|
|
Post by dierk on Sept 7, 2018 8:12:28 GMT -5
Now then friends, I've been wanting to build one of the most well-known, and successful, soviet tanks of WWII for quite some time. And not just once, but thrice. The backstory is that several poets and artists, winners of the Stalin Prize, donated their prize money to finance a tank for the Red Army. The Tank was a late model '42 KV-1, crewed by tankers who'd distinguished themselves in the fighting around Moscow. To set it apart from other tanks, the donors who'd paid for it, named it Беспощадный (Merciless) and decorated it with a poem that roughly translates to Storming through fire goes Our KV heavy tank From the heartland it rolls To smash the Nazi flank Crewed by heroic men Never showing fear As they carry out commands Of their homeland dear and a picture showing Adolf getting blown to bits by a tank, as well as a list of the donors' names. Later kill markings were added. The kit is Trumpeter's pretty good kit 00358  The initial idea was to build two version. One pretty much factory fresh (all B/W pics for reference purposes only)  And one after the battle on March first '43 during the course of which it got badly damaged and several of its crew lost their lives  The tank was rebuilt and received three new crew members. Once I'd spotted a pic of the rebuilt tank, I noticed that the the layout of the tank's turret markings had been changed, so another kit was added to the project  I'd had one kit for a while, but only recently managed to score two more for €12.50 and €10.50 respectively. |
|
|
|
Post by Tobi on Sept 7, 2018 9:16:24 GMT -5
Splendid. Let's hope you did not bite off more than you can chew!  I once tried a dual build of two Hotchkiss 39(H) and failed miserably, only one got finished, the other is still stuck in the middle. |
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Sept 7, 2018 11:30:18 GMT -5
Splendid. Let's hope you did not bite off more than you can chew! My track record for finishing kits this year is not a good one...  But I've made a pretty good start. The kits have very few problems, the main ones being the driver's glacis is the wrong kind. Merciless was built in Factory 200, and their version is taller - in 1:35 about 3mm taller. The other one is that the two rear episcopes need to be moved closer to the rear edge of the turret. The main issue are the decals: There aren't any for the tank's name on the glacis  There is also evidence that the turret carried the name on the back - no decs for that either. But help is at hand - more on that later. Here's where I'm at with the first build:   Strangely, the second one put up a bit of a fight, needing gaps filling around the front of the hull:   Stranger still, the mounting for the turret episcopes have been moved back a bit - but not far enough IMO (and an additional slot has appeared:  |
|
|
|
Post by Tobi on Sept 7, 2018 11:39:43 GMT -5
Monday molding.  |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Sept 7, 2018 15:09:27 GMT -5
Off to nice start on the pair Dierk!
|
|
S e r z h
Full Member
Member since: November 2014
RIP- December 2023
Posts: 650 
|
Post by S e r z h on Sept 9, 2018 14:06:13 GMT -5
Dierk - hi! Look at 34 minutes, 23 seconds - there is this tank. Not much, but there is.
|
|
|
|
Post by mustang1989 on Sept 9, 2018 20:07:07 GMT -5
Off to a great start Dierk!!
|
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Sept 10, 2018 2:17:29 GMT -5
Excellent Serzh! Thanks for that!
|
|
ogrejohn
Full Member
Member since: June 2012
Go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
Posts: 1,259
Jun 1, 2012 17:33:59 GMT -5
Jun 1, 2012 17:33:59 GMT -5
|
Post by ogrejohn on Sept 10, 2018 16:23:26 GMT -5
Looking good Dierk!
|
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Sept 19, 2018 8:05:07 GMT -5
Some progress: got all three hulls to more or less the same stage:   Also made a start on the tracks, and finished one and a half sets. That's why the wheels on the bottom one are taped up - so the tracks don't stick to them while the glue goes off. Tried an RB barrel I bought for another one of my KVs. Doesn't fit, mantlet would need drilling out. As the kit barrels aren't too bad, I think I'll use them instead. |
|
|
|
Post by wbill76 on Sept 23, 2018 19:20:33 GMT -5
Triplets are coming to life Dierk, looking good.
|
|
|
|
Post by rbaer on Oct 3, 2018 18:55:17 GMT -5
Mmmm, Larry, Curly and Moe? I like KV's, had a lot of fun doing this same kit a few years ago, and keep looking at the other one in the stash, the cast turret thingie, and the Eastern Express KV-85 that followed me home one day.
|
|
joelsmith
Full Member
Member since: July 2012
There no winners in war, only survivors.
