Three kits from Paper Model Store

**Amccombs3** · #1 03-22-2013, 04:35 PM

Now I'm committed -- I think. I got the Kettenkrad, which I hope to build for the "unarmed tracked" category at the IPMC Convention, along with a couple of aircraft that we have in the National Air and Space Museum's collection: the Martin Kitten and the Aichi Seiran. These just arrived from the Paper Model Store. My first three thoughts on opening the box were:

1. These are really nicely packed.
2. (Looking at Kettenkrad) I'm going to need to get these instructions translated.
3. (Looking at Kettenkrad parts sheets) I'm DOOMED.

Oh, dear. I think I've gotten in way over my head. This is a much more advanced model than any I've built before. When I start it, at the conclusion of my current project, I'll be asking for lots of help from the armor folks. The Aichi Seiran won't be easy either. On a difficulty scale of 1 to 3, it's rated 3. I don't think the real airplane was that difficult, and I did some work on it back in the day.

**Miles Linnabery** · #2 03-22-2013, 07:04 PM

Dear Ann:
On the Kettenkrad take it to the copy shop and have it printed on 11x17 card stock, with the small parts bigger is better. watch for color copy sales shop around.
Good luck,
MILES

**whulsey** · #3 03-22-2013, 08:43 PM

Johnny Svensson did a build up of the Kettenkrad on his site: Johnny's Papermodels should help you out some there.

Speaking of Johnny anybody know if he's still around? Seems like its been a couple of years since he's been on here. And the last update on his site was 2008.

**teslin** · #4 03-25-2013, 11:43 AM

whulsey, I'm not getting anything from the link or any of the others that I've got to his grief build. Not a good feeling about that.

Amccombs3, I'll follow your build as I'd like to give that machine a try sometime. Meant as a prime mover I find them quite interesting.

**modelperry** · #5 03-25-2013, 01:32 PM

My common approach to any project is to go one piece (or subassembly) at a time. Eventually you will have a complete model. I hardly ever look at the difficulty rating, instead I look at the length of time it will take me to build it and the size of the parts. Large parts good, small parts not so good. I also take into account the build diagrams and instructions (if readable) and the amount of time it will take me to stare at them and understand their intent and/or completeness. I have had more than one project suffer not from parts fit, but poor build instructions. I suspect your skills at overcoming such obstacles are finely tuned considering your involvement in restoration of historical aircraft artifacts. You'll do fine with these projects, I'm sure!

greg

**whulsey** · #6 03-25-2013, 10:02 PM

Teslin, I just checked the link and it took me to his site no problems. I'm using IE. Try this and see if it works:
Johnny's Papermodels

**Tim Crowe** · #7 03-26-2013, 01:55 AM

I find other build threads, the best source of help.

Treat the model as a collection of sub-assemblies.

You'll be fine.

Tim

**Amccombs3** · #8 03-26-2013, 05:15 PM

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. Whulsey, I've bookmarked the build thread you recommended. You're right, such info is always a valuable guide. Miles, I'm confused. Are you suggesting I scale it up? It's not the small parts that scare me, it's the complexity.

BTW, a colleague ran the instructions through his translate-o-matic for me. He scanned, then used a multilingual OCR program, then Google Translate, then printed the results with a word processer, and presto! Broken English instructions! Which is much better than my trying to read Polish. I can't get started with a language in which "w" and "z" are words. Ignorant American me.

**teslin** · #9 04-02-2013, 09:51 AM

Amccombs3, Quite a convoluted path to achieve a coherent set of directions

How goes the build? Ok, ok I'll slow down, but I'm real curious to see your interpretation of the model. Best wishes...

whulsey, must have been something on the web backbone causing connection problems, I checked a few hours later and the site came up.

**Amccombs3** · #10 04-02-2013, 10:13 AM

I've gotten a start. My build thread is over in "Model Builds; The Armory; Modelik Kettenkrad." So far I've learned that my laminating technique worked pretty well, that working with laminated pieces is much different than working with plain card stock, and that my hobby knife skills need improvement. I've cut out about five pieces so far, very slowly, and haven't glued anything yet, so no recent updates.