Bison I

[James Tainton]

Thought I'd do a light OOTB build of this this weekend- (might be at the beach though instead? ;) )
Here are a few pics ;

the box contents
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/boxcontents.jpg


there is a new body-not the old one from Alan.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/body.jpg

but there is one flaw that has already jumped out at me- The transmission access hatch is quite "proud" . It should lay flush with the rest of the front armour plate. I will have to deviate from the OOTB and remedy this glaring goof-up. :angry:
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/accesshatch.jpg

[James Tainton]

so here is the hollowed out access hatch opening;
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/frontplatecutout.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/accesscutabove.jpg

[James Tainton]

and the plastic card replacement piece;
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/frontplatecover.jpg

someone suggested I should have just sanded the panel flat and then just rescribe but I hate scribing. ;) Plus I may want to display the interior bits.

[James Tainton]

these are the bits for the drivers station and steering brake units/transmission ect. The detail is pretty good but not up to the recent Tristar PanzerI /A interior I recently worked with. It is better than the one that was included with the Maquette hybrid kit of this vehicle and better than the sged interior that comes with the Zvesda (or is it Italari,doesn't matter they swap molds) Panzerjäger I
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/insidebits.jpg
here you can see the major sink mark in the steering brake unit- I could fill it and I do have this image in my head from a foto I saw of a real one being worked on by some mechanics.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/transmission.JPG

[Guest]

are yo going to use the SiG33 you you tricked out a while back?

excellent inproggies! keep us tuned :) It's great to have areas pointed out for remedy :thumb:

[gordy]

^ that was me :P

[James Tainton]

are yo going to use the SiG33 you you tricked out a while back?

I was thinkin' that I might, as it would save time. The grays of the Panzer I and the gun would be different- lending some reality to the combo? Here is a picture of a Tristar tranny/steering brake for comparison-
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/tristartranny.jpg

the Alan kit's details to this area are really basic and not acurate in any way - oh well it'll be a OOTB build for the most part.

[James Tainton]

these picture are about the drive wheels from the new Alan kit which has a molding flaw right on the center hub- right where its a bitch to get rid of because of the surrounding bolt heads; which have soft detail- they don't look like bolt heads.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/Bisondrivewheelfault.jpg

here I've cleaned up the "flaw" on one wheel and beside it the drive wheel from the old Zvezda kit(black).
front faces
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/Bisondrivewheelsfaces.jpg
side- the Alan one seems to be a little thicker with sharper angles.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/Bisondrivewheelside.jpg
back
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/drivewheelcomparison.jpg

[James Tainton]

a comparison from the drive wheel of the Zvezda drive wheel layed on a Panzer Tract scale drawing;
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/BisonZvezdadrivewheeldrawing.jpg

and the Alan wheel;which appears a little smaller that the Zvezda version-
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/Bisondrawingdrivewheel.jpg


they are both very close to the drawings diameter/circumference.

[James Tainton]

here is the idler wheel next to a picture of the real item- . There is flash on the hub, the bolts detail is minimal at best and the center spine on the spokes is too thick. "OOTB -OOTB" -repeat Panzerfaust - "OOTB" :pinch:
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/idler.jpg

now the regular road wheel
the same problem of a little flash minimal bolt detail and the tire portion seems a bit thin,(or maybe the rim is too thick?
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/wheel.jpg

[ShermiesRule]

Wow that is a very detailed report you posted here. You should work QA for some of these model companies!!

[James Tainton]

You should work QA for some of these model companies!!
these guys at Alan could use some help- this is a pretty rough model with some questionable engineering and construction ideas. Some of it really sucks! It is really not up to Tamiya or Dragon or Trumpeter standards- it's very crude in some ways.

I had contemplated replacing some of the interior parts with copies of Tristar stuff but - they didn't line up with the Alan layout so - OOTB it is, there as well- check out the final drive units- the Alan rendition is just a bald teardrop shaped thing. Panzerfaust is sad. But the dismay continues to grow as the build progresses- stay tuned....

