Dragon JSU-122S/152 (Kit 6047) Build
Filled the sponsons with plastic sheet.
Raised the lower hull for accuracy and track clearance.
Used plastic strip and sheet to raise the hull.
Opening the air intakes for photo-etched screens. I didn't notice the exquisite detail until I started grinding it off.
I was able to make it harder to open the air intakes by doing the sponson first. Should have opened the holes first. Anyway, the screens for the Tamiya kit are the same width, but about a millimeter shorter in length. Looks like I can make it work.
Internal baffles made with plastic sheet.
Intake baffles done.
Axles and wire handrails on.
Test fitting the gun and mantlet.
Deepened the panel lines on the back plate, added a handle on and a rain guard over the large access door, and used a brass rod for the hinge bar.
Attached the main sprockets. They can spin freely to aid in track placement later.
Attaching the lower and upper hulls.
The seams are sealed, sanded, and textured (with super glue and cornstarch slurry dabbed on with a bamboo skewer). I use silver paint to help me see any gaps.
Starting the detail work.
Headlight and horn using Voyager photo-etch for Tamiya
The horn required some slicing and splicing to use the photo-etch. The "bell" is drilled out.
Top hatches required some work to be flat bottomed, not round.
Slowly adding bits and pieces from the Voyager photo-etch. Remember, that photo-etch is for the Tamiya JSU-152.
The grills and wire bits.
Glued the brackets onto the fuel tanks and let them dry over-night. Notice how the straps end before they reach the brackets.
I cut strips from sheet styrene to extend the holding straps to the brackets. Super glue, with a little corn starch, filled the gap. Then all was sanded smooth.
Using super glue allowed the process to go quickly. Extended both the front and back straps down to the brackets.
Applied silver paint (enamel) to help me see seams or gaps.
Added "Grandt Line" bolts (which are used to tighten the straps on the real machine).
Attached the tanks to the hull.
Spare tracks "welded" on the front with Super-glue and cornstarch slurry.
Primed with Tamiya white liquid surface primer.
Base coat of Model Master Acryl Medium Green
Wetted the front area and applied table salt at random to scrape off later. Painted front with Model Master Acryl Flat White
Scraped off the salt and misted the green areas with Model Master Acryl Russian Armor Green to darken and cover any white over spray.
Applied decals over a gloss coat. The word is "VICTORY!"
Artist oil paint and mineral spirit wash.
Ugly. Hope this works...
Pin wash in some places, general wash in others. Needs to be "cleaned-up" after it drys. I will wipe the excess off with mineral spirits. I hope....
The wash cleaned-up. I used a foam pad and Tamiya cotton swabs with mineral spirits to wipe away the excess wash.
Completed the first dry brushing to bring out the highlights.
More dry brushing....
Finished the stowage and detail painting
Spare tracks painted
More stowage
After applying green filter, brown pastel filter, and mud layer (real mud!)
Ready for tracks!
The tracks seem pretty nice, but it took about six hours to clean them up!
The tracks are fitted and glued together.
After a couple of hours of glue drying, I paint and weather the tracks
Made them a dusty rust color, with highlights of rubbed metal (dry brushing)
Even though the tracks are glued and dry, a little heat from a hair dryer softens the bond. Very carefully, the tracks can be threaded onto the vehicle.
The sprockets have to be constructed so they can spin freely, or this method would be very difficult. The rest of the wheels have been glued in place, but if they could turn, it wouldn't hurt.
Using little blasts of heat and cotton swabs allows me to mold the tracks in place as I want them.
In a few minutes, the glue bond tightens, and you're done! I started with 89 links per side, but after wrapping around, and sagging the track, the connection point was at 83 links. I always try to connect on the bottom.
I don't think you could use this method if the lower hull wasn't modified (raised), like I did at the beginning of this project. There would be too little clearance to thread things through!
Next steps are touch-up paint and mud on the tracks and sprockets. Almost done!
Finished!
Comentários
23 January 2013, 16:34
Frank KrauseHehe, that's interesting. A kind of group-build by chance. Will be interesting to see, what the etching parts will bring, since mine will be (mostly) OOTB. Happy modeling, George!
23 January 2013, 17:27
Frank KrauseMy progress so far:
JSU-122S Construction | Album by Frank Krause (1:35)
23 January 2013, 17:37
George BaconAs for the correction, I found some good web sites with info on the JSU and/or Dragon's model.
picasaweb.google.com..19265/ISU122sMalbork
4bogreen.com/is-seri..s-152-tank-destroyer
28 January 2013, 14:49
Frank KrauseHi George, the second link was known by me, not the first one. Thanks for sharing.
Be careful with the 4bogreen. Not everything mentioned there is correct.
