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MENG A7V "Death to the Defiler!" FINISHED PICS!

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  • Member since
    January 2007
MENG A7V "Death to the Defiler!" FINISHED PICS!
Posted by the doog on Saturday, July 11, 2015 10:53 AM

Hi guys

I'm starting a new diorama and of course a new tank. This will be the MENG A7V, the WWI German tank. This one is going to be a it .... controversial?....for some perhaps, but theme is something that I've wanted to do for a long time, based upon my observations of the damage and outrages committed by graffiti vandals in all the gorgeous, old, historical European towns I've visited over the years. It's only lately I've seemed to find the elements for it. It's going to be along the lines of "SPOOKED!".

Here's a clue as to its theme; I won't reveal it yet until I move this thread over to Dioramas after I build the tank.

A key element of the forthcoming scene..

Here's the main suspension and lower hull taking shape. DO take care to read part numbers and follow directions Whistling. I almost wound up screwing up the wheel bogeys. Two of them have the wheels one way, the other is reversed.

Note the orientation of the wheels in each of the bogey trucks. The one on the right has its wheels reverse from the others.

I thinned out and damaged the mufflers, as this tank is going to somewhat "Post-War"....Whistling

The middle bogey in this immediate photo was somehow skewed--the wheels are too close to one side. I didn't even notice this until after I took the photo. I had to pry it off--luckily the glue had not set yet--and correct it. There's honestly no "correct" way to mount this; no tabs, significant or "handed" details to observe. It is a real mystery as to why it fit one way and not the other.

See? Too close here..

And,...fixed

That's it for now....plugging away, plugging away....! Stay tuned! Big Smile

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Saturday, July 11, 2015 1:17 PM

Well this should be a good one to watch! I am curious to see the final setting.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Saturday, July 11, 2015 1:32 PM

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s101/caporal30/thLumberjack.gif Logged on!

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 2:38 PM

Looking forward to it Karl,after I built my Tamiya British Mark IV,I wanted to try a WWI German Panzer so I grabbed this one,will be following your treatment of this one.

 

Here is a nice build log that might be helpful

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=232296#1958274

  • Member since
    April 2013
Posted by KnightTemplar5150 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 4:01 PM
I've been very curious about the Meng kit, so I'm looking forward to following this build to see how it all comes together.
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Saturday, July 11, 2015 5:08 PM
Oohhhh, fun topic. I'm glad WW I tanks are flourishing. I would like a Whippet myself.

   http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

 Eric 

  • Member since
    June 2015
Posted by jersey66 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 5:38 PM
I'll be following this one.
  • Member since
    March 2013
  • From: Puebla, Mexico
Posted by garzonh on Saturday, July 11, 2015 8:19 PM

OH Karl... I know what you are upto... Im afraid it will be a bitter sweet dio... awesome tank...not respected...

But whatever it is,...we are sure it will be a perfect build.

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Maine
Posted by Stage_Left on Saturday, July 11, 2015 9:36 PM

Karl- I'm quite excited for this. I've got the Meng A7V as well to go along with my Takom British Mk IV to display what I think is basically considered the genesis of armored warfare, but you've obviously got something far more imaginative in mind here. I'm definitely staying tuned.....

Dave 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Sunday, July 12, 2015 10:10 AM

Carlos, Steve, thanks for following along!

Tojo, thanks for that link, --looks like there are some "fit minefields" to be aware of---and for coming along!

KnightsTemplar,  jersey66, and tigerman, welcome aboard as well! Tigerman, I thoroughly plan to grab a Whippet too---they're coming out with one soon!

Hugo and Dave--I think you both will like what I am going to create here. Hugo, yes, I"m sure you can suss out what diabolical idea I am creating here, lol. I Hope it turns you like I can see it in my head. Devil Dave, I've got that Mk IV as well. I may tackle that one soon as well!

Thanks again for riding along guys! I'll be working on this some more today!

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Sunday, July 12, 2015 6:24 PM

Neat Karl, I love 'Spooked' and really looking forward to seeing you work your magic here. $@#@ that's one complicated running gear.

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by jibber on Monday, July 13, 2015 9:03 AM

Karl this should be a great one, we don't see enough of WWI builds and a dio too, fantastic...I can see that beast rolling over a trench with some very shaken guys underneath. Can't wait on this one.

Terry

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Monday, July 13, 2015 3:09 PM

Mmmm,,  teasing us hmmm?

Schweet, all the more fun!

Apprentice rivet counter.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Monday, July 13, 2015 4:14 PM

Given your enthusiasm for WW1 subjects I was wondering how long it would be before you got around to this one Karl. Beer

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 4:19 PM

This looks an interesting build. I have ben thinking about getting this kit myself so i'll be following along for sure.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: Springfield, MA
Posted by TigerEP1 on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 5:22 PM

Saw this today at my LHS. Looking forward to your take on it.

On the bench:

1/35th Tamiya Willi's MB

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: From the Mit, but live in Mason, O high ho
Posted by hogfanfs on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 5:29 PM

Bish

This looks an interesting build. I have ben thinking about getting this kit myself so i'll be following along for sure.

