Tamiya 1/35 Churchill Mk VII Tank

[Waspie]

Thing about operational tanks............................ they're driven on dusty roads, on wet roads, across muddy ploughed fields, across standing crops, through hedges and narrow streets and bridges, are in sunlight, pouring rain, blizzards, parked in the open, or under trees, crewed by men who are tired, and will do essential maintenance only. - and that's not thinking about any effects of action!
A tank may start Olive Drab, but after a few weeks' operations, it won't look like that!
Dave

You missed spraying high pressure water over the things at the end of the day/exercise etc. that can discolour any paint job.
Even aircraft end up suffering colour loss. Ardrox can change a dark sea grey to light sea grey if left on too long when being cleaned!!!

[Guest]

Just finished adding the decals (tbh there wasn't a lot) and I'm going to leave it overnight to set.

Now my reason for posting, do I give it a coat of gloss varnish tomorrow or matt varnish? - before my attempt at weathering (I just want to be sure)

in other news, I just bought myself a present, a new airbrush. it's one of the pull trigger ones (a Gaahleri GHAD-68) I'm finding that I'm struggling to use my normal airbrush for more than a couple of mins without my fingers hurting and my control suffering ...arthritis, don't get old guys and girls! - I'm hoping this will make it easier for me to use longer and more importantly finer control.

More images soon, thanks for watching!

[langy71]

I'd let the decals settle overnight and then give it a few light coats of matt varnish tomorrow..(unless you want it glossy then swap the matt for gloss).

[andy55]

in other news, I just bought myself a present, a new airbrush. it's one of the pull trigger ones (a Gaahleri GHAD-68) I'm finding that I'm struggling to use my normal airbrush for more than a couple of mins

I think you'll be pleased with the Gaahleri, I have the ghad39, and use it for everything from primer to top coat and fine camo lines. Assuming it's the same or similar internals as mine two things to watch for: 1. The brass at the front where the nozzle seats needs to be scrupulously clean or it will bleed air to the paint reservoir. 2. When cleaning the nozzle make sure you clean the grooves where the air goes though.


It's that white washer that seats onto the brass.
Hope the above is of use. Apologies if I'm teaching 'to suck eggs :smiling4:
Andy

[Guest]

I think you'll be pleased with the Gaahleri, I have the ghad39, and use it for everything from primer to top coat and fine camo lines. Assuming it's the same or similar internals as mine two things to watch for: 1. The brass at the front where the nozzle seats needs to be scrupulously clean or it will bleed air to the paint reservoir. 2. When cleaning the nozzle make sure you clean the grooves where the air goes though.
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It's that white washer that seats onto the brass.
Hope the above is of use. Apologies if I'm teaching 'to suck eggs :smiling4:
Andy

ookay.. I'm a bit scared now! I dreaded cleaning my Fengda airbrush as taking it to bits I knew it was only a matter of time before I bent the needle or lost the tiny nozzle. this looks even trickier. ohh-er!!

[Waspie]

ookay.. I'm a bit scared now! I dreaded cleaning my Fengda airbrush as taking it to bits I knew it was only a matter of time before I bent the needle or lost the tiny nozzle. this looks even trickier. ohh-er!!

Just be systematic with it Steve. I always lay out some blue tissue from a roll on a small plastic tray so they can't roll off. Then slowly take my AB apart placing each piece on the roll. Then I simply clean each bit. The cleaned parts go on another tray/paper roll. Once reassembled. re-assemble it all and blast some air through it to make sure the 'trigger' and everything works fine. It's not as scary as building a kit!!!!!
I must admit my latest AB is a lot easier, no fear of over tightening anything and less hassle replacing the needle!!

[Guest]

What I do/did with my Fengda is a tip I found on a video and instead of taking it to bits each time I use it. I wipe it out with tissue and then put some airbrush cleaner in it 2-3 times and then backflush and pour it away and after that, wipe it out again and put one more bit of airbrush cleaner in and this time spray it through the nozzle to clean it. I found this worked quite well on my 186k and I only needed to strip it down once when it blocked. Not sure this cleaning 'trick' will work for this but I need to do some research before I use it for sure. If I can avoid disassembling each time, I will.

[Waspie]

What I do/did with my Fengda is a tip I found on a video and instead of taking it to bits each time I use it. I wipe it out with tissue and then put some airbrush cleaner in it 2-3 times and then backflush and pour it away and after that, wipe it out again and put one more bit of airbrush cleaner in and this time spray it through the nozzle to clean it. I found this worked quite well on my 186k and I only needed to strip it down once when it blocked. Not sure this cleaning 'trick' will work for this but I need to do some research before I use it for sure. If I can avoid disassembling each time, I will.

That's pretty much all I do now except at the end of every paint session I fully strip mine down. With my previous AB after every colour change it needed stripping down or it would clog or spit!!!

[Mark1]

I just blow mine through with cleaner,occasionally ill pull the needle out the back and give it a wipe but as for completely strip it, maybe 5 or 6 six times in the last 18 months. All the time its working fine then leave it alone.

[andy55]

ookay.. I'm a bit scared now! I dreaded cleaning my Fengda airbrush as taking it to bits I knew it was only a matter of time before I bent the needle or lost the tiny nozzle. this looks even trickier. ohh-er!!

Sorry Steve didn't mean to put the wind up you. It's just a couple of things I've come across using mine, and caused me a lot of agro till I sorted it. You'll have difficulty bending the needle as it's spring steel. Personally I strip and clean mine after every use. Is it necessary, 'shrugs shoulders'. Down to personal preference.

[Gern]

I'm lucky I can use the worktop next to my kitchen sink for my A/B and extractor fan so rinsing and flushing away is simples. One VITAL tip if you have the same set up:

Put the plug in the sink BEFORE you dismantle your A/B and leave it there until your A/B is reassembled!

You don't really need to ask how I learned how important this is.

[Guest]

Put the plug in the sink BEFORE you dismantle your A/B and leave it there until your A/B is reassembled!

QFT. Luckily all I’ve ever lost by neglecting to do that have been a couple of blanking plugs for my Aztek, of which you get a bunch of spares, but I still didn’t like losing them.

[Guest]

Okay, I'm after opinions here.

I have all the decals done and I'm now adding parts and accessories that I didn't add earlier on (such as track sections, tow cables, fuel tank etc)
but I am looking at these two side pieces (I'll be honest I don't know what they are, a wild guess would be radiator covers but I could be miles off.

Now.. I've been looking at these and quite frankly I don't like the look when they are fitted, I much prefer the look without them. So you can say
"Hey Steve, it's your model you fool, do what you like". fair enough, but honestly would you leave them off because you prefer the look or add them because
it should be as accurate as possible?

Here's a pic showing the parts and the instructions where they go.

[Dave Ward]

They're guards for the air intakes - they stop any hobnailed booted tankie from crushing the grilles _ I've seen pictures of tanks with and without them - so it's your choice!
Dave

[Mark1]

Leave em off if you prefer, have a google youll see plenty of pictures with them on and also without them. This is the example at the imperial war museum.