AFV Club 1/35 M41A3 Walker Bulldog

[Duke Maddog]

My pleasure Bruce! I'm looking forward to seeing more.

[speedgraflex]

Tank Workshop’s 1/35 Crouse Hinds Searchlight

[speedgraflex]

[Stikpusher]

That’s looking sweet so far Bruce! The searchlight adds a nice big piece of visual interest.

[speedgraflex]

That’s looking sweet so far Bruce! The searchlight adds a nice big piece of visual interest.

Thank you, Carlos! You’re the one who discovered Tank Workshop and made the connection to their catalogue, so I am grateful. Their resin details are worth it—especially when the kit itself is so darn nice, and this kit is really pretty wonderful: the plastic has a realistic texture to it that lends itself to metal... and it really holds paint in place. I still have to build a jig to make grab handles out of brass... and I would also like a clone to handle those drive wheels! I know your experience is showing through on your armor as well because I am taking baby steps here, now I know; I know the resolve it takes (Your Tiger—Kent’s work—Torben’s work; Thomas & His Big Cigar i.e. The Churchill) for a modeler to assemble armor properly.

Recently I watched an “Armor build video” and I thought “Yes, the approach is valid,” with “Build build build build build paint; however I like build paint build paint build paint much more!!

[kahunaminor]

You are far too kind in your praise of my work Bruce, you hold me in esteemed company. I am learning along the way as well with armour modelling. That searchlight does look the bees knees and will look great lit up.

Regards

[KSaarni]

Indeed, the searchlight looks really delicious!

Sorry asking a question I would perhaps find in earlier posts... but will you cover the searchlight or go for a "lens" / light structure ?


- Kari

[kahunaminor]

Thanks so much, Carlos! I was wondering if lighting armor and aircraft was a demerit point; I am used to lighting spacecraft as you wrote for “bling/wow.” A simple lighting setup with a watch battery does not require a resistor, so, should be straightforward. I do not know how the wiring harness was attached, but I assume the slack in the line has to be enough for the barrel to move up and down. I was thinking to use the opening-closing action of the largest hatch as a switch. Thanks again!!

Bruce, are the supplied shutters moveable? From my limited electronics knowledge, I was thinking if you rigged it so that opening the shutters completed the circuit then boom light on. Close the shutter break the circuit light off. Too difficult to wire up?

Just a suggestion and saves opening and closing hatches as a switch.

Regards,

[BlackSheep214]

Hmm... do any of those tank searchlight lens come in a tint color like a pale yellow or even blue? Curious...
That is one sweet searchlight you got going there!

[speedgraflex]

Kent—I really feel your work merits praise—from the three aircraft builds you published here to the armor that is now being crafted. However I will certainly be mindful of too much praise in the future; you have my word. Thanks again, for your advice. You raise an interesting point on actuating the shutters. I am still trying to figure out how these work as well as locating them. There is a clear disk representing a lens and the shutters are molded closed; as Carlos wrote a little while back there will have to be surgery performed. I was considering how the louvers opened...

... which leads me to Kari! Yes, my friend. Open shutters with an LED to illuminate, running on a coin battery. Possibly 1.8 size. Possibly warm white. Although I am not sure... I know it’s a searchlight but a white LED hits hard! Possibly a diffuser could be used...

... which leads me to Tom! The Tank Workshop resin pieces are fantastic. Very well detailed. The components are: (1) the searchlighlight, (2) closed louvers, (3) circular frame, (4) clear lens, (5) mounting bracket, (6) side supports. My main concern is verisimilitude then close behind that comes stability and strength of mounting the light platform to the mantlet. As far as coloration to the existing clear lens, I am now thinking about making a duplicate series from a clear report cover, just to have backups available.

Finally in addition to the above, may I just add thank you gents for your observations and advice? Thank you so much!