Schwerer Panzerkraftwagen

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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June 2017
Playing with Oils and Pigments



After a few days, I did some paintwork with oils and pigments to color the screws and get the tracks a bit muddy.
With the „Buntfarben camo“, and the weathered tracks the tank looks very atmospheric. The pigments and oil paints will slowly wear off during operation, but natural rust and mud will take their place. 


Best Wishes
Oliver

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[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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July 2017
Back to the roof


The work continues on the upper side. After all the fittings for the exhaust pipe and new covers for the pistol ports were made, these components of the model could also be painted.

Sometime in the last few years, I had made the latches and handles for the top port but completely forgot to take pictures of them. I tested this part with oil paints to see what weathering might look like.

The top plate is put into the correct position with six glued-in pins.
The muffler still has to wait. It will be painted or weathered last.

Best wishes
Oliver


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Four pins to position the roof

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The pins hold the plate of the roof in the correct position

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Overall impression

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[Robert E Morey]

Amazing details - I love your camo paint job! Excellent.
Best regards,
Bob

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

Hi Bob- and thanks for our comment.
I see from the impressive build of your Easy 8 that you also appreciate the smallest details.

One hundred years ago, camouflage was still painted with a brush. An airbrush had not yet been invented.
For the model, this means that everything had to be masked off and painted individually. That needs a lot more time. But this camouflage scheme breaks up the large straight surfaces on the MK IV and makes the model a little more varied.

Best regards
Oliver

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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Okt-Nov 2017
The TechRack


It will be some time before the tank has its first use, but after playing with the colors, dealing with electronics was a welcome distraction.
I was inspired to design the TechRack by a post by Chris Hall in 2015.
Why not design all the electronics, including batteries, to be taken out?
Since I find it somewhat uncomfortable when all the electronics are permanently installed in the model, and it isn‘t easy to get to the individual components, this idea became more enjoyable, especially for the Mark IV with its high, closed construction.

When building model submarines, I always appreciated it when all the electronics and parts of the technology were not built into the hull but were easily accessible from all sides on a technology scaffold. This makes the maintenance of the model much more accessible and the operation safer. So why not try it out on a tank, especially since the space available in the MK IV is not optimal as in other models. I planned a layout to fit all the electronic components, including the batteries, on this TechRack to be easily inserted and securely fastened in the model.

The TechRack was then built from PVC sheets, a material that has also been used with great success in submarine models for years. The individual plates are then welded together using a suitable adhesive and reinforced with screws for safety. The motors and the smoker are connected to the TechRack via a heavy-duty Amphenol connector, which should handle the high currents of the motors according to the technical specifications. Whether this works will have to be proven in the first actions.

Due to the height of the TechRack, I could place a control panel directly under the top port. The push-button switch of the power unit was desoldered and integrated into the control panel. Now the tank can be switched on and charged via the top hatch.

Best regards
Oliver


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TechRack layout

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Test assembly of the Tech Rack

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Amphenol connectors

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Push-button switch which needs to be desoldered

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For the 100-year-old look, the control panel was made of Pertinax, a paper mixed with plastic that used to be used for electronics or tube radios.

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While checking the drive unit, I noticed that one of the MOSFETs was not screwed to its cooling element. I fixed this immediately.

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The TechRack is fixed with two toggle locks connected to the base plate.

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[Phil Woollard]

I like the idea oliver, Velcro and heavy plasticard works to. I have always thought that Armortek could offer a drop in "tech rack" complete, no wiring niggles just a couple of multi pin connectors the whole package put together in the factory including the radio and shipped out to just drop in, I'm sure some customers are put off by the motion packs and radio set up.

[Derek Attree]

Hi Oliver
What a great idea .
I am one of those that hates the electronics, the dark arts...
it's all smoke and mirrors ( not to much magic blue smoke though
The idea of a pre assembled unit that drops in would be great.


Regards

Derek

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

Hello Phil,
Hello Derek,

the idea of a drop in TechRack is charming and will fit al lot of Churchills, Chieftains, Cents, Tigers, Panters and other modern or older Tanks with enough space inside. A nice side effect is that you can have a second tank where you can use the TechRack also.

Since the TechRack reduces the cost of a second model somewhat, because only the drives and no electronics are needed in addition, it may lead to greater demand for a second or third model.
At least for the financial government, there are now attractive arguments. The more models I run with a TechRack, the more efficient it becomes.

Since you can only run one model at a time, a TechRack makes as much sense as a transmitter for many models.
Also an interesting argument for the modern conscious consumer who lives an idea of sustainability, with a mindful use of resources.

Regards
Oliver

[Phil Woollard]

You put it so well Oliver !

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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Dec 2017
Wiring


The old, large electronic modules are still used in this model. These are very wide and just fit side by side through the cut-out in the model‘s roof. To save some space, the components had to be rewired. In doing so, I have brought everything together on a central negative pole.

The batteries are separated from the electronics by a high load relay. This way, no current flows until the power supply is switched on. The batteries are still lead-acid and are charged together through a central charging socket. I‘ll probably change that again because I‘m thinking of possibly making the battery pack plug-in. With two more miniature, modern LiFePo packs that I can easily swap, you wouldn‘t have to charge in the model and be more independent.
But for now, this configuration is sufficient for the model‘s first actions.

The TechRack^® places the central control panel directly under the top hatch. It is therefore hidden and can still be operated quickly and conveniently without opening the roof plate.

Best
Oliver


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View into the rear compartment with plenty of space for the boom box.

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Side view without sponson (not yet built at that time)
Aux-module to wiggle the guns top left and speed controller bottom right. The bay for the batteries is empty.

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... flip, flap – start, stop ...

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Test and test some more ... ... ...

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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Christmas 17 – Jan.18
Interior, Soundbox & Smoker


A Benedini TBS Mini provides the sound with its amplifier and loudspeaker box. The box is placed in the free space above the engines.

Since the wooden box for the loudspeakers was too boring for me, I played a bit with camouflage colors.

In contrast to the original plan, I finally placed the smoker in the back between the engines. From there, a hose goes directly up to the exhaust and is connected under the cover in the spud box. The path for the smoke is now concise and space-saving.

Best Regards
Oliver




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[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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(Dec 2018)
Raised Unditching Rails


Oops where had this year suddenly disappeared to?
Probably in a lot of daily tasks so that there was no time left for MK IV.

In December, the fingers finally wanted to feel metal again. Reworking the unditching rails was a welcome change.
As an example Lodestar in Brussels was used, where some pictures show well how the rails were fixed.

Since I show the compass dome on the driver cab, the unditching rails have to be raised additionally, as usual with the Beute Tanks. The rear attachment was then reworked to the original and sawn out of sheet brass.

Best wishes
Oliver


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[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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Nov 2019

Another one year break & restarting in November 2019

Due to an exciting professional project, I was so busy that there was simply no time left for the model.
The unplanned second break lasted almost exactly one year. Not until Nov 2019 could I extend the rails and add the remaining additional components such as hooks and lugs.
This forced break had the nice side effect that the joy of the model had increased even more with the break.
Somehow a win-win situation anyway.

Best regards
Oliver



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Hooks and eyes

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New fuel - new fun

[Oliver Brüninghaus]

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December 2019
Assembling and painting the rear door

After the last two somewhat lacklustre posts, we now continue with a few nice details ...

I still hadn‘t assembled the rear door over the years. A few small parts of the lock were also missing here. I have now finally made these parts out of brass. Now you can operate all the functions on the door, such as the vision port, the pistol port, and the lock.

Best Regards
Oliver


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[Derek Attree]

Hi Oliver
This is a master class of a build love the details.

Regards Derek