Voroshilovets Tractor updated 16 Jan 11

Very nice job, Bronto.

Cool subject.

The tractor looks awesome, definitely going to go on my list for the future.

Doog, that was just uncalled for.  I will have nightmares for months.

YEAAAAH BABY!!!!

COOOOL! 

What a cool looking vehicle! It's like a bulldog with go-anywhere paws!

Finally had some time to work more on this.  Added the tracks, and first layer of mud.  The rest of the weathering will wait until I have the gun ready for the same stage.  It should be about 2 weeks until I am back to dig the gun out of the trailer.

Keep this one in the truck when you come by I want to get an eye ball on that bed its looking cool......Oh by the way if your in this part of the world this week come by and buy somthing I have inventory coming up and I dont want to spend all weekend here counting.

Thad

It starts lookin' really nice! Wonder what the weathering is going to be... Keep 'em comin' and have a nice day

Paweł

Was able to get more painting done today.

It came free with the trailer I had to buy to put all my un-built kits in.  I'll sell it to you next time I stop by!

I like your cutting matt with the flowers and leafs......where can I get one?

Thad

OK, got the basecoat of green applied (yes it is MM Russian Armor Green Thad!)  I should be able to get some more work done on Monday.

As you know I am in the wittness protection program and they will not allow me to do that. besides I just saw you and your cat a month ago and I look the same.

Thad

About the same time you get an avatar picture!

When are you going to get some Model Master Russian Green on her?

Thad

The bed is looking sweet.

Thad

Looking amazing! I'm really looking forward to your next update!

Yes its dangerous to assume tracks will fit! Nothing worse than finding out when everything is painted and waiting for the tracks to slip on without difficulty.

I now expect difficulty placing tracks on and prepare well in advance for that step in construction.

Looking good Bronto, between your build & FSM's recent review I am sure Trumpeter will sell a few more of these kits! Also I am sure the AM will have a few conversions to follow...

The scratched bed looks very impressive.

Ok, had some time to get the details added to the cargo bed, and to get the tracks fitted.  The idler mount in the kit is fixed, so I had to cut it off and reposition it to get the tracks to fit.  (My fault for actually trusting Trumpeter to have it in the right place.)

Yes, I agree it has steering levers.  I was referring to the cab panels / doors when I said they were Zis-5 parts.

Tracked vehicles (older construction bulldozers) have steering 2 hand clutches and two brake pedals, one of each for which ever way you need the machine to pivot. Engaging a steering clutch  disengages the drive power to that side, thus the machine will drift in said direction. Applying the steering brake as well will cause the machine to pivot on that track which is now locked (braking)

Hence I would dare to guess this Voroshilovets Tractor steers in the same manner and not with a steering wheel.

Thank you all for the continuing interest in my build.  I have searched for pictures of the interior, but haven't been able to locate any. What I am doing is going off is the cab having parts from the Zis-5 truck, so I am basing what I can off of pictures of that truck cab.  I should have some more progress pictures up this weekend, not had any time to do anything besides drive / load / unload all week.   Still undecided about the gun, but leaning toward including it since all opinions seem to be to go with it so far.

saransk:

Is it just me or does  Trumpeter assume the driver is of very small stature.  It seems this is just the latest in any number of kits that forget that bodies take up space.

The main concern is for the exterior to be accurately scaled. When considering the thickness of the plastic making up a floor, roof and sides of a interior it soon adds up to lost interior space. To truly make a accurate interior dimension you would need to thin everything or replace with thin styrene stock, or for thin sheet metal even paper!

Another thing to consider is people on average were shorter years ago. Most full suits of armor from centuries ago were under 5 feet tall. These were the 'big, strong' soldiers as well.

Best strategy is to plan on interior figures in the initial stages and make extra room inside where you can. My current build took a lot of extra work to fit a interior figure in after construction was to the point where it would be counter productive to change the vehicle.

Count me for following this build! I just got caught up on this one.  I like how you've replace the springs.  Those look very nice.  Tow a gun... not tow a gun... do what you are inspired to do.  That having been said, it would look pretty darn cool hauling that beast.  

Cheers

Dave

Is it just me or does  Trumpeter assume the driver is of very small stature.  It seems this is just the latest in any number of kits that forget that bodies take up space.

I have a couple of driver figures that I use (easily modified for uniform type) for when I want a crew member actually sitting in the driver's seat and none would fit in to this cab without modifying the seat.    Scale wise no person over 4 foot could sit on the unmodified seat, see through the windshield, and not hit the roof with their head.  The seat is about 1/4" too high to allow a scale drive figure to fit.  The firewall also seems very close without any real foot room.

Is there any pictures of what the interior actually looked like - could the seat and floorboard actually been "sunken" between the hull sides.

The kit seems to scale out OK and it certainly looks fine, but is it "too small."  There is no way the large crew figures for the B4 howitzer could sit in the cab.

Your build is great - Mine is going to have a wooden "house" on the back - there is a picture along with Zaloga's build article in Military Modeler? magazine.  Shows 2 with howitzers in East Prussia.

Mike

I love your insane scratch-building...

Nice work on that bed, I would probably have corrected it too, at 3mm short too; that's a noticeable difference. I wouldn't have bothered for 1mm, but 3mm is a scale boo-boo.

Good job on that grille too.

The whole machine looks good, good luck with your project, I'll be watching

Paweł

Nice scratch work.