***** Example: The lifting eyes (parts B20) are molded with the rings standing perpendicular to the plates on which they are mounted. The rings were free to swivel in their mounts and typically laid flat against the plates. The kit parts can be modified by carefully cutting the rings from the eyes and re-attaching them in a more natural position. This applies not only to the superstructure and engine deck lifting eyes but to those on the rear hull (Step 6) as well. *****
Looking at all the photos of JSUs Dragon did parts B20 correct, but they missed to add the rings to the eyes. I've overcome this by adding wire rings to the lifting eyes.
28 January 2013, 15:23
Frank KrauseCall me "Lord of the Rings".. 😉 😉 😎 😄
It's always good to look at more than one source. Tanks standing in museums or displayed as monuments are sometimes a mix of WWII and post-war, sometimes a result of a kind of whatever restauration.
Now I ripped off the first 2 handles (parts B2 in step 4) on the upper hull (see picture), because I haven't seen any on WWII JSU-122S.
[img1]
28 January 2013, 17:54
George BaconAdded the rings ala Frank "Lord of the Rings" Krause and started using the Royal photo-etch. Thanks Frank, for your tips and all your research! 🙂
28 January 2013, 23:43
Frank KrauseHehe, a JSU with percings!😎 Looking good! I like the handrails done with wire.
29 January 2013, 00:12
George BaconThe horn, headlight and top hatches all turned into separate projects!
29 January 2013, 20:56
George BaconSlowly moving forward using the Voyager photo-etch. The external fuel tanks are next...
6 February 2013, 18:18
George BaconI decided to use the kit's fuel tanks rather than the photo-etch (I prefer plastic parts whenever they will work), although I did use the photo-etch handles at the end of each tank. That required removing the molded-on handles. As you can see, the straps around the tanks needed a little work.
6 February 2013, 22:16
james johnsonwhat do you think of the way this fuel tank is mounted on this KV-85? Is that rod there just because the tank is on display? [img1]
8 February 2013, 03:24
james johnsonActually two rods. The ones protruding from the hull to the fuel tank.
8 February 2013, 03:25
George BaconIt's hard to tell why it's there. I always try to find photos from the era I'm modeling to try to confirm or dispel what I see on modern day machines in museums or on display.
8 February 2013, 03:32
james johnsonyeah, that's what I was thinking........I'm going with the way you did it.....
8 February 2013, 04:11
George BaconFor the JSU (and JS2 tank) the straps tapered at the ends, and were connected to metal rods which bolted to the brackets. I didn't model the tapering straps or rods (seemed liked too much trouble for what a person could see in 1/35 scale). I'm not sure the KV-85 straps were the same, but all the photos I see from WW2 show straps, and not the rods you found on the museum piece.
The KV-85 may be more like the SU-152 (KV-14) than the JSU I'm building. The photo-etch guys have already done the research on straps. For example, check out the pictures at hobbyeasy.com/en/dat..b87xo3g0kzqpat2.html
8 February 2013, 04:38
james johnsonI see what you mean, thanks! Those on the voyager pe set are closer to what are supplied with my kit. The out of box mounting looks like crap, but the reference you posted shows me how to modify the existing mount. Should be easier than replicating the JSU 122 rig..
Thanks again!
8 February 2013, 04:48
Frank KrauseNice progress on your JSU, George! Love it. I'm just back from our Scalemates Meeting on Wangerooge island! Once I cleaned my workbench, I'll continue on the JSU. I made some experiences with etching parts during our meeting. So my next model might get some upgrades...
10 February 2013, 19:00
james johnsonInteresting George. Looking forward to seeing where you're going with this!
11 February 2013, 04:36
Frank Krause@George: Very inspiring and relaxing! I felt very well during that week!
11 February 2013, 06:50
George BaconApplied a wash over the acrylic base paint with black artist oils diluted in mineral spirits. Will wipe off the excess tomorrow. Looks ugly. Hope this works!
12 February 2013, 02:53
George BaconUpdate on the JSU-122 construction: The fine detail painting is done.
12 February 2013, 20:26
George BaconThanks Frank, but yours is coming along beautifully, and has been an inspiration to me!
16 February 2013, 12:42
Frank KrauseThanks for the motivation, George! Let's see, what will come out at the end.😉
16 February 2013, 14:34
Frank Krause👍 Great! But... we want more.... pics... 👍
How did you do the headlight?
16 February 2013, 18:25
Frank KrauseOk, ok! Found 'em! You added a new album for the finished one...!
16 February 2013, 18:26
George BaconThe headlight (and running lights) are a model railroad product. They are lenses made by M.V. Products, and come in various sizes and colors. They're great! I keep an assortment in my spare parts box.
16 February 2013, 18:31
Brian GeigerSorry I missed seeing this at the last meeting George. You've done a heck of a nice job showing the step-by-step photos. It's enlightening to see all the modifications you've done "under the paint". Some very nice tips too. It turned out great!
Thanks for sharing and Thumbs up!
29 June 2013, 16:23
