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Showing results for tags 'panzer 1'.
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I call it the Panzer 1.0, the very first version without a turret or armament because of restrictions set after WW1. I built Bandai 1/48 military models when I was growing up, mostly German, really liked having interior and engine detail. When I got into 1/35 Tamiya kits, was disappointed there was no interior at all, felt ripped off. Fast forward about 45 years, so many interesting subjects being produced by numerous companies, in this case Tristar is the brand. The sophistication of the mold process is amazing, several parts have a third axis. Teeny tiny parts, almost no mold lines, zero flash. Includes photo-etch. And to drive you insane, individual track links, for the whole track (some kits have the flat sections as one part). I have been wanting to build a tank, so picked this because it had been started, there are extra parts such as the turret that I added to the Maus that I built in 2016. I've always been fascinated how the evolution of tank size grew during the war, the Maus turret is bigger than the Pz1 and could weigh 20 times more. The number of parts is ridiculous. Check out the engine block, with the third axis mold technique. Some parts are not used, will be handy for scratch-building. The three trees lower right are the track links. I skipped around the instructions, glued together sub-assemblies before painting. There was the option of two colors for the interior, grey or white. I understand everything was one color, but I wanted the engine/transmission to contrast. The flat four air-cooled engine, and transmission, have detail on the bottom that won't be seen. I masked, then airbrushed more grey. Because I don't like brush painting unless it beats crazy masking, I do things like the fire extinguisher. Most parts installed inside. Some parts were a tight fit, didn't need gluing. There are many parts that get hidden, the engine has a beautiful fan inside the air shroud, two pumps or distributors, that are under the oil cooler. Going to allow the engine deck to be removed, could glue hatches open, or really go nuts and use photo-etch hinges but then it wouldn't be Box Stock. Got the bogey wheel/suspension done. I did hand paint the tires, easy to spin on a sprue. ? I cut the sprue trees to reduce clutter (looking at my bench is another story ?) Getting the fenders and tools on will be a cinch. The tracks... ?