Zvezda T-90A Russian Main Battle Tank - building process
Comments
1 28 June 2015, 11:46
Pavel PinzhinPics 4 and 5 added, with some challenges the kit provides and some nice things the kit provides.
30 June 2015, 11:55
Pavel Pinzhin@Choppa: "some kind"?! It's almost a Millenium Falcon! Without the drives... well... and square-ish a bit... 😄
1 July 2015, 02:23
Choppa NuttaI can almost hear the music now 👍
it also reminds of the escape pod from Alien, it looks like a mashup of the two with some Machinen Kreiger thrown in 🙂
Looks like a good tank to kit bash into "some kind" of space ship 😄
1 July 2015, 03:46
Bart Goesaertthis new zvesda looks a lot like the revell one... good luck with this one...
1 July 2015, 08:24
Pavel Pinzhin@Bart - thanks! Well, I've seen Revell's one only in photos online, and I can tell that Zvezda is definitely more crisp, with sharper details. Otherwise - yes, they are somewhat similar.
1 July 2015, 10:22
Pavel Pinzhin@James - Haha! 😄 I guess, this is one of the Scalemates features too, pushing you to your workbench seeing all those other modellers' action 🙂 Maybe I started to build this little kit after a slight overdoze of browsing albums here too 😄
And the cat - she's absolutely self-aware that she's nice looking 😄
1 July 2015, 11:00
Pavel PinzhinPics 7, 8 and 9 added, to celebrate the empty sprue frames! 🙂 Now off to planning the priming, painting and final assembly.
8 July 2015, 11:18
Pavel Pinzhin@Vladimir 😄 😄 That's a good one!
@Kerry - well, the cat won't be sniffing the paint though, otherwise it would be an extremely hairy tank! So it have to be happy with the glue alone 🙂
8 July 2015, 13:55
Pavel Pinzhin@James - thanks! 🙂
Ah, yes, the self-made guard turned out quite slimmer than the stock one, but still it was really deformed. And I decided not to rebuild the other one because I've already glued it in and on, and I was sure I'll destroy the light trying to pry it out from the guard. So I decided to keep all the things I've learned for the next tank build😄
9 July 2015, 13:34
Ruslan SudakovКак увидел кота на столе на фотке в ленте - так сразу понял почему-то, что русский )
9 July 2015, 15:19
Pavel Pinzhin@Ruslan - 😄 😄 Интересные ассоциации ) Наверное, чтобы вся здешняя публика заподозрила нечто подобное, нужно собирать и фотать модельки на столе с самоваром 😄
9 July 2015, 15:52
Pavel Pinzhin@Kerry - 😄 Hey, nice russian! Where did you catch it?
As far as Google translate is supposed to help with communication, for now it is still doing quite the opposite 🙂 I believe it would work OK with 'correct', 'literature' versions of the language, but hey - it's not what we use while chatting here in the comments 😄
I always keep conversations in english where there is an international community, even when chatting with my "homies" - simply out of politenes to everyone else. And the above was like, I don't know, "high five" maybe. Couldn't resist 🙂
10 July 2015, 04:51
Kerry COXGotta love it, and it is the "Google" translator, but I am sure the 'lost in translation' applies to my comments, but I do like to think I can "Fit in", LOL 🙂
Please forgive me mates. 🙂
10 July 2015, 06:35
Pavel Pinzhin@Kerry - no, no! There's nothig to forgive! The foreign language efforts are commendable and even somewhat heart-warming, you know 🙂
10 July 2015, 07:04
Kerry COXWow, That is good to know Pavel, as I am always amazed by who links to ScaleMates, and the multinational flavour is just awesome.
I just don't want to offend anyone, so I will stick to my native tongue and just use the translator to see what you guys have written, and even that doesn't really say exactly what is said, but I don't mind as I just want a bit of an idea, that's all.
But thanks for the OK mate.
All is GOOD. !! 🙂 👍
10 July 2015, 07:27
Rexnow all we need is an Australian to English translator,,,,,and we'll be good to go
ducking for cover on all 4 sites that Kerry knows me on, now
10 July 2015, 07:44
Pavel PinzhinPics 10 and 11 added, showing a start of partial painting. This little thing really challenging my planning skills, because there are parts that wont' be reachable for painting after assembly - and there are parts that gotta be attached only after both halves of the hull are glued together.
