I had chosen some cast resin stowage items to use on the tank and after minimal clean up, I preshaded them in flat black.
I wanted the dark recesses to come through the finish paint so I resorted to using my Sotar airbrush as I could really dial down the paint flow better than I could with my old Paasche H. Here's an after shot:
The results weren't entirely satisfactory but still better than prior efforts. I need much more practice with that Sotar!
After that step, I tackled the issue of mud. My primary resource photo shows a tank operating in the Cholon section of Saigon. And naturally, there doesn't appear to be that much mud at the time. But, tanks serve in multiple "theaters" and it's likely this tank had previously seen some muddy use. Many color period photos show APVs slathered in reddish mud during the wet season. That red mud turned to reddish dust in the dry season and tended to also get everywhere. So, I wanted to sort of "split the difference" with the weathering.
I began by adjusting my Paasche H to spray it's coarsest stipple. Then I cranked up the gas and sprayed the un-thinned enamel, or perhaps should say, I "splattered" the enamel. The idea worked rather well I thought, and with a bit of practice I was able to direct it with some accuracy. I used it to establish a pattern of mud splattered around that would serve as a base for the next step. I added thicker mud to the inner hull sides and some to the running gear, but reasoned that much would've been worn or washed off in urban use. For that, I dabbed on some various AK mud, and some Vallejo Burnt Sienna pigment was sparingly dusted on with a small brush.
As seen above, I did manage to attach the vinyl tracks too. That turned into a it of a struggle. I did discover that it was so much easier to join the ends of the track and then work it onto the running gear. It has been 20+ years since my last armor build and I guess I forgot that lesson in the interim. The outer edges of the track had been weathered to a rusty look, but much of that was lost in the handling of the tracks in the attachment step. So, I went back and added a bit of the Vallejo pigment to replace that rust.
After redo:
This pic shows where I'm planning to place the stowed objects.
And a look at what I want to place on the glacis. Obviously, some of the ammo cans need painting. Note the difference in size between the painted and unpainted cans.
That painted barrier plank, pressed into service here, needs repainting. I believe the red color was still too fresh to handle and some bled onto the white, rendering a rather pinkish look. I'll probably just mask off the red and mist on some more flat white.
I also attached the scratch-built gun mantle canvas cover tie-down clamps. They went on without too much drama. I still don't know if I'm up to the task of adding the tiny Grandt Line bolt heads to each of the 16 tiny tabs. It may well stay as seen here:
There is still some work to be done. I haven't started on the commander's M2, or radio aerials, nor have I finished the two crewmen I want to use. I've been modifying them (U.S. GIs) quite a bit in order to more resemble ARVN troopers. I also need to fab up some straps and ropes for the stowage tie-down, and make a tissue-paper canvas tarp. Still, I'm happy to have made some progress here, and with a little luck, may have another update before too much longer. I need to also create a new base for the tank's outdoor photos. I want it to look like pavement, with a bit of rubble strewn about. I've thought of a spot here in Cameron that might do for a backdrop.
So, here are some overall pics of the tank (minus the track's rust redo) just to give an impression of sort of how the end will look. Please stay tuned for more progress, and thanks so much for your interest in my Bulldog project!
And that's all folks!
