On Friday I purchased a Zvezda 1/100th scale kit of the T 26 Russian tank. here is it finished! Yes that is it in front of the box in the pic.Let's be honest the kit only had 5 pieces to it, so it was just about impossible to get wrong if you applied just the slightest bit of common sense. The turret was a single piece, the hull came in 2 pieces (top of hull, bottom of hull) and there was a left and a right wheels and tracks. It really was that easy and should not challenge anyone. The kit was very clean with no flash or mold lines and all the pieces fitted together very well. Being honest I was impressed. simple and effective.
So here is how I painted it!
Step 1: Knowing I wanted a Russian Winter feel I sprayed it with white primer. I was not too precious with it and it was in parts patchy as the primer applied from a spray can was not all that even. I could have given it another light coat but to e honest I wanted it to look rough.Step 2: A "Black green" wash was applied. It went on too heavy but oh well never mind.
Step 3: I over brushed with white. This covered up most of the black green where it was too heavy.
Step 4: I painted the tracks. First with a bronze, then a gun metal and then in part with a white and rust..
Step 5: The rubber on the wheels was added with a black
Step 6: I applied the rust. Anywhere and everywhere I thought rust would be.
Step 7: Glued it to an MDF base.
All in all took about 25 minutes including drying time and assembly. I think it looks pretty good for the time and effort spent on it. Yes when I do the next one it will not turn out exactly the same, maybe it will be better and maybe it will be worse. Who Knows! This is the basic started tank for Operation Barrbarosa used by the Russians and yes I do intend to get at least 1 more for club games of "What a Tanker". While not the best tank of the period it was still a good tank and as a starter tank what else could you ask for. I know a lot of players will want to start with powerful tanks but then they would also be fighting powerful tanks. Therefore by starting with the T-26 it should give me a foundation of how I want the tanks to look.
The Zvezda kits really are good for the price and you've done an excellent job with the paint scheme.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lee. I was very pleasantly surprised how good the kit was. As for the Paint, maybe I just got lucky!
DeleteGreat looking Tank Clint, if you want to meet up on Thursday will be at Rochester late afternoon, probably about 4-5
ReplyDeleteThank you Dave, not ideal time for me BUT I should be able to make it alright. See you on Thursday.
DeleteSee you then
DeleteYou've done a great job on painting this little tank. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you Bryan. It was a joyous little kit and everything worked first time.
Delete"25 minutes including drying time and assembly" - blimey, Clint, it can take me that long to just to dry-fit some of my "Games Workshop" plastic kits!! Great stuff :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Blax. Yeah about 25 minutes! I was surprised as well. I have sent off for another on eBay (A Panzer 38T). Let us hope that is as simple ad easy to do and look as good when done!
DeleteCracking good work for 25mins, Clint. It does look a cool little model too. Definitely something I would explore as well, the early less-powerful tanks. Saying that, seeing one of those big, daft Russian landships might be fun - a single T-35 against a number of Finnish or German light tanks. Or a T-28. Anyway, good stuff and roll on some more T-26s.
ReplyDeleteThank you Roy. I know Tim at the club has a T-35 kit but seriously not a tank I want to choose. Also not many points due to slowness. Points wise the same as a Panzer 3 D-G . Better I would suggest to have a tiny T60 with a low profile, much harder target to hit!
DeleteTime well spent I'd say and I doubt any other model manufacturers will take heed of this superb kit being so easy to complete. I well remembermy first Airfix Churchill tank having several hundred parts (or so it seemed at the time).
ReplyDeleteI've seen some very iffy white paint jobs on real tanks too and yours looks spot on btw.
Thank you Joe. I wanted the tank to look as if it had been through a winter and possibly seen action. I also remember that Airfix kit, I will say no more !
DeleteSuperb job Clint, I love the weathering effects.
ReplyDeleteThank you Michael. It was one of those times when you painted without care and still it all came together well.
DeleteNice job on that Clint. I have the same model as well as a BT-7. Great starter tanks. I noticed you said your getting a 38t. It's not bad but doesn't have the detail (rivets) that makes it distinguished. Plastic Soldier Company do great 38ts but the turrets are damn fiddly.
ReplyDeleteThank you Carl. I have indeed sent for a 38t by Zvezda. Let's hope it paints as well without having the rivets you mention. There are a few other "starter" tanks I want to get for "what a tanker!" and with luckI shall get some tomorrow.
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