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1/35 scale FDCV - Fire Direction Center Vehicle Hellenic Army

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CHAPTER VII - Display base & grass

I found nice idea to place it on a display base, simulating a field area covered with grass. From my local store, I bought a 20x30cm polished wooden picture frame.

I add some grams of plaster powder and few drops of water with a syringe into a soft rubber cup to make the right mixture. Materials like plaster, start as a dry powder that is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after drying and this characteristic make plaster suitable for the job. Keep in mind that adding salt into wet plaster mixture, reduce the plaster's hardening time and adding vinegar into wet plaster mixture, extend the plaster's hardening time. When the first layer of thinned plaster applied on the picture frame, a glass were pushed against the plaster to form a flat basic strong cast.

I left it few hours to get harden in order to be sure that the cast wouldn't break when I would try to cut it into desired shape. Meanwhile, I took the soft rubber cup which I used to make the plaster mixture, squized it to break the last hardened plaster left inside, so it would be easier for me to clean it afterwards and prepare it for any future mix. That's the reason this soft rubber cup were used for.

Before the plaster cast got harden, I formed the field area into the desired shape to be suitable for the FDCV scale model. I used my airbrush to paint it. After the polished wooden frame was covered with masking tape, different acrylic paint layers were applied on the plaster surface. First, mat black colour covered the area and then a dark and light earth colours, spraying from different directions and angles. Later, the field was drybrushed on selected areas using sand tones.
 
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As for he grass & plants, I used three different ways:

  • From my local hobby shop, I got different colours of static grass, empty them into a plastic box and make a mixture.
  • Found into my garden perimeter, I collect few natural stuff, cut and placed into plastic box for such use.
  • From my local super market, I got a small wicker broom. If you look closely, you’ll find some very interesting stuff for scale modeling use and dioramas building.
 
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Water based white glue for wood, which becomes transparent when it dries, is just the right for the job. So, I opened a 500 grams canister bought for 2€ only, pick a small quantity, add just few drops of water with a syringe into a small metal container to make the right mixture and finally I applied on the desired areas to be filled with grass & plants, using a wet brush. Because the mixture is enriched with water based glue, it is easy to correct possible mistakes.

Finally, the FDCV scale model glued on the base with silicon. Final details were added. The antenna masts, the Browning M-2HB 0.50" 12.7x99mm NATO machinegun, some extra dust weathering effect, etc.
 
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CHAPTER VIII - Epilogue

Considering that I am an aircraft scale modeler with no experience on tracked scale models, I have to say that I really enjoyed this FDCV building - no, I am not planing to build another AFV for the following 20-30 years. As for this polyester kit, I must admit it was much easier than expected.
 
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I also tried black paper background (instead of white) & different light conditions and I was surprised on how the model looks like. From now on, black background and low level lighting only...
 
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Thank you for following this thread and I hope you enjoyed reading this article. I hope I’ll meet all of you, right after the summer holidays on Amorgos island, where the “Big Blue” Aegean dolphins are living and having fun. Click on the first picture for video.

Regards,

Nick
 
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Another masterpiece Nick, you really are superb at researching, building and finishing these superb models. Always a pleasure to see them and this is certainly no exception, just superb.
 
It does make a big differance. Have you tried useing a neutral grey back ground? A 50% grey mesure the light off the grey back ground and take the picture with those settings. Se what you think.
 
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