W.I.P. KV-1 Type C

[paulyrichard]

Hi all, i'm new on this forum, but i've been buildin' for quite awhile now! This is my current project, i'm open to all comments and criticisms.
This is Tamiya's ancient toolin' of the KV-1. This, understandably is even bigger than the T34! I've pre-shaded it with XF-27 Black Green, then a colour coat of XF-26 Deep Green, and finally a highlight coat of a 60/40 mix of Nato Green and XF-4 Yellow Green. :)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/b746c69c.jpg

I've also, started weatherin' the turret, after havin' pre-shaded it. So far, i've given it a pin wash of Burnt Sienna mixed with Lamp Black oil paint, mixed with X-20 enamel thinner. Then I applied some filters, comprisin' so far, of Burnt Sienna mixed with a lot of X-20 enamel thinner, and carefully blended out. The X-20 enamel thinner with the oil paint, is jus' awesome to work with, it doesn't leave any hard adges at all! I also plan on weatherin' the decal a little bit more, with some paint chips and filters. ;)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture267Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture268Small.jpg

Now, i've nearly finished weatherin' and filterin' the upper hull! I gave it a pin wash, and used the filterin' technique to selectively weather parts of the hull. I also added some paint chips to the supply boxes and fuel drums, usin' a Scotchbrite pad! I still have to add the tiny exhausts that sit behind the turret. Tamiya have moulded them as jus' shaped pieces of plastic with no vent in the end of 'em, i'm kinda' wonderin' if I can get a PE set that can replace these parts. I'll do some searchin', I guess! :(

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture269Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture270Small.jpg

[djiti]

great done !

[amba]

Wow :o That's looking great!

Keep up the good work, can't wait for more...

-Ambjoern

[Panzergrenadier]

Wow the green looks so good to me. :)
Good work!


Siim

[paulyrichard]

Thanks for your comments, I appreciate it! I ordered these 2 days ago from Accurate Armour in Glasgow, Scotland. They landed on my doorstep this mornin'! The way these babies fit together are simply awesome!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture272Small.jpg

[paulyrichard]

This is where i'm at, at the moment with this! I've been applyin' some paint chips to the areas of the hull, where the tow cables were used, I don't want to go overboard with these paint chips otherwise it would suggest that this tank was around for far longer than it's time. The attrition rates for russian armour were high, and were never around long enough to acquire such heavy wear and tear! The decal has been weathered to suggest a 'hand painted job', I still think I need to apply some paint chips to this, also! I've still a long way to go! :o

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4051/picture272small7ju.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5170/picture273small3xp.jpg

[Sheeds]

G'day Paul.

Love the paint job, very convincing. :)

Cheers, Willy.

[Sticky]

Looks great! What color are you using with the scotch brite pads to do the chips?

[paulyrichard]

Originally posted by Sticky@May 26 2006, 06:25 PM
Looks great! What color are you using with the scotch brite pads to do the chips?
Thanks Willy, thanks Sticky! For the paint chips, I used Tamiya XF-61 Dark Green. ;)

[brokeneagle]

VERY nice paint Paul. Dripping paint a nice touch as well.
Love it! ;)

[paulyrichard]

I've muddied up the hull, with a mix of MIG Pigments and matt varnish! For the track wheels I mixed X-20 enamel thinner with the pigments, this combination fixes 'em, and makes 'em permanent. The upper rollers will be less weathered than the lower track wheels, so they'll be done last. I still have to add a few finite touches, like makin' the tones on the muddied hull less contrasty and more subtle.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture274Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture275Small.jpg

[Panzergrenadier]

I think the mud looks great. ;)


Siim

[paulyrichard]

Thanks! I've started puttin' together these ModelKasten links, and boy do they take time (98 links per side)! As you can see from the pic, the links themselves are attached to sprue, and therefore need the obligatory cuttin' away, and sandin'. These are superbly engineered by the Japanese! Every link is pinned together with two rivets, one on either side, but they're both not the same, No.1 rivet goes on one side, and No.2 on the other, the jigs are supplied for ease of fittin'. Then once the glue has set up, you jus' twist off the big nub! These are full workin' track, so when it comes to actually gluin' the rivet in place (you actually have to apply glue to the rivet), it must be done at the rivets head, leavin' the tapered point free of glue, so that the track articulates, and is not glued! By the way, these links have very shallow ejector pin marks, so i'm gonna' prime 'em with some Mr. Surfacer 500, and then sand 'em back. :)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture276Small.jpg

[Larry Bates]

Hi Paul,

Nice job on the tracks.

I'm a little worried for you if you "Twist" off the sprue from the rivits. These tracks are quite fragile, and the pins can come off with too much handling. If you twist the sprue off them you may have to start over, or make new pins, or something horrible and time consuming! :o

I usually use sprue nippers very carefully, using just the tip, one at a time, to cut the sprue from the pin.

Hope you haven't done it yet.

Larry

[lquah]

Hi Paul

Eventhough they are workable, you still need to be really careful. The MK tracks are really fragile. No surprise really considering it's only the tiny end of each rivet which is holding the links in place.

I must have move my Pz IV tracks around a bit too much during painting and they fell apart. When that happens you need to drill out the rivets and replace with spare rivets. I don't know how many rivets the KV tracks have but the Pz IV set has no spare links and like 6 spare rivets. Hardly enough for mistakes.

By the way, excellent paint job. :thumb: What colors did you use for the filters?

