I.D.F M113 Fitter

[Isitme]

Still speechless Mike. Just fantastic work!

Thank you.

[BattleshipBob]

Gordan Bennett Mike what a job and a half

And theres me panicking over chains lol

[Guest]

Yes it was fun working them out.

Ages ago, I built the Academy kit you began with, as an Australian vehicle in Vietnam. I also added the hoses, from photos in an issue of the old Verlinden magazine, and I (sort of) recall the fun that was, yes Mine didn’t look nearly as good as yours, though.

[Isitme]

And now ready for priming tomorrow - reason why the wait - the peg under the bottom of the hull needs to dry....


Cheers,
Mike.

[stillp]

Hell, Mike, even your masking is neat and precise!
Pete

[NickT]

"Superb" nothing more to say !!

[Graeme C.]

Cracking build Mike, the Hiab with all those hoses is particularly impressive.:thumb2:

[adt70hk]

Speechless, simply speechless.....

[outrunner]

Amazing detail, just amazing!

Andy.

[Isitme]

Update.
First many thanks for the comments.
Now for the update.
The base colour has been put down and some lighter shading added. I then gloss varnished ready for deacls and some of the detail painting went ahead, this was then followed with another coat of varnish, and yet more detail painting.


The paint looks more green and yellow under the daylight lighting, but under normal lighting comes close to the photographs of the real item...

The HIAB... with hoses painted...

And finally some of the details for the vehicle, the blue/red hoses are for the welding equipment, plus workmans gloves and 'Igloo' cooler....

Next will be suspension and tracks to add.
Cheers
Mike.

[Tim Marlow]

Looking sharp in its new clothes Mike!

[Gary G]

WoW, loving this build.

[Isitme]

Update,
The hull etc has had a wash of Burnt Umber oil thinned to a wash and applied by brush. This has been left to dry over four days to allow the thinners to evaporate. And has been followed up with some dry brushing of the base colour.



So not sitting idley by I went ahead and made the decision not to use the seperate plastic track links but sent of to Historex for a box of the Masterclub metal tracks. First job was to seperate all of the broken links...

Then it was onto the building of each length, I abandoned the plastic track joiners and replaced them with half mm copper wire cut to the width required...

Be warned do not look at these links in anyway except with love - or they will break. This is no reflection on other track sets from this manufacturer, but this set of links are so fragile, coming at them heavy handed will result in scrap metal. Masterclub have included plenty of spares and for that I thank them, and to prove they can be assembled, here is the first side almost complete....

Once the wheels and drive sprockets are on the model, then the tracks which at the moment are short by a few links will be fitted for size then removed and painted.
Cheers,
Mike.

[BattleshipBob]

Superb job Mike:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:

[Si Benson]

Evening Mike,
Have had to go back and have a wee catch up, glad I did as that is an absolutely stunning build :smiling4: