52 Back to BasicsA d a m W i l d e r b u i l d s t h e n e w T a m i y a k i t f r o m t h e b o x Many modelers, including myself, write articles abo...
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Back to Basics A d a m W i l d e r b u i l d s t h e n e w Ta m i y a k i t f ro m t h e b o x Many modelers, including myself, write
knowledge. Without these basic techniques,
model is superbly detailed and molded,
articles about incorporating methods such
the experts would be unable to supply this
assembles with minimal effort, and gives
as the use of photo-etched brass, soldering,
publication with the nice work you view every
you one of the most numerously deployed
extensive scratch-building and varying
two months. Everyone wanting to get into
aesthetically-pleasing armored fighting
painting techniques that allow us to produce
the hobby of modeling must know these
vehicles ever manufactured.
the work covered in this magazine. That is
techniques. I also hope to demonstrate that
great for the veteran modelers but some of
if you choose your subjects properly, you
Getting started
us are better bankers, plumbers, business
can make a beautiful model with minimal
The kit provides you with the opportunity to
executives, athletes and waiters. Some of
after-market parts and the years of
make a number of different T-55 variants for
the subscribers to this and similar
experience needed to properly apply them.
some of the many countries in which it was
publications may feel that their own talents
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deployed and manufactured. I chose the
are in different areas, and they might not
Choosing the Subject
option to build one of the T-55s used by the
ever be able to produce armor models like
With careful research, you will find there are
Russian army with the mounted anti-aircraft
the ones they read about every month.
a number of models on the market that you
machine gun.
During this article, I am going to try and
can build out of the box with minimal effort
bring to your awareness some of the basic
to get a beautiful scale armor model. If you
Photos 1 & 2
modeling techniques used by the masters
are looking to get into this hobby I would
Upon choosing the specific T-55 you would
that are often overlooked because they are
recommend the new Tamiya T-55. As I will
like to construct, I would recommend going
wrongly assumed to be common
show you with the aid of photos, this armor
through the instructions and highlighting
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1 each of the directions that apply to your
at once because similar ones can be easily
model to eliminate possible confusion.
confused.
Photo two provides a view of the model’s
Photos 8 & 9
major components.
Make sure you align and glue part D12 before adding parts A4. I like to use the very
Assembling the Hull
dense Testor’s liquid glue to assemble the larger parts. It sets slowly allowing you to
Photos 3 to 5
properly position the parts.
When starting the construction of a model, I first cut and prepare all of the major parts
Photo 10
for assembly. Xuron cutters such as the
Parts D27 and D31 appear to be part of the
ones shown in photo four allow you to make
top plate. These parts need to be filled with
a flush cut in those difficult to reach areas
putty and sanded smooth on the front ends
between the sprues. Xuron snips and the
where the seam will not be hidden by the
other tools shown throughout this article can
turret.
2
be purchased at most stores Leave a bit of the sprue on the part when you cut it to
Photos 11 to 12
minimize any possible damage to the part,
Many of the toolboxes and the rear
and remove this carefully with the aid of a
cylindrical fuel tanks need to be assembled.
sharp hobby knife. If you damage the part
When assembling the toolboxes, first glue
while cleaning it you can fill in the unwanted
one of the sides with the top. If you center
hole or divot with fast drying putty.
the side properly with the top, the other
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sides should assemble properly in place. Photos 6 & 7 The seams on the parts caused by the
Photos 13 & 14
molding process need to be removed. You
Testor’s liquid glue seen in photo 14 is a
can remove these seams with the back of
little denser and not as clean as the Tenax -
your hobby knife. Always keep plenty of new
7R seen throughout the other photos.
blades for your hobby knife on hand. A dull
However, it's great for thinning Tamiya brand
blade will only damage delicate parts such
putty, which allows you to brush on the
as the ones I am cleaning in photo 6. Be
minimal amounts needed to fill the small but
careful not to cut off too many parts to clean
unwanted seams on parts C33 and C35 53
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4
5
6
7
8
9
12
13
D12
A4
10
D31
11
D27 C33
C35
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that make up part of the light assembly. Let
it’s weight do the cutting. Again, glue the
parts are in place, they can be used to
the putty set for a few hours before sanding.
screening in place on the inside of the parts
properly align the rest of the torsion bars
Photo 14 shows the completed light
where the bond will be out of sight on the
with a straightedge.
assembly next to another small part I am
completed model. Photo 21
attaching with the aid of tweezers.
