Building the FSF 42cm M-Gerät "Dicke Bertha"
At first I
was quite positive to this kit, but while working on it, more and
more of the problems of the kit has surfaced. It will require A LOT
of work. But still, as it is this detail work that I enjoy the most,
I won't gripe too much about it. Still, the amount is growing as I
progress with the work: completely new wheels needed, and the shield
has to be modified quite a lot. As I see it now, perhaps it would
have been easier to scratchbuild the whole thing? I guess that the reason
for all the errors in this kit is
simply bad references. I think that, for instance, posting better
and better references on the web, will eventually result in better
and better arty kits. This famous gun really deserves better...
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1. This is the simple start. All the parts laid out, I've just started the pretty tedious process of sanding off the mould lines etc - which is the worts part of building white metal kits. Thank God for my trusty Dremel. Notice the wheels: one of the big problems: the wheel belts are wrong: here they are portrayed as a variantion of small and big plates: there were only big ones. Also: there are far too many of them... |
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2. The problems are many: the breech is wrong and lacks detail, the whole gun cradle as well, and the barrel is both crooked and witout taper. I have replaced the barrel with a piece of wood from a brush, rebuilt the breech and detailed the recuperators. |
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3. Also, the platform nearest the gun is of the wrong shape, so I rebuilt it completely. The area under the back platform lacks a lot of detail, and I've put them there - here covered by a layer of paint.. |
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4. Aaah, and here's the next problem area: the wheels... The kit version is REALLY simplified, with the diameter being the only thing really corresponding to reality. The rad gürtel was really a sort of belt, with some slack, so I will try to do it that way, with its two corresponding parts: the links closest to the wheel, and then separately the blocks themselves. |
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5. Here the wheels are close to completion. Work has also started on the shield, which also is a bit wrong in shape. In reality it consisted of two parts, the white part I added being movable. |
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6. Here the wheels are ready, and the shield in place. At the bottom you can see the grenade crane. In the kit it is a squarish, free-standing item: in reality it was more rounded and fastened to the left side of the carriage. It will end up there eventually. |
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7. Painting has started. I've opted for a striking dapple camo. But construction is far from finished. As always with arty pieces you will have to build the kit in segments, painting in as you go, and leaving all the small details out after the main painting and weathering has been done. Only washing and no dry-brushing has been done. And all the tiny details, the crane and the wheels, wait to be fitte |
