Tamiya 1/35 sd.kfz 7/1 Flakvierling.

[Guest]

When the Plastic Soldier Company created their 1/72 quickbuild Churchill's (I have several) they got the tracks the wrong way round

I have that and never noticed …

but I've seen more than one photo from the war showing exactly that. Proof that the troops who worked with the things every day were only human and just as easily confused as us!

Try this one:
[ATTACH]415138[/ATTACH]

But yeah, there are plenty of photos of vehicles with one or both of the tracks the wrong way round, so it’s not really a big deal if you do that by accident on your model.

I actually have a little project in mind where I will deliberately do something officially wrong, wait for the rivet counters to jump on me and at which point I'll pull out the photo that proves I'm right! Small minded I know but enjoyable nonetheless. :smiling2:

Those are the kinds of pictures that make for interesting models, partly exactly because of the fun of waiting for people to point out that you’ve done it wrong

[GerryW]

Those are the kinds of pictures that make for interesting models, partly exactly because of the fun of waiting for people to point out that you’ve done it wrong :smiling3:

I've a photo about here of a British Policeman directing German officers taken during WWII, apparently it was used by the German high command for propaganda, yes, it was an actual occurrence as it was taken in the Channel Islands - tempting dio that is!

[CarolsHusband]

so it’s not really a big deal if you do that by accident on your model.

You say that but we've all been talking about it for nearly a page of the thread.
I'm not going get a chance to post any progress for a few days, you kids better not mess the place up while I'm gone.

[CarolsHusband]

Evening.
Time to get this this build back on track (d'ya see what I did there ?). To be honest if that's the first time that pun's been used on a military or train modelling forum, I'll eat my hat.

Got a bit more done tonight. messing about with the photo etch and sticking some plastic together.

[ATTACH]415517[/ATTACH]

Also made the gates up. In the absence of any knowledge I've assumed that the mesh was probably welded steel and that after a gun crew had jumped around on it for a while it would become dented & damaged. Once painted, weathered and a bit rusty I'm hoping it'll look ok.

[ATTACH]415518[/ATTACH]

A bit more painting tomorrow and see if I can get a bit braver with the PE.

Thanks for looking

Dan

[Guest]

It was wire mesh:

[ATTACH]415533[/ATTACH]

So yes, chances are it might have become deformed.

[CarolsHusband]

Didn't get any paint on today as by the time I'd finished my duties it was a bit cold and dark in the spray booth (barn).

Thought I'd have a go at doing some canvas damage. I found some Tamiya round mouldings that I've had forever. They've got a Beatties price sticker on them which date them to at least 2001 but are probably from about 1980. The 2 mm is actually about 1.5 so times by 35 = about 50mm. Possibly a touch large for a tilt frame but I thought it would be ok, especially once I've added some tattered fabric.

[ATTACH]415696[/ATTACH]

However, I mocked the whole thing up earlier and feel that compared to the gun barrels it looks a bit lumpy. I'll have a look in my parts box tomorrow and see if I have anything smaller.

Anyway, it's getting closer to completion. That's when the hard work's going to start !

[ATTACH]415697[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]415698[/ATTACH]

More tomorrow hopefully.

[Guest]

Stretch some sprue instead: cut a length of sprue (10 cm is easily enough), light a candle and hold the sprue above it, rotating it all the time to heat it evenly in one spot; when it gets soft enough that it bends, take it away from the flame and pull the two ends apart. With a little bit of practice you should be able to get this to the diameter you need quite easily.

As an added tip, material stretched in this way will keep its cross-section, so if you need thin square rod, for example, you can file a few centimetres of sprue into a square cross-section and stretch it.

[scottie3158]

Dan,
Nice work the torn canvas looks very good.

[Neil Merryweather]

As an added tip, material stretched in this way will keep its cross-section, so if you need thin square rod, for example, you can file a few centimetres of sprue into a square cross-section and stretch it.

Well I didn't know that, every day's a learning day even at my great age!

[GerryW]

Stretch some sprue instead: cut a length of sprue (10 cm is easily enough), light a candle and hold the sprue above it, rotating it all the time to heat it evenly in one spot; when it gets soft enough that it bends, take it away from the flame and pull the two ends apart. With a little bit of practice you should be able to get this to the diameter you need quite easily.

As an added tip, material stretched in this way will keep its cross-section, so if you need thin square rod, for example, you can file a few centimetres of sprue into a square cross-section and stretch it.

Didn't realize that it keeps its cross section, one to file away! Thanks

[CarolsHusband]

Dan,
Nice work the torn canvas looks very good.

Thanks, I'm hoping it'll look pretty effective once I've added some frayed edges.

[Guest]

Well I didn't know that, every day's a learning day even at my great age!

Obviously it might get its corners rounded off and the whole thing may end up twisted, but in principle it will hold its cross-section

Also, if you stretch a hollow piece, like a length of plastic tube, you will get a smaller-diameter tube. This takes more practice/finesse than stretching solid sprue, though.

[CarolsHusband]

Evening.
Had a chance (at last) to spend a few hours on it this evening. Nearly ready for final assembly prior to weathering.

Haven't been overly fussed with the colour match between Tamiya spray & acrylics but you live and learn. I'm sure it'll get better with some patina.

Chassis finished. I tried to make it look like the bed sides/gates/whatever have had a hard life.

[ATTACH]416294[/ATTACH]

The rest of the body parts are ready to go together though there's a little more PE to be added.

[ATTACH]416295[/ATTACH]

I'm quite pleased with how the canvas turned out, I'm hoping a bit of weathering will enhance the effect

[ATTACH]416296[/ATTACH]

I found some thinner rod for the frame, much more to scale now.

[ATTACH]416297[/ATTACH]

After assembly I guess I need to firstly make it look battle worn and then put the winter white wash on and weather that too.
The potential for a visit from Captain Cock-up is high but I'm not too worried as it's my first kit for a while.

Dan.

[minitnkr]

Looking good. PaulE

[Tim Marlow]

Coming along nicely Dan, and remember! We are not at home to Captain Cock-up, but if he does turn up, we put him in the guest room and deal with him in the morning!