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Canadian Firefly
ColinEdm
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Posted: Monday, October 14, 2013 - 03:15 PM UTC
Hello all, after a long (20+ years since last one, 30 since I was serious) hiatus from model building I have decided to jump back in. I picked up a few kits for half price (Dragon Panther G, King Tiger w/Porsche Turret and Firefly Vc) and am eager to see how my skills have held up! I have decided to start with the Firefly and will be modelling it as a vehicle from the Governer General's Foot Guards in NW Europe.

Opening the kit I was struck by how well detailed it is compared to the old Tamiya kits from the 80's I always used to build! I figured I would build it OOB, but while researching I saw lots of neat accessories, plus it already had an a/m turned barrel and Canadian stowage boxes from Ultracast. So naturally I ordered the Ultracast decals and the Eduard photoetch kit. While I wait for those, On with some assembly!

Started off with the suspension, and then decided to tackle some of the kits shortcomings. One of the biggies is the sunken weld seams. After researching and practicing with multiple how to make weld seams, I figured I would try using a syringe to lay a bead of squadron white putty and viola it worked!


I then use a piece of the photoetch fret with a notch cut in it to press in the bead details:

Turned out not too bad...

Little bit of clean up and should be good! More to follow as she progresses. Comments welcome, I have a lot to learn!
ColinEdm
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Posted: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 03:28 PM UTC
So the weld beads are all done, you can also see where I added undercuts to the drivers and radiomans hatch bulges.

Back to the suspension, I have been inspired by the quality and detail of other models on here so I decided to add in some missing bolts to the track return guides using bolt heads scavanged from some of the many extra pieces that came with this kit.


I received my photoetch set and have started working with that very carefully as it is my first time working with photoetch. Just doing the flat bits right now as I do not have a bending tool yet.
panzerconor
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Posted: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 03:38 PM UTC
You sir have taken a huge leap back into the hobby. The detailing you're doing is great even at this stage. I love Firefly's and I'll be watching this closely.

-Conor
wychdoctor92394
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Posted: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 05:40 PM UTC
Get a few tweezers with varying widths of jaws... those are the best bet for folding P/E bits...
Totalize
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Posted: Friday, October 18, 2013 - 04:17 AM UTC
Colin,

Interesting approach with the putty for the welds. Looks pretty good I must say. Good to see you back in the hobby. Keep it up.
Dave.
ColinEdm
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Posted: Friday, October 18, 2013 - 09:20 AM UTC
Thanks guys, hopefully I can progress and update fast enough to keep everyones interest up. Been working with the photoetch, not going too bad, will post up some pics when I get a good amount done. Must say that there are a lot of good tips and ideas on this site, it has given me a lot of inspiration.
retiredyank
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Posted: Friday, October 18, 2013 - 09:25 AM UTC
Don't sacrifice quality for speed. You really have dove head first into this hobby. After five years back, I have only begun to tackle things like weld seems. For the level of detail, I can learn from this, I'll be following your build closely.
ColinEdm
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Posted: Saturday, October 19, 2013 - 02:08 AM UTC
No worries, I am taking it slow. Along with the better tools, accessories and resources that are available now I also have something that was notoriously lacking in the 13 year old me - patience!
ColinEdm
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Posted: Sunday, October 20, 2013 - 04:23 PM UTC
So a little bit of progress. Getting the hang of working with photoetch as this is something I have never used before. Started off with the rear panel, if I muck something up too much a bit of artfully placed "mud" can cover it up. Not perfect, but good for learning.

Dry fit the upper hull to the lower hull to check the fit.

