Willys MB Jeep (Tamiya 1/35) - Update 16th March:

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

I started this little kit well over a year ago but bigger builds and GB commitments got in the way of making progress on this. It's a lovely little kit which I'm planning on getting finished before moving onto my next tracked build.

So, there are the usual sub-assemblies and all are painted - these comprise of the bonnet or 'hood' chassis, upper bodywork and everything else is separate with most of the small stuff, tyres and steering wheel on the sprue for ease of painting.

When I originally painted it I used straight Tamiya OD XF-62 which was obviously far too dark as you'll see in the photos. Remember I started this build a good while back so have learnt a bit since then - particularly about mixing colours to gain a decent colour! I've studied the photos I have of real Jeeps and think a colour based on the OD with added XF-21'Sky' and perhaps a dash of 'XF-49 'Khaki' or XF-52 'Flat Earth'.There's definately a hint of Khaki in the US WWII 1943 OD that I'm after and it's a lot brighter. Perhaps there's a proper recipe' for what I need?



Onto the build: This is where I'm at. I've got a stack of stowage and plan to make a sort of 'Battle of the Bulge' patrol vehicle with a bit of stowage and the good old Angle Iron Piano Wire cutter mounted up front.

Work so far:

You'll notice the OD is very dark but it will serve well for a good primer coat. The headlights fogged up when I first fitted them so I've removed them and a guy at my club has the 'C' sprue that I need. Windscreens to be fitted later - I may need some guidance on the best way of masking the wiper blade marks?

Chassis, engine and seats



The .30cal barrel has replaced with a far better RB Brass piece:





This big old .50 taken from the spares box could work - I'd have to have a re-think on the mounting should I use it:



Plenty of helpful stuff:



The paints:



This is where I'm at - looking good? The pedals will look great painted up when I get a decent lighter basecoat on.

If anyone has guidance on making the best wiper blade template for the windows that will be great. It looks tricky! I wonder if there's one kicking about that can be printed off?

Also, any guidance re a good paint mix will really help no end! I thought the 4 colours I have in the photo should combine to make something much better?

I'll be making a proper start on this next weekend.

Have a good week chaps,

Ben

[Leon]

Ben that looks like a nice project.

[Hinksy]

Cheers Leon,

It's totally different from what I'm used to doing but it really appeals.

If anyone can help with the whole paint colour/recipe thing that would be grand!

Thanks again matey,

Ben

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

I've had a very busy day today and have been up since 6am but have just got home and found time to re-do the basecoat before watching the Six Nations two final games.

So, it seems that the way forward is through a mix of OD (two to three parts) and DY (one part). I also added a touch of Khaki which worked well. I'm not used to painting US WWII colours!

When spraying the colour it looked perfect but now it's dry it's darkened up again. It was going onto a very dark base and the new colour was thinned right down so I'm presuming that dark basecoat is still showing through a touch.

I'm happy with it though so I won't be getting the airbrush out again. I also airbrushed all the other parts that are still on the sprue with the same colour green.

The plan now is to have a nice, relaxing night in and tomorrow I'll be breaking out the Vallejo paints and painting the engine (basic colours as the bonnet will be fixed shut), pedals, seats, rear red reflectors, the .30cal and a bit of stowage. I also need to look at the dashboard - I'll get some images of the real thing and see how good I can get it looking. Finally there's the wingmirror - is there a better way to replicate a mirror other than just painting it shiny silver? Add a circle of tinfoil?

I'm not planning on anything extravagant here - just a simple Jeep build with some light weathering and a dusting of pigments.

I understand these Jeeps had the paint 'baked' on? Does this mean it wouldn't chip? I want to show some wear and tear and use the hairspray method on the rear stowed Jerry can - what colour would they have been underneath the green?

This photo was taken in my bedroom whilst we still had daylight and shows up the tint of brown quite nicely:



The scratched pedals and dash detail - lots of potential!



Tomorrow I'll get all the basics painted then I'll add a shot of varnish so I can get her decaled up.

