Again, I hope experts will forgive shortcomings and I really hope to encourage other lurking newbies like me to give this a try. Very satisfying making a 3 dimensional picture - and also in some way, remember and pay homage to the men who fought in the Great War.
This started out as a simple print/card job but went sideways halfway through by adding a bit more more detail. Next one will be larger scale and I aim to improve. (At 1/48 this is quite small - less than 150mm long).
As a gringo (and willing to hear from those more knowledgable) I can't see much advantage scratch-building in smaller scales than say 1/35 - seems I still have to make the same parts, just smaller and with extra difficulty. I guess it depends on the project, I wonder if there's any 'rule of thumb' that can be applied?
Model suffers from the ad-hoc nature of how I went about it, eg adding something to suggest road wheels and track links - after attaching my sketchy suspension bogies. Hindsight means wishing I'd made better hinge plates (showing pins) too. Lesson learned: Plan your work and work your plan.
I experimented with string and cotton thread but settled on tracks made from 0.3mm wire glued on 0.5mm card. I trimmed the wire ends after glueing and cleaned up ends with a needle file (Not that it matters but I found it interesting the tracks had a nice scale 'heft', feel and drape to them when finished). I brushed in glue to fill in, and create a reasonable half-round effect on the wire sections (I even might try this to replace my Airfix Mk1 male and female kit tracks)
I printed armour panel parts on paper and glued these onto 1mm card, I angle-cut the edges where they butt-join. It's braced inside to keep panels flat and square. Only after glueing hatch parts on the cupola I realised drawing was incorrect (strangely 2mm off to one side). Couldn't be bothered re-making them so I just trimmed off and re-glued over altered holes. As a result they look a bit cobby but I'll get this right next time.
The larger slotted top covers took more time than I'd want to admit to, but I didn't want a bumpy surface so every section has tiny support strips glued underneath.
Camo pattern is a loose interpretation. Was a bit hard to hard to follow the printed pattern after sanding and was too late at night and too lazy to turn computer on. In a mood to just get on and paint the thing. Cough - excuse the shiny exhausts, I bought some flat varnish to fix this.
Have to say it's interesting and surprising how 'punishing' a photograph of a model is, looks so different/better with the naked eye. Aspects of my model are a bit crude and a little embarrassing due to late night work sessions & just wanting 'get it done', but overall I'm happy enough with it being my 2nd model.
QUESTION: I only suggested the structure underneath (drive shaft and cross beams) copied from Emhar kit picture. If any A7V modellers here have a drawing showing underside, or photo of how they went about it on their model, I'd be quite keen to see it. I realise material was in short supply in 1918 Germany but surprising so much open (and mysterious)space underneath these things.
Thanks for the kind comments gents. Actually, Excelsior I was thinking of putting this on a base on top of dirt with track prints behind it. Trouble is I've made a bit of a rod for my own back. Going up in scale with my next models means this will be on it's own. Think I may have to do a Mk4 (or 5) and also Whippet -and put all 3 on a base as a trio being a kind of '1918 theme.'
Trying to figure a good way of attaching to base before I glue the tracks and underneath and add the what I think are the bomb guards (?) to the ends. Was going to wire it on but then I quite like the idea of being able to pick it up to see all the 95% unseen work I did on those tracks! I wonder has anyone ever used magnets to mount models to bases?
Thinking my next A7v I might add a hinge inside on one end that allows it to open and reveal the interior with crew. Maybe even a plastic or glass side. Lots of work but could be neat to have something like that.
Pic: Easy way to create period diorama. Photoshop a model into an old photo (complete with perfect scale figures).
I don't think there was much structure underneath an A7V. I've tried to look underneath the example in the Queensland Museum - it's not easy but there doesn't seem to be any sway bars like the St Chamond (which also used a Holt suspension). The ground clearance on the A7V was only about 20cm underneath the gearbox - the clearance to the floor wasn't much larger.
I've attached an image from the Whitmore book of an A7V Gelandewagen under construction. The chassis was the same for both the tracked carrier and tank versions. The short channel sections sticking out from the massive chassis members are where the Holt suspension units were attached.
Regards,
Charlie
Edit: I've done a bit of searching for more info - I'll post this in a day or so.
-- Edited by CharlieC on Friday 11th of November 2011 11:45:45 AM
Thanks for taking the time to do that Charlie - much appreciated. With nice quality pic I can see how to tackle this for an improved version next time. Now wondering what that cylindrical side tank is, and are those fuel tanks up front? - I'm going to have to get some books.