Going after the paint recipe of Alex Clark:
blitz72.com/2012/12/..-4-t-72b-model-1989/
whose results I won't probably come even near to, but definitely will try.
28 July 2015, 07:22
Pavel PinzhinPics 12-15 added, showing base color applied to whole model and finaly the real shape of the tank.
And an unreal shape also:
[img1]
29 July 2015, 12:21
Choppa NuttaI thought you meant thesee -
World War 2.1 Concepts and Builds :) | Album by Choppa Nutta
29 July 2015, 16:16
Pavel PinzhinPics 16-18 added with further adventures in Colourland. My attempts so far resulted in excess vibrancy. All hopes are for the weathering step. Well, shall know better in the future... 🙂
2 August 2015, 07:56
Pavel PinzhinThanks guys! 🙂
Right now the little beast left to rest overnight with a coat of clear gloss in a specially prepared hi-tech dust-free environment (which is a plastic bucket turned upside down).
2 August 2015, 14:18
Pavel PinzhinThanks, guys! I'm a bit busy now to give a model any attention, but my hands are really itching to give it some washes already )
5 August 2015, 07:54
Pavel PinzhinPics 20 to 24 added showing the complete model.
So... I kind of slacked from modeling for a little bit - and then it came a due date for the next Siberian Model Convention, and I rather rushed to complete the tank with no photoshooting throughout the progress - that's why there are no pictures with washes and dusting and detailing, I'm sorry.
The decorative base (thanks for the idea goes to Martin Damek from YouTube with his wonderful Merkava vigniette) was made the night before departure to Novokuznetsk, where the convention took place this Fall. I packed the tank, drove it for like 500 km, unpacked, placed on the table, where it stood for about 15 minutes before being squashed by the dropped display glass...
I went through the happening with almost buddhist calmness (which I'm still kind of surprised by), though the tank got everithing on it's top shaved off and the right side of suspension squashed. I've been advised to leave the model even in this poor state for people to look at and for judges to, well, judge. Left for home the next day even before the results have been announced - and what a surprise it was to get my friend texting me from the final ceremony that my beastie won gold in 1/72 Modern Armour category! My second attempt at the competitions and my very first award )
So I spent a day after to restore the damage, and it went almost seamless for the turret details, but a little more obvious for the right side suspension and tracks. Then went to make at least a poor hasty photosession while it is in one piece for the second time ))
I really need to improve on the foto side of things, but it will require some time and investments. Nevertheless, here are some "temporary-final" pics of the complete Zvezda's T-90A in 1/72. Hope you like it!
27 September 2015, 15:54
John Van KootenI'm sorry to hear about the accident with your model but it seems that it added to your good luck 😄 Absolutely Gold worthy modeling and presentation! It is a well deserved win for you! 👍 👍
And your tactical number choice indeed IS funny! LOL! 😄 (HTML code) 404! Hahaha!
27 September 2015, 17:23
Fabian D.Wow... thought you were building the 1:35 version until I checked the kit page...
Congratulations Pavel 👍
27 September 2015, 19:07
Pavel PinzhinEs-haq, Harry - thanks a lot! )
I actually managed to conduct a more professional photoshoot for the model then I did myself, so I'm thinking now wether to create a separate album for the completed pics so the people won't have to wonder throught the build process to have a look at the tank itself...
30 September 2015, 06:54
Pavel PinzhinGábor - Thanks! )
Here they come, professional pics 25 to 31, and a huge thanks to my photoshooting friend out there.
30 September 2015, 09:46
Kerry COXCongratulations on you prizes Pavel. they are well deserved my friend. 🙂
And I do agree with you about having a separate album of just the build, as it would be of great interest to other armour modellers mate. 🙂 👍
30 September 2015, 09:56
Pavel PinzhinThank you, Kerry. I guess I really needed that win, in a therapeutic sence 🙂
30 September 2015, 09:57
Kerry COXIt is, the most wonderful feeling to get a win, and I felt 10 mtrs tall when I got mine. hahahaha. 🙂
30 September 2015, 09:59
Bart Goesaertsuper little beast... congratz, both with the model and the reward...
