Good morning all you lovely people
Hope you, you’re families are all Tickity Boo and keeping well in these weird and odd times?
So lets crack on with the latest updates from planet DW. Apologies for lateness of post (I normally do them on Monday, but with Pupils back at school in UK, its been an absolute hellish week at work
).
A delivery from
www.emodels.co.uk last week of the following. AK Brass tubes, some Mr Hobby, Cement SP (Black, which I have seen being used by many modellers now, and fancied trying), plus a pot of Mr Hobby, Mr Color, 42 (Mahogany) as I can’t for the life of me find my Bakelite colour for German Hand-Tools
.
I also had a delivery from
www.scalemodelshop.co.uk of some VMS Modelling Paper to be used in conjunction with the VMS Paper Shaper (this is forward thinking if the Sprue E fiasco doesn’t resolve and I start making Tarps).
Mrs DW sits down on Thursday, across from my Lap-Top (working from home), and gets out (steady
), the Christmas present I gave her. She puts the Cutting Mat on table (always a good start), and then unpacks the Meng Model / Pinky Tools kit.
She then opens the Meng Model M4A1 Sherman Pinky World War Toon and stares in the box, before looking up at me from across the table (I can see, but choose to snigger
inside, whilst staring at my screen), her look of complete confusion.
“What do I do”?
“You do realise sweetheart, I’m working at present”?
“Well yes, but you could just get me started then I’ll be as quite as a mouse”
So, a brief description ensues, and to be honest, as we experienced Modellers realise, its like riding a bike or falling out of a tree, easy to us experienced modellers, but a little disconcerting to the Virgin Modeller and damn right naive
. I suddenly realised, how many stages we take for granted are involved if you have never built a Plastic Model or any model in your life. I suppose its harder still, if you have no real interest in Military history or what you are building.
I showed her how to nip the parts of the Sprue and the Dry-Fit and apply TET (didn’t really need much TET as it snapped together quite well. Mrs DW found it quite childish and amusing to shout out the word “Bogie” once I told her what part she was building. Childish but she does make me giggle
.
The humour though seemed to disappear as she stared at the Instruction Pamphlet with a look that all of us Modellers at some point must have on our faces, yet nobody takes an image of that look, of “What the £@*&^%$ is that, and where the $%^&”@ is it supposed to go”? I sat sniggering to myself, but in the end had to lean over her shoulder and orientate the parts she had built (Lower Tub), into how it looked in Instructions.
This is when we got to two small pieces that were perfect food for the Carpet Monster. I showed her how to carefully remove them so they didn’t ping off into the ether, and this is her proud completion of sticking two little parts (Towing Brackets) on Rear Plate.
The couple who model together will probably divorce at this rate. Seriously, the Girl did good for a first time of trying to build a Plastic Model. The main thing is she really enjoyed it. That’s a good thing eh!
Having spent some moments of giggling and laughing, it was time for a spot of exercise and what better exercise than a walk along the Riverside walk (Trent), and feeding the ducks and Swans with bread. This flock of Swans was on one side of the Trent when we started. By the time they had tasted Mrs DW “Sunblessed” (type of Bread), they were assaulting Mrs DW, she hurled the bag at me and ran off.
On the Friday, I treated the Front Lawn to a Moss-Killer, that within an hour, left it Black and looking very unhappy. The problem with our Front Lawn is these Triffids.
[
They block the Sun and cause patches and patches of Moss. This treatment came highly recommended in reviews and by Saturday, and with a lot of Scarifying of Lawn (3hrs), all the Moss was removed, which filled a UK Wheelie Bin, incredible.
But enough of all this clap-trap and non-modelling rubbish (well apart from Mrs DW), lets get on with some Panzer 1 stuff.
The first thing to do was the build of the Exhaust System. Five Part build and really lovely fit of parts. Very little gaps and the two parts of the Cylinder (P38 & P43), just need a working of Flexi File to remove join.
Fit was superb. You’ll notice I used some of the Mr Hobby, Cement P, Black, just to test adhesion and liquidity.
