Italeri Kfz 305 Opel Blitz with Tamiya 20mm Flak 38 MIT Sd.Ah.51

[minitnkr]

Astounding work. Just had a full catch-up. Learned a lot. Thanks. PaulE

[Wouter]

Do you hear that Steve? The ambulance which will take you to the nuthouse is getting nearby :smiling5:

Very very cool work chap!

Cheers

[Steve Jones]

Hi Everyone

JR - Your not wrong there mate:smiling2: I have used some this week to keep me in his good books:smiling5:
Paul - Kind of you to say. Glad you liked it
Wouter - :smiling5: They have a standard padded room reserved already for me!

Well it seems to be the norm at the moment - minimal bench time.:disappointed:
I moved onto the seat. This was the kit offering

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The back rest was rather chunky and straight. So I made one from pewter(just for you Mr T:smiling4 and started work on the seat adjuster handle

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Next I added on the padding using Milliputt. As soon as I took this picture I put my thumb right on it and had to start again:crying:. Also the seat adjuster handle has been taken off as its crap. I may have another rethink (all suggestions welcome) or just leave it off

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Next we move onto Section 3 - the shields!!

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Well this is the main challenge for me on this build. I created a base using plasticard. This was then bent in the relevant position and the detail of ring holes. rivets and feeder hole was added

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Well that's all I have managed to do all week. Will try harder next week

Thanks for looking in

Steve

[Si Benson]

Evening Steve,

It’s that time of year when ‘other stuff’ keeps us from the bench...think we all feel it so don’t be too hard on yourself!
I always say....progress is progress:smiling4:

I just popped over to prime portal to look at the seat to see what your aiming for....hmmm not sure how I would tackle that? Probably have a go at scratching new one completely....suppose it depends how far you want to go I’m sure you amaze us with something in a while :thumb2:

Keep it rolling
Si

[SimonT]

Aye up Steve,

the later version (with the embossed hand wheels rather than plain) only had plain steel seat back and base, no cushions as far as I know - some photos below of one I saw at Beltring years ago

The seat adjuster is easy - that is a square with a depression filed into each side using a round or half round file

Ah, pewter ❤️

Did they give you dimensions for where to add the replacement barrel ? Looks a little long to me.....

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I have more pictures if you need them

[Steve Jones]

Si - Your not wrong there mate. I did consider scratching the seat but decided to update the Tamiya one instead. Thanks for the the encouragement
Mr T - As with all things there are variants. There are two types of seats. The one you have highlighted with one support bar for the back rest and this one which has two support bars both of which can be found on the embossed or plain hand wheels version.

[ATTACH]303829[/ATTACH]
(For information purposes only)

I have seen three types of seats. Ones made from wood, metal and the padded version. This was the one I was trying to replicate

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(For information purposes only)

As you can see it has a nobbly seat adjuster as opposed to the sunken one on your photos. I will certainly try your version which I have on my other reference photos

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(For information purposes only)

As for the replacement barrel you are probably right. Looks like I have not cut the Tamiya barrel far enough back. I will look at PMMS site and get back to you. Many thanks

[SimonT]

Morning Steve,
I guess it is a case of the usual blurred lines between early and late with umpteen variations in between :rolling::smiling4:

[Wouter]

Hi Steve, it's maybe not that much you did in a week, but it's something fun to follow and look at. And look at the bright side: it's more than I did in a week LOL

Keep it up!

Cheers

[Si Benson]

Steve,

I saw that version on the prime portal site too...but don’t forget the DAK had a completely unique seat....



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Some even had a beer holder:smiling5::smiling5::smiling5:...

[Guest]

Good to see loads of banter.
Morning all , Steve I had to chuckle about putting your thumb in the seat back and having to start again . Not at your mistake but imagining the out burst of Anglo Saxon swear words. I'm sure it happens to us all.

Certainly a busy time doing other things , but looking at what you acheived it's very neat . You could always copy your leader and wake up at some ungodly hr and have some extra bench time .

Nice seat Si :thumb2:
JR

[scottie3158]

Steve,
Great work on the added details, it adds a whole new level to the build.

[Steve Jones]

Hi Everyone

Mr T - I wrote a feature on captured vehicles during WWII and it was amazing how many spare parts were scrounged and swapped around especially by the end of the campaign.
Wouter - :smiling2: There is always someone worse off than yourself:tongue-out3:
Si - :smiling5::smiling3::smiling: Your killing me mate:smiling3:
JR - Not as bad as the language when I realised the barrel was the wrong length:angry: (See below)
Scottie - I have had enough of detailing so have taken a bit of a break (See below)

The Lord of the Dark Side was kind enough to watch my back as always and pointed out that the barrel looked a little long

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I consulted the PMMS site and indeed I had not cut the kit part back far enough. Here is the link for those who are interested

https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/flak38/flak38barrels.htm

The next section has a Government Health Warning!! Pictures of surgical procedures and grotesque amputation to follow. If you are of a nervous disposition then turn away now.

So I scrubbed up for surgery and got my surgical instruments ready

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Firstly the shield was taken off and then the barrel was taken away for prep for it's transplant. Then the kit barrel was cut away leaving a solid base for the transplant

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The area was sanded down and after a few dry fits. the transplant was completed with copious amounts of CA. The barrel was left in the recovery position overnight for the CA to set fully

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In the morning the barrel had recovered fully enough so that the shield could be refitted

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I have decided to give my eyes a rest from all this detailing and make a start on the base. For those of you who follow my builds, you will know I am not a great one for bases. However last year I built a PAK 40 but during the painting process my lamp toppled over and scythed through the model

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So I decided this would be an ideal opportunity to use the bits as a wreck in the base. I brought a frame from the car boot for 50p and set out the models the way I wanted them

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I took out the picture and glass and sealed the gap with UPVA

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Then using a new packet of DAS clay I started to add the clay to the base

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Once the edges had been done I filled in the rest of the base. Clay is very porous and liable to crack when it dry's so I applied a liquid coat of UPVA all over the clay


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While still wet the PAK 40 was added and covered with further clay to represent sand drift

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Then various sands and gravels were added along with several wheel tracks. This was all left to dry overnight

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Today the excess was taken off and touch ups on the bare patches were done. This will be left again to dry before an undercoat is applied tomorrow

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I have no idea how this is going to turn out. This is primarily an opportunity for me to paint my first ever "wreck". So if nothing else I will learn a lot during the process.

Thanks for watching

Steve

[Guest]

Exultant work Steve.
Thought the surgical kit looked like the one they had when they did my eye :flushed:
Nothing amiss with the base , infact the drifting sand looks very realistic.
Have you see the message , just for you !
JR

[Guest]

More fine work Cpl Jones. I have a pack of DAS in the cupboard that I keep forgetting about, but you've inspired me to did it out.

[Si Benson]

Steve,

Nice solve to the barrel issue...glad you could sort it without damage to the whole thing.
These guns can be such fiddly delicate items.
If you remember, I added a shell catch thing to the flak gun on my 38t build.....I lost count on how often I knocked stuff off:confounded:

Interested to see how you tackle the base now. I might knock up a wee one for my Marder:thinking:

Keep it coming
Si