Trumpeter shares built-up photos of its recent 1/35 scale release.
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/trumpeter-sd-kfz--9
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/trumpeter-sd-kfz--9
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Looks like we’re still dealing with the incorrect offset of the rollers on the drive wheel.
I hope this isn’t going to be lacking the fine details the Sd.Kfz 9/1 seems to be lacking, making it look like another B-crew was in charge again.
I also hope I saved the fix for the drive before PMMS went down.
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Could the builder have swapped the sprocket/drive wheels left/right?
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On first glance I would say it’s a mixed bag. Yes, the drive sprocket issue is a bummer, but it’s easily fixed. From what I remember from PMMS: there are two tabs which have to be removed, then the outer ring can rotate freely. The correct offset can be checked with a length of track.
From what I can see, the details are very good. For example, the rifle racks are much more refined than Dragon’s Sd.Kfz. 7, on par with Bronco’s Sd.Kfz. 6. The side walls are much thinner than on their own Sd.Kfz. 7. The decals for the instrument panels look decent, but strangely the rev meter is in b&w. At the very least, the “danger zone” should be in red, not black.
Now to the things that are off: the road wheels should have different lightening holes in this version. They are round, but they should be teardrop-shaped, like the ones for the Sd.Kfz. 6 (5-ton halftrack). The strange contraption on the rear deck is a nice display of creativity. It should be removed and replaced by tarpaulin bows and the folded tarpaulin. And a “cage” like on the other German halftracks should also be added.
Source: Nuts & Bolts 43, pages 66 (two pictures) and 149 (line drawings).
It’s very kind of Trumpeter to think of AM, that keeps them in business.
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Indeed! Looking again closely at the pictures, the rollers are offset, contrary to what I have written in my first post. But you’re right: the offset should be in the other direction, therefore the tracks don’t fit.
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which made me think that swapping the drive wheels left side ↔ right side might
solve the problem. The rollers on both sides, as the kit has been assembled are on the trailing edge of the “pad”. Turning the wheels 180 degrees, i.e. moving them to the “other” side would get the rollers on the leading edge of the “pad”.
The wheel from the passenger side roughly pasted onto the drivers side (from right side to left side):
The right side wheel has a leading offset whe mounted on the left side.
Compare with some car tires/tyres which have directional tread, usually indicated by an arrow on the side wall. If that wheel is mounted on the wrong side of the car the tread pattern will be rolling backwards.
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I have a few other Sd.Kfz 7’s so I’ll look and see if that might work rather than cut the roller piece.
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I think this all unnecessary: the original, an early F2, yet with some features of the F gr 1, had different sprockets altogether. The rubber was not sub-divided in segments, but rather one continuous rubber ring. So there’s no issue with the offset. The hub also had a different shape: less contoured, more conical.
The front was also slightly different: the radiator grille was slightly shorter, but the front mudguard was slightly higher. The front wheels were also the ones from the F gr 1. The front axle lacked shock absorbers. The width indicators had a different shape: instead of an L, they were slightly S-shaped. The headlights were mounted on S-shaped supports and a little further back. And finally there was a third headlight under the front mudguard, mounted centrally.
All in all, quite a bit of work to correct all these deviations from the norm! And it was probably a one-off prototype.
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While I have Trumpy 88mm “FAMO”, I think I’ll stay with the Tamiya FAMO (equipped with plenty of aftermarket). Then, it could be a toss-up when Trumpy"s Bilstein crane FAMO is available.
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I have received my 9/1. What I am going to is inst.all the body parts on a Tamiya chassis I have, make a hybrid of the two! I will post photos, Joel.
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