Who remembers when I went mental and did a nealry all metal Marder III M, raise your hands?

Well I have had a relapse into insanity.  This the the Dragon M2A1 kit#6329.  Added to that the massive Lion Roar PE set.  13 sheet of brass (nearly 1/2 lb. of metal)  Lots of resin with cables and all kinds of stuff.

And so it begins.

This will be all glue and no solder.  Going for that nice clean look that's on the LR box.  This will also break the FSM "No Nudity" rule since it with be nekkid as a Blue Jay when done.

Why all glue and no solder?  For the big body panels, I would think solder is a necessity.  You don't want to bump it later and have a major part fracture

I don't recall the Marder build, i must have been away. This will be interesting to watch.

And i would have thought solder myself, with so much metal.

Roy, this is going to be unpainted and I want to get it as close to that shiny look on the Lion Roar box.  I am using CA and 5 minute epoxy.  I am carefully roughing up the mating surfaces, sometime having to tape off some spots that in the middle of a piece with expose areas on either side.    When there is a hidden area with room I am gluing in square styrene stock to reinforce as I go.  Soldering will right away discolor the brass ands my soldering skills... well for lack of a better word... suck.

Bish, I do recall a period when you where MIA and it my have coincide with the Marder Madness build.  The link below takes you to the run of posts that cover my Marder.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/3/t/132222.aspx?sort=ASC&pi240=2

Definitely remember the Marder...so will be looking forward to this Allied "all brass" version.

Ahhhhh.... Sweeeet.....BUT !  .... will it be ready for the end of September  ?...mmmmmmm ?

Gonna be nice,Marc... Git 'er done ! 

tread

You sir are crazy...lol I'm working on one myself with the mortar in the back......Comming friday?

John

Bill, nice to have you along for the ride.

Tread, End of September?  Why, whatever do you mean?

John, I fear I may be committed someday.  dunno about Friday.  Did you see the big new Hobby Lobby signs are up?  Won't be long now.

(Hand raised).  Yes, remember your great winter Marder with the works.

I must say this will be original sans the paint. Glad to see you back at the bench Marc. 

Wow,this will be some project.all that metal,I can't even think about it.And yes I think I seen your Marder in person.

I read on Hobby Lobby's web site the end of August they open,hopefully they have a decent selection of goods I have never been in one...

John

Never been in one either.  Saturday was my B-Day and my kids gave me a gift cert for there so I am already and just need the doors to open.

Good to be back at the bench Eric. And don't worry... I 'll be ready for Steel Cats.

Hi Anthony.  I am already at the point I don't want to think about it either

Have run into a snag.  There is a gap on one side of the cab interior that I just cannot account for.  Everything appears to be in exactly the right spot so far.  If this is something that I can't figure out and can't remedy I think I will just the kit cab and just replaced some of that with some of the brass.  Nice part about using the CA.  A little acetone and it all comes parts.  If it was soldered... well... it's just a door stop

Oh man , this is going to be another build i'll bring my bowl of pop corn to Marc !

That's awesome Marc, though it gives me a headache to look at all the PE much less try to work with it!

OK.....with all that metal work in NJ do you have a union card!!!.....WTF...Wing Nut goes OD.....Holy Excrement....Naked OD to top that.

So we are trying to get this done for the end of September......I will be keeping my eye on this one....looking forward to seeing all the duct work in person....I'll be watching, prepared for shiny metal 

Rounds Complete!!

John and Marc,where in NJ are they opening a Hobby-Lobby ? but they probably can't compare with Avenel.

Happy belated Birthday,Marc.....25???? lol

John

Middlesex Mall in South Plainfield,I do like Avenel also though I just hate driving on Rt.1 though... Right around the corner from me is The Model Raiload shop and they carry M/M paints and such plus of course I get my dio supplies there.But I'm always looking for a new place to go and kill time.... lol

John

Mikes gunning for Marc !.... bring an inside micrometer and the blueprints !.... LOL

Mike your post made laugh out loud and I gotta say I know we both wish Marc all the best in pulling off a massive amount of work in a relatively short period !

Marc, good luck with all those Nano hinges and front flaps for the radiator !...  I do mean Good Luck in the real way  

tread

<~~ will be lurking...

Marc,

Commited someday? I think the time is past due. Should you be handleing sharp objects???

I'll watch but promise you will have close supervision.

Thanks for all the chatter and encouragement guys.

Mike... too funny.  I may do an OD subject that I actually paint one day

Thanks John.  25  LOL  I can't remember back that far

The floor/interior problem is just that... a problem.  Getting the kits parts out to see how to meld the brass with the kit  using as much brass as possible.

In the mean time...

How to make a 1/35 scale 50 cal ammo belt that actually clips together.  1st, gather all the brass parts.  2nd, as you think that this is just crazy... hit yourself on the head with a bid rock a few times.  Just before you pass out it will seem so easy that you press (read that "fold") on.

The penny is for scale but the bullets a just under 3/16".  Folding the clips around a drill bit is a lesson in tedium.  There was only 20 to make but when you get to about #15 you start to get a rhythm going.  Oh boy... rhythm for the last 5

BUT... damn if it don;t look cool.

The .30 cals just get new barrels.  The PE set does not inculed the barss barrels but tthe LHS had a set of 1/32 aircart barrels and they look fine.

Damn if that don't look cool ,Marc ! Bravo ! 

tread

Stunning work, that .50 call ammo belt looks the buisness. I know what its like putting together a real 7.62 ammo belt, so you deffinatly have my respect for this.

Marc , gosh and geez !!! Fantastic modeling !!! Ok , i'm sure i have to save some explanatives for later on in this build .

That L.H. you go to must be well stocked . Cant find anything like that around these parts .From the sounds of it you guys back east have some nive L.H.'s.

By the way Marc . your not kidding me , where did you find that 3 ft. dia. penny ?.....

Thanks guys.  Really appreciate the comments.  The bump on my head is finally going down

Shell my local guy is a pretty good shop.  Lot's of stuff and he can get it pretty fast if he doens't have it.

And oh yeah... you mens this penny?

Marc LOL ! Just as i suspected , you do have a big penny !

Hmmm.... end of September... end of September... you know, Marc, that rings a bell for some reason but I just can't place it....

(So, uhh, is this your way of saying, "Don't even think about it bitches, that trophy is mine, all MINE!!! Myuh hahahahahahahahaha!!!!")