One thing I am not happy about is the way the front transmission cover mates up to the lower hull, doesn't seem to want to line up (move upper hull forwrad a bit?), and should it be that much narrower? Did I miss something? Any advice would be much appreciated. Could be the instructions are missing something, I have already noticed several steps missing and parts mis-labelled, a common theme among Dragon kits from what I have read!
retiredyank
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Posted: Monday, October 21, 2013 - 05:06 AM UTC
From what I understand about Dragon Shermans, this is a common problem. I lightly sand the joint, so that it forms more of a parallel gap and fill it with putty.
ColinEdm
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ARMORAMA
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Posted: Friday, October 25, 2013 - 05:12 PM UTC
Some more progress, pretty much all photoetch, got most of it on the hull done, just some handles/straps on the sides to go.



Next step, turret then tracks (ugh, look like they will be nasty)
Shermania
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Posted: Friday, October 25, 2013 - 05:39 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hello all, after a long (20+ years since last one, 30+ since I was serious) hiatus from model building I have decided to jump back in. I picked up a few kits for half price (Dragon Panther G, King Tiger w/Porsche Turret and Firefly Vc) and am eager to see how my skills have held up! I have decided to start with the Firefly and will be modelling it as a vehicle from the Governer General's Foot Guards in NW Europe.

Opening the kit I was struck by how well detailed it is compared to the old Tamiya kits from the 80's I always used to build! I figured I would build it OOB, but while researching I saw lots of neat accessories, plus it already had an a/m turned barrel and Canadian stowage boxes from Ultracast. So naturally I ordered the Ultracast decals and the Eduard photoetch kit. While I wait for those, On with some assembly!

Started off with the suspension, and then decided to tackle some of the kits shortcomings. One of the biggies is the sunken weld seams. After researching and practicing with multiple how to make weld seams, I figured I would try using a syringe to lay a bead of squadron white putty and viola it worked!


I then use a piece of the photoetch fret with a notch cut in it to press in the bead details:

Turned out not too bad...

Little bit of clean up and should be good! More to follow as she progresses. Comments welcome, I have a lot to learn!


Talk about hitting the ground running, I've been back for 6 years from a 25 year hiatus and I still can't do photo etch to save my life. I think it's time to invest in a decent folding tool. Your skills look to be advanced you must have been a child prodigy at plastic modelling
Shermania
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Posted: Friday, October 25, 2013 - 05:46 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Some more progress, pretty much all photoetch, got most of it on the hull done, just some handles/straps on the sides to go.



Next step, turret then tracks (ugh, look like they will be nasty)


Colin,

Based on the talent that you are exhibiting here, you will not have any trouble with those tracks.

BTW, am currently building a firefly too, it's for the 'commonwealth thunder campaign'. You should enlist and put this up their as well.
ColinEdm
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Posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 02:23 AM UTC
Thanks Pedro, I have enlisted in the campaign! For the photoetch I am using a couple of razor blades, Xacto knives and flat end tweezers. A proper tool would help though. Not a child prodigy by any means, dragged out one of my old dioramas, an old Tamiya Stug IV (apologies to anyone offended by the swastika). All hand painted, didn't have an airbrush back then. Lots of things that could be improved upon!



retiredyank
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Posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 08:52 AM UTC
It's still a good looking Stug. You are flying through the Sherman.
ColinEdm
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ARMORAMA
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Posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 03:27 PM UTC
So a bit more progress, started on some putty work for the turret:

..aaannd started on the tracks, quite the PITA compared to the flexible 'rubber band' style I'm used to. Gonna take a while, a lot of harsh words will be uttered and lots of wine will be consumed (merely to steady my hands of course)in the process. I tried just setting them up on a piece of tape but wasn't happy with how the first batch ended up so I made a little jig to keep them flat and straight:

You can see my first attempt at the bottom, next batch turned out much better, and hopefully they will keep getting better as I progress.
IronOwl
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Posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 04:42 PM UTC
Sir,

Welcome back to The Hobby I would like to say that your Quality of work is outstanding I myself have only been back in about a year and am still all thumbs most of the time. will continue to follow this build and hope to pick up a few of your building ideas. I do like the Brace you've made for the Tracks I have a set for a T34 I'm building and they are a pain lol how did you construct the brace?. and your weld seam's are very good what type gauge needle did you use for that process. again welcome aboard and Happy Building.

