THEscaleSHOW

Hello Nik Your build is really great! The DIY barbed wire makes a lot of work, but it is worth it. A well done scene. MD

Hello Pete Glad to see this kit-one of my favorite 2023 projects 🙂 Looking forward to seeing what you make of it-much fun! MD

Hello Simon It doesn't get better than this-top work! MD

Hello folks Today it's about the front parts of the M3. I have to deviate again from the plan, because some parts became victims of the saw. Therefore, I could not glue the remaining parts according to instructions. In addition, separate assemblies were necessary to add missing details and to facilitate the subsequent painting. So once again the rule applied: "think first, then glue". MD Let's start with the smallest part, the 2mm distributor. 7 holes with 0.3mm diameter 🤓 Ignition cables are installed. In addition, cables of the generator and the fuel line to the carburetor. The engine firewall has been poorly rendered by Dragon 👎 This is waiting for me... In the instructions, many parts are glued, but that no longer works for me. So I had to make 2 assemblies that are still to be separated from each other. Again sawed and temporarily attached the side panels. So one or the other could be glued. It is important to work precisely so that everything fits later. The interior can be easily detailed later. The new firewall. Here are the 2 assemblies that are supposed to be glued according to the instructions. Now i can use the parts as I wish-here is a test fit. I had to glue the engine because the starter is connected to the transmission. But I can still get to the parts for later painting. See you!

Yes, I can really go for it now. Unfortunately my pictures only show a few details, but enough to get an idea 😁

Beautiful engine! I wish Dragon would have given my M3 more details 🤓

Hello BF A very interesting model and beautifully built up to here! Cool details 👍 MD

Some more info from the Spielberger book-maybe you can use it!? Unfortunately only in German... Cheers!

I will build metal supports on the left and right with U-shaped supports. That way you can transport 3 stretchers. In the front part, near the tanks, boxes with dressing material and a seat will be mounted. Thank you sir! I may have been a bit gullible in my approach to the project, but military ambulances are always something special and show in a certain way that war only creates suffering.

Typical German - first make everything complicated 🤪 Here still very good references for little money: https://hans-buchladen.de/produkt/waffen-arsenal-spezial-band-32-der-mittlere-schuetzenpazerwagen-sd-kfz-251/ I also have the booklet and can only recommend it. Many pictures of the A variant included 🤓

When I spontaneously decided to build the ambulance variant, I assumed that there would be hundreds of pictures. Surprisingly, this only applies to exterior shots and even after hours of searching and researching in forums and books, I found nothing useful about the interior. Only an older post at ML has brought clarity and - how could it be otherwise, made the hurdles even greater. Officially, no ambulance version of the U.S. Halftracks, both the White M2 and M3 and the International Harvester M5 and M9, was ever developed or put into production. Therefore, all of the Halftracks used as ambulances by Allied forces during World War II were field modifications. It appears that the seats, etc., were removed from the fighting compartment to provide a flat surface on which stretchers could be loaded. The remaining space was probably used to store first aid supplies from regular ambulances. So if you want to build an ambulance version, scratchbuilding is the way to go. If you work logically and think in terms of the paramedics of the time, you should get a usable result 🤔 I have some pictures as a source of inspiration and try my best 🤓 There are enough pictures from outside. Parts of the interior of a M14 as a template for my build. Scout cars were also converted.

I used the Dremel after experiencing the disadvantages of a sharp new knife blade 😁

Hello folks Thanks for your comments-I really appreciate it! The construction is progressing, today a few pictures of the fighting compartment of the M3. Since I plan to build the ambulance version, everything unnecessary like seats etc. had to disappear first. Unfortunately I don't have any good pictures of the interior yet, even a request to the WW2 US Medical Research Centre in the USA for more info was unsuccessful. I have, however, despite everything already created a base and rebuilt the floor-maybe during the construction period still find one or the other picture. Today I will work on the engine, until then, have fun! MD The back wall needs some details... The seats must go out! Dremel Power 💪 Do not drink and cut 😁 The new floor is in and the tanks are covered. Test fit. The tail lights are drilled out and replaced later. The gap for the side panels was re-engraved all around and holes drilled for the hood brackets. See you!

