M24 CHAFFEE 1/35 ITALERI "RENOVE PLAN"

[FrancisGL]

Hi Pals,

 

Here is a new small project of the "Renove Plan" to which I am submitting some of my "old" kits ... lol.

 

Today I decided to "attack" the M24 Chaffee de Italeri, which would be the second improvement attempt on him, and I would say it will be the final one.

 

This time it will be a "third party" improvement, because basically I have acquired some new tracks and a barrel gun as well.

 

Undoubtedly, the most ominous part of this model, were the tracks, which is the heel of Achilles of all these oldies that had saved, because the material with which they were made, besides being really bad, has turned out to be super-fragile .

 

The cannon is also easy to replace, and it will surely provide quality at a minimum cost-effort.

 

I have opted for some Bronco tracks, because the Friuls, I find excessive in terms of price for the kit in question.

 

They seem to be quite good, and especially with a reasonably easy assembly, at least for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some pics with the model finished, at it was

 

 

 

 

Thanks for watch and comment, cheers mates 👍

Edited May 6, 2018 by FrancisGL

[Soeren]

Very nice, it is cool to revisit a model and boost it to the acquired skill level.

[FrancisGL]

7 hours ago, Soeren said:

Very nice, it is cool to revisit a model and boost it to the acquired skill level.

Many thanks for your interest, IMHO I think I can do it, cheers Soeren 👍

[Redcoat2966]

Interesting thing to do, retroactive detailing after completion. Interested in how you get on with this one Francis....👍🤓

 

Simon

[FrancisGL]

On 04/05/2018 at 22:43, Redcoat2966 said:

Interesting thing to do, retroactive detailing after completion. Interested in how you get on with this one Francis....👍🤓

 

Simon

Many thanks for your interest. I think that if I can not ruin the kit, it will be worth trying.
I include some photo of the finished model, as it was in the second revision I did (I added more and better snow).

Cheers Simon 

Edited May 6, 2018 by FrancisGL

[FrancisGL]

Thanks for your like Hamden, cheers mate 

 

Thanks for your like Corsairfoxforuncle, chers mate 

 

Thanks for your follow Redcoat2966, cheers mate 

 

 

[FrancisGL]

UPDATE 02:

Hi Pals, some progress with the project. The first was to "design" a method of work / utensil that I found comfortable and more or less productive for the assembly, because although I have not done too many articulated tracks, I have realized that each set of them are a " world apart ", because each one has a specific assembly, and each manufacturer understands it in its own way.

 

It has not been too difficult to remove them from their sprues, I have not broken anything more than two or three, and as the box says, bring enough spare parts, so I do not think I'll have trouble completing them.

 

I have proceeded to remove the old ones, with the maximum possible care, and I have taken off / split some piece in the process, but nothing that can not be fixed.

 

You can see how bad they were, not in their detail, but in the quality of the plastic, very rigid and ... "brittle" ... united thanks the staples ...

What if it was a "headache", have been the rear drive wheels, which did not have enough "width" to accommodate the new tracks (question of very, very little ...), so I had to return to open them, and adjust them so that they were wide enough. Very difficult, because they were stuck with polystyrene cement, and not with CA glue, so they were "melted" in their union ...

 

As you can see, they are already finished, in the absence of a link to "close" them, and the appearance is much better IMHO, in addition to not being "broken" somewhere like the old ones. 

 

Thanks to watch and comment as always. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PlaStix]

Good to see another one of your upgrade threads Francis!

Kind regards,

Stix

[Soeren]

Those workable tracks are just worlds apart from those rubber bands. I just wish Meng would do a set comparable to their Leopard tracks for other tanks as well. Nice looking at only 9€.

Edited May 15, 2018 by Soeren

[FrancisGL]

On 13/05/2018 at 22:11, PlaStix said:

Good to see another one of your upgrade threads Francis!

Kind regards,

Stix

Many thanks for your interest and your follow, cheers Stix 

[FrancisGL]

On 15/05/2018 at 13:37, Soeren said:

Those workable tracks are just worlds apart from those rubber bands. I just wish Meng would do a set comparable to their Leopard tracks for other tanks as well. Nice looking at only 9€.

