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Ah, yes, Bix, the ol' "hole of adding." Do you remember the one some years ago that was quoted on Hobby Havoc, something about "better sex"? That one set off howls of laughter. I have long wished I had kept that post.

I decided to add the commanders coaxial sight casting.
Using styrene and something tube, secured to the turret with plenty of gel super glue.
This will form the support for Tamiya epoxy putty to make the cast shape, which I will blend to the rest of the turret with a thinned mix of putty and Mr Surfacer 500.
Just got to get the new barrel sorted before that can happen.

Once the putty had set I will sand it off to improve the profile.
After the entire turret is coated in texture this should looking like it’s supposed to be there.

Today has been one of those days that you look back on with a smirk & certainly a lot of satisfaction mixed with relief.
I went out looking for material to make a barrel, that was the entire mission.
Found lengths of aluminium in 1M sections, I needed 310mm long @ 10mm diameter, and 15mm long of 12mm diameter.
The barrel measured up as 10mm diameter which meant that to get a sleeve for it, I needed 12mm diameter but had to open the I.D. out to accept the 10mm barrel. I did consider a fishing rod section, but the dimensions were not quite right. Now I have a pink fishing rod with an LED lit up reel on it that I have no use for
After a bit of thinking and dry fitting I got the balance right.
Cannibalising the old BB unit to enable the new barrel to attach to the thing was not an easy task but I did have a win.
Lots of drilling & reaming to get the parts to slide & have clearance but without anything excessive was at least 4 gin & tonics and 5 Jack Daniels.......
Over all while not perfect, its a fair representation of the barrel with its thermal cover torn off and best of all I have recoil and flash & smoke from the barrel.
I regret not doing this to my T90 now.................
Chucked a first coat of Mr Surfacer 500 on and I will probably go over it again in the morning. really could have done without the extra hassle of needing to fill the holes that were for the ERA that I didnt want, the dimples still show. More Mr 500 should sort it.
Mucked around getting the barrel smoker tube and all the wires run & tested, then banged the hull securing screws in place.
I'm on for the outer detailing now

Woops, forgot these.

Wow Your project is progressing nicely!

I also look forward to your painting and weathering, But I know that feeling when it's time to do that... It's almost done, And I'm already thinking of what to do or research and build next.

Great job. Keep it up!

Chef

Today has been about the skirt mounting rail and trying out a section of sub-guard that will be very damaged.
As this model is going to be based on the picture of FURY, the finish is going to represent Syrian Tanks in general that are knocked around & rough, with extra armour slapped on it.
One side will be as close to the picture as I can make it, the other(off side to the camera) will be a conglomerate of all the T72 ideas in the Syrian T.O.
Intent is to get some heavy mesh on the rail and bung a load of bits inside the skirt, along with plenty of debris, dust and general waste.
I also opened up one of the hatches on the stowage bin, just because !
Still loads to do, but now the halves are mated, its a lot betterer

And now its advancing.
Spot primed the turret only so I could get some base green in the areas I know wont be reachable once the stowage bins are fitted to it.
I've bunged a bit of primer on the necessary bins and snorkel tube so it can be fitted.
The desert/Sinai/Middle Eastern sand yellow colour that I'm going to put on would most certainly have been applied over the top of the European green shade that this T72 would have been supplied in.
Plan to use the proven hairspray method to get a worn yellow & grey camo over the top of the likely base green once I get there.
The bins are on, the rear sub guard is crumpled, and its heading in the right direction.

Got my brass work on!
The thing looks like a 1/35th model with the overwhelming brass P.E. gleaming off it !!
Suitably rough enough.
Now I have to work on the front plate to mess that up !
Uncertain what form that will take, but it has to be in theme of a battle weary & hammered tool that is rapidly losing its edge.