LAST OF ITS KIND

[HERMAN BIX]

Got a bit of cleaning up done on the hull sides, and made the add on armour plates that also go on the sides of the front hull.
Lucky, since the damn holes in the sides are in need of hiding
I also drilled out the exhaust covers to accept re-routed smoke that from the H/L factory exits the tail light !!
Its also a pain to use the correct exhaust exit points as one is directly over the motor that runs the left gearbox, with almost no clearance for a pipe.
more thought on that required.
Lots of flame cut marks and welds to put on....................

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Laminated 1mm styrene appliqué armour panels

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[tankme]

It's coming along nicely. Looks like some Ferdi/Elephant parts on the bench there also.

[HERMAN BIX]

yep, those Elephant bits are a soon to happen repair job for a mate that has a busted one.
Thats an entirely different dimension I must enter to sort that out.......................

[HERMAN BIX]

If anyone needs me I will be recovering from 'engine vent rage syndrome' .............
For such a simple & minor variation, its a lot of mess, time and filing
Extra side armour is on, front plate to add still.
Once I get the mesh into the now clear vent covers, I will do the louvers under them.
I also added a cap on the engine deck cover bulge out of a left over trumpeter T34 roadwheel retainer that I pre-drilled. Countersunk the hole in the bulge for the cap to look righer-er, and thats good enough.

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[Ecam]

I haven't researched Russian tanks yet (I've only one, still untouched) what was beneath the bulge? The Sherman had several decks based on the powerplants.

[HERMAN BIX]

I haven't researched Russian tanks yet (I've only one, still untouched) what was beneath the bulge? The Sherman had several decks based on the powerplants.

The bulge in the hatch was to accommodate an enormous air filter housing. From what I can tell from low grade drawings, and anyone with an actual reference book can confirm or refute, the filter was an oil bath style. The cap in the engine hatch must have been to access a dipstick to monitor the oil in the filter without having to pop the hatch. Again, anyone with factual insight please advise.

[Ecam]

My kind of response. Are you a lawyer in non- tanking life?

I remember in the 70s (early 80s) replacing oil bath air cleaners with "hot rod" dry type cleaners in the name of horse power. Never gave a thought to longevity.

[HERMAN BIX]

Hell No mate!!, those jokers are what Ex-wives use to extract every cent, all pride & self esteem from a person...................a washed out rig Hand now in the rig transport maintenance field

I'm uncertain about the oil bath filter as the Russians were not that keen on anything remotely high in maintenance or complexity, but, that was very proven and relatively simple tech that may have been an acceptable compromise.
Otherwise, why have a cap in the bulge if not for access to a device under it ? As the filter is the only thing there, it must be for that

I found some completely mysterious ZTZ 99 engine deck mesh that I have no reason to have at all but I have it
I used the long thin rear section of it to fill in the vent covers after hucking out all the green snot.
Superglue and a short length of wooden dowel to shape it into the frame, a couple of clamps & volia!- inaccurate but functional, and makes use of a resource I didnt know I had nor likely to use elsewhere!
And got the front extra armour secured to the already present extra armour along the drivers glacis plate. H/L places a plate along this area out of the box which is fine, but its a bit short for me. I expect that as the run of the mill KV's dont have this extra armour until the 'E' series was created, and this specific machine has very unique side additions, that the front would have received the same treatment. If I was to guess as to why they bothered, it would be as some form of turret ring protection if I was to put a dollar each way on the reason !!
Sure is going to have a lot of weld texture to do on this thing

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[HERMAN BIX]

Today has pretty much been about getting the smoke to exit the armoured hoods on the rear deck-as it should.
After carefully manipulating the plastic to allow the flow of smoke, and dressing the inside of the hull to accept brass tube(thats Toobe to you left hand drivers ) the smoke now comes out both sides.
Yeah, a little thing...............but having a smoker work as well as the latest gen ones do in the H/L's and not exit the damn tail light housing was worth the effort.
I went over the edges of the armour with a hobby knife to get a bit of flame cut texture on them, secured the engine vent mesh covers over the louvers which I made from brass, soldered together like the T34 versions, and secured inside the hull.
They can move, but there's not reason to have them move
Looking at some outstanding reference material kindly linked by a member here behind the scenes, I can be confident that the plate and weld finish on these early Soviet machines was actually quite good !! yeah, who'dve thunk ??
I still need to make and add the lifting points on the rear deck, and do all the welds, of which there is a lot, add the redundant mounting points for the missing mudguards, and sort the head & tail lights out.
Still plenty to knock over before primer.

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Right over top of the motor

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[Jnewboy]

Love This! KV-2 is always amazing! what is the final paint going to be?