1/35 Spheroid tank

[Frank3k]

I have the AMG Spheroid tank.



During one of his daily visits to the model closet, Felix:



 thought this one smelled like a good new project. Maybe Felix thought the kit smelled "off", because while the boxtop and instructions are for the "BT-102", the B sprue (which defines the particular boxing) was for the German variant

Moving on, the kit is a pretty uneventful build. I very quickly got to this point:



The biggest issues I've found so far are the small rollers:


The rollers have pins that fits perfectly into the holes in the main body. If assembled that way, the rollers prevent the round sides from mating to the body. So I had to cut the pins off and mount the rollers flush. Another option would have been to make the holes in the body larger, but the plastic around the existing holes is too thin to support a larger hole. I'll have to do some touchup paintwork today.

And the fuel tank:


there's no positive location for the fuel tank - it's just supposed to sit somewhere. The "tank" is very small and the fuel tank can get into the way of the driver, so i used a copper wire (looks like a fuel line) to super glue it in place behind the seat.
I modified the propeller shaft (this was modeled as an amphibious vehicle...) to be the exhaust pipe for the engine.

Next up is a replacement gun. I found a Puteaux SA 18 gun from an old RPM FT-17 kit. It's pretty basic, so I'm modifying it. I have to figure out a mount for it and some ammo containers.

I'm tempted to add "training wheels" to the exterior shell as well.

Here's a good article on spherical tanks.

[Story]

Hayes' dismounted gun

https://www.hayesotoupalik.com/FT_17_Renault.htm

The infantry version

The Renault storage was perforated plates, maybe the cloth bandoleers would be more suitable?

[Frank3k]

Thanks - helpful details!

I remember seeing the episode with R. Lee Ermey firing the 37mm.

[Buzzbomb]

Great to see the interior of this sort of thing. Always had me baffled where the multitude of stuff to make it go.. would go.
Surely there must be a separate rack to hold the Cajones of anybody who gets in one of these 

Anti Ball tank obstacles remind me of this


Sad to say the entire concept just baffles me.

Be interesting to see how this ends up in your most capable hands.

[Frank3k]

I made some changes, and added a hatch that was included in the German version - just to get some ventilation into the sphere. I added a PE mesh (barely visible) and pretty much finished the gun:



Gun detail, with telescopic sight:



Fuel tank is now on the sphere wall (not perfectly lined up in this picture) The fuel dial is just a sprue pip painted black, with a generic instrument dial face on it:



Here's "Nigel" (who's seen better days) giving a sense of scale to the Spheroid tank. You wear the tank:

[Dr. YoKai]

 Given the shape, I half expected you to turn this into another saucer build. Pretty nifty so far!

[Frank3k]

Craig - I tried the left-over domes and they were either too small or too big.

Here are the three main components. I used a Miniart cut down wooden crate and some beer bottles painted in brass to hold the ammo for the Puteaux. 12 rounds should be enough.



I had to remount the gun a couple of times because it would have been in the driver's face. It's very close quarters as it is!

Here are the sides tacked on, with one of the included blocks used to steady the vehicle. The disheveled John McEnroe figure is from a Masterbox zombie set, with a new head:





And here is the second spherical tank from the Das Werk Kugelpanzer kit. It looks gigantic in comparison:



Now comes the hardest part - coming up with a paint scheme. The easiest would be some sort of green. I may try Middlestone instead.

[Mig Eater]

oh wow I didn't realize it was that small

[Ramba]

Looking good! I hope the operator isn't claustrophobic. HA! Yeah, a bit uncanny that the zombie figure does look like John McEnroe.

[Dr. YoKai]

Craig - I tried the left-over domes and they were either too small or too big.

Well, you could always scale-o-rama them into Maginot line turrets...  
As many times as I've seen this concept over the years, this build really brings home what an astonishingly goofy concept it it-does the the driver have to dismount he gun to enter and exit the vehicle? Beautiful work on the interior.

