The Smythe Meister's 1/35 Achilles

[The Smythe Meister]

The photos in the technical manual also show white floor plates, but you can’t always trust publications like that because the pictures usually show prototypes. On all American open-topped tank destroyers like this, though, the floors were normally painted OD to match the turret interior, so that an aeroplane flying overhead wouldn’t see a huge white bit in the middle of the vehicle.

Yep,that makes total sense.... the box art and instructions also show it white in the build stage pics,but OD in the overhead shots of the completed model!!..... covering their backsides I guess !!

 

[David Lovell]

Coming on Andy , personally gun breech maybe three guys in drab clothing don't think a passing aircraft would have seen much of the floor anyway ,surely pilot/observer would have spotted the bloody great tank not the little bit of floor showing ,never mind as I said looking good ,several spg's in the stash all that work i do hook em out occasionally but slip em back for the closed hatch option. Dave

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Cheers Dave,I see what you mean for sure.
There's not THAT much extra work really,it just takes a little longer than the usual.... I've found on this one,the hardest bit so far is trying to work out exactly what won't be seen AT ALL ... I'm not into painting tiny,weeny,details that will never see the light of day... Life's too short.

 

[rtfoe]

I'd leave it too Andy as all the dirt, mud and grime will cover whatever is on the floor. Some end up with bare metal showing on the raised treads from all that scuffing. All look good.

Cheers,
Wabble

 

[scottie3158]

Andy,
Your call mate I can see Jakko's argument and Dave's. I do tend to go with the drab floor for the same reasons as the inside of hatch covers are also painted the exterior colour so as not to stand out. But if your close enough to see that in the field then the vehicle is already seen.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

I'd leave it too Andy as all the dirt, mud and grime will cover whatever is on the floor. Some end up with bare metal showing on the raised treads from all that scuffing. All look good.

Cheers,
Wabble

Andy,
Your call mate I can see Jakko's argument and Dave's. I do tend to go with the drab floor for the same reasons as the inside of hatch covers are also painted the exterior colour so as not to stand out. But if your close enough to see that in the field then the vehicle is already seen.

Thanks for your thoughts guys...
... Looks like a bit of a can of worms eh?!.... I can see both sides, however I'm going for the OD flooring... For no other reason than it seems to be what I'd want if I was in said vehicle

 

[Jakko]

gun breech maybe three guys in drab clothing don't think a passing aircraft would have seen much of the floor anyway ,surely pilot/observer would have spotted the bloody great tank not the little bit of floor showing

There are not always people inside the vehicle blocking the view inside. Also, though a lot less is easily noticed from the air than most people think, colours that contrast with their surroundings, like a patch of white in an otherwise green-brown area, are much more obvious. In any case, even if white floors wouldn’t be a problem the vast majority of the time, you can be fairly sure that a military organisation is going to hedge its bets and paint them a camouflage colour anyway. Better to paint something needlessly than not do that and lose a bunch of vehicles to enemy air attack because of it.

the hardest bit so far is trying to work out exactly what won't be seen AT ALL ... I'm not into painting tiny,weeny,details that will never see the light of day... Life's too short.

That’s part of why vehicles with interiors always take so much longer, yes … you’re forever trying to work out what can be seen and what can’t, and then finding that yes, you do have to build/paint that thing, too

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Ok then Guys,
Some more done..... not finished by any means,but I think it's heading in the right direction .....

Whitened up a little,and deck plates starting to look like weathered OD.
Next,some tracks.....


.... This evening will be more of the same,and attacking the upper hull...good fun this is!!
Thanks for looking in.

 

[langy71]

looking good Andy, those deck plates look spot on..(I seem to think I did mine white for some reason)..

 

[scottie3158]

Looking good mate.

 

[Jakko]

You toned down the shading quite nicely. Not too light, that whole firewall will be mostly in shadow anyway, but it also doesn’t look like it’s covered in mud anymore

 

[wotan]

I thought you were going for a nice Stone glazed earthenware finish on the interior at first, it certainly looked effective. The reworked version is excellent and a good looking build.

John

 

[The Smythe Meister]

looking good Andy, those deck plates look spot on..(I seem to think I did mine white for some reason)..

Cheers Chris.. yeah,it would appear that either option is cool.

Looking good mate.

Thanks mate, it's looking hopeful so far...

You toned down the shading quite nicely. Not too light, that whole firewall will be mostly in shadow anyway, but it also doesn’t look like it’s covered in mud anymore

Thanks very much Jakko, very good of you to say so.. they're probably be some mud later mind

I thought you were going for a nice Stone glazed earthenware finish on the interior at first, it certainly looked effective. The reworked version is excellent and a good looking build.

John

Well,HELLO ,Mr. Canuck,long time no hear!!
Thanks for that... This has been quite the learning curve!!

 

[Jim R]

Very nicely weathered Andy. Nice to get the tracks done.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

SO THEN CHAPS .. ere's wot I dun
... didn't go overboard with the detailing as you won't see much...



... So,say "NUNITE" now,cos THIS is all you see when buttoned up...

.. !! ... Nevermind,more to show in a bit.
Thanks for looking in.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

And with the Upper hull popped on...

... Sorry, just the arse end there,which covers up lot of stuff that I spent a while getting right!!
... Now, the upper hull popped on..

.. a bit miffed now,you can see the rivet line has gone astray.. should have put that in after the upper/lower stuff was fitted.. but the destructions didn't mention that.
.... I can sort that though... I HAVE A PLAN!! ...

..overall... I'm not exactly "Happy",but I do think I can rescue it somewhat with a few adjustments and the added stowage/camo
Got some serious benchtime coming up this weekend,so hoping to crack right on.
Cheers for now,
Andy

 

[Mickc1440]

It's certainly got that well used look Andy, you're getting there

 

[scottie3158]

Andy looking good keep it coming.

 

[Mini Me]

Keep at it Mr. Smiff......have a cuppa and a Hobnob and think over how to rescue that errant rivet line. No sand bags if you please, that would be the "easy" way out

 

[The Smythe Meister]

It's certainly got that well used look Andy, you're getting there

Cheers Mick,I'm after that type of thing actually... although it will take some finishing to get my envisaged look

Keep at it Mr. Smiff......have a cuppa and a Hobnob and think over how to rescue that errant rivet line. No sand bags if you please, that would be the "easy" way out

Hi Rick ..
Don't worry mate,Sandbags are out.. I NEVER go for that option,not only because I think they take away from the "Character" of it,but,as you say, it's,"The easy way out"!!