UC Hardgraph M61A5 Main Battle Tank

[FichtenFoo]

I started on this yesterday... and today it should be about done. Really a very well engineered kit with only 4 seamed parts. Two of the seams are the barrels, but the fit is so perfect and precise that a brushing of ambroid down the seam lines fixes that right up.

Anyway, I need to make an in-prog page for this and will in a bit, but for now enjoy the YouTube video I did for a very easy way of cleaning up the road wheel flash. I made hours of work on 24 parts take only a few minutes for 12.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTuzqOdonKw

[FichtenFoo]

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/m61a5/

Updated my site with lots of pics of the progress so far.

[nico]

Did you noticed that this kit is raedy to recieve motors for a RC use. Japoneses are crazy. Tamyia do that on some of there 1/35 kits some are RC ready and some already have motors in the box. All you need is a radio and servos.

I hold this kit in may hands that huge. We tryed to find some tracks to replace the vinyl once but nothing seem to fit.

Will you do a diorama ?

[FichtenFoo]

I hadn't noticed that about a motor, but it's nice to see them making that an option. It's probably why the top is attached like it is. Hooked in the back and polycaps in the front with a few minor snap fittings.

Yeah, I'd like to replace the tracks as well, but aside from making my own resin version we're stuck with the vinyl. You'd need 152 links and wire/pins to connect them all. I suppose a god caster could bang those out on resin sprues of 10-15 links each, but it'd still be an expensive AM part for what probably won't be a huge seller. One could also make a resin stowage set for this too. Packs, rolls, etc... that conform to the various panels of the tank. I plan to use some of the resin copies I made of the Hovertruck ammo boxes on this as well as some of the gas cylinders. If you know a caster that'd be interested in tackling either of these projects, I'd be happy to contribute to it.

As for a diorama, YES! I plan on doing a bombed-out factory wall as a backdrop similar to my attached image. (let me know if you can see the attached wall/window image) The tank will be driving along the rubble-strewn street in front of the wall and the soldiers from  the Anti-MS squad will be running with the tank. The Gundam Arm will be smashed into the wall. Then all of that will have a few years of plant-growth covering it. I've been watching that "Life After People" series on History as well as the original 2 hour documentary and am inspired by that.

[Sticky Fingers]

I can see. I can see. It's a miracle etc.

[lancelin]

I love the UC Hardgraph line. I used to build Gunpla as AFV, but because of 1/100 scale, it was kinda hard to find good parts/accessories to easily build a dio with a good sense of scale.

Really looking forward to this build!!!

Lance

[FichtenFoo]

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/m61a5/

Here's the latest on the tank project. I've started the nature-ravaged asphalt and the building. I also started on some of the little scratched detail parts like a cable spool from 1/32" plywood.

BTW... does anyone know of anyone displaying the Gundam Arm raised like this? I think I've only seen it lying down.

[mtomczek]

I've only seen it laying down.

[makalaka]

If you're asking if it's plausible for it to be leaning against the wall like that, I think it could happen with the right conditions. But yours is the first dio of the arm not lying down that I've seen. It's going to be interesting to see how you make it look convincing for the arm to be there. 

[FichtenFoo]

Well, it can balance standing on its own due to the way the elbow armor works. The building is made from a steel I-beam frame with an exterior casing of brick and reinforced concrete. Typical factory stuff. What will be holding it up is interior rubble from the collapsed roof, reinforced concrete, and structural steel. There will be a utility pole in there as well, but I don't think it'll be of much support.

I'm sure that while standing it'll be very unstable. I wouldn't want to walk under it! But mostly I'm doing it like that because it's more visually interesting.

The size of the arm surprised me. It's not too much bigger than a large SUV. Probably has less exterior volume than one. However it'd definitely be heavier due to the armor. Nothing so large that I'd say "it'd never be able to stand like that".

[Major Blah]

Those Modern City Accessories are amazing and will add a lot to the dio.  I didn't know coca-cola will be around to ~0080, I'm going to buy some coca-cola stocks right now...safe investment. 

I think the arm standing up does add visual appeal to the dio, have you considered breaking some fingers?  It's unlikely that they'll all be intact after all that impact...just a thought.

[Sticky Fingers]

Is there any interior in the kit? Basic driver's station or commanders seat or whatever? Or is it like the hovertruck?

[FichtenFoo]

MB: Thanks. I'm still considering how I want to damage the arm. I don't want a bunch of bullet holes in it or random "chepped" parts. I'm thinking of bending some of the panels open and possibly some finger-sized dents as if it was grabbed in a struggle and ripped off, thrown through the air and landed on this already balled-up building.

Sticky: Mostly like the hovertruck with the exception of a chair in the turret.

[U-recca]

Really looking forward to completion of this one, man. The base is turning out to be really quite nice. 

So, does plaster of paris come in a gray color or are you just going over that in paint? This stuff seems to be much better than my normal concrete patcher/re-surfacer.

[FichtenFoo]

Thanks Kevin. The plaster is white. The gray and the texture is from primer and a baking soda dusting. My next update will show raw plaster parts I've been molding for the building.