Hey you expert guys out there... this is my first model that i have built... its a MERKAVA Mk III...

pls post comments on where i should improve.. thanks a lot...






ive used the Smartphone camera sorry for the low quality pics...

Hello Klif and welcome to Armorama. Neat looking MKIII you got there. Is this a 1/72 scale kit? You might want to add some weathering.. Overall it looks good.
Buck our master in Braille Scale can give you a lot of tips..Right Buck!!
Again good to have you aboard..

Hi Blitz thank for your warm welcome...

Yes i was thinking of weathering it... (just afraid to do so.. i might do it wrong)
Its a 1/35 by Academy

nice looking tank!

why afraid of weathering? there are no wrong techniques, what matters is that you tried...

welcome aboard, soldier!

cheers!

Great lookin' tank! Hmn.... I'm no armor modeler but that Merkava of yours sure looks good for a 1st timer. Looks like you're on the right track. Welcome aboard Klif!

Whoa!! Sure kang first mo to? Hanep!! Like they said, weathering na lang at super na to!! Good work!

well o' well he he he merkava my fave tank! hey we got the same kit! sadly im just 80% done with it...medyo nahalay tyo kase sa time. Ill post it also, it will be my first model d2 sa armorama. tama kaunting "dumi" na lang yan

welcome to armorama my friend!

Whoaa.. Sorry Klif. Akala ko 1/72 scale. Kasi I was looking sa first photo and thought that mg's are off scale.. Let me guess you crop it in Photoshop..

Hi Klif,

For you first kit, the build is very good. I agree: all it needs is more weathering.

Also, welcome aboard!!

Wanze

Welcome aboard Klif. You could also try to visit the Armor/AFV Forum here & check on the IDF group if you're into Israeli armor, you might get some tips & techniques there. Definitely a good build there especially for a first timer.

The tank itself is a beautiful design, aesthetically. Bienvenido a Armorama! A simple way of weathering that I do very often is to spray a light mix of Testors Sand Beige. It should be sprayed from a distance and at an angle from below the tank. But do this only when your tank has a clear coat that's been dry for almost a week. This is so that when you make a mistake you can gently wipe it of with a chamois. Or you can use the smae paints that i had just posted in the Bren Carrier post I just did

Again thank you all for your warm welcome.... thank you too for your tips..

for a/c modeller point of view, well done soldier. i agree to what they said, li'l weathering will help. most plastic kit look like a toy for me kung masyado itong malinis. most model are best when weathered. konting sand, or mud will do. mas madumi, mas macho tingnan.

Nice work, there, Klif! This is your first model? Wow. My first model was an unqualified disaster. Great job!

Blitz,

Im a Master Vader, remember? :-) :-) :-) But yes, Ill be more than willing to help you out, Klif. The techniques I use I also got from the other club members. Syempre dapat i-share.

my first model was a spitfire and was build by my father. we used elmers glue.

Nice Merkava. I didn't even believe that that was your first model.

It's very pretty and it would be much better if you weather it a bit. Since the Merkava is an Israeli tank, it would be nice to put some "dust" into it.

If that were my model, I would lightly airbrush the base color plus a little white to the panels to simulate bleaching and faded paint (The Merkava lives in the desert, you know). Usually, I also drybrush a much lighter color using oil paints (I really love the way this stuff works) for an even more realistic fading or to alter the base color.

I'd airbrush Tamiya Buff mixed with a little White over it to soften its appearance. Just remember to add a litte more thinner than usual to the paint since you are duplicating dust. Then, I'd dab a dark gray pinwash (not a total wash) over the crevices, nooks and crannies to simulate grease. This also adds depth to the model.

For the lower parts, I'm going to coat the fenders, wheel wells and parts of the tracks with a mix of Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochere and White to duplicate sand.

One thing to remember though...never put dust on a muddy tank. And don't put dust on where the rubber wheels come in contact with the tracks.

Just a suggestion...

Angela :-)8

Not bad for a first time. Looking good.

It's a cleanly made model. I'm not implying on the lack of weathering, but on the quality of the construction. Nice job.

My first models had glue fingerprints smeared all over it. :-)

BT6

Don't be afraid to do some weathering as CSMeekai said, unless your intention is to replicate museum pieces. My suggestion is to do your weathering slowly...follow the suggestions of Angela. As for me, what I would suggest is to use pastel chalk to simulate dust (it can be easily removed if you think you made a mistake). Again, don't worry about mistakes...that is how you would learn.....

Overall, nicely done for your first...