While I'm mostly an airplane guy, I have had fun building armor models before, and of course, there aren't any canopies to mask. 
Why have I been futzing around with those planes when I could be working on the heavy metal!?! 
For the first time in 25 years or more, I've started work on a tank model, Tamiya's 1/35 M41 Walker Bulldog. That tank was always one of my favorites, just based on its rather "sporty" look. I've had the kit for many years and have almost begun it several times before but now, I'm all in.
Thus far, I've done the road wheels and return rollers and they only require some weathering now. I have attached most of the small parts on the hull and turret and have been working on the "canvas" mantlet cover so often seen on the Bulldog. The kit instructions have a "tutorial" on making one from the box-wrap cellophane, involving two different sized threads, etc. I tried to replicate my cover with PVA-soaked tissue. I've used that technique before to good effect on tarps but this multi-angled mantlet cover proved much more challenging for me. After several attempts, I've stopped. It's fully painted and weathered, needing only a flat clear coat.
The canvas cover was held in place by steel rods with short clamps; the clamps bolted to the turret top and the rod held the canvas down. I've tried to replicate that with plastic rod and aluminum "clamps". I hope to glue a Grandt Line nut on top of each clamp after I get them glued down. They aren't exact copies of course, but I think they'll look okay when painted in the tank's color. There is one long rod across the top and two shorter assemblies on each vertical side-face. I haven't made the short ones yet. Here, it's merely laying across the "tarp"; I'll glue it down to the canvas and then press each "clamp" piece to the turret top when it's attached for good.
I'm doing a Bulldog of ARVN forces. They were the ones who used the M41 in combat most and scored several kills against NVA T54/55 tanks. All of the many photos of them in ARVN use show a dark green color, with lot's of mud on the lower surfaces and rather dusty on top. I picked out a darker green last night just to spray up to the canvas to check the contrast. I don't think that's the final shade of green though. I could sure use some suggests in that area. I had a bottle of ModelMaster Dark Green enamel that seemed pretty close to the photos, but it had turned to gel.
I have a bottle of Model Master enamel in RLM 81 that looks like a good dark green color to begin with on this tank. I want to try several new weathering techniques and some varying shades of green will be tried too.
Here are a few pics to demonstrate my progress after a few days of sporadic activity. It feels good to see something taking shape and I hope to get some paint on her soon!
Here's the cover before any painting was tried:
This is a bit truer color, with no additional lighting at all:
That's all I have so far folks! Thanks for having a look at the Bulldog's progress!
Yeah, I'm already really missing Model Master paints. I hate that I can't replace them anymore as they're used up, or turn bad. I've never had any issues with using that paint; I guess it's always been MM or Humbrol for me and perhaps even more Humbrol from here on. Is there another line of enamel paint with lot's of choices? I'm a little hesitant to pay those Ebay prices for Model Master these days!