FUTURE SHOCK..SAUNDERS M1A2 ABRAMS

[greengiant]

When you moved the 50 to the side you also moved the copula grab handles with it. I would have left it facing the front and made the figures body and arms stretched out and holding and aiming the 50 by its rear handles ( a stretched out female body even in uniform is sexy) and if you made the copula rotatable you could get that view at different angles. NOW THIS IS TO CORRECT MY MISTAKE, THE COPULA ITSELF DOES NOT ROTATE JUST THE RING THAT THE HANDLES AND THE 50 CALS MOUNTING ARMS ARE ON, A RING THAT ROTATES INDEPENDENT FROM THE COPULA, THE RING THAT HL HAS THEM MOUNTED TO IS THE ONLY ROTATING PART OF THE COPULA.
The shield looks functional but I would prefer some windows in the gun shield so when you look there you can see through to what's behind it.

[ALPHA]

When you moved the 50 to the side you also moved the copula grab handles with it. I would have left it facing the front and made the figures body and arms stretched out and holding and aiming the 50 by its rear handles ( a stretched out female body even in uniform is sexy) and if you made the copula rotatable you could get that view at different angles. The shield looks functional but I would prefer some windows in the gun shield so when you look there you can see through to what's behind it.

Thanks for the input Giant...not being familiar with the workings of the cupola...I thought the grab handles were the locking mech for the traversing of the gun ...so it just seemed logical that it followed along with the bracket
Yeah...I need to get some proper plastic stock for the view ports on the shield...ran out because I had already made one..but found it was too small...the ports do make a difference ...without them the shields look like the old versions that were used in Vietnam
The photos are just a preview though...I had just finished the 50.cal mount...was a little bleary eyed ...to quickly took some photos for you all to critique before I carry on to the chassis....not sure what to do with the exhaust area....ATC is going for a complete mod ....Heng Long did give that bracket for that area...but it just looks wrong without that extra box and impact bars...will probably add that AVU exhaust you have on yours...probably not the phone..because there is no infantry units or really any use of long range artillery ...it is kind of mind boggling how many grab handles there is on this thing...they are just all over the place

Thanks again...Critiques are always welcome


ALPHA

[greengiant]

Any flat clear flat blister pack plastic makes great windows. you can even cut a bunch the same size to make them thicker and give the appearance of laminated bullet proof glass.
Yea the whole copula turns as a unit which is how the 50 cal can be moved to the side.

[ALPHA]

Any flat clear flat blister pack plastic makes great windows. you can even cut a bunch the same size to make them thicker and give the appearance of laminated bullet proof glass.
Yea the whole copula turns as a unit which is how the 50 cal can be moved to the side.

Found some angle stock yesterday afternoon....took a bit ...but I finished the framework for the view ports...thought about blister pack...not sure it will work...thinking I will either pull a windshield off a junker jeep I have or go with some clear flat bottle stock...have a lot of spice bottles that are pretty thick...also it looks like the shield has glass on the front and the rear (so there might be problems with frosting from the crazy glue)....or..... I might just leave the openings open kind of a joke you know...like when lenses fall out of your specs ..and you keep on wearing them


ALPHA

[greengiant]

Yea if crazy glue would get between the "lamination" it would ruin the piece, to bad you already finished the angle iron frames as you could have used the plaster pack plastic by sandwiching it in without glue and just use a styrene rails glued to the angle to keep them tight in place. Clear styrene sheets I think can be found in different thicknesses. There is also clear Plexiglas but I've never seen it offered thin enough to be used in 1/16 scale.
Your tanks are to pristine for your crews to be running them with a big glass plate missing.
I've had to wear my glasses with one lens missing for a short time and it gave me a headache.
However you decide to do I it will look forward to seeing the pics.

[jackalope]

Those are WAY to many anti slip surfaces to not do them.

[greengiant]

I agree with jackalope ALPHA.
You wouldn't want one of the crew members slipping and breaking something.

[ALPHA]

Yea if crazy glue would get between the "lamination" it would ruin the piece, to bad you already finished the angle iron frames as you could have used the plaster pack plastic by sandwiching it in without glue and just use a styrene rails glued to the angle to keep them tight in place. Clear styrene sheets I think can be found in different thicknesses. There is also clear Plexiglas but I've never seen it offered thin enough to be used in 1/16 scale.
Your tanks are to pristine for your crews to be running them with a big glass plate missing.
I've had to wear my glasses with one lens missing for a short time and it gave me a headache.
However you decide to do I it will look forward to seeing the pics.

I have a few options Giant....if all fails ...there is still nothing wrong with the blister pack...it just went to the bottom of the list as I found thicker and thicker material...there would be a grace period before installation...if I did use normal blister pack...the good thing is that the frame is raised from the shield...blister plastic can easily be placed on top of it instead of inside of it...after 24 hours ..the frosting shouldn't happen...the second layer would be the concern...the thick stuff can be cut to fit...one application of glue should be enough...if it did frost..have a trick of using veggie oil to clean it off
I actually have thin plexi...glad you brought it up...thing is that stuff is hard to cut...has a tendency to crack and or shatter...still worth a try though...the stuff I have might be the exact thickness

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

Those are WAY to many anti slip surfaces to not do them.

I agree with jackalope ALPHA.
You wouldn't want one of the crew members slipping and breaking something.

....Wait a minute...you two trying to confuse me Jack says don't do...Giant says do...but you all agree somewhere
Anyway...Going to experiment first...it's not like I haven't done texture before...a few of my tanks have it...my Stug has the finest...so will go for that effect
Overall I kind of like the texturing...just because it's isolated to specific areas...think on a model like this..It would only be a plus to have the various surfaces...that feature would add a nice dimension to the final paint

Thanks Gents...I think

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

Found a solution for the bullet proof glass

medical tape dispenser ...pretty thick plastic...hard plastic...similar to the plastic used on these tanks...doesn't seem as temperamental as plexi...so will probably be going with this..the plus is that there are several flat areas

ALPHA