Tamiya Citroen Avant CV11

With the decals dry and coated in Klear once more, I could finally set about, trashing.......... I mean, weathering the Citroen. I wanted an overall rusty look, just as you'd see with a car that had been hastily repainted in grey, not looked after, and then left to basically rot away. The grey paint would fade back, showing the light blue, and also the bare metal underneath. Then the bare metal would begin to oxidise. So I gave the whole car a wash of dilute Vallejo burnt umber from the Rust & Oil Pigment Set. As the wash was drying, I used a dry brush to create rain streaks.Then the rust areas had the same treatment as on the SD Kfz 250/10, see below. The holes on the wings looked especially effective (me thinks, anyway). The grill, as mentioned, received a variety of dry brushed silver enamel, and then more dry burnt umber pigment whilst the silver was still tacky. Then finally, everything had a muddy wash, as per every model i've made this year, by the way!!!.

Looking at the picture, I think I need a little more mud, and a little rust on the hub caps.

Seeing as the kit was fairly quick, just one sprue in the box, I might make another at sometime, but this time as a civilian owned model, and in concours condition, and display them in the same diorama.

Tamiya Citroen Avant - Body Building

With the simple interior assembled, painted and weathered, it was time to add the two parts of the body shell. First are the front wings, and then the main body fits in place. The fit is nice and snug, so no need for filling at all. Also added are the front doors, front grille, headlamps, spare wheel cover, filler cap and rear number plate holder. The bumpers received a little damage by gently bending at the ends. The fit was very good onto the bumper irons.
The new parts were then painted to match the body, and when completely dry, was covered in Klear, ready for the decals.

What a bulb!!

This is the headlamp case for the Citroen Avant. The wire is a couple of strands from a length of picture wire. It looks about the right gauge. I drilled through the bottom of the case, tied the two strands in a kind of knot, and threaded them through. The front of the headlamp case will be left hanging open so that the wires inside the lamp are visible. Then the other ends will be tied of through the hole already in the wing. The rusting should disguise the holes.
The wires will be painted black and red, although i'm not sure if thats historically correct.

Tamiya Citroen 11CV

After my success with the rust effect on the troop carrier, I though i'd be a liitle more adventurous with my next project. I'm writing this as I go, so it may not turn out as planned, but we'll see!!
I wanted the Citroen Avant 11CV to be a version of those used by the Germans, and so would be predominantly grey. There will be lots of rust, and damage, and hopefully a door hanging off its hinges. Also, one of the headlights will be hanging by its wires. I did look half-heartedly for a 1/35 scale skeleton to replace the driver, but gave changed my mind!!

First thing to do was to assemble the floor pan and front suspension. Just 5 pieces (of a 50 piece kit), and the painted with Vallejo smoke grey. After drying, the rust was applied in various degrees, and then the exhaust was fitted. Painted originally in a Humbrol rust matt, and then treated with the Vallejo Pigments. The whole floor the got a mud wash (although it needs some more I think......I'll do it before the final assembly).

Next on the list was the bodywork. I created a few dents and gouges with my dremel drill thing, and then thinned a few areas underneath the wheel arches where the rust would typically form. Then drilled a series of small holes through the arch, and finally thinned them further from the front until they began to join together. This gave the correct 'tin-worm' look I was after. My idea was to have the original colour showing through the grey and the rust, so I primered the body in an aqua blue matt enamel. The thoery is that if I gently rub back after i've painted the body in grey, some of the blue will show through. Vallejo also have an acrylic in a similar shade, so I might use that if I need to.

The front wings are dry fitted for now, and the grill will be painted silver over grey to give an effect of the chrome showing through the old paintwork.

The doors and bumpers will be fitted before the weathering.