MiniArt 1/35 SU-85 early with crew

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:54 am

SU-85 (Samohodnaya ustanovka 85) was a development of the SU-122 assault gun on a T34 chassis to mount the D-5S 85mm gun as developed by Petrov in mid 1943. The first units reached the frontline in August 1943 and production ceased with the development of the T34-85 in late 1944, 2050 vehicles were produced and was effectively replaced by the Su-100 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SU-85)

Construction begins with building a series of boxes containing springs, theres good news and bad news here. the bad news is that throughout the kit sprue gates are large and theres 4 of them per spring, the good news is that the springs and the boxes are all but invisible.

I gave it all a prime with Ultimate black and then Vallejo rust on the springs

swing arms fitted, these have pins on the rear that locate in the holes at the bottom of the springs.

thanks for looking

Paul

Kevthemodeller · Post by **Kevthemodeller** » Mon Feb 25, 2019 11:21 am

Good choice Paul

I was looking at the Tamiya SU-85

it was a kit I always wanted as a kid but there was always something just a bit better and never built one. I was very tempted to buy one, I've been good and picked from my stash instead opted for a StuG just waiting for a few bits to arrive.

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Mon Feb 25, 2019 12:55 pm

thanks Kev, I looked at the Tamiya one but it was the extra crew that swung it for me.

I'll look forward to your Stug!

cheers

Paul

ElCapitan · Post by **ElCapitan** » Tue Feb 26, 2019 10:51 am

Should be a great build!

I love the Soviet TD's with their fuel tanks on the outside.

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 6:18 pm

Progress is continuing almost unabated, I have however discovered that Miniart have delusions of Dragon and that bits are included in pictures and on the spruce but with no guidance as to how what or why....

the breech is built and the innards painted. If any Soviet colour experts are experiencing apoplexy I'm sorry...(not) most of it will be invisible and I have a correct pot of UB40 in the post

Thanks for looking
Paul

alextheblue · Post by **alextheblue** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 6:30 pm

Great progress Paul!

Looks a really nice kit and the texture on the gun mantlet looks especially good.

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Tue Mar 05, 2019 1:31 pm

Thanks Alex

A mini update as some progress has been made and an annoyance come to light...

the two below exemplify my Dragon comparison, the red arrow shows the part but there's no identifier, fortunately I found it in the morass of sprues

The annoyance, there are three tiny locating pins on the bolts, it is almost impossible to locate them into the holes and to be honest its unnecessary to be this delicate here and its the same in lots of other locations. Using Tet if you don't hit the hole first time the pin is so small that it melts and mushes and disappears making it often hit, and usually, miss....

A final one just to show where I'm at so far

cheers

Paul

Post by **Tomcat64** » Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:14 pm

Nice start Paul and a fascinating subject too.

Interesting that Miniart have decided to follow the Dragon style of instructions too...

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:54 pm

Tomcat64 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:14 pm Nice start Paul and a fascinating subject too.

Interesting that Miniart have decided to follow the Dragon style of instructions too...

Good start to a nice kit, great to see some Rusky armour clanking around the battlefield

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:56 am

well the build is complete, I had a few little issues but mostly because I find PE an almost unrewarding struggle so on this I have replaced some of it with strips made from wine bottle tops (no wine was hurt or wasted in the making of this strip...) It has about the same dimension as the pe and looks nearly as good. I think it bends into shape much easier too.

so before priming, I had to use a little filler for gaps, the most surprising one being where the front hatch meets the glacis

and then primed in Ultimate Black

this is the rough colour scheme I'm going to go for

I have discovered that the figures that came with it are not the best but more on that in another post. I have however decided to push the boat out and take a look at this Miniart Diorama which should be interesting as I have no experience of vac form kits

thats all for now folks and thanks for the kind words of encouragement.

Paul

ElCapitan · Post by **ElCapitan** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 10:21 am

Wow that came together quickly and looks awesome! Do you prime and paint after you've attached the tracks?

I'm part way through my first Miniart dio kit. It's been a mostly enjoyable experience - building and painting were fun, but I've found it difficult to stay interested in weathering it. Hopefully taking a break from it to join in this SIG will help!

Post by **Tomcat64** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:33 am

Yep very nice work mate

The wine bottle replacement PE worked nicely, and I've also used thin masking tape for straps and stuff around stowage before as well.

Like Rob I'm interested in how you tackle the tracks as I've never figured out a way to get the running gear sorted before adding it to the hull so end up doing it all separately and then fitting it (and covering the screw ups) afterwards.

I've got that miniart dio base lurking in the stash somewhere too... from memory there's only a couple of pieces of vac-form to make up the scenery so it's a good one to start with. One thing I would check is to see if there's any flex in the base itself once the vehicle is placed on there - I've had to put some bracing underneath a couple of the ones I've done to keep it level.

Gary30 · Post by **Gary30** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 12:22 pm

Great start to this! I'm looking forward to seeing the Miniart dio progress too, I really like them.

