If you do it right they'll open and close.

After glueing it as shown above close the port and lit the glue set up.

Finished for a while.
Donald

Nice progress, I love functioning covers, hatches, etc...
Thanks for sharing.

After the glue set, it didn't quite work like I had hoped.
It looks like you have to choose the position and glue them in place.

Oh well some other parts installed.


There's a lot of flash to clean up on the fins.

got a little painting done.



I remover the 2 raised sections shown in red used for positioning the jack block, I plan on making one out of wood.

Finished for today
Donald

The Upper Hull is painted.



Here's a good view of the Generator. Whatt you can't see it? Oh I get it , it must be under that little Radiator.

Just joking guys, though it really is under the radiator and was a waste of time assembling it. Most of the engine area is a waste of time and material.
If I ever do the Ausf.G version I'm skipping the engine.
Regards.
Donald

That's a lot of work for something that will be hidden. I appreciate that you showed it to us so we know how it all goes in.

Today it's the Radios and their rack, first off If you don't have a good photo etch bender I wouldn't try this.
I'm showing just 1 section , they all go together the same.
First shows the rear frame of the single radios holder.
I bent the fixed edge then soldered the side.

Then bent & soldered the next.

Continuing all around.

The tabs on the large end mount are too big and need to be trimmed to fit the spots in the upper hull where they go.

Here is the rack assembled. not really pretty is it?


Test fitted kind of So So

The radios need all of their sides sanded square or preferably with a front to back taper.
The molding process makes them larger at the rear than the front and they don't fit the racks.




Finished for a while.
Donald

The Radios are all painted and installed in the Upper Hull.





Hey I know they didn't come out really great, but you can't see much of it through the hatch.
Good Enough.
Donald

A little more done.

Some Pics.of the interior fittings.






that's all for now

I had to use some clamps to get the upper hull to fit to the lower.

This is to show what is visible in the Radiator section, what a waste of time.

I started work on the Turret.


There's a lot of push-pin marks to fill inside the Turret.
Some may be seen, and some not.

Finished for now.
Donald

First off on starting the Turret, the mounting tabs for the side Hatches are off a little. I found out the hard way.
After gluing them in and trying to fit the Hatches I found that the Hatches wouldn't fit closed. I need them to fit all the way closed as I'm planning on making them movable.


I finally got them to fit by sanding down the mating edges, that was close.

The original problem was the mounting pins on the hinges are off a little placing then in a little too much.


If you were going to just glue the hatches on it wouldn't have mattered but making them operable that's another matter.
Well now to pin them and make them work.
Done for now.
Donald

I have the side turret hatches installed and operable,here is how I did it.

First off if you want the pistol ports workable do that before the hatches, it will be a lot easier.

Start with centering the bottom and drill straight through it, using the first as a guide drill the next and all the others.

Place both hatch sections in place, then drill through the hinge area on the hatch checking often to be shure it's going straight.

Wiggle the hatch back and forth to be shure it doesn't bind.

It should look like this.

Install the pin.

A little dab of glue on the end will keep the pin in place.

Repeat for the other hatches.




Finished for now.
Donald

That PE radio bracket assembly looks to be a delicate procedure, nice job with it, looks good. What type of soldering jig are you using? You like soldering PE better than cyanoacrylate glue, or does it depend on the application?

I don't really have a jig for soldering Photo-etch, just a soldering station I got from radio shack many years ogoe.
It has a variable temperature setting.
I prefer soldering Pe. to super glue, it's much mor sturdyier with my sausage fingers . The really small parts it's the glue.
Regards.
Donald

Her's some Turret detail Pics.



if your careful with the gluing the rear pistol ports can be made operable .

I made the pistol ports in the side hatches operable.


The instructions have the numbers for the mounts that hold the front-side hatches in the open are reversed #C40 & C41 are reversed.
Well you can always go by this Pic.


That's it for now.
Donald

Real model-making & one of the best current threads on this site. Keep it up Donald you’re doing a fantastic job

Thanks Tim I'm happy that someone somewhere likes my work.
Regards.
Donald