TORTOISE A39 BRITISH HEAVY ASSAULT TANK MENG MODEL 1/35

I have not yet finished tiding all the baggage at the new apartment after moving. I don’t know where the plastic models made on the way. The JGSDF 90 Type tank was only needed to paint figures for completion… I found this A39 TORTOISE in my stock which I wanted to build long before.

Among the tank models, the number of the parts around the suspension such as the wheel, launch wheel, there are quite a lot of parts.

While struggling quite a bit, I managed to build rollers. Unfortunately, it seems almost impossible to see the structure after attaching the side covers. I think the suspension is similar to the UK Matilda tank which was also not seen the rollers.
(15-November-2016)

I was able to glue these rollers to the chassis neatly.

I think that it is the biggest caterpillar so far in AFVs which I built. When it is 62 pieces of one side, it is slightly too long and is slightly short when it is 61 pieces.

When side covering is attached, it isn’t seen any more at all, so in some ways the photos of this process are valuable.
(16-November-2016)

I covered a battle room on the chassis. There seems to be no problem with the fitting of large parts.

Attaching some parts. Also added this main gun and the coaxial machine gun.
(18-November-2016)

Assembly of Tortoise tank was completed. The battle room is pretty large, it is a little similar to German Jagdtiger.

There are 2 hatches that can be opened and closed, manufactured normally. I used metal wire and I made all the hatches movable.

The front and rear hooks and the traveling rod are also movable.

A caterpillar is thick, and it seems tough.
(21-November-2016)

After painting the surfacer, I sprayed dark and light.

It is the single-color painting of the olive-drab.

I mixed the tan and did gradation with a bright color.

I used powder material to give some 3D effect stuck mud. I mixed the pigments and Tamiya Diorama Texture Paint snow white and Mat Medium. Because I paint the mud, I think that even a strange color does not have any problem at this point.
(25-November-2016)

I blew the dirt and mud with an airbrush.

I do the washing with oil painting and enamel. It is a little still shiny, and is it unnatural?
(27-November-2016)

The tortoise heavy assault tank was completed. There was not the opportunity to have a role that it was the end of the war before bring it into the front-line. Because it is only six produced, it’s the positioning called the prototype tank.

It is interesting what happens to fight with Panther or Tiger. As for the thickness of the front armor 228mm, side armor is 152mm, the defense power seems enough against German 88mm gun.

80t weight and a maximum speed 19 km, it’s restricted to slow mobility. It’s such a huge body, so a caterpillar is dramatically wider.

This long gun barrel seems to be strong, and it is reliable. The body color is khaki drab rather than olive drab, isn’t it?

A small gun turret on the roof circles. Two machine guns are equipped. One coaxial machine gun and one ball mount machine gun beside the main gun.

Maybe the mud painting in the middle of a process is better. I put a color too much and go back, and painted with the bright color for dried-up feeling and made in various ways. It’s difficult to express the feelings of a mud material.

Painting of a spare caterpillar worked. Is this rust slightly unbalanced in prototype vehicle?

I did moderate tipping to the prototype AFV, it doesn’t have actual fighting experience. But I think it was incomplete tipping.

It discolors badly, but I like this muffler painting personally. When varying painting on the vehicle surface more, I think it balances with this muffler.

The periscope is painted with clear green. I painted part of smoked dischargers in black.

There are seven crews for this tank. The crews are necessary for the main gun operation and many machine guns.

Originally it was only two movable hatches and added work opening and shutting of all four hatches movable. The front square hatch has not closed neatly.

It is nothing new to say I built the kit of MENG-MODEL for the first time. The parts fitting is very good and easy to build. I would like to make other kits in the future if it’s equal quality.

The mold of the body side is elaborate, and there is a feel of a material. When saying so, there are no decals in this kit.

The muzzle changes color in dark brown, gray. I did a drybrush lightly. It is a muzzle of the strange form.

Hexagonal big screw? Bolt? I think they are wonderful accent. It’s suitable for the monster weight tank.

When it is a glance to look up at from the bottom, it is powerful and very good looking. Because my moving was over, I have to look for the 90 type tank and zero fighters making on the way. The end of the year comes suddenly.
(28-November-2016)