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

sfcmac wrote:

God speed  and be safe Bish!!!!!!   Remember the hot tub grottos and bikini clad women that outnumber the men 25 to one are a classified aspect of the mission!

Well, unfortunatly, i ain't in the US Army. The nearest we get is a cold shower and large woman you deffinatly wouldn't want to see in a bikini

dupes I've just finished marking out the camo scheme in pencil and have started applying the putty i am useing for a mask. I am hopeing to get the green sprayed tomorrow. I will leave it as long as possible then whatever stage i am at i will get some pics and get them loaded on here tomorrow night.

Just a quick one for anyone who has used putty to masrk before. I painted the yellow today useing tamiya acrylic. Will it be ok puttying the putty on so soon, and if i don't have time to paint tomorrow, will it be ok to leave it on for 3 months or would i be better takeing it off. I am useing Bostik white stick and fix, which i believe is the closet thing we have to silly putty.

SMJ - you do that.

Bish - we most DEFINITELY need to see some pics before you get shipped out! 

Lufty - go have a beer. Or two. Then do some work on your 251!

Just thought i would make a quick update to how my build is going. Unfortunatly, i spent my 2 weeks leave painting walls and ceilings instead of AFV's. My GF moved into a new house at short notice so i spent most of my time decorating and moving furnature. And this week back at work has been busy packing and doing all the last minute things before we deploy.

Well, thats the excuses out of the way. I have managed to get the dark yellow painted today and tomorrow i hope to get the camo scheme drawn on. Gonna try to get a couple of pics up tomorrow before i deploy. With any luck the two weeks leave i get when i get home i can spend just finishing off. Sorry i couldn't get it finished in time Dupes, i gave it my best shot but i am afraid things were against me.

Luftwoller wrote:

Aww geez, i better strip all the wiring from my radios as they probably arnt scale and take the top deck off and wire the front radio. Its gotta have wiring and then i shoud..........That was sarcasm btw. Im sorry. (Lowest form of wit, accordin to my ma) I realise now that when posting my stuff, to a lot of you guys the fact that I didnt remove those ejector marks and that i fill a few gaps with mud and dont bother weathering the underside, really IS an issue. As such maybe im looked at as modelling in a different class. Not up to 'The Standard'. When i take my stuff to my Local model club, mostly it gets good remarks but i feel if i took them to your side of the pond, the magnifying glasses would be out. I feel a bit like the guy who turns up to the skeet shooting range with a Pump action. ...Guy

Guy,

There is no "standard" here as far as I can tell.  Now if someone were to bring their model to a contest, then yes there would be a standard to be met, but they would know that in advance and hopefully strive to meet those standard as best they could.  I'm a lazy modeler for the most part, I tend to build to the shelf standard (as long as it looks good on the shelf) which is why you probably won't see a model of mine at a contest.  However I do judge and know what they look for.  From what I've seen here on the forums, this is like a big model club and all work is appreciated so keep posting pics.  By the way, the guys at the skeet club are just jealous, the pump holds three times more firepower.  Here's some pics of my first (and only) 251, built for a club build for the Phoenix Nats a couple of years ago.

http://public.fotki.com/lewbud/251-group-build/

It's funny, I lived with this model off and on for several months and as I was photographing it saw some things that I totally missed when I was building it.

dupes wrote:

SMJ - I do have some pics of an SZF in panzer gray, but they appear to be all Ausf.A's and B's. I don't have the Tamiya kit you're building...is it a C or D?

I'm not sure, I'll have to check.  I thought dark yellow would go better with the yellow grass setting too...if I go that route...I still have time to decide, but I do like to plan ahead. 

SMJmodeler wrote:

dupes: WOW, this GB is on fire!!!  Man, I had to scroll back three pages to find your reply!

Forgot to address this part of your post. YES, this GB IS on fire! But that's what happens when you combine a pile of good great modelers with a dashing GB moderator.

SMJ - I do have some pics of an SZF in panzer gray, but they appear to be all Ausf.A's and B's. I don't have the Tamiya kit you're building...is it a C or D? 

