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Modeller Build Logs

Char B 1 bis

By Michael Bedard
Started: Jun 17, 2006
Updated: Apr 20, 2007

Well I finally got the Tamiya Char B in hand and I am anxious to get it started. At the start of this BLOG there are no aftermarket kits available for the kit. I will, oh is it possible, build the kit out-of-the-box. Paul sent to me a reference book written both in French (for Ontario Canadians) and English (for all of us south of the border). My ambition with this build is tom see if there are any quirks about the kit and show how I build up a kit. If any after market kits appear after the build is started I may add them. It never fails for me. When I spend big bucks on a resin kit, avoid starting it and then finally decide to build it a plastic kit comes out. I bought MB Models Char B back in 1989 at an IPMS national. I held on to it until about 1992 and decided to start it. It has been sitting around since then waiting to be finished. Each year in January I go through my stash of kits and list 'to do' for the year. Well I decided to pull out the ole MB kit and make it a 'to do' kit this year. Wouldn't you know it, Tamiya (of all companies) comes out with one in plastic. To start out this BLOG I have posted what the MB kit looks like and at what stage it is. Well a Char B is on the 'to do' list but I'm pretty sure it won't be th MB Models kit.

Introduction MB Models Char B 1 Bis Pre-painting Drying Box Drybrushing Pesky road wheels Pencil for Wear Fixing the Outer Road Wheels Scraped Paint Road Wheels Idler Major Components Assembled Weathering the Tracks Added detail - 75mm Gun Mantlet Added Detail - Hull rivets Filled areas Added Detail - Turret seam Removing handles Turret Weld Bead Turret Details Screws on Turret Exhaust Shrouds Radio Mast Details Hull Details Thinned Fenders Ready for Paint Starting the Paint Creating Masks Applying Mask Base Coat Paint Applying Wash Finished Paint and Decals Rusting the Exhaust Finishing the Tools - Part 1 Starting the weathering Finishing the Tools Pt. 2 Weathering Painted Surfaces Faded Paint Scratches, Paint Chips and Rust Adding Oil Stains Adding Mud The Last Chapter
[Discussion]

Weathering the TracksJul 31, 2006
Tracks for the Char B are a real departure for Tamiya. The assembly is super easy. Main problem is the little mark on the track face. I test painted it first to see if would show and found out that it did. I spent a lot of time using a fine sanding stick to remove the spot on all 122 shoes!

This photograph shows the steps I used to finish the tracks. From left to right:

- Knife showing spot that needed to be sanded
- Base coat of Tamiya flat black
- Alclad steel applied
- Winsor/Newton raw umber watercolor and Ox Gall liquid and Bragdon old rust mixture painted onto shoe
- AIM Products real rust applied. I find this too bright as a final coat. Don’t brush it but just dab the solution for it will take off any underlying paint.
- Rustall applied in 2 coats. Same as the AIM product don’t brush Rustall but just dab.
- Drybrushed with PollyScale Graphite and rubbed with a No. 2 pencil to show wear areas on the tracks.


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