[Story]

It's an effective build when I look at the endstate and my first reaction is "are you out of your fcuking mind? Not only NO, but HELL NO"

Looking good! I hope the operator isn't claustrophobic. HA! Yeah, a bit uncanny that the zombie figure does look like John McEnroe.

Probably why it quietly disappeared from service - competing with the Russian Air Force for the small guys who'd fit into ball turrets, plus the sheer stress of trying to drive that thing / avoid German AT rifles and master the weapons system would have resulted in heat exhaustion & instant PTSD at best or most likely, aneurisms.

Edit: based on Frank's question about what it needs to look like, I went searching for Zaloga's stuff on Soviets in Poland 1939. Motorcycles made me think of the tactical applications of this little nightmare - fire support for Soviet Motorcycle Companies (same mobility, right?)  Withdrawn from service due to excessive non-combat casualties.

[Buzzbomb]

It is all in there.. well wedged in.
Very small when you start getting comparisons with standing figures and other vehicles.

Nice work all around.

[Frank3k]

I decided to set this in the Rif War, early 1920s.

The weathering has started and I think I have to change it - the dirt looks like rust, so I'll have to tone it down. The decals (2307) look silvered, but that'll get fixed. Zombie John is joined by a new addition, the Puzzled French Mechanic:



"What fresh hell is this?"

[raafif]

Qute tempted to do one myself .... but with an Ork driver

[Buzzbomb]

Qute tempted to do one myself .... but with an Ork driver

Now in this case.. that makes total sense.

[apophenia]

I decided to set this in the Rif War, early 1920s...

Very cool choice of subjects and of asymmetrical wars 

[Frank3k]

Qute tempted to do one myself .... but with an Ork driver

Ork as in Ork or Ork as in drunk Russian sad sack?

Either way, these kits are getting rare now. ACE from Ukraine has them for a little over $20. I've bought from them before.

The Rif War(s) is fairly interesting. Both Spain and France were involved and did poorly. Several WWI tanks were used, so a "modern" vehicle like a spheroid tank might have been tested.

[Story]

Just noodling, but I could see where a Colonial power would use this to replaced motorcycles for convoy escort missions in that road-bound terrain.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Rif-War/Expansion-and-escalation

[Frank3k]

I'm calling the spheroid tank done. I'm still working on the French mechanic and his tools, but I'll use those in future projects.





With the bored French guy:



With the French mechanic (who's in the process of getting painted) and his workshop. The bench is scratchbuilt, the tools are from a Miniart tool set:





Speaking of motorcycles - Here's the French guy, George Bush and the Inspector with the Spheroid tank and the much cooler Indian motorcycle:

[Story]

"A delightfully presented nightmare" - ROAD & TRACK

[Buzzbomb]

Frank, the finish is really good for this.

I still cannot help but think that a guy with a short pole could just topple this thing over on the way past his foxhole.

[Frank3k]

Thanks, guys! I think even a small rock would topple this tank. That's probably why all the other spherical tank designs had outriggers or were cylindrical.

I think the design logic went: unprotected soldier -> body armor (Brewster Body Shield) -> tank... nah, too big -> put the soldier in a wheel! -> armor it -> add outriggers so it won't topple -> make it wider -> add a tail wheel for better directional control -> expand it lengthwise for more crew and bigger weapons -> congratulations, you now have a tank

[raafif]

Nice job.  What's the art above the gun ... a Roadrunner or Coyote ?

[Frank3k]

It looks like a man (or woman?) holding a sword and standing on what looks like roller skates or wheels.

[apophenia]

Very nice! Love the various 'inspectors' standing around ... and the peek-a-boo view of the interior gubbins through that open hatch 

[Frank3k]

I finished the mechanic figure, which is a 1/35 3D scan from Reed Oak

"Jeez, shoulda worn a hat!"



"Yup, shoulda worn a hat..."



Discussing the finer points of Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance with his buddies:

[apophenia]

I finished the mechanic figure ...

Looking good 

... Discussing the finer points of Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance with his buddies:

Hmmm, it appears that the details of Pirsig's 'Metaphysics of Quality' concept may have a few of these guys flummoxed ...