# Nut Cracker!



## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Hasegawa has just released their 1/35 "Nut Cracker" for the _Maschinen Kreiger_ universe. For those unfamiliar, it's basically an AI hover tank designed to take out armored fighting suits.

The kit is beautiful and includes two suits. I just received mine and I'm starting it tomorrow.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Great news!
Don't forget. to post pictures!
-Jim


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Even though there are few Ma.K fans here, I might post a WIP. This kit looks like it's going to be a fun build.


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## Bruce Bishop (Jan 17, 1999)

Since I know absolutely nothing about the series, I cannot be a fan of it, per se. 

However, I do enjoy looking at in-progress and finished build-up pictures of any and all kinds of model kits, so please post as many pictures as you can!


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

A WIP it shall be, then.........................


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Here's the kit layout........

Here's the trees for the two armored fighting suits:










The bits and pieces. The kit has bolt heads to glue on to the body (Hasegawa thinks of everything ):










The top hull and turret before working the seams. The hull is just about 12" long - large for Ma.K:










The bottom:










I'm probably going to finish this in a Luftwaffe style splinter camo for the desert.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Wow!
Lots of pieces! Just how big is this kit?
-Jim


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## machgo (Feb 10, 2010)

Looking forward to it, especially after your last build!


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

JGG1701 said:


> Wow!
> Lots of pieces! Just how big is this kit?
> -Jim


Jim,

The hull is just under 12 inches in length.

Here's the turret with the the side plates glued in. The fit was sweet and just needed some light sanding. I still need to polish the seams:


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

The hull has some pretty obvious sink marks. My solution is T beams glued over the marks. It was much easier than putty, sanding and rescribing. The T beams might get sanded flat....or maybe not.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Looking good!:thumbsup:
-Jim


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Thanks, Jim. 

I did my very first weld joint. I used Tamiya 2 part epoxy and shaped it with a pointy pallette knife:


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

The turret is done to where I want to leave it for paint. I had several of the micro bolts take the tweezer flight into the ether. I'll leave the rest off of the model and use a high tack acrylic glue after I prime it.

The turret is a very busy place!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Pretty cool!
-Jim


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## cozmo (Nov 29, 2004)

Where do you get these things?

Are there kits of the armored fighting suits?

I have been getting interested in armored fighting suits but haven't been able to find out a lot about them.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

cozmo said:


> Where do you get these things?
> 
> Are there kits of the armored fighting suits?
> 
> I have been getting interested in armored fighting suits but haven't been able to find out a lot about them.


Here are some examples....................
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=wave+Ma.K.
-Jim


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## Dyonisis (Nov 11, 2009)

You should kitbash the hell out of this - I would!! Looks more like a bug from the top. The bottom reminds me of an "Endentured Servants" first vehicle. I wonder where they got that idea from?  

~ Sick of still being the God of still needing to get paid


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## Stu Pidasso (Apr 5, 2008)

I have really got to start getting into mak. But it's so expensive.... I do have the Falke, though...


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

New heard of this, but it looks like it will be fun.

For the title of this thread, I cringed at first......:freak: :lol:


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

cozmo said:


> Where do you get these things?
> 
> Are there kits of the armored fighting suits?
> 
> I have been getting interested in armored fighting suits but haven't been able to find out a lot about them.


Here's my main source:

http://www.starshipmodeler.biz/shop/index.cfm/category/165/maschinen-krieger-mak.cfm

They're pretty good at staying on top of what is being produced. The trick is that a lot of Ma.K kits are limited production runs - hence some of the prices.

If you want to learn more about Ma.K, here's a great forum:

www.maschinenkrueger.com


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## Xenodyssey (Aug 27, 2008)

THis is really cool. I have one of the basic suits in my stash which this is inspiring me to dig out. Please keep posting the WIP photos as it looks like a great Sci-Fi kit.


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Will do, Xeno......

More work done..................

