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- Jul 24, 2023
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Trumpeter Puma (83863) set in the Gaza strip on the 00s.
This is the original Puma kit released by Trumpeter a number of years ago.
It's a lovely kit, but as with most kits we like to improve on I so here is what l have done to it.
Tracks were replaced with Bronco tracks.
Wheels were replaced with Accurate Armour ones.
The whole upper surfaces of the kit have had a sprinkle of crushed cat litter and before that l added a few lifting points on the casement roof, a guide for the OWS, resin printed handles from FC Model Trend in Spain was added to either side of the large crew hatch, and the engine deck.
I added straps to the hatch interiors, made three ''Z'' shaped handles to the hatch locks on the hull tops, (the instructions for the commander and OWS gunner hatches are wrong so beware).
I added a grab handle to the area between the ammunition rack and the large crew hatch.
Folding handles
The disc shaped mounts for GPMGs on the commanders hatch and the large rear hatch were removed and replaced, the gunmounts have been improved with rollers and gaps for the ammunition to feed out of the ammunition boxes have been added.
The Overhead Weapons Station also got worked on (note that the MG in the kit is different to the other three other MGs so l replaced the barrel and gas tube with the one from a spare GPMG)
I added electrical cable and re-did the ammunition feed like on the MGs on the swivel mounts.
I also drilled a hole on the lifting lugs and
I made a plate for the hull top in front of OWS as the moulded on one is wrong.
On the engine deck l added two sets of tool holders to the sides of the deck hump.
The hamper on the back deck has two mounts for the stretcher (Academy) a spade from the old Tamiya Merkava Mk 1 tank, a tube on the rear LH side, two Legend Production fire extinguishers and footman loops added for the straps.
Two triangle loops were added to the engine deck (FC Model Trend).
A square bracket from copper wire has been added to the louvres on the engine deck.
I acquired a few pieces of legend productions Puma update from a friend (all the cream resin bits.
I have added a couple of nuts an bolts all over the vehicle, wire for the headlights,
A spring bolt was added to the verticals wall beside the drivers hatch as well as a handle for the drivers hatch lock.
I also added a electrical conduit coming from beside the drivers hatch under a brass panel on the extreme RH side of glacis plate.
I replaced the conduit that goes across the glacis plate with some channel too.
Also added the missing lifting lug on the edge of the glacis plate add on armour. (They only added one for some reason...it also needs a hole drilled in it.
Stowage is a cooler box, Jerry cans, folding chairs a chain, a couple of rolls, two traffic cones, a ladder, a tarp and a 20mm ammunition box.
The crew are from MiniArt and MENG.
The hull and suspension units have had a coat of glue and ground cat litter applied and has had a coat of under coat sprayed on and a spray of sand yellow from a spray can (AK colour)
The hull and suspension units have had a coat of glue and ground cat litter applied and has had a coat of under coat sprayed on and a spray of sand yellow 93 from a spray can (humbrol).
I have painted the upper body of the Puma with Humbrol enamel 86 Olive green.
This was applied with a brush and let dry for three or four days.
I thinned Humbrol 86 Olive down to the consistency of water and brushed that onto the green, again letting it harden for a day or two, this give a nice faded look.
I then painted the bits and pieces with gloss red paint for the base for matt red paint.
The green in a few of the photos when l started weathering is off as l had the wrong light on taking the photos and did not realise it (silly me)
I then used Humbrol enamel 93 Sand Yellow diluted with white spirits as a wash the green and build up a layer of dust and grime.
This was done a panel at a time, it individualizes each part giving it its own unique look.
I let this dry all day and then used Humbrol enamel 72 and white to get that bright light dusting colour, again using the same technique as stated above.
I used this on the weapons and weapons mounts to give that typical IDF easy going look to the weapons....
I moved onto the side skirts, markings first.
The markings are done with stencils made from masking tape and white paint applied with a dry brush effect.
I didn't use the kit markings for two reasons,
1. I'm crap at using decals and 2. I wanted them to look different from the kit markings choice.
These were weathered with Humbrol Buff 72 and Revell white mixed and left to start going off and stippled into the areas where I wanted to show a build up of grime.
The stowage consists of a cooler box, a box or two of bottled water, two Jerry cans, two foldable seats, a rucksack and two sleeping bags and a role of barbed wire to the hamper on the back deck along with the ubiquitous foldable stretcher, this is an Academy one wit added handles.
The blue boxes on the left fender are the containers for the minefield boots.
The two bottom ones of the three stack are scratch built as no details are needed to be shown and l save two boxes for a future project.
I added straps to hold them in place.
A added a 20mm ammunition box beside them and a Danger Mines sign was tucked under a strap.
On the other side l put a couple of traffic cones.
