f matthews Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 (edited) I’ve decided on Dragon’s Pz. III Ausf. J with the short 50mm gun. Looks to be a very nice kit in the box. I haven’t built one of Dragon’s III kits yet, but have a few in the stash, so it’s high time I did one. I’ll be adding an aluminum barrel and one of two TW rear storage boxes. Edited April 12, 2021 by f matthews 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 That looks a nice kit, I'll be keeping a watch on your build when the fun starts after Saturday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Welcome to the build, looks a nice kit with some good looking goodies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 29 minutes ago, Retired Bob said: That looks a nice kit, I'll be keeping a watch on your build when the fun starts after Saturday. I probably won’t get to start on this one until mid next week, but am looking forward to it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Good evening. Hope you are well. Another lovely looking kit, plus a good choice of extras. I'm looking forward to seeing it in progress. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 That looks interesting - with that AM I'm guessing you have a specific vehicle in mind? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 4 hours ago, Robert Stuart said: That looks interesting - with that AM I'm guessing you have a specific vehicle in mind? Thinking about one of the ones with the dragons on the turret. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 7, 2021 Author Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) Got back a bit early from the road and had a little free time today. Started up at the beginning, which is the idler and drive wheels. The idler mounts-parts B2 and B3 don’t positively anchor anywhere and instructions are less than clear. The idlers look really good with the photoetched rings in place. The drive sprockets-I’ll have to source some poly caps so these can turn after installation. Edited February 7, 2021 by f matthews 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 A nice start there. Do you have a single ring for your idler PE? That would make for an easier build Stix or my own Dragon efforts. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 Great progress. I am very envious of your one part PE rings!! Mine came as three sections!! And, as Robert mentions above, he's got the same three part rings in his kit. Not fun! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 1 hour ago, PlaStix said: Great progress. I am very envious of your one part PE rings!! Mine came as three sections!! And, as Robert mentions above, he's got the same three part rings in his kit. Not fun! My Dragon Sturmhaubitze luckily came with one part p/e rings however the Das Werk re-boot only had the 3 part p/e rings for the rear idlers like your kits. Progress eh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 8, 2021 Author Share Posted February 8, 2021 Back to putting lots of little separate detail parts on the hull. Torsion bars-a very cool way to articulate the suspension-like the real thing. Oops, I broke one. Torsion bars and details in place. Drive sprockets and idler wheels in place. This is looking really good so far. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 Good morning. Looks like you are still making excellent progress. These Dragon kits do have lots of lovely detail. Looking forward to seeing more. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 Moving slowly, a little bit at a time as I grab an hour or so of modeling time where I can (and I’m currently running five projects). The back plate is very nicely detailed and looks very well done until everything is mounted to the hull. There are some gaps which should not exist (where plates come together and molded-on weld seams are on parts). Not sure why this is, but I’ll add some filler. Gaps visible where part B15 is installed: Everything else looks nice and clean, although the smoke candle mount assembly and location is difficult to discern from the instructions. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoot Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Good progress on it. I know what you mean about the instructions, I’m building dragons Ausf H and the position of the rear plate and grill is very vague! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Hi. Good to see you are making more progress (despite having four other kits on the go!!) Dragon's instructions seem to be living up (down?) to their reputation in this GB!* And I had similar gaps in the rear plates on mine - which I sorted with some Tamiya Thin run into the gaps and then some creative re-moulding of the weld seams with the end of a mini-screwdriver Kind regards, Stix *I'm just about to post a question in my thread about the lack of instructions for a different part in their instructions! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 15, 2021 Author Share Posted February 15, 2021 A bit more done today on a day off of work. The fender assemblies look fantastic and are very well-detailed on both sides. The radio antenna trough looks great as well. I will add the tools and clamps later on in the build. The engine deck is also very nicely done with separate hinges and the air intakes are hollow, which is nice even if little will be seen in the end. The fighting compartment roof is a simple affair, but assembles cleanly. The side panels are similarly simple-I decided to forego the moveable vision flaps and blocks, which are nicely done (I made them moveable on a Dragon Pz.IV I am working on presently). 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 The fenders do look really excellent - as it all does. All very nicely detailed. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 15, 2021 Author Share Posted February 15, 2021 Everything went together very easily and the roadwheels were really not as much of a chore as I’d feared. A few small gaps to fill, but altogether, a pretty well-engineered kit. I think I will use Friul tracks on this one to get the most out of the working suspension. I happened to have a set around in the stash that will work. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Lovley, that looks great 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper dog Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Nice work, looks like it's coming together well. I agree and adopted the same approach in not bothering with the internals of the vision blocks. Atb Darryl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 This is a serious question, and I'm not just trying to point out a flaw in a passive-aggressive manner: did the real tires have the seamlines along the midline? I suppose if they were cast rubber molds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbow Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 21 minutes ago, SoftScience said: This is a serious question, and I'm not just trying to point out a flaw in a passive-aggressive manner: did the real tires have the seamlines along the midline? I suppose if they were cast rubber molds? Yes, they did. The mold line remained long after the tires were fitted, and used. I do actually remove them, as I can't stand the look, but for accuracy, a mold line should remain to some extent or another. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f matthews Posted February 16, 2021 Author Share Posted February 16, 2021 Indeed. These raised mold lines were still visible on one of the Pz. IIIs at Aberdeen Proving Grounds when I was there in the 1990s (I’d been back again a few times before they moved everything, but wasn’t looking or photographing any). I may go back and remove the seams as i normally do, but the wheels are just set in place and not yet fixed until after painting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 That really is looking superb. Wonderful progress.. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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