Open side bay - I figured this is some sort of sensor / seeker:










In place - the aluminum pipe gets hot!:










Pressed on with more turret work. Not too many places left to grab this thing with:










The bottom. I started to get crazy with this then decided no to - it won't be the focus of attention:


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Model is looking awesome Ace!:thumbsup:
Great detail in your work.
-Jim


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## Bruce Bishop (Jan 17, 1999)

Thanks for the pictures so far!


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## cozmo (Nov 29, 2004)

Thanks for the info. 

That AFS MKI and MKII is almost what I have been looking for.

I guess I can find them on ebay.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

I know _nothing_ about this model, but am enjoying the build anyway. Keep posting. It looks great!


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

A little more work done tonight on the hull. All of those microscopic nuts and bolts are tedious as hell........but they're on there. 

The top engine deck confounds me a bit. I'm still deciding what parts need to go on now before primer and what can get put on later. I'm leaving all of the hand rails off until after I have the main finish applied - easier to mask that way. I also need to decide how to paint the engine deck..................I have a boat load of Alclad ready to unleash on it. 

I'm looking to shoot the primer tomorrow morning and start the main finish tomorrow. I have chosen a desert splinter camo - Humbrol Matt 81, Model Master Tan 30219, and possibly a green - MM Euro Dark Green 34092.


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Damn the torpedoes........................pressed on with the primer. I used Testors flat grey primer..........................not really impressed. It went on thick and fast regardless of how far I held the can or fanned it.

The beams blended in well, though, and I have high hopes for the main finish.


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

What scale is this little gem? Isn't there another hover tank out there with a crew? Not sure if it's from the same series. That looks like just plain fun. Can't wait to see your paint job.
Bruce


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

It's 1/35. In the Ma.K world there is an older 1/76 Nutcracker ("Nutrocker" due to a translation error).

And this kit *is* major fun!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Ace Airspeed said:


> And this kit *is* major fun!


Looks like you picked the right hobby Ace!
-Jim


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

I think I did, Jim. 

The primary color is on. I used Humbrol Matt 81 enamel. I guess Humbrol takes a while to dry - it's been 2 hours since I shot it and it still feels a little tacky. I guess I'm used to the Model Master paint drying quickly. When this is dry, I'm on to the tan splinter.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

:thumbsup:
-Jim


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

More to go, and I'm going to give this model a good week to dry before I hit it with the Future.

This should look good once the washes are applied.


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Basic camo is finished on the hull. Now it's time to pick out the details. I'm going to paint the sloping indented part of the engine deck with Alclad jet exhaust and burnt iron. I'm going to try to get to that tonight and post pics. Then it will be on to the turret camo.


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Got some more work done today:


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## cozmo (Nov 29, 2004)

I'm liken' this!

There was some work that went in to designing the concept and you are doin' a really great job. Are you building the little AFS' at the same time, or are you saving them for later?


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Wow - you are doing a terrific job on this!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Are thees parts that you are adding actually part of the kit?
You are doing a great job with the detailing. Very clean looking.:thumbsup:
-Jim


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

JGG1701 said:


> Are thees parts that you are adding actually part of the kit?
> You are doing a great job with the detailing. Very clean looking.:thumbsup:
> -Jim


Yes, VERY cool!

I recognize some of the parts from the old Monogram Cylon Raider - were they part of the original kit are part of your spiffy upgrades? (Speaking of spiffy upgrades, I really like the addition of the T-channels. They really bring the hull alive.)


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## cozmo (Nov 29, 2004)

Paulbo said:


> Yes, VERY cool!
> 
> I recognize some of the parts from the old Monogram Cylon Raider - were they part of the original kit are part of your spiffy upgrades? (Speaking of spiffy upgrades, I really like the addition of the T-channels. They really bring the hull alive.)


Heh, some people see parts from sci-fi models and some people see the tank parts that the sci-fi models were made from. I cannot tell for sure, but they look like Panther engine parts, they may be King Tiger parts though. There was some commonality between the two.


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Thanks for the compliments, guys! 

My build here is totally OOB. It's interesting and fun to build a kit OOB that is based on a serious kitbash. Kow Yokoyama is amazing.

I'm going to save the two AFS's for a rainy day.


