Tips wanted: Sicaran Battle Tank+Javelins- subassemblies etc

[Mirbeau]

Hi all,

 

As per the title - I haven't put together these kits before (nor the fw predator these seem to share components (sponsons) with). Anything to bear in mind when assembling these kits? Not looking for a full tutorial - just things you wish you'd known before making your own etc.

 

In terms of sub-assemblies - the speeders I'm working on first and already can see some issues with the chairs etc, and how much to leave off for ease of painting. It doesn't seem like I can get away without something approaching the full body complete. I am not a good modeller, FW kits are at the limit of my abilities.

[Noserenda]

Its been a while but i recall the Sicarian kit being a complete pleasure to build, with one exception! Theres a savage gate (Mould feed bit of flash) on the tracks you have to be really careful with removing, id use a saw if i built another.

Not done any Javelins unfortunately.

[Guiltysparc]

I built 2 javelins for my world eaters. I did mine in several bits, the multimelta, missile pods, and front antenna thing i painted fully before attaching them. This was more for ease of holding it while painting then not being able to reach detail.

Then the actual speeder I did in three pieces. The front half, the seats, and the back half. Images below taken from my project log

[old git]

What he said regarding the gates on the top rear of the Sicaran track units. They're almost impossible to remove cleanly. I ended up building mudguards of plastic sheet (sheet styrene in the U.S. I believe) extended from the hull plates to cover the horrible scarring in the resin.

[Mirbeau]

What he said regarding the gates on the top rear of the Sicaran track units. They're almost impossible to remove cleanly. I ended up building mudguards of plastic sheet (sheet styrene in the U.S. I believe) extended from the hull plates to cover the horrible scarring in the resin.

I built 2 javelins for my world eaters. I did mine in several bits, the multimelta, missile pods, and front antenna thing i painted fully before attaching them. This was more for ease of holding it while painting then not being able to reach detail.

Then the actual speeder I did in three pieces. The front half, the seats, and the back half. Images below taken from my project log

Its been a while but i recall the Sicarian kit being a complete pleasure to build, with one exception! Theres a savage gate (Mould feed bit of flash) on the tracks you have to be really careful with removing, id use a saw if i built another.

Not done any Javelins unfortunately.

Thanks all, that's exactly what I was hoping for. Unfortunately I too have the Sicaran gates, will follow advice and clip down to a point where sawing is viable - if that fails will add mudguards.

@@Guiltysparc On the speeders did you glue on the large (largest individual part) front-piece (Fuselage) before undercoating? How snug was your fit and did you have to bend them to fit? Yours look fantastic painted btw

[Grim Dog Studios]

Not really a tip per say, but I found a washer fits perfectly in the circular recess on the sicaran's sponson weaponry, allowing for really easy "magnetization". 

[Subtle Discord]

I talk in a little depth about assembling my Sicaran on page 36 of Legion Rising, if that's any help to you. As other have said, it's by far one of FW's more straight-forward kits to assemble. As a rule of thumb when working with resin, you really should always remove large gates and vents with a saw to be safe; after they get past 3-4mm clippers will be much more likely to take more material away then you want, due to the nature of the resin plastic and the hard-to-control shearing action.

[Guiltysparc]

What he said regarding the gates on the top rear of the Sicaran track units. They're almost impossible to remove cleanly. I ended up building mudguards of plastic sheet (sheet styrene in the U.S. I believe) extended from the hull plates to cover the horrible scarring in the resin.

I built 2 javelins for my world eaters. I did mine in several bits, the multimelta, missile pods, and front antenna thing i painted fully before attaching them. This was more for ease of holding it while painting then not being able to reach detail.

Then the actual speeder I did in three pieces. The front half, the seats, and the back half. Images below taken from my project log

Its been a while but i recall the Sicarian kit being a complete pleasure to build, with one exception! Theres a savage gate (Mould feed bit of flash) on the tracks you have to be really careful with removing, id use a saw if i built another.

Not done any Javelins unfortunately.

Thanks all, that's exactly what I was hoping for. Unfortunately I too have the Sicaran gates, will follow advice and clip down to a point where sawing is viable - if that fails will add mudguards.

@@Guiltysparc On the speeders did you glue on the large (largest individual part) front-piece (Fuselage) before undercoating? How snug was your fit and did you have to bend them to fit? Yours look fantastic painted btw

Hmm, not quite sure what you mean. If you mean the underside of the front half that has all the knobby bits on it, i think i kept that seperate and glued it on, after it was painted, at the same time i attached the seats and pilot. I remember it being super snug and having to bend/straighten the sides of the fuselage on one of them before the underside would fit.