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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

1:35 Trumpeter Mörser Karl-Gerät 040/041 with transport.


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Thanks for straightening that out Kev. I've now been able to confidently push forward with my build as a result.

 

Here's the partially finished hull. Note the great interior detail given by Trumpeter. If you look closely, you'll see the extent of the pin marks again..

 

Hull.jpg

 

Here's the top half, notice all the Mr Surfacer on all the seams.. lots and lots of work has gone into the assembly of the side panels onto the top section...

 

Topsection.jpg

 

I thought I'd go ahead and fit the massive side structures tonight, but guess what.. there's ejector pin marks to fill in, the same as the ones on the transport x sections. They are rectangular undercuts in the edges of the parts. I've added plastic strip in the cut outs and will now have to wait again before I can continue... more sanding on the way..

 

Sidemembers.jpg

 

I may sound like I'm not enjoying this build.. wrong!! I'm loving it, after all, shake and bake can get boring!!

 

Thanks for looking in.. more tomorrow I hope..

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Thank you very much for posting this pic Matt. It is exactly what I've been looking for..it does raise a question though??

 

Where has all the slack in the tracks gone?? I can see some droop under the front idler, but nowhere else?? If you look closely at the front idler you can see the swinging arm is nearly vertical, so they haven't taken out the slack there?????? Very confusing!!

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Here's an update on this lovely kit..

 

As you can see here, I'm being halted constantly by the need to use Mr Surfacer on all the pin marks and joints. We must remember this is one of Trumpeters very early releases, so we must expect this sort of thing. Their later kits are much better, in that I mean they have listened to the modelling community and done away with pin marks in visible spots.

 

Topsection1.jpg

 

Topsection2.jpg

 

The rifling on both barrels has been wrongly portrayed in the kit. The rifling is too deep and has no helix in it.

 

Barrelrifling.jpg

 

As you can see, Eduard have come to the rescue with this, supplying both barrels with a correctly rifled insert.

 

And here they are.. fitted...

 

Barrelrifling1.jpg

 

I have achieved the square edge, for realism, by running superglue around the outer edge, then sanding whilst tacky so the dust sticks into the glue.

 

Thanks for looking in, I may start on the Friul model tracks later?? Any tips?? I've never used them before.

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Thank you very much for posting this pic Matt. It is exactly what I've been looking for..it does raise a question though??

 

Where has all the slack in the tracks gone?? I can see some droop under the front idler, but nowhere else?? If you look closely at the front idler you can see the swinging arm is nearly vertical, so they haven't taken out the slack there?????? Very confusing!!

 

Good point.

 

Looking at the image, isn't it the case that the slack/droop is missing from between the return rollers. The turnbuckles appear, for the most part, to be placed halfway between the return rollers. Sooo.... maybe they not only hold the lower half of the track up, away from the rails, but also hold the upper part of the track rigid somehow - thus preventing the sag...?

 

Matt

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Good point.

 

Looking at the image, isn't it the case that the slack/droop is missing from between the return rollers. The turnbuckles appear, for the most part, to be placed halfway between the return rollers. Sooo.... maybe they not only hold the lower half of the track up, away from the rails, but also hold the upper part of the track rigid somehow - thus preventing the sag...?

 

Matt

Even though I'm not building one, nor do I have plans to, my inquisitive mind will not rest until I figure this out! Although, if you look at the picture, the track links seem to curve properly around both sprocket and idler, but on the idler side, it almost appears as if the lowest link is at 90 degrees to the one above it. Is it possible that the tracks were run onto some sort of flat support? Something akin to PSP or Marsden matting, that would have pre-corresponding holes for the turnbuckles? I can understand, (mechanically), how the road wheels could have tension or slack added or removed, This could be either hydraulic or through the use of grease, or even air.

 

That 90 degree track link, though, that I'm curious about......

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Well, I've found two great shots that show the turnbuckles clearly enough.  May raise some further questions?

 

Lower image, second wheel from left.. to its right there's a rod of some sort looped into the hole in the track tooth... What's that all about? This particular Morser has been hit by a shell, hence the out of place wheel...

 

12178428133_b5456e91a8_o.jpg
 
 

12178611164_8375c43339_o.jpg
 
Something else I noticed doing the rounds.... some parts of the gun are of an extremely rough finish... more like a rough concrete texture... presumably from them being cast in sand(?). So some of the cradle is then machined, but other parts left very rough... it'd be very interesting to replicate...
 
Matt

 

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Thanks for the images Matt. I think that steel part you refer to is a loop at the end of the turnbuckle? Strange though, those tracks still look fairly taught don't they????

 

Do you happen to know what colour the drivers compartment was painted> I have made up all the lovely Eduard bits for that area tonight, but am stuck with the correct colour?? I assume it's the same colour as the rest of the hull with a brown leather seat??

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I'll have a look this eve..

 

I do wonder if the projecting structures that you can see between the return rollers are designed as part of the track suspending mechanism?  Can't see what they'd be there fore otherwise and, if you project the line of that turnbuckle it joins up with the projection in question....?

 

Matt

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By Jove i think you're correct Matt. Those extensions do indeed have square drive shafts on their ends, so there must be some kind of mechanism in there, and the tracks do look very flat in those areas???

 

Well done sir!!

 

EDIT:-

 

You are correct Matt, check the link..http://www.one35th.com/morser/karl_gheuer.htm notice the ratchet with cable going down to loop hooked through track horn.

 

I think the vertical bracket between it and the idler could well support the saggy track?

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Thanks for that Matt,

 

It would appear the seat is shiny black leather and indeed, it is very dusty!! I guess it would get absolutely filthy in a short time on the railway?

 

I intend to model mine with everything in transport mode, attached to the rail cars but with the drivers compartment open and the lid thrown down somewhere on the top deck.

 

I've been working on the folded up handrails tonight, they are driving me insane!! I'll post some pics tomorrow.

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Any idea what these are?.....

 

Bracketformers.jpg

 

They are the kit supplied formers to make these tiny PE brackets...

 

PEBrackets.jpg

 

You can see them here along with many many plastic parts that make up the fragile, but well detailed folded railings...

 

finishedrailings1.jpg

 

that's one side taken care of, now to tackle the other side... I'm off with man flu at the moment. Trying to put these assemblies together whilst coughing is not recommended, let's just say you should keep all the loose parts in some kind of pot... ask me how I know.

 

I would like to ask a question of you armour modeller people.. what else should I do to these exhausts to make them more realistic?

 

exhausts.jpg

 

Obviously I need to paint the brackets, but what more can I do...

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Hi all,

 

Just so you know I haven't given up on this kit... I thought I'd post a pic of where I am up to now.

 

DSCF3142.jpg

 

As you can see, the end is nearing, though I still haven't started on those friul tracks yet???

 

I think I should stick with this military modelling as opposed to aircraft? I have not even thought about putting this back in the stash unfinished, when I build aircraft.. well, that's a different story...

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I can attest to the fact that armor can be very addictive! So much so, that I've reached the point it's burned me out. My M7 Priest has taken me months, and will probably take at least a month or so more. Not to mention all the details, diorama ideas, etc....

 

Now is when I start switching gears and go with the wingy things! My Spitfire was such a pleasant change. Now I'm working on a WNW Albatros D.v, (although I seem to have developed an obsession with trying to carve my own prop!), and have created a list of aircraft to add to my stash. Funny how a change of pace can make a hobby exciting again.

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