Lawrence

[paulyrichard]

Well, all I can say is that the other day, I completed one side of the tracks, and nearly had a heart in the mouth moment. I accidentally twisted the track a little too acutely, but everythin' seemed to hold firm, I was quite surprised. Also, i've jus' finished twistin' off the nubs with no worries! I take on board what you've said though, thanks! By the way, for the filters I used Windsor&Newton's water soluble oil paints, which were Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber, for the subtle streakin' I mixed in X-20 enamel thinner, 10% oil to 90% thinner.

[Striker]

Very nice, i love the weathering of the AFV

[paulyrichard]

Thanks, man! I've jus' finished preppin' these for paint! The links have had the ejector pin marks brushed with Mr. Surfacer 500, sanded back, and then primed with Alclad's Grey Primer/ Microfiller! I gotta' tell ya', that this stuff is lethal, *uck me, the fumes. I had to airbrush it outside, i'm not sure whether i've started a process of killin' myself, oh well! I'm gonna' shoot some Alclad II Steel 112 onto 'em, and then the fun begins...with the weatherin'! ;)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture277Small.jpg

[paulyrichard]

Here is the heavy metal! All ready for weatherin', russian earth, anyone? ;)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture278Small.jpg

[paulyrichard]

These tracks have now had a very thin XF-1 Flat Black wash! Alclad II paint is very impervious jus' like real metal, it does not soak up paint, and therefore the wash looks more natural, jus' layin' where it should, with out any hard edges, at all! After this I applied a MIG Pigment wash of russian Earth thinned with a lot of X-20 enamel thinner. After it dried, you can jus' see some of the Alclad paint showin' through on the hard edges of the track, jus' like the real thing, this is why I do not paint the tracks Flat Black, like many other modellers! Also, I do not have to resort to applyin any metallic effects with either graphite or silver paint, it's already there! I'm not done with these yet though, I gotta' get my head around doin' some more weatherin'! It's not easy ya' know! lol :)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture279Small.jpg

[Panzergrenadier]

Looking good so far. Watching with interest. ;)



Siim

[paulyrichard]

I've jus' noticed that this old Tamiya kit doesn't have the periscope eyelets moulded in! Tamiya, duh! Goddamnit!...So i've gone ahead and drilled them out! I've also added some more paint chips! People love or hate this technique, because it borders on artistic license, and is not really representable of the real thing. Attrition rates an' all that, but hey, what the hell! I'm a lover! ;)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture280Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture281Small.jpg

[amba]

Paul,

I love that finish, it looks more alive than if it is all too matt!

-Ambjoern

[paulyrichard]

Yeah, me too! Real armour was never totally matt unlike matt coloured paint! Another error with this kit, is the exhaust stacks! Tamiya have jus' moulded them as a single piece of plastic, with no openin'! So guess what, I drilled 'em out!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture282Small.jpg

[paulyrichard]

This kit has a lot of gaps in the lower hull, due to it bein' of an ex-motorized nature. Here i've jus' fitted some thin, short strips of styrene! I'll then fill these areas with a little putty, and then load the area with some mud effect, keepin' it consistent with the rest of the hull! Please ignore the gaps in the bottom of the hull, these I feel would be a waste of putty to fill, not worth it, really! :)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture283Small.jpg

[Panzergrenadier]

Yes, I have to agree on the matt paint issue.
Looking better each time. ;)


Woohooo..my 100th post!! :lol: :lol:


Siim

[paulyrichard]

I've fitted one set of tracks, and I gotta' tell ya', that these tracks are strong, and beautiful to behold...Jus' look at my sag :lol: !! The tracks and wheels look a little bit monochrome, but I can guarantee, that there are subtle earth colours at work, here! Where's the rust, I hear someone say!? It is an improper proposition to see rust on tracks, that have been driven through mud and dust! ;)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture284Small.jpg

[ShermiesRule]

I didn't realize that was the Tamiya KV1. Saw all the indi-links and immediately thought Trumpeter. Great job. I really like the details like the drilling.

[paulyrichard]

I've been makin' slow progress on weatherin' the upper hull, it's comin' along real fine, now! Too little, and it looks like a museum piece, but too much can ruin it! I've jus' cut these to the right length and put 'em together, some soviet heavy tow cables, from Accurate Armour! As for the weatherin' on the lower hull, I mixed some MIG Pigments with matt varnish, and dipped an old toothbrush in the paste, and applied it by flickin' it onto the hull, to simulate mud splatter!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture286Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture287Small.jpg

[paulyrichard]

I've finally completed this project! Looks so damn better, in the flesh, so to speak! I'm gonna' post some more pics, with some tank, riders hangin' off the end of it! :)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture299Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture295Small.jpg

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http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/1ccf05eb.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture290Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture288Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture293Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture292Small.jpg

[Sticky]

Looking pretty darn nice for an old girl! Makes you feel good when they come out so nice!

[Panzergrenadier]

It looks very nice! :thumb:
Lots of inspiration here.

Siim

[paulyrichard]

Thanks, all! I've jus' taken some better pics with a different background, and all I can say is that takin' photo's, either early mornin' or late in the day, is the best time! Never do it at midday, the pics will come out totally flat, jus like those above!

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4673/picture307small9gb.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9561/picture300small9ov.jpg

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/6666/picture302small4rz.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/3323/picture303small2tk.jpg

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http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4880/picture305small9nm.jpg

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/5470/picture306small7jp.jpg

[brokeneagle]

Tough looking Tamiya KV! Nice finish. very impressive. :o

[amba]

Very nice Paul! Congratulations that's a great great finish :o

-Ambjoern