New/additional pictures from an old model! This is a model that I actually built in the late Eighties/early Nineties – salvaged as a true wreck from the basement, and revamped around 2010. Even though it is a Dougram model (originally from Doyusha and later Takara), my specimen was actually released in 1985 or 1986 by Revell under their hodgepodge Robotech label as "Dromedin". Battletech nerds will know this mecha as "Goliath".


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The model:
The first time I built the model it was done OOB in the ,,fictional" livery Revell's designers had invented (overall steel grey with white and dark grey stripes), and in my second "mecha phase" in the 90ies I modified it to look like a catalogue picture of Revell's "Commando" version of the huge 1/48th scale Tequilagunner kit: in a pale sand, mid brown and bluish grey livery, and with the typical "balconies" on the vehicle's flanks. This converted kit was also experimentally weathered with coloured plaster, and the result was... horrible! Consequently, the kit disappeared from the "public collection". Forgotten, until I re-built it for s second time!

I originally planned to scrape the plaster off of the kit, do just some detail work and use its last paint coat with new weathering. But the old plaster was so thick and adamantine, the paint so poor and the plastic proved to have become surprisingly brittle with age, that more thorough work became necessary. For example, two hip joints broke off and needed firm replacements, dust protectors made from paper tissue were added to the legs and feet, the balconies (these are still the hand-made/scratched "things" from 20 years ago...) needed better and completely new rail guards, a nozzle brake from a WWII tank was transplanted to the gun barrel and two extra rocket launchers had to be added, too, scratched from styrene tubes.
Lots of polystyrene plates and profiles went into this project as additional surface details and to cover up flaws. To give the model a more lively look I populated the platforms with  figures from a 1:72 scale modern tank crew set from Preiser, a mortar crew, plus various scratch-built small stuff like stowage boxes, the sun roof, cammo nets, a telescope, sand bags, etc.. Every piece is just a tiny bit, but in a sum they add up to a more ,,realistic" look of the kit as a 2nd row command platform, and they are important in order to create small, plausible scenes.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The camouflage/paint scheme is nothing specific, although I admit that I was not certain until I finally painted the model. One plan was a sand base with olive drab and tan stripes, but after I applied the basic sand tone I left it that way, because weathering and the details on the balconies were supposed to remain the main attraction. As a side effect, the single color livery turned out to be  an authentic choice for the F44B!
Painting was done with simple rattle cans - I do not own an air brush (and do not miss it). Main color is a reddish sand tone, RAL 1011 "Brown Beige", but it was shaded with darker and lighter rattle can colors for light effects and weathering. A total of 3 other tones were used: RAL 8023 "Orange Brown" for lower surfaces (the darkest tone, only little of it can be actually seen), then an acryllic hobby paint called "Sand" (very close tothe RAL 1011, slightly more reddish) for the verticals side surfaces, and finally a vintage Volkswagen car color called "Mexico Beige" which was applied onto the RAL 1011 on upper horizontal surfaces sides, to mimic sun-bleached paint. Some pictures of the "making of" series for this kit show some painting steps as well as the colors.

After that, details like the sand protection covers were painted with acryllic paint (in dark brown). Since I lacked the original decals, the few which went onto the kit came from the spare parts box; I wanted the marking to complement the few red contrasts on the Tequilagunner, like the rocket launchers, so that a few details were added, but the overall impression limited to only a few basic colors, reducing distractions so that the focus would be on the balconies and their inhabitants.

Next, a washing consisting of a mix of black, sepia, ochre and raw umber was applied, and then lots of dry painting created shading, weathering and detail enhancement. For dry painting, I used Humbrol colors 84 (Mid Stone), 64 (Light Grey)  and 121 (Light Stone), mixing the colors for varying shades. This treatment already broke up the very uniform RAL 1011 finish, but further work with dry paint e. g. with silver for blank metal or raw umber and burnt sienna for some subtle rust and oil stains, plus some rubbing with grinded, soft pencil mine, enhanced the look further. On a complex camouflage pattern all these treatments would not have looked that impressive, so I think my decision to keep the model's livery simple was just right, esp. with the diorama (see below)! You can easily over-do such a thing. Finally, everything was sealed under a matte varnish coat, and dust and sand in the diroama' colors were added with grinded artist chalks.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The base/diorama:
Only seen in one of the new shots, though. Like its mate, the re-revived Desertgunner kit, this home-brew Tequilagunner derivate (hence the "Mk.II" suffix...) would receive a small diorama base for display, too. In this case it would be a small and generic sand desert scene, where the F44B strides over a sandy dune with a rippled surface, with only little vegetation.
The whole diorama is just 20x20cm (8x8") in size, large enough to house the walking tank on its dune, with little distraction. The base was made from an MDF base with balsa wood side panels that defined the topography. The landscape's profile was sculpted with Styrofoam, and then three coats of thin plaster and finally some fine concrete dust was applied and fixated. Water-based colors, some dry painting and few vegetation details round the thing up. The palm trees were completely built from scratch - another experiment which turned out to be VERY effective and cheap!
The diorama surface was painted with the same colors as the kit, and then lightly dry-painted to enhance details. The rest of the vegetation came from the scrap box and consists of various moss variants, model railraod scale grass bushels and bristle, glued to the base and fixated with hair spray. This stuff also received some dry painting to blend with the other diorama elements. Finally, the F44B was positioned on the diorama and details added, like the motorcycle scout on top of the dune.


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Abitate F44B Mk.II "Tequilagunner" (Doyu-sha kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Very nice Dizzy 

Very cool! Gets me thinking about my old one.

Quote from: kerick on September 25, 2024, 07:14:24 AMVery cool! Gets me thinking about my old one.

It's worth saving! 

Yes it is! I looked up the price of a new one, crazy!