Building an Israeli Tiran 6 1/35th Scale Tamiya Kit No. 35108

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The Tamiya T62 Russian Tank has had it's critics in the past but it is still a workable kit for it's age. Combined with the A.E.F. Designs Tiran 6 conversion and some scratchbuilt details a very pleasing model can result.
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As is usual for me, I started with the wheels, detailing them and adding some gouges and rips in the tyres, as per the original. One of the wheels received some damage to the rim and the surrounding tyre to simulate battle damage. These wheels had to work very hard once the tank was captured and put into Israeli service. The wheels were then painted using Tamiya Medium Blue XF-18 as a base coat, Khaki XF-49 as an intermediate coat and J.A. Grey XF-14 as a highlight coat. The tyres were painted Flat Black XF-1 and then German Grey XF-63and finally Khaki. The lower hull was detailed with scratchbuilt mounting plates and bolts added to the lower front and drainage bolts added to the transmission housings at the rear. The wheels were added to the hull and then the tracks were dabbled with Hull Red XF-9 and when dry, added to the wheels. A dusting of Khaki was drybrushed onto the tracks and the contact points were picked out in Steel colour with a Silver pencil. Some internal details that would be visible through the open hatches were scratchbuilt and added inside the two hull pieces. The internals were painted a light grey and then the two hull parts were glued together and allowed to dry.
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The A.E.F. Designs turret is hollow moulded so the periscopes were added inside the open hatches and the turret interior was also painted Light Grey. Some of the Tamiya fixtures and fittings have to be added and these were also detailed up. The Commander's and Loader's hatches received scratchbuilt internal details such as head pads and periscopes. The Commander's Machine Gun Mount was scratchbuilt from Plasticard and the handrail on the side of the turret was added from copper wire. A scratchbuilt mounting was added above the main gun and a 50cal added to this. The Swing Arm in front of the Loader's Hatch received a 30cal machine gun and ammo belt. The spare ariel brackets were added to the top of the side Storage Box from brass strip and various wires and handles were added from Plasticrod. The rear open Turret Basket received some storage and the Ariels were added from fine wire.
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Now that the hull was dry, this was detailed up with new Trackguard brackets, new mounting points on the upper front hull, all the wiring and plumbing for the lights and fuel tanks and all the mounting brackets for the various storage boxes. The engine deck was detailed out with new open engine vents and etched brass screening. The Storage Basket on the rear of the hull was detailed and various items of stowage were added inside. Two tow cables were added using the Tamiya eyes and nylon string for the cable itself. These were hooked up to the Towing Shackles on the front and rear hull and to brass strip brackets on the fender. Details and some damage were added to all four mudguards and an Israeli folded Stretcher was added to the glacis plate.
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The completed model was then undercoated with Hull Red followed by a coat of Medium Blue. The Medium Blue coat was not painted on as a solid colour, areas of the Hull Red were left showing through around details and in shadow areas. A coat of Khaki was added next and again areas of the two previous colours were left showing around details and in the shadows. A thin coat of J.A.Grey was painted on to give the final Bluey Grey Tone that I was looking for. All these coats of paint were hand painted on and by leaving the previous colours showing through and working from dark to light you build up a pre-shaded and realistically blotchy colour scheme. The markings are added at this stage and these were either hand painted or Verlinden Dry Transfers. The Air Recognition Sheet stored in the Turret Basket was painted Semi-Gloss Red and the plastic Jerrycans were painted Matt Black. The stowage was painted in the appropriate shades of Khaki.
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Then comes the weathering with drybrushed coats of Dark Yellow XF-60 and Deck Tan XF-55 which give the model a dusty appearance and further highlight the raised details. A Silver pencil was used to pick out areas of high wear around the hatches and the contact points on the tracks. There you have it.. a model representing a captured T62, modified and used by the Israeli's and resplendant in it's Blue Grey colour scheme that the Israelis seem to use on their captured vehicles in order to distinguish them from their non-captured counterparts!! The prominent Storage Boxes on the Turret and Rear Hull also help to change the outline of the vehicle so the chances of friendly fire are reduced.

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