I’m building a rocky desert base for a Tiger 1, but the natural rock I imbedded in the water putty sand is too tall. The treads are flexed around it (a desired effect) but the rear part of the tread is noticeably off the ground. Since the tank is posed in a non-action scenario (crew on the ground etc), I’m wondering if a tank driver would ever stop his tank in such an elevated position? It looks a little odd. Altho it would allow me to sag the back 1/4 of the lower tread for a little extra realism. Or is it just overall wrong? FYI - I tried to grind the natural rock down a little, but I must have found some mineral 1 notch below diamond; I barely scratched it and my Dremel wheels got the abuse.
Anybody? Anybody?
i think i can envision it but a picture would help
Yeah a photo would definitely help!
Though I have no military experience, I would think that, with almost certain confidence that a tank driver would never park on rock like that if at rest. I would think it would stress the track pins, perhaps, and risk damage?
So, I take it that the model is firmly glued down then?
can you build up under the hanging part of the track til it touches and make it look like drifted sand around the rock, then redo the track marks on the ground? That way you still have the flex factor, but not hanging in air.
Ye, a pic would help. But from what you have said, no, if possibly you would not want to park like that, especially if moving forward a few feet would put you on a flat service.
dog makes a good point, and while it would be up to the commander as when and where to stop, the driver would be responsible for making sure the vehicle was stopped safely and in a stable position.
i agree it’s highly unlikely, especially in the desert. i could see it happening in a tree line when the options may be a lot less. think of a car. when the tanks stop the crew are checking oil levels and, like a car, you want to be level to get an accurate reading. and it makes sleeping on the turret roof more difficult if you are slanted.
happy new year to all
I can’t imagine when you would park a vehicle like that. The underside is one of the lightest armored areas on a tank and it should never be exposed if possible.
Assuming the driver did manage to put it there, when it came time to get off the rock, it could slide towards the treads which could cause damage to the tracks and wheels and leave the vehicle crippled. When I drove M-113s in the Air Force, we never let them get more exposed than necessary.
If worse comes to worst, you can pick up some diamond coated cutting disks for your Dremel on eBay for just a couple bucks. That ought to cut through whatever rock you’ve managed to put onto your diorama.
Thanks for the tips and clarifications. I ended up chipping the top of the rock off. Much harder than I thought it would be. It’s now just high enough to bend the treads and bogeys up. I still want to sink the treads into the sand a little. No, the tank is not glued down yet. I actually plan on wiring in down through holes in the tank bottom and then the the base. Then hiding wire to pull the upper sagging sections down a little.