OFFICAL NO AFTERMARKET Group Build

Supressionfire I have to agree I like your idea of opening up the tank and allowing the detail inside to be seen, cant wait to see what you do with it next.

Hurt feelings ? Ruffled feathers ??? Wow I must have missed something worth missing geeze.

Randy i think it was something in the armor forum...

Yep, it was in the Armor forum. Schnobs had the moderators lock and delete his WIP on the M-7 Priest, and he tried to slip away from the forums. Someone posted a thred about egos shortly after, and he started on why he got it deleted, and it exploded from there.

I didn't get the whole story, but I think it had something to do with someone trying to tell Schnobs how to build his diorama, but I'm not sure. Real shame, I was looking foward to seeing the finished product.

I've always been a firm beleiver in building what you want and how you want regardless of accuracy....And i've never seen a thread explode in the Group Build forum...Thats why i hang out here i guess...Great guys, Great subjects all skill levels and no egos....Just modeling fun for all

Yeah I agree, the Group Builds are usually good neighborhoods to hang out in. I think its because every one is on the same page, so to speak, about what they are building.

Kermit - Nice work on the old Spitfire! I built the big 1/32 Revell P-51 a few years back and it was a quick fun build. I built it so that I could chase the dog around the house with it! He runs for cover when he sees me coming!  

Jason - Pretty cool idea to open it up on one side to view the interior. I'm really looking forward to seeing the display you have in mind. I went to my first model show earlier this year and I was blown away by the little dioramas they had in the armor section! Can't get enough of them now!

jmabx, oddmanrush & vetteman42,

Tanks for your kind words, its good knowing people appreciate the effort involved in slow progress!

Anyhoo.. had a good couple of sessions:

Here is the lower hull ready for paint with a flat black acrylic wash for kicks & giggles.

The horror... the horror. It has come time to tackle the dreaded tracks. shown are the idler & sprocket wheels with sink holes, too difficult to fill so I punched out round discs out of Pb (lead) foil to hide the defects.

Getting jiggy with it! Cut out round holes out of masking tape and well.. sprayed some paint!

Olivgrun & Dunkelgelb...Creative names but hard to match spray cans to. The lighter is Krylon 'Buttercream' and the green is Tamiya 'medium green' Note it is easy to darken light colors in weathering & washes, this is the plan as both need brown to look more accurate. 'Chwat' (nickname for this Hetzer) does appear lighter in reference photographs & even the kits instructions.

'Nothing is finished until the last coat of clear flat'

Hell tracks are next... May the gods of glue & lucky little links fall into place like a set of... tracks!

The Hetzer is looking good Supression Fire. I whish you luck with the tracks.

Agg!

It is a lesson in frustration, the drive sprockets were 1/2 a tooth out! Cut apart, going for a ice cream & will try again later tonight. 

*leaving the drive sprockets unglued from hull and starting there to eliminate more surprises.

~time passes~

Sprockets dried, filed out the gaps between teeth to ease the assembly. Good thing they were never glued to the hull* Started on the sprocket adding individual links to a total of 9 (as per kit instructions) Then the length to the first road wheel, 1 more individual then the long length across the ground contact area. The kit included 3 individual links more than they said it would need, I assume for 'link loss & carpet monster factors' I decided to model some sag, bent the run from sprocket to return roller, regret not trimming 1 link off as the bend is 1 link behind the return roller. 1 more individual link than instructions as the sag left a gap at the idler wheel.

It actually went smoothly after the sprocket, if to do again (other side) I would file off the teeth. 2 hours for this side, 1 hour was just the sprocket! Tracks are holding the sprocket in place, they are not glued to the hull.

Pictured is the completed side, the other side is on the sprue frame to avoid mixing up the parts*

Due to the delicate nature of the links each has to be sawed from the frame, trimmed & sanded. Another 4 hours +/- and the other side should be tracked.

Nice work SF, Indy tracks eh, i imagine they would be a royal pain in the a$$...

Julez72

Nice work SF, Indy tracks eh, i imagine they would be a royal pain in the a$$...

BMX we struck oil! ~ Blaster, Uncommon Valor

One side is on! Going to celebrate by heading to the beach to surf some tasty waves. Later dudes!

I'm glad you got the tracks done. I always had problems with tracks myself (that's why I never build armor unless it is a burnt-out and blown-up shell)  Have fun on the waves.

Kermit nice looking spit I have one of those kits in the stash and enjoyed watching your build. You have inspired me to start mine.

Damon

Julez and Railfan its sad that things like this happen sometimes. I have never had any problem of that kind here on the forums and hope I never do, this is suppose to be a fun relaxing hobby. I have run into a few here who seemed misunderstood sometimes, rather gruff and seemed demanding, but when I PMed them I found they were only trying to help out. Anyway as it turned out I took the advise they gave me and my skills improved a bunch. Just my humble worth.

Supressionfire the Hetzer is looking great so far You have had some pretty slick ideas solving the problems with the kit I plan to remember for my first armor build coming up soon I hope. Well by the end of the year anyways

Whoa, there's a LOT of great stuff going on here! Randy, with your approval, I'd like to get in on this if I may. I have a Wingnut Wings 1/32 Albatros D.V - great kit, but I think I can make it a little better. It does come with some PE (the cooling jackets for the guns, which I'd use, and the seat belts, of which I'd only use the buckles while subbing thin lead foil for the straps). The scratchbuilding will come in the form of numerous little bits, like metal rocker springs (12 of 'em) for the engine to replace the molded-on ones, some ignition harnesses, and the most tedious, yet essential part of any WWI bird (especially in this easy-to-work-with scale), turnbuckles (too many to count) made from fine wire and very small diameter brass tubing for attaching the rigging (which would be made from EZ Line, my rigging material of choice).

