Kallisti Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Continuing with the build, its time to see how to attach the turret bar armour. Essentially, the bar armour attaches to the lifting eyes around the turret, but it was only until I saw some photos of the rear that I realised that the rear brackets come out at an angle. My first attempt had then attaching straight on which was a bit of a trial as they plainly don't fit! This, then was the result: I'v only glued the front brackets to the bar rmour, nothing else is glued as I wanted to test fit everything first. One important feature of many fittings appears to be a dogleg of the front left bracket to get over the smoke dischargers. I've seen this in many photos from the earlier bar armour fittings. Interestingly, the newer ones, with ECM fitted seem to have used straight brackets. Anyway, this is what I was able to do: The bracket legs are made from laminated strips of 2mm x 0.5mm strips to give them a bit of strength to support the weight of the bar armour. The front brackets are 2 laminated strips but the rear ones are 3 strips. As you can see there is still some trimming needed but I an very happy with how this goes together! Real progress at last! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Great work there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Starling Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Anyway, I'm pressing on as I can't bear the thought of building the bar armour all over again - at least at this time. I have a feeling I will be doing it again sometime in the future... This WILL get built!! Press on, indeed! You're efforts are brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share Posted August 12, 2012 Thanks Jim and Calum Last thing I did this evening was update the plans with the altered back panels so here is the updated plan: (Click here for the full A4 size plan ) One additional thing I have discovered when I was sent a picture I had never seen before, 3 extra panels under the stowage box at the rear - see here: So it looks like I've got 3 new wider double column back panels plus 3 extra single column panels to build... no problem guv, proper job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Looks neat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzH Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Not come across this thread before.... What a great job...! Your gonna have to put this one on a base, cos when your finished, there's no way your going to want to pick this up with all that extra armour you've built! Great work.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share Posted August 12, 2012 Oh yes, the base is planned, nothing terribly fancy just a sandy road, but yes it will have to be on a base! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Well I've had some holiday days from work this week and this has allowed me to roar ahead with the progress so that.. .well let the photos speak for themselves: Turret: The rear supports are a little thicker than reality, but that was done to provide proper support for the bar armour. It is only connected to the turret by 4 brackets which attach to the lifting points. There appears to be some variation in the front left bracket - I've seen photos of it with that hook over the top of the smoke dischargers, but I've also seen photos where the bracket is straight. It must be said I think the more modern fittings are straight, but then I've decried to build a version that would have been around in 2006 rather than the most recent version with the ECM gear and upgraded gunner's sight. Hull: Again some compromises have had to be made as far as the brackets are concerned. I've tried to be reasonably accurate ie positioning and structure, but the size and thickness has been compromised on some to provide the support required. I have been able to replicate the interstitial brackets in some places where the bar armour can be lifted up for maintenance: I will be adding the spring bolts out of wire later. So all together we now have: which is beginning to look the business!!! There were a couple of fit issues - in fact the rear is slightly wider than it should be but I was able to slim the joints down enough so that is isn't as obvious as it was. Now I just have to work out how to paint the bugger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 That's looking great, love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellzy Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 That`s incredible very nice work Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Several days have gone by and I'm very pleased to say that some good progress has been made. Since a picture paints a thousand words, I will cease my inane chatter and show you this: So we have paint and some weathering!!! The paint is the standard XF 67 Nato Green. This was then fixed with a couple of layers of Klear as a surface for the decals to fix to. I then forgot to put the decals on before starting the weathering so had to clean some of the dirt OFF to put the decals on before then partially covering them with the dirt agian... sigh I've used a wash made up of XF-59 Desert Yellow diluted with water, plus lots of Mig pigments gulf war sand, using the Mig pigment fixer. Its been quite liberally applied to the bar armour - particularly the undersides and the front and rear hull as you can see here: Wheels have also gone on as have the headlights and the PE shrouds. The Castoff resin set includes replacement headlamps and shrouds moulded as one, but I had the PE set with shrouds and they look the business! I've added the front mudguards from the PE, having first messed them up a bit from wear and tear and then added sand and dust. The tracks have been