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Photos 17 to 20
Often the larger parts of a model can be
Photos 15 & 16
When cleaning parts such as the torsion
slightly warped, requiring you to hold them
The nylon screening provided with the kit
bars, only remove the seams that you think
together for long periods of time while the
needs to be cut to size. Use a straight edge,
will be visible on the finished model. After
glue sets. When assembling large parts
a rigid surface and a sharp hobby knife to
cleaning, glue the torsion bars in place from
such as the upper and lower hull, first use
cut the soft material. Do not press the knife
the inside using a dense, slow drying glue to
small amounts of super glue in required
or you might tear the screening. Instead,
achieve a better bond. First glue a torsion
areas to quickly attach the parts together.
make numerous passes with the knife letting
bar in each of the four corners. After these
After the quicker drying super glue sets you
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can reinforce the bond with regular liquid plastic cement.
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Photos 22 & 23 The only problem I encountered with this kit were large grooves on the rear of the fenders and turret for the placement of parts. These grooves should be filled with putty and sanded smooth. After filling the grooves, the areas on parts D10 and D11 need to be filed smooth as shown in photo 23 before gluing them in place. Photo 24 shows the filled groove and reworked support. The support on the rear toolbox also needs to be shortened.
Photos 24 & 25 The seams on the running gear need to be removed. Use coarse sandpaper to remove the seams, then buff the sanded areas with finer sandpaper. Photo 25 shows both the parts needed to assemble the drive and idler wheels. The hubs fit much more snugly into the wheels eliminating the slope encountered on the older Tamiya kits. The tight fit of these hubs is much more suitable
D11
for accommodating the heavier after-market tracks that are available.
The Turret Photos 26 & 27 Before assembling the bottom and top parts of the turret, holes need to be drilled to
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accommodate specific parts for the T-55 variant you are building. Photo 26 shows the turret and various parts included to build the various cupolas for the different variants.
Photos 28 & 29 I glued the covering for the mantlet to the turret before assembling parts B13 and B14. These two parts do not fit snugly against the covering like they should. Just superglue one side of the part and hold it in place for a
grab-handles after they are glued into place.
Photos 34 to 36
second. After the first side is glued firmly,
These flaws can be fixed by adding a little
By this time I am sure there are a number
add a little super glue to the other side then
thinned putty then blending it with the
good quality turned brass and aluminum gun
push the part into place while the super glue
texture of the turret.
barrels on the market for this model-
sets. After the super glue sets, add a little liquid plastic glue to straighten the joint.
however, the gun provided with the kit will do Photos 32 & 33
fine. The muzzle must be properly aligned
The injection-molded tie-downs are close to
and glued together first, I use a Flex-I-File to
Photos 30 & 31
scale but are a bit tedious to assemble. Like
clean the puttied seams on the gun and
Parts such as the grab-handles are very
the fender supports on the rear of the hull
other cylindrical parts while keeping their
delicate and can easily be broken as you
displayed in photo 23, a divot will be present
proper contours. I accidentally ruined some
clean them. Sand off as much of the seams
between part C52 and the turret after
weld detail on the end of the gun barrel while
as you can before removing them from the
assembly. This will need to be filled and the
sanding the putty smooth. I recreated
sprues. Divots will still be visible around the
putty blended with the texture of the turret.
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Photos 37 to 40
worth the extra cost. These tracks were also
construction photos. With the model
Part C39 was reworked to accommodate a
needed to accommodate the weathering
constructed and cleaned, I moved into the
piano wire antenna. Photo 38 is a close-up
steps, as you will see.
painting steps.
of the assembled DShK anti-aircraft
Painting
machine gun. Tamiya might want to consider selling this little gem separately.
Before painting the assembled model it was
Photos 1 to 3
The only after-market item used on this
washed thoroughly using an old toothbrush
I first painted the model with a base coat of
model was a set of Friulmodel track links.
with soap and hot water. Washing the
acrylics. Tamiya paints are very user-friendly
Although the vinyl tracks provided with the
assembled model removes any oils and
and adhere well to the plastic. Vallejo-Air
kit are very good, they still cannot compare
dust leftover from handling and construction.
acrylics are more difficult to spray but give a
to the look of realism obtained when using
I took the photos of the assembled
wonderful finish. I use both Vallejo dilutant
these workable metal links. Friulmodel tracks
unpainted model to show some more details
and tap water to thin the Vallejo-Air colors. I
are fairly easy to assemble and are definitely
that might have been missed in the
airbrushed over the base-coat of Tamiya
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B14
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B13
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C52
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colors with lighter colors of green focusing
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the lightest hues on the upper hull and turret top. Shading the model in this fashion will add a false shadow to your model, giving it depth. You will need a good quality airbrush to perform this step. After applying the lighter hues of green, I airbrushed a coat of acrylic gloss over the entire model and running gear. The gloss will protect the base-coat and work with the following weathering steps to give a look of painted steel to the completed model. After letting the gloss set
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for an hour, I started adding fusions to the model. This is the first weathering step that slightly reduces the gloss while enhancing the green tones of your model. Using artist oils, I mixed more green and yellow colors, placed them onto the model in small amounts as shown, then blended them using a brush dampened with turpentine. Make sure you use vertical downward strokes on the model’s sides to represent washing from the rain.
