251 Halftracks GB 1 October '08 - 8 June '09

Thanks guys for the comments on my work. I saved a lot in making my own seat spring backs. Making set for the public would be a grate idea, I just dont want to be the one that has to seat there an sew all the spring lines. I may try this "two more times" on my next 251 or my big half/ton 8. SO you guys will see them again.

Oh an SMJmodeler I'm glad to see that my work help some one., I try to show as much of the detail as I can. One nevers know who it can help.

Now I need to get back to work!

Steve,

Just wanted you to know the tracks went out by Priority Mail today.  You should have them by Friday.  Hope I didn't delay you too long.

EDIT: I meant Tuesday.

dupes Just another quick update. Firstly, i do have some pics, but like an idiot i have left the lead that connects the camera to the pc in camp. As i won't be back there for a couple of weeks, i will post all the pics in a oner, hopefully i will be finished by then.

The camo scheme is finished, and even though i went bit heavy on the yellow overspray, it looks ok. It then got a thin coat of future and the decals went on, all 4 of them. I am now moving into new territory with my weathering. Prior to this model, my sole attempts at weathering were dry brushing, pastels and mud. But now i am taking tips from what i have read on the site over the past few months. I am currently doing a colour wash, as in SMJ's weathering list, and i love the results so far. I am not going to go to heavy for now, take it one step at a time, but so far i am very pleased with the results.

I have also started painting the tracks and all being well i should be complete very soon.

Bish - bummer about the camera cable, would like to see what you're up to.

More important, though, is the finished product! How much longer do you have left? 

Ye i know, i even topok a pic of the Kugel so i was ready when i start that. If you m,ean how much longer in the UK, i don't plan of going away any time soon. Will be at the end of the year at least. I have just over two weeks leave left, but i actually get more done whne i am at work as i live on camp during the week so no distractions.

But if you mean how much longer on the kit, i would say two weeks at the outside. Weathering with oils in this way seems to take a while leaving it to dry between stages. But i won't be useing all the steps in SMJ's list, just a few to get a nice finish. Ashide from the weathering, theres just the tracks and tools to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKaPzrSiyj0&feature=related

Motivation video

lewbud wrote:

Steve, Just wanted you to know the tracks went out by Priority Mail today.  You should have them by Friday.  Hope I didn't delay you too long. EDIT: I meant Tuesday.

GREAT!!! Didn't delay me at all...thanks!

PS1SCW - what's the video of (can't watch it until I get near some actual internet)?

I know a while back you were considering one of the variants that would require some/a lot of scratchbuilding...still thinking of doing one? 

ps1scw wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKaPzrSiyj0&feature=related Motivation video

NICE!!  Got me fired up... thanks man!

dupes wrote:

Fellas - I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those kits have been listed by DML for a bit longer than a few months. Checked last night, the Ausf. A 3-in-1 first appeared in the 2005 (!) catalog, and the Early /9 showed up the following year in the 2006 catalog. I wouldn't hold your breath - they're in the same boat as the infamous "#6269 Early Production Tiger" and the "#9059 Ersatz Panther" which have yet to materialize. Trust me, when they DO finally get released, I'll be snapping them up. Boyd - progress is looking good! Glad to see your /4 is on the bench!

Hopefully a little ray of hope on these new 251 kits. Hannants in the UK now have them listed on their future realease section. There is no date and i have seen kits on that list for quite a few months, but fingurs crossed.

dupes wrote:

PS1SCW - what's the video of (can't watch it until I get near some actual internet)? I know a while back you were considering one of the variants that would require some/a lot of scratchbuilding...still thinking of doing one?

dupes wrote:

PS1SCW - what's the video of (can't watch it until I get near some actual internet)? I know a while back you were considering one of the variants that would require some/a lot of scratchbuilding...still thinking of doing one?

Unfortunately, I won't be able to do any scratchbuilding.  It would be nice to see one of the telephone vechiles though.  I do have the Dragon 251 Flamethrower version.  Is anyone doing that one?

lewbud wrote:

Steve, Just wanted you to know the tracks went out by Priority Mail today.  You should have them by Friday.  Hope I didn't delay you too long. EDIT: I meant Tuesday.

GOT 'EM YESTERDAY, woo-hoo!!!  Man they are tiny...I've never done indi's like that either...it could get dicey!

Bish wrote:

...Weathering with oils in this way seems to take a while leaving it to dry between stages. But i won't be useing all the steps in SMJ's list, just a few to get a nice finish...

AMEN brother!...I had a two delay...so far...the first dry brush on the upper hull, on the barrel and the assembly where it meets the hull is drying   s   l   o   w   l   y...  It HAS to be dry thouh or I'll create a sloppy mess of oils.  I'm finding planning ahead helps...I could have continued on the tracks while it dried but I decided to watch a flik with the wife...

SMJmodeler wrote:

Bish wrote: ...Weathering with oils in this way seems to take a while leaving it to dry between stages. But i won't be useing all the steps in SMJ's list, just a few to get a nice finish... AMEN brother!...I had a two delay...so far...the first dry brush on the upper hull, on the barrel and the assembly where it meets the hull is drying   s   l   o   w   l   y...  It HAS to be dry thouh or I'll create a sloppy mess of oils.  I'm finding planning ahead helps...I could have continued on the tracks while it dried but I decided to watch a flik with the wife...

Well, seeing as i have been away for 3 months, it means i get to build and spend time with the other half. I have just spent about 5 days on just weathering, and i didn't use all your steps, just a couple for now.  But i know in the future, when i am doing a dio at the same time as the model, this will be the time i can get the figures and dio done. But after being away for so long i am itching to get hands on but have to keep telling myself to leave it alone to dry.

