Insanely busy at work but I did have enough time this past weekend to mess around with MERDC on an M1. So yes, another foray into painting MERDC (Mobility Equipment Research Design Command) Camouflage on my vehicles. In this case, I've been redoing my Americans in MERDC camouflage not because I think it's historic, but because I think it looks cool. If you saw the M109 platoon pictures, you know I've been using the Federal Standard 595 [
click] paints for the scheme. You cannot get more official than that!
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| Zvezda "Art of Tactic" M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank. |
This tank turned out OK but the "lines" of sand turned out a little thick. That's because I initially used the wrong color (khaki, not sandstone) on them. While Dave assured me I was OK, I had to have it match the M109 Howitzers. For this former artilleryman though, it's probably fitting that the Howitzers are painted the nicest!😀
The plan is to do the entire M1 Tank Company in MERDC, along with the supports as well, including the mech infantry. That's 10 M1 tanks, 4 M113 APCs, the FSO in a M113 APC, 2 x ITV TOW launchers, and 2 x M163 Vulcans. A respectable Team Yankee force.
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| Moving down a dusty tank trail at Grafenwoehr. |
And since you've probably all been wondering just what's up with the WW3 project - I started redoing my 1/285 M1s in MERDC as well. Unfortunately the blue tac doesn't go on or come off as easily on microarmor so I have to do them by hand...
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| GHQ M1 tank in MERDC |
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| Scale comparison. I hate breaking my own rules but sometimes you just have to play a game with hundreds of tanks and troops. The Microarmor is the best scale for the World War III battles coming up. |
That's all for tonight. Stay tuned - more posts coming if I can get the lead out. Here's a hint at what's on the horizon
"night or the Prussians!"
Having painted the real thing in MERDC as a young troop, I no longer need the TB lol Nice job here, well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks Don! That's outstanding! Nothing beats the real thing.
DeleteExcited now:
ReplyDeleteExcellent MERDC and Waterloo hint in the same post?
You tease us sir, you tease us!
All will be revealed in time, sir! All in good time! Watch this space.
DeleteExcellent work in the MERDC pattern (although as an old 19K it still strikes me as odd on the Abrams). That said, using the pattern on a 1/285 scale M1 means they can work as a Korean K-1 in a pinch as the patterns basically match. I recently used an old painting guide to do the pattern on my Son's tree-house and it turned out great.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dartfrog. Ive seen sone pics of M1s in MERDC but very rare. Most ive seen from europe were forest green or 3 color NATO. I tanked on M1s in college with the guard. Ours were 3 color NATO scheme.
DeleteId love to see a tree house in MERDC! Pretty awesome.