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

Bish wrote:

Bish - love it! While the weathering may be a bit heavy (read - dark), I think the end result is quite good. Lightening the base color next time would certainly alleviate that issue.

Thanks for participating! Hopefully you'll stick around to help everyone else out, and if you get the urge to build another, let me know.

About those tracks - do you know anything about the usage? Why the were/weren't used? Were they from one specific manufacturing facility or something?

dupes wrote:

Steve - glad to see you're well on your way! That Eduard PE set sure spruces things up on the dash. Wow. Thanks for the track-type info, btw - I need to go through all of my DML 251's and see how many of the other ones come with two sets of tracks...no need for AM sets if I have a bunch of spares already!

dupes I think most of the DML 251's i have come with two sets of tracks. But be aware, i think alot of them include one set of the metal cleat tracks which are of limited use.

dupe's sorry for the delay. But finally, here's my finished 251/17. She ended up darker than i intended, due to me not allowing for the affects of the washing. But this is a major leap forward for me, going from just dry brushing and pastels to adding washer's. Overall, i really like the result, even if it is a bit heavy. But it deffinatly give's me something to work on.

SMJmodeler wrote:

panzerguy wrote:  Steve I'm going to put a couple of drops of clear lacquer on the dials and then use some liquid mask. I've never heard of that technique, is it like a rubber cement compound that can just be rubbed off when your done?!

http://www.modelsbuzz.com/liquid-mask-hows-it-work-204145.html

SMJmodeler wrote:

How you gonna' paint that dash without painting the instruments ...?

Panzerguy's approach sounds pretty straightforward.  An alternative would be to use a small pinch of blue tack over the dial face prior to painting.

 Don

panzerguy wrote:

Steve I'm going to put a couple of drops of clear lacquer on the dials and then use some liquid mask.

I've never heard of that technique, is it like a rubber cement compound that can just be rubbed off when your done?! 

SMJmodeler wrote:

panzerguy: How you gonna' paint that dash without painting the instruments ...? I been wondering how to do that because mine will look the same.  I've never had to deal with that before before. Thanks for the link to the flag toot'!

  Your very welcome.

  Steve I'm going to put a couple of drops of clear lacquer on the dials and then use some liquid mask.

panzerguy: How you gonna' paint that dash without painting the instruments ...? I been wondering how to do that because mine will look the same.  I've never had to deal with that before before.

Thanks for the link to the flag toot'!

dupes wrote:

Boyd - went through my refs over the weekend, couldn't find ANY evidence as to how that storage stuff opens. Sorry bud.

Ah, no problem.  I'll just wing it.  I'm guessing, just be looking, that they probably folded down from the top...  Maybe I just won't open one, since there is no interior detail...  I just don't know...

Steve - glad to see you're well on your way! That Eduard PE set sure spruces things up on the dash. Wow. Thanks for the track-type info, btw - I need to go through all of my DML 251's and see how many of the other ones come with two sets of tracks...no need for AM sets if I have a bunch of spares already!

Boyd - went through my refs over the weekend, couldn't find ANY evidence as to how that storage stuff opens. Sorry bud. 

Well in-between rebuilding my porch and cleaning out the basement I managed to get a little done.

     After I got all the torsion bars on and lined up I ran into a discrepancy with the instructions. They show partD22 as being attached to the outside of part D21.

 It has to go on the other side in the notch.

 Strange considering Dragon instructions are always so clear and precise.

  Next I started on the firewall and dash. The Eduard set comes with some tiny stuff.

  The dash is a little plain in detail so I'll need to add some.

I was pretty nervous about send some of those parts flying. Luckily I managed not to lose anything.

   The tracks are done so tonight I should have the lower hull completed.

Hey guys, I need your help...

On the 251/1 variants, there are storage bins under the troop seats.  Any one have any idea/pics on how they open?  The AFV kit has hinges, but no latches or anthing to indicate how they open.

Thanks for any info.

   Smj the jigs working pretty good only thing is it just a mock up gonna have one milled from a piece of aluminum.

  Here's a link to the flag toot

     /forums/1100765/ShowPost.aspx

SMJmodeler wrote:

bbrowniii: I've never seen such passion for a stash...brings a tear to my eye...

Yup... and let me tell you, I got some passion right HERE...

I mentioned the other day that I had made a minor haul on E-Bay (AFV Club2 251/1 D with Pak-40 and DML 251/21 D Drilling).  Well, the AFV kit came yesterday and the DML today.

Don't you just love that moment... you know the one I mean... when you crack open the box for the very first time... you get that 'oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god, YES!!!!' rapture moment...  yeah... that one... 

I'm still coming down from it...  

And let me tell you, not to take anything away from the AFV kit, but boy, no one, and I mean NO ONE, knows how to stuff a box full o' styrene like DML!!!

panzerguy:  I'm knee deep into a similar set of PE!, the one I have has three sheets...a lot of it is for the rocket launcher boxes (I'm doing 251/1) I also have the same set of tracks...I'll be curious to see how that jig works for ya!  Sidenote...did you do that toot' for the Nazi flag yet?

bbrowniii: I've never seen such passion for a stash...brings a tear to my eye...

dupes wrote:

Heh...and it's grown quite a bit - doesn't even fit in the closet anymore! :0

Oh my....

panzerguy wrote:

By the way Dupes showed me his stash list at GranitCon and I'm still in awe.

