Metal Slug SV-001/I Tank

       

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Original Kit:
Metal Slug SV-001/I
Made By:
Wave (kit #GM-023)
Scale:
1/24
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SV-001/I Tank from Metal Slug
Metal Slug SV-001/I Tank turret top Metal Slug SV-001/I Tank turret side Metal Slug SV-001/I Tank minigun Metal Slug SV-001/I Tank front Metal Slug SV-001/I Tank searchlight Metal Slug SV-001/I Tank rear

 
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I picked this up not knowing exactly what to expect - it looked to be a neat little kit with some killer box art, though not terribly complicated. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of detail looking at the parts trees, but as a chibi tank based on a 90s video game it seemed OK. Then I actually started work on it.

What at first appeared to be a super simple bunch of parts was actually a very clever layering of subassemblies to create a much more complex model. Fit and finish were outstanding, with minimal parting lines and no sign of flash or ejector pin marks. Assembling parts was just as nice, with everything fitting together snugly enough that glue was a mere formality in places. If I had any complaint, it is with the wheels: Wave made the inner wheels separate parts, but the outer wheels were cast as part of the treads. It was the only part of the kit that seemed poorly planned, since the inner wheels were all but hidden and the outer wheels were much more difficult to paint this way.

Speaking of paint: everything was cast in the correct colors, so if you just wanted to build it with what came in the kit it would look fine. But I wanted to jazz it up a bit. The hull, turret, and other details were all hit with a light coat of Model Master's SAC Bomber Green, while the tracks were painted Tamiya TS-38 Gunmetal. Everything was then hit with Dullcote, and the weathering began.

Per my usual rules regarding military vehicles, I didn't want to go too heavy and make this look like a wasteland relic, but I did want to show some evidence of time in the field. Edges were highlighted with various Tamiya Weathering Effects, and chalk and charcoal were used to enhance the shadows. Graphite was used for high-wear areas, including the end of the barrel, wheels, and tow hooks. The exhausts were done in several shades of rust-colored paint, then hit with a bit more graphite and charcoal to give them a proper worn look. The treads were the most heavily weathered, with a layered drybrushing of steel, silver, and aluminum paints.

The kit supplied a sticker sheet for the various markings, but that didn't feel right after everything I'd done so far. The triangles on the sides of the turret were recreated as waterslide decals, the main light was backed with a chrome painted reflector, and the green light above the barrel was colored with a green Sharpie marker. The headlights and taillights were replaced with small craft gems, clear for the front and red and yellow for the back.

 

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