Iain Ogilvie Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) Ok - spent a couple of hours playing with some assembly this evening. My first tank in years - but these 'land ships' have always fascinated me - and the bravery of the crews amazing. Previous builders commenting on fit/build quality of this kit weren't joking - it's, er, interesting!! Piccies: Letting everything dry now (used PlasticWeld) and next stage some cleaning up and truing up of mating surfaces. Although an 'interesting' fit of parts I don't think it will take long to get the basics together! Will be using Accurate Armours' track link set as those in the kit fit only for the bin! Iain Edited January 31, 2010 by 32SIG
AndrewE Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 I made this kit a couple of years ago with the Accurate Armour tracks and thoroughly enjoyed it. The tracks went on OK eventually and are a vast improvement over the kit supplied items. I originally fitted the tracks directly to the tank sides and only afterwards when I was looking at some reference pictures noticed that there is a slight gap all the way around between the track and body of the tank. I therefore took the tracks off and built up a support rail beneath the track all the way round so that when attached a gap was left between tham and the hull. To go around the tight corners I ended up cutting the resin tracks into individual links. See the link below for a couple of pics of my completed build. http://www.ipms-farnborough.co.uk/html/andy_eaton.html Hope you enjoy the build. Andrew
daz greenwood Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 Have fun Iain! The braille scale one is a pig to build too!
T-Tango Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 Nice start Iain, good luck with the rest of the build.
Iain Ogilvie Posted January 31, 2010 Author Posted January 31, 2010 Thanks guys - I think this will be a good cure for modeller's block... Andrew - many thanks for tips on track - and for link - came out nicely! Iain
Iain Ogilvie Posted February 1, 2010 Author Posted February 1, 2010 Bit more 'steel' welded on tonight - the inner sections of that distinctive shape... Has taken a bit of lining up - gluing - letting dry - gluing and applying more pressure further along - you guys know the drill! Too late for pix tonight - and I'm at 'school' tomorrow eve - so next update later in week. Iain
Stebos Posted February 1, 2010 Posted February 1, 2010 Was pondering a Tadpole build for this GB but fear I mikght be too busy. Seems to be going together well enough. A question on the AA track set though... do they come with enough links to handle the longer length of the tadpole? Or would it need 2 sets. What exactly is the issue with the kit tracks, dimensions, unable to glue or paint them properly?
AndrewE Posted February 1, 2010 Posted February 1, 2010 Was pondering a Tadpole build for this GB but fear I mikght be too busy. Seems to be going together well enough.A question on the AA track set though... do they come with enough links to handle the longer length of the tadpole? Or would it need 2 sets. What exactly is the issue with the kit tracks, dimensions, unable to glue or paint them properly? I think there should be enough track in a single pack to do a Tadpole. I still have three and a half full lengths left over from my Mark IV and I think the original pack had ten lengths in. Each section is six inches long and has 24 links. The tracks in the kit are quite thick, rather inflexible and the overlap between track pieces is simply represented as a raised line. Generally they look very toy like, the AA tracks are a vast improvement and well worth the effort and extra expense (IMHO). Andrew
Mike Posted February 1, 2010 Posted February 1, 2010 The hull is a real nuisance to glue, and it takes until almost the very end to get any structural rigidity. It doesn't help that the instructions are pretty vague about which faces go against which, so I had to guess mine. I glued mine together excepting the sponsons in one session, holding it all together with tape until it stopped wobbling. Came out ok in the end though
ollieholmes Posted February 2, 2010 Posted February 2, 2010 This is turning into an interesting build and its tempting me to build an early tank someday.
