Hi people!

This is my first 1:35 scale WWII vehicle, I'm assembling in pieces so I can paint details before final assembly. I'm just waiting to buy an airbrush and compressor!!

Anyone see anything out of order? they'd do differently ?

things I'm unhappy with - the passenger/gunner seat slants more than the drivers seat. Something happened at some point to move it while the poly was setting and I didn't notice until it was set

I also think a little more cleanup on parts maybe with a file would have helped








oh and I just rested the side of the hull on for the picture it's not glued. I'm not putting those on until theyre painted and the floor pan and benches are painted also.

Looking good John. You say you're not putting the sides on until they're painted? Is this because you are brush painting? If so then I agree, they're very difficult to reach with a brush once assembled. Make sure you check that both sides click into place between the floor and the chassis, unless the floor is dead centre this can cause a problem later. One last thing.... Go ahead in the instructions to see what you are going to fit to the inside walls. When you are certain of what you are going to use then carefully sand off all the other locating marks on the inside, DML uses a generic side wall for all their 251 kits and there are marks there that shouldn't be there!

Vinnie

hi Vinnie thanks for the input.

I plan to airbrush the model - just as soon as I've got an airbrush and done some experimenting!!

From what you wrote I gather it could be ok to actually assemble the sides given that I'm not brush painting?

I do see what you mean about the generic sides with locating marks - I was initially confused as there are lines all over the place! What would you recommend I use to sand these down??

thanks in advance for any help!

Jon, yep it should be fine to assembel the sides before painting if you're going to use an airbrush. For the locating marks I would use a scalpel blade to just gently scrape them off and then a quick wipe with some fine wet'n'dry.

Vinnie

Looking good.

One thing tho' - you might want to hide your Rizlas next time you're snapping pics

Me?
I've always found that sniffin' glue was enough

acav out

:-) :-) :-) :-)


I didn't think anyone would pick up on the Rizla!!

I was using the card for detailing!! Honest!!

Oops...
Gotcha!
Mind you, looks like I got me too

acav out

I'm sure our secret is safe!!!

Unlike my sanity, I accidentally cut part of the 2.8cm PzBz in half (Don't ask!) so now I've gotta put the MG42 on my sd.kfz

Are the wheels glued on? If they are they are going to be a real pain in the you know where to paint the rubber portion, especially the interlevered ones. I always leave those for last...cuts my headache down a bit. :-)

:-) now you tell me. oh well, I Guess I'll just have to struggle..



but first, I'm having problems as my driver doesn't fit in the seat

he is too big !! I have put everything where it's supposed to go, but no luck!!

Is this one of the vinyl drivers Jon?

Vinnie

Yes it is mate, it's the DS driver.

He's down on the side of the box as being an "extra driver" but in order to be "extra" surely there's a normal styrene one too, but there is no mention of it in the instructions IIRC.

PLEASE tell me you could shed some light on this for me ?

btw I didn't encounter any of the usual problems with Dragon Styrene, I found gluing it to be easy and cleanup using the cement method to be really effective.

To be honest I haven't used the driver in any of the 9 251's I've built. It's difficult to know what to do about it without seeing it. As it's vinyl it's fairly flexible, so the only thing I can imagine might give you problems are the feet getting in the way. Have you checked how much you can actually see? removing some or all of the feet might be an option? Failing this I'll find you a new one I can send you, and you can try again!

Vinnie

wow thanks for the offer vinnie but I couldn't accept that kind of offer!! one day you'll be looking for just THAT particular figure and you'll regret it :-)

I have an idea of what I want my sd.kfz to be doing in a diorama - resupplying the 12th SS division panzer-grenadiers of the hitler youth in the battle of caen. Given the desperate nature of their defense, I reckon even the driver would have been involved in offloading all the ammo and supplies for the lads on the front line.

I will just have to do a bit of a conversion with the driver and some normal infantry legs. Thanks a lot for the offer though, I really appreciate it.

