HOOBEN T55 UGANDAN HILLBILLY WAGON

[tankme]

Those are highly detailed.

[HERMAN BIX]

They certainly are.
Going to make enormous finishing touches soon.

[HERMAN BIX]

In the loads of odd bits gathered up during the clean out of the estate of our late club Presidents stuff, I ended up with half a barrel smoking kit.
The flash was missing as was the ignition wire to signal it to work.
I went to a local outlet for electrical stuff today and for the ransom of $1.55, got a bulb
Some careful soldering using a spare accessory cable onto the small control board and the signal wire was reinstated.
The bulb was not as ideal being a 6V so its not as bright as an LED but shes near enough for me.
Crammed the system into the hull and secured it with self-adhesive velcro wherever I could , a bit ugly, but its in
Also made a couple of actual handles for the rear fuel tank so I can secure any stowage to the rear. Just small tube with bent dressmaking pin to make the handle, pressed into the tube et voila!

Now the realisation that this tank has a split hull for battery changes rather than the compartment underneath like H/Ls I need to think carefully about the placement and retention method of the stowage so the hull can be opened
The entire concept of this tank and its subject is the wild load of stowage so I need to get it right without ruining either access or stowage content

Not far from paint I feel.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Your comments immediately above point out a challenge: charging/fitting/removing the battery. Magnets are such a good option, but not readily workable on some tanks, e.g. a Sherman. I like the external connector hidden in the tool box as on the Taigen/Torro KV-2. Yet despite the inefficiency of space, the venerable screw-on door is not a bad way to go.

[tankme]

I used magnets in a weird way on my Hooben. I'll have to take a pic when I get home. The round magnets are mounted vertically on the hull sides and I have styrene sides that slide down over them. The T55 didn't have any good mounting points for magnets so that's what I came up with. Helps keep the top aligned with the bottom too.

[HERMAN BIX]

woops, now a pic

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[Ad Lav]

Brass

[HERMAN BIX]

A little more progress. Auxiliary fuel tank lines.
Using some spare wire that is part of the innevitable accumulation of stuff we hoard during this hobby, I formed some black lines and shaped them according to various diagrams & other build logs for the location.
The layout is pretty simple, with one of them being slightly smaller than the rest.
Drilling into each fuel tank in a near enough position, then securing one end with super glue to get it into place.
Once dry, tweezers used to get the bends along the hull side & through the mudguard braces, then feed the other end into the relevant fuel tank & more super glue to complete.
A little detail, but another one thats going to add up in the end I hope.

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[HERMAN BIX]

Using the venerable blend of Mr Surgacer 500 paste and Tamiya putty to add a slightly rougher texture onto the turret.
The roof on these was a plated/welded assembly so will remain smooth.
Not like the terribly rough castings of WW2, the T54/55s are a lot better finished.
Just needs a bit of light texture to add interest to the losenge shaped turret.

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[PainlessWolf]

Herman,
Very realistic looking, especially the fuel cans on the fenders. Following along
regards,
Painless