HOW TO - Easy kit improvements

[ripley]

I like my hatches open and for the most part filled with crew figures . Most of Rubicons and Warlords newer kits come with separate  hatches  , the earlier ones  didn't . So how do you open up a molded closed hatch ? Well I'll show you how I do it

You just drill very small holes around the inside edge of the hatch , cut along the dotted line with a new # 11 xacto blade  .Using a file ,square up the hatch and using a very narrow chisel blade , trim off the remainder molded hatch rim . Remember the hatch itself will be larger than the hole you make so go easy . Using plastic sheet , cut hatch cover , I just cut a square a couple of mm larger than the hole and sand it till it fits . Add what ever internal hatch locks you desire , on the IV I just added a cross bar and a bolt . Not correct but looks the part .

You can use the same method to open the turret side hatches , then cut the kit doors in half , sand a little thinner , and add details as you see fit

BA Panzer III wip  It looks hard, but if you take it slow, its actually quite easy

[Pinky]

I've opened up a turret side hatch on a Warlord Panzer III.  Not sure it's quite straight, but it adds a lot to the model.  It's much easier (I find) doing this with Warlord kits than Rubicon kits - Rubicon plastic is tough!

[ripley]

Yes Rubicon's plastic is very hard , not as easy to work with that's for sure . But their  T-34 kits  have almost a guide for you to cut out the drivers hatch .

Really easy to cut the hole and then add the kit hatch than it is to remove a  molded on hatch and try to make one  .  Actually I find cutting out and making the new hatch has become quite easy . Its getting the hatch interior details right that's the tricky part

[ripley]

Restaring the thread under a new name . Please feel free to add any tips you have to improve any of the plastic / resin kits out there . Finally got back on track working on my KV kit and realized it needed some improved detail on the hatch interiors  . This is what the hatch interior looks like ( Tankograd KV book )



What you get is no detail on the hull hatch and upside down detail on the turret hatches ( never mind the KV I hatch is way to big in diameter ) . So what to do ... well get some 2 part resin ,

And some modelling clay . Press the hatch into the clay ( make 4 or 5 copies as this method is hit and miss )  Add paper thin layer of resin , excess from another casting job

Let cure , remove unwanted  hatch details , cut resin to size , super glue

Didn't turn out too bad if I say so myself , now how do I go about fixing that oversized KV I hatch ?

[Ballardian]

  Great thread, sharing the collective wisdom of many years of kitbashing will make for a wonderfully useful resource

 (Apologies, came back to this today & discovered I'd put it in the wrong place before - I'll put it down to a surfeit of Christmas cheer!)

[ripley]

Yes many years of kit bashing  , can't really say that no plastic kits weren't harmed in developing these skills , must of trashed 100s over the years , still kick myself for scrapping my 1/48 Bandi  . Think I got the KV I hatch figured but its a bit more complicated ... 1st cast a few copies of hatch covers . Trim  outer bolt ring off to get hatch . Then drill / cut / sand hatch cover out to get bolt ring . Then , hopefully ad ring to turret , add internal latches to hatch , add hatch to tank .

Still a WIP but coming along nicely . Finely figured out a good place to use that extra head-crewman you get in the BA metal Russian tank crew blister

[pezzapoo]

great post thx for sharing

[Pinky]

Yes many years of kit bashing  , can't really say that no plastic kits weren't harmed in developing these skills , must of trashed 100s over the years...

Good to hear it's not just me who's done that.  There's that moment when you realise that a project hasn't worked out.  Or that no amount of stowage is going to conceal the mess you've just made...

[ultravanillasmurf]

Yes many years of kit bashing  , can't really say that no plastic kits weren't harmed in developing these skills , must of trashed 100s over the years...

Good to hear it's not just me who's done that.  There's that moment when you realise that a project hasn't worked out.  Or that no amount of stowage is going to conceal the mess you've just made...

Yup, me too....