Sunday 3 March 2013

Sdkfz 7/1 #10 / The Rig /


Assembly of fenders turned out to be very challenging task.  Fenders of this vehicle have peculiar "spherical" shape, what in paper modeling may be achieved by fixing edge to edge thin leafs of paper that "merge" in one point. It seems easy when edges are consecutive. This case was a little bit different for more than one bending direction was required...



Driving section was also finished. I made some components from scratch using different sort of materials (ball chain pieces used as light bulbs and gear stick heads, aluminium foil as rear view mirror, also toothpicks, plastic wire sleeves)   Those extra things filled few blank spots and gave me a lot of fun & useful tips for future projects. Cutting short side walls may have been a mistake, but using small diameter wire loops saved windscreen mounting, but not it's angle against hood. At first I did not plan on making it, as it seemed too much hassle. Kit provides only simple folded hood, that was not an option (no much mentioned about it in description either, also no drawings for it). Out of curiosity I started bending copper wire and before I realised most of framework was ready. Because I had not enough references regarding framework, I mostly  improvised. 


For some time I was looking for the right material for hood (there was a moment when I wanted to abandon this idea). It supposed to be like fabric and not have an unnatural texture. Few options were considered: aluminium foil, tissue, fabrics. It was jay cloth that made it, thin cloth, with fabric like texture and in white. I used blue one previously, but white is obviously easier to color up (damped few times in very thin paint solution then dried). When applying new colors I try to add some of the base color to the solution. It gives right shade and new color that does not stick out so much and feels more natural. 

Cargo bed flaps are well under way. Flaps are simply frames with fine mesh in between side panels. Another challenge which did not turn out great, little bit messy have to admit, but due to lack of resources I used whatever was available. Currently working on flap ribs and hinges with all pins and axles. Small diameter wire and sleeve comes handy again. After flap details are done (lock pins and general mounting) first part of this model will be finished. Flak is a model on it's own, and after assembly of Flak 38 last year, I know I am going to have fun with this one too, there is even a chance more than once, as Wirbelwind (the same AA gun but mounted upon Panzer IV chassis, model with full interior and engine section) from GPM is awaiting it's turn.


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