This section is for builds that are not strictly Tamiya or Heng Long. For instance, replacing the electronics from a WSN or Matorro, or even a scratch-build.
I'm not a fan of Russian heavyweights, but this one is very nice! All beaten and roughed up, I'd dare even call her sexy! I totally agree with Dr. Phibes about the undercoat. Really works well and gives it a different sheen.
I must say that your ankle is FUBAR, but your hands are steady as a rock! Amazing steadiness and skill! Now a few more finishing touches and we'll expect a video. Or for sure once your ankle is better!
Cheers,
Eric.
"You can always tell a German, you just can't tell him much." Anonymous.
German cars, German girls, German beer, German firearms, German Shepherds, German motorcycles... Not necessarily in that order though!
I'm not a fan of Russian heavyweights, but this one is very nice! All beaten and roughed up, I'd dare even call her sexy! I totally agree with Dr. Phibes about the undercoat. Really works well and gives it a different sheen.
I must say that your ankle is FUBAR, but your hands are steady as a rock! Amazing steadiness and skill! Now a few more finishing touches and we'll expect a video. Or for sure once your ankle is better!
Cheers,
Eric.
Thanks Mr EAO, though Im a fan of Russian weapons being rugged, simple and unashamedly function-focused only, I'm not going the sexy level !!
I cant say I have any emotion for any weapon made in the Soviet Union being 'elegant'..............
More cunning and fit for purpose with a touch of brutal cold-hearted survive and function at the least cost
All the firearms I collected in the other life were examples of that, and they shall easily outlive me & pass through time as a sad testament to mans drive to overcome other men by any means possible without empathy or formality...........
The later Soviet tanks are the same I reckon.
As for my dumb-ass foot, its getting real old and this be at home fiasco has really worn off.
It will be 3 months before I am close to driving a car, let alone going back to work
Yeah, I may have gone too far with the "sexy" comment! It reminds me of riding with my Grandfather once, long ago on a hot Summer day. I was in the midst of puberty and really just discovering how great the opposite sex was. In my hormonally raging state, we saw an older high school girl walking along in clothing totally appropriate for the hot, sticky, weather (at least I thought so). As both of our eyes fixed upon her, I let out a barely subdued "WOW". Grandpa replied with a "well, that's a rough looking blister"! Seems our idea of the fairer sex differed in many ways! To know my Grandpa, just think of "The Walton's" and there you have it. As I stared at him in disbelief, he uttered barely audible "body of temptation, face of regret"! He then gave me a wink and a smirk!
OK, I know too much information! I digress yet again. Of course, none of this will be shared with the Wife!?! Right?
Cheers,
Eric.
"You can always tell a German, you just can't tell him much." Anonymous.
German cars, German girls, German beer, German firearms, German Shepherds, German motorcycles... Not necessarily in that order though!
Now heres a moment when I look back on the build and realise I have underestimated the importance of some basics.
Spare tracks mounted on the lower front glacis plate on the JS-2 are very specific, and in the case of a 16th scale model, need to be robust.
Hindsight being what it is, I really should have left the plastic ones as they were. Add to that, that mounting them now is a lot harder to get right.
I went on a chauffeur driven trip to our nearest hobby shop & got some brass stock to try to replicate the mounts.
Not having been able to get hold of small bolts without doing the import thing, a plan 'B' is required.
The plastic links will be reused, but secured on to brass rectangle with small bolts soldered inside the section, which is then anchored through 1mm holes drilled into the hull.
The plastic will then be epoxied onto the brass mounts and the lower hull plate to aid smash resistance!
Later versions had the outer two links of course, mounted the same way to the hull.
The early model JS-2's spare track retaining mounts looked like this, but the outer links came later.
That should keep you busy for a little while. Oh, by the way, I believe the equivalent U.S. term for "prawn" is "butter face". With that thought I'll leave you be to carry on with that juggernaut.
Cheers,
Eric.
"You can always tell a German, you just can't tell him much." Anonymous.
German cars, German girls, German beer, German firearms, German Shepherds, German motorcycles... Not necessarily in that order though!
That should keep you busy for a little while. Oh, by the way, I believe the equivalent U.S. term for "prawn" is "butter face". With that thought I'll leave you be to carry on with that juggernaut.
Cheers,
Eric.
It sure will Mr E, a really dumb omission during the build stage, one I took for granted to be a 2 minute fix that I didn’t find the 2 minutes for !
Now is a way longer fix.
Having the upper hull split right where the upper mounting blocks should really be is also a bit of a pain n.
Still, as long as they can hold up to a bashing I will be happy.
No point wasting overseas currency on this detail for me. Getting 10 links like Mr Wolfs is disproportionately priced to its benefit !!
I'm just now learning about the nuances of the JS-2, never paid very close attention before. I find the tank hull interesting given it's early "broken nose" glacis plate versus the later angled glacis. The picture of the track holders is interesting too, mostly since I just started reading one of the "Duel" books about the KT versus the JS in the last stage of the war. Your amazing build is bringing things more clearly into focus than just the pics in the book can.
I'm sure you'll make it look great. In the end it will probably only be you who can tell! Perhaps it'll even make it (dare I say it?)...sexier?!
Cheers,
Eric.
"You can always tell a German, you just can't tell him much." Anonymous.
German cars, German girls, German beer, German firearms, German Shepherds, German motorcycles... Not necessarily in that order though!
The different glacis plates or frontal profile has also been called "the Roman Nose" version by some Russian writers.
The mounts are all on, well at least the ones that matter, and are now setting with epoxy and super glue.
All except the lower-middle 4 have 1mm bolts drilled through the alloy hull and super glue, and the 1mm nuts & a washer on the bolt, again super glued in place.
If it busts off, fair play-so be it.
Putting 1mm nuts on the threads is a test in dexterity and patience I hope to minimise from now on
Once all dry, a bit of a touch up with paint & weathering to blend it together-job done.
All dusted & looking way better.
I may do a bit more work to get the plastic track links looking a bit more 'metallic' but for what they do, these will do.
It reminds me of riding with my Grandfather once, long ago on a hot Summer day. I was in the midst of puberty and really just discovering how great the opposite sex was. In my hormonally raging state, we saw an older high school girl walking along in clothing totally appropriate for the hot, sticky, weather (at least I thought so). As both of our eyes fixed upon her, I let out a barely subdued "WOW". Grandpa replied with a "well, that's a rough looking blister"! Seems our idea of the fairer sex differed in many ways! To know my Grandpa, just think of "The Walton's" and there you have it. As I stared at him in disbelief, he uttered barely audible "body of temptation, face of regret"! 
He then gave me a wink and a smirk!
)
I find the tank hull interesting given it's early "broken nose" glacis plate versus the later angled glacis. The picture of the track holders is interesting too, mostly since I just started reading one of the "Duel" books about the KT versus the JS in the last stage of the war. Your amazing build is bringing things more clearly into focus than just the pics in the book can.
Perhaps it'll even make it (dare I say it?)...sexier?! 
