Shige's T-34 With Riders

[Whiterook]

Looking at this one again (I think it's such a cool build!), I have a couple questions maybe you all can shed some light on:

The headlamps...do you think the clear plastic was part of the kit, or made from cratch? I'm talking the clear "Glass".

The texture on the hull...specifically the turret...do you think that was achieved with paint, or did he apply some sort of texturing medium to rough it up, like a thin coat of putty?

[MAGNA]

That might be more to the point about the typing McCoy. m'I tsuj dalg ti t'nseod neppah ot em.

You are right too Geek - T34/85 - later model - produced at Kirov or Slebenny between 15th - 21st of September 1944 judging by the welds on the lower part of the turret and the mantlet shape. Beautiful piece of work all round.

[Whiterook]

OK, be honest mates...I'm starting to get a complex here: do you zip over to Google, or flip open one of thousands of reference books for facts like that, or were you dropped from Alien craft with supercharged craniums. Magna, I have my suspicions already, about you lad!

I need to know!

That said....Nice facts there mates!

[Geek44]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

Looking at this one again (I think it's such a cool build!), I have a couple questions maybe you all can shed some light on:

The headlamps...do you think the clear plastic was part of the kit, or made from cratch? I'm talking the clear "Glass".

The texture on the hull...specifically the turret...do you think that was achieved with paint, or did he apply some sort of texturing medium to rough it up, like a thin coat of putty?

Even Tamiya have clear plastic lenses for their headlamps in some of their kits. Having said that, I can't remember if my Pz. IV kit (Dragon) does or not. I didn't put 'em in. Better kits will have them hopefully.
As for turret texture...better kits will have it moulded in. Especially on Soviet vehicles because that rough casting is where much of the character of Soviet vehicle lies. Bulky weld seams too. You've opened a can of worms here Em. Here's the short version...
Some folks go to the trouble of replicating the texture apparent on the rolled plates of German armour too. It's a more subtle 'look' but when done well really aids the illusion of metal. From what I've seen, people attack their pristine Panther turrets with the motor tool and then 'soften' the effect by coating it with Tamiya putty thinned with liquid glue (works well but cures very quickly. Has many other applications too). When hard, this is then sanded back a bit to soften further. I've only tried this once on my test model and wasn't happy with my results. Until I get better at it, my Panther turrets will remain perfectly smooth.
BTW, the thinning Tam. putty with liquid glue can be used wherever one needs texture. I have coated my Pz. IV's exhaust with this gunk to suggest textured/heated/burnt/rusted metal. It has one coat of Humbrol (why?!?!?!) paint on it and I'm agonizing about how to proceed. I'm thinking of giving it a shot with Tamiya 'Smoke' to get an acrylic basis for further weathering. I used the Humbrol on it because the colour is great for burnt metal...I just got lazy and created work for myself down the track.

[Whiterook]

Wow...that's the first time I've heard of the Liquid Glue/putty mixture. Sounds cool. I'll play with that at some point, probably. The pristine turrets and such are good enough for me currently; but in time, I'm sure I will try to achieve more "spectacular" results!

[Geek44]

You may remember I mentioned once that I had a disaster with some vinyl tracks on a brand new Tamiya Panther G kit? That Panther is now my test model and it looks it. I had a try at the 'rolled' plate look but I was too heavy handed with the motor tool and the putty...if I'm patient, I'll sand it all back again and try something else. I've seen this method done well and it looks amazing. I was thinking about this last night actually. If somebody asked me to tell them in one sentence what helps me the most in my modelling, I would say; 'Building test models'. Even spare parts are adequate for testing new ideas and techniques.

[LAH 1 SS]

can someone please give me this guys website if they dont mind

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by Geek44

You may remember I mentioned once that I had a disaster with some vinyl tracks on a brand new Tamiya Panther G kit? That Panther is now my test model and it looks it. I had a try at the 'rolled' plate look but I was too heavy handed with the motor tool and the putty...if I'm patient, I'll sand it all back again and try something else. I've seen this method done well and it looks amazing. I was thinking about this last night actually. If somebody asked me to tell them in one sentence what helps me the most in my modelling, I would say; 'Building test models'. Even spare parts are adequate for testing new ideas and techniques.

Words to live by. Test models and spare parts, I can see, can be the best teachers. Someone can explain a procedure to me, or I can read it in a magazine or book, but actually DOING it is where method meets madness meets inspiration meets experience (not necessarily in that order, succession, or entirety of experience, eh?).

[MAGNA]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

OK, be honest mates...I'm starting to get a complex here: do you zip over to Google, or flip open one of thousands of reference books for facts like that, or were you dropped from Alien craft with supercharged craniums. Magna, I have my suspicions already, about you lad!

I need to know!

That said....Nice facts there mates!

If you are referring to the info on the T34/85 don't worry. It could well be wrong. In fact it probably is since I made it up.

I do have the correct info available though and it is confusing. The number of turret types for the T34 is amazing and varied according to the time and the factory where they came from. It is a real can of worms.

I have to admit it did read rather well though. You can take this to mean that I will only post what I consider to be useful information from now on. I just had to do that one.

[Whiterook]

I could never believe you to be a fibber lad! OK, maybe a little!