Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 09:39 AM UTC
I want to share my attempt at scratch building an MCTAGS turret for an M1114 HA by Bronco.
I have found many reference pictures here in Armorama and in
http://www.hmmwvinscale.com, but I wasn't able to find the exact measures of the turret.
Therefore I used an empirical approach, calculating the measures by comparing dimensions of a part in the pictures with the actual size of the same part in the Bronco model.
Then I have made a very rough paper mock-up of the turret to see how it fits with the model.
In the pictures below you can see how it looks.
Next step will be to move from paper to plasticard.
What do you think? Am I on the right track?
Comments are more than welcome.
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 09:14 PM UTC
Some pictures of my progress in the MCTAGS build.
Most of the turret is now made.
Next step is going to be the front shield.
The weapon will be a M240 by Live Resin, that I already ordered and is on the way.
Then I will add bolts and nuts, that are present in large quantities in the MCTAGS. I plan to use the Legend "rivet set".
I know, from my previous experience that this work will be a nightmare.
By the way I'm really interested in knowing which techniques you use to place and glue nuts and bolts.
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 09:24 PM UTC
I have found for placing bolts, take a thick gel super glue, apply with toothpick to location of the bolt. I then take another toothpick, wet it with saliva/water whatever and pick up the bolt using the wet toothpick and apply to the superglue. Works great for me, just don't mix up your toothpicks
Oklahoma, United States
Joined: October 07, 2002
KitMaker: 1,280 posts
Armorama: 1,208 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 09:47 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Works great for me, just don't mix up your toothpicks
Yup, I can see you running around with a toothpick stuck to your tongue, resulting is a sitiuation that Flick had occur to him in A Christmas Story...
John
John Charvat
"Hey baby, I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes them work" Oddball
Join AMPS: https://www.amps-armor.org/SiteMain/Main.aspx
Joined: July 27, 2006
KitMaker: 463 posts
Armorama: 450 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 10:06 PM UTC
looking good so far!
regarding the bolts/screws/whatever, forget about those resin bolts, get yourself a punch 'n die set and some mek glue... leves no marks, is easy to use and quick...
if a punch 'n die set is too expensive for you (I don't have one of my own but borrowed one from a friend) you can alternatively use plastruct hex rod... one package should last you the next ten years at least
as for washers however there propably is no other solution than using punch 'n die and 0.10mm plastic...
Cheers, Max
EDIT: there should be some space in between the two frontal bars of the turret, also the windows are actually not completely framed but put into u-shaped, 'pocket-like' frames from above...
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 10:32 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I have found for placing bolts, take a thick gel super glue, apply with toothpick to location of the bolt. I then take another toothpick, wet it with saliva/water whatever and pick up the bolt using the wet toothpick and apply to the superglue. Works great for me, just don't mix up your toothpicks
Steve,
I'll try what you suggest, also because there are small differences with what I do; variants are: gel superglue instead of liquid superglue and saliva/water on the toothpick instead of adeshive tape.
And obviously I'll be careful in not mixing up things.
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 10:35 PM UTC
I tried liquid, it dries to fast and makes too much of a mess. I tried all the fancy zap a gap super glues and found the absolute best out there is the 4 dollar cheap supermarket style gel.
Connecticut, United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 538 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 10:37 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Works great for me, just don't mix up your toothpicks
Yup, I can see you running around with a toothpick stuck to your tongue, resulting is a sitiuation that Flick had occur to him in A Christmas Story...
John
You're not far off...
Moselle, France
Joined: February 05, 2002
KitMaker: 1,416 posts
Armorama: 1,379 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 - 11:10 PM UTC
You've made a great job, but your turrets looks too high and narrow :
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 - 01:44 PM UTC
Quoted Text
looking good so far!
regarding the bolts/screws/whatever, forget about those resin bolts, get yourself a punch 'n die set and some mek glue... leves no marks, is easy to use and quick...
if a punch 'n die set is too expensive for you (I don't have one of my own but borrowed one from a friend) you can alternatively use plastruct hex rod... one package should last you the next ten years at least
as for washers however there propably is no other solution than using punch 'n die and 0.10mm plastic...
Cheers, Max
EDIT: there should be some space in between the two frontal bars of the turret, also the windows are actually not completely framed but put into u-shaped, 'pocket-like' frames from above...
Thank you Max for your suggestions.
About the side windows you are right, they are put into a pocket-like frame that I didn't build because it had made things too complex for me.
However, from the pictures I've seen in the October 2010 issue of the Tamiya Model Magazine, the ballistic glass, put into the pocket, is all framed.