Kevthemodeller · Post by **Kevthemodeller** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 12:23 pm

You're on a roll here Paul, it's flying together

Great idea using the foil from wine bottle cork seals

I'll have to tell the Mrs I need a good supply of wine to keep modelling

I wonder if she'll agree

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 1:03 pm

Thanks guys. For me the issue with the tracks is simple, I am extraordinarily bad at these Magic type tracks,

I inevitably end up having to stick the tracks to the wheels, fight gaps or have two of the same bits together so to save myself endless tears, gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes I go for assembling it as best I can and then solving it in the painting especially when its going to be covered in snow and mud.

If I’m needing visible tracks then I’ll use metal ones but as we know, a Friul and his money are easily parted….

remember Kev it has to be good quality wine to have the right foil, I suggest trying a variety of bottles...

cheers

Paul

Kevthemodeller · Post by **Kevthemodeller** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 2:41 pm

Quax wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2019 1:03 pm remember Kev it has to be good quality wine to have the right foil, I suggest trying a variety of bottles....

It only worked

I'm working form home today the Mrs is on a day off and went shopping, she's only come back with lovely bottle of Chianti and said will this one do............... Oh I'm a lucky guy

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 2:48 pm

We go to the Cite de Europe in Calais once or twice a year, you have to be careful with some of them, J P Chenet I mean you.... because they use a waxy paper!

Paul

DRUMS01 · Post by **DRUMS01** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 1:00 am

Looking really nice so far. The details and mold quality look pretty nice (rough cast, weld seams, etc.). Is it as good as it looks?

Are you going to use the hair spray technique for the worn winter camouflage? Just curious as I've been wanting to do one of those some day. If you are keep us up to date as I may use your data for a reference on my build.

Ben

digger303 · Post by **digger303** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:48 am

Nice going there, looks great. The diorama is going to look specky

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 8:38 am

Thanks Ben
This time I'm going to use Migs Washable Camo White over AK's Real Colors, I've become a huge fan of the Real Colors mixed with MLT; they're the product Tamiya should be as far as my limited skills go, plus my Apex loves it

But as you asked I thought I'd use the excuse for a gratuitous Hetzer image, this was using hairspray with Tamiya white over and then mapped with oil

cheers everyone

Paul

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:30 pm

Short update. A quick highlight using NATO black and progressive sea grey

Then AK Real Colors 4BO thinned with MLT

Cheers
Paul

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:12 pm

End of the day

Cheers
Paul

digger303 · Post by **digger303** » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:54 am

Quax wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:12 pm End of the day

Cheers
Paul

Looks good an subtle chipping, guessing the photo has come out a bit lighter than the actual color on the hull.

Post by **Tomcat64** » Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:56 am

Nice work Paul - love the subtle work with the whitewash - is that AK RC as well?

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:10 am

Tomcat64 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:56 am Nice work Paul - love the subtle work with the whitewash - is that AK RC as well?

Hi Neil no it's Ammo of Mig washable (there should be a pic on page 2) however this is mostly how I sprayed it as I thought I'd try to get it as I wanted and then scrub the overspray.
@digger yes it does seem a little lighter in the photos than reality
Cheers
Paul

MarkVerploeg · Post by **MarkVerploeg** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 12:34 pm

That is some fine work right there
I can't inmagine it would have much fun inside one of those as it is rather cramped but they sure did the job
Keep up the good work

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:40 am

Cracking job so far mate

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 6:47 pm

Today has been working on the miniart diorama, I mostly used the Lifècolours set which was a first for me with their paint, the green is a lightened RAF green from AK.

The snow is the first pass on the base but I need to let it dry out
Cheers
Paul

ElCapitan · Post by **ElCapitan** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 6:54 pm

Looks great! What did you use for snow?

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 7:02 pm

Hi Rob and thanks. The snow is Woodland scenic soft flake snow SN140.
Cheers Paul

Post by **Tomcat64** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 9:39 am

Nice work on knocking that base into shape mate - that looks great

Kevthemodeller · Post by **Kevthemodeller** » Mon Mar 25, 2019 10:06 am

Great looking base mate

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Sat Mar 30, 2019 8:20 am

Yep, really like the base and the snow effects

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Sat Mar 30, 2019 12:01 pm

Many thanks chaps, I now need the thoughts of the hive mind as to which way around?

Or

The headless chap on top is

Looking forward to your thoughts because I can't make up my mind...

Cheers
Paul

digger303 · Post by **digger303** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:10 am

I like the second position.

Post by **Tomcat64** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:24 am

I like the first one as you can see the base of the wall

ElCapitan · Post by **ElCapitan** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:45 am

Both look great, but I like the 1st one the best.

alextheblue · Post by **alextheblue** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:23 am

I'm the same. Both look great, but the 1st pic gives a better view of the building.

Some fantastic work by the way!

DRUMS01 · Post by **DRUMS01** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:40 pm

Yes sir, the first one for sure.... (balance and view).

Ben

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Tue Apr 02, 2019 1:14 pm

thanks guys, the first one wins by a short head! I think that side of the tank is more interesting so it was good news

Paul

Quax · Post by **Quax** » Fri Apr 05, 2019 5:02 pm

Calling this done now, here's a quick snap and I'll put some more in the finished section.
Many thanks to everyone for their kind words and input and I shall now look forward to seeing the rest of them!

Cheers
Paul