Tamiya sdkfz 251/1 (ish)

[Guest]

in the lower fret,the two seat backs are top row.These are Eduard.They are 2nd and 3rd from left.

What I meant was a picture of where you say they should be fitted, as that’s the part I don’t quite understand

[Guest]

I've found one of these on ebay. Not sure that it's really worth me getting it since I've never used photo etch before...:flushed:

There has to be a first time for everything, but my advice would be to not bother with it just yet, and also to only buy it for a kit that’s better anyway than the old Tamiya ones you’ve been building so far. I find adding expensive photoetched parts, metal barrels, etc. to kits that are iffy in basic dimensions is approaching putting pearls before swine. Sure, you can make a very good model out of an old and relatively inaccurate one, but you might as well save yourself a lot of work by beginning with a more accurate one and then replacing the details it didn’t get quite right.

[Graeme C.]

Hi, I've built this old Tamiya Sdkfz251, it's an Ausf C, but has the rear bench seats of the earlier A or B. I scratched new bench seats & the storage bins that fit behind the seat backs.
Photos for discussion purposes only.
[ATTACH]322976[/ATTACH][ATTACH]322977[/ATTACH]

[minitnkr]

The /4 prime mover variant had ammo bunkers in place of front left & rear right seats. Otherwise same as /1 as far as I can tell. Although, I think dropped with Ausf D. PaulE

[Jon Heptonstall]

Here's the Tamiya 251 with the etched part on the back of the driver's seat.[ATTACH]322987[/ATTACH]

[Guest]

Right, wait, I think we had a bit of miscommunication there. I knew immediately what perforated bits you were talking about, but this:—

what appears to be spares attached to the inner hull side

had me confused. I understand now that you mean that the perforated parts aren’t on the seat backs in all kits, but stowed on the hull sides somewhere? I have no idea why that would be.

[Jon Heptonstall]

Here's the Eduard seats.
and the AFV Club 251 D. Part UB06 appears to be a spare seat back.
[ATTACH]323002[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]323001[/ATTACH]

[Steve Jones]

I would hazard a guess they were used for protection. Equipment in the back sliding down the seats into the back of the driver and passenger seat with just a bit of foam and spring would be quite painful.

[Guest]

Oh dear...all this talk of photo-etching has made me make a purchase! :upside:

My kit is #35020 so I've been careful to get the right Eduard cat. number (35432). Apparently this is therefore an Ausf C version that I have...or at least it'll probably be somewhere near that by the time I've finished! :smiling5:
Not sure how much of the photo-etch I'll use due to expected fiddliness & inexperience, but against Jacko's advice I'm...going in!

Quick question: does this stuff somehow wrap itself around existing parts, or is super-glue required? I'm assuming the latter.

[Steve Jones]

This link may help you George

HERE

[minitnkr]

They only show up in a small % of "in action" photos, so would appear to be some sort of option. Maybe as suggested. Many pics show seat backs folded down to the rear to allow easier movement, maybe they were to protect the seat back from damage then. PaulE

[Guest]

A bit of filling required around the joins between the floor & sides...of course most of this’ll be hidden by the seats, but no half measures etc...
I had to cut the lugs off the bottom of the seats otherwise they would’ve been pushed out of place by the sides...sigh
Dry fit until the Eduard eching arrives.
[ATTACH]323008[/ATTACH]

Wheels next I think as I can do more priming in one shot then...

[Guest]

I would hazard a guess they were used for protection. Equipment in the back sliding down the seats into the back of the driver and passenger seat with just a bit of foam and spring would be quite painful.

Agreed, that’s what they look like to me as well: a plate to stop the driver and commander being poked in the back by shifting cargo/infantrymen’s weapons/boots. Why they’d need to be able to stow them on the hull sides, I still have no idea, though — it seems simpler all around to just to leave them attached to the seats at all times.

[Guest]

Jacko

Please see at left (Pronunciation is /ˈjaˌkoː/, or approximately in English phonetics, YAH-co with short “a” and long “o” )

Quick question: does this stuff somehow wrap itself around existing parts, or is super-glue required? I'm assuming the latter.

It’s normally superglued. The material is a thin sheet of brass (usually) from which the areas immediately around the parts are removed using acid, so basically, what the set provides are flat pieces of metal that you will have to fold, bend, and otherwise shape into the form needed. Start out with the simpler bits that don’t require much folding — don’t try to put together a complicated stowage rack at your first attempt

First of all, you’ll want to sand the back of the sheet (or both sides) with coarse sandpaper, to give the glue more surface to grip. When it comes to removing parts, I use a sturdy hobby knife to cut the parts from the fret, by pressing down onto a hard surface like a ceramic tile. Be sure to hold the part with a finger so it can’t go flying I then clean up the attachment points that are left by holding the part between long-nosed pliers (with flat surfaces, not ribbed) so that just the attachment point sticks out, then filing it down.

Apply superglue sparingly, so that when the part is in the right place and the glue has set, you can add a bit more into the seams using a sharpened cocktail stick or something.

[Jon Heptonstall]

And don't expect to use all the PE parts- some are just too tiny and others will replace bits that don't really need replacing.
Jon.