Luftwoller wrote:

I realise now that when posting my stuff, to a lot of you guys the fact that I didnt remove those ejector marks and that i fill a few gaps with mud and dont bother weathering the underside, really IS an issue. As such maybe im looked at as modelling in a different class. Not up to 'The Standard'. When i take my stuff to my Local model club, mostly it gets good remarks but i feel if i took them to your side of the pond, the magnifying glasses would be out.

Lufty -  take it easy, man! I think you'll find that you got mostly (if not all!) good remarks here as well. Some people who build for contests DO care about ejector pin marks and whatnot...they're the first thing to cause you to lose points toward your build. I think everyone is just trying to spare you any comments while they can about a visible pin mark when, say, you post a completed 251/6 in the armor forum. 

dupes: WOW, this GB is on fire!!!  Man, I had to scroll back three pages to find your reply!

I did a bit of digging on the color schemes, the box shows three: two dark yellow/green/red-brown schemes and one dark yellow with winter camo'...there was no mention of German Gray anywhere.  After looking at the figures I've determined that I'll need to stay away from any winter look because the guys are not dressed appropriately.  I'm not sure if I'm willing to tackle the camo' yet so I'm leaning towards dark yellow straight-up!  I want the figures to really help the build so I need to allow extra time to complete them...figures mean a more elaborate base too...again more time.  I want to try a long yellow grass scene...I saw a Russian tank done this way at Natty's and loved it!  They used a "welcome" mat for the grass..do you recall this one:

Kinda' cool, huh!?  I still like this build too, and it would work in that setting:

I'm getting fired up to start!!!

sfcmac wrote:

Hey Guy you are just cranky cuz it doesn't have a Daimler-Benz engine and a set of wings!

Hmm...maybe  

Trust me Guy I am definately a "if you can't see it why bother" kinda guy.  I may even have some closed canpoy aircraft missing a rudder pedal or two  My point of that post was that I wasn't paying attention, and some poor engineering from Dragon that I was not used to.  As with most folks I am trying to improve my skills with each build.  I do like the competions and having be a judge  at times I try to build iwth that in mind.  A lot of those holes can be seen in this case though, mainly at the extreme fornt and back of the fenders.

I just need ot slow down and take a look at things.  Sometimes it's the journey and not the destination.

 Hey Guy you are just cranky cuz it doesn't have a Daimler-Benz engine and a set of wings! From what I have seen of your build thus far it is I that should be expressing sarcasm at the detail work and painting that your doing! While attending contest is high on my priorities I won't rule it out. Judges from what I hear have weird opinions on lotsa stuff. Especially things like weathering. Bottom line is your satisfied and you seem to be the fellow who never really likes to say good enough. Just an observation  from that magnificent mass production line in your magic workshop!

I'll post some work soon so you can have a dig at me! Meanwhile open a 109 box. Take a deep breath and meditate! OOOHHHHHMMMMM! OOOOOHHHHMMMM! There doesn't that feel better?

These are not shake and bake kits are they?

Skeet shooting range with a pump action?  I must be the one who shows up with a cap gun.

Aww geez, i better strip all the wiring from my radios as they probably arnt scale and take the top deck off and wire the front radio. Its gotta have wiring and then i shoud..........That was sarcasm btw. Im sorry. (Lowest form of wit, accordin to my ma)

I realise now that when posting my stuff, to a lot of you guys the fact that I didnt remove those ejector marks and that i fill a few gaps with mud and dont bother weathering the underside, really IS an issue. As such maybe im looked at as modelling in a different class. Not up to 'The Standard'.

When i take my stuff to my Local model club, mostly it gets good remarks but i feel if i took them to your side of the pond, the magnifying glasses would be out.

I feel a bit like the guy who turns up to the skeet shooting range with a Pump action.

...Guy

Luftwoller wrote:

dupes wrote: Wingy - you aren't kidding about the depth and perfectness of that ejector pin mark underneath the fender. Maybe just cut a disc of sheet styrene? Or you could always cake the underside with a generous layer of homemade mud... Tell me your Kidding? NOONE WILL EVER SEE THEM!!!!! ...Guy

Guy,

You're probably right, but if he takes it to a contest they most likely will be seen.  I know when I judge cars I gently pick the model up (unless it's a curbside) to check the work on the underside.  The bottom of the model is still part of the model so it is subject to to the same standards of fit and finish if it goes to contest.  The only sure way I know to keep the model from being picked up and the bottom examined at contest,is to stick it on a base. 

dupes wrote:

Wingy - you aren't kidding about the depth and perfectness of that ejector pin mark underneath the fender. Maybe just cut a disc of sheet styrene? Or you could always cake the underside with a generous layer of homemade mud...

