UVS models: Salute 2021 11/12/2020

[ripley]

I  don't remember OGH's Tiger II thread , what went wrong with it ? The 3 I built went together OK . So problems with the kit or did you glue something where you shouldn't have ?

[Tracks]

I have not seen OGH's Tiger II thread, but like repley, I'm a bit curious why it didn't go well. I have only assembled one of the Tiger II kits, but other than the normal adjustments and making sure parts fit better, I had no minor or major issues with this plastic model kit.

Just assembling plastic model kits is part of the art of the craft, so how one goes about doing it is important. Even a bad kit can be made to look good, but the reverse of this is that even a good kit can be made to look bad.

[ultravanillasmurf]

I  don't remember OGH's Tiger II thread , what went wrong with it ?

Sorry, OGH is Our Gracious Hosts. I posted a list of things I hoped were not to feature on their new Tiger II.

My post/rant is here: http://forum.rubiconmodels.com/index.php?topic=824.msg11609#msg11609

Just assembling plastic model kits is part of the art of the craft, so how one goes about doing it is important. Even a bad kit can be made to look good, but the reverse of this is that even a good kit can be made to look bad.

I heartily agree, and I also accept that I need all the help I can get (except in spoiling a perfectly good kit) ^___^.

The three main problems I experienced were:
Turret (original design) lacking alignment components, pins or other methods of building it up without having to glue all six components together at the same time and hold them in place. Mine pancaked twice, and collapsed once when I spotted gaps between the top plate and the sides and applied pressure. Some kind of internal buttress to align the side walls and the turret base would have allowed them to be glued in place and at the right slope for the front and rear to be added and the top to be assembled. Alternatively the top could have the buttress parts and it could have been built upside down. The angled faces of the parts have no stop point to indicate that they are correctly aligned.

The D shaped pins (periscopes and barrels being examples) that allowed between 10 degrees of rotation (barrel components) and 360 degrees of rotation (periscopes).

The wedge shaped holes that form the alignment system of the running gear assemblies (A and B) and the lower hull tub part 19 are not well thought out. The front ones are too small and need to be opened out to allow the assemblies to mate flush with the lower hull tub. The angle of the hole/insert means that you need to keep constant pressure on them to stop them moving until the plastic sets again. I understand due to the mechanics of the moulds that they have to be wedge shaped but larger wedges align better.

Part 37 was an annoyance (especially after I reached stage H, spotted that I had glued part 37 onto the wrong side of the hull, stage H categorically states that part 37 goes on the right not the left side of the hull so I removed it - intact - and then dropped it and lost it). I then went back to stage G to see that part 37 really does go on the left side of the hull because there are two part 37s on different sprues.

After that, anything that was not quite right became A BIG THING! Even small things such as the hole for the lifting ring being drilled in the wrong side of the mould (rear of turret lifting ring site had a pip rather than a hole), or the labelling of the painting guide had me reaching for the torch and pitchfork ^___^.

The turrets issue is similar to the Rubicon M10/M36 turret issue but without the option of using the other (M36) turret on another model. I hope the Rubicon kit has two drop in turret rings

So a quick relaxing build while I decided how to progress the Hybrid became a battle of wits with an inanimate object. Whether I won or lost you can decide ^__^.

Also, please when there is a hole to be drilled, can there be an indication of the size of the hole, too wide the fit becomes sloppy, too narrow a diameter it can appear to fit and then move during the setting process, rising above the surface.

[ripley]

True the "Porsche " turret was a PIA to get squared up , an extra hand would have helped . But you need 4 to build the JS II turret , so its all part of a learning curve I guess . I had no problem building the kit , the D shaped peg pieces fit better if you use thicker tube type glues that you let dry a  bit before sticking it together . Not sure why they molded the lift ring holes the way they did but at least we had a idea of where they went , some kits don't even give you points of reference for bits like that . I always use photo references when I build my tanks , learned long ago that some model companies have no idea what things are and where they are supposed to go on tanks . I've  been building tank kits for close to 50 years starting with Airfix , so figuring out a kits problems comes second nature to me ,as well as how to fix it or at least hide it so it's not so noticeable if I can't fix it . The turret design of the "Porsche" turret  dictated the need for the armored collar ,remember it was designed for a different tank and used as a stop gap measure ( 50 built , but tank was cancelled ) so the production turret won't fit as in real life . Although they are getting better in detail , the BA / Italeri kits don't , for the most part ,have all the pieces to build both versions of turrets in their kits , always a few key small parts missing ( Tiger II , Japanese Type 97 , the Matilda ) . The KV kit actually gives both complete turrets but they screwed up the turrets with wrong shaped and missing details

[ultravanillasmurf]

True.

I mentioned there was an issue with the turret assembly when I was assembling the IS2.
http://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2018/02/warlord-games-is-2-heavy-tank-basic.html

It is still sitting on the shelf while I wrestle with creating suitable sized fuel tanks (I have a set of Rubicon ones from the T34/76 kit, but they look small).

