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

  I hear ya Steve.

  I've been working on mine whenever I get a little free time. Finished the rear doors, they were lacking in detail so I added some and most of the interior pe.  

  I'm working on the front fenders and the Aber tool clamps tonight.

 I'll get some pics up soon.

bbrowniii wrote:

espins1 wrote: Thanks Dad      The front tires on this kit are gorgeous! I agree with you on the detail, but man, I could not get mine together without a NASTY seam...  frustrating...

dupes wrote:

Looking forward to it Scott! You too, Boyd. Haven't seen a new pic in a few days...

Yeah, I know.  I've been focusing on the tracks that last couple of sessions... nothing too exciting in taking a pic of a bunch of non-connected, individual track links that are unpainted...

espins1 wrote:

Thanks Dad      The front tires on this kit are gorgeous!

I agree with you on the detail, but man, I could not get mine together without a NASTY seam...  frustrating...

Thanks Dad     

The front tires on this kit are gorgeous!

Guys: I know the weather is getting nicer, but don't forget to make the time to get your build completed on time!  Dupes' guidelines on this were quite clear... don't commit if you can't finish.  I see 2/3 of the builds are yet to be completed...including mine, so this is a kick in the pants for myself too.

I'll speak for dupes when I say we are reaching the point of no return VERY soon, BUT if there's anyone who feels that WON'T make it please say so NOW!...we may yet be able to find a replacement modeler.

This will be an outstanding and very unique gallery of builds when completed, please honor your commitment, I'm sure you'll be glad you did!

Thanks guys!

Now back to our regularly scheduled program

espins1 wrote:

I'm guessing I need to shave off those two half pins?

Scott,

I had that same quandry on my /4 (which is the exact same thing you are building, with a few additional parts thrown in).  You do need to shave off those pins.  You'll probably find that it still won't fit all that great.  I ended up doing a lot of sanding to get the surfaces to mate neatly.  I also drilled out the sorry excuse for a pin they have and plan to stick in a length of bent wire.

Out of curiousity, are you finding that this kit has ALOT of really, REALLY large pour stubs that need to be trimmed and sanded?

OH YEAH, one other thing: that diagram that shows you what holes to drill... BE CAREFUL!  I drilled the holes, but when it got to be time to install the seat bases, they did not line up the way the instructions suggest they should.  It pushed my seats too far forward.  Might want to try some dry fitting first so you avoid that headache...

Good luck to ya!

Here's the update shots on my progress which I posted yesterday.

The only realy 251 reference I have is the Squadron SdKfz 251 in Action Book.  To my eye the tow parts don't look anything like what I see in the pictures.....     

I'm guessing I need to shave off those two half pins?

JMart wrote:

Glad things are better Russ! Back!

Thanks JMart!  It is nice for life to be back to its somewhat boring old self again. 

Russ

dupes wrote:

Russ - I looked back, there were a couple of people who expressed interest, but no one "claimed" the /21. You're good to go!

Sounds great!  I have made some reasonable headway on the kit.  Will try to post photos this weekend to prove I have actually done something!

Russ

Bish wrote:

Boyd i know you have already fitted the radio so it doesn't really matter. But i checked my /4 instructions, and i get the feeling its just an omission. I assume like me your kit has the standard /1 instructions with another set for the /4. And on the /4 it misses out fitting tyhe radio. I think this is just a slip up.

Bish,

Thanks. That is kind of what I had thought, but it is nice to have a little confirmation.

Boyd i know you have already fitted the radio so it doesn't really matter. But i checked my /4 instructions, and i get the feeling its just an omission. I assume like me your kit has the standard /1 instructions with another set for the /4. And on the /4 it misses out fitting tyhe radio. I think this is just a slip up.

dupes cyber hobby /23, i wish. I know you had alot on so you might have forgoten, but have you had a chnace to do my badge yet.

Russ - I looked back, there were a couple of people who expressed interest, but no one "claimed" the /21. You're good to go!

Was poking through the /23 directions last night, wondering how much of the interior I'd actually have to complete beyond the turret seats and other assorted turret goodness. Could try to do a dual build...

Anyone else interested in a /23? Got the Cyber Hobby kit "laying around" in the closet? 

russamys wrote:

Hello all! When this GB started I was tagged to do the /21.  I dropped out in February; my mom had a stroke and my wife also ended up in the hospital - I was afraid I would not have the time to devote to the kit.  Fortunately, things are starting to stabilize around here and I should have time to build again, soooooo.........I am wondering if anyone has claimed the /21?  If not, I will be glad to pick it up again.  I have made a reasonably good dent in my kit and should be able to finish by the deadline.  If someone has already laid claim to it, no problem.  I will gladly step aside and be content to watch everyone's progress from the sidelines. Russ

Hello all!

When this GB started I was tagged to do the /21.  I dropped out in February; my mom had a stroke and my wife also ended up in the hospital - I was afraid I would not have the time to devote to the kit.  Fortunately, things are starting to stabilize around here and I should have time to build again, soooooo.........I am wondering if anyone has claimed the /21?  If not, I will be glad to pick it up again.  I have made a reasonably good dent in my kit and should be able to finish by the deadline. 

