1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
You can notice a repair on the right periscope.
The model as it stands today.
Regards, Louis
Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
Hi everyone,
The following posts are for the searchlight and the storage box.
There are few available pictures of the searchlight mounted on the Sho't. I want my Sho't Meteor to be fully equipped so i really wanted the searchlight.
Frontal and profile views. I have become more efficient at studying shadows on fuzzy pictures.
The mount is also critical. The bottom part seems to have been reused as is on the Sho't Kal to mount an M2 machine gun, however, detailed pictures of the top part for the searchlight are nowhere to be found. I had to do some interpretations.
The 1/35 Accurate Armour Sho't conversion kit was useful for some specs on the searchlight and especially the mount.
Early in the build, i ordered a Haya Centurion searchlight (left side) that i had seen on their website without doing any analysis first. When it arrived, it did not take me long to realize it has nothing to do with the searchlight used on IDF Centurions. It is way bigger than anticipated. Maybe one day i will be able to use it on a Australian or Nato Centurion build.
After further research on my own, i realized that the IDF Sho't searchlight is the same as their M50/M51 Isherman searchlight. There is one available on Shapeways that i ordered, its the one on the right. Rounded shapes like this would have been difficult to scratch build, so I was happy to have a base at least.
Much smaller than the British searchlight, it fits the requirement as is.
The Shapeways searchlight compares well to the 1/35 AA kit in terms of external shapes and dimensions. However, it's totally empty and the builder has to ponder his options on how to use it, and mount it.
The base needs to be extended to the rear.
Scavenging my son's Lego collection for anything that could help me, i quickly realise that these Lego dish antennas could be of use to put inside the searchlight.
Continuing on following post
The following posts are for the searchlight and the storage box.
There are few available pictures of the searchlight mounted on the Sho't. I want my Sho't Meteor to be fully equipped so i really wanted the searchlight.
Frontal and profile views. I have become more efficient at studying shadows on fuzzy pictures.
The mount is also critical. The bottom part seems to have been reused as is on the Sho't Kal to mount an M2 machine gun, however, detailed pictures of the top part for the searchlight are nowhere to be found. I had to do some interpretations.
The 1/35 Accurate Armour Sho't conversion kit was useful for some specs on the searchlight and especially the mount.
Early in the build, i ordered a Haya Centurion searchlight (left side) that i had seen on their website without doing any analysis first. When it arrived, it did not take me long to realize it has nothing to do with the searchlight used on IDF Centurions. It is way bigger than anticipated. Maybe one day i will be able to use it on a Australian or Nato Centurion build.
After further research on my own, i realized that the IDF Sho't searchlight is the same as their M50/M51 Isherman searchlight. There is one available on Shapeways that i ordered, its the one on the right. Rounded shapes like this would have been difficult to scratch build, so I was happy to have a base at least.
Much smaller than the British searchlight, it fits the requirement as is.
The Shapeways searchlight compares well to the 1/35 AA kit in terms of external shapes and dimensions. However, it's totally empty and the builder has to ponder his options on how to use it, and mount it.
The base needs to be extended to the rear.
Scavenging my son's Lego collection for anything that could help me, i quickly realise that these Lego dish antennas could be of use to put inside the searchlight.
Continuing on following post
Last edited by lmcq11 on Fri Nov 03, 2023 7:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
Researching details on fuzzy pictures has become a way of life. Even clear pictures of entire vehicles be come fuzzy when zooming in for details. Keep up the great work!
"Don't believe everything you see on the internet" - George S. Patton
Eric
Eric
Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
The Lego 30mm wide dish antenna can be easily reduced in diameter to fit inside the searchlight. Ok, it is probably not as curved as i wanted but it certainly fills the gap and fast. There is even a built-in mount for a 5mm LED...
A 5mm White LED is installed in minutes.
After it’s wired and tested, the round dish is glued inside the searchlight, not against the bottom but as per the line in the middle, position seen in the profile reference picture on previous post.
Looking for a glass cover, i found that the cap of my superglue bottle containers have a very nice clear and hard plastic roundel underneath.
After cutting the extra and some finetuning with a nail file, it fits perfectly in the slot of the searchlight. It will be glued later after painting.
The mount... I know that the life expectancy of a plastic or 3D printed searchlight mount would probalby be between 5 and 10 minutes after use, i decided to build it in brass, using thick strips and channels. To my surprise, it was done in 45 minutes. I used the AA 1/35 mount for specs.
And here we have an IDF Sho't searchlight mounted on the mantlet. The base is mounted on the metal plate under the canvas and as such, it will not move up or down with gun elevation. No way around it because this is how i designed the re-inforcement base for the canvas. If i had to redo the canvas, i would probably think of something different.
Continuing on following post
A 5mm White LED is installed in minutes.
After it’s wired and tested, the round dish is glued inside the searchlight, not against the bottom but as per the line in the middle, position seen in the profile reference picture on previous post.
Looking for a glass cover, i found that the cap of my superglue bottle containers have a very nice clear and hard plastic roundel underneath.
After cutting the extra and some finetuning with a nail file, it fits perfectly in the slot of the searchlight. It will be glued later after painting.
The mount... I know that the life expectancy of a plastic or 3D printed searchlight mount would probalby be between 5 and 10 minutes after use, i decided to build it in brass, using thick strips and channels. To my surprise, it was done in 45 minutes. I used the AA 1/35 mount for specs.
And here we have an IDF Sho't searchlight mounted on the mantlet. The base is mounted on the metal plate under the canvas and as such, it will not move up or down with gun elevation. No way around it because this is how i designed the re-inforcement base for the canvas. If i had to redo the canvas, i would probably think of something different.
Continuing on following post
Last edited by lmcq11 on Sat Nov 04, 2023 9:52 am, edited 7 times in total.
Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
The storage box, looks simple.
No issue there but i made it 2mm narrower than what AA has for it in 1/35, otherwise it would not have fit the allocated space on the turret rear. However, the Shapeways searchlight could fit in it if i wanted to.
Searchlight storage box installed.
Searchlight is functional.
Last edited by lmcq11 on Fri Nov 03, 2023 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
The model as it stands today
Regards, Louis
Regards, Louis
Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
Great details on the search light and box for it!
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Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
If you are looking for a good reflector for the searchlight I use a Chromium pen marker, It works great on rear view mirrors and periscope lenses, Available in different nib sizes from www.molotow.com
I am using the 5mm Pumpmarker 703104 but there are bigger and smaller available.
I am using the 5mm Pumpmarker 703104 but there are bigger and smaller available.
I think I am about to upset someone
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Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
Using LEGO piece is genius As always, lovely details and scratchbuilding.
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Re: 1/16 RC IDF Late Sho't Meteor Centurion with 105mm - build
Another beautiful model…