Looking forward to hearing back from you on my entry.

Ruddratt you are in and welcome to our marry little group. Sounds like your build will fit in perfectly here. I have been wanting to see one of the Wingnut Wings models being built, I have not seen one of their kits, but hear good things about them. 

Thanks Randy! You guys have set the bar way up there with the work on display so far, so I'll do my best.

Now the dreaded tracks are on 'Chwat' the rest should be more enjoyable.

Shown is the upper hull and the driver's side tracks on. Also the 'thought bubble ' now can be seen enlarged. A few scratch built details will be built and added before the hulls are joined . Plan on brush painting the sprockets & idlers to the tracks (paint left off due to anticipated difficulties assembling tracks)

im changing my build to a 1/48 tsr 2

do you have to be able to see the mods on the finished model?

ruddratt

You guys have set the bar way up there with the work on display so far, so I'll do my best.

They sure have set the bar high Ruddratt, some excellent work going on here for sure. I am not even sure I can keep up with these guys and like you will give it my best shot.

Supressionfire the tracks look very real the way you have them sagging Its the one thing that has me worried about building my tank. Cant wait to see the next installment of your build.

Eatthis no problem on your build change, just let me know who manufactur3ed the kit and I will update the front page.

To answer your question, I know some scratch built detail can be hidden once a fuse is closed up but they can be shown with WIP pictures along with a bit of a " How I Dun It " type of thing. Thats a large part of what the group is about.

Ruddratt, i might join you in the WW1 stuff, i love the look of those oldies and you have wet my appetite for the subject.....

Randy, my 2nd build for this one (See pic) BTW how tight are the rules, can i use stuff from the spares box like a gunsight???

vetteman42

 

ruddratt:

 

You guys have set the bar way up there with the work on display so far, so I'll do my best.

 

 

They sure have set the bar high Ruddratt, some excellent work going on here for sure. I am not even sure I can keep up with these guys and like you will give it my best shot.

Supressionfire the tracks look very real the way you have them sagging Its the one thing that has me worried about building my tank. Cant wait to see the next installment of your build.

Eatthis no problem on your build change, just let me know who manufactur3ed the kit and I will update the front page.

To answer your question, I know some scratch built detail can be hidden once a fuse is closed up but they can be shown with WIP pictures along with a bit of a " How I Dun It " type of thing. Thats a large part of what the group is about.

being new to this i dont actually understand what constitutes scratchbuilding what il do is post my builds/mods and il leave it upto you whats eligable and what isnt :)

eatthis:

being new to this i dont actually understand what constitutes scratchbuilding what il do is post my builds/mods and il leave it upto you whats eligable and what isnt :)

Scratch building: The addition of any part not specifically designed for your model. It can be a copper wire, stock styrene cut to simulate extra detail or even a strand of horse hair to replace molded in wiring. Some of my favorite materials are Pb (lead) foil found on wine bottles and frozen juice can lids. Keep your mind and eyes open for anything than can enhance a models detail, not all materials are found at a hobby shop either. Brass tubes and crimps for bead work come in handy also.

The group build is about NOT purchasing detail extras like photo etch parts or replacement resin goodies. Scratch building is a aspect of the hobby some enjoy, like myself. (ok it is my favorite part of the process)

SuppressionFire - yep, I'm liking the looks of that tank as well - excellent work on the tracks! Those things gve me fits - probably why I don't build much armor.

Jules, those WWI subjects can be quite addicting, can't they!? Lots of rigging on your subject choice (the DH-2), but I've seen your work and I know you can pull it off! I'll be watching that one with a great deal of interest, as I have the ProfiPak version of that kit in my stash but have yet to start it.

The engine is almost completed for the Albatros (it's a kit in itself), and I should have some pics posted in the next day or two, thursday at the latest. I'm real happy with how it's turning out.

SuppressionFire

eatthis:

being new to this i dont actually understand what constitutes scratchbuilding what il do is post my builds/mods and il leave it upto you whats eligable and what isnt :)

Scratch building: The addition of any part not specifically designed for your model. It can be a copper wire, stock styrene cut to simulate extra detail or even a strand of horse hair to replace molded in wiring. Some of my favorite materials are Pb (lead) foil found on wine bottles and frozen juice can lids. Keep your mind and eyes open for anything than can enhance a models detail, not all materials are found at a hobby shop either. Brass tubes and crimps for bead work come in handy also.

The group build is about NOT purchasing detail extras like photo etch parts or replacement resin goodies. Scratch building is a aspect of the hobby some enjoy, like myself. (ok it is my favorite part of the process)

all iv done so far is added hardpoints from other kits and replaced hinges with pipe

heres the wip so far is this elligable?

Julez72 your DH2 is in, stuff from the spares box is fine as long as it is not AM but from another kit. So I guess kit bashing would also fit in here. An interesting subject you have chosen too

Ruddratt looking forward to seeing the pictures of your build.

Eatthis your build is in fact fits right in here, the brass tube is scratch building and I would think the hard points from other kits could be called a form of kit bashing.

I will update the front page shortly guys

Oh Eatthis what kit and scale it your build ?

vetteman42

Julez72 your DH2 is in, stuff from the spares box is fine as long as it is not AM but from another kit. So I guess kit bashing would also fit in here. An interesting subject you have chosen too

Ruddratt looking forward to seeing the pictures of your build.

Eatthis your build is in fact fits right in here, the brass tube is scratch building and I would think the hard points from other kits could be called a form of kit bashing.

I will update the front page shortly guys

Oh Eatthis what kit and scale it your build ?

nice 1 thanks its an airfix 1/72 scale tsr 2

Eatthis is this the TSR you started earlier that you were gonna load up with lots of iron ?