I've got to figure out how to make the best type of 'T' latches for the bonnet and then sort the windows and masking the wiper ares to show the clean areas covered by the wipers.

If anyone can help with what colour the Jerry cans were before being painted green that would be cool - also, what colour green is best used to paint US Jerry cans?

Thanks guys,

Ben

[wbill76]

Off and rolling Ben! I don't think the cans would've been painted anything prior to getting their OD green treatment but I'm not an Allied expert on these things.

[deafpanzer]

Same here! Assuming they all were painted in OD but like everybody said not all factories had exact same color. How many jerry cans are you planning to use? Why don't you do this... make all OD little different for each can by adding one drop of lighter paint such as tan or yellow so they all won't look too monotoned if you are up for a challenge?

Jeep looking great!

[bbd468]

Willys jeep it is then Ben! Looks great so far buddy. Great tip from Andy on variations of OD greens will add alot to the over all look of ole Willy!

Gary

[406 Silverado]

Looking good Ben.

[TRM]

Nice work there Ben!!

[Hinksy]

Hi fellas,

A brief update!

Although I did the basecoat again yesterday it still dried too deep a green - ideal for a Soviet T-34 perhaps but not for a 1944 Willys Jeep.

Having looked at photos and the box art it was obvious that this still needed attention SO today I decided to try a new mix but reverted back to using some of my Vallejo Model Air colours instead of the Tamiya.

I made a mix which comprised of about 60% Tank Green and the remaining 40% was made up of an even split of Dark Yellow and Khaki Brown - all Vallejo Model Air. I added some Vallejo Satin Varnish to the mix in the airbrush cup - it looks a lot better now!

I've also resprayed all of the bits still on the sprues with this shade.

I've also basecoated the Muffler with a medium brown, added Flat Red to the lights/reflectors, Leather Brown to the rear Jerry can strap and I've painted the inside of the headlights with a simple chrome silver.

I have lost the pice of angle Iron that was going to mounted on the bumper to protect the crew from Piano wire strung across trees to decapitate Jeep Jockey GI's. Having checked the spares box I found about 3 sprues from Dragon kits, all the same, and all these had a great looking Crowbar only bent a bit at one end which I've just loosely stuck on as my friend Carl is also building one of these kits and isn't using the cutter so he's going to let me have that - I'll see which one looks best.

Next week - the tyres, seats and interior detailing!

◦Photos - the paints used:











I hope you like her guys - I definately feel a lot better about the colour. It doesn't show up so well in the light used on these photos but it's much better

Do you reckon the angle iron cutter looks ok? I'll take a file to it to give the impression of a sharpened edge. Failing that I'll use the kit one my buddy is going to let me have.

I'm building it as a Christmas 1944 Ardennes/Battle of the Bulge recon vehicle hence the need for the wire cutter. I'm not going to load it with stowage - maybe some rope wrapped on the bumper, a couple of extra tins of ammo and a Duffle bag? Sound ok? Anything else you reckon I should have?

Have a good week guys,

Ben

[Leon]

Ben the color looks great.Wire cutter looks fine.

[Hinksy]

Cheers Leon!

[wbill76]

Color looks good Ben. Your plan for the gear sounds about right for the setting you've got planned for it.

[deafpanzer]

Green looks much better!!! Nice save on the wire cutter...

[Whiterook]

Interesting progression of colors used, and you've ended up with a very nice shade in the end. I love the subject, too....a great little war horse!!!

[Hinksy]

Mar 18, 2013 17:48:17 GMT -5 Whiterook said:

Interesting progression of colors used, and you've ended up with a very nice shade in the end. I love the subject, too....a great little war horse!!!

Cheers Andy and 'Rock,

It took a while to get this colour sorted - I'm so used to painting German colours you wouldn't have thought it would be so difficult to get a decent olive green going!

I'm really getting into this now - lovely kit!

Thanks again fellas,

Ben

[wing_nut]

Nice Ben. i missed the start this one but wanna see the finish.