I added two drinks bottles to the upper deck
Not much more to do.
This is the original Puma kit released by Trumpeter a number of years ago.
It's a lovely kit, but as with most kits we like to improve on I so here is what l have done to it.
Tracks were replaced with Bronco tracks.
Wheels were replaced with Accurate Armour ones.
The whole upper surfaces of the kit have had a sprinkle of crushed cat litter and before that l added a few lifting points on the casement roof, a guide for the OWS, resin printed handles from FC Model Trend in Spain was added to either side of the large crew hatch, and the engine deck.
I added straps to the hatch interiors, made three ''Z'' shaped handles to the hatch locks on the hull tops, (the instructions for the commander and OWS gunner hatches are wrong so beware).
I added a grab handle to the area between the ammunition rack and the large crew hatch.
Folding handles
The disc shaped mounts for GPMGs on the commanders hatch and the large rear hatch were removed and replaced, the gunmounts have been improved with rollers and gaps for the ammunition to feed out of the ammunition boxes have been added.
The Overhead Weapons Station also got worked on (note that the MG in the kit is different to the other three other MGs so l replaced the barrel and gas tube with the one from a spare GPMG)
I added electrical cable and re-did the ammunition feed like on the MGs on the swivel mounts.
I also drilled a hole on the lifting lugs and
I made a plate for the hull top in front of OWS as the moulded on one is wrong.
On the engine deck l added two sets of tool holders to the sides of the deck hump.
The hamper on the back deck has two mounts for the stretcher (Academy) a spade from the old Tamiya Merkava Mk 1 tank, a tube on the rear LH side, two Legend Production fire extinguishers and footman loops added for the straps.
Two triangle loops were added to the engine deck (FC Model Trend).
A square bracket from copper wire has been added to the louvres on the engine deck.
I acquired a few pieces of legend productions Puma update from a friend (all the cream resin bits.
I have added a couple of nuts an bolts all over the vehicle, wire for the headlights,
A spring bolt was added to the verticals wall beside the drivers hatch as well as a handle for the drivers hatch lock.
I also added a electrical conduit coming from beside the drivers hatch under a brass panel on the extreme RH side of glacis plate.
I replaced the conduit that goes across the glacis plate with some channel too.
Also added the missing lifting lug on the edge of the glacis plate add on armour. (They only added one for some reason...it also needs a hole drilled in it.
Stowage is a cooler box, Jerry cans, folding chairs a chain, a couple of rolls, two traffic cones, a ladder, a tarp and a 20mm ammunition box.
The crew are from MiniArt and MENG.
The hull and suspension units have had a coat of glue and ground cat litter applied and has had a coat of under coat sprayed on and a spray of sand yellow from a spray can (AK colour)
The hull and suspension units have had a coat of glue and ground cat litter applied and has had a coat of under coat sprayed on and a spray of sand yellow 93 from a spray can (humbrol).
I have painted the upper body of the Puma with Humbrol enamel 86 Olive green.
This was applied with a brush and let dry for three or four days.
I thinned Humbrol 86 Olive down to the consistency of water and brushed that onto the green, again letting it harden for a day or two, this give a nice faded look.
I then painted the bits and pieces with gloss red paint for the base for matt red paint.
The green in a few of the photos when l started weathering is off as l had the wrong light on taking the photos and did not realise it (silly me)
I then used Humbrol enamel 93 Sand Yellow diluted with white spirits as a wash the green and build up a layer of dust and grime.
This was done a panel at a time, it individualizes each part giving it its own unique look.
I let this dry all day and then used Humbrol enamel 72 and white to get that bright light dusting colour, again using the same technique as stated above.
I used this on the weapons and weapons mounts to give that typical IDF easy going look to the weapons....
I moved onto the side skirts, markings first.
The markings are done with stencils made from masking tape and white paint applied with a dry brush effect.
I didn't use the kit markings for two reasons,
1. I'm crap at using decals and 2. I wanted them to look different from the kit markings choice.
These were weathered with Humbrol Buff 72 and Revell white mixed and left to start going off and stippled into the areas where I wanted to show a build up of grime.
The stowage consists of a cooler box, a box or two of bottled water, two Jerry cans, two foldable seats, a rucksack and two sleeping bags and a role of barbed wire to the hamper on the back deck along with the ubiquitous foldable stretcher, this is an Academy one wit added handles.
The blue boxes on the left fender are the containers for the minefield boots.
The two bottom ones of the three stack are scratch built as no details are needed to be shown and l save two boxes for a future project.
I added straps to hold them in place.
A added a 20mm ammunition box beside them and a Danger Mines sign was tucked under a strap.
On the other side l put a couple of traffic cones.
I added two drinks bottles to the upper deck
Not much more to do.
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