The steel one is ready to use. I removed the old paint and the rust, paint it twice with primer against rust and another two times black paint. I would like to suggest me what decals to put on.
About the brass one. I am wondering whether is better to remove all the paint and polish it, or remove the old paint and paint it again black with new decals.
Something came up to my mind. I am thinking of polishing the brass where the paint is left. Let the paint as is and add decals. Shine underneath the paint that has left. I think it is interesting. I will talk with John for the proper decals.
Yes now that you are saying so a picture comes to my mind. Somewhere I have seen a blue tank of this type with the big white font. I bought it as black with no decals though. So I repainted black. I think the blue tank fits the model with the recoil start and mine doesn't have.
That's an interesting one. I have a black tank with the sailor man logo - old style - and I have a blue tank with the same decal. The decal design was instigated by Conran's (Habitat etc) in a bid to make the firm more 'modern' as was the blue colour and the change to 25:1.
I have never before seen a black tank with that logo as issued but I have got 2 102 tanks with it, both black. I understand that repainting and redecalling tanks was part of the rebuilding service, but you always got the newer decals. On that basis one must assume that the decals are later than the tank.
If you had a motor converted to 25:1 the factory would send it back with a blue tank.
I like the shape of the small steel tank. I hate its rustiness.