My girlfriend said I could just cut off the feet but i didn't want to do that because I will know that's there, and it will bug me forever!!!

:-)

Well the offers there if you want it Jon, I've hundreds of figures and wouldn't miss this one. If you find you need it don't hesitate to PM me.

Vinnie

I know exactly what you mean there Jon - any little errors I've made niggle me, although most of them are pretty to hard to spot unless they're pointed out to you. (Mind you some of them are glaringly obvious too...)

Always find that photos show up errors you would otherwise miss, camera never lies and all that. Your build looks v. nice to me, I have one of these on the shelf waiting for some spare time. And I need to finish the various other kits I have on the go as well.

You mentioned part clean up - a set of needle files is well worth the investment, also some different grades of wet and dry paper. You can get the latter from any DIY place and it costs just pennies. The files don't cost a lot either.

Cheers!

thanks mate.

once those errors are there, every time I look at the model my eyes will be instantly drawn to stumpy the driver and his ragged, pedal-pushing amputated limbs :-)

I have a set of needle files but I lost them when I packaged up all my old games workshop stuff they've just fell into some big void (the same place those tiny model parts go when you drop them) so I think, given the extent of cleanup needed sometimes, a better set is needed.

Got mine at my local shop, well under a tenner for a set of five assorted iirc

here is the latest in progress pics, the top hull, front plate and fenders are just rested in place so I can see what i'm working towards

It's looking good Jon. It's not a standard 251/7, but it's looking good. What made you decide to put in all four benches? And where are you going to put all those tools and extras that come with the kit now?

Vinnie

hi again vinnie

well - it's a long story.....ok it's not, what happened is I put in all four benches as per instructions for the 251/7 with the spzb 2.8cm AT gun, but sadly had a spasm with the knife and damaged a part of the gun

so, with the floor plate made and the gun damaged I decided the best thing to do would be to just make it into a generic halftrack for carrying troops.

I formed a diorama in my head around the battle of Caen and the last ditch defence the 12th SS put up there and decided this halftrack would be dropping off what ammo and troops they could at the front line.

With this in mind I decided the four benches would be ok and all the extra stowage space would be filled with ammunition for the fight ahead.

I am now left with, like you say, a lot of nice tools, mines, equipment etc. that I can use in future.

Hee hee. Naw, sorry mate. Been there and done that! I've got loads left over too! We'll have to callaborate on a dio which can include a stores depot! :-)

Vinnie

well it's my own fault I guess :-) I just had this mad jerk of the wrist and SLASH! the gun was wrecked!!

Shame, It was looking pretty fierce too !

hehe yeah with all these extras we could make a whole minefield. It has a ludicrous amount of mines with the kit ! Imagine if that halftrack full of mines took a hit??

I guess what I'm building now is a 251/1

----
251/1a, m Schütz Pz Wg
Versions: ABCD
The basic vehicle is designed for 10 soldiers, driver and commander. Two MG34, one sweeping the front and one in a more movable arm at the rear are the armament. The front MG is at first unarmored. The introduction of the "B" version sees an MG shield. "A" versions are sometimes upgraded. More often they are converted to more special roles. The MG34 is later replaced by the MG42. All "D" version have MG42's. The four benches are tubular frames, covered with leather and padded with horse hair. The leather colors vary from black to brown. A shade that is seen most is the so-called "oxblood", a red-brown shade. On late production D's wood is used to replace the tubing. The two benches nearest to the front are 3 seats (the other are 2). The seats are adjustable in height for combat or travel. Above the head of the driver and co-driver little cushions are seen.
equipment
crew of 12
FuSpr F with 2 meter rod antenna.
---

Looking good so far Jon. It seems that Dragon has corrected the floor and that hump between the seats is bigger now, yes? I have a Dragon 251 myself, but it's been kind of stalled.

yes mate the transmission hump on the floorplate is much more like the reference photos now, complete with small thingymajig that glues into it behind the drivers seat ( :-) sorry but i have NO clue what it is)

The side of the box boasts that the floor plate is new and revised also.