1/35 HobbyBoss Sd.Kfz.254 Saurer

[Dave Ward]

This is going to be my next build............................

Rather unusual, which is what attracted me in the first place. I will put up some sprue shots, and some detail shots tomorrow, of some of the finest mouldings I've had in my hands. Vinyl tyres, a small PE fret. The construction, especially the suspension looks complex, and added to that, are individual track links - 138 per side.............
Unusually, for a military armoured vehicle, it has no armament - two finish versions, one an Afrika Korps vehicle, in yellow, the other Panzer Grey.
My pestilential Provost will be finished shortly, and the Beaufighter is in an advanced state, so construction will start later in the week
Dave

 

[Spartan]

Nice looking scout car Dave. Look forward to your next update and the build.

 

[Dave Ward]

Some sprue shots.......................
4 of these:
2 of these

And lots of these

Decals/PE/Tyres

Ans some detail shots...............

Those tracks...............

Some very fine moulding - serious care will be needed to detach these from the sprue -

Some really nice single piece moulding!

And, when you look at this closely - super detail - the bolts through the chassis flange!
I've looked carefully, no injector pin marks in visible positions, and no flash. Some of the ingates are a little large, but nothing that a new 10A blade can't cope with!
I must say the mouldings are really good, it remains to see whether the fit comes up to the same standards!
Dave

 

[minitnkr]

Nice choice. Sprue shoots look good. Those tires are very well done. The basic shape is effective, but the track/wheel engineering looks vulnerable. PaulE

 

[Dave Ward]

Paul,
considering the 254 weighed in at over 6.5 tonnes, the wheels look very small, and anaemic!
Dave

 

[Spartan]

Dave this looks to be a nice kit. Nice detailing and the sprues look crisp and clean.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
That looks a nice kit of an unusual subject. The tracks will certainly test your patience.
Jim

 

[Jakko]

serious care will be needed to detach these from the sprue

Tip: carefully saw through the connections rather than use snippers or a knife.

 

[Dave Ward]

Waiting for weathering to dry on my Beaufighter, construction started on the 254 - suspension bogies.................

You have to be careful when removing the parts from the sprues, it's easy to cut off tiny locating pins!! Careful study of the instructions is vital.
The main chassis and body - part assembled/dry fitted

Not very long - but the height seems to indicate that this thing was top-heavy! I have read reviews, indicating that there are fit problems - but either HB altered the mouldings, I'm lucky, or the reviewer had a bad day............
Dave

 

[JR]

Dave .
When I cut the parts there is always that gap under so I've decided to put some hard foam under the sprue so when I attempt to remove the links they don't get bent and snap I've had this happen to many times.

 

[Dave Ward]

John,
I often cut the sprue up, to remove any projections - this should allow you to get the back of the part supported by the cutting mat.................
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Further work on the suspension - at least the tracked part!

There are some tiny PE parts (9) I have missed out..........................

These are grease nipples for some of the bearings - I'll wait and see if any of them will be visible after assembly, before deciding not to fit them!
Dave

 

[Jakko]

It’ll be easier to make those with a punch and die set than to clean up and add those etched ones, I’d think.

 

[JR]

Thanks Dave , handy tip .
Looking very clean, I'm for the tracks !
John.

 

[Dave Ward]

I've dry fitted the sprockets & idlers, so I can measure some track lengths

I spent part of last night removing some of the tracks...............................


Just a simple matter of joining them up!
Dave

 

[Spartan]

Dave the dry fit looks to be going well. Your going to be busy with those tracks.

 

[Jakko]

In Dutch, there’s an expression that I think originates in bicycle racing: mind on zero and gaze on infinite. That’s pretty much what you need to do with separate-link tracks

 

[Dave Ward]

Jakko,
I have to make do with listening to Pink Floyd!
Dave

 

[JR]

Nice ! Going to take notes.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Jakko,
I have to make do with listening to Pink Floyd!
Dave

works for me too!
looks like a few albums' worth there, Dave!
My grandson has an Academy Stuart with track links, and we keep putting it off. it will be the first time for me- maybe a couple more years when I can confidently allow him to do them for himself...
do you bother with the seam lines when the parts are that small?seems like a nightmare