T-37a, Modelik 1:25

[dje]

Hi,

For some time I wanted to do a tank. That is what I first tried papermodeling with, well didn't end well .
So after following some build, crusader by tim, firefly by roman to name a few, I decided to give a try, something not too difficult.

So here the new kit I choose and started working on for a couple of days:

T37A from modelik in 1:25. I will also use laser cut and track from modelik, bolds and rivet of several sizes too (modelik or gpm, not really important).

A classic modelik kits, printed on A4 paper (180g) :
* 2 pages with history and instructions in polish,
* 3 A4 with parts,
* 1 more for the tracks, should not need it,
* 1 to glue on 1mm cardboard (80g), again won't need it,
* 2 pages with instructions, few 3d diagrams, 2D views for the gears - thanks I found a good external doc ! -
* a 2 sides view of the tank - not in scale (!?), I would say 1:20
* and a full A4 page with 8 black and whites photos of a model (in blank no camo) a little tiny but still welcome.

A good point for this kit, all circles are centred with axis. That's really nice for cutting compass.

A bad point, the colour : let's avoid a debate on how green Russian really looked like, but thought it's not that horrible it feels not right, too much magenta/brown (Not easy to catch with camera) -at least for the kit I got-.
Thankfully, the kit scan/print well, so I was able to adjust colours. For the rest of the build this is my own scan (and not download) and print. Black parts come from a different print where I push contrast to get deeper colours. An other good point of this solution is to be able to print back some parts, and yes, already happened !

For track it's the single elements type. Might order the stripes one for the final build, will see.

Laser cut. I should really kept track of what I'm buying ! I was sure to got them but since I didn't found any I buy one... more time. Then - and of course after cutting the gear parts - I found it while checking my kits.
So there's 2 types, the modelik one, with all parts including gears, and drafmodel (?) with only the 'blank' parts. If both match, the main interest of the modelik one is the engine gear, not an easy part to do.

I already started working on the gears. No real issues. The axis make the job mush more easy. Just the outer rim (30d), it's' too narrow. I cheat a little bit. Instead of cutting the parts I print the bottom of the tank (part 1) few times and cut them off of it.

Gears are almost finish. Will post soon with full report.

some reference :
Char T-37A - WalkAround - Photographies - fr

Bye.

[elliott]

You're off to a good start. This looks like a nice kit that should build into a great model. Looking forward to this build thread.

[Johnny]

Nice little tank you got there
Will be nice to follow your build!

[Tim Crowe]

Looking forward to seeing this build up

Tim

[romanmodels]

of to a good start havent had much luck with circle cuters so do it free hand.

[dje]

Thanks all.

@elliott ; Will see ! but modelik can be great.. or really bad !

@Johnny ; You right, this change from the classic t34, panzer & cie (which of course I will do too )

@romanmodels ; Always great to get experience from other modeller. All circles has been done with compass.
I'm getting better at free hand but I cannot do so many and kept regularity, I want perfect circle, on 1mm too. But you right, using cutting compass need some practice to get it right, and if you screw up a part it's hard to save it. I'm thinking doing a tutorial to share technics.

@tim : and that crusader ? you were almost done.


Gears almost finished, just the suspension to do.

No real issue.
For bogies, just an addition to part 30b; has to be glued on a 1mm cardboard and instead of just paint the side I added a band of paper.
The track adler end a little short (part in contact with the track), around 1mm ; Filled the gap and painted over it, anyway it will be mostly hidden by the track.
With the track drive this time the inner cone is too big ; cut a little bit, you can see one of the hole is not a perfect circle.

I'm moving to the hull, I will post a full report probably by the end of the week end.


Bye.

[Tim Crowe]

Great cutting the the wheels

The Crusader did not end well

Tim

[dje]

Hull almost done.
No real issue, but a lot of tiny mistakes.

Frame, good beside 2 minors mistakes, in front must adjust w11, in the back w14/w10 don't match.

"Skin" All sides fit, the top borders has to be "bend", just need to paint inner side. But 2 problems, one minor, on the back, side/bottom for part 19, doesn't match, can be easily corrected with paint.
The front, a major issue, not only part 2 is too short but not accurate ! . Made a new one
More bug ! front panel, rivets not in the right place

The rest can easily rectified, back panel of engine to big, etc...

Had a crazy idea, putting rivets ; 1 river, 2 rivets, 10 rivers, 300 rivets haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah ! Ok, almost done, one side and the bottom to go.

Bye

[Tim Crowe]

Looking great

It never occured to me, to paint the rivets first - Inspired

Tim

[dje]

Originally Posted by Tim Crowe

Looking great

It never occurred to me, to paint the rivets first - Inspired

Tim

Probably stole the idea myself somewhere in the forum .
Still need some finish latter - not done yet - but much easier. Painting the bottom too and I'm using lot of paint to get the side too (well, most of it).

bye.