Schwerer Panzerkraftwagen

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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June 2017
Playing with Oils and Pigments



After a few days, I did some paintwork with oils and pigments to color the screws and get the tracks a bit muddy.
With the „Buntfarben camo“, and the weathered tracks the tank looks very atmospheric. The pigments and oil paints will slowly wear off during operation, but natural rust and mud will take their place. 


Best Wishes
Oliver

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[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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July 2017
Back to the roof


The work continues on the upper side. After all the fittings for the exhaust pipe and new covers for the pistol ports were made, these components of the model could also be painted.

Sometime in the last few years, I had made the latches and handles for the top port but completely forgot to take pictures of them. I tested this part with oil paints to see what weathering might look like.

The top plate is put into the correct position with six glued-in pins.
The muffler still has to wait. It will be painted or weathered last.

Best wishes
Oliver


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Four pins to position the roof

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The pins hold the plate of the roof in the correct position

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Overall impression

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[Robert E Morey]

Amazing details - I love your camo paint job! Excellent.
Best regards,
Bob

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

Hi Bob- and thanks for our comment.
I see from the impressive build of your Easy 8 that you also appreciate the smallest details.

One hundred years ago, camouflage was still painted with a brush. An airbrush had not yet been invented.
For the model, this means that everything had to be masked off and painted individually. That needs a lot more time. But this camouflage scheme breaks up the large straight surfaces on the MK IV and makes the model a little more varied.

Best regards
Oliver

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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Okt-Nov 2017
The TechRack


It will be some time before the tank has its first use, but after playing with the colors, dealing with electronics was a welcome distraction.
I was inspired to design the TechRack by a post by Chris Hall in 2015.
Why not design all the electronics, including batteries, to be taken out?
Since I find it somewhat uncomfortable when all the electronics are permanently installed in the model, and it isn‘t easy to get to the individual components, this idea became more enjoyable, especially for the Mark IV with its high, closed construction.

When building model submarines, I always appreciated it when all the electronics and parts of the technology were not built into the hull but were easily accessible from all sides on a technology scaffold. This makes the maintenance of the model much more accessible and the operation safer. So why not try it out on a tank, especially since the space available in the MK IV is not optimal as in other models. I planned a layout to fit all the electronic components, including the batteries, on this TechRack to be easily inserted and securely fastened in the model.

The TechRack was then built from PVC sheets, a material that has also been used with great success in submarine models for years. The individual plates are then welded together using a suitable adhesive and reinforced with screws for safety. The motors and the smoker are connected to the TechRack via a heavy-duty Amphenol connector, which should handle the high currents of the motors according to the technical specifications. Whether this works will have to be proven in the first actions.

Due to the height of the TechRack, I could place a control panel directly under the top port. The push-button switch of the power unit was desoldered and integrated into the control panel. Now the tank can be switched on and charged via the top hatch.

Best regards
Oliver


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TechRack layout

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Test assembly of the Tech Rack

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Amphenol connectors

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Push-button switch which needs to be desoldered

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For the 100-year-old look, the control panel was made of Pertinax, a paper mixed with plastic that used to be used for electronics or tube radios.

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While checking the drive unit, I noticed that one of the MOSFETs was not screwed to its cooling element. I fixed this immediately.

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The TechRack is fixed with two toggle locks connected to the base plate.

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[Phil Woollard]

I like the idea oliver, Velcro and heavy plasticard works to. I have always thought that Armortek could offer a drop in "tech rack" complete, no wiring niggles just a couple of multi pin connectors the whole package put together in the factory including the radio and shipped out to just drop in, I'm sure some customers are put off by the motion packs and radio set up.

[Derek Attree]

Hi Oliver
What a great idea .
I am one of those that hates the electronics, the dark arts...
it's all smoke and mirrors ( not to much magic blue smoke though
The idea of a pre assembled unit that drops in would be great.


Regards

Derek

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

Hello Phil,
Hello Derek,

the idea of a drop in TechRack is charming and will fit al lot of Churchills, Chieftains, Cents, Tigers, Panters and other modern or older Tanks with enough space inside. A nice side effect is that you can have a second tank where you can use the TechRack also.

Since the TechRack reduces the cost of a second model somewhat, because only the drives and no electronics are needed in addition, it may lead to greater demand for a second or third model.
At least for the financial government, there are now attractive arguments. The more models I run with a TechRack, the more efficient it becomes.

Since you can only run one model at a time, a TechRack makes as much sense as a transmitter for many models.
Also an interesting argument for the modern conscious consumer who lives an idea of sustainability, with a mindful use of resources.

Regards
Oliver

[Phil Woollard]

You put it so well Oliver !