1/35 Takom M9 ACE - Build

[Leon]

Base color and shading look good Todd!

[wbill76]

Hope you didn't expend too many brain cells in the process! Green looks solid from here.

[deafpanzer]

Looking good my Patriots loving friend! I am so glad I shipped those tissue boxes last week... LOL

[rbaer]

What a cool-looking little thingie, looks like Takom is really on the ball.
Re those mysterious "EPM" depression things on the sides of the blades: Those are actually welds around the circumference of a hole, a common way to attach a piece of flat steel to another piece of the same when welding around the edges of the two parts is not enough. If the hole in the outer piece was smaller, it would be called a "plug weld", and may be called the same here, I dunno, never learned the engineering term for it, just did it.

[TRM]

Thanks Chris! I would bet you might enjoy this one!!

Thanks Leon!

Thanks Bill! Not too many my friend....but then again, I don't think I had to much to start with!

Thanks Andy! I am guessing you might be over your elation of the Patriots loosing and realize there are two teams heading to the SB?

Thanks Russ! The welding seems to be different on a few of these out there...even some I seen without the depressions. Possibly different blade manufacturers....newer/older models!



Well I was able to sneak into the cave for a little painting last night! First round of the camo involved base layering of Vallejo's NATO Brown (71.249)followed with some Burnt Umber (71.040) mixed with a little Antique White (71.132)dusted over.



After adding some more masking, a base of NATO Black (71.251)followed by a dusting of Panzer Dark Grey (71.056...



Time to remove the mask and see if things came out okay!





I figure this will get me started in the right direction! I need to start painting the tracks and pop the wheels on soon! Forward progress is a good thing! Thanks for stopping by!!

[afvfan]

That looks pretty nice, T. For some reason, though, I like the left side pattern much more than the right.

[armorguy]

In the right direction it is T, I like how the camo came out !

[Leon]

Nice work on the camo Todd! I like it.

[wbill76]

Looks like a productive session with the airbrush indeed!

[dierk]

Nice progress!

[dupes]

Looks great T!

VERY interested to see how you go about weathering the NATO tri-camo. Finding a good process over that scheme has eluded me!

[deafpanzer]

Camo looks pretty cool!

[adt70hk]

I like that a lot Todd!

Great job!!

Andrew

[sturmbird]

Jan 26, 2016 18:16:00 GMT -5 rbaer said:

What a cool-looking little thingie, looks like Takom is really on the ball.
Re those mysterious "EPM" depression things on the sides of the blades: Those are actually welds around the circumference of a hole, a common way to attach a piece of flat steel to another piece of the same when welding around the edges of the two parts is not enough. If the hole in the outer piece was smaller, it would be called a "plug weld", and may be called the same here, I dunno, never learned the engineering term for it, just did it.

What was called out as ejector pin marks is really a welded construction process. Other wise all the stress would be on the outer welds, and they would really be taxed. Looking at the weldment, it appears that there are three main pieces of hot rolled steel plate. The holes referred to are for very deep penetrating welds. Probably a submerge weld process. This puts the weld inside the holes in a shear condition, and will be extremely strong! Also needed to prevent internal flexing of the weldment. Good to see them looking right.

I think this earth mover is the second generation of a project that came about in the late 1980's or very early 1990's. It never got too far as the drive train was silly crazy. The idea was for an armored dozer that used the same gear box as the Allison X1100-5. That was the same gear box as the M1 Abrams, but set up for a diesel engine.
There were prototypes built off of basic dozer designs. I've seen these. The real issue was the total cost per unit. Plus the X1100-5 never went into production as the inventory of M60 tanks was done away with. Looking at the thing, it almost looks like somebody took the M114 APC and made a dozer out of it.

I've been to the LHS four times looking for this kit. This will be in my list of kits.
gary

[Deleted]

I like the camo T .

[TRM]

Thanks Fellas! Sorry for the delay in getting back to this one! Seems everything has been getting in my way as of late! But, I pulled my head out of my butt long enough to sit at the bench and work on something! I managed to put a couple nights in on the M9 and work up the base a bit.





Looks like this one is heading into the weathering both!!

[Leon]

WOW.....That looks awesome Todd! The M9 looks right at home plowing through the mud.

[TRM]

Thanks Leon! I had to have this one doing something!!

[dierk]

Sub-zero cool!

[martslay]

Very cool looks! Remarkable work, Todd! My congratulations!

[TRM]

Thanks Martin! Trying to get back to the bench right now! Maybe finish this before the end of the month!

[deafpanzer]

Not bad! Only took you five months to finish it. Just don't ask me about my builds. LOL Love the concept of sinking into the mud...

[TRM]

I won't ask Andy!! I I remember the infamous Duck! Thanks!

[wbill76]

Now that's cool...you could title it 'in over your head' or similar!

[armorguy]

You did a great groundwork job on this one T. I especially like the drabby wet mud in the shovel, it looks super realistic, well done.

[TRM]

Thanks Bill!! Very cool idea on the name! Fitting!

Thanks G!! Still playing around with base stuff! Working slowly into weathering...additional weathering I should say!!

[TRM]

Snuck a little time in at the bench last night, so to have another update within a couple days...pretty good for me lately! I decided to play around with the ground work a little more. I interjected a some color with grassy stuff and muddy water. I am thinking I am ready to head into a more select weathering stage and bring this one down to the finish line!











Back to the bench....thanks for stopping in!

[eastrock]

Great Job on the ground work, looks realistic Mr. Tiberius Rex!!!

Cheers!!!

[thechaos]

Gread Work.

[tobias5555]

Very good work.