Any idea how many track links per side are on the Hetzer?
Thanks!
Hosted by Darren Baker
1/35 Jagdpanzer Hetzer Late, Hungary
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Friday, June 22, 2018 - 07:03 AM UTC
M4A3E8Easy8
Joined: February 04, 2006
KitMaker: 302 posts
Armorama: 300 posts
Posted: Friday, June 22, 2018 - 08:13 AM UTC
I am always confused by these type questions. I can sort of understand the hisorcial part of it. How ever from a modeling side it make less sense. Now if you ask how many links for a certian kit it makes more sense. Kits are not 100% to scale and different maafactures make this different sizes. I guess it gets you in the park when building... any way to sum things up.. I do not know. thanks for reading my confusion..
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Friday, June 22, 2018 - 06:01 PM UTC
I'm not asking for the exact number, but something "around 80 or 90" just for orientation. Usually tracks manufacturers give a number per side, just for this reason. Of course you have plus or minus several tracks to add or remove, but you need a starting point.
Sorry if sounds as stupid question, thanks for stopping by!
Anyway I found this info from here (after several unsuccessful search on Google), it will be a nice starting point:
http://www.kagero.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=180:hetzer-g-13&catid=99&Itemid=687&limitstart=0
"The Hetzer’s tracks had 96 links per side, were 350mm wide and had a surface contact of 2.72m (8.8 feet)"
Venelin
Sorry if sounds as stupid question, thanks for stopping by!
Anyway I found this info from here (after several unsuccessful search on Google), it will be a nice starting point:
http://www.kagero.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=180:hetzer-g-13&catid=99&Itemid=687&limitstart=0
"The Hetzer’s tracks had 96 links per side, were 350mm wide and had a surface contact of 2.72m (8.8 feet)"
Venelin
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Saturday, June 23, 2018 - 10:19 PM UTC
I did the one length of the tracks, 96 links in total. There were several defective track links and I'm afraid if there will be enough for the spares on the hull.
The openings are 0.45mm, but I widened them with 0.5mm drill bit, because the resin pins are slightly larger.
The problem with the drive sprocket still has to be solved.
Regards!
The openings are 0.45mm, but I widened them with 0.5mm drill bit, because the resin pins are slightly larger.
The problem with the drive sprocket still has to be solved.
Regards!
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 26, 2018 - 09:39 PM UTC
Finishing with track assembly, my worries about the defective track links were in vain. There are 240+ tracks, not 210 as said in the box, so enough left for experiments with the blackening fluid also.
The drive sprocket will need a little more sanding on the inside, to fit the tracks better.
I'm very pleased with the result, first time using metal tracks and the look is very realistic, feels heavy
Cheers!
The drive sprocket will need a little more sanding on the inside, to fit the tracks better.
I'm very pleased with the result, first time using metal tracks and the look is very realistic, feels heavy
Cheers!
Ramanathan
#477
Joined: March 21, 2007
KitMaker: 133 posts
Armorama: 131 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - 01:21 AM UTC
Wow, what a nice, clean build and a nice finish! I look forward to the weathering stage! Congratulations!
cheers,
Zsolt
cheers,
Zsolt
varanusk
Managing Editor
Joined: July 04, 2013
KitMaker: 1,288 posts
Armorama: 942 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - 01:36 AM UTC
In my opinion there is too much sag, the Jagdpanzer 38(t), and in general German tanks, had pretty tight tracks.
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - 01:47 AM UTC
Quoted Text
In my opinion there is too much sag, the Jagdpanzer 38(t), and in general German tanks, had pretty tight tracks.
Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't glue the wheels yet, I will tighten the tracks by positioning the idlers higher later or removing a track link.
Venelin
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - 05:08 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Wow, what a nice, clean build and a nice finish! I look forward to the weathering stage! Congratulations!
cheers,
Zsolt
Thanks, Zsolt!
It will start getting dirty soon
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - 06:36 PM UTC
I did several experiments with the AK blackening fluid.
Out of the bottle works very fast, in seconds, so for the second try I thinned it with water in 1:1 ratio.
Also it is very important to clean with acetone first and brush the tracks when in the fluid to reach all the recesses and avoid "white" spots.
The result is very nice, random coloration of the tracks, you can polish the contact surfaces to bare metal afterwards for realistic look.
First try-out of the bottle without cleaning the tracks, you can see the "white" spots:
Second try-tracks cleaned with acetone and thinned fluid:
Out of the bottle works very fast, in seconds, so for the second try I thinned it with water in 1:1 ratio.
Also it is very important to clean with acetone first and brush the tracks when in the fluid to reach all the recesses and avoid "white" spots.
The result is very nice, random coloration of the tracks, you can polish the contact surfaces to bare metal afterwards for realistic look.
First try-out of the bottle without cleaning the tracks, you can see the "white" spots:
Second try-tracks cleaned with acetone and thinned fluid:
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 28, 2018 - 09:30 PM UTC
I did also the rear convoy lights from stretched clear sprue and some spare parts. Painted with clear red and green.
kunjuro
Joined: October 27, 2013
KitMaker: 520 posts
Armorama: 488 posts
Posted: Monday, July 02, 2018 - 02:15 AM UTC
Awesome looking camo there. Looking forward to the rest of your build as I have about two Hetzers in the stash.
chefchris
Joined: February 06, 2006
KitMaker: 1,544 posts
Armorama: 1,464 posts
Posted: Monday, July 02, 2018 - 03:50 AM UTC
Just curious, why did you choose to paint the barrel in the dark gunmetal laquer? This is way overdone in my opinion. These vehicles didn't last very long and with this one being a late production one a replacement would have been highly unlikely. It's like all the red oxide- overdone. I do love the paint job it's look correct. Keep it up!
