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Post by rbaer on Jul 7, 2015 12:05:38 GMT -5
Just because I had a really nice time knocking out the T-34 I just did, and is within minutes of being finished, I thought another easy build would be a good thing. I have several projects in mind, but they're all pretty involved, and something about which I have next to no knowledge sounded like a good subject. So this is a nice kit, crisp detail, virtually no mold lines, as with one exception which may or may not be my fault, perfect fit. Within two hours I had the suspension and running gear done and the hull halves mated up, which is where I ran into the slight fit issue. When the upper is fit snug against the rear plate, there's a slight gap at the front of the upper and lower glacis. Some tape got everything close, pic below:  Here's a question for the Leo people out there: is there supposed to be a weld bead at the union of the upper and lower front plates? In the pic below, you can see the joint, and I don't know whether to fill it or make a weld bead.  I bought a grab-bag of tracks recently, and there were a couple sets of Tamiya kit tracks in there which I was thinking about using one of on an up-coming M60-ish what-if. As it turns out, I may still, but it gave me some latitude to experiment a bit on this build. The kit tracks are loose, no surprise, so I took three links out of the tracks in the box. The result was a nice snug fit, looked like live tracks should, but I had suckage around the drive sprocket, yuck. So I took another set and only removed two links. After slightly beveling the inside edges of the drive sprocket teeth, I have a nice fit, and any looseness will be hidden by the side skirts.  So after looking at the kit last night , I thought seriously about doing it totally OOB, but reason lost, and I just ordered some Eduard PE and AFV Club reflective lens sticker thingies. I should of ordered some tow cables too, dang it. Anyway, onward. The camo should be interesting...... |
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Post by Leon on Jul 7, 2015 13:07:40 GMT -5
Wow!!! Your making great progress Russ.Looking really good.
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Post by rbaer on Jul 7, 2015 13:25:35 GMT -5
It's the kit Leon. It's one of those that gave rise to the "shake and bake" Tamiya thing.  |
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Post by wbill76 on Jul 7, 2015 15:23:43 GMT -5
Not wasting any time on this one Russ! off to a great start.  |
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Post by TRM on Jul 7, 2015 21:04:44 GMT -5
Awesome!! Liking what I see there Russ! Breaking out the big cats!! To answer the question about the joint...having a look...... I will try and dig up a reference shot for you if I can....
Keep up the great work!!
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Post by TRM on Jul 7, 2015 22:00:41 GMT -5
Kind of a tight running bead...  |
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Post by rbaer on Jul 8, 2015 10:23:31 GMT -5
T, perfect. I went ahead and very slightly scribed it with the tip of an old #11 blade. Even though I have the inner voices at full blast, yelling "go nuts, go nuts" I'm going to keep this as close to OOB as I can, so moderation is the key here. Besides, I'm looking forward to the painting stage, something rather adventurous for me with the three color camo. With that in mind, and given that I have PE on the way, I did a little cleanup and filling on the upper hull joins last night, built up the mantlet and placed the kit's clear vision block lenses, which will be overlaid with stickers at the end. I'm using Vallejo acrylic putty to fill the slight gaps in the hull joins, wiped with a damp Q-tip immediately after application. There are probably supposed to be the same kind of welds here, but I'm suppressing the voices as best I can....  Pics as of last night:    By the by, I had a really neat idea for another what-if while I was playing around last night, really neat.....  |
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Post by wbill76 on Jul 8, 2015 12:40:41 GMT -5
Promises the voices a six-pack of they cooperate Russ! Works every time. |
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Post by rbaer on Jul 8, 2015 15:54:20 GMT -5
Promises the voices a six-pack of they cooperate Russ! Works every time. They prefer a good bottle of wine or a fine whiskey..... depends on their mood. |
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Post by TRM on Jul 8, 2015 16:41:31 GMT -5
Nice when a new project can get the inspirational juices flowing!! Looking good!! I assume the barrel is AM...did you have the brand on that? |
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Post by rbaer on Jul 9, 2015 10:43:48 GMT -5
Oy, that's the kit barrel, just primered. And yes, it's nice to enjoy something. I think in this case, "Ignorance is bliss" applies nicely. Edit: Ooooo, PE just showed up. Yummie. |
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Post by Leon on Jul 9, 2015 11:16:44 GMT -5
Bring on the blind Russ!
