Hi,

I'm building an Eastern Express BT-42 and I have encountered a problem with the front fenders.

Although the box art and the painting guide show the correct shape front fenders the kit parts are totally wrong.

What is included are the curved sloping fenders of the BT-7, no surprise as I guess they just used the BT-7 sprue.

The ones on the BT-42 are shorter and angular.

So it looks like I need to do a bit of scratch building, but before I start hacking I wonder whether anyone has already done this and can share some advice.

Some questions

1 - any pictures diagrams so that I can determine the approximate shape and size

2 - can I use the existing fenders with the curved slope cut away and some flat plastic card added

3 - anyone does this and can share how they achieved it

BTW - this is not something I am going to die in a ditch over. So I'm not looking for absolute accuracy, just an approximation. The rest of the kit doesn't justify much time and effort on this. Plus this is a first kit to gain some experience with an airbrush and weathering.

Cheers,

Nigel

Here's a few photos I took of the Parola survivor, should help. Sorry no measurements but you should be able to eyeball the size/shape.





Jim

Jim has you covered there with his photos but just in case here is my album of the Parola BT42 http://armorama.kitmaker.net/features/4333

Fantastic, thanks very much, they are perfect.

Looks like I should be able to do something with the kit fenders - cut it short and remove the slope then add a piece of plastic card. Won't be perfect but should look roughly correct.

Cheers,

Nigel

Nigel;

It may also help to run down some Tamiya BT-42 builds posted on model sites or on the greater web. The Tamiya kit is pretty close to right-on in its front look, so seeing those fenders could help firm up what you want to end up with in a visual sense. Find a straight-down overhead shot and one from the side and you could also do some scaling and measurements to further drafting your sheet-good pieces.

As to the paint scheme... I did the Tamiya kit and used the #712 tank's scheme - it was a masking and AB task and came out quite stellar-looking, in my opine.

I no longer am able to effectively post any pics from my KM Gallery here for some unk. reason (probably due to my nebbishness!) - but if you look in the KM Gallery, you can view some pics of my BT-42 build...

Bob

Maybe these drawings would help ? (providing it's not too late )

http://kvaksiuk.com/j2/index.php?option=com_shared_private_space&task=showfile&fileid=9032

H.P.