SPA Modeler

A very fine looking muffler!

Stikpusher wrote:Looking good Gary! I do like all those improvements and corrections that you’re doing. I didn’t know about the auxiliary muffler. I’ll have to remember that if I build another one.

Thanks Carlos! Yeah, that aux. muffler was news to me as well. Years ago, I ordered something from Squadron and when it arrived, the package included a nice Squadron Walk Around book on, of all things, the M41 Bulldog, at the time, the only armor kit I had in the stash! It was sort of creepy...like someone had been looking around my study! That book has certainly come in handy now and luckily included a good diagram of both type aux. mufflers.

Hey Carlos, do you have any suggestions for a final paint choice. I know OD comes in many shades and weathers accordingly too but most Bulldogs in ARVN service seem rather darker green. Any ideas for paint here?

LyleW wrote:

Stikpusher wrote:...... I didn’t know about the auxiliary muffler. I’ll have to remember that if I build another one.

I know, right?

Floki wrote:A very fine looking muffler!

And, many thanks to you Clint for that comment! I believe it will work for my needs, and actually came out better than I had hoped when finished.

Well.... there are many shades of Olive Drab out there. Testors Model Master Olive Drab enamel (darker) and acrylic (slightly lighter) are two shades different to each other even though they share the same FS number and stock number between the two paint types. Model Master also has Faded Olive Drab which I was fortunate to get in my stash. Gunze’s Olive Drab is much darker than Model Master.

Mission Model, Humbrol, AK Interactive, PollyScale, and others I don’t have.

Depending on paint brand some are identical, some are shade differences.

Gary, I’d suggest something like Humbrol’s Dark OD, 66. The ARVN tanks were indeed a darker shade than the standard FS 34087. Or you can custom mix some by adding black to whichever OD that you prefer.

BlackSheep214 wrote:Well.... there are many shades of Olive Drab out there. Testors Model Master Olive Drab enamel (darker) and acrylic (slightly lighter) are two shades different to each other even though they share the same FS number and stock number between the two paint types. Model Master also has Faded Olive Drab which I was fortunate to get in my stash. Gunze’s Olive Drab is much darker than Model Master.

Mission Model, Humbrol, AK Interactive, PollyScale, and others I don’t have.

Depending on paint brand some are identical, some are shade differences.

Thanks for all the good info Tom! I appreciate that a lot.

speedgraflex wrote:Hi Gary,

Great job on your Bulldog so far. As someone who uses Grandt Line products fairly often, I would agree that positioning bolt heads prior to adding color is a good idea. A small brush will act as a perfect delivery system for the olive drab top coat and a nice seal as well. Good luck and all the best.

Thank you Bruce! Those bolt heads may yet prove "a bridge too far" but I'm game! I will try to transfer one on the (somewhat sticky) tip of a #11 blade; I seem to recall using that technique before. That's Plan A... And yes, you're right too about the paintwork on them. "Onward through the fog!"

Stikpusher wrote:Gary, I’d suggest something like Humbrol’s Dark OD, 66. The ARVN tanks were indeed a darker shade than the standard FS 34087. Or you can custom mix some by adding black to whichever OD that you prefer.

Thanks so much for that suggestion Carlos! I've found it at a place called ModelMerchants and have several Humbrol shades in the shopping cart there. Great tip sir!

Very nice work on the scratch building!

Thank you Mike! I appreciate the encouragement so much.

Excellent Work Gary!

Thank you Stuart! Appreciate the support my friend!