Posts: 1,404
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
|
Post by joelsmith on Oct 3, 2018 20:38:25 GMT -5
Was it lost?
|
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 4, 2018 4:25:04 GMT -5
No, the previous owner abandoned it like an unwanted dog |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Oct 4, 2018 4:45:04 GMT -5
All three are looking good Dierk!
|
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 4, 2018 4:54:45 GMT -5
Mmmm, Larry, Curly and Moe? I like KV's, had a lot of fun doing this same kit a few years ago, and keep looking at the other one in the stash, the cast turret thingie, and the Eastern Express KV-85 that followed me home one day. Got another three, or four in the stash - all scored for really cheap on the bay of evil. Managed to make my RB barrel fit after all by sanding down the blunt end. Should have some pics soon. |
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 4, 2018 7:31:02 GMT -5
Soon is now: Number one is on the home stretch:   |
|
S e r z h
Full Member
Member since: November 2014
RIP- December 2023
Posts: 650
|
Post by S e r z h on Oct 4, 2018 16:35:51 GMT -5
Dierk - hi. Interesting project - success! Look at other photos - in the marked places there should be a noticeable gap between the details of the body and the additional armor.  |
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 5, 2018 12:16:19 GMT -5
Thanks for that Serzh! Coulnd't you have told me that before I glued all three into place?  |
|
S e r z h
Full Member
Member since: November 2014
RIP- December 2023
Posts: 650
|
Post by S e r z h on Oct 7, 2018 3:58:17 GMT -5
Sometimes it happens that you look - but you do not see. Only a photo and something on it. Without details. But better late than never  |
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 7, 2018 5:57:04 GMT -5
Sometimes it happens that you look - but you do not see. Only a photo and something on it. Without details. But better late than never Yes indeed, Serzh - it's especially embarrasing in my case: I have lots of reference books on the KV-1/2, but ended up only looking at the handful of pictures of Беспощадный  |
|
S e r z h
Full Member
Member since: November 2014
RIP- December 2023
Posts: 650
|
Post by S e r z h on Oct 7, 2018 9:41:31 GMT -5
I wrote this about myself Noticed only in the last photo, although I saw this place 5 times in earlier photos...  Also, look at the height of the sheet. It seems to me that it is necessary to cut off a little. 08 or 1 mm.  |
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 7, 2018 12:20:17 GMT -5
You are, of course right, Serzh! Serves me right for trusting an 'expert' who thought the Factory 200 driver's glacis was 3mm taller Instead of my own eyes that clearly show the top edge to be almost level with the top of the driver's episcope. Strangely, KV-1 PE mudguards seem to be thin on the ground in these parts  So, for the battle damaged one I'm going to try something I haven't done before: make my own from metal foil...wish me luck! The first one doesn't look too bad, if I say so myself. |
|
S e r z h
Full Member
Member since: November 2014
RIP- December 2023
Posts: 650
|
Post by S e r z h on Oct 7, 2018 13:11:51 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 10, 2018 7:59:50 GMT -5
Just finished adding my first ever scratched mudguard. Had to modify the PE as it was for an early version that had the braces bolted to the hull, not welded as this one will be - got welds to add...and the front brace and some damage:    Don't know about you, but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out - just got to do another one now... |
|
|
|
Post by rbaer on Oct 17, 2018 19:33:20 GMT -5
No, I enticed it to follow me, told it I would free it from all that communist flash.  |
|
|
|
Post by rbaer on Oct 17, 2018 19:35:01 GMT -5
No, the previous owner abandoned it like an unwanted dog Fourteen bucks to my door, and there's a kit in there somewhere. It saays so on the box.... I think.  |
|
|
|
Post by rbaer on Oct 17, 2018 19:37:42 GMT -5
And while I'm here, Dierk, fenders look very good.
|
|
|
|
Post by dierk on Oct 18, 2018 3:07:32 GMT -5
And while I'm here, Dierk, fenders look very good. Cheers, although it's just the one right now - I did make a second one, but was distracted and made another left one...  |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Oct 18, 2018 4:43:08 GMT -5
Nice work the fender Dierk!
|
|
So, for the battle damaged one I'm going to try something I haven't done before: make my own from metal foil...wish me luck! The first one doesn't look too bad, if I say so myself.
