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Emhar 1/72 Mark IV "Tadpole"


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Just a couple of shots of a mojo-restoring swift build of Emhar's 1/72 Mk. IV “Tadpole”. Completely OOB, I know there's an issue with the sponsons but I can live with this for a quick project. Was too far along with it for it to be eligible for the WW1 Group build, but I have a Master Box Mk1 on the blocks for that now. Mojo on the way to being restored, I hope! Now to see if I can remember how to embed photos...

tadpole1.jpg

tadpole4.jpg

tadpole2.jpg

tadpole3.jpg

tadpole5.jpg

Right. Chrome now, then. Got it.

The eagle-eyed among you will have spotted that, apart from the obvious botches and errors, the majority of these photos show the model from the back, hiding the fact that I haven't drilled out the barrels. How the heck do you drill out barrels at this scale? Especially with 55 year old fingers?

Cheers

Dave

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Very nice MkIV Dave - I do like your weathering! I hope your Masterbox kit isn't like mine, the hull is so warped I think I'll need some full size rivets to hold it together!

I have 57 year old arthritic fingers & empathise about the drilling business. I have a very small pin vice that I bought while following the missus around a craft show years ago, fitted with a tiny drill bit - I find this easier to manipulate than a 'full size' pin vice. I also, very carefully, try to put a pilot hole in the centre of the barrel with a sharp pin before drilling. Of course 57 year old eyes demand pretty powerful magnification for that to be anywhere near succesful in 1/72nd!! ( it does work sometimes, I've just managed to drill out the two aerial bases on a 72nd Sherman Firefly - they were even smaller than the barrel!)

Keith

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Lovely model there Dave, definitely looks the business!

I follow the same method as Keith, except I use the sharp tip of a scalpel blade. I also find it helps to sand the end of the barrel slightly, so that it's more flat. Sometimes the slight misalignment in molding causes the drill bit to skid off to one side, thus you end up with drilled fingers instead.

Odd

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Great job.....Hadn't realised this kit was available yet. :thumbsup:

I'm guessing it doesn't come with a mortar for the tail? :hmmm:

As the lads have said, a pin-vice and micro-drill set is the way to go for opening up 1/72 barrels, mine range from 0.2mm to 10mm.....With a bit of practice you'll be opening up the MG barrels too. :coolio:

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Hi chaps, thanks very much for your kind words and advice. You're all absolutely right - I went straight on to ebay and got myself a micro drill set and a set of pin vices. So this weekend I guess I'll be busy making a myriad of tiny tiny holes in my fingertips. Will take a couple more photos with a paler background them and post them soon.

Thanks once again for your encouraging comments,

d

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Nice! Especially the dry/wet mud contrast.

I find barrels easy enough to drill out with a pin vice, but pipping the centre beforehand very difficult. I've sometimes had success making two grooves across the diameter of the end with a sharp knife and then drilling the middle of the "X". Then sand the end down to get rid of any remaining grooves. But even then it doesn't work every time :(

Will

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