Яusso-Soviэt Forum: Cold War Soviet Armor
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VT-55 Recovery Vehicle
bison126
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Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, September 09, 2015 - 04:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Due to the excellent casting of the resin parts, minimal filler is required and the upper hull parts fit almost perfectly....
Gary



I guess part of this is due to you cutting perfectly the donor kit upper hull.

Olivier
rfbaer
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Texas, United States
Joined: June 12, 2007
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Posted: Wednesday, September 09, 2015 - 11:22 PM UTC
My thoughts as well.
Buckeyes57
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Ohio, United States
Joined: September 14, 2010
KitMaker: 135 posts
Armorama: 130 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 10, 2015 - 12:30 AM UTC
Just bought my own Legend conversion kit and I am watching this for when I build my own.
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Friday, September 11, 2015 - 03:43 AM UTC
The hull halves are cemented together so time to start adding some details. I'm not going to be following any particular order with this build - just going to make things up as I go along.

The rear render supports are added using a mix of Tamiya and Legend part and the kit's styrene heat shield above the exhaust is ditched in favour of a more scale thickness one made from lead foil....



Commander's cupola is added along with upper deck hinge rod using Legend supplied brass. Weld seams are added using resin surface detail ones from Archer...



The searchlight is moulded solid so I hollowed it out to enable a clear lens to be fitted later and also added a wiring cable. Driver's periscope washer pipework and reservoir tank is also fitted...



Fender detail is added using scratch built parts - Legend only provide the locking mechanism when the fender is raised. Wiring conduits are added using brass tube....



Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Friday, September 11, 2015 - 10:12 AM UTC
First of 2 fenders mounted headlights with guards made from brass rod...



Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 12:03 PM UTC
Convoy lights added along with wiring using fine speaker wire- also fitted the stowage box as this 'protects' the light assembly a little. Also made a start on the main headlight guard which is just placed on the glacis plate for the photo...



Gary
Hederstierna
#247
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Nordjylland, Denmark
Joined: January 03, 2008
KitMaker: 1,102 posts
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Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 12:30 PM UTC
Gary
You're doing an outstanding job with this. So get moving, I want to see this baby come alive

Jacob
PaulBrickles
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: April 14, 2015
KitMaker: 188 posts
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Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 01:27 PM UTC
Some stunning detail there keep it up
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 01:47 PM UTC
Cheers chaps

Main headlight and guard in place....



Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 11:41 AM UTC
The wading board needs some attention as the Tamiya offering is unrealistic looking and Legend's PE option is incorrect. They have you depict a bolt which passes right through the supports and the board itself whereas in reality, there is a nut welded onto the front part of the support into which a bolt is screwed in and this, when tightened, holds the board in place.
So, I made the supports from strip styrene and used Voyager brass bolts for the 'securing' set up....



I trimmed the shaft to the required length and the piggy backed one onto the other, soldering them together. They are then inserted into a pre drilled hole in the front part of the bracket....



The board itself is again made from styrene and slotted into place....



Gary
Kilo_Uniform
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Gauteng, South Africa
Joined: July 03, 2015
KitMaker: 280 posts
Armorama: 135 posts
Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 02:00 PM UTC
Hi Gary

Amazing attention to detail!!

Keep up the good work.

Regards,
Kobus
rfbaer
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Texas, United States
Joined: June 12, 2007
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Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 08:24 PM UTC
I still think he's building in 1/6th scale......
The3rdPlacer
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Florida, United States
Joined: July 29, 2008
KitMaker: 430 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 09:26 PM UTC
Nice clean work Gary, looking good.

Ryan
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - 02:24 PM UTC
Thank you gentlemen.

Other fender is now adorned with lights etc...



Stowage box added along with the first of many universal joints (just behind the driver's station)...



Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - 02:35 PM UTC

Quoted Text

the first of many universal joints



Meant to say universal couplings

Gary
orpant
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Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: January 16, 2010
KitMaker: 139 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - 03:17 PM UTC
Following this one in awe...
Brilliant work so far!!
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Wednesday, September 16, 2015 - 02:15 PM UTC
Thank you kind sir

Managed to get a fair bit done tonight....









Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 11:44 AM UTC
Another tool box under construction....



The resin parts are really very nice indeed. I replaced the PE protective cover over the lights with a new piece of brass as the Legend one has grooves to aid bending. However, they are very pronounced and look awful even after bending. Not seen here as they are underneath, but I have added wiring for the lights.

Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 02:10 PM UTC
With the addition of more stowage boxes, oil tank and (hydraulic or pneumatic) jacks, etc, the left hand fender is looking suitably 'busy' at this stage...





Gary
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 02:31 PM UTC
What brand and type of solder do you use? I have had no luck trying to solder small brass rod together.
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
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Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 03:54 PM UTC
Hi Matt

I use solder paste for 99% of my soldering - the key is to also use a good flux too. I did an SBS here - http://www.plasticarmour.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=636 - which, though for a fuel drum, still applies to most parts.


On the other fender, there are two cradle like assemblies which hold a pair of pulleys. Legend provide a nice little template along with brass rod. Once bent to shape, everything is firstly soldered together....



... before the ends are bent up and the cradle is mounted on the fender....



Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Friday, September 18, 2015 - 01:09 AM UTC
First of two pulley assemblies now complete and in place....



Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Friday, September 18, 2015 - 02:34 PM UTC
Second pulley assembly in place....



Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 05:24 AM UTC
The winch cable guide assembly is a tricky little bugger consisting of some 14 pieces which need to be carefully aligned prior to fixing in place. It's not helped by the vagueness of the instructions, but with time and careful dry fitting of parts before committing to glue/solder you end up with this...





Gary
jvazquez
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: September 26, 2006
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Posted: Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 05:41 AM UTC
Awesome work!! Superb attention to detail!