trickyrich Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 It’s nice to see after a couple of failed attempts this STGB got up. I had originally planned to a Meng Leopard 1 A3/A4 with the Legend conversion kit to turn it into an Australian Army Leopard AS1. But then as usual something else came long to distracted me, in the name of Takom’s Limited Edition (only 10 Billon released) Gepard A1/A2 with Ukraine markings!!! So really a no brainer! I have built a few (though not finished….yet) Takom AFV’a and they are a nice model to build. No real problem areas, everything is pretty much straightforward build wish. The box is pretty full of nice plastic bits… They even throw in some PE and metal cable……which is actually too thick, I tested it, may look to use something else there. Decals and scheme, well only 2 decals to use, the scheme…..well they don’t say so will have to try and find some clear stills, what video footage is out there isn’t very clear. ..and just in case you thought I’d forgotten or been replaced by an alien, yes I have found some AM for her, a resin mesh sheet to go over the engine, which replaces the PE one…… 🙄 Plus I had thought of adding some Friulmodel metal tracks, but the kit comes with some cool and a bit strange tracks. They are plastic but have rubber links that go on each side to join them together….different. Will post some photos, have already built them…got bored on day.. Anyway can’t with to start the build….buit will have to wait until of of the 1’32nd beasts are painted. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 A great choice Rich, I have always liked the Gepard and to have one in Ukranian markings is the icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned. The pictures of Ukranian ones I have seen are in the standard German camo scheme but with the markings as provided in the kit and Ukranian number plates. I haven't built a Takom kit yet so thats another reason for me follow your build with interest. 🇺🇦 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 That looks to be a rather impressive kit! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 Looking forward to seeing this one come together! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted May 26, 2023 Share Posted May 26, 2023 Recently added this one to my already (exceedingly large) stash... not for this groupbuild... will stick to 1/72 for this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted May 27, 2023 Share Posted May 27, 2023 I am sure you have some inspiration photos already, but this popped up for me today. Small twitter video from a Ukrainian gepard commander. Can see the unit badge, some hand painted markings and kill tally marks which might be an interesting idea down the line https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1662053940882554880?s=20 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted May 27, 2023 Share Posted May 27, 2023 G'day Rich, What makes this a '2in1'? Are there two complete kits in the box? cheers, Pappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 27, 2023 Author Share Posted May 27, 2023 17 hours ago, Mippie said: I am sure you have some inspiration photos already, but this popped up for me today. Small twitter video from a Ukrainian gepard commander. Can see the unit badge, some hand painted markings and kill tally marks which might be an interesting idea down the line https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1662053940882554880?s=20 I saw the same clip yesterday, she's in the standard (I think) 3 colour scheme, not the easiest to do I think. But sort of got it ok on the Panzerhauitze 2000 I'm building it also will be a Ukriane beast. 16 hours ago, Pappy said: G'day Rich, What makes this a '2in1'? Are there two complete kits in the box? cheers, Pappy It's their way of saying you can either build the A1 or A2 versions, there is some difference between the 2 versions. They are a bit strand in this, there are a couple of other manufacturers from the area that do similar things.......can make if confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted May 27, 2023 Share Posted May 27, 2023 26 minutes ago, trickyrich said: I saw the same clip yesterday, she's in the standard (I think) 3 colour scheme, not the easiest to do I think. But sort of got it ok on the Panzerhauitze 2000 I'm building it also will be a Ukriane beast. It's their way of saying you can either build the A1 or A2 versions, there is some difference between the 2 versions. They are a bit strand in this, there are a couple of other manufacturers from the area that do similar things.......can make if confusing. Gotcha, my Takom MQ-8B Fire Scout kit includes two complete kits (the option are two distinct versions and three sub-variants), but they label this as a '1+1' kit, Chinglish at its best! cheers, Pappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted June 4, 2023 Author Share Posted June 4, 2023 .... and yes I will update this shortly, as I have started it and have almost done an "Enzo" on it....as in over 1/2 way through the build already!!!! Oopppps! It is an interesting but for sure!!Fit is a bit on the poor side, lots of cleaning up required to get the smaller parts to fit correctly, instructions are quite vague in placed, especially on how the PE on the turret goes. I was meant to be using this build as a nice relaxing break from the Trumpie monsters....but it's not the case at all.......gee I really need to build a nice Tamiya F-4 or F-14!! Photos and proper update to come later today....... I promise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 6, 2023 Share Posted June 6, 2023 Looking forward to seeing the pics of your progress mate. 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 On 6/7/2023 at 1:25 AM, modelling minion said: Looking forward to seeing the pics of your progress mate. 