You really are going the distance with this build!

Looks really good so far.

Glad you like it, I'm having a blast building it!

The generator area as it should look, in its complete configuration. The lid, fitted for show, and more framing will be added only after the generator is in place.

The generator had two cooling ducts that exited through a bulkhead. My "ducts", fit for show purposes, are cut from a ball-pen, I will thin down their walls substantially.

Great job .... spectacular scratching

I'm only doing measurements and cutting white styrene sheet so far, nothing spectacular in that...
With the electric motor supports glued, the basic partitioning of the hull is now complete:

@FlorinM – Florin,

You obviously have a long ways to go but piece by piece it’s coming together. You’re doing a splendid and impressive job with the interior. With all of your hard work, research, dedication and attention to detail this long lost beast will live again!

All good things take time to create so take your time in refining and getting things right but remember to have fun during the build. Keep it coming . . .

@pimpdogbert – Alex,

Thank you for taking the time to gather together a whole series of mouse pics and for making them available for viewing, it is much appreciated.


~ Eddy

Hey Eddy!
Bringing back this forgotten beast is exactly my goal. And I am slowly making progress. It's been almost a year since I started, but there is progress!
Speaking of refining and getting things right, I was not satisfied at all (quite the opposite) with the three piece bulkhead that held the exhaust air ducts for the generator(it reflects the mangled parts inside the Kubinka V1 hulk). However schematics show it in one piece and the ducts parallel. I also ignored the existence of a secondary air circuit that took warm air from the generator and evacuated it outside. The offending parts were taken down and had to start all over again, but the results are an accurate render of the prototype:

The engine compartment needed some reworking. The earlier, symmetrical configuration was based on the assumption that in November, 1944, when the V2 got the MB517 engine, both the fuel tanks were enlarged. Photographic evidence of the machine in its destroyed state shows that only the left fuel tank was enlarged.

Florin, wow man just wow! Your attention to detail is awe inspiring. And I love the detective work you are doing is very interesting and how the prototype was modified over time. This is like watching Ferdinand Porche working out the details on his beast. Keep up the great work I look foward to every post!

Cheers Alex

Actually I was wrong. The fuel tank on the right was also lengthened, check out the weld mark on the bulkhead - this is the V2, in its blown up state. The short fuel tank would have ended right after the filler cap.


So back to how it looked before...

The basic, bare bones, hull layout in April 1945 would have been like this:

For those interested, here are some links with walk-arounds of the Kubinka hulk:
http://www.fahrzeuge-der-wehrmacht.de/Artikel/Maus.html
http://gunter-spb.livejournal.com/490809.html
http://www.acwsaloon.cz/hotove/k/kubinka/kubinka.htm

Wow great update Florin! And thanks for the great links they will be helpful in the future.

I have one favor, can you please post more views of your completed bulkheads?

Of course. Tell me if you need pictures of specific areas.

The second hull configuration, up to November, 1944 with only the left fuel tank enlarged, was modified as such when they changed the fuel for the Daimler Benz MB 509 from petrol to Diesel. The initial configuration (same MB 509 engine but petrol powered) was symmetrical, with smaller fuel tanks.


The final configuration (Daimler Benz MB 517 engine), with both fuel tanks enlarged and cooling space decreased.


Bulkhead, front port side. The plate that was added when they modified the MB509 to Diesel fuel can be clearly seen.


Rearmost bulkheads, between electric motors and transmission:

Finally got something to show! After quite a number of failed attempts at building the fuel tanks involving hammering aluminum sheet into shape (there is much to learn, but will get there eventually), building them out of styrene and Milliput (looking too damn straight), these rough shapes sculpted out of insulation material will become the fuel tanks of my little Maus (after sanding and detailing):

Woo! Another great update thanks Florin I was starting to get worried. Good idea on the insulation material I would have laminated plastic sheet together but your way is much easier! Keep the updates coming!

Cheers Alex!

No need to worry, I was busy, continuing work on my other projects, like the 1:24 Bf 109G-2 from Trumpeter and the 1:32 P-51B from Revell. I also started work on a 1:35 T-32 US Heavy, the hull tub looks really good! Progress on the Maus was slow, true, but other than the fuel tanks it now has the MB 517 Diesel engine put together, it just needs detailing. I will post as soon as there is something to show!

glad you're still on it, superb scratch building project.

@FlorinM – Florin,

Good to see you still working your magic on this project, but it’s good to get away from time to time to do work on other projects – modeling projects that is!

Now about this insulation material you are using for creating the fuel tanks just exactly what is this material made of and where did you acquire your example?

~ Eddy

No idea how it's called commercially or what it's made of, it is used for wall insulation, got it from a Home Depot type store. There were leftovers I stashed away for a future Regelbau 612 build. Stumbled upon the stash, made a try at the fuel tanks, and after too many failed attempts I'm quite pleased with the results.
This is how it looks like, it is a 2 cm thick board. It gets cut, carved and sanded easily, but if you apply too much force it tends to flake off.

@FlorinM – Florin,

Thank you and its much appreciated that you kindly provided the information and a photograph regarding the insulation material you are using, next visit to my local hardware store I will look for this item, always good to have useful scratch making material around when you need it. Anyhow, sorry for the long delay in posting back a response to you!

~ Eddy

I'd call the left fuel tank done (minus primer and paint), fuel lines and straps will be added when mounted on the hull, on its rubber mat:



The right one is its mirror image.

Hi mate, too late for input on that drivers seat? I finally found those pictures I was looking for. Knew I had them somewhere! Looks like a pretty simple scissor lift device. Contact me if you need them still!

Never too late, It's about time I resumed work on this project!