Post by dierk on Mar 11, 2013 15:05:50 GMT -5
Hello everybody!
While I'm trying to work up the courage to tackle my NKL aerosan, I thought I'd pass the time with Trumpeter's Komintern tractor - an absolute dream to build by comparison...but, I managed to find a trap and jump into it. To find some reference photos I visited google.ru, copied the name from the radiator (KOMIHTEPH) only to find google suggesting instead KOMИHTEPH, which brought up the desired pictures. Those of you familiar with Trumpeter's Stalinez tractor will be aware that the got the name on that one wrong too, so out comes the file to get rid of the offending 'I', so I can put a 'И' in its place to make it look like this (for discussion purposes only):
Everything would have been lovely in my world, hadn't I then stumbled across a Russian modelling website where one of the member was having a moan about the same 'spelling mistake', only to get a reply with the following photo (for discussion purposes only):
Turns out the ones built in the Ukraine were spelled KOMIHTEPH
...oh well, I'll replace the 'I' then, shall I? Could have been worse I suppose - AMG the maker of my aerosan kit is from the Ukrainian. 
Back to the kit: it's a strange mix of parts - lots of fairly large bits, the cab is a single moulding, so is the bonnet(hood)/radiator and than you get stuff that makes PE tool brackets look positively chunky. There also wasn't really any need for 150 indy links (with two attachment points and two knock-out nodes each) as these tractors had hardly any sag, so link and length would have been preferable to me. Still, mustn't grumble - bugger, I did didn't I?
The fit has been perfect, so far - well, apart from the suspension, that was a bit vague and you really should finish them in one go, as the collars that also serve to attach them to the hull will help to keep them straight.
Some piccies that show what I've done so far:
Suspenders and wheels haven't been glued yet, as I intend to paint/weather them separately, that's why they look a bit wonky.
Here what it looks like without wheels with cab and cargo-bed dry-fitted.
Little tip for the cargo-bed: the two central cross members (B17) should be fitted first, then the two length members (B2) should be glued to the front-most cross member (D8) before gluing them to the cargo-bed. Of course I fitted D8 last, which makes it much more difficult than it has to be.
I'm going to go out of character here and try on some optimism and say this should be done soon.
Thanks for looking,
Dierk
While I'm trying to work up the courage to tackle my NKL aerosan, I thought I'd pass the time with Trumpeter's Komintern tractor - an absolute dream to build by comparison...but, I managed to find a trap and jump into it. To find some reference photos I visited google.ru, copied the name from the radiator (KOMIHTEPH) only to find google suggesting instead KOMИHTEPH, which brought up the desired pictures. Those of you familiar with Trumpeter's Stalinez tractor will be aware that the got the name on that one wrong too, so out comes the file to get rid of the offending 'I', so I can put a 'И' in its place to make it look like this (for discussion purposes only):
Everything would have been lovely in my world, hadn't I then stumbled across a Russian modelling website where one of the member was having a moan about the same 'spelling mistake', only to get a reply with the following photo (for discussion purposes only):
Turns out the ones built in the Ukraine were spelled KOMIHTEPH
...oh well, I'll replace the 'I' then, shall I? Could have been worse I suppose - AMG the maker of my aerosan kit is from the Ukrainian. 
Back to the kit: it's a strange mix of parts - lots of fairly large bits, the cab is a single moulding, so is the bonnet(hood)/radiator and than you get stuff that makes PE tool brackets look positively chunky. There also wasn't really any need for 150 indy links (with two attachment points and two knock-out nodes each) as these tractors had hardly any sag, so link and length would have been preferable to me. Still, mustn't grumble - bugger, I did didn't I?
The fit has been perfect, so far - well, apart from the suspension, that was a bit vague and you really should finish them in one go, as the collars that also serve to attach them to the hull will help to keep them straight.
Some piccies that show what I've done so far:
Suspenders and wheels haven't been glued yet, as I intend to paint/weather them separately, that's why they look a bit wonky.
Here what it looks like without wheels with cab and cargo-bed dry-fitted.
Little tip for the cargo-bed: the two central cross members (B17) should be fitted first, then the two length members (B2) should be glued to the front-most cross member (D8) before gluing them to the cargo-bed. Of course I fitted D8 last, which makes it much more difficult than it has to be.
I'm going to go out of character here and try on some optimism and say this should be done soon.
Thanks for looking,
Dierk
. Initially I thought 
:
