Popular Post maddmaxx ★ Posted March 17 Popular Post Share #1 Posted March 17 Last year was a miserable year for my modelling hobby. There were many failed kits and some put away to come back to later if ever. I made it my New Years resolution to do better 2 years in a row and last year was a bust. Now in 2024 I finally finished a project and it's ok. As usual, as soon as I'm done I know I could have done better but OK is a good start on the year. I present an M-51 Super Sherman of the Israeli Ariel Sharon "Bison" division that fought in the battles of Um-Katef and Abu-Ageila to take control of the Sinai Peninsula from the Egyptian Army in 1967. The lighting in these pics from my phone doesn't show the dirt and texture well but it is what it is. 3 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a bunch of numbers Posted March 18 Share #2 Posted March 18 Nice detail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airehead Posted March 18 Share #3 Posted March 18 How many hours did they take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted March 18 Author Share #4 Posted March 18 3 minutes ago, Airehead said: How many hours did they take? The better part of 2 months but I was also working on other things. There was much paint and wash drying time to deal with. Things like 150 individual rubber track blocks on each side hand painted take time. (you can make them out on the inside of the tread). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groupw Posted March 18 Share #5 Posted March 18 Great detail! Just like you want to do better on gloss finishes, I would love to learn to weather like that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted March 18 Author Share #6 Posted March 18 8 hours ago, groupw said: Great detail! Just like you want to do better on gloss finishes, I would love to learn to weather like that. Much of the grime and dirt is done with Vallejo Acrylic washes, consisting of very thinned out, mostly water, colors such as black brown an light tan painted on in many coats over time to build up the desired effect. Then the edges are highlighted with a product that comes from Tamiya that looks like a makeup compact but in earth and metallic tones. The final top layers involve the same materials but in more of a dusting mode that has to be applied after the model is fixed in place on the base so as to avoid handling and fingerprinting the finish. The washes do not work on gloss finishes as there needs to be some "tooth" to the paint to hold the colored water in place while it dries. For your automotive work, an engine block finished in a matt color such as aluminium will take on a good look with a black wash of about 10 drops of black in 10 ml of water. The surface will darken a bit and the wash will collect in the cracks and ribs giving a more 3 dimensional texture to an otherwise flat paint look. The brushing on of pastels does the opposite, lightening the high spots. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groupw Posted March 18 Share #7 Posted March 18 Have used India ink for my fountain pen as a wash for engines and for giving depth to some plated parts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudge ★ Posted March 18 Share #8 Posted March 18 Wouldn't it be easier to build a full size one?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted March 18 Author Share #9 Posted March 18 1 minute ago, smudge said: Wouldn't it be easier to build a full size one?? I knew someone who had one. Not the Super Sherman, but a WWII version. It was registered as a tractor but required special tracks with rubber treads before the town would let him drive it on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickinMD ★ Posted March 18 Share #10 Posted March 18 My Israeli guide, Mende, during my week tour of Israel in '99 had been a tank driver in the '67 war. When we got to the Golan Heights, he drove us past blown-up Syrian bunkers. At each one, he pointed out the Eucalyptus tree growing next to it. The Eucalyptus tree is (or was) the good-luck tree of the Syrian army. So when Israeli planes wanted to attack the Syrians on the Golan Heights, they just looked for Eucalyptus trees! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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