Hello Darryl A good choice, the C and D version is often built-this is something different! ICM has good kits, I haven't had a very bad experience yet. As some before me have written, there are very marked differences in the A version from the other types. Obvious ones are the front end with bumper, the vision blocks, tailgate, rivets instead of welds etc. I'll stay tuned! MD

Hello Bob As described before, the steering angle of axes 2 and 3 is smaller than that of axes 1 and 4. Only in this way is cornering possible at all. You can easily find out the desired steering angle on your model by reducing the turning circle (diameter) of 14.9 m on a scale of 1:35, painting it on paper and aligning the wheels accordingly. Here is some more info: This fact was first recognized by the Munich carriage builder Georg Lankensperger and published in 1816, whereby he also immediately provided a possibility for practical realization with the so-called steering trapeze. In order to obtain a protective right in Great Britain as well, he commissioned Rudolph Ackermann, an art dealer living in London, with the patenting. For this reason, the exact steering angles are also referred to as Ackermann angles or the steering as Ackermann steering or - in English-speaking countries - as A-steering. The theoretical dependence of the steering angles cannot be realized by simple means, but only approximated. One of the possibilities is the aforementioned steering trapezoid. The track rod levers of the wheels to be steered are not exactly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, but are directed slightly inward (toward the center of the vehicle) or outward (depending on where the track rod is located). As a result, the axle, tie rod lever and tie rod no longer form a rectangle when the vehicle is in the straight-ahead position, but rather a trapezoid. Hopefully it helps 🙂 MD More pics: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/armored_vehicles/sdkfz_231_232_233/destroyed-sdkfz-231-poland-1939/ BTW: The steering of the Bundeswehr "Luchs" is also based on this.

Hello Paul A must have kit 👍 MD

Hello Ed The engine is done-continue with the good work! MD

Hello Wayne Up to here top work - I stay tuned! MD

Hello Stef Good start! You have chosen a real classic. With the number of parts you have to keep at it-the flak is a very fiddly job 😁 MD

Hello folks Today I want to share with you my first work on the M3. The kit has so far made no particular difficulties despite the many small parts and is according to my comparisons with references so far accurate. There is little to clean up, here and there a little filler at ejector points, but all in all nothing worth talking about. Of course, Dragon is also not perfect, so you can still improve one or the other detail. I limit myself here, however, to areas that will be visible later, which saves time and nerves. I spent the last few days thinking about how I want to present the model in the end. After that, my decisions have been directed over more or less details. So it's like with any other construction: planning is everything. Everyone have fun here at the GB and good luck and a steady hand! Do not drink and glue 😁 MD Parts for the first construction stages. As is often the case, you start with the chassis. Parts of the engine will be seen later, the details are very poor. Generator, starter, distributor, carburetor, ignition coil and fuel pump are rebuilt later with wiring. To do this, some parts must first be removed and holes closed. To give the model more life, the wheels are shown later slightly turned in. I am always surprised that this is not possible with such an expensive and extensive kit. By the way, this is not possible with Miniart's Austin either. Therefore, I deviated here from the instructions and have-to mount the wheels later still stable, the axle reinforced with wire. The wire is bent as desired and the wheels can now be easily removed or attached. The first unsightly details appear. It would be immediately noticeable and therefore must be changed. The cast-on springs are removed with a sharp blade, wire of the appropriate diameter is wrapped around an inverted drill bit and placed on a piece of round plastic. Then simply insert and glue. With a little work a realistic detail. Here, too, castings have to make way for PE parts. The engine hood is also rebuilt from PE. See you!

Hello Bertie Great kit-N&B Vol. 5 I can highly recommend as a reference!

Hello Ed Despite fiddly parts a great kit - have fun! MD

Hello Paul Looking forward to your build and am very excited-exactly my taste 👍

Yes exactly, from the first impression nice details. I hope that no big mistakes are waiting for me 🧐

Each cup had its own connection cable. The 3 cables merged into one cable that disappeared into the turret roof next to the holder. The cable was additionally secured to the turret roof with a cable clamp (not included in my model). I made the holders from Aluminium foil, because the RFM parts were too angular and inaccurate and also the 2 screws were missing. https://tiger1.info/EN/Smoke-grenade-brackets.html