Tell me your Kidding? NOONE WILL EVER SEE THEM!!!!!

...Guy

Josh - trust me, most dedicated (read: armor-only) types wouldn't be too thrilled with some aspects of a/c modeling...think "canopies"!

Wingy - you aren't kidding about the depth and perfectness of that ejector pin mark underneath the fender. Maybe just cut a disc of sheet styrene? Or you could always cake the underside with a generous layer of homemade mud...

I'm gonna' have to give you armor guys props right now for working on these things. I'm sitting here hand painting the rubber on these 8 wheel things and thinking to myself, is anyone REALLY gonna see this? There is gonna be tracks on them!?!? And it's gonna' take me something like 30 minutes just to paint these little strips of black around them when all I really wanna' do is throw them on and see what it looks like, lol.

So anyways, good job armor guys!

Josh

You might be right about the thickness of the plastic, but i believe the intake was inside of that, so the screen could be inside. I believe that buldge is just an armoured cover.

Marc, stand away from the model. Sit down and relax my friend.

I think your panicking over nothing major.

In the 1st pic, Easy fix. Spot filler and wiped down with some acetone.

2nd Pic, that as has been said is supposed to be there. If you wanted to be 100% accurate, you could thin it down, but really, Why?

3rd Pic, You are never going to see those ejector marks EVER!!! once wheels and tracks are on.

If you want this build to be judged at competitions, you still neednt worry as they wont pick the thing up and im pretty sure they dont use tiny mirrors on sticks.

Its looking freekin fantastic mate.

...Guy

FastasEF wrote:

wing_nut wrote: Looks good Josh.  What color did you use for the tires? ColorPlace interior/exterior fast dry flat black spray paint. I'll post a picture of the can with the next round of pics. Josh

Really?  Is just doesn't look like plain old flat black. has a nice "rubber" color to it.

wing_nut wrote:

Looks good Josh.  What color did you use for the tires?

ColorPlace interior/exterior fast dry flat black spray paint.

I'll post a picture of the can with the next round of pics.

Josh

Looks good Josh.  What color did you use for the tires?

The rest of this post should be titled.. "WARNING...DANGER Will Robinson"  (arms flailing widly)

1st a question.  The extra ammo boxes for the Flak38 can be open or closed.  Does the top hinge at the back or would it come off completely?

Now the stuff.  Things I missed that, if you have not gotten this far yet, keep an eye out for.  BTW this is the Dragon kit and may be different depending on what parts are common.

(Note to self  PAY ATTENTION!!!!)

I totally missed this gap when test fitting.  The left side is fine so the right side was mounted the same way.  i would have had to remove the guide lugs on the fender to get the gap to disappear.

I saw the tiny gap that needed to be filled in the front wheel well. How did I miss the BIG one behind it

And look at all the holes here and in the pic above.  All the holes for alignment pins for stuff attached to the top of the fender go through. THROUGH??? WHY?  And what's with the one in the back that as deep as the Snake River Canyon.... wait... I think I see a tiny little Evel Knievel trying to jump across it... darn, missed again... that's 0 for 2.   I thought surelythat must be for a part to fit in... so deep... so round... so perfect.  But no    I need a bigger tube of putty.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

First pics. Not much to show as of yet. Sides aren't glued on yet and neither is the front suspension setup. I hope to have some good progress shots tomorrow cause i'll be home all day watching football and modelling!

Josh

panzer88 wrote:

That's some beautiful work there. Great job on that interior. I love those K98 rifles!!! They look like the real deal, are they the kit supplied ones and if so I'm sending mine to you so you can work your magic on my set. Great job

 Just came home from the gun store. Your absolutely right. Those K98's looked just like the ones that were hangin' in the case. Nice job!

 Mobious