1:35 Dismantled Grouser Rims For Ehrhardt

Dismantled Grouser Rims For Ehrhardt in 1:35 scale

This item is not a vehicle kit, but an accessory set by Copper State Models for a finished model of the German Ehrhardt armored car in 1:35 scale. It brings the grouser rims of the wheels in the state in which they are taken off the wheels and dismantled, that is as they looked while being changed over or when the crew carried them along as equipment.

What the grouser rims were for

The Ehrhardt was a heavy armored car with massive wheels that made headway on muddy or sandy ground only with difficulty. Metal rims with transverse grousers were therefore fitted around the circumference of the wheels, increasing traction and preventing slipping. They were removable parts: on a hard road they put needless strain on the running gear, so they were taken off and carried with the vehicle. That is exactly the state the set captures.

Fitting and painting tips

Try the parts dry first and only then glue them. Choose the glue according to the material they are made of: on resin and 3D prints cyanoacrylate glue works well, on plastic a thin glue for polystyrene. Paint the rims separately from the hull, because they tend to be darker, worn to a metallic shine on the edges of the grousers and clogged with mud, so a dry brush and dust pigments show to good effect on them. A dismantled rim leaning against a fender or laid on the hull is a rewarding diorama detail that gives a model a story.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who build armored cars of the First World War in 1:35 scale
• Builders of dioramas where the vehicle is meant to read as equipment in daily use
• Those interested in detailing an Ehrhardt model beyond the base kit
• Those who want to show the wheels in a configuration other than for driving

This is an accessory set, not a model in its own right. The base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package.