Frank - Thank you sir!!!

BJ - Thanks Brotha'!!

Henk - Again, thank you for the links!! Still may go with the un-slatted (not that this is a word) version this go around! Things have been know to change though! I have not seen any US veersions with the slat, and I have been looking too. Not sure if they are using the D9 the same way in a front line deployment but I could be wrong.

I have slacked off the past day and a half here trying to play catch up on a couplle of "other" builds I have going. Pulling out the D9 right now to start cleaning parts and parts and parts..LOL!! All the little type fixtures...handles, doo-dads and whatnot and of course the blade!! Hope to have something in the way of an update in the next day or so!!

Hi
some have been complaining that the tracks are to loose and have to much slack with 43 elements as recommended in the instructions and that they are too tight if you leave one out. Did you do anything special?

Michael

PS: nice progress so far. That beast is as well on my wishlist.

Hello Michael,

Thank you for the kind words! You will have a blast I know!

As for the tracks, early on in the build I mentioned stopping at 42 links to play it safe...I was correct. With 43 the links lay on top of the running gear...sloppy. 42, they are snug but look pretty much what you see in the field with the exception of a few with loose tension on the idlers giving a slight sag to the track. Best to make up the length when you get yours and go 42...you can always add one easy enough...taking one off would not be so fun!

OK, nearing the end here. There was many little parts strewn throughout steps 27 to 34; grab handles,step, lights. I was slowed up a bit by another quick project and general life items...blah blah blah!! Here is where the big Cat stands for me...



The lifting hydraulics fall next inline here. There are two different configurations for thiskit...one the IDF and the others for the USMC! Step 30 lays out the IDF.





Not to bad of a constuction with these. A couple of few gates to be removed but the remnants are removed rather easily. The tops on the IDF version have two pice cover plates that need to be assembled. There are two different cover plates which actually can be used on the IDF version. This less armored protected and a bit higher but after consulting the "bible" the Desert Eagle Book, both are shown being used. The backs of the larger shield will need a little sanding and maybe a touch of filler for the joint but look pretty close. The rear plate could use 4 corner bolt heads, which I will be adding, but not necessarily needed if you don't feel like going that route.







There was a nice little intake screen added to the set which nicely enhances the intake. You will notice a bit of filler on top. The main intake part is two pieces joined and the was a bit of a sink on both sides. I am not sure if this is common with all runs of the kit, but easily filled and sanded.





So everything seems to come together quickly once the cab section is all done and you get past the armor and grab handles.



Next stop....



The Blade!

Hitting the bench for a bit tonight so this should move forward a bit. As always, thanks for hanging out for a bit.

There is simply no way I can pass up building one of these, no way.

Looking good Todd. Can't wit to see this one all weathered up. Cheers.

Russel - Have at it brotha'!! This one is a monster!

Damon - Thank you! I am with you on this one...Can't wiating to get this to the weathering table!!

nice clean build so far todd can't wait to se this beast completely done

henk

Thanks Henk!! Soon my friend!! If all goes well I might be priming over the weekend!!!

Fantastic build so far Todd! Congratulations!

Which color will you use?

Cheers!

Marco

Hey Marco, Thanks a bunch! Color ey? Well some form of the IDF Grey. I actually am working this out on a test card at home right now. ......

Will you add the voyager bar armor?!I think they'll hit the market in October/November?!
Are you going to add the anti-slip coat over the "turret"?!
Do you have an idea about the color of the blade?!alclad paint?!
I love your work!!!

Cheers
Ciro

Ciro,

First...Thank you!! Appreciate the kindness!

As for the Bar Armor...thinking no on this go around. I love the look but the look without is fairly impressive, not to mention wanting to move forward on this!

..anti-skid....Yup!!

On the business side of the blade I assume...not going alclad I think. I still have a few tricks that might work. Once the build is complete I will start the painting process. The painting and weathering will be going towards a feature article here on the Big A. I will show some pics of the process but the "meat" will be in the article. I will have layers of paint to come to the finish and try and explain best at what I did along the way...if that help any?

Great! Let us know about the color. IDF paint is always cause for extensive discussions.

Cheers!

Marco

An article will be good!I've saved your wip pics,an sbs about the blade,weathering and painting will be great.At leaste to have a base idea and to develop our own.
Can't wait to see the next step!
keep it up!!

Ciro

Hi Todd,

in the european magazine Art of Modelling No. 4 Michael Rinaldi presented his jaw dropping weathering method for the D9 (his was the Vajra-Resin-Kit).
It goes like this:
1) Primer (Mr. Surface 1000)
2) XF-63 all over
3) Hairspray
4) XF-79 emphasized at the bottom, blade and suspension
5) Rust (Rust and Dust-Set from Lifecolor)
6) Hairspray
7) Caterpillar-Yellow (XF-3 with a dash of X26)
8) Chipping with water
9) semigloss varnish
10 two layers of hairspray
11) Israeli Sandyellow (a mixture of XF-20,55 and 57)
and than the usual procedure with filters, washings, pigments

if I understood it right, step 11 is altered for the blade and Israeli Sandyellow is replaced by Gunze Mr. Steel, which was polished after chipping.

here, you get an idea: http://michaelrinaldi.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/detailfs?userid={F9F3E062-FE3B-4434-9898-193F749A47C4}&ndx=4&slideshow=0&AlbumId={4342ACD4-292A-4CBD-ABCF-FD97F6B71A0B}&GroupId=&screenheight=768

Yes, quite a procedure, but the results are extremely convincing in my eyes.

