1/35 ICM Daimler Benz G4 Staff Car

[CarolsHusband]

I've posted pics elsewhere but it's such a fiddly kit, that is courting disaster at every turn, I thought I'd do a Fred.

Pics for the moment, thoughts ( suicidal & plasticidal ) to follow...

 

[JR]

I'm impressed Dan , as I know you like that type of chassis and can build them. My idea of hell ! So can't imagine what went wrong

 

[CarolsHusband]

John, and anyone else who's reading....

In my humble, average modelling skill, mechanic fingered opinion, this kit has way too many parts !

Detail is an essential part of our hobby but many of the tiny parts in this kit just fight each other for the same space.

I'll be honest, I left quite a lot of shock levers and drop arms off the suspension coz it was just too much faff.

The fit of some parts was just bad, square pegs in round holes type stuff and the wheels were just plain wobbly.

I think I may have been spoiled by Tamiya.

Because it's going to be on the trailer & partially covered I'm just going to do the bare minimum so it looks good in situ.

Ethically this is bad but what the eye don't see, etc........

Feel free to discuss !

 

[Tim Marlow]

Nothing wrong with that approach Dan. Your model, your rules and all that. To be honest, it looks extremely complicated as it is so unless you tell ‘em, who’ll notice

 

[adt70hk]

Dan

I know what your mean. There are times when kits use 5 parts when one or two will do for no apparent reason.

As has been said by Tim and John already, your build, your rules.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Dave Ward]

Dan,
yes, the G4 is a bit of a Rubik's cube! - I made one many years ago, but fell at the last hurdle, trying to create the chromium strips on the bodywork - I made such a mess that it became landfill! The ICM softskin models tend to be like that, but the G4 seems to be the extreme example. All the car models cram a lot of parts into a small space, worse than the trucks! Great idea to cover most of the beast with a tarp!
ICM & Zvezda both try to mould parts to scale size, which is technically good, but makes assembly more difficult - not ones for the beginner.............
Dave

 

[JR]

At times I have tried to follow the instructions and put, or try to put every thing in place.Then you draw the line, how much will anyone see and if its becoming really stressful you do what you can. It would be nice to be able to build a complete model as the instructions but I'm now resigned to the fact that much of it is beyond me. Mud and fire have often been my saviour.
Probably why I love dioramas with buildings so much.

 

[Gern]

So mine will be on ebay in due course. I'm too old for faffing about like that!

 

[CarolsHusband]

Detail is an essential part of our hobby but many of the tiny parts in this kit just fight each other for the same space.

I rest my case....

 

[outrunner]

ICM do tend to have many, many small parts to try to replicate the original, but some are really too small to work with unless you have the patience of Job and binoculars for eyes. I am almost finished with an ICM truck and it also has tiny, fiddly bits, one or two of them are now residing in the spares box as at the end of the day, who will know?

Andy.

 

[Mark1]

Yeah that is definitely overkill on the parts count!

 

[CarolsHusband]

ICM do tend to have many, many small parts to try to replicate the origina, but some are really too small to work with unless you have the patience of Job and binoculars for eyes. I am almost finished with an ICM truck and it also has tiny, fiddly bits, one or two of them are now residing in the spares box as at the end of the day, who will know?

Andy.

I've got their G7107 Chevy sitting in the wings. I love these trucks in real life and am hoping that love will see my through building the kit !

 

[CarolsHusband]

Yeah that is definitely overkill on the parts count!

And really not helped but the lack of accuracy of some of the mating surfaces.

 

[CarolsHusband]

Top half going together more easily than the chassis.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Nice progress Dan.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Press on Dan.... NEVER SURRENDER!!
I'm currently trying to finish an AFV Gun Truck which is an awful kit,....but I'll carry on until the bitter end
Looking like you're cracking it so far mate
Andy

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dan
Some modellers are taken in by a high parts count. There is an assumption that a high parts count equals great detail. Only true up to a point. Often the detail is so small that it can't be appreciated or is hidden anyway.
Your approach is sensible and so far you are doing a great job.
Jim

 

[CarolsHusband]

Absolutely Jim. If one was going to do a workshop rebuild diorama It'd be perfect !

Thanks all, I nearly had a funny turn earlier & thought " No, b******s to it, I'll just paint it all dark grey and save myself the trouble"

I'm going to stick with the light grey/black gloss paint scheme though.

Been watching all 3 BTTF films over the past couple of days and I think I may be channeling Marty McFly.

/ nobody calls me chicken.....

 

[Tworrs]

Looking good Dan, great progress.

 

[Ian M]

You are doing a good job Dan. Have been tempted by this 'car' many times but have never succumb dur to there has always been a more tempting kit that got in the way.

ICM do make some great kits but they are very much kits that need building and not just putting together. Some are better than others...When they start to include microscopic parts in Photoetch that are impossible to either use or leave off, I think that they are taking the mic.
And yes there are many manufacturers that think more parts mean better kits. Sometimes true but most of the time.... not so much. Or they put tons of high detail in places that will never be seen and skimp the details on places that are sat right in front of you.