PlasticPanzers.com Forum

I want to build one of these but work is crazy so I will build vicariously through you! I love this vehicle (still remember the 20/20 TV news story about it in the 80s) and will watch your build with great interest.

Step 8-9
Another 28 pieces per side gets you to here,
The swing arms are working but everything seems very robust when the glue is set…

Adam Durrant wrote: ↑11 Mar 2023, 19:35 The fit is perfect Philipp, I haven’t had to resort to filler yet

Thanks Adam, that sounds great My most recent Takom kit is their Panzer III, and it was designed with such tight tolerances, it actually caused fit issues...

I'm hoping for the German M48A2GA2 105mm conversion, or, if we're really lucky, even a Keiler

Philipp

The Keiler would be an interesting build

Steps 10-12
Tracks and wheels. I thought the wheels would be tedious as usual, but the tracks take it to new levels. 78 links per side, 6 pieces per link. The tracks are designed to be assembled in six link blocks. The guide horns are installed as a “gang” still attached to the sprue. This, however, does end up making clean up of mold lines and sprue gates a fiddle.
The wheels were a breeze in comparison! One run done, spot the mistake….
Yup, the track pins are directional, hollow side out, solid side in. Luckily the glue was still a bit soft so I could prize the offending sections apart and correct my mistake…..

Good thing you caught it in time. How are you applying glue to avoid gluing pins to pads?

Bryan Krueger wrote: ↑03 Apr 2023, 17:12 Good thing you caught it in time. How are you applying glue to avoid gluing pins to pads?

Very carefully….I’m using the medium Tamiya glue, mine has been open for a bit so is on the thicker side now. It stays where you put it unlike the thin which runs everywhere. Just takes a lot longer to set…luckily!

Finally finished the two track runs. The instructions suggest 78 links per side but this is way too tight, 79 seems to work for me. If you install the return rollers and complete the track runs as a loop you will need to install them prior to installing the fenders otherwise you won’t get them on. I’ve elected to leave the runs unlinked so I can thread them in later. I’ve also left the return rollers off. My plan is to paint and weather the runs, link them up then install them last, gluing the return rollers on last of all. This eliminates the issue….I hope

Steps 13-16

This is the fenders. Dry fit everything, some of the locating slots are too tight and need to be cleaned out.
The recovery/tow cables need to be assembled insitu, I would suggest gluing on one tow eye, install G1 and the tow eye, then “thread” on the two G2s and finally glue on the final tow eye and the other G1.

The location slots for the fenders are very tight, I widened them a touch for ease of installation. The instructions suggest installing L11 and L12 once the fenders are on. It’s easier to assemble L11/12 and the rear guards A3/4 before installing the fenders, this allows everything to line up easier.
This technically completes the hull, just some minor bits to add in the final step by the looks….on to the turret!

Thanks for the SBS. Very helpful.