Tamiya Char Bis 1 tweaks

[James Tainton]

For the benifit of anyone building this kit perhaps the more knowledgable among us about this one can post some suggestions as to what tweaks can be made on this kit.

I'll start with this
http://www.chars-francais.net/maquettes/maquette-b1bis.htm

[dukwhunter]

Hi James ,

Below is a list of some tweaks that various modelers have mentioned on

numerous websites. Hope they are of some help !!!

1. Wiring for the radio cover from behind the turret to guard and then to antenna pot.

2. Add straps with buckles to tool holder.

3. Headlight cover knob

4. Use 62 links not 61 for tracks.

5. Add weld bead around turret joint, lifting hooks and rear chain hooks.
(i think this is actually a casting seam & not a weld bead)

6. Add six bolts on top of commander’s turret.

7. Add extra lifting hook on the commander’s turret.

8. Add six bolts around the gun mantle.

9. Add Pig’s Tail lifting hook on gun mantle.

10. Add bolts around the commander’s turret.

11. Casting numbers on turret (I have not seen any photos of this).

12. Add oval plate with two bolts on rear deck.

13. Add 5 bolts to the engine deck.

14. Fill in seam on the right of the driver’s front plate.

15. Casting numbers on drivers hatch ( I have not seen a lot of this,so check references).

16. Eyehole in drivers hatch periscope.

17. Turret Anti-Aircraft mount slit in the side and a hole on top.

18. Add missing bolts on the top of the sponsons around the track runner guides

19. Open up mud chutes on top of sponson & add mud scrapers next to the chutes

20. Add three lifting hooks to cupola ( not all B1's had this feature , so check your references )

21. Radio Aerial pot needs detail added

22. Silencer covers need mounting brackets on to the trackguards

23. Chandelles need securing straps added

24. Replace the rivets on part A6 with latches


Remember not all tweaks will be applicable for every B1 bis as they were built at different factories !


Thanks
JOEY

[Plushy]

If you really want a detailed build up then take a look at Andrew Halls build here on Planet Armor

http://www.planetarmor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2103

Sam Dwyer also built one but his was a German Flamm Char B1

http://www.planetarmor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2624

i must finish mine one day :(

[T26E4]

I'm not sure if these are covered in the Chars-Francais site but here goes some more:

For early hulls, the round access point that the center bottom of the crew door is much wider diameter

The commander's cupola can use an extra lip at its bottom edge, with bolt heads about 3mm apart around it.

Check your references but some driver's front armor had an additional thickened central part.

Scribe in the driver's right side view slit.

Use the tow chain storage diagram in the Chars-Francais site. Very valuable!

I disagree with 6 & 8 above. These bolts are RECESSED screw heads and not proud rivets. I did mine with a jeweller's beading tool. There are recessed screw heads on the top of the driver's front armor too.

As for the six bolts around the hull 75mm gun: they were sometimes left as holes. Either drill them or add rivets.

I just posted pics of my recently completed one:
http://www.planetarmor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2367&page=2

HTH