Academy 1/35 K9 Thunder

[virtue66]

As you all know, I have finished the Type 99, DANA and Pzh 2000 and I have been infected with the Arty fever. It doesn't help that a friend of mine is also doing a smilar theme like me so we become some what of a bit of rivals, racing with each other will be able to build as much ( or all ) of the SPG kits out there. So this time, to compliment my fleet of SPG, I will be adding the K9 thunder of the R.O.K army to the rooster.

The kit is a few years ( I think it came out in 2010 ) one but a pretty decent one-

Here's the box -

Sprue shots -

While walking around the Southen Expo show at Hornchurh a month back, I managed to accquired this little box -

The resin parts are well casted and it also inlude a smell fret for the engine grilles. A lucky find indeed. I wanted to buy a more dedicated set from Orange Hobby but it was expensive so I backed out of that.

As per standard, everything starts from the lower hull -

The instructions calls for the gluing of the return rollers arms -

following with the show absorbers ( I think they are shock absorbers )

and the suspension arms -

Followed up with two hooks and circles -

The transmission and sprocket hub -

Followed by what I believed to be a shock absorber for the idler wheels -

Then, I had to build the rear hull, following the instructions as you can see in the picture -

and the door of the rear hull -

which goes on quite nice and tight on the rear hull -

I then had to put on the sides of the rear hull and the mud flaps -

Academy has made this kit into R/C convertable so they included some pieces that is used to closed up the holes on the belly -

Checking everything, I glued the lower hull and the upper hull together. There was no problem with the front, it went on very smoothly with no seams but the rear hull was a bit of a problem. I still have to fill the gap but also put in some welding seams as I have seen from some reference photos. -

So that's it for now ... stay tuned for more

 

[dubster72]

This looks an interesting one Gary! Although I'm starting to worry about all

these builds with very long guns!

Cheers

Patrick

 

[Polux]

Excellent, looking very interesting

 

[papa 695]

Nice one Gary will watch this one unfold

 

[noble]

I like the look of this, will be watching this build.

scott

 

[virtue66]

This looks an interesting one Gary! Although I'm starting to worry about allthese builds with very long guns!

Cheers

Patrick

LOOL ... dang.. I knew something like that is coming .. haha ... Don't worry.. I'm just compensating.. haha

Excellent, looking very interesting

It is an interesting vehicle as this is a Korean domestic vehicle with exports to Turkey ...

Nice one Gary will watch this one unfold

Thank you .. I will try not to disappoint

I like the look of this, will be watching this build.scott

It's a lovely looking gal, isn't it ?

 

[virtue66]

Alright Time for an update for this gal ....

On to the turret -

I glued the turret floor, roof and the back wall together -

I put up the Mantlet after that; it's pretty well done and gun elevation is very stabe and controlled. Love it.

coming up next is the gun barrel. I glued two halves of the lower half of the barrel, cut off the bag thingy ( for the life of me, I can't remember what is is called ) from the kit and glued on the resin piece. It looks alot better and more defined-

after that, finished up the barrel -

The great size of the barrel can be appreciated here.. love those big guns

After that, I have to put on the floor of the gun mantlet on top of the big gaping hole on the turret floor -

I followed that by putting on all the various doors on the sides of the turret -

Started with two on the rear of the turret -

And the remaining doors on the front left side of the turret -

The small details are a little bit soft but looks pretty presentable.

After that, I moved back to the front glacis plate. I put on all the hatches doors and some handles and lock -

Put on the vision blocks for the driver. The blocks are provided with their covers closed. I could modify it into showing the covers opened but I couldn't be bothered.

After that, I put on the photo etch for the engine grilles -

and a exhaust cover -

and put on the head lights -

Doing pretty fine so far, haven't met with that much problem yet and enjoying ever bit of this.

Wel, that's it for now... until the next update....

Thank you for looking...

 

[dubster72]

Its a really nicely detailed kit Gary - plenty of opportunities for weathering & chipping on all those sharp edges.

Cheers

Patrick

 

[Caretaker109]

Nice smooth build. Looks great.. Makes me want to start on my M-190

May i ask what glue you use for this build? i can't see any residue of it anywhere.

 

[Willi262]

Agreed with Caretaker109 here.

If it were me, there would be glue bombs and embarrassing smear stains all over that I have to hide...

 

[virtue66]

Agreed with Caretaker109 here.If it were me, there would be glue bombs and embarrassing smear stains all over that I have to hide...

Nice smooth build. Looks great.. Makes me want to start on my M-190May i ask what glue you use for this build? i can't see any residue of it anywhere.

I'm using Tamiya Extra Thin Cement .. ( the little bottle with the green cap that has a brush in it ) .. being too thin, it doesn't leave that much big stain and evaporate VERY quickly. I used to use Revell before .. it's ok but like Willi said, I always had to deal with the smears and stains ...

