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 Rank: Amateur Level 1  Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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Another week goes by with a little more work on the hull. In this case I have turned my attention to the finalisation of the suspension and wheels.
The first parts to tackle were the wheels and wheel hubs. Being of the rubberised types of wheel they can be awkward to accept paints of most descriptions since paint adhesion is a bit of a problem. The hubs are best fitted before any paint is added since attempting to add the hub after painting tends to flake off the paint (using acrylics).
This is my way of dealing with such wheels.
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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richmal attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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Having completed all the wheels it was time to fit them to the suspension. Wanting the front and rear wheels turned I went through the following process to achieve this. 1. The front and rear suspension units had not been fixed as previously shown. 2. Deciding on the amount of steerage required I cemented one of the wheel hubs in the position I required. 3. After forming a simple jig with parallel ends from plastic card it was placed between the fixed hub and it's opposing hub. 4. Once lined up the opposing hub was cemented in place. 5. The jig was now used on the second set of axles/hubs. 6. The steering arms (parts D44) left off at stage 4 of the instructions were now cemented in place. 7. The wheel arches and inner suspension units are now given a dirty wash of well watered down flat earth colour. 8. Finally I cemented the wheels/hubs onto their corresponding suspenion units. Photographs show the jig and final look of the suspension. richmal attached the following image(s):
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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Nice work Richard, the angled wheels look spot on and a nice little explanation of your weathering process on the wheels and tyres - well done!!  
Kev 
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Looks great Richard, some fab work being displayed.... .. Well done... Regards Alan
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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In post #18 I looked at the lighting of the interior focusing on fitting the LEDs to the inside of the controllers cabin. I had already studied the model to find a path for the wiring and decided that the Radar Array platform was large enough to hold the light switch and coin battery + holder. The backplate of the platform looked as though it could be used as an access hatch and it was just a matter of how to hold the backplate in position without cementing it. Due to the shape of the rear of the platform I was able to build a tray of plastic card which would sit on the bottom inner of the platform. A second piece of card was cemented onto the backplate at the same angle as the upper inner of the platform. This provides a semi sprung locking piece which holds the backplate in position almost perfectly. The photos below show the finished article and how well it fits together. richmal attached the following image(s):
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 Rank: Super-Elite      Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/01/2014 Posts: 5,060 Points: 14,980
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You can't tell in the picture that the back plate is removable at all, great work I love it
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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Almost there. Just a few more steps o completion. Before adding the small pieces of shovel, crowbar, tail lights, Wing mirrors, tow rope, antenna, crew hatch, windscreen wipers and tow rope I gave the model two coats of green acrylic paint for a bit of modulation.. Over the base colour of Russian Dark Base (A.MIG-931)I sprayed most areas with a layer of Zashchitniy Zeleno (A.MIG-083). The second coating of Russian Base (A>MIG-932) was sprayed from above to lighten the areas most likely to be faded by weather. This is very subtle light modulation and will be difficult to pick up in photographs. The final part was to use a light road/track dusting effect, using a dry watercolour pencil, around the wheel arches and lower raised detail. Once I start a light dusting spray of flat earth colour it should difuse the edges of the water colour paint. Lighting is pretty harsh in the next couple of photos. richmal attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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The small parts have now been painted and cemented into position before any decals are added and a final spray of light dusting begins. richmal attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Super-Elite   Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/01/2013 Posts: 4,604 Points: 13,607 Location: Monmouthshire UK
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Looking good Rich, looks a great kit  Steve
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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Thanks Stevie-o. It's taken time due to work commitments but I have enjoyed the build. There will be a second one coming along sometime this year but will be finished as a Red Square Parade vehicle.
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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After a trawl of the net I found only one photo reference of an SA-8 Gecko with it's unit number along the side and that was a Soviet Afghanistan war veteran so I will not be using any decals on the exterior.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Very nice work Richard, an impressive looking model and I'm sure it'll look even better when you've done the weathering - well done!!
Kev
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Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 07/10/2015 Posts: 39 Points: 147 Location: Nottingham, UK
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Here we are Gentlemen It was Xmas day and I had the finished article. To anyone looking for paint chips, serious fading effects, bathfulls of mud and or a zillion rust streaks, I apologize. I don't do them. I tend to go along the path of my experience during the Cold War in armour. In most cases vehicles moving over roads & normal countryside don't tend to get covered in mud. It is only on the training areas where this generally occurs. Rust only occurs if you have a very lax command structure or vehicles are in storage. The number of times vehicles are painted during the year generally precludes too much fading. I could do chipping but never quite get it right.
Having explained all that I now show you the finished Soviet SA-8 'Gecko' anti-aircraft system.
I really enjoyed this build regardless of a few errors on the instruction sheet and for those interested in Cold War armour, arty and AA I would recommend it. richmal attached the following image(s):
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Avery nice result and great work Current builds:-C57,Zero, Lamborghini Countach, Caldercraft HMS Agamemnon,Robi,R2-D2, MFH Cobra .
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/01/2014 Posts: 5,060 Points: 14,980
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thats a damn fine looking finish, fantastic job
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US
