MENG 1/35th BMPT "Terminator" WIP 9-24-14

[Brett Barrow]

Moved into a new apartment a few weeks ago, got my workbench up and running and dug into this really cool new kit from Meng. Might be the best kit I've ever worked on, fit was excellent, engineering was nice, no real snags along the way (that weren't my doing).

I didn't take that many pics along the way during construction since it's mostly out-of-the-box, but I will try to take some as I go through the painting and weathering process.

I'm trying out some primer from the fairly new comapny Ammo of Mig Jimenez. I've been a little leery of acrylic primers before, I tried the Vallejo primer when it first came out and had some issues with it. This stuff is awesome. Goes on smooth, adheres to plastic very well. No smell whatsoever. I'll be using Ammo's new Modern Russian paint set on this too, I'm looking forward to using them, I hope they're as good as the primer!

Here's the real thing, it's one bad mammer jammer!!!

[Mooneyzs]

This is off to a great start. Looks like a great kit. I have heard some good things about Meng kits. Looking forward to your weathering. It's an area in model that I want to learn and I have a few military kits I want to weather up myself.

[Brett Barrow]

Basecoated with AMMO of Mig Jimenez (silly name, right? Great paint, though) Modern Russian Green Khaki. None of my airbrushes are in good enough working order (or I'm not skilled enough) to freehand the camo scheme so I'll have to do it with Silly Putty or Blu-Tack masks. I'll let it set up a day or two so it can be handled without messing up the paint.

Edited September 27, 2014 by Brett Barrow

[Brett Barrow]

This is off to a great start. Looks like a great kit. I have heard some good things about Meng kits. Looking forward to your weathering. It's an area in model that I want to learn and I have a few military kits I want to weather up myself.

This is a great kit. Best thing out of China I've ever worked on. Might be the best kit from anywhere, period, I've ever built. "Tamiya-like" doesn't even describe it. Great detail with great fit and great engineering.

[Mooneyzs]

That base coat is looking great and can't wait to see the camo on this. Sounds like I will need to buy a Meng kit one of these days. I know Tamiya seems to be up there in fitment and engineering compared to companies here in the U.S.

[Agent G]

That looks super. I really want to see more!

I have Meng's Achzarit up next and am really looking forward to it.

G

[Harry P.]

Possible stupid question from a guy who doesn't build tanks: Is it the "normal" way of doing things to completely assemble/paint the kit, then add the weathering? That's how it happens in real life, so I guess it makes sense to do it that way from that standpoint. But I would think that it would be easier (better access, better control, etc.) to paint and weather the subassemblies as separate units, like the main body, turret and guns, the wheels, the tracks, etc., then assemble everything, and then maybe add a final overall sprinkling of weathering. No?

[Brett Barrow]

Possible stupid question from a guy who doesn't build tanks: Is it the "normal" way of doing things to completely assemble/paint the kit, then add the weathering? That's how it happens in real life, so I guess it makes sense to do it that way from that standpoint. But I would think that it would be easier (better access, better control, etc.) to paint and weather the subassemblies as separate units, like the main body, turret and guns, the wheels, the tracks, etc., then assemble everything, and then maybe add a final overall sprinkling of weathering. No?

You can do it either way. My old way was to build everything, even the tracks and small details like tools, just leaving the hull and turret separate. I'd paint black in all the crevices I didn't think I'd be able to reach later. Then I'd paint the lower hull, wheels and track a dirt color and paint the upper hull and turret the camo colors.

I was heavily influenced by Tony Greenland and Steve Zaloga, who use this approach and have written several books and numerous magazine articles on their techniques. The "paint it dirt color" approach works well for tanks that get really dirty and muddy. This model was done by Andrew Dextras using this asme technique and I made a pretty faithful copy of it using a step-by-step magazine article he wrote about it, using the exact same colors and techniques he used. (I wish I had taken pictures of mine, but it's been 10 years since I built armor and I didn't have a digital camera back then. I ended up selling them out of the showcase at the hobby shop I worked in).

But since this model is of a demonstration vehicle (there are only a couple made, they haven't been accepted into service by the Russian Army yet, and it looks like the one they are going to accept is a much different version built on recycled T-72 hulls) and is kept fairly clean I'm taking a different approach with this one. I'll paint all the subassemblies in their appropriate colors, then bring the together for the final weathering. I'll be trying some new techniques with this one, there've been a lot of advancements made in armor weathering over the past 10 years. This is the look I'm going for, clean with just a little dust from running around the demonstration area.

[Harry P.]

That tank you posted above is really well done. I love how the "dust" has covered the lower part of the body. A detail that a lot of people wouldn't think of adding.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Holy cow. The photos of the in-primer model are almost impossible to believe...that it's a model in 1/35 scale is just mind-boggling. Your primer work appears to be flawless as well, with zero texture or filling of those beautifully engraved details. Man, that is some beautiful work (both yours and the model manufacturer's).

Edited September 27, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[bobthehobbyguy]

Nice job. Would like to see them cars with that much detal.

[Brett Barrow]

Since I wanted to attach the side skirts before starting the camo painting, I needed to weather the lower hull since I wouldn't be able to get to it later (turns out you can't really see it anyway). GAve me chance to practice with making mud and dirt with pigments. I've never really gotten the hang of pigments before, but thanks to some tips I picked up in a recent armor modeling book (Mike Rinaldi's Tank Art #3) I think this came out pretty well. I'm happy with it at least! Excuse the weird color shifts on the pics, I took these on the workbench and I have two different types of light bulbs. I need to get two the same.

Still need to do the wheels on the other side. I think I'll try to take some in-progess pics to show how its done. Not hard, just was some things I was doing wrong before that made all the difference once I figured it out.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Brett Barrow

[DynoMight]

I've built a few tanks, but my brother, it's almost the only thing he builds. That and planes. I stick to cars, but every now and then I'll come across a tank kit and say, "that's cool" and build it. I haven't built a tank in 3-4 years or so.

Your tank looks great already. I can tell this'll be a great kit.