• The exhausts were painted with the various colours of the LifeColor rust set. The track ice cleats were dry brushed with the same colours.
• Lighter paint chips were simulated using LifeColor “4BO Var” (UA239), applied with a sponge, brush or flicked from the end of a brush.
• Darker paint chips were simulated using Vallejo Model Color “German Camouflage Black Brown” (70822), applied with a sponge, brush or flicked from the end of a brush.

Primer: Tamiya “Fine Surface Primer” (light grey) spray can, applied to the hull and turret.

Black base: A 1:2 mixture of Mr.Finishing Surfacer 1500 Black and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner was sprayed all over.

Base coats: Using most of the Mr.Hobby Russian Green modulation set. In all cases the paint was sprayed as a 1:2 mixture in Mr.Color leveling thinner.

• The darkest colour (“RG shadow” CMC13) was sprayed over the entire model, to act as a dark base.
• The next darkest (“RG CM base” CMC10) was sprayed over the bulk of the vehicle, save the deepest recesses.
• “RG highlight 1” CMC11 was sprayed on the upper hull, the sides and top of the turret and the outside part of the wheels only.

Details:

• Headlight: Citadel “Runefang Steel”
• Saw: Mr.Color “Super Iron” (SM03), Vallejo Panzer Aces “Old Wood” (310)
• Tyres: Mr.Color “Tyre Black” (137), LifeColor “Tyre Black” (UA733)
• Track ice cleats: Vallejo Panzer Aces “Track Primer” (304)

Gloss coat: A 1:2 mixture of Mr.Color “Clear Gloss” (46) and Mr.Color Leveling Thinner was sprayed over the entire model.

The decals were very nice to use – thinner than some. Apparently they mean “Death to Hitler” and “Glory to our tankers!“.

• As expected, the old Tamiya kit is crude by the standards of today. I tried to make as many upgrades as I could, using equivalent parts from the MiniArt kit (stowage boxes, grab handles, tow hooks, fuel drums and attachments, hinges, road wheels, aerial mount, headlight, horn, periscope mounting, saw – basically anything seen in grey plastic in the above pictures).
• Even so, the running gear is very basic – the mounting for the idler wheel is very wrong – but it will mostly be obscured by the wheels, tracks and subsequent accumulated dirt!
• I also used photo etch pieces from the MiniArt kit or from the Eduard set.
• The barrel was a metal replacement by Eduard.
• The fenders were given a rough and uneven appearance along the top by using a Dremel tool on low speed fitted with a sanding wheel.
• The rear fenders were crumpled up somewhat using a pliers, to simulate collision damage. Next time I will remember to do this before they are attached to the vehicle and to anneal all the brass pieces, to make them easier to deform.
• Many weld lines were added by using 0.3 mm diameter plastic rod, softened with Tamiya cement and sculpted with a blade.
• I added extra flame cut edges to some of the end of the engine deck and exhaust covers, as evidenced on real vehicles.
• The road wheels were cut and filed away in places, to represent damage to the rubber.

The vehicle

“The SU-122 was the first major variant of the successful T-34 chassis… The SU-122 was not meant to deal with other tanks, but only with German fortified positions, strongholds and ranged infantry support.” [1]

The kit

Tamiya 1/35 kit [2]. This was going to be the MiniArt kit. However, as I got to grips with it, I became dissatisfied with the fit of the pieces (indeed the number of pieces). I realise that people have got a great finished model out of it but I felt that it was crazily over-engineered in places. In the end I went with the much older Tamiya kit. Obviously, this is a much more basic model out the box, but with replacement bits of photoetch and parts from the MiniArt kit, perhaps it will come out alright.

References

1. http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/soviet_SU-122.php
2. https://indy-amps.weebly.com/tamiya-135th-scale-russian-tank-destroyer-su-122.html

241st Tank Brigade, Southern Russia, late 1942.

M3 light tank “Stuart” build – Part 1:Introduction
M3 light tank “Stuart” build – Part 2:Assembly
M3 light tank “Stuart” build – Part 3:Painting
M3 light tank “Stuart” build – Part 4:Weathering