Super clean build, very nice detail work, Bill.
Your photos are always top notch, too.
Waiting patiently,
Bill
Karl, thanks as always for the comments. The tranny block is painted in Russian Armor Green, given a light wash of Aircraft Interior Black and then a little bit of dry brushed Steel…I guess in the end it looks more like a bare metal look but that’s not how it started out! [;)] I was going for a kind of oily/used look and the green doesn’t stand out so much as a result.
I hear you on the IPMS rules for interiors…maybe someday!
Bill, appreciate your comments as well, more to come later today. [;)]
Great looking interior Bill.
Thanks Marc! [;)]
With the interior out of the way, it was time to return to the “normal” order of construction more or less. I picked up with Step 2 and attached the suspension elements to both sides. In order to fit the Model Kasten sprocket adapter, I removed the fixed mount pin from the hull side and installed the adapter inside the final drive cover. The adapter can rotate freely inside the mount allowing the sprocket in turn to rotate when mounted which will be very helpful when it comes time to mount the MK tracks. The fixed idler mount was removed with sprue cutters and carefully sanded down and then the mount hole drilled out with the Dremel to take the movable MK idler mount which will allow the idler to be adjusted for proper track tension.
To be sure that the suspension elements were sitting properly and the vehicle was level, I removed all the road wheels and cleaned up their mold seam with a sanding twig. After some small tweaks, the wheels were removed and the hull set off to the side to let the suspension set up. I also assembled the MK sprockets and idlers and cleaned up the return rollers.
Step 3 calls for the installation of the superstructure plate and the fenders, but before I did that I went ahead and installed the mounts for the spare track holders. I learned from working on the Tristar 38t E/F that it’s good to take care of this now when there’s plenty of room to maneuver. Once they were in place and aligned properly, I installed the front superstructure plate.
I had originally intended to fit the Eduard PE fenders that came in the detail set but after a test installation of the front mount and one fender I discovered that the height of the fender isn’t correct on the Eduard set so opted for the kit fenders instead. This meant that some of the molded on locator points for the fender gear and tools needed to be removed and some holes filled with putty on the hull side. The fender was then installed, using the Tamiya provided guide molded into the hull side to get the subtle kink in the fender. The process was repeated for the opposite side as well.
I started in on the fender PE work but only got the one side done. The mount for the sledgehammer was installed and the kit-supplied fire extinguisher had its molded on details removed and a PE makeover applied. This side gets the long cleaning rods and pry bar but they are just secured with simple straps, so I will paint and detail them first and then install the straps later. The shovel also is held in place with a strap and a small U-shaped retainer for the handle, the retainer was added to the hull side.
Once the hull top/fighting compartment floor is added the areas get pretty tight. I’m going to have to see how things look like on the other side and may have to do some pre-painting on the exterior in order to get everything covered. Won’t be able to determine that until next weekend though.
Looking sweet so far. By the way, what’s a sanding twig?
Out of the interior and back to the Bill standard build pattern…a great pattern at that.
Don’t you just hate when the PE is wrong!!!
Rounds Complete!!
LB, a sanding twig is the smaller cousin to the sanding stick. I take the standard sanding sticks you can get at any beauty-supply center and use a razor saw to cut them down into much thinner sanding “twigs”. I used to be able to get these ready-made at HobbyLobby but they discontinued the line so I was forced to come up with my own. These twigs allow for sanding in much tighter spaces and also have the advantage of being double-sided with different grits.
Mike, have to admit it feels good to be back in a routine of sorts…this one definitely has been following an unorthodox build order but it’s all coming together now. [:)]
Just catching up with this one; amazing work (and WIP!) as usual… once again I will copy/paste your WIP , print out and stick into the box of a kit I have in the stash, like a second set of instructions : )
Thanks James, appreciate the comments! Glad to hear this (and other blogs) are helpful to avoid pitfalls or deal with issues…that’s one of the motivators for the way I do them is to help others have a more enjoyable, or at lest informed!, build. [;)]
Looks very cool, I like these little buggers
Thanks ps1, the 38t family of vehicles are among my favorites…so much diversity achieved with a relatively small vehicle…arguably one of the most versatile chassis used by the Germans throughout the war.
Oh my god, Bill! I do the SAME THING! LOL!
I have found them to be very useful! They’re better than needle files, in my opinion.
The build is coming along nicely! Shame about those fenders! I probably would’ve used them anyway, and just banged them up good enough so you couldn’t tell.
Karl,
You should’ve seen the look on the store clerk’s face when I bought a dozen of both types! Of course, the reason I bought so many was so I wouldn’t have to go back for a looooong time too. [(-D]
I considered the banged-up fender option but unfortunately the supports that were too short are the ones that are on the very front where they meet the hull glacis…and by short it was easily by a good 2mm or more…way too much for banging up and still being able to fit the tracks with enough clearance for it to still be in running condition unfortunately. [:(]
Thanks Bill, sorry for the late reply!
Hi Bill,
I was so into my build I missed your post. It saddens me that so much detail and hard work gets covered up on the interior, but it’s nice to know that it’s there! [:)]
Great Job!
What about the funny look you get when you pull out your Sally’s discount card[:-^]
I keep a Sears HandiCut in the drawer and cut my stick into all kninds of shapes. This makes a nice square cut with a sharp edge to get into those 90 degree spots.
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Edmund,
Some of the detail is not going to be visible in the end like the brake housing for example but quite a bit of the rest will be, so it’s not all lost. [;)]
WN, that’s pretty much the same approach I take although I prefer to work with the thinner, longer slices myself. That way when the end starts to get worn out it’s just a matter of snipping off the end and working my way up the twig. I love the way you “puzzle piece” yours out though with those cutters, pretty nifty. [tup]
Bill
This thing is so good, it’s naughty!![dinner] I tell ya, I checked this out when you first started, then kinda lost track of it for the last few updates. WOW! Miss a little, miss a LOT…
This is one of my favorite kits (in the, ‘Man, one of these days, I’m gonna get me one of those and do it up RIGHT’ type of way), so it is pretty darn exciting for me to see your build!
I tell you what, you and doog need your own special WIP forum!! [bow]
Thanks Boyd, glad you stopped in and got the latest progress on this baby. [;)] Stay tuned, likely to be another update later today or tomorrow depending on how things work out. It is Valentine’s Day after all and I would hate to suffer an unfortunate ah, um, “accident”. [:D]