WW I British Tank MARK IV by Tamiya

[Proud Kraut]

Welcome to another modeling project! When I saw this model some months ago I couldn´t resist. I always wanted to build some WW I Tank (or dio). This Tamiya 1/35 scale kit comes with a set of 5 figures (which scream for a dio) and is motorized (which makes no sence with a dio) so we´ll see. I´ll start with some box art and a first view into the box...

 

 

 

 

[RRA227]

Never seen that kit.  Rich A. in Pa.

[Proud Kraut]

I don´t know when the set was released but the manual is marked with "copyright 2014". I started with the hull, battery case and gearbox.

 

 

[Preppy Picker]

Looking forward to the figure assembly.

[Gunner87]

That's great Proud Kraut, thanks for sharing and looking board to see the progress.

 

For any of our members that didn't know the British Mark I, which the Mark IV was derived from, was the first ever tank to see combat. The Male Mark IV was armed two six pounder guns and four .303 Lewis guns while with Female Mark IV was armed with six Lewis machine guns.

 

Gunner ...

[Proud Kraut]

Thanks PP and thanks to Gunner for these additional informations. Beside this fact (first tank) I love the iconic shape of the MARK tank.

The model hasn´t too much parts, most of them are wheels.

 

 

 

 

[Proud Kraut]

Assembling of the guns and the hull. Some parts are removeable e.g. for replacing the battery.

 

 

[Gunner87]

6 hours ago, Proud Kraut said:

Assembling of the guns and the hull. Some parts are removeable e.g. for replacing the battery.

 

 

 

Looks great. 

 

You guys may know of this 1945 photograph, one of a number, taken in Berlin and showing a Mark V Composite (Hermaphrodite), tank number 9146. Apparently there were two found in Berlin at that time, the second being Mark V Female. They had originally been donated by Britain to the White Russians but on defeat were taken by the Soviets and stood as gate guardians at Smolensk until the German invasion, after which they were taken to Berlin as trophies.

 

Gunner  

 

 

 

[Proud Kraut]

Gunner, this is an awesome photo, I haven´t seen it before. Great background info, thanks!

 

I´m nearly done with the MARK now. Building it was much fun, as usual with Tamiya kits, the fitting of the parts was perfect. Here are some more pics.

 

 

 

 

[RRA227]

Looks great.  Rich A. in Pa.

[Proud Kraut]

Tank and Infantry now under a first coat of grey primer.

 

 

[Gunner87]

1 hour ago, Proud Kraut said:

Tank and Infantry now under a first coat of grey primer.

 

 

 

Coming along nicely. It must have been a huge shock to the German troops who faced the tank in 1916.

 

ps for our members that weren't aware, though I'm sure most are. The 'tank' got it's name from its resemblance to a water tank which they were said to be before the initial deployment!

 

Please keep us updated as you progress.....

 

Gunner

[Proud Kraut]

Base color of the MARK IV is Vallejo 71.030 "Brown Green", highlighted (barely visible on the photo) with 71.031 "Middlestone".

 

 

[RRA227]

Looks great so far.   Rich A. in Pa.

[ArtyScout]

This is coming along nicely. I like the fact that it came with the 5 figures.

 

Semper Fi.

 

Manny

[The Meatcan]

great progress, Lars. Looking forward to seeing a video of your build "in action"  😀

Terry

[Old Marine]

Another great build from a top notch model maker.  It looks great.  Do the tracks work?  

[Proud Kraut]

Thank you all for your kind comments! Yes, the tracks do work. At this point they are in the paintshop.

[Gunner87]

On 10/5/2023 at 6:40 PM, Proud Kraut said:

Thank you all for your kind comments! Yes, the tracks do work. At this point they are in the paintshop.

 

Came across these three photographs today on Facebook. They depict captured Mark IV tanks being repaired, apparently in the BAKP 20 facility at Monceau sur Sambre, a suburb of Charleroi, Belgium.

 

 

[Proud Kraut]

These are some fantastic photographs, thanks for sharing!

[Proud Kraut]

It took some time, but I think I´m done with the tracks now. After building and washing I airbrushed them with a dark grey primer. I then applied some red brown and orange brown acrylic color to avoid a monotone base color. The mud was done with two different pigment colors. I started with the lighter “European dust” for dry mud and then applied “Burnt Umber” for wet mud (one can mix it with pieces of static grass as well). I used a sand color enamel wash as a medium. When everything has dried, I used a soft piece of cloth to apply “Dark Steel” pigments. Then I “sealed” the pigments on the tracks with matt acrylic varnish. When the tracks were dry again I finally drybrushed them with Vallejo aluminium color. Some pictures.

 

 

[RRA227]

Looks great.  Rich A. in Pa.

[ArtyScout]

Exquisite work on those tracks Lars. They look like they have been on a tank running around "no man's land". That process for your tracks should be pinned as a tutorial.

 

Semper Fi.

 

Manny

[Proud Kraut]

Thank you both! Good idea, Manny. I will work on it.

[Proud Kraut]

Washes and fading. The tank received an acrylic color wash "burnt brown" from Tensocrom. After the wash has dried I applied small spots of oil colors (black, burnt umber, red brown and light yellow) with a toothpick. With a flat brush and a little bit of terpentine I painted the spots vertically. The advantage of the oil colors is that they dry so slowly. If you don´t like the result you can modulate the colors with more terpentine or add more color spots etc.