M2 Half Track (1/35 Dragon)

Overview of the process of assembling, painting, and weathering a 1/35 M2 Half Track from WWII. This is not a step-by-step instructional video...just an overview of the main steps involved. This build was done to represent an older halftrack that had been abandoned and was in the process of restoration. I did not mention that some minor filtering was done during the weathering.
Kit and supplies used...
- Dragon 1/35 scale model kit (box shown at the beginning of video)
- Tamiya, MIG Ammo, and Alclad paints
- Filters use Bob Ross oil paints and thinner
- UMP washes
- Rust and black pastels
This vehicle is on display at our online virtual museum. Check it out at www.mnscalemodeler.net

[@corkcamden9878]

I don't think it gets better than this.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@gruppenfuhrer45]

Wow how realistic. That halftrack has seen better days. Great job!!!

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@rickbarg3980]

Another Awusome build the best I’ve seen yet,

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@kyleSD70MAC]

That looks awesome, great work on the weathering! I think I might have to get one of these sometime.

[@scottkut6622]

I can't help but think, that an old worn Halftrack like this wouldn't have a beat up fender or two. Perhaps a few dents in the armor plate, maybe even some era defining graffiti? Truly a wonderful build. Bravo!!!

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@marcosaugustosoares]

Very nice!

[@lizzard71]

Fantastic work.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@duckman5642]

just beautiful

[@danomeza3428]

VERY NICE WORK

[@jerryvolpini7987]

Btw, checked out the website - great concept! Hope you stick with it!

[@Toni_G_Castroviejo]

Great weathering! :)

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks much!

[@gregrowley4983]

Very nice build.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@sylvainflandre2906]

Superbe travail excellent patine tres bonne technique. Magnifique SUPERBE 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇺🇸🇺🇸🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇺🇳🇺🇳🇺🇳🇺🇳

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@richardlechinois8236]

nice jobs man wow i like it wow...

[@ScaleMilitaryModels]

Nice work!!

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@sierrahotel1137]

Awesome effect, very professional,maybe its more like a halftrack left in the New Guinea jungle

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks much!

[@lukeriley4101]

Beautiful! Subscribed.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@mikecachioli8838]

Awesome!!!

[@rickmoreno6858]

Damn fine work, just stumbled across your channel, and you got a new sub

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@Ralle1968]

😍😍😍

[@oldbaldfatman2766]

Thanks for the video and showing off your build....looks great. Have a couple of Tamiya's halftracks and wonder how they compare. Are the wheels articulated, that is, can they be shown any way other than straight ahead? After looking at the built kit, gives me an idea for a zombie/apocalypse type diorama. Have it being displayed outside and of course, a bit weathered with people trying to get it running or using it as shelter/defensive positive from attacking zombies.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks! I believe the wheels on the Dragon kit are not articulated. I'm sure with some scratch building you could make them articulate, but not sure what would be involved.

[@gerardcaillou5663]

Bonjour belle réalisation votre chipping et aux sel ou avec des produits spécifiques pour maquette ?? Merci de votre réponse Gégé 62 👍👍😉

[@johnnyblythe5375]

Wow, really nice job. Can I just ask, you painted in sub-assemblies before putting it all together, did you use CA (super) glue?

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Nope. Just Tamiya Extra Thin glue. Sparingly of course! :-)

[@luisenriquedeelias2767]

Nice job! But small wheels are rusted also, and the rubber is missing...

[@herrlogan17]

Overdone or not, it looks incredible in detail :)

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks!

[@leonardusgroenendyk6027]

At 0.50 the gas cans are actually water cans. Gas (petrol) have a different spout.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Nice catch!

[@mach533x]

what? i have to disagree... you screw those big covers off then you screw on the spouts. i have a few real ones for my lawn mowers.

[@JenniferEliseAtchiso]

Beautiful! Where in Minnesota? I'm in St Cloud.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Hi! Responded via FB. Nice to meet you!

[@jerryvolpini7987]

Just came across this - excellent video and build! Haven't seen your other videos but maybe a little more detail next time? Otherwise, great job!

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks Jerry! I kept it pretty simple. Didn't want to bore everyone with a lot of detail. Lots of videos out there that are step-by-step. Wanted to keep it as more of an overview.

[@jerryvolpini7987]

No, I get it, short and sweet. Watched more of your videos and they have a bit more detail, great work either way. I have bookmarked your website too. Hope to see more builds in the future.

[@UncleB1735]

Was there a colour used after the rust coat and before the Alclad flat?

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

The rust coat was actually several colors. First, a base dark rust color was sprayed on the whole thing, followed by some lighter colors dabbed here and there with a sponge to create some contrast and break up the uniformity.