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

The hull is just about finished minus a few greeblies, chipping, rust, stains, and wash. The rails were *tedious* and less than fun to clean up................and I'm standing by to start breaking some off as I continue the work. 

It's starting to look like a Nut Cracker!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

* HOLY MOLY THAT'S AWESOME!!!* 
-Jim


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Thanks! 

It's really coming together now. Once I get it gloss coated, I get to have fun with the oil washes.


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## machgo (Feb 10, 2010)

Really slick! Bravo!


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

The turret is just about finished, and I have to make sure I have all of the small parts on. Almost time for chips, rust and stains..........


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Basic chipping and weathering is done. I'll let the washes do the rest. I used brass mesh on the engine shroud - my only venture from straight OOB. I have a few more chips to add and it will off to gloss coat. I'm almost sad to see this build nearing completion - this is the most fun I've had with a kit in a long time.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Ace Airspeed said:


> Basic chipping and weathering is done. I'll let the washes do the rest. I used brass mesh on the engine shroud - my only venture from straight OOB. I have a few more chips to add and it will off to gloss coat. I'm almost sad to see this build nearing completion - this is the most fun I've had with a kit in a long time.


It's been fun for us too! Great build.


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## getter weevil (May 20, 2010)

This is a cool kit, can't wait to see all the washes on this bad boy.

I am curious as to how you are going to display this when done. Are you going to have it "hovering" or just sitting on the ground?

I have the original smaller version of this back when it was called "NUTROCKER" and was consider a display using a strong but thin wire to hold the vehicle a little bit above a base. The only problem is finding a thin enough wire that it looks almost not there and not thin enough to bend easily.


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

I did a Stap with Battle Droid diorama and had the Stap suspended in the air by putting a rock outcropping next to lower tip and running telescoping brass square tubing from the tip through the rock. Would've been better to do this on this tank before it was finished.
BTW, I'll bet you had fun with this kit. It looks incredible. And thank you for sharing the trip with us. Like to see more like this.
Bruce


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Thanks, guys! 

Getter,

For right now I'm just going to sit it down, but I'm thinking about clear lexan rods to display it at hover.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Great job on a great kit!

I can't believe the amount of detail they cram into and onto those models.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Great work Ace!:thumbsup:
You should be proud!
-Jim


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

Decals are on and drying. I'm looking to shoot another gloss coat in a few days and then take a break - I'm traveling for work for a couple of weeks.


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## philp (Jul 20, 2004)

Build looks great. If I ever find one of the 76th scale kits for a decent price I will probably grab it but always have been put off by that turret.


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Cool!


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

The wash is on - a general oil wash of yellow umber mixed with burnt umber, and a detail wash of grey and black. The pics are of a still very wet wash. For all intents and purposes this model is finished. All I have left to do is fabricate a hinge and glue the refueling port door on. I'll be out of town for a couple of weeks and when I get back I'll take some proper pics.


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## cozmo (Nov 29, 2004)

Different and neat, thanks for sharing.


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## Ace Airspeed (May 16, 2010)

It was a very fun build.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

GREAT build-up!


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## breaker2010 (May 14, 2011)

cozmo said:


> Where do you get these things?
> 
> Are there kits of the armored fighting suits?
> 
> I have been getting interested in armored fighting suits but haven't been able to find out a lot about them.



I've been a huge fan of SF3D and Kow Yokayama's art work since the early 1980's. There are about 30 or so kits available of varying scales. Hasegawa fairly recently started to produce a variety of kits (which is a pleasant surprise). Most Hobby shops can get them if they don't have any in stock. Kits include the vehicles (as the NutCracker (or NutRocker depending on your translation)) as well as the armored fighting suites.

Personally, I am NOT a kit builder. My experience was more blowing the shells of kits up with firecrackers as a kid or setting them on fire, so I never developed the finesse of building great kits like the photos above show. I would rather purchase kits that are built! :tongue: (On that note...if anyone has any partially built or completed SF3D kits they'd like to sell, let me know!)


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## breaker2010 (May 14, 2011)

What a great job you did! As I posted in an earlier post, I'm not a kit-builder but a post-build-buyer. Let me know if you'd ever like to sell! Great job!


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