discussion Dave Ward's Trumpeter 1/35 IT-1 Missile Tank - stalled build resumed!

[Dave Ward]

After the Trumpeter SU-152, I decided that I'd enjoyed that build a lot, and to go for another Soviet vehicle.......

I started this a year or so ago, why I stopped, I can't recall, but the lower hull is complete, and painted, aside from the wheels, and tracks. All else seems to be on the sprue.
Oddball tank - not very many made - the missiles' large minimum range, gave a massive dead zone around the tank, and it's big physical size meant only a few reloads could be carried. After a few years service, I believe most were converted to recovery vehicles.
Construction will resume shortly..
Dave

 

[Guest]

IIRC, the IT-1 was largely a result of Nikita Khrushchev’s idea that missiles were the weapon of the future, so the Soviet Army, in order to be seen to follow that lead, developed a purely missile-armed tank on the basis of the then-brand-new T-62 MBT.

 

[Dave Ward]

Whilst I am waiting for parts to dry on my Eggcopter, and my FW190D, I decided to closely look at this stalled build.
State of play.......................
Hull finished, wheels painted, but separate tyres to be added. Apart from that most bits are still on the sprue............

There's a video on YouTube of the IT-1 firing the 'Dragon' missile from it's pop-up launcher - nice to see how thing work!

Several bags of individual track links - big enough for me to handle easily...........
Since there were very few IT-1 tanks made, the finish is ............................green
No decals!
All being well construction will (re) start today
Dave

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
Good feeling to get a stalled build going again. Most unusual tank - I suppose it's a tank. Most unusual looking thing. Looks as if you're off to your usual neat, organised start.
Jim

 

[Dave Ward]

Jim,
"neat, organised start." !!!?????!!!! You should have seen the trouble I had in getting the rats off the table, and recovering the camera from the chimps!
Seriously, though my bench is a mess!, but I know where everything is. If I tidy up, then for the next few days, I'm hunting for the right tools! It's the same with my paints - I occasionally try to organise them. It lasts about a week, but then I revert to my normal chaos - but it works for me!!!
Dave

 

[Jim R]

Thanks for giving me a laugh on this cold, cloudy day. Your bench may not be tidy but your work is :smiling:
Jim

 

[Dave Ward]

Jim,
OK, I wan't quite truthful about the rats ( there aren't any ), and as for the chimps having the camera, that was totally incorrect - it was the capuchins! :tongue-out:
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

All the other builds are drying their varnish coats, so I picked up this. The road wheels have separate rims ( rubber tyres) - it makes for easier painting. I sanded off most of the tread pattern on the outside of the rims. To paint, I thread the rims onto a rolled piece of paper
Then simply spray the rubber tyre mix ) a darkish grey ), over the rim kebabs!


I can now put the rims on the roadwheels, and complete the running gear assembly.
Next up will be all those lovely individual track links.................
Dave

 

[stillp]

To paint, I thread the rims onto a rolled piece of paper

That's a great idea.
Pete

 

[Dave Ward]

Running gear complete..........................

I'm going to finish the lower hull, complete with tracks, before moving up to the interesting
bits
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

A little pile of joy! 670+ snips with the sprue cutter

Now, where's my straightedge?
Dave

 

[boatman]

Cor blimey Dave that will keep you busy this will be a unusual build as ive never seen one of these before although tanks an such are not my main subjects I still look at them
chris

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
I like the rolled paper idea. As for the tracks - mind numbing.
Jim

 

[Guest]

Jim,
"neat, organised start." !!!?????!!!! You should have seen the trouble I had in getting the rats off the table, and recovering the camera from the chimps!
Seriously, though my bench is a mess!, but I know where everything is. If I tidy up, then for the next few days, I'm hunting for the right tools! It's the same with my paints - I occasionally try to organise them. It lasts about a week, but then I revert to my normal chaos - but it works for me!!!
Dave

Dave,
Tidy up the bench, put everything in a box, stand back and admire the clean bench, get that nice warm glow from seeing a clean bench - then just up end the box over the bench and be even happier.
Looking forward to seeing this green tank/thing finished, perhaps a little graffiti???
Cheers, Mike.

 

[Guest]

Dave .
This painting on the sprue , seems a great idea, one I think I should addopt esp with my struggles with attempting g to remove the same to paint . I've done it either small things like weapons but never the wheels , until the next build .
John .

 

[Dave Ward]

John,
I find it easier to clean up & retouch the sprue attachments, instead of creating a forest of wheels on cocktail sticks. It works nicely with the IT-1, with it's separate tyre rims.
After a mornings work ( OK, I had 2 cups of coffee, ans a Tesco delivery.....), the majority of work is done on the tracks. The IT-1 doesn't have any return rollers, so a simple curve for the top run will do.
I was careful, in cutting the links off the sprue - and I only had to clean up about 5 links for fitment. It pays to have a good sharp sprue cutter - and nice clean mouldings help! I must say I enjoy putting these larger links together - I just used a straight edge & TET
Time to prime!
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Tracks primed & one side completed - I miscalculated the number of tracks, and had to add the extra links ( the unpainted bits ) - still, better adding, rather than subtracting.

As far as individual track links go this has been pretty easy........................
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

That's the lower hull, and running gear complete - I can now move on to some more interesting bits.....................................
I eventually had 14 links spare.
Dave

 

[Guest]

Nice looking sag, very natural .

 

[Guest]

Nice looking sag, very natural .

I tried to convince my now ex-wife that those very words were a compliment.:tongue-out2: