engine deck part 2

Hi all again!

As I promised before here comes the second part of Pete Hamann's 3D printed engine deck's preview.
Shell we start with fitting. Unfortunately, the fitting side under the turret to the Tamiya hull is not perfect. I don't know Pete's printed part too long, or the Tamiya version is too short to the original, however this part is not fitting. BUT, very easy to solve this problem. As you can see, the problem is not really coming out under the turret (which part is always under cover) but because the printed part too long, the "cast" part top of the exhaust is not covering well that look at the photos.

After fitting, I removed the engine deck lockers. I did not because it's not accurate, I did because I used only this printed part, and was much easier to reproduce from Tamiya plastic. One more thing. I cut out the grill's cover on the top right site. Watching original photos, looks like it was always open (and looks much cooler ;) ) Than I cut a left over part grill from a King Tiger and glued to the bottom side. As you can see on photo, I've made a mistake and over cut the 3D part, but as i mentioned before it's all under the turret :)

When it was on it's place I just made all the small details, like hooks, bolts and the engine deck opener rod. and finally all got it's shape.

Where you can see green signs there is already good, where you can see red, that's part I have to fix it.

What can I say after this 3D printed part? Wish I could order the other part as well (second half of the engine deck) This is the most accurate part in the whole kit. The plastic is good, easy to work with, the details are superb. I'm sure the way is open to the new technique and I'm sure it wasn't my last piece of 3D printed one. Thanks a lot to Pete Hamann for this, and I hope I can build more from yours!

And here comes the final photo:

NOTE: I did not get this 3D part as a gift. I bought it. The opinion what I wrote it above is mine, and it's definitely not a commercial!

Thanks
Gergo

engine deck

As I promissed before to Pete Hamann, here comes a small preview about his 3D printed engine deck.
First you could ask me, why I need to change anything in my T-55 when it's nearly ready. The answer is very simple, few weeks ago new information came about my beast. The information was "official" from a veteran soldier of  Serbian army, who confirmed the vehicle what I'm currently building, is a Polish made, and not a Czech made as I thought before. Between the two version there are minor differences, specially if you are standing on the ground and watching it from side view. However if you are making a modell, and watching it from top view, you clearly capable see differences between engine decks. And here we now, the minor change. The Czech version has different hatch of the engine deck.

                                                                POLISH VERSION

The two doors are opening to the end of the tank!

                                                              CZECH VERSION
The two doors are opening different way! One is opening to the end of the tank, and the second door is opening to the side of the tank!

On the market there is no available upgrade set only the Blast models poor quality Czech made version. But nothing for Polish. That is a sad thing because a thousands of T-55's made by Polish.

Now I have a chance to work with Pete Hamann's 3D printed version.

For first sight I have to say impressive! Of course there is more after-work with it, because of the method of printing. The surface of the plastic is too rude, but only a small grinding and it's solved. now, look at the mistakes.
In my opinion, Pete's company doesn't need to print with deck the door's holder pins. Those are not curved as needed to, but square one. It's absolutely not a problem, if your doors are open when you finished your modell.

Unfortunately in my printed engine deck, there is a printing mistake also. The left side fixing hook (picture below) Which is not a problem to me, because I wanted to change it anyway to P.E. (green color=good, red color=bad)

And finally there is another mistake (which is also not a mistake, only not 100% fit the side of the 3D printed version the Tamiya's hull. But with small work you can fix that problem easily.

CONCLUSION

This small update is a niche! With this little help, you can do accurate version of Spring 1968 Prague, Serbia 1995, but I saw many Polish version in Iraq or many of them in African service. The quality is on the top, and if Pete will change the mistakes what I just wrote above, that will be the best available upgrade set in market, not just even for Tamiya version, but Takom also. I'm really upset now I did not Order from Pete a full engine deck only the doors, because I said I have Blast models grills' part engine deck, but now as I see this kind of quality I wish I could order that too. I'm sure this niche unit will make you easy to upgrade your T-55 in the very best way!


The second part of review, including the built in part will follow the end on this week!

Cheers
Gergo