My first model. Slow work so far but I haven’t screwed anything up real bad yet. I know this is probably the most frequently built armor model and there are alot of previous questions and answers (I’ve reviewed most of the previous posts to avoid asling repeat questions), but:
Forward lifting eyes. I am going to try to fabricate some from copper wire. Should they have a stem which I would insert into a drilled hole or will CA glue on the surface work with a plain round ring?
Headlight guards. One from the kit was broken so I’ll attempt my first metal fabrication and soldering. The back support of the frame was actually angle iron, does anyone have a handy trick to duplicate angle iron? Would any of the accomplished builders actually try to form angle iron that size with an Ausfwerks Fenderbender and brass shim-stock thinner than PE material?
Tool rack starboard side forward: should the aft end of it be on top of the first sponson bin or flat on the fender as per the kit instructions?
Would the fender supports forward (2 each side, one on top and one inside by headlights) be easier to make from plastic, or thin metal with the Fenderbender?
Loaders periscope: the kit has just a small raised flat plate in front of the loaders hatch. DId that periscope raise and lower so this could be in a lowered position or is this detail simply missing from this kit?
What were the tall supports for in front of the driver hatch? If I can cobble something together from plastic round stock and flatbar would any of the “old pros” here try to top them with a smaller bolt and nut? Would anyone know the actual location dimensions?
And now for a genuinely foolish question: who much would a 1/35 model weigh if the orgional vehicle weight were 40,000 lbs and the weight were also “scaled down”?
Have camera, tiny tripod and a new photobucket account, when I clean the living room enough to find the computer connection cable I will post some WIP photos for your entertainment!
Good first kit to start on armor with. Here are some answers.
AJ already answered this one for you. To reinforce his answer, the drilled holes will be stronger, but flush mount should hold just fine as long as you don’t actually attempt to lift it by them.
I would make them out of plastic myself. Plastruct has scale angle iron available in their lines.
The tool rack should be totally on the fender, not overlapping the sponson box.
See #2
The periscope does go up and down with a moving cover over the opening. The kit is correct.
The poles are supports for the hatch when it is open. There were no bolts or any other parts on top of the poles.
Oh, only about 1,143 lbs. I think the couple pounds it weighs in plastic is much better than a scale weight.
I know this is 1/35th of the weight, but wouldn’t there be a significantly greater weigh loss as the componements became smaller? A cubic foot of steel, according to www.mesteel.com and this model would be much less than a cubic foot in size.
Thanks guys. I hadn’t thought of a “J” shape for the lifting rings, that will be easier.
Sigh,… another order from Plastruct, not a problem though. They have excellent service and more “warehouse stock” will be here next week. First I ordered sheet to fill in under the sponsons and some flat bar for general work, then I ordered round stock and hex stock to make rivet heads or bolt heads (someday I’ll get to the M3 Lee & Grant). Third order from Plastruct was half-round for reinforcing outside the sponsons, and more sizes of sheeting, round stock and flat bar. This 4th order will be angle iron and more of everything else, some square stock would have been handy for filling the large gaps between the hull and deck (front portion fit well but aft there was over 1/16 inch open).
“I think I’ll build a model, I always wanted to build a couple of nice models” WOW was that taking the bait on a sharp hook! It’s fun but alot more of it is organization and “philosophy of the build” than I anticipated.
This should be able to answer your questions as to detailing your model. By the way, Gino is incorrect. A 1/35 model would be the cube root of the 1/35 of the 1:1 actual’s weight – not just 1/35 of the total.
C’mon Gino! Use that US Army training! You’re an artillery guy – one of the smart ones! You’re lettin’ us down!!! (LOL)
When you look at the “scale” of a model, you have to consider that each dimension (height, width, length) is reduced from the original by the same proportion.
So in volumetric terms, a 1/35th scale model, being 1/35th the length, height and width of the original, is 1/42875 the volume of the original. I don’t know if you could apply the same methodology to calculate the weight, but it seems more correct, assuming the density of the material remained constant.
Sorry Roy, haven’t had to do any scale weight calculations in order to deliver steel on target. If you want me to hit a certain target at a certain time and acheive a desired effect, I can do that math all day. No problem.
From the photos I’ve seen, there do seem to bolts on top of the supports or at least the one on the left, perhaps to act as levelling adjustment. The photo below shows it clearly, and I’ve seen the same thing on other M41’s, so I don’t think that it is an M41 vs M41A1 idiosyncrasy.
I will be spending the next couple of evenings working around the drivers hatch; now making a paper template to locate the supports and the stop for the hatch if it were in the open position. Just finished my first “scratch built” grab handle with the new Bendicator and a manila tag tie wire. Next the padlock tabs on the aft side of the hatch and the tab on the front of the hatch cover which would have secured the hatch in the open position.
Will cement the hull to the top deck after filling and sanding everything under the fenders and sponsons.
I had the photos from that web site but had not made notes of the review and step-by-step. I’m glad you reminded me, I printed it today and will use it as a guide. Two or three weeks ago it wouldn’t have made much sense to me, but now that I’m getting a little bit accomplished I understand it better.
Trying everything for the first time is pretty slow work and usually leads to another work stop while I order materials or tools from an internet site. Sometimes it seems that there has been so much information from so many sources that I’m not sure what in the devil I should do or how I’m supposed to do it.
Progress is being made though and my “education” about model building is proceeding; I am proud to say that last night for the first time I attached a tiny piece to my fingers with super glue, another mile stone!
