M1070 Tractor

Shawn Carrigan
Yeah nah on the photo etch seat brackets. They have a lot of details, but it's not really worth my effort.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice progress.

Shawn Carrigan
Thanks! It's a nice kit, but with all the pieces, details, and photoetch, it's a mission.

Callum Murrie
Looking good, how's the kit? because Im about to order it for my M1A1

Shawn Carrigan
So far it's not hit any major issues. It's a big model. It's going to need it's own shelf in my display cabinet that normally accommodates 6 vehicles.
There's a lot of photoetch metal already, so I would skip the aftermarket PE parts and save your sanity. I only used a few aftermarket PE parts anyway.
It's fiddly too! There's the whole drive line and suspension, and it's got to fit well because the rest of the tractor needs align to it. Again, so far so good. There's a lot of back and forth too, build, paint, build again and so on. You can see it in the pictures.
Summary: Recommend this kit, but make sure that you're in the right mood. It requires "the Zen".

Callum Murrie
Thanks for the info, sounds like my kind of build I love slow modelling with fiddly parts.
Are you going to put anything on the trailer?

Shawn Carrigan
I've got a Meng M1A2 TUSK 1 that's slated to go on the trailer in desert colours, and the truck and trailer will be (obviously) NATO 3 colour.

Callum Murrie
Nice

Shawn Carrigan
Kind of at a pause point on this kit until I can figure out how to glue the air lines onto the plastic parts. So far all my attempts are not working well. I understand that it's not going to be a structural join, but it's got to at least withstand the installation. >: (

Shawn Carrigan
Okay, I seem to have found a glue that works for the air lines. A model making friend gave me some Bao Shun Da B-7000 "multi purpose adhesive". Tacks up in about 30 seconds, and seems pretty secure and flexible enough. It's also got a built in needle nozzle that's super handy.