I’ve posted in ‘TANKS’ but realised that this might be more appropriate. It seems that it has been nearly 9 years since I was enthusiastically creating grenade canopies, improved steering tails etc, etc for Airfix and Masterbox Mk 1s. I have recently revisited the Airfix model to see what can be done to improve it and correct it. Many of you will know that the various ‘improvements’ available only go some of the way to correcting the short comings. My own efforts stalled when trying to detail the side panels on the cab and the roof of the ‘male’ sponsons. The corrections on the roof worked tolerably well though.
Anyway, roll on 8-9 years and ‘hobby level’ 3D printing is on the scene. I’ve suddenly got the urge to re-visit the Airfix model and have started by designing the wider cab. My prototype print suggested that the dimensions etc were satisfactory although the rivets were too small (more accurately sized perhaps, but not matching the original). Since that prototype was OK I’ve increased the size of the rivets by 50% and commenced adding the detail - pistol ports etc, etc.
For some reason, my attached photos appeared upside down! Well, I turned the original upside down and - it still appeared so! You will have to wait a while until I resolve this.
Apart from the cab, I plan to create a corrected roof, better male sponsons and the steering-tail frame. What sort of time scale - no idea just now!
As always, I would like to thank our very own Mk1Nut, whose detailed drawings are helping enormously with this project. Helen you are a star.
As an aside I must also thank Arie Dijkhuis - I downloaded his 1:18 scale track link, modified it to fit the Airfix track run and printed it at 1:76 scale - it is great. I made some ‘lengths’ and also a set to go around the sharper corners - much more effective than the ‘rubber band’ tracks.
sorry about the photo - did any Mk 1s get to Australia?
-- Edited by TeeELL on Monday 18th of September 2023 09:01:45 AM
Well, the upside down CAD drawing is irrelevant- the file has become corrupted and I have had to all but start again! Still I had managed to print an early version which proved to be a fraction too wide and prevented the tracks from fitting. I’ve addressed that and I am now starting to add the details, my 0.45mm ‘rivets’ are a good match for the originals. I have completed the design of a corrected roof and printed it.
__________________
Regards TeeELL
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.
Apart from the roof and the driving compartment, I have also created 3D printed tracks that come in curved sections for the ‘horns’, single lengths and 6/8/10 link lengths. I was able to ‘part dress’ one of my Mk1 tanks for the model show at the R.E.M.E Museum last weekend - the tracks certainly improve the appearance. Photos to follow.
__________________
Regards TeeELL
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.
I did take a look - yes, as I mentioned in my first post. I was only able to download the ‘single link’ .stl file which then needed significant revising for the small scale tracks. With the single link created I then had to manually create the curved pieces and the lengths. It should be necessary to re-scale the 1:76 tracks to 1:72 for the Airfix vs Masterbox/Emhar models, but it appears unnecessary.
-- Edited by TeeELL on Monday 9th of October 2023 09:05:09 AM
-- Edited by TeeELL on Monday 9th of October 2023 09:11:06 AM
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Regards TeeELL
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.
Oh, I downloaded all the files, just fine. However, my PC/software could not work the multi-link files. It wasn’t a significant problem as creating what I wanted from the modified single link was very straight forward.
__________________
Regards TeeELL
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.
An update, only a few months on! I designed my own track plate for printing and yesterday I finally managed to create a complete track run for the Airfix Mk1 tank. The ‘loop’ of track is designed to be fitted before the outer rhomboid part is attached which I don’t think is an issue. An important point to note is that the inner and outer rhomboids must align - which requires the ‘positioning pips’ to be removed!
I did my first print run and the tracks are a perfect fit - to my surprise and delight! Down side was that the tracks had a concave finish, I’ve revised the print supports to see if that can be eliminated.
I’ll post a photo when I remember how to resize them!
__________________
Regards TeeELL
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.
I am planning on creating a 1:48 scale track plate which, due to the larger scale, can incorporate more accurate detail, (the plate should be sufficiently accurate for up-scaling). I shall create it as link and length as I don’t think I have a 1:48 model on which to create a full run of track.
something else I must do is post images of the finalised roof and widened cab as they have now been corrected.
-- Edited by TeeELL on Saturday 6th of July 2024 08:54:57 AM
-- Edited by TeeELL on Saturday 6th of July 2024 08:56:26 AM
__________________
Regards TeeELL
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.
