1:35 "Bad guys" M983 + M901 Launching Station

[sykotik]

Hi guys

I saw this kit in the pile the other day and decided to go back to work on it. I had started this about a year ago and never got very far with it until now as I was stuck on which scheme to choose. Never one to conform to what the instructions tell me and the fact that I wanted this to look evil, I decided to turn this into a Special Forces HEMTT- which basically means it'll be black and not yellow. I may even add some dark and light green to give it some camo although I'm still debating that one.

To go with it, I also have a Meng 1:35 M911-C (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YsTp-NYz6i0/Wr2ZfrhfaOI/AAAAAAACSOs/Ht7PvyUEXdgVDt6joyAFbDfPwoce207AACLcBGAs/s1600/Meng%2BM911%2BC-HET%2B%25282%2529.JPG) on it's way to me (for a lot less than the cost dealers @ Expo had it for: ie, $157AU shipped). This will also be black (hell yeah!) and to go on the back of it as it is a transporter, will be a Meng Israeli Merkava MK 3D Late (the best looking tank ever IMO).

I did have a small plan to make all of them post-apocalyptic as an excuse to have them in black, however, this would mean a lot of surgery so I changed my mind into making them Special Forces equipment (I doubt very much they have this stuff in real life but as this is WHIF, who cares?) The tank is going to be one re-propositioned by the US SF's, so I was thinking it could be camo'd in a dark jungle/forest style scheme - just to break up the monotony of black. Both of these kits I'll do a thread for much later on, so in the mean time, I'll kick off with the M983

It's super hard to take pictures that will show off the colour variations on the chassis but to the naked eye, they do exist. There is a mix of rubber, NATO, metal and tire black, burnt and dark iron.
The weathering will be kept to a minimum and enough to be used but not abused. I am not really into the heavily weathered armour subjects I see a lot of. Yeah they look cool but its just not to my taste.
Anyway, enough talking and time for some pics:

















Here's where I am up to with the cab:













And some bits band bobs also for the chassis:











Well, that's all I have for now, but if you have any suggestions about the colour scheme etc, I am open to them!
Thanks for dropping in and having a look
Simon

[zenrat]

911 looks good (you have put 901 in your thread title).  Lot of work there.

[sykotik]

LOL - I read your post before you edited it
It is a 983 tractor and the 901 is the missile launcher 

[zenrat]

LOL - I read your post before you edited it
It is a 983 tractor and the 901 is the missile launcher 

Yeah, I thought better of the original reply.  Prolly a bit too much of a local news story.

[NARSES2]

Some very neat work going on there 

[AS.12]

Lovely weathering on those parts. 

[Old Wombat]

I only do heavy weathering to hide all of my stuff-ups.


I too love Merkavas;

I've got a Merkava I Hybrid (Takom), a Merkava IID (Academy?), a Merkava IIID Late LIC (Meng) & a Merkava IV LIC (Academy) to be built as RAM's armour .............. One day.

[sykotik]

thanks guys. I'll be posting an update soon as I have almost finished the tractor unit. Hoping to get the main assembly done tonight

The Mekarva's just look so sleek and streamlined for a tank don't they? I have often thought they'd look good in a forest camo, and now that I finally have one, it's what I'm going to do

[sykotik]

Got a fair amount of work done over the past couple of weeks. The tractor is almost done - I still have a few things to add on and tidy up, plus I have a bit more weathering to do to it.
The launcher trailer has been started and I did look to have the legs articulated but I just couldn't be bothered in the end 
Anyway, I had the camera out today doing other things but I took a few shots of the build as it is

































That's enough pictures I think but thanks for looking in
Si

[zenrat]

Ooh yes, looking good there.

[NARSES2]

Very impressive 

[sykotik]

Thansk guys

I changed the title of this thread 'cause I think "Special Forces" is probably stretching it a bit far. I was just looking for an excuse to paint it black - so now it can be in the hand's of the "Bad Guys"  - whoever they are 

[Old Wombat]

Generic Bad Guys Inc.

Looking good!

[buzzbomb]

Yup.. great work as usual

[sandiego89]

Fantastic weathering!