It is a unique club 
.
18 years, now reduced to 15 I think.
Time for others to put us down.
Where’s Johnny 
and others.
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So, doubled away to my local model shop today (luckily open on a Sunday) for a paint replen; came away with 2 x jars of Tamiya’s JGSDF OD and applied to the model where I’d run out of paint yesterday. Aaaargh! Different colour!
My original jar was I admit, around a decade old, but I suspect somewhere along the line, Tamiya changed the bloody colour. I had no option but to repaint the whole lot and whilst a good OD, it seems to be lacking that darker shade appropriate for the late 50s, early 60s. I hope that once I’ve applied a gloss varnish it will darken a touch; it should do.
Anyway, no other option really, I was too cowardly to dabble in mixing and say, adding some black, so whilst it’s curing (for the next 24 hours or so) I think I’ll ease the pain with a soothing G & T - well - it is raining, another gloomy February day so what the hell?
Cheers!
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Well, just because I can’t work on the model, there’s nothing to stop me tackling the base.
One of my usual A4 (European paper-size) 12mm MDF type, edges sanded and stained and varnished - not visible here as I’ve masked it all off.
The idea is a simple German road, so I’ve initially scattered model railway scenic stuff along the verges to represent the detritus that tends to gravitate there.
For the asphalt I thought I’d give a textured effect paint a go - courtesy of Rust-oleum:
I was quite pleased with this though perhaps the texture isn’t really that discernible on the pic; the colour is quite good too, though I’ll probably end up painting it a shade or two darker.
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Detail painting begun; still a way to go, but positioned on its base to be:
The turret is sitting higher than it will be as I’ve masked off the turret ring so it’s just lodged in position.
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Is it me or does it look tail-heavy? The engine in the turret hangs a long way beyond the end of the tracks…
Well, whilst the turret is only temporarily lodged, it is central to the whole; perhaps the gun, inner armour etc would counterbalance the engine? I’ve no idea save that the designers conceivably had thought about it all (mad though it is!)
OKB Grigorov have obviously done their homework.
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Just in passing interest, there is a US TV series called “Loki”, about which I know nothing at all, save, in a couple of shots from the series, there is a derelict TV-8 shown:
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That’s looking good Brian!
My own build has been progressing nicely, and is now ready for paint. I bit the bullet and upgraded the Tamiya hull to A5 standard (the tan parts are from the M247 kit), and rebuilt the back half of the turret to be the Dutch PRTL instead of the Gepard. Purists will note I added US smoke launchers, and left off the mounts for three entrenching tools on the rear toolbox as I figured these would be in the fender boxes instead.
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The two go together like peas and carrots.
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Very nice! Good to see you’re going all the way with this 
However, I would remove the rectangular boxes on the antenna mounts. These are typical Dutch items for Philips KL/VRC-3600-series radios.
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That’s some very impressive work there Tom, very impressive!
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Thanks guys! I wasn’t sure if the boxes might be to protect the springy antenna bases, and thus would be useful on a US version. I’m minded to leave them - not least because I don’t have any spare US antenna bases to replace them! My logic is they haven’t been fitted yet on the demonstrator, but will go inside the boxes once they arrive…
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The boxes are for tuning the antennas. Don’t ask me how, I know little about radio theory and the times I did some reading on it, I wished I hadn’t But anyway, that means they would not be on an American vehicle because US radio antennas don’t have such boxes at all.
American antenna bases are easy to scratchbuild: just some rod on a disc that’s held to the vehicle with a couple of bolts, then wind some thin wire around the bottom of the actual antenna to make the spring.
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Great job Tom. You are doing fantastic work.
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Hi Jakko, before I consider alterations, do you have access to any info on the antennas that I could look at? Even a model designation would help! But I must admit I’m loathe to remove them as they add visual interest!
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Not immediately at hand, but doesn’t the M48A3 kit you used for the hull, have some antenna mounts on its turret?
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There will be a brief hiatus while I await the arrival of some decals; in the meantime, beginning to look the part perhaps:
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Hey Brian that’s looking sharp! Definitely makes for a certain “presence” on the battlefield.
My own build is now sporting a coat of Halford’s finest primer grey…
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Thanks Tom - just don’t look too closely! Despite setting solutions some of the decals suffered from silvering, which is infuriating.
Funny how so many of us use rattle cans for primer; mind you, I always think mine look better in primer anyway(!)
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