Jim's 1/35 Trumpeter Sd.Kfz 7/1

[The Smythe Meister]

Thanks guys for your support. I find it extra important when a build hits a problem.

There are various issues with the gun shields. They are all PE which is great for being to scale but harder to build than styrene parts. Also the main shields won't fit with the mesh sides up. On the real thing the shields fold back for when the gun is not deployed. Trumpeter also have a couple of errors in the instructions which threw me for a while.
Anyway after a bit of head scratching .....

Centre section
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1190185[/ATTACH]

Curved sections over the barrels. The tiny brackets are just for strength and will be virtually unseen when in position.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1190187[/ATTACH]

The main shields - pieces sorted, folded and construction started.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1190186[/ATTACH]

Completed shields. 8 pieces for each.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1190188[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1190189[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1190190[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1190191[/ATTACH]

Gotta do some painting next and then hope the shields fit OK. They dry fitted fine but ...... ?

Thanks again and a Happy Christmas to one and all.

....... And a Merry Christmas to you too Jim
.......( Fantastic work on those shields btw. )

[Jim R]

Well 'tis done :thumb2:

After a bit of head scratching I came up with an idea. Trumpeter would have the main shields fitted by gluing an edge of the PE into a groove on an upright.

I imagine that would be very difficult to achieve and also the shields would be fixed in position, they could not be swung back and so would not fit between the raised sides. Now this is a picture of someones model taken from the internet (I don't think I'm breaking any rules by showing it as it was easily found - public domain?) It's the dragon kit and shows folded shields.
THIS IS NOT MY MODEL. Just an example of the folded shields.


So the plan. I cut off the grooved uprights and fitted a small length of styrene tube.


I glued the cut off upright to the edge of the shield which I bent over slightly.


That meant that the protruding edge of the upright would slot into the tube. The shields could then be moved back as required.

Voila!!

Shields primed, painted, weathered and fitted.
OK so it's not accurate so rivet counters look away now but it's worked well enough for me.


Thanks again to everyone who has looked in on this and a big thanks to Dave for organising the GB. Sorry I'm outside the time frame. More photos in the completed GB section.

And a happy and prosperous 2023 to one and all.

[The Smythe Meister]

Well 'tis done :thumb2:

After a bit of head scratching I came up with an idea. Trumpeter would have the main shields fitted by gluing an edge of the PE into a groove on an upright.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1191125[/ATTACH]
I imagine that would be very difficult to achieve and also the shields would be fixed in position, they could not be swung back and so would not fit between the raised sides. Now this is a picture of someones model taken from the internet (I don't think I'm breaking any rules by showing it as it was easily found - public domain?) It's the dragon kit and shows folded shields.
THIS IS NOT MY MODEL. Just an example of the folded shields.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1191129[/ATTACH]

So the plan. I cut off the grooved uprights and fitted a small length of styrene tube.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1191127[/ATTACH]

I glued the cut off upright to the edge of the shield which I bent over slightly.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1191128[/ATTACH]

That meant that the protruding edge of the upright would slot into the tube. The shields could then be moved back as required.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1191126[/ATTACH]
Voila!!

Shields primed, painted, weathered and fitted.
OK so it's not accurate so rivet counters look away now but it's worked well enough for me.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1191130[/ATTACH]

Thanks again to everyone who has looked in on this and a big thanks to Dave for organising the GB. Sorry I'm outside the time frame. More photos in the completed GB section.

And a happy and prosperous 2023 to one and all.

Absolutely superb finish Jim
Definitely one of the best HTs I've seen.... the Flak came out fantastically,all your painstaking hard work was WELL worth it
I look forward to seeing more of it in the Completed section

[Allen Dewire]

Most excellent job Jimbo!!!...

[Tim Marlow]

Glad you got the shield sorted out Jim. Looks very special, especially the weathering.

[stillp]

Good fix Jim!
Pete

[JayCee]

An excellent solution to the shields. Also the finish.
John.

[Mini Me]

Looks good from here! :thumb2:

[Jim R]

Thanks guys for the support - appreciated.

[Panzerwrecker]

Great build Jim and nice remedy on the shields. These Trumpy 8 tons are undoubtedly tricky little blighters and really test your patience in far too many places.

All the best for 2023

[Lee Drennen]

Jim looks great as always glad you made it over this obstacle.