Session XI

The bogie factory wraps it up

All that my octet of bogies was missing was a pair of pieces per component. The smaller and potentially less easily distinguishable was the bit that locked the bogie on the the axle. Then the second one, pretty clearly, was that cabin roof piece that was, I guessed, protecting the springs from pinecones falling from the trees or something like that.

After a pretty short glue-curing break I decided to install the whole set onto the lower hull at once. The first ones per side felt a bit flimsy, but as soon as all eight were on, the monster felt much more stable. I left it standing on its paws to get all the pieces to cure in a nicely straight and even position.

On the takeover lane

At this point the instructions were urging me to install the tracks, but as the roadwheelery was still curing, I didn't think it made any sense. So I jumped to the next implementable step, which happened to be the main turret's gun and its friends.

Hunting the pieces down took ages again, but at least these were much less cleanup-intensive than the previous bits. During my final session minutes I got some howitzer's read end pieces done and both turret seat setups. The ergonomy of said seats looked terrifying, but perhaps the crews weren't expected to survive long enough to develop any back issues.

Session X

Hell is pieces

I finally got to a new page of the instructions and for the first step I was told to preassemble eight components 16-A, which happened to be the road wheel unit. A bit like those things (VVSS bogies) on an M4 Sherman, among other tanks.

Fifteen minutes later I had got half of the bogie pieces and all the springs cut off and somehow cleaned up.

After the next generous fifteen minutes I had gotten all the pieces I needed now done and ready to be installed. At this point I was already in the "well, I have to quit and pack up in a few minutes" mood, see my ~45min session time.

Still, I began my expectedly short actual building stint to see what I could achieve. I started with the quickest and most easily mass-produced bits, the road wheels (x16).

Next I rapidly glued all the springs into the bogies and after those I installed the central bits. According to the instructions the springs should've connected with a loud snap - but no, I heard nothing, needed no special force as they settled in peacefully for me.

So, I managed surprisingly far in a bit more than ten minutes, when I finally got to begin the assembling. I did try some dry-fitting of the outside bit of the bogies, but I didn't feel like fighting with them in a rush and less than optimal amount of care.

Painting all this would be joyful... However long it takes to get there.