Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

2017 Self-Propelled Artillery Group Build. Campaign runs from 01/01/17 - to 30/06/17. Campaign medals awarded for models completed within those dates.
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Steve Hutchinson
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Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Morning all,

As a preamble to the 2017 GB, a little background.

The past 3 months have been tough, culminating with Anna being hospitalized for 10 days.

2017 has arrived and Anna is now scheduled for corrective surgery for her intestinal issues.
She will have 6 to 9 inches of intestine removed by key hole surgery, but it is low risk and will be a "cure" for her abdominal issues, the surgeons believe.

I have been travelling longer and working more hours which has totally sapped the building "mojo" completely.

I even packed away my desk and turned it into an indoor garden!
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The smaller twin amaryllis flowered on Christmas day
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From garden to grasshopper, a really bad segway :lol:

I shall attempt to build the following into something presentable in the next 6 months
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I was hoping to build straight OOTB :roll: :?
But after some research, even that was severely undermined by what is now diagnosed as S.A.D.
I found out the Dragon kit was most likely researched on the Aberdeen proving grounds example, so there is no lifting gear, cogs, gears, chains and all the other "stuff" :evil:
The trumpeter version has these items, but no interior!
What a dilemma, as I have the Dragon kit, the only solution is
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So, the players, the plan, just need the ummph to get started :roll:

More soon?

Hopefully!

I shall be making every effort to get back to being a more interactive presence here at PA in 2017.

Who will be next with their GB?

Happy New year to one and all.

Regards

Steve H
""I need to be creative, to feel ALIVE!""

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Philipp Gross
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Philipp Gross »

Happy New Year Steve, may it bring all the best for you and especially Anna.

The Heuschrecke is an interesting choice. Really quite an absurd concept, too bad Dragon forgot about the lifting gear.

Philipp
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Adam Durrant
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Adam Durrant »

Happy New Years Steve, hope its a more positive year for you and yours.

The grasshopper should make an interesting build, I've looked at the kit several times but never quite added it to my "cart"!

Will follow this with interest.

Adam :D
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Steve Hutchinson
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Thanks for the positive input chaps

it is appreciated, the 12th could be the big day for Anna, hopefully.

I bought the grasshopper in a period of acquisition, when I was just buying cheap kits from anywhere!

I have several 105 mm artillery guns from wheels through many tracked experimental versions ;)

I have an idea for this one, which should be interesting, if it works :?

Time to get the desk back into work mode again :oops:

More soon :?:

Thanks again chaps

Steve H
""I need to be creative, to feel ALIVE!""

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Vincent Power
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Vincent Power »

Really interesting choice Steve, as usual. :) You have got quite a bit of stuff for this project. I'm looking forward to seeing it progress. ;)

Best wishes to Anna, hope everything is fine.

Cheers,
Vincent
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Raoul Kunz
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Raoul Kunz »

Nice choice Steve!

I've built the Trumpeter Version of the grasshopper a while back.. I think even before MA :lol: .
Does the Dragon kit come with chains for the turret...deployment...option...thingy...?

Also: fingers crossed really hard for Anna's operation!



Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz
~fiat iustitia aut pereat mundus~

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Steve Hutchinson
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Hi Raoul

No chains, cogs or lifting gear what so ever :evil:

But Voyager PE sets sort that out, I also found copper chain with 22 and 28 links per inch at £2 a metre,
a real bargain and from the Isle of Man too, so no VAT 8-)

I hope to start something this weekend, just blocking off holes in the main body as there are multiple items which will not be attached ;)
Also waiting to receive some additional items for a surprise in the build, but that will be for later ;)
that will require I actually finish my first MiniArt building :roll:

Look forward to your GB choice, 38t?

You both OK? Catch up this weekend?

Regards

Steve H
""I need to be creative, to feel ALIVE!""

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Justin Wooding
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Justin Wooding »

Hi Steve,

Interesting choice. Quite a novel idea, although strange. Not sure why you would need to dismount the gun when it is quite well placed on the vehicle alone. Need to research that :P

I have one of these in the stash, but can't remember if it's Dragon or Trumpeter :roll:

Who makes the copper chains? Hard to find the real fine stuff.

Best wishes and thoughts for Anna, and you of course. Life is hard enough as it is, let alone the trials of major health issues :|
Woody...

Trying hard to do some modeling!

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Philipp Gross
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Philipp Gross »

Justin Wooding wrote:Interesting choice. Quite a novel idea, although strange. Not sure why you would need to dismount the gun when it is quite well placed on the vehicle alone. Need to research that :P
We do what we must, because we can.

That sums up German armament development quite well. Sometimes it results in good stuff, sometimes in ridiculous ideas like the whole dismountable gun turret concept. They kept toying with that until the war was over...

Philipp
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Shawn Ramsey
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Re: Heuschrecke IVb, "Grasshopper"

Post by Shawn Ramsey »

Steve

So sorry to hear about Anna's problems. I hope you guys get it all sorted out.

As far as the mojo thing, I completely understand. :roll:

Not that I can talk, but why not build something a little smaller with only one or two figures. Seeing all those pictures of your in progress figures, would certainly put be in a downward spiral. I could never have that many unfinished projects. All I would do is think about them and how much work there is to be done. Takes the fun out of it.

Now going against what I just said and the fact I have about three builds and 4-5 figures sitting on the shelf, it may be time to start something else.

Unfortunately, it won't be part of the GB. The only SPG, I have in the stash is the Dragon Bison, and I really don't feel like building something with tracks. Going to most likely be something in the AA classification. Time will tell. :D

Any ways, get building my friend. Try limiting the amount of figures and see how it works for you. I have the same figure set and it might be working it way into my Scout Car build. I guess I need to update the build on the site. :D

Shawn
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