Beyond The Sprues

Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Land => Topic started by: Frank3k on June 08, 2015, 09:14:52 AM

Title: Tracked wz.34
Post by: Frank3k on June 08, 2015, 09:14:52 AM
What to do with one crappy model and a not so hot model that's missing it's wheels? Combine them!

When I got my Mirage Kubuś kit (see build here (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=5466.msg)) it was missing the tires. I used the tires from a Mirage wz.34/II kit instead. Now I had a built kit and an unbuilt, tire-less kit. No big loss; I built the wz.34 a while ago:

(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz34IId.jpg)

I was going to use this spare kit as the basis for an early US armored car, but scratchbuilding and using another donor kit will be easier. I also had a PARC models (reboxing of an AER kit) T-18/MS 1 early Russian tank:

(https://s1.scalemates.com/products/img/6/9/1/185691-12858.jpg)

It is a dog of a kit and I was getting frustrated with it, so I was relieved to read that Hobby Boss was coming out with a version of the T-18. So I decided to combine the two looser kits into something better: the tracked wz.34g (gąsienicowa samochód pancerny wz.34, I think). This isn't too far from reality, since the wz.34's predecessor was a half-track.

The union went pretty well. Here it is with most of the parts on:

(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34ga.jpg)
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gb.jpg)

The Puteaux 37mm gun and the other turret gun are from the spares box (probably from an RPM or Mirage TKS kit). The single link tracks just about fit without needing to fiddle with the wheels much. There are a handful of gaps, but that's what mud is for...

Here it is before getting primered:

(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gc.jpg)
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gd.jpg)

I have to think of a camo pattern and a back story next.

Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: elmayerle on June 08, 2015, 09:26:28 AM
Now, that is looking interesting.
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: GTX_Admin on June 08, 2015, 02:43:34 PM
Ugly...but in a good way.
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: LemonJello on June 08, 2015, 07:54:25 PM
Agree with the above comments. 

And I'll add: Another fantastic melding of two kits into a seamless whole that just looks right.

Fan-freaking-tastic!
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: elmayerle on June 08, 2015, 09:18:43 PM
*chuckle* For some reason, I keep thinking "early mark Dalek". :D
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: Steve Blazo on June 09, 2015, 12:39:45 AM
Very nice build !! Has a true early armor look.
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: Frank3k on June 09, 2015, 01:04:09 AM
Thanks guys. It is an ugly beast, but the source models are pretty awful, so it's fitting. I thought it looked similar to the Stridsvagn m/21-29 (http://tank-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/stridsvagn-strv-m21-29-swedish-LKII-tank.html) but I think Evan is right - it looks like an early Dalek:
(https://friday87central.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/dalekmasterplan.jpg)
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: Dr. YoKai on June 09, 2015, 02:09:49 AM
 Woo! Double-Plus Tankette!

I like the 'early Dalek' notion, but you'd have to sculpt a brain on a tray to slide into the back. I can imagine the driver constantly
grunting in pain as every spent cartridge hits him in the head...
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: Claymore on June 09, 2015, 02:19:22 PM
Frank you are the undisputed king of the micro-tanks!  :)
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: Frank3k on June 14, 2015, 10:37:26 AM
Wow, I finished the painting (and the model) in one sitting this afternoon. I sometimes paint a model twice or more; I either don't like the results or screw up the paint job.

I did minimal weathering and gave it a satin finish. Clean but not factory fresh:

(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34ge.jpg)

(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gf.jpg)

Don't know what happened to the tail light. Maybe it was road debris.
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gm.jpg)

(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gl.jpg)

I borrowed one of the figures from my Morris-Martell two man tank:
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gg.jpg)

I don't know what the discoloration is on the uniform. I didn't notice it when I was posing the figure:
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gk.jpg)

Compared with the real wz.34:
(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gh.jpg)

(http://frank.bol.ucla.edu/Images/wz/wz34gi.jpg)

I can't think of a back story, other than a border skirmish between the Russians and the Poles netted the Polish army several T-18 tanks. They combined the tank turrets and tracks with the wz.34 et voila.

Craig - I saw a cross section drawing of the wz.34 and it shows a bag to catch spent shells... right over the driver. I'm sure a few rounds would miss the driver and cause many bad Polish words to be said.

Thanks for watching and for all the comments.
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: GTX_Admin on June 14, 2015, 12:25:19 PM
Nice work
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: LemonJello on June 14, 2015, 07:18:55 PM
Spectacular.
Title: Re: Tracked wz.34
Post by: Camthalion on June 16, 2015, 06:32:24 PM
Nice one