Buzby061 Posted February 4, 2010 Posted February 4, 2010 (edited) I started on the Mk IV last week, agree with the build issues but decided to glue mine a bit at a time to keep as much rigidity as possible - just got the outside rhomboid bits with sponsons attached to fit now. Didn't know Accurate Armour did tracks (am not looking forward to wrestling with Emhar's) but I had noticed the Whippet, might get that instead of the Emhar effort. I think I'll see how I go with the tracks before I shell out £17 on the AA set (cheapskate!) There doesn't seem to be much in the way of figures to complement the tank though. Verlinden do a tanker & officer but I don't like the look of them. Any suggestions? Will watch this build with interest. Pete PS Took another look at the kit tracks & ordered a set from Accurate Armour today (Friday) - sod the expense. PPS Tracks arrived today (Saturday), impressive. Ordered some stuff from Hannants just after the AA order - any bets as to when it'll arrive? Edited February 6, 2010 by Buzby061
Iain Ogilvie Posted February 11, 2010 Author Posted February 11, 2010 Hi folks - apologies for delay (been busy with exams) - but a little more progress made: Underside view So - basic shape coming together - and you're right guys - gets a lot more rigid! Although plastic the chunkiness of the mouldings and those huge rivets make it almost feel like working with large hunks of steel - well - apart from the lack of welding, rivets and, er, large chunks of steel in this case. Those with white coats may just catch my drift there Mike - my barrels don't appear too bad - I'm going to see how well they clean up - before throwing them and firing up the lathe. More soon! Iain
Mike Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 Mike - my barrels don't appear too bad - I'm going to see how well they clean up - before throwing them and firing up the lathe. Sounds like you were lucky then... mine were a good 1mm out of line, and oval. Bless Brooksy for coming to my rescue
Daniel Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 Looking good Iain, nice to build something a bit different isn't it? Dan
Iain Ogilvie Posted February 28, 2010 Author Posted February 28, 2010 (edited) Actually found some modelling time tonight and was able to get the main guns licked into shape - not easy and quite time consuming. Also got some more of the superstructure/boxes on. Am hoping a bit of filler (Milliput on the hull - Revell on the gun mantlets) and a coat of primer and she should start looking a little more presentable... This is a pretty crude kit - but a lot of the crudenes on the guns hidden - so I'm not going to worry! Need to find my tube of filler now... Iain Edited February 28, 2010 by 32SIG
The Velociweiler Posted February 28, 2010 Posted February 28, 2010 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ICM-1-35-WWI-BRITISH...=item5d26319eea Not my auction, this one, but just an illustration of possible figures to go with your kit - possibly you wanted dedicated tank crew figs, but in their absence then maybe these will help? They have also produced a pack of WWI German figs too...
Mike Posted February 28, 2010 Posted February 28, 2010 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ICM-1-35-WWI-BRITISH...=item5d26319eeaNot my auction, this one, but just an illustration of possible figures to go with your kit - possibly you wanted dedicated tank crew figs, but in their absence then maybe these will help? They have also produced a pack of WWI German figs too... I've got a set of these. They're not bad.
T-Tango Posted February 28, 2010 Posted February 28, 2010 Looking good Iain, are you going to put any figures with it?
Iain Ogilvie Posted February 28, 2010 Author Posted February 28, 2010 (edited) We'll - I hadn't really thought about figures... But now look what Velociweiler and Mike have made me do! Iain Edited February 28, 2010 by 32SIG
Iain Ogilvie Posted February 28, 2010 Author Posted February 28, 2010 Thanks Mike - your model was one of the inspirations for this - along with this photo I saw at the Tank Museum when we visited a few years ago. Doubt I've got the patience/skill to do *all* of those figures though
Iain Ogilvie Posted March 3, 2010 Author Posted March 3, 2010 Side sponsons on and some filling complete - using Milliput... A few details to add - then heading for Primer city... Iain
Murdo Posted March 3, 2010 Posted March 3, 2010 Yippee! My Elf 'n Safety Manager will LOVE this one! Watching the build with great interest!
Iain Ogilvie Posted March 28, 2010 Author Posted March 28, 2010 (edited) Hi folks - apologies for absence - have mostly been trying to finish my Private Pilot's Licence - only one more thing to go... Anyhow - today I've managed to get a little done on the beast: Firstly it was mentioned that there should be a small gap between the track and the hull side plates. So - out with the plastic sheet. Sections of 10 thou cut oversize and glued to the inner edges of the side sponsons. These were then trimmed back with a sharp scalpel and shaped with a file - to give a 'lift' of up to 1mm for the track: Next - the Accurate Armour track - there's loads in the pack - more than enough! Here I've made a start - cleaning each section up, trimming to fit and length. Top sections done - hopefully the rest during the week. As has been said - these tracks transform the model and are highly recommended! And here's what we're aiming for - a slight gap... Stay tuned! Iain Edited March 28, 2010 by 32SIG
Iain Ogilvie Posted April 5, 2010 Author Posted April 5, 2010 Grrrrr.... Got the tracks on over the weekend - but now the air is blue over these top rails... And - just when I get 'em lined-up I realise they're the wrong way around in the kit. Should be flat face out. Mutter, mutter. Was hoping to prime tonight as well Iain
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