Halftrack.... what!!!!... no figures!!!!!

[Jason Crausby]

Hi all
This is something out of the ordinary for me but I really enjoyed the Tamiya Jeep so I thought I’d have a go at something a bit bigger...so after years of doing mainly figures and busts am I heading over to the dark side?
Probably not as I’m sure I will be adding some figures at some point although I’m not sure how it’s all going to finally pan out.

I doubt I’ll be using the figures that came with the set... too much going on for me... and I’m not a massive fan of Tamiya figures if I’m totally honest... still I have plenty of others in the stash that would suit.
Anyway here’s progress to date and I’m enjoying the detail in the interior....although I have to admit that having spent an afternoon painting wheel after wheel I remembered why I’m not to keen on anything with tracks... speaking of which they are the rubber band type which don’t have that weighty look as in the box art...any tips there that don’t involve me adding link after link would be most appreciated...
Anyway here’s progress to date!



thanks
Jason

[Steven000]

Looking good so far Jason, already a lot of work done :thumb2:

For your track-problem; I put the tracks on, then a bit of superglue on the wheels where needed and then some pieces of wood are pushed between the track and upper-hull to give that weight-look...
Cheers, Steven

[papa 695]

A great start, and I agree with Steven about the track sag.

[Steve Jones]

Nice to see you doing the tracked stuff again Jason. A couple of quality figures painted by yourself would set it off nicely.

[adt70hk]

Jason

Looking very good indeed!

Well done.

Andrew

[Fernando N]

Great start Jason, neat weathered looking interior:thumb2:.

[Guest]

the rubber band type which don’t have that weighty look as in the box art...any tips there that don’t involve me adding link after link would be most appreciated...

Drill holes in the lower hull sides and insert metal pins that will press the track down. If you look up a side view of the real vehicle, you can see the first and last roadwheels that the track rests on, so those are the main points to do this. To get a gentler curve in the bit between the drive sprocket and the first roadwheel touched by the track, add another pin there, slightly below a straight line between those two points.

[stillp]

Another trick someone posted here is to glue a piece of wire to the upper track alongside the track horns, so the track and wire can be bent to the desired shape.
Pete

[Jim R]

Hi Jason
That's a surprise. Making a fine job of it :thumb2:
Jim

[Mr Bowcat]

Another trick someone posted here is to glue a piece of wire to the upper track alongside the track horns, so the track and wire can be bent to the desired shape.

Yep, did this on mu StuG III build and it worked very well. I used the inside core from picture wire which while fairly thin was still stiff enough to hold the sag. You might need to relieve the inner edge of the wheel to give the wire some space, but literally a couple of swipes with a file is enough and it will be hidden anyway.

[Guest]

No figures?!!! I bet it ends up with a couple at least Jason. Great work so far.

[scottie3158]

Jason,
Your off to a great start.

[Peter Gillson]

Nice interior work.
peter

[Jason Crausby]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for commenting on this one... I’ve already broken the track so the wire ideas may be essential anyway... Peter you were right about some figures being added... so far I have ordered 12!!!!
I’ve about finished the interior


I decided to build a recently captured model a as such will do it like it’s been recently ransacked!
I didn’t really like the look of the moulded padlocks on the side containers...

so inkeeping with the theme of it being ransacked I will leave a few of these as if they have been praised open... so I’m in the process of cutting the existing doors out...

that’s it for now,
Thanks
Jason

[Guest]

Coming along nicely Jason. Good work.