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dragon tracks
stickyfingers
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 11 posts
Armorama: 9 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 04:15 AM UTC
Has anyone any tips on assembling the tracks ona Dragon Firefly?
jjumbo
Joined: August 27, 2006
KitMaker: 2,012 posts
Armorama: 1,949 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 04:45 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Has anyone any tips on assembling the tracks ona Dragon Firefly?
Hey MK.
I've built a jig out of balsa and/or basswood for assembling Sherman VVSS tracks.
Glue a strip of balsa or basswood that is almost as wide as the track links and thicker than the height of the end connectors onto a basswood or other suitable base.
Use a reversed strip of masking tape on the jig to securely hold down the links and then lay the links tread side up and start attaching the end connectors.
That will help keep the end connectors straight up and avoid the "crabbed" look you can get with these kinds of tracks.
It also helps avoid the "oops" factor of getting the link's chevrons facing in different directions.
This kind of jig will work with individual links for M3/M5 Stuart and any M3/M4 Lee/Sherman tracks that have end connectors
I hope I explained that well enough and that it's of some help.
Cheers
jjumbo
stickyfingers
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 11 posts
Armorama: 9 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 04:50 AM UTC
Any help is appreciated.
After trimming the nubs and sanding a few, I got 3 links glued and was thinking I may not live long enough to get this done.
After trimming the nubs and sanding a few, I got 3 links glued and was thinking I may not live long enough to get this done.
lespauljames
Joined: January 06, 2007
KitMaker: 3,661 posts
Armorama: 2,764 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 09:44 AM UTC
get a good rythem going and whist the glue isnt totally dry wrap the tracks round and see if they fit well. add or remove pieces to fit. its tedious at first but the tank wont be a tank without tracks.
just dont think about how long it will take focus on what your doing , and the time will fly by
just dont think about how long it will take focus on what your doing , and the time will fly by
stickyfingers
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 11 posts
Armorama: 9 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 10:05 AM UTC
I didn't start the tank yet. The tracks looked formidable after dropping 20 or 30 pieces an hour. I wonder if I have enough parts to finish the tracks.
jjumbo
Joined: August 27, 2006
KitMaker: 2,012 posts
Armorama: 1,949 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 11:31 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I didn't start the tank yet. The tracks looked formidable after dropping 20 or 30 pieces an hour. I wonder if I have enough parts to finish the tracks.
Hey MK,
If your Firefly's indy tracks are giving you fits and the carpet monster has eaten the bits you've dropped
, have a look at Squadron.They carry AFV Club's glue-able one piece tracks for the M4A4 long hulled Shermans:
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AC35104
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AC35028
The T62 type are similar if not the same as your Firefly kit's tracks and the T49 type have been seen on British Shermans.
Hope that's of additional help !!
Cheers
jjumbo
stickyfingers
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 11 posts
Armorama: 9 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 11:40 AM UTC
thanx
I'm going to try the indy tracks for now.
I still have enough sanity to try.
But it's good to have a back up plan.
I'm going to try the indy tracks for now.
I still have enough sanity to try.
But it's good to have a back up plan.
tkdfighter
Joined: July 22, 2007
KitMaker: 52 posts
Armorama: 39 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 05:20 PM UTC
good luck to you with those tracks 
I did that model back in January . I tried the indy tracks but it was a failure .I got them all together only to have them fall apart when I removed them from the rollers.I went with AFV club tracks .
I did that model back in January . I tried the indy tracks but it was a failure .I got them all together only to have them fall apart when I removed them from the rollers.I went with AFV club tracks .stickyfingers
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 11 posts
Armorama: 9 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 06:06 PM UTC
Thanks for the encouragement.
I'm still trimming sprue nubs.
The area around my chair feels like I'm on a sandy beach.
I thought these parts were small, untill I had to glue the cap on a jerrycan today.
Looks like a monkey with a caulking gun did it.
By the way.
I'm still reading other posts, and you guys have some great hints.
I'm still trimming sprue nubs.
The area around my chair feels like I'm on a sandy beach.
I thought these parts were small, untill I had to glue the cap on a jerrycan today.
Looks like a monkey with a caulking gun did it.
By the way.
I'm still reading other posts, and you guys have some great hints.
malcolm
Joined: September 24, 2007
KitMaker: 312 posts
Armorama: 278 posts
Posted: Friday, March 28, 2008 - 07:24 PM UTC
two ways of doing this......
1.lots of patience, coffee, and swearing , cursing , shouting etc
2. buy a set of the afv club extended rubber band tracks, you will still need to add a few plastic links, but nothing major, lot less bother, but looks just as good with some carefull painting.
malc.
