecam]

It's amazing what a little paint can do for a build!

[Herr Dr. Professor]

The Model Master OD FS 34087 is/was my favorite. I have very little left. Zaloga claimed it was the most accurate, but FS 34087 must have appeared in so many shades, even a few before any time in the weather and sun. Still, what a well-behaved paint it was. If anyone sees any still for sale, snarf it up!

[tankme]

Decided to have a little fun with the camo scheme. Just started painting and this is what I ended up with. May add some black...haven't decided yet.






That's all for now...

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I have been looking at your photos for a bit, and I started looking up camouflage schemes online. At first I was intrigued by the NATO-like use of black, too. But the scheme you have seems quite, what, "natural."

[tankme]

I have been looking at your photos for a bit, and I started looking up camouflage schemes online. At first I was intrigued by the NATO-like use of black, too. But the scheme you have seems quite, what, "natural."

I liked the camo without the black, but I think the black adds just a bit more variation to the pattern, IMO. After all, it's supposed to be about hiding the vehicle and not just how awesome it looks, right?

So I did decide to add the black.  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  Just need to add some markings/decals, add the commander's cupola vision blocks back in, touch up some areas with the airbrush, paint in some details (like ammo boxes/straps/pioneer tools), do some slight weathering and clearcoat the whole thing. I did put it back together last night to do a complete functions test and everything seems to have survived the build process. I still want to wire up both sets of headlights on the front of the tank. I do need to figure out what color I need to paint the straps adn the ammo boxes.





That's all for now...

[Ecam]

Subtle! I was hesitant to suggest the black camo addition, but did think it was a little underdone with the first three colors. Hesitant because there would be no possible way I would have stopped where you did with the black (and I would have ruined it). I applaud your use of the colors and the restraint you possess, looks fantastic.

[tankme]

Subtle! I was hesitant to suggest the black camo addition, but did think it was a little underdone with the first three colors. Hesitant because there would be no possible way I would have stopped where you did with the black (and I would have ruined it). I applaud your use of the colors and the restraint you possess, looks fantastic.

Yeah, I was trying to not make the camo look like MERDC (1970's era) with the thin black "crows feet" and I didn't want black to be a major color like a WW2 Sherman/Pershing. I agree that the camo looked a little washed out without the black. Black is a color that isn't actually seen much in nature. It's really only supposed to represent shadows. I am actually happy with how it turned out. I also considered a really dark green instead of black, but after looking through all my paints I though that the dark green would look too much like my ZTZ-99 camo scheme. I was a little scared to just pick colors and use them as I didn't want to ruin it. This vehicle is post WW2 and right around Korea timeframe. I didn't want it to just paint it in OD as my Pershing will be just OD. I like having some variety in the tank fleet.