nightshiftmodeller
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Welded and armed up!
🕑 Added 2024-07-12 17:52:07 +0000 UTCMy friends, Ferdinand has been progressing steadily until a certain point. I did all the major welding in one day, then focused on the running gear and then on some of the details that also needed additional welding.
The running gear is recreated as fully functional, but some aspects aren't executed in the best ways. For example, the road wheels are so clunky that it's easier to glue them firmly to the bogies. Also, the bogies themselves, while they move like on the real vehicle, are very loose and wobble from side to side. Luckily, the tracks will hold them in a straight line! The sprockets are held in place with a plastic, not a rubber poly cap. But, surprisingly, they are the only parts of the running gear that feel firm and steady!
I also made a GIANT blunder with the engine deck when I glued it the opposite way. I didn't notice it until today when I started gluing some details to it. And because I enjoy flooding parts with generous amounts of Mr Cement S (because it's so clean when it evaporates and it's satisfying to know you've created a strong bond), the recovery was unpleasant and painful. So much so that I briefly considered buying a new kit just for the engine plate. But I managed to chop, rip, and saw it off, and turn it around. The new joints were a bit messy in places, and there's one corner where a strategic tarp will be required, but some diluted putty did the job for the most part. Luckily, the real engine deck seems to have a bit of texture as well, so it should be all good.
The details are where the Amusing Hobby kit stops being Amusing :( Most of them are recreated in underwhelming quality, such as the antenna base, and while most have a locating hole on the engine deck, they're too large to fit in said holes. On another note, the hatch bumpers have a steel rod. It's in the reference images, it's in the kit instructions, but the rods are NOT molded in the kit.
Maybe the the message is simple: if you want an amusing hobby, you should always arm yourself up with reference images! :D But even then I was left a bit confused. The museum photos I found show an Elefant with every moving part welded in place. So I wasn't sure if the thick add-on armor at the front was just held in place with those giant bolts, or it was also welded for good measure. I went with the latter because bolting something and then welding it as well doesn't sound so wrong when the part is meant to stay there forever.
Another small tragedy is the gun travel lock. It's too tight to be wrapped around the Panzer Art metal barrel. And while differences between manufacturers of aftermarket barrels and the original kit parts are normal (someone has to get it wrong and someone else gets it right), I've never seen a case where the aftermarket barrel would cause so much trouble.
Oh well, what can I say? Of course, my own mistake was enough to sour my experience for the entire day, but what followed didn't help the situation at all. I'm curious to see how the rest of the kit goes together, and there are, of course, a lot of small details to be added to the bare bones kit! At least the Friul tracks and Eduard PE arrived today!
But with this level of quality, I'm starting to get seriously worried about the decals. They cover a good half of the entire model, so I better start praying they're good!
Comments
Night Shift
Haha, my girlfriend is behind the camera in those outdoor shots. The foam board should be easy to find in a craft store, as it's a type of canvas for painting!
Night Shift
I'm not sure there is a set for this factory vehicle. In fact, it seems to me the whole point of this kit is to have the last produced Ferdinand in that raw factory finish :D
Night Shift
I pray that's not gonna be the case! There's no way I would write, let alone decipher all the text on the tank!
Martin Webster
It seems Amusing Hobby kits are hit and miss. I'm currently building their Flak 40, the sprue attachment points are thick and I've also had to use a lot of putty for two part joins and also scraping where the molding is misaligned. When I've mistakenly glued a part, I use Tamiya extra thin cement to separate the parts, it softens the original cement to help separate the parts, although I'm not sure it will work if like you said, you flooded the join.
Dr. Fred Hess
Love the new video format! If you’re the producer who’s the director? Just asking? By the way-bloopers are sweet. Been modeling for nearly 60 years and still amazed by your vision & artistry. Especially interested in these new “foam” boards that you mentioned. Can you elaborate please.
Charlie phillips
Great work Martin
Jason Shiskowsky
Every time I think I’m getting good at modeling, I see the craftsmanship and precision you bring and I just have to bow my in reverence. 😍 So f’n dope!!!
David Sutton
It's strange but whenever I make a major cock up like that, the part in question always goes down so well, the glue join is always so neat and perfect; all seems well with the world until I notice its wrong, tear it off and end up with a messy, ragged glue seam. I'm currently building the Border T-34-85 (oh boy is that a doozy of a kit...) and almost used the wrong rear plate, noticed just in time before I went to glue it, but I swear it fit better than the part you're supposed to use! As always, you're a master welder in 1/35...
Joxar
if you're worried about the decals, you could always buy some aftermarket ones instead couldnt you?
charles kelley
The decals are going to suck, paint and draw all the graffiti by hand for next level cool
Bill Klingbeil
Amazing job on all those tiny weld beads! Perfectly in scale!!!
Quintin Paparella
Looks awesome, thanks for the progress report!!
Hans Zupp
So glad to see I'm in good company when it comes to misreading the instructions. I'm really looking forward to seeing your progess with this model.
Night Shift
I had my hopes up because AH is based in Japan, so I was going to compare it to Tamiya... but my impression after the engine deck is Not Amusing Hobby!
Night Shift
Haha, I know, right? Who would ever glue a part in the wrong direction???
Solomon Hollowell
Seems like a poor kit! Better pray the Friul tracks don't have to have every link drilled out!
Bob Yack
Gee sir, having NEVER glued the wrong part in the wrong direction or position and not knowing until I flip the page for the following parts … I have no idea what you are talking about…. I’ve become really good at tarp making 🫣. Your “mistakes” are still beautiful work when it’s all straightened out
Vitek Kozlowski
Heavy !!! Nice work