I could then fit the Upper Substructure for the Turret, Dry-Fitted and the location tabs made this a breeze. For some niggling reason though, one edge would not sit fully tight against the Fender. This called for a bit of clamping to hold it in whilst glue set. Despite clamping, it still would not sit tight, so a little filling will be needed.
The rack for the Ariel was next to be constructed, and this shows yet again, some rubbish moulding on the part of Takom. These lugs were under the Fenders I commented on a post couple of weeks ago. So again, in this case, snipped off with Xacto Cutters and sanded smooth.
I could then glue the Rack into position, and the mounting bracket for Ariel on to Hull. I have left Ariel loose in case I want to display erect
I also added the Exhaust (E3) that’s a nicely moulded ribbed moulding that needed a little delicate use of Knife Blade to remove a moulding seam without destroying the Ribbed nature of the pipe. The fit was sublime.
I was contemplating leaving off both the Front and Rear Mudguards 1. For easier insertion of Tracks 2. I dithered over how much damage to employ on this model i.e. bent Mudguards, missing and such. I’m going for a clean look I decided. Appropriate Weathering but not to much metal damage. Unlike a lot of models I have built where Mudguards and Fenders have caused much annoyance, warp, Filler and general merriment, these went on again with no fuss and minimal bother.
Next stage is the Turret. This comes in a one part construct and again its still surprising how big this part is in 1/16. Really nice raised details and recessed bolt and screw mouldings.
I could start to add detail in the form of Turret Visors.
As no Interior to be seen, I decided to leave off the Opening Mechanism, this was the same for the Top Hatch (C5), so all of the provided Lock Handles (E50, E41, E42) were left on Sprues.
The Hinges for C5 were added.
The next section was the Turret Front with its two Machine Guns. Again, at the start of this build I did dither with whether buying the Aftermarket Guns was worth it, but having had a good look at the provided Slide Moulded units, with some careful painting these are going to look great.
Four parts build the front Turret Glacis up, to give you this.
Now for some odd reason, and I surely don’t fathom it even now. Takom ask in instructions to remove with a sharp blade, six moulded Nuts from Sprue and add to Turret. Takom provided four bolts, so two bolts are spare Munchies provided for Carpet Monster. I just don’t understand this manufacturers ideology. They have already moulded the Nuts, Bolts and detail on, but to add spice, is that it? They wanted the Modeller to remove these moulded on Nuts and glue in locations shown on Instructions. Why? I’m sorry, this Guy does not get this.
You know me by now, I love a bit of Super Detailing, PE and such. This though seems pointless and unnecessary, but its just my view, what do you think chaps?
Anyway, grumble over nothing over, here is completed Turret. I think it looks good. What do you chaps think?
Here it is on the Upper Hull. Not bad?
The final piece of PE provided is the Exhaust Shroud.
This was annealed and bent around Xacto Blade Handle to get shape. The tabs at top bent 45 degrees and then glued into position with C/A
Here it is in position and I have given it a whack here and there for effect.
So lets have a look at progress so far?
It’s a very nice model for all my grumbles and digs at Takom. Worth the money and its gonna look brilliant when painted and appropriately weathered.
Mrs DW and Mr DW went for a walk in the afternoon, this was Sunday, and in the UK it was a beautiful Spring Day, and the Buds were bursting and leaves appearing on trees and shrubs. Normally we don’t show our faces on this site, and all we friends see in posts are hands, feet, the odd Tummy as it creeps into shot of something were working on. Generally though, we never show our faces like some dark satanic order keeping our faces secret.
Well, say hello to Mr and Mrs DW. After the most awful and global Pandemic, we wanted to say hello to you all. Love you all in a weird Plastic, Glue and love of Modelling way. May all of you have health, happiness and love and the continuous of this great Hobby, flourish and grow.
Love and best wishes,
Mr & Mrs DW
, but I could not be bothered to look and ended up ordering these as they were highly rated.
.
Will she be as excited about the new oven.......