Surprising!

As I continue the build of the Ryefield Models Egyptian T34 122 I have been surprised - pleasantly! Having built the MiniArt and Italeri kits of T34s I am used to having to glue the various external fuel tanks together with the tank being made of two halves and two ends. Once dry the joints between the two parts of the tank have to be sanded to make them invisible - a job which I never relish and to be frank one where some problem usually manifests itself with the circular tank becoming more oval in shape as a result of the sanding! I was therefore pleasantly surprised when starting the fuel tanks on this model to find the tank just consisted of two parts.

Brilliant! However the joy was short lived when I found that the grab handles on each end of the tanks were made of my arch nemesis material - etched brass!

However, maybe because of my experience gained from the recently built MiniArt kit where etched brass parts abounded or maybe because the brass appears a little thicker and therefore stronger or indeed a combination of both, things worked out quiet well. I glued the brass to the plastic tanks with Tamiya cement which in effect softens the plastic and the brass then bonds to it. May not be the right way but it works for me!

With a few more additions to the upper hull, surprisingly, this build is still progressing well!

Not sure if anything will get done tomorrow as it is that once in a year day for me with another year added to my age. Woody is getting old in body but not in mind which is not surprising to Mrs. Woody who says I am a child at heart!