1:6 Dragon 20mm Flak 38

[Roadrunner]

At long last, the gunners pedestal is now installed. There are substantial gaps around it, but those will be filled with scrap, then epoxy added to create weld seams.

[Roadrunner]

OK, base angle ring flange drawn again, this time depicting a 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 angle, as I felt the 2 x 2 was just too large. This will serve as my template for cutting them out of sheet.

[Roadrunner]

Glamour shot. From time to time, I just can’t seem to resist partially assembling, to get an overall view of my progress.

[Roadrunner]

Talk about perfect timing, this was just delivered a few moments ago. From what I’ve read, these are perfect to scribe/snap styrene with, and I need to cut some same sized strips for the base flange.

[Roadrunner]

The Fiskars unit works great, though I think I’ll reserve it for .020 and thinner sheets. Well, here’s my scale 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 angle, and it still looks too large, but I’m going to leave it alone. I also lost .040 in height while adding the deck plate, so there’s a tiny bit of interference with rotating platform and angle, so I’ll just shim the platform by .020 or .030 (whatever the minimum is that I can get away with), and it should clear just fine.

[Roadrunner]

Yet another goof (of my own doing). Despite having looked at my photos a dozen or more times, I never realized that I had the area behind the side shields wrong, so I ripped off the old shields, and repaired the side plates to a more correct configuration.

[Roadrunner]

With side plates now more properly proportioned, detailing this area (there’s not a lot) can now commence.

[Roadrunner]

The mirror image on the other side. I’m much happier with this overall appearance now.

[Codi]

Kevin, you are surely to be commended for the cleanliness of your execution on this project. That is an impressive amount of fabrication you're doing and yet the build looks spotless & flawless in every way. This will look very sharp when it's done I've no doubt. Thanks for sharing the cutter pic you posted. I'll have to locate one of those and give it a try myself. Cheers, Tim

[Roadrunner]

Thanks, Tim, I appreciate it. I ordered my cutter from Michael's, but office supply stores should have them as well. This is but one style that Fiskars makes, but I thought it probably adequate for my needs.

[Roadrunner]

Azimuth ring all drawn up.

Placed in position. I have no idea at this time how accurate this may be, but I’ll adjust accordingly, when (and if) I get more data.

[Roadrunner]

New side armor shielding now made (this time including better and more accurate appearing contours), and a start is underway on the connecting cross tube. All of this cross tube assembly is being designed in such a way so as to allow later alignment, fitment and gluing in place.

[Roadrunner]

The guns begin to take shape. not a lot of details to add here, as they're basically OK, just a little filler and some small bits.

[Roadrunner]

I've tried my hand on a weld technique that I have very little experience with. Not too shabby, I think. This first area I worked on, will be mostly out of sight on the finished weapon, and is the reason I chose it.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Roadrunner

[Roadrunner]

All three seats now being reworked; drain holes in seat pan filled, and monstrous horn at front of seat reworked.

[Roadrunner]

Gunners seat arm now has .040 rod added for welds, as well as side plate welds.

[Roadrunner]

Gunners leg protectors now created. Not technically correct, as this was a piece with rolled (or stamped) stiffening ribs, so mine will not have the proper concave surfaces on exterior, as I have used .040 half round to simulate these ribs on the interior side.

[Roadrunner]

A small thing perhaps, but caps now added to traverse and elevation hand-wheel handles. At least one step closer to adding speed ratio adjustment levers.

[Roadrunner]

More details being added to side armor.

[Roadrunner]

Here I've taken the liberty of drawing up some views of the 100 round box. I've drawn two different end configurations, as I'm not sure which way I'll go, perhaps a couple of each.

[cobraman]

That is looking soooooooo nice.

[Roadrunner]

Thanks, Ray, it's slowly beginning to come together. Whether or not I'll be able to begin painting by the end of June is still questionable, but finishing by September seems absolutely doable. (I'm so anxious to get back to a stalled '70 T/A Challenger). I still need to order some flash suppressors, metal ammo cans and magazines, but I'm waiting on the cash to do that. I need to get started on the base pretty soon too. Base will be approx. 18" x 20", and should give some real life to the mount.

[Roadrunner]

My stab at the shipping box. More to do, but I like the way it's shaping up.

[Roadrunner]

Another trivial update. Dragon saw fit to omit every other wood block on the magazine trays, so I've added them. Since every other magazine is rotated 180° from the previous one, those wood blocks are narrower, so that's what I've also done.

[Roadrunner]

Guns are now nearing the completion stage. A little filler, and a bit of sanding/polishing, and they'll be good to go. I'm still considering modifying one upper gun body (to better depict the rib type configuration), and then having copies cast for myself, but I'm not sure if I have time for that or not.