Pz.Kpfw.IV.F2(G) from Dragon WIP New Shoes!

Well now that I have exceeded my frustration quota in getting another computer up and running I have an Update.

Part 1 of the update is a tools update. My new Micro Drill Set! Bits #61 through #80 along with a pin vise with 4 interchangeable chucks. That is two, double sided chucks. This was about 14 bucks (including shipping) from CML Supply through Amazon. Who knew you could get such stuff from a bookstore?



I managed to get the upper hull done and mated to the lower hull. I have left all of the tools off in order to facilitate detail painting. I did have some fit issues putting the upper and lower hulls together requiring much sanding and test fitting and filing and test fitting....and then some serious finger pressure to get together. I am taking all the credit for the poor fit. I think I either didn't get the hull superstructure exactly correct or I missed the intakes by a bit. I am fairly satisfied with the result except this one spot on the left side of the hull:



How do you like that PE? My first PE ever. Did OK with the non-bending PE parts. Those with bends...not so much. Anyway back to the gap. It is actually pretty small. The picture makes it canyon size. I am going to model a tank from the 15th Panzer Regiment in 1942 Russia and it will be Panzer Gray. I am hoping that dark color will minimize the effect of that small gap. Any suggestions on what to do, if anything will be greatly appreciated.

The next problem is the tow cable. The instructions seem to call for cutting the wire at 150mm. In one of his build logs Bill pointed out that this was not correct but I wasn't sure if it was too long or too short. I think it is both. From the cable end loop to the cable end loop needs to be 150mm if you follow the mounting pattern in the instructions. The plastic cable ends are 15mm each for a total of 30mm of length. So the steel cable needs to be cut to 120mm PLUS the length that inserts into the ends and gets glued. Since mine are already glued I am not sure what the extra is but probably 2-3mm per end. To stretch one more turn around the cable mounts it needs to be 184mm or 11mm longer than the cable constructed as I interpreted the instructions. So I have a cable that is too long to match the instruction diagram and too short to make another turn to the opposite mount. Grrrrr...

I broke what I consider the worst engineered part of the model, the tow cable mounts. These are very thin and are positioned using a half round peg to help orient them correctly. I glued them on and being the Lumox that I am promptly broke them off trying to fit the ill constructed cable. So here is my first bit of scratch building. Using some 0.84mm brass rod I made new ones:



Then drilled through the back plate with a #68 bit and glued in the new mounts:



Here you can see the new mounts and the right side of the hull and the rest of the PE:



Here is two pics of the overall build so far"





The final PE situation was what I will call the fender support in the following pic. It is the part to the left of the bow MG. THere is a PE part for this that defeated me. I just could not get the part to fold correctly. I don't have a vast array of folding tools. I got the feet to bend into shape but I failed with the long fold along the top. I broke out the sanding sticks and files and considerably thinned the plastic on this part and went with that. I think the PE part would have been a better choice but there needs to be some more PE practice on my part.



I have made progress on the turret and should be able to post that later tonight or on Thursday. Thanks for stopping in.

Mike