The Eduard hetzers are horrible. Bad tracks, wrong engine details, pothetic figures, overscaled spotting scope and on other traps. These kits were expensive when they came out too!
The Academy Hetzers are a great value. The Thunder Model Bergehetzers are wonderful and I hope Dragon will make a Smart kit of them soon.
Chris
put italicized text here
The Eduard hetzers are horrible. Bad tracks, wrong engine details, pothetic figures, overscaled spotting scope and on other traps. These kits were expensive when they came out too!
The Academy Hetzers are a great value. The Thunder Model Bergehetzers are wonderful and I hope Dragon will make a Smart kit of them soon.
Chris
put italicized text here
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Monday, July 02, 2018 - 04:17 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Just curious, why did you choose to paint the barrel in the dark gunmetal laquer? This is way overdone in my opinion. These vehicles didn't last very long and with this one being a late production one a replacement would have been highly unlikely. It's like all the red oxide- overdone. I do love the paint job it's look correct. Keep it up!
The Eduard hetzers are horrible. Bad tracks, wrong engine details, pothetic figures, overscaled spotting scope and on other traps. These kits were expensive when they came out too!
The Academy Hetzers are a great value. The Thunder Model Bergehetzers are wonderful and I hope Dragon will make a Smart kit of them soon.
Chris
put italicized text here
Thanks, Academy Hetzers are really nice and a good value!
I used several pictures for reference when cutting the masks, I tried to be correct as possible.
For the gun barrel, when looking at this picture, I hesitated between grey lacquer and green, but used artistic approach here. I'm not very sure, maybe some more info will be helpful.
(For discussion purposes)
varanusk
Managing EditorJoined: July 04, 2013
KitMaker: 1,288 posts
Armorama: 942 posts
Posted: Monday, July 02, 2018 - 09:47 PM UTC
Hi,
Glad to know you could fix the tracks sag!
Grey barrel is not artistic license at any time of the war, in fact I would say they were quite common in German vehicles...
Here you have a brand new Jagdpanzer 38(t):
Glad to know you could fix the tracks sag!
Grey barrel is not artistic license at any time of the war, in fact I would say they were quite common in German vehicles...
Here you have a brand new Jagdpanzer 38(t):
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 03, 2018 - 12:06 AM UTC
Thank you, Carlos!
Color pictures are always a good thing
Meanwhile I painted the exhaust shield using the hairspray method-ordinary hairspray, no need for fancy stuff, works very well even with Mr.Color paints.
Cheers
Color pictures are always a good thing
Meanwhile I painted the exhaust shield using the hairspray method-ordinary hairspray, no need for fancy stuff, works very well even with Mr.Color paints.
Cheers
kaysersose
Joined: May 05, 2009
KitMaker: 86 posts
Armorama: 83 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 07:50 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Finishing with track assembly, my worries about the defective track links were in vain. There are 240+ tracks, not 210 as said in the box, so enough left for experiments with the blackening fluid also.
The drive sprocket will need a little more sanding on the inside, to fit the tracks better.
I'm very pleased with the result, first time using metal tracks and the look is very realistic, feels heavy
Cheers!
Glad to hear the idlers are temoprarily installed! They looked too low.
Otherwise nice build! Was looking at this model in my LHS... I think we have a sale!
dbrad555
Joined: May 17, 2018
KitMaker: 65 posts
Armorama: 61 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 08:02 AM UTC
what a fantastic Hetzer! So much detail on such a little tank, really is very impressive.
I also need to source those bolts!!!
I also need to source those bolts!!!
maartenboersma
Joined: October 10, 2010
KitMaker: 764 posts
Armorama: 742 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 11:26 AM UTC
Very nice camouflage paint job
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 05:01 PM UTC
Thanks!
Alex, I will glue all the wheels afterwards, now they are put just for test fit.
Darren, I bought Masterclub bolts and metal tracks from Hobbyeasy, they stock regularly and have good prices.
The bad thing is that I didn't manage to alter the drive sprockets to fit the tracks, they just don't fit tightly. I've searched for aftermarket sprockets and find that only Friul are making such. So I will wait till they are in stock and will see how they will fit the tracks.
Meanwhile I will proceed with a Fallschirmjäger from Alpine, you can take a look in the figure section of the forum
Alex, I will glue all the wheels afterwards, now they are put just for test fit.
Darren, I bought Masterclub bolts and metal tracks from Hobbyeasy, they stock regularly and have good prices.
The bad thing is that I didn't manage to alter the drive sprockets to fit the tracks, they just don't fit tightly. I've searched for aftermarket sprockets and find that only Friul are making such. So I will wait till they are in stock and will see how they will fit the tracks.
Meanwhile I will proceed with a Fallschirmjäger from Alpine, you can take a look in the figure section of the forum
Venko555
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Monday, April 08, 2019 - 12:27 AM UTC
Hi,
Finally I managed to find replacement drive sprockets from Hobbyeasy, actually the only option-Friul. As they are made from white metal, were slightly bent here and there but nothing hard to fix.
On the left is the plastic sprocket, on the right the Friul one-much better fit with the Masterclub tracks and the teeth are bigger.
Finally I managed to find replacement drive sprockets from Hobbyeasy, actually the only option-Friul. As they are made from white metal, were slightly bent here and there but nothing hard to fix.
On the left is the plastic sprocket, on the right the Friul one-much better fit with the Masterclub tracks and the teeth are bigger.
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