1/24 Scratchbuilt Jagdpanzer 38 (Sd.Kfz. 138/2) Hetzer, now in KUTA GB

[Marklo]

Having been talking around this one for a while now, I’ve sort of talked myself into this one. So I’ve decided to go ahead and build a large scale Hetzer now instead of waiting for the GB, if it does happen. 
 

Of course in the process of building the Hetzer I’ll have to mold it fabricate quite a few sub components that will be of use for any 38(t) chassis so I’ll just build a Marder or a 38(t) for the GB when (if?) it happens  

Edited December 3, 2022 by Marklo

[echen]

I'll watch this with interest. I find scratch-building fascinating - and a long way past my capability level.

Sticking pre-formed parts together - and not even managing that very well sometimes - is as  far as my comfort zone extends.😄

[Marklo]

First order of business plans scaled to 1/24 scale.

A bit of we searching turned up this a Papercraft Hetzer

Which traced and  scaled with my printer gives me a template for the lower hull plates.

 

[Bandsaw Steve]

Cool. I scratched one of these from cardboard when I was a kid - 1/72 I think  - and it came out pretty well as I recall. 
 

Nice to see another 1/24 scale scratchbuild on these pages. 👍

[Marklo]

Transferred to 1mm plastic sheet. 
 

Cut, should have a lower hull by the end of the day.

 

I think that may have been my last sheet of plastic card so I’ll probably work on the running gear and suspension parts while waiting on a restock.

 

My plan is to make a master for the trunnions, leaf springs, road wheels, drive, idler wheels and track segments and then resin cast as many of each as I need. This will also mean that I’ll be able to put a 38(t) chassis together fairly easily once all the molds are made.

[Model Mate]

nice start - and you've got your renault underway too! I'm going to have to up my workrate (and scale!) to have any chance of keeping up....

[Milan Mynar]

So this is really a challenge. If you want some photos, when I go to the museum in Lesany, I can try to take something.

[Marklo]

2 hours ago, Milan Mynar said:

So this is really a challenge. If you want some photos, when I go to the museum in Lesany, I can try to take something.

I’d never say no to good reference material. Thank you.

[Marklo]

Lower hull starting to take shape.

Glacis plate and upper decking in place. Now to see if I can find enough plastic sheet to finish the hull  ( I have ordered some off the web so either way I should be able to keep the progress up. This of course is the easy bit the many mold masters will be the majority of the work on this build. That and detailing the hull.

 

[Marklo]

3 hours ago, Model Mate said:

you've got your renault underway too! I

True, I’ll probably add a Schneider sometime next year and maybe a few 38(t) variants. They’re all a nice size in the larger scale. At the back of my mind is the idea that I wanted to replicate my WWI tank collection in a larger scale. Which is feasible for all but the K-wagon which at 13m in real life would be 540 mm in that scale. Which is just a bit too big.

 

The WWI collection in 1/72

 

The K-Wagen and a Char and an FT all in 1/72 as you can see the K-Wagen is enormous.

Edited June 16, 2022 by Marklo

[Marklo]

Last pieces of hull playing in place

 

Wood work laid out for the masters.

After some time on the scroll saw and a bit of sanding I have a collection of blanks for the suspension, just need to add rivet heads and drill some holes.

 

[Marklo]

 

I happened to be spraying primer for another project so I gave the Hetzer a coat. A lot of fettling still to be done.

 

The suspension parts left and right trailing arms with a leaf spring in between mounted on a trunnion. Now I just need to add some rivet heads and make four sets in resin. 
 

Out with my little lathe with a blank made from laminated 1mm styrene.

 

And we have a master for the road wheels, not too bad need to add the hub and some rivet heads. Then cast eight.

 

The nice thing about making all these masters is that I will be able to knock out 1/24 38(t) chassis in an afternoon once they’re finished. So I’ll definitely be adding a Marder, a Grille and a Panzer 38(t) to the collection over time.

 

 

 

 

 

[echen]

12 minutes ago, Marklo said:

And we have a master for the road wheels, not too bad need to add the hub and some rivet heads. Then cast eight.

I was wondering how you were going to do the wheels. This looks to be a great start.

[Marklo]

A bit more detailing in the wheel. Ready for mold making. One down eight (?), more masters to go..... 

[Milan Mynar]

Nice wheel.

[Milan Mynar]

For your inspiration.  

 

[Marklo]

41 minutes ago, Milan Mynar said:

For your inspiration.  

 

Yes I’m leaning towards Ambush camouflage.

 

Suspension masters pinned together. The brass tube is where the axles will be. A bit more cleanup and they’ll be ready for  mold making.

 

A coat of dark yellow to see how the joints look after a round of filling and sanding.

 

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Marklo

[Milan Mynar]

Great scratchbuilding.

[Marklo]

Out with the lego, the rod is so I can set a piece of plastic rod into the molding to act as an axle.

mold made from silicone sealant and washing up liquid. Then in with the resin, took 6ml to fill it.

 

Blanks for the mantlet and gun mount.

 

Cut, next job to sand these to the correct shape.

 
 

[Marklo]

Definitely on a roll here, four wheels cast four to go. Then on to the rest of the suspension pieces only another twenty eight components to cast and were done. Then it’s on to the most difficult bit making the tracks…

Edited June 20, 2022 by Marklo

[Marklo]

That’s almost all the resin casting for the running gear. I need to make the masters for the drive sprocket and idler and the track links. I’m running low on resin so I’ll probably wait till I get more before bothering to work on the tracks, but I’d love to get the running gear finished.

[Milan Mynar]

It is a great Scratchbuilding.

[Marklo]

The bucks for the mantlet and the gun mount are almost done. I may resin cast the mantlet and vac form the gun mount.

That’s all the running gear and suspension parts bar the drive sprockets and idler wheels cast and cleaned up. I just need to cleanup the front faces of the wheels.

And of course I have a few spares, or possibly the starting point for the next 38(t) build, and there will ( hopefully)be many. For example I was watching Combat Dealers yesterday and they going a 38(t) bergepanzer which would make a nice build.

 

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Marklo

[Marklo]

Components for the rest of the suspension.  Roughed out of 2mm sheet with the scroll saw.

 

After spending a bit of time looking at pictures of Hetzers and other 38(t) chassis I’m not entirely happy with the road wheels so I’m going to make a new master hub and rim with better bolt detail and attach one to each wheel.

[Marklo]

After a bit of fettling.

Drive sprocket almost done.