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Dragons FlakPanzer I


slodogg62

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im having a problem guys! on this dragon kit, on the dang magic tracks, do i glue them somewhere or not? seems when i put two together, they dont stay together, but the instructions mention nothing about glueing the things

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Patrick,

To my knowledge, all Majic tracks have to be glued. Two reviews....

 

http://www.ipmsusa2.org/reviews2/mil-veh/kits/dragon_35_flakpanzer1/dragon_35_flakpanzer1.htm

 

 

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/misc/flakpanzer1/flakpanzer1.htm

Edited by Mark Aldrich
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Patrick -

 

I'm not sure if this completelty answers your question, but yes, you do have to glue the magic trak links together.

 

What I have found to be the best glue to use is Tamiya's extra thin cement - it allows you to glue the links together in a single run, but stays just flexible enough to allow you to wind the track run around your sprickets, idlers, and roadwheels over night so they can stiffen up.

 

The method I use (and this may have been addressed in the links that MArk provided, but I'm not sure) is to lay down a 15 or so inch strip of Tamiya masking take sticky side up on my workbench. I tape either end of that down so it doesnt move. I then line up a straight edge along the tape and assemble my links horn-up. Once I have gotten my full link length of track laid out, I run down the entire length with small amounts of the Tamiya cement. I then let the let the track sit for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the glue to set so the track can be handled and bent around your sprockets without worry of the links falling apart. Once you've wound your track lengths, you can then form your sag and adjust the length as needed (I always use a few links fewer than are called out in the instructions. It's easier to add links than take them away when that;s the case.

 

I always do this before I do any painting - I test fit my sprockets, roadwheels and idlers to the lower hulls and then wrap the tracks around them and let sit over night so they become rigid. I can then remove them and set aside for painting.

 

See this link from Armorama - it does a much better visual explanation of the method I use. Once you've used this method once, it's like riding a bicycle - you;ll never forget how to do it.

 

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1737

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Pat,

 

The guys have posted some good info here already. I would highly recommend you make a track jig. Mine is simple, a scrap piece on plywood with a small 1/2" strip of wood along the bottom and at one end. Make sure that the two pieces of wood make a perfect 90 degree. Assemble your track links. The whole run. Now coat the track with liquid cement, let it dry for a few min. and test fit. See if it fits and you are happy with the track sag or tention. Now here is the part that armour modelers split. You can remove the track and let it dry, paint/weather it, and then re-attach it in place. -or- Glue it right to the road wheels. I do this with indiviual link track. I prime, paint, weather everything after the vehicle is assembled. It is very scary at first, but it does save time and looks great. Good luck .

 

Chris

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Yep, there's not much magic in Magic Traks. Not nearly as much as in Frosty the Snowman's old silk hat. You may find your self having to clean up ejector pin marks on EACH link if that sort of thing makes you happy. Every link must be glued, but at least we're spared having to cut each link from the sprue & then clean up the cuts.

 

My assembly process is slightly different from those described above: First I assemble & glue the "bottom run" (from center of front road wheel to center of rear road wheel) & let dry at least an hour. Then I add all the extra links, starting at what would be the rear of that side's track, glue & after a few minutes to set up, run the track starting at the back, adding the sag & then wrapping around the front & gluing to the bottom run. Like Chris, I glue all the track onto the road wheels & then paint & weather the drive train all together. Works for me!

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In echoing what Chris mentioned about fixing the track to the hull prior to painting, you can get really good results. Here's another video that actually shows this in progress. If you go to about 4 minutes into this video, you can see the technique demonstrated on a Tiger II. This video is actually part 2 of a 6 part series that chronicles an entire DML BOB Kingtiger build. There are some neat techniques demonstrated here.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhUEGlNP2g8&feature=related

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As said above, you'll need to glue the tracks together. I have used Tamiya Thin Cement, but the links broke apart during handling, so I use the Testors Plastic Cement #3502, in the purple bottle. I have found that it holds the tracks together better than the Tamiya product. But I do use the Tamiya Fine Cement for normal contrstuction.

 

 

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