Next progress report: 

Step 3, adding the road wheel arms, shock absorbers, and the transmission housing to the hull... there was a LOT of mold line clean up on all those parts, then making sure that the alignment is good getting all of them level and straight... note to self for the next Patton build, do the corner arms, then work inwards...

Step 4, adding all of the wheels and the plate under the engine.... again making sure alignment is proper. I left the sprocket wheels loose to aid in getting the tracks on. That’s one thing that I’ve learned for doing indy link non workable tracks....

Next steps are to get this area all pre painted in black and start on the tracks... tracks are gonna take a few days I’m sure...

Next update, the beginning of step 5.... tracks...

Each sprue has 44 track links and 44 Center guide teeth...

Here are 44 links assembled into lengths of sixes and fives... no center guide teeth added

After about 90+ minutes of needle file swipes and gluing I had 88 links completed into two runs of 24 and two runs of twenty, none with center guide teeth....

and that was enough for today... I find indy track links tedious and not enjoyable,,,, just like the real damn things, so I guess they get an A for results there...

Next update... more tracks... I completed the upper and lower flat run lengths... without center guide teeth. I figure at least another two days bench sessions before these tracks are completed...

Adding the center guides is gonna be the tedious part... 

I will be following you every step of the way Carlos. Now I can relate to how important it is to get the road wheel arms level.

Harold

Sergeant

I will be following you every step of the way Carlos. Now I can relate to how important it is to get the road wheel arms level.

Harold

 

Good to have you following along! I bet you can appreciate alignment after your Ontos. Lots of things there for you to keep lined up!

Nice looking subject, coming on well.

I had good time with mine 23 years (or so), ago.  Man, I've been building models a LONG time.   

Yeah, those tracks look good if painful!

Tony, they are indeed as tedious as the look. And with still having to add the center guide teeth, I can’t even claim to be halfway done with them yet...

Tankboy 26 years since you have built this kit? Yes that is awhile. That’s about the same time as I built their M26A1 Pershing, since that was the first one that I scored.

Gamera, they will look good once completed. I’m not worried about that. In the long run, worth the effort.

So over the past few days I have done a couple sessions of adding the center guide teeth to the track runs that I’ve built so far...

1st session...

2nd session...

More to come in a few days

Carlos, I would really like to use workable tracks on my next project. They look time consuming, but so much more realistic.

Harold

She's getting there! 

Sarge, they are time consuming tracks indeed. But you really can’t beat their articulated look. 

Gamera, slow but sure she is getting there... 

Another session... more center guide teeth added, and a few short sections for the ends of the runs

Today I had a nice airbrush session in the morning before the day got too hot here. A nice coat of Tamiya Flat Black on the running gear

Tomorrow I can resume work on the guide teeth, and then work on installing the tracks after that...

Carlos, I was going to ask if you paint your road wheels separate from the hull, but I can see what you're doing. So do you primer and paint the lower hull and wheels, or just prime before gluing the upper and lower hulls together?

Harold

Sarge, this is more a weathering technique than a primer. I painted it back now to insure better coverage rather than after all the fenders and tracks are on. If this kit was not molded in light gray it would not be such a necessity now. 

It’s pretty much all gonna be earth tones when this is done.

stikpusher

Sarge, this is more a weathering technique than a primer. I painted it back now to insure better coverage rather than after all the fenders and tracks are on. If this kit was not molded in light gray it would not be such a necessity now. 

It’s pretty much all gonna be earth tones when this is done.

 

Harold

Looks good seeing her come together! 

Sarge, you can easily prime gray over the black for your top coat base. The main reason for this is to get all the shadow areas in black beforehand. Otherwise they tend to show up in the end.

Gamera, once I get these damned tracks on, the remaining assembly will go rapidly.

Success!!!

In my morning session yesterday, I was able to get the tracks on!

Now if you notice the three darker links on the upper run, there’s reason for that. After completing the one side, it looked to me that there would not be enough links for the opposite side, and the spare links to be stowed on the turret side. So I went into my spares bin, found the remaining links from my old M26A1 build, and added them to the second side. I was partially correct in that once it was all done, there only would have been two links left for the spares on the turret. But that is not something that you want to discover in the middle or end of adding the indy link tracks. 

Now the hardest part of this project is behind me...

stikpusher

 

Now the hardest part of this project is behind me...

 

Back when you gave me some sand shields for my M4A3 Sherman I remember thinking why did he have spare parts, now three years later I know the answer because I have a bunch of spare parts too.

Harold

Yay Stik!  I absolutely HATE indy link tracks w/ end connectors and center guide teeth.  But nothing beats the look.  Well done man!

stikpusher

Step 3, adding the road wheel arms, shock absorbers, and the transmission housing to the hull... there was a LOT of mold line clean up on all those parts, then making sure that the alignment is good getting all of them level and straight... note to self for the next Patton build, do the corner arms, then work inwards...

 

So, I'm scrolling through to get down to the most recent comment, and this picture struck me.

All I could think about was the Shep Paine dio booklet in the Monogram kit and on how he went to some trouble to cut (one, I think) arm to show a road whee going over some bit of terrain on the dio.  (I also have this memory he used a carriage bolt to hold the kit to the dio, too.)

I needed that rememory.  Many thanks.

Thanks guys... doing the math that was 174 links total and 174 center guide teeth... I save all the extra parts off a kit... ya never know when they’ll come in useful. I built the M26A1 when it was first released back in the mid 90s, so those links have been with me a LONG time...

CapnMac82

 

 

stikpusher

Step 3, adding the road wheel arms, shock absorbers, and the transmission housing to the hull... there was a LOT of mold line clean up on all those parts, then making sure that the alignment is good getting all of them level and straight... note to self for the next Patton build, do the corner arms, then work inwards...

 

 

 

 

 

So, I'm scrolling through to get down to the most recent comment, and this picture struck me.

All I could think about was the Shep Paine dio booklet in the Monogram kit and on how he went to some trouble to cut (one, I think) arm to show a road whee going over some bit of terrain on the dio.  (I also have this memory he used a carriage bolt to hold the kit to the dio, too.)

I needed that rememory.  Many thanks.

 

Oh he did a lot more than just one.... good memories indeed....

Back on to building today!

Step 6, small details added to upper hull

Step 7 upper hull added to lower hull and more small details added on the glacis plate

I’m letting this dry overnight then on the next steps tomorrow...

stikpusher

Back on to building today!

Step 7 upper hull added to lower hull and more small details added on the glacis plate

 

I’m letting this dry overnight then on the next steps tomorrow...

 

 

 

Harold