1/35 Tamiya M2A2 Bradley - much help needed

[sausagefingers]

After finishing my first model for over 30 years I really would like any help,tips or criticisms for when I'm going wrong.My first attempt at painting and weathering just ended up looking like an accident in a paintball factory.

Here's my next victim





I've only put the wheels and lower hull together so hopefully I haven't wrecked anything yet

So first question for the tank guys - there's pretty much one colour ( going for the easy 'desert' look instead of the camo ) on the tank,should I just paint everything on the sprue or paint it as I go along?

Cheers,Mick

 

[Alan 45]

Paint as you go mick but avoid any guide holes or pins , dont worry about edges as you can remove any overspill by rubbing with a fine file or emery board

 

[eddiesolo]

That's the million dollar question Mick. Some modellers like to paint on the sprue, others take off as needed and use toothpicks, blue-tac etc to hold items, this way they can file or fill and adapt before painting. It maybe easier for you to paint on the sprue this way items are all together, once painted you then only need the parts you are needing. When you take them off the sprue you will need to clean up (file away burrs) and touch up the paint but that is it. It is all how you are comfortable in making your model, don't rush, take your time, know what parts you are wanting to do and dry fit before glueing, this way you can see if you want to weather inside the hatches or by the tracks, makes life easier. The most important thing is to stop when you feel you have had enough and to just have fun with it. We all have had glue-bombs and bad paint jobs...I still do at times...just go with it and smile.

Si

 

[sausagefingers]

Great stuff,thanks for that. More stoopid questions to follow

Cheers, Mick

 

[Richi72]

Great stuff,thanks for that. More stoopid questions to follow Cheers, Mick

Hi Mick,

I always learned that there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers but this will not happen here at SMF!!!

So that being said, it is as Si said it is what makes you more comfortable.

I often let the model decide for me as for instance a tank with no interior, I often paint until the tank is completely done, or I paint the wheels separately but not on the spruce. Last summer I did one of those 1/35 Harley Davidsons from MiniArt and here I painted all the parts on the spruce and touched them up after they bin glued in place. I did this because so many parts and small and almost no way to reach all the places with paint after the model is finished

But most importantly you need to feel it, you need to feel that it is the right thing, all of us uses the methods he or she is comfortable with and now you need to find yours.

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers Richi

 

[sausagefingers]

Not much of an update as the wheels took an eternity to paint due to me thinking it would be a good idea to have a little drinky poo whilst painting.Firstly I got the black all over the sand then tried to touch it up but ended up with the sand all over the black,this continued for a couple of hours before I gave myself a stern talking to and sent myself off to bed.I also thinned some dark grey down and dry brushed onto the black to try and make the tyres look worn,not sure if thats worked or not.Plus I darkened some Alumium down and brushed this on the front and rear wheels



Anyway,I sprayed everything on the sprues using Revell 'Sand' colour.Before it dried properly it looked awful but now it's settled down I'm happy with it as a base coat.I then (attempted) dry brushed Tamiya 'Dark Sand' over the wheels in an attempt to make them look dirty but it hasn't really worked.



If I wanted to make them look a bit grubby would a wash of some sort have been better? After the splatterfest that was my first build I'm aiming for a mild weathering and as it's supposed to be the desert - absolutely no mud this time.Definitely no mud

Also,the tracks for this are rubber,like an elastic band.Are these ok to paint? I'm using Revell and Tamiya acrylic paints.

Any help is greatly received and if you spot anything wrong with what I'm doing (apart from the drinking :D ) please feel free to point it out.

Many thanks in advance , Mick

 

[bluriusz]

If you want to make the wheels worn you can cut of a bit of the wheels. They have rubber "tyres" and often in real tanks this just start to shatter. Like this:

This is my Challenger with worn wheels.

If it comes to weathering, I always paint the wheels, then put black on tyres. Then leave it till whole build is ready for weathering. Gloss varnish, wash and then matt varnish. I do the wash myself. Couple drops of thinner and half a drop of black/anthracite/brown paint, whatever you want. Remember, that if you use acrylic paints, wash needs to be enamel. Just put a bit of wash on a model and wipe the excess with a cotton pad or something. Then optionaly dust, mud etc.

I'm planning to do a "wash" tutorial soon, as it was a problem for me to find out how to do it.

 

[sausagefingers]

thanks for that - great tips, looking forward to your wash tutorial. Didn't know about the acrylic/enamel thing

p.s love your Nashorn build

Cheers

 

[sausagefingers]

Righto, time for an update. Foolishly bought some Photo Etch and it totally beat me up,it was far,far harder to use than I was expecting.Although to be fair I wasn't sure what I was expecting.I didn't have to tools or skills to get to grips with the stuff and as a result I've hardly used any of the two sheets that came from Eduard.

Enough waffle,here is where I am up to







Glue everywhere





Hopefully it will look slightly better with some paint on it.I'm happy with how the kit has gone together so far but disapointed that there is no interior at all - nothing,even though there is large storage at the rear which could have looked really good with the rear door open :mad:

Oh well,still very happy to have picked up the hobby again after so long away and thanks to great advice from here I will hopefully turn out a decent build one day - fingers crossed

Cheers,Mick

 

[exosteve]

don't put yourself down so much. that's looking great.

nice and crisp. only a couple of flash lines.

I would of finished the filling on the back before I glued it together.

other than that thers not blobs of glue or messy work to show up after spraying.

speaking of which,

have you fully assembled this model? did you glue the track armour on?

if so its going to be difficult to spray around the wheels and armour in situ.

ive just come across this problem with my ne build.

im doing the abrams with mine plow.

do I spray and then glue or glue then spray?

 

[sausagefingers]

''do I spray and then glue or glue then spray?''

This is the bit I can't get my head round.I tried painting as I went last time and that went ok but this time ,apart from primer ,I'm going to try painting after it's built - not too sure this is the best option for me

I keep looking at other people's builds and wonder how they go from fully built with no paint on to suddenly it's all painted and looking bloody amazing!

Yup the tracks are glued on. I've already painted the wheels,track and lower hull so , fingers crossed, I'll just mask these up and add a bit of weathering later on.

Does yours have any interior or is it like mine with none?

Cheers,Mick

 

[exosteve]

no interior.

my stryker I just completed had a few hatches and doors with amazing detail around them.i would of finished the model with hatches open but.

the first thing you do is look inside and there was nowt to look at so I glued them shut.

 

[sausagefingers]

Not finished but got it put together ready for decals



My photography skills are as bad as my model making skills,it looks quite a lot darker in real life.

To avoid the 'silvering' on my decals I now have to apply gloss - is this right? Is this where I can use Klear?

Do I thin the Klear then spray it on or just spray it neat?

Thanks, Mick

 

[sausagefingers]

 

[flyjoe180]

It's looking good Mick. Like you I often wonder how some get their tanks and armoured vehicles built and then paint them. One of life's mysteries. As for gloss, yes, apply it over the model to obtain a smooth surface so the decals adhere nice and snug to the model surface. I'm not sure how to apply Klear by a spray method though, someone who uses it will help you with that bit.

 

[aaron]

Looking good mate...i build my kits completley then paint...i find the parts glue better this way.You could invest in a circle template for the wheels, mine cost nzd$6 from a stationary shop.Paint black then lay the template over the wheels and hit with the main colour.As for future or klear... light coats are essential brush or airbrush, put the glossed part to dry in a dust free area and avoid fingerprints.Work slowly and enjoy your builds

edit: klear can be sprayd neat because it self levels...and snother coat after decals to seal.