Looking forward to see yours with colour!

Happy Modelling
Michael

PS: got infected with the D9-Virus too. But only a little bout: the so called Balaton strain

PPS: I think the tracks are a bit too tight. The real thing does have some slack at the upper front part of the tracks. I´m only afraid, that adding another segment will make it too slacky.
When looking at model and the real thing I was contemplating the following approach: the front third of the suspension is connected to the rear part by a big "cylinder". If you cut it and place either a spacer of the same diameter as the cylinder in connection with 43 links or cut of a millimeter or two and stick with 42 track segments you might give the tracks some slack without altering the overall appearance of the suspension.
Just an idea.

Marco - Will do my friend! I know about the "discussions"...LOL!! I have to tell you I actually wrote 3 paragraphs in response to the "Discussion" part....LOL...best if we just see where this takes me! I will show what I use either here in the thread of the feature as there are no secrets!! If I forget to mention something whilst I paint of wheter...fire away, I will add it!

Ciro - Will do brotha'! I will show some progress and save any pretty shots for the feature! I have a goo idea what the base will look like.....but that has been known to change on the fly before! LOL!! I think if anyone has seen any of my features or blogs they know I tend to "talk to much"...

Michael - Now who doesn't like Mike Rhinaldi's work? LOL!! I know he is one of my favorites! I think his work on the D9 is exceptional for the record. I do tend to shy away from focusing on other works while I paint and weather only to keep my mind fresh in what I am doing. Through the use of several layers in painting, HS, sponging as well as layers of filter, pigments, washes, chipping, mapping, more pigs, graphite and and "other" burnishing mediums the blade is sure to be one of my favorite stops on this journey!! Pheeeew! I can't wait!!

I also hear you one the tracks...a bit. I have seen a few with the tracks tight somewhat. I have a fix for this...well two...one safer than the other. Hot water...the safest. Boil some water and submerge the tracks, pull them out and stretch slightly...repeat as needed to get the desired effect....more dangerous is the hairdryer....not as bad as the open flame effect but needs a easy approach just the same. Slightly stretching the track will give the appearance of the small sag without removing the link...unless you made provisions with the end link to remove the tracks when you want.

WOW...LOL...might need a rest now!! Naaaaaahhhh....off to work on the blade I think!! Thanks for stopping in fellas!! I promise to get this one buttoned up in the next couple days....the paint is starting to talk to me!!!

Well....I think the construction is done! Things will be moving to the booth soon. I will be showing some of the painting process but the bulk will be saved for the feature for Armorama...but then again, I will have the dio to construct too...so plenty of pics to go around!! Forward...

The blade!!



This was straight forward, clean up some parts and they fall together. There are two shield type cover plates on the rear of the blade. The instructions show them being installed in two slots...they didn't want to fit with the tab...I found it just easier to remove the tabs and glue the suckers on!



With a sharp eye, you will see two EPM's on the top two inside plates of the blade...fill....sand...gone. After this blade came together, it was just a matter of sticking the pieces together.



I think it is a rather impressive looking model all around. In the next pic you will see a couple of things that look out of place...one being the white handle on the cab mount. This part was broken in half in the kit. Tinny bugger, I could not find the other half. I made one in a few minutes with some rod stock, sanded the bottom flat and a couple bolts and I was back on track. The other is the fuel cans. These are not the ones from the set. Now I have not heard any issues with the cans fitting in this part anywhere online...but they were a touch small. Since I have the Black Dog IDF Accessories Set, I have two fuels cans that fit superbly in the PE rack.



Moving to the top, I wanted to add some of the Basalt anti-skid effects. This looks not too bad up close but is a bit heavy at the moment but I am waiting until completely dry and I will scrub this back a little. I used Cinnamon. The granules are spot on for the scale I think. After looking over some of the pretty pictures in the Dessert Eagle Book, D9 Variants, there are several pics of the topside. They are from two different D9's. It is clear the application is installers' choice as to where the coverage goes....



So that covers 99.8% of the build. I have the blade's horizontal stabilizer to install which get a cap that glues on...if it goes on now, I will not be able to remove the blade for painting.





I had to give some of the BD IDF Set a little dry fit.....



I have a ton to choose from with the set, so there is a few other pieces and I will mix and mingle them to get something that looks decent.



A little raised blade action for the last shot....



So there you have it, construction done! I do have one handle to add to the cabin door that I missed. Other than that...time to prep this big girls for some Primer!!! Wish me luck!!

As always, thanks for hanging out!!

Hi Todd!

Thanks man. I'm still following your great work.

In my last IDF project I used a mix of 55% VA sand primer and 45% VA OD primer. I think the collor is very good.

Cheers!

Marco

And may I ask where you've put the small screw parts from left of the sprue A, like it says on top of step 5?

I have simply no clue what to do and where it's supposed to go!

Marc
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu,QC

Thanks for following Marco!! Almost there brotha'!! Thanks for your mix on the paint!! Adding this to the list! Just heading down to start laying some primer now!!!

Great build there, T....and pretty fast, to, considering the size of the subject.

brilliant work!

why does it have 2 seats?

Thanks Bob!! The ease of the build was definitely the engineering of the kit!! The speed, if any was the fun factor!!

Thanks Matt!! The second seat is the gunners chair! Truly riding shotgun!!