I wanted to remember what it was like to build a (non Gundam) model kit, so recently bought myself this:

Here’s what was inside:

Given I had built only Gundams for the last 2 decades, my first thought was “Do I still need glue?”. The answer was yes!

There’s the chassis with wheels attached. I’d done a poor job, since the glue I’d bought was crap and the instructions left a lot to be desired. For instance, should the wheels turn?

It wasn’t until I got to the next section that things became much more difficult…

Those ladder rungs, glued on so obviously poorly in the above shot, were typical of many pieces that required pinpoint precision to attach accurately. Again, the instructions could have been clearer. Again, my glue could have actually worked!

Case in point above: see how the wheel is separating even though the glue had been drying for two hours!! (This was exacerbated by the too-much tension in the tread.)

Anyway after considerable frustration, the near-finished product:

And the actually finished version, after the exercise in frustration that was decal application (turned into a comedy of errors since I had a phone chat with SFL after putting the decal sheet in water!):

Actually looks decent, doesn’t it?

So where is this fierce scale model tank right now? Moments after the above shot was made… I broke it and tossed the pieces in the garbage 🙂