Nicely balanced pattern Tim. Should look the Dog's danglers once you have weathered it up. :thumb2: Rick H.
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Looks darn good to me.Comment
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Thanks guys.
So here is the Ha-Go is chipped and weathered - but only up to a point. I am leaving the final dust wash and other details such as stowage until the diorama is further down the lineโฆ
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The large stowage box, in particular, is only pre-shaded with oil washes at this stage and is going to need a lot more work to make it look more interesting. Here it is before I blended the paintsโฆ
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The metal tracks were initially darkened with metal burnishing fluid, then speckled with various shades of Lifecolor rust tones (using an old paint brush and a toothpick to flick the paint on). I then built up the earth / dust layer using Wilder water-based washes. Finally I used sanding sticks and wire wool to buff up the metal and added the exposed linear surfaces on the inside (from where the wheels rub against the track runs and guide horns) with a graphite pencil.
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Undoubtedly one of the finest aspects of the Dragon kits are the beautifully moulded machine guns.
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The Type 97 heavy tank machine gun had some interesting modifications from the infantry version of the same weapon: a sighting telescope and a folding stock. The latter pivoted vertically and faced in the opposite direction (from 9 to 3 o'clock) when not required. Presumably it was most useful when the gun was used in the AA mount or dismounted. Given the very limited amount of space in the Ha-Goโs turret, it would seem most likely that the stock would be folded away when in this position. On the model this was achieved by carefully slicing off the stock at the mounting point and rotating it into the stowed position. Once painted up you can appreciate the exquisite detail on this slide-moulded piece.
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Looking at the exterior you will also notice that the MG ball mounts themselves are painted black (actually a dark grey - black rarely works as a surface shade in this scale). I read somewhere that this was standard practice for Japanese tanks of the era - perhaps because the internal mounts were manufactured elsewhere from the tanks themselves.
Finally, there are the markings. This is another puzzling aspect of the kits, both of which claim to supply schemes for the Malayan campaign. The Dragon kit (at least the one I have) has neither of the markings needed for this particular tank. The Fine Molds kit does at least have the Imperial Japanese flag emblem. Yet neither have the inverted โYโ which is prominent in the photos from the Bhakri battle. So I had to resort to some old-fashioned brush paintingโฆ
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The white star on the rear plate actually came from an old 1/76 Allied decal sheet in my spares box. This was because both kits supplied a decal that attempted to reproduce the entire black surface of the plate, complete with the tank number. Instead I simply painted the entire plate black and then added the star. Interestingly, the number itself was written in Arabic numeralsโฆ presumably even the Japanese had to accept that, beautiful as their script may appear, it was not designed to be read at a distance! So, if anyone has a suggestion for the actual number I should apply to this tank, I will be very interested to hear itโฆComment
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Looking sweet Tim.........liking the way you staggered the cammo on the road wheels. Rick H. :thumb2:Comment
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Tim,
Looking good great attention to detail.Comment
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Tim,
That's turned out beautifully. A top, top job. Very well done.
That Life Color rust and dust set is brilliant too. It regularly comes out on my builds.
Again, well done.
AndrewComment
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Looking great now Tim. Research is excellent as well.Comment
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Thanks Rick.
Given the angle and quality of the available photos, it's impossible to know whether this is strictly accurate - but if the Japanese guys who painted these tanks were going to take so much trouble over the rest of the tank then I figured they would go for something interesting on the wheels...Comment
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So hereโs a question:
How do you create a jungle? I had absolutely no idea when I started this project.
But here's how I found my way...
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More explanation of my trials and tribulations will be coming soon!Comment
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Very well done Tim. That's a fine jungle on the perimeters of a rubber estate. Not many can get it right...you did it.
Cheers,
RichardComment
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Really like the way you laid in the dead undergrowth and then brought in the top foliage to cover it all......top marks to you and your horticultural abilities! :thumb2: Rick H.Comment
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TIm
The base is looking very, very good indeed.
Very well done.
AndrewComment
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