Dave's UniModel 1/72 ZSU-37(1944)

[David Lovell]

Having almost finished the little Italian armoured car it just wants the tyre's tonsing up and the crank handle handle painting plus was getting bored of it decided to leave it till this was up for a splash of paint.
Not much to it only 123 parts and some etch ,I built the hull tub yesterday evening so as to have something solid to bash on from ,tub now has all swing arms and wheels fitted ready for the l+l tracks pic to follow.
Whilst doing that worked on upper hull at same time ,cut off the strange forward facing exhausts and replaced with some aluminium tubing rather than try to drill out the ends and used some masking tape to represent metal straping correct or not dont care it looks the part.
And hey look at me ive filled some knock out marks not bad for a super slob eh.

There is more to show and talk about but more of that later. Dave

 

[therapy]

Never even seen one of those before Dave!

Nick

 

[David Lovell]

Never even seen one of those before Dave!

Nick

Hi Nick according to the blurb with the instructions.....Over 150 machines in general were constructed. It was the first antiaircraft plant on a trucked chassis. Before anyone buts in ive taken that word for word from the instruction header.
The joy of working in 72nd the choice is so much better than 35th, MiniArt have the same chassis in 35th surprised they haven't optimised the mouldings ,I belive IBG now have a vickers chassis in 35th the unusual built on that is endless but wether their prepared to bring on the unusual remains to be seen. Dave

 

[yak face]

Nice one david , something different and in 1/72 too. You say ONLY 123 parts ! That sounds like a lot to me !

 

[adt70hk]

Interesting!!!!

 

[Jim R]

Hi David
I made a UM kit for the Simon T GB. He was fond of UM stuff. I've not seen this one. A really interesting vehicle.
Jim

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looks good so far David. What’s the fit like?

 

[Lee Drennen]

Nice one for the GB David

 

[David Lovell]

Hi David
I made a UM kit for the Simon T GB. He was fond of UM stuff. I've not seen this one. A really interesting vehicle.
Jim

Looks good so far David. What’s the fit like?

Thanks Jim nTim(sorry about that sounds really corny)I can see why Simon liked them their quite busy but not busy enough for him there was always plenty to chop off replace sometimes to the point of he might just have well scratched built it ,his encouragement was endless but I always got the must try harder or could have done better sadly still much missed.
Tim there not bad its a case of you get what you pay for fit of parts has been fine so far detail is nice and clean no flash to speak of sometimes you have to go the extra with them but that goes with the territory ,the plastic is a bit weird on this one very soft but hey like I said you get what you pay for. I've done enough of them now to know whats in the box , plus the subject matter is far from run of the mill. There not everybody's cup of tea you only get out what you put in but I enjoy them like the work I did on the exhaust no big shakes but every little helps said the woman as she P'd in the sea. Dave

 

[Steve Jones]

My UM kit was a nightmare. I hope you are having better luck with yours. They certainly need to be beaten into submission and it looks like you are doing a great job with it. Will you be having another go with the winter camo? Keep it comin my friend

 

[Jakko]

My UM kit was a nightmare.

That’s been pretty much my experience with them too. I bought their M10 17-pounder SP gun years ago, and found it a very tough kit to build, to the extent that I didn’t feel like starting the second one I had of it (having bought them for wargaming) — and still haven’t. But maybe the quality varies per kit?

 

[David Lovell]

My UM kit was a nightmare. I hope you are having better luck with yours. They certainly need to be beaten into submission and it looks like you are doing a great job with it. Will you be having another go with the winter camo? Keep it comin my friend

Thanks Steve na kits OK I've done a few that were hard going but all part of the territory with UM ,UM-MT are also a bit prone to give you a run for your money ,bit to soon to have a bash again with the winter camo though some time in the future ive got a UM marder3 so panzer gray with with winter camo will be on the cards. Dave

 

[David Lovell]

That’s been pretty much my experience with them too. I bought their M10 17-pounder SP gun years ago, and found it a very tough kit to build, to the extent that I didn’t feel like starting the second one I had of it (having bought them for wargaming) — and still haven’t. But maybe the quality varies per kit?

Jakko they do blow hot and cold i just accept it and put my head down and crack on ,they are relatively cheap so you only get what you pay for ,the subject choice is emence 35ers would die for it ,can't moan eight to say fourteen pounds you just don't get shake n bake. Dave

 

[David Lovell]

Managed some more time at the dining table threw myself into the link and length track's I've never had any bother with them personally but they seem to play mind games with some of the chaps before they even start ,mind I will say they can get a bit tedious ,

Hull top with one of the links in the middle ,I assemble the links and lengths in sections ready to work my way around in blocks the only wheel not fixed will be the drive sprocket this fitted with a tiny touch of TET when ready ,you need a little wiggle room backwards or forwards to wind the track in to the correct place.
I've a tatty old piece of perspex with a strip of masking tape wich stops the links sticking to anything fixing each one with a tiny drop of TET there's no rush here better of leaving for a few minutes they stay flexible for age's letting you get a good one piece wrap around the sprocket

I hope some of this has made sense honest once you get your head around them your wonder what all the fuss was about.

Wheels on

Tracks on


Hull top fitted have done a fair bit to the turret but were save that for next time ,I dont wish to sound blazay about l+l there not even a steep learning curve I just don't see parting with the same as you paid for the kit when the tracks come with it. Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

That’s fantastic work in this scale. Really good stuff.

 

[GerryW]

Looking good

 

[David Lovell]

Hi all have cracked on and got it up to primer, bit of work done on the turret ,it drastically needed thinning down did this with sanding sticks and nail file sticks untill bordem set in but better than it was whilst doing this noticed no internal detail to correspond with the doors on the turret front(there's none for the pistol ports as well but hey ho)so made a pattern from masking tape using the outside detail then put to the inside right over left ,left over right hope you can follow that ,only done to hint at detail being there ,can barley see it now built


Rest of the build went smoothly nothing major nothing that wasn't expected ,personally I love these little UM models but not many peoples favourites

I did cut some sprue tab bits and stuck to the compartment floor(above) just to give it a bit of false detail as it can be seen (if you look hard enough)through the turret floor ,artistic licence?




A bit picture heavy ,no work tomorrow so will throw some primer at it hopefully leaving the way clear to show it some green across the weekend as usual c+c always welcome . Dave

 

[therapy]

Nice going Dave - she really is a tiddler...

Nick

 

[Jim R]

Hi David
Great progress. Well done with the tracks.
Jim

 

[GerryW]

Lovely progress, watching in awe.