1/35 Sherman M4A3 Calliope + rust test
 

Boredom prevailed once again and I bought myself a nicely reduced Revell 1/35 Sherman M4A3 with Calliope rocket launcher. After buying this kit and looking at reviews I was bit worried that it wasn't very good. I don't know how good it is in terms of detail and accuracy as I don't have one in my back yard to compare it to, however after building it really looks the part and certainly wasn't a bad kit at £9.99.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...5713975927.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...5714010214.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...5714025848.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...5714043216.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...5714058067.jpg

After trying out a few new weathering techniques on it (not at all new actually, just ones i haven't tried before lol) including various washes and streaking effects I had a bit of a taste for it. So I've been online and ordered a cheapo SKIF 1/35 BMD-1P with the intention of doing it up as one of the many abandoned AFVs in and around Chernobyl and Pripyat. I also stumbled upon this stunning website and really wanted to try out a few of their techniques too.

So, armed with a paintbrush, some pigments, a can of my mum's hairspray, some salt, some olive drap spraypaint and some rust coloured paint, I set about the spare rear hull plate off my Sherman.

I started by spraying it with the olive to get a good basecoat. I then mixed up some black and dark red/brown paint and roughly stippled it all over, varying the colours slightly over the piece. I then applyed some of the pigment in the same way getting a very pleasing rust effect. I then sprayed over it with hairspray, sprinkled some salt on and then gave it another coat of hairspray. Once dried I gave it a final coat of olive drab and left it do thoroughly dry.

Finally I rubbed off the salt and weathered it a bit more with pigments and washes, and this is what I got.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...5714075633.jpg

Which I thought looked brilliant. And It was so easy to do too. The salt creates a great pitted texture and the hairspray helps to make it look like the paint is peeling off. The only thing I'm not too happy with is the yellowish streaks, I'll probably not bother with them on the final model. Just can't wait for my BMD now.

The sandbag may need more texturing but overall it's nice.

yeah the sandbags are a bit meh lol, just wanted something to fill out teh front a bit.

Bit better pic of the test piece
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...5713913430.jpg

Where did you get the sandbags from? I'm mulling over the idea of them for my 1/76 Firefly.

They're from Tamiya's 1/35 sandbag set. They aren't brilliant but they're quite handy to have around to shove on things lol. You might be better getting some milliput and making your own though.

I used the salt application on this:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...k/IMAG0224.jpg

The real kicker though is this is actual rust on the plastic body of the model. At the craft store there is a kit that has two bottles when mixed create actual rust. The liquid has iron in it. Taks about a day to rust the piece. Works great and looks cool. Sorry I do not remember the name of the product but I can get it for you if you want.

I was ready to send Death Threats to you if you had done that to one of those old metal car banks of the 40tys -50tys era. :haha:

I'd like to know the name of that product. :yep: thx :up: