Dundee Dude's track trick SBS, part 3

Well, I've been a busy boy this weekend....

Okay, stick with me folks, this is the final installment. And a doozie it is. This time we will deal with a vehicle having a drive train composed of interleaved wheels. This almost exclusively means no return rollers. I've chosen an old shelf queen for this, an early Jagdpanther from DML, part of their former "Imperial" range, stock number 9012. I believe it's a re-box of an old Gunze offering, someone correct me if I am in error.

I will begin with a caveat. In this series of SBS', I have purported to show you that purchasing AM workable single link track sets in either plastic, resin or metal is often quite unnecessary. Well, here I must be honest and say this model is not a very good example as the links are fiddly and annoying to work with, as well as being a holy terror to clean.. I have had much difficulty with them, especially compared with non-workable ModelKasten and Tamiya links for a similar vehicles (incidentally I am quite sure the Tamiya offering is really the MK ones re-boxed).

Nonetheless, for purpose of demonstrating the technique, this will do.

Let us begin then. Once again, as in part 1 and 2, you've prepped your wheels and cleaned your track links. However, this time the only parts you've assembled are your sprockets and your idlers. Further, you will need to build the tracks runs in two steps, a short bottom section and the much longer top/wrap around section. This can actually be done in two distinct modeling session as I did with this vehicle.

First you will need to paint the lower hull pan with your favourite/appropriate "muck" brown. Once this is dry you can mount your inner set of wheels. This time, unlike preceding ones, you must cement the wheels in place right away.


Next, mount your intermediate wheels (or final set for the Tiger ausf B [Kingtiger to most] family) on the appropriate axles using tissue shims if required. This done build your short run of tracks, using only enough links to reach the mid point of the front most well and the mid point of the rear most wheel Glue that track run in place; once set it should give you this.



At this point, whether you've split the work or not, it's time to assemble the remainder of the track run from the links you counted out. Let the solvent set for about ten minutes, then eyeball where your sprocket and idler need to go and wrap the ends of the run around them. Don't worry if your a little off, the track is still very workable.




It's now time to join both runs together, front and back, and cement them. Again I prefer a slow acting solvent here as you may have to fiddle some with your tweezers.


At this point, glue the top of the middle wheels (final ones on the Tiger ausf B) to the track run. Be very careful not to get any glue on the inner set of wheels as this would ruin the whole exercise.


Using a brush handle, press down on the top run of track to make is sit as appropriate to the vehicle your are modeling


Fit the outer wheels (Panther, Tiger ausf E families) but again do not glue them on. Use more tissue "shims" if they are loose on the axles.


Once the model sat for 12 hours (or overnight), gently, carefully pry the track run off the vehicle after first removing the outer set of wheels. Once the run is off, apply more solvent to the back of the assemblage, just to be on the safe side.



Store the track runs on the vehicle to avoid the evils of shrinkage. You need not mount the outer wheels on at this juncture.


This techniques should give satisfactory results with most interleaved or staggered road wheel drive train. It won't solve your problem in the case of an early Tiger ausf E. If I ever tackle one of those (okay, when... ), I'll be sure to fill you in one the event.

Oh, if anyone should want to ask why the rubber rims of the wheels are already painted black, be forewarned. This puppy's been sitting on a shelf for so long, I can't for the life of me recall why I did this.