Friday 29 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part 25 (Finished)



At long last - here is the finished Ma.K Hover Tank.....

It's been quite a journey, a £1.00 kiddies toy turned into a finished model which I believe captures the spirit and feel of the  Maschinen Krueger SF3D universe. I was able to use the Viper transfers from the Ju 87 Stuka - a model that I have wanted to build since I was a teenager, but I think the thing that I am most proud of is the fact that even though the build and the finishing didn't always go to plan, I was able to produce a model that I like. One that I am proud of.

Thanks to everyone that has supported the project with comments and critique - they have been most welcome. Thank you. I can now move on to something fresh!

The images show the finished Ma.K Hover Tank Ju 87s - THE VIPER





The biggest costs of the whole project were the figures, during the build, I picked up Dust figures, Revell German ground crew and Graven Images 40mm German soldiers from the Internet. The 'snake' transfers were also bought from the internet, but almost everything else was scratch-built or found in my 'spares box'.

Tony

Thursday 28 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part 24



At the start of this build, I wasn't thinking - "What Scale Shall I Build This Model?" I was looking to produce a scratch-built Ma.K tank, very much in the style that you can find on the internet, the construction moved ahead quickly using bits and pieces I had in my spares box. I knew that the scale would be between 28mm (1/56th) to 40mm (1/43rd), but I had no firm idea as to what exactly this scale would be.

As the build continued, I bought three plastic DUST models 30mm (1/56th) from e-bay but once they came it was obvious that they were going to be too small. I did however use parts from these figures to add detail to the tank. I then put out a plea for a 1/48th scale WW2 German pilot and was answered with two free plastic kit figures all the way from America - thank you Phil.

In the first image, you can see the nearly completed tank and both a 40mm Graven Images German soldier and a 1/48th scale Tamiya Tanker standing in front.

While in image two, we have a highly modified 1/48th scale plastic Revell soldier in the turret and a 40mm Graven Images German tanker standing alongside.

I think the Revell soldier looks too small and I have replaced him with a cut-down and modified Graven Images tanker.


Finally, after some considerable time I have decided - I will use the 40mm Graven Images figure as the Tank Commander or Hover Tank Pilot.

I have also added some additional view ports to the turret ring. "See Fram, I do listen to your comments!"


I think the construction and painting is now nearly complete and would expect the next post to be the last - that is unless I build a diorama to display the tank on!

Tony

Tuesday 26 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part 23



I have added a couple more decals following the first set (see earlier post). Once the decals were in place and sealed with Future floor polish, I varnished to whole model with brushed-on Galleria Matt Varnish.

Then the weathering.....

The weathering was applied in two distinct phases - a light drybrushing of earth coloured acrylic paint to the lower edges and powdered artists pastels lightly applied with a large, soft brush again to the lower hull. Hover Tanks would have blown up quite a bit of dust!





Tony

Monday 25 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part 22



These first four images show the choice of transfers/decals I applied to the model. All of the transfers were applied over a brushed on coat of Future floor polish. The snake motif was a real pig to apply - the carrier film was thick and would not respond to either Mircosol or Microset. In the end the snake motif was applied in two and sometimes three parts (it was very easy to break). The thick transfers would not lay flat on the curved hull and they appeared too shiny even after layers of Future.


I decided that I would not use any more of the Ju87 snake motif transfers and raided my decal store. The German crosses were taken from a spare set of WW2 transfers, The 32 transfers were from a Me 109 (1/32nd set) and the 124 was from a free set from the cover of a Military Modelling magazine. Others were scavenged and applied as I saw fit.


I have also painted some of the smaller details. I gave the turret an additional drybrush and washed the green area to try an tone-down the bright green.


In these next two images you can see some more detailed painting. But it was work on the snake motif that took all the time. I used uPVA glue, which I applied with a fine brush under the carrier film to try and get the transfers to lay flat. I had read about this technique in a magazine or book and at this time I was desperate to save the Snake!

The technique seems to have worked, although there is still some silvering. I have touched up the snake with white and red acrylic paint, which has helped to hide the silvering and the joins.

The German crosses were over painted with a very dark grey - as the pure black was a little stark.


At this stage - the Ma.K Hover Tank is nearly finished - well at least the painting and transfers!

The turret is sitting on top of an additional magnet. When the model is varnished, I will remove the spare magnet and the turret will sit on the hull top as seen in earlier images. I have done this to stop the paint being damaged during painting. It also makes the turret easier to hold during painting.


The Ma.K Hover Tank, although a pure flight of fantasy, has caused some considerable comment, particularly the green turret on a brown hull!

