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Dragon M3A1 halftrack smart kit #6332

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  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 3:37 PM

T26E4

Thanks for your response and help with my DML M3A1. I realized after I got your post that I haven't seen anything from you on the forum lately. Hope everything is ok with you and you're having a nice summer.

I'm going to send you a PM on the email address listed in your profile to address the points you brought up, ask some more questions and let you know where I am on the build.

I finished my second Asuka Sherman just before I started the halftrack and I agree that they are really good.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by T26E4 on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 8:39 AM

B2 is the bracket to support the weight of the battery compartment (the cover is part B4).  Just make sure the front and back of B2 align to the rectangular shape of the box above it.

I'm not sure about your winch question.  Can you restate your issue?  I've never had any issues with the winch assembly (I've built 5-6 DML US Halftracks).

Here are some other hints for you:

1) Don't glue forward leaf springs A32 and A33 before attaching the front portions of the frame (C20 & C22 or C21 & C23).

2) When assembling the upper body, make sure you glue the side walls of the rear compartment to the vertical rear part of the driver's compartment side panels (B11 and B14).  This seam is more important and visible than following the instructions which tell you to glue down the rear compartment and the driver's compartment to the frame separately.  Glue them together first and then glue the whole upper body to the frame.

3) the connecting rod between suspsension parts D22 is too short and won't touch.  Replace it completely with 7mm long rod.

4) For the winch, I opted to not use DML’s nylon string and copper chain.  To make the cable look thinner (in reality it was 1/4" diameter steel cable), I used metallic embroidery thread which had the right texture and thickness.  Rather than spin a yard of this onto the DML winch spool, I added a spacer cut from a section of styrene tube.  I covered the tube once with thread and voila!  I had a fat spool of cable!  Some smaller chain (again from my spares box) 12-13mm in length, was secured onto the kit-supplied hook .    Three missing support braces were added below the front bumper to finish off the winch detailing -- if this level of super detailing is important to you.

Feel free to PM me for more info or pics

 

 

Roy Chow 

Join AMPS!

http://www.amps-armor.org

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Monday, July 29, 2019 10:29 AM

CapnMac82, thanks for your input. It sounds like I really have a lot of options here for colors (shades). I'm a long way from needing to decide about this, but I really appreciate the info you offered. Thanks again.

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Saturday, July 27, 2019 9:58 PM

M1GarandFan
supposed to be an SCR510 or 610. What color should the radio housing be, OD or black? I kind of think black

The restored SCRs I've seen fall in a range.  From a charcoal sort of color to a blue-black sort of color.

Call that from a 50/50 of gunship gray and NATO black, to, say, Navy Blue 50/50 with a semi-gloss Black (perhaps Black Chrome plus Blue Angels Blue in enamels).

I've seen one that was a distinctive blue-gray, call it, oh, Compass Gray wit hsome Field Blue (4:1, by eyeball); or mamybe just a Dark Ghost gray with scale effect.

From memory all the SCT control bits are black, excepting the frequency window which is an arc of white in a black bezel.

 

But, it's your kit, the paint scheme you like will likely make you happiest.

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Dragon M3A1 halftrack smart kit #6332
Posted by M1GarandFan on Thursday, July 25, 2019 3:53 PM

Ok, guys. I've got this one going, but a couple of questions if anyone can help.

On the bottom of the cab, part B9, another part gets attached, part B2, which looks like some sort of support bracket. The location of this part in the instructions is iffy to say the least. Does anyone know how critical this is to attachment of the cab to the chassis? I'm not even sure what it's supposed to be.

Next up is the support bracket for the winch, part C4, on the front bumper. The bracket has a small projection on the bottom of three of the 4 feet and it doesn't seem to fit level in the bumper. Has anyone dealt with this item before?

I've read several reviews on-line and there is no real mention of these problems. I seem to be the only one with questions about it.

Finally, I'm going to install the radio in the rear compartment. I think it's supposed to be an SCR510 or 610. What color should the radio housing be, OD or black? I kind of think black. It would also give a little contrast to all the rest of the OD.

As usual, thanks in advance for any advice or help.

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