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

Lewbud and White_R34 - thanks for checking in, fellas! Hadn't heard from you in a while. Will have to update the "naughty list" (as it's apparently being called ) to see who's left that I haven't heard from.

I was perusing refs last night, getting FIRED UP to get on this build!

panzer88 love the paint job. Looking really nice.

White_R34 i take it you mean the driver seat's, for the driver and rad operator. The only spring seat backs i know off either come with the Dragon kits, which i take it your not useing, and Eduard PE set's. But these set's are for sepcific kits. What kit are you useing as the base for your /5. I assume your useing a /7 but without the bridging kit. There are Eduard PE sets for Ausf C and D dragon kits. thats the only thing i can suggest.

Hi all, sorry ive not poked my head in in a while, Glad i did, Excellent stuff going on. Panzer88, that paint job is bitchin.

...Guy

panzer88 - very nice job, camo looks good.

moose421 - congrats on the daughter! I have two of those 1:1 builds, toilet seat always DOWN in our house! lol

nice job on the build so far, will have to find that track-link jig post.

White_R34 - bummer about the PE; having seen your previous efforts at scratchbuilding, I am sure you will suceed at making it look great!

cheers all...

The "naughty" list has been trimmed down nicely in the past week or so - only awaiting status on the following 251 builders:

Assurgeant           Sd.Kfz. 251/7: Engineer vehicle basic

Hermes                   Sd.Kfz. 251/8: Field Ambulance

Dupes, in the order you have 'em, the last posts by them were...

yesterday

10/3/08

11/1/08

11/9/08

looks like your best shot is at reviving MPK

Oooog - thanks for the post-update, Wingy...didn't realize it had been so long on some of these fellas. MPK is still in, got a PM from him yesterday (and after seeing his recent Pz.IV, I'm eager to see what his 251 looks like!) - I'll have to go the pm/email route to see if I can round up the other three fellas.

Halfway point of the GB is at the end of this month - if I haven't heard from them by then I'll try to find someone to fill their slots.

I'm starting the 251/20 tomorrow fellas.  Here's some pics for you:

Not as many parts as a Dragon Super Kit, but still somewhat intimidating!  Especially since this is the first open topped vehicle I've ever built!

Nice instruction booklet!

Since I know very little about these vehicles I picked this up at a Hobbytown in Fremont.

There's the /20!!

I have this magazine that has a couple of great articles on the vehicle and the AFV kit!

Sorry, that's all the pics of the articles I'll post....I don't want to violate any copyright policies!!  PM me if you want more info. 

Thanks guys, I'm glad you like the camo. Well here's another update, I have the infrared devices mounted and all wired up, the tools added, the clearance poles and grab rails mounted. Now I'm just waiting for the radio antennae to dry and the rear mg mount along with the rear mg42 to dry also. Then on to some touch up work , then decals , and then finally weathering. Here's the pics.

dupes wrote:

Oooog - thanks for the post-update, Wingy...didn't realize it had been so long on some of these fellas. MPK is still in, got a PM from him yesterday (and after seeing his recent Pz.IV, I'm eager to see what his 251 looks like!) - I'll have to go the pm/email route to see if I can round up the other three fellas. Halfway point of the GB is at the end of this month - if I haven't heard from them by then I'll try to find someone to fill their slots.

 I'm still checking the forums now and then...just been reeeaaally busy. My LHS closed recently and I need to make a trip to Madison for some scratchbuilding materials...not somewhere I go very often. I'm going there on business next week, so I hope to get the stuff then.

Hey! It's Hermes! Glad to see you back...and eager for that /8 to go into production!

Now if I can just get a hold of Assurgeant and Russamys...

Panzer88 - great stuff! What's left to do? 

Ernest - it would appear that you have NO shortage of good refs at your disposal.

panzer88 wrote:

Thanks Bish, I'm glad that you like it. And to answer your question, yes I did scratch build the generator. I used all kinds of bits from the spares box, I even stripped down one of my old tamiya german motorcycles , so I could steal some parts from the motor. It's probably not that accurate, but it looks like a generator to me. Thanks again.

