Building the Mirror Models Diamond T969 Wrecker 1/35 scale English

Armor

An abandoned truck. Painting the Mirror Models Diamond T969 Wrecker 1/35 scale

by Federico Collada © Modeler Site

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I received a sample of the Mirror Models kit as soon as it was available, and I was anxious to put my hands on it, I already have made a couple of kits of this company and I was quite happy with them. But this time was a bit different as I already had in mind an idea of what to do with the kit, I had seen many pictures of long time abandoned trucks like this one heavily rusted in the middle of nowhere and I liked much that scenery. So when the model got home I put aside other projects I had running and I started with it immediately.

At first I was a little impressed with the lots of parts in the box, many of them too subtle and delicate so a lot of care would be necessary.

Some planning was necessary when I faced the building process, mostly because I didn’t want to put too many pieces together to obstruct the painting so as soon as I had most of the chassis completed I started painting.

As I wanted to depict and abandoned vehicle I disregarded some parts like the tools, gas tanks and the compressor.

A very special painting

Since the very beginning I knew I would have to use mostly every technique I know for painting the wide variety of rust effects I wanted to show in the model, in fact I tested a couple of new tricks in some parts and I liked the result so much that I’m willing to have another opportunity to try them again.

I can’t paint my models the same way again and again, for me 75% of the fun is trying something new and every time I have the opportunity to do so is when I feel more excited. Ever since I started with this hobby 30 years ago never doubted in experimenting every new trick I found in the modelling magazines, art books and some more that occurred to me, from the classic drybrush to the washes, filters and the too aesthetic colour modulation. But the thing is that lately I’m insisting much on the use of veils and pigments, they’re a couple of things too versatile and may produce a wide variety of effects.

So I started building the model as the instructions suggest, with the wheels, soon I discovered that the usual glue I use (nitro solvent) didn’t work too well with the plastic this time so I changed to the Revell pin glue. I built the engine even when I knew that I would not leave the hood open so it wouldn’t be seen. I finished the axels and chassis, suspension, transmission and when I glued the first parts of the cabin I started painting.