Modelik Mk IV Crusader

**The Orange** · #1 08-06-2010, 06:26 PM

I'm a huge chicken when it comes to building from pre-printed kits, but if I never try, I'll never learn! Thankfully, for about almost a year's time, I've been reading up on loads of AFV builds on this forum, and many of the European paper modeling forums (e.g Kartonbau). I think I'll expect some minor fit problems, but hopefully nothing major. So, here's my attempt at this 1/25 scale tank cruiser.

Have in mind that I have never built anything like this, so I'm probably going to make some mistakes.

Some shots of the booklet before I tore it up.

First Impression: The graphics on this kit look really nice, accuracy wise, I'm not entirely sure as I have yet to research the actual cruiser tank.

Instructions...I've never seen anything like it. I've built a few Tamiya AFV's, and the steps were listed in order which of course I took for granted. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out, nonetheless, I'm in for a rude awakening. :o

Personally, I think building the wheels will be the most difficult part for me. From other build threads that I've read, tank treads seem to be troublesome.

And now onto the formers!

**B-Manic** · #2 08-06-2010, 06:48 PM

I have this one in my build pile so I'm really looking forward to seeing this build. Tank treads are not troublesome, just repetitious and time consuming.

**CharlieC** · #3 08-06-2010, 06:58 PM

The Modelik Crusader looks like a good one to start with. The suspension is simplified which should make it easier to build.

The Crusader was used in North Africa by the British Army, it wasn't very successful because the armour was too thin, the gun wasn't powerful enough and the Liberty engine wasn't reliable in the desert. When it was running it was very fast even on rough ground.

Regards,

Charlie

**The Orange** · #4 08-06-2010, 07:10 PM

@B-Maniac - Yup, I can see how they can be time consuming.

I'm surprised that I haven't found a build thread of this model on several of the paper modeling sites I check. I have seen one completed build of this model by someone on papermodels.pl (Don't hold me to that though, might've been another site). Wasn't much help, but it looked real nice!

Now some WIP shots of the formers.

2 Nights Ago - I finished laminating the formers onto some cut cereal boxes. The instructions called for 0.8 mm of lamination on formers marked with 2 stars. (1 star = 0.2 mm) I used 3M Spray Adhesive 45 to stick the formers page onto the backing.

Pictures of the Disaster:

First problem of the build! Apparently, I left the lamination alone for 2 hours before I checked it out, and to my surprise, I "under-sprayed". I tested if it even adhered, by cutting of a corner of the lamination. To my dismay, the original formers page was peeling off. On top of that, some of the formers ran off the cardboard. So, I spent an hour trying to carefully remove the paper from the cardboard. Again, to my misfortune, some of the formers were semi-ripped in the process, nothing too major though.

More pictures on the formers to come.

**The Orange** · #5 08-06-2010, 07:39 PM

@CharlieC - Definitely a nice kit for a beginner (like myself). 7 pages of parts and 2 pages of formers stacks up just nicely compared to a 13 page model with a bunch of formers.

Hmm, was it solely used in North Africa for that front of the war? Or was it also used in the European front?

Today - I completed cutting out the formers for the hull. I'm debating on whether or not I should cut the turret formers now, or until I'm finished with the entire hull of the tank (e.g - hull skin, fenders...)

Pictures of the formers:

Cutting formers out was pretty fun. Although they are essential, originally I thought they would be tedious!

Pictures of blades:

For all the formers, I only used 3 different types of chisel blades and 1 #11 blade. I must admit, the chisel blades are a godsend. The make a nice straight line and cut through cardboard like nothing.

Picture of fit problem:

Ah! Just when I thought I was in the clear. Could have been my own mistake, but I made sure to cut on the line. From the picture, you can see there's a 2mm gap between the front section of the formers 1 and 2 (See highlighted circle).

Quick questions - When the instructions call for 0.8 mm, does it mean "in total depth?" or does it mean, "laminate TO 0.8 mm card?"

What grit of sandpaper is best suited for cardboard?

It seems as though I have laminated the formers to .5-6 mm of card, therefore the formers resulted in being too small in depth. I dry fit some formers and noticed a considerable gap (1mm or more). So currently, I'm using some tacky glue to laminate the formers onto some 24lb paper. I'm thinking that my normal weight of stock (67lb) is too thick for the formers.

**KCStephens** · #6 08-06-2010, 08:17 PM

Orange,

When laminating the formers, they should be mounted to card stock that's thick enough to fit snugly into their corresponding slot.

Like you mentioned, the instructions usually call out a specific thickness of lamination using a series of asterisk, *, **, ***. Somewhere, buried in the text, you can find the thickness of card stock that is associated with each. These *'s refer to the thickness of the card stock backer, not the total overall thickness of the laminated part.

Don't get too hung up on small gaps in the formers. That happens, sometime more than others. Any gap can easily be filled with an extra piece of card stock, wood filler or even glue. I think it is more important to build the structure square and true rather that worry about little gaps here and there. So, don't worry...besides the skins will cover them up and you wont even see them in the long run.

Keep at it. It looks like your doing a great job.

Look forward to following this build.

**KCStephens** · #7 08-06-2010, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Orange

I used 3M Spray Adhesive 45 to stick the formers page onto the backing.

I've never heard of 3M 45 spray adhesive.

I only use 3M super 77 adhesive. I just don't trust any thing else. I've heard too many horror stories of others brands de-laminating. The 77 is kind of expensive at around $12 a can but its worth every penny. A good investment considering a can will last you a long time and you wont have to worry about anything coming apart.

**rickstef** · #8 08-06-2010, 08:43 PM

you can get Super 77 around $8 at walmart

**KCStephens** · #9 08-06-2010, 08:45 PM

...Gotta luv Walmart... Last time I was there I picked up a Gihugent Magnum size bottle of Aleens.

**doctormax** · #10 08-06-2010, 10:04 PM

Not sure if any were used in Europe much but I did see a photograph of one at a border post near Newry between the Irish free State as it was called then and Northern Ireland once in a book about the Emergency what name was given to the second world war in Ireland and on the other side was an Irish army Rolls Royce AC 1920 pattern.