Back | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
Spring is here the blossom is on the trees and my carpet is growing nicely!! In fact it has grown so well that it conceals at least two bits of brass related to the model. I don’t know how the rest of you feel about losing parts on the floor but I just cannot wear all the skirts etc. that appear in readers suggestions in various publications. So it is down on bended knee and nose to the ground – I must remember to train my dog to do this. (He’s got previous convictions Julian for this! Remember readers…Ed) However isn’t it gratifying when the bits reappear especially when you had given them up for lost and are thinking how to remake them!
Anyhow on with the build – as you can gather, this week I have been busy with the tiniest pieces of brass and looking at all the subassemblies to see if the fit is OK.
So, step by step… at last the engine is in place and fixed. The driver’s compartment is finished and the glacis plate is now fixed with the Besa machine gun in position.
ZOOM - Move your mouse over image
The cabin roof placed in position, not fixed as yet. Also shown is the completed main weapon, just positioned in the mantle, painted and weathered. Also completed is the painting of the contents of the turret bin, which is supplied as one moulding – the brass side plates for this are fixed on and these slot onto lugs on the turret. This will be painted with the turret.
Here the lower turret interior is placed in its well. It slots in nicely and the problems encountered earlier on seem to have been solved. The back plate is now fixed and ready to receive the lights and telephone.
The turret placed in position. The side bins are on the track guard but not glued. I have painted the cupola as this can be fixed towards the end and it is quite a fiddly part I added the brass clips that secure the hatch covers but they are not yet painted. I will weather it all when the final painting is finished. As far as painting goes I think is would be easier to paint in sub assemblies and joint them all up in the final weathering otherwise the masking is going to be too time consuming.
The mantel has its first coat of paint and a bit of weathering more to come here though. Well it is nearly ready for the first coat of base…