Avereda Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 I think I’ll have a couple of things finished soon which will finally give me time to rejoin the GB fray. I’ve loads of Home Bargains, Lidl and Aldi cheapies to choose from but I think I’ll kick off with this one picked up for £5.99 from Hannants. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 (edited) Its not a bad kit as I recall - the turrets are probably a bit out but difficult to tell as there were numerous variations over the years and several different factories doing their own thing. I am pretty sure that there was no muzzle brake on the T-34/85 gun unlike the box art and the front "fender" or trackguard seems to have been bent up - this a copy of the original bag header I think! Pete Edited May 17, 2021 by PeterB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 Hi Avereda and welcome to the GB. Great to have you here. Nice choice of kit to start with too. I've seen some nice models built from the earlier versions of this kit. Looking forward to following yours in progress. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted May 31, 2021 Author Share Posted May 31, 2021 On 5/18/2021 at 8:23 PM, PlaStix said: Hi Avereda and welcome to the GB. Great to have you here. Nice choice of kit to start with too. I've seen some nice models built from the earlier versions of this kit. Looking forward to following yours in progress. Kind regards, Stix Lovely to be here, time to crack on. Today’s sunshine meant a chance for some al fresco modelling so it was time to bust out the tank. First up the box... ...and the contents, a couple of sprues of hardish green plastic, a pair of vinyl tracks, the instructions and one set of decals to cover both options (T34/76 & T34/85). The plastic was duly washed and rinsed and the cutting commenced. The past wafted into view courtesy of the numbered parts and the challenging sprue gates. A couple of hours whizzed by and the wheels, one turret, the fuel drums and part of the upper hull were ready. I’d like to think that the rest of the build will proceed at a similar pace but in reality that won’t happen. Enjoy the sun folks. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Classic Airfix goodness! (he said, before you get to the tracks) Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted May 31, 2021 Author Share Posted May 31, 2021 28 minutes ago, AdrianMF said: Classic Airfix goodness! (he said, before you get to the tracks) Regards, Adrian I have a tale about the tracks but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 15 minutes ago, Avereda said: I have a tale about the tracks but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Where’s the “nervous anticipation” like button when you need one? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted June 1, 2021 Author Share Posted June 1, 2021 19 hours ago, AdrianMF said: Where’s the “nervous anticipation” like button when you need one? Prepare yourself for a Line of Duty scale revelatory disappointment. I’ve got a Dragon Elefant (a loyal pet but not much good if you’ve got kids around) on the go elsewhere on the forum and I’m having to use the vinyl tracks because I mucked up the link and length ones. There was way too much tension in them so I stretched them before painting and all seems to be good. Then I started this kit and decided to apply this received wisdom about vinyl tracks from the off. I dutifully stretched the tracks and then began assembling the wheels. Imagine my surprise when it turned out the tracks are too long even before stretching - the picture below doesn’t show it clearly but they are now a good four or five links too long. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 Too long is better than too short, surely! I didn’t think you could stretch vinyl and have it stay stretched? Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Gordon Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 21 hours ago, AdrianMF said: I didn’t think you could stretch vinyl and have it stay stretched? It will if you use hot water,I'm not sure if re-warming will allow it to return to its original length.Here's what I did with the too short ones on my Airfix Churchill in the last LTAT GB,it could be a method of joining yours if you need to shorten them. Keep up the good work,there's something quite striking about a well made tiddly tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted June 9, 2021 Author Share Posted June 9, 2021 On 6/1/2021 at 10:57 PM, AdrianMF said: Too long is better than too short, surely! A maxim for life Adrian. On 6/2/2021 at 9:04 PM, Alex Gordon said: It will if you use hot water,I'm not sure if re-warming will allow it to return to its original length.Here's what I did with the too short ones on my Airfix Churchill in the last LTAT GB,it could be a method of joining yours if you need to shorten them. Keep up the good work,there's something quite striking about a well made tiddly tank. Thanks for the advice and the encouragement, not sure how well made this tiddler will be though. Picture below gives a better idea of the problem. Since this was taken I’ve fixed one of the tracks and it seems ok, there’s work to do on the other one though. There’s going to be a short pause in the build as I’m off up to Scotland and the North for a week visiting mothers and mothers-in-law. Hopefully a holiday trip to a model shop will feature on the itinerary. