Meng French FT-17 Light Tank (Riveted Turret)

[TRM]

One of the fun parts right there Bill!! Nice to see the filtering going down!! Great work my friend!!

[wbill76]

Thanks Leon and Jeremy! One step closer to the finish line.

Todd, yeah buddy! This is where it gets good...just have to make sure it matches up with the base when I'm done.

[deafpanzer]

Wondered when will the update be? Looks like your new job has been keeping you busy? Love how filtering and weathering process brings the camo together... looking beautiful now!

[wbill76]

Thanks Andy! Believe it or not, it has more to do with it being NFL season than work-related, although I do have a different schedule now that changes when/how I can get to the bench depending. We also just had our first week of below freezing temps so I'm expecting leaf duty to encroach soon too.

[wbill76]

More progress on the weathering, this time it was the pin wash turn to make all those rivet details stand out. I used a pointed 10/0 brush and some highly thinned MM enamel Burnt Umber.



After the first pass, I used some clean thinner and the same brush to remove excess wash or adjusted it where needed to get the desired effect.







And just for fun, a quick check with the base to make sure things are still headed in the same direction.

[deafpanzer]

Loving it... amazing what weather can do especially in this case!!! You are so close...

[wbill76]

Thanks Andy! Just the tracks and pigments left to go. Very close!

[Leon]

The little guy is really poppin now Bill!

[afvfan]

Looks great Bill. I know the factory base is a challenge, but it sure is nice to see what can be done with it.

[Tojo72]

Weathering toned it down real nice Bill

[wbill76]

Thanks Leon and Anthony!

Bob, it's been an interesting exercise working with the kit-supplied base on multiple levels. Overall it creates a neat little scene IMHO. If it was just a touch bigger on both the top and the bottom trench portion, there would be opportunity to employ some other touches like barbed wire or a figure or two but then Meng might have felt like they would have to provide those components too for it to be a true 'all-in-one' box offering type of thing.

[pantherf..-Email Not Valid]

I like what I see here Bill.  This may one day qualify as a 'tiny tank' build for me... after I do finish the 1/16 FT.  I hope for Christmas I get a few WWI kits in my stocking. At least that's my wish this year.   I don't ask for much anymore these days.


I REALLY like what you have mounted this on.  Small, but gets the point across very easily.  Are we throwing any figures in or more debris down at the bottom?





Jeff

[wbill76]

Thanks Jeff! Definitely a 'tiny' tank project when compared to the 1/16. This one could definitely fit in a stocking. No plans to add anything more to the base than what you see here simply because there's no room for them. The bottom area of the trench is only about 5-6mm wide for example, so any figures would be hanging off the edge if posed realistically in any kind of action setting. I'm just working with what the kit provided in the box to see how it would all turn out.

[petros]

Looks like I missed most of this nice project! Really great job, and cant wait to see the finished tank! I just got the Flyhawk 1:72 scale FT-17, which I might consider building soon too!

[wbill76]

Thanks Petr! Glad you caught up on this one. I can only imagine how small this would be in 1/72! Maybe just a couple of inches in length?

[petros]

In 1/72 it is about 52 mm long, just measured the hull. Nearly exactly 2 inches. A great thing to shift into the middle of a large project

[bullardino]

Looking great Bill

[wbill76]

Thanks Lui!

[wbill76]

Latest round of efforts was all about the pigments. First order of business was applying a sealing dull coat using Testors Model Master Lusterless Flat in the spray can.



Lower hull and suspension areas were given a wet application of Mig Dark Mud. I used normal tap water with a touch of liquid dish washing soap to break the surface tension and a regular sable brush to apply the pigments.



Pigments are allowed to air dry, then the excess is removed with a series of stiff bristled brushes. More pigment is removed using wet and dry Q-tips to get the effect I'm after.



The end result builds nicely on the previous layers, creating a nice effect.



The tracks got a similar treatment but using Mig Dry Mud pigments.



Tracks were installed permanently onto the vehicle to complete the process.





Dry-fit onto the base shows that everything looks like it belongs.





The fit onto the base is a little tricky, will play with that a little bit more before I call this one fully done but it's 99% there.

[dupes]

Whoah, neat! That certainly is a "dynamic" pose on the base.

[Leon]

Nice work on the pigments Bill! The little guy looks great with it's tracks on and sitting on the base.

[wbill76]

Thanks Dupes! Kind of reminds me of the Titanic 'King of the World' moment.

Leon, thank you kindly sir! Been fun getting this one all wrapped up today.

[deafpanzer]

Man, looking STUNNING!!! Bet you can't wait to do the last 1%...

[petros]

Very nice!

[wbill76]

Thanks Andy, I always leave it to sit overnight and look at it one more time before making it 'official'! The 1% should be knocked off today for sure.

Petr, thanks very much!

[wbill76]

Made a few minor touch-ups here and there including a very light dusting of the Dry Mud pigment to the rest of the lower hull to tie it in a bit with the tracks. Then off to the photo booth for the final shots!













And at home on the base!

[deafpanzer]

You have already heard from me on FB the second you posted! LOL Like I said I really LOVE it and I hope to see you tackle more WWI tanks... perhaps?

[wbill76]

Nov 24, 2014 15:34:08 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

You have already heard from me on FB the second you posted! LOL Like I said I really LOVE it and I hope to see you tackle more WWI tanks... perhaps?

Thanks Andy! Who knows, maybe more WW1 subjects could happen in the future once the current craze dies down a bit. Right now it seems you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Mk IV build in progress somewhere!

[TRM]

Well done Bill!! This one builds up tom something nice doesn't it? Great work on the tank and the base!! Congrats on adding another one to the win column!

[petros]

Fantastic work!