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Post by dierk on Nov 4, 2014 7:16:28 GMT -5
While I'm waiting for the weather to get bad enough to justify spending time in the basement with the AB, I decided to have a go at building Amusing Hobby's take on the Object 279. The original was built as a heavy tank that offered ABC protection to its crew and could withstand the blast of a nuclear explosion so long as it wasn't point-blank. The four tracks spread the not inconsiderable weight of the tank, giving it excellent off-road capabilities. Although the tank performed well in tests it never went into production as the soviets decided to cancel their heavy tank programme. I won the kit in a group-build on another forum - and no, I didn't turn into a modelling god overnight, I was simply the only one who finished within the time frame, so won it by default. The only AM part I'm adding is an RB barrel - well, the kit was free, and the barrel was on special offer, how could I say no? Although the metal barrel is impressively large, compared to the kit barrel it seems quite dainty: I was worried about having to deal with four tracks worth of indy links - no need, they are so well-designed that after about two hours all four track runs were done! If all styrene indy links were like this, I'd never spend money on metal tracks again! Pretty much the only thing to watch out for is to snap off the track-pin sprue to the top - if you try it to the bottom you're likely to pull out the pins instead. It was simply a case of devide and rule: make four piles of 80 links each and slap them together. Even the links themselves are a joy: just one attachment point per link, although there is a slight EPM on each link between the guide horns. I did deviate from the instructions a bit, as they suggest you attach all of the gubbins to the top hull, then to the bottom hull and only then glue both halves together (same for the turret). As the hull halves are quite flexible and the gubbins to be attached is made up of the smallest styrene pieces ever seen, I mated the two halves first. If, like me, you don't have nice clamps to hold the halves together while the glue is setting, just add a sheet of kitchen roll to the sides and use clothes pegs. Some shots of dry-fitted assemblies: ACW, Dierk
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Post by TRM on Nov 4, 2014 8:03:44 GMT -5
LOL...A win is a win is a win brotha! Congrats! Such and odd looking beast, but you seemed to have things tamed with this one!! Nice barrel replacement!! Looking forward to seeing some color fly on this!!
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Post by dupes on Nov 4, 2014 9:12:37 GMT -5
I agree with T - that is a weird looking tank for sure.
Good to hear about the kit tracks...maybe other manufacturers will notice?
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Post by tobias5555 on Nov 4, 2014 10:49:32 GMT -5
Nice start.
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Post by Deano on Nov 4, 2014 10:52:55 GMT -5
Cool build , its an interesting ugly beast !
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Post by deafpanzer on Nov 4, 2014 11:53:21 GMT -5
Crazy looking boat! Oops! I meant tank!!! Sure looked like a boat... Pulling my chair in now... looking great especially the metal barrel!
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Post by dierk on Nov 5, 2014 6:29:26 GMT -5
Thanks for the kind comments gents! Yes, it really does have a 1950's type sci-fi look to it. Now, the really tricky bit starts: there's a huge number of unfeasibly tiny, mostly styrene, bits to be glued into place - on the lower hull alone there are 40 parts to be added - my carpet monster is already drooling in anticipation! I'll take before and after pictures, like in one of those 'spot the difference' competitions rofl-roll This was just going to be a bit of OOB R&R...until I had a look at some reference photos (poke) but more on that later.
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 5, 2014 12:57:47 GMT -5
Nice work so far on this odd-ball monstrosity Dierk, looking good!
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Foenetik
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Mar 31, 2014 3:05:49 GMT -5
Mar 31, 2014 3:05:49 GMT -5
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Post by Foenetik on Nov 5, 2014 17:32:17 GMT -5
lookin good so far. as said thats definitely a sci-fi looking shape. pretty neat. cant wait to see more.
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Post by Leon on Nov 5, 2014 19:09:46 GMT -5
This look way cool Dierk! I'll be following.
