The organization staff, prepared a table for me and my stuff. The neighbour table was occupied for two guys from Frankfurt, Dirk and Stephan. Among other topics, they presented some of the Maschinen Krieger models.

I have been always amazed for this Ma.K. stuff. My mate TriggerP-38 is building this stuff for quite a while and I have always admired it, they look so cool. However there is a big different  between seeing the models on-line or in the real world. The models I saw in the Spacedays event (pictures here) were incredible, amazing... I was astonished and I decided I must to build something like that.

So, while I'm waiting to get some of those kits I had the idea to take one small AT-ST model I got some time ago and build it that way. The model is a 1:90 AT-ST from AMT/ERTL, skill level 1. This is actually not a model, but a toy. The model is delivered with a small mechanical motor to make the toy walk. The model is quite inaccurate in comparison with the AT-ST seen in the movies.

So the very first thing I did was to remove the motor device. It was encapsulated with a part of the plastic kit, so I had to keep the plastic in order to fix it in the model. The removal of the motor lead to some plastic gaps. Those gaps were solved by the use of styrene sheet and a lot of Aves Apoxy. So the building of the small model was not much of a challenge.

• Picture 1: Pieces of the model, out-of-the-box.
• Picture 2: The motor and the plastic piece where it was mounted in.
• Picture 3: Styrene sheen on its way.
• Picture 4: Nearly done !
• Picture 5: Aves Apoxy is always helpful.
• Picture 6: Sanding and sanding...
• Picture 7: Ready for primer.

When the model was ready and primed, I realized that the canons were completely solid. I drilled the corresponding holes in order to get a bit of more realism.

I want to give to this model a very used look. So I took a Dremel tool and some tip and I worked a bit the surface in order to give that look. In some of those worked areas, I painted them with metallic paint. When that paint dried I applied some liquid latex on the areas. After that the model is painted as usually with  the base coat. When the base coat is ready and dry, I remove the latex and... voilą: chipped paint !!!

Another effect that is nice to see is the following: I took a sand color for my airbrush, quite different from the base coat of the model. I took a piece of paper and I did a hole of 1 cm diameter. The I airbrushed scattered areas of the model but with this piece of paper in the way of the airbrush flow. That method we can do the classic camouflage effect in military vehicles.

Another nice effect for this project is rust effect. For accomplish this effect I got a pigment paint of that color (rust red). The paint is not a solution but a powder. I took two brushes to apply it to the model. With one of the brushes I applied the pigment to the areas I wanted the rust to appear, and with the other brush I removed the excess of pigment. If there is too much of the pigment and not possibility to remove it with the second brush, it is possible to use a ear-cleaning-stick dipped in water...

• Picture 8: Primer already done and drying.
• Picture 9: Holes on the weapons.
• Picture 10: Final look of the primed model.
• Picture 11: Surface with the used-look.
• Picture 12: Unfortunately I have no pictures of the step-by-step process, but here the model is shown with the chipped paint, camouflage spots and rust effects.

The next weathering technique I used is the dry brushing. I took a relatively thick brush and I dipped in  a light sand color. I wiped the brush in a paper until nearly no paint was removed from the brush. Then I applied that brush all over the model. The important thing I did, is to apply the brush over all the model and not to specific corners or so. That way the effect looks pretty nice.

• Picture 13: After the weathering the model looks like that. The McPerson suspension in the legs was scratch-build with styrene rods and a string from a ball pen. The wires were painted with diluted black paint in order to give them a dirty look.
• Picture 14: Another view.
• Picture 15: Another view.

When all that was done, I airbrushed all the model with Future wax to leave it ready for the decaling session... Did I say decaling? O Boy !!, i have no decals for that one !!!  So I spent one day sitting in front of the computer and drawing decals for this model. The scale of the decals are 1:0 aprox, but I have the intention to scale them up in order to fit the to the original Ma.K. kits I'm waiting.

So I draw the decals, I printed them in my ALPS printer and I applied them all over the model. I believe they look cool. I left some time for the decals to set and I used the oil-washing technique to the model so that all the scribed areas will appear with shadows. What I did: I took black oil color and I diluted it with solvent (1 part color 4 or 5 parts solvent). the I applied the solution all over the model. The solution goes immediately to the corners and all the desired areas. Now only mater of leave it drying. oil colors take a while to dry. When it is really dry, I will apply Future once again and then the final dull coat.

In the mean time I will be painting some 1:87 figures (I bought them on a railway modeling shop) which I will use for the final diorama.

• Picture 16: Two set of decals prepared for this project (I still have one AT-AT).
• Picture 17: After decaling and oil-washing process.
• Picture 18: Another view.
• Picture 19: Another view.
• Picture 20: Another view.
• Picture 21: Another view.
• Picture 22: Another view.
• Picture 23: Another view.
• Picture 24: Another view.
• Picture 25: Another view.
• Picture 26: Another view.
• Picture 27: Another view.
• Picture 28: Another view.

I know it has been quite a while, but I finally have time to post the last steps of the diorama. Yes, I finished it long time ago, but I haven't have time until now.

Once the AS-ST was finished, only the base was left. I took a piece of wood I found somewhere and covered the top with road film bought on a railway model shop. In the very same shop I bought some street floor (or whatever it is called). I just fixed like a normal street:

• Picture 29: The base with the road film.
• Picture 30: The walking street floor.
• Picture 31: Both put together.

With a sheet of transparency film I printed out the street markings, drawn at the adequate scale. These markings were airbrushed over the road floor. Carefully, because this is a one-shot procedure, you can't remove the paint from that film. Once dried, it was only put everything together. I added some figures and cars obtained in the shop mentioned above.

• Picture 32: The transparency film with the street markings.
• Picture 33: A first test of the thing.
• Picture 34: The final look.
• Picture 35: Another view.
• Picture 36: Another view.

Thanks for dropping by!!!