Early M2 half-track car
I bought this kit second-hand. This is how far the previous owner got building it.
Suspension parts built so they can be installed without glue, for easier painting later on.
Because the early halftracks didn’t have the spring for the idler wheel, I filed off its mountings and filled the holes for it. However, that makes it hard to fit the idler wheel mount itself. What I did was to first fit the sprocket and bogie into the track, without glue (and with the wheel-pairs loose in the bogie), then fit all that to the model, again without glue.
A piece of Blu-Tack at the top …
… and one at the bottom keep the bogie firmly in place on the chassis.
Then put the idler wheel mount into the idler wheel, also without glue, and put them in place in the track, so the mount fits in the chassis as it should.
All you then need to do is put a drop of glue onto the idler wheel mount to glue it to the chassis, and leave everything in place until this glue sets. Once that’s done, you can remove all of the rear suspension bits and paint them separately from the rest of the model.
BTW, all of this is not necessary if you fit the idler springs, A21 and A22, because those will positively locate the idler mounts. However, those springs were only fitted from mid-1943, and my model will represent a vehicle as in early 1942 or so.
BTW, all of this is not necessary if you fit the idler springs, A21 and A22, because those will positively locate the idler mounts. However, those springs were only fitted from mid-1943, and my model will represent a vehicle as in early 1942 or so.
Some plastic rod added to the idler arms, to which the screws behind the arms connect on halftracks without idler springs. The bracket from the top of the arm to the rear of the chassis was also only present on halftracks with springs, so I filled the holes for them in the back of the chassis.
Cab sides, with the jerrycan holder mounting removed from the right-hand side. The other still needs to be done.
Front bumper with roller, where I replaced the moulded-on springs by new ones made from copper wire wound around plastic rod.
Basic parts for the rear compartment. I’ll wait with adding details until I’ve also built the basic shape of the cab, to ensure everything lines up correctly.
Replacement pedals in the cab, should be good enough for how little of them will actually be visible on the finished model.
Cab and load bed dry-fitted to the chassis to ensure they line up correctly.
Front of the cab with the radiator shutters in place.
Inside of the cab. I replaced the gearshift lever with copper wire because Dragon’s part has only two bends instead of three like the real thing. The paint is because those areas will be hard to reach when spraying the model later on.
Rear area, also with painted areas to prevent them being visible as bare plastic later.
Machine-gun skate rail, with one of the two lips around the edges added — a second one needs to go along the top. The strip I used was 4 mm too short, and I of course filled the gap after taking the photo.
Added the lid for the open stowage bin, made from plastic card and a few bits of strip.
Panzer Art M3 scout car wheels, both with a disc glued to them because the early M2 half-track had different hubs (these still need to be finished). The one on the right has the locking ring cut away to make it a simple, spoked wheel. The other wheel still needs this done.
The brake drums needed to be modified to fit in the Panzer Art wheels. Left a kit wheel, middle one from Panzer Art to show why the drum won’t fit and a modified drum, right a wheel with the drum in place. Basically, remove everything outboard of the conical section and make a big hole 🙂
Everything (almost) I’ve got so far, added together. The main suspension units have been glued to the chassis, still without wheels, and I then put the wheels, tracks, and body on without glue for the photo. Still some work to do before I can spray the model, though.
I wanted M1917 machine guns for this halftrack but was very disappointed with the Master Box offering (bottom) so I converted two of the M1919s supplied in the kit with sprue for the water jacket, plus rod, strip, and punched discs for the M1917’s features.
Wheels with hub caps. I removed the white plastic discs when I found slightly larger ones in my spares box; the green bits were cut from the shells from an Italeri M110 kit, plus punched bolt heads.
Machine gun tripods fitted to the rear. The shelves that the small ones are on, should be tread plate but I don’t have any fine that’s enough so I feel it’s better to not put any at all on, than much too coarse.
Exhaust pipe fitted. I lost the end part so replaced it with some aluminium tube. The bracket is just some strip and bent rod.
After priming the metal and resin parts, I sprayed the whole model with Mr. Aqueous Color H78 Olive Drab (2). Well, the whole model minus the bits that will be out of sight 🙂
Komentáře
8 31 March, 15:22
Desert Marlin
Watch the Cab to Chassis interface on this kit. My GMGC had some difficulty with that!
Watch the Cab to Chassis interface on this kit. My GMGC had some difficulty with that!
1 April, 03:46
Jakko
Thanks for the heads-up. I've been dry-fitting the floor and the rear body (main parts already built) and they seem to fit well enough to the chassis, but I won't know for sure until I get the cab built, of course.
Thanks for the heads-up. I've been dry-fitting the floor and the rear body (main parts already built) and they seem to fit well enough to the chassis, but I won't know for sure until I get the cab built, of course.
1 April, 08:42
Desert Marlin
I was the same for mine! I still think I messed something up. But they look great when finished!
I was the same for mine! I still think I messed something up. But they look great when finished!
1 April, 18:20
Jakko
I have seen somebody build a Dragon M3 halftrack, and he had some trouble lining up the cab and the back half, so I think it will pay to keep a close eye on fit straight from the start.
I have seen somebody build a Dragon M3 halftrack, and he had some trouble lining up the cab and the back half, so I think it will pay to keep a close eye on fit straight from the start.
1 April, 20:21
Album info
Backdating Dragon's M2 half-track kit to an early version.