Meng Merkara Mk3 BAZ with mine roller

[thug626]

Good evening Dierk. I had hope to get some progress pics up of the turret. It looks as though Photobucket is down for maintenance. Perhaps later.

Dave

[Leon]

Base color looks great Dave! I like how some of the primer shows through.

[Tojo72]

Nice !!!

[thug626]

Good morning Leon, Thank you. I've given the beastie a bit more of a base coat since you've last seen. It was a more focused coating over individual panels. The dark primer helped out especially with the turret basket sides.

Good morning Tojo72, Thank you kindly.

Photobucket is up and running today. So, let me get the updates posted.

The mine rollers got their base coat and red detailing. Pretty much most of the detail painting is with Vallejo. There is the odd color that I'll use LifeColor brushed on. Later on, I'll burnish the rollers contact surfaces with 8B graphite sticks and smudgers.



The M4s were painted with three different shades of grey/black. It's not too evident in the pics but, it's there.



The plastic can was painted with a combo of German Grey and Gloss black. It gave it a bit of a satin sheen. Just what I was looking for. I used the same color for the M4 grips and stocks.


As you can see the ammo cans got their colors. The tarp was highlighted and shaded. You can see it a bit in the photo. I was having a time getting the light just right,


Dave

[Leon]

Nice progress Dave! This is coming together nicely.

[thug626]

Thank you Leon. I was out at the bench painting the baskets on the rear hull....eyeballing the turret...hmmmm...somethings not right there.
Oh ****! Yup! I completely forgot the anti-slip coating on the turret and hull. Doh! Back to the drawing board.

[dupes]

Don't I wish the model manufacturers would put the anti-slip on themselves. It's a fairly prominent detail!

[wbill76]

Looking good Dave, very nice.

[thug626]

I hear ya Dupes.

Thank you Bill

Well I've gone and done it. No turning back now......
ANTI-SKID


This should give you and idea of the texture of the paste.


Yes, it may well mean that some/most of the detail painting I've done will have to be redone. Save for the baskets. I found some walk around pics of Mk3's and the stuff is all over the topsides.

Dave

[dupes]

Question about "real" antiskid - is it a paste as well? Or more like sandpaper sheets attached to the hull?

[dierk]

One step forward, two steps back Don't you just hate it when that happens? Having said that, nice recovery!

[thug626]

Good morning Dupes. The texture of top of the Merkava looks like gravel. It is definitely much more coarse than an anti skid sheet that one would attach to stairs.

Good morning Dierk. That is about what it feels like. The last time I had something like this was on a Panther with a very complex camo scheme. One of the pigments I used color shifted the entire top side red. The entire topside was repainted. This needed to happen. Ideally it should have been before primer but, it is what it is. It would have been nice if that had been the worse thing that happened yesterday.

Dave

[thug626]

In light of all that had to get done today, I was able to steal some time away and lay down the primer & base coat today. Initially I thought I was laying the paste on a bit thick. Turns out I could have gone a bit heavier in a couple of spots. There are a couple of chunky spots. No worries though, they'll simply get knocked down.





Cheers
Dave

[Leon]

That looks pretty darn good Dave!

[thug626]

Thank you kindly Leon! Even with the redo, I am having a blast building this kit.

Dave

[wbill76]

Good save on the noskid surface!

[thug626]

Thank you kindly Bill. There were concerns and reservations about it but, for the most part it worked. I just need to refill the application of the paste.

[thug626]

I was able to steal a bush of time at the bench today. Mostly detail stuff, odds & ends before the weathering begins.
The headlights and commanders search light got their MV lenses today. I am going to miss MV when they are all gone.


Tow cables and recognition panels are painted and mounted. The panels have been glossed for decals. I am letting the gloss cure overnight before attempting decals.

The contact surfaces of the rollers got the graphite & smudge stick treatment today. One more step closer to getting them mounted.

Tools on the rear deck were painted with Vallejo Steel. Both got a light coating of light rust. Not a heavy treatment mind you but, just that light stuff that develops over a short period.


Dave

[dierk]

Nice work Dave!

[Leon]

Nice progress Dave! Looking really good.

[wbill76]

Jun 16, 2016 20:21:52 GMT -5 thug626 said:

I was able to steal a bush of time at the bench today.

So THAT explains it...I need one of those bushes myself, but I bet you're keeping that nursery location secret! Looking good Dave!

[thug626]

Good morning Leon. Thank you kindly for the compliment.

Good morning Bill. UGH!!!! Bunch. Apparently I didn't type it out completely and the well meaning autocorrect took care of it. That's what happens when you loose focus kids. If there were such a nursery I'd own it and be independently wealthy....as it really is, I am off to work now......

Dave

[thug626]

With the gloss coat cured and decals applied yesterday, I was able to hit the decals with a satin coat and start the dot filtering and pin wash. The filter and wash was done using Abteilung oils and mineral spirits.

The barrel stripe was painted using Vallejo white mixed with a bit of grey to tone it down. I had initially painted the white stripe around the barrel and, then realized that it is supposed to have a black stripe with it. So, I applied the decal over the painted stripe. All of the decals were snuggled down with Walthers Sovaset.

The streaking looks a bit heavy in the pics but, in person it looks just right to my Mk I eyeballs. The side skirts will get a pin wash today and the road wheels with get their weathering.

The areas where the decals were applied were darkened because of the gloss coat necessary. After some delicate airbrushing to even the tone out, everything worked out just fine.


When my brother built his Academy Merkava he used Legends kit for the ball and chain. A real Make-you-mental project. I am now thinking it would have been worth it. This is not a fault of Meng. Rather, I would not have snapped so many of them off at this point but to my paws.

More detail painting and pin washes on the way. Here's what's done thus far.

All of the periscopes and optics got their masking removed. This is one of those small steps that, in my eyes, starts to bring the beastie to life. Colorizing of the optics to follow.


Thank you for looking. As always, constructive criticisms are welcomed and encouraged.

Dave

[wbill76]

I agree Dave, it's really coming alive now. Nice!

[thug626]

Thank you much Bill.

The rollers got their initial weathering this afternoon. To top it off, they are finally mounted.



More weathering to come for the rollers.

The cables were painted with Vallejo Oily Steel. No excuse for rusty cables.

The chains received a light patina of rust.



Dave

[Leon]

Nice progress on the Merk Dave! The weathering look good.

[dierk]

Excellent!

[wbill76]

Pretty cool! Looks mean with that roller on front.

[deafpanzer]

I am back!!! Damn! Love the anti-skids... You are so close to the finish line!

[thug626]

Thank you Leon. The rollers and armatures got a wee bit chipped up. Finishing touches put on the beastie this afternoon.
Thank you very much Dierk.
Hello Bill. Thank you kindly. That thing is a beast is the display case. Just for fun I parked it next to a CV-33 tankette. It could just about drive under the Merk.
Welcome back Andy. Thank you kindly my good man. It's closer than you think....I brought it across the finish line this afternoon.





It is difficult to see but, the periscopes and optics were painted with Tamiya Clear Blue thinned with Tamiya thinner. It brushed on just fine and self leveled.












Now....what to build next?