Meng T-90 tracks

Okay I've heard a few stories about the tracks in this kit and how tricky they are to put together however I've found that if you DON'T use the supplied assembly jig things go a lot faster. I can see what Meng are getting at assembly wise but making the links up as per the instructions like this;

 

makes it awkward to remove the bit of sprue between the guide horns, then you fit the links between the two halves of the assembly jig, fit the end connectors into the other jig, remove THAT sprue then fit the connectors to the end of the links. Personally I think it's a lot easier to do it like this;

Seperate the guide horns, clip them to the links, push the end connectors onto the end of the link THEN cut off the sprue. Much faster!
One thing I WILL say is the track is very similar in construction to the AFV Club individual tracks I used for my M728 CEV (with the exception of the vinyl end connectors) and I would STRONGLY advise not to use
white spirit/enamel thinners during the weathering stage as this made the track link end connecting pins very brittle and the tracks just fell apart. The AFV Club end connectors were styrene and they split too but the vinyl ones in this kit should fare better (hopefully). Either way I'll use IPA (IsoPropyl Alcohol) when applying weathering powders to the tracks.
More later!

Edit!
Hot off the bench we have a complete run of track for one side;

OK the way to do it is this;

(1) Unlike what I said above assemble the guide horns and links as per instructions (and in the top picture) however don't stop at five links, just carry on for at least twenty or thirty.
(2) Cut off the connecting sprue between the guide horns using a block to support the links (I used a wooden clothes peg).
(3) Lay the links flat on the bench and press the vinyl end connectors onto the pins four or five at a time (taking note which way up they go).
(4) Cut the vinyl end connectors from the sprue and there you have it. Job done! No need for the supplied assembly jig either.

Meng recommend 81 links in the instructions which is what I've done and it does'nt seem to be pulling the sprocket and idler in odd directions (which can happen sometimes).
Time-wise I reckon it has taken me about four or five hours from removing and cleaning up the links from the sprue to final assembly, also the way they go together means I can paint them seperately and feed them through behind the side skirts when the model is finished.

Meng 1/35 T-90

I made a start on the model last week and so far so good, the fit of parts up to this point has been very good
although I can't help think the torsion bars won't stand up to much stress due to the fairly soft plastic;

The tracks are next to put together and apparently they are a REAL chore to assemble according to some who have built the model so we'll see how it goes.

Scale Model World, Telford 2013

Well that's another show done and the final one of the year (for me anyway). As usual it was great to meet up with old friends but also to make new ones and be able to spend a bit of time chatting with some of my model making heroes such as Franck Oudin, Akos Szabo, Spencer Pollard and Spud Murphy. I shake their hands but the magic they have still does'nt bloody rub off on me :o)
Also it was a privilege talking to the proprieter of Wingman Models, Andreas Klein as he was a former Phantom pilot with 3000 hours in the German Luftwaffe (even though their boxing of the new Kinetic Alpha Jet cost me a lot LOL).
I did'nt get to see the competition (again) but if some of the stuff on the club tables is anything to go by then it must have been outstanding plus I'll wait for the pictures to show up on the net.
Personally I spent an absolute fortune but as they say you can't take it with you so what the hell. SMW is a great place to bag some stuff at good prices such as a set of Fruilmodel tracks for £18 instead of over £30 (I got tracks for the Tasca Luchs and SA-6 Gainful) and it is REALLY hard to resist a lot of the things on offer.
Anyway here's a few pics of what caught my eye during the weekend as I was mostly yapping with other modellers to take hundreds of photographs;

The test shot for the new Revell 1/48 Tornado;

David Parkers' (Editor of AFV Modeller magazine) Meng Models A-39 Tortoise

And his cut-up T-62;

Don't know who built this 1/16 King Tiger but it was lovely;

The USAF Special Interest Group and their display;

The Zoukei Mura stand;

Spencer Pollard showing his beautiful 1/32 Tamiya F4 Corsair;

580 Modellers display of Starfighters (mines the middle one);

Malc Ireson's VERY nicely done 1/32 Tamiya Corsair;

The Airfix 1/24 Hawker Typhoon...simply beautiful;

Finally a real live UH-1C 'Huey';

Tamiya Fw190F-8

This one was started a long time ago and before the household makeover I decided to finish it off. After the last bits were glued on I sprayed it with primer then put it back in the box until today when I decided to spray the undersurface colour...unfortunately I forgot to fill a few gaps beforehand, especially around the cowling;

D'OH!!! THAT'S what I should have done before painting it but forgot all about it...bugger.
Oh well I'll have to get the Milliput out and do some filling tonight. Silly old duffer! :o)

T-26....will it be finished for SMW at Telford? (part 2)

Pfffffft of COURSE it will! In fact here ya go;

I was aiming for a dusty rather than the 'caked in mud' look to it due to the model depicting a machine from the Spanish Civil War. I THINK I have achieved that but what the hell, I quite like the way it's turned out and I hope you do too.
Anyway what's next on the bench...hmmm....well it will be another Russian tank but somewhat bigger and a bit more up to date, something along the lines of this;

Oh yes! I can't WAIT! :o)

T-26....will it be finished for SMW at Telford?

Seeing that the show is exactly one week away at the time of writing I'm throwing various weathering products at it BUT instead of building up layers of mud I want a more dusty appearance, due to the fact it's a Spanish Civil War example so we'll see what it looks like.
Will it be finished in time? Stay tooned folks :o)