SPA Modeler

I've been busy at work plus been getting quotes to put a metal roof on are house, just gave a guy the go ahead yesterday and put a down payment to get the materials so should now have some more time this week to get more done on the build.
A lot of what I've been doing is going through my reference books and making notes in the instructions, looking over the parts and making sure that I know exactly where I'm going to cut before I made the first cut. I want to maximize viewing ability of the interior with out sacrificing pieces. As of right now the only thing I'm removing is the three ammo racks on the drivers side.
A lot of time has also been spent in organizing parts I've been removing them cleaning them up and since their is so many, taping them down to a piece of paper next to the part number so I won't get any confused since a lot of parts look similar but are different part numbers.



This is the bottom hull with the first cut in it and the interior sidewalls also with the cutaway on the drivers side

You’re off to a great start on the cutaway.

Thanks guys, I looked over all the parts and studied photos of the interior to figure out exactly where I wanted to cut the lower hull. I got a idea for the upper hull but will wait until I get the lower hull farther along before cutting on it

Sounds to me you’re taking it slow and that’s a good thing. Looking forward to watching this all come together.

I have been thinking how or in which phase you would do the surgery.
Your approach makes total sense !

- Kari

Building a tank hull interior is like building a bomber aircraft with a full fuselage interior. Way more than just a single seat cockpit and an engine. Add in the fact that you are modifying the kit to a cutaway view, and you increase the workload by another level or two... This is no wham bam thank you ma’am project.

You're right Carlos this is a big project, bigger than I originally thought it was going to be.

This is as far as I'm taking the lower hull for now before first round of painting. going to start working on sub assemblies that fit down over the top of this area


It was a real PITA to get all them parts lined up just right a lot of dry fitting was needed to make sure they was all inline with each other

I think dry fitting again and again is the key during a project with a bazillion parts. You've done well so far and I'm following along with great interest.

mostrich wrote:I think dry fitting again and again is the key during a project with a bazillion parts. You've done well so far and I'm following along with great interest.

35 parts so far in the lower hull in that photo. I've built entire Tamiya kits with less parts. But the amount of detail that is packed into this is going to be incredible.