🇺🇦 so am I! Ok I wasn’t going to start this one until I’d made some serious progress on my 1/32nd beasts……..but them being Trumpeter monsters I really needed a break so here we go….well went. The tracks with this model were completely different to any I’ve played with before. They are completely flexible which is nice as they do sit nicely when fitted. There are small rubber joiners for each side of the track which holds them together and a small guide that goes in the middle. So far they’re the easiest OEM track I’ve put together and they look good. That done I started on the lower hull and the wheels and suspension, generally the fit was ok, though Takom has this really bad habit of having long injection pin/stalks everywhere, that have to be removed before anything fits. Plus notches to locate parts are often too narrow or not nice and square so parts won’t fit nicely without lots of tiding up. Plus if I’m having a winge then I have to have a go at the size of the sprue gates and similar, they are huge….there’s no way any of these bits will come loose in the box!! The turret…… well, fit is interesting……and those brass bits, in a lot of cases it’s guess work as to how they actually fit as the instructions are really poor in showing their correct positions. Be warned!!! ….and continuing with poor fit……this is part of the power pack (?) at the rear of the turret, multiple bits just don’t fit, even after lots of test fitting. Slide moulding could have done this better and in just 2 bits and not 9 or 11!! …and more poor fitting…. …..and more with the gun barrels, the locating pins/cutouts are poorly done so you need to do lots of trimming to get them to fit. The top barrel is for the later A2 version, lower the A1. The upper hull, not too bad, not completely sure that AM bit was worth the money/effort…..oh well. She will look impressive when completed, I didn’t realize that the Gepard is longer than the base Leopard it’s based off. I’m now not completely sure this build is the nice relief I was expecting from the Trumpie beasts………may have to find something else…….. and I have.... a tractor and a T-72! Plus here she is with another addition to the growing Ukraine armoured equipment, a Panzerhaubitze 2000, now that is a huge beast! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 She might be putting up a fight mate but it looks like you're getting the better of her. It sounds very similar to some of the issues I am having with my HB Leopard, the size of the sprue gates are ridiculously big and often much bigger than the parts they attach to making removing them interesting at times. The Gepard is a big piece of kit isn't it and seeing it next to the Panzerhaubitze 2000 really shows how big it is. I like the idea of the T-72 and tractor, I take it you will be recreating one from last years harvest in Ukraine? 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 33 minutes ago, modelling minion said: I like the idea of the T-72 and tractor, I take it you will be recreating one from last years harvest in Ukraine? 🇺🇦 thanks and yeap! I managed to find a 1/35th tractor model from Hasegawa, a Yanmar YT5113A, turns out they sold in the Ukraine as well. Which is nice as I was struggling to find any in 1/35th. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 You've gotten past the worst of it, in terms of fit. It's all downhill from here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Good progress there! Never realised how chonky and big the Gepard actually is 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 Looking good... Takom needs to learn that a draft isn't always necessary on the outside for mold release. And certainly not the angles they use... that aside... Great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted July 8, 2023 Author Share Posted July 8, 2023 arrr yes, I have/had sort of forgotten to update this build, I have photos....I think....of what I've been doing, just need to upload and post an update.......I will I promise...... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 7 hours ago, trickyrich said: ..I will I promise...... We'll hold you to that.😉 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted July 21, 2023 Author Share Posted July 21, 2023 …arr yes I am very late in updating this build as promised, been super busy with work and having to travel lots, trying to polish a giant turd, plus I have run into an issue which will require AM bits!!! I have been continuing to build up modules, latest the radar assembly, I’m still find some issue with how part go together and the gaps they leave. Started to finish off the cannons, will leave them off for painting, should make that easier, Ok the issue, I had the tracks all made up in a container to keep them out of harm, I pulled them out and noticed that they had come apart in places. After trying to re-join them unsuccessful I had a careful look at the rubber joiners and found a lot of them had split! In fact some even split as I was trying to join other sections. This is not good as I doubt they’ll even survive painting! So off to evilBay and I found a set of metal tracks (case alloy) with metal pins and rubber blocks from a Chinese seller at a very reasonable price. So these will replace the kit ones....I really don't like any of the kit supplied tracks, they all seem to have issues to me. I used Friulmodel tracks on the Panzerhaubitze, they look awesome on it. Sad news is that this company has announced it is closing! I may be able to start doing some painting on her shortly, once the turd has been polished a bit more. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 Some good progress there Rich, and I think its the right idea to leave the guns off until after painting. Thats a real pain with the tracks mate but at least its given you the excuse to add some aftermarket parts to the build. 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Hi Rich. I'm just checking to see if you've had chance to do anything more on this project since your last post? Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Yes it has been a while hasn't it. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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