JimMrr
Joined: January 03, 2007
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
Armorama: 382 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 29, 2008 - 01:48 AM UTC
I used the Accurate Armour resin tracklengths for my Stuart,mostly because I couldnt find steel chevron pattern for the Stuart anywhere else .....and I must say Im very satisfied with how it went together and with how it looks ...I like the product myself!
jjumbo
Joined: August 27, 2006
KitMaker: 2,012 posts
Armorama: 1,949 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 29, 2008 - 05:39 AM UTC
Quoted Text
two ways of doing this......
1.lots of patience, coffee, and swearing , cursing , shouting etc
2. buy a set of the afv club extended rubber band tracks, you will still need to add a few plastic links, but nothing major, lot less bother, but looks just as good with some carefull painting.
malc.
Hey Mac,
You had to add links ??
I've used the 79 link AFV Club glue-able tracks on some of my short hulled Shermans but haven't used either of the 83 link sets on any of my Dragon long hulled Sherman V M4A4's.
Did you use them on DML's "ancient" #6121 and #6031 Fireflys, #6035 and #6041 Sherman V M4A4's, the ones with the incorrect lower hulls ?
Or did you use them on the newer #6182 Firefly which has the corrected hull length?
I hadn't heard of any additional "hull length" issues with the newer kit.
A heads up would be appreciated.
Cheers
jjumbo
stickyfingers
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 11 posts
Armorama: 9 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008 - 05:58 PM UTC
Greg
Joined: April 12, 2002
KitMaker: 455 posts
Armorama: 298 posts
Posted: Friday, April 18, 2008 - 04:19 AM UTC
The advice on making jigs is sound. I've got three sests now, for DML, AFV Club, and RHPS tracks. Yes, the track parts are all a bit different dimensionally. If you want a visual example, look through Steve Zaloga's books on building US TD,s and the 75mm and 76mm Shermans. There are descriptions and pictures of his jigs. Try to persevere...my first sest of tracks took forever buit with experience they go much faster. I don't use rubber band tracks at all anymore on my Shermans.
Greg
Greg
Rubicon
Joined: February 18, 2009
KitMaker: 125 posts
Armorama: 111 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 10:07 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextI didn't start the tank yet. The tracks looked formidable after dropping 20 or 30 pieces an hour. I wonder if I have enough parts to finish the tracks.
Hey MK,
If your Firefly's indy tracks are giving you fits and the carpet monster has eaten the bits you've dropped
They carry AFV Club's glue-able one piece tracks for the M4A4 long hulled Shermans:
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AC35104
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AC35028
The T62 type are similar if not the same as your Firefly kit's tracks and the T49 type have been seen on British Shermans.
Hope that's of additional help !!
Cheers
jjumbo
Guys
Two questions being a newb, on the AFV Workable tracks, dont you still have to glue the end links on? Making them kinda like the Dragon individual ones? Or is this where you only glue every other link?
I also keep reading about Sherman DV? Whats DV?
SSGToms
Joined: April 02, 2005
KitMaker: 3,608 posts
Armorama: 3,092 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 11:35 AM UTC
Jon,
AFV Club makes individual link track sets and they also make one piece track sets for the M4A4 (Firefly Vc).
"DV" means "Direct Vision" hull, early models that have vision flaps in the glacis (In front of the driver and bow gunner).
AFV Club makes individual link track sets and they also make one piece track sets for the M4A4 (Firefly Vc).
"DV" means "Direct Vision" hull, early models that have vision flaps in the glacis (In front of the driver and bow gunner).
jjumbo
Joined: August 27, 2006
KitMaker: 2,012 posts
Armorama: 1,949 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 12:36 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I also keep reading about Sherman DV? Whats DV?
Hey Jon,
Here's a page with some pics of several early Sherman types with the driver and co-driver direct vision ports.
http://www.strijdbewijs.nl/tanks/sherman/m4eng1.htm
Cheers
jjumbo
Rubicon
Joined: February 18, 2009
KitMaker: 125 posts
Armorama: 111 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 04:20 PM UTC
Ah ok, I know what you mean, and it makes sense, I guess I just don't have my Sherman lingo down.I wasn't really an American Armor fan when I was doing this as a teen. Now I find American Armor and the Sherman very interesting.
I have also come to think German WW2 tanks are a bit overrated. Come on, how did interleaved road wheels end up on a vehicle exposed to mines?
I have also come to think German WW2 tanks are a bit overrated. Come on, how did interleaved road wheels end up on a vehicle exposed to mines?
j76lr
Joined: September 22, 2006
KitMaker: 1,081 posts
Armorama: 1,066 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 01:19 AM UTC
You cant beat how good they look,but there has to be a better way!!! Its to dam tediouse. I just tried the Bronco ,land wasser sleper...The individual tracks break,what a pain.almost $100 for a kit and i cant do the tracks !!! There has to be a better way !! A hobby shoud be relaxing not tiring.If i could find vinyl tracks for it id use them.
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