Andy in Germany's Pulp Alley Workbench (Steam powered tank WIP)

[Andy in Germany]

I mentioned in my introduction that I'm trying to get my sons to do something practical and creative by trying to start some pulp games, and as part of the project I've been getting one of them involved in a project to make a highly improbably steam powered tank.

After some discussion we decided on something like this:



We started with a chassis, from  a Hobby Boss 'Russian KV-1s Ehkranami tank' simply because it was the cheapest we could find:



After carefully photographing the extra cross bracing we got carried away and forgot to take any more pictures until we got to this stage:



We're making as much of the tank as possible from 'found things' (ie:junk) and to start this, the main part of the 'Boiler' was until recently the top of a milk carton. (and then briefly a mixing cup for an acrylic wash)



The 'fittings' scraps of plastic sheet and brass from my model railway workbench.

So far it seems to be working out:

[Hammers]

That looks like it's going to be a hell of a build!

[OSHIROmodels]

It does look promising 

[von Lucky]

Nice start. Ones man's trash is another man's treasure.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

Looking good.

Tony

[Andy in Germany]

Many thanks for the kind words, I hope you aren't disappointed...

We had a search for a turret, and found a bottle of ear wash, of all things, that was the perfect shape. A small amount of violence on the bottle revealed a number of useful parts. As the ear wash was utterly useless it's comforting to know we get something for the cost...

 Meanwhile, Middle Son put forth the opinion that "We should have a seven barreled gun, that is hidden until we want to use it". He wanted a rotating carriage that swung out the side but I persuaded him that a sliding version will be easier to make:

Of course, at that point I didn't actually know how I was going to make either...

Anyway, Here's the planned ordinance, largely held on with the German version of Blu-Tak:

[Andy in Germany]

Boiler area complete. I don't think there's and real excuse for having two chimneys unless some crazed professor has found a cunning way to improve steaming with them, but I prefer the look of a pair. The silver pipes are from a Chinese takeaway box.

This is about the level of most of my decisions, I'm afraid: engineering and realism can go hang if I think it looks about right.

HZG_ST_09

Meanwhile at the dangerous end (assuming we can refer to that dodgy boiler as the 'safe' part) is mainly finished. In keeping with the use of as much junk as possible, the 'Vickersish' gun in the turret is is made from a bit of tube that came from the same bottle as the 'turret' with a bit of brass pushed inside. I know a Vickers should have the barrel lower down in the casing, but life is far too short.

HZG_ST_08

Oh, and the 'paneling' has been started.

After careful thought I finally ordered a set of 1200 short dressmakers pins for rivets. Fitting these should be suitably mindless to get me through revising this week...

[Codsticker]

...engineering and realism can go hang if I think it looks about right.

The Rule of Cool.

The tank is coming together nicely.

[d phipps]

Excellent work! THANKS for posting. 

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks for the comments; I've got a little further now so I'll try and post progress soon...

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks fir the kind comments. It's encouraging us to keep working on the project.

The tank now has a 'door' on each side and about 120 holes in various places ready for fitting 'rivets'. We went for a fairly big door on the basis that when people leave they will likely want to leave quickly.



Rather more important for the younger member of the team, the seven barrelled gun/door combination works:





Next: rivets and detailing...

[OSHIROmodels]

Love it 

[dampfpanzerwagon]

Fantastic.

Tony

[aircav]

Absolutely Brilliant, looking forward to seeing the finished beast 

[Andy in Germany]

Many thanks for the kind comments...

Exams are over, and tank building can continue. we raided the original kit that donated our caterpillar tracks for some extra detailing parts, and added about 250 rivets:



Right now it looks almost baroque, like something that the french court may have made to put down the revolution. If said revolution had been in a steampunk world.



We decided the back looked a bit empty like this, so hung a few more bits off it:


I also added a bit more of the steam locomotive paraphernalia, although it isn't terribly obvious in these pictures, you can just see what is supposed to be a dome/safety valve.



Next, priming and painting, which means we have to decide what colour it should be. I'm thinking about Royal Navy...

Any thoughts?