T34 engine trouble #7

Engine painting

Getting into the habit of modelling again, after a long summer break, takes some getting used to and to move forward with the rest of the exterior details, I decided the engine compartment needs to be painted, so that the upper and lower hull parts can be joined.

Painting was pretty straightforward. The engine block, transmission and interior were based painted with some Tamiya middle green. Don’t know the exact mix, as it was something I blended for another project. The actual colour is not that important, because after weathering and when closed up, it wont be noticeable anyway. Then I stippled different Humbrol browns and rust colours, over the whole interior, concentrating mostly on the floor. I then dry-brushed the details with a gunmetal and silver mix. Silver on its own, is too bright. Finally the whole interior received a thick wash of Humbrol black. Humbrol´s own enamel thinner is used throughout.

Final weathering was made with ground pastels of various dust, brown and rust colours, brushed over the model, and again heavier on the floor. I sprayed over this with some flat cote to hold in place. Some of the effect disappeared, so I added more and repeated the flat coat. The oil spills were mix of satin gloss and black. They are not seen on the final model, but its a perfect place to experiment with new ideas. Maybe the next time it will be crucial to the finished model!!

The Maquette engine, by today’s standards is quite a poor piece, but in reality if you consider what can actually be seen through the two open hatches, it does the job well enough with a little extra care and wiring. I also took the opportunity to spray some green over the grills to make sure they were placed OK and no further work was needed to the modified holes.