Sascha (Ironowl)
ColinEdm
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Posted: Monday, October 28, 2013 - 04:16 PM UTC
Thanks Sascha! I don't know the size of the syringe I'm using, I bought it as part of a pack of 2 syringes and 3 tips, the "Pin Point Glue Syringe" set from Deluxe Materials http://www.deluxematerials.com/products_useful_glue.html
I found it at my local hobby shop. Using the yellow tip for the weld bead.

As for the jig, I just had some Plastruct I-beam bits and strip styrene lying around, so I just glued one beam onto a base to use as the straightedge, and made a hold down out of the strip and another beam. Peanuts! Works a lot better, but the tracks all seem to want to curl to one side, seams the holes in the duckbill extensions are not the same distance apart as the regular endlinks. Hmm.
ColinEdm
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Posted: Monday, November 04, 2013 - 03:53 PM UTC
Well, progress has slowed somewhat as I am back at work but she is just about ready for primer!




Needs a bit of cleanup and hopefully prime and paint this weekend. Also some more weld bead detail:


Also going through the painful process of drilling out all the track connector holes so they have a bit of "slop". The holes on the extended connectors are closer together than the ones on the regular connectors so it was causing the tracks to curl. Now they go together straight.
210cav
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Posted: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 - 03:31 AM UTC
Colin-- outstanding work. I have several questions regarding your statement:

"Started off with the suspension, and then decided to tackle some of the kits shortcomings. One of the biggies is the sunken weld seams. After researching and practicing with multiple how to make weld seams, I figured I would try using a syringe to lay a bead of squadron white putty and viola it worked!"

I am trying to appreciate your technique. What size syringe did you use? Did you just squeeze from the tube into the needle base or dilute with something then place in the needle? How much white putty did you place in the needle base? Can I assume you threw the needle away after use? How long did the putty stay usable?

Many thanks
DJ
ColinEdm
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Posted: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 - 01:33 PM UTC
Thanks DJ, if you look at the post just previous to my last you will see the info about he syringe I am using. I just squeeze a bit directly from the tube into the syringe, maybe 1/8 to 1/4" worth can do most of the beads on a sherman. I am a cheap bugger so I clean it out afterwords, have used it several times. I let the putty set up for 2-3 minutes before pressing in the detail, its workable for 5-10 minutes at least.
210cav
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Posted: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 - 01:45 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks DJ, if you look at the post just previous to my last you will see the info about he syringe I am using. I just squeeze a bit directly from the tube into the syringe, maybe 1/8 to 1/4" worth can do most of the beads on a sherman. I am a cheap bugger so I clean it out afterwords, have used it several times. I let the putty set up for 2-3 minutes before pressing in the detail, its workable for 5-10 minutes at least.


My Friend--- One follow up question: what did you use to clean the syringe?
Many thanks
DJ
ColinEdm
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Posted: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 - 02:53 PM UTC

Quoted Text


My Friend--- One follow up question: what did you use to clean the syringe?
Many thanks
DJ


First thing I do is remove the tip and squeeze whatever putty is left out of the syringe, then I put the tip back on and fill the syringe with hot soapy water and push the last out of the tip, followed by a little bit of Model Master airbrush thinner, any type should work though. Stretched sprue also works good for reaming out the tip!

Cheers,
Colin
oldbean
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Posted: Tuesday, November 05, 2013 - 10:20 PM UTC
Great work so far Colin. How did you make the periscope gaurds, they look fantastic!

Jesse
ColinEdm
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Posted: Wednesday, November 06, 2013 - 12:33 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Great work so far Colin. How did you make the periscope gaurds, they look fantastic!

Jesse

Thanks Jesse, they are part of the Eduard photoetch kit.

Cheers,
Colin
 _GOTOTOP