German armored 8-ton half-track derivative type, equipped with an anti-aircraft gun.
Previously, when I built Tamiya 8t half-truck, I tried to use this Modelkasten track set and assemble it halfway. At first, I assembled the chassis and road wheels of the kit. I abandoned the use of a caterpillar on the way. At this time, I would like to consider the work process carefully.
The width of Tamiya’s belt caterpillar is entirely different from the original, so I think it is part configuration like the whole chassis and wheels exchanged to the third-party parts like this. Tamiya parts need some minor adjustments, but the work itself is easy.
Because one track is big, I wrapped a masking tape and compared it with the actual caterpillar to obtain the necessary length as precisely as possible.
Tamiya’s caterpillar does not have bad mold, but the backside is flat. If there are a budget and energy, it is better to exchange.
(23-December-2017)
It is cutting out the wire mesh of the truck side panels.
Tamiya’s plastic model is easy to make at any time, but the driver’s seat cabin of multi-faceted armor has gaps. It is necessary to put putty to fill in the large gaps.
Adhesive for an acrylic board called Sun Bond is powerful, fluid, and easy to use, and the price is low. However, when it protrudes a little, plastic becomes whitened. The surface is smooth, so it will not be a problem if painted, but the feeling is not okay because it looks bad. It may be better not to use it in large quantities, paying attention to flow into the gap. After all, Creos or Tamiya is easier to use.
I’m doing additional work on equipment. Photo-etched clamps are attached to the OVMs.
Four extra magazine containers are attached. It would be better to leave it without gluing.
(26-December-2017)
It is a more active feeling to expand the frame of the truck. However, I pasted the mesh to the backside of the frame with instant glue, so there was little sense of precision. Keeping the frame upright is better because the Modelkasten-connected caterpillar is well-visible.
Anti-aircraft machine gun, the gap between the chassis and the caterpillar track, the backside of the chassis is complicated, and it is easy to leave unpainted, so I blew it in black. It might be too much to blow.
I have had a bit of confidence in blowing the ordinary German tri-color camouflage recently, but I am not good at drawing such thin-line camouflage patterns. I think such camouflage would suit light armored vehicles such as half trucks. Dark green and red-brown mixed a little dark yellow and tried to be familiar with the primary color, dark yellow. A beautiful brand-new decal, there is a sense of security very much.
(28-December-2017)
8-ton half-track Flak37 was completed. The German army developed various anti-aircraft self-propelled guns in the latter half of World War II as the Allied forces tended to be deprived of air-defense authority. The German army used half trucks and tank bodies to produce vehicles such as anti-aircraft guns. An 8-ton half-track is a large trailer originally used for towing 88 mm guns. Armor plates were added to the driver’s seat and the front of the radiator to strengthen the defense capability.
The shooting speed is as low as 160 shots per minute, but the destructive power is awesome compared to 2 cm guns. In the early days of the war, 3.7 cm guns were the main gun class of tanks. By around this time, it is used as an anti-aircraft gun. Approximately 120 vehicles were produced from 1943 to February 1945. The production number is minimal in many vehicles compared with the Allied Forces. There are very many kinds of vehicles. So it may be popular among an enthusiast.
I could choose the marking two types, Gross-Deutschland Armored Grenadier Division and Herman Gering 2nd Battalion. I chose Gross-Deutschland.
As it is an armored driver’s seat, it’s like the assembly of tanks.
I drew the weathering effect of washing and chipping on the loading platform. Several shell cases are included.
The gun mount turns. The gun barrel also moves, but the sighting device is fixed. When decorating, it looks more natural than the gun barrel, and the sighting device is parallel.
It was nice to have successfully used the connected tracks of Modelkasten this time. It was not so challenging to assemble because the length of the caterpillar was short, and one track was big.
This 37mm gun was used for anti-aircraft guns. The initial speed was fast, so I suppose this gun could destroy the enemy armored cars with a single blow. By the way, rarely, Tamiya’s MM series does not contain figures.
Well then, everyone, I wish you good luck for the next year!
(31-December-2017)
