No mojo? Build a T-34!

rfbaer · February 13, 2026, 3:49am

I re-did the numbers and did the first wash, not being too terribly neat since this is going to be a dirty tank. Mine rollers must have kicked up a ton of dirt, dust and whatever else, all for the tank to drive through. I suppose that a detonated mine would have been quite a show too…..

IMG_5018 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_5020 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

bwilt · February 13, 2026, 9:47am

Oh yes, let’s start splashing that dirt around

rfbaer · February 16, 2026, 11:34pm

It’s getting dirty. I’m wondering at this point whether or not to make the front of the turret dirtier. I’m leaning towards not to.

IMG_5022 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_5023 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_5027 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_5024 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

Dioramartin · February 17, 2026, 2:41am

Great project & excellent job Russel, I lurk no longer! Like Bert I’m a dirty whatever – it’s probably the lighting but it looks very…orange…? I’m not sure what you used, but I’d suggest (a) streaking some of it off with a wet stiff brush (rain shower after the mud bath) and (b) a moderate splashing of dilute mud of a darker colour in places, especially at the front & pooling elsewhere where it would naturally.

rfbaer · February 17, 2026, 5:39pm

I like the splatter suggestion, it’s in the plan. I may try a little bit of rain streaking as well.

And yes, it looks orange. Here’s some pics off my phone, much closer to the actual thing.

rfbaer · February 18, 2026, 1:16am

It’s just about as dirty as I want to make it after a session tonight.

IMG_5031 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_5032 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I added some light dirt and dust to the front of the turret, thinking about how much of a dirt cloud the mine roller would kick up at anything more than a walking pace (which I suppose is about how fast it was actually used…).