Gremlin56 Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Great work on the Saladin. You also provide the chance to get some information on the uniforms worn during the American Civil War: how are these uniforms to wear while running around carry full gear in the summer? Would appear to have been very hot and uncomfortable but maybe you can provide more information on this? cheers Julian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 Great work on the Saladin. You also provide the chance to get some information on the uniforms worn during the American Civil War: how are these uniforms to wear while running around carry full gear in the summer? Would appear to have been very hot and uncomfortable but maybe you can provide more information on this? cheers Julian I`ve been into re-enactment for over twenty years now Julian, I`ve always been into military history but the kit, weapons, technology drill rather than the dry history of where and when, started off in WWII due to a friend from work who knew I was ex Army and thought I would find it interesting, did WWI from there, RN, then Napoleonic and finally ACW, I don't class myself as a battle re-enactor, I wouldn't care if I never fired my gun again on the field, I much prefer living history, living the daily life of a soldier and the public interaction side. We try and do it properly, there`s a wealth of knowledge in every society, it`s just a case of putting the pieces together and seeing if it works! And yes, the wool uniforms are a trifle warm! It was that humid last weekend that when I went to put my shirt on in the morning it was still wet with sweat from the previous evening! Mmmmmmm........moist! Just like Jungle training, dry kit off, wet kit back on! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 (edited) Saturday, september, no sun, Oh well shed time then! So, here`s the turret as of this morning, the hatch coaming is on and awaiting clean up, the resin hatches are a spot on fit although they also need a styrene strip fitting around the edge, so I`ll be cracking on with that later. I have fitted two of the antenna base units and filled the hole for the third since I`m building an early example not a post 72 one, that location now has a blob of filler in it! I also filled all the seams in the rear deck/side wall join as it looked a bit over scale. Edited September 11, 2016 by Valenstitch 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 (edited) Next up was the suspension again! This is "The" weak point in the kit in my opinion. Although it is only a plastic model I am concerned about the fragility of the suspension, none of this gubbins above is in contact with the wheels! Six of these drive shafts are all that stands between success and disaster! Six little 1.2mm plastic rods! Put a hefty resin wheel one end and an armoured car t`other and there`s gonna` be tears before bedtime! So I have put six little semicircular shims in place inside the hub carriers which will need to be fettled to fit but these should make the axles solid enough. The downside is there is no way to put any steering lock on, which would have looked nice on the six wheeled beast! With just a little thought DML could have engineered the ability into this kit to enable that feature, there are some delightful features and some lovely individual parts, but then they go and drop the bundle! All but one version out of the six available in box are mid 1960`s vehicles, the kit is a very late production or mid 1970`s modified vehicle, Duh! If you want an early one you have to put a lot of hours in!There is no .30 cal commanders machine gun included and no mounting yet the barrel clamp mounting is! Despite the hatches being articulated they are devoid of detail on their inner faces and the hatch coaming is missing altogether. It is also crying out for a crew although given the options you would need them to be in shorts, denims, combats you name it! A good proportion of these vehicles were fitted with local mod turret baskets, especially in the middle east, so that would have been a nice inclusion as well. Anyhoo, that's enough ranting for now, so now I`m waiting for Tamiya and their finest to do their thing and go off so I can finish the hull! In the meantime I have butchered the side lights, well, more correctly, butchered the indicators leaving the side lights intact and fitted them to the mudguards, again, letting the thin stuff go off! So there`s some binnage to fit, and a pile of this stuff to rub away at! I`m not going to apologise for the photo, it`s samsung's fault! The resin is nice and crisp although the commanders sight guard is a bit fragile! I`m not convinced that the sight guard is an improvement over the kit part, but if I bugger it up I can always just chop the mounting for the MG off and fit that to the kit part! Right I`m off down me shed, Slaters Dudes! Ta for lookin` Granto Edited September 11, 2016 by Valenstitch 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin56 Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I`ve been into re-enactment for over twenty years now Julian, I`ve always been into military history but the kit, weapons, technology drill rather than the dry history of where and when, started off in WWII due to a friend from work who knew I was ex Army and thought I would find it interesting, did WWI from there, RN, then Napoleonic and finally ACW, I don't class myself as a battle re-enactor, I wouldn't care if I never fired my gun again on the field, I much prefer living history, living the daily life of a soldier and the public interaction side. We try and do it properly, there`s a wealth of knowledge in every society, it`s just a case of putting the pieces together and seeing if it works! And yes, the wool uniforms are a trifle warm! It was that humid last weekend that when I went to put my shirt on in the morning it was still wet with sweat from the previous evening! Mmmmmmm........moist! Just like Jungle training, dry kit off, wet kit back on! Can you imagine how hot the British army uniforms were in South Africa? Nothing light weight about them. Cheers, Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 (edited) Here`s todays installment from "I have a shed and don't get out much!" Onwards and upwards with the Saladin`s suspension! It`s done! I had a quick fettle of the shims I glued in place