discussion AFV Club Sd.Kfz251/20 'UHU' (Owl) 1/35

[Guest]

Time to slow down a tad and take on something that will take a while to build.


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This UHU from AFV Club has been residing in the stash far too long but there have been reasons (modelling reasons) why it has only just come to the top of the pile.


One, and a very serious one is that for some reason AFV Club left off a major component from the kit. Located behind the drivers seats should be a huge 8KW diesel generator. For some reason, this fairly simple box shaped part was totally omitted from the kit. Instead, they used an extended roof section over the front of the rear compartment that would cover the generator but, sadly, not hide it.


In fairness, this is historically accurate as there is at least one picture showing a UHU with the extended roof. But there should still be a generator below it.


The other slight niggling thing is that the Infra Red Lamp, a kit in itself, has many internal components including photo etch louver strips which, when built can never be seen unless the model depicts the lamp under maintenance when the covers are removed. in normal use, these parts are invisible even if the front protective cover is open as it should be a virtually opaque red filter at the front. I have mulled this over a lot in the past as to whether I should have the lamp open just to see these parts but I have finally made my mind up and the lamp will be closed. I hate high detail parts that will never be seen.


So, the biggest issue, the generator has been solved as I have purchased a Blast Models (France) upgrade set for this kit which not only contains the generator block but corrects and adds to the vehicle detail.


Should be fun


So here are the many parts.


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AFV Club do indi link tracks for this but the rubber band ones are very nicely moulded so I will stick with these for now


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Cont/-

 

[Guest]

Part deux....


The instructions look good but I will have to keep an eye on the Resin upgrade set as there is quite a bit for the interior including a new floor


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Then the resin. This is very nicely cast and the extra detail parts for the vehicle and lamp will make a difference. I just cannot see why the very plain box generator was left out of the kit though, it would have been a simple two part moulding.... anyway, Viva La France for putting it right. Well, Blast Models anyway


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The plan is to paint it much as you see on the box art but the lamp and stand will be in plain yellow. The way the stand restricts access in the rear leaves it open for a bit of chipping. I may leave the generator in Panzer Grey just for contrast. The extended roof panel will be cut or left off to show this.


Just need the finish the tiny 1/72 T-90 MS and this will hit the bench.

 

[papa 695]

It looks like a very nice kit Graham, and a nice addition

 

[Guest]

This should be a joy to follow.

 

[Guest]

I just hope it is a joy to build lol.... Thanks guys

 

[Guest]

I've often thought about buying this kit myself, so I'll be very interested in watching yours take shape Graham.

 

[Guest]

That looks a well detailled kit. Should keep you out of trouble for a while hiding away on the build.


Enjoy Graham

 

[Guest]

Iam jealous graham this is the one of only two 251 variants I don't have, looks a cracker..... So I have my chair and pop corn at the ready.


Scott

 

[Guest]

I never built a AFV Club kit....so I will have an eye on this


Knowing your skills, Graham, will be a great one sure!

 

[monica]

looks good ,Graham,like the resin,light kit,will be watching this one,

 

[Guest]

Nice subject Graham, looking forward to following this build

 

[Robert1968]

You have my full undivided attention Graham. I think the 251 family were a varied useful part in Germany during WW2. This looks like a very well detailed kit and really looking forward to seeing your build.


I'm watching


Robert

 

[Guest]

Off work again as my knees are killing me..... well, they are not actually killing me but you know what I mean. to add to that, the worst leg appears to have an infection forming. Could be a Saturday in the Walk In Centre again. And why call it a Walk In Centre when I have problems walking in? Taking the pi%$ or what.....


Anyway, I digress. The lovely T-90 MS is now a thing of the past so time to move on, thanks for the great comments on that by the way... digressing again....


So a gentle start to the UHU. This is not my first AFV Club model, but I believe it will be the first I complete. It is engineered beautifully. Not over done but sufficient to give that little bit extra detail without leaving you feeling you are sticking bits on just for the sake of it. Anyway, pictures. Not got far but nothing to make me think there will be issues to face that are not easily sorted by ensuring parts are cleaned up well and those nasty raised ejector pin marks, nay, ejector pins.... some of these are a good 5mm long and need to be got rid off as even if they will not be seen, they can prevent parts fitting correctly.


Quite a few parts go into the front end. There is no engine but there is a moulded sump underneath that then gets covered over by a sump guard.