If someone has already laid claim to it, no problem.  I will gladly step aside and be content to watch everyone's progress from the sidelines.

Russ 

Moose - very sorry to hear about your /23...that bites. Any chance you can score another one in time to finish in a couple of months? If not, I'll throw out an alert to see if there's anyone laying around who'd be interested in doing one. As it's the only closed-topped variant, maybe I can talk someone into it. Like me. Hmmmmmm.

Boyd - looks great man! Glad to see you're flying along. I'll check my refs to see if there's any reason the /4 wouldn't have a radio...certainly couldn't think of why that would be.

OK, just to prove I am actually doing some work on this thing, here are a few WIP photos.

First a shot of the upper hull set on the lower:

The lower hull, pretty much all together, ready for paint:

Some of the interior 'stuff' getting ready for final painting:

And lastly, the rear hatches.  Boy weren't they a 'chore' to get together...  fiddly, fiddly, fiddly...

Enjoy...

pordoi wrote:

bbrowniii wrote: I went ahead and put the thing in - that side of the drivers compartment just seemed too empty without it...   Oh, now you've done it... because once installed you must wire the thing.  Scratch a headset, install the battery (does the /4 kit supply a battery?), remember to install the dynamotor, stretch some sprue for a antenna.  There was a relay box between the radio and antenna that was usually mounted on the inside of the side armor.  Then, put the headphones to your ear and ensure that it's operating correctly.  Testing 1,2,3....  Don

Jeepers, I had no idea what I was getting myself into...  Hold on one sec... SCRUNCH, CRACK, GRRRRRRRUNT!!...  OK, there, got it out... maybe that side doesn't look so empty after all...

But seriously, I did intend to at least wire the thing a little...

bbrowniii wrote:

I went ahead and put the thing in - that side of the drivers compartment just seemed too empty without it...

Oh, now you've done it... because once installed you must wire the thing.  Scratch a headset, install the battery (does the /4 kit supply a battery?), remember to install the dynamotor, stretch some sprue for a antenna.  There was a relay box between the radio and antenna that was usually mounted on the inside of the side armor.  Then, put the headphones to your ear and ensure that it's operating correctly.  Testing 1,2,3....

 Don

Bish wrote:

bbrowniii wrote: Hey guys, I am building my /4 with a very limited number of refs, so I need your opinion on something.  The AFV Club kit is basically the /1 with additional frets for the /4 components.  In the instructions for the /4, it indicates that the radio set should be left out of the vehicle.  Can anyone think of a practical reason why I should not include it?  I'm not really agonizing over this, I'm just trying to figure out if it is one of those quirks of 'instruction-eering' or if the /4s really did not have a radio... I got some good time coming up at the bench as soon as I get done with this, so I hope to have some pics for y'all this afternoon. I can't think of any reason why it would be left out. Its position under the drivers roof wouldn't be in the way of anything. My books are all at work but i am sure i have seen /4's with antennas.

Bish,

Thanks for the info. 

Like I said originally, I was not really agonizing over the issue, but it just struck me as odd.  The instructions seem to intentionally 'indicate' that the radio should not be installed and I could not for the life of me think of a logical reason. 

Of course, at this point, it is irrelevant, I went ahead and put the thing in - that side of the drivers compartment just seemed too empty without it...

Thanks again...

bbrowniii wrote:

Hey guys, I am building my /4 with a very limited number of refs, so I need your opinion on something.  The AFV Club kit is basically the /1 with additional frets for the /4 components.  In the instructions for the /4, it indicates that the radio set should be left out of the vehicle.  Can anyone think of a practical reason why I should not include it?  I'm not really agonizing over this, I'm just trying to figure out if it is one of those quirks of 'instruction-eering' or if the /4s really did not have a radio... I got some good time coming up at the bench as soon as I get done with this, so I hope to have some pics for y'all this afternoon.

I can't think of any reason why it would be left out. Its position under the drivers roof wouldn't be in the way of anything. My books are all at work but i am sure i have seen /4's with antennas.

Hey guys,

I am building my /4 with a very limited number of refs, so I need your opinion on something.  The AFV Club kit is basically the /1 with additional frets for the /4 components.  In the instructions for the /4, it indicates that the radio set should be left out of the vehicle.  Can anyone think of a practical reason why I should not include it?  I'm not really agonizing over this, I'm just trying to figure out if it is one of those quirks of 'instruction-eering' or if the /4s really did not have a radio...

I got some good time coming up at the bench as soon as I get done with this, so I hope to have some pics for y'all this afternoon.

Hey dupes, I have some bad news.  I was just digging out my /23 and noticed that it has been crushed.  Don't remember when it happened but it is a wright off.  Figures, just was getting back into the mood to finish it and bingo.  Man, what a crappy couple of months. The only bright side is my daughter is growing and healthy.  Just not me being employed.  Still no luck on that. 

So feel free to reasighn the /23 to someone else.

Once again sorry, but the entire hull is crushed and I am missing suspension arms and road wheels.  I know they are in my basement, but where????? only the shadow knows.

Kim