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Post by rbaer on Jul 10, 2015 10:42:46 GMT -5
Lots of neat stuff in the Eduard set, three frets worth. I expect a lot will stay on the frets, but that will depend on how my hands feel when I get back on this one. Did the oil change on the Pig last night, no modeling for a couple of days. Truth be told, I ought to just go ahead and pay somebody to do this one too, but 9 quarts, convincing some lube shop that I don't want to use the specified filter and then getting them to fill the filter I do use before they screw it on is just nuts, so this one gets my attention, still.
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Post by rbaer on Jul 13, 2015 10:44:20 GMT -5
Progress with Eduard brass, such as it is:    And a question: the circled item on the pic of the Eduard instruction sheet is shown as being assembled on one of the turret lifting lugs, but not which side. Am I missing something? Prime Portal has zip for pics of this area. Any ideas? By the way, I have about four hours of assembly time in the kit so far, and about three hours in that little bit of brass. Yuck. |
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Post by dierk on Jul 13, 2015 11:49:28 GMT -5
I suggest you ask Tobias about the mystery Eduard part - he used to trundle about the German countryside in a Leo.
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Post by rbaer on Jul 13, 2015 13:39:11 GMT -5
Capital idea!
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Post by Leon on Jul 13, 2015 15:33:02 GMT -5
Nice work on PE Russ!  |
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Post by rbaer on Jul 13, 2015 15:54:08 GMT -5
Thanks Leon! I've got a bunch more to do, still thinking I won't use more than half of it....
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Post by Leon on Jul 13, 2015 16:38:38 GMT -5
I hear you on the PE Russ,still have lots of PE I didn't use on the 251. |
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Wes
Full Member
Member since: November 2011
Posts: 686
Nov 16, 2011 9:34:50 GMT -5
Nov 16, 2011 9:34:50 GMT -5
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Post by Wes on Jul 14, 2015 6:23:49 GMT -5
Great work Russ.
What do you use to attach the PE to the plastic?
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Post by rbaer on Jul 14, 2015 10:49:30 GMT -5
Leon, I've run into this before with Eduard sets: lots of stuff on the fret that's better in plastic or wire. "Flat" grab handles and such don't really do it for me. Thanks, Wes. I'm using cryo glue from the Hobby Town I buy most of my supplies from. And speaking of cryo glue, I used some more last night, did the turret baskets and after that the commanders ITV, the latter being a very nice part in the kit, no etch needed (or supplied). The etch for the baskets was an excellent fit too, good job on Ed's part here. Also visible in the top shot is the cable reel that I should have left out until painting was done.... oh well.   I think I'll start on the hull rear next, that's where a lot of the remaining etch will go. |
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Post by dierk on Jul 14, 2015 11:04:05 GMT -5
Coming along nicely!
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Post by wbill76 on Jul 14, 2015 14:41:07 GMT -5
Looking good Russ! The trouble with the PE guys is that they seem to have this strange need to 'fill the fret'...I guess to give a sense of more value for the price paid...but in reality, it just takes up space. |
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Post by rbaer on Jul 14, 2015 16:11:10 GMT -5
Thanks Dierk.
Bill, I agree.
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Post by rbaer on Jul 15, 2015 12:03:13 GMT -5
Brass like the band:   And plugging the slots in Tamiya's cable ends:  And added lumps and bumps up front:  The other fan cover is done now, I started going blind last night and did it this morning. I put heavy black paper underneath the fans, didn't want light to come out where it shouldn't..... |
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Post by dierk on Jul 15, 2015 12:21:50 GMT -5
Now here's a business idea: only make useful PE bits, so you get to empty the fret and not end up feeling like you've wasted your money (or a loser for not using more of the parts ) Still, nice of Eduard toprovide back card to fill unwanted holes... |
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Post by rbaer on Jul 15, 2015 15:55:18 GMT -5
Good idea..... about the PE. I would rather have had some soft steel wire from which to make grab handles than all the flat handles in the Eduard set
The black card came from an old Verlinden dry transfer set, but it would have been a good idea on Eduard's part too.
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Post by deafpanzer on Jul 16, 2015 13:07:24 GMT -5
Holy smokes! I blinked and you managed to start another new thread. You are truly a machine! Pulling my chair in... sorry for being slow.
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Post by rbaer on Jul 16, 2015 15:52:33 GMT -5
Geez Andy, I thought I was slow...... or maybe I've been listening to the voices too much lately.
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Post by TRM on Jul 16, 2015 16:40:48 GMT -5
Lovely work there Russ! Things are really coming together! A few posts back you asked about he bracket mount to the lift ring on the turret....thinking it does not denote which side because it is for the one in the middle. Not sure of its purpose actually. Can have a peek around for a pic from my end....
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