UKA FV 434 - REME fitter

[MarkC]

Guys,

This is my current WIP. Maybe familiar to a few of you.

Its a British Army fitter vehicle based on the 432 series APC. The kit is resin from Accurate Armour.

Here are the progress to date pics. It shall be combined with a Centurion V in a diorama which should depict something like this -

the basic model is resin and PE parts

as usual a priming coat

The base colours are applied. the 434 in its initial painting stages. Painted in Tamiya acrylics as usual for me. The base coat is Khaki Green, black is a mixture of Matt Black mixed with Nato Black.

After the base different shades of the Khaki Green lightened with IJN Grey are used to create tones and variation to the paint scheme.

A further stage is colour modulation, some details on the hull are painted in Vallejo paints to add contrast to the model.

Initial paint chipping - for high wear areas with Citadel boltgun metal and mrythl silver. The silver is the correct colour as FV 432 series are Aluminium construction.

Overall paint filter using MiG filters to provide an overall unification of the base paints.

chipped effects

scratch built recovery rope

metalised hyraulic ram using alclad paints

[MarkC]

UK camo not exactly exciting ! However with imagination and licence things can be livened up using British Army TAC signs in yellow and vehicle warning stripes

starting to change --

vert bright at this stage !

I applied oil colours to create paint fading and differing tones on the model. I used MiG Abteiling buff and sand colours as the first stage. I use of turps to get it all washed down so the effect is not over powering.

V difficult to see. But the the entire model is "micro chipped" using dark green and other colours. The decals are "chipped" using a scalpel blade to enhance this effect

[MarkC]

This is stage 2 weathering and really work to date. Feedback now would be very much appreciated.

Confined to washes and MiG weathering pigments. Quite dusty but this is toned down later by some more brushing.

some wet effects using MiG oil and grease stain and pigments

Tamiya diorama paint soil added in the area where it will accumulate and again pigments added.

thanks for looking :) Mark

[geedubelyer]

Beautifully built kit Mark.

I like to see armour nice and dirty so this fits the bill perfectly.

Very impressed by the chipped decals and the beaten up light green aluminium bars. That works superbly.

A couple of questions and/or observations. Would the tow rope/hawser be so pristeen? I don't know armour at all but wondered if it might show some signs of rust/corrosion? Maybe not all along its' length but possibly where the hoops are attached.....?

Another thought is the application of horizontal scratching along parts of the flanks as if the vehicle had been driven by a bush or tree. I've seen that technique applied to other armour builds and if left subtle it can be very convincing.

Just thinking out loud really. There's certainly no need to do anything else as your model looks smashing as it stands.

Cheers.

[MarkC]

thanks Veedub !

Really appreciate the kind words. Those observations are interesting. The big tow chain I think is Aluminium or Magnesium on the real vehicle. I tried as much as possible to replicate the look using alclad paints. On photos the metal oxidises but I could not see rust. I tried to overspray a fine mist of grey but it just didnt really work... so in defeat I polished it up with some mig gunmetal pigment. I wish I could have got that aspect correct

Yes I like that effect of scratches when they have brushed through foliage - on this build I didnt do that, but I did try streaking the paint vertically to depict rain marks - I did that by spraying very dilute tamiya buff, letting it set fo a few minutes, then with a brush damp with thinner, washing the "dust" downawards.

a big thanks again for looking ! and I hope one day I can accurately paint that oxidised aluminium effect

[ChernayaAkula]

Good stuff! ;)

[Fishwelding]

That's awesome. I'm paying particularly close attention to your weathering techniques, as that's an area I'm weak on. It's a good thing Accurate Armour has covered so much British ground in armor models, but I would like to see more affordable plastic kits of Brit subjects, too, particularly from the Cold War era. Are you planning to add some troops/tankers to your diorama? If you don't have any dedicated resin guys, it seems like Tamiya's ammo-loading and tank-repair Germans would be easy conversions to BAOR tommy tankers.

[HOLMES]

:wub: :wub:

;)

The weathering is absolutely AWESOME and the build is EXQUISITE.

The worn out looking weather beaten trackers and tires/wheels are perfect and look so real.

the grill that covers the lights is SUPER.

I think that you have MASTERED the art of grease and pigmentation underside is AWESOME and

When I first looked at it , your build LOOKS SO REALISTIC ....I did think it was the real thing..

HOLMES