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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
Hosted by Darren Baker
1/35 Dora
Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 - 03:52 PM UTC
It's beginning the snow season so I thought I'd start this one.

I'm not planning to get it done anytime soon but thought you might like to see it come together. Once I unpacked the monster and spread out some parts one gets the picture as to just how big it's going to be.





Yup, that's a 1/25th "48 Ford" model kit next to the barrel - and thats minus the breech!

this is two hours work just getting the parts together for the cars, cleaning up will be another couple of hours. Thank goodness for retirement (and winter)

As always any suggestions, references or "friendly" helpful criticism would be great. Please enjoy Dave
schroedinger
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United States
Joined: November 02, 2011
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Posted: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 - 07:48 PM UTC
Do you make it alone?
TankCarl
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: May 10, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, November 17, 2011 - 01:32 PM UTC
DANGER!!
make a serious effort to keep parts bagged and in the minor boxes they came in.It will make finding the parts you need a whole lot easier.
Ambroid proweld is the best glue to use.
The hoist pulleys need to have 4 lines, not the 1 that the instructions show. There are a few threads on this site about building
it's a biggie, happy modeling.

miccon
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British Columbia, Canada
Joined: August 10, 2011
KitMaker: 18 posts
Armorama: 16 posts
Posted: Thursday, November 17, 2011 - 03:07 PM UTC
you've gone mental!!! wait your putting the jaguar in the dora diorama?
tankfixer
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Missouri, United States
Joined: October 15, 2005
KitMaker: 283 posts
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Posted: Thursday, November 17, 2011 - 11:26 PM UTC
This thing is a beast! One of these years I may start mine. I look forward to seeing your progress.
ComaBlack
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: September 19, 2010
KitMaker: 194 posts
Armorama: 148 posts
Posted: Friday, November 18, 2011 - 01:50 AM UTC

Quoted Text

you've gone mental!!! wait your putting the jaguar in the dora diorama?



That Jag looks around the right size to be used as ammunition by Dora...

Excited to watch this build, always been fascinated by such a large 1/35 kit.
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
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Posted: Friday, November 18, 2011 - 01:53 AM UTC
I'm jealous. Saving up to buy a 1/72 Dora. Maybe I will be distraut with a inheritance, soon and can buy my own. Look forward to the build.
TankCarl
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: May 10, 2002
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Posted: Saturday, November 19, 2011 - 08:09 AM UTC
Matt :


At least this one had decals!
Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2011 - 02:03 AM UTC
Thanks for the input guys, Tanks Carl - I'm keeping located like you suggested and am using pro-weld as you suggested in a ealier pm, it works great. I've got the brake sub-assemblies about finished and will post some pictures of those abd the barrel which I'm also working on but as always I've got questions, lots of questions about hand railings and decking and...... but that will come. For now I have one question and I hope someone can help, I wanted to post this in the AXIS - WWII section but "oops". How can I move it over there?? Anybody??

And yes Michael, I've gone mental!!! But it's nice here in this world..

Dave
tuncvardal
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Istanbul, Turkey / Türkçe
Joined: March 26, 2006
KitMaker: 22 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 - 08:45 PM UTC
good day,

i bought the same model, GLOW 2B 1/35 dora rail road gun but i have a big problem , the problem is there was no manuel inside the model kit and no decals, my question is the decals sold apart from the model or my model is missing the decals? manuel is the other problem without a manuel what can i do?
jargonking
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United Kingdom
Joined: May 08, 2006
KitMaker: 269 posts
Armorama: 247 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 - 09:47 PM UTC
Decals are available from Pedinghaus....

http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=PDH1538

Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Friday, December 30, 2011 - 11:14 AM UTC
Tunc, I've got the Pedinghaus decals and they are great. The kit itself had no decals with it. As far as instructions, the ones in the kit make Dragon's instructions look like Tamiya's, in other words they are terrible. Drop me a pm we'll work out something.

With the "holidays" over, that's a 6 beer story - I'm starting on the Dora again but I think I'll start a new thread on the WWII - axis page. I'd sure like to just copy this whole thread over there and keep it going but that is a bit out of my computer realm. Maybe someone out there can give me a hint?? If not I'll be posting again Sunday in a new thread.

Till then - Dave
Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Monday, January 02, 2012 - 01:10 PM UTC
Thanks Darren for moving this thread!!

Holidays over, company gone, colder than heck outside so it's model time again. I'm trying to finish up on the cars but the instructions leave a lot to the imagination. For anyone out there building this thing I found that not completing the brake assemblies before mounting the axels, wheels and side frames will save on broken parts - lots of them!!! I put the assemblies together this far

put the cars together, you'll need lots of clamps and clothes pins

then mount the wheels, axels ... and fish the partial brake assemblies under the axels and glue them down. Then put the brake shoes on level them up to the wheels and glue em up. Like the Leopold (which is almost finished now that Tamiya paints are comming back in the US) you can't see the brakes or suspension when it's together so being picky isn't necessary but me being me I want them equal all around so .

and many, many hours all four are with complete and equal spaced brakes and suspension

Now to modify the air tanks because they won't fit under the axels and I'm on to the parts you will actually be able to see.
The trouble I had doing it their way was that this is made out of ABS plastic not styrene and is very, very brittle so when forcing the wheels in place the brake shoe arms break. I guess thats why the company supplise many many extras.
TankCarl
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: May 10, 2002
KitMaker: 3,581 posts
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Posted: Monday, January 02, 2012 - 01:19 PM UTC
PM me an e mail address. If you have the SOAR Art kit, I can scan the instructions.
tankbuilderextreme
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: August 26, 2007
KitMaker: 56 posts
Armorama: 10 posts
Posted: Monday, January 02, 2012 - 01:52 PM UTC
Hi Dave:
Welcome to the club.
I finished mine some time ago...... it was a boat load of fun.
If you want to do this well you will need a few resources.
One is the Gerhard Taube book

There are tons of little details wrong but all very fixable
All the railings should be replaced
The stairs at the top are WAY wrong
The Elevators need to be datailed
Pulleys are super simplified and wrong.
I have lots of in progress photos that I can share if you wish
As well as the finished product over at Track-link
Here are the links

http://www.track-link.net/gallery/6442
http://www.track-link.net/gallery/6502

Any questions I will be glad to help....