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Post by dierk on Nov 6, 2014 6:46:13 GMT -5
Glad you're all enjoying it, and thanks for following. Got most of the bits added to the lower hull: "Now, then sir: can I interest you in some tiny bits of plastic?" "They're OK, but haven't you got anything smaller? I can still see all the detail with the naked eye." "How about this, then?" "Ahh, that's better" So, here's the 'before' picture of the bare, nekkid lower hull: And one of parts-count +32 (I think - maybe it's the other way around? You decide): ACW, Dierk
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mokush
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Jan 19, 2013 2:28:00 GMT -5
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Post by mokush on Nov 6, 2014 7:30:49 GMT -5
There will be smaller parts too
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johnt
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Member since: November 2011
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Nov 15, 2011 5:38:32 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2011 5:38:32 GMT -5
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Post by johnt on Nov 6, 2014 9:52:48 GMT -5
Wow that's some little bits of plastic. Looking forward to more...
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Post by deafpanzer on Nov 6, 2014 10:23:24 GMT -5
Looks like you are going to have lots of fun dealing with those tiny parts!
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Post by Leon on Nov 6, 2014 17:29:41 GMT -5
I think I need a pair of optivisors to see them.
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garywintin
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Member since: April 2014
Posts: 50
Apr 18, 2014 4:40:19 GMT -5
Apr 18, 2014 4:40:19 GMT -5
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Post by garywintin on Nov 8, 2014 19:43:47 GMT -5
I should have went for this and not the crappy Panda's offering. looking good.
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Post by dierk on Nov 9, 2014 9:15:48 GMT -5
I'm not familiar with the Panda offering, but I do know this much: ain't no such thing as the perfect kit, Gary. There are a few problems with this one on the upper hull: there are some, very nicely done, mystery welds that make no sense, the tow cables (should only be one, I think) are just sitting on the hull with no means of attaching them - and you don't get the cables, just the eyes, and there are some randomly placed clamps - no tools proveded. There's also some weirdness going on with the co-axial MG. Just on a personal note: when I've just spent a couple of hours working on the kit, I like to see some progress - but the very large number of very small parts makes the experience a bit frustrating. The PE parts included in the kit are actually bigger than many of the plastic parts...but the tracks are GREAT!
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Post by dierk on Nov 14, 2014 9:10:22 GMT -5
Time for a little update: 'Progress' is a relative term with this kit - I've been steadily plugging away at it, but more often than not, the difference between 'before' and 'after' was so minute that it was pointless posting updates. You'd all have wondered why I kept posting the same picture from different angles again and again cuckoo. There will be smaller parts too Indeed there are - and these aren't even the smallest: Unfortunately, there are a couple of fit-issues: nothing serious, but ho-hum nonetheless. The fuel-tanks have two locating tabs...but the hull can only accomodate one, so a bit of vigorous back and forth is called for (with a file, in case you were wondering...): Speaking of fuel-tanks: if I were to build another one, I'd tackle the job of adding them as soon as the lower half of the hull was finished and suspension was fitted, as it is one of the more complex subassemblies on offer here (exactly the reason why I dragged my feet in the first place) and requires a lot of handling and turning. The whole caboodle is made up of over 40 parts - 20 just for the bits relating to the retaining straps. Speaking of said retainig straps: getting them to be the right length involved a lot of trial and error (and still two of them could have been a bit longer rant) but, I have to say, it's worth the effort - see for yourselves: You also get the nicest PE screens I have seen - unfortunately, you're supposed to glue a cover over the circular ones, hiding them utterly...: There is also a bit of filing required to get the drive-wheel housings to slot into the hull, and yet more filing on the driver's hatch: it has a moulding that looks like it ought to slot into the hinge on the hull...but doesn't do anything other than prevent the hatch from fitting. The superfluous locating tab on the tanks could have been put to better use on the exhaust stacks - they have none and the fit is pretty vague. Another 20-25 parts should see the upper hull finished. After that I'll take some time out from wearing the optivisor (this kit should come bundled with one!) and do a bit of painting on my ISU. You see: construction of the turret takes up half the instructions - it's like fruitfly mating-season: lots of tiny bits getting stuck together and into each other...
