T34/85 25th Guards Brigade No 234a

[michael hilton]

Lovely work Phil, enjoying every post......how long before your motion packs arrive, and are having the 'new motors', from Armortek.
It will be quite an experience to see the 'recoil' in action. I assume you will fit the muzzle flash.

Best wishes ....Mick

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi John
I have got some clear decal paper,but I have never used these products
before.
On reading the instructions it says that images can be scanned into an ink jet
printer.
I printed off Tims photographs of the 3 rounds that he posted and the details
on the casings came out near enough the perfect size,but slightly blurred on
some of the characters on the right.
Only trouble is its on the yellow background and I dont know whether you can change
the background to white,because the instructions say that the computer cant print white
so it ends up clear.
I will have to have an experiment to see if I can risk doing them myself.
Some of the numbers are over a horisontal line and others with a slash,but the
numbers are not lined up as a key board would do them,the top number is higher
than the bottom.
I dont know whether that layout is the only one that would be used,also the
factory number is in a small rectangular box,and there is just a couple of the russian
characters like the "b"with a flat top.
Cheers
Phil

[phil fitzpatrick]

Thanks Mick
No I havent got mine yet,I spoke to Gill the other day and she
is going to see what she can do for me.
Yes I will be having the recoil and flash to fit,it looks good stuff,it
would be nice to get the Turret fitted out.
Cheers
Phil

[John Fitzsimons]

Hi Phil,
sent you a pm.

[phil fitzpatrick]

Thats great John,a big help
I will get practicing on those untill I get them right on plain paper.
Cheers
Phil

[John Fitzsimons]

hope they help. Hope the decal paper works. I believe the inkjet decal paper is best but you need fixative and plenty of time to let it dry.

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi John
Yes they are a lot easier to decypher them now than direct off the rounds.
I have sent you a PM.
Cheers
Phil

[phil fitzpatrick]

Did the copper bands to the shells

[michael hilton]

Little beauties, or beasties. Hello Phil, pleased to see you have also had time to washup, and put the 'crocks' away. Very spick and span.
All the best...Mick.

[phil fitzpatrick]

Thanks Mick
Yes I even did a bit of pruning some dead stuff in the garden today.
Least I think they was dead
Cheers
Phil

[Nick Farrugia]

HI Phil
they are looking great the copper bands stand out just right they dont look like the same ones, your doing a fantastic job on them, the suspence is killing me they realy look the part .
all the best ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nick

[phil fitzpatrick]

Thanks Nick
I didnt know they were bands for the rifling or that they were copper
untill Bob said and Fred confirmed,I thought they were some sort of
identification mark.
I slid a 15mm copper straight pipe joint over the case and it took
3 coats of Lifecolour rust 2 to match it.
Thought it was best to resemble almost new copper than faded,I dont
suppose they were instock long
Cheers
Phil

[Nick Farrugia]

HI PHIL
, its what is called the driving bands on those rounds it looked like there was four bands two inside the case and two outside that you can see, when the shell was fired the copper bands would have sqeezed into the rifleing of the gun to make them spin , thus make them acurate .
best wishes ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nick

[phil fitzpatrick]

Thanks Nick
The Clever little Devils,If I have too many bacardi's and start spinning
arround I go in every direction
Cheers
phil

[Tim Bowman]

Hi Phil

SO COOL!!! CAn't wait to see your turret all bombed up.

best regards
Tim