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stuzzar

Progress of Heinkel51's build will be placed here

Cheers

Stu

Heinkel51 · Posted: Thu 27 Dec 2007 22:07 pm Post subject:

My offering is a conversion of the LVT4 Buffalo to a LVT(A)1.
The LVT(A)1 was an armed version of the LVT2 mounting a 37 mm gun in a turret similar to that of the M5A1 light tank. The refrence for the conversion is an article in the February 1977 of the Airfix Magazine.

The article written by Steve Zaloga details a bit of history on the type and provides some scale drawings to assist with the conversion. The article is a little light on detail for the conversion, this was a trend in the later Airfix Magazines unlike the early 1960's which used to provide some additional detail drawings plus some step by step photos of the model being built.

For the conversion to a LVT(A)1 apart from the addition of enclosing the upper deck and adding a turret is that the vehicle had the engine in the rear. This means construction a new back end.

Heinkel51 · Posted: Thu 27 Dec 2007 22:19 pm Post subject:

The first step in the cvonversion was the trimming of parts 3 and 25. The article is a little vague suggesting a cut about 25mm from the rear and the scale drawings provided are more 1/72nd than 1/76 or 4mm to the foot. I decide to make the cut just before the last 'road' wheel suspension arm. The other step was to trim the sponsons parts 18 and 39 to the new shape.

The conversion requires another set of rollers for which I'll be using an old Buffalo found in the spares box.

Having trimmed the sides I joined parts 3 and 25 to the bottom of the hull part 43. Once this is dry I'll trim off the part 43.

Edited 31 Dec to add photos

stuzzar · Posted: Fri 28 Dec 2007 11:18 am Post subject:

Sounds very involved but should look great when finished.

I have a spare Matchbox Stuart turret if it is any help you are welcome to it, just let me know, may save scratch building the front section.

Cheers

Stu

Heinkel51 · Posted: Fri 28 Dec 2007 11:48 am Post subject:

Thanks for the offer Stu. The spares box yielded a Matchbox M5A1 turret, I am currently considering whether it could be modifed to suit.

Heinkel51 · Posted: Sat 29 Dec 2007 09:01 am Post subject:

Have now completed building the new rear the next stage is finishing the sponsons. With the new shape the first step is to box in the open ends and also at this time removed the panel detail from the sponsons and rescribed to match the LVT(A)1 pattern

.

Next is to make up the road wheels /rollers for this I am using a pair of suspension arms removed from an old Buffalo in the spares box.

Heinkel51 · Posted: Mon 31 Dec 2007 05:19 am Post subject:

Having completed the lower hull before adding the deck I made up a very basic interior and painted the inside light grey.

The Vehicle has mudguards/track shrouds. To construct these I used one peice of 10 thou plastic card cut to shape. For the deck I then used a sheet of 30 thou plastic card.

Heinkel51 · Posted: Mon 31 Dec 2007 06:40 am Post subject:

Making a start on the upper hull. I made two formers from 20 thou plastic card and trimmed down part 50 just retaining the front and top with the hatch openings

With the hatches I used some card to make vision blocks

Using a ruler I made the rest of the upper hull from 10 thou plastic card. before cutting out the upper hull sides I scribed the hatches adjacent to the drivers compartments.

Heinkel51 · Posted: Mon 31 Dec 2007 06:49 am Post subject:

With the basic hull complete the next step was the turret. A new one is required ,the Matchbox Stuart turret being the wrong shape. I began with the turret ring from 40 thou card.

To get the shape I made a spine to the side profile of the turret and then added the turret back. From here I made up formers at key points. The first where where the sides go from straight to curved and the second where the top of the turret begins to slope downward.

Well thats it for this year. Still a fair bit to go.

Ratch · Posted: Mon 31 Dec 2007 16:12 pm Post subject:

Great stuff Peter

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Heinkel51 · Posted: Tue 01 Jan 2008 06:11 am Post subject:

Added the top to the turret and then from 10 thou plastic card the sides. Before cutting out the top I scribed the hatches. These will need some fittings added later

The basic turret now finished.

While waiting for the turret to dry I made a start on the supports for the mud guards. Just lengths of strip plastic card glued in place allowed to dry and then trimmed with sprue cutters.

Next step will be to finish the mudgaurds and then begin carving from sheets of plastic card laminated togethor the mantle for the gun.

Heinkel51 · Posted: Fri 04 Jan 2008 11:26 am Post subject:

With the return to work only small steps. Tonights works were the splash guards at the rear of the mudguards and the exhausts. The guards definately look like they have had the odd bump.

Still need to fit the protective rail for this a visit to my local LMS is required for some plastruct channel.

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Fri 04 Jan 2008 18:13 pm Post subject:

Wow!

Digs · Posted: Fri 04 Jan 2008 19:56 pm Post subject:

I gave up on the baffles at the back of my Buffalo - I didn't bin the bits of plasticard though and I can see I'm going to have to revisit them tomorrow!

Paul

stuzzar · Posted: Mon 07 Jan 2008 15:46 pm Post subject:

That is looking great, can't wait to see it finished

Cheers

Stu

Ratch · Posted: Tue 08 Jan 2008 18:16 pm Post subject:

Impressive work

_________________
and was Jerusalem, builded here
The new No. 2
Airfix Club 500287
IPMS 10983

JackJ · Posted: Tue 08 Jan 2008 18:20 pm Post subject:

Wow the work your putting in to this is amazing
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Official Airfix Club Member 2008 2009

aircraft carrier build GL

Heinkel51 · Posted: Fri 11 Jan 2008 01:14 am Post subject:

Thank you for the kind words, as a conversion it is not that difficult as its mainly flat surfaces. So Its really just a matter of measuring, cutting and perhaps a little trimming. No progress this week due to being in remote locations for work. I'll be back in the fray tonight.

Heinkel51 · Posted: Sat 12 Jan 2008 22:36 pm Post subject:

Small steps. I finished the splash guards with some evergreen .060" channel and then added the armoured covers to the air intakes.

The blob of plastic in the foreground of the above shot was my first attempt at building up a laminate to carve the the gun mantel. The turret now has the trunnion block.

Measurement wise the trunnion has the right dimensions, from the eye it appears a little oversized and could still need some trimming.
Todays effort will be a second attempt at the mantle and the vison ports for the turret.

Cheers

Heinkel51 · Posted: Wed 16 Jan 2008 11:40 am Post subject:

I persisted with carving the mantle for the turret without much success. After studying photos the mantle appears to be a cast plate covering the trunion so I opted to try moulding one.
I began by carving a plug from balsa wood the shape of the mantle allowing for using 20 thou plastic card. End result was a tiny blob

A quick check against the drawings

And then taking a copy of the plan glued to a sheet of balsa to act as a frame and carved out the hole for the plug.

Next attached a sheet of plastic card over the balsa frame and took it and the plug to the griller.

Here I forgot to take some shots until after I had removed the excess plastic card from the mantle. Some sanding using wet and dry.

And then on to the turret. The result was not perfect in that the mantle should be more flat not curved and it is slightly too large, though I am reasonably happy with the result.