I did some Internet searches to try to find a similar scheme and the images included below have been taken from the Internet without permission - I would hope that the owners would allow them to stay, as I have not tried to pirate them, but have used them as examples of a particular type of colour scheme.

Obviously, should any one object, I will take them down.












And this very week, I saw these beautifully painted miniatures on The Lead Adventure Forum and thought - "If you can do this with their uniforms, then why not with their tanks?"


Tony

Friday 22 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part 21



The painting continues.....

I have sponged on a second highlight of Linen and Leather Brown and Forest Green for the turret. The highlight has the effect of 'popping' the modelled-on detail but is a little too light for my taste.


I have therefore 'washed' the whole model with a variety of different washes. I like to apply these washes on a wet model - I first paint the model with Wet Water (water to which I have added a tiny drop of washing up liquid) and then add diluted washed in layers. When these washes are fully dry, I have sponged on some chipped paint effect. I have used Panzer Grey as the first chipping and then a lighter grey applied with a fine pointed brush to the centre of the larger effects.


The detail painting - the grills, the exhaust and the tools has been done with a fine brush.


The next step is applying the decals.

Tony

Thursday 21 April 2016

Warhammer Ancient Battles for sale on e-bay



SOLD

Two more-bay auctions this time Warhammer Ancient Battles. See this auction.

And Warhammer Armies of Antiquity supplement . See this auction.


SOLD

Both books are in near perfect condition, never having been used and stored in a box file for years.

Good luck.

Tony

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part 20



I have re-painted the base colour using the sponge technique (see earlier posts for details) on both the hull and the turret. I still need to add a lighter highlight colour over the top but as I have commented on earlier posts. I am much happier with this colour combination than I was with the green on brown camouflage scheme.


I am particularly pleased with the effect around the exhausts, the rocket motors and the grills.


I'll post more as soon as I can.

Tony

Monday 18 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part nineteen



The turret was painted green while the hull and turret have been given an all-over dark wash. I have given the engine nozzles and grills an even darker wash/undercoat ready for the first highlights.

I think the brown hull and green turret works better than the earlier camouflage.

NB. The turret is mounted onto a spare magnet - this is to aid painting. It will obviously be removed once the painting is finished.



I'm much happier with this colour scheme. I am still planning to use the SNAKE transfer (see earlier post).

Tony

Sunday 17 April 2016

Ma.K Hover Tank - part eighteen



The painting had reached a bit of a stumbling block. I'm not sure I like the green on brown camouflage - maybe the green is a little too bright. What ever the cause I'd found myself not wanting to proceed.....


So where now?

I found this image of a sand coloured Hover Tank on the internet and thought. "That's the direction I want do go."


Image copied from an Internet Search

The Ma.K was re-basecoated - again Leather Brown, but this time with a grey primed turret.





I will report on progress soon.

Tony

Friday 15 April 2016

Secondhand Book Shop Finds.....



I have just returned from a morning out in the small village/town of Pershore, Worcs.  I picked up these two books from SEDGEBERROW BOOKS the second-hand book shop on the High Street. Just £10.00 each and I could have spent much more.

I have written about this book shop in previous posts, but feel I should point out to anyone interested in aviation, railways, naval or military history that this really is an Aladdin's Cave of fine, rare and secondhand books.  If you are in the area, please treat yourself to a visit.


I know what I'll be doing for the rest of the day. Settling down for a great read.

Tony

Updated 22.04.16
I have now had chance to read both of these books and can confirm that they are a couple of beauties. Book One - Construction is one of the best and most in-depth books on constructing AFV models I have even come across - it really is that good. I would suggest that for the serious tank modeller this is the Holy Grail.  Book Two - Painting is also a very good book, but as a novice (read hardly ever) airbrush user the Colour Modulation techniques are very daunting. Never-the-less the weathering and detail painting techniques are well worth checking out.

10 out of 10. 

Tony

Thursday 14 April 2016

The Chapel at Rofenburg - for sale on e-bay



SOLD

I am selling this scratch built model of The Chapel at Rofenburg on e-bay, for full details of the auction please go to this link.


The model was built some time ago for a planned Flintloque scenario that never happened and featured in Miniature Wargames issue 355 (construction) and Miniature Wargames issue 356 (painting). October/November 2014

Further details can be found on this Blog. see this post and this post.


The model is 150mm x 110mm x 250mm tall. It sits on a plastic card base 190mm x 140mm.

The model would be suitable for a wide variety of wargame settings, both Fantasy and Historical.


The model was inspired by this actual Chapel, see this link for details.

Good luck with the bidding.

Tony