AndyC Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Hi all I shall be going initially with the Academy Ontos AFV. Equipping the USMC, its armament of 6Nr. recoilless rifles certainly made it one of the oddest AFV's in theatre. Box shots (well actually bag shots)... The subject of the kit is a Vietnam tank, so shouldn't be a problem. See you all soon 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Hi Andy. Good to see another tank on here. I was getting a bit lonely for a bit! Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 Hi Andy. Good to see another tank on here. I was getting a bit lonely for a bit! Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one. Kind regards, Stix Cheers mate - I was going to do a Thunderchief...then thought...hang on...I remembered buying this off Dave W (Panzer Vor). Reviews reckon it's not a bad kit except the ammo is overscale! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 (edited) Nice choice Andy. These look interesting when built. Not sure I would have wanted to be an operator on one though. Also if it came from Dave give it a double check the dodgy bloke. :-) Edited August 30, 2015 by snapper_city 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 Also if it came from Dave give it a double check the dodgy bloke. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Cool - will watch with interest as I recently bought myself one of these. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Hmmmm Not to be the bearer of bad tidings but you may want to check your tracks. Pretty sure they're not Ontos tracks in the bag as mine are much shorter and don't have the sticky out bits (technical term!). Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Has to be said, they look more Sheridan than Ontos. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 Haha! Well spotted. I refer to Snapper's post above. Checked the tracks and they are Sheridan tracks. I also bought a Sheridan off Panzer Vor at the same time. Been deep into the stash and pulled that out and looked at the tracks in that kit...and they look remarkably like Ontos tracks ☺☺☺☺ A mix up me thinks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Sweet.....Really looking forward to seeing this proceed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 The thing I like about Ontos is that the real one had rubber band tracks. Eliminates the need for fiddly single links and/or aftermarket. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Haha! Well spotted. I refer to Snapper's post above. Checked the tracks and they are Sheridan tracks. I also bought a Sheridan off Panzer Vor at the same time. Been deep into the stash and pulled that out and looked at the tracks in that kit...and they look remarkably like Ontos tracks ☺☺☺☺ A mix up me thinks Phew - that's a relief!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 Actually it would have been bleedin' obvious once I came to fit the things - the M551 ones are at least twice as long and half as wide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 Well after all the shenanigans with the tracks yesterday, I thought I should get on with it. You know your behind everyone else when you are bottom of the update pile in the WIP section! There are some quite large sprue gates holding on the hull and these were snipped but need a small amount of filler which was applied and rubbed down Suspension bars installed - these are quite simple to put in but the guide bars aren't they are very fiddly Next step was my least favourite bit...sprockets and wheels. After snipping off there was some clean up to do and some glue along with polycaps. Here they are dry fitted to one side The spreader bar thingy that sits outside the wheels was tackled next and again is quite fiddly with a couple of very small parts The tailplate was completed and was composed of several small pieces (those bottom hinges tried my patience and were close several times to succumbing to the carpet monster). Here it is finished and glued in place Finally managed to glue on some pieces to the superstructure. Lovely fit here actually - nice and crisp Will do some more tomorrow I hope. All comments welcome and thanks for looking 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Never really studied the structure of one of these before (can't see it for guns normally), fascinating little thing isn't it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 Take the guns off and it's really quite small - I'll place it next to one of my small soft AFV models for comparison 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 Good to see this underway. It does look like an interesting little vehicle. Nice work so far. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 13, 2015 Author Share Posted September 13, 2015 A combination of indifferent weather and the house being full of 22-yr old lads (my middle one's birthday) meant I could locl myself away in the man-cave and get some more progress on this little AFV As promised - here is the superstructure next to my DAK Kubelwagen to get an idea of her size - the Ontos is quite small as you can see Anyway on with the build, the gun barrel supports and numerous other protuberances were glued including headlight framing The next step was to use the etch for the exhaust wrapping. I was considering annealing it but it's actually quite thin etch and I didn't foresee a problem getting it to roll evenly. Here is the fore part done and glued The rear part also treated and glued. Then it was the turn of the conical shape marrying the two and that was very awkward - it's still not absolutely perfect but it's good from a foot away! All glued in place. The white rod is a replacement linkage the original of which broke when sanding. Fortunately I had some very small rod in my stock The rear plate and door frame put together and glued in place I started on the recoilless rifles - a tedious exercise of snip and sand for all the individual pieces. They are cleverly engineered however I finally plucked up the courage to build one - took about half an hour - only another 5 to go! Thanks for viewing and all comments welcomed 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 15, 2015 Author Share Posted September 15, 2015 Hi all - cracking on with this. First up the turret/gun mount nice detail. Option to have the hatch open with a commander in it - I'm buttoning it up. If I was putting it on a diorama base I'd probably paint up the figure and insert him but a diorama is a step too far for my AFV modelling skills right now! Rear doors needed some fettling and some plastic trimmed off the rear steps as I glued them marginally too far inwards which was fouling the edge of the doors Dry fit of the gun mount. The .30 cal and shield will be fitted after painting The finished 106mm rifles - having survived the usual AndyC cock-up where two were glued wrongly so that the locating elements were on top of the barrels rather than underneath. Saved with a bit of surgery Top 4 guns glued All 6 now glued but not yet aligned to the gun rests or completely with each other! Now provisionally aligned and sitting on the gun rests Next...clamps to the guns final rub down and into the paint shop. Thanks for looking and all comments welcome 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 Excellent progress Andy! It looks like a fascinating piece of kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 15, 2015 Author Share Posted September 15, 2015 Excellent progress Andy! It looks like a fascinating piece of kit. It does! Not sure it was the greatest piece of kit the USMC ever used... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Hi all - almost there with this one... Base colour of Vallejo US Olive Drab sprayed on all parts Tracks sprayed black to start with Sprockets and wheels sprayed and then the rims painted Humbrol 33 I bought a Vallejo US paint set and started layering and applying filters. Also a Flory wash was applied and the results are quite nice although subtle. I also started dry-brushing with GW Runefang Steel but no overdoing it Wheels and sprockets in place Tracks on after a dry-brush with Steel and outside bar glued. Spare tracks and jerry can glued in place Decals applied Rifles and .30 cal and shield glued in place I need to do a light weathering spray and dirty up the tracks (not too much - I don't do 'mucky' builds). Once that's done I think she will be ready for a RFI and the gallery. Thanks for looking 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milktrip Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Looks great Andy, looking forward to the RFI pics once you finish up the weathering. Does that decal / transfer/ sticker say "Soul Power"? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Looks great Andy, looking forward to the RFI pics once you finish up the weathering. Does that decal / transfer/ sticker say "Soul Power"? Yes it does mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 What a great little model! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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