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 I find using mini(bambi) staples to join tracks works quite well, particularly if you can hide the joint under the hull overhang or whatever - perfect for most Churchills! Those tracks look awfully thick compared with some other Airfix tanks, but perhaps they won't "bio-degrade" and go brittle like the ones on my old Shermans. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 Tracks are fun! Tracks are fun! Tracks are fun!....just keep repeating this and all will be fine! Hopefully you'll be able to work something out as the rest is looking good so far. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted June 19, 2021 Author Share Posted June 19, 2021 On 6/9/2021 at 12:16 PM, PeterB said: I find using mini(bambi) staples to join tracks works quite well, particularly if you can hide the joint under the hull overhang or whatever - perfect for most Churchills! Those tracks look awfully thick compared with some other Airfix tanks, but perhaps they won't "bio-degrade" and go brittle like the ones on my old Shermans. Pete Thanks Pete, in the end I went for a big blob of extra thick superglue, we’ll see how that works out. On 6/14/2021 at 3:46 PM, PlaStix said: Tracks are fun! Tracks are fun! Tracks are fun!....just keep repeating this and all will be fine! Hopefully you'll be able to work something out as the rest is looking good so far. Kind regards, Stix Cheers, I’m getting somewhere or at least I was...the faffing about has started. It seemed like a good idea to replace the handles with something a little more realistic. I’ve started with some 0.3mm brass tube but I’m not wholly convinced as yet. I’m also pondering adding some mesh at the rear (pinched from a Dragon Panzer) but I might go down a different path. Some reference checking might be useful. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Hi Avereda. Good to see more progress. I think that grab rail will look much better. I'm not sure about the mesh - from the photo it looks a little chunky. Some of the fabric type mesh that Tamiya or Zvezda occasionally provide in their tank kits, if you have any, may be better. Otherwise stowage could be your friend! Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 On 6/22/2021 at 6:10 PM, PlaStix said: Hi Avereda. Good to see more progress. I think that grab rail will look much better. I'm not sure about the mesh - from the photo it looks a little chunky. Some of the fabric type mesh that Tamiya or Zvezda occasionally provide in their tank kits, if you have any, may be better. Otherwise stowage could be your friend! Kind regards, Stix You were saying… I’m going to rethink/not bother with the grille. The grab rails need redoing or hiding under stowage but I think it’ll get there eventually. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 I'm confused now, is it a 76 (31st May photo) or an 85 ? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted June 27, 2021 Author Share Posted June 27, 2021 1 hour ago, CliffB said: I'm confused now, is it a 76 (31st May photo) or an 85 ? Cheers It will be one or the other, I’m building both turrets - depends which one turns out best. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 I’ve redone the grab rails after reading this article which makes things a whole load easier. Some lead foil stowage has been added and I also made up an etch toolbox pinched from an Elefant kit - I thought about adding this as a spoil of war but I’ve thought better of that slightly daft idea. I’ll fiddle about with some other stowage options, open up the other set of air grilles and ponder the rear grille. Then primer and cursing. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Coming along nicely, the tracks look fabulous. Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Lovely progress Avereda and it looks to be coming together beautifully. Good improvement with the handles. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted July 7, 2021 Author Share Posted July 7, 2021 On 6/29/2021 at 7:01 AM, AdrianMF said: Coming along nicely, the tracks look fabulous. Regards, Adrian On 6/29/2021 at 7:37 PM, PlaStix said: Lovely progress Avereda and it looks to be coming together beautifully. Good improvement with the handles. Kind regards, Stix Thank you very much gentlemen. Inch by inch this is moving along. I’ve been trying out some other stowage options, I’d also like to add a fuel tank at the rear but I’ve not been able to scratch one successfully yet. The etch grille is not going to be used directly as it was an aftermarket purchase and goes against the spirit (and possibly the rules) of the GB. The plan is to use it indirectly either to spray through it to give the impression of a grille or to use it as a drill guide. This will almost certainly not work out well but you’ve got to give these things a go now and again. I reckon I’m about a fortnight away from primer, when do we finish again? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avereda Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 Closer to primer than I expected to be, all I had to do was fix the final part - the headlight. What possessed me to pick it up with tweezers? Obviously it pinged off into the ether somewhere and will not be seen again, time to scratch a new one. Rough state of play below (one or two bits have been added since the photo was taken) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Excellent tiny details! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 That is looking good even like that, far better than I'd have expected from this kit. Certainly a huge amount better than my first effort 50 some years ago. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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