Martin Oostrom What you're missing is Italeri logic. It's a very rare capability that only exists within the Italeri factory. When it leaves the factory, it dissipates in the air!

James C Ohh God.... I remember building Italeri's 1/35 Fuel Tanker a few years back.
In two words, to describe the kit... Fucking Awful!!!
I think I was right to perhaps, sit this one/build out?

Good luck Tom

Tom ... Got a little more done today. I'm curious on how others are going to do their paint/assembly order and what parts exactly need detailing.

Martin Oostrom As I'm trailing EVERYONE, i'd like the answer as well. Pretty please?

Tom ... Sheesh, what a pain it was to to assemble the fuel tank steps. I forgot to pre-drill the holes but actually I think it was easier without them.

Nathan Dempsey I'm still deciding if I want the steps chrome or just regular aluminum. Since I'll probably be weathering I'll go for a more toned down look.

Martin Oostrom Doing a shiny show truck myself, so I'll need super clear chrome parts!

Bozzer Cab pics added to my album

Peter Hardy Beautiful finish on the Alclad

Munkyslut I love this thread, such a cool piece

Tim Heimer This work is out of this world!

Tom ... Ha, very funny

Mike Sleger Thank you for introducing me to Alclad - it's now going to be either this or Molotow Liquid Chrome for my BSG Cylon chrome!

Peter Hardy Shut up Tim.

Dominik Weitzer Wow . Amazing look!

Martin Oostrom Ooh shiny!

Olivier Just a candid question : why are you guys de-chroming those sprues ?

Tom ... Oliver, it's just a personal preference. I don't like chrome plating myself. Much prefer Alclad's chrome paint so I like to strip and repaint whenever I can.

Nathan Dempsey Sometimes the kit chrome parts look very toy-like. I agree with Tom, the newer chrome paints look much more realistic. I like Bare-Metal foil too.

Tom ... However, not all chrome is equal. I actually kept the wheel hubs of the Porsche 928S: https://scalemates.com/content/content.php?id=456658. Though that one is more of an aluminium finish than chrome.

Olivier Thanks for the explanations. Building mainly WWII soft skins I seldom come across chrome.

Chris Greathouse This is the final result of dechroming and chroming with Alclad. Compare with Tom's #8 above which is very shiny and toylike. This is my Super Boss with Alclad chrome, You can really see the difference... no toy like shine/appearance. [img1]

Olivier All clear now.

Tom ... Friend gave me this to build. I think though that I'll need to practice first on some other tank as I've not built one in like 40 something years.

Peter Hardy There is a road north you know Wilky!
Tom, what's next mate??? You still in the groupbuild? Looking at the detail work on the model T I hope so!

Dominik Weitzer Wow, that figures looking amazing !!!

Tom ... Thanks, guys. Next up is the Linberg flying saucer (from 1952 https://fantastic-plastic.com/lindberg_flying_saucer.html) that Polar Lights have released as Plan 9 from Outer Space: Plan 9 - WIP | Album by Cohort (No)

Bob Hall I was Just watching those old Ed Wood Movies the other day ! This is gonna be good ! *pulls up seat with popcorn* I'm in !

Tom ... yeah, it's so strange that these kits were actually used in the movie. The box says "a bizarrely authentic scale mode... All 61 rivets are accounted for and placed in exactly the same spots..."

Bill Newcomer Definitely a build to be proud of.

Chris Greathouse Hope there's another fire truck on standby because your truck is LIT!... I really like the color of the coats.

Alec K Excellent work. I love the figs, and the red paint is just gorgeous

Neuling Top job on vehicle and firemen. An early type first responder. Beautiful!

Treehugger Are the tires supposed to be white?

Danny Meer Very nice build and Treehugger yes in the early beginning of using rubber from trees it was the white latex that was used. Ford's own rubber plantation didn't last long

Valters Orlovskis Very nice! Brass is looking really great! Well done!

Tom ... Thanks, guys. I'm happy with how it turned out.

Bob Hall Now all ya need is a "Chicago Fire" backdrop and Mrs O'Leary's Cow snickering walking off into the back ground ! LOL !!!!!!!

Tom ... I do need to get into doing dio's.... some day...

Tom ... A little fun decor for my office!

Chris Greathouse Me likey!!! Where'd you pick up this bad boy?! PM me when you start!

Tom ... Got it on amazon for $60. I like that it has a ton of detail.

Chris Greathouse I saw that on there... been tempted many times, 250 pieces in a beefy vehicle.. and I want several of the UNIMOGs. But now I'm on an Egg Girl van mission. It'll cost about $200 to get the other 3 vans that I don't have. Sucks how time makes the cost/value go up

Tom ... Hobbies always expand to the size of one's wallet. There's no getting around it. Money *and* time. I just spent three hours scrapping seams, sanding and mounting little pieces. It's like I haven't done anything. Sheesh!

Tom ... Pulling the plug on this one. Tried to get fancy with the body panel lines and made a pig's ear of it. There was a bunch of things I was not happy with and this last one was just one too many. Meh....

Chris Greathouse Sorry to hear that!

Valters Orlovskis The best way to paint gold panel lines on this kit is gold marker:
Progress | Album by Angelos (1:24)

Chaz Gordon I've experimented with Sharpie Metallic markers under Clear coats. So far, the Tamiya Solvent based acrylic clears do not harm the sharpie, haven't tried water based, but I'd guess a fairly safe bet

Tom ... Excellent build Valters! After I messed up the first panel line I did the others free hand with the sharpie and go mixed results. I think I need to find a sharpie with a fine tip, preferably a chisel, rather then the big fat tip I have now. My next build will be the fire truck so I'm going to be asking you how you did your lights. They are perfect.

Also I don't care for the Alclad Gold Plate colour. I think for the fire truck I'm going to try some other paints out first. The Alclad is too dark for my liking. I'd like something a bit brighter.

Valters Orlovskis Thanks, Tom!
The Centropen Gold marker I use has a quite sharp tip. It was cheapest Gold color marker in shop but I chose it because of size of tip. Color is a bit dark but it works nice.
About lights - if You mean side lights then ring in front of light is made from copper wire, connection point was soldered and sanded, and then glued to plastic with clear Epoxy, which at the same time fills external perimeter between ring and plastic. The tricky internal parts for all lights was reflectors, actually it is very easy to make them, but hard to explain all in words (especially because my english is not very good I'll make a picture of process later and then post a link here. And important step is good planning of gluing / filling / sanding / masking / painting sequence.
About painting - I use AK Interactive Xtreme Metal Brass color but made a mistake when choose black base instead of some light color. The black base gives good "volume" effect for surface but at the same time final color appears too dark.
If I remember correctly the painting sequence for side lights was following: some metallic color (inside of clear parts), Black primer (Vallejo), Black base (AK or Alclad), Brass (AK), Tamiya Clear, Light Grey wash (Vallejo) and finally one or two coats of Tamiya Clear.

Tom ... Good point Hans. I hadn't thought of that.

Tom ... Valters, thank you for the info. I look forward to the how-to pictures. Good to know about the AK metal brass too. I love Alclad's chrome and aluminum, (though I might someday try using Molotow's liquid chrome) so I feel good about those colours. Just need to figure out a good brass and I'll be really happy... for now