RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi,

This post is for the cabin doors.

Analysis of the right references show that the TPz-1 A8 version has different doors than earlier A1 to A7 versions. The doors are covered with an intricate layer of add-on armor. The Ludwig kit does not have the right size of door windows, the armored window covers are too small and with the wrong shape. The Ludwig A8 upgrade kit does not come with A8 style doors or the extra armor. The add-on door armor is in 2 sections, inner and outer ring, with a window frame. Notice the spring drum system to facilitate the opening of the doors.
Picture showing the armored cover positioned in "war ready mode" over the door windows. As I will not have much interior to look at, I will show the cover in place.
The two Ludwig doors are used as a frame to draw the extra armor plates over a thin plasticard sheet, and then it is a knife and nail file job to get them done. Notice the small windows on the Ludwig doors, maybe they represent some early version.
The new parts are created, with the outer ring plates already glued to the Ludwig doors. They have been made 1 mm larger than the original door for a better fit to the hull.
The finished product, doors and surrounding equipment and handles are installed.
Getting there but there are still a lot to do on the cabin.
The spring drum system was replicated the best I could with the available material I had in hand. The drum itself is made of overlapping brass and aluminum tubed. These over engineered modern German equipment are difficult to reproduce, there are limits so I cut a couple of corners... Overall, the new doors compare well to the original look and feel. There is still a bit of fine tuning left to do.
All the extra armor on the cabin have now been made and installed. Remaining to be done are all the attachment points composed of a large washer and bolts in a few strategic places for each plates. These are important for the look.
The Tpz-1 Fuchs A8 build as it stands today. I am happy with the results so far.
Next steps is to install the back doors, and put on the add-on armor retaining bolts.

Regards, Louis

The great work continues , doors are amazing, looking forward to seeing finished model.

Thank you Square4 !

Continuing with the hull

This is the back of the vehicle, simple doors with add-on armor. The lower area has some complexity.
Ludwig provides the doors, add-on armor and hinges.
This is the snorkel type exhaust.
AFV_Model of Germany sells this item in resin and photo-etched parts. The builder has to figure out how put it together. The grill at first sight did not seem too authentic.
I did the best i could to match the reference picture but you can see that the AFV_Model grill arrangement is not right. Maybe there are different versions but it does not match the ref pictures of the A8 I have seen. Looks ok though, better than nothing.
I did not find a single picture of the back of the snorkel so this is likely not accurate. The back of the vehicle so far. The holes for the add-on armor anchor points have been drilled.
The Add-on armor has anchor points at various locations. As these are highly visible, i decided to reproduce them.
Chris sell a "Detailsatz" sheet for the Boxer kit that I thought could be used to represent the anchor points on the Fuchs. However, after a few trials, I determined the ones available in the required quantity were too large and did not look good. They are also too thick and require too much effort to use. Time for Plan B.
Continuing on following post.

Plan B is to use Knupfer brass washers i had, along with Masterclub rivets and a 1mm drill bit to install them. Its better to use these rivets than Meng nut heads because the rivets are really helping keeping the washer in place, not just the superglue. It was the first time I use Masterclub rivets and I like them, I will use them more in the future. The issue with Plan B is that I do not have enough brass washers to finish the back of the vehicle, nor the top later, so I had to order more from Knupfer in Germany. With the pandemic, it is unknown when they will arrive.
Here is the model with the add-on armor anchor points in place.
The vehicle as it stands today.
Next step is to install the front and rear hooks.

Regards, Louis

Good afternoon!
Once again, amazing work! The detail serves as eye candy of the highest type. The small rivets alone are praiseworthy. Whatever corners you say that you cut are very, very hard to discern if at all. ;o)

regards,
Painless

Wow! That’s a beautiful photo of your model. I love Ludwig’s kits and the great results they yield.

amazing job

why have you not use 3d printer for your exhaust

Thank you,

yan33 wrote:why have you not use 3d printer for your exhaust

I do not use these, yet, its a retirement project to get one.

A simple post for the front and back hooks, that ended up being not so simple.

Reference pictures show a dented armor layer at the front bottom
AFV_Model sells a good reproduction of the TPZ-1 front hook
The reproduced lower frontal area of the TPZ. The dented row was created with a chain saw round file on a thin plasticard applied as an overlay. No, I did not count the dents. I will have to move the right armor anchor point a bit to the right.
The rear hook is a complex one.
AFV-Model sells that little gem, very happy with it as it is good and saves a lot of time.
It has a working metal spring to open and close the hook, a real luxury.
A back plate needs to be created to install the rear hook. The fragile foot pedals around it will be done later in the build.
Next step, the FLW-200 weapon station...

Regards, Louis

AMAZING

Great art!!!