Great work on the new deck, it is coming right along.

Robert

Thanks Robert.

More progress...



Lifting handles next on the agenda.

Gary

And done....



Gary

Main engine cover is just about completed....



Will work on the radiator cover next.

Gary

Gary, that engine deck is a stunning piece of workmanship. Just looking at the steps you used to get to this point has taught me a few things about technique. Thank you.

Regards,

Eric

Those lifting handles are great work. What Gage wire and what did you use for the metal latches holding them?

Thank you for the kind worsd Eric

Radiator cover also differs a fair bit from the Soviet built T55. I start by adapting the mesh screens to suit. I piece of spare PE from the spares box is soldered in place and the mesh is cut out inside the square....



And dry fitted. Note that I've also redone some of the slats using strip styrene as the kits ones sat too low in the aperture....



Gary

Thanks Bill. I used 5 and 10 amp fusewire. They are fixed in place with lead sheet cut to size.

Gary

Gary,

Great work and I agree with Eric about the technique. I plan to follow this build for tips on my kit. What is the size of the smaller 'Polish' panel, smaller intake you made and the side piece you last added? I don't have a Tirin 4 to copy.

Fantastic work on the Enigma Gary, that engine deck is a little master-piece in itself!

Gary,

The engine cover and grill is coming out great. maybe some day I will feel brave enough to try something like that.

Robert

Love the T55 Gary. I'll be following along as well.
Dan

Thank you one and all

More progress on the radiator cover. The lubrication filler cap design needs to be changed so a new one was scratchbuilt while styrene bolt heads were added where necessary along with a couppel of Aber PE parts. The hinge assembly was modified by removing the styrene rod, drilling out the hinges, and inserting brass tube...



And the assembly dry fitted...



Gary

Cooling fan outlets are next. Polish built vehicles had armoured covers to go over the top - supplied in part by Tamiya. The Voyager and Aber sets on contain parts for Soviet vehicles, so some more scratchbuilding is required. The Bovington vehicle only has one remaining cover so am depicting the same. The other side gets a modified mesh screen...



The armoured cover on the other side is just dry fitted at this stage as it requires further detailing.

Gary

Time to commit to cement so decks are fixed in place. Locking tab is added for the intake cover and remnants of hinges are added to the rest of the radiator openings using styrene strip and rod...



Gary

Moving to the front end next, work has started on the driver's persiscope washer system...



The Aber set really comes into its own here. I use .010 lead wire for the pipework as it is really easy to bend to shape. The pipework retaining clip[s are fashioned from strips of lead sheet.

Gary

Reservoir tank is from Aber with rest of pipework being a mixture of fuse and lead wire...



At the rear.... As well as being in the wrong place (Thanks again Mike), I think they are rather simplified so some modifications/scratchbuilding is required. Here are the mounting lugs cut from the kit parts fitted to the hull along with missing welds...



I've also added the unditching log brackets using Aber parts.

Gary

The drum support brackets under construction...



Gary

And all four done....



Gary

Drum holders all complete. I've set the extention parts in the 'folded' position as I'm not mounting the drums on this model. Also added a few extra details to the rear using PE, brass tube etc...







Gary

While the Voyager set contains parts to make the add on armour, it doesn't really work for this application so I'm going to stick with the kit parts....



However, the welds are far to subtle compared to the real thing and they are fitted into place using suds with nuts - not a simple bolt head as Tamiya depict. So the armour blocks have their edges 'roughed up' to better depict the welds and Meng provide styrene studs/nuts...



Gary

Gray

That new engine deck & reworking of the whole rear end is amazing!!
Very glad that the only piece of knowledge I had was useful!!
The new pipe work on the drivers area looks amazing, I wish I had used the lead wire trick myself on the 55 I have sitting on the queen of shelves!!

Are you going to be showing the first turret segment raised?? If so I have some more info on how & what the armour is made of
Mike

Thanks Mike.

Not sure yet - the turret seems a long way away at the moment!!! I'll give you a shout closer to the time

Now the real fun can begin. My favourite part - soldering PE.

The first fender is bent where required and the lower struts are soldered into position...



A good scrub with a glass fibre pens gets it looking shiney.

The upper half pre cleaning...



The outer rail is a tricky little begger to bend to shape. I ended up using some Evergreen styrene strips to keep it all square internally prior to soldering.

Unfortunatley, I blindly followed Voyager's instructions and after the lower section was complete, realised that they have the part numbers mixetd up The top is the bottom and vice versa. Beware if using this set...

Gary

Gary,
Very useful info re the voyager set as I have it for mine, so will write myself a note!!
Re your questions over on the 55 thread, the 4 little "pipes" down the bottom are for spare track, but I am guessing you already know that!!
I had a look at my 3 wwp books & couldn't find anything in them to match, I have also just checked the new takom kit which I got & that also doesn't have that little etched "board/ plaque" thing either.
Sorry no can help on those bits
Mike