This is to update you all on orders, parts and work in progress.
1. Feifel Unit metal masters are at the mold maker and I should have molds in house soon to do sample castings.
2. Panther cupola metal parts are all cast. I have to make prototypes for the later type periscope mounts. Once these are done I will start casting the resin cupolas and finalize the production.
3. Panzer III parts not made. I have had two major problems with these parts. The engine grill covers have a unique mesh pattern which I have been trying to duplicate without success. The style of the mesh is not available in 6 scale, I am still working on it to get the grills to look as much like the real thing as possible. The tow rope brackets were the second problem. I had first intended to photo-etch the clamps in .030" brass, but found this is to weak to hold the tow ropes. I am now in the process of making brass masters to investment cast the brackets in bronze. These will be strong enough for the job and will be more realistic looking parts. This will mean a price increase on the tow rope sets, but all those that have prepaid for them there will be no price increase. The jack block, start crank, antenna trough, cleaning rod brackets and grills all require new photo-etched parts and I have to make them all at the same time. Hence these cannot be made until the grills are finalized.
4. The type 1 prism ( Tiger two piece periscopes) should be available for delivery soon. Had a problem, sorry for delay.
5. The type 2 prisms ( Tiger and Panther cupolas) are going to be made as I have enough pre-orders to cover the first batch of 100 units. These are going to take a while as we are still working on the sample for test fitting into the housings. More on this once we have sample tested.
As a picture is worth a thousand words, here are pictures of current work in progress to help you all understand why in some cases there has been a delay in delivery and production. I am catching up and many orders are now being delivered within two weeks. These are usually small orders and require very little assembly on my part. 95% of what you see is made and assembled in my workshop.
If you place an order I will try to give you the best estimated delivery time I can, large orders with complicated parts that require assembly and large photo-etched parts will still take around eight weeks for delivery.
Pictures of parts in production.
Pictures of orders in production. These are just the larger orders.
Picture of orders ready to ship.
Times are still tough so any orders large or small will be appreciated.
Regards
Mike