painted and also weathered with plenty of sand. This has then been fixed with spray matt varnish to keep it stable. As you can see above, the registration number has been applied. I've gone with 00 GH 12 which is a vehicle with the Queens Dragoon Guards. I've got the Bison Decals British AFVs in IRAQ 2003-2005 which shows this vehicle as being in Iraq in 2003. The Queens Dragoon Guards were sent out to Afghanistan in Oct 2008 so I thought it would be a reasonable assumption that the same vehicle would be in service still and part of the deployment. I've added the callsign to the rear of the turret stowage box. As you can see, the turret is a bit further behind - still need to add some more painted details and of course add the ever-present, penetrating sand. Not sure why this photo is blurry, but this gives the general idea of the state of the turret. I've added the "Danger" sign in front of the laser rangefinder door, but is then been badly overpainted with green, just as I've see in a couple of photos. The fire extinguishers haven't been fitted yet. I'm in two minds whether to fit them exposed of covered with cloth. Exposed would be easier however I can't find the resin set I got from Accurate Armour last year for my chally which came with decals for the printed text on them. Hatches are off still, the resin replacements have nice interior detail which is waiting still to be painted. Not sure what this should be, haven't got round to finishing that bit of research! I've still got the figures to paint as well, however I am very pleased with the progress and its great to see it finally coming together at last! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Looking good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sage Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Hi Kallisti, This is looking good. It looks just like the photo's I've seen of this vehicle keep at it Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 That really looks the part, great work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 This is a hell of a build! I only just saw it or I'd have spoken before. Very challenging project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Thanks guys, glad you like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Kallisti this is just superb mate. I've been away on my holidays and was stunned to see how far this has progressed. Well done mate. Deacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warris Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Amazing work mate well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeley Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 The amount of work that has gone into that bar armour is amazing, it certainly looks the business though! Nice to see some paint on it too Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 Thanks Chris Another update... Tracks on, mudflaps on, turret weathered and hatches attached, turret on hull and some other small things added: Indicator lights painted too, but still missing crew, fire extinguishers, water canister, antennae, bar armour handles and bolts and stowage. I'm thinking I might have overdone the sand in some places, particularly the front hull underside, some of the bar armour and the rear stowage box. I've also been experimenting here with my new photo booth from Maplins. Might need slightly stronger light sources though. The base is just a start - its some plaster of paris with a layer of Tamiya sand diorama texture paint. Needs more topology and interest for a base, but I'm working on that, as I am with the figures and the other bits and pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 She's looking great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 Fixed the backward track this evening and added some tiny bolts that hold the bar armour in place. Its difficult to see the bolt in that photo, but the full size one is better shown here I've been slowly reducing some of the sandy areas as I think I might have overdone it a little. Certainly ther ear a couple of places where the pattern of the sand is bad as it was applied with a brush so you get a couple of places - noticably on the brackets supporting the bar armour - which has "swipes" of sand texture which isn't really appropriate. Figures and other fittings are still beign worked on, so only a small update today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warris Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Very nice mate the bar armour looks amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 I can't quite honestly believe I'm saying this but.... It is finished! The last few steps have been the figures, stowage and numerous little details that I'd forgotten about such as the strap for the water cannister and the bolts for the left side bar armour. In fact it was only when I took photos of it this afternoon, thinking that I'd finished, that I realised I'd forgotten to put the bolts on that side! So without further ado... FV107 Scimitar, with LEP upgrades and bar armour. Queen's Dragoon Guards, Operation Herrick 2008/9 I'll put the 4 best photos in the GB Gallery. Looking back from this vantage point, it wasn't as difficult as I thought.. .hmm or maybe it was and I'm choosing not to remember all the dead ends and false leads I followed while building this. It has made me confident that I can do it again and my plans forsee another Scimitar but with the ECM gear added as well as bar armour and one day a Scimitar 2!! However my next model will be something completely different... Stand by for Action!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Nicely done, I like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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