Arghhhhhh!

to be continued........

Maybe some help and useful tips?

Military Modeling::Vickers Mk VIB Light Tank

Track-Link::Build Log::Vulcan British Light Tank Mk. VIb

Thanks Mike, I'd already had them bookmarked, just pleased to have got one set of road wheels done! I had to put up a picture, only three more sets to do, and to attempt the the missing adjuster spring on the rear sets.
Challenging to say the least.
Paul

I can appreciate the sense of accomplishment!

It looks like a great little kit, but it certainly appears to have some "fiddly" areas to deal with.

I have one I'll be starting (hopefully!) in time to finish for a local club light tank build in November.

Thanks for posting up your WIP pics. I'll be following along to see what I can learn from your build.

Happy modeling!

Its not a bad little kit, but can be trying at times. I just completed the bogies and in the process of adding the track.

Here is my build blog over at Track-link, hope this will help you. At least you didnt screw up like I did and miss the fact that there are different size rods and springs.

http://www.track-link.com/forums/site_blogs/20000

Good Luck with your build!
Robert

Well that's the tricky part over. Thanks for the links gents, anyone having a go at this model is well advised to have a look at these before starting this section of the build (here be dragons)! As you can see I have marked the pivot points that the instructions have you assemble to be free to move.
I trying to be too clever by half had assembled up the units minus the rods and springs and using white glue positioned them in the tank hull so as to get all eight wheels to lie flat and then put a drop of CA on the pivot points to lock them up, but...... this then makes getting the rods and springs in place a fiendishly difficult operation, more than once I had the tiny wee springs compressed and just about in place only to have them shoot off across the bench. It's a good idea to work over some kind of bowl or tray as you WILL drop these tiny wee parts, some soothing music and a beer or two will also help.
Cheers Paul

A word of warning. If you are thinking of using modelkasten bren carrier tracks, the wheel tires on this kit will need to be narrowed down. They look ok until you get a coat of primer and topcoat on them but .....noooooo (don't ask me how I know this)

Did I say I was done with the tricky bits, not so. The link and length tracks were a bit of a fiddle and I'm not really happy with them, there was a lot of flash and the moulding was a bit dodgy on some of the individual links, however, they're on but still need a bit of cleaning up. I have been looking at the Modelkasten sets suggested by Steve and were I to build another of these I would probably go that way though they do seem a bit difficult to find. So, due to the tracks the wee tank will have, like the best movie stars, a public and a private side.
Paul

Got to say there is some really nice stuff showing up on this forum lately, hope I'm not lowering the tone! Little bit of progress with the hull details, this is a really delicately detailed little kit and I'm having great fun with all the etch. I replaced the straps on the silencer (muffler) and the stalk for the "overtaking" mirror as the plastic one looked too thick. Painting this is going to be challenging.

Can't say anything about lowering the tone when it's such a neat subject!

Progress looks great!

IMA has resin tracks, email him for availability. I recently purchased a set and will use it on my next build. The kit tracks look OK because it is such a small model but they do go the opposite direction from a good number of photos I checked. IMA track comes with a drive sprocket, resin springs and a template to form the track around. http://www.imaco.com.hk/cgi-bin/prod.pl/id/IMA07235

I do believe you're right about the track direction, Bob. Good catch.

Here is a walk around for you.
Vickers Light Tank Mk VIb

@Darren, thanks for doing these, been studying these since the start.
@x2 Bobs, thanks for looking, I don't know if there is a "right" way for the track direction, most pics I've seen of museum vehicles have the tracks as the instructions, however the wartime photos have them running the opposite way. I have put mine on as the wartime pictures.
The first photo is of a tank on Malta, the second training in Canada.


Cheers Paul

After seeing your pics I'll have to agree with you Paul. Seems there are at least 3 models out there with theirs on backwards!

Every pic I have (including some from Bovington) show the tracks fitted the way you have them.

Had to put this on hold for a couple of days, son managed to break his driveshaft on his pride and joy and had to eat humble pie and ask "the old man" for a hand, (can't tell these kids anything!).
Anyway, nearly ready for some paint. This is the "C" version of this tank with the Besa guns, I've added the missing shock absorber spring for the antenna and two support struts for the mounting plate, also some wiring for the smoke dischargers, searchlight and cable from antenna into the turret roof. Unfortunately the commanders hatch is wrong for this type and I have bodged up the hatch to try to correct this. The "C" has flat topped hatch covers with a periscope set into the front one, it's not perfect as the profile is still not right and my scratched scope is a little too high but it does look a little closer to the real thing. Good photos of the "C" seem difficult to find.

Excellent progress! I like the look of this tank ....don't know if I'd build one .... but I like the looks!

Ok, time for a bit of balance here. Instead pictures of beautifully constructed and painted tanks here's one of a solid gold disaster in progress.
Sets the scene; lovely sunny morning so into the kitchen (good natural light) not working till later so time to get some primer down. Out with the spray can of "Halfords" acrylic primer and off we go.... Far too heavy with the paint and it was drying with a horrible sandy textured surface so out with the window cleaner, wouldn't shift, Tamiya acrylic thinner, wouldn't shift, brake fluid, wouldn't shift. Time for google and round to supermarket for "Fairy power spray" (kitchen degreaser) and it is beginning to lift but it's going to be a long tedious scrub. Still, it will be very clean! which makes me think that when it's all off I'm going to skip primer and go straight to colour.

To be continued.....

Yeah . . . but think of that 'new-car-smell' you'll be able to enjoy

I've been there, having to strip paint off a delicate model, no fun for sure. I've used oven cleaner to remove enamel, mixed results, but still better than bad paint.

Thanks for the comments men, spent the day at it, the "Fairy Power Spray" has lifted most of the primer but has left some hard black spots that I'm now removing with Methylated spirit, (don't know what it's called across the pond, methanol based anyway) also I've also got a collection of wee bits to re-attach but I think I'm passed the worst and it can be saved.
Cheers Paul

wow..i wouldn't want to be in that thing meeting up with a Tiger!! lol
Here's a link for anyone wanting to order models from my buddy Dave.
http://thinkhobbies.com/83-vulcan-scale-models

Yeah true, I was going to do a picture at the end with MkVIC nose to nose with an old Tam Tiger I've got sitting on the shelf. Bring it on big boy!