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/replacementtrannydrives.jpg

I have glued a small piece of plastic to cover the sink hole in the transmission case., and the stick shift has been glued in place.

[amherbert]

Hi James

Have you built Alan's Marder IID? I've heard mixed reports on that kit.

Very thorough coverage on your "OOTB" build.

Andy

[James Tainton]

Marder II Not built that one - but I do have it in the to do pile.

here is and illustration of some problem areas.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/illustration.jpg
I had to file and alter these just to get them to fit! :pinch:

[James Tainton]

Here is a close-up shot of the parts that make up the drivers station- not too bad in portraying detail, if a bit on the thickish side.
One nice detail is the driving levers (arrow), executed with some finesse. The driver's seat is okay too- it won't be seen to well anyway once everything is together.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/driversstation.jpg

There is a problem with the rectangle, (circled), that sits proud off the floor of the hull - that is suposed to accept the battery case. The rectangle is too big to fit the hllowed out base of the battery- dumb! So I've removed the thing and will just glue the battery case on the flat floor.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/batterymount.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/batterymountsanded.jpg

[James Tainton]

here one can see the metal piece of detailing photoetch included with the kit. It's kind of like gilding a pile of [censored] but hey, I love PE! :)
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/metal1.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/metal2.jpg
I also have made a flange for the sccess hatch - drilling holes where needed - and then added the PE bolts to the cover.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/coverwbolts.jpg

[James Tainton]

Now about these axle clips or whatever they are called;
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/hullclip2.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/axleclip1.jpg

Now this is one of the stupidest Ideas I 've come across in a while for solving a model building problem- what a pain in the neck....
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/00000372.gif
some modification is needed to make it work. (Please remember- I may be wrong about all of this- I am just trying to do it the way it seems plausible to me to do, you may find another way- please don't take anything I say about anything as being correct) :lol:
The hole that is to receive the clip needs to be enlarged slightly with a life and the edge of the inside of the lip on the clip that sits against the hull interior wall needs to be filed flat. Jesus- it's 2004 - we modellers should not need to deal with this kind of crappy design- I am going to have to build a Tamiya product after this for therapy!
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/axleclip1b.jpg

Here is one installed- looks like a real hack job don't it!? I will have to fill the gap and use some plastic to make an access plate to make this presentable.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/clipinstalled2.jpg

[James Tainton]

here is what the bottom looks like after I filled with 2 part putty and sanded flat.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bottom.jpg

[James Tainton]

;)

[James Tainton]

painted the driver's station and painted the interior of the fuselage. The back engine area is based out in flat black.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/driverpaint1.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/driverpaint2.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/driverpaint3.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/driversandengineblack.JPG

just the preliminary paint- may make it more juicy. :lol:

[James Tainton]

I have sprayed the front access area with primer red prior to installing the driver's station subassembly,
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/accesshatchredprimer.jpg
the next picture shows the return roller mounts which come as seperate items needing to be glued to the side of the hull in squares indicated by small raised lines. These should be installed after all the work on the driver station installation is completed. I did it too soon and while stuggling to fit the subassemly a couple kept getting knocked out of place. = I would alo hold off on the front wheel mount as well till the nightmare of installing the drivers station is over.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/retuurnrollermounts.jpg
In this picture I have successfully glued in place the drivers station. Prior to this though I did paint the interior with the off white colour of German WWII AFV's. There is a demarcation line hard to see in this pic that is about 6mm up the side walls as the Panzer I/a would normally have had a floor up to false floor up to that point where-by underneath this it would remain primer red abopve the white. Since these vehicles would have that floor decking stripped out one would see this separation. I have also glued the back enginge cover section in place- it too painted in an appropriate way.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/rearpaintedandistalled.jpg
another view from the back...
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/inside.jpg

Here is the ugly jont underneath- this with all be filled and sanded- what a ... well the words ellude me .
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/uglybottom.jpg

I have used two part putty again here to fill the messy joints...
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/twopartputty.jpg
in this shot you can see that I have also added the front final drive parts B-35. These have messy joints as well and will be filled and sanded. I test fitted the front drive wheel and the hole that the pin on the wheel goes in is way to big - another shoddy engineering detail :angry:

