Author Topic: El Gatito Blindado  (Read 10184 times)

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #25 on: August 30, 2018, 12:24:22 AM »
Excellent build Frank!  I think you managed to capture the concept and just looking at that interior makes me shudder at the thought of what someone would experience riding inside of that vehicle in such a confined space with the fuel tank located right where you are the most vulnerable. 
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #26 on: September 02, 2018, 03:19:38 AM »
Great work! :smiley:

I have a kit of this as well.  Hope to do it up with a recoiless rifle.
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #27 on: September 04, 2018, 10:44:43 AM »
Thanks for the comments, guys! This is the build that just will not end! I thought I was mostly done last time I posted progress, but I keep coming up with things to add, just to make it a mildly believable armored vehicle.

This is what I have so far:

fuzzy view of the rear, with the tow cable attachments. I used the tow cable spool from an M113 kit, removed most of the existing molded on cabled and just glued the kit cables over them. I may go back and cover up the paint scratch marks, or change them a bit; maybe add some hint of freshly exposed steel. I should add a hook or loop at the top to keep the cables from just falling off:



Closeup of the bench seat for the extremely uncomfortable troop. They'll need knee pads. I added a rear door lock/lever system.  I also added the slightly less uncomfortable seat for the guy sitting over the transmission shaft, with his back to the radio and batteries. At least he can stretch out his legs.
Both the bench and the seat are intended to fold up. The wooden bench is from an Italeri M998 HMMWV. The seat looks like a Tamiya turret seat from a German tank. I added some plastic to extend the backrest:



The Diesel decal is home made.
I had an idea for instrument placards: scale and print some generic placards found online onto decal paper, printing the black parts. Next, I would get some scotch tape or packing tape and paint the surface with a Molotow chrome pen. Wait for it to dry and apply the decals.
It almost worked; the downfall was the lack of details that my printer could produce; the placards just didn't look right. I think I'll buy some Archer transfers placards instead, for my next project.

The .50 cal is from the nice Academy set. I think a .30 cal would have been more appropriate (and easier to obtain than a .50 cal) but I was missing the mount:



Most tanks don't have a lot of room inside, but this tank is so small that I had trouble fining spaces to put tools and other equipment. The toolbox and jack are on top of the engine compartment. The spare track and most of the other tools are mounted on the side of the tank:



The driver's view port has an (almost) working prism and a PE arm to open and close.

Here's a view from above, resting on my new desktop computer (Intel NUC8i7HNK):

I needed a faster processor and graphics for some 3D projects. This computer is much faster than the 5 year old computer it replaced, which was fast, even by today's standards. I just needed faster.



Still to do:
 
Cable support at rear.
bullets in .50 cal.
Maybe a bag or something to catch the spent shells, or the TC is going to get a shower of hot brass.
rolled up tarp.
some jerry cans (I can only fit two inside).
Some gear.
Ammo cans.
cover over battery and radio. ("So sorry Capitan! the mild drizzle we just experienced shorted out the battery!")

Hopefully I can finish it by next weekend.

Thanks for looking!



« Last Edit: September 04, 2018, 10:48:01 AM by Frank3k »

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #28 on: September 04, 2018, 11:00:29 AM »
I would have put the spare tracks on the bow plate in front of the driver (a little added protection), the tool box above the rear right track guard & the jack on the bow plate between the jack-pad & the hatch.

Yes, the track & the jack would befoul that lovely smooth-sloped bow armour but you see quite a lot of that in real life.


However, all that said, I still think she's looking very, very nice!
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Frank3k

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #29 on: September 05, 2018, 12:29:44 AM »
Guy,
 I tried putting the spare track in front of the driver - it was a tight fit. I have another clamp bar and track length that I can try.

The toolbox is too big to fit on either front fender, as is.  I ended up with much less front fender space, in part because I enlarged the already tiny fighting compartment. Putting it on the rear fender would leave part jutting out - great for catching on things. It may fit under the bench seat or in the space to the rear of the fuel tank.  I'll try some of these changes to see if it helps.

