OK tried adding the logo, dont know if it will work.  If someone could post a "how does Bob do this"  it would be great.

Bob

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Remember, SAMs and AAA have the right of way

Im such a dumb , I should have known that.  Anyway I like the logo.

Bob

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Remember, SAMs and AAA have the right of way

Nate, those are some ritious clamps bro...................LOL......that aint going no where, and it will stay GLUED..........LOL.

keep the pics coming.

Bob

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Remember, SAMs and AAA have the right of way

Nate, doesent the $1.50 negate the whole dollar store theory...............LOL.  I have to look Saturday at the one here in town and pick some up. The look like they worked out really well.

Bob

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Remember, SAMs and AAA have the right of way

Bob: Due to the economy, everything in the dollar store now costs $1.50!

Andy: If I remember correctly, Squadron had an "In Action" on German armoured cars years ago. You can still find it on ebay every once in awhile. I also think Cocord Publications might have something too.

I might just order that Osprey book too.

Nate

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Hi all,

Nate -- the suspension of the Dragon 234 looks amazing, an order of magnitude better than the old Italeri kit. I find myself thinking I'll have to add these kits to my stash!

Update on the Testor/Italeri Puma:

The limitations of molding way back when this series was tooled meant the rear hull had to have some cut-outs (Dragon no doubt do it with slidemolds). I've worked on this hull design once or twice in the past (never completed one, though) and found the best way to line up those parts was to lay in some stripstock to create ledges:

The ledges mean you can drop in the triangular fillets that complete the hull without alignment issues. I glued the upper and lower halves together and taped them overnight (the fillets are not yet installed here):

The skirt/stowage bin fairings cover all but the foremost and rearmost parts of the hull armour apex so there's no need to dress most of it. I used some filler to close the hull at nose and tail:

The filler is mostly dressed here, it might need a touch more here and there.

Next I moved on to the turret and assembled it in a couple of rounds of work. The dressing parts are very small and Italeri is one ofthose companies that offers you minute components without positive alignment devices, which makes my hackles rise. I make no guarantees about the survival of the turret lifting lugs through the handling between here and the display case!

There's an interesting story goes with the turret. The bottom lays into the turret with some corner ledges to rest on, but not very well at all. I superglued it and added tape to hold it in place. later, to reinforce the joint I flowed in some liquid cement, but some was carried by capillary action under the tape in the forward portside corner. Naturally, it reduced the plastic surface to a softened, almost rubber-like texture, which was still a bit pliable even after drying overnight. I brushed on some cya to redress it, then filed the surface down so it would mate cleanly to the hull.

As it's a closed-hull build I left out all internal parts, not that there are many. My next jobs are mounting the stowage bins/flank hulls, and the suspension, not sure which order yet. My objective is to get the model structurally complete and ready for paint, then set it aside and concentrate on my StuG IV for 1000 Roadwheels, bringing that one up to the same stage, so I can get them both in the paintshop together and put them into dunkelgelb (Tamiya acrylics all the way).

Cheers,

Mike/TB379

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http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/

Hi Nate -- Thanks! Sounds like we have a similar gameplan with similar interests! I'm working on the suspension at this moment, first round tonight, second round tomorrow, and can see this one ready for paint in a couple of days. Then I'll change back to my StuG and get her up to the same point. I was hoping to do a Brummbar as well, it all depends when the kit comes in.

I must break my Dragon virginity one of these days, I have about ten later-tool Dragons and a couple of earlies, the earlies are simple in some ways, confounding in others. I've put two together, but neither are complete yet.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

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http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/

Very spectacular, Nate! That is real plastic engineering, and it looks so solid and businesslike! I'll put one of these on my shopping list for the not too dustant future! I have one of their Panther Smart Kits, plus some Imperials and some '39-'45s, methinks I'll have to pay more attention to Dragon!

Two small links to go and I'll be fnished for tonight (it's 12.23am here in Aus). Tomorrow I'll install the leafsprings and steering rods, plus a few other bits and pieces and the running gear should be done.

Cheers, and great work,

Mike/TB379

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http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/

Thunderbolt379 wrote:

(it's 12.23am here in Aus).

Actually in the real parts of australia its 12:58am :P

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KW13 -- Damn your eastern states elitism, sir! Just because you don't have Daylight Saving, don't get the impression you're more important than the rest of us!

Mike/TB379

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http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/