The SU-100 is one of my favorite tank models. When I came across a different version online, I bought it right away. Although I wasn't familiar with UM Model as a brand, the fact that this SU-100 was used by Egypt intrigued me. I was especially surprised to find resin and etched parts included in the kit.
While researching online, I even found a photo of the real vehicle this model is based on. Seeing how faithfully the model replicates its real-life counterpart increased my interest further.
During assembly, the resin parts gave me a lot of trouble. Perhaps due to the glue I used, they simply wouldn’t adhere to the plastic components. The kit itself had a high level of detail. The only major issue was with the lower and upper hull not aligning properly, so I had to fill the resulting gap with putty.
Once the assembly was complete, I moved the model out to the balcony to apply primer. I prefer to do these steps outside when the weather permits since the chemicals we use are quite harmful.
As a base color, I used Revell Aqua’s Sandy Yellow. Since I didn’t modify the shade, it turned out too dark and quite far from the color of the real tank.
To correct this, I decided to modulate the color. I mixed white, yellow, and brown tones by eye to achieve a more suitable shade. I then thinned it heavily and applied it with a sponge over the base color.
The result preserved the surface details while bringing the color closer to the real vehicle. However, during this process, the mantlet and barrel broke off several times. After multiple reattachments, the barrel became slightly misaligned.
After finishing the main coat, I started painting the details. I painted the tracks rust brown and did some metallic dry brushing. I wasn’t entirely happy with the end result but chose not to overwork it.
The large green decals included with the kit were surprisingly high quality and adhered very well. Overall, with its etched parts, resin pieces, and plastic wheels, this kit offers great value for its price.
After the decals dried, I applied gloss varnish. These days, I tend to use satin varnish instead, but at the time of this build, I was still using gloss. The reason I moved away from gloss is that it’s hard to tone down the shine afterward.
Once the gloss coat dried, I moved on to filtering. I used burnt sienna, white, and yellow oils—colors that seemed most appropriate for a desert vehicle.
The yellow helped blend the tones, while the white faded them all slightly. I finished with burnt sienna to give a dusty appearance.
After the filter fully dried, I started oil paint work to break up the visual monotony. It's essential that the filter layer is completely cured before applying oils—otherwise, all your previous work can be undone.
I placed oil dots on flat surfaces and blended them with a brush and turpentine. I now prefer turpentine over white spirit, which can sometimes dissolve the varnish.
I noticed that white oil helped neutralize the base yellow, so I used it more. I also added green, yellow, burnt sienna, and blue oils.
Once the horizontal surfaces were done, I worked on vertical areas. I didn’t want strong streaking, but I emphasized some effects using more burnt sienna.
After letting the oils dry for a long time, I began the wash stage. I didn’t use desert-specific washes—instead, I opted for Humbrol’s black enamel wash.
Washes tend to darken the model a lot, so I diluted the solution with turpentine. After the wash, I cleaned up the flat surfaces with a turpentine-dipped cotton bud to lighten them back up.
Afterward, I let the model dry fully and sealed it with matte varnish to protect all previous layers. Matte varnish adds texture that helps with weathering adherence.
Before weathering, I dry brushed highlights on raised areas to bring back some shine lost during washes. Without this step, the model—already monotone in color—would look too flat.
I added soot effects around the rear engine grilles. For realism, I tried to keep the soot concentrated in the center but couldn’t quite achieve the desired effect at this scale.
I then added rust to the front spare tracks and rear exhausts, finishing the exhausts with soot effects. I wasn’t happy with the rusty tracks—they would have looked better with more pigment.
Because the tank had a desert camouflage, I imagined it covered in dust. I mixed desert dust solution with lots of turpentine and applied it like a wash. This gave the model an overall dusty finish, which I was happy with.
I filled the wheel wells with pigment to simulate heavy dust accumulation and fixed it in place with pigment fixer.
I also washed the tracks and wheels with mixtures of rust and dust washes, finishing with a final turpentine-thinned wash. Once dry, I dry brushed metallic silver on the tracks.
I used two different pencils to highlight and polish the sharp edges, which added a metallic sheen and eliminated the plastic look. This is especially important for weathering light-colored vehicles.
Finally, I added subtle oil streaks beneath the fuel caps on the side tanks. When done delicately, this effect enhances realism significantly.
While doing a last check, I noticed I had installed the piece connecting the upper and lower rear hulls upside down. The rivets were pointing downward instead of up. This likely caused the earlier fit issues I mentioned—but at this point, it was too late to fix.
In the end, I completed the build and added it to my display cabinet. If you’re considering this kit, I can wholeheartedly recommend UM Model’s SU-100. I enjoyed building it, and if you get the chance, don’t hesitate to pick it up.
