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Modeller Build Logs
Firefly IC Diorama |
| By James Wechsler | | Started: | Jul 15, 2007 | | Updated: | Aug 31, 2007 |
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This blog is intended to be a bit different than most in that a big focus will be on the diorama aspects. The focal point will be a Firefly IC (a welded hull M4 based Firefly). This will be built using the new Dragon Sherman III kit and the following Formations sets:
F079 M4 Conversion for the Dragon Sherman III
F022 Low Bustle Firefly Turrret
F018 Sherman Pioneer Tools
F050 Sherman Headlights
F046 Sherman Siren Assortment
F047 Sherman VVSS Track Skids
F013 US Cables and Clamps
The diorama is going to show the Firefly driving over a temporary bridge with a wrecked Panzer I command tank partly submerged in the river below.
I intend to include a number of chapters on making the ground work and also on how to make the water.
Up next: The M4 Conversion |
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| Pouring the water – completed | Aug 27, 2007 |
Well this chapter will be shorter because I didn’t run into any more major disasters. The rest of the pours, another 5 for a total of 10 went pretty smoothly. One aspect that I was very careful about was that with the tank opened up, I had to pour Envirotek into the tank too. I tried to make sure to get it in the tank about the same height as the river so that when the pouring reached the open hatches there wouldn’t be a big discrepancy in the height to cause problems.
Another area I was very careful with was right as I was covering the rear of the tank. In the right rear of the engine deck there is an open vent area and I was concerned that any trapped air in the interior of the tank would vent out of there and cause air bubbles just like the problem I described in the last chapter. A problem at this point would have killed to whole project. It did happen but I was ready for it. When it happened, I was checking the project every couple minutes and when the bubbles appeared I could pop them with a toothpick. Air bubbles kept coming out for about an hour and I kept popping then and finally everything was nice and clear.
I made the last pour right up to top of the dam so I wouldn’t have ridge build up and the result is a pretty smooth top surface that is just over the top of the tank. As you can see, the side walls are a bit cloudy and messy but that’s pretty much expected.
Up next: Cleaning up the sidewalls |
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