Regular readers will recall I picked up three second hand tanks at Partisan last year, one of which was this M5 Stuart.
After a re-paint and re-basing it looks OK I think. I'm pretty sure this is a Skytrex model.
Even with my usual two layers of undercoat and two layers of top coat, the extra paint hasn't obscured any of the detail to a great degree. One of the advantages of metal models which generally have more definition than plastic.
I did this with my usual OD mix of VJ Russian uniform over a grey undercoat then a heavy wash of VJ Bronze Green which stains it and runs onto the cracks. Perhaps foolishly I used some flow extender this time, and it seemed to make the wash pool instead of flow! It came out OK in the end though.
The wash didn't highlight it quite as much as I wanted so I did a pinwash around some parts including the tools, air intake etc. Then with mud all over the running gear and a light overall drybrush of VJ Iraqi Sand it ended up with a reasonable amount of contrast.
I added some Allied stars so it would match the M8 Scott, and they look quite smart. I've still no idea what the metal things on the turret are, my guess is track grousers. I did them black with a light drybrush of gunmetal anyway.
The spray black base coat I did has nicely darkened the hull interior. At some point I'll make a 'Jalopy' insert with a .50 cal and a couple of crew to go in the hole.
Here it is with the B3D M8 Scott, and a very nice match they are too.
Alongside my very elderly QRF M3s, the latter are still a bit on the small side.
And next alongside the massive PSC M5 which has clearly eaten all the pies.
In fact I've started to find the PSC M5s so offensive in their bloated horribleness, I'm minded to replace them with something neater. This of course opens up a whole new can of worms as I've got many older models which are pretty rubbish by modern standards, so I could replace them with new ones and get rid of the old. I could paint model tanks forever and yet not require any more storage space....
Ooh, maybe it is time to get rid of those horrible old Peter Pig Pz II and Pz III. I can feel a new tank modelling project coming on!
That would be quite good as my painting mojo tends to flag over the winter, and it will give me some motivoover the summer.
These are good results. Upgrading your armor collection seems a big task. What happens to the obsolete models?
ReplyDeleteThanks. Well, I'm not planning on going nuts, but I do have some things which could do with a makeover.. I'll sell or give away the old stuff, it has had plenty of use.
DeleteNice job. The thing about over / under scale and mixing units from different manufacturers interests and annoys me in equal measure - somehow the difference seem more obvious to the eye with vehicles. I had an SU 122 that of all things seemed to be ‘squat’ compared to the one I already owned!
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly more noticeable with vehicles, something you would think would be easy to scale correctly. I'm less worried about figures despite differences in weapon size, they all sort of blend in on the bases, post 1900 anyway.
DeleteGreat work. I always get a kick out of mixing variations in the same scale and from different manufacturers... some of the players hate it LOL...i even do the damnedest thing and mix 1/72 and 1/76...I get lots of complaints :)
ReplyDeleteReplacing vehicles! That way lies madness! While similarly I sometimes contemplate replacing my SCW T-26 and Panzer I from SDD (far too wide hull and lopsided respectively) with better modern models, I have resisted as it just adds to the already extensive pile of shame / opportunity!
ReplyDeleteYou would have thought that using a designated scale would mean manufacturers produce vehicles to the same size (even if the humans are not), but it seems not. I was shocked to discover that 1:300 doesn't necessarily mean 1:300....I'm looking at you Bacchus!
Neil
Well, it is an opportunity to paint more tanks without taking up more room. I like painting tanks. It is possible that the rejects may just end up filed away somewhere.
DeleteIt appears to be a M3A3, no raised back deck for the twin Cadillac engines of the M5. I thought most went to the British, the US using the M5. Certainly in NWE all the pics of US light tanks show M5/M5A1's. I am pretty sure Skytrex don't do the M3A3. Which makes its origins uncertain. Could it ba Quality Castings model?
ReplyDeleteIf you want nice Panzer II's the Skytrex ones are lovely.
Ah OK, displaying my ignorance again! I did have a look at Skytrex stuff, but it is so mind bendingly expensive compared to 3D prints which to my eye look just as nice.
Delete