Marder III I UniModel I 1/72

I had really liked UM Model after building their SU-100 kit earlier. When I got my hands on the Marder III kit, I didn’t want to waste any time and decided to start building it right away. Since this is an open-top vehicle, the interior also had to be assembled and painted. I was genuinely curious to see how much detail they managed to fit into a model at this scale, so I began the build with a lot of interest.

I found this reference photo online. I believe it was taken while the vehicle was actively in service. The tank in the photo had a lot of additional tools and equipment mounted on it. I wanted to do something similar on my model. 

I started by assembling the tank. I had previously built another UM kit, the SU-100, and had experienced quite a few fit issues with that one. This kit was different. The metal parts included in the kit also went together very easily. Some plastic parts were broken or missing, but that didn’t cause any serious problems.

For painting, I once again used the sponge painting technique. First, I painted the entire model by dabbing Revell Aqua Color 36178 Panzergrau onto the surface with a sponge. In the next step, I used Revell Aqua Color 36179 Blaugrau to apply a blue-grey tone with a sponge to all areas except the recessed parts of the Panzer grey base.

In the following stage, to further break up the monotony of the color, I applied weathering to the upper surfaces using Revell Aqua Color 36374 Grau, again with a sponge. In the final step, I used Revell Aqua Color 36159 Himmelblau and applied dry brushing to the edges and corners with a brush. This completed the main grey paintwork of the tank.

Once the main paint was finished, I moved on to painting the details. For the tracks, I used Revell Aqua Color 36183 Rust. This rust tone from Revell suits tracks very well. Over the rust base, I dry-brushed the tracks with Revell Aqua Color 36199 Aluminium to add a metallic effect.

I painted the rubber parts of the wheels using Vallejo Model Air 71315 Tyre Black. The seats inside the vehicle were painted a brown leather color using Vallejo Model Air 70871 Leather. During this stage, the seats broke multiple times.

I painted the wooden parts of the tools on the tank using Revell Aqua Color 36314 Beige. Looking at the photos now, I realize I should have spent more time working on these areas. For the metallic parts of the tools, I used Revell Aqua Color 36109 Anthracite. I then dry-brushed those metallic areas with Revell Aqua Color 36199 Aluminium, completing the painting stage entirely.

Once painting was finished, it was time to add details similar to those seen in the reference photo. First, I scratch-built a bucket from leftover plastic parts. I made a carrying wire for the bucket using hooks taken from other kits. I painted the bucket with Revell Aqua Color 36109 Anthracite and finished it with dry brushing using Revell Aqua Color 36199 Aluminium.

I made a tarp for the upper part of the vehicle using parafilm. I painted this tarp with Vallejo Model Air 70314 Canvas. I added an MG machine gun taken from another kit on top of the tarp. On the left side of the tank, I placed a tarp from a resin set given to me by İbrahim Öner. I painted this tarp the same canvas color and added a rifle on top of it.

I also wanted to add details to the interior. For this purpose, I placed ammunition rounds inside the vehicle that were also given to me by İbrahim Öner. I didn’t paint the shells, but honestly, it would have been better if I had. 

To fill up the interior, I added a few crates. I first painted the crates with Vallejo Panzer Aces 70310 Old Wood. Then I applied a wash using Tamiya Panel Liner Accent Color TAM87140 Dark Brown. After it dried, I applied a second wash to the recessed areas using Tamiya Panel Liner Accent Color TAM87131 Black.

Finally, I added fuel cans taken from other kits to the sides and rear of the vehicle. I painted the cans with Revell Aqua Color 36109 Anthracite and then dry-brushed them with Revell Aqua Color 36199 Aluminium.

I painted the exhaust at the rear of the vehicle with Revell Aqua Color 36183 Rust. After that, I applied a wash using Vallejo Model Wash 76505 Light Rust. I added soot effects to the exhaust outlets using Humbrol Weathering Powder AV0004 Smoke pigment.

Once the painting stage was complete, I varnished the model as I always do, using Vallejo 70522 Acrylic Resin Satin Varnish. I applied the decals included in the kit. UM Model decals are thin and high quality, so this stage went smoothly. After the decals dried, I sealed the model again with satin varnish.

I first applied a pin wash to the model using Humbrol AV0201 Black Enamel Wash. After washing the tracks with AK Interactive AK083 Enamel Track Wash, I applied a wash to the interior using AK Interactive AK093 Enamel Wash for Interior.

I applied filters over the entire model using Winsor & Newton products. For this purpose, I used Winton Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, and Cobalt Blue Hue in sequence as overall filters. Once the filtering stage was complete, I sealed the model with Vallejo 26518 Matt Acrylic Varnish.

As always, I started the weathering stage with the tracks and the lower hull. For this, I used various pigments I had on hand. I mixed Vallejo pigments with Cadence thinner and applied them to the wheels and tracks. Afterwards, I removed the excess using a brush dampened with thinner.