Luis Alvirez

PS:
The Barrel is REALLY wrong and HAS to be changed.
Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 - 11:50 AM UTC
Thanks for the offer Carl but I have the booklet that came with the kit, it's just a bit confusing to me. And Luis if you don't mind I'll be picking your brain along with Carl and Michael for helpful hints along the way. I do happen to have a group of pictures I got from the Orlando Florida IPMS site that has a bunch of really great pictures of a build of the gun. I figure those along with the help of all ya'll I should be fine.

Now for progress.. I modified the brake arms to space them out equal around the wheels

modified the air tank legs to fit under the axles

and finished up all the parts that you can't see without the help of a dental mirror

Now on the parts you will be able to see.

Kinda off topic a bit but I got my late Christmas present today

I love that woman!!
TankCarl
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: May 10, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 - 12:22 PM UTC
I discovered I could assemble the brake shoes and such, with the wheels in place, but not glue the main hangers, until everything was in place. My air tanks fit fine, as I installed those early, and fit everything around them.
I did rebuild the pulleys from plastic sheet,and made my own pulley wheels inside.Those should have a 4 part line, not the single line shown in the instructions. Also, I cut a square hole, in the plate the lift motors are on. and had the lines go up into the motors them selves.

Oh, a bit hard to see, but here's the cuts for the barrel.
Images for discussion only

Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Friday, January 06, 2012 - 06:42 AM UTC
Thanks for the information Carl. I was wondering about the pulleys.

I'm not sure if I'll shorten the barrel or not. Anyway I want to get the base together so I have a place to put the parts as builded. What track did you folks use for your Doras. The big bulky aluminum that came with the kit or something different. Also, anyone change the walk ways (or cat walks) around the kit, and if so what did you use? I've looked for a metal screen that would be more realistic but no luck.

Thanks Dave
Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Friday, January 13, 2012 - 01:30 PM UTC
I found some metal wire that should work well for replacing the hand rails which are a bit to big for scale. And some great scale expanded metal for the catwalks and such.


I built a platform and put the track together in order to have a place to store the Dora while working on it. Even with just the cars built I realized they take up to much room to just leave them on the bench. The thing is 7 feet long..


Just curious but how many of you builders that have tackled this thing have shortened the barrel? I'd like to see pictures of it shorteded and compare them to the boxed length. I'm really not sure what I'm going to do. I did get an actual mechanical print of the barrel, thank you again Luis. In order to make the barrel to match either of the prints it has to be cut in about eight pieces ang glued back together which has problems written all over it. I checked on having one turned out of aluminum at a local fabrication shop and the cost is a LOT more than I'll pay. So like I said before I'm just curious what you folks have done.

Thanks for your time ... Dave
TankCarl
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Rhode Island, United States
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Posted: Saturday, January 14, 2012 - 05:03 AM UTC
Dave,
Cutting the barrel is not as hard as you might think.Once a cut is made, and a new length is achieved, you can put thin sheet styrene in the end,as a slip fit into the next piece. The barrel / plastic does take squadron putty with no problems, so fixing new gaps will be easy. Later this year, I may shorten mine.
42rocker
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Florida, United States
Joined: January 17, 2012
KitMaker: 62 posts
Armorama: 62 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2012 - 04:47 PM UTC
Dave
How is the build going now that the Holidays are over?

I hope to have mine here in a few weeks. So will be following your build.

Later 42rocker
Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 22, 2012 - 02:36 PM UTC
Took some time today to work on the cars. I "had" to cut them in two.



Ten axle cars just seem wrong. Hopefully I can get the cars finished in the next couple of days.
Dave621955
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 13, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 93 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 26, 2012 - 02:28 PM UTC
Well almost a week later and they still aren't finished. It seems like I put a hundered parts on them and there is still another hunderd before they're done. Some of the parts are just to bulky so I'm spending a bit of time sanding them more to size


But all in all the cars are comming along nicely



If all goes well, as it usually doesn't, I should get the cars primed this weekend.
42rocker
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Florida, United States
Joined: January 17, 2012
KitMaker: 62 posts
Armorama: 62 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 26, 2012 - 05:21 PM UTC
Dave
Would you be so kind as to give us more info on that wire and screen that you found. Size's, price, where, please.
Looking good so far keep it up. I received a kit and with luck might start in 2 weeks.

Later 42rocker
rwaldram
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South Australia, Australia
Joined: July 20, 2007
KitMaker: 44 posts
Armorama: 13 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 26, 2012 - 10:39 PM UTC

Quoted Text




I'm confused, the 1:1 barrel was 30 metres long, that scales down to just over 85cm. The measurements you've shown for 'correcting' it only equal 65, meaning that the original kit barrel is correct.
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