Many thanks for your interest. You are absolutely right, they are much better (they are not Friuls, but ...), I think they cost me more than 9€ ...

Cheers Soeren 

[FrancisGL]

UPDATE 03:

 

Hi Pals,

 

A new progress with the model, as you can see, I have already painted and weathered the tracks, failing to put "snow" on them, which will be later.

The next task, the addition of various equipment, basically Tamiya, and some Bronco, along with some of my spare parts.

I found it somewhat difficult, choosing the ones that seemed most appropriate, and even more, the position where they are going to go, seeking to be "coherent" and to appear as subjects in a real and natural way.

 

I am waiting for the new cannon to be brought to replace it.

 

Apart, small touches with the "snow" in the new equipment.

 

Thanks for watch and comments as always.

 

Cheers mates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ripaman]

Those tracks look brilliant Francis also like the revised storage 

 

Regards

Richard

[FrancisGL]

On 21/05/2018 at 06:40, Ripaman said:

Those tracks look brilliant Francis also like the revised storage 

 

Regards

Richard

Many thanks for your kind words and likes, much appreciated, cheers Richard 

[Kris B]

Good reincarnation. 

[FrancisGL]

On 22/05/2018 at 22:08, Kris B said:

Good reincarnation. 

Many thanks, i'm glad you like it, cheers Kris 

[Soeren]

The snow application to all the goods looks really convincing

[Redcoat2966]

Nice job on the extra baggage Francis. Something I want to do more of.......I've always found it tough sometimes to make baggage and stowage look like it actually sits right on any vehicle. It all looks above like it should be there....nice job...

 

Simon.

[FrancisGL]

23 hours ago, Soeren said:

The snow application to all the goods looks really convincing

Many thanks for your interest and approval, cheers Soeren 👍

[FrancisGL]

20 hours ago, Redcoat2966 said:

Nice job on the extra baggage Francis. Something I want to do more of.......I've always found it tough sometimes to make baggage and stowage look like it actually sits right on any vehicle. It all looks above like it should be there....nice job...

 

Simon.

You are right, the equipment gives a personal touch to the vehicle, and if it is well finished and placed, it is the icing on the cake.

You can believe that it has not been easy for me to decide which ones were the most appropriate to place them definitively (under my personal taste / perception, of course), and even more, in what part they were going to be and how to hold them so that it is convincing.

One thing I try to keep in mind, is, try not to block any vision hatch, or periscopes, and that the turret, if necessary (imagining the real model), can rotate 360º freely without obstacles ...

Manuy thanks for your interest and words, cheers Simon 👍

[FrancisGL]

UPDATE 04:

 

Hi Pals,

 

Here is the last update of the kit, once received the replacement barrel gun.

 

Very nice, it even has the internal rifling. What has surprised me is the size it has, which is noticeably longer than the original kit.

I have seen in the Wiki, and it seems that it is the correct model for the tank. Anyway, I'm going to change it, because the other one is broken somewhere.

I had to adapt the hole to insert it, but it was not difficult.

 

I have also changed the MGs, for some of good quality (in plastic), previously perforated.

 

I have looked for something for the attachment of the rear equipment that will look appropriate / real, and I used a small string from another kit (I suppose), which came as a tow cable (steel ...), as a rope for grip of the Jerrys, passing it through its handles, with tweezers, one by one.

Before they were fastened with copper thread, but it did not look good for my taste. Now the aspect seems much more real to me.
For the points of grip in the hull, I had to change some original plastic grips, for other copper, because they had collapsed by the tension, very little, but the quality of the plastic along with the size of the pieces ended up causing it.

 

Added some more stowage detail, and ready for the photos in the RTI section soon.

 

Thanks as always for watching and commenting .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FrancisGL]

Many thanks for your like, Bullbasket, cheers mate 👍

 

Many thanks for your like, Redcoat2966, cheers mate 👍