Photo 4 I decided to use the decals provided with the kit. Modelers often try to avoid decals because of the glossy look they can produce. If your model is a recent release from a high end manufacturer, you can frequently get away with using decals as I will demonstrate. After cutting the required decals from the model and letting them soak in tap water, place them onto the model with the aid of tweezers. Have a brush handy to remove any air and water that might get trapped under the decal. You will need a decal setting solution such as Solvaset to help your decals conform to the cast texture of the turret. Again, just simply follow the directions on the label of the bottle.
Photos 5 & 6 With the base-coat and decals applied, I started painting the winter camouflage onto the T-55. Using acrylics, I airbrushed the base of the winter camouflage onto the model. You will need to view photos of vehicles with winter finishes to see the areas where the white was wiped away as a result of usage by the crew. Leave green the areas around the hatches as well as other places were the operators might stand. After spraying the base white, green chips and scratches were added.
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Photos 7 to 9
finish of the green. As mentioned, the winter
white randomly over the model. These spots
After adding the green chips I brushed on
camouflage will quickly wash away
might have been splashed on while the
and blended an enamel matt off-white color.
collecting in and around seams and details.
winter camouflage was being applied to the
You want your brush to be damp while
Using a fine brush, I added a heavy wash to
vehicle. They might also be remaining areas
blending the enamels. If your brush is
all of the seams and around the details
left over from where the rest of the
soaked, you will get a thick wash instead of
using the same off-white enamel as in the
camouflage washed away. These runs and
the blended look you see in photo seven.
previous step.
spots are important because they help contribute to the muddled appearance of a
Brush over the green chips as though they
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faded winter wash.
are not there. After this step you can see
Photos 10 & 11
how the winter camouflage looks faded as
I simulated runs in the winter wash using
though it has been outside in the field. The
Vallejo-air. Vallejo colors have some of the
Photos 12 & 13
matt off-white also gives depth to the
best brushing capabilities I have seen.
I added a number of washes to the model
camouflage while contrasting with the glossy
During this time I also added small areas of
using a mixture of artist oils and enamel
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paints. Washes help to further highlight
random chips in the winter camouflage. You
tanks. This is also a way of adding more
details while also contributing to the false
want to perform this step to all of the
interest to the model’s finish.
shadow obtained when spraying the lighter
corners and small details that are covered
hues of green onto the base-coat. You can
with the winter camouflage. You can use this
Photo 18
add large washes over entire details as seen
step to further fade the white areas as
With both the winter wash and chipped
in photo no. 12. You can also use a fine
shown in photo 14.
paint finished and dry, I added a filter using enamels over the entire model to subtly
brush to keep the washes more precise without altering the base color as
Photos 15 to 17
blend all of the different colors giving an
demonstrated in photo no. 13. Over time
During this time I started adding the areas of
oxidized hue to the areas of white. Adding a
you will decide which types of washes you
chipped paint. I add my chips in a two-step
filter such as this will also help to blend the
prefer and when to use them.
process starting with a green that is lighter
decals with the rest of the model. Note
then the base-coat. Focus mostly on the
how I blend the colors on top of the pallet to
Photo 14
corners and sheet metal parts such as the
get an idea of the filter’s shade before
For the next step you will want to find a
fenders. You do not need to cover the entire
applying it to the model.
brush with semi-rigid bristles and cut them
model with chips. Next, I added rust over
flat with a pair of scissors. Mix a green color
the green chips again using a mixture of
Photos 19 to 21
resembling your base using acrylics. Dip
artist oils and enamels. Pigments were also
I then started working on the details such as
your flat brush into the green and wipe off
added to the mixture of rust to give it more
the anti-aircraft gun and wheels. I painted
the excess paint onto a lint-free napkin as
of a matte oxidized appearance. Do not
the anti-aircraft gun a steel color using a
shown in the photo. When you have
cover the lighter green areas entirely with
mixture of acrylics. Next, I gave the gun a
removed all of the excess paint from the
the rust. Note in photo 17 that one fuel tank
heavy wash of artist oils. After the oils dried I
brush start gently tapping the white areas
is white while the other is green. Sometimes
rubbed graphite over the gun using my
with a vertical motion to simulate more
these fuel tanks were swapped between
fingers. The rubber around the road wheels 59
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was also painted during this time.
