BlackMax12 Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Here is the second one for today, not quite started but had a look and it's fairly involved. The zimmerit looks ok, not too heavy and should be able to add some damage in places. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 (edited) Opened up the box and made a start on this. That interior is quite busy but everything fits perfectly so far. Edited June 16, 2018 by BlackMax12 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Wow, nice start Lloyd I will be watching with intrest as I picked up the early variant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soeren Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Nice one Lloyd. You say its busy, in the other thread? I would say this is an understatement? I wonder how one is able to paint all these little details once build. This just puts me off trying it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris B Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Are you planning to expose some of the interior? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 (edited) Thanks Ozzy Started on the tracks, link and length but there's two guide horns to be glued to each link which is a bit of a chore. The transmission has to be installed along with all of the torque rods before you can install the sides on the hull. Some of the torque rods go under and through the transmission mounting. Do yourself a favor and paint all that before install as I didn't and now I'm wondering if I can or if I just paint it all red primer, The rest of the fixtures etc will be in the appropriate colors and the sponson tops and firewall in white but the stuff I've already installed will probably be red primer. Got a little carried away as it was all going together so well and never thought ahead about trying to paint. Good thing most can't be seen with the top on the hull and the turret in place. Take care, Lloyd Edited June 16, 2018 by BlackMax12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 Thanks Soeren Yes I thought of that too after I had most of the interior assembled. It's going to be fun to paint but a lot of it is just sitting, not glued down yet. Of course the transmission and all of the torque bars are in there permanently as you have to install them as you glue the sides onto the hull floor. That might be just a little tricky and they may all end up in red primer. Thanks Chris I'm going to try to make the hull top removable and all of the hatches open but otherwise no plans to cut things up for display. With my luck I would just ruin it if I took a razor saw to it so I'll leave things alone. Take care guys, Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcoat2966 Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 That's looks like a long build....well for me anyway t my speed......but very tempting. I will certainly plan on a Takom Panther at some point for a long term project.....really looks nice so far. Takom is really blowing some of the other manufactures into the weeds now with their line up of AFV's......all I hear are good things on their build and accuracy..... Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Thanks Simon Yes some of the Takom offerings are really good. This one has lots and lots of detail and fits together well but now I've run into a problem with the fit of the upper hull at the rear. I had the same problem with a Takom King Tiger with interior, the upper hull just would not fit at the rear. That one got scrapped but this one isn't quite as bad so maybe I can make it work. Other than some tedious work with teeth on the tracks this is an excellent kit, so far. Have got to tackle the turret yet and it looks rather busy too. Then have to figure out how to paint the interior after I have so much already in place. Got a little ahead of myself assembling without thinking about paint. Take care, Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Here it is this AM. The sponsons, bulkhead and engine compartment bulkheads are just sitting in place as are the battery boxes and seats. All that will have to be painted separately. I tried installing some of the shell racks on one of the sponsons and will see if I can install the shells before gluing any more racks in place. That little turret training motor gave me grief but otherwise everything fits well. Looks pretty small compared to that semi-complete Merkava IV. Funny how things have grown over the years, like compare a P-51 Mustang to a F-14 Tomcat, both fighters but one is 3 times the size. And cost 100 times as much or more........... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcoat2966 Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 16 minutes ago, BlackMax12 said: Thanks Simon Yes some of the Takom offerings are really good. This one has lots and lots of detail and fits together well but now I've run into a problem with the fit of the upper hull at the rear. I had the same problem with a Takom King Tiger with interior, the upper hull just would not fit at the rear. That one got scrapped but this one isn't quite as bad so maybe I can make it work. Other than some tedious work with teeth on the tracks this is an excellent kit, so far. Have got to tackle the turret yet and it looks rather busy too. Then have to figure out how to paint the interior after I have so much already in place. Got a little ahead of myself assembling without thinking about paint. Take care, Lloyd Hi Lloyd Yes, I don't envy you on painting that suspension system in place. I had enough trouble with some seats in Steyer I fixed in not thinking about the detail painting I needed to do along with the tools I put on - but hadn't done the camo'......😆 I've decided after all the line up I have to do at present (and all the mistakes I've made....)......... a fixed list/plan of the sequence that I will do and the painting stages. I find sometimes (as I've done) that it can runaway with you, as you mention. Nice to hear about the fit at the rear on the KT. I think though a Panther is where I'll go. I'll try and keep some notes on which of their offerings is the best one. Nice clean work so far though mate... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 It looks a cracking kit Lloyd, smart job so far, tracks look good too. Glynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Thanks Simon Thanks Glynn That one track and the wheels are removable and I haven't started the second track yet. Been working on some of the infinite interior detail assemblies and yes, setting them aside to be painted separately. Thinking about starting the engine this aft as it's pretty involved and looks good in the pictures. Got all of the floors in place around the turret base plate and started on some of the 6 or 8 odd shell racks and bins that fit around there. There looks to be about 75 or so shells to be cleaned up, painted and crammed into all of the racks and bins. Of course this time I'll paint everything before installing. It will have a mix of brass and steel shell casings to make it more interesting. Take care all, Lloyd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 Thanks for the heads up Lloyd, nice size comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Hi Ozzy Hope you have better luck with upper hull fitting down over the sponsons at the rear. Maybe it's just because the sponsons aren't glued into place yet but it doesn't fit well. Funny thing is they made 2 tabs at the front that snap into slots on the hull sides to represent the torch cut welds and thus the upper hull fits well at the front. They did the same with the rear plate which has 2 tabs that snap into slots on the hull sides and again the fit is good. Not so much for the actual upper hull fitting down over the rear plate and sponsons though. Guess I'll have to try gluing one side, letting that dry well then try to force the other side into place. That's a ways down the road yet but it is frustrating as the rest of the kit is superb, at least so far. BTW There are 78 shells to clean up, paint and decal so some of the shell racks might have some missing as if they were actually fired. But then again there would have to be empty shell casings which means cutting the shells off, another pain to do. Take care, Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soeren Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 I guess the best option for these kits would be a factory setting as the one example on Andys hq site. I wonder. Would it be possible to build some of the interior as exposition stuff beside the regular model. I would be interested to learn more of all the interior hands on. And such a kit besides the Spielberg er book would be very interesting. But I definitely would not want to build something like this as the complete package. Size comparison? Height and length wise the Panther looks close to the Merkava. But a Merkava is not a particular large tank anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 great start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Thanks Soeren Now that you mention it I am starting to regret building all of the interior also. Probably should have only built what's visible through the hatches and the turret ring and forgot the rest. It's fine to do a complete interior in 1/16 scale like the King Tiger I built but in 1/35 it is just too much and a waste as it's mostly hidden anyways. The Merkava isn't nearly as big as a Leopard or an Abrams, those two are monsters. Thanks Mick Good start maybe but went too far on the interior and now it's going to be a challenge to paint. Take care, Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Here it is tonight with most of the interior ready for paint and the upper hull partially complete. And both tracks assembled, finally. A lot of the interior is removable but still going to be a trial to paint. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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