GPM Platforma Ursus + TK3

**Neilio** · #1 02-26-2018, 08:42 PM

As I mentioned in my introduction to the forum message a few weeks ago, I'm getting back into the card modeling hobby after a 15 year or so hiatus. In addition to starting a new project or two (such as Patton's M1A1), I've been assessing a bunch of models in various states of completion that I had boxed up, in order to determine what is salvageable.

Back in 2002 (I think), when I started and then abandoned this kit, I really liked the idea of a tank that comes with it's own truck (or maybe a truck that comes with it's own tank?). I still think it's a pretty neat kit, and I'm pretty sure I have all the parts.

The picture shows the state of the kit as I unboxed it. It is in good shape, although I used black for edging. I'll do a better job of color matching moving forward, and hopefully the prior black edging will become less prominent.

The kit also includes a page with 2 figures and a bicycle to build. I had forgotten about this page until I started flipping through the model kit; I ignored the paper people in a couple of GPM models built years ago. I thought I would ignore these as well, until I found the 3rd picture I attached to this post.

I was looking for reference pictures on the interwebs, and found this picture of the TK3 on the back of a platform truck, with a bicycle thrown onto the back! There are a couple of dudes milling about that look suspiciously like the paper people. It makes me wonder if this photo was used for reference by the designer (although the truck is not the same, I think the truck in the picture is maybe a Fiat?). So I feel certain I will build the bicycle to throw on to the back of the truck, and perhaps the paper people as well.

More to come...

**Neilio** · #2 02-27-2018, 09:12 PM

The first thing I did was match some felt tip markers to the green, brown, and tan of the camo, and touch up the model where it needed it-- particularly on the white edges created by the mountain folds. A lot of tiny hinges came next. It's tedious but the overall bumpy effect is much better than if these details were simply printed on the surface. A few details on the rear of the tank (exhaust, tail light, spare wheel rack) rounded out this session. So far so good for this 15 year re-boot.

**Don Boose** · #3 02-27-2018, 09:27 PM

Nice work on the TK3. Excellent historical image.

I have this kit and hope to build it in the coming year. Your build will be an inspiration.

Don

**elliott** · #4 02-28-2018, 02:18 AM

Your build is looking good Neil, especially for a 15 year-old project! How on earth did you keep all the parts together for that long? I'm doing good to keep all the parts together on the model I'm working on.

**Mike1158** · #5 02-28-2018, 05:15 AM

Definitely looking good. It seems to me these tankettes were really not much use for anything but as an old Lancashire native once said, "Third class riding beats first class walking every day of the week".

**Neilio** · #6 02-28-2018, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elliott

How on earth did you keep all the parts together for that long? I'm doing good to keep all the parts together on the model I'm working on.

I got lucky on this one. I had placed the completed sub-assemblies and small parts I’d cut out in an Altoids tin, and tossed it in a box with the tank body (along with a pile of other project starts). I’m still sorting through the box, but I think there’s only a couple more I’ll be able to bring to completion. Fortunately, I stored my unbuilt model kit booklets & folders in a file cabinet, so I’m in good shape there!

I am also 15 years behind in kit collecting, getting that jump started as well...

**KCStephens** · #7 02-28-2018, 11:49 AM

Welcome back to the fold Neilio. I look forward to seeing this interesting kit take shape.

**hetzer** · #8 02-28-2018, 03:07 PM

I've got some real life pics of TK3 if you're interested

had this kit many many moons ago, started the tankette - but due to unforeseen circumstances parts got lost. Few years ago found remains of this kit (the truck) and foolishly binned it as thought would never get back into this subject (SIC!!!). Would be watching this build as TK3 is a very interesting subject

Good luck!

**Don Boose** · #9 02-28-2018, 03:13 PM

I have a LOT of kits in the same kind of semi-built condition, some of them many years old (and a lot of incomplete build threads in the Forum). Your story gives me hope that I will complete at least some of them.

Don

**Neilio** · #10 03-01-2018, 01:21 PM

Just for fun, last night I decided to put together one of the included paper figures. After finishing it, I think I can say it's best attribute is distance; it looks better from across the room than it does close up. It's kind of stiff and mechanical looking. To be honest, I think this guy looks like he just ate a burrito of questionable origin and content, and now he's wondering just how close the nearest latrine is.

It was kind of fun and different to assemble the figure, but the result is not as good as I had hoped for. The individual components are somewhat convincing by themselves-- I did the torso first and thought "yeah, that looks it could belong to a person." And the legs looked like legs, and the arms looked like arms (at no time did I think the head was particularly good). It all seemed to lose something when the parts came together, so maybe it is a rare example of the whole being less than the sum of its parts.

I will build the other figure at some point (and definitely the bicycle). After I cut the parts out, I'm going to try "work" the card stock more in multiple directions, in order to knock out the stiffness. In most card models, we're trying to be careful to maintain the stiffness and strength of the stock; this is a case where softer is probably better.