Armor/AFV: Modern Armor
Modern armor in general.
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M1A2SEP Comparison Build Tamiya / Dragon
OldWarloke
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Posted: Friday, March 13, 2015 - 10:24 PM UTC

OldWarloke
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Posted: Friday, March 13, 2015 - 10:26 PM UTC
Here is a side by side comparison.






Man I'm glad that's finished.
Only trouble is, now I have to paint them.
Donald
M4A3E8Easy8
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Posted: Saturday, March 14, 2015 - 07:24 AM UTC
The bronco tracks look great but man I commend you on getting them done.. not sure I could pull that off.. Keep up the good work.
OldWarloke
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Posted: Sunday, March 15, 2015 - 05:40 PM UTC
I have the tracks installed.



Now for some more assembly
Donald
cabasner
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 06:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The bronco tracks look great but man I commend you on getting them done.. not sure I could pull that off.. Keep up the good work.



Agreed. I recently purchased 5 sets of the Bronco tracks, as I tried using the Dragon Magic tracks, and HATED them! I just finished putting my first set of the Bronco tracks together, and yes, sir, it is a pain to do! In essence, 6 separate pieces for each link. I found that I had to 'work' each of the center pieces every time I put a link together, to make sure I hadn't gotten glue (either any, or too much) into the grooves which allow each link to articulate. I found that it does get a bit faster after you do it for awhile, but you still have to cut each piece off the sprue, then trim and/or sand the attachments points, and THEN do the assembly. It took me about 2 weeks working a bit each day, to complete this first set. I found that you have to be careful that you don't install the center pie upside down. I did that in one case on one of the tracks, and I'm hoping i can hide it in a section of track under the skirts. Now I have to paint 'em; I hope there aren't any issues with painting and the tracks articulating...
OldWarloke
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 10:14 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

The bronco tracks look great but man I commend you on getting them done.. not sure I could pull that off.. Keep up the good work.



Agreed. I recently purchased 5 sets of the Bronco tracks, as I tried using the Dragon Magic tracks, and HATED them! I just finished putting my first set of the Bronco tracks together, and yes, sir, it is a pain to do! In essence, 6 separate pieces for each link. I found that I had to 'work' each of the center pieces every time I put a link together, to make sure I hadn't gotten glue (either any, or too much) into the grooves which allow each link to articulate. I found that it does get a bit faster after you do it for awhile, but you still have to cut each piece off the sprue, then trim and/or sand the attachments points, and THEN do the assembly. It took me about 2 weeks working a bit each day, to complete this first set. I found that you have to be careful that you don't install the center pie upside down. I did that in one case on one of the tracks, and I'm hoping i can hide it in a section of track under the skirts. Now I have to paint 'em; I hope there aren't any issues with painting and the tracks articulating...


See Above, I didn't have any trouble with painting them.
It's easier if you paint them when they are a long strip, and not joined into a loop. Then just add the final link & either paint it or hide it under the skirt. I used Testors modelmaster Gun Metal Buffing metalizer for the metal parts & Tamiya nato black for the rubber. Didn't have any problem with the track flexing.
Donald
cabasner
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Posted: Friday, March 20, 2015 - 09:52 AM UTC
Donald,
Thanks for the confirmation about painting. I've read that others have had some issues. I only plan on a few coats of spray, a base coat, then maybe a 'dust' or 'rust' coat with spray, then the rest will be either brush painting (of the rubber pads) and then the weathering, dust, dirt and rust. I've done what I think is a pretty solid job of glueing the parts together.
M4A1Sherman
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Posted: Friday, March 20, 2015 - 04:05 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

The bronco tracks look great but man I commend you on getting them done.. not sure I could pull that off.. Keep up the good work.



Agreed. I recently purchased 5 sets of the Bronco tracks, as I tried using the Dragon Magic tracks, and HATED them! I just finished putting my first set of the Bronco tracks together, and yes, sir, it is a pain to do! In essence, 6 separate pieces for each link. I found that I had to 'work' each of the center pieces every time I put a link together, to make sure I hadn't gotten glue (either any, or too much) into the grooves which allow each link to articulate. I found that it does get a bit faster after you do it for awhile, but you still have to cut each piece off the sprue, then trim and/or sand the attachments points, and THEN do the assembly. It took me about 2 weeks working a bit each day, to complete this first set. I found that you have to be careful that you don't install the center pie upside down. I did that in one case on one of the tracks, and I'm hoping i can hide it in a section of track under the skirts. Now I have to paint 'em; I hope there aren't any issues with painting and the tracks articulating...



Hi,Curt! Sounds like you had quite a time in assembling those BRONCO Tracks. Of course, they look GREAT when assembled, but we really go through the ringer in their assembly.

What, SPECIFICALLY, did you NOT LIKE about the DRAGON "DS" tracks? Personally, I've had no problems with them; I would just like to get your input on them...
OldWarloke
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Posted: Friday, March 20, 2015 - 10:08 PM UTC
I have some more work done.



