Badgers 1/72 Dragon Ersatz M10

[badger]

Evening All

As mentioned in the chat this will be my build for this GB.

Expect progress to be slow (but hopefully steady).

 

To prove it's unstarted

 

I don't plan on getting too carried away with this build - aftermarket will be limited to a metal barrel. Having said that I will detail it up a bit as the kit is fairly basic in places. I plan on drilling out the various lifting eyes and replacing various lumps with proper handles.

 

The main issue to address is the total lack of the cover for the hull machine gun.

 

I did manage to make a small start by priming the lower hull and running gear before giving it a coat of Vallejo Modelair US Olive Drab.

 

This is because the interleaved nature of the panther running gear will make it very difficult to get to the wheels if I don't paint them first.

 

More soon

All the best

Ben

[badger]

The wheels have now been trimmed from the sprues, leaving each with a small section that will act as a handle while I clean up the mould lines and paint the tyres.

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Seeing as we’re both doing one of these M10’s Im going to follow yours for some extra points of knowledge. I wont be able to start mine for a week or two with all my other builds going. 

[Soeren]

Nice detail on this Little Kit.

[stevehnz]

As a me three with the Ersatz M10, I'm aiming to stay about a week behind you.  Carry on now.  

Steve. 

[badger]

Time for some progress.

 

I'm really hating this kit. The amount of flash and poor moulding is ridiculous.

Taken a long time to clean parts up ready for assembly, only to find they fit where they touch!

 

Not helped by the very poor and vague instructions that can't even get the right number on the right part!

 

Despite all this I have managed to wrestle it into some form of submission.

 

Basic turret shell is now assembled, although it needs more cleaning up.

 

Road wheels are all cleaned up - hence the pile of dust all over them.

 

Hull rear is on, although the fit of this was absolutely horrendous and will need some serious filling to eliminate the gaps.

 

More soon

Ben

 

[badger]

On 14/10/2020 at 10:08, stevehnz said:

As a me three with the Ersatz M10, I'm aiming to stay about a week behind you.  Carry on now.  

Steve. 

Cheers Steve - apologies for the late reply. Haven't been getting BM notifications and haven't checked in on the thread for a week or so.

All sorted now as seem to be getting notifications again.

[stevehnz]

13 minutes ago, badger said:

Cheers Steve - apologies for the late reply. Haven't been getting BM notifications and haven't checked in on the thread for a week or so.

All sorted now as seem to be getting notifications again.

As you've seen & responded to I'm on a track hunt, now I need to find where I can get some OKB tracks from that will post to here. I agree with your findings re this kit, its more of a clue sheet than instructions sheet & as you say the fit is marginal in places. I'm just trying to fill the gaps with glue.

Steve.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

25 minutes ago, badger said:

I'm really hating this kit. The amount of flash and poor moulding is ridiculous.

Taken a long time to clean parts up ready for assembly, only to find they fit where they touch!

 

Not helped by the very poor and vague instructions that can't even get the right number on the right part!

 

1 minute ago, stevehnz said:

As you've seen & responded to I'm on a track hunt, now I need to find where I can get some OKB tracks from that will post to here. I agree with your findings re this kit, its more of a clue sheet than instructions sheet & as you say the fit is marginal in places. I'm just trying to fill the gaps with glue.

Steve.

Hmm makes me wonder if my approach might be easier. Im just going to cut what I don't need off the ancient Lindberg kit, scratch the bits I need out of plastic sheet and brass rod and paint it all up. 

[badger]

My go to place for tracks and all 1/72 bits and pieces is tracks and troops.

http://www.tracks-n-troops.eu/shop/

 

Used them for many years with no problems. 

 

Not checked my tracks yet to be honest, but if they are toast then I have some of the older black vinyl ones from the metal hull kits that I can use instead.

 

All the best

Ben

[badger]

2 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

 

Hmm makes me wonder if my approach might be easier. Im just going to cut what I don't need off the ancient Lindberg kit, scratch the bits I need out of plastic sheet and brass rod and paint it all up. 

To be honest I would tend to agree. I have an article in an old issue of miltary modelling where Steven Zaloga scratch builds one using a revell kit and if I where ever to so another one that's the route I'd go.

 

Looking forward to seeing how you go about it.

 

All the best

Ben

[badger]

Time for some more progress.

 

I've assembled the road wheel pairs - will make fitting them to the hull a bit tricky, but much easier to hold to paint the tyres.

 

Next I fitted the sprockets to the hull (with superglue for a stronger bond).

