Yes, I surmised that gravitational pull would keep the Turret attached as it passed the in/out notches; but on bumpy ground and with a breeze blowing (a constant companion in my sea-loch domestic settingRaminator wrote:I'd have to assume that the weight of the turret would guide it past the notches.
It's been an informative read, catching up on this build. Nice to see a step-by-step, by-the-books Tamiya kit; shows exactly what you get for your dosh. Surprising how thin and flimsy some of it seems to be, I'll be interested to see how it fares once it's locked together and running. How do you feel about it thus far, Roy? Does it live up to your expectations?
), I thought it might detach itself.I do like the three white roller bearings the turret rides on. I should have included pic of them, but my personal brief was to be brief and, as you've noted, Ram..by the book.
We've had a spell of Sun and showers here in recent weeks, and that impacts on painting and 'field' trials. I have a new compressor/ airbrush setup. The old one was underpowered, and went 'phut' after only two tanks worth of use
)But I like working outdoors, with suitable screens, when painting- but rain makes for constant interruptions. Even with an extension, my compressor barely reaches my shed. Thus, I've been using rattle cans for priming and a basic topcoat.
My impressions so far?
Well here are the
Plusses:-
1. Precisely engineered fittings and fixings. Sanding, filing, and 'adjusting' are not necessary for parts to fit together as intended.
2. Major components, such as the electronic control units, the gearboxes, and the speaker have that hard to define feel of 'quality' about them. Even the packaging is in a class of its own (Like Apple's packaging)
3. The Instruction manual is well laid out and generously illustrated. Moreover, the English used in the text is actually comprehensible, unlike the Stanley Unwin style nonsense (or baffling 'Chinglish') encountered elsewhere.
4. The surface details (Turret pitting etc.), on the hulls and Turret, as well as the accessories (Hammer, spade, etc) accessories have clean crisp lines. This suggests that they came out of superior moulds.
5. The contents of the package (Sprues, fixings etc.) are neatly, and logically organised. For convenience sake though, i created sealable jars labelled ''A', 'B', 'C', and 'D' parts, just to ensure that nothing went adrift from a burst plastic packet.
Everything was as it should be, and a few spares fixings were included.
6. Good sound effects.
7. Simple Upper Hull attachment method: a screw concealed within an engine deck fitting.
Negatives:
1. No lights
2. No smoke
3. No 360 deg capable turret
4. Turret and Upper hull disappointingly thin and flexible. Internal stiffening ribs, spars, bulkheads, or sheets of styrene may be needed to beef the tank up. It certainly doesn't feel robust so far.
I won't comment further on flexing in the hull, etc.,however, until I've had the opportunity to give the KT a good workout.5. Japanese versions of the kit also include the Transmitter (a rebranded Futuba model) and RX. This one- the EU version- doesn't.
Overall, I like the kit. It cost (at under £500) almost 200-300 pounds less than the Panzer IV kit I really wanted. I really like the way everything fits together as it should. It's not even a millimetre out in any location where parts have to be installed, or bonded in.
More later when I've had a go with it..
When I come to build my Panther G, I'll be doing it at a leisurely pace. I've also been buying Panzer IV bits piecemeal (Hull and Upper hull) for a future hybrid project. As an aside, I've noticed that the Pz IV hull seems quite a bit stiffer than the KT's, but maybe that's connected with size and shape. Its a bummer that the PzIV is so much more expensive than other Tamiya offerings, as it's the one I'd like most, I think. 
I may have to use my Vallejo model air Panzer colours, as they brush on quite well.
