Christie SPG 1921 - Army model

Hello!

After this brilliant Christie SPG here I will build my own one. My kit arrived with some damage here:

The running gear fits the box, but it is a very tight fit with no give or take. So it got damaged while crossing the Atlantic. We shall fix this when time has come.

Regards!

  • dutik
5 Likes

Added the cupola, fenders, tow hooks and the radiator cover to the hull. The cover is so thin printed it was warped. I fixed this whith a square strip styrene from below. I’ve tried to align the fenders well to the hull, but even while pressing them firmly against the hull there was left a small gap along the full lenght. Filled this with some putty. Done deal. Only 7 parts so far and it looks like a tank (or SPG, that ist):

Here I changed the direction of the build a bit: The SPG showed two cupolas at the factory, but only one at the proving ground (this is written in the instructions). So I left off the left cupola and added a hatch with two rivets and a bolt. 11 parts now. Just 6 more (2 tracks, front support, 2 MGs, gun) and the model has been finished! Not really a high parts count, indeed.

Up to the spray booth now.
Regards

  • dutik
3 Likes

After airbrushing I spotted two flaws, one not-so-well printed corner of the bottom and some irregularities at the lower rear wall. The rear wall was easy to fix by cutting off some printing residues. The bottom flaw was sanded flat and covered with some sheet styrene, then cut and sanded into shape. Nothing complicated here.

Regards

  • dutik
4 Likes

Wheatering in progress:

As always: Add one layer, then set it aside to dry for a day. It takes some time, but we come closer to finishing the build.

Until now I’ve done:

  • chipping (“rubber black” paint, sponge and brush)
  • filter (Mig filter for olive green vehicles)
  • pinwash (some old brown paneel liner for green/brown tanks, thinned down with odorless enamel thinner)
  • “African dust” wash applied along edges and recesses

That’s it so far. Regards!

  • dutik
4 Likes

More wheatering:

Highlighted every rivet and all edges with “Russian WW2 uniform green”. One by one. Reduced the dusty look of the wheels a bit. Painted the tracks black to add metallics next.

Regards

  • dutik
4 Likes

The support at the hull for the bogies is misplaced, so I added pins to the bogies. Also one axle of the rear wheels got broken off in transit across the Atlantic, so I made a new one. Metallized the tracks with Ammo metallic pigment:

Next step: An earth wash and some dust.

Regards

  • dutik
2 Likes

Mind the gap! :grinning:

Right track is in place. The shattered left track is under construction. I use here slow-curing gapfilling superglue. Just a break now until the glue has fully cured. After this just the MGs, gun mantlet, replacing a lost handle an we are don. Maybe I will add a base, because the whole running gear is a bit wobbly given the only 3 mounitng points per side.

Enjoy!

  • dutik
2 Likes

Working along the base:

Regards

  • dutik
4 Likes

Good overall result! Is this kit is from Vargas Models?

Thank you, @Artyom ! Yes, this is the Vargas Models kit.

I am on the way to finally finishing the build, just now only 3 details left over.

Regards

  • dutik
2 Likes

Done! Christie M 1921 SPG at the proving ground:

Enjoy!

  • dutik
4 Likes

How do you find it’s printing quality. I’d like to buy early Christie tank but I don’t decided what would be better - to buy Vargas or Commander’s models conversion for Tamiya’s BT-7

Printing quality is overall OK. Not great, but OK. Surfaces are not smooth like cast resin parts, there are fine printing lines. But for a tank this is OK: The rolled armor steel look for free. Some hatches are really thinly printed, so you might support them from below with some styrene. Every handle is nicely (and threedimensonal!) printed in place, which is a bonus in my book. I would not try to add a chain to the towing hooks, because they are really soft and might droop. All in all it’s up to you, if you want to give 3D print a try or prefer to go with good old cast resin parts.

Regards

  • dutik
1 Like

Thank you so much for such great information! I think I will buy one later.