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Post by deafpanzer on Nov 14, 2014 12:33:55 GMT -5
Excellent PE work there!
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Post by dierk on Nov 17, 2014 6:44:53 GMT -5
Thanks Andy. Had a bit of a heart-break moment: the rail on the hull below the turret went wrong on one side - a combination of lack of concentration, wanting to finish it, a slightly warped part, vague fit and a total lack of locating holes in crucial places, saw to it... The turret is turning out to be the biggest PITA of the build: the commander's hatch is made up of 20 (!!!), mostly tiny, parts. Gunner's hatch 9... I get the feeling this kit was designed by a committee: one guy in charge of over-complicating things, one in charge of over-simplifying and one creating inaccuracies and vagueness...and the genius who did the tracks. More soon, I hope
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Post by TRM on Nov 17, 2014 7:43:56 GMT -5
Well it is unfortunate about the rails but you sound like you will muster on! I often wonder what the kit makers...Specifically, are thinking! If detail is asked for by the community, they throw more parts at or in the kit making it more complicated but that rarely translates into accuracy.
Back on this subject!! Nice job on the teeny bits!! Keep up the solid work!!
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Post by dierk on Nov 21, 2014 9:40:33 GMT -5
This really is a strange kit: you get a slide-moulded barrel for the BFG, but the co-axial MG looks like it belongs to an East European kit from the '80's: Anyway, construction is pretty much done, just got to add a few welds and PE bits and pieces and then the paint can fly. Somewhere along the line I decided to turn this into a 'what if' project. The tank is going to be a survivor, rather than a veteran, of a nuclear war, with scorched off paint and collapsed suspension on one side from the heatwave of a nuclear explosion that was a bit too close for comfort, and patched together from donor vehicles. I'm adding a Dushka AA-gun (left over from a Dragon kit) and some stowage. Added the kit barrel for the foto: The turret has tons of tiny bits on it - often I had no clue what they were supposed to represent, and the instructions are a bit vague in places: I've sorted out a more realistic way of fitting the tow-cable. The kit only provides the eyes which you're supposed to just glue to the hull - the massive locating holes had to be filled: Needs a weld: After dealing with all those tiny parts I felt confident I could tackle open-heart surgery on a fly....hmm, maybe not (poke): Cheers, Dierk
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Post by deafpanzer on Nov 21, 2014 16:17:37 GMT -5
Looking real good especially the tow cables!
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Post by Leon on Nov 21, 2014 17:00:34 GMT -5
Ditto what Andy said Dierk! PE and tow cables look good.
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Post by dupes on Nov 21, 2014 18:07:01 GMT -5
I see what you mean about the barrel differentials. That's pretty odd.
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mokush
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Jan 19, 2013 2:28:00 GMT -5
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Post by mokush on Nov 22, 2014 3:06:56 GMT -5
Hello, The manual is wrong, you have to turn 90° on the main gun/muzzle brake... I do not remember. The "holes" (sorry I don't know the rigth word) on the muzzle brake should be at the sides, not on the top and bottom.
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Post by dierk on Nov 22, 2014 5:59:36 GMT -5
Hello, The manual is wrong, you have to turn 90° on the main gun/muzzle brake... I do not remember. The "holes" (sorry I don't know the rigth word) on the muzzle brake should be at the sides, not on the top and bottom. Cheers, but the plastic barrel isn't going to make it into the final edit - I just bunged it on for the photos, the finished model will have an RB metal barrel.
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mokush
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Post by mokush on Nov 22, 2014 6:23:55 GMT -5
OK, sorry
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Post by dierk on Nov 22, 2014 6:37:11 GMT -5
No need to apologise, my friend - had I stuck with the plastic barrel that tip would have been extremely useful!
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garywintin
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Member since: April 2014
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Apr 18, 2014 4:40:19 GMT -5
Apr 18, 2014 4:40:19 GMT -5
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Post by garywintin on Nov 22, 2014 18:57:08 GMT -5
I demand a photo of the other side of the ad-hoc suspension... (LOL) ...
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