discussion Trumpeter .Ch tz s65 Tractor Diorama

[Si Benson]

John,
You’ve made a good start with the base, that’s going to look nice once you fill it out I reckon. The little tank made an ideal candidate for pulling.....Tractor looks great all primered up:thumb2:
Si

 

[Guest]

Afternoon.
Steve.........Thanks mate, been busy but it all in bits, have an idea for the Tractor.
Peter......... Feeling refreshed I hope with no storms to report ! Can you believe it I'm looking fwd to the figures. :surprised:
The guy no arms and one leg with has to fit into the tank, hence the alterations. When standing he's just about the right hight.
Lee........... Thank s mate, think I've enjoyed this build the most I've ever done.
Si..............Cheers . I will need to add quite a bit of vegetation to liven it up. If I just did a grass slope and the reeds it might be too lacking.

This morning I removed the first river colour, far to dark, I had picked a Vallejo mud, which although it states its the correct colour for some Russian soils too me its too dark. I'd done the river base colour dark to match, but it looked completely wrong. I've mixed up some yellow and purple ! yes purple. this gives a Kursk silo colour, much lighter.
I'm going to mix this colour in with the Vallejo and lighten it. The colour on the tub label is completely different to the stuff inside, even when dry. No good sending it back or writing to Vallejo as no one every to my knowledge will answer.Will just make do and alter.
Had an idea to make the tractor more interesting going to have the cab 4 BO and the tractor grey, as if the tractor had been requisitioned from a farm, so will respray the tractor brown , over spray in a top coat of grey and do some chipping. Have to check up on the engine block colour and pipe work.
Right thanks for following , bit slow with every thing happening at once.
John .

 

[Steve O]

Hi John you know i'm hooked on this tracked crawler and it's looking splendid, the engine detail is wonderful it reminds me of when i worked on them in my younger days, keep up the good work.

Steve.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Steve, nice to have that from someone who has worked on that type of tractor.:thumb2:
John .

 

[scottie3158]

John,

Great work the detail has really popped now the primer is on. I notice you have included a batman figure in the first photo :smiling3:

 

[Guest]

Paul ..... Thanks, oh dear he does look like that !
Might be better when his head arrives !
John

 

[Guest]

Great weather for painting base , and putting out side to dry, a no fly zone has been agreed with the local pigeons !
View attachment 309438
I've decided that the Vallejo soil is far to dark, it my well be correct for parts of Russia but I like the soil of the Kusk region.
So as I said yesterday i've mixed up the colour and applied several thin coats to the base river area. To night I shall apply the first coat of varnish, its going to be thin, as this drywall filler doesn't seem to like thick coats of paint or varnish from my test pieces.
The tractor and tank, along with the cab have been sprayed.

View attachment 309440

View attachment 309441
All exciting eh, until I realized I'd forgotten the chipping after the brown. I 'm blaming the heat , low flying planes and anything else that comes to mind. When I realized this I put some brown rust colours on the bottom plates , applied some " rust " to section where it would properly appear, like the hinges, edges of the deck ect. Tomorrow I shall apply a couple of light coats of chipping fluid followed by some grey again !

The cab was painted in Russian 4 BO , the seat .
View attachment 309442
has been done in oils, ! Yes I know, but you have to try things to see if they are better, they weren't so back to the oils.
The figures are sitting in the shade, had the whites of their eyes done , some Khaki belts ,and side hats.

All comments welcome.
John.

 

[Mickc1440]

What a difference some paint makes to an already great model.

 

[papa 695]

Just caught up John, some cracking work going on, and the base is looking very good indeed.

 

[Jim R]

Hi John
Base and tractor coming on great. Oils take a lot of beating :thumb2:
Jim

 

[Steve O]

Great work John.

Steve.

 

[minitnkr]

WOW! Having a catch-up after holiday. You're really roll'in w/this one. Models are excellent. Dio base & figs moving apace. Great work Dzohn. PaulE

 

[Guest]

Thank you one and all
Mick, Ian ,Jim , Steve and Paul .
Been very warm his morning, luckily the cave has two doors,so had a pleasant breeze .
I've sprayed on the heavy chipping fluid, allowing it to dry then applied the grey again . Following refreshments a water loaded brush was applied to the model, followed by a hard bristled small brush to poke the areas . I didn't want to over do it so was restrained in the use of the brush .
I then sat outside in the shade and painted the tracks several shades of rust. The first coat was with a AK light rust, followed by 2 shades of Pinnical Weathering Pigments. The tractor is now in the cave drying out, getting ready for some washes .
Figures have had another skin coat, did the lips, but not sure about the colour,xwill post some photos later .
John

 

[Guest]

Back !
Having been up since 0330 I retired for a much needed kip, now fully refreshed and no sign of any Doodoo attack on my roof to report I give you .
Starting with the figures, loving these, yes you read right LOVING . View attachment 309531View attachment 309532View attachment 309533

Hornet heads have arrived today so " Superman " can have his head. Still WIP but happy with the results.

Now for the tractor.
I need to tone down those tracks, still they to me look ok, but at the moment a little stark. Loads of mud will be applied so most of this early work will disappear no doubt. Happy with the chipping, I don't think its overdone. The cab was just put on for the photo to show the difference in the look . of course that will have to have some washes, but I don't want the cab looking as worn as the tractor.

View attachment 309534View attachment 309535View attachment 309536View attachment 309537

Those tracks will of course need to have the outer lip cleaned back, either with some lead or steels applied . The glazing is done for the cab, using yogurt pot lids, it will be put in along with the driver later.

Comments please.

Thanks for following .
John.

 

[Si Benson]

Good evening Mr Race,

Seeing some real improvement in your figures....and good to hear your lovin them. Tractor looks great, but like you say, the tracks are a bit loud...get a dark wash on them maybe?
Coming along nicely
Si

 

[Guest]

Thanks . Si......... Have to say when it was wet it looked better. I shall do a dark wash on them tomorrow afternoon .
Did you mean an oil wash, or a thinned acrylic paint ?

Good evening Mr Race,

Seeing some real improvement in your figures....and good to hear your lovin them. Tractor looks great, but like you say, the tracks are a bit loud...get a dark wash on them maybe?
Coming along nicely
Si

 

[Peter Gillson]

John

Nice to see something different, an interesting project and looking good.

Peter

 

[Si Benson]

John,
I’m no expert, but I’d probably go for a well thinned oil based wash (I’ve only had naff experience with acrylic washes).
Test it out on the underside before committing....you can always let the first dry and do it again.

Si

 

[Guest]

Peter ..Thanks , makes a change !
Si....Right, will have ago this afternoon .. Gardening job 1st thing
Thanks guys
John

 

[Guest]

Hi John very nice work on the tractor unit may have to look in to getting one :smirk: the figures are coming a long nicely too, keep up the good work comrade.
Pete. :thumb2: