Puma vs. T-34 (Tamiya 1/35)
Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2017 10:06 am
This is a story of failing. After I had it with the Tamiya Tiger 1 Ausführung Afrika (which I put on cooldown for now) I decided to relax and build the Tamiya T-34 Chtz edition since I had a photo-etch set for it, and I did have fun, even filled in the open sponsons and motorization holes, really tried to make the old kit shine like new.
That is until I I poured half a bottle of Tamiya's limonene cement on top of it. I thought I'd glue the gun to the turret, fumbled the bottle and covered my work area in glue. So after cussing and taking a shower, I cleaned the excess glue off with a towel, leaving a finish like this:
I was about to throw in the towel when my friend suggested that I'd build it as a destroyed vehicle. I thought it'd give me an excuse to try and build a more 3-dimensional diorama base so off I went with the idea of a T-34 having veered off a high road into the ditch.
Here's a WIP of the diorama base, I made the sides out of plastic card and filled it somewhat with scrap pieces of foam before applying a whole kilogram of sculpting clay.
I wanted to have two tanks on this diorama, but I'm beginning to think an A4-sized diorama base just isn't big enough for two tanks. Thankfully I have some armoured cars that I've mostly built, so I went on to finish the Tamiya Puma armoured car. After adding in some random bits and bobs I noticed the exhausts weren't hollow! That wouldn't do, so I grabbed my drill, pressed it on the exhaust and FLING! The part just snapped off and went flying. By this time I'm thinking maybe modelling just isn't for a clumsy sod like me, but I thought hey, the Tamiya M48A3 Patton I just built came with a piece of vinyl tubing that was almost the same size as the original exhaust! If I put a piece of metal wire inside I could twist them to the desired shape and have the hollow exhausts I was after! So after rummaging around looking for the tube, I had to steal some of my Tamiya T-72 instead, but never mind.
That certainly did the trick! Especially after I stippled on Vallejo's plastic putty to simulate rust.
And finally here's a mock-up of how the final diorama will look.
I don't know if the Puma knocked out the T-34 out by itself or if they just came across a wrecked T-34, but I'm hoping to find some German figures to put around.
That is until I I poured half a bottle of Tamiya's limonene cement on top of it. I thought I'd glue the gun to the turret, fumbled the bottle and covered my work area in glue. So after cussing and taking a shower, I cleaned the excess glue off with a towel, leaving a finish like this:
I was about to throw in the towel when my friend suggested that I'd build it as a destroyed vehicle. I thought it'd give me an excuse to try and build a more 3-dimensional diorama base so off I went with the idea of a T-34 having veered off a high road into the ditch.
Here's a WIP of the diorama base, I made the sides out of plastic card and filled it somewhat with scrap pieces of foam before applying a whole kilogram of sculpting clay.
I wanted to have two tanks on this diorama, but I'm beginning to think an A4-sized diorama base just isn't big enough for two tanks. Thankfully I have some armoured cars that I've mostly built, so I went on to finish the Tamiya Puma armoured car. After adding in some random bits and bobs I noticed the exhausts weren't hollow! That wouldn't do, so I grabbed my drill, pressed it on the exhaust and FLING! The part just snapped off and went flying. By this time I'm thinking maybe modelling just isn't for a clumsy sod like me, but I thought hey, the Tamiya M48A3 Patton I just built came with a piece of vinyl tubing that was almost the same size as the original exhaust! If I put a piece of metal wire inside I could twist them to the desired shape and have the hollow exhausts I was after! So after rummaging around looking for the tube, I had to steal some of my Tamiya T-72 instead, but never mind.
That certainly did the trick! Especially after I stippled on Vallejo's plastic putty to simulate rust.
And finally here's a mock-up of how the final diorama will look.
I don't know if the Puma knocked out the T-34 out by itself or if they just came across a wrecked T-34, but I'm hoping to find some German figures to put around.
