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Battle for Hue USMC Tank


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Tamiyas 1:35 scale offering. Fun kit,easy build altho 28 separate roadwheels to paint the 'rubber' on did get a bit boring. I used Promodelers Sand wash on the tracks and roadwheels,sprayed some on the hull then dry brushed with a lighter shade of OD to bring out some details.

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Maybe the dirt can be seen better with this photo.

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The spotlight tried my temper,but to no avail!

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I'm not sure what the rubber "hose" thing was for,so I rolled it up and tied it the turret just to make the tank look 'busy'.

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Comments welcomed and I forgot,the kit was airbrushed without ANY problems!!!! :worship:

Edited by Flyingfortress
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The battle of Hue is pretty well documented, so I'd start there. IIRC, Hue was a dry season opwration, so dusty is the way to go. Rather than washes, I would go for a more uniform dusty look, making the bottom of the hull more dusty than the top. Using photos for reference, try shooting light coats of sand colored paint to tint the overall color, heavier towards the bottom.

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That's a very neat build FF.

Lovely looking tank and you've really done her justice. :jaw-dropping:

I like the searchlight alot and that shot of the rear of the beast posed on a rock is outstanding.

As to the weathering, perhaps you could suggest that this is the "before the battle" look?

Thanks for sharing these pics.

:woot.gif:

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And a question for TANK, were the tracks on this beast really that wide? :worship:

The real track is a little over two feet wide, I have not measured the kits to see where that is but I am sure it is close.

Weathering is always a subjective thing. I wish I had a good pic or two to show, but everything I have seen of that era is dirty/dusty. Only during the raining season does something look semi clean but soon after wards its a mess again. I agree with Mark's statements. I would suggest some pastel chalks, something like MIG or Warpig Pigments.

http://www.migproductions.com/

I used http://www.rjproducts.com/Product_Categories.html to get mine.

http://www.modelerswarehouse.com/warpigs/warpigs.html

Is in the US.

Huey Gunner does have a good point. You can leave it as is and start another one or scarp plastic to play with the technique of the weathering you like.

HTH

Edited by Tank
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And I certainly wasn't implying you had done anything wrong, or needed to do more--only that if you chose to dirty it up, that's an approach I would take. As always, it's your model, your happiness, your call.

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The rubber hose is actually meant to make the cable connection to the searchlight. The small connector on the turret roof, forward and right between the commander cupola and the loader hatch, is where it attaches. It slides over the small projection sticking out of the front of that fitting. There is a similiar fitting on the back ofthe seachlight.

There were variable weather conditions. If you look at photos of the battle, on some days you will see grunts in shirt sleeves, other days it appears to be raining and cooler, and they are in rain gear. Most photos of Marine armor in Hue shows a pretty heavy coating of dust or mud. One photo I have in front of me shows a Marine Corps M48 from the rear in Hue, going down a street followed by grunts. The tank, from about the level of the bottom of the turret rack down, is a solid, even coating of orangish dirt. Not a thick mud, but almost as if they had driven it across a dirty river and thats the level were the water reached, though I am sure thats not the case. Just an FYI in case you decide to dirty it up more.

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Thanks Jason,you answer 2 questions 1)what's the black hose thingy and 2) what's that thing on the turret. When I get home I'll connect them as you mentioned and thanks! As for weathering,I agree it needs some dirt. My biggest fear is ruining a pretty good build that I'm happy with. I'll shoot a bunch of sand over it and see how it goes and I REALLY do appriciate the tips and comments! Now if I could just find an M-42 Duster!!! :whistle:

No problem, you are quite welcome

As they say, its your model and if you are happy with it as is, I wouldn't worry too much about making it dirty. Your satisfaction with it is all that really matters

Cheers

Jason

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FlyingFortress,

This is STUNNING piece of work...BEAUTIFUL workmanship and such lovely detailing..

Can you "sponge" the washes that you mentioned to dirty it up...What I mean is put a few dabs of the wash and sand on the sponge and then just lightly dust it ove the

bottom part of the tank, near the chians and wheels etc......like a lady powdering her nose with her makesup sponge thingy .... that wasy you wont have to get the grained look

as the sponge would do it...

BUT I like ti clean anyways...

HOLMES

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The rubber hose is actually meant to make the cable connection to the searchlight. The small connector on the turret roof, forward and right between the commander cupola and the loader hatch, is where it attaches. It slides over the small projection sticking out of the front of that fitting. There is a similiar fitting on the back ofthe seachlight.

Yep, step 12. Look lower right of the Tank Commander.

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Ok ,here we go. I remembered to give you my thumbs up on your latest aircraft...

Wait a minute. No aircraft. What is WRONG WITH YOU!!! You know now that you have told me how easy it is to build one of these, what do you call this...armor, then I have to try this!!

Looks great! Please, please tell me you are not going to "resign" to building armor....I mean at least say you are taking some "time off", but please for "your health", dont say you are "leaving" the hobby of building planes!

-Jim

Now awaiting his moment of getting kicked off of ARC! Thanks SEAN!!

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Break out that Bradley in your stash

How can some let someone else have one of those things, yuk! Your doing so good, just stick to those Marine subjects and you will be ok. :)

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Have any of you used the Tamiya weathering set? It says it's 'semi'wet and comes with an applicator. Anyone use this stuff?
Have heard nothing but good about them. My LHS stocks all of them. The only thing that keeps me from getting them is that I have a whole drawer full of pastels, chalks and Doc O'Brians weathering kit. Still will probably end up with all of them. Love Tamiya tools and finishing goodies. Edited by Huey Gunner
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  • 2 weeks later...
Have heard nothing but good about them. My LHS stocks all of them. The only thing that keeps me from getting them is that I have a whole drawer full of pastels, chalks and Doc O'Brians weathering kit. Still will probably end up with all of them. Love Tamiya tools and finishing goodies.

I may have found the only use for the sand/ mud/ Light sand set.

Check out the link...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/110741/mess...Weathering+Kits

Ryan

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Hi, nice 48 as for weathering I'd go with MiG pigments they have a Vietnam red earth in their range I would say go with that & maybe rubble dust, the Tamiya sets are well worth investing in as well one thing to remember is to apply both over a matt finish here's one of mine...

might help

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MiG pigments track red was used on the tracks as well as Tamiya orange rust then Russian earth (MiG) European mud on the running gear &lower hull/fenders, hard edge's had tamiya mud run along them to break up angular lines on the engine deck tamiya oil stains & soot. Tamiya set E is designed for highlighting/ faded looks its a blue grey yellow & pale green used the grey for wear on the transmission hatches & gun mantle,oh yeah soot on the gun muzzle & Mg's, hope it makes sense but at the end of the day practice.

HTH Andy.

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