Hi all
here are some pictures of the content of this huge box by Trumpeter. More than 1200 parts. The build should start tomorrow or Sunday.
Olivier
20 Likes
Ok, bookmarked so you may start… 
4 Likes
Excellent. Tagging along as well. 
3 Likes
What a beast… I will be following with interest 
2 Likes
Following this one too !
2 Likes
Thank you all for following this build.
The suspension is already complete. I have assembled the idlers and the sprockets and attached them to the swing arms with the polycaps. I also have secured 4 inner roadwheels halves so I can put the tracks in shape.
Concerning the tracks they come with separate guide teeth. So this morning I cut them off of the sprues: 170 guide teeth, 170 track links and 340 molding “pins” (2 per link).
Considering the poor weather anticipated this afternoon, I certainly will clean the parts and glue the guide teeth to the links.
Olivier
7 Likes
It’s looking good !!
Guide teeths and 2 molding pins… that’s a nightmare my friend…
Bonne chance
1 Like
Thanks! Patience was useful .I managed to get the both tracks assembled and shaped around the running gear (in the end 84 links are enough instead of 85). I also assembled the left side sponson. Weirdly Trumpeter give you the plates which prevent the tracks from slapping the sponson but omitted them in the instructions.
However when you put them in place it’s better to do it after the tracks have been shaped.
Olivier
9 Likes
That is a really nice start.
1 Like
You made a great inroad to getting this started Olivier, it looks terrific.
2 Likes
The late days I managed to have some good workbench time. The biggest part of these days was assembling the front blade. Trumpeter have done a better job previously. Many parts are misnumbered, the location of others is nearly impossible to find from the instructions drawings, the assembly of others shown from a wrong angle makes you think twice before gluing them. I even needed to find reference pics to assemble the jacks.
Trumpeter tell not to glue some parts so they are mobile. They should have told this for much more parts and sub-assemblies. I did it myself and found at the end that this was the easiest way to glue the blade to the various arms. The right height of the blade is given when you finally attach the securing rods to the hooks. The best is to pass the eye around the hooks before gluing the other end to the glacis. On one picture the yellow arrow with the yellow circle show how Trumpeter have you glue the thrust arms. There is nothing to properly adjust the parts. This is one of the reason why you should not glue the parts as often as you can during the build of the sub-assemblies.
Olivier
11 Likes
Very nice. The dozer set up looks well detailed as well.
2 Likes
this one is on my future project list
1 Like
Not for a beginner but you’re not one. You’ll enjoy the kit. My main regret is that the blade can’t be movable. This would have made the painting far easier.
This is not impossible to do. You just have to make the push arms end on the side of the hull functional by drilling their sides and inserting rods and doing the same on the parts under the hull.
It was too late for me.
Olivier
5 Likes
Today I started to equip the top of the vehicle. There are a lot of accessories as usual on this type of vehicles. Cleaning all the parts is time consuming and I only completed one step.
At first I intended not to glue the tow bars (or whatever they can be) but I fear that when the unditching log is attached it will be hard to glue the bars. I have replaced the PE latches by some styrene strip.
I won’t fit the fuel drums holders. I’ll only glue the parts welded to the hull but not the cradles.
Olivier
9 Likes
Today’s job was focused on the cables. There are 5 heavy duty cables to install. Trumpeter have you use a thin brass cable to depict these cables which is not correct. The brass cable provided in the box is perfect for the crane though. So I used some nylon thread I have in my stash.
The first thing to do is to check the lengths indicated in the instructions. As I expected the first three were too long and the last two too short.
I made and installed the first three which are secured by one eye just rear of the exhaust. The other eye is not secured by any mean on the engine deck. I found it weird and checked on the site Recomonkey. Trumpeter are right.
Then I decided to make and install the cables secured at the tow hooks of the rear plate. Once the length is checked you can glue one eye but not the second as the cable is supposed to go through a bracket. Trumpeter do not tell to do so.
However before installing the cables I thought it was better to add the unditching log before. And that’s the way to go if you don’t want to go into some trouble.
Making the PE brackets is a real pain. I, finally managed to make them and glue them at the right location. I just needed to add the last cables.
A lot of time just for 5 cables!
Olivier
9 Likes
Excellent progress Olivier.
2 Likes
Thank you Johnny. It was time consuming but looks good. I guess the crane assembly and cabling will be a time of bravery. Looking at the instructions to install the cable is a bit frightening.
Olivier
3 Likes
The cables on the crane will be worth it mate, they will really make it stand out once its all complete.
3 Likes
Big update today!
I have tackled some sub-assemblies which will be painted separately.
As anticipated the cabling of the crane has been a failure. I thought I could have the cable run like in the real life. But when you have all of the pulleys glued inside the crane arm it is impossible to insert the cable and have it wind around the pulleys even if they were all mobile. I ended up cutting some cable lengths and glue them all with CA glue.
Then I assembled a sliding large stowage bin filled with a tools and accessories chest. Only two wheels are already glued to the vertical supports. The last two will be glued after the painting. That way the bin will stay mobile. Trumpeter have you glue the wheels to the bin.
I also assembled the commander cupola and the MG. The only issue is that the MG base prevents the cupola from moving as it makes contact with a pulley at the back. I must check ref pictures to see what’s wrong there.
Finally I assembled the wading trunk. It is not glued yet.
Olivier
10 Likes