T-10M in Czechoslovakia 1968

Ingo F
The T-62 is drying after the paint job and my fingers are itching again for a new build. This time i am going to build the T-10M from MENG. This will be my first MENG kit ever. I decided to build the T-10M as it was seen in 1968 in Czechoslovakia during the Operation Danube.
What can i say so far? The kit is awesome. Crisp details and the overall fit of the parts is perfect.
The track assembly is the best i have had until now. I was really surprised when i found out the there is an left and a right track. 🙂
More pictures will follow.

Dan M
As i'm trying to decide between Meng' and Trumpeter's version of T-10M, I will be watching this with great interest 🙂

Ingo F
Hey Dan, both of the kits have they pro and cons. I went with the MENG kit because of the Tracks 😛 and i got it about 10€ cheaper. For example the MENG kit got the rolled up tarp for the back of the turret, Trumpeter did not. Instead of Trumpeter kit got an additional stowage box that you can add to the side of the turret, MENG kit is missing it.

Ingo F
A little update on this one. The tracks, drums and hull are finished.

Ingo F
Base color and invasion cross are finished. Next step will be detail painting and a layer of varnish.

Fabian D.
Following this one as well. Are you going to add graffiti like this? imgur.com/gallery/ak8Qj

Spanjaard
looking good Ingo 🙂

Ingo F
Thank you guys. Fabian i dont know if i will add some graffiti. I will try but i am not sure. By the way, thank you for the picture. This is the first T10 that i have seen that has an KPVT MG on the turret during the Operation Danube. The picture of the T10 that i have seen so far were all without the MG.
I need also to scratchbuilt the Jerrycan holder at the left side of the rear.

Fabian D.
Do you have one of these washable whites? Either scalemates.com/colors/color.php?id=5902 or scalemates.com/colors/color.php?id=7692 Used them for my T-62 and was surprised what fine lines could be archived. If you screw up, you can just erase it with a little water. Literally risk free.

Ingo F
Thank you Fabian. I am not sue but i think that i got one of them in my stash. Need to have a look.

Ingo F
Half way through with this one. Completely messed up the tracks. I decided to create my own wash by using humbrol emaille paints and it was a big mistake. I did not planned the whole idea throuh. I just deluted the paint with white spirit and added some pigments. The next day the tracks were sticky and when i was trying to bend them like before they just fell apart. In the end i had some kind link and lenght tracks instead of workable tracks and had to use super glue to get them toghether.

Fabian D.
Sorry to hear that, but it seems you could save most of the looks.
Had a similar incident quite some time back, but with vinyl tracks. Switched to oil paints and lighter fluid (Feuerzeugbenzin), haven't had any problems since.

Spanjaard
white spirit can have disastrous effects on plastic, if not protected with a primer. In tracks, since you may have friction between them, that would remove the primer and it may offer the perfect opportunity for it to filter and create a disaster... really sorry to hear that it happened to you
I had a similar case with my NXR, that truly started to fall apart in front of my own eyes while I was weathering it with white spirit...... now I use primer on almost everything, to avoid any risk. and i am carefully with small holes etc, to avoid what I had with the x-wing. Famage was a lot smaller than with the NXR, but it was painful enough.

Ingo F
Thank you guys. I will let them rest till tomorrow then i am going to add dark steel pigments to the road wheels and seal the tracks, lower hull and wheels with a layer of varnish.

Dan M
That's very unfortunate 🙁. I've heard about similar things happening with tracks and enamel-based products. A primer is not always sufficient you also need to seal the tracks in a coat of varnish. The stuff attacks plastic and the glue connections are always the weakest points. A friend of mine was working on some magic tracks from Dragon and he literally got to see the track links starting to separate before his eyes when he started using some enamel washes. There's also countless horror stories with Dragon DS tracks disintegrating after a while.
Since then I've stopped using enamel on tracks (anything vinyl or plastic link-based). I'm only using acrylics as these are much safer, enamel washes are relegated only to the main hull and only after a coat of varnish.

Ingo F
The tracks were primed and sealed with two coats of varnish. But this happend.
Hey, the good thing is that i could save the tracks and attach them without them looking very bad.
Was my fault to use something new without testing it first. Lesson learned. 🙂

Dan M
Two coats and still it happened? That's really nasty. Oh well, acrylics all the way in that case 🙂. Less harmful for humans as well as model kits 🙂

Spanjaard
With washes I still prefer to use different type than the one used, so enamel over acrylic.... But yes tracks must be an exceptional case since it is really hard to protect them

Ingo F
Thanks James. Right now only the upper hull and the turret need some filter and washes and its finished. 🙂
Belive me the next and the last Project of this year will be a real beast. A KING. 😉

Dan M
King Tiger ? 🙂

Ingo F
Yeah. Thought i will try something different then cold war and modern tanks.😉
Really like german tanks from WW2.

Dan M
If it's the Takom kit with interior then that's going to be a huge project indeed. I will watch it with great interest!
James, almost forgotten I had a Leopard 2 assembled and ready for paint. Have to go back to it but I've started so many things at once 🙂

Ingo F
Hey Dan. Yes it will be the Takom one: Sd.Kfz.182 Tiger II - Pz.ABT.505 - HENSCHEL TURRET w/ZIMMERIT | Project by Igi87 (1:35)
I am on vacation next week, have enough time for the project. 😉

Ingo F
Here some new pictures of this project. The tank is finished but i have to fix some mistakes. While taking the pictures i noticed that i made a small mistake with the spiled fuel on the barrels. The stain must go further down and not stoping midway. Will fix it. I will add better pictures later. Right now there are not many sunny days here in Cologne. 🙁

Fabian D.
Cool stuff Ingo. 👍 Hope you won't spend half of your holidays in a food induced coma, like I'm going to... just as every year.

Ingo F
Thanks Fabian! (Un)Fortunately its not gona happen. 🙂 😉 Therefore i have enough free time to build some kits 🙂

Cheeki Breeki
Awesome, the T-10 is really a great looking tank!

Ingo F
Thank you Cheeki Breeki.

Cheeki Breeki
You're welcome, I really like that the white identification stripes stand out, not only by their colour, but by the difference in weathering.

Ingo F
More vehicles from Operation Danube will come in the future. I was planing to build the ASU-85 and PT-76 from this time.

Dan M
Looks good! 👍. Gonna build one as well sometime in the near/far future 🙂

Ingo F
Thank you Dan.

Ingo F
Hey James Merry Xmas and thank you for the comment! 🙂 I used the Zashchitniy Zeleno XB 518 A.MIG-083 from MIG.
Hope the kits were some soviet/russian vehicles/tanks. 😉 😄 😄 😄

Fabian D.
All that is alking about Operation Danube made my mouth pretty watery. Now I have to buy another one of Takoms T-54/55, and all that just because of you.😄

Ingo F
Haha. 😄 😄 Mission accomplished. 😛
Thats how some of my models landed in my stash.