30 September 2015, 10:22
Pavel Pinzhin@Bart - thank you!
@Ruslan - да-а... Вот что значит - человек уже года три занимается предметной съемкой. )
30 September 2015, 14:03
Pavel PinzhinPrzemek, Roberto - thank you for the kind words, much appreciated!
9 October 2015, 05:42
Ulf PetersenThat's painting and finish in perfection!👍
Marvelous job and a well deserved award, Pavel!
9 October 2015, 09:08
Ulf PetersenOoops!😮 I STILL thought it was 1:35!
Usually I don't comment on 1:72 as it is definitely not my cup of tea...😉
9 October 2015, 10:32
Sven SchönyanAfter I had seen your astonishing build of this T-90 I had to buy the kit, too. But I will for sure not reach your outstanding paintjob! Excellent model and a wonderful display!
9 October 2015, 10:52
Kim Dennis Hotzi love the newer zvezda kits, like the panther D. you done a great job on your t90, i will also build this kit soon.
9 October 2015, 13:24
Pavel PinzhinGuys, your compliments are overwhelming! Seriously, there's great deal of Zvezda's own work put in this little kit, and a great deal of good photographing skill of my friend, beside my own quite ordinary modelling and painting 🙂
@Sven - why won't you reach this level? Before this tank I had NO level at all! All my knowledge were purely theoretical: yes, I went through a load of articles, youtube videos, magazines and masterclass demos. But prior to this model I've only built one single plane - Me 262 - to learn what does it mean to paint with an airbrush! Well, I mean, built for serious, not all those kits I've "built" as a kid 🙂
I had no expected certain result for any step of building this model. Instead it was more like "let's try this... now... wow! who'd knew!.." I've started this build as something to train upon, to try things out and to have fun. I've been stalking the web for any post or article by Alex Clark I could find - oh, you really have to look at his 1:72 tanks! He has been a huge inspiration for me to try techniques out on this model. I am really sorry that a chunk of weathering is not included in the album, since I've been doing it in a haste. But there was simply a self-made wash that was too dark and required a helluva mopping to be done afterwards, and a couple of takes on pigments and dusting... I sincerelly can't see why wouldn't you achieve even better results than mine! 🙂
Oh, as for my basing skills, they are inherited from my Warhammer Fantasy Battles period of life... 😄
@Kim - oh, yes, Zvezda really jumped high in quality and engineering last couple of years. I believe you'll be building the 1:35 version of T-90, and it is great too. Maybe not "Meng"-great 😄 , but really good for today's standards. In 1:72 they make now a series of snap-fit WWII tanks , that builds into a surprisingly detailed model - a wonderful introduction for a younger modelers, IMHO even better than a similar approach by some other companies, because along with the construction simplicity the kid will get a real model as a result, not a toy.
9 October 2015, 14:39
Sven SchönyanHey Pavel, now you got me. As I´ve bought this kit last week and already assembled most of the parts the last days I´ll now try my best on the paintjob. A far more challenging task will be the display but I´m sure to create some scene.
9 October 2015, 16:21
Christian MeyerhoffThe only true scale! WOW what a model! I like this one for sure!
9 October 2015, 18:16
Scott DuttonI went the zvezda option, think it is an easier build then the Ming for me, using one for my T-72B3M or B4 if you prefer, Miriam turret. sweet resin that company produces.
5 January 2016, 16:18
Pavel Pinzhin@Scott - yes, have seen your conversion project, really great one! I might want to see if something like that is available in 1/72 scale, since this one is the smaller version of the Zvezda's kit, and I have a spare in my stash 🙂
@Soheil - thanks! 🙂
5 January 2016, 17:00
Christian BruerVery nice and sharp work. As Stefan mentioned, I thought too it is 1/35.
5 January 2016, 19:31
Scott DuttonAlso didn't realise that was 1/72, good job, if you fool people that it is 1/35 should be proud of efforts
5 January 2016, 21:03
Pavel PinzhinThank you, people 🙂 You're really making me to put the scale into the name of the album ))
6 January 2016, 08:33
Ingo FHey Pavel, if you want to build the T-72B3/B3M you can get that model kit from Modelcollect: UA72038.
