Syrian T-55

category Scale models
scale 1/48
modifications Rebar cage, tarps from epoxy putty, 3D printed stowage and rubble
eraModern
brand Tamiya
finished in 2021

This is kinda one of the most important models of my life. When I started building it, I was at the top of my focus, skills, and energy. But just before the end, I had a terrible mountain biking accident which caused me to walk on crutches for 8 months.

I still remember that moment. The night before the accident, I started weathering the lower hull with earth tones and grime effects. It was extremely fun and I got it done very quickly, so I also weathered the wheels. I went to bed, planning to finish the same effects on the rest of the model the next evening. It was a hot summer, so I spent the day mostly outside and in the afternoon, I decided to visit my local bike shop and go for a quick trail ride. And just a few hours later, a helicopter was carrying me in a net.

It took me about 3 weeks before I managed to recover just enough so I could sit at the workbench with a huge cast that went from my toes to my pelvis. But what was worse, I completely lost my grip and confidence, and it couldn’t happen at a worse time. You see, earth effects are the final layer of weathering that can make or break a model… and I was attempting them at my lowest!

In fact, when I look back at it, this injury started the lowest point of my life. I was a completely useless human being, but I had the privilege of my family taking care of me. Once I was able to walk on my own again, I realized some things had to change, and it started a brand new chapter of my life!

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