Thursday 2nd May 2025
This project has been ongoing since Christmas (on and off.)
I have had to learn a new skill using foam to make the body of the barn. All those bricks are individually made from foam using my Proxon foam hot wire cutter.
The scene shows an Achilles tank somewhere in Normandy after D Day holed up in front of an old French barn. The lorry has arrived with more fuel and shells. The low ranking soldier in the rear of the lorry is passing a shell to the tank crew, There is a fuel line from the barrel in the wagon going to the filler cap at the far end of the tank. The other tank crew are just looking at some minor problem with the lorry's engine.
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ReplyDeleteRR -
You've set me off on nerdishness.
Real life
Tank. 19.6 ft. 1/35 = 0.56ft.
Lorry 17ft. 1/35 = 0.49ft.
Models
Tank 0.71ft x35 = approx. 25ft.
Lorry 0.5ft.. x 25 = 17.5ft.
I have researched the measurements in real life to my satisfaction. None of this makes sense except that it indicates that your supposition is correct. Both kits are sold (by different manufacturers) as 1/35 scale, but I have always suspected some of those claims. The old barn was scratch built and just estimated by me using a scale human figure at 6ft. as a guide. I am not particularly fussed about exact scale and minute detail correctness, more interested in producing a decently made model regardless. I am currently building a Lancaster. There is a lot of debate shout the colour of the interior cockpit either black, or Cockpit Green. I suspect that at the rate those things were built a lot of what was used would have been what was to hand at the time. In any case the cockpit interior will be 99.9% invisible on completion.
If you're intending a highly detailed Lancaster I can tell you exactly where the VHF transmitter/receiver is located; I fiddled with such a one in a Lanc pared down for training purposes.
ReplyDeleteRR - Thanks for the offer. Unfortunately the interior has been done. There was a navigator's table, and I think the radio perhaps above. It is now enclosed "won't be seen."*. Even though most of my enjoyment comes from creating the models and learning about the details, as well as techniques that can be applied, I am less inclined to pay much attention to items that will not be seen on the completed model. What happens to the models after completion is not of great interest to me, except to show off to the very few who may be around to be bored by being so sandbagged.
ReplyDeleteNb. the dearth of comments on this post. Way back I had a commenter remonstrating with me for straying from my outdoor posts.. I replied by positing that outdoories will surely take an interest in things other than The Great Outdoors, but I am beginning to wonder.
* A quote from a dear friend often used by him in the pursuit of his pwn single minded construction pass-time.
The final months of my National Service were spent at Lindholme near Doncaster where Lancasters - still flying - were used to train navigators. My work actually concerned Lancasters since I was required to modify radar H-antennae which jutted out horizontally from the planes' bodies to the rear of the main cockpit. It seems the antenna blades were shaken loose by the vibrations and I fashioned a grub-screw to engage with a slot I'd cut in the blade fixture. It was more fun than working stripped to the waist fault-finding the aforesaid VHF transmitters/receivers under factory conditions at RAF Seletar on Singapore. Even though I was fairly sure the grub screws would not inhibit the rotation. Since the antennae are external they should figure on your Lancaster, albeit tinily.
ReplyDeleteRR - I am on the final stages of the Lancaster. That involves sticking on various minute bits and pieces which are not identified as to purpose with the kit. I suspect one of those will be the antennae you refer to. With due respect, I find it difficult to imagine you performing those dexterous tasks based on my observation of your DIY attempts in later years.
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