Dave Ward's Vulcan 1/35 Light Tank Mk. VIB BEF

[Dave Ward]

Well, thanks to MikeC, and his supplying of a spare spring - all 4 of the suspension bogies are done................

Not a job for the faint-hearted - as to being a 'working' suspension - not a hope! It's all firmly fixed with CA, and that is the end of it!!!!
After that nasty little assembly, I think that the rest should be comparatively easy!
I'm beginning to go off the idea of having crew - if the driver's and the commander's hatches are open, the surely the gunner's would be too? I'd have to find another figure, and given my figure painting skills ( or lack of ), I think closed hatches are becoming more probable, or just the commander, head out...
Dave

 

[MikeC]

Dave,
Found this, not BEF but the idea is there.
Enjoying the build, very good considering the pressure you were under .
Cheers, Mike.

 

[Graeme C.]

Dave, just found this thread, got one of these in the stash, be interesting to see how you do this kit I'll follow your progress, looking good so far.

 

[Dave Ward]

Graeme,
you need patience, 3 hands, and 4:1 zoom eyes! It's only a small model, and not a high parts count, but it really stretches your concentration! I only managed short periods at the bench, whilst I was assembling the suspension - my hands would start to tremble! During the breaks, I was engaged in removing the bits I had superglued to my fingers/wrists/sweater/bench...................................
Dave

 

[JR]

Sorry had to smile at the. ," I was engaged in removing the bits I had superglued to my fingers/wrists/sweater/bench "
Did the door bell ring !

 

[Dave Ward]

John,
are you telling me you've never done that - concentrating on some thing so completely, that you haven't noticed the drops of CA waiting, like a venus fly trap....................
Dave
ps Just Noticed - 1000 posts!

 

[MikeC]

Dave,
(deep, hollow, voice from the dark corner of the celler) I told you sooooooooo!!!!
But I bet you are pleased you have got that over with.....
Cheers, Mike.

 

[Ian M]

Time well spend Dave.
Trust me I have found 'MIA Parts' in the weirdest of places; CA'ed to the inside of my T-shirt, the bridge of my specs, from pushing them back into place. Hell I even found a missind headlight in my slipper once!
I am sure that the rest of the build will be a piece of cake after those boogies....

 

[Dave Ward]

I primed with black, then gave the lower hull, turret & bogies their basecoat of Hataka G3 Khaki Green.

Before spraying, I covered the mounting pins/holes for the bogies with masking fluid, to help assembly. I've painted the bogies off the hull, so I can do the tyres more easily.
I've primed the tracks, ready for a grey metallic overspray..............


With all those sprue ingates, they'll need a lot of touching up after assembly
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

It's all coming together nicely.............. I made an error in adding the bogies before painting the patches of G4 Dark Green behind them - but luckily I hadn't started on the tracks!
The tracks are fiddly - there a lot of tiny connection points to clean up on the tiny pieces! I'm doing one side at a time, so I don't mix bits up.
I'll do my usual thing of completing the tracks before moving on to the fenders and upper hull, using masks to protect the complete lower hull
Dave

 

[Jon Heptonstall]

Superb work Dave.The little tank looks great.
Jon.

 

[scottie3158]

Dave,
Coming on nicely the work on the suspension was worth the effort.

 

[Dave Ward]

Last update for the day - one side track complete!
Worst part was the links around the idler wheel - very fiddly. Quite a bit of touching up needed now & some fingerprints to remove!
Dave

 

[Jakko]

Vulcan gives you flat sections of track for the upper run, without taking into account that Vickers track like this was dead and often sagged quite noticeably?

You can also find photos of it with the track almost taut, but a bit of sag on the kit parts would be more realistic.

 

[Dave Ward]

Yep,
the track parts are in straight runs........................

I could have bent the upper runs, but it was such a tricky business getting them on, I decided to leave well alone.
Dave

 

[MikeC]

Dave,
Coming along nicely and at full belt, or is it that I am so slow, forget now.... looking forward to the finished item. Cheers, Mike.

 

[Dave Ward]

Although it's the same as the other side, I had real trouble in getting the parts to stick, maybe my hands aren't as steady ( too much coffee? ). Anyway, at the second bite of the cherry, I got things in place, not quite as neat as the first, but I'll allow it to dry overnight, and touch up & tidy tomorrow...................

Vulcan, in their wisdom, don't provide any spare track links! So no pressure...................
Dave

 

[scottie3158]

Dave,
Nice job, in the first pi there appears to be a hair or bristle on the rear wheel.

 

[Dave Ward]

Paul,
Bl**dy dog hairs!!!! ..........................Wait, I don't have a dog! Must be one of my sadly diminishing locks.
I'll clean all that up when I sort & tidy the suspension & tracks, well spotted.
Next will be the addition of the fenders - at least here Vulcan give you the choice of PE, or plastic supports - I'll see how steady the hands are!
Dave

 

[Ian M]

Looking good Dave.