Saurer RK-7 Sdkfz 254 from Eagle CZ

[Sticky]

I just felt the need to build this little puppy before I painted the YPR. I figured it would be a quick-n-easy project. Wrong. anyway, here are some progress pics.

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36226-2/DSCN0819.JPG

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36228-2/DSCN0820.JPG

I have replace the headlight supprts with brass and plastic - have to be nuts to use resin for that, and I have buildt up the muffler assembly. Again replacing weak resin this time with solder.

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36261-2/DSCN0834.JPG

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36263-2/DSCN0836.JPG

had to make some parts that were just way too out of scale, like the rear step:

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36277-2/DSCN0840.JPG

And since I am doing a DAK vehicle, I needed to add the frame antenna, it is from soldered brass and plastic:

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36275-2/DSCN0847.JPG

[Flak]

I just felt the need to build this little puppy before I painted the YPR. I figured it would be a quick-n-easy project.

Hi John,

Are you kidding :D :D. Anyway...nice & clean build thumb: :thumb: Can't wait to see it in paint!!!

[MartinD]

Hi John,

Quick 'n easy eh? :D;) ... I've tried projects like that too, but they also turn out to be rather involving. But this looks good to me. Strange little beast the Saurer.

Cheers, MartinD

[dsleigh]

Hi John,
Nope, no quick and easy on this side of town either! Looks great!

David

[canjuaan]

Looks very nice! Clean build.

Johannes

[Major Becker]

Hi,

very nice, you build it perfectly...:thumb: I like the subtle details on it

Rey

[Sticky]

Thanks lads, are you tired of updates yet?

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36283-2/DSCN0850.JPG

the PE in the kit is from eduard and its just too dang soft - I hate it! Thus I have replaced at least the tool clamps with Aber, but had to use the antenna holder and semaphore base. What do you think?

Oh yeah I also drilled out one of the headlights - It will either get a MV lens or jsut some silver leaf.

[greybeard]

What a cute little puppy!

I feel your pain, John. I've been seduced by similar kits, and they always turn out to be more than I bought into. Too many still languish in deep dark corners of my stash, abandoned after several hundred hours of toil. I hope you can keep up momentum, and finish this as well as you have started it. It will probaly be the only one of it's kind this side of the Mississippi.

Cheers
Scott Fraser

[Sticky]

Thanks Scott, I am finishing this come hell or high water!

[RickLawler]

Thanks lads, are you tired of updates yet? No, not yet.

The upgrades look great, John. Dental-like precision...nice and clean. :D

[pwranta193]

and this thing looks like "ulcer in a can". You are doing a hell of a job whipping it into shape. I hear you on the PE battles. Especially when you put the effort into it and have the PE be crappy. I tend to pick and choose on the PE as i go, as some bits are just so frustrating for the ultimate gain being relatively little. Keep with it, as you are doing a real nice job on it - and I really enjoy seeing the more exotic vehicles come to life. Thanks for the share.

[Sticky]

I hear ya Paul, unfortunatly with the PE there is little choice as the PE doesn't replace kit parts, it is the kit parts!

[Andrew Hall]

Nice choice of subject John, one of the more interesting vehicles the Germans fielded. There was a pic on eBay a few years ago which showed one (or two??) with turrets fitted.

My thoughts are with you for the eventual completion of this kit though I guess it could have always been a vacform :)

Andrew

[Totenhosen]

Cool!

[Sticky]

Thanks Guys - and Andrew - yes it could be a Vacuform! YUK!

[Gopher]

looks great John!
any ideas about camo and markings? Balkans?

[Sticky]

Thanks Andrey, It's getting the DAK treatment.

[Sticky]

Ok sorry for the delay in posting, but this has been a real beach of a kit. Here it is all ready for paint. Question and comments entertained.

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36511-2/DSCN0884.JPG

[Stuke Sowle]

Never seen this vehicle before. You have any real shots of it John?

[the_dagger]

That vehicle looks really cool so far! Allways fun to see someone do something out of the ordinary. Can't wait to see it painted!

[Sticky]

Thanks guys. Stuke here is a link to some pics.
http://www.panzernet.net/panzernet/stranky/galerie/polopasy/galeriesdkfz254.htm

[Cadu Souza]

Woooowwww John, awesome subject!!! Clean and fast build also!!

Where did you purchase this gem?

Can't wait to see some paint:D!

Best Regards
Cadu Souza

[Sticky]

Thanks Carlos. Clean maybe, fast no! The kit was supplied by the Pat Stansel of MMiR, I am not sure where he got it! Paint will start soon!

[Flak]

Great work...can't wait to see it in paint :)

[RickLawler]

John, nice work on the jalopy! Like was said above, nice and clean..and I really like the details such as that superfine wiring. What type of tracks (if not these) came with the kit?
I'll look forward to the article.

later,

[Sticky]

Thanks Rick and Marco. Rick the kit comes with resin tracks, unfortunatly they were totally miss cast, so I substituted Fruil pz I track. Not 100% accurate, but 95 for sure! The rest of the goodies include Lion Marc screw heads and antenna, Mig notek light, Aber clasps, the Alpine Minatures figure (Thanks Taesung)and the rear notek light from a Tamiya Pz IV OVM kit.

[sharkmouth]

ugly vehicle indeed! Funny thing was that, postwar, one of these was used to make a 'tank' whereby a Czech family escaped to the West. The vehicle made a tour of the US to help sell bonds and on the D-day anniversary of 2005, it resided in the collection of Jim Gilmore of Pennsylvania.