This is really slow going, I still have a lot of small parts to install.
Then there is the AR Stickers for the periscopes, then all the final detail painting.
Well that's all for now.
Donald
cabasner
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Posted: Saturday, March 21, 2015 - 05:46 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi,Curt! Sounds like you had quite a time in assembling those BRONCO Tracks. Of course, they look GREAT when assembled, but we really go through the ringer in their assembly.

What, SPECIFICALLY, did you NOT LIKE about the DRAGON "DS" tracks? Personally, I've had no problems with them; I would just like to get your input on them...



HI Dennis,

My issue was with the Dragon Magic Tracks, not the DS tracks.

Regarding the Magic Tracks, I just found them to come apart too easily. I tried a combination of my standard Tenax (or other glue similar to Tenax) on the spots where the tracks come together, link by link, and then added some additional, (sparingly added, by the way) after the tracks were together, expecting that this would be sufficient to create a solid length of track. However, after painting, I found that the tracks simply would come apart at multiple spots. I have to admit that I've been pretty spoiled, though, and have used only the DS tracks (which I really like!) or Fruil articulating metal tracks on all my tracked vehicles. This was my first experience trying to use Magic Tracks.

Not to get too far off topic, but I'm glad to see that the Dragon M1A2 kits have DS tracks, which I will be happy to use for those tanks. Several of my Dragon Tiger I kits have the DS tracks as well, which I have no problem using with respect to detail, but on WWII German tanks, I really like the articulating tracks to get 'real' track sag. I know you can get very realistic looking sag with DS tracks, but I'm just more into the 'real deal'. For 'live' tracks, though, DS is just fine with me! I've used the DS like tracks on the one TASCA Sherman I've build so far, and I thought those were great!
OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 12:08 AM UTC
Here are the Jerry Cans from Tamiya , Dragon , & Live Resin.




I'm going to be using the Live Resin cans, they are a lot nicer.
Donald
The_musings_of_NBNoG
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 12:37 AM UTC
Thank you so very much !
I've got about $650 in kits and parts lined up for my M1A2 build.
and I WAS wondering if I needed to get LiveResin's can's.
Now I know
OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 05:12 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you so very much !
I've got about $650 in kits and parts lined up for my M1A2 build.
and I WAS wondering if I needed to get LiveResin's can's.
Now I know


I think that you will want the water cans for the rear bustle rack. I wouldn't use the fuel cans there.
They lost at least one Abrams in Afganistan when a fuel container was shot through and the fuel leaked into the engine and kept it from running.
The newest Squadron Abrams in action book has some Pics. of destroyed vehicles.
Donald
cabasner
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 08:01 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you so very much !
I've got about $650 in kits and parts lined up for my M1A2 build.
and I WAS wondering if I needed to get LiveResin's can's.
Now I know



WOW!!!!! $650, for ONE 1/35 M1A2 Dragon kit??? And I thought I was anal with respect to detail!
The_musings_of_NBNoG
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 09:00 AM UTC






Vodnik
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 10:11 AM UTC

Quoted Text



I'm going to be using the Live Resin cans, they are a lot nicer.


The Live Resin jerrycans are beautifully detailed, but are they more accurate than Dragon ones? I'm not so sure. Dragon cans were designed using the official DoD specification, which includes the technical drawing of the can with exact dimensions etc. For example compare the bottom details of the real can with those on your photo:
http://s291.photobucket.com/user/phototferg/media/TanWaterCan-BottomView-1-1.jpg.html

Live Resin details on the bottom are clearly a result of guess-work.
The_musings_of_NBNoG
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 10:37 AM UTC
Now I'm confused....you have three different colored cans on you FB gallery. and the bottom of the black one looks to me to be VERY close to Live Resin....

so what's up? different cans for different theaters?

(I'm lookin all over google.... you seem to be the only person, who photographed the Bottoms of the cans... LoL )
Vodnik
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 11:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Now I'm confused....you have three different colored cans on you FB gallery. and the bottom of the black one looks to me to be VERY close to Live Resin....

so what's up? different cans for different theaters?

(I'm lookin all over google.... you seem to be the only person, who photographed the Bottoms of the cans... LoL )


That is not my gallery and not my photos. But indeed the black jerrycan bottom looks close to Live Resin version. I haven't noticed it before. Black water cans were replaced by the tan ones in early 1990s I believe (at least in the US military orders - they may still be made for civilian use) - so it is possible that the specification was changed not only in color of plastic used, but also in the shape. The current specification clearly shows the rounded "feet" as in the tan cans (and Dragon ones). But indeed Live Resin ones could be more suitable for late 1960s to early 1990s black ones.
The_musings_of_NBNoG
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 02:29 PM UTC
Noted.
OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 09:29 PM UTC
Well I'm finally finished.

Donald







OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 09:33 PM UTC






OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 09:38 PM UTC






OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 09:43 PM UTC






OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 09:48 PM UTC






OldWarloke
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2015 - 09:54 PM UTC