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Photos 22 to 24 The log included with the model was painted with a base of acrylics then given a wash of enamels. I then attached the log to the model where I finished it's detailing. Lighter wood chips were added, then areas of brown were applied simulating its grain structure. I painted the tow cables in the same manner as I did the model.
Photo 25 Adding graphite to simulate wear was the final step needed before adding the earth colors. I placed the graphite around all of the hatches, corners of the fenders and any other place that I felt would be constantly polished by the crew and the usage of the vehicle.
Mud Although the times are changing, many modelers still feel that one uses mud and snow to simply cover mistakes. Mud and snow is a vital part of the mix when building realistic looking armor. Mud collects on vehicles in different ways. Like the winter camouflage, it is very important that you first study photos of armor to get an idea of the result you are looking for on your model. There are many colored photos of T-55s available. You need to find a picture of one of these vehicles (or a similar vehicle ) that is in the same terrain as the one you are modeling. Let’s start with the mud.
Photos 26 to 29 I was able to find good close-up photos of some Norwegian armor on manoeuvers in the snow. On these tanks I observed that the limited mud was dark and damp in appearance. With this in mind I first airbrushed a coat of dark earth to the lower hull, under the chassis, to the tracks and
Slush, Snow and Ice
had returned to notice lots of frozen slush, snow and long icicles hanging from the cars
lightly over the running gear. Pigments were
and trucks around my city.
then brushed over all of the areas of the dark
There are many articles available about
earth base and randomly to the upper hull
adding winter camouflages to models. I
and turret. The pigments were then
wanted to take this article a step further
I knew that I wanted to simulate this effect
brushed with enamel thinner to help them
giving an added sense of environment to the
on my T-55 but at the time did not know
settle into the cracks and around the details
model. This past winter in my home state of
how. I knew the icicles would be easy but it
where mud usually collects. Like the winter
Maine, located in the northeastern part of
was making realistic looking frozen slush and
camouflage and chipped paint, mud collects
the United States, was extremely cold. The
snow that had me baffled. I kept this thought
randomly leaving some areas of the model
cold was broken up by a couple spells of
in my mind while I continued to assemble
dirty while others remain clean.
warm weather quickly melting the snow,
and paint the model. When the time arrived I
which lasted about a day each. I would
felt that I had come up with a solution. A
awake the mornings after the cold weather
company from New Berlin New York called 61
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Golden Artist Colors Inc. manufactures a number of different artist mediums to enhance, or use in conjunction with, their paints. One of the mediums they provide, called “Extra Heavy Gel (Gloss)”, is used to add texture to acrylic paints. It looks milky in appearance when you first take it of the container but solidifies to an absolutely clear glossy hard substance with just a bit of elasticity.
Photos 30 to 32 I mixed the gel with a product called “snow” manufactured by Hudson & Allen Studio to get the frozen slushy snow look I wanted. Other modellers have told me they use silica to represent snow and I imagine this would work well in place of the Hudson & Allen Studio product. I applied the snow mixture sparingly under the chassis using an old brush as shown in photo 31. The snow mixture was also placed on the upper hull in places were it might collect. I finished painting and assembling the running gear while the snow dried. I observed on both cars and trucks that areas of snow will get dirty while other areas remain clean. Earthcolored pigments dampened with enamel thinner was brushed randomly onto the snow to duplicate this effect.
Photos 33 to 36 After painting the tracks with a base coat of Tamiya Dark Earth I added another coat of dark wet mud. All of the ingredients used to make the mud are displayed in photo 32 except the Humbrol chocolate paint (which I forgot to place in the picture). You will need to experiment with the amounts of each ingredient to get the density of mud that works best for you. The inside of the track was then marked with an artist pencil and blended further with a piece of dinner napkin. The areas of worn steel on the drive and idler wheels was painted with a mixture of steel colored enamel paints then rubbed with graphite using my finger. More slushy snow was added to the outside of the tracks. After letting the snow dry for about 15 minutes, I rubbed the outside of the track with sandpaper to simulate wear on the cleats. It is important that you place the wheels and track onto the model at this time before the snow solidifies making the track
Photos 37 to 39
only under the patches of snow. Stretched
With the track and running gear in place, I
sprue is transparent but not glossy enough
could add the final details. The icicles were
and too straight. Icicles vary in thickness and
made from the transparent sprue that was
are extremely glossy in appearance. This
heated over a candle and stretched. The
problem can be easily solved by brushing
stretched sprue was then cut into random
the sprue icicles with the Golden gel straight
lengths and glued into place with super glue.
from the container. Try to make the icicles
If you view the completed model you will
thicker at their foundation where they attach
notice that I placed the icicles on the model
to the vehicle.
too rigid to place on the model.
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