Issue 50

All right, Issue 50! Halfway through this sucker, and we're starting hard on the top half.

First off, dig out that frame we did back in, oh, Issue 4-ish? Something like that. Now we finally come back to it. Let's get going...

We're incorporating frame bits from the last 3 issues including this one. Add them in the order shown:

And we're done:

Check that. We're already a quarter of the way around. Not wasting any time!

Anyway, pretty cool that we've hit the halfway mark. It's all downhill from here...we've got the top of the hull of course, the rear lights, all the control systems for the lights & motors we've already installed, and lots and lots of detailing to do. So off we go!

Issue 49

OK, it turns out we're not quite finished with the bottom hull. Looks like we've got some fiddly details to add on. So here goes:

First, these two bits here:

Then the two horizontal numbers:

That little teeny piece right in the middle--definitely a tweezer job.

I dunno, I guess it's a gass cap or something? Anyway, it's on.

These fins from a few issues back (the thin vertical things on either side).

Then a couple details for the turret:

OK, maybe now we're done. Anyway, setting up my paint station so I can do some weathering and detailing, aka the fun part.

Issue 48

OK, last detail before we paint, and it's the lower turret.

First step, glue in the window frame to the turret. Note that this time A) we do that ourselves, and B) it's correctly oriented :).

Next comes the detail up top where the guns go. You needn't assemble the guns just yet.

Bolt the turret into place, and we're ready to paint.

I blasted it over with a nice dose of Tamiya Insignia White as per instructions, and we've got a nice even looking hull.

Issue 48 has a lot of good information about painting, so it's worth keeping it to one side. It looks like it goes along with the YouTube videos I liked to at the beginning of this build blog. Weathering and distressing are way fun, I've always thought, so it will be cool to see how we do it here.

Issue 47

Issue 47 and we're continuing work on the lower hull, this time applying the second layer of panels.

First off, this little piece goes onto the larger piece, so:

Then the whole assembly goes on facing front, like this.

Next up are the two fore landing gear panels..

...so the end result looks like this.

 Moving to the aft, we add the two aft landing gear panels.

So far so good. But now it's time to get in there with lots of cool details. First comes this long piece. It doesn't seem to have a "correct" orientation, so either way is fine.

This little one is next. The pins under the pistons can be a bit fiddly.

Now the long bit here, which covers the rest of the seam between the two big parts.

Once all that is in place, attach the magnets and metal pins into the aft landing gear panels just like we did with the fore ones a while back.

Now it's time to add the cool rear machinery we did before. First, the two side panels go in.

Next, the middle part goes in between them.

Lastly, the two hydraulic cylinder-looking things go in above the side details.

...and, that's it. Almost all of the body panels are in place. Next time, we'll finish the job and get to painting!

Issue 46

Well, I thought that it was going to be turret time again per the parts in this issue, but they fooled me. In fact, this was a pretty big one: the one where we attach the first layer of body panels to the bottom frame!

Dig it:

First off, I went through my "parts" box and did inventory. Sure enough, 24 parts all ready to go. Some needed an initial coat of paint, but others I just did as I went along.

Next up, 4 big bolts from Issue 56 went in to support the frame and keep the hydraulic rams from getting all bent up.

Now, in go the pieces. Here they are, more or less in order:

(note the gap above for one of the open hatchways with the distressed pipes and things we did earlier)

(a lot of this area is going to be covered by another layer of body panels, which is why I didn't bother painting them)

The other "open panel" goes here:

...and we're halfway done!

Cool fins for the aft. We're getting close!

...tadaaaaa!

Whoof! That was a good couple night's work.

Looks like next issue brings on the second layer of paneling for the fore and aft sections. Still, this is a pretty big milestone in the build. Lookin' good.