"Die Bergung" 2/JG400 Germany 1945 - Schlepper work

[Martinnfb]

[Martinnfb]

Ya got to be kiddin' me! They used a VW engine to power the Schlepper?! I spent too much time working on old Beetles not to recognize that power plant!

 

Cheers,

Wolf

 

Why not, it came to the light of the day as a agricultural  tractor with variety of detachable applications.

[abbadur]

For those interested in it, please have a look to:

 

http://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/me163/equipment08.htm

 

Alfons

[Out2gtcha]

More progress lads.........

[Out2gtcha]

I am now calling the interior most portion of the Schlepper complete. I completed the engine, battery, trans unit, drive shafts/aux drive shafts and internal exhaust. Im pretty happy w/the way it turned out, but if Im honest, its all going to be hidden under the Schlepper's hood, seat post plate, and fuel tank plate...............but in the case of this little thing, I did it all anyway, so Ill know its there

 

Interior is MM acrylic dunkelgelb, with a MIG enamel wash of shaft and bearing grease on the drive shafts and trans, some MIG engine oil on the engine.

I would have done more detailing work, say like detail painting the fuel tank and cap, but it will be directly under the rear body cover, so will actually not be seen in the least:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also put some MIG exhaust pigment in the front areas where the exhaust/engine/body, meet, as Im sure this area did not get cleaned, and after years of combat use, I'm sure got quite filthy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also got a good start on the Schleppers PE shift/trans engage lever w/spring return and locking cleat plate and associated toothed gate. This is a loooong way from finished, as I added some custom brass nuts to some parts and some MENG resin bolt/bolt heads w/nuts to this, then paint and weather, then add the spring and return wire seen here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All for now gets, as I added the nut and bolt heads, then will chip and weather the shift lever, followed by a wash, then will complete it by adding the spring and return wire, so I can glue in in situ, then the final assembly of the rest of the Schlepper can begin. 

Once I have the main parts of the Schlepper assembled, I will be touching up any silver areas w/Alclad, then will shoot the chipping fluid, followed by an overall coat of dunkelgelb.

 

Thanks and cheers! 

[Out2gtcha]

Although I dont feel like im updating this that much (probably because im not) I am still working on this, if not quite slowly..............

More progress

[Out2gtcha]

Finally got the little Schlepper's interior together to the point, I could seal it all up so one one could ever see it again. .  The dash, and foot kick for the clutch/engagement and gas/brake was painted in wood via the acrylic/oil method then masked so I could assemble everything:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the interior was finished, IP and kick panel painted and masked, I finished the assembly of the main body of the Schlepper:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the CA was drying on that, I finished up the engagement/locking shifter with some fine wire and a tiny bit of weathering. The thing looks SO delicate and small IRL, and so enormously huge, and ungainly in the pics. Fortunately way better in person:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also swapped out the resin center pin on the OOB HpH part for the pivot point on the Schlepper where the Anhanger trailer will attach to. OOB it is only resin and quite flimsy, so  I drilled it out, sank some brass tubing in and glued it to the PE parts. All of this is just dry fit for now:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see here how the pin will allow this rear section of the Schlepper to attach via a pin, to the Anhanger trailer, and allow the whole thing to pivot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

All for now gents, but I am going off call at the end of this week, so hopefully Ill be catching up. 

[Madelf75]

going to be a outstanding build cant wait to see it my friend 

[LSP_Kevin]

Very nice work, Brian! It all looks like real metal.

 

Kev

[LSP_Ray]

Very nice!!!

[Out2gtcha]

Thanks for the kind words guys. This one is progressing slow.............BUT it is progressing.   Got some good news from the PO, that my Profimodeller figures for the Schlepper have arrived!
They couldn't deliver it on Saturday, so they gave me a notice, and I will pick the guys up from the PO this afternoon. 
 
I have found that I am really needing them; more specifically the Schlepper driver. I have several adjustment points on the Schlepper to be able to fit him in the desired driving position, but I really need him to be able to adjust things like the steering wheel, and a couple other things, to make sure he fits in said position.
 
Once I have him, I can more or less start more of the assembly of the Schlepper itself.     I did work on the Schlepper more last night, mainly concentrating on the fenders. 
The Schlepper fenders are a 3 piece affair, with connecting "hinges" in a staggered 3 section part. They are both small and very fiddly, especially trying to keep them both at the exact same angle, and smooth to the touch before putting the metal railings on them.
 

 
 
 
 
 
In the background of the previous shot, you can see the fender railings. I chose some harder wire for the railings, as they had to stand up to some considerable handling by me during the bending process. My OCD also required me to get them at the exact same angles, as when things are unbalanced, it drives me totally BATTY. 
I also chose this harder copper wire as it would make it easier to attach the S shaped side part of railings by soldering them instead of gluing them:
 

 
 
 
 
 
Here they are in situ, just dry fit:
 

 
 
 
 
 
A little further along still dry-fit with the additions of tubes shown on each end of the outside railing:
 

 
 
 
 
 
With the addition of two more smaller railings/grab rails along with bottom of the fenders, the railings are glued into final position:
 

 

 






Thats all for today, but should be back on this later this week, as I have a couple after hours things to do for work tonight and tomorrow.

Cheers!

[Shawn M]

sharp work there Brian

[ClumsyDude]

Wow, all the skills are on display here ... one day I'm going to teach myself to solder. Great stuff Brian.

 

Jim

[monthebiff]

Great work on the Schlepper Brian, looks a very complex little kit in itself.

 

Regards. Andy

[Out2gtcha]

Shawn, Jim, Andy thanks for the kind words, it always seems to help with motivation.   I actually got the Profimodeller figures in too!  They are in fact more similar in size to the Retro-kit Me-163 pilot VS the larger looking ZM figures. (pics later as I havnt managed to snap any yet)

 

However.....................(isnt there always one of these?!??) I have to say the quality of the molding is not on par with the ZM figgies. I will use the Schlepper crew, as i think they will more easily be modified to suit my needs.   

 

What is also strange, is that the Schlepper driver will not fit on the OOB Schlepper. His legs are quite close together, and there is the steering column, as well as shifter in the way, so his legs too will have to be modified even to fit onto the Schlepper, as his OOB config is driving/looking straight forward:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was already going to have to modify the driver quite extensively, since he has a blank stiff looking pose OOB, I wanted to change him to a more relaxed pose, looking backwards as if he is backing the Schlepper up. Something like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pics later, as the X is back at work, and Ill have most all of this week after work 4 - 11 to work on the dio.

 

Cheers all!