Tamiya 1/35 Sd.Kfz 251/1 Hanomag Half Track

[becsta]

G'day Everyone!

First build log here, so please be gentle with me. This is my first 1/35th scale vehicle. I've previously built 28mm scale vehicles for gaming purposes, but this is my first one in this scale, and I have to admit, it's a little less stressful on the eyes and fingers.



This is the ultimate half track, really, with lots of different variants made by the Wehrmacht during WW2. They had the audacity to stuff cannons, mortars, anti-aircraft guns and flamethrowers in the 250/251 chassis. But this kit is just a troop transport, so nothing really special.

I bought this kit to start getting my head around the scale, build, and painting, in preparation for another couple of 1/35 scale vehicles hidden away for a rainy day. My aim is to weather it, in roughly the same way as my Bolt Action 251/1 half track.

On with the show n tell!



This kit was cheap, about $20. On opening the box, I discovered that the instructions were fold-out, and that the copyright was 1973, so a rather old master. Which shows on the model, as the sprues weren't as crisp as what I'd come to expect from Tamiya models. It's not as bad as an Airfix kit I have already built (a 1/48 scale German Stuka dive bomber), which was absolutely horrible to build, but graciously quick to build. The instructions also weren't laid out in the same way as other (more modern) Tamiya kits I've seen. But they also weren't difficult to follow either.



Interestingly, there's a section on the back which describes the layout and composition of a German mechanised unit involving the 251 Hanomag half track.



I didn't have any problems building this 251/1, apart from going mad over the amount of flash needing to be removed, and the ejection pin divots everywhere (I'll fill some of them just before priming). The detail on this model isn't very good, and I don't know how accurate it is, as the instructions tel to build one part, and then have a photo of an actual 251/1 with completely different detail on it.



For instance, on the 251/1, the steering wheel actually is leaning opposite to how a normal steering wheel sits. On the model, it is vertical, but on the photo next to the step, it shows the forward lean. Also, the thinga-ma-jiggy thingie next to the steering wheel impeded placing the steering wheel in position, so I resorted (crudely alas) to using some Green Stuff to build a do-hickey thingey to allow the wheel to sit in the correct orientation.

The driver and radio operator seats also were a pain to fit, because of the sloping sides of the cabin.



Between the driver and radio operator seats, there's a water barrel. I've not seen this on any of the photos of the 251/1, nor is it in the Tamiya instruction photos either. The level of detail in the interior is a bit of a disappointment, but it's a starter kit, and nothing special, so I'll paint it all up, and have some fun going wild with the weathering!



I've built the model as far as I can go with it, keeping the top off, so I can get into the driver's position to paint the dash and all the little details in there.

So, first step will be to spray undercoat the entire model a neutral grey colour, or maybe a black undercoat would be better, and then I'm going to use the Vallejo AFV Dunkelgelb set to build up a nice zenithal base colour.

All up so far, maybe a day of building this model. I haven't even looked at the infantry yet.

[alextheblue]

Just been admiring your brush skills in your intro post, some very nice work there!!

Great progress on the half-track, very clean build. Looking forward to following this one and especially when you get to the painting and weathering. Welcome to the forum!!

[Omi]

Nice start, I also had a look through your intro, impressive, although I started with planes, tanks and so on, I still paint the occasional figure or mini, the skills are all the same and tend to compliment each other, detailing a cockpit or a dash board is straight forward if you've tried to paint eyeballs on a 28 mm mini.
So keep up the great start becsta, by the way tamiya paints don't brush very well, but as you know Vallejo are great for that, I use them for just about everything, brush, air brush and thin down with there thinners or ism's thinner great.
Try not to weather to much at this scale, is very easy to get carried away and try everything in one go, ( i do it all the time) " just a little more".

[Rob]

Nice start! I liked the minis in your intro post - Will you be adding figures to this model?

[becsta]

Rob: Yes, that's the plan. There are four or five guys included in this kit, so I'll create and paint them up.

Omi: Agreed. My 28mm half track was really pushed quite far with regards to weathering, as it was my first real attempt at weathering. Push it hard, and set the bounds for what is too much.

Alex: Thank you for your comments. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one turns out!

[caSSius]

Great start becsta, and great inaugural build log...nice pics and qualitative comments that are fun to read...not everyone knows the proper use of "thinga-ma-jiggy" or "do-hickey", but you nailed it .