I take it there are no pictures of one of these generators, in which case i guess anything goes. I have an old Tamiya motorbike myself, one that came with the old 88 kit. Its a good chance to practice a bit of scratch building and no one can say you have done it wrong. Thanks, gives me something to start thinking about before i eventually get round to mine.

panzer88, I luv that camo job!!  It's similar to the one you did on the Panther II for the Big Cats GB...I luved that one too!!  I might have to try that camo scheme on my UHU!!  BTW, that's a Falke you're building right?  Which kit is it?  I tried wading through 3 months/30+ posts in the GB but couldn't find any info on your kit

Bish, I might actually have a couple of pics of that small generator.  I just can't remember where I saw them.  Hmmmmm.....it could be in that same IR/Uhu article I posted earlier!  I'll look for them when I get home tonight.

Close enough dupes, its 6223. Come with the 251/9 option and standard /1 as well as the Faulke.

Ernest, that would be great. Am i correct in thinking that an English mag you got that article from.

Bish, yep the photo is in the AFV mag!  Here it is.  Hope it helps!

Let me know if you need a bigger pic!

Bufflehead- Thanks, I'm glad you like the camo. The kit is indeed Dragon's 6233. AFV Club also makes a kit of the "Falke", but it is in their 3 kit night fighting bundle.

Bish- If you can't find the mag, you can buy just the article that you want and download it to your computer. That's what I did, it's probably the best reference source that you'll find on the "Falke". I spent a many hour searching for info and pics and not much luck. There are some pics of the generator on the web though, google GG400 generator. Some good color pics. Like I said my generator is probably a tad on the large side, but looks ok to me.

Dupes- I decals still to put on, then on to the weathering.

bbrowniii wrote:

SMJmodeler wrote: panzerguy is also sending me a link for a reasonably priced set of PE tools, which will hopefully make things easier.  And, SMJ, you are going to immediately share that link with me, right??!!   I got me some PE beasts comin' up and I'll need every advantage I can get!

the website is: www.aber.net.pl   The set panzerguy recommended looking into is #35A20

Guys: I have always liked this version of the 251and was excited to find out I could include it in a GB, thanks dupes for another great theme! It's not a real old Tamiya kit, but enough so that I wanted to upgrade it with some AM goodies...specifically a full PE set. I scored the fig's and extra artillery for cheap and plan to make a more complete scene with their addition. The camo' scheme shown came off the fig's box, surprisingly not the kit box. I like it because I'm still a newbie at multi-scheme camo's and I thought a two-color would be a good way to learn! I also really like the way dark yellow-red/brown and contrasting field gray bomb color look together. OK, I'm ready to ROCK and ROLL on this bad-boy!!!

Love the camo job Panzer88 !

Steve, look forward to your build!

dupes: Not sold on the paint scheme...just my fav' so far...I don't think I'll try a three color camo'...shoot me the plates though...you never know!  By the way, I opened up the PE set last night...holy crap!...gotta' bust out the dremel with grinding bits.  That'll keep me busy for a while

...On my way to Red Storm thread to comment on your build real soon!

SMJmodeler wrote:

bbrowniii wrote:  SMJmodeler wrote: panzerguy is also sending me a link for a reasonably priced set of PE tools, which will hopefully make things easier.  And, SMJ, you are going to immediately share that link with me, right??!!   I got me some PE beasts comin' up and I'll need every advantage I can get! the website is: www.aber.net.pl   The set panzerguy recommended looking into is #35A20

GREAT!!! Thanks.  You are the man!

bbrowniii wrote:

SMJmodeler wrote: the website is: www.aber.net.pl   The set panzerguy recommended looking into is #35A20 GREAT!!! Thanks.  You are the man!

Aber sets tend to be a bit complicated and may not be your best option if you're not all that experienced with PE sets.  Each Aber tool clasp is made from 3 parts and can be made to be workable.  A simpler way to go might be the Eduard German tool clamp set (TP005).  Easier to fold and still gives a nice clasp. 

There, now you have choice, which is always a good thing.   Have fun.

 Don