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I like tractors - there's a good break from whatever I've been building- basically "palate cleansers". No cat help this time - the Minart 1/35 Lanz Bulldog German Agricultural Tractor D8500 Mod. 1938 (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/miniart-38024-agricultural-tractor-d8500--1300453) was just calling to be built. Minart kits tend to be fiddly, with small assemblies and delicate attachment points, but they're usually well engineered (but no where as annoying to build as Hobby Boss or Bronco kits.) So I was expecting an uneventful but long build.
Wow - was I wrong! This is a fun, quick build - yes, it has small and delicate attachment points and some tiny parts (like a 1mm bolt that has to be sliced off a sprue - they provide 3), a small PE fret and some required scratchbuilding but it's logically laid out and so nicely engineered. Most of the parts went together with minimal sanding and few (if any) noticeable gaps. This was a zero cussing build for me, which is remarkable.
Most of the tractor was finished in a few hours. I used some 30 AWG wirewrap wire and some 0.4mm styrene waste from my 3D FDM printer for the tubing that had to be scratchbuilt. I replaced the PE strap for the smokestack with some adhesive copper foil.
As it was this morning:
(https://i.imgur.com/R1w9pj3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BDgHMoa.jpg)
It's painted and waiting for some weathing right now. Pictures tomorrow.
There are versions of this kit with rubber tires as well. The Bulldog was used worldwide, so it doesn't have to be a WWII German vehicle.
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The Bulldog was used worldwide, so it doesn't have to be a WWII German vehicle.
So what's yours going to be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POpxUw12SiE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POpxUw12SiE)
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I'm thinking France, the low countries, northern Spain, Portugal or the Basque region. I have a diorama idea that may or may not get built.
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I'm thinking France, the low countries, northern Spain, Portugal or the Basque region. I have a diorama idea that may or may not get built.
Nice! Go with the diorama. Always look forward to seeing your work.
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The tractor is done - pictures taken in the late afternoon Sun, so the shadows are a bit deep:
(https://i.imgur.com/oQvYpXz.jpg)
The name plate is PE - I scraped off the paint to expose the brass underneath. The front wheels can be posed, so I turned them slightly to the left:
(https://i.imgur.com/yyqL8af.jpg)
The decals on this kit are great - maybe a bit thick, but most are tiny placards (they provide extras) and a small dial. All three went on without any issue:
(https://i.imgur.com/zdZatQW.jpg)
Almost dealer showroom clean:
(https://i.imgur.com/H9j0swM.jpg)
Our French friend for scale:
(https://i.imgur.com/kpK2uxp.jpg)
I'm building a driver figure, but it needs some modification/re-posing. The tractor needs one extra decal - the kit has a "Bei Frostgefahr Wasser ablassen" (Drain the water if there is a risk of freezing) but I need to change the language. Options are:
"Vidanger l'eau en cas de risque de gel" (French)
"Drene a įgua se houver risco de geada" (Portuguese)
"Escorrer a auga se hai risco de xeadas"(Galician)
...and because this has been such an easy build, I added Occitan:
"Escorreu d'aigua se i a un risc de gelada" I cheated a bit and used Catalan as the base language and changed a couple of words.
If any of the above translations are incorrect, please suggest a better one! I'll print the decal and just weather over it, so it may not matter much.
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Lovely model, Frank. That outer rim on the rear wheel is a bit unusual, I expected to see more spuds like the inner section.
Now what're you going to build to go behind it ?
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That was quick! :icon_surprised:
Awesome build, Frank! Looks really good, used but not abused, & the play of sunlight & shadows gives it an extra touch of realism. :smiley: :smiley: 8)
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Thanks, Guy - it's a great kit. No problems at all.
raafif - that Bulldog train looks great!
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Perfect as-is, as-always but anyone following on could be inspired to do a homage 1946 take on the 2022 Ukrainian meme
- the French tractor towing an abandoned/knocked out German AFV. (https://i.imgur.com/5N9EBgL.jpg)
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If did not know is plastic model would think is metal. So convincing :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:
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Beautiful work! Looks great on the grass mat. I have the Mig Stony Mountain Ground, Stony Steppe and Pinewood mats. I haven't used them yet though.
