4x4 MRAP Kinetic 1/35

[Duke Maddog]

Sweet work Thomas! You have a knack for making very clean models. I am impressed.


Now if only someone would make a plastic kit of one of these in 1/72 scale! It's amazing how us small scale guys never seem to get anything recently used and in the news all the time, but we always manage to get yest another German Tiger or Panther, or halftrack!

I'm following this one Thomas, well done!

[Thomas_M]

Thanks, Duke!

A clean build? Don´t know, maybe. Sometime I wonder if I am going too far in cleaning parts that for sure won´t be visible later. But if there is a seam I cannot go on and leave it as is. This adds to my talent as a slow builder, I guess...

[Duke Maddog]

Maybe so, but the results are well worth the wait. Looking forward to seeing more.

[Thomas_M]

Here and there, little steps...

I brush painted the rear compartment seats khaki after having airbrushed their framework the outside camo colour:



The inside of the vehicle has been masked and given a coat of grey colour, just as seen on pictures. Masking took about 30 minutes, while airbrushing took 5...
When removing the masks the two spots in front left the vehicle together with the masks...
Even the primer coat (Vallejo Black Primer) went lose! Instead of re-masking again I did chose the easy way and brush painted this two areas. Won´t be seen later, or at least not much of it. It´s the same colours, only looks lighter due to the lighting here.

[Thomas_M]

The inside of the fighting compartment got a black primer coat, to be followed by the outside camo colour (Model Color 70.819 Iraqui Sand). Managed to get some nice shading of the internal structure on the floor.





Also the dash board got a black primer, masking it to follow:

[Thomas_M]

I applied the PE window grills using my trusty Gator Glue. This glue enables to apply the PE parts perfectly before glueing them fix. All window openings then have been airbrushed in the outside camo colour inside and out. Clear window parts got a light tint using thinned Tamiya Smoke airbrushed on. I am pretty sure nothing of this will be seen later...
The exhaust got its PE shield.

[LyleW]

That looks really good, Thomas.

[Thomas_M]

I guess this is part of the air condition? I don´t have any books on those vehicles (so far!), so I take a guess here. After a coat of Tamiya Gloss Black this parts have been applied Alclad Aluminium. No masking of the fans; I later brush painted black around them.
There are perforated PE covers given for this area, already airbrushed while in the fret. This will cover this units, but I hope a little bit of the fans will be visible later.



Some fun (not!) before closing for today: I have no clue why Kinetic decided to have those not at all fitting parts to cover an opening that I cannot find on the reference pictures given! Kinetic has this moulded in on both sides of the hood. But why?
Will cover them both up with Magic Sculp, followed by more or less sanding...



More later!

[Stuart]

I should visit the armor section more often - Great work Thomas - this is coming along nicely!

[Thomas_M]

Thank you, Stuart!