Tamiya 1/35 M41 Walker Bulldog

[RED]

Hate looking at this part of the forum at the moment, and now this is back on my bench because of the great builds I see going on in here (sorry to the rafale and harrier that was currently on my bench) ....

I remember building one of these as a kid and have always like the shape of this tank, so when I seen it sitting at my local hobby shop for a really good price I brought it, got it home and biult it up rather quickly, then lost interest in it thus this has been sitting up on my shelf of shame for the last 6 or so months - the plan was and still is to do it up as one of the ten M41's New Zealand had in the 70's (I also have the AFV FT101 Scorpion that was the replacement for the M41 which will hopefully be done up as a kiwi subject as well) - anyways I have attached the stowage rails between the headlights, scratch built the aux power exhaust (not really to scale but I am happy with it) relocated the MG mount to the other side of the commanders copula, added another MG mount in line with the rear of the commanders copula and centre of the turret, and finally added the tow cable hooks on the left hand side of the body. I also cut the guards at 45 degrees as well, just about to undercoat in black (hopefully today) then on to paint before the end of the week

M41.jpeg

what I hope it turns out like

20130723_094647.jpg

20130723_094658.jpg

where its sitting now ready for priming (flat black)

[NovYank]

Great build so far!! Can't wait for the paint. I've never seen a New Zealand M41, a very unique subject.

[Coen]

I walked right past this kit the other day in the local shop.
I glanced at it and thought "One day.... but not this day".
Now I get to see what "this day" will look like and then regret walking past the kit.
Cool

[RED]

cheers guys

here's the tow cable I just bent up (from an academy M3 kit) - once this is dry off outside to paint the first coat (prob after I get the kids from school)

[RED]

Primed and ready for the first colour (tracks painted and drying as I type)

20130723_162459.jpg

sort of looks like a stealth tank

[ww2hispanomodels]

It looks really cool! The cable has an incredible aspect, very realistic!

[russ2471]

Cracking looking tank mate can't wait to see her in that cam pattern I never even knew New Zealand had any armour

[RED]

Thanks guys, it was purely by chance that I found out NZ had proper armour (after WWII) when I was researching for images of the M41, so I hit the old man up who was in the NZ army in the early 70's if he'd seen them, was totally new to him as well (he was stationed in the south island as a grunt - and the armoured regt was in the north)

have done some of the wheels (no pic yet) with "red brown" will do the rest tomorrow "dark yellow" and start on the tank itself

[RED]

20130724_172806.jpg

first coat on now to mask (will prob use the blue tac and paper masking method)

[russ2471]

Nice one mate, loving the different coloured road wheels

[RED]

cheers mate, going off the duster MERDC cammo pattern atm but this will probably change as I mask up

[RED]

20130726_183955.jpg

red brown on now to mask up for the light sand colour then black

[spruecutter]

Good progress shots, it's coming along nicely

[Coen]

Whoa! that's going to look nice.
What did you use for the masking... is that tape?

[HWGuderian23]

The M41 was a very interesting vehicle! Good choice! Looking forward to see the finished product...

[RED]

not too much more to report - masked it up and put the light tan (tamiya wood deck tan) on in selected places on the body (still have to do the turret and main gun) then pulled all the masking off - will remask (especially over the not so good bits) and paint the flat black - looking at reference photos it looks as though the paint was applied by a 3 year old with a crayon so hopefully I should be ok

and Coen the masking was / is being done with newspaper and bluetac to give a "soft edge" although it allows a lot to bleed through (hence removing the mask and re-masking for the black)

[Coen]

Cool. Thanks red.

[RED]

here you can see some of the bleed through - this will hopefully be covered up by the black, which I still dont know if I will mask and spray or hand paint

20130728_164235.jpg

[Coen]

Hey Red, I don't know if you'll find this helpful as you may feel that you are already too far along.
From where you are in the pictures I think you might be able to give it a go and fix up that overspray.

I've used blue tack many times for a mask, but I have a lot of blue tack... a wad the size of a softball.
It's cheap and I buy some whenever I see it in the stores.
I just use the tack to make the mask myself. I've stopped using the paper unless its a really big area.
I roll it flat and fairly thin on a cutting mat or board and cut the shapes that I need and stick them right on the model.
There are sometimes a few leaks around the tools or tiny raised areas, but nothing that I cant' touch up with a bit of brushwork.

You can also use silly putty to do the same thing.
I've been reusing my blob of tack for about 5 years now and I haven't had a problem yet... it's not really blue anymore though.

I don't know if that helps at all Red, I only said anything in the hopes that I caught you in time before you got too far along.
You may already know how to do all of this.

[RED]

cheers for the tip Coen, I will mask up for the black using your method - looking at some ref pics the black was applied in great quantities like the brown and dark yellow instead of like the markings that they were ment to be applied as MERDC pattern - I am hoping in the long run to "dust" this up a bit as though its been on ex (this will serve two purposes 1 - hide my mistakes and 2 - learn / practice how to basic weather , and if I muff it too bad I'll get another one ..... eventually and donate this one to the old man

[Coen]

Hehe... don't tell anyone... but that's what weathering is for.
Covering up one's booboos
Good luck Red.

[RED]

cheers mate, if you have anymore tips please pass them on, this is why I am here - to learn

[RED]

Gee's its been awhile ..... done over the weekend

nztank1.jpg

nztank2.jpg

[Coen]

Whoa!! That's cool. That must have been a masking nightmare.
Totally cool looking.

[RED]

cheers Coen,

ended up brushing the flat black on (a bit hard for me to try and mask I think) has turned out ok and I am reasonably happy with it, just need to dirty it up some now and blend some of the colours a bit

[Coen]

A wash or two, maybe a filter and some pigments and you'd be in business.

[UKguyInUSA]

I count 5 colors....as Coen said..."Must have been a masking nightmare"! Looks fabulous so far, look forward to seeing her dirtied up

[Tiger131]

superb camo scheme