Opel Maultier w/ Flak 38 WIP GUN MOUNTED 03-31-10

Fan(damn!)tastic!  Congrats, ya got a real show stopper there.

                                                                                                          Pat.

Thanks Bill!

Got the final details and weathering done on the sled.

Sled and gun are now mounted!!!!

More tomorrow...

PANZERJAGER

Very nice work on the sled both in the scratchbuild and finishing departments!

Thanks Shoot & Scoot!

Had to work on cleaning up from having a bunch of trees taken down this weekend.

Still found some time to spend at the bench.

I decided to scratch build the Flak Sled because the resin one had too many errors.

This is the book I am using for reference;

Here are the pics so far, still need to add a few more details tonight.

Will post more soon!!!

PANZERJAGER

Man, that really looks great!  Glad to see all that pain and agony paid off.  So how many zillions of pieces of etch go on the sled?  Just kidding, but try to keep that gun in one piece 'til it's done!

Keep up the great work.

                                                                                         Pat.

Thanks Marc,

But that's OK this truck stays in Wisconsin...

Got the paint an camo on the gun.

Also did the wash and dry-brushing.

Tonight, detail painting and chipping.

Then I'd better get to the Flak sled I suppose...

Here ya go.

Enjoy!!!

PANZERJAGER

Boy howdy that really looks great.  But there is one small tying to change.  Its home address.  So please mail that to me so I can have it on my shelf

Thanks Guys!!!

I got the primer on it last night.

Everything looks OK just a couple of blemishes to sand out after the primer dries.

I'll give the primer a couple of days to dry and shoot paint, then I'll post some new pics.

Next up is the ammo trailer.

PANZERJAGER

Fantastic!

But my fingers and eyes are aching just lookin'.

Nice looking job!!! I really want to start soldering when it comes to metal AM parts but I'm not that good- I have a hard enough time with copper pipes No leaks but... a lot of solder, I'd have filled in every one of those shell catching mesh holes.

This is one of the nicer builds I've seen in a while. Looking forward to the paint and that camo scrub brush you do up on those wires

Ya finally got 'er together!  I'm surprised the borrowers left you enough parts to do it.  Get paint on it and put a nail in its coffin before it drives you totally bonkers.  Can't wait to see the whole rig together in one piece.

                                                                                                   Pat. 

Tony, thanks, glad ya like it

Bill, thanks, hope to put primer on it tonight, after I help my Mom & step Dad collect Maple sap.

Panzerguy, Thanks, as for the wire.

The shields had small eyes on them for attaching camo.

PANZERJAGER

Man thats some serious detail! Some great pe work Panzerjager.

I'm curious what are the cables on the front of the gun shield for? I've not seen that before.

Looks pretty snazzy from here, looking forward to seeing it with paint on!

WOW Doggies that's purdy.

Tony Lee

Thanks for the at-a-boys Wild bill and Panzerguy!

Sorry for the delay in my Opel project (Life has a way of getting in the way!).

I finally think I have the Flak gun ready for primer, just a few tweaks tonight, then primer.

Let me know if you see anything to change...

More soon!

PANZERJAGER

   Some real nice work there PANZ .  I work with PE quite a bit and still dont know how you guys manage to solder such small pieces, my hats off to ya!

Nice work on the small PE details Tom...insanity I think is an apt description!

Thanks for the link Schnobs!

I think that guy made the master for the resin one that I have!

Indy, that's a real nice Blitz ya got there too!

Thanks for the compliments too.

I think that after this one I need to build something easier.

Who ever thought a "little" 20mm flak gun would be soooo_ complicated!

No wonder the Germans lost the war!!!!

Any way, Here is a little update for you folks!

Got the Travel lock and tool box done and it is all soldered as one piece...

Next up is the sight.

The insanity continues!!!

Tom F.

Hi Tom~~~I just read through the whole build up 'til now, I gotta say I am really impressed with the legnths you got to to super-detail. Very fantastic work here ! Made for a really good read and inspiring chain of events. So you never(planned) to go-to-town on this, the build/ kit just demanded it, huh? Ceratinly a "demanding" kit anyways. It's taking amazing form. I'm smack in the middle of building a fairly-detailed Opel Blitz truck over in the Dio Forum--but -I had to to stop and take notes when I saw the wicked stuff you've done here(like with the door hinges!,ect,ect) !   BTW   Love the tractor for Dad(also NICE) .....Ill have to return, I want to see more.

Hey Tom & Bill,

Firs of all great work Tom I am very impressed with your attention to detail!

I came across this link of real world pictures of one of these sleds being loaded into the back of an Opel and also a Toot on how to make your own which I needed for my next project.  I thought you and Bil might find this interesting.

http://planetarmor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6252

Thanks Wild bill,

Master Piece Models makes it!

It is pretty close to the photos that I have.

Great Models has them in stock.

http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=MMIL90110

Tom F.

Sharp work there Tom with the PE, looks like a very productive weekend. Can you provide details on who makes the resin Flak sled?

Thanks Shcnobs and Tigerman!.

Now for an update.

I am finally getting back in the saddle!

I got in a few good hours of photo-etch on the flak gun this weekend.

Here are some photos of the progress and a photo of the resin flak sled that I purchased too.

More to come soon!

Tom F.

Loved that dozer! The Maultier is looking splendid.

Awesome Tom simply awesome!   If that's what you can do with a "bad" kit God Help Us when you make a 'good" kit.

My best to you and yous in these challenging days!

1st, let me wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

Sorry that I dropped of the radar for a few weeks...

Christmas shopping was very lean this year for us (as it probably was for most).

So my wife Marie and I made many of our gifts this year.

As my wife was knitting some stuff, I was building things.

One of the "things" was an AMT D8H Cat bulldozer for my Father.

For those of you who are not familiar with this kit, "IT SUCKS!!!".

Also the kit I had was missing some parts.

Here are some WIP shots;

I also scratched up a canopy/ROPS;

Next I wanted to try that new fanged "Hair Spray Technique", so I weathered everything with Floquil paint and artist oils:

Next I painted it with Model Master Acryl Chrome Yellow, and continued weathering.  I then mounted it on a base made from 100 year old oak that I planed and my step-dad and I routed;

Also of note, I replaced the hydraulic cylinder rods with drill rod, made the lines from led core fly fishing line and bolted the ROPS on with 00-90 brass hex bolts and nuts.

When my Father opened his peasant, he sat with it on his lap for about 45 minutes reminiscing about operating one of these "Old Man Killers" and telling stories about the old days.  It was very gratifying!

There were many other things made in my work shop such as some oak frames for some of Marie's mosaic pictures and a Hand built AR-15 target rifle for my step-brother Rich, that were big hits too.

It would have been a great holiday season, but the day after my father received his gift ( December 27th) I came down with a terrible Flue.  A few days later I found out that my Grand mother's kidneys took a turn for the worst and Marie's sister  lost the battle to take over the mortgage of there Father's house who passed away this time last year.

This week I am going to be assisting in moving Marie's sister and helping to care for my Grand mother.

I hope to be back at things soon, with updates on the Opel Maltier project as well as other things on or about the bench.

As for now I am going to be treading water to keep from drowning from all the stuff put on us at this point.

Sorry for the long post, enjoy the photos and here's wishes for a better new year for everyone!

For more on this ;

/forums/t/124224.aspx

I want to thank Andy and Kentucky Colonel for chiming in!

With any luck I will be back to posting WIP shots this weekend.

Stay tuned!

Tom F (PANZERJAGER)