The tank had many deep, recessed interior surfaces. I assumed dust would accumulate in these areas as the gun was fired, so I poured pigments directly into those sections. I then dropped thinner over them to fix the pigments in place. I also passed over the flat surfaces of the tank using AK Interactive AK4062 Light Dust Deposite mixed with thinner.

In areas inside the tank where the crew would frequently move, I applied wear effects by dabbing AK Interactive AK711 Chipping Color with a sponge. I also used pigments on the very corners to enhance the dusty appearance.

Finally, to give the vehicle a metallic look, I rubbed the edges with the tip of a graphite pencil. After that, I applied a graffiti pencil over all surfaces to strengthen this metallic effect. I also added pigments to the items I had added later to give them a dusty look.

After finishing the weathering stage, I placed the tank in its spot in the display cabinet and looked through my stash to decide which kit to build next. Unfortunately, this vehicle fell and broke during the İzmir earthquake. Compared to a disaster in which people lost their lives, this is obviously not a major issue—but thinking about the effort that went into it still makes you feel sad.

Bishop I Italeri I 1/72

After spending some time building 1/35 scale models, I went back to 1/72 scale once again. Unfortunately, I can no longer devote enough time to scale modeling, and 1/72 scale is the most efficient option within the limited time I can spare. This time, I started working on a model that I honestly can’t remember how it ended up in my hands. I had never built an SPG before, so this model did spark some excitement for me.

I began with the assembly stage. Almost none of the kit’s plastic parts fit properly. As you can see in the photos, I had to use a large amount of putty to fix the issues. Since there was no proper wheel spacing for the link-and-length tracks, fitting them into place was also extremely difficult.

Once the construction was finished, I moved on to painting. First, I primed the vehicle using Tamiya 87042 Gray Surface Primer, spraying a gray primer coat over the tank. You have to be very careful when using spray cans, because it’s hard to control the amount of paint or primer being applied. It’s very easy to end up with a coat that’s far too thick.

After the primer dried, I corrected the remaining visible flaws and moved on to painting. Instead of using an airbrush, I chose to apply the paint with a sponge. First, I used Vallejo Model Air 71093 OTAN Verde FS34094, dabbing the green paint over the entire tank with a sponge.

To begin modulating the color, I applied a lighter green using Vallejo Model Air 71137 U.S. Verde Claro FS34151, again with a sponge, covering almost the entire tank. This left the darker green in the recesses, while the upper surfaces became predominantly light green.

 

To push the modulation a bit further, I used the lighter green tone of Vallejo Model Air 71009 Eau de Nil Duck Egg Green. This time, I applied it only to the raised areas of the tank, focusing more heavily on the upper surfaces.

Finally, I loaded a brush with Vallejo Model Air 71321 IJA Light Grey Green and painted all the edges and raised details of the tank. This was essentially a highlighting step. With this application, I completed the green color modulation and moved on to painting the details.

As always, I started detailing with the tracks. I first painted them using Vallejo Model Air 71080 Rust as a base coat. Then, I applied Vallejo Model Air 71065 Steel to the areas that contact the ground and rub against the wheels, creating a metallic effect.

For the wooden parts of the tools on the tank, I used Vallejo Panzer Aces 70310 Old Wood. To make the wood look more realistic, I applied a wash using Tamiya Panel Liner Accent Color 87132 Brown. For the metallic parts, I first painted them with Vallejo Air 71315 Tyre Black and then dry-brushed with Vallejo Air 71065 Steel. For the exhaust, I started with Vallejo Model Air 71080 Rust and added soot effects to the exhaust outlet using Humbrol AV0004 Weathering Powder Smoke pigment.

Once the painting stage was complete, it was time to apply the decals included in the kit. First, I sprayed the tank with Vallejo 26517 Acrylic Gloss Varnish. Then I applied the decals and, at intervals, used Tamiya 87102 Mark Fit over them. After the decals were fully set and dry, I applied another coat of gloss varnish.

I didn’t apply any general oil-paint weathering to the tank. Instead, I went straight to pin washing using Winsor & Newton Lamp Black oil paint. To give the tank a dusty overall appearance, I washed the entire model using Winton Burnt Umber. This wash tended to accumulate slightly in the recessed areas.

After the oil paint had dried, I sealed the entire model with Vallejo 26518 Matt Acrylic Varnish. After the matte coat, the colors settled and blended a bit more. Once the matte varnish dried, I moved on to the weathering stage.

For weathering, I first applied chipping using AK Interactive AK711 Chipping Color with a sponge. I focused this application heavily on the edges. After that, I used a graphite pencil and a graffiti pencil to enhance the metallic effect on those same areas.

In the final weathering stage, I mixed Vallejo 73121 Desert Dust and Vallejo 73119 Europe Earth pigments with Cadence thinner and applied them to the model. Since the tank hadn’t seen heavy combat, I avoided excessive weathering. I finished the model in this state and placed it in the display case. It didn’t turn out to be a high-end model, but in the end, the goal is simply to enjoy the time spent building.

AMX 30B I Meng I 1/35

Up to this point, I had never built a model from a Meng kit. When I found an AMX-30B kit at a very low price online, I decided to buy one. I had already been warned about this kit, but I didn’t listen—and I learned my lesson the hard way. 

