WIP M109A6 Paladin

ChiefSmo

Speaking of modifications and add-ons, what would be a good laundry list of raw material to have on hand?  I know now that CA glue needs to be used instead of regular plastic cement, but do they make these in sheets or squares?  How do I measure thickness and get the scale right?  Is a micrometer in my near future?

You really only need to use CA glue when using non-styrene parts, such as resin, metal, etc.  As to what supplies you may want for scratch-building, I would start with a few sheets of styrene in various scales.  Check out Plastruct or Evergreen.  They both offer variety packs with different sized sheets and rods, etc.  A good selection should include 0.015, 0.020, 0.030, and 0.040 sheet and similar rod sizes.  I also have a stash of wine bottle foil to replicate thin fabric or metal, various wires and string sizes, etc...  You will find that almost anything can be used.

ChiefSmo

 

Bish

 

I like to swap them over every week or so, keeps thing interesting . I have about half dozen or so i go through. Hard for me to pick a favorite Blackadder. Would probably be 4 as my Regiental band and some of the guys from my first battalion are in the opening credits.

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully one of them wasn't Private Baldrick.  Hahahaha.

 

O, i don't know. Doesn't every Inf Battalion need a Baldrick

Bish

 

I like to swap them over every week or so, keeps thing interesting . I have about half dozen or so i go through. Hard for me to pick a favorite Blackadder. Would probably be 4 as my Regiental band and some of the guys from my first battalion are in the opening credits.

 

Hopefully one of them wasn't Private Baldrick.  Hahahaha.

Excellent thread, and answered another question I was going to pose about decals and bumper numbers.  Mine will be from 2I 2F17 A-21 and A-21A (when I finally get around to the CAT).  I'm having to dig deep to remember our bumper number naming convention, and have no pictures.  It was either 2F17 or 2-17FA, can't remember.  I've already done the drivers hatch, and have no spare plastic to make a top, but I'll remember that for future builds.  I've put the drain hose on the front, but if I remember right there was just a short, stubby hose on the Paladin, and a long snakey one on the A3-A5.  Italeri did include that piece.  I do plan on drilling out the exhaust (guess I'm getting that pin vise sooner than later).  They did not include the door box, but have the two boxes that sit behind the spades (when stowed).  I'll also ensure I take a look at the hydraulic pump exhaust as well.

Speaking of modifications and add-ons, what would be a good laundry list of raw material to have on hand?  I know now that CA glue needs to be used instead of regular plastic cement, but do they make these in sheets or squares?  How do I measure thickness and get the scale right?  Is a micrometer in my near future?

James

ChiefSmo

 

Bish

Good to see you diving right in with a build thread, more armour here is very welcome.

 

 

 

 

Bish,

Enjoyed seeing Hugh Laurie, why the switch?  Blackadder III was one of the best.  Well, hard to say between 2,3 and 4, they were all funny. 

I like to swap them over every week or so, keeps thing interesting . I have about half dozen or so i go through. Hard for me to pick a favorite Blackadder. Would probably be 4 as my Regiental band and some of the guys from my first battalion are in the opening credits.

ChiefSmo

Thanks for the compliment.  I did so with a little bit of hesitation as I am my own worst critic and am already contemplating this build as my "warm up" and not including it in my shadow case of previously assigned vehicles.  True test is going to be primer prep (putty in the seams, trying to hide the hideous driver side front end) and then paint.  I've never used an airbrush before, and I went with uber-beginner and got a 12 job from Harbor Freight.  I'm almost scared to see what happens, but nothing ventured nothing gained.  He who dares my son?

James

 

Well, you made a good move, shareing the build with the group is the best way to improve. I have come on more in the last 8 years than i did in the previous 25+. I still hate doing seams, especially on aircraft. An airbrush was one of the best buys i ever got. I started with a simple cheap one and can's of air.

ChiefSmo

W70, yes, please send me the list.

Check out these threads: 

http://armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=129179&page=1

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=244741&page=1

They have a bunch of info on what can be corrected on the Italeri M109A6.  You can go all out and fix them all, or choose how much correcting you want to do.

Tojo, I did not.  It's the Italeri Kit, and based on HeavyArty's recommendation, I think if I do another I'll go with the AFV Club kit.  Seems a bit better from the WIP photos I saw of it (might even have been his, can't remember off the top of my head).

W70, yes, please send me the list.  I've spotted some stuff already that didn't make sense.  Told my daughter last night as she was helping that the rear door tray and included WD-1 spool was wrong.  The Paladin was all digital, and from what I remember on my time on it, we had no DR8 in the section, even for AP.

MailDude, like I told Tojo, look at the AFV kit as well.  This one has been fun, but the molding issues and attention to detail is bugging me. 

More to follow as I continue. Thanks guys!

James

Bish

Good to see you diving right in with a build thread, more armour here is very welcome.

 

Bish,

Enjoyed seeing Hugh Laurie, why the switch?  Blackadder III was one of the best.  Well, hard to say between 2,3 and 4, they were all funny. 

Thanks for the compliment.  I did so with a little bit of hesitation as I am my own worst critic and am already contemplating this build as my "warm up" and not including it in my shadow case of previously assigned vehicles.  True test is going to be primer prep (putty in the seams, trying to hide the hideous driver side front end) and then paint.  I've never used an airbrush before, and I went with uber-beginner and got a 12 job from Harbor Freight.  I'm almost scared to see what happens, but nothing ventured nothing gained.  He who dares my son?

James

Fun=Hobby

No fun=Work

Good start. I been looking to get this kit for my stash. I'll definitely be watching your build. 

You are off to a good start.  Yup, the right front gap is a design flaw in all the Italeri M109 kits.   A little fill and sanding will take care of it though.  Let me know if you want a full list of what can be done to teh Italeri kit to bring it up to speed.  It has quite a few small issues if you want to tackle them.

Tojo72

Good start,did you say which kit this was.

 

Italeri's M109A6 Paladin.

Good start,did you say which kit this was.

Good to see you diving right in with a build thread, more armour here is very welcome.