Hi everyone, welcome to today’s continuation of the multi-part tutorial on modeling of a tank. This is the fifth part of a multi-part tutorial on creating a military tank. Today, we look at using simple primitives, polygon editing mode, hinge from edge tool, and attach tool to add create a model of a tank exhaust fan, and attach it to the body of the tank.

Create tank exhaust fan

1. right-click perspective view

2. Alt + MMB (middle mouse button) drag, to arc rotate perspective view, till see back of tankbody object

3. click select tab of command panel

4. click Box button

5. ensure AutoGrid is checked

6. click and drag, then drag again to create box object on back of tankbody object

7. press W, to select move tool

8. change y coordinate to 0

9. select modify tab

10. change dimensions of box object to more closely fit reference image in front viewport

11. set length segs to 3, width segs to 4, and height segs to 1

12. right-click front viewport

13. right-click box object, and select Convert To > Convert to Editable Poly

14. click + sign beside Editable Poly in modifier stack, and select Polygon, to enter polygon editing mode

15. right-click front viewport

16. click and drag selection marquee, to include polygons at the back of the box object

17. right-click selected polygons in perspective view, and select Inset dialog box

18. select Inset Type of By Polygon

19. decrease Inset Amount to more closely fit edges of the outer polygons, then click OK

20. right-click left viewport

21. right-click view menu, select Views > Right, to change current viewport to Right viewport

22. press Alt, and click and drag selection marquee to surround the lower two bottom rows of polygons, which be be deselected, leaving only the top row of polygon selected

23. right-click perspective viewport

24. right-click selected polygons, select Hinge from Edge dialog box

25. enter angle of 30

26. click Pick Hinge, and select appropriate edge to use as hinge (see video), and click OK

27. click, and then ctrl+click each appropriate polygon at the middle row of the box, to select them

28. enter angle of 30

29. click Pick Hinge, and select appropriate edge to use as hinge (see video), and click OK

30. click, and then ctrl+click each appropriate polygon at the bottom row of the box, to select them

31. enter angle of 30

32. click Pick Hinge, and select appropriate edge to use as hinge (see video), and click OK

Attach tank exhaust fan to body of tank

1. right-click box object, select Convert To > Convert to Editable Poly

2. right-click the right viewport

3. click + sign beside Editable Poly

4. select Polygon, to enter polygon editing mode

5. click and drag a selection marquee about polygons on the right ‘half’ of the box object, to select polygons on the right ‘half’ of the object

6. press Delete, to delete selected polygons

7. click Editable Poly in the modifier stack, to enter object editing mode

8. select tankbody object

9. click Editable Poly in the modifier stack

10. right-click tankbody object, and select Attach, then click on box object (which is now a model of the tank exhaust fan), to attach the tankbody object and box object together, so the tankbody object now ALSO consists of the box object

11. click Symmetry modifier in the modifier stack, to select the final object, with Symmetry modifier applied on it