Trumpeter E25 Tank.

[Gekko_1]

Hi guys,

here's a few pics of some paint experiments I've been doing in preparation for the E25 'late war' hard edge camouflage scheme.

This was masked with Vegemite. Painted with Vallejo Model Color. Chips and scratches by small brush using various Vallejo Model Colours. Sealed with Vallejo Model Air Matt varnish. I experimented with "filters" made with oil paint and White Spirit. I'm going to need to do a lot more experiments with these filters before I can say I know what I'm doing, but it is an interesting effect, even though I've overdone it here. Specific washes done with oil paint and White Spirit.


This one was masked with "silly putty" and left to level-out over night to give that sharp edge. I've put a couple of sandy coloured filters over it and one dark brown filter.


Whilst on Exercise with the Army Reserve one day, I noticed a couple of M-113 APC's   camouflaged amongst some bushes about 400 metres away from me. The guys had done an OK job of camouflaging them.........HOWEVER!.............the wheels stood out like dogs balls! The disc shape, being so un-organic in shape really gave the game away.

So, looking at the E25, and its large diameter wheels, I thought to myself that if I was trying to survive on the battlefield in one of those I'd want to try and disguise the wheels a little better. So, instead of a single colour, I decided that a two or three colour disruptive pattern would be the go.

Here's the initial experiment.




The red brown turned out too red and too dark. I have since re-sprayed them yellow sand and will try again.

Now..............back to those bloody track links!

Richard.

[Sisko]

Interesting technique.

I'll have to give it a whirl

[nev]

Wow, that paint job is like something you see in the modelling mags    

[cthulhu77]

Nice stuff !  Love working with silly putty too, it not only works well, but gives you an excuse to hit the toy store.

[General Zod]

The camo looks great How is that kit to put together? If you wanna lighten up the red brown,try adding some dark yellow

[noxioux]

That is a good technique--and not one I've tried myself.  Gotta put that on the list now. . .

The top panel with the chips and roughage looks great.  A few weather stains and some dirt, and it would be perfect.

[Gekko_1]

The camo looks great How is that kit to put together?

Keep in mind that this is Trumpeter, so not as good in terms of mold quality like you get from Tamiya or AFV Club.

I haven't progressed past the track links at this stage. There's something like 161 to clean-up!

The 'rubber band' tracks are pretty useless, and do not glue together with standard styrene glue!

Haven't really progressed with the kit much as I've been doing a lot of camouflage experiments so I can get that late War Eastern front pale camo 'look' right.

The tank's upper deck (not the one I'll be using) in the second photo as seen in the initial post now looks very different now and has been heavily weathered, photos soon.



Richard.

[cthulhu77]

If you wash the tracks really well ( I use TSP), you can glue them together with A/C glue or contact cement.

[BlackOps]

More beautiful work! You have more weathering techniques than mother nature!    

[John Howling Mouse]

That first pic is just scary.  I don't know whether to relax and simply be inspired or to start selling off kits...

Yes, you are that talented.