I'm with Bish, I'm interested in getting this kit too.

But, the bonus is, Karl, you make these WIP threads very interesting. It's hard not the get hooked.

 Bruce

 

 On the bench:  1/48 Eduard MiG-21MF

                        1/35 Takom Merkava Mk.I

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 7:53 PM

Cliff, thanks for coming along! The running gear LOOKS complicated, but really it's not too bad. Most of it is hidden by the chassis anyway! If you liked "SPOOKED",  think you'll really like what I've got planned!

Terry, no trench, but I hope you'll appreciate the imagination I"m going to put into it!

Russ, and Bill, thanks for looking in! Bill in all honesty, I"ve been wanting to get to some WWI myself, but you know how hard it is to decide. lol Hope you can follow along!

Bish, TigerEP, and Bruce---glad to have you guys along! :)

Update soon!!

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 3:15 PM

Well, I"m working away....got some more to show, but not as much as I hoped. I'm having to strategize this build so as to be able to pull it off with the finish I want. Basically this is going to be a hypothetical preserved tank in an outdoor environment so there is bound to be a lot of rust and degradation of the metal.

Also, the painting requirements make the build sequence a challenge because of the variations in color of some of the parts. I have therefore decided to skip adding some of them and will paint them on stulls.

Here's some pics:

The hull pieces, walls, and floors have dozens of these annoying little stubs to cut off..

I had to dig this piece out and re-glue it because I had it on upside-down. Whistling

The tracks are an absolute joy to assemble. I HIGHLY recommend that you do NOT join the top "shingles" on top of the individual inks until you assemble all of the 48-per-side connecting pieces. Otherwise, it's awfully hard to join them without dislodging the upper plates. NOTE also that the flat plates ARE directional---you have to apply them depending on the flat vs "crimped" side. See here:

See how they lay?

Here's the in-progress shot...

I made a new cover for the ammo bin, damaged it from long-time rust , and thinned out the seats from underneath and did th same...

I also roughed the surfaces up with glue.

Of COURSE the @#$@^#' PE didn't fit. so I had to trim the sides of the gun cupola to look correct...this is "before". Look at how far off the PE piece is! Did I mention that I HATE P??? Angry

The seats and ammo bin in place.

I cut off the driver's compartment because it is too short to fit into the tabs of the side walls. When I do finally install it, it will be sandwiched between the walls and shimmed on bottom.

Sorta like this...

I got another key element in today. The graffiti for the vehicle sides. The "Crime" for which the sentence is..... BWAH HA HA HAAAAA!! 8 ball

Miles to go before I paint....Smile

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 3:41 PM

Some nice work there Karl. Am I right in thinking those track links just click together.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 10:03 PM

Nice interior detail!

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Thursday, July 16, 2015 7:30 AM

Looking good,and thanks for all of the heads ups.

  • Member since
    April 2013
Posted by KnightTemplar5150 on Thursday, July 16, 2015 8:16 AM
The difference between this kit and the old Tauro A7V are really remarkable! I built up the Tauro version thirteen years ago, but still clearly remember the horrible vinyl track segments and a highly rudimentary interior. I think it took half a tube of Squadron putty to get things up to par - I'm pretty impressed by what I see here, particularly since the Meng kit is a bit less expensive than what I paid on e-Bay at the time.
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Thursday, July 16, 2015 10:36 AM

Thanks, guys!

Bish, yep--they snap right together nicely. ANd thy're pretty durable when moving them around. A real nice engineering job here by Meng!

Thank you, Cliff and Tojo!

KnightsTemplar, yeah, the tracks are especially a HUGE improvement over the Tauro model, which I have as well in the stash, and which are, from all accounts, a real nightmare. I have yet to decide whether to keep and build up the Tauro eventually as a "closed" model--the interior is now too rudimentary to display what with this one on the market--or sell it for cheap. But there are so many cool WWI figures being released, I may do another small dio with some cool figures at some point. :)

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Thursday, July 16, 2015 11:28 AM

Thanks Karl, they do look nice and real simple to work with. I am seriously considering this and the Tamiya Mk IV.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Friday, July 17, 2015 10:09 AM

Graffiti decals? Elaborate please! Oh the possibilities!

Apprentice rivet counter.

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Sunday, July 19, 2015 2:37 AM

Those look nicer than the old Woodland Sceneics rub-ons in HO scale.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 7:31 PM

I think I just figured the story out. This'll be good! Don't the Germans get little spikey things on their helmets? Just kidding.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 4:13 PM

RBaer

Graffiti decals? Elaborate please! Oh the possibilities!

ha ha, all in good time, Russ! I don't want to give it away yet, but I thought it wold be obvious? Stay tuned! Surprise

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 4:14 PM

GMorrison

I think I just figured the story out. This'll be good! Don't the Germans get little spikey things on their helmets? Just kidding.

Yeah, you know me, G....lol....I believe I DO have one of those helmet-guys! I may use him.. Smile

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