The ERA is a bit fiddley to get on but looks ok. I’ve gone for robustness over accuracy but the compromise will be the right move I reckon.
I filled in the tiles with styrene sheet and used sections of steel PE sprue off ZTZ99 mesh as mounting brackets.
Good super glue and they seem pretty rugged.
Still some to do
If anyone needs me, I am making ERA sets and mounts...............I have never shed so much blood on a model more than this one
The little steel brackets I am making have sliced the ends of every finger/thumb while I try to get the angle of them right in relation to the turret shape.
I drove one into the end of my thumb last night that bought tears and loads of blood which as I do, wiped on my tee shirt Looked like I'd dried a paintbrush full of XF-7 on myself
They say you've got to suffer for your art, Herman! Given how good the mounted ERA looks, I think you should prepare to suffer a lot!
Got some more stowage done for you, the stools and plastic water drums. How many of each do you need?
IMG20230902201757.jpg (335.29 KiB) Viewed 2033 times
IMG20230902201839.jpg (349.73 KiB) Viewed 2033 times
They were both a lot more straightforward than the plastic chairs, quicker to draw and (satisfactorily) print. I'll try and get them all off to you soon!
Jeez they are good just like in the picture !
I reckon 3 chairs, 2 stools, and 4 of those square containers if thats ok ?
Oh, 2 RPG's and 3 AK's with long barrels (not AKSU's)
That should keep you off the banana lounge for a bit
gettyimages-1134869982-2048x2048.jpg (394.7 KiB) Viewed 1981 times
Im calling the ERA done................
The odd offset from one side to the other is a result of the IR and white-light searchlights on the right side of the turret.
There are effectively a row of 2 tiles missing from the space, but there are individual tiles placed in the spots created by the MG slot and the lights.
The coverage is even around the turret circumference, it just looks odd.
I can rely on the stowage for RPG/ATGM protection for the unprotected areas of the turret armour
Next up is the welds around the turret roof armour plates, then details all over the busy hull.
Of note that the true T55 has a 14 tooth drive sprocket where the T54 has 13..............the Hooben has 13
Add that to the turret roof ventilator and its certain that the Hooben is a T54 (or the version I have is)
This thing is a T54/55
And NOOOOOwwwwwww its a Ugandan African Union T54/55 not a T55 A.M.
Although some of the machines in the picture link are T55AM's.
Silly Ugandan Army. They do realize those resin deck chairs always crack when you least expect it and dump you, yer keyster and yer beer onto the campfire, right?
Righteous looking T-54/55!
Mike.
ColemanCollector wrote: ↑Sun Sep 03, 2023 9:45 pm
Silly Ugandan Army. They do realize those resin deck chairs always crack when you least expect it and dump you, yer keyster and yer beer onto the campfire, right?
Righteous looking T-54/55!
Mike.
Cheers Mr Coleman, and youre dead right about those chairs .............mainly because folks are too cheap to throw them out & replace them when they get a bit old and U.V. affected.
They certainly look good on the clutter of this T55, so thats why I want to make it.
Thanks to Mr Raminators Ninja skills with the printer, I can
Herman,
This is classic! Following along of course! No chance of bending that one fender tip up instead of down? Looks a little like track fouling possibility?
regards,
Painless
PainlessWolf wrote: ↑Mon Sep 04, 2023 2:27 pm
Herman,
This is classic! Following along of course! No chance of bending that one fender tip up instead of down? Looks a little like track fouling possibility?
regards,
Painless
Ahh G'day Mr Wolf, good to virtually see you mate.
That section of fender seems to be close enough to the idler that the track clears it by a long way.
Even on full roadwheel deflection it still misses.
How'd you reckon I would go getting a suitable looking "Granny" figure for a chair perched high on the deck of this thing ??!!
Looked like I'd dried a paintbrush full of XF-7 on myself 