[James Tainton]

The hull could have been done very easily like these two scratch versions I have made using a Zvezda Panzer I/B hull. Why Alan choose to do it the way they did is beyond me?
It would have been better to do it this way and then just add a amour plate on the top front part ? Simple.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonandpanzerIhulls.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/BisonandpanzerIhullbackveiw.jpg

[James Tainton]

here is all the wheels that make up the running gear...
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/wheels.jpg
this is the lame-as return roller- all covered in flash :(
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/returnroller.jpg
I wanted to replicat the welds at the front so I glued some stretched sprue and then cut along its lenght over and over making it like a dashed line with small dashes, applying Testors liquid cement in between choppings.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/stretchedsprueweldbead.jpg
the finished look- a bit heavy of a weld but... ehhh :)
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/weldbeaddone.jpg
Here the wheels and suspension are test fitted after cleanup.they will all be painted with flat black next.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/wheeltogether.jpg
In this pick you can see that I have painted the wheels and the sides of the hull. I want to prepaint things I can't get to if things are assembled. Its a lot more work but it's more authentic in the end- I still will age and weather each wheel prior to final installation.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/flatblack.jpg

[James Tainton]

found another pic ;)
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/44_1_b.JPG

[Tuna]

Awsome work James (as always)...

I know your experiencing headaches but you must be feeling some pride on the great job your doing.. lol or you should be!

see all these headaches, I'm not sure that I look forward to the my Alan Grille M and Flak 38t on the shelf (I've yet to build an Alan kit).. Lately I've been spoiling myself with the AFV builds! ;)

[James Tainton]

Hey thanks- good to know someone is watchin'
I don't really feel pride but relief that I'm getting thru it. :lol:

[ShermiesRule]

Great stuff there even though I have no interest in the Bison. Your attention to detail is incredible.

Do you ever do anything with allied armor is such detail?

[James Tainton]

Originally posted by ShermiesRule@Jul 13 2004, 05:41 PM
Great stuff there even though I have no interest in the Bison. Your attention to detail is incredible.

Do you ever do anything with allied armor is such detail?
Thanks and sorry to hear you have no interest in the Bison I- It was one of the first vehicles I saw when I was getting back into this armour end of the model making hobby and it always sparked an interest- I seem to have a thing for building or researching in historical order...- I use to do models of real Space stuff - but then got into the rocket planes of WWII Germany- that morphed into an interest in the first jets and then the Century series and then tanks- German tanks.
this is the pic from German Tanks of Worlrd War Two by George Forty, the first book on armour I bought.

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BWphotoGeorgeforty.jpg

I only have time for my interest in German Panzers right now- although I do have some Allied stuff in the stash ;)

[James Tainton]

Well I have been to tied up and too tired with/from work this week to do much on the Bison. I did pick up a new kit yesterday though :shifty:
http://www.hobbiesguinea.com/images/drg6186.jpg
I worked today and didn't get a chance to open the box till just now and man! what a difference in the Alan kit and this DML Panzer I/B.

The Alan kit is soooo bad when compared to the Dragon offering!- It's too dark hre now for decent pics but I'll show ya the difference Morgen.

[James Tainton]

Okay- I got some stuff done on the Bison today- but first a little comparison between the Alan Bison I chassis and the Dragon Panzer I ausf. B.
Here is the side of the Bison hull- showing the axle mount detail. (?) ;)
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonside.jpg
and the same area on the DML Panzer I- quite the difference... :o
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/panzericloseupcuside.jpg
I had to sit down after I saw how "bad" the Alan rendition was. :angry:
You can see that the return roller mounts are molded on to the DML chassis and have no flash - the Alan mounts need to be glued in place- and without reference it's hard to tell from the instructions which way to glue them , skinny side up down or sideways- fortunately I got it right- however when I handled the kit to add other parts, some of the return roller mounts would inadvertently get moved or knocked off completely. A real pain I must have reglued a couple several times- I like the DML idea better.