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Ramba - those Mig mats are great!
I added a couple of figures (for now) I'm experimenting with a new technique I saw on Youtube, by Night Shift:The EASIEST Way To Paint Miniature Figures (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoN2m_c-wfY)
but I don't quite have the technique down yet.
The first figure is the driver, which is based on the old man from the Masterbox Eastern Region Peasants (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb3588-eastern-region-peasants--133610). The legs and arms have been repositioned and the hands replaced by old Verlinden hands.
"Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!":
(https://i.imgur.com/hyD0pwc.jpg)
The second is the kid watching the soccer match from the Masterbox German Tankers - A break between battles, WW II era (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb35149-tankers--157371)
(https://i.imgur.com/21s6rXF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pQ9m5DW.jpg)
They may both look better in sunlight. There's a third figure coming, as well as a few other things.
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Those look great Frank :smiley:
... "Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!"...
The driver does look like a grumpy old fart though ;D
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Grandpa & grandson. ;)
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The figures came out great! What are they looking up at?
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Grandpa was supposed to be looking over his shoulder, but there was a repositioning error (I forgot to adjust his neck/shoulder) so he looks like hes looking up. The head is on a styrene rod, so I'll see what he looks like looking to the left.
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Your usual great work.
Like you I like tractors, a very under subscribed model subject.
I have done a couple of these kits and these are a very neat and tidy kit.
One version was canon, then another modified as the Australian KL Bulldog, the most common version used in Australia. Main differences are enlarged mudguards, revised exhaust form and a roller hitch.
I am on vacation at the moment, so no photos as no access to my image files.
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Thanks, Brian. I should have used your method for quick painting of figures.
I spent waaay too much time on the third figure and it didn't come out that great - certainly no better than with my old technique. This used up my "motivation budget" for this build, so I skipped the groundwork.
He looks a bit like Wolverine:
(https://i.imgur.com/YR7LJJr.jpg)
What's he doing? He's inspecting the thing on Grandpa's field:
(https://i.imgur.com/wOh0TgU.jpg)
This is a Pegasus models "Alpha Centauri scout ship" with a plastic egg top, because I didn't want to finish the interior. I have many copies of this kit - I think this one was donated by Jeff - thanks, Jeff!
(https://i.imgur.com/v4EdEiL.jpg)
That peshang kid kept falling off the tractor. I was so annoyed with that smug little twerp.
The saucer is painted with Vallejo white aluminum, tinted with blue alcohol ink. Some areas are sprayed with Molotow chrome (which is an acrylic):
(https://i.imgur.com/lWqrOQI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UgWcgwS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pEzqKql.jpg)
Again, that f'ing kid...
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Looks like you nailed it on the UFO colors. Reminds me of MIB and E'ggar just a wee bit.
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Thanks, Jeff. The Vallejo metallics are great - they look like metal and can be mixed with some other acrylics. I need to work on this figure painting technique, though.
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:smiley:
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"We'll teach you to leave circles in our crop fields".
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:smiley: I really must get onto the 3 saucers I have collected -- aircraft kit stands, fan bosses & plastic vacuum-cleaner hubcaps.
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Looks like you nailed it on the UFO colors. Reminds me of MIB and E'ggar just a wee bit.
Yes, nailed it on the UFO colors :smiley:
All is fine, even ground-n-grass.
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Thanks, guys. Yeah, this saucer won't be making any more crop circles. It's resting on a rock that was donated by a landscaping company. They threw "sample" bags full of rocks onto people's driveeays and i picked up several on my walk. Nice, free rock collection.
Also, what is the right color for UFOs?
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Only seen flying,,, don't know landed color except from others.
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Thanks, guys. Yeah, this saucer won't be making any more crop circles. <...>
You can just about picture the crusty old farmer with his shotgun, raving about how these "pesky goddarn UFO space people won't destroy my corn no more!" ;D
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Terrific job! Great idea with the UFO. The weathering on the tractor and the finish on the UFO are perfect.