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 - 02:29 PM UTC
quote]You've made a great job, but your turrets looks too high and narrow :
[/quote]
Thank you Pascal for your constructive feedback.
You're right about the turret being a bit too high.
Looking again at what I've done I believe the problem is related to the side windows that are higher than they should.
About the turret being too narrow, I adapted the width of my turret to the width of the turret ring of the Bronco model.
Is it possible that the Bronco turret ring has a wrong measure ?
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 14, 2012 - 09:17 PM UTC
Taking into account Pascal's comments about turret dimensions, I have redone it, and here is the result.
Steve's suggestions about placing bolts made the job faster and easier than I predicted.
Thank you Steve.
Gunner shield is almost completed and I will post pictures in a few days.
Next steps are: mounting the M240 and the Chameleon ECM device.
Moselle, France
Joined: February 05, 2002
KitMaker: 1,416 posts
Armorama: 1,379 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 14, 2012 - 11:32 PM UTC
It look far better.
Yes the Bronco turrets (GPK & OGPK) are clearly undersized.
My 2 Bronco 's Humvees are build with Legend turrets.
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Saturday, November 03, 2012 - 10:52 PM UTC
Croatia Hrvatska
Joined: November 05, 2011
KitMaker: 160 posts
Armorama: 153 posts
Posted: Saturday, November 03, 2012 - 11:07 PM UTC
Great work on the turret and humvee!!!
France
Joined: February 20, 2012
KitMaker: 1,932 posts
Armorama: 1,907 posts
Posted: Saturday, November 03, 2012 - 11:43 PM UTC
Hello galatica,
Your turret is very nice.
Perhaps Live resin will release it in his future updates for humvees, I hope.
The Chameleon is a Blast Models item, isn't it ?
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 01:14 AM UTC
Thank you for your feedback.
The Chameleon is by Voyager (PEA254).
I also replaced the uncorrect Sincgar unit provided by Bronco in the kit with Voyager Model "US ARMY HUMVEE Blue Force Tracker & SincGar Unit" (PEA259).
Napoli, Italy
Joined: September 02, 2006
KitMaker: 880 posts
Armorama: 874 posts
Posted: Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 01:45 AM UTC
Great work here!!!!
...ok,I've a weird request...can you share with us your measures that you've used for the turret?!or a drawing?!Cheers
Ciro
it's too late but psm has an USMC conversion and with your turret the thing will be great more and more!
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 04:22 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Great work here!!!!
...ok,I've a weird request...can you share with us your measures that you've used for the turret?!or a drawing?!Cheers
Ciro
it's too late but psm has an USMC conversion and with your turret the thing will be great more and more!
I don't have a detailed drawing of the 7 panels that compose the turret, however I can share the measures I have used, just give me a few days to find the time to make it.
Just to let you know, I couldn't find any measure of the real MCTAGS, so I had to deduct the measures from pictures (not an exact methodology for sure).
In addition I based the width of my turret on the size of the Bronco turret ring. However, according to Pascal Bausset (see his comment in this thread) the Bronco turret ring is undersized and he suggests to use the Legend turret ring for a more accurate size.
Napoli, Italy
Joined: September 02, 2006
KitMaker: 880 posts
Armorama: 874 posts
Posted: Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 04:48 AM UTC
OK,that's great!I know how difficult is to get some info about measures of that thing!Take the time that you need!
Cheers
Ciro
Milano, Italy
Joined: April 11, 2008
KitMaker: 146 posts
Armorama: 126 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 05:35 AM UTC
Hi Ciro,
I didn't forget about your request for the measures of my MCTAGS turret.
Here they are.
Please take notice of the following:
- measures are in centimeters
- drawing is not in scale
- my turret was built to fit a Bronco turret ring
Hope this is helpful for you.
Moselle, France
Joined: February 05, 2002
KitMaker: 1,416 posts
Armorama: 1,379 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 06:20 AM UTC
Thanks for sharing your experience
Napoli, Italy
Joined: September 02, 2006
KitMaker: 880 posts
Armorama: 874 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 06:28 AM UTC
Hi Ettore!thank you for the reply!This is a great help!I wish you a very happy new year!Cheers
Ciro
California, United States
Joined: May 14, 2008
KitMaker: 534 posts
Armorama: 344 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2012 - 07:07 PM UTC
Very nice model. The scratch build turret is looking awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Mike
Maryland, United States
Joined: September 12, 2005
KitMaker: 190 posts
Armorama: 192 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 21, 2014 - 02:56 PM UTC
Please show the "floor plan" (as seen from above)
Thank You
There's a reason why a Claymore is marked "Front Towards Enemy"