The assembly stage actually started off very well. The only issue at first was some gaps at the hull joints. However, once the hull was finished and I moved on to the tracks, things completely went off the rails. The tracks were designed to be workable, but the connection points were so thin that I had to glue them together and shape them manually. Even then, they probably broke off a thousand times.

After somehow finishing the assembly stage without losing my mind, I moved on to painting. I wanted this tank to represent one used by the Chilean Army, so I also bought decals suitable for that version. Before deciding on the final paint scheme, I primed the tank using Tamiya Gray Surface Primer. I didn’t apply any pre-shading, but in hindsight, it might have been a good idea.

During the painting stage, I first tried to identify colors appropriate for the Chilean Army scheme. I started by painting the tank with Vallejo Model Air 71288 UK BSC 64 Portland Stone. 

After the first coat dried, it was time to apply the second camouflage color, Vallejo Model Air 71009 Eau de Nil “Duck Egg Green”. Up until then, I had always done freehand camouflage. This time, I wanted sharper edges, so I tried separating the camouflage transitions using Uhu Patafix. However, since I didn’t mask the beige areas, the green paint created an overspray effect over the beige.

As the final camouflage color, I applied Revell Aqua Color 36302 Satin Black with a brush. I was expecting a more satin finish, but compared to Vallejo paints, it ended up looking slightly glossier. Once the overall camouflage was finished, I moved on to painting the details.

I started by painting the exhausts with Vallejo Model Air 71080 Rust as a base rust color. Then, using a sponge, I applied Vallejo Model Air 71129 Light Rust and Vallejo Model Air 71130 Orange Rust in layers to try and modulate the tone.

I continued detailing with the tracks. I painted them with Vallejo Air 71315 Tyre Black and used the same color on the rubber parts of the wheels. I then dry-brushed the metallic sections of the tracks and the contact points on the wheels using Vallejo Air 71065 Steel.

For the wooden parts of the tools on the tank, I used Vallejo Panzer Aces 70310 Old Wood. To make the wood look more realistic, I applied a wash using Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color 87132 Brown. I painted the metal parts first with Vallejo Air 71315 Tyre Black and then dry-brushed them with Vallejo Air 71065 Steel. I applied the same process to the towing cable, spare track links, and machine gun. 

To paint the periscopes, I used Vallejo Panzer Aces 70309 Periscopes. The color itself was nice, but I think adding more of a glass effect would have improved it. I painted the rear signal lights with Vallejo Model Color 70957 Flat Red, completing all the painting work.

After painting, I sealed the entire tank with Vallejo 70522 Satin Varnish. For decals, I used the Chilean Army markings from Star Decals 35-C 1016 AMX 30 B/B2. While the decals were drying, I softened them using Tamiya 87102 Mark Fit. Once the decals were fully dry, I applied another coat of satin varnish.

After the varnish dried, I moved on to the filtering and oil-paint modulation stage. I use Winsor & Newton oil paints for this. For the filters, I used Winton Titanium White, Winton Chrome Yellow Hue, and Winton Burnt Sienna. Then I tried to modulate the color using Winton Sap Green and Winton Chrome Yellow Hue. I was quite careless at this stage; since I didn’t blend the oils properly, instead of toning down the paint, they remained on the surface like extra layers.

Once the oil paints had dried, I applied a pin wash using Humbrol AV0201 Black Enamel Wash. If I had applied this wash more strongly, I think the result would have looked better. The tank also seems to need an additional overall wash in brown tones—something I realized more clearly after reviewing the photos.

After the model had completely dried, I applied a matte coat using Vallejo 26518 Matt Acrylic Varnish. Matte varnish creates a slightly rough surface, which helps weathering products adhere better. It also makes the colors look more natural. The only downside is that if you overdo it, the model can start to look toy-like.

During the weathering stage, I first applied chipping to areas frequently used by the crew using AK Interactive AK711 Chipping Color with a sponge. Since modern tanks don’t usually rust heavily, I limited the chipping to this single color. I applied a wash to the exhaust using Mig Jimenez A-MIG-1004 Enamel Light Rust Wash.

For weathering the running gear, I first mixed Vallejo 73121 Desert Dust and Vallejo 73119 Europe Earth pigments with Cadence thinner and applied them. After these pigments dried, I applied a wash using AK Interactive AK4062 Light Dust Deposite. Finally, I applied pigments directly onto the model without mixing them with thinner. To be honest, the weathering wasn’t very successful—but at that point, the tracks had broken so many times that I was simply tired of the model.

I applied soot stains to the engine grilles using Humbrol AV0004 Weathering Powder Smoke. I honestly don’t know whether these areas look like this on the real tank. I applied the same pigment to the muzzle as well.

As the final weathering step, I tried to give a metallic look to the raised areas using a graphite pencil and a graffiti pencil. This was the last weathering process applied to the tank.

Once everything was finished, I gifted the tank to a friend. It could have been a much better model. But once the tracks got on my nerves, all I wanted was for the build to be over.