Dragon 1/35 M4 Mortar Carrier

[Dave Ward]

After finishing the Cobra for the helicopter GB, I cast around & picked up this:

It's been a long time since I picked up a Dragon 1/35 model.
The model has been in my stash for a long, long time, and although it hasn't been started. I did go through it & discard all the 'not for use' parts - I just hope that the instructions for this were correct! ( although Dragon are not noted for their instructions! ) The model dates back to 2007, has PE, turned aluminium, and what looks like a few resin parts. I'll put up some pictures etc tomorrow..............
Dave
Dave

[langy71]

Looking forward to this Dave,
I've always wanted to build a halftrack since seeing the old Matchbox Half-track years ago, but never got around to doing so..

[Steve Jones]

Going to be doing this one at the end of the year so looking forward to seeing how you get on, especially how you tackle the track/wheel combination for painting

[Dave Ward]

The last US halftrack I made was the Tamiya M16 Quad 50 calibre carrier, a very basic model ( it dates back to 1975 ). That had vinyl tracks - the Dragon tracks are solid plastic, and look much better. The tracks, in reality are rubber mouldings with cable inserts, so painting will be a bit different to normal tank tracks. I'm going to have to lay the parts out & look at the instructions to see if I can assemble them off the model.
I'll also have to put away the 4B0, and dig out the Olive Drab...............
Dave

[Steve Jones]

What I have heard Dave is that there is a way of doing it where you put the back track half on first, then the wheels and then put the front track half on??? As I always paint my wheels off model I will be interested to see how you tackle it my friend. Good luck

[JR]

I shall follow, like the way you change types like this .

[Guest]

I looked up the instructions on Scalemates, and I think the best way to do it is exactly like Dragon recommends there:

[ATTACH]450474[/ATTACH]

That is, build the suspension bogies, the drive sprockets and the idlers separately, then glue the bogies to the hull, followed by the inner track halves with the sprockets and idlers, and then the outer track halves. You can paint all of these off the model, and would then only need to touch up the join between the two halves of the track.

[Dave Ward]

I shall follow, like the way you change types like this .

I'd get bored doing the same every build. Flexibility!! - In the MN, one day I could be in the clean workshop, overhauling diesel injectors, the next unblocking a sewage pump!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Sprue shots - big gaps, as the 'not used' parts have been discarded

X 2

Normal Dragon style, ziploc bags with PE, clear bits, decals & what seems to be resin sprocket wheels.

You can see the unused parts - no idea what happened to them!

Normal Dragon instructions - they look OK, but Dragon have a poor reputation for accuracy in numbers!
A few detail shots to follow.

[Dave Ward]

The parts are very crisp, no sign of flash, or sinks. Quite a few ejector towers to remove. The parts date back to 2007, and are still very good, even by modern standards. I reckon the one-piece chassis wouldn't be done now, in favour of a flat back assembly - anything to get that parts count up!
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Interesting subject Dave. I don’t think I’ve seen a US half track built for ages.

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
As John noted you certainly go from one genre to the next with ease. The kit looks rather nice.
Jim

[adt70hk]

Looking good Dave. Those parts do look good but I hope you've not got any missing. As Tim says not seen a US half-track done for ages.

[Dave Ward]

Slightly overran my time ration, but bits were fitting so well I got carried away!

What I thought were resin sprockets are very finely moulded polystyrene - really delicate & complex little single piece mouldings............................


After a bit of puzzling over the instructions, parts started fitting together - a bit of cleaning up here & there, but nothing of any consequence. One of the decisions I will have to make is when to start priming - not a problem as yet as most parts are OD.
Dave

[Dave Ward]

I found the first glitch in the instructions -

This is a hangover from a previous model - it is the PTO for the front winch fitted to later half-tracks - this model has the earlier obstacle assist roller, so not applicable.
Assembly continues on the chassis........................
Fit is excellent - the only difficulty was with the exhaust pipe - it can only be inserted into the assembly one way ( remember the bent nails metal puzzle ? )

I stopped at this point, my hour or so was up - and the next section introduces some PE, so that can wait until tomorrow. The parts are fitting together so well - I have a bad feeling that I'm going to find something really nasty on the next page!
Dave