Project Grant CDL

Project began when I was visiting ADV Azimuth in Paris. I was introduced to their wide range of in house resin conversions. I bought a Russian paratrooper tank that sits 3, small size, about 1.5" long model with individual tracks taken from an old Russian kit. ADV Azimuth makes good conversion kits out of badly molded ones as a background of odds and ends. This is a good thing, so options are wide open with modelers and can allow us the luxury never before made. They are also very specialised in special subjects like this Grant Tank, which was top secret weapon before the Shermans were widely deployed. It has a large search light focused in a thin channel of light in front and it dazzles any enemy tanks like today's direct energy weapons. With its long range gun, it can outrange the Panzers 1 to 3 at that time. Its called Canal Defense Light. This turret lighthouse was deployed on obsolete Grant and Mathildas.

The basic kit I used for the project is the cheapo old Tamiya kit as the Academy one had too many parts, even though their prices are not too far off given our super profiteering local distribution chain.

However, the kit is showing its age, I have some fit problems, even though, as a whole, its still a Tamiya, not some eastern European variety, however, compared to modern Tamiya and Dragon/Trumpeter standards, its showing its past its prime.

There are no assembly problems till we get to the point of assembling the two hulls together. For the above pic, I wanted to depict the rough cast steel front, so I massaged in the usual Tamiya putty and liquid cement mixture to form the texture. I call this henceforth, liquid putty. Here the gap about 2mm wide is discovered and filled in with a 2mm plasticard from Tamiya and puttied.

From this angle taken from the rear, you can see clearly the plastic card used to fill up the gap the front glacis had with the gun manlet assembly. The front glacis was also slightly warped and needed to be pressed in place, CA glued and acelerated with a CA acelerator spray then reinforced by melting the two parts together with liquid cement. The mess was later touched up with more liquid putty.

I also used liquid putty to roughen exhaust areas that are prone to flaking and serious rusting. Here I even puttied the rear pipes, which to my dismay later, was the discovery that these are totally hidden from view when we assemble to top hull to the bottom!

The resin part that came with the kit, the barrel was molded as part of the mantlet. This has no detail on it. So I cut it off and replaced it with the kit part with had the fitting of dust mantlet cover anchors. However, the kit part was long and had to be shortened. The stub which I will explain later, is hand shaven with a sharp new Olfa blade. The front of the barrel was also bored out.

The turret was moulded as one gaint piece of resin with minor parts like grab handles molded as separate parts. These I replaced with copper wires bent with Tamiya pliers. The bottom had a round stub and was also too large for the hole in the top hull from the original turret. I decided earlier on, with my lightning quick mind, on the method to bore a larger diameter on the top hull. I constructed the circle on it, having difficulties centering it, and after two hours, abandoned it as fast as I have concieved it with the preference of cutting the stub down with a pair of side cutters! It was done in 20 minutes, a fraction of how long it took for me to construct the circle on the hull! With only 2 hours every night when I am not working late for my hobby, and only 8 hours a week, the luxury of wasting 2 hours is a pain!

The turret, with its gun sawn off needed a fix. In order to make the fit strong, I curved the barrel of the kit part to reduce part of its diameter, as depicted in the picture above, so that we will eventually have a larger surface area applied with glue to make sure that it will securely fasten to the turret. Next, I bore the mantlet area with a drill to facilitate the fixture. I chose a small 1.5mm dia drill. This is to ensure a tight fit. I trim the plastic down slowly till it squeaks on its way in. Twisting it out, I wet it with CA and squeaked the thing back it with force before it dries up! Daunting task! Phew. The recesses were filled in naturally by the superfluous CA. Then the part was sanded and liquid puttied to smoothen out everything.

Then I went on to texture the whole turret with liquid putty. I left the Besa machine gun out till the model is near completion for the fear of it breaking en route. Here you see the joint with the gun filled out with CA and liquid putty and sanded.

End of week 1 of work.