Si B's MENG 1/35 Renault FT-17 light tank (cast turret)

[Steve Jones]

Nice to see the build is going so well Si. Looks like a quality piece of kit:thumb2:

[Si Benson]

Fernando.....you are an absolute star ⭐️ Thanks ever so much:thumb2:

Jim/Steve...it is a nice kit for sure! My eyesight is stretched....I hope I’m doing it justice:flushed:

[Si Benson]

Long weekend = extra modelling time:smiling4:
Plenty of tinkering on the bench.....first thing I had to tackle was a mistake I made on the interior.

I had fitted the mg magazine racks by mistake. it shouldn’t be there for the version I’m building....just for the later German variant
[ATTACH]312700[/ATTACH]

So off it came[ATTACH]312701[/ATTACH]
It left a bit of a mess so needed a bit of a clean up....
[ATTACH]312699[/ATTACH]


With that fixed I moved on to the running gear assembly....this step consists of joining together the previously assembled bogies into a housing as per pic below.....
[ATTACH]312702[/ATTACH]



[ATTACH]312703[/ATTACH]
It’s a tricky part to assemble but with plenty of dry fitting I got it together ok. The bogies are free swinging and the wheels free to turn as per instructions, although there is apparently no real benefit to be had from not glueing.


The last bit I managed was the top row of return rollers....again all wheels free spinning
[ATTACH]312704[/ATTACH]

A few more steps to finish left side....then same again for the right
As usual all comments welcomed
Cheers
Si

[JR]

Si .
That last section looked a bit scary, certainly would make me panic. You managed it well .
John.

[Jim R]

Hi Si
Well done with the running gear. Looks great but I'm sure needed care and patience.
Jim

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Si
Nice start on this one. I may also have pictures of the one at Bovvy. Do you want me to look them out?
Tim

[Steve Jones]

Nice update Si. Now that you have glued the wheels you wont be able to push it along like a little tank any more :disappointed::smiling3:

Si not happy that his wheels wont go round any more:smiling2:

[ATTACH]313059[/ATTACH]
(For comedy purposes only)

[Si Benson]

Thanks for looking in gents:thumb2:


Some progress. Interior painted up using the colours called out in the instructions, with a few alterations :smiling:
I used humbrol for the metallic parts, the silver went on nicely but the brass was a PITA....the slightest dilution separated it and undiluted was like syrup. Need to invest in some decent brushable metallics!
[ATTACH]313542[/ATTACH][ATTACH]313543[/ATTACH]

Not going to go overboard with the interior so now got to start glueing up the hull.
Thanks for looking
ACW
Si

[Steve Jones]

I am looking to do the same. Vallejo do a nice range now but a bit pricey at £7 a pot. I see Dark Star do a range of molten metals but know nothing of them. The one I am after is an Iron look paint.

Nice work on the interior especially the white walls:thumb2:

[Jim R]

Hi Si
Interior painting is very nice indeed. I have some Darkstar metallics. Not tried them through the airbrush but they brush paint nicely.
Jim

[Si Benson]

Thanks chaps,
I had an email about the dark star paints....but didn’t really pay it any attention, I’ll have to go take a look :nerd:

[Si Benson]

update...
The rest of the hull flew together,very straightforward. Engine and front hatches held in place for paintwork.
On went my base mixture...
[ATTACH]314266[/ATTACH]




Then out with the silly putty and masked off the yellow. Sprayed green, more putty and then hull red. Black lines added with a hairy stick...

[ATTACH]314267[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]314268[/ATTACH]

Meng have done a great job with track...no glue just click together. Painted up and fitted...


[ATTACH]314269[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]314271[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]314272[/ATTACH]

Everything has had a coat of varnish and the track assemblies are only dry fit to make weathering easier.
Once the outside is weathered, I can open up the hatches and weather them too.

All comments welcome
cheers
Si

[Jim R]

Hi Si
Just love that camo paint job. Looks so, so colourful before the weathering. Very neat work - credit to you :smiling5:
Jim

[Steve Jones]

Great work Si. Really has come out well. I have just done the cammo on my Holt. What are your feelings about chipping the black lines with the cammo colour to show wear and tear?. Not done it before so unsure if it works or how to go about it

[Mickc1440]

That's a first class paint job, nice work Si