Jimster wrote:I’m amazed at how easy you seem to make everything look
Thanks Jimster ! its probably 48 years of modelling experience that help a bit. But i must admit that making a bunch of Ludwig kits in the past 4 years has really improved my skills, while they remained mostly the same whole decades i was building plastic kits.
This post is the final one for the tracks. Thank god, i managed to finish them. You can't imagine the patience it takes.
The real Leopard 1 tracks have rubber pads that become quite worn out in operation.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
The rubber pads are attached to the tracks using a thick rubber section that goes all the way through slots in the metal.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
Creating two tracks of 86 links each means that the stupid buyer of AFV-Model Leopard 1 tracks, like me, has to assemble a total of 1,548 parts, yes 1,548. So, for the guys who complain about the number of plastic parts in a 1/35 tracks, you have seen nothing. All the metal and rubber parts need clean up, most are moving parts and assembly requires all kind of unorthodox and heavy handed methods to put them together.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
AFV-Model has correctly reproduced the real aspect of the Diehl Typ D640A tracks with the hole for the rubber pads, a feature that is not provided on the tracks that Manheader is selling on eBay. But it comes at a price and every parts and every surfaces with casting need to be smoothed with a hand metal file, a long process.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
10 hours of work is required for the metal part clean up and assembly. There are very few spares so none can go to waste. If there are casting problems, they have to be dealt with.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
The result is impressive but they are bright silver, so some kind of weathering is required before putting on the rubber pads. Paint won't last 5 minutes on these and there is no way to apply paint on all surfaces between the links.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
I read that vinegar on zinc can produce a worn texture as the acid eats a bit of the metal. I was really surprised to see a worn look and color coming out 10 minutes only after having brushed a few teaspoons of vinegar on them. No wonder i can't eat that stuff anymore.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
View of a rubber pad. For sure, this is more solid than if the rubber pad was just a flat tile glued over metal.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
Adding the rubber pads took at least another 10 hours of work...if not more. The Pads are not perfect, some have molding issues, bulged, air bubbles, and they are all a bit oversized and do not fall in place. That would have been too simple. The lips on the flat surface have a natural tendency to pop out of their metal sockets. Which means the thick body part has to be forced in the hole on each track, and then the lips raised, superglue applied and then the lips are folded in their sockets using a blade as a tool. It took me a few minutes to develop a standard process. There are no spare rubber pads, a bad situation that forced me to use the earlier rejects. This is a view of the underside of the track.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
Actually, the track kit was missing 4 rubber pads so i had to make them myself using rubber holders residue they came attached to. I was not happy. Good thing i did not throw away the residues too fast. AFV-model should have provided at least 10 to 20 spares for all parts. I barely have a couple of pins and metal pads left, and no rubber pads.
- RC 1/16 Canadian tank Leopard C2 Mexas - Afghanistan - build
Continuing on following post