Tread, What a start!  She is looking great!  It all looks good but really like the brackets around the antenna mast and the addition around the view copula.  Belive you said in a earlier post but how did you go about applying the bolts?

tigerman

Whoa. Slow down Tread. Give us older chaps a break eh?  At this pace, you'll be done in a week!

Hey Eric :  )....

Man those bogies look great !   If I could pick 2 more kits I would like to build it would be your Hochkiss and Rob's Souma.... I am fallin' in love with these French tanks..... when you are burnt out from the Hotchkiss, do yourself a favor, build Tamiya's Char.... it practically builds itself for ya.... but don't worry .. I have a LONG WAY to go to get mine where I want it.

see ta tomorrow... gotta get my zzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

tread

Heya Cliff  :  )

On your Char,in step 12, part B17 is a really poorly made part.  When you fit it,you will see it sticks way above the track return deck .  this is incorrect ... you have to refashion the part to fit flush, but also take care of the fit of the grab rail below it.  Maybe yours is OK... I spent A LOT of time getting mine to be OK. Along with that part you have to refashion  the rain hood that is molded to it

Just a heads up.. every thing else is great :  )    ... if ya can , let me know how yours is when you fit it.

thanks man

talk to ya soon

tread 

Gamera

Eric: Sorry to hear about your cat, lost our twelve year old dog this spring. Amazing how they can make an impression on your life.

Tread: Wow, I need to get some more done on my Char B, I'm already waaaaaaaayyyyyyy behind.

BIll: I've looked over the Nemrod and I'm not sure where they rate on the figure quality scale but they look really sharp to me. Btw: you've got some great stuff there. Dragon does some fantastic box art.

Cliff

You aren't kidding Cliff. Gut wrenching right now. Every one that I lost in my family and even a couple of friends, happened at the spur of the moment. This, i actually have to prepare for. I don't know which is worse?

I hope to have at least the bogies done tonight, because tomorrow I will achieve nothing. Still deciding on the interior. 

Eric: Sorry to hear about your cat, lost our twelve year old dog this spring. Amazing how they can make an impression on your life.

Tread: Wow, I need to get some more done on my Char B, I'm already waaaaaaaayyyyyyy behind.

BIll: I've looked over the Nemrod and I'm not sure where they rate on the figure quality scale but they look really sharp to me. Btw: you've got some great stuff there. Dragon does some fantastic box art.

Cliff

Jc,,   great choice of aircraft,  agree with Tread too,,, nice history lesson to boot

Cliff,,   at least you got your box opened,,, I only took a peek at mine. The Nemrod figs should work great (in my opinion),,,  I've used that brand and really like them.

AndyT,,   awesome lookin double-winger,,,   another great a/c choice

Eric,,,     so very sorry about your loss. I've had pets all my life and it is a real heart-wrencher when you lose one,, I know.                       Good start on the bogies...  I hope to get rolling soon on my build too.

Rob,,    now I have to go and get a cookie,,,         in the shape of a Somua,,

Tread,,    dayum!,,  that is a great jump on that Char B,,  excellent

I have not started anything yet,, but I am in the blocks (so to speak).......   nothing special, but here is what I am looking at,,,,

Pz I command vehicle...   The box are on this is great!....  luv it

An idea for some figures...   not bound by anything yet,,  plenty of thoughts stirring

And a set of spiffy Friuls,   just for fun.....

Hope everyone is good, and I am looking forward to getting into this build.

"Talk" to you all soon......................

Bill

Whoa. Slow down Tread. Give us older chaps a break eh?  At this pace, you'll be done in a week!

Some nice work out of the gate there Tread!

Hi guys   : )

A long night and a long day.....LOL

here are some pics of how it went after 12:01 AM... I am POOPED....please, the lighting and focus isn't up to my personal standards , but I had so much fun and want to show you where I am at... some of it looks a bit messy (where the rivets have been added along the sponson, I marked placement in pencil and it got ugly after the glue was applied)... you can see I am building details of my own to augment this fine Tamiya kit... it goes together like a dream.

there has been alot of measuring,cutting off incorrect parts ,drillling holes in the turret and drivers turret that will get slotted screws,each sponson needs about 40 rivets, I plan on adding casting numbers ect, and many many more things.

when I look at my pics it looks like almost done, but, I guarantee I am gonna need the whole 5 and a half months complete... just got a good jump 

So anyhoo... It looks a lot better in real life than my hurried pictures.. my next batch will be better and planned better...........I gotta hit the rack soon....5:30 for work comes to fast

Char B1 bis...... Day one

tread

ERIC - Nice start.  Those boogies are small but well detailed.  Like the real springs.  You say my kit is busy, mine does not have 500 parts

Thanks for thinking of those tracks but yes, have some here.  $10 dollars!! Thats much better than what I had to pay   Would be nice if Dragon put out some French armor!  If they did would defiantly buy them!