Yeah, but that was the LIST.  He's talking about letting me see the real thing.  Man, that's like the difference between 'reading' the swimsuit edition and being in a hottub with the 'ladies'...

    Look what was in the mail when I got home today. Unbelievable, I ordered it on Tuesday morning!

  Didn't think I get this till Saturday at the earliest so I started on the tracks to get them out of the way.

   Dragon plays a cruel joke on you with this kit. They include two sets of tracks.

   These

  And these, which would have been way easier but are not accurate for this version. They were only used from Feb 44 till Jun 44.

  Here's a pic of a jig I made for doing tracks. I plan on taking it to my brother who's a machinist and having him make me one using a piece of aluminum.

   I plan on finishing the tracks tonight while watching A Bridge To Far.(love that movie) and tomorrow I should have the running gear done. Gonna keep my eye out for the floating front wheels that seems to get the better of some of us. It happened to my /10.

     By the way Dupes showed me his stash list at GranitCon and I'm still in awe.

bbrowniii wrote:

Man, a night with your stash....  you really know how to tempt a guy....  maybe I could bring some stuff and we might do some 'swapping'...

I didn't "spend the night" with dupes' stash but got an eyefull of her...TWICE!  He even let me hold a few kits...longingly...  It's a thing of beauty!

dupes wrote:

Ooooh, good scores! Two notes - the 251/21 position is currently open...

dupes: I showed my son the 251/21 in the "251 in Action" book but he was distracted...he was playing "Call of Duty 4" on the PC...Gotta love that!  He's really been interested in my work on the Stuka Zu Fuss and watches me frequently.  I think If I could score the kit for him and surprise him with it I he'd go for it...that would be cool...Dad and Son GB participants.  Anyone got a 21 available?, PM me!

dupes wrote:

Ooooh, good scores! Two notes - the 251/21 position is currently open, as Russamys had to back out...feel like doing a second 251 Boyd? Also, I did the PE set for the Hornisse - I'm assuming that the Hummel version is going to be equally "comprehensive"!

Yeah, I'm pretty pleased with my purchases.  I'm interested to see the AFV kit.  I really do have mixed emotions about the /4 I am building - lots of minor issues.  Nothing overwhelming, but definately time consuming.

I 'might' be interested in the /21, the only problem is, I think I'd have to back out of another GB (unless you'd consider giving me an extension... ).  You know me, I'm not the fastest builder and I still have 1000 roadwheels and IMS-3 to do, so...

As far as the Hummel PE - I just got the ammo boxes, not the big monster super-PE set like what I think you got for the Hornisse...

dupes wrote:

Will not be around the weekend of the 14th/15th, but any other time in March I'd be available - have a spare bedroom you (or you and the wife?) could crash in. That, or I can make a big pot of coffee, and you can spend the night with my stash...!!!

Man, a night with your stash....  you really know how to tempt a guy....  maybe I could bring some stuff and we might do some 'swapping'...

Ooooh, good scores! Two notes - the 251/21 position is currently open, as Russamys had to back out...feel like doing a second 251 Boyd? Also, I did the PE set for the Hornisse - I'm assuming that the Hummel version is going to be equally "comprehensive"!

Will not be around the weekend of the 14th/15th, but any other time in March I'd be available - have a spare bedroom you (or you and the wife?) could crash in. That, or I can make a big pot of coffee, and you can spend the night with my stash...!!!

dupes - Didn't you ask me somewhere, recently, if I was coming up to Maine any time soon?  I coulda sworn I saw it, but now I can't find it to reply...

The short answer is yes.  My dad is doing OK (got some in home 'care' for him - someone who will pop in a couple times each week), but we still have a lot to do to really get him squared away.  I'm thinking one of the middle weekends in March.  If you want to try to link up or something, shoot me a PM.

By the way, I just went on a weeklong mini-spending spree on E-Bay.  Two scores that I am particularly pleased about (since they apply to this GB):

Got the AFV 251/1 D with Pak 40

And the DML 251/21 'Drilling'

(Plus a PE set for my Hummel...)

All for less than $60.00 delivered.

Can't complain too much about that, right?

panzerguy wrote:

Just getting started on my /22 figuring I'd just do an oob build when lo and behold I find this...  http://www.eduard.cz/products/card.php?id_product=4268&name=&catalogue_nb=&type=1&pgroup=2&scale=4&product_month=&product_year=&page_start=615

Oh my..... grrrrrr.... that's just.... yummy........

dupes wrote:

Dang! Where are you finding these?

  Been Googling pics for my /22 build and finding all kinds of interesting things.   

 Dupes here's another variant for ya

  It's a russian conversion but still pretty cool