T-37A Russian Light Amphibious Tank

[David Lovell]

Hi havent built or blogged anything for months ,well tell a lie i built a handful of 72nd kits behind the front page here alongside our own Mr Race whilst he was having a bash at the small stuff ,we kinda built in tandem me trying to pass on what or how I went about it ,personally I think he showed the white flag too soon but I could feel his frustration there not every bodys cuppa ,but I thank him for a very pleasurable correspondence session.
Now the clocks have changed and the evenings soon close in intrest has been rekindled SLIGHTLY ,so had a mooch about in the stash and hooked this out ,it was in a job lot on flea Bay a few years back ,now I had picked at it occasionally between builds just for a bit of light entertainment but returned to stash and forgotten.

So took down to the dining table (work bench )and lifted the lid

Checked over the contents and all seems to still be there ,if I remember rightly fit of parts was bang on so took a closer look.
Strangely all the running gear was moulded in white plastic? very reminiscent of the old white Historex figures (some of the more elderly members will know).
Some nicely moulded individual track links

Wich it seems go together with no problems sorry chaps but individual links are a piece of cake line em up glue em up and wrap em around .

So ill get it up to primer ,oob im not mucking about with it but already know how i want to set about the paint job no rush I'll bash on in my own time and will return when built.
Dave.

 

[Dave Ward]

Hi havent built or blogged anything for months ,well tell a lie i built a handful of 72nd kits behind the front page here alongside our own Mr Race whilst he was having a bash at the small stuff ,we kinda built in tandem me trying to pass on what or how I went about it ,personally I think he showed the white flag too soon but I could feel his frustration there not every bodys cuppa ,but I thank him for a very pleasurable correspondence session.
Now the clocks have changed and the evenings soon close in intrest has been rekindled SLIGHTLY ,so had a mooch about in the stash and hooked this out ,it was in a job lot on flea Bay a few years back ,now I had picked at it occasionally between builds just for a bit of light entertainment but returned to stash and forgotten.
View attachment 466398
So took down to the dining table (work bench )and lifted the lid
View attachment 466399
Checked over the contents and all seems to still be there ,if I remember rightly fit of parts was bang on so took a closer look.
Strangely all the running gear was moulded in white plastic? very reminiscent of the old white Historex figures (some of the more elderly members will know).
Some nicely moulded individual track links
View attachment 466401
Wich it seems go together with no problems sorry chaps but individual links are a piece of cake line em up glue em up and wrap em around .
View attachment 466402
So ill get it up to primer ,oob im not mucking about with it but already know how i want to set about the paint job no rush I'll bash on in my own time and will return when built.
Dave.

David,
you're right about individual track links - it's not magic, just tedious - it amuses me when people replace tracks with Fruils metal tracks, because they're 'easier' - then have to clear all the holes with a drill for the track pins! There's no real quick way to assemble individual track links, just steady graft! - Has this thing got a propeller & guard? I have a vague recollection of something like this in my dim & distant past....................
Dave

 

[Jakko]

Some are easier than others, though. These Maquette links are one piece per link, with three points to clean up each — no worries at all, as long as the links fit together. Now try, say, Model Kasten Sherman tracks with eight pieces per link, a lot of them only a few millimetres large. Sure, they can be built (or so I assume), but I know I won’t be buying them

 

[Dave Ward]

The only limitation for me is the actual physical handling of the bits! ( assuming that the parts are moulded correctly! ). The one I had most difficulty with, was the individual links on a Pz.kpfw.I - just too small to use the fingers, all tweezer work...........
Dave

 

[David Lovell]

David,
you're right about individual track links - it's not magic, just tedious - it amuses me when people replace tracks with Fruils metal tracks, because they're 'easier' - then have to clear all the holes with a drill for the track pins! There's no real quick way to assemble individual track links, just steady graft! - Has this thing got a propeller & guard? I have a vague recollection of something like this in my dim & distant past....................
Dave

Yep their in the box Dave prop rudder and guard probably last to go kind of parts that continually get knocked off all the time as you know 35th isn't my tru love but I do dabble in this dark art now and again I built this for the Simon T memorial groupe build
It was a hobby boss 35er had stupid little plastic pins to hold the links together but as you say whats the problem just get on with it ,biggest bug bear here was the instructions , I think I shortened each side by about fifteen links and still got them to sag ,too much sag I know but I think they look cool. As for eight pieces a link the principle is still the same just build em line em up glue em and wrap em. Although Zvesda have cracked it with their one piece 72nd tracks superbly thought out and engineered does take the fun out of building 72nd link tracks though. Dave

 

[Mini Me]

That's a very nice rendition David......I think Mr. T would have liked it. Having seen Soviet tank photos with that much or more sag, I find it quite believable.

 

[Jakko]

As for eight pieces a link the principle is still the same just build em line em up glue em and wrap em.

Yeeeeessss, but … like Dave said, the parts can get very tiny and handling them can be very much a pain, as does cleaning them up. And this is assuming they fit properly. If there’s no other choice, well, then you muddle through. But given the choice between tracks of eight pieces and almost-identical-looking ones of three, I know which I’ll use.

 

[JR]

That finished well Dave, that sag like Rick says looks good .I've actually built this in 1/35 as well, different producer , but probably the same moulds .The mention the tracks which you all appear to be able to build just reminds me of the failures I've had . I remember some tracks with a very small plastic set of pins, could I get them to fit NO. Try as I might it didn't work .
Ok I use Fruils at times , Dave W says it amuses him when it's said there easier. Right I have to drill out the holes ,cut the wire ect but they stay together when done . I've just used a track jig and glued a part run of plastic tracks for my SU went to move them and they broke. I have tried TET on the straight sections , Contactor on the curves , left them for an HR, carefully lifted them up on the tape to wrap them around and they break up . So it must be me . The question must be how much glue do you use assuming they are well fitting ?coupled with how long do you leave the idler and drive sprocket sections before wrapping ?
I was always impressed when Si Benson removed his tracks and wheels in one piece when it came time to paint .

