Light Tank Mk VIB (Desert)

[MikeC]

Update,
Not a lot to show except more brass, some from the kit, some from Eduard and some from myself.

As you can see I added the fire extinguisher from scratch, the bracket for the spare wheel, the smoke dischargers/flares (one still armed), the shovel holder and the tow rope brackets.

I also scratchbuilt the mirrot arm and brackets, the grab handle for the front and the bolt heads/rivets.

And apart from items that have to be fitted along the way, this is where I am at the moment. Tomorrow it will be work on the 'flimsy' carrier on the rear deack, number plate and then onto the shrouded lights and that should take me close to the build finish, then the painting starts - now I wonder if I can get that done before the bathroom is finished being re-built, SWMBO has gone mad on a walk in shower etc, and was telling the dogs how great it will be that they can now have a shower instead of a bath, they looked well impressed, also the tortoise has been promised full use, not looking forward to the day when she forgets him/it and i try washing under my arms and other departments with something that does not lather up too much - do not ask me, I only live here...
So tomorrow I will see 07.30am for the first time in I do not know how long.
Cheers,
Mike.

 

[Si Benson]

Evening Mike,
lovely tidy bit of brass work and scratchery.
Fancy having to wake up at some unholy hour and do stuff you don’t wanna

 

[MikeC]

Evening Mike,
lovely tidy bit of brass work and scratchery.
Fancy having to wake up at some unholy hour and do stuff you don’t wanna

Evening Si,
I know and it's still dark for at least half a day, going to be fun if he's working in the bathroom and I need to go - take jug of water and pour slowly into empty plastic bucket from height of 3 ft for correct sound effect...

 

[Lee Drennen]

Mike
Just beautiful!

 

[Neo]

Neo,
Ha! fooled you, the tracks do not fit that well around the drive sprocket, I cheated and sanded the teeth off. Do you mean fitted with the BESA gun.
Mike.

Oh, I missed your cheat Yes. version with BESA. If I not mistaken this version was on Malta.

 

[MikeC]

Oh, I missed your cheat Yes. version with BESA. If I not mistaken this version was on Malta.

Correct, they had both versions, and there is a photo of a VIB without the surround to the two guns in 'British Light Tanks 1927 - 45'

 

[Fernando N]

Neat work on the turret and upper hull Mike.

 

[MikeC]

Neat work on the turret and upper hull Mike.

Hi Fernando,
Many thanks.
Mike.

 

[MikeC]

Update,
Man has arrived to destroy bathroom, loads of crashing and banging going on - I am keeping well away, so hiding in the model room.
Thought I would make up the starting handle...

...And here it is in place...

...And flushed with success I started on the frame that holds the 'flimsy's' in place. If you are going to tackle this model, you will come up against this. A bending tool is a definate for this. The frame needs to be clamped in place for the full length. then the base needs to be folded, honestly do not try bending the frame to shape and then fold the base, it will not work. Then you go around each length and clamp it in place and then bend with a sharp item (I use an old Stanly knife blade for this) this allows you to form the corners and hopefully keep the whole lot square - lots of bending and tweaking. The instructions then have you cement the open end, I left this untill I had the whole frame in place. I first added the 'L' shape butted up to the top line of rivets...

As you can just make out at the top of the frame. I then c/a'd the frame with looking at the pic the top and the right side of the frame, once this had gone off I then c/a'd the left and bottom of the frame sides. I then added the bottom 'L' shape and finally c/a'd the open end which in this case is the top right corner. The kit comes with a representation of the 'flimsy' fuel cans, but as I had some resin ones around I decided to use these (shown for effect) And they come out a tad too big, but beggars cannot be choosers...

Now it is a case of adding all of the other parts, and as the frame is now secure on the model it is a lot firmer and can be handled a lot easier.


SWMBO always complains I stink the place out, now I know where the new one is going - evil smile on her face....
More later,
Mike.

 

[scottie3158]

Mike,
Some excellent neat work as always.

 

[BigGreg]

superb tank...as usual you make stunning models with a level of detail that is fantastic...

 

[Jakko]

superb tank...

The grey-and-brass one or the white one?

 

[Peter Gillson]

Very impressive work.

Peter

 

[MikeC]

superb tank...as usual you make stunning models with a level of detail that is fantastic...

Thanks Greg.

 

[Deleted member 7237]

Hi Mike, the level of detail some of you on here put into these models is mind-blowing, fantastic work.
Pete.

 

[JR]

Greetings man of etch, I don't know why you bother with the plastic at all !
Just amazed at the PE.


Watch out for the old bathroom fittings turning up in the garden , flower tubs, you'll have ducks next in the old bath

 

[grumpa]

Excellent! Mike, am watching.

Jim

 

[Ian M]

Loving the work going into this.
Also good luck with the new bathroom. We are in the same situation. But the guy doing it is me!

 

[MikeC]

Greetings man of etch, I don't know why you bother with the plastic at all !
Just amazed at the PE.


Watch out for the old bathroom fittings turning up in the garden , flower tubs, you'll have ducks next in the old bath

John,
Said to her last night that I needed to go - she got the umbrella out.....
As for the etch, remember all those years ago when we used to cry for something thinner than plastic for detailing, now making up for lost time..
Got a bit distracted, could hear this thump! Boom! thump thump coming down the road, and here it appeared - head just above the door ledge, seat on the floor , baseball cap at 90 degrees and holding the ears in, you would of course expect something with a bit of muscle - not a chance - 52 plate, VW Polo, the name is bigger than the car.... Just looked on ebay £19.00 scrap. ...

 

[MikeC]

Loving the work going into this.
Also good luck with the new bathroom. We are in the same situation. But the guy doing it is me!

Got a great guy doing ours, survives on only three cups of tea a day, brilliant....