What would really help would be making this thing 10-15% larger. Or drafting an army of underfed, undersized soldiers.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #30 on: September 05, 2018, 05:12:19 AM »
I really like the look of those details, Frank and I think you're on the right track!

Those little diesel decals are a nice touch.

Brian da Basher

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #31 on: September 05, 2018, 09:18:56 AM »
Nah, Frank, you just need to recruit Cornish miners!


Note: Here is South Australia there were a lot of Cornishmen who came out to work in various mines. At 6' 2+" whenever I got into their old cottages I have to be careful not to knock myself out on the top of the doorways or, in some cases, the ceilings!
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Frank3k

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #32 on: September 10, 2018, 07:16:57 AM »
I think I'm done with this one. The radio antenna is missing and I'm not happy with the rolled up tarp at the rear, but I think it's good enough. I moved the toolbox and jack to the front left fender - there just wasn't room anywhere else. I placed the second spare track on the lower forward hull:



Here's Jorge Richter (totally not a German) passing judgement on the Kätzchen Gatito Blindado, The attachment loops are 3D printed and came out OK, despite their small size:



I like the spent shell bag for the .50 cal; it's from a Tamiya set that I bulked up with some 2 part epoxy. The bag looks like it's frowning.

Here's Jorge inspecting the interior. The front spare track is drooping a bit - I fixed it:



Here's a top view. The Gatito could fit maybe 4 very uncomfortable troopers (three on the bench, one on the jump seat) and two crew members. The rolled up tarp looks bad in these pictures but looks better in person:






I still have one more picture to take - the tank on the pile of rejected 3D printed parts and support material. It should be impressive.
Thanks for looking and for all the comments!

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #33 on: September 10, 2018, 07:32:08 AM »
Wow is that fantastic Frank!

I think it looks every bit the business and your placement of the tools & spare tracks seems legit.

I like that you added the figure with the operations manual. He's probably trying to figure out how to fit the rest of the squad in there.

Great stuff and your final shot sounds like the perfect capper to this exquisite piece of armor modeling!

Brian da Basher

Offline Frank3k

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #34 on: September 10, 2018, 07:39:28 AM »
Thanks Brian! I think he's going to reject this vehicle...

Here's a picture on the pile of 3D printed rejects etc. (on top of the 3D printer...):


Just the parts:


Some of the parts (and supports) will be reused since they have regular shapes. What can't be used will be dissolved in acetone and plastic cement to use as plastic putty.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #35 on: September 10, 2018, 08:32:31 AM »
That shot is wonderfully apocalyptic!

It'd be my choice for the diorama base but I enjoy giving folks something to chat about.

One of your best, Frank!

Brian da Basher

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #36 on: September 10, 2018, 09:01:05 AM »
If Jorge doesn't give you at least a 92% grading he needs to be sacked!

Great job on this, Frank! :smiley: 8)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #37 on: September 11, 2018, 09:45:19 AM »
 :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #38 on: September 26, 2018, 03:02:34 AM »
... and thanks to Franks scratchbuild.

Taaa Daaaaa !!!!!!


Please don't be a photoshop ::)

Offline apophenia

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #39 on: September 26, 2018, 05:08:33 AM »
...Please don't be a photoshop ::)

Seems ligit ... there's sprue shots on Thunder Model's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ThunderModel/?ref=py_c
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #40 on: September 26, 2018, 11:12:33 AM »
... and thanks to Franks scratchbuild.

And my buying a resin one...
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Frank3k

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #41 on: September 26, 2018, 11:48:50 AM »
They're even using the same idler wheels!

I made the sides on mine taller than the published drawings. That alt-reich soldier is very short...

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #42 on: September 26, 2018, 12:55:35 PM »
That alt-reich soldier is very short...

Probably a teenager at that stage of the war.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: El Gatito Blindado
« Reply #43 on: September 26, 2018, 03:24:14 PM »
That alt-reich soldier is very short...

Probably a teenager at that stage of the war.

Yeah, like thirteen! :(
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."