treadwell:
I am really looking forward to your ' take' on this fine model.
So funny you should say that since I spent a part of the day today looking up your posts on your progress to see what you're doing
Don't be surprised to see some (read that "most") of your improvements on mine too. I want to do a 3 color schemes. Ya can't do a Char and not do that scheme. Way to cool looking. Question... Did your kit come with any kind of marking diagrams? Mine has nothing at all other then the drawing on the box.
I found this list of things on another site. Maybe you've seen it already but just in case...
1. Wiring for the radio
cover from behind the turret to guard and then to antenna pot.
2. Add straps with buckles to tool holder.
3. Headlight cover knob
4. Use 62 links not 61 for tracks.
5. Add weld bead around turret joint, lifting
hooks and rear chain hooks.
(i think this is actually a casting seam & not
a weld bead)
6. Add six bolts on top of commander’s turret.
7. Add extra lifting hook on the commander’s
turret.
8. Add six bolts around the gun mantle.
9. Add Pig’s Tail lifting hook on gun mantle.
10. Add bolts around the commander’s turret.
11. Casting numbers on turret (I have not seen any
photos of this).
12. Add oval plate with two bolts on rear deck.
13. Add 5 bolts to the engine deck.
14. Fill in seam on the right of the driver’s
front plate.
15. Casting numbers on drivers hatch ( I have not
seen a lot of this,so check references).
16. Eyehole in drivers hatch periscope.
17. Turret Anti-Aircraft mount slit in the side
and a hole on top.
18. Add missing bolts on the top of the sponsons
around the track runner guides
19. Open up mud chutes on top of sponson & add
mud scrapers next to the chutes
20. Add three lifting hooks to cupola ( not all
B1's had this feature , so check your references )
21. Radio Aerial pot needs detail added
22. Silencer covers need mounting brackets on to
the trackguards
23. Chandelles need securing straps added
24. Replace the rivets on part A6 with latches
Remember not all tweaks will be applicable for
every B1 bis as they were built at different factories !
Comments re: above
fixes
I'm not sure if these are
covered in the Chars-Francais site but here goes some more:
For early hulls, the round access point that the
center bottom of the crew door is much wider diameter
The commander's cupola can use an extra lip at its
bottom edge, with bolt heads about 3mm apart around it.
Check your references but some driver's front
armor had an additional thickened central part.
Scribe in the driver's right side view slit.
Use the tow chain storage diagram in the
Chars-Francais site. Very valuable!
I disagree with 6 & 8 above. These bolts are
RECESSED screw heads and not proud rivets. I did mine with a jeweller's beading
tool. There are recessed screw heads on the top of the driver's front armor
too.
As for the six bolts around the hull 75mm gun:
they were sometimes left as holes. Either drill them or add rivets.