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Modeller Build Logs
Tasca Sherman Firefly Vc |
| By James Wechsler | | Started: | Dec 1, 2006 | | Updated: | Apr 29, 2007 |
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OK, I’ll admit it, when I got the opportunity to do a blog using Tasca’s new Firefly kit I was giddy with excitement. I’ve got Tasca’s Pz. II Luchs, and I’ve built about three of their Sherman suspension sets, and two of their 0.050 cal MG sets. Tasca has yet to disappoint.
Now as a total Shermanaholic, I’ll admit that the thought of building a Sherman model that requires only a little bit of extra work is hard to fathom. I mean what is Sherman modeling without a bucket of aftermarket resin parts, replacement tracks, and a huge photoetch sheet? It’s … like modeling German armor (noooo don’t say it’s true)! There, I’ve said it. 2006 has been an allied modeler’s dream and Tasca’s Firefly is the grand finally of the fireworks show.
But in many ways I’m glad to be doing a blog using a great kit. My last two blogs involved extensive use of resin conversion and scratch built parts to make unusual Shermans. So they were heavily focused on construction tasks. Yet I’ve noticed that most of the comments I receive when I post photos of my models are requests for more information on how I do my painting, weathering, and groundwork. So for this blog I will spend less time on the construction tasks and more time on the painting, finishing and techniques for making simple ground work.
Up Next: The Construction Starts.
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| Carving the Polyfoam | Apr 19, 2007 |
I’m sure many people have wondered how to make bases out of polyfoam. I did until a friend of mine did a demonstration. Well consider me your online buddy (OK, that sounds nasty but let’s try to focus here, shall we?).
The basic dimensions of the base are about 6.5 inches wide by 11 inches long and the sheet is roughly 1.5 inches thick. I decided to have a right hand curving road coming up a shallow incline. The retaining wall would be along the curve and Flak 38 behind it.
Following my friend’s advice, I bought an electric carving knife since my wife didn’t have one in the kitchen (note to married guys: if your wife has one in the kitchen, buy her a new one and then take the old one. You get the marriage points and the knife that way :) ). They aren’t too expensive. I think I paid about $20 (and that was last year not in 1963). The electric knife is definitely the way to go since you can easily carve up big chunks of foam and also shave the last bits the get the look you want.
So you can see the overall shape of the base in the photo. The notch is where I’ll drop in the retaining wall. Also note that I’ve framed the foam with 0.020 plastic sheet. It’s easy, just use a marker to trace the outline of the base onto the sheet and then use epoxy to get it to stick. The plastic sheet frame makes the base look a little more finished so it’s worth the time. After this photo was taken, I painted the plastic frame flat black and epoxyed the wall in place.
Up Next: Dirt and Turf |
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