I would love to be able to use plastic tracks .

 

[David Lovell]

Hi John I'll get back to u soon through the usual channels in the mean time I've the complete other side to build not a promise but I'll try and show my process here , its not how to do it its the way I do it as long as its seen as that.Dave

 

[Jakko]

As long as it works and you’re happy with it, does it really matter how you got there?

 

[David Lovell]

Greetings have finished stripping and sanding the lounge floor waxed and buffed yesterday ,had to go down (across)to Southampton this morning for my sins rug needed for said floor ,typical all that work cover it with a rug still best just to smile and keep your thoughts to one's self.
So whilst doing the roast this afternoon did the track on the other side ,I had previously removed and cleaned the links so dived in using TET glued a good old length together

Mucked about in the kitchen whilst the length stiffened up ,I always leave them till there like they are in the picture I suppose yo could say self supporting


Then I find you can push and shove whilst wrapping around without any fear of them comming apart


And so on

And so on


I always join on the bottom not that I had to but if you have to cut a link in half to complete the run or even the other way insert half the with of a link nobody knows only you so whats the problem. Still hoping to crack on now I dont think SHMBO can find any more projects fingers crossed. Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Greetings have finished stripping and sanding the lounge floor waxed and buffed yesterday ,had to go down (across)to Southampton this morning for my sins rug needed for said floor ,typical all that work cover it with a rug still best just to smile and keep your thoughts to one's self.
So whilst doing the roast this afternoon did the track on the other side ,I had previously removed and cleaned the links so dived in using TET glued a good old length together
View attachment 467503
Mucked about in the kitchen whilst the length stiffened up ,I always leave them till there like they are in the picture I suppose yo could say self supporting

View attachment 467504
Then I find you can push and shove whilst wrapping around without any fear of them comming apart
View attachment 467505

And so on
View attachment 467506
And so on
View attachment 467508

I always join on the bottom not that I had to but if you have to cut a link in half to complete the run or even the other way insert half the with of a link nobody knows only you so whats the problem. Still hoping to crack on now I dont think SHMBO can find any more projects fingers crossed. Dave

Very good track SBS Dave. Must admit I like the masking tape variation, mostly because you can work a little earlier. I did it this way once and almost forgot the about the glued track….hard to bend it around the wheels when it’s pretty near set. Trouble is, I now tend to go too early so they are a bit more fragile
Very much a suck it and see though isn’t it, different manufacturers plastics have different working times.

 

[adt70hk]

Thanks Dave a great SBS. I've tried masking tape once..... Might give this a try next!

 

[David Lovell]

Very good track SBS Dave. Must admit I like the masking tape variation, mostly because you can work a little earlier. I did it this way once and almost forgot the about the glued track….hard to bend it around the wheels when it’s pretty near set. Trouble is, I now tend to go too early so they are a bit more fragile
Very much a suck it and see though isn’t it, different manufacturers plastics have different working times.

Thanks Dave a great SBS. I've tried masking tape once..... Might give this a try next!

Thanks chaps to be honest I find it much easier to do the individual links than the link and length ,with the L+Ltheres no wriggle room. I still build the whole track in one but never fix the drive sprocket(the toothy one )so you can adjust it that one turn/link forward or backwards to get it right because your governed by the rigidity of the L+L they only fit spot on in one position ie bendy bits (separate links)bend around in certain points with the lengths in between hope that makes sense.
A few stupid things to be aware of ,I know with the 35th stuff the sprocket drive thingy has a key way making sure the teeth on both sides are parallel if not make sure you've lined them up ,the double road wheels make sure the gaps are all in line and in line with the center of the drive sprocket and the return thingy on the other end , some times thats got thoes little bars inside that the track teeth go between I usually snip them off around where the track wraps around saving the hassle of having it in dead the right place you can't see them anyvway so what the heck stupid i know but you only want a couple of thoes things out of line and you'd be surprised at the misery it can cause. As I said its not how to do it but its how I bodge my way through it.
Glue is a strange one as well TET isn't my go to building cement much prefer the mr hobby extra thin evaps off much better than TET though have been using the AK coloured ones as well with no probs ,but have always used TET on the tracks seems stronger in the way it melts and fuses the plastic ,hoping I havent bored you to death once again thanks hopefully report with more progress soon . Dave

 

[JR]

Hmmmm , now this is a truly  a Black Art .
As you well know the thought of joining tracks gives me nightmares .
David you make it look so easy .

 

[Steve Jones]

Luv what you have done with the tracks Dave. Nice to see and thanks for sharing

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Looks great! Looking for more....

 

[grumpa]

Excellent work David, love it all round.
Individual track links are frustrating to say the least, I will take the old vinyl snakes any time.
I've managed over the years to tame them with good results.

Your weathering is spot on and I like the slight patina look....very nice.

Jim.

 

[David Lovell]

OK got the build done so next up some paint ,may well get the old airbrushes tomorrow and test out the new birthday jar of aqueous mr surfacer 1000(⚫) no rush as still looking a little bit for that because I want to kind of feeling rather than make my self go through the motions still some pics



Hopefully some pics of it primed sometime soon Dave

 

[Mini Me]

Waiting for the wet stuff.......and the right "mood"