Mack's not-so-mecha stuff

[MacksMechas]

I decided to keep myself busy in my nights awake,  so I've been building my new Airfix M3 Grant kit. I didn't expect it to have a full interior! As such I've decided to put my miniart engine and crew in this kit, as they are the only things missing, and instead build my Easy Eight as normal.

[MacksMechas]

After a short stay in hospital I decided to unwind and built the Miniart engine for my M3. This was hands down the worst model kit I've ever built. Parts wouldn't fit, mismolded alignments, unclear instructions and horrible connection points on the sprue really began to wear my patience thin. But it's done and it's a perfect fit in the tank. Now I can relax for the night.

[MacksMechas]

I started working on the Grant again, I've had to modify the gun mantlet so that the body can be removed from the hull without snagging on the 75mm gun.

[MacksMechas]

The main gun sponson and final body details have been completed,  now to assemble the turret and crew then paint it all!

[has.been]

Good progress Chris.

[MacksMechas]

Now ready for painting,  the tank has been assembled and dismantled into each section for their primer coats.

[MacksMechas]

Good progress Chris.

Thanks Pete, I see you've been busy with aircraft. Should I be getting my Hawker ready next?

[MacksMechas]

It's been a while,  but I've finally got around to continuing the Grant. It's had the interior primed in white and the exterior primed in base blue/grey. I plan to finish the interior with hand painting and then I'll spray the exterior with the airbrush and move on to weathering.

[has.been]

Progress again, well done.

[MacksMechas]

The interiors of M3's I've seen online can be described in exactly 3 words: white and rusty. There's very little colour variation so thankfully that's made painting it much easier. I think the rust turned out okay, I'm still trialling multi shade and stippling.

[MacksMechas]

The Grant/Lee is now masked up and ready for spray painting! After this comes a hefty amount of detailing,  weathering and then the crew assembly.

[has.been]

keep up the good work.

[MacksMechas]

keep up the good work.

Cheers, Pete. Will do!

[MacksMechas]

The tank body now has its first coat of colour applied. I'm still building this as a hybrid/repair of an M3 Lee tank, so the turret will be coloured in the British Tunisia front camo with a crudely painted American Army star on it.

[MacksMechas]

The second coats of paint have been applied now. Time to camo the turret. I also separated the body again and put to rest my fears of overspray. There is very minimal work to be done to finalise the paint gaps.