The KV-1/2 was okay (after you pointed out the pistol port issue I added pistol ports and new handrails).
http://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2018/02/warlord-games-kv1kv-2-tank-part-two.html


That is awaiting inspiration on the tow cables, it is how to make the tensioner at the back. Current theory for the body is insulation off of some fine electrical wire, though a visit to a model railway exhibition might offer something suitable, plus some hand rail knobs - split pins - for the fixture. I have some 7mm scale ones 'somewhere', but I suspect I will need to buy them again (possibly 4mm scale).

I remember my first Airfix kit, a Spitfire of course. It came in a plastic bag and was moulded in light blue plastic. I have no idea when that was.

The cheapest kits were two weeks pocket money.

This is one of my oldest surviving models, from an anime from the early 'eighties. There was a great model shop on my way home where I had to wait an hour or so.

I dug it out a while back, a PSC 15mm Panzer 38(t) for scale.
They also stocked Cromwell Models, which was great during my Twilight 2000 phase.
I mentioned the iconic M1E2 Giraffe in an earlier posting (also referred to as the M1A2 Giraffe in TW2K version two).
http://forum.rubiconmodels.com/index.php?topic=281.msg4193#msg4193

I think that was converted from a Japanese kit of an Abrams (bought from a late and lamented model shop). Not sure if the gun is the L7 or the Rheinmetal (indicating an M1 or M1A1 donor kit).
http://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.com/2017/05/m1a2-abrams-giraffe-twilight-2000-tank.html
Yes I am prevaricating (though the wind has dropped and the sun is shining so there may be some undercoating today).

[ultravanillasmurf]

There is hail.

The Giraffe follows on from the real COMRES 75 testbed vehicle based on a Comet chassis (NVG 104 page 44).

[ripley]

 Never got in to them my self , but the Robot  kits always looked neat . And that tank kit bash looks a little like some of those proto type crew in the hull , remote gun type turret the US tried in the late 70s ,, and the Russians have now with their T-14 I believe it's called . I showed the cable mounts for my KV back in Jan 18 , but at least on my computer , all my pictures are gone . So I dug around in my picture library , and found very little , I wonder where all my pictures went ?

The blue is piece of plastic rod with a hole drilled in each end  , I just used what I had . The green is where a plastic square goes for the side ring mount point . The red is the ring parts , IRC they are brass hand rail posts from my parts box left over from my model railroading days . The hook end of the mount is just the  ring opened up . Really I should have used a larger diameter brass post but that's what I had at the time . Then again , pictures show various differences in the mount assembly with some showing the hull mount point and the rest of the parts  missing so I guess it will do

Sorry about picture quality , I don't know whats going on with my pictures folder , they all look fuzzy for some reason , I'm blaming Russian hackers

[ultravanillasmurf]

A lot of the "Ultramodern" stuff in TW2K was bleeding edge in the early 'eighties. Apparently there was an issue of the magazine Armor (sic) which covered a lot of it in 1984, and included the COMRES-75, the Contentious and the M1 remote turret test bed. The Osprey Challenger modelling book has a Jordanian remote turret Challenger.

I have a 1/50 scale Empress Models T14 awaiting its moment on the assembly line.

I do remember you mentioning it, and it could well be my inspiration (the alternative is a 4mm scale screw coupler or an actual tensioner in 4 or 7mm, though both will be easier with one of the handrail post split pins).

Google has mislaid some of the images from my posts from 2011. I have the original images somewhere on a hard disc, but there are rather a lot of images....

[ultravanillasmurf]

So I make haste slowly.

I have added the obligatory lift rings on the turret, and replaced the engine door handles (the Minutia page says the engine door handles run lengthways).

I have also blanked the pistol port (a number of M4 hybrids had no pistol port turrets).

I still need to finish filling the pistol port.

[ultravanillasmurf]

This is the work in progress Carro Armato P43 bis.

The turret is assembled, but the tracks are just dry assembled.

I still have to decide on what to do with the running gear.

Camouflage is Humbrol Dark Green and Army Painter Leather Brown over Citadel Zandri Dust.

[ultravanillasmurf]

The Kettenkrad is so cute.

[ripley]

That P43 look s great . Lose the rivets and change the wheels to a torsion bar suspension and it looks almost modern ( 1960s ish ) And yes the K krad is a very cute vehicle

[ultravanillasmurf]

So, I have finally decided on the T-26 to build, a 1939 model.


Now, my limited knowledge indicates that the turret rear machine gun should be deleted, so that is my next task.

[ultravanillasmurf]

So I have finally obtained some 7mm to the foot shackles and some split pins.

 So now I just need to have another look at the KV-1/2.

[Ballardian]

So I have finally obtained some 7mm to the foot shackles and some split pins.

Cool, who makes them?