AndrewR's Bigger Bug:Firefly Shermansis Tamiyacus 1/48*Done*

[AndrewR]

My first ever 1/48 scale armour build.

The theme tune.



Boxart. There are decals for four different Fireflies. I'll be doing the one on the box, from the East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry.



The big metal bit in the box.










It all looks nicely done, but a confess to being a little disappointed that you get molded on tools on the hull. It would have been nice (and easier to paint) with separate bits.

This build will be pretty much out of box. There will be no Spanish School, Verlinden finishes, pin washes or colour modulation. Just me playing with the new airbrush.

Now I have to buzz off for a while

Andrew

[bromo]

Make sure you Buzz back with an update

[SJPONeill]

Also known as Targetus Americanus...quite keen to see this crawly develop...and also hoping your airbrush adventures might prompt me into a few of my own...

[AndrewR]

Buzzing back quickly for an update...

I've given most of the parts a clean in the ultrasonic bath and I've sprayed everything apart from the tracks with Bronze Green primer. The tracks got Panzer Grey instead. I want to leave this to cure for 24 hours before I do much more. I did take photos but the Photobucket server seems to be down at the moment and I can't upload them

It's been a hive of activity in the Basement Lab today - I also worked on the Egg Plane, the Airfix Sherman and the F-82!

Must fly...


Andrew

[AndrewR]

The Photobucket server has crawled back into service.

Two thrilling pictures...





The paint is already dry, so you've already missed all the action...

Okay, I'll stop droning on...

[Jagewa]

I'm concerned about the "Realistic weight", and hope the "extra impact to the small scale model" isn't too great, or it might be bug squash.

Cheers
Jim

[TomW]

'Ultrasonic bath' - I want one! good start on the Sherman Andrew, I always thought self-immolation was a rather extreme method of warding off predating Panthers and Tigers but it obviously worked 'cos there's more Shermans left in the wild.

Regards

Tom

[AndrewR]

I'm concerned about the "Realistic weight", and hope the "extra impact to the small scale model" isn't too great, or it might be bug squash.

Cheers
Jim

It does make flying difficult!

[AndrewR]

Rusty wash added to the tracks. After testing the colour and flow properties on the Airfix 1/76 Sherman





cheers

Andrew

[AndrewR]

I know, but I'm not actually bothered about these "someones".

[ShaunW]

This is interesting Andrew, I've never tried one of these Tamiya 1/48th AFVs. The metal chassis seems to be a bit of overkill to me and I'm not certain why they thought it necessary, let's face it, a Sherman ain't going to tail sit! Moulded on tools are a definite poor show on a modern kit in this scale though.

Please don't paint rubber track blocks in metallic shades or I will be one of those who notice and will tell the management

[bromo]

I might notice as well,if i knew what they were the Airfix Sherman turned out good,i have one in the stash from the D-Day set completely disregarded it as a pants kit,but looking at your result i will have to reconsider it.

[AndrewR]

Please don't paint rubber track blocks in metallic shades or I will be one of those who notice and will tell the management

Ooh, you meanie!

It's all right, I'd never be allowed on a regular armour forum, I don't like the current fashion in finishing
Actually, I never mentioned painting anything in a metallic shade.

There are lots of pictures of the Vc model with the metal chevrons, but the Ic model seems to be rubber. Boing!

I agree about the metal chassis, it adds cost and weight to the box, so you'd pay more for shipping too.

Some of the tools are separate and some are molded on. Bizarre design decision there too.

Anyway just for the "someones" the tracks have now been painted lightly with Vallejo Grey Black.

Must fly

Andrew

[ShaunW]

"They" probably wouldn't have me on an armour forum either, I can't be doing with all the fashions for weathering etc that dominate armour modelling at the moment. Subtlety is out of the window currently, tanks with more rust on them than a shipwreck, "dot" filters, over priced colour filters for use with a variety of base colours, blah blah blah, none of which, if overused, look particularly convincing to me.

I was of course joking about the metallic shades, but I'm sure you realised that

[AndrewR]

"They" probably wouldn't have me on an armour forum either, I can't be doing with all the fashions for weathering etc that dominate armour modelling at the moment. Subtlety is out of the window currently, tanks with more rust on them than a shipwreck, "dot" filters, over priced colour filters for use with a variety of base colours, blah blah blah, none of which, if overused, look particularly convincing to me.

I was of course joking about the metallic shades, but I'm sure you realised that

Well, that's you and me both dismissed as heretics then.

Obviously I'll have to get an AFV kit with REALLY bright shiny tracks now...
Preferably no molded on tools. But then I can make them nice and shiny too.

Anyhow, I'll get a picture up of the nice and sombre rubber tracks up later. I want to do some reddish coloured mud on this one, as it is engaged in support of the Canadian 1st Army in Holland. It needs some contrast with the chalky dust of Normandy. It's art Jim, but not as we know it...

Cheers

Andrew