[@UncleB1735]

Yeah, I got that from your video. I don't think I explained myself very well originally. At 1:25 the rust coats have been applied. Then at 1:44 when everything is sealed with Alclad flat, the colour seems to have changed from rust to a kind of light khaki.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

My fault too. This is my first scale modeling video and I didn't have pictures of every stage. The pictures with the light khaki are actually the parts painted with light olive drab after the hairspray. It's just not real clear in the video. I will definitely do things different next time!

[@UncleB1735]

No problem, thanks for taking the time to explain. Keep up the great work. What paint did you use for the rust coats?

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Thanks! I used MIG Ammo paints for the most part: Dark Tracks for the rust base coat, Rust Tracks for the majority of the sponging, and a little Red Brown Base and White thrown in for good measure.

[@Nick78518]

Neat Build and weathering, very clever like it, just started the Dragon M3A1 kit (6337) possible you could PM me with more info on your paint and weathering, rust teqniques for the chassis. be a great help.

[@moitoi3226]

You forgot the weathering of front wheels, and to detail the engine.

[@garyroberts1552]

sadly, yet another modeller who did not get the body down onto the chassis correctly on a Dragon halftrack..a very common problem, it takes fitting and patience. In my opinion, the model is drastically over-weathered..though the fading, chipping, and rust are just amazing, very real..but 1940's American military vehicle paints were incredibly durable and lasted for many years.

[@AtomicFire1972]

Indeed. But it doesn't help matters that Dragon's instructions are typically error-ridden shit, which is inexcusable for models at that price point.

[@garyroberts1552]

@@AtomicFire1972 can't argue there..the dude making the instructions is working from the 3D CAD, not the actual model, and has never actually tried to build it..so of course, hilarity ensues..

[@peterszar]

I don't usually leave negative comments, but being a vet, (not a animal doctor Ha Ha), but this model looks like it's been sitting in a junk yard for 60 years. Or is that the look you were trying to achieve? Even in a war situation, they never looked that trashed.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Yep. Going for the junkyard look. Most of the builds I do are not modeled as they were in their original time period, but more like they would look today sitting outside or what they'd look like in a museum. This one was originally modeled to look like it would just before a restoration. The original goal was to produce two; this one and a "restored" one. Have yet to get around to the second one! Ha!

[@peterszar]

Thanks MN for the quick reply. I can understand that, pretty cool. Had a Sherman in one of the Junk Yards near me as a kid, that we used to play on. It had the same look.

[@foetaltreborus2017]

I, m trying to re produce a photo of my Dads Regiment... With a halftrack.. BUT it needs a tarp not part of the half built Ebay model I have.... Yeh. I can buy one Eur15 plus a hefty postage... Any advice?

[@DavidRLentz]

With you having been there, we would do well to listen to your experience given voice as you do here. So often do modellers endeavour to verisimilitude that, lacking direct experience, we somehow fall short. Not only had I never been in combat, the inability to see well enough to drive kept me out of uniform altogether. Please understand that this is not to imply that I would shirk my duty. Had a full-scale war begun, I immediately would have offered myself as some sort of civilian analyst (I spell, read, and write well, which together enable me to achieve higher order cognition), that the Pentagon could send to the field a sturdy, well-trained officer capable of far greater utility than I. To your point, from what little I have been able to glean from those who had served in combat, much of the ostensible war service wear, weathering, and the like are overdone. The key is subtlety. A rusty exhaust, the paint along the periphery of a door scratched and chipped, dust accumulated on the horizontal surfaces, mud on the tyres (depending upon weather circumstances and climate conditions), perhaps a few bullet holes in a fender, a cracked window. Incidentally, since I have your attention: it is my guess that arid and desert settings would have little or no rust for the sharp dearth of water. Would this be true?

[@foetaltreborus2017]

@@DavidRLentz sad to say my recent effort was well laughed at over the technical size of a chain on a Quad... Well, as a make do modeller it was what's in my collection of stuff... Don t take their sniggering to heart!...

[@DansModelBench]

Nice effects, but way overdone. Looks like its been sitting in a paddock for fifty years, which at first glance was what I thought you were going after. Then I saw you had it armed and with jerry cans. Sorry the weathering was over the top for a service vehicle.

[@darkwood777]

Yes. It makes no sense. A modeler needs to do research, and a big part of that is collecting field photographs from the era.

[@mnscalemodeler3217]

Folks. I do just about all my builds as though they are current day, either totally wrecked, ready for restoration, or restored as though they are in a museum. The description above says it was modeled as though it was arriving for restoration. There is no "written rule" that one must gather tons of reference photos of the subject "in the day" and model it exactly as it was "in the day". There are no "armaments" on it. Only some radio cases, cans, and tools. Now I would agree it's a bit overdone. This was when I was experimenting with a lot of different weathering techniques. But this build was not intended to represent a half track as it would look during WWII. Not even close.

[@moitoi3226]

please stop the music