Charlie, I hope when Mephisto comes back from wherever it's tucked away, they find a better place than that annoying glass fishbowl. Was so disappointed when I went there. For goodness sake it's the ONLY one in the world and you can hardly see it (I want to smell that rusty steel, and imagine the battle pungent fumes that used exist inside, but I'm odd. I've always liked the smell of my rifles).
Have any of the more scholarly types like yourself thought about suggesting better access to the beast at the museum? Even if only to let someone from AMS outside/inside for good photo session (with a decent lamp - not photo-flash). Seems to me, the more models being produced - the better. Especially with the centenary approaching.
A very large model with the top lifted off showing interior (with figures) would be a brilliant asset to the museum. A group project for AMS? Would bring the exhibit to life for visitors and pictures of that model would go around the world.
Pics added. 1. My crudely represented model underside. 2.Highlighted detail, old photo.
-- Edited by Enzedder on Sunday 13th of November 2011 01:03:49 AM
There are two levels of detail in the A7V - the chassis cross members - the floor seems to have been attached to the top of the chassis rails - and the plates and bars joining the Holt suspension elements together. I notice you've identified the "skegs" in front of the transmission housings.
The cylindrical tank on the side is one of the two mufflers - on the tank this was between the armour plate and the chassis rails.
The fuel tanks were under the floor immediately in front of the engines - I think there was header tank above the engines. The tanks must have been adequately protected since the A7Vs didn't seem to have the reputation of catching fire easily.
There aren't many good books on the A7V - Hundleby and Strasheim's 1990s book is good but expensive and hard to find these days. The recent Tankograd book is quite good but hasn't got the same breadth of info that the older book has. Whitmore's book on Mephisto is quite good but really hard to find.
The Qld Museum is fairly resistant to input from outside the organisation. They have said that Mephisto isn't going to return to the glass enclosure but will be positioned on a floor higher than the max. flood level.
Regards,
Charlie
-- Edited by CharlieC on Sunday 13th of November 2011 03:38:59 AM
"Charlie, I hope when Mephisto comes back from wherever it's tucked away, they find a better place than that annoying glass fishbowl. Was so disappointed when I went there. For goodness sake it's the ONLY one in the world and you can hardly see it (I want to smell that rusty steel, and imagine the battle pungent fumes that used exist inside, but I'm odd. I've always liked the smell of my rifles)."
I wholeheartedly agree. Interpretation, museums, education etc should be in 3-D whenever possible.
I just got back (yesterday) from the Royal Armouries' Weapons of the World Wars seminar. A chance to examine, discuss and handle rifles, pistols and machine guns from both conflicts. It puts the infantry's experience into a new context (the Lewis weighs a "TONNE", for instance) and takes the interest to a new level.
So yes, make the exhibits accessible, allow those of us with nerdish tendencies to look underneath and inside etc, and put on events that let people talk about the conflicts and the materiel with experts.
-- Edited by Excelsior1 on Sunday 13th of November 2011 10:08:54 AM
-- Edited by Excelsior1 on Sunday 13th of November 2011 10:09:42 AM
I've managed to borrow a set of plans for #506 Mephisto - these were an add on to Whitmore's book on Mephisto. There is a 5-view with dimensions in 1/20 which may be of interest. If anyone's interested I'll organise some copies.
I can't apologise enough for my tardy acknowledgement of replies, I do appreciate them. (Stressed out with a major work problem to deal with)
So right Excelsior - appreciating the weight of a machine gun is exactly the type of thing that makes history easier to connect to and bring to it to life (and possibly easy to replicate for a neat 'hands-on' museum experience too). Went to NZ's main museum (Te Papa) in Wellington a few years back. Full of brilliant imaginative stuff like a little building to step inside (and hit a button) that shakes and rocks to simulate an earthquake!
Factoid: The word museum comes from the (Greek?) word 'Muse' - meaning, To inspire.
I never understand how some folks think museums are 'boring' and want to zip through. Me and my father spent most of the day exploring QLD museum. I guess the main thing to be thankful for is this marvellous A7V was saved when the rest of them were scrapped. Good on you Aus!
Charlie that's excellent - thanks so much. I know this part of the model isn't really 'seen' but you have to make something for the underside. Have a much better idea of spatial relationships in there now. That muffler had me fooled a bit - I thought I could see some sort of lugged cap on the pipe end.
Personally, I'd certainly love to have a copy of that superb drawing if it's not too much trouble. I just had a look at Helen's MK1 drawings and a side view is around 1500 pixels wide (I guess that would be big enough to allow sharp lines for larger scale 1/25-ish?). Maybe we can persuade Polish 'bigtank' to make a beautiful 1/15 sized A7? I'd be dead keen to see that.
-- Edited by Enzedder on Thursday 8th of December 2011 05:33:09 AM
