GPM Dragon Wagon

[charliec]

went to look at the pics there but i think it requires rego to view........my tombstone is gonna read "member of many forums" sign1

EDIT...what about these? Paper Model Store
eBay Store - Laser cut: Paper model

So - registration is a problem?

I thought about the M2 tracks after I posted but they aren't like the WW2 rubber block tracks since the rubber is an insert in a steel frame and the track is driven by slots in frame rather than by the end caps like the M3/M4/M5 tracks. The other tracks offered at that eBay store are for steel tracked vehicles. There was a steel track option for the M4 but as far as I know there isn't a laser cut for this either. The Russians preferred steel tracks on their M4s since they had problems with rubber tracks in extreme cold or very hot days - the preserved M4 at the Kubinka (Moscow) museum has a steel track.

Regards,

Charlie

 

[uglyguy9]

yes i see what you mean charlie.
wonder if the vinyl sign cutter at work can be "programmed" to cut out some treads ? (thats a lot of digitising but it only has to be done once then...:mrgreen: )
cheers
phil

 

[Fishcarver]

Ken: Great work and efficient building so far!

Carry on!

Yer bud

Jim

 

[exzealot]

Well, with Michigan thunderstorms and power outages, I managed to get some work done on the Chassis.

Picture 1 - The rear suspension cradles. The rear axles rotate about this pivot point.

Pictures 2 and 3 - Parts that comprise the rear suspension assembly

Picture 4 - Just a picture of the assembly minus the chain oilers

Ken

 

[exzealot]

I will not glue the assembly to the frame rails yet. If attached too soon, the rear wheels won't contact the ground.

These pictures just show the suspension assembly dry fitted to the frame. Note the chain oilers (5 each side).

I have the Dragon Wagon Technical Manual - very useful... This was quite the machine!

The last picture is Polly - she likes to fly over my work table and blow my parts all over the place.

Ken

 

[Soaring]

Sweet! I love the Dragon, and the bird! What can I say, I'm a fan of your builds

By the way, if Polly likes to blow your pieces, does she, you know, do a fly by aerial drop?

 

[Stev0]

haha ... cute ... does he walk around on your work area picking up parts and carry them off??? =)

 

[lriera]

Your build is going very well, with so many little details you are doing a great job. But keep an eye on Poly. :thumb:

Greetings.

 

[exzealot]

To all,

As you can see, I tend to work fast - the object is to finish the project before losing interest.

Yes, Polly is a fan of paper modeling. She especially likes to chew on the ends of my paint brushes, but only when I'm trying to paint something! She also likes to sit on my shoulder and listen to my headphones (and drop bombs on my back every 20 minutes). You can set a Seiko to it.

Anyway, the rear suspension assembly is finished; complete with the chains. The chains are not very realistic-looking, but they came out OK.

Next, I will be putting together the drivelines. There must be at least 5 driveshafts on this machine! And each one has tiny couplers and universal joints. Should be fun.

Ken

 

[exzealot]

Update:

The driveshafts are finished and installed.

Ken

 

[col. kurtz]

looks excellent ken:thumb:

 

[Fishcarver]

Ken: Your work on this large and complex model is looking very good so far! Keep it up!

What kind of paints are you using for your (Minimal) painting? (Which also looks very good,!!)

BTW: I enjoyed the shot of your "airborne assistant" Polly. I have two katz, Alvine and Emmy. Both enjoy "helping" out with the modeling.....

Your friend
Jim

 

[lriera]

That looks very intricate. That shows how many little pieces (and work) are there. Goob job.

 

[atamjeet]

amazing

Amazing work, a very detailed project. I always want to make such difficult ones. Could you please suggest me from where did you bought this one? I am lookng for a complicated airplane (preferably Spitfire)

 

[exzealot]

Atamjeet,

There is one available from the papermodelstore.com. I believe the price is still $29.00 US. I am not sure about international shipping, but in the US, the service is around 3-4 days.

Ken

 

[Fred Bultman]

Also try Moduni.de.

 

[Stev0]

wow ... complicated.

 

[cdcoyle]

Ken,

Excellent model, and the edge coloring is very nice. For future projects, another option is to try watercolor markers. Tombow and Le Plume are two of the better-known brands. Here is a link to the Tombow color selection -- a lot of shades to choose from and only $1.90/pen...cheaper than getting a custom color match, I think.

That undercarriage is impressive. Model airplane guys will sometimes display their models on mirrored bases to show off particularly noteworthy undersides.

Regards,

 

[exzealot]

Chris,

The mirror idea is a good one. It would be a shame to put all the work and detail in the underside; never to see it again.

As an experiment, I may try out watercolor pens too. So far, the Testors enamel is working real well for me. It hardens-up the edges - making the model more robust for handling. Paint also seems to fill/hide hairline cracks and overlaps. It is opaque, which means it covers gray, brown, and white cardboard; even cereal boxes. Admittedly, the pens would work much faster though.

Ken

 

[exzealot]

More progress:

Pic 1: These are 2 crossmember assemblies that locate above the rear suspension between the frame rails.

Pic 2: The 4 corners of the inner front wheelhouses.

Pic 3: Engine Tunnel assembly and radiator housing.

Pic 4: Another view of the Engine Tunnel

Pic 5: Some kind of box assembly on the driver's side only.

Ken