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Post by JCON on Dec 14, 2019 15:47:12 GMT -6
Nice assemblage my friend!!!
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 16, 2019 13:27:15 GMT -6
After spending a couple days playing board games, shopping, wrapping gifts, and socializing, I managed to get in a couple days at the workbench. However, with STEP 8 I found myself presented with the first challenges on the build. Since this kit predates "Slide Mold Technology" by well over a decade, ejector pins and their associated marks are to be expected. Unfortunately, being an open-topped vehicle, I can't just ignore them like I could with a closed-top tank. So first up was the automotive putty:  After sanding all the marks down smooth, I assembled all of the parts for each side of the lower-inner compartment, attached them to the sides, and then affixed both sides to the build. I also made the decision to just go ahead and glue the floor and dash to the sides at this time because there does not appear to be any way to easily leave it unattached until later:  However, I do intend to tape off the edges to this lower assembly, prime and paint the interior of both this and the hull top before final assembly. Otherwise I will be nearly unable to paint in any of the details as seen below:  So that's what she looks like at the moment. I believe STEP 9 is the aforementioned upper hull assembly and associated parts. Until next time... |
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Post by JCON on Dec 16, 2019 14:08:08 GMT -6
That looks great Robert!!!  |
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 16, 2019 14:21:42 GMT -6
Thank you, Joe!
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Post by dogfish7 (R.I.P.) on Dec 16, 2019 15:04:17 GMT -6
Great attention to details Robert.
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 16, 2019 16:44:07 GMT -6
Thank you, Bruce.
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Post by BUCKY on Dec 17, 2019 15:46:15 GMT -6
Just now had a chance to catch up with this fine project. Very nice progress, Robert. I also am baffled by the strange position of the steering wheel!
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Post by RLFoster on Dec 18, 2019 11:22:07 GMT -6
Just now had a chance to catch up with this fine project. Very nice progress, Robert. I also am baffled by the strange position of the steering wheel! I agree, Bucky.
Given the German's reputation for highly detailed engineering (often to a fault), there must have been a reason for it. Here are two photos showing the same steering orientation -- one from the smaller cousin to my build - the SdKfz 250 halftrack and one of the chassis shared by both the SdKfz 222 and 223 armored cars:
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Post by JCON on Dec 18, 2019 13:58:30 GMT -6
Very strange indeed!!! |
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Post by Dukemaddog on Dec 18, 2019 17:58:04 GMT -6
Exceptional progress Robert! I'm certain that after you paint all that incredible interior detail that I'll feel like I could just climb in and enjoy a ride!
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rustybaer
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Post by rustybaer on Dec 26, 2019 15:13:55 GMT -6
Nifty! I always have the deepest respect for people who do interiors, good job so far.
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Post by RLFoster on Jan 2, 2020 13:28:15 GMT -6
Two weeks since the last update and the holidays are now behind us, so it's time to get back to the bench. Today was quite productive with me cleaning up and installing the rear plate to the crew compartment and then commencing work on the rear doors. Until I got the doors assembled, I didn't know whether I would be positioning them open or closed. Now that they're done, I know that I can press forward and plan to have them open. Here's a shot showing the doors and as you can see, the mounting frames for the doors fit perfectly without any glue (they are positioned in both directions for the photo). This will ensure that I can position them in any way before adding a dot of glue to finalize their position:  All the basic interior work was now complete, so I decided to go ahead and carefully tape off all the edges where glue would be applied around the entire lower hull:  And, after applying the same tape job to the upper hull, I went ahead and shot my standard black Duplicolor primer to the interior surfaces of both halves:  I'll let this dry for the rest of today/tonight and touch up any hard-to-reach areas with a brush before mixing the paint and shooting the interior. I'll also prime and paint the interior of the rear doors at the same time and then temporarily tape them closed while the exterior is painted. Until next time... |
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Post by JCON on Jan 2, 2020 14:03:00 GMT -6
Nice work my friend!!!
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Post by dogfish7 (R.I.P.) on Jan 2, 2020 17:23:23 GMT -6
Well done Robert.
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feldgrau23
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Post by feldgrau23 on Jan 3, 2020 20:07:47 GMT -6
Excellent work Robert. It looks great so far. Looking forward to seeing the interior done up.
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Post by Dukemaddog on Jan 4, 2020 13:14:29 GMT -6
Brilliant work Robert! Very nice progress!
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Post by RLFoster on Jan 4, 2020 13:35:47 GMT -6
Today I managed to get in a couple hours of work on the kit before the Wild Card Football games start. I decided to backtrack in the instructions to STEP 3 and assemble all the running gear that I could. Even though the process was time-consuming - with a LOT of attach points that required cleaning - all the parts went together perfectly and look pretty good:  However, when putting together the drive sprocket, something just didn't look correct. When the two halves of the sprocket are put together, there is the appropriate gap between them, but the "teeth" are also separated by a huge gap and look very thin:  So I went online and did some research with my first stop being the PMMS website (I will REALLY miss this site once it's gone!!!). Sure enough, according to Terry, Dragon has never bothered to properly replicate the rollers on any of their SdKfz 251 model kits. Why? No one knows, but even much older kits from other manufacturers do a better job. I needed a good photo of a sprocket to see what it's supposed to look like and a quick Google search gave me a wonderful example:  Between each of the teeth on the Dragon sprocket should be a slightly larger diameter roller. Even though this is mostly an OOTB build, it looks like I'll need to be digging out the Plastruct rod styrene for some replacement rollers. First I'll need to assemble about three track links and pads so I can be sure my fit will fit, but once that's done, I'll be doing a little scratching. Until next time... |
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Post by JCON on Jan 4, 2020 13:38:48 GMT -6
Nice catch Robert!!! |
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Post by Dukemaddog on Jan 4, 2020 15:06:50 GMT -6
Most interesting Robert. I look forward to seeing your solution.
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Post by RLFoster on Jan 4, 2020 15:51:35 GMT -6
Since I screwed up on the start time of the football games, I went ahead and added the rollers to the sprockets. At only 1mm in diameter and 1mm in length, the Optivisor got a workout, but the job is done:  Until next time... |
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