That's a pretty busy kit Rob, glad you have the Friuls. I couldn't remember if you did.

Hello everyone, its time to get started  

First though, the lady of the house helped celebrate the beginning of the build with some homemade oatmeal shortbread cookies

After much debate (with myself) the decision was to build the...........

CHAR S-35 (SOMUA) MEDIUM TANK

This cavalry medium tank was one of the finest armored fighting vehicles of it's day and was the first in the world with an all-cast hull and turret construction.  For it's time it was relatively agile and superior in armor and armament to both it's French and foreign competitors.  There were 430 built.

SPECS:

20 tons,  crew - 3,  one 47mm gun that could fire both HE and AP,  coaxial - 7.5mm MG, armor - 40mm,   engine - liquid cooled SOMUA gasoline V-8: 190hp, speed - 25mph,  17.33 ft x 6.94 ft x 8.58 ft

This is a 1/35 scale Heller kit.  I'm going to also include a set of Friulmodel tracks, Eduard PE detail set, and MV Products realistic light lenses.

There are four sprue's for the tank, one sprue that contains two figures, a small clear sprue and some silver vinyl rubber-band tracks.  The parts look well molded and free from flash or injection pin marks (at least in visible areas).  Some parts do look very thick though.  The figures are poor at best.  The detail and posses are not what I've come to expect and the heads have terrible sink marks making holes in their heads.  The figures will be discarded.

There are known inaccuracies in both the hull and primely the turret from my research.  I can see the inaccuracies in the hull but myself do not see the significant flaws in the turret.  Have found a Graham Tetley turret (the recommended turret) on Ebay but because of the cost rising on this build have decided not to purchase it.  Have not decided if I will replace the Heller turret with an extra Tamiya one?  More to come on this later in the build.  This is the Heller turret

And this is the Tamiya

Hope to have build updates soon.

GeneralDodonna

Tigerman, sorry to hear about your cat, its never easy.

As for the halftrack, its been ordered, will hopefully show up sometime this week.

I've been kicking around a diorama idea and was curious to whether or not including resistance fighters in the dio would be in line with the GB, if not no big deal, from what I can gather the resistance didn't really start up until 41 so...

That would be safe to say. This is basically the attack up to the armistice. May-June 1940.

I have an update! I got 2 bogies done. Each one consists of 10 pieces. This little bugger has 500 pieces on something that fits in the palm of my hand. Really debating on the interior. I personally don't really give a rip about, but it's kind of nice and complete.

Tigerman, sorry to hear about your cat, its never easy.

As for the halftrack, its been ordered, will hopefully show up sometime this week.

I've been kicking around a diorama idea and was curious to whether or not including resistance fighters in the dio would be in line with the GB, if not no big deal, from what I can gather the resistance didn't really start up until 41 so...

deafpanzer

Eric, come on!  Don't be shy to post your address here.  I recall you have a huge stash...   I promise I will not steal because I will return when they are built. 

 

The stash has actually been dented recently. My birds are starting to increase.

tigerman

Actually, you're East off of I-205. I'd say about 10-12 miles.

I don't consider that too far but I am crazy. I'll hop on the bike and do 100 miles just for the ride.

Rob, can't recall if you had Friuls for your Somua, I somehow thought you did. At the show I was at, I saw some marked for $10. i hope you do, because i could have got them and sent them to you.

BTW, I noticed a Somua on the Pz III E boxtop. That leads me to believe that one will be released in the future, because they've been pretty consistent on doing this. 

Eric, come on!  Don't be shy to post your address here.  I recall you have a huge stash...   I promise I will not steal because I will return when they are built. 

Actually, you're East off of I-205. I'd say about 10-12 miles.

tigerman

I live about a mile south of the fairgrounds in Salmon Creek, kind of off the freeway.

