Joseph
I’m just finishing up this model and it does have a couple of minor and 2 major fit problems.
The minor problems can be taken care of by simply trimming parts to fit. The one that may cause the most concern is the angle on the suspension hinge points don’t match up to the angle on the bottom of the hull just trim them it to fit.
The first BIG problem is in the wheels. The inner diameter of the wheel formers (parts 37 and 66) are under size by at least a 1 mm, if I remember correctly it may have been more. This was a problem for me because I tend to cut out all the parts and build all sub assemblies at one time. I wont go in to my work around because you can correct the problem before you get to the wheels. Take parts 37e, 37g, and 37h and measure the outside diameter then add .018 inch (a little less then .5 mm). The paper Modelik uses is .008 to .009 thick so we are adding the thickness of two layers of paper this is to compensate for part 37b. And yes I do use dial calipers when I am building models. This dimension should be the inside diameter of parts 37 and 66. If you do not do this in inner parts of the wheels will just fall through the wheels.
The other BIG problem is the fenders Parts 40cl, 40cd, 40dl, 40dp I may have the incorrect part numbers but these are the fender tops and the under side of the fenders. The problem is the fender top is short by 1mm (0.039in) they are short on the rear section of the fender that starts in the middle of the hull and extends to the rear before the fender bends down. Not much you can do here I have had very little luck with stretching paper. To correct difference I cut the under side of the fender to fit the upper section. Looked like a good Idea at the time but this throws off all of the fits on the rear of the model. The exhaust pipes did not match to the mufflers and the fender gets in the way of the tow hooks. All I can suggest is to move the inlet hole on the mufflers and trim the fenders to fit. Also the fenders were not a great fit on to the hull but that could have been my fault.
Quite frankly the Halinski models have spoiled me and if I weren’t doing the article for the magazine I would have scraped the model and gone on to my next project. I have to ask. Hopefully Modelik reads these posts don’t you guys Bata build these models?
After a long vacation and some time off from building models I have restarted this model and have fallen back in love with it and I must say its looking good and I plan to enter it in the IPMS orange con next month. So Its worth the work and will build up into a nice model, not a show stopper but a good solid model.
It just goes to show you that it pays of to work around the problems and you know if it were easy we would have women and children building these models.
OH! OH! Now that was defiantly NOT PC I better get my asbestos suit on I can hear the igniters clicking on the flame throwers
Jim Nunn
. So I've chosen one with WHEELS 