Heng Long M26 Pershing Build Log

[ccarley]

That's looking real nice!

[quitcherbitchen]

Thanks Guys. Here is how I made the brackets Actually, the testors bottles are the way to go. Using just a pliers will make kinks in it.

[tank_me]

Looking good. All Model Master paints are discontinued by Testors which is why you have had a hard time finding them.

[761st]

Nice results quit!

[quitcherbitchen]

My first attempt (s) at creating weld beads with Tayima Putty is going OK. This is really hard. Took me about five attempts to get the picture below. The Night Shift guy Kovac makes it look so easy. The putty sticks to everything except the tank when applying it. LOL I do recommend you use lots of water and to roll the bead and then cut off and roll some more. It is easy to get too big a piece.

[761st]

Looks to me like you got it! Graet advice om the putty. Been there.

[quitcherbitchen]

Ready for Prime time. Used Mr Surfacer Lacquer for the first time. I spilled most of my firs load by dropping the airbrush. It landed on the MODEL!!!! YIKES I quickly wiped it off. No harm seems to have happened except my barrel got paint on it. I can sand that off..

[tank_me]

Are you going to be doing the tool box handles? Schumo makes a set for the Pershing, but it's been out of stock forever. Andy from Special Ops Models makes the same handles in resin, but sells them for the Abrams in a pack of 8. The Schumo set is a pack of 14. I asked Andy if he had any plans to sell a set of 14 for the Pershing as I'm also working on one and he said I could just buy two sets of 8 and have two left over. Wasn't exactly the response I wanted as that would be $28 for handles.

Funny that the handles have been the same since WW2. Makes me wonder if the NSN part number has been the same since WW2. The Abrams only needs 8 of them, the M41 Bulldog also uses 8 of them, and the Pershing needs 14.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113680259175?hash=item1a77df1867:g:6JsAAOSwxklchIlG

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/schumo-kits-ph0013-handle-set-storage-box-m-26-pershing--1028478

[quitcherbitchen]

thanks tank me. I didn't even know the 3 d versions existed. I was going to wait and see if Schumo would ever come back. The 3 d seem even more fragile.

[quitcherbitchen]

Couldn't take the lousy Harbor Freight Airbrush so I bought a decent one off E bay. What is difference. So much easier to use. Like butter compared to the siphon style I had before and clean up is a breeze. Mixed up a base coat of Olive Drab using Martin Kovac's formula and have to say it matches the Model Masters enamel. I needed Arcrylic for the base in order to chip it later/

[tank_me]

I have one of those siphon Harbor Freight airbrushes, but I only use it for priming and lacquering.

[quitcherbitchen]

I highly recommend the one I got. The little airflow control valve that comes with it is something that has me learning to change the pressure to change the pattern. Clean up is a snap. Not like the Harbor Freight one.

[quitcherbitchen]

Top of the hull almost ready for primer

[quitcherbitchen]

Here she is ready for decals

[quitcherbitchen]

Well, I put on the decals and then sprayed it with Tamiya x-24 satin clear varnish. I think I did a bad job in the Turret. I put the airbrush too close and puddled the satin in a few places. I also think the satin darkened most of my Olive Drab that I spent tons of time highlighting and airbrushing to look slightly weathered and am sort of disappinted in the results. I can always fix it and now the tank has a durable base coat so it isnt a total loss. If I were to do it again I would lighted the Olive Drab even more before vanishing. These tanks barely got into combat in April of 45 so the weathering isnt really an issue and in some way you could over weather a WWII Pershing. This particular tank is a blend of Fireball and Eagle 7 from the 3rd armor division. I will take her to LA Tanks to battle and then go back and maybe mud her up a little to hide some of the imperfections/mistakes I made. The new airbrush was a big help and I learned a lot from doing this Tank. I really need to get VMS Varnish that was highly recommended, but I couldnt find it. I think that would have helped. I would also modify the Tamiya blend of paints that I used as a base coat. I would add more buff color immediately and go lighter.

[tank_me]

Tanks aren't perfect and once there is a coat of dust on it, it will lighten up. You can also take and put a very light coat of buff (and I mean VERY light) that can add a dusty effect to it. Personally I've taken a liking to the Alclad varnishes.

[sclui56]

All, is there enough space in the HL to fit 390's? TIA

[SoCalBobS]

QB, there is another way to lighten it up; AK makes dry pigment in various dust colors. I use my daughter's makeup brush to apply it. It really lightens up the tank, and gets in the nooks and crannies. This one is "Vietnam Earth" but red dirt is the same anywhere!

[Rubicon99]

All, is there enough space in the HL to fit 390's? TIA

Yes plenty of room.

[sclui56]

Yes plenty of room.

Thanks, Rubicon.