RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Herr Dr. Professor wrote:Thank you for the tips! I have put both "Mig 2020 burnishing fluid" and "AK PE etching fluid for brass and copper" on my shopping list! And "diluted" works great for me, as doing so makes things even more cheapo. Yeah!

Just looking at my T-55 track and pictures - I may have used a little very dilute light rust wash on top of the tracks wash - can’t remember - getting old!

I have used the Mig Light Rust Wash--it works well without overdoing it.

All those years of experience certainly manifest themselves in this subtly detailed piece, Timbo Like you, I think that moderate weathering, to highlight features, and create an authentic look, tops the tendency some have to create a muddy rustbucket. Even if it's a top-of-the-line rustbucket.

Timbo68,

That is a very fine looking T-55! Not to little, nor to much! Just right in my opinion!

Cheers,
Eric.

Looking good. Makes me want to work on my Hooben T-55 I got from a forum member on another forum that was just a complete mess when I got it. I guess that's why I've been avoiding working on it as repairing all the things on it are going to be time consuming. I especially need to clean up the wiring. All the wire crimp tubes need to go as well as the twisted and taped connections.

I'm very flattered by your comments! It's great in these times to make contact with people outside the bunker...

Re weathering - the dust deposits were a lucky find, and more controllable than using the dry dust pigments (also good, though). Brushing on a dilute solution, working it into all the panel lines etc., and then stippling gave an effect I liked. Light dust and brown earth deposits came with the paint set, so I wondered if they could be sprayed. Yes, but no...I gave my Sherman a light spray of brown earth which produced a beautiful matt dusty effect - obliterating all the previous weathering and markings! I then found that brushing downwards with a soft brush or tissue removed the excess, and resulted in a very nice rain-streaked effect. Happy accidents...

One point I've found which I'm sure most will already know - spirit-based weathering fluids can make a mess when painted direct on acrylic colours. I now spray on a dilute spirit-based lacquer first (normally well-stirred Humbrol Matt Cote, for those who can get it). I found that some of the popular rattle-can varnishes can, themselves, be dissolved by spirit weathering, so I prefer to use a spray gun with my own mix.

This looks absolutely fabulous.

How would you rate the model overall?

I've heard that Hooben tanks are not very well made and fragile

Thank you!
Having completed it, I’d say that I rate it as a good project, and it’s now one of my favorites. I’m not sure that I would have said that at some stages during the build, though. I don’t have experience of any other Hooben models, but it seems to be reckoned that they have deficiencies. Instructions are sometimes incorrect, and some parts need a lot of ‘fettling’ to make them fit. There’s lots of good advice online which helps with the build, and recent versions of the kit (it is a kit, not an ARTR) seem to be better than the early ones, and some features are very good indeed. My other tanks are HL or HL/Taigen hybrids which have been extensively upgraded, but this was much more challenging, but very enjoyable. I don’t think it’s any more fragile than other tanks which have some small parts, and I reinforced the hull just in case.
There seem to be enough T-55 builders out there now to form an Owners (or, possibly, Survivors) Club!

Timbo68 wrote:Thank you!
Having completed it, I’d say that I rate it as a good project, and it’s now one of my favorites. I’m not sure that I would have said that at some stages during the build, though. I don’t have experience of any other Hooben models, but it seems to be reckoned that they have deficiencies. Instructions are sometimes incorrect, and some parts need a lot of ‘fettling’ to make them fit. There’s lots of good advice online which helps with the build, and recent versions of the kit (it is a kit, not an ARTR) seem to be better than the early ones, and some features are very good indeed. My other tanks are HL or HL/Taigen hybrids which have been extensively upgraded, but this was much more challenging, but very enjoyable. I don’t think it’s any more fragile than other tanks which have some small parts, and I reinforced the hull just in case.
There seem to be enough T-55 builders out there now to form an Owners (or, possibly, Survivors) Club!

Thank you for the honest feedback!

Will prove helpful should I take the plunge and decide to buy one of these

Tubby wrote: Will prove helpful should I take the plunge and decide to buy one of these

If you do take that plunge, I’d be happy to share what I have learned. It seems that there are different versions out there - mine was a basic one with just motors/gearboxes (good, BTW) and turret rotation/elevation/recoil motors and servos. Some come with a full Hooben MFU and a servo to rotate the cupola with the MG among other things. Also, make sure it’s the latest version which has ball races/bushes for the road wheels, and needle roller bearings to support the drive shafts. I was happy with my choice as I wanted to use the HL 6.1 MFU which I know, and for which I have the electrical accessories.
All this learning new stuff at my age is getting a bit much...

Like your KV-1, BTW - brutal!