Not too far. I'm off of 137th and Fourth Palin.

Sorry to hear about the loss of a beloved pet, it's always a tough thing to have to put one down.

I managed to get my Beute "filler" project done right on schedule...so work will be commencing on the IV-C in the very near future.

AndyT

 

tigerman:

 

I had to get up early and head to the model show yesterday. Had a great time and bought almost nothing! There weren't many vendors, but there were a few smoking deals. 

I'm pretty wiped out physically and now emotionally. I have to put my beloved cat down tomorrow and that's messing with my head right now. She's about 20, so i know she's lived a pretty full life for a cat. She was my babe though and you really do get close to pets. Like losing a family member.

 

 

Bummer. I had to put down a cat and a dog in the same month. You have my sympathy.

 

BTW Where in Vancouver are you?

Sheesh, that's terrible. That must have been extra hard.

I live about a mile south of the fairgrounds in Salmon Creek, kind of off the freeway.

Thank you for the support: again! Having so many great friends (yes you are) makes these bumps in the road so much easier to navigate. I do agree it's the right thing to do. I expected it two years ago. She's had kidney issues and wasn't eating well. The vet flushed her with saline  and she improved. Until last week, was still eating her treats, but in the last 5 days has been lethargic and won't eat turkey, ham (her faves) or anything, even treats. She used to come up to me when she was hungry and meow. Then she'd race down the stairs to her plate. It all just stopped. 

Eric , its a sad experience . Your doing whats best ...................................she will have her peace .

TREAD - Look forward to see what you have already completed.  Hardcore staying up for the start!  Is there a prize for that?

PANZERBOB01 - Thanks for the info about the lack of road wheels and rings for the Kliener!  I contacted Dragon Care and two days later had a complete sprue of wheels and a baggie full of PE rings no questions asked, just an apology from them.  Great customer service!

BONDOMAN, JC - I do not build aircraft but do enjoy looking.  Those are some Great subjects both of you chose.  Like the big heaves and really like the early French aircraft.  They have a unique look to them.

GAMERA - Makes for a nice start having the wheels already cleaned up and out of the way.  Looking forward to more.

ERIC - Very sorry to hear about your cat.  As Tread had said, you have to do whats best for them.  Had to do this myself before and I feel for you.

Cant help you on the track count.  Even though have built the H39 did not count the track links.  I never do instead just make two equally piles and build a track from one of them.  When one track is built to my satisfaction I then count the left over tracks and take that many links from the other track pile then build the other track.  You may want to consider more on your interior.  Because of the way the drivers hatch opens by means of two large hatches much of the interior can be seen especially if you also leave the commanders hatch open.  Was able to see better in my H39 than some of my bigger builds.

Will be posting my introduction for my build shortly.  Me and my big mouth putting in so many entries, now have to decide which one will be first.  All would be a nice first but there is one in particular I have in mind.

Very sad to read this eric .

You 're right it's like losing a family member.

Tomorrow , i would have  a thought .

Jc

tigerman

I had to get up early and head to the model show yesterday. Had a great time and bought almost nothing! There weren't many vendors, but there were a few smoking deals. 

I'm pretty wiped out physically and now emotionally. I have to put my beloved cat down tomorrow and that's messing with my head right now. She's about 20, so i know she's lived a pretty full life for a cat. She was my babe though and you really do get close to pets. Like losing a family member.

Bummer. I had to put down a cat and a dog in the same month. You have my sympathy.

BTW Where in Vancouver are you?

Sorry to hear about your cat... it is never easy doing this.  I had to do the same on my dog as he was a truly best friend.  Hang in there...

Aw dude...  :  (  

Sorry about yer cat...Thats a toughie when pets we love get to be elderly.. been through it many times ...

Ya gotta do what is best for them.... thats the love

tread

I had to get up early and head to the model show yesterday. Had a great time and bought almost nothing! There weren't many vendors, but there were a few smoking deals. 

I'm pretty wiped out physically and now emotionally. I have to put my beloved cat down tomorrow and that's messing with my head right now. She's about 20, so i know she's lived a pretty full life for a cat. She was my babe though and you really do get close to pets. Like losing a family member.

Bout time mister !  We gots sun over here in the far east side of Washington state Eric !!!!!