 

 

Whilst these were drying I drilled out the mantlet to accept the metal replacement barrel and got this fitted. Muzzle brake will be added once the whole thing is together.

 

Finally I finished cleaning up the turret lower plate and got this fitted.

 

 

More soon

Ben

[badger]

Just had a quick search in my etched detail sets and found a spare set of engine intake grilles which have been donated to this build.

 

I've also found some leftover frets (never throw anything away!) which have some suitable looking handles to replace dragons moulded on blobs.

[badger]

Time for a bit more progress.

 

I've got the upper and lower hull together. Was originally planning on leaving them separate and joining them after painting to make fitting the tracks easier.

 

However as the fit is truly appalling and would risk damaging things I've done it now.

 

I had to sand the top of the rear plate and scrape away some of the moulding imperfections from the inside of the upper hull to try and get a level fit as the rear sponson floor was below the level of the hull sides quite significantly.

 

Eventually this was accomplished. Once this was done I fitted the etched grilles then turned my attention to the turret. 

 

I cleaned up the moulding seams, scars and other assorted imperfections on the turret then got the mantlet fitted and the muzzle brake on.

 

Not much more to assemble now, but there are a few details I'd like to add. I intend to replace a few of the various grab handles that Dragon have moulded as blobs and still need to address the total lack of the hull machine gun aperture.

 

More soon

BenO

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I wish I could have found one of these mine looks like 💩in comparison. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[badger]

17 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I wish I could have found one if these mine looks like 💩in comparison. 

Being rather too hard on yourself in my opinion. I'm just assembling a kit whereas you're scratch building something. 

 

Way more impressive in my book!!

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Probably being to hard on myself here, we are our own worst critics. 

[badger]

3 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Probably being to hard on myself here, we are our own worst critics. 

We are indeed. I treat every model as a learning curve as there's always something new to discover or try

[badger]

First job tonight was to sit with a coffee and figure out what I wanted to replace/add to the kit.

 

I then highlighted these on a set of photocopied blueprints and I'll use this to keep track as I work through them

 

 

[Retired Bob]

Looks like you are fighting this into shape.   I would just scribe the door for the m/g on the glacis plate, it avoids needing any detail inside.  At least the painting should be straight forward. 

[badger]

1 hour ago, Retired Bob said:

Looks like you are fighting this into shape.   I would just scribe the door for the m/g on the glacis plate, it avoids needing any detail inside.  At least the painting should be straight forward. 

Thanks Bob

 

It's getting there slowly - have been fiddling with tiny bits of etch tonight.

 

I was planning on making the cover for the mg position out of either thin plasticard or brass as it appears to be hinged on some of the photos I've seen.

 

All the best

Ben 

[badger]

Tonight's progress was to carve off the various lumps and bumps Dragon think will suffice for handles and lifting eyes.

 

I've then started replacing these with various etch spares, a good proportion from an old Eduard set for the Esci Jagdpanther. Others have come from an unidentified Modellcollect fret and an Eduard set for a M4A1 Sherman.

 

The drivers hatch handles in particular were a total pain and necessitated grinding a new point on my tweezers first.

 

I've also drilled out the exhausts and the aerial mount.

 

Finally a quick check of the plan shows where I'm up to at present.

 

More soon

Ben

[Retired Bob]

 

49 minutes ago, badger said:

I was planning on making the cover for the mg position out of either thin plasticard or brass as it appears to be hinged on some of the photos I've seen.

I wasn't sure as the photo I have is not that sharp but I think you're correct, some 5 thou plastic-card should do the trick.  Your Ersatz M-10 is looking much better for the improvements you have made.  When Dragon made a 1/35th Panther/ M10 I was tempted to get one but since I had a dozen 1/35th Panthers/JagdPanthers I thought I had enough. 

[badger]

You can never have enough- think I'm probably close to a dozen different panther variants in 1/72.

 

Managed a bit of progress this morning as I've got a few days off for half term.

 

More etch handles and eyes have been fitted- just one left to go (although I've just noticed I've knocked off the commanders hatch handle - grrrr!)

 

I've also replaced the badly moulded turret armour bolts with some from an extratech M10. They are perhaps a bit on the large side but better than the shapeless blobs Dragon moulded.

 

I've also started a display base which is currently drying in the airing cupboard.

 

More soon

Ben

[Retired Bob]

7 hours ago, badger said:

I've also replaced the badly moulded turret armour bolts with some from an extratech M10. They are perhaps a bit on the large side but better than the shapeless blobs Dragon moulded.

They are certainly better than the "doorbell" blobs from Dragon.