 

[Caretaker109]

Ah. Extra Thin.. I use it myself and love it.. But i do leave a smear once in awhile..

Looking forward to your next update.

 

[papa 695]

A nice and methodical build so far Gary, looks like a good kit

 

[AJay]

Looks great so far!

 

[virtue66]

Thanks guys ... update will be up soon

 

[monica]

very interesting, and a great build so far how did i miss this one, :rolleyes:

do like all the detail on it great for chipping and weathering ,

look forward to next update

 

[virtue66]

OKAY .. Part the third for this one ... picking up from where we left off, this is what I have right now -

Just before that, I put on the very long rods along the length of the hull sides. I don't know what these rods are for but I believe they are gun cleaning rods

after that, I turned my attention to the gun travel lock.

First, I inspected the lock it self and I found ejector pin marks so I filled them up with Perfect Plastic Putty-

Follow that up with the hinge base which goes on the front of the hull. I also put on the front mud flaps-

The lock can be swivel up and down -

and it can be open and closed -

I am grateful toward academy for designing the kit like this. I hate to have to make decision on whether to keep it glued up or down.

I had to put on this little piece which looks like a signal light or something on the top of the hull -

After that, I moved on to the commander's cupola and hatch. Upon inspection, the sight on the cupola is all flat and I didn't like the idea of it so decided to improve on it. I glued some plastic on the edges of the sight to show that '' border '' features around glass.

and checking the references, I modified the inner details of the hatch as according to the real thing -

The 4 grab handles are just simple brass wire glued on. It's not perfect but it is presentable.. ( I think )

The commander cupola and another crew member hatch goes on -

You can also see some kind of small guard wall that's sticking out near the back of the turret.

The gunner sight goes on after this. The kit doesn't include any clear part but the ballistic covering was well made. Having no desire to paint the glass effect, I decided to put on the cover.

You can also see that little sight or detector thingy that has been treated with perfect plastic putty. That part has one big sink hole so I had to fill it up.

After that, I put on 4 of the big hook on the four corners of the turret ...

and that's it for this update ....

Until the next one ....

 

[Willi262]

With more small parts than I would have imagined or expected...

 

[virtue66]

With more small parts than I would have imagined or expected...

Indeed Steve ... I didn't expect that much as well for an old kit ... what can I say.. I love it ..

 

[virtue66]

Right... and update is long over due on this gal .... let's do this ...

with everything glued on, it's time to start painting this gal..

I had to put on the base colour, which is dark green but having no other brand apart from revell Aqua, I thinned that with Ultimate Modelling Product fantastic thinner and spray it like so -

Revell Aqua is just like Vallejo, dry too fast inside the nozzle ( for me that is ) and somewhat a pain to put on but UMP thinner just made it go on as smooth as a baby's bottom... Really surprised and happy with the results.

After that, I followed up with MR. Hobby Aqueous Wood Brown -

I decided to use Nato Black instead of Black. I love Nato Black. It has a very nice muted,flat greyish black tone and just lovely.

Followed that up with Tamiya Wodden Deck Tan . I wanted to put on just flat Tan and bought Flat Tan ( labelled as Tan Earth on the bottle ) but that colour looks very much like a friend Salmon pink so I just opted for the Wooden Deck Tan. I wanted to use Deck Tan but my Deck Tan ran out.

Followed that up with decals and pin wash -

With all the pin wash, it toned down the bright colour combinations and looking like this for now -

Now, come to weathering this gal up. I decided to go for a very wet situation. I saw some videos of these gals doing exercise in a very rainy weather so I thought '' hey, rain .. wet vehicle.. wet mud..'' so I went ahead and start preparing for adding wet mud.

First, I decided to mix a lighter, dried shade of mud with pigment, thinner and plaster.

Left them dry for half a day and started working on the wed mud layers.

This time, I put in only a small bit of plaster, more pigments and thinned Vallejo Gloss Acrylic Resin heavy gel and mix them all into a slightly thinned paste and put it on top of the previous layer of mud.

It's not all dried yet so I can't tell how wet/glossy it is so I'm gonna let it dry and see if I need to put more.

I did sprinkle some dry pigment and fix them with pigment fixer for added texture.

After that, I turned my attention on the track. This is the first time I have ever got so lazy painting track so all I did was bombard them with pigment, washses and arcylic resin to show the similar effect as the running gears.

Well that's it for now... IT's slowly coming along and I'm enjoying every bit of it.

Coming up next will be the crew and the wet effects on the top ( which I am dreading ) .. Should I buy some Wet effect fluid from AK or Ammo ? or should I just use Acrylic resin/ Gloss varnish ?? I don't know.... any input?

Until the next update.