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The underneath, about eight parts are in that front part


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the way the sides are mounted is sublime. Those four box shapes you can see in the picture below are slots for blades on the sides. these are a tight fit but ensure the angles are correct and there is structural strength for the build. The adjustable (in real life not on the model) rear axel is sandwiched between the sides and will later be covered over but from the sides, you can see into the void as you would on the real thing. Only a slight thing but it makes a difference.


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On the front end, the same blades into slots ensures the correct shape, angles and strength. I was concerned at first that this was wrong due to the large gaps but the top fits on perfectly.


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The front steering and suspension is a tad tricky, the instructions suddenly went very 'dragonesk' and it was down to trial and error to put the parts together. Again, where the 'A' frame comes back to the plate in the bodywork, this will be covered by the hull bottom plate which will show the end of the 'A' frame in a void, not just stuck to the front. You can see here the two greens of the plastic which shows how the kit uses parts from other versions to do the normal bits and the darker green is the specific parts for this variation.


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And here is the hull bottom plate glued into position


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This is now a very strong assembly that lines up perfectly


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Just to prove the point, the hull top just drops into place, not attached at this stage.


As you can see in the foreground, I have had a wheely good time for the first session. The three pairs of inner and outer wheels that sandwich the four central wheels are not glued as they need to be layered up at the last stage.


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[Guest]

Looking good thus far, Graham.


Thinking about it, I have never built a German half track.... I may have to change that.

 

[Robert1968]

I am liking this very much indeed ( it looks a very interesting kit and if I may say so ............. I am liking your approach thread in conversing through the build stages.


Great progress by the way ( and if I remember rightly there is no round water tank in the front ( looks like a German gas mask tin ) I think you mentioned that didn't you on some other build, it was only used in ambulance versions? I may be wrong


Kind regards


Robert

 

[Guest]

Looking very nice Grahem,it looks like well detailed kit,I noticed in the resin generator kit the parts for the night fighting equipment and it reminded me of an item that was for sale on e-bay a few years back ? Look familear.View attachment 250588

 

[Guest]

This is looking good so far Graham, tell you what though if you can get a set of metal tracks for them, as with Tamiya AFV club seem to make the tracks a little too narrow.


scott

 

[Guest]

I am liking this very much indeed ( it looks a very interesting kit and if I may say so ............. I am liking your approach thread in conversing through the build stages.
Great progress by the way ( and if I remember rightly there is no round water tank in the front ( looks like a German gas mask tin ) I think you mentioned that didn't you on some other build, it was only used in ambulance versions? I may be wrong


Kind regards


Robert

Cheers Robert, you are correct about the water tank thing. Only a few kits include it, the old Tamiya Hanomag being one.

 

[Guest]

Looking very nice Grahem,it looks like well detailed kit,I noticed in the resin generator kit the parts for the night fighting equipment and it reminded me of an item that was for sale on e-bay a few years back ? Look familear.View attachment 151061

Is that the drivers night vision unit? It says 'protect against the sun'. Whatever, that is a great item for the colour match

 

[Guest]

This is looking good so far Graham, tell you what though if you can get a set of metal tracks for them, as with Tamiya AFV club seem to make the tracks a little too narrow.
scott

I don't think I will be getting metal tracks Scott, never have used them. AFV Club do a set of indi link which I may go for if there are issues but most of the reviews I have read do not have issues with the tracks and, although you cannot see it in the general pics above, they are very nicely moulded for any track never mind rubber band.


We will see later in the build, if there are issues then I will rethink it. Thanks for the heads up though.


Edit: just looked at the review/comparison for 251 tracks the only accurate ones in the four tested for size were Modelkasten which are accurate all round. The 1/35 scale width is 8mm, the AFV Club indi links are 7.9mm and I have just measured the rubber bands which are also 7.9mm. The metal ones are oversize slightly and, to be honest look a bit rough. Plus I wouldn't fancy drilling those pin holes in such small links. So, £26 for a set of Modelkasten from Japan? Nooooo, I would rather reduce the width of the three inner/outer wheels by .1mm if it is a problem.


Edit 2: Just out of interest, I have just measured the tracks on the Tamiya 'Hanomag' and the later kit that I have and they come in at 8.6mm which is about what the Friul tracks measure. As the scale size is 8mm to the real thing, this suggests that the Tamiya tracks are not narrow but that the wheels are too wide!