Comet A34- Ludwig kit
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
Reassuring words, Painless! Just as well, as things get really tricky now. I've decided to fit a 'Normandy cowl' to the Comet, and well recall the difficulties I had shaping the cowl. Even four hands wouldn't have been enough to hold the component parts together as they set.
The cowl was fitted to prevent exhaust fumes blowing back into the turret. At the same time, it also meant that the tank could carry infantry around on the engine deck, without gassing them to death.
It looked like this: The type B Comet, introduced after the war, had fishtail type exhausts- removing the need for the cowl altogether. However, Type A models (the one I'm aiming for) were often fitted with a twin cowl, as the gap in between the cowls was needed for the Gun, when it was locked in the travel position. That's the type I'm aiming to make; and it's going to be even more niggly than assembling a full cowl.
The cowl was fitted to prevent exhaust fumes blowing back into the turret. At the same time, it also meant that the tank could carry infantry around on the engine deck, without gassing them to death.
It looked like this: The type B Comet, introduced after the war, had fishtail type exhausts- removing the need for the cowl altogether. However, Type A models (the one I'm aiming for) were often fitted with a twin cowl, as the gap in between the cowls was needed for the Gun, when it was locked in the travel position. That's the type I'm aiming to make; and it's going to be even more niggly than assembling a full cowl.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
In the meantime, I've added the periscopes to the Lower Hull, the front trackguards, and bonded the glacis panel in place. The 'hinged' parts on the front guards have been scratch built, along with the bolts and extra supports on the guard itself (not parts included in the kit).
I sprayed a little Tamiya primer on just to see how things are shaping up (bits needing attention often show up better when coated in a think layer of surface primer.). Just noticed a broken bolthead on the Driver's
visor/porthole hinge- for example. I'd forgotten that
I'm trying to get the details to match those seen here. A simple right-angled support strut is supplied with the Comet kit, to attach the front mudguard to the Glacis plate. In reality, the strut has sides (at right angles) that are bolted to the wings and inner wings. As with the King Tiger, and Pz IV, the Comet front mudguards are hinged. I simulated hinges with styrene rod and fillet strips. As usual- click to ENLARGE images
I sprayed a little Tamiya primer on just to see how things are shaping up (bits needing attention often show up better when coated in a think layer of surface primer.). Just noticed a broken bolthead on the Driver's
visor/porthole hinge- for example. I'd forgotten that
I'm trying to get the details to match those seen here. A simple right-angled support strut is supplied with the Comet kit, to attach the front mudguard to the Glacis plate. In reality, the strut has sides (at right angles) that are bolted to the wings and inner wings. As with the King Tiger, and Pz IV, the Comet front mudguards are hinged. I simulated hinges with styrene rod and fillet strips. As usual- click to ENLARGE images
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
These are the parts supplied for the one-piece Normany Cowling:
So...I used the supplied support segments to make some more supports.
But, I want to build the split version of the Cowling, the one was introduced to permit the gun to be locked in travel position.So...I used the supplied support segments to make some more supports.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
I learned this the hard way.
One method I tried of 'softening up' the reluctant styrene panel, was to score lots of lines on the inside of the panel, using a Tamiya scriber (one of my favourite tools). Here: (Do click on all these images to ENLARGE them, by the way.)
Well, while this helped to weaken the panel, it also produced a very complex polygonal on the outside (like the old threepenny bit). This simply wouldn't cut the mustard, and so I abandoned that idea.
Instead, what I did, first of all, was to bond all of the curved segments to a 3mm piece of styrene- having first cut slots out, to embed them in: Then I bonded the front edge of the shroud, allowing it to cure for quite a while.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
Having attached the roots of the shrouds to the base, so to speak,- I put the panels into traction to bend them into shape. (Probably like working on a Mosquito's plywood wing.. )
The small cramps helped to form and retain the curve during bonding (using Revell Contacta Professional), whilst improvised 'wedges' helped complete the bond. Here's what the blueprint of the split/twin cowlings looks like:
The small cramps helped to form and retain the curve during bonding (using Revell Contacta Professional), whilst improvised 'wedges' helped complete the bond. Here's what the blueprint of the split/twin cowlings looks like:
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
The unit's almost dried now, but I'll apply some Plasto filler to it, and sand it, before cementing it to the hull.
Meantime, I've got the storage boxes finished, barring sanding and ann internal hinge mechanism (I might simply use Duck tape, as the pivots won't be visible- only the simulated full-length hinges will be on display)
Meantime, I've got the storage boxes finished, barring sanding and ann internal hinge mechanism (I might simply use Duck tape, as the pivots won't be visible- only the simulated full-length hinges will be on display)
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- HERMAN BIX
- Brigadier
- Posts: 10338
- Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:15 am
- Location: Gold Coast,Australia
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
For hinges, could you use tiny brass tube and fuse wire to allow them to function .?
HL JAGDPANTHER,HL TIGER 1,HL PzIII MUNITIONSCHLEPPER, HL KT OCTOPUS,HL PANTHER ZU-FUSS,HL STuG III,HL T34/85 BEDSPRING,
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
Those 1/35 maestros would have no difficulty with that, I'm sure, HB. Even at this scale, though, things get tricky for ancient hands and eyes. The tube would have to have an outside diameter of less than 1mm in order to keep within the scale values of the box. That would be something like a hypodermic needle.HERMAN BIX wrote:For hinges, could you use tiny brass tube and fuse wire to allow them to function .?
Then, bonding alternate sections to the lid and the casing would be nightmarish. I couldn't work with minuscule brass parts in the way that Barry does.
While I'd like the finished model to look like a passable Comet- even from close up, I'm not after the truly meticulous detail to be found in offerings from Louis, (Imcq11), Alwyn, Freddy, Barry C, and a few others.
When I've got the model up and running, I might look at adding a few fine details....
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
- HERMAN BIX
- Brigadier
- Posts: 10338
- Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:15 am
- Location: Gold Coast,Australia
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
Hey I gotchya !........you are making it look easy enough to pull hinges off without any extra Whiskey shots
Considering the boxes will not be needed to open & shut on any regular basis, fair call
Just because you can, doesn't necessarily mean you should !!
Those curved cowls are sublime , nice carpentry skills Sir.
Considering the boxes will not be needed to open & shut on any regular basis, fair call
Just because you can, doesn't necessarily mean you should !!
Those curved cowls are sublime , nice carpentry skills Sir.
HL JAGDPANTHER,HL TIGER 1,HL PzIII MUNITIONSCHLEPPER, HL KT OCTOPUS,HL PANTHER ZU-FUSS,HL STuG III,HL T34/85 BEDSPRING,
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
- Posts: 6294
- Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:38 am
- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Comet A34- Ludwig kit
Many thanks, H.B. I'm not sure if warping plasticard counts as carpentry; but woodworking techniques are definitely transferable to model tank buildingHERMAN BIX wrote:Hey I gotchya !........you are making it look easy enough to pull hinges off without any extra Whiskey shots
Considering the boxes will not be needed to open & shut on any regular basis, fair call
Just because you can, doesn't necessarily mean you should !!
Those curved cowls are sublime , nice carpentry skills Sir.
This is what the Normandy Twin Exhaust shroud/ Cowling looks like in place.
I have still to fill and sand it, as well as drilling holes in the baseplate to receive smoke unit pipes. o
Other than that, I'm fairly happy that all the effort was worthwhile.
The right hand unit still needs some filler and sanding. I'm going to use meng rivets for embellishments on the edges, and elsewhere on the tank.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.