While not purfect, my end result is darker than intended as i didn't allow for the effects of the washes, for a first attempt at some of these methods i am well pleased with how she is looking (thats the 251/17, not the other half). Deffinatly some good lessons to take forward to my next kit.

Yo Ho fellas!!  Work has kept me away too long and I need to get caught up on everything that's been going on.  However, I did manage to get a little bit done on my UHU over the last few weeks.  This is what I've done so far:

Alas!  After getting those AFV Club tracks on I noticed this!!

I tried to make sure all the roadwheels were lined up correctly but still have that dreaded gap underneath the front tires.  Its not much so I was thinking of putting some weight in the engine area as I believe it will be not be visible.  Maybe some lead fishing sinkers or something similar?

Maybe some weight here also?

I'm glad I didn't glue on that bottom plate....for some reason I decided to hold off adding it until the suspension was complete. 

Anyway I'll try to go back and see what I've missed lately.  I'm sure there are some great builds that have been completed!

I have yet to put my wheels on, and giving the problems everyone seems to have, i don't have high hopes.

 Its looking good so far, just one small point. You have fitted the tracks with metal shoes which were only in use for a short period in early 44 i believe. Can't remember if the AFV kit comes with two sets of tracks or not, but thought i would mention it before it's to late.

Bish wrote:

I have yet to put my wheels on, and giving the problems everyone seems to have, i don't have high hopes.  Its looking good so far, just one small point. You have fitted the tracks with metal shoes which were only in use for a short period in early 44 i believe. Can't remember if the AFV kit comes with two sets of tracks or not, but thought i would mention it before it's to late.

Bish, thanks for the heads up on the tracks!  The 251/20 came out in late 44 and I thought I read somewhere that the metal shoed tracks came out at that time also, but after checking again it turns out that they were only used for a short time during the spring & summer of 44.  The author of the Uhu article that I've been using for reference also used the metal shoed tracks so I was somewhat influenced by his choice without seriously checking first....oops!  Anyway I still have the original vinyl tracks, plus I have the AFV later model tracks with the rubber shoes.  If I have time I'll switch to the correct tracks.  Too bad though....I kinda like those metal shoed tracks. 

Alright, another bit of administrative type stuff - it turns out that Assurgeant is NOT gone from the GB, was just suddenly deployed for a while...which is a bit of a problem since he's been replaced by Some Assembly Required.

SO, here's what we're going to do - there are some sub-variants of the /7, at least if you're building the DML kit - a "standard", "command", or "gun" variant. If the two of you can hash out between yourselves which one you'd prefer to build, we'll just have to get both on the roster! Hey, it's another build...and I'm all for that!

Let me know your preferences here in the GB thread and we'll get this all squared away.

Hi Dupes,

Happy to build any of the three options for the 251/7 Ausf. D. Dragon version. Liked the kit so much I bought two of them.

Will defer to Some Assembly Required as to the choice of which he wishes to build, and I'll build one of the two remaining choices. Managed to start the tracks and wheels before disappearing with work.

Bish, not as warm as your 'holiday in the sun' but eventful none the less. Apologises for the banter at the end of last year, you 'pongos' earn your dosh. 

Assurgeant wrote:

Hi Dupes, Happy to build any of the three options for the 251/7 Ausf. D. Dragon version. Liked the kit so much I bought two of them. Will defer to Some Assembly Required as to the choice of which he wishes to build, and I'll build one of the two remaining choices. Managed to start the tracks and wheels before disappearing with work. Bish, not as warm as your 'holiday in the sun' but eventful none the less. Apologises for the banter at the end of last year, you 'pongos' earn your dosh.

I'd totally forgotten about that, and no apologises needed. After haveing just spent 3 months eating in a galley which happened to be in the middle of the bloody desert, i know you navy boys have a sense of humour.

Welcome back safe and sound. Can you tell us where u been or is that hush hush.

Thanks to Bish I was notified about the wrong tracks on my 251/20, but in doing so I had to reread that nice article in AFV Modeller on the "Uhu" kit.  The author related how the AFV kit does not include the searchlight generator so he decided to scratchbuild one as well as scratchbuilding additional items  When he was done he made himself resin copies and sent the originals to Blast Models so that they could create an upgrade kit.

Hmmmmmm.........

So I searched and sure enough that resin upgrade is now available!!  I couldn't help myself so I ordered the upgrade directly from Blast Models in France.  So this means assembly will halt until it arrives.  I don't want to assemble anything until I can figure out how the upgraded and additional parts will fit.  Here's the upgrade:

Hopefully it arrives soon, but coming from France......

bufflehead wrote:

Thanks to Bish I was notified about the wrong tracks on my 251/20, but in doing so I had to reread that nice article in AFV Modeller on the "Uhu" kit.  The author related how the AFV kit does not include the searchlight generator so he decided to scratchbuild one as well as scratchbuilding additional items  When he was done he made himself resin copies and sent the originals to Blast Models so that they could create an upgrade kit. Hmmmmmm......... So I searched and sure enough that resin upgrade is now available!!  I couldn't help myself so I ordered the upgrade directly from Blast Models in France.  So this means assembly will halt until it arrives.  I don't want to assemble anything until I can figure out how the upgraded and additional parts will fit.  Here's the upgrade: Hopefully it arrives soon, but coming from France......

Well consider the favour re paid. I have the same kit and didn't know it needed a generator. It rather fills up the hull a bit. This is the first AM set i have seen for this. Thanks, i know what i am ordering next month.