WIP TAKOM Type 69-II C

[Ether]

Hi, all.
I can't find inspiration for finishing with washing and applying a final varnish coat to my Terminator, so decided to start a new building topic.
I will build Takom Type-69 II (commander version).


Right now I'm going to paint a tank with one colour due to all additional items on the turret, which will generate troubles to apply any camo. Sadly, I don't have enough experience with airbrushing camo. I might change my mind after priming.


Finished with step 1.


I'm very pleased with the quality of this kit. After comparing this 2016 year kit and KRAZ kit, which was produced in 2014, I can state that Takom has done a good job with improving their kits. Well done

[AridTalons]

Should be an interesting build. I've never seen a Takom kit before.

[Tomi]

Should be an interesting build. I've never seen a Takom kit before.

I got couple of them, AMX-13 and T-54B. Can't say anything about part fit but otherwise they look like high quality stuff, very nice details. Yeah, this should be interesting build.

[Jscale32]

I've been thinking of buying this.

[Ether]

Hi, all. Thank you all for your interest.

Step 2 is completed. Torsions are installed and drive sprockets are assembled.


By the way, you should be careful during gluing sprockets because fitting of two parts of such wheels isn't very precise. For this reason, I attached track links with TESA scotch tape and checked that sharp edges of wheels match with holes in links. As you can see, everything is OK.


Thanks to TAKOM that they offer separate links without any sprues and you don't have to assemble one link from several parts. It's convenient and allows to assemble tracks fast.

PS TAKOM offers an interesting solution for road wheels which will really help to paint them it two colors without great efforts and masking. Will show it in the next update.

[schweinhund227]

looking forward to your next update !

Interesting subject !

[InitialProduction1]

Most of the pics are gone? Anyway great start Ether.

[Ether]

Most of the pics are gone?

Sorry, but I don't get what you are asking. Maybe it happened because English isn't my native language. Please, could you rephrase/reform your question?

[InitialProduction1]

Sorry, Your photographs are missing? I can only see 3 pictures, at the end of your posts.

[Ether]

Sorry, Your photographs are missing? I can only see 3 pictures, at the end of your posts.

Oh, yeah. Images disappeared because I had moved them in another photo album. Fixed links, now you will be able to see pics.

[Eusi]

Good start to what I'm sure will be an epic build of an impressive kit. Looking forward to your progress.

[Ether]

A short update of the topic.

Road wheels were assembled, but I forgot to make photos. My bad, will post them lately.

Finished with step 4 and assembled the upper part of the a tank body. I can't understand why Takom decided to force us to glue it from 3 parts. Trumpeter, Meng and other manufacturers just do such parts in one piece.


Here is the first time for this kit, when I have used Deluxe putty for filling a gap. Will sand it after installing a turret and priming.


This step includes installing some PE parts. I use a special knife for working with metal, because using one knife for cutting plastic and metal will lead to bad results with plastic. You will scratch plastic instead of cutting.
About brands: I use Excel and Olfa knifes (Tamiya knifes are Olfa knifes, by the way).

[Nige1940]

Great job so far on this Type 69 II . This is a stunning kit an I now have some inspiration thanks !
I'm recent Takom convert myself ,after some horrendous reviews on their early kits I was off them .
When they announced their Chieftain and T-54/55 kits I was skeptical but took the plunge . They are a completely different kit animal compared to their early stuff . You'll do an amazing job I Know it ! don't seat the camo Iraqi Camo is was random anyway take your time you'll pull it off no messing brother .

[Ether]

don't seat the camo Iraqi Camo is was random anyway take your time you'll pull it off no messing brother .

Thank for support. I haven't decided whether I will paint a camo or I will go with pure sand color.
I have recently got panzer putty, will test it for applying a camouflage. Hope results will be good. The main problem with a camo for Type 69-II is paint this camo on grids on a turret.

[Nige1940]

don't seat the camo Iraqi Camo is was random anyway take your time you'll pull it off no messing brother .

Thank for support. I haven't decided whether I will paint a camo or I will go with pure sand color.
I have recently got panzer putty, will test it for applying a camouflage. Hope results will be good. The main problem with a camo for Type 69-II is paint this camo on grids on a turret.

Panzer putty is excellent once you get used to it you'll be using it everywhere and finding excuses to use it
I'll be watching with interest .

[schweinhund227]

Will have to take a better look at that kit....

Looks very promising thus far !

KUTGW.

[nemisous]

Kit looks good so far keep on trucken man

[digger303]

Excellent... very professional.
Can see you have been at this a long time

[Ether]

Excellent... very professional.
Can see you have been at this a long time

Sorry, but I can't say that my skills are so good. I still make many mistakes, but such wip threads and careful examination of happened mistakes help to avoid errors in future builds.

For instance, I made PE grids on my Terminator a bit dirty, because I didn't use a right applicator for CA glue and used fast dry ca glue. Mr Hobby glue applicator and gel CA glue work out perfectly this time.

[Ether]

Hi, all. Here is another update.

Let's make a step back and return to road wheels. Takom offers an interesting scheme for assembling them and I haven't glued B1 parts yet. Such move will help me paint two parts of wheels separately in body color and tires color.


Such color scheme won't coincide with a box art, but there are some problems with wheels which won't help to paint accurately as we can on the box. As you can see on the next pic, it's almost impossible to see such border near the inner circle on B1 parts (I even used a zoom, still couldn't see). Dislike for TAKOM.


