Tamiya 3.5 Ton Truck and Flak Gun

[Tcoat]

On another forum the challenge was put out to build a model without getting all tied up with things such as seam filling, perfect alignment, photoetch and added detailing. This will be a completely OOB build to meet those criteria. I do however reserve the right to give it a nice paint job.

 

I had no big plans for this kit and the only reason I bought it was it looked interesting and was dirt cheap so it is perfect for this.

 

 

[Tcoat]

Going to build using only this.

 

 

 

Gun done. On hour 12 minutes. Only reached for sanding stick and tweezers about 100 times. 

 

[Tcoat]

Chassis done. I almost feel like I am cheating! The truck is an ICM kit packaged by Tamiya. First ICM kit I have ever built and I WILL be getting more. Bit fiddly with loads of small parts but engineered really well and detail is off the charts. 

In the spirt of the exercise everything will get glued together in large sub assemblies and then painted.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tcoat]

Cab ready for paint roof and rear will go on after details.

 

I am pretty sure that the glue bombs of the past were more due to a lack of tweezers for precision placement. The glue around the pedals is from trying to place very tiny parts with just my finger. It is extra thin cement so will disappear under paint but normally it would not happen at all.

 

[Tcoat]

Box done. That was an adventure!

Nice ejector marks but the whole idea was to not worry about such things so there they stay.

 

 

[stavanzer]

Looks good so far. I like the challenge you are working with.

If I can ask, what forum started the challenge?

[Tcoat]

40 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

Looks good so far. I like the challenge you are working with.

If I can ask, what forum started the challenge?

Fine Scale Modeler

Was sort of a pondering thread but the word challenge came up and I thought it may be a fun little thing to do. It does feel like I am 9 again. Hack a part off, clean what can be done with just a knife and glue it on.

[cobraman]

Looks like a pretty detailed kit.

[Tcoat]

7 hours ago, cobraman said:

Looks like a pretty detailed kit.

Very detailed. Missing the normal things like brake lines and such but what they did do they did very well! I have never done an ICM kit before but will get more. The only thing is that all that detail comes through assembling some very tiny parts. The plastic stand up very well though considering how thin some are. 

[Tcoat]

Almost forgot to post paint pictures!

Had something go dreadfully wrong with my panzer grey Tamiya acrylic. Normally would have stopped but since the whole premise of this build is minimalist and what ever happens happens I just carried on as if I was 8 again. We will see what happens with it in the weathering process.

Looks worse in the pictures than it really is.

 

You can see where I started to do the tinted Future wash before I remembered to take pictures.

 

 

[Tcoat]

Gun painted in dark yellow. Since the grey was no good and this whole build was intended to be done with what was on hand I figured this was the way to go. Just means I have modeled an older truck with a newer gun. No doubt these transitional things were pretty common. At least that is what I am going with.

The paint is so close to the plastic colour it is hard to tell it was painted at all.

[Tcoat]

Tinted Future on everything. Subtle but makes details show.

Selective brown wash. There is a difference I promise.

 

 

 

 

And the crew in Future and wash. They will magically transform with a flat coat.

[Tcoat]

Crew with flat coat and badges painted.

Guy in front right appears to have found some mushrooms on the side of the road and now thinks the universe is in his hand. This does amuse his buddy beside him though.

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by Tcoat

[Tcoat]

All done.

Total working time 22 hours 19 minutes.

Tools consisted of a dull exacto knife, a worn out medium brush, and two toothpicks (I broke one).

Although it does look pretty good all things considered it would certainly be considered a "turd" by my normal standards.

The gun could have used some thinning on several parts, hydraulic lines and filler on some seams.

The truck's paint is horrid, several parts are slightly warped and there is shiny super glue left uncoated on many small parts. Worst of all is that the front wheels have the stance of an 18 year old's Honda Civic!

I really enjoyed this basic build!

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Tcoat

[stavanzer]

Looks very nice from here.