Oh well, I decided to press on with the Alan kit...
I managed to paint all the wheel parts and glued them all in place.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonwheelson.jpg
I used the vinyl track lengths from a Zvszda kit to keep everything alighned while it dried, I used Testors liquid cement.
You can see that the return rollers are not that good in that the width of the tire is not constant- I hate this kinda thing.
Here, below, for example are the DML return rollers. They are so much better.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/pzireturnrollers.jpg

Here is the Alan return roller in close up- what a mess... also note the joint were the wheel axle and the support bar meet- something will be needed to make that look nicer.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisoncluseupofrustandretur.jpg

[James Tainton]

Here is a couple of shots with the main road wheels on. I have done some priliminary weathering to the sides and wheels as these parts are harder to get to with the tracks on later...
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonwheelsonside1.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonwheelson2.jpg

[James Tainton]

Here are the idler wheels ready to be put on the body on the back sides. the mout has been pushed onto the wheels as this makes the mounting easier.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonidlers.jpg
prior to the gluing on the back end needs to have some parts added- need I say these did not fit properly :lol:
I sighed, took a breath, shugged my sholders and pressed on.....
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonidlermount1.jpg
the part has a recess that is supposed to fit on a raised pin on the body - but the pin is too big- I cut it off and just glued the part on -lining up the hole for the axle ..
here is a shot comparing the new DML Panzer I/B and the Alan Bison.
You can also see the nice detail on the underside of the Dragon Pz I :)
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/panzeriandbisonbackcomparis.jpg

[James Tainton]

and here they are in place with some of the other bits o' detail and the idlers in place.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisonbackaxlepartson.jpg

[James Tainton]

Well at least Alan is consistant... the front drive wheel mounting has problems as well
The hole in the final drive is too large for the pin of the wheel so I made a fix by using a piece of plastic tube drilled out to fot thepin and then the tube was fitted into the final drive- no glue just a friction fit- to aid in the tracks being mounted.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisondrivewheel.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/bisondrivewheelon.jpg

[James Tainton]

Feel free to add feedback ;)

[James Tainton]

I have replaced the kit supplied tow cable hooks that fit on the front- the kits are useless-the mold is not in alighnment- I'll take a pic and show ya later... :(
I have also removed the weld bead I made as I felt after looking at the Panzer I from Dragon that mine was way to fat- I may redo with a finer bead.
http://members.shaw.ca/artisticsolutions/BisonI/fronthooks.jpg

[amherbert]

Hi James!

You are persistent. You're doing a super job. I keep following along and shake my head with each new sad looking part. You make it look good though!

Cheers
Andy

[James Tainton]

Thanks. ;)

[James Tainton]

well I tried to add an Alan s.I.G. 33 that I built previously and - guess what, it did not fit...this may be do to some tweaks I did on the wheel base of the gun kit. I am expecting some metal pressed wheels to replace the improper wooden ones- maybe I'll try again with the gun that has come with this kit.
I will not be wasting anymore time on this lousy model right now, life's tooo short.- I may pick it up again sometime in the future but somehow I doubt it- It will be banished to the "shelf of shame". (Not sure who's shame - mine or Alan's.):(

Sorry guy's I had hoped to present you all a nice little finished model in the end...but it is just not working out that way _ I think I'll start the DML Panzer I/B just for something that fits together.

[James Tainton]

Actually having had chance to think about it- I will most likely pick up this kit again -once I get the metal pressed wheels that is (Thanks Leo). I will build the artillery piece slowly and try to make it work, it'll happen guys- you'll see

[houdini]

Wooooo.....What a wondeful review! Good job,James.

I live in China and easy to get most of DML's productions.Meanwhile,Alan Hobby's Bison I is far more expensive than DML's Panzer I/B. :angry:

In my opinion, Tristar is the No.1 in quality, so i hope Tristar will develope Bison I and 35/38(t) in the future. :lol:

Sorry for my bad English .

Hu From China

[James Tainton]

Here is a link to how someone used a Dragon Panzer I and parts from this kit from Alan and some PE.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?foru...geid=1103146423 (http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=212524&messageid=1103146423)