Maybe I should give Trumpeter his contact information. ;) They give him some funding for restoration in return for access, they announce said kit, and Trumpeter's competitors can also help fund restoration when they release their version.

Regards,

[Sticky]

The only problem with that is that the Czech man changed the superstructure to look more "Russian" There are pictures of it in its transfigured form in the front cover of, I beleive, MMiR Issue 40. There is another one that resided at Aberdeen, but was recently sent to Munster. This one is more accurate. The English had one as well, but I think that one ended up on the scap heap

[Sticky]

Hi all Thought I would give you an update at to where I am on this project.

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36915-2/DSCN1102.JPG

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36917-2/DSCN1099.JPG

[James Tainton]

Bee-a-you-tee-full! Would this one have sported the two tone cammo of the desert?

[Sticky]

Bee-a-you-tee-full! Would this one have sported the two tone cammo of the desert?


Thanks James. I don't think so as I am working from reference pics and I see really very little if any tonal variation in the the paint to suggest duel colors.

[Markus]

Hey Doc,
wonderful work!
I LOVE the desert yellow!!
Would you be so kind to tell me which colors you used?
And please do me a favor, contact me via E-Mail (Kapujo@web.de), I got an offer for you which , I think, you can´t resist ;).

[RickLawler]

Very unique, very Nice!

:)

[razorboy]

Nice topic Sticky, you don't see many "Wheel come track" vehicles modelled and it is always a pleasure to see on done as nicely as yours.
Very clean job with the application of the unit markings. Like that paint colour as well.
Very Nice indeed!
razorboy

[Stuke Sowle]

Excellent stuff John! You gonna beat her up a bit or show some restrain? :)

[Sticky]

Thanks Dave and Stuke. Stuke i am incapable of showing restrain! So a little beet up I theenk!

[greybeard]

Hmmm. You don't have any photos of the back! I want to see if it has a curly tail!

Looks good though.

Cheers

[Sheeds]

Brilliant subject John.
I've never seen anyone do a model of that. Exceptionally well executed too. :thumb:

Sheeds.

[Sticky]

Just an update on where this project is at the moment.

http://www.tankbuilder.net/RK7/254a.jpg

http://www.tankbuilder.net/RK7/254b.jpg

[Panzerserra]

Holly....

But that cool kit!!!

Excellent assembly and detailing...


I´m astonished....

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/9660/dreamsd1.jpg

regards !!!!

[Flak]

Looks cool

[RickLawler]

I don't know how to follow-up after Marcos? Uhm...concentrate.....

The buggy looks good, John. I see that you went with a classic Channel tarp rather than the more distictive Armani.

The polished steel on the RR wheels makes for a nice sparkle.


Have a great Memorial Weekend.

Rick

[Sticky]

Thanks Guys!

[Stuke Sowle]

Great start on the weathering! I'm happy to hear that you are lacking in the restrain department as well.

[Sticky]

Thanks Stuke!

[Sticky]

Just a few more things to attend to, including the figure, but here is where I am now.

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36991-2/DSCN1129.JPG

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/36993-2/DSCN1124.JPG

[RickLawler]

Pretty sweet ride, John. These last add-ons really did the trick.

Maybe use a little of the dust/pigment color from the tires and show a little accumulation in the creases of the tarp?

later,
rick

[Stuke Sowle]

Sweet! The jerry cans and helmets are nicely worn. The tracks are equally as impressive.

[Sticky]

Thanks guys.

[FINbuster]

Thats a very strange looking vehicle, never seen one before. Impressive work to say the least!

[Sticky]

Thanks Ron!

[Markus]

Beautiful work John!
The weathering is simply awesome!! :)
Could you tell me/us how you weathered the tracks?
Just one little detail, it seems like you glued the handle on the water canteen on the right side of the vehicle in the wrong direction. I think it should show upsides, not downsides. I´m not sure if those were movable.

[Sticky]

Hi Markus, the tracks are Fruils. After assembly I shot them with glass beads to break the slag layer, then just dipped them in blacken-it for 1 minute then rinsed. I polished the track shows with super fine emory cloth. For the track inside the guide horns I used SnJ aluminum polishing powder. As to the handle, while they don't move they do bend!

Thanks for taking the time to look and comment!

[Sticky]

All done!

http://the-lem.com/LEM_Gallery2/d/37155-2/DSCN1161.JPG

[chadperkins]

Looks like a winner to me. You definately don't see many of these around and yours is especially nice. Congrats......

[greybeard]

That's an amazingly ugly little thing, even charming. It looks very nice, John.

Cheers
Scott

[RickLawler]

Looks really nice, John. I know that this one was a real challange. Your figure came out ggod as well..are the shoulder boards paint or Archer?

Take care,
rick

[Plushy]

Great Work John ! :thumb:

[Flak]

Congratulation...it looks great...John :thumb:

[Larry Bates]

Hi John,

That's one funky, fine looking vee-hik ul. Nice job indeed :thumb:

Laz

[Gopher]

Looks great, John!

[Totenhosen]

Nice! I almost purchased this kit a few weekends ago, but it was the variant with the Pz. I turret. Your model makes me wish I had. These things are a little hard to come by. Congrats!!

[parks 20]

Congrats John, an other great build she turned out great.

[Sticky]

Thanks Guys. Rick the shoulder boards are hand painted.

[Panzergrenadier]

Yet again, a super model!:thumb: