Explorers on the Moon (Moon Tank)

Spanjaard
i am really curious about this one 🙂

Greg Baker
Heh... that makes two of us!

Martin Oostrom
I really like your warped mind! 👍

Spanjaard
i have to ask... but how is that the text in the comic is in Spanish?

Greg Baker
Thanks Martin! Warp speed ahead! As for the Spanish text... Tintin comics have been translated into over 100 languages... English and Spanish are high up that list. I actually try to buy a Tintin book translated into the language of whatever country I visit. So far (in no particular order)I have English, French, Chinese (simplified), Korean, Malaysian, Chinese (traditional), Japanese and Vietnamese. Still looking for an Indonesian volume as I had to settle for an English edition of Flight 714 at the airport in Kuala Lumpur.😉

Spanjaard
i know it has been translated (otherwise it would have been hard for me to read them when i was a child 😛 )
So, you collect them in all possible languages. quite an interesting collection, certainly original. unless you can actually read them all too (that would make me incredibly jealous)

Jay Dubya
Since Flight 714 is supposed to be about Tintin's adventure to Australia, you could convince yourself that it would also count as a foreign language ... ha ha!
BTW: keen to see how you scratch up "Homer's" bubble windows.

Spanjaard
that will not be a problem for Greg, I am sure.... the shape of a shark/262 comes to mind....😉

Greg Baker
Heh... sorry... but you'd be amazed at what some people don't know...😉. As for my Tintin collection, well I have all the books in English of course. I just try to buy a volume in the native language of whatever country I visit. I can only read the English, French and Korean ones. I'd still like to get Flight 714 in Indonesian. The English edition was just because it was that or nothing.😉 I chose that one because Tintin is on his way to Australia, but gets highjacked and lands on an island not far from he Indonesian island chain.

Greg Baker
Oh... and as for the bubble windows... I was at the store today checking out which snacks and candy come in the right size/shape blister packaging. 😉

Spanjaard
ha ha ha I knew you would find the right blister😉
and yes, ignorance often does not know limits 😄

Spanjaard
ages ago i did a cockpit for a Mig29 at home. but probably it that was easier than those bubbles. anyway, you may want to give it a try
You basically need a piece of wood (a few millimetres thick), with a rounded hole on it (bigger than the final size you need). Take a piece of transparent acetate, and fix it to the wood with some staples for example. then you would need a hard sphere (a marble for example?) of the right size. that is the easy part.
Then you need to gentle heat the acetate and when it is warm enough, but not melting, place the wood and acetate on top fo the ball.... and voilá, you can have the exact size you need.
of course, the ticker the acetate harder is to soften it enough, and the thinner, more changes that it will break when pushed..... trial and error of course. but again, done at home with no professional materials.
Those bubble windows are just perfect to try something like that.

you can see the results of what i did at Early Builds or Hall of Shame - 1980's and 1990's | Album by hetspanjaard (with a considerable amount of dust, of course)

Spanjaard
you may need to actually place the ball on top of base, so it pushes far enough to give you the right shape

Choppa Nutta
This kit looks like it might be a good donor for this project,
it's cheap plus it's got a boxy top with the right number of wheels and about the right proportions too 🙂

scalemates.com/kits/111359-revell-03133-pz-kpfw-iii-ausf-l

Greg Baker
I like that idea Spanjaard and I might try it for another project I have in mind, a complex "double bubble" canopy along the length (crazy old-school anime plane). I'm going to need several (multiple several) attempts to get two canopies I can cut and assemble correctly. For this one though, I might pay a visit to my neighbourhood "girls hobby shop". Judging by the looks I got last time, they don't have a lot of middle-aged foreign men as customers, but the Korean girls love making teensy tiny plastic "dream deserts" and then sealing them forever in crystal resin (which is what I was after). I noticed that store has all manner and size of tiny little clear bowls, wine glasses and cutlery, etc. and I remember thinking at the time "canopy options".😉. It's worth another visit, if only to freak them out a bit again. 😄

Greg Baker
Oh, and leave it to Choppa to notice I MISCOUNTED THE NUMBER OF WHEELS! Gah! I think the kit that probably most closely fits the bill is the 1/72 Centurion (scalemates.com/kits/977828-ace-72425-centurion-mk-3) but it's not available locally and I doubt I'll like the price elsewhere. I am in Singapore next week, so perhaps I'll find it on a shelf and a reasonable price...

Greg Baker
I was willing to look past some of the shape issues... but the wrong number of wheels is hard to compensate for... hmmm... back to the thinking board.

Spanjaard
ha ha haha, you really make me laugh with the story about the girls hobby shop, thanks, i needed that 🙂
cool that you can have those canopies done easily 🙂

Greg Baker
Heh... I imagine them to be counting sprinkles and arguing over the exact correct shade of red paint for a maraschino cherry.

Choppa Nutta
Ah, don't get salty Greg, I could have waited till you had finished😉 😄
I reckon the wheels on the Panzer look more like the wheels on the TinTin tank 🙂
well it is a cheap back up option if the centurion doesn't pan out 🙂

Greg Baker
Ok... so, not quite a rescue from the Shelf of Doom, but from the lesser know "Shelf of Never Really Started". I had two false starts on this project, and an A1 Leopard was injured in the process. However, I've seen a successful conversion of a M26 Pershing, so we're committed now. Especially since I used the rear grating from this kit on my Tintin Bordurian Tank, there's nothing else to do now.

Greg Baker
After cutting off the unneeded bits, I'm starting to wonder if I even needed a tank kit at all!😉

Torsten
Another😎 build 👍

Martin Oostrom
Tanks are overrated

Greg Baker
Haha! Even blue ones on the moon?!

Spanjaard
ha ha ha LOL

Erik De Smet
I expect working search lights on this one

Greg Baker
Now there's a thought...

Matthew A
I missed this ones rebirth

Greg Baker
Yeah, it's back on track... or is that treads?😉

Matthew A
Eyes roll

Lode Schildermans
No Greg, back on track is the right expression 🙂

Alec K
Not sure how this slipped me. Nice! After three kits (if I am counting right), this just HAS to get done.

Aren't you moving? Or is that a different thread...

Greg Baker
Oh, it'll get done. In fact, it's likely the last project I'll have time to complete before I pack everything up in a couple of weeks. After all the modifications I've done, I probably should've just gone with the first kit... not much is left except the wheels.😉

Nils Steyaert
i will have to follow this one, from what i see, your off to a great start 🙂
i your also planning a Bordurian tank, i found a link (in french) that could help.

modelbox.free.fr/dos..intin/BordureChar_P/

Greg Baker
I've seen that one before. I already built my version of the Bordurian tank though - The Calculus Affair (Bordurian Tank) | Album by strobez (1:72)

I might re-organize my albums here, they're getting a bit hard to follow...

Greg Baker
First coat of blue paint revealed all the scratches and sanding spots. Hopefully I got them all this time. I also added all rails and ladders using a bit of wire.

Lode Schildermans
Greg, it is one of my favorite Tintin episodes, so don't mess up. LOL. As a matter a fact, Hergé would be proud on your imagination

Greg Baker
Uh oh... now that I know the Moon adventure albums are Lode's favourite, the pressure is on! I can't screw this up now. I finished piecing together the spotlight/radar mast and antenna. I grabbed a bag of itty bitty parts and used a landing gear piece for the spotlight bracket, and I cut up two plastic ratline rigging pieces (from the Cutty Sark I think) and made a radar array. Now that it's all painted blue, I don't think you can really tell, can you?

Choppa Nutta
Well welly well, this is turning out great Greg ! 🙂

Spanjaard
No reason to be blue about this one

Greg Baker
Almost done... mainly just the base to fix up. I sure hope I didn't let Lode down with this one...

Lode Schildermans
On the contrary, Greg. This tank could have been model to Hergé. Very nicely done with the domes. And you really catched the blue color. Top

Greg Baker
Thanks Lode. I'm pleased with the domes. I wasn't quite such how best to attach them, but finally decided on using a bit of Future and letting it weep into the gap around the circumference. Still early, it it seems to have done the trick. I tapped the domes to make sure, and they seem snug.

Choppa Nutta
Hey Greg, that must be a "Lode" off your mind😉 😄 😄 😄

Alex K
Turned out great! (of course!) And I still smile a bit at the two "false starts" before finding the more handy tank to convert... PS. I guess there's still time before everyone here wishing you the best for moving back to Canada?

Ben M
that's a great tintin on the moon tank, absolutely a fan!

Greg Baker
Thanks guys! It is indeed a Lode off my mind...especially since I didn't disappoint Alex or Ben either, it seems!

Choppa Nutta
haha 😄 nor me neither😉 😄

Erik De Smet
Sniff, No led in the search light:'(, but well done , Greg.

Nils Steyaert
it really looks fantastic 👍

Spanjaard
domes looking good

Alec K
Very nicely done Greg 👍

Greg Baker
Hah! Thanks guys! I finished off the final details (adding clear lenses to the search lamps) and painted the base... and we're done! Some final glamour pics to show her off.

Choppa Nutta
Nice, I do like the way you present your builds Greg 🙂

Slavo Hazucha
Cool - love the "hi-vis" blue finish and the soap-shaped turret. Seems you are finding more and more fun in cutting & modding things up more radically! 👍

Es-haq Khosravi
Awesome!

Matthew A
I wanna play with it

bughunter
Greg, you can ask the NASA for a little bit of moon dust for weathering!

Greg Baker
Haha! Thanks guys. That bright blue really does stand out on the shelf. Given the comic-book origins of the Tintin builds, you start to notice how many primary colour projects there are. Lots of blues, Yellows and Reds on the shelf. It starts to make a rather pleasing (to my eye at least) mosaic of builds as a whole.

