Tamiya 135th M41 Walker Bulldog Step By Step Full Build

Tamiya 135th M41 Walker Bulldog Step By Step Full Build

The M41 US Tank Walker Bulldog model by Tamiya. This scale model tank is a departure for me. This will be the first piece of Vietnam era Armour that I’m turning my hand to. Quite a cheap little kit but should provide some nice painting and weathering practice.

Tamiya US Tank M41 Walker Bulldog 135th Scale Plastic Model Kit
Tamiya US Tank M41 Walker Bulldog.
The Hull And Turret For The M41 Walker Bulldog Scale Model
Upper And Lower Hull As Well As The Turret And Tracks.
Sprues For The Tamiya 135th Scale M41 Walker Bulldog Plastic Model
Sprues For The M41 Walker Bulldog Model.

As you can see there are not that many pieces so this should be quite a quick build.

Three Figures Included With The Tamiya M41 Tank Model
Figures Included With The Walker Bulldog Tank Model Kit.

I will be keeping the figures for later.

Attached The Parts To The Lower Hull Of The M41 Scale Model Tank
The Suspension And Bogies Are Precast On This Kit.

Nice and quickly the model starts to come together. The suspension and bogies are already cast so I just need to fit the wheels and idlers. Now that I have test fitted them I can remove them ready for painting.

Test Fitting The Road Wheels On The Tamiya 135th Scale M41 Walker Bulldog
Test Fitting The Road Wheels.
Tamiya M41 Plastic Model Tanks Wheels And Sprockets
The Wheels And Sprockets Sanded And Ready For Painting.
Final Parts Attached To The Lower Hull Of The Tamiya M41 Tank Model
Final Parts Attached To The Lower Hull.

Attaching the detailed parts to the hull of the M41 Walker Bulldog.

Fitted The Lights And Light Guards To The M41 Tank Scale Model
The Lights And Light Guards Fitted To The Top Of The Hull.
Gun Barrel Joined For The M41 Walker Bulldog Tank Scale Model
Gun Barrel Joined For The M41.
Gun Barrel Fitted To The Turret On The Tamiya Walker Bulldog Tank Model
Gun Barrel Fitted To The Turret.
Fitted The Hatches To The Turret Of The M$! Walker Bulldog Tank
Handles And Turret Hatches Fitted.

The turret has come together very nicely, all things considered, it is a pretty clean fitting kit. The detail is not amazing but remember, we are dealing with a kit form the 1970’s.

The Turret On The Walker Bulldog Scale Model Completed
The Turret Completed And Ready For Painting.
The M41 Walker Bulldog Model Proimed And A Coat Of Olive Drab
A Coat OF Olive Drab Down On The M41 Tank.

The M41 Scale Model Tank has been given an undercoat and then a lightened coat of olive drab. Next a coat of gloss varnish so I can apply the decals and start on the weathering.

Decal And Varnish Applied To The M41 Walker Bulldog 135th Scale Tank Model
A Coat Of Varnish And The Decals Have Been Applied.
The Rust Texture Has Been Applied To Parts Of The Hull
Applying Some Of The Rust Texture To Select Parts Of The Hull.
Working On The Rust On The Exhausts On The M41 Scale Model Tank
Using Some Different Rust Colours On Top Of The Texture Paint.
Painting Rust On The Suspension Of The Scale Model Tank
Working On The Rust Effects On The Lower Parts Of The Hull.

Applied some of the rust effects to the hull of the tank, now I can take my time finishing off the tracks and wheels. As always a nice peaceful little Sunday afternoon job.

Painting The Tracks And Wheels For The M41 Scale Model Tank
Sent Some Relaxing Time Painting The Tank Wheels And Tracks.

Now back to the hull and turret of the Tamiya M41 Walker Bulldog Tank Model. I have added some more rust colours and am trying to do some paint chipping using a brush rather than the hair spray technique. Only time will tell once the pigments and washes are done as to whether the chips look good or not.

Weathering And Paint Chipping On The Walker Bulldog Scale Model Tank
Getting On With Some Weathering And Paint Chipping.
Rust And Washes On The M41 Tamiya Scale Model
Working On Some Rust And Washes On The Hull Of The Tank.
Chipping And Rust On The Scale Model M41 Tank Turret
Chipping And Rust On The Turret Of The M41 Walker Bulldog Tank.

Now that the painting is done it’s onto the weathering. For this one, I want to go for a really muddy and rusty look, or as I like to say “musty”! I’m going with an oil wash to begin with, some enamel rust and then weathering pigments.

Making Some Scale Mud For The Tank Tracks
Making Some Scale Mud For The Tank Tracks.

I have made some “scale mud”. which is just like real mud but just smaller. With that applied to the body and tracks I just need to highlight it and apply some pigments.

The Tamiya Walker Bulldog Scale Model Completed
The Finished Tamiya M41 Scale Model Tank.
Dried Mud On The Tracks Of The M41 Tank
Dried Mud On The Tank Tracks.
Tracks On The Walker Bulldog Model Tank.
Mud Details On The Walker Bulldog Tank.
Turret Of The United States M41 Tank
Turret Of The United States M41 Tank.
Rusty Exhausts And The Barrel On The M41 Model
Rusty Exhausts And The Barrel On The M41 Model.
Tamiya 135th Scale M41 Walker Bulldog Model Tank
Tamiya 1/35th Scale M41 Walker Bulldog Model Tank.
More Detail On The Rear Of The Hull On The M41 Scale Model
More Detail On The Rear Of The Hull.
M41 Model Turret Details
Details On The M41 Turret.
Muddy Tracks And Wheels On The M41 Model Tank
Muddy Tracks And Wheels On The M41 Model Tank.
Tamiya M41 Tank Weathered
Tamiya M41 Tank Weathered.
Walker Bulldog Tank By Tamiya
Walker Bulldog Tank By Tamiya.
Headlights On The M41 Scale Model
Headlights On The M41 Scale Model.
The M41 Tank Model From Tamiya
The M41 Tank Model.
Vietnam Era M41 American Tank
Walker Bulldog M41 Vietnam Era Tank.
The M41 Model Tank From Above
The M41 Model Tank From Above.
The Rusty Exhausts On The Tamiya 135th Scale M41 Tank
The Rusty Exhausts.
Bodywork On The M41 American Tank
Bodywork On The M41 American Tank.
Tamiya M41 Tank Close Up Details On The Headlights
Close Up Details On The Headlights.
Walker Bulldog Close Up Details On The Turret
Close Up Details On The Turret.
More Turret Details On The M41 Tank Model By Tamiya
More Turret Details.
Close Up Details On The Exhaust And Rear Hull Of The M41 Tank
Close Up Details On The Exhaust.
The Front Of The Turret On The M41 Tank Model.
Front Of The Turret.
Close Up Details Of The Muddy Tracks On The Tamiya M41 Walker Bulldog
Close Up Details Of The Muddy Tracks.
Mud On The Tank Tracks Of The Walker Bulldog
Mud On The Tank Tracks.
Completed Tamiya M41 Walker Bulldog Tank
Completed Tamiya M41 Walker Bulldog Tank.
The Walker Bulldog Tank
The Walker Bulldog Tank.
M41 Walker Bulldog Tracks And Wheels
Tracks And Wheels.

So that is this project put to bed. I’m pretty happy with the end result. I think the weathering has gone very well. If you want to try your hand at this Tamiya 1/35th Scale U.S Army M41 Walker Bulldog Model Tank, you can pick one up by CLICKING HERE.

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE TAMIYA M41 WALKER BULLDOG

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