How to detail HÄT's 1/72 scale FT-17

How to Detail HÄT's FT-17
- Six Easy Steps!

HÄT's two FT-17 kits gives a great alternative to those of us who hasn't the patience to build RPM's beautifully detailed but extremly complex kit. (Also, each kit contains TWO tanks.) The HÄT kit is aimed at the Wargaming Market and is simplified, but it's basically correct in shape and form. I like this kit. Not only will it give you the opportunity to build a kit in one sitting, it is also pretty easy to detail it, and get a quite good FT-17 model. And this detailing work is not difficult, and only requires some plastic card and thin sheet metal: just follow the step-by-step instructions below. (Basic kit building procedures, like cleaning off mould lines, and filling gaps, are taken for granted.)

	1. Trench-crossing Tail First trim down the angled support beam (A), making it slimmer. After gluing the Body Halves together (and filling in the crack inside the tail - tricky!) add the cross-spars (B) on top of the tail, plus the big top hinge (C) were it the tail attached to the hull.
	2. Track Assembly Add the two round... eh, thingies (A) and the rectangular dito (B), on top of the lower track assembly. (Use the returnrollers above as guide.) Also add the small rod (C) protruding from the Front Wheel mechanism.
	3. Drivers hatch Cleaning up the kit hatch is messy, so it's easiest just to replace it. Trim down the original hatch a bit, and replace it with part made of plastic (A), some 3mmx5mm, adding details, like rivets and hinges. If you want to, you could now exchange the handles on the lower Driver Hatch (B) for ones made by wire. And perhaps add hinges from plastic strip (C).
	4. Muffler Remove the kits semi-circular muffler. (You will probably lose some of the kits rivets in the process, but they are easily replaced.) Replace it with one with the same dimensions, but circular (A), and with a curved, down-pointing exhaust (B).
	5. Engine Deck Here a number of small details can well be added (A) - refer to the photo on the left. How much is pretty much up to yourself :-)
	6. Tools box On the left side a tool box was carried, although WW1 photos shows that this was not too seldom missing. Anyway, the kit only shows the fittings for the hangers that held the box. You should either replace these (and the other ones near to it) with sheet metal, or (simpler) put a tools box there, some 3.5mm x 11mm (A). Refering to the photo to the left, also make the other hooks (B), from sheet metal.