PRAVDA's Blizzard Buster "GIGANT"

by **ALPHA** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:30 pm

Here we go again... another addition to the PRAVDA fleet...the KV-1 arrived on Monday....I was able to acquire a turret on Tuesday... via Craigslist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04F4xlWSFh0

With any luck... it will come out like the one in the Pictures

ALPHA

by **ALPHA** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:50 pm

The turret came from a "static" resin kit...The guy I got it from built the KV-1 and no longer had use for the "GIGANT" turret

I have worked with resin before... so I had no reservations in attacking the mission at hand...one thing I found to be beneficial ... I could articulate the periscopes and have them move 360 degrees

the rear hatch according to the instructions is supposed to be glued shut...I couldn't live with that .... so I got some micro drills.. bored out the resin hinges and put a brass rod through it ..so now it opens and closes ... with a nice "click" locking it shut

The commander's hatch was taken from the HENG LONG KV-1...I think the original was used by the previous owner for the KV-1...because of the poor HENG LONG design of the dual hinge... it took a little work to have it operating as it should... I heated the original hinge .. bent it a little...then countersunk an area next to the opening of the hatch so it not only open but slide sideways and lock flat

The barrel actuator is mounted via the old mount taken from the KV-1

ALPHA

by **palepainter** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:52 pm

Awesome, I look forward to following along. My KV1 got here Monday as well. I have been enjoying some battles with my teenage daughter.

I am really impressed with the HL KV1.

by **ALPHA** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:03 pm

After ten hours of drilling grinding..fiting ...and fabrication...this is where I am now

I still have to install the turret spin ring...screw spots so I can secure the upper turret to the lower...main gun clamp...then some small detais

That's the long and the short of it... Enjoy :thumbup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYjZK_6i37M
ALPHA

by **PainlessWolf** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:17 pm

Good Afternoon,
I _knew_ this was what you were up to. *chuckles* It's looking great!! Resin, eh? I'm interested in the paintability and how the glue sticks. I will definitely have to build the German captured version now. ;o)
warm regards,
Painless

by **ALPHA** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:55 pm

palepainter wrote:Awesome, I look forward to following along. My KV1 got here Monday as well. I have been enjoying some battles with my teenage daughter. I am really impressed with the HL KV1.

I knew I saw a post by you palepainter.. just couldn't find it afterwards...My KV was cursed I think lol...first the tracking number didn't work... contacted the seller.. who is exceptional I must say...who contacted me several times reassuring me that I should get it shortly ... on the fourth day.. (they sent it 3day priority) they contacted me again after I told them I hadn't received it ....they contacted the USPS... who found they had routed it incorrectly...so finally the tracking number worked...when it got to the islands... I called the Post office...they said yeah .. it should be on my door that Monday...I asked the person on the phone.. if he could advise the delivery person to at least leave the package somewhere safer...he said sure ... long story short.. found the box standing on end... not sure if she slammed it... but the main gun was jammed back into the turret... and one of the cable hookup thingies on the front hull broke off

I was a little bummed out... but after an hour she was good as new.... lubed the gearboxes as she ran a little rough... and ran three batteries through her to loosen them up... she purrs now ..

Any way... sounds like you had better luck with yours.... it's pretty cool that your daughter got into it... which tank did you let her use? ... the new one or your panther ?

Have a great Thanksgiving palepainter :thumbup:

ALPHA

by **sassgrunt** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:57 pm

Very, very nice work. The KV-2 has such a different look than any other KV-type tank. It looks ugly and off-balance; but very menacing at the same time. It will make a great addition to your fleet! -Mike

by **ALPHA** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:08 pm

PainlessWolf wrote:Good Afternoon,
I _knew_ this was what you were up to. *chuckles* It's looking great!! Resin, eh? I'm interested in the paintability and how the glue sticks. I will definitely have to build the German captured version now. ;o)
warm regards,
Painless

Yup you called it Painless :haha:

...this type of resin is good... otherwise I wouldn't have gone for it...it's very similar to the type used in the garage kits or anime figures I used to make more frequently...what I especially like is it's pretty thick.. whoever manufactured it did an outstanding job on the casting..zero flaws..another benefit was that the sprue is even thicker... so I can save it and use it later

This stuff takes paint just as good as any plastic...I would say it's a little higher grade than the old verlinden figures ...you should have seen the mandrel mount

...it's a solid block 1x2 and the mandrel was solid as well... I spent some time drilling and grinding it out ...lucky the resin is so user friendly

Ten hours though... just trying to envision how things should go ... so it would work properly ...I felt like I was reinventing the wheel :lolno:

I almost gave up ... throw in the towel .. and "buy it now" the German captured version on Ebay :haha:

I'm glad I didn't though.. as she cleaned up pretty well

Have a good Holiday Painless... black Friday shopping by any chance ? :haha:

ALPHA

by **ALPHA** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:16 pm

sassgrunt wrote:Very, very nice work. The KV-2 has such a different look than any other KV-type tank. It looks ugly and off-balance; but very menacing at the same time. It will make a great addition to your fleet! -Mike

I agree sassgrunt...She really looks like a tank now .. the KV-1 turret just seems a little small ..but with that said...in some ways it does resemble the urban Pershing

Thanks sassgrunt... yes ... she will be a good addition to the PRAVDA fleet

..she didn't have a big part in the anime... but her presence was known :thumbup:

Have an Awesome Thanksgiving :thumbup:

ALPHA

by **PainlessWolf** » Wed Nov 27, 2013 11:15 pm

Good Afternoon,
Black Friday Shopping? Luna no! Perhaps online if anything. ;o) The KV-2 is imposing and brutal. It loses nothing in appearance sitting next to a Tiger 1.
regards,
Painless

by **cannedheat** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 11:12 am

insane-asylum.jpg

this is not fare why are you doing this, do you not realise that you are sowing seeds of destruction to the mind, look what you have done to me......AGAIN.....

by **PainlessWolf** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 2:13 pm

Good Morning, CH,
It's only going to get worse...
warm regards,
Painless

by **ALPHA** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 2:57 pm

PainlessWolf wrote:Good Morning, CH,
It's only going to get worse...

warm regards,
Painless

SADIST !

just kidding Painless :haha:

ALPHA

by **ALPHA** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:03 pm

cannedheat wrote:
insane-asylum.jpg
this is not fare why are you doing this, do you not realise that you are sowing seeds of destruction to the mind, look what you have done to me......AGAIN.....

Just to ease that mind a little canned... it's back to the drawing board... apparently when I first installed all the gadgets in the turret .. the one thing I left out was something to secure the gun mechanism .... well I did that last night.. once tightened ... I found I need to move everything back a half an inch :crazy:

I guess it's just part of using Static tank parts... it's like you have to design it to work...now I'm thinking I should have got the TORRO turret ... just so I wouldn't have to think so much

ALPHA

by **PainlessWolf** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:14 pm

Good Morning, Alpha,
You've done great work on this one already. Your thinking seems to be right on the money. Don't forget to take that applique armor off of your KV hull there on the sides. It was added to the KV-1 up armored edition which came out after the KV-2 production stopped. *looks again* I dunno, it certainly looks good there with the bolt heads on it. Second thought, might want to leave it on. Hey, is that an eroded lava flow across the road from your home there. I noticed it once my eyes were able to look up from that beautiful KV -2.
warm regards,
Painless

by **ALPHA** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:32 pm

PainlessWolf wrote:Good Morning, Alpha,
You've done great work on this one already. Your thinking seems to be right on the money. Don't forget to take that applique armor off of your KV hull there on the sides. It was added to the KV-1 up armored edition which came out after the KV-2 production stopped. *looks again* I dunno, it certainly looks good there with the bolt heads on it. Second thought, might want to leave it on. Hey, is that an eroded lava flow across the road from your home there. I noticed it once my eyes were able to look up from that beautiful KV -2.
warm regards,
Painless

Hey Painless... how's your THANKSGIVING progressing ? great I hope

....You're right about the armor... if I was doing a semi historical ... I might think of leaving it on... but it isn't present on the GIRLS UND PANZER version so they've got to go
There isn't much to "detailing" according to the anime theme... they are all pretty plain and simple ...which I kind of like in a way

Thing about the KV-2 even in books and search pictures ... she's pretty plain :haha:

..but yes the plate armor will go... and that little tube on the side ... not sure what that's for ... maybe the barrel cleaning gear... is going to be turned into the antenna ...hopefully I can hide the wire well enough lol

The build of the turret .. I feel is at the point of no return... there is a part of me that is saying order the dang TORRO lol...with the other side saying "get her done"...which is probably the better way to go.....as it's curiously part of the fun

Have a great day Painless :thumbup:

ALPHA

by **palepainter** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:18 pm

ALPHA wrote:
palepainter wrote:Awesome, I look forward to following along. My KV1 got here Monday as well. I have been enjoying some battles with my teenage daughter. I am really impressed with the HL KV1.