yesterday, just a quick scrape with a scalpel blade and a swift rub with a half round rat tail file and I was done, the axles are now held snug against the top of the hub carrier. Here is the before And here is the after They are still there, you just cant see them, a quick drop of the thin stuff and it was all done, The suspension is now solid and should be resistant to normal wear and tear! So there is a little tidying up to do but this job goes in the win column! All six wheels touch the ground! And I`ve got toe in! BOOM! After all that excitement I got some resin on the turret. The sight guard withstood my clean up effort and went on without any drama. I got the bins on my mud guards! And my cut down side and tail lights. And started putting a lip on the turret hatches! There`s a bit of clean up to do on these, handles to fit and so forth but it`s coming together now! Bang tidy! Ta for lookin` Granto Edited September 11, 2016 by Valenstitch 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 Coming along nicely... , cheers mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badder Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 Great Job with the suspension and the other bits of scratch. Looking forward to some paint. Rearguards, Badder 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 7, 2016 Author Share Posted September 7, 2016 (edited) 3 2 1 you`re back in the room! Here`s todays update, The hatches are done, I put a thin lip on the edge of each of the hatches using styrene strip, it was a bit of a pain because the resin had very different properties to previous stuff I had used, there was no grip at all, I was expecting the resin to suck up the CA for instant grab but nothing happened for ages I had to keep re positioning the strip and applying pressure with the tweezers which only ensured that the strip stuck to the tweezers not the hatch! But it eventually went off, so a quick once round with a skinny stick and that was that! Job jobbed! I cleaned off the last of the filler I used to sort out the heavy seam between the back decks and the hull side, fitted the drivers episcopes, a small strip of channel on the Don 10 reel, and cracked on with the turret. The smoke grenade discharger bodies have been fitted and their associated cables, I`ll fit the individual barrels once I`ve replaced the hefty moulded strap on the side with a bit of etch brass, I also fitted the inboard hatch hinges and the gunners sight hood, there is a clear window and wiper blade to fit to this but that will happen after I have painted the interior of the sight hood. I have also filed the front of the inner mantlet flat prior to attaching the replacement resin part. And finally for today I`ve been adding all the junk to the mudguards, the drivers sight episcope, and filling the exhaust where there was a bubble in the resin, a very productive morning even if I do say so myself! There is still a lot to do before I can get some primer on it, but I think it`ll be in the paint booth by the weekend! Ta for lookin` Granto Edited September 11, 2016 by Valenstitch 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew.S Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Beautiful work! Really great job. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widow 65 Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Coming along nicely 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Nice progress for now, cheers mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I've just read this entire thread in one sitting. Perfect combination of an interesting kit, lots of pics and a very readable write up. Looking forward to more progress. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Righto, here we go with today's installment from the shed! Perfect modeling weather here in Portsmouth, it`s raining, Girly is off out, there`s a pot of coffee on Woooooohoooooo! First issue was to correct the smoke grenade discharger! It would appear that the cable I fitted has pushed the item off true before it had properly gone off! Bugger! So that was job No.1. And before anyone comments I am aware the hatches wont close, they were not engineered by DML to sit on a coaming but flat on the turret roof, once you put your plastic strip down you`ve upset their geometry and that's it, there`s no going back, but I made that decision at the start of the build, hatches open, crewed up! Just need to find some crew now! Next up was removing the tools from their pour stubs, pick helve, head and spade, these will replace the poor items in the kit. I also gave the exhaust a clean up And fitted three missing bolt heads These are the Dogs Dusters! They are from Meng, they come in various sizes, bolt heads one side of the strip and threads and nuts the other side, fantastic idea, just shave them off with a chisel blade scalpel and put them on a tiny drop of extra thin and Bobbins! You`re done! Although I had to secure these three with CA, and this time it stuck in a second! So on to job three, unsticking my tweezers from the exhaust! Typical of DML and this kit in particular is the way they seem to have divvied up the jobs, it`s like first fella gets the turret, off he goes and makes all the tie down points individually, fella two gets the tools and stuff, so he goes and copies a Lego shovel and leaves the third leg off the MG tripod and decides that the fire extinguishers ought to look like aqualungs and that's him happy, off down the pub, fella three his job is mudguards, does a cracking job on the triangular bins and the mudguards them selves, then he sees fella two has updated his facebook status from the pub while he waits for fella three to join him, so he rushes the top bins, then fella two messages fella three from the pub to let him know there`s already two pints "in" for him so he does a blob for each of the eight tie down points on the mudguards and slopes off! Leaving me with this.............. Well, not exactly this, this is after I had removed the blob and drilled some holes for this! Wire tie down points! They will all need tidying up and a wee fettle, but you should get the idea! And just sneaking into shot is the turret again! With it`s mantlet! There, that`s better! This is the second fitting of the mantlet, yet again I have been caught out by the unpredictable nature of the resin, this piece stuck like Detritus to a blanket! Unfortunately not where I wanted it! I had to prise it off with bayonet! A quick rubdown and attempt two succeeded! However, I am sure the eagle eyed amongst you have spotted the dolop of filler. The Co-ax holes don't line up, so I have drilled the resin mantlet hole to match the kit one and will tidy that up later! Last job of the morning was this............. Drilling out some holes for the tool tie downs and bending up a bit of old brass fret for the spade handle stop, still lot`s to do though, mainly cleaning up the over exuberant use of CA glue! I feel a Kebab coming on! Ta for lookin` Granto 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 I appear to have lost half me photos! Cheers photobucket! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Bugger! I suppose I will have to rewrite my WIP for history to judge me fairly! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Thats a really nice job mate. Enjoying this immensely 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 11, 2016 Author Share Posted September 11, 2016 11:31 sunday morning, two mugs of very strong black coffee done and my images are restored to my thread!I feel better now, better than James Brown, I feel good, I knew that I would now! Normal service has been resumed! Granto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 11, 2016 Author Share Posted September 11, 2016 Lovely day here in Portsmouth, sunny yet fresh........Ideal modeling weather! So I`ve been in me shed, and this is where I`m at now............. Antenna bases are on, these are the resin ones from MR Modellbau, yet again the parts are fragile and small, so there is still some cleanup to do once everything has gone off! But they are a marked improvement on the kit items. I also made up a couple of bent brackets from an old piece of photo etch fret, these went on to the outer face of the smoke grenade dischargers. Again a marked improvement on the kit parts, or should I say blocks? This was followed by the barrels themselves, so they are almost complete now. Then I glued the left set of mudguards and bins on, the right side will go on once I have fettled the upper exhaust brackets, they are currently too short by 1-2mm so I skinned the mating surface with a small strip of plastic strip, once that goes off I can shape it to fit the curve of the exhaust, the bottom bracket is accessible even with the guards and everything in place so I`ll save that job until later. You can also see the replacement MG tripod here awaiting cleanup and part of the commanders MG mounting, this is one area where there is going to be some work despite my earlier optimism! The wheels have their hub endcaps on now as well, these still need cleaning up and the correct toe in sanding in, its only a gnats knacker of a wee bawhair in terms of an adjustment but it still needs doing.......once I figure out the "how" Here`s the other side, exhaust and replacement fire extinguisher in place...........there really isn't much left to do, Even the commanders MG barrel clamp is in place! I might just slope off and have a go at making some mud flaps....................................or a turret basket................ Ta for lookin` Granto 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Coming along nicely for now, nice add-ons... , cheers mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Some very nice work going on here 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Coming together nicely Really looking like a Saladin now Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 Well, here is another installment of "Shed time"! Spot the obvious mistake............... Yes, I`ve had to shorten the axle stubs! I was so excited about how good these replacement wheels looked from the front compared to the kit items that I forgot to have a good butchers hook at the other side Bugger! The hole is only 3mm deep on the resin wheels, while the kit parts are much deeper, you cant drill out the resin because the stub axle is the same diameter as the hub, the only thing for it was to take a razor saw to the axle!!!! So a deep breath and off I went, faint hearts and all that............... Three down and all is well, my reinforced suspension stood up to the saw drag without a murmur! Bargain! I have also got most of the stowage, mudguards, bins, exhausts and so forth on now There's some filler to clean up on the torsion bar end covers, these were a shocking fit! And there are a couple of bits of plastic that intrude into the drivers compartment that`ll have to go as well to make room for the driver, but it is almost there...........still the commanders MG to finish and mud flaps and maybe a basket....................but progress, definite progress! Currywurst for tea! Ta for lookin` Granto 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Wow wheels contrast to other ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 Right then lets give this new format a go! No update for a few days , things got in the way  Now for the serious stuff!   I think we`re ready for the paint booth! There are some bits of stowage that I will leave until after the paint job, other than the six wheels these are the three components that will get the stynylrez treatment. I think it`s an excellent product and with a bit of luck it should neatly fill the tiny voids around the turret stowage loops!   I used some scrap brass and plastic card and rod to correct the .30 cal mount to the No.5 mount that allowed the commander to fire the MG from under cover without exposing himself! Yeah, until he had a stoppage, then he had to stand up and try to clear it in full view of the fella`s he was previously trying to upset with his well aimed burst of "Three oh"! A disastrous bit of kit that was still to be seen on MK1 Ferret scout cars when I was in the Green machine in the late 70`s (the mounting and the gun!)   I gave the turret ring a quick wipe with a skinny stick to loosen it up, the paint will tighten the mating gap. It would also appear that the gunner will have to end his lay in elevation! My main and co-ax have got a case of droop, I`ll have a gander at that as well later!     So there`s a few more snaps of current progress, paint next!  Ta for lookin` no "G"!  Granto 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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