Italian M13/40 - Tamiya -- Final Pics

[afvfan]

It's been a while in the making, but I finally got back on the horse and finished my M13/40. Due to limited time, I'll present the build here in stages. First, the background. I started the project using Tamiya's old kit (#35034) together with the Eduard PE set. In researching the project, and reading Mike Roof's excellent articles in "Boresight", I found out that there are no plastic kits depicting an actual M13/40. The Italeri kit makes a reasonable M14/41 (the updated version of the 13/40), and the Tamiya kit mashes both series together to ultimately build a tank that never existed. With the use of parts of the PE set and some minor scratch work I did back date my build closer to the real thing. Here's a couple pictures of the tank at the end of the build stage ready for primer:





The Eduard PE set isn't huge, and it does have a few issues with it. First, it comes with engine grills with the slats running in the wrong direction, suitable to a M14/41, but not the 13/40. Second, The brass pieces for the stowage boxes are way too big. So big that I actually cut one in half and used those halves to form the dooors on my boxes. And lastly, some of the parts have some of their fold lines on the wrong side creating a bit of confusion on how to bend the pieces, as well as allowing the fold lines to show.

To be continued in a day or two .......

[dierk]

Like your choice of subject. I'll just go and grab myself a cup of tea and plonk myself down in the front row.

[Leon]

Count me in Bob! Your off to a good start.

[Tojo72]

Nice,some Italian armor,I did their Semovente a couple of years ago.

[wbill76]

Wondered where you had disappeared off to Bob! Nice to see you're still chugging away at the bench.

[TRM]

Nice to see you're still lurking around Bob!! Off to a fine start on this one!! Some great improvements with the fenders!! Keep at it!

[afvfan]

Dierk - Thanks, I promise to drag this out long enough for the water to boil.

Leon - Appreciate it. Good to have you in on this.

Anthony - I, too, did the Semovente a while back. I've always thought of it as the StuG version of this one.

Bill - Oh, you can't get rid of me that easily. Just had a crisis of faith after my best commission buyer stuck me with two builds.

T - I've been popping in from time to time, but just not posting anything. I was totally afraid if I did the negative attitude I had would rear it's ugly head. It was just safer all around to keep it zipped. The frame of mind I was in I might have started telling people they were using the wrong colors!

[afvfan]

Round two up, paint. First a coat of grey primer laid down with black post shading added afterward. Next up was a coat of the base color, Model Master's "Italian Sand" enamel, with highlights added. The results:






After this dried for a day or two, I went back it and added the second camo color. For this MM's Italian Olive Green was used. Again, highlights were added to this. The finished paint ended up looking pretty good (at least to my way of thinking). When this dried, a clear coat of "Future" was put on and the decals were then added. Here's where we sit at the end of this update:








To be finished in part 3 .....

[S e r z h--Rest In Peace]

I like kamo - very carefully! Each spot on the place. Harmony!!!

[dierk]

"Thanks, I promise to drag this out long enough for the water to boil." No worries Bob - got a quick kettle...and a massive tea consumption.

Bad pun alert - couldn't resist: camo looks spot on Bob! One question though: are you sure you used the right colours?

[Leon]

Great progress Bob!Camouflage looks good.

[wbill76]

That sucks Bob...sorry to hear you got stiffed!

On the plus side, you've got to love the Italians for their funky schemes. Nice looking pattern!

[deafpanzer]

WHOA! The camo is so sexy on her! Its good having you back here.

[afvfan]

Thanks Serzh. Finally, the 5 years I sent in college on my Art degree have proven worthwhile.

Dierk - If the Italians didn't use these colors, they should have. They make the little cutie sooooo sexy!

Thanks Leon. Glad you like it.

Bill - Yeah, life sucks sometimes. I know you know the feeling. I've gotten over it now, though I do miss the lost income.

I'll try to get the final photos up tomorrow or Saturday.

[pt109]

Very nice, love that camo.....!

Paul

[Tojo72]

Excellent camo job.

[afvfan]

Okay guys, final pics on this one. Just a light coat of dirt and dust finished it up. Here she is:












A final word on the build. If ever you decide to build this kit make sure you do one modification, drill the lightening holes of the roadwheels out. As you can see in this picture, it makes all the difference.



Hope you enjoyed it. Next up a Jagdpanzer IV (A)

[Leon]

Great finish on the old girl Bob! Really enjoyed being along for the ride.

[panzerjager2]

REALLY NICE WORK!!!!

[dierk]

Excellent result!

[wbill76]

Does indeed make a difference Bob! Nice work on this Italian dust bunny.

[afvfan]

Hey Andy, good to be back, though I seemed to have managed to miss your comment. Oh, I just noticed the timing. You managed to sneak it in while I was writing up answers to the others .... Oops!

