RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

FredtheFrench · Post by **FredtheFrench** » Thu Jan 28, 2021 7:39 pm

Very good job. Details are awesome. A futur totm.

Post by **HERMAN BIX** » Thu Jan 28, 2021 9:13 pm

You have not missed a thing Mr Mcq11, it’s exquisite.
Do you think in real life that any early versions recovered from damage may have had the late drivers cabin modification carried out, or strictly a new manufacture upgrade?
Looks like they could have done it if necessary , but who knows.

lmcq11 · Post by **lmcq11** » Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:22 pm

Thank you everyone.

HERMAN BIX wrote:Do you think in real life that any early versions recovered from damage may have had the late drivers cabin modification carried out, or strictly a new manufacture upgrade?
Looks like they could have done it if necessary , but who knows.

Technically, the roof of the driver/radio compartment is modular and plugged on top of the glacis, upgrades of older models would have been easy to perform.

This post is for the back of the Hummel.

View of the rear of the vehicle with panels opened.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Notice the large hooks at the back.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The early production version had a muffler installed, later deleted.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

As it is important to feature panels that can be opened and closed, i took the time to create working hinges from metal ones purchased from Dioramaparts on ebay Germany.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The Ludwig panels were used.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The locking mechanism seen in pictures was reproduced but not functional. Its would have been too fragile with the material and tools i have.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build; Capture3.JPG (96.39 KiB) Viewed 3179 times

Some of the features on the back plate. I still need to do the part in the middle which i earlier thought was a bracket for the muffler but more study seems to suggest it is a step to climb on the vehicle. The curved bars to hold the spare wheels have a different patterns depending on the vehicle. i have decided to reproduced the version seen here.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The bars are reproduced in brass rods.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Overview of the mostly completed rear area. Only the pedal step and the engine exhaust need to be done.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The metal hooks and the tow bar were purchased from eBay Germany seller imperial-modellbau. Looks like these are perfect fit for the Nashorn/Hummel.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Continuing on following post

lmcq11 · Post by **lmcq11** » Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:25 pm

The brass rods go strait inside the vehicle armor for a more solid spare wheel bracket. The wheel are removable.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The tow hook bracket from imperial-modellbau is a nice addition and for the $3.50 that it cost, it is a real bargain compared to the effort required to scratch build it

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Overview of the rear as it stands today

Closed panels

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Open.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Regards, Louis

EAO · Post by **EAO** » Sat Jan 30, 2021 10:52 pm

Louis,

Your research on this build is most impressive! Stunning attention to detail, how beautiful!

Regards,
Eric.

lmcq11 · Post by **lmcq11** » Sun Jan 31, 2021 3:42 pm

EAO wrote:Louis,
Your research on this build is most impressive! Stunning attention to detail, how beautiful!
Regards,
Eric.

Thank you Eric, as a builder, the research of available references, the search for parts and the scratch building of others for an accurate model is the biggest component of my passion for this hobby. Every build is an opportunity to learn about the vehicle.

This post is for the rollers and tracks

The Hummel late production is equipped with all metal return rollers. The mount are also positioned very differently than a Panzer IV. Notice the light slope of the track from the top of the sprocket all the way to the top of the idler. Also notice the armored box in front of the side air intakes, something rarely seen in reference pictures.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

These are the parts assembled for the return rollers. There are Mato late Panzer IV all metal rollers and Asiatam metal mounts, nuts and bolts.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

As the roller position need to be calculated and might require fine tuning on the spot, i create self contained units where the nut is inside the mount. I cut and filed away all the positioning pins. The nuts were filed as a cone and positioned at the bottom mostly inside the mount with some glue, bolts were cut and final sanding was done. On the hull itself, i drilled a hole just a bit larger than the size of the nuts about 1.5mm deep for the last portion of the bold, and also to give a good anchor for the glue.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

These are the superb and relatively cheap Mato MT011T panzer IV metal tracks (black pre-painted), purchased from eBay China for about $55. Notice the great level of details compared to Heng Long plastic tracks. They come with track pins with heads that allow for easy manipulation. Whoever has tried to remove track pins that are fully embedded inside a metal track link know what i am talking about. I do not think i will ever buy another set of Panzer IV tracks than these.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The roller units were installed with epoxy glue which allow last minute positioning (up, down...) to align them all with sagging of the tracks. It is difficult to exactly pre-position them with pre-drilled holes. Despite all my attempts to pre-calculate the exact position with markers, most needed to be pushed up or down by 1mm before the epoxy glue set.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Close up of the metal return rollers.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The road wheel hubs were installed.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Close up of the tracks

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

View of the positioning slope of the return rollers.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Next step, the front fenders.

Regards, Louis

SCHWEREPANZER · Post by **SCHWEREPANZER** » Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:07 pm

Just jaw dropping in its modeling beauty. The superlatives to describe this obvious labor of love with its attention to the most minute detail haven't been put into Webster's dictionary yet. Marvelous work.

quitcherbitchen · Post by **quitcherbitchen** » Sun Jan 31, 2021 10:15 pm

Do you glue the hubs on?

lmcq11 · Post by **lmcq11** » Sun Jan 31, 2021 11:02 pm

quitcherbitchen wrote:Do you glue the hubs on?

No, the road wheel hubs are installed and hold by squeezing them in place with plyers, although some did require a bit more encouragements to go all the way in. They are removable if need be. Its the Asiatam suspension hub caps that gave me some trouble. I had to file a bit the metal lips that goes inside so that they could go in, and even then, i had to hammer them in place.

lmcq11 · Post by **lmcq11** » Wed Feb 03, 2021 3:57 am

SCHWEREPANZER wrote:Marvelous work.

thank you very much Schewepanzer for your touching encouragements. It makes me want to do a better job.

Hi,

Here are the front fenders at the Saumur Hummel. The tip has a nice curve downwards and a mudflap. The treadplate seen here is the dotted pattern, difficult to find.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The idea is to do something similar. The Ludwig parts only provides plasticard main sections and a square for the tip. Need to scavenge the sprues to create the flap. Everything else need to be found elsewhere. I used JTT 1/100 single diamond treadplates, also used on panzer fenders.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

The hinges for the fenders flap is made of aluminum tube and brass rod, simple and fast.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Hinges are detailed and the proper number of bolt heads seen in reference are put on at the right locations.

: RC 1/16 Sd.Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production - Build

Close up of the hinge. Kit producers always oversimplify this area. Even Tamiya can't get it right. It is very easy to reproduce with a lot more accuracy in about 30 minutes of work with simple tools and material. But i can see that the bolt heads i selected for the hinges are a bit too large, i will have to replace them.