Merkava MkIV

[Jim R]

Hi Mick
Echo Scottie. Shame the .50cal replacement was unusable but your improved kit part does look good.
Jim

[minitnkr]

Coming along swimingly. You might want to reposition the barrel removal handle to the rear some. It's too far forward. Unless it's cemented, then of coarse it's right where it belongs. PaulE

[Steve Jones]

Wonderful work on the 50 cal. Rather you than me on the beads and chains. I wish you all the best with that one :smiling3:

[Guest]

Good grief - blingtastic. Just the thought of all that etch gives me a headache Mick. Very nice work.

[Mickc1440]

Good evening folks and many thanks for the comments on my latest progress. I'm really not feeling the love for this model at the moment so I'm drastically cutting back the bling as I just want it finished and off the desk. Just as I start to make some progress another problem rears its head from my nemesis the previous owner. This time its a piece of superstructure that's been removed from the sprue and lost. No reason for him to have been anywhere near this bit so again I was slowed down. I will see it through and have included a couple of progress pics to show it really does look tank like now.


Once again many thanks to those who have looked in.

[scottie3158]

Mick,
The fine work continues.

[Guest]

Keep going Mick, not much further by the looks of it and it will be put the paint on time. Cheers, Mike.

[Guest]

Only just seen this Mick.
Coming along nicely.You could test your pe skills by doing something in 1/700:thinking:.

[Mickc1440]

Only just seen this Mick.
Coming along nicely.You could test your pe skills by doing something in 1/700:thinking:.

My sanity, what's left of it, just wouldn't cope, I have total respect for anyone working in that scale.

[Mickc1440]

After a couple of days of just tinkering I started to feel the love for this battle again. I had some time to myself yesterday as swmbo was away visiting. I started work on the side skirts which I plan to make up but not fit until the body is painted, the main reason being I stuck the top hull on too soon. When I looked at my reference picks I noticed they were different to my kit part as the last section of the skirt was a grille and thought this looked much better.


Not a problem, I thought it would be relatively easy to remove the last section and replace it with a scratch built piece. So out came ruler paper and pencil and a drawing made up.


At this point I had now removed the bracket from the skirt so I could make a start. I started to check through the relevant sprue for the pieces for the opposite side when I noticed another two side skirts, these were shorter and next to them the grilles!!! I checked the instructions but couldn't see an option listed for these skirts.


Instead of cutting the current skirt and scratch building the solution was already there. Brackets carefully removed from the first skirt, some better bolt heads attached and just enough time to put the first skirt and grille together. Happy modeller.

[scottie3158]

Mick,
That was a stroke of luck.

[Mickc1440]

Mick,
That was a stroke of luck.

Wasn't it just mate. I had all the sprues on my desk at the time. If I hadn't I could have been beavering away for hours with ready made parts three feet away :smiling::smiling:

[Guest]

A real labour of love Mick. Looking very good indeed.

[Steve Jones]

Nice to see you have had second wind for this build. Keep on chugging Mick

[Mini Me]

Well done Mick. Cheers, Rick H.:thumb2: