Issue 73 cover_Issue 26 cover 10/10/2013 11:19 Page 1
THE VERY BEST IN SCALE ARMOUR MODELLING
73
AFV Modeller
November / Decemberr 2013
November / Dec 2013 £6.50 UK $14.95 www.afvmodeller.com
Objective Panzer IV Ausf.G Modelled by Markus Eriksson
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CONTENTS 2
Objective Kharkov Markus Eriksson describes his Panzer IV Ausf.G based on the Dragon kit.
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M-51 Isherman The Academy Super Sherman modelled by Dave Oliver
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DIY Photoetch Chris Meddings of Inside the Armour explains how to design your own photoetched parts
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“In der Falle” Part One Robert Doepp describes how he built his 1:24 vignette with the Tasca Zündapp KS 750m
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Target Tortoise Part Two The Editor’s interpretation of the Meng A-39 Tortoise concludes with a look at the painting techniques.
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Approach to Berlin Radek Pituch describes his late War JS II and crew
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Keeping Track More new releases
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Operation Frühlingserwachen - another defeat in the East Franck Bazin creates an Image of Germany’s desperate struggle during the closing stages of the War
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Objective Panzer IV Ausf.G Modelled by Markus Eriksson
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It seems like most modellers building German WWII armor prefer the more powerful Tigers or the Panther over the more common Panzer IV, but I was very pleased when Dragon announced they were to release kits of all the Panzer IV variants. I prefer the versions with the longer guns and my interest with the 1943 Kharkov battles made the Ausf. G an obvious choice for me when it was released a couple of years ago. I had long considered the idea of a model of a white-washed Panzer Grey vehicle fighting in and around the city of Kharkov and furthermore it would offer me a chance to try the hairspray method. When plan a new project I search for unique details which would make the model stand out and this approach also opens possibilities for a personal touch to the completed model. The inspiration for me to start this project was a collection of images of a Panzer IV I found on the web site Missing Links, showing a Das Reich Division
vehicle
from
Kharkov.
The
most
prominent feature on this tank was the mounting of extended Winterketten tracks on the left side, with ordinary tracks on the right. There are other details on this vehicle not seen elsewhere, and the fact that Echelon had released decals for this particular vehicle endorsed my choice of subject.
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Construction process
set and I finally changed to the Voyager
made this with a piece of brass tube and
versions before I damaged my mental
weld seams from Magic Sculp. Speaking of
Even though the Dragon Smart Kit is very
health. Apart from the fenders and tool
which these were the only weld seams
detailed, I couldn’t resist the addition of
clamps, the Griffon set was pretty good
added on the whole model - a testament to