Geez, I just saw I missed comments by Paul and Anthony, too. Thanks for leaving them, sorry about missing them. Just shows I'm out of practice on the forum.

Leon - Glad you enjoyed it...quick as it was. Gee, that sounds like something I'd tell my girlfriend.

PJ2 and Dierk - Thanks guys. My one real regret was not drilling out the lights and adding lenses. I hadn't realized how cheesy the painted ones looked 'til I looked at the pics a few times.

Thanks Bill. It's no "Texas", but I'm pretty happy with it.

[Tojo72]

The weathering pulled it all together and toned it down,came out great.

[afvfan]

Thanks Anthony, it was fun doing something a bit different.

[TRM]

Well done Bob!! Great job on the camo on this one and I like the subtle weathering!! I would think you could get away with a little light dusting of black on the tailpiece of the mufflers and maybe just that horizontal plate just aft. But honestly, it looks pretty darn smart as is britha'!

Jumping back a few days...mainly because I am just few days behind on things! Never an issue letting someone you feel a color is not correct, it comes down to the manner in which it was given. Only times it gets funky is when ones view is proselytized trying to force a be all end all situation...the same applies to someone not being able to accept constructive criticism either. Unfortunately color is such a subjective part of the hobby then there is just too many variables when it comes to how the colors are being viewed.

Glad to see you slide this one off the bench finally!! Hope to see you back sniffing the glue soon my friend!!

[Deano]

Great work bro , awesome finish on the Italian nipper !!!

[afvfan]

Thanks for the comments ,T. I originally had plan some soot traces in the back areas, but the more pictures I looked at while gathering ideas, the more I saw that it just didn't happen too much on these things. Who knew olive oil was such a clean burning fuel source?

Just picking, as far as the "color" comment goes. I chose the subject because it seems to be one of the more asinine things that so-called "experts" want to argue about. "In Dec of '43 the green the Italians used was two shades lighter than what you used", and other like statements. Sometimes it makes me just want to .

The glue's running free. Pics of the next project will be coming soon.

Deano - Appreciate the comment. Glad you like it.

[TRM]

LOL...I think it was Dec. 3rd btw...on the forth, 'Carl' added a little marinara to the green darkening it. But by 6PM the following day, things were back to normal! I hear you buddy! Personally, I am all for the enthusiasm behind the hobby and history....it makes the whole thing more fun! I also understand the somewhat obsessive nature to want things "accurate". But what some don't understand is how quickly they can drag down a build when the information is unsolicited. A simple "hey, it looks a bit light for me as the color was darker at this time, but you are doing a marvelous job just the same". They can make a point without destroying a month or two of work. In the end, 99% of these builds are for us personally! Not everyone publishes or goes to shows...no money involved other than the cash flying from our pockets when we see a LHS. LOL!!

I had a few discussions about this with some people along the way and after they explained their point of researching a color for 2 years, ordering paint cards and even chips of paint from the vehicle, specific ratios of paint to match a color they have deduced is correct. I do feel they actually achieve the same happiness you or I might with color matching off the instructions or something close to what we see the color to be. The big difference is you and I know nothing can ever or will ever be 100% exact........research kind of works to get us close but it's not the same paint that was used, chips fade and darken over time, FS numbers for WWII subject is mute if you ask me (post WWII System), colors on the PC are only as good as your monitor not adding the person that scanned the picture or manipulation, scaling of the color and don't forget about "Carl", he was running out of paint and grabbed another paint, thinner or fuel to mix into the existing mandated color to finish the job. Not even getting into what the elements do to one of these vehicles after just one day....sun, dirt, dust, water, feet, equipment and on and on....

I think the biggest thing I see wrong ever when it comes to having the color too exact, if I can say that, is when that perfect color is achieved, the individual weathers the model....then you get that really dark finish which hides most details along with basically blowing the whole number coding out the window as you manipulated the base color...LOL!! What was the point at that point? Fun I guess!! Keep having it brotha'!!

[wbill76]

Dec 15, 2015 7:37:49 GMT -5 TRM said:

I think the biggest thing I see wrong ever when it comes to having the color too exact, if I can say that, is when that perfect color is achieved, the individual weathers the model....then you get that really dark finish which hides most details along with basically blowing the whole number coding out the window as you manipulated the base color...LOL!! What was the point at that point? Fun I guess!! Keep having it brotha'!!

This, more than anything, is what I always find interesting in the whole 'what shade is the right shade' discussions. At least it gives you something to shoot for in the end but definitely not a starting point unless you're doing 'factory clean'!

[TRM]

Certainly something to shoot for for the clean builders...and the finishes are incredible! All we can do is come close to what we think it should be. Tough to gauge a 70 year old color from old mixing manuals and B&W pics....even with paint chips sometimes. I am good with close!