Revell/Zvezda 1/35 T-14 Armata - Russian New Generation Tank

[Dave Ward]

After a really lazy weekend ( why do they make these TV remotes soooo heavy! ), I thought I'd better crack on.
I added the final mask, then sprayed overall with AK Russian Base.
After an hour, or so drying - crunch time - peeling off the masks....................
Overall, quite pleased, there are a few (!) ragged edges to touch up, and areas which need a lot of attention, where paint has crept in hollows, areas where a paper mask has no chance at all.
IF the mask was properly die-cut, then this would have been a fast process, but having to cut out the patches individually made it quite lengthy...............
I'm going to add the bar armour, vision prisms, guards etc next - parts which wouldn't survive masking ( at least mine! ), then finally touch the paint glitches - I want to essentially finish the lower hull before attacking the turret
I'll finish the turret before I pass my verdict on the masks!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

The bar armour - difficult, and you need a steady hand, it takes time as the brackets need to dry, before moving onto the next step....................
There are sixteen brackets per side! Top & bottom, added - 8 more middle brackets remaining.
After the brackets have dried - the bar armour, in two pieces, can be added
I don't think that they will stand a lot of handling - care needed!
Zvezda have tried to do the brackets individually to scale size, whilst this is accurate, it makes it tricky to assemble. It might have been easier to do the brackets in one run, alignment would have been much easier. The Zvezda MSTA-S ( loading gear ) also suffers from trying to reproduce too delicate parts in plastic - a real pig to assemble !
Dave
Dave

[minitnkr]

Coming on very well. PaulE

[Guest]

Delicate but nicely done.

[adt70hk]

Dave

Very impressive.

Well done.

Andrew

[colin m]

Nice work Dave, it looks like a nicely detailed kit.

[Dave Ward]

The lower hull is complete ( apart from 2 spare track links on the backplate
I'll put this aside, and go onto the turret. The overall gloss spray & washes of the hull & turret will be done at the same time, so they are consistent
Dave

[Dave Ward]

On to the turret....................
A lot of pieces - over engineered? It pays to take close attention to the instructions - some parts are very similar.
( splotch of paint is a test for coverage without primer )
The gun barrel - all 12 pieces - the fit is very good, so no scraping & filling of the long seams.
There are quite a few more parts to fit internally, before the top & bottom can be joined - some are clear, which will need some nifty masking for protection.
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Turret assembled - at least as far as I go before masking & painting
The parts fit well, but the thin edges need careful clean up, there are just feathers of flash that need removing. There are several clear parts that are totally invisible, and fiddly to fit - I'd leave them off if I was going to do this model again!
Most of the remaining parts are sensors, aerials, and the remote weapon mount, all of which would get in the way of the paper mask, so next stage is to prime...............
Dave

[Dave Ward]

A really gloomy day, it's never really got light. Turret primed, and basecoated
All ready for mask part II
Dave

[JR]

I've seen wheels masks before but never one for armour Dave, I've used the putty before wasn't too bad.
It seems what ever method is used there will be touch up required.

[Dave Ward]

Well, after masking - the turret result.....................
A lot of touching up needed................
At the moment, I'm not really impressed with the masks, there are too many lumps, bumps and ridges, so you will always get paint bleed. I think the way to go is to spray the two main colours, then brush paint the hard edges, and the small patches................
Dave

[Guest]

Yes, I don't think those masks are really doing the job!

Like you say, too many lumps n bumps for a piece of flat masking to follow. Only other thing I could suggest is just using them as a guide to draw the pattern on, mask the edges with fluid up to the lines, then fill in with tape. But if you're brushing on the fluid I guess you might as well just brush the paint on instead!

[Dave Ward]

IF the diecut masks HAD been diecut properly, then it might have faster, having to cut out each mask with scissors slowed it right down. I have another J's Works mask set for the T-90MS, and if they aren't cut correctly, then I won't use them ( at least I can use the masks for other things........).
It's a speculative scheme, anyway, as I still haven't found any camo pictures of active Armatas!
Dave

[Guest]

But if you're brushing on the fluid I guess you might as well just brush the paint on instead!

I think they’re aimed at those modellers who have an aversion to brush-painting because of some irrational fear of brush marks. But if this much touch-up is needed, you might as well just brush-paint the lot anyway, or at least the black patches and do the others like you say, with masking fluid.