Choppa Nutta
I like the way your tank looks like it is bouncing over that small hill at full speed !! 🙂
I wonder if there is a kit manufacturer looking at these builds and think, yeah maybe a line of Tintin kits is a good idea !! 🙂

Greg Baker
I'd be the first one to sign up of a Tintin kit. I'm not the only one either, there are plenty of French language sites that have all sorts of Tintin-themed builds out there.

Tom ...
OMG, how did I miss this build! Absolutely fantastic! I love love it. Another gem for your collection, Greg. Bravo!

Lode Schildermans
Thanks, greg, for making this beauty and sharing it wit us, Tintin fans. For a Belgian as me, it is even more special

Spanjaard
excellent job Greg, amazing to see a childhood memory coming to life so well 🙂

Matthew A
Just had a DVD arrive from Korea - it's the brilliant French film That Man From Rio (1964). Heavily influenced by Tintin it went on to intluence Lucas and Spielberg.

Thomas Bischoff
I just love your excellent work!

Vittorio Gentili
That's really nice and funny. Brilliant idea 🙂

Greg Baker
Next one to be upgraded… the Lunar Tank!

Villiers de Vos
You are very creative.

Simon Nagorsnik
Nice project and very well implemented👍
Well done conversion.
Good that you found a good kit for your conversion!
The right choice is often difficult but you made it😄

Ben M
Looking forward to this upgrade!

David R. Meizoso
Love all your Tintin themed models: great idea and better result. Keep on!

Robert Podkoński
Cool!

Jay Dubya
Looks straight out of the box (or space-tank factory this case), Greg. Of course, this is fine given it's just landed on the moon, but I've always struggled with the idea that 'space craft' should or shouldn't be weathered / aged / reentry damaged (especially all the Starwars stuff).

Lochsa River
sittin in....these are all cool

John Hughes
Blast me barnacles, lad! But that's a fine vehicle and no doubt!

Greg Baker
So I got the battery wired up and hidden underneath, so with a small switch on the side, we have light! Now it's down to the figure painting. Is there a trick to paintbrush painting with Tamiya acrylics? So hard to get an even coat, and the acrylic layers end up mixing together. So frustrating!

Ben M
Add some of the Tamiya retarder when brush painting.

Lode Schildermans
greg, from someone who hasn't built a tank before, it is a typical Greg project. I like your TinTin dio's and this tank fits perfectly in your already impressive collection

Greg Baker
Thanks Lode! I like that there's such a thing as a « typical Greg project ». 😉 I can't match the masterclass skills and patience on display with your shipbuilding, so I go for cheaper thrills with scratchbuilding and electronics. 😉

Greg Baker
Ben - thanks for the tip. I picked up some Tamiya acrylic retarder, and watched a couple of videos… almost ready to give it a whirl.

Ben M
Hope it helps! The only other thing I've found that works is my older daughter can brush paint Tamiya gloss acrylics without brush marks apparently because nobody told her it was impossible. I don't know exactly how she does it other than she uses s large soft brush.

Tom ...
Greg, I use Vallejo paints now for brush painting. Have used the retarder and it works great but Vallejo is much nicer to work with, particularly with a wet palate and with mixing colors. Sorry to hear about the rocket drop! Ugh!!

Ben M
Tom the Vallejo gel retarder works well for you? I like the Tamiya retarder as you can also use it while airbrushing.

Tom ...
Ah sorry I was not clear. I use the tamiya retarder for the tamiya paints. It works great but careful to only use a small amount. For the Vallejo paints water is all you need and you can water it down a lot to get very light coats.

Greg Baker
And… done. Painting the little figures was a bit of a pain, but getting thos little space helmet bubbles was the real challenge. Eventually I got a "heat and smash" form done using the pointy ends of a couple of brushes. It was hard to get just the right size, but close enough I think.

Tom ...
Perfect!!

Spanjaard
they look excellent, well done!

Matthew A
They are brilliant

Łukasz Gliński
The bubbles really worked 👍

Alec K
Worked great 👍

bughunter
Luckily you finished the rocket recently so they now can go up to the moon 👍

Villiers de Vos
I am fascinated by your Tinten "universe". You are a very talented model builder/creator.

Jay Dubya
Nailed it Greg - as always

Finn
I absolutely love you Tintin suite!

Lode Schildermans
It looks so easy when you see the final result. But scrolling through the album gives a good idea of all the modifications and scratch build needed to transform regular kits to a Tin Tin cartoon tank. And the result would have made Hergé proud. Thanks for sharing the journey to the moon with us, Greg. Outstanding as usual

Greg Baker
Thanks Lode. After I finished the tank, I was kind of wondering why I bothered to start with a kit… by the end there was almost nothing left of the original kit. I'm happy with the result though, and it is kinda about the journey, right? 🙂