Here are all road wheels from step 3.


And now let's go further and see the result of step 5 & 6. All parts apart from L21 are installed, because clear parts under L21 must be painted with Ammo by Mig Smoke. I ordered this paint and it's flying to me from a foreign hobby store. For this reason, I won't glue two parts of a tank body before it, so must keep it in mind.


Really like these PE grids and cells. Good job, TAKOM!!!


Finally, started with tracks. Assembling is so boring, will split step 7 into many small steps . I applied too much glue to first 10 links, but then fixed it. It's good that even the less amount of glue fixed tracks fine. By the way, I use TESA scotch for fixing links together before gluing.


I continue this building, cheers.

[wesleye18]

Looking good there mate

[NorthernModeller]

Coming along really well. I do like the moulding of this kit. Might have to buy one of these myself. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

[Ether]

Hi, all!

Finished with tracks for one side of a tank. I did a mistake when decided to glue tracks in a few links. Due to this decision I had troubles with fixing tracks around wheels. Thankfully, I managed to solve this problem (at least 80-90% of it).


I needed a break with tracks afterwards, so started assembling side shelfs/skirts. Here is the left one (or the right??). Well, it doesn't really matter.


There are photos with more details.



Right now I'm working on another side skirt and soon will start assembling a turret.
Stay tuned.

[InitialProduction1]

Really nice Ether, glad you got you tracks to work. Individual track links are a pain sometimes. I hate paying the money for friulmodel tracks, but i love having no problems with them, again great build. Seen all the pictures very cool.

[Ether]

Really nice Ether, glad you got you tracks to work. Individual track links are a pain sometimes. I hate paying the money for friulmodel tracks, but i love having no problems with them, again great build. Seen all the pictures very cool.

Unfortunately, I managed to assemble tracks in several threads but I found out that to glue them in a closed curve was an impossible mission.
Therefore, I'm considering buying MasterClub metal tracks for T-54/T-55, which are a bit cheaper than Fruil kits for the same type of tanks.

As I understood from open sources in the Internet, Chinese Type 69 is just a modification of Soviet T-54 with the same base (I'm talking about wheels, tracks). Am I right, any comments?

[InitialProduction1]

I've looked but not sure, but to get your answer I'd add that question to modelling chat, someone there will know. again cool build.

[Ether]

I've looked but not sure, but to get your answer I'd add that question to modelling chat, someone there will know. again cool build.

I've searched info in the Russian segment of the Internet and managed to find additional proofs that T-54/T-55 and Type 69 used the same type of tracks (OMSh). In addition, here is the link to the review of MasterClub kit - http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/revi ... 91&Type=FB

I can state that these tracks look like plastic tracks from the Takom kit.

[InitialProduction1]

Wow very nice, that will enhance your build, like it needs anymore, hahaha. Great build.

[wavelet]

Coming along very well. It seems a very good kit too. I'm thinking of getting one!

[Ether]

Coming along very well. It seems a very good kit too. I'm thinking of getting one!

You won't regret after purchasing this kit, I'm sure. Moreover, you will be surprised with many additional, not necessary parts which won't be used for assembling Type-69. For instance, additional barrels for fuel.

[wavelet]

Thanks a lot Ether. I've just bought it!

[Ether]

Thanks a lot Ether. I've just bought it!

Could you announce a price if it's possible? Want to compare with internal prices in Russia.

[wavelet]

Hi, of course, €49.50 (including shipping, since it is part of an order eligible for free shipping).

[Ether]

Just a short update, 'cause I bought metal tracks from MasterClub. They are 30-40% cheaper than Fruil, I think.

As usual, it's important to check two moments after purchasing. The first one is matching with plastic tracks (they are on the left on the photo below).

The second one is whether these tracks fit to a driving sprocket. As you can see, everything is OK.

[AridTalons]

Metal tracks, eh? Must have payed a pretty penny for them.

I hope you finish your Terminator build. I think I'll pick one of those bad boys up myself, if I can find one.

[InitialProduction1]

Man Ether, look at the detail you get with the metal tracks VERY NICE. I'll have to look into those master clubs tracks. I could use a break from fruil.

[Ether]

Metal tracks, eh? Must have payed a pretty penny for them.

Their price in LHS was 14 GBP. They worth each penny, 'cause will save plenty of my nerves which I would spend while glueing plastic tracks.

I hope you finish your Terminator build.

Yeah, I hope too. Will try to do it after finishing assembling Takom Type 69-II.

[Ether]

Both threads of metal tracks are assembled despite the fact that it was a real challenge. Such tiny pins for connecting two metal tracks.


Just a short test in order to check how everything looks like. Well, it obviously looks better than plastic tracks, so I glad that chose to replace out of box tracks.


The major question is how to paint these tracks? Should I prime them and airbrush afterwards or should I acid them with special liquid? I know that some modellers use special Tamiya primer for metal parts and other use ordinary primers from car stores. I really want to know your opinion.

The last thing but not the least. Yesterday I spent some time and glued a turret without grids.
Here are a few pictures of checking how the turret and the body match each other.

[digger303]

you make it look easy...

[Ether]

Well, I assembled everything including all these grids on a turret, but I don't have time for applying a primer coat and going further. Therefore, this picture represents the current state of a project.


I wish I had a free weekend, but I am not so lucky.