I shall be watching!

Panzer IV - so many wheels!
Today I made;
18 road wheels (5 parts reach including tyres)
8 return rollers (2 parts)
8 1/4 elliptic leaf sprung suspension units (semi functioning - 8 parts)

I've nearly finished stage one of the destructions!

Quote from: zenrat on October 23, 2023, 02:44:13 AM18 road wheels (5 parts reach including tyres)

And your sanity is ? 

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 23, 2023, 06:46:59 AM

Quote from: zenrat on October 23, 2023, 02:44:13 AM18 road wheels (5 parts reach including tyres)

And your sanity is ? 

Usually a tenuous connection to it at best, but after all that?!   

There's a Reason I prefer the older, simpler, cheaper kits...

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 23, 2023, 06:46:59 AM

Quote from: zenrat on October 23, 2023, 02:44:13 AM18 road wheels (5 parts reach including tyres)

And your sanity is ? 

Lost it years ago mate.

Dragon hit a high point today with the parts breakdown of the idler wheel mounts.  These are adjustable to allow for track tensioning and there are four tiny separate parts representing the locknut and what might be a vernier adjuster IRL.  Total parts count for each side - 8.
However, I have completed stage 1 of the destructions, moved on to stage 2 and finally begun gluing the hull together.

Will any of this intricate detail be visible once the build is finished ? Or is it there to enable the track to look far more realistic ?

Quote from: zenrat on October 24, 2023, 03:39:07 AM

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 23, 2023, 06:46:59 AM

Quote from: zenrat on October 23, 2023, 02:44:13 AM18 road wheels (5 parts reach including tyres)

And your sanity is ? 

Lost it years ago mate.

Dragon hit a high point today with the parts breakdown of the idler wheel mounts.  These are adjustable to allow for track tensioning and there are four tiny separate parts representing the locknut and what might be a vernier adjuster IRL.  Total parts count for each side - 8.
However, I have completed stage 1 of the destructions, moved on to stage 2 and finally begun gluing the hull together.

That sounds nuts!

Welcome to the world of 1200+ parts Dragon Panzer IV model tanks guys 😀
Before you ask yep .. built 7 of these 3 n 1 kits ..there a doddle to put together once you decide on the version you want.
If you want spares for a IV these kits are brilliant cause you get a heap of em .
Fred you'll have zero issues with the magic tracks ..ive never had a problem with them and I've literally put together hundreds of those links 
One of the things which scares the crap out of model builders with kits like this is the parts count ..any kit with over a 1000 pts terrifies but once ya bite the bullet it's pretty easy 😉
Soon I'm gonna hack up a perfectly good Tamiya Panzer IV to rebuild a wiffy Waffentrager and then have the fun of getting Dragon magic tracks to fit Tamiya drive sprockets .

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 24, 2023, 06:16:15 AMWill any of this intricate detail be visible once the build is finished ? Or is it there to enable the track to look far more realistic ?

It's Dragon, Chris, they do it because they can.

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 24, 2023, 06:16:15 AMWill any of this intricate detail be visible once the build is finished ?...

Yes and no.
With no side skirts (if built OOB - I may scratch something up) all the running gear is visible when finished.  However, would you see the intricacies of its construction when finished?  Maybe, but not if its heavily weathered with a coat of ersatz mud.

First fit issue today.  The rear panel of the hull where the idler carriers mount has to butt up against multiple fillets on the side of the hull.  I could not get both sides to fit perfectly despite carefull scraping and sanding.  A very tiny smear of filler is going to be needed.

In other news first upper camo colour on the Do.17 is almost done as is all the paint on the FW.190 (although the unforgiving nature of metalisers means some fiddlearsing about may be needed to get a decent finish in places.

Quote from: Wardukw on October 24, 2023, 10:35:36 PMWelcome to the world of 1200+ parts Dragon Panzer IV model tanks guys 😀
Before you ask yep .. built 7 of these 3 n 1 kits ..there a doddle to put together once you decide on the version you want.
If you want spares for a IV these kits are brilliant cause you get a heap of em .
Fred you'll have zero issues with the magic tracks ..ive never had a problem with them and I've literally put together hundreds of those links 
One of the things which scares the crap out of model builders with kits like this is the parts count ..any kit with over a 1000 pts terrifies but once ya bite the bullet it's pretty easy 😉
Soon I'm gonna hack up a perfectly good Tamiya Panzer IV to rebuild a wiffy Waffentrager and then have the fun of getting Dragon magic tracks to fit Tamiya drive sprockets .

I haven't looked at the parts count but there are a lot of small bits.  No interior though apart from gun breeches.
If the instructions are clear and the sprues properly labelled then the 1000 parts should be no harder to build than 100.  It'd just take longer.

Yeah, Nah... one of the many reasons I build older, simpler stuff.

Quote from: Rick Lowe on October 26, 2023, 09:38:10 PMYeah, Nah... one of the many reasons I build older, simpler stuff.

Seconded. Having had a look inside the modern Shackleton kits, I am almost leaning towards preferring the ancient Frog one, just because of the fiddliness..

You can always not build the interior.

Progress on the Do.17.
Do.17 WIP 28-10-23 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
That's a RW Finnish scheme (RLM70 & 71 over 65) with added white bands onto which will go...
...something.   
Needs a final thinned wash coat put on both upper colours then it'll be ready for clear and transfers

That's looking very good sir 

Must admit with those bands I'm seeing her in Italian markings.