Takom MK.1 Male

[jellis11]

My latest project...Takom's 1:35 MK.1 Male. Built completely OOB. For the most part it was a fairly simple build except for a few small hitches, which I would be glad to go into if you're interested.

I painted the camo scheme using the color call outs in the included booklet and used primarily Ammo/MIG paints. After outlining the pattern on the model with a pencil I hand brushed a highly thinned coat around the inner edges of each "splotch" of paint, then simply went back in and filled in with the airbrush. This was a bit time consuming because, as careful as I was, there was still areas of overspray into the adjacent color that I would have to go back and fix. After that was done, I hand painted the black disruption lines in with a #00 liner brush.

Now, before you guys start in on me, let me be clear....this will get MUCH dirtier and beat up as I go on. (LOL) I plan on a few filters, pinwashes, pigments, scratches and of course MUD.

Comments are welcome and as always, thanks for looking!!

 

[urumomo]

I think these WWI tanks are growing on me ...

So what were the construction hitches ? & how do the tracks go together ?
Is this one of those kits with an interior ?

 

[jellis11]

I am liking them more and more myself....picked up the Meng Whippet a few weeks ago.

As far as construction hitches, nothing major, just a few things to watch out for:

1. Difficult to explain, but the hull parts are all made up of nothing but flat plates and it is critical that you get them all set at the correct angles, otherwise this thing will never go together square. I did some research and found the best way was to use the vertical (track frames?) as a jig to get everything squared up.

2. The 6 pound guns are super intricately detailed...I mean way beyond awesome! But the only way you will ever see that detail is to leave the sponson off, and that is a problem itself because although the kit comes with an optional sponson crane and trolley, if you do decide to leave it off you will see nothing but a bare interior...NOTHING. So, to answer one of your questions...no interior.

3. 108 road wheels (rhomboid) plus idlers and sprockets and unless you plan on showing a tank with a thrown track, you will never see a single one of them....a ton of work for very little result.

4. The construction sequence pretty much calls for all those road wheels (54 each side) and sprockets to be "trapped between the two track frames on each side...this is a b**ch! You better have the patience of Jobe during this. I would imagine some guys would send this kit flying at this point.

5. The instructions are a bit unclear on some bits and parts for the steering tail and subsequent attachment to the hydraulic jack...make darn sure you test fit a few times before securing.

6. The headlights have no indents and there are no clear parts included, so you will have to improvise here. I drilled them out and will add a lightly tinted Krystal Klear at the end.

Overall, even with the few problems I had, I highly recommend this kit....the detail is impeccable and it "mostly" went together easily. The end result was well worth it.

As far as the tracks, they are the "Click Link" style (90 links per side) not much flash, time consuming, but I love em. I think they look and fit great.

 

[urumomo]

Jellis and his head-lamps ;D

Did you take any pix of the 6 pounders ?

What is meant by the " rhomboid " wheels ? -- the bogey is 4 wheels in diamond ?

 

[jellis11]

Haha! No, I didn't take any construction pics at all...sorry dude. However, I did get a second kit (destroyed the original springs on the steering tail with a mean bottle of Tamiya cement) So, I'm sure I'll be doing another one soon.

Rhomboid design=I had to google it: "Traditionally, in two-dimensional geometry, a rhomboid is a parallelogram in which adjacent sides are of unequal lengths and angles are non-right angled."

Which basically describes the shape of the track sections. I learned something today too.....

I'd be real interested if any other armor guys had anything to add to that.

 

[jellis11]

I think the bogeys are just the pivoting four wheel sections. (???)

 

[urumomo]

;D Yeah - I know what a rhombus is - I didn't know if you were referring to the shape of the track 'frame' or the layout of the actual bogey ,
I don't know anything about the suspension .

 

[urumomo]

Post a shot of the build instructions for the wheels when you get a chance , please .

 

[jellis11]

Urumomo, I figured you did....but I didn't until I googled it (LOL)

I'll do that for sure!

 

[Quaralane]

Looking really good so far

 

[jellis11]

Thanks Quaralane!

 

[jellis11]

Urumomo, here is the section of instructions for the road wheels and associated parts....

 

[urumomo]

thanks ,

That's about what I thought was going on in there - so it just refers to the shape of the track-frame .

It wouldn't let me magnify , what's going on up there at top ,where there is return rollers ?

 

[jellis11]

Urumomo, are you referring to step 10? The single roller assembly "B"?

 

[urumomo]

Hey .
What 's running along the top of the frame . ? smaller rollers ?

I meant to look into this yesterday but I was wiped after work and forgot

I couldn't zoom in to see the detail at top . I assume there is SOMETHING there the track rides over . Wheels or rollers ? Or it just travels along the steel frame ?

 

[jellis11]

Urumomo, I can only speak for the kit, but the only thing on the top side is the idler and sprocket wheels and the single small road wheel (?) at the rear. The majority of the top of the track rides on the frame, however it appears that there are bits moulded in the horizontal section (perhaps steel tracks or runners?). I have found a few reference drawings, but none that really explain how, exactly it actually worked.

 

[jellis11]

After filter and first round of pin washes......

 

[jellis11]

Okay, I'm gonna call this one done....comments welcome.

Thanks for looking.