I'm particularly fond of all halftracks so I will be following your progress with interest.

Cheers

[Filo387]

I have this kit in my stash. So watching with bated breath

[longlance67]

nice start mate,

will be looking forward to seeing what you do this kit


shane

[Unit53]

Do love a Half Track, will be watching this one...

[Russ72]

Nice start Bec, its a good kit to play around with.

[becsta]

Some more progress on the half track.

Next step after building was to do something about the ejection pin indentations. To be fair, there's not a lot of them, but they're big, with a couple of them in a prominent spot (on the backs of the driver and radio operator seats. I tackled these using Milliput standard putty. I've previously used tiny amounts of this stuff, and wondered what all the fuss was about it sticking to everything.



Well, after kneading more than just a tiny drop of the stuff, I had it all over my fingers, the knife, the sculpting tools... but mostly in place on the model.



I decided to prime with the Vallejo grey surface primer, rather than black. This way, I could pre-shade with black, and then spray Dunkelgelb Dark Yellow (73.604).



This allows the pre-shade to come though the Dunkelgelb. I had to remind myself not to spray the Dunkelgelb too thickly, and completely obliterate the pre-shading.

Next step? Start to panel highlight with lighter shades of Dunkelgelb. After that is some camo, but I'm unsure which camo scheme to follow, probably a Normandy camo scheme.

Slow and steady so far.

[Nige99]

I'm liking your build guide so far mate. Keep it going.

[Daishi12]

Looking good so far Becsta.

I am now a convert to Deluxe Materials Perfect Plastic Putty, it is pre-mixed and can be worked using just water so is lovely to use

[mincemeat]

And, and???? I'm building the exact same kit and am eager to see your finished product. I think I'm going to give the winter camo a whirl, it will be a first for me. I've puttied a number of places myself and I decided to have the back of the seats smooth as I thought the holes were not in scale in comparison to the front of the seats. I also experienced the same problem with the steering wheel. I used a small piece of extra plastic glued to the end of the shaft to make it a bit longer. Yes, snicker, I said longer shaft.

I think I may have pushed the floor down too far, my seats are squishing inward. If I didn't push it down I wasn't able to lock the front wheel axles in place. Future note, the wheels on the model don't really need to be moveable. I'm not going to be running this on the carpet and making "pew-pew" sounds when it's finished.

Your build looks great so far!

[Donkeywalloper]

Nice one Bec.
Welcome to the world of 1/35 Armour (Man a Live, we love it).
Gonna watch this one for super skills and paint job.
Keep up good work mate.
John

[Donkeywalloper]

And, and???? I'm building the exact same kit and am eager to see your finished product. I think I'm going to give the winter camo a whirl, it will be a first for me. I've puttied a number of places myself and I decided to have the back of the seats smooth as I thought the holes were not in scale in comparison to the front of the seats. I also experienced the same problem with the steering wheel. I used a small piece of extra plastic glued to the end of the shaft to make it a bit longer. Yes, snicker, I said longer shaft.

I think I may have pushed the floor down too far, my seats are squishing inward. If I didn't push it down I wasn't able to lock the front wheel axles in place. Future note, the wheels on the model don't really need to be moveable. I'm not going to be running this on the carpet and making "pew-pew" sounds when it's finished.

Your build looks great so far!

Future note, the wheels on the model don't really need to be moveable. I'm not going to be running this on the carpet and making "pew-pew" sounds when it's finished.
And why not indeed, don't we all make noise when running these units around floors.....Oh that's just me then
John

[mincemeat]

And why not indeed, don't we all make noise when running these units around floors.....Oh that's just me then

(Deep exhale) Ok, since I'm a faceless pseudonym on the Internet I'll make a confession. When I get wings on a fuselage for the first time, I may take it for a test flight....or maybe a few by the time it's done.

[ForbesHutton]

And why not indeed, don't we all make noise when running these units around floors.....Oh that's just me then

(Deep exhale) Ok, since I'm a faceless pseudonym on the Internet I'll make a confession. When I get wings on a fuselage for the first time, I may take it for a test flight....or maybe a few by the time it's done.

You mean you check your work from all possible angles and perspectives.

[mincemeat]

Yeah, YEAH! That's what I meant. I'm all about the quality control.

[froppolo93]

I have already done this kit and it is really nice: simple, clean, fast. Good work, keep going!