Meng FT 17 1:16 Diorama

[Edo]

Hi all!
I am starting a new project: Takom FT 17 in 1:16 scale (item n. 1003) my first in such a large scale!
First let me tell you the box is huge! A real joy for the eyes when you open it. There is also a resin figure of a sitting tankman and by looking at him you got the real perseption of the difference in scale from 1:35 and the frightening feeling that any little error will be so much more visible here! Building and painting has to be perfect or imperfections will stand out and ruin the model... So I'll have to be extra-careful 
On the negative side, I don't like the instruction manual very much: for such a big model (and a pricey one, too) I would have expected something more... all black and white very traditional step by step, no photo reference, no history (just a mere paragraph ending with: "for futher reference please visit Wikipedia" !!!), no painting guide for the interior, colour references only with MIG product's codes  (!).

Anyway, the idea for the diorama is that a tank needs reparation and, luckly, this failure occours near a bistrot where not all is lost! So the tankmen find a chair, put a remainig table upright and pours themselves a glass of red wine (or maybe Pastis) while waiting for mechanics to come. what do you think?

Step n. 1 is the engine building, but studying some pictures I found on the Net, I don't have a clear understanding where the sparks cable is connected to... does some of you guys have a clue?

Thank you for your help

ciao
edo

[Borsos]

Hi Edo,
do you know this homepage: http://www.landships.info/landships/tank_articles.html# ? Maybe some of your questions are answered there.
Best wishes with your dio!
Borsos

[Manni]

Hello Edo,
very nice project. I will definitely watch with high interest.
Regarding your question of the wireing I think I can help you. A fellow modeler of my homebase-forum build one FT17 very nice.
Here is the link to the buildlog: http://www.dmmb.info/t9817f301-Takom-Renault-FT-in-die-Fortsetzung.html
He is a real master and has won a lot of prices.
I hope this helps.
Manni

[Edo]

Hi friends!
thank you for the link! I really appreciate that!
I'll have to dig through the pictures, I am sure to find something useful!

Manni, yor friend did a great job and i don't aven have to dust my bad German to understand what he has done 

But the mistery contiunes:
This is your firend's model



At first I thougt the same as your friend, but then I found other pics on the internet where the cables just vanish nowhere...





to me your friend's choice seems more logical...

I'll try to get some more evidence!

ciao
Edo

[kornbeef]

Edo type FT17 Engine into google :-)

https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6032/5903689869_566e2f2019_z.jpg (hope it works ny old friend :-)

[Edo]

Yeah! I did that, but no clear picture of where the cable are connected to...
I am still searching, in the meanwhile I'll show you some work in progres picture soon!
Ciao
Edo

[Edo]

Hi all!
My quest continues! This time I tried a search on french sites and, actually, something useful turned out!
here are some pics:



This is an image of a restoration of a Renault Type II car (of 1921 I think). So the engine is not the same ot the one of the FT 17, but to me it is quite similar and it seems to me that the sparks' cable are connected where Manni first pointed out.

More evidence follows:



Here also not the same engine but similar lay out



The last one should be the real thing... not a very clear pic though... anyway, it seems to me that the cables are all in the same position, so I'll do the same .
ciao
edo

[Borsos]

Hi Edo,
there's another site: http://po2260.perso.sfr.fr/FT17/FT17.htm#MENU
Have a Look at the manual for the FT there, it may contain information about the wiring.
Best wishes
Borsos

[Edo]

Hello all!
yesterday night I took some pictures of the buid as is now.
Borsos, I saw the site and there are some interesting stuff.
By the way: having spent some time with the engine (pictures follow) I have to tell you that I am less enthusiast then I have been at  first. It is true that  a bigger scale gives you a bigger canvas to work on, but the level of detail of a bigger scale doesn't seem to me as striking compared to the increase in detail from 1:48 to 1:35 scale.
I mean, considering the level of detail of, say, a WNW kit or what Des or Bo or many other great modeller have acheived in their builds, it doesn't seem to me that a bigger scale offer all that much...
Anyway, this is the engine as it is now:







I also re-constructed one of the absorber, not a great picture indeed, but I hope you still get what I did. Not sure if it ok though...



Lastly, I started to paint the figure





This is all for now
ciao
Edo

p.s.
Des, do I have to start a new thread in the group build?
thank you

[Des]

Edo - I can move this topic over to the GB if you wish, just let me know.

Des.

[Edo]

Hi Des!
Yes, please do!
Ciao
Edo

[coyotemagic]

Beautiful work on the engine, shock absorbers  and figure, Edo.  Looking forward to your next update.
Cheers,
Bud

[lone modeller]

Never mind that the amount of detail does not seem to increase in proportion to the scale - what you have done so far is simply fantastic. This is going to be a very interesting thread to follow.

Stephen.

[lcarroll]

Bravo Edo, it's looking great so far. Your engine is superb, keep up the great work!
Cheers,
Lance

[Des]

Excellent work on the engine Edo, and your improvements to the shock absorber is superb.

Des.