KV2

A frontal wireframe view of the tank, giving a clear view into the articulating turret mechanism and each wheel’s detail.

In my grade 11 tech design semester, a project was assigned which required a custom toy with one articulating section, done solo. For this project, I decided to make the KV2 tank, due to its blocky appearance and ease of converting it into a toy. This model was made with multiple sections blocked out, then one final detail pass to add different components, as I wasn’t entirely happy with just the undetailed form to submit as my toy model. For this model, I worked from the turret down, adding a large, robust rotating turret system, as well as ensuring a thick, blocky, robust design style throughout- required me to compromise on some of the KV2’s more fragile details. Once I was done with the main hull and the turret, I moved on to the wheels and suspension. These components were fully articulating and movable, and I had initially wanted to add tracks, which would move in the animation I submitted alongside the model. While I got all the wheels rolling- including the wheels with suspension and the sprocket- I wasn’t able to get the track I made moving, despite following tutorials. I decided that making the track again and having it move would take too much time, and instead, I decided to compromise, showcasing the vehicle without tracks. I ended up 3D printing this model, and the articulating mechanism worked perfectly. To ensure the 3D print stayed together, I combined all the moving wheel sections with the main hull before exporting. The model ended up coming out great, despite the wheels printing strangely clipped into the print bed; the moving mechanism worked perfectly, and the hull has held up to this day in the classroom, except for the barrel of the turret, which snapped after the turret was dropped dozens of times.