6 January 2016, 10:22
Pavel PinzhinMartyn - thank you! )
Ingo - now, I know, it might sound snobish, but I'm mot terribly impressed with Modelcollect kits. They surely produce interesting and almost exclusive topics, but they simply don't do them justice. I mean, given the price they ask for they kits, with all those metal goodies inside, you at least expect to build a decent model out of the box. But apparently you can't unless you invest even more money, efforts and time, to correct, replace or improve things, so the model will become a model of a certain tank, and not just a resemblance of one. I might change my oppinion in the future, or when my financial status will allow me to purchase Modelcollect kits as a base for kitbashing. But now I find that they just don't deliver in terms of quality/price.
7 January 2016, 08:48
Scott DuttonMate of mine does this, bit of kit bash, repaint, done. He is more into quantity than quality, so he can have a larger collection. Bit like me, I don't give any of mine the full treatment, half out of laziness, half out of desire to move on, and the other half (3 halves you know 🙂 ) out of lack of skill or desire to experiment too much.
7 January 2016, 09:08
Pavel PinzhinWell, maybe I used the term incorrectly. By "kitbashing" I meant to buy like three or four different kits from different manufacturers, to compose one quality model out of them and throw the rest into "maybe-one-day-i'll-need-it" bin.
But I know what you mean, with those three halves 🙂 My own constant dilemma between going deeper into detailing vs. actually get the model done vs. "ooh, I wanna try that new technique but it's scary" made me split my stash into at least two parts: simpler or lower quality models that I'll use as practice ones without fear to ruin something, and some really good high quality ones that I want do full justice with superdetailing and certain results. Gonna see what will come of it 🙂
7 January 2016, 09:26
Scott DuttonGood plan to improve. Think your interpretation of kitbash is correct, my poor English......
He just adds detail to existing kit with plastic card etc.
Mind you he is no slouch, if you look in my collection at the Msta, he gave it to me (after much pestering, he normally builds your scale). He built from scratch over a decade starting in the 90's when the only photos were Cold War Intelligence type ones. He even had the loader on the turret rear covered as he didn't think it was any good. I was so pleased to receive it, I uncovered that component and repainted, then of course Trumpeter announced their kit. Thought I was one of the few in the world with such a model. Detail is pretty good considering the 4 images her had to work with. Still holds a special place in my heart, love my artillery. Great friend helps me with research always, as he is a hoarder and can recollect amazing details.
7 January 2016, 09:37
Ingo FHey Pavel, it is not snobish. Its ok and i fully understand what you mean. I just wanted to tell you that there is a kit of this model in case you didnt know. The price of the Modelcollect models is an other topic. 😄
7 January 2016, 12:57
Pavel PinzhinIngo - yeah, probably I wanted to share my grudge at Modelcollect with someone really bad since I jumped right at it 😄 And thanks for reminding me of the kit 🙂
Scott - you probably was thinking of "scratchbuilding", that's the word, and a very noble skill to develop!
7 January 2016, 15:28
Scott DuttonI only use that for modelling with no or minimal start point, definitely for the msta I mentioned. It is interesting to see the debate it causes in out local IPMS competition. Another of my friends is true scratch builder, he has used plastic card, pill bottles, even pens to create models that are now being produced by mainstream, then he enters in this category and gets beaten by those that assemble ships with prepurchased hulls and all the fittings from other companies, so is assembly of parts collected. It makes him angry.
Me, I just enjoy looking at what people make whatever the word is and however they made it and appreciate the model and the skill they have to finish it.
7 January 2016, 20:46
Pavel PinzhinSpanjaard, thanks a lot! I have three more of this exact models in the work now, as a commission for my friends 😄
2 February 2018, 05:02
Pavel PinzhinHolger, thanks a bunch for the kind words! I'm still making three more for my friends, wondering if I'll be able to repeat the success of this one 😄
1 November 2018, 05:37
Album info
Planning to build the beastie straight out of the box, with no additions and just a minor improvements to the stock parts (if I'll be able to improve at all).