Any way... sounds like you had better luck with yours.... it's pretty cool that your daughter got into it... which tank did you let her use? ... the new one or your panther ?

Have a great Thanksgiving palepainter

ALPHA

Thanks!! It will be tank day with my nephews and father in law.

Of course I ran my Panther, but that didn't stop my daughter from schooling me a couple of rounds. :problem:

Really impressed with the quality of both of these so far. I picked up 3 used Tigers for 100 USD, came with 6 extra batteries and miscellaneous goodies. All 3 are BB version. I will be having some fun this winter.

Your build is looking great. I love all the stuff that is available for these things. It seems you guys over in the UK have a great contingency and resource for all this mayhem. It is catching on over here, but finding things like the resin kits is a hassle.

by **ALPHA** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 1:18 am

palepainter wrote:
ALPHA wrote:
palepainter wrote:Awesome, I look forward to following along. My KV1 got here Monday as well. I have been enjoying some battles with my teenage daughter. I am really impressed with the HL KV1.

Any way... sounds like you had better luck with yours.... it's pretty cool that your daughter got into it... which tank did you let her use? ... the new one or your panther ?

Have a great Thanksgiving palepainter

ALPHA

Thanks!! It will be tank day with my nephews and father in law. Of course I ran my Panther, but that didn't stop my daughter from schooling me a couple of rounds. Really impressed with the quality of both of these so far. I picked up 3 used Tigers for 100 USD, came with 6 extra batteries and miscellaneous goodies. All 3 are BB version. I will be having some fun this winter.

Your build is looking great. I love all the stuff that is available for these things. It seems you guys over in the UK have a great contingency and resource for all this mayhem. It is catching on over here, but finding things like the resin kits is a hassle.

Hey there Palepainter
Well if you're modelling the GERMAN machine... yeah there is a bunch of stuff out there... Unfortunately the USSR stuff... not so much as HENG LONG is still pretty young to the market... so add in participation of TAMIYA...(I don't really count TORRO because their version is the GERMAN captured which includes most of the needed bits )... there still isn't a demand for upgrade and mod parts... hopefully that will change soon

You got a great deal on those Tigers 30 dollars a piece

...awesome ... :thumbup:

...sounds like you will be having some fun this winter
I'm in the US... Honolulu ... not quite recognized by mainlanders as being part of the US :lolno:

...as we are not afforded "free shipping" and left out by many private sellers on EBAY :thumbdown:

...reason I envy modellers like you and Painless...but I guess it's for the best... for if I were on the continent... I might have more tanks than I need lol

Thanks for the complement Palepainter... keeping my fingers crossed on this one...the conversion from static to Rc .. even though it's just the turret... is having it's ups and downs... I just have to take my time and think things out before progressing

ALPHA

by **ALPHA** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 1:22 am

By the way Palepainter... MATO MART CANADA ... is having a BLACK FRIDAY SALE...
http://www.matomart.com/main.php
So a lot of good stuff... if you need them....20% off... and free ship if you spend enough :haha:

you can curse me later :haha:

As I am silently cursing and thanking the guy who told me :lolno:

...

....

ALPHA

by **PainlessWolf** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 1:38 am

Good Evening, Alpha,
I just thought up a possible tip for this issue: "and that little tube on the side ... not sure what that's for ... maybe the barrel cleaning gear... is going to be turned into the antenna ...hopefully I can hide the wire well enough lol" How about this: Drill a wire sized hole in the hull closest to where the tube sits. Drill a wire sized hole in the bottom of the tube (to also see if it is hollow) If hollow, carefully trim off the end of the tube. Run antenna gauge wire from the receiver out of the hull hole into the hole in the tube and spool it around a plastic or wood toothpick until you have enough for good coverage of signal then insert it into the tube and glue the end piece back on. Presto!, an almost invisible external antenna.
warm regards,
Painless

PRAVDA's Blizzard Buster "GIGANT"

Who is online