Revisiting the Tiger
Right, after a long break, I've revisisted the Tiger. I'm happy I didn't make much
of a start on it, as I've formulated a few mods. We'll start on the turret
The Turret
The Barrel
I've decided that the barrel will have to recoil correctly, incorporate a
flash unit and also elevate and depress, none of which the basic kit allows.
In order to enable the recoil, I have separated the barrel and mantlet,
cutting the at the barrel/mantlet join with a razor saw. The excess ridge of
plaastic in the mantelet opening was removed with a reamer, and the opening
sanded with fine wet & dry. The two barrel halves
have also been seperated carefully to allow the addition of metalised tape inside
the barrel where the flash unit will go. This is because the flash tubes get rather
hot, and I don't want to end up with a melted barrel. I will buy a disposable
camera, and butcher the flash unit from that to use in the gun. I'm busy constructing
the barrel extension and recoil guide out of thin-wall brass tube. There are a few
designs for the recoil unit itself buzzing around in my head, nothing on paper yet.
The Turret Ring
The kit only allows for the turret ring to be glued to the turret. Considering that
the tooling was orginally for a static model, this is not surprising, but it is annoying
from the POV that more mode have to be made in order for the turret mechanicals to be
accessable for servicing. In order to make the turret detachable, blocks were made up out
of three layers of 2mm styrene, with an M3 nut held captive by the middle layer. Three holes
big enough to fit M3 screw heads were drilled in the turret ring, and pieces of styrene
glued over them on the top of the ring. holes were then drilled in the styrene for the M3
screw threads. The three blocks were screwed on, and the turret ring mated with the turret body.
the three blocks were then welded to the turret body.
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