Das Werk SdKfz 251/1 Ausf D in 1/16th scale

[Heavens Eagle]

Here is my next build. Have been looking forward to starting this (which is also why I finished up the Pak 40 in record time). I added a couple of photos to the end of that build pointing out some more mods I did. Hopefully this one won't need as many corrections. I thought about doing the 8 wheel armored car, but that one will be for a later time.

We have a wonderful 3 day weekend coming up and I am SO looking forward to starting this build.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Couldn't stand it so I started cutting some plastic on it tonight. With as many large sprues as this kit has I did some organizing prep work that I think is going to make a BIG difference.

As I have no cats, dogs, or rodents, I am not worried about parts getting moved around before I get back to it. For parts I might have I.D. problems with later, a wet erase marker does a great job. I have used them at work for years to keep jobs organized and the marker cleans off with just a little moisture and a paper towel.

 

[moon puppy]

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Making loads of progress and finding pain in the butt assembly instructions drawn/written by an idiot that had no clue what was going on.
I am trying to think ahead on things with this, but there are SO MANY PARTS and assemblies that it will be fairly impossible to do so perfectly. For now I am just building the base chassis with suspension. The suspension actually works for the most part though they have 4 of the early German lever shocks that need to be modified if the front suspension can swivel and the rearmost torsion to travel up and down. At this point is will be workable. In the end everything might have to be glued solid we will see. Just getting started on the front suspension, then there are tons of parts for the tracks and running gear in the rear.

There is so much detail and such that goes into the chassis that it will be a shame to put the frame and armor on it. I have a number of photos from when the Patton armor museum restored a 251/9 Ausf D that will help with adding wiring and other interesting bits. Thing is there are dozens of extra tiny parts that I am seeing on the parts trees (Oh MY ) This one is being a challenge, but a fair amount of fun at the same time. I am going to have to paint the frame here pretty soon as a starter as well as the wheels. So far the parts fit is pretty good but it really takes a lot of study and double checking on things to make sure parts are mounted correctly.

 

[moon puppy]

Well done Paul. That's some chore to document all this and get it right first time. One of the reasons I sometimes need 2 kits to get it right.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Well done Paul. That's some chore to document all this and get it right first time. One of the reasons I sometimes need 2 kits to get it right.

Thanks Bob. You have not seen anything like this before. It has all the control linkages for the transmission and engine as well as I have no idea yet what all. This is part of why I want to build the bare chassis first BEFORE I mount the body and armor. I also have the 251/22 yet to build that has the Pak 40 mounted on it. Thus these first kits are a bit of a prelude to that beastie. I wonder if any of these kits will end up at any of the contests around the country or the Nationals next year.

I have not yet delved into the research part of this, just been cutting plastic and gluing. In a way what you said is funny to me, because as a watchmaker you have to be able to disassemble and reassemble watches without much documentation. Most of the time on the watches I work on, I can almost do it in my sleep. Then one comes along that is different, and usually quite complex. Have to get those right as well and make them work like they should.
One time we have this customer that is crazy picky about wanting his mechanical watches to keep time almost like a quartz watch. He brought in this expensive gold case Swiss watch with all kinds of complications and extra hands on it. I serviced it and everything worked properly and it ran quite nicely with plenty of power. However, due to to the design of how the watch regulated it "would NOT" run to the crazy accuracy he wanted. (I would have been fine with how it ran)
He sent it to the manufacturer's service center, spent more big$$ got it back and it had all kinds of problems and didn't run any better. In fact it ran worse.