DML Bison II Complete 04-28-12

Thanks Eric!

Yup, the links look great.

Tread, always a pleasure to see you stop by and sit a spell! How's your hand recovery coming?

Andy, the simple answer as to why tracks don't always come out exactly the same on each side is simple...fractions of mm add up when you have 100+ pieces...so small variations in the molding sprues, the "tension" of the links on their pins when assembled, etc. can add up to needing one or two more (or less!) links on any given side. That's why it always pays to treat each side independently and test each track run!

Always looking great, Bill!   I couldn't figure why links are not even sometimes for both sides.  It is OK not to be normal you know. 

Hiya Bill   :  )

Just checkin in buddy :  )   been peekin in but where your at now is my favorite part: you know,tracks, weathering and final details.  I love the colors on this one and as always meticulous to the point !  

yer pal

tread

Tony, yep, nothing like getting baby a pair of shoes to make her sit up right!

Rob, I had a feeling you would say something like that!

Plasticjunkie, thanks for the comments on the camo. Agree with you on the weathering stage and desert-service vehicles always provide for some interesting options.

Thanks Dano!

Mike, making progress slowly...had originally planned to have this one done this month but other things have been stealing time. That's life in Spring!

Ahhh.....the beast has shoes.....moving along very nicely

Rounds Complete!!

Excellent build so far...

That's a great looking cammo color combo.    I can't wait to see the weathering part, this is where the model comes alive.

Looking very cool now with the tracks Bill. Bring on the weathering buddy.

Tracks just pull things all together don't they.

Waitin Bill

Tony lee

Hard to believe that I let 2 weeks go by without an update on this build but Spring has arrived here in the Borderland and various things have conspired to keep me away from the bench as a result. I managed to squeeze in bits of time here and there until I finally had enough pulled together to justify an update, so here goes.

First off I went ahead and added the fighting compartment canvas tarp supports that are called for in the final Step 21 diagrams. I encountered a slight problem in that the "tall" version of the gun sight interfered with the placement of the first support so I had to move it forward a bit vs. using the kit-supplied location marks. This isn't an issue with the regular "short" sight and my guess would be that DML designed the placement only with that type in place.

I also did a test fit with the idlers and realized that they are designed to fit only one way into their mounts due to a "hex" nut pin on their base and a slightly oval form to the hull mount opening. I removed the hex pin and carefully removed paint and lightly sanded the mount opening with a round needle file to give me a little more flexibility so that I could adjust each idler slightly when it comes time to fit the tracks. The idlers are not permanently glued just yet.

ModelKasten tracks are a time-consuming assembly project so I typically will work on them a little bit at a time to avoid boredom and repetition. The set I'm using doesn't come with a jig and has one of the mount pins already molded in place, so the links assemble fairly easily. There are three sprue connection points on each link that need minor clean-up if you've got a good pair of sprue cutters and a sharp #11 blade handy. The links are "handed" with the molded on pin representing the outside pin for either Left or Right. I worked 10 links at a time until I had two runs of 100 links each assembled.

The DML instructions call for 110 links per side so I used a bit of blue-tack poster putty to temporarily mount the sprockets and checked out how many links I needed. Turned out that 111 were needed for the left side and 112 for the right to get the idlers aligned properly on both sides and the sag about the same. The tracks are held together with small pieces of masking tape and will be removed for painting and weathering before final installation.

I went ahead and glued the idlers into position and will let them set up overnight so that I have a fixed reference point for the sag later on. Next up will be applying some Future to seal everything up for the decals and weathering stages.

Thanks Steve! That little gavel-like stand is the perfect accessory...it's actually a small figure pedestal that I picked up from a model buddy years back by accident and have been using ever since. I've been busy overhauling my site a little bit in the form of updating the home page and adding a Kit Reviews section as well, so that's kept me away from working on the Bison but should be able to get back to it and have another update here soon.

Tony, thanks for taking the time to read through the full thread and for your comments! You're right about building an open-top vehicle, have to give it lots of thought before committing to different stages but that's part of the challenge. You should give it a try...it's no different than painting/detailing stuff on the exterior, just a matter of masking and protection as you go along. Also agree about the ability of the Germans to not waste existing designs/components and put them to creative uses as the war progressed. Makes for some interesting branches on the development tree for sure!

It took some time to go through a 9-pages WIP-thread, but it was denfinitly worth it! It's like an expert digital instruction sheet, that should put DMLto shame.

The Bison is looking just great, Bill! It's hard work building a vehicle with such an exposed interior. I've always shunned from that because my planning skills when it comes to the building part is not that developed.

One thing that I like with the Bison - and the Wespe and Marder II - is that is's a testament to the Germans ability to put a existing chassi to good use by upgrading its armament. Who had thought in 1934, when the Pz II was planned, that it in the near future would be toting a 150mm gun?

Keep the updates coming!

/Bultenibo aka Tony

  AHHHH, missed the last two updates Bill.

Looks like you're almost ready to bang another winner off the gavel.

