Now that the holiday is over I decided to start the build on Dragon kit # 6316 Sd. Kfz 250/9 2 cm recon vehicle. I will concentrate in the first several steps of the instruction sheets.


The first steps I want to start are the Magic Tracks and their will be two runs of 38 tracks each.

I will show my way of building the tracks in the next instalment

The first time I tried to build these kind of tracks did not end well. The older kits had the tracks on sprues and I lost alot of track pads cutting them off. I also tried to build a jig for the tracks and it worked out ok but I felt it was lacking something. I fell upon an idea that I could use clips to help in the track build. The first picture shows two tracks, one held by a clip and the other attached through the track pins.

The main idea was to have the second track hanging down so the track pins would be out of the way. The next picture shows application of glue to the area where the track pad will be attached.

I try and apply glue with the streched sprue so none will flow into the area of the track pins.
It takes a little practice and sometimes you will need a bit more or less glue.
The third picture shows how to pick up and apply the track pad with the streched sprue.

Their is a little glue left on the sprue so it can be used to pick up a track pad and move it into it's position. After the pad is in position the sprue can be moved off the pad, leaving it in place. Another application of glue can be made at the joint of the track and track pad to help keep them in position. I do 7 clips of tracks & pads, then I join them up a few at a time until I have a run of 12 X 6. I then glue 3 runs of 12 together and add 2 more for a 38 run. I make another run of 38 for the other side. When all tracks are joined I flex them out to make sure they are flexable.

Off to a good start Joe, looking forward to seeing this one get built.

Joe you should do a how too on this one when your done.

Thanks Bill, I'll probably have a question or two for you about the 250 before this is through. I know what I see in some pictures and what I can't.
Jim, are you refering to the tracks?
Joe

While I'm working on the tracks little at a time I like to do other sections of the instructions.
The first section of the instructions deal with the one piece lower hull tub. This new slide molded part can have the front axel installed. The tub also has newly designed sprocket mounts. The road wheel suspension system can also be installed.


I got a little ahead of myself and forgot to take a few pictures of the construction, but it is all straight forward.
The end result

The assembly of the newly designed drive sproket has three parts. I assembled them as follows. Part H2 has part G3 fit inside it without glue, then part H1 is glued to part H2, held by clips. The same goes for part H5, G3 fits inside it without glue and H4 is glued to H5 held by clips.

Next time we will work on and paint road wheels.

Hi Joe ... You're off to a good start ...I'm actually working on the new 250/8 kit right now so I'll be following along with interest... I wish all Dragon tracks were workable like these !!
Keep up the good work ..

Rick

Rick, if the 250/8 is like the 250/9 then their must be several newer pieces included in the kit. I've noticed several new parts, probably overlooked some.
I like to brush paint the roadwheels, tires & sprockets early so I can detail them as I can. I usually leave the road wheels on the sprue, paint german armor yellow and then do the black parts as I can. Here is a look at all the running gear all painted.

I'll do a bit more tonight when I have some time
Joe

I started on some of the interior, trying to get an idea of what what i want to achieve. The following pictures show parts of the interior and floor.




As i worked I was able to see a few mistakes that could be corrected. Their are two holes to be filled in the floor because the seat will not be used. The machine gun barrel case needs to be moved off the back pedistal. Also you can see in two pictures that the transmission fits well into the kit. I have looked over B Plunk's build on the 250 NEU and I think that this kit has a few mistakes on the sidewalls for crew equipment. I am still sorting it out but both sides need a MP 40 and map case plus some other items. Enough for tonight, more later
Joe

Going good, Joe!
Just one remark though. The transmissioncover in the middle is metal and should be in the body colour, not leather, as you seem to have painted it now.

Ron,

That's true for the lower half of the cover but the top portion had a leather "knee pad" for the MG gunner to use as a rest when manning the gun. The kit part has a demarcation for this in the molding between the leather and metal portions. Of course, on the /9, it's kind of a moot point given the way the interior is setup and the vehicle is crewed for the 2.0cm turret.

It is???

The pictures I could find did not show that (clearly). The only clear pictures I found were of restored vehicles, which had just this metal cover and this part was used in the Ausf A.
The Ausf B had a halfround simplified cover btw.

Ron,

Check the photos in Panzer Tracts 15-1, there are several of different variants showing the interior and the leather cover for the hump.

Here is a update on the tracks I started a week or so ago. The tracks have one coat of primer and a light coat of leather paint. I will go over them with dust to lighten them up.

I will dry brush a bit of silver here & there
Joe

Earlier in the week I had a visitor, Grandson Dylan dropped in to offer his help. If you notice he has a set of plyers in each hand. I know i could tear it up by myself so we did other things till he had to go home. I guess he could be a PE apprentice if I need him.


I got to try building one of the PE frames for Ammo cans. I haven't worked with PE in some years and this is the thinnest I've seen. The first frame looked pretty good till I tried to make a small adjustment. It fell to pieces not to be repaired.

I figured I could build a frame simular to the one in the kit so i came up with this. This one looks ok to me so I will make another for the otherside.
Joe

Well after a few days I finally found my back to this build. Had to take a few days off and a short stay in the hospital and now I feel rested up enough to restart this great kit.
The first picture shows the interior with one side wall up in place.


The second photo shows the interior with both sidewalls and ammo racks in place.

The final shot shows the interior with ammo cans in place. The ammo cans were painted Tamiya Field Grey XF-65, then overpained with Polly Scale panzer dark yellos.


I need to scratch up the interior a bit and buff it a bit for wear.

Good to see you back on this one Joe, and even better to hear you're out of the hospital and feeling rested

Dylan looked like he was rarin' to go, probably a wise move to find something else for you guys to do Ammo frames came out nice, looking forward to seeing more.

James, the frames came out ok. I wish I could have done them the way the instructions called for. I need some practice PE to work with. The last I did was a few years ago and it was pretty thick. This new thin stuff can go bad pretty fast in my opinion.
Just a few days in the hospital to get my system straight. I got some quality reading time in for two days.
Joe

Time for another installment. The harder I work on this kit the further behind I get. Can't be the kit's problem, must be mine.
The gun cradle is made up of several parts, all relying on other parts for placement.
The first picture shows the cradle with the instructions as a backdrop.

The secons is another view of the cradle.

the second part of this update shows the upper hull part with the interior parts. The second photo is about the same.


The third photo shows the upper hull attached to the hull. I am leaving the ends open for another day to catch up on interior painting


We will do more soon
Joe