1/35 M76 "Otter"

[PR19_Kit]

Sometimes you wonder if the manufacturers really WANT you to build their kits!   

[frank2056]

@Rick - I placed the parts against the plastic to figure out a score line. The parts kept slipping, so I glued them down one at a time with white glue, marked the score point, bent the parts to roughly the correct angle (45 deg.), glued (again) with white glue aligning them as well as I could to the plastic... and the bend points were off by a fraction of a millimeter, so the parts didn't quite meet in the middle. Rinse, repeat, bang up the thin PE, that where we ended up yesterday.  If these parts aren't perfectly aligned you get an unsightly step of plastic peeking out from under the PE, or the bend part doesn't quite meet, so you're left with a gap.

If I were building this kit again, I would have placed the PE parts on the unbuilt hull sides (or at least before the rear wall is glued in place), marked the bend points and maybe even glued the PE parts in place and bent them to the right angle, if I felt lucky enough.

Kit - I'm ready to send Gecko a bill for the time I've spent building this.

Maybe after I finish this, I start on a relaxing Mikro-Mir kit. At least the anger and annoyance that comes with one of their kits is part of the experience. Or, after reading Jakko's threads om his Takom W29 builds, maybe I'll build one after this to "relax" (no!).

[PR19_Kit]

Go the whole hog and REALLY relax with a Mach2 kit.   

[frank2056]

I still have an old Unicraft "vacuform" (with Igor's fingerprints in the plastic) around somewhere.

[frank2056]

I copied the PE edge plates onto thin styrene, cut off the top bars off and added some bolt heads. I may add larger tow hooks or something over the reinforced sections.  till not 100% convinced this will work.:



The mess is Tamiya surface primer. I just have to clean the rest off.

I'm so tempted to:

Power through until it's finished
Close the box on this and pretend it doesn't exist, or part it out.
Cut the rear off and turn it into the cargo hauler version.

This kit is zero fun.

[Old Wombat]

I quite like what you've done with the corners. 

Be a shame to waste that skilful work - I vote power through! 

[kerick]

I quite like what you've done with the corners. 

Be a shame to waste that skillful work - I vote power through! 

This or cargo hauler in arctic orange!

[Jakko]

I'm ready to send Gecko a bill for the time I've spent building this.

I'm a bit ambivalent about Gecko. I've bought a couple of their figure sets, and was quite happy about them. I've only bought one of their vehicle kits, and though the moulding quality is great, the rest of it ... well ... read for yourself. Maybe their other kits are better. I certainly hope so, because I've been wanting to build a PACV for over thirty years ...

after reading Jakko's threads om his Takom W29 builds, maybe I'll build one after this to "relax" (no!).

Buy something like the new Tamiya H39 kit if you want a relaxing build to unwind from this one

[Wardukw]

Frank that's actually looking pretty good mate ...ive had plenty of PE which had me within a heart beat of destroying the model and that kinda happened with a bloody expensive Verlinden resin Pak 43/41 ..the PE was a nightmare..even my best CA glue wouldn't hold it and the gun shield was very heavy gauge brass so that made it even worse ..I ended up crushing the shield in my hand which gashed the hell out of my head 😆
Such a dumb arse 
So I made the new shields from very thing styrene 

Course wasn't long after that AFV Club brought out their one 🙄 😒

[Old Wombat]

Maybe their other kits are better. I certainly hope so, because I've been wanting to build a PACV for over thirty years ...

Well, when I've finished the two PBRs on the bench, my PACV will be either the 2nd or 3rd build down the track.

[frank2056]

Guy - good luck on that PACV. Go through the instructions carefully, ID all the PE that isn't needed and start at what seems the most logical section (to you). Gecko's workflow (at least for the Otter) isn't the best.

After looking at this wretched model for a bit, hating it even more, then looking at this:



I decided to put it on the chopping block. It was either that or part it out and throw the bits into the spares box:



Ironically, the open cargo version was my first choice for this build, but I thought cutting the plastic was too drastic. However, since the walls are thin, it took less than an hour to carefully remove the glued on bits I wanted to save, mark off the cuts, measure and start chopping. The cuts behind the cabin pretty much have to go where they do since they avoid some hinges and vital areas. It makes a nice alcove for the two fuel tanks:



They're mounted on a styrene sheet and will be raised a few mm to provide access for the drain plugs. I'll add a couple of fuel fill lines (silicone coated wire) going to the roof.

I don't have an image of the original cargo version (other than that fuzzy drawing), but that doesn't matter in whif-world.

I still have to clean up/cover the cuts and former fuel tank locations and glue the side walls again and reattach the cut rear, but that will be a lot more fun than continuing the original build.

[Rick Lowe]

 

Figures - Tamiya winter flakvierling crew; some of them come with minimal webbing, so easier to convert... just a thought. 

[Jakko]

Well, when I've finished the two PBRs on the bench, my PACV will be either the 2nd or 3rd build down the track.

Do post about it somewhere, so I know what to expect when I finally decide to buy one

[kerick]

As long as you have fun with it, it's a win!

[Old Wombat]

Well, when I've finished the two PBRs on the bench, my PACV will be either the 2nd or 3rd build down the track.

Do post about it somewhere, so I know what to expect when I finally decide to buy one

It'll be posted in a thread here (but do I put it in "Warships and Ships" or "Armour"? ) & on BtS, as usual. So, no need to panic on that score.