As usual, everything here up to your usual high standards.

Thanks Carl, this one's slated to be completed this month (hopefully sooner rather than later) barring anything really unusual happening while I'm on my break.

Bill , i was stumblin around the Armor forum and found this build ...............typical of me ............ glad i found it ........ i should of looked here sooner ................but here i am , at least b4 you finished it !

Looks really well done . Tracks cant be far from being applied .

Thanks Andy! I can see the finish line and that's always motivation to get the final push on and cross it over!

Mike, high praise indeed...thank you kindly sir. Believe it or not all of the German armor vehicles from WW2 had crank starters...some, like the Panther, also had push-button starters but the crank was still used to turn the engine over when necessary. Glad you like the cans, I'm sure the crew got mighty thirsty in the desert serving this particular piece!

"we now return you to your normal Bill Sunday update"

I see all the tools and think of all the tools Bill has done here......he is the "Craftsman" of the armor forum

Wait.....a crank....I thought all this German armor was super advanced.....a crank.....

Nice work on the water cans......finish line is in sight

Rounds Complete!!

Don't we love getting an update from Bill especially on Sunday?  It is just like reading Sunday papers and drinking coffee...

Great work on the details... your Bison is starting to look more lively.  Can't wait to see you bring it cross the finish line.  Plenty of await for you...

Thanks Tony!. I've got some time in on the tracks already and have finished one set, just need to get the other done. They won't go on though until after I've finished the hull weathering...there's precious little room to handle the kit now with the tools mounted so have to leave some space to handle it for that stage first.

David, you're too kind, thanks for the comments. The Bison (and Grille) family of vehicles have always fascinated me as well...the Germans tried many different formulas for creating an SPG with the sIG33 before they finally settled on a winning formula with the Grille M.

You're build is so impressive, such I clean build and paint job.  I really like this variant, I got hooked too it in World of Tanks.

Gettin Down to the Nitty Gritty Bill

Get some shoes on the bare foot babe

Tony lee

I'm sure Andy will be pleased...a Sunday update!

The latest round of effort centered on getting the external details completed. That meant focusing on the tools and getting them painted and detailed prior to their installation. I used the non-buffing metalizer Gunmetal for the metal portions on all the tools and lightly dry brushed some enamel Steel to show wear and create a metallic look. The molded-on tool clasps have hollow handles but the openings vary from part to part. Rather than try to thin those down to a more in-scale appearance, I clipped them off with sprue cutters and replaced them with Griffon PE handles. I added some wood grain detail to the jack block with the sharp point of a #11 blade prior to painting. The wood portions of the block and the handles on the shovel and axe were detailed with a base coat of lightened Panzer Dunkelgelb followed by a thin wash of enamel Leather and a light dusting of burnt umber artist pastels to create their look.

Tools were then installed on the compartment sides but not before some slight modifications were necessary. The crow bars need their small mount pins removed so they will sit flush (no mount holes or niches are provided for them) and the same is true for the shovel's center clamp. The instruction diagram in Step 7 also incorrectly shows the shovel's center clamp installing to a niche at the front of the compartment...that's actually where the top support post for the shovel end oval holder goes...so you have to be paying attention during installation! I started the install at the top and worked my way down, placing the tools one at a time and adding the little PE details for the shovel and crow bars as each was put into position.

I also detailed and installed the water cans for the hull sides. These had been base coated when I did the hull painting and I used strips of masking tape to create first the horizontal bar and then the vertical stripe by airbrushing some enamel Light Gray. Spouts were detailed using the same method as the metal portions of the tools. The cans were secured in place with the leather straps (detailed with MM enamel Leather and a light application of burnt umber artist pastels) and small amounts of CA gel.

Rear hull also received some detail work. The muffler finish is a combination of a base coat of MM metalizer Gunmetal and two successive applications of a thin wash of enamel Rust. The wash applications require a light touch to avoid lifting the metalizer so plenty of time is needed between the applications to let the wash dry and build up the effect.

The crank starter and the jack were also installed once the muffler was done, the jack block was added to its place on the engine deck, and the fender lights detailed. I used Tamiya Clear Green for the Notek light and Clear Red for the brake light to round things out.

Rob, I know but I still have faith that you will get it done eventually!

Terry, thanks for stopping by, this one has picked up steam and is moving steadily towards the finish line, almost there!

Ernest, thanks as well, will have another update shortly.

Looking good Bill!! 

just catching up here Bill, looking great, you really have brought this one along since I last popped it to view.

Terry.

LOL, thanks Bill, but the grille isn't done yet either.  I decided I am starting a new collection.....of shelf queens LOL. I'll get to both, hopefully this year.

Mike, yep, just trying to sneak things in when I can...my wife started a 2-week Spring Break so we have time off together which means she's keeping me busy with stuff around the yard/house!

Rob, glad to have you pop in buddy! I have confidence you'll get to your Pz IV eventually...I just wouldn't place a bet on when. After all you did finally get that Grille done so I can't hold it against you.