Happiness Is Manditory

1/20 Maschinen Krieger Zbv 3000
SDR Melusine
Wave Corp

Instructions and Reference Pictures are available

I have been out of modeling for a year or so due to various reasons, but I have been itching to start back. I saw the Melusine had be release so I thought it would help me jump start back in to modeling. I pick this kit over some in my stash because I just like the Ma. K look and I get to weather the model quite a bit. Weathering is one of my favorite parts of modeling.

Finished September 14 2011 This was a very fun model to do, much like my polar bear. I ended up really liking the space/urban camo scheme. This was the first time I used sponge chipping and it is an OK method but I like the results of salt chipping a lot better. But the sponge method has some benefits and I know I will use it again. I left the “gun hose” off because I thought it looked a bit flimsy for the model. If it has been a hose like for legs I would have done it. I also left the antenna off because it looked to dainty as well. I figured if you had a suit of battle armor running the buildings the antenna would get knocked off quite often so I left it off. I am quite happy with model and I will probably keep an eye out for any other Ma.K models.

Open Box Review
The Melusine is a pretty cool kit. Fluff wise it supposed to base off of the Gustav armor and they did some updates and redesign it. So in the real world most of the spurs are from Gustav kits, with two spurs for Melusine kit parts. They seem really well designed and made well I see no flash to be cut off. This is the first kit I have ever used that metal parts and wires. That should be a new experience. I may have enough parts left over of the Gustav to make a torso and do a little diorama scene or they may go to the bits box only time will tell.

Spure Shots

Planning
I will probably do a white and gray large and sharp edge camo. Even though it is ground base I am going to do a space/urban camo style. I will paint it so I can open the hatch and hope while I paint it that it will now get sealed shut. I am not goring for a grimy look but more worn look with a lot of pings around the armor edge and scrapes like the suite is used a lot.

Paints and Tools used so far.
Paints:	Spray Paint Kryon White Primer Air Brush Vallejo 907 Pale Grey Blue (Base Color) Vallejo 869 basalt Grey (Dark Camo) Model Master Acryl 4624 Turn Signal Amber (Stripe) Hand Brushed Vallejo 818 Red Leather (Seat Padding) Vallejo 863 Gunmetal Grey (interior of cockpit) Model Master Acryl 4852 Green Zinc Chromate (Cockpit sensors) Vallejo 984 Flat Brown (Seat Padding Wash) Model Master Acryl 4675 Rust (Chips) Model Master Acryl 4679 Steel (Chips) Vallejo Model Color 891 Intermediate Green (sensors) Vallejo Model Color 817 Scarlet (sensors) Pollyscale F505204 Grimmy Black Tamiya Weathering Master Set B Additives: Liqutex Slow Dri Liqutex Flow Aid Mr Mark Softer Mr Mark Setter
Tools:	Cutter Exacto Knife Files Sandpaper Mr Surfacer 500 Tamiya Extra Thin Cement

Things I have learned from this kit so far.
I tried sponge chipping for the first time. It works and looks OK, I just like the salt chipping a little better.

Work In progress Shots

7-17-11 Started working on it and so far it is pretty straight forward. I just used Testors cement for most of the gluing but where I wanted a seamless joint I use Tamyia thin cement so I could squeeze the pieces together to make them bead so there would be less sanding. I have a homemade mix of Green Putty and acetone (Finger Nail polish remover) so it is very thin. It works pretty well you just have to shake it up between each use. I used 500 grain sand paper followed by 1500 grain paper so you should not see any sanding marks when primed. I did them in bulk pieces so the painting would be easier. Now to glue all the little bits on.

7-21-11 Did a little more work sanding and puttying the gaps. Did a test fit of all the parts and arms did not look right. The elbows looked to weak for me. Looked around the net and noticed most people had sculpted them in. I remembered I had some Milliput I had bought a while ago and never used. So I thought I would try it out. It was easy enough to use, very thankful it could be smoothed with water. Once I had smoothed it out I used the back of a hobby knife blade to smooth cut grooves so it looked like a flexible tubing joint. It looks ok I am just not that good a sculpting. I noticed my model did not ship with the “hose” for the gun arm. Ticks me off but it least it is not a critical part and I could make something work for it. I primed the model with Krylon white primer. I had a little super glue leak out on to the screen of the back panel. I think will do something to make to look like dirt. Now for the hard part, deciding what colors to paint it.

7-24-11 Once I built my new spray booth. Ok rigged is a better word for it. I had to test it out. So I decided to do my base coat. I used Vallejo 907 Pale Grey Blue because I did not want a stark white base color this one had just enough grey to look right. I need paint the interior of the cockpit so I and put the hatch on it to the do urban camo scheme I have in mind. I just used Vallejo 818 Red Leather as the base color, and did a wash with Vallejo 984 Flat Brown to give it some depth and lose the monotone color. It took be a little bit come up with an interior color. It would me sense it would the same color as the base exterior color but to me it would just look unpainted. So decide on Vallejo 863 Gunmetal Grey so it would be a bit dark and look like metal. I then painted all the sensors with Model Master Acryl 4852 Green Zinc Chromate . Then did a final coat of future floor wax for shinny look on the seat. Now to seal the cockpit so I do not get over spray in the cockpit or paint it shut.

7-27-11 I wanted an urban/space camo kind of look so I decided on a white and grey with hard lines and edges. Coming up with the shapes was kind of hard. But once I figured out the shape and pattern I just had to tape it off. For the most part it went well. I burnished all the seams to help with paint seepage. I still had a blow under and stuff. But once I dirty it up with weather you should not be able to notice. But I did have the tape pull up the paint on top of the torso. I should be able to hand paint that to fix it. Now to paint a caution strip on it and I should be able to seal it and start the detail painting.

8-29-11 I wanted to a do a strip around the model because it wanted it have a little something else to give it a bit of color. All of my yellows were bright so I pick up some Model Master Acryl 4624 Turn Signal Amber it was a bit lighter than I wanted once it dried and had a metallic sheen to it. I knew my next step was chipping and so I went ahead a coat the model in a clear matte. This took care of the sheen and it made it look a lot better. I also painted the red and green external sensors to give them a bit of color as well. I tried a new type of chipping with a sponge. It works ok but I am not a fan of it. I could see where it would work great on edges and seams but not in the middle of a smooth area. Basically you cut the sponge in to small pieces and pick on to dip in some paint and then wipe of most if it and just dab it round the model. The uneven edges of the sponge make a random pattern. First I used 4679 Steel to do fresh chips around a edges where paint would chip. Then I did a few extra dabs here and there. I then did the same with the gunmetal Grey and the Rust. Then used the Pale Grey Blue that was my base color to put chips in the dark grey and Yellow to make that paint looked chipped. In the end it looks ok I am not happy with it but once I do my washes it should look a better and more cohesive. Next to due the decals and weather them.

9-10-2011 after doing all the chipping, I Clear coated the model with Krylon Gloss to help keep the slivering down on the decals. I just used the Setter and Softer as directed. Put the setter on the spot where the decal will go, slide the decal on to the spot and move it into place. I then used a napkin to soak up the extra water and setter. Let it dry for a while then put the Softer on it and let it dry over night. The softer helps remove any slivering and lets’ the decal settle in to any cracks. I used a lot of the little text decals on any anything like a panel or a good place to loss a finger. After the decals dried I took some 400 grit sand paper and very lightly went over the decals. This removed tiny bits and pieces. My only advice is to use a very light touch. They come off pretty easy and you don’t want to remove too much at a time. If you use an even finer grit like 800 or 1000 you can “fade” the decal without making it looked chipped. I then used Krylon Clear Flat to seal the decals. I then did a heavy wash with Polly scale F505204 Grimmy Black to make it appear grease worn and grimy. Did a little extra grime around the “gas” tank lid and did my best to make it look streaks from spilled fuel. I then did a rust wash in the seems and panels to make it look like water had started rusting the seams of the metal. That was it for the night and should finish it up and in the next day or so.

9-12-11 I used the Tamiya Weathering Master Set B to do the finishing touches on the weathering. Mainly I used the soot and rust. Mostly I added to the engine area and feet, but I did do a little here and there on the larger pieces to help break the mono-tone of the area. I attached the power cables to the legs and dry brushed them silver and then over them with dry brushing of rust. I painted the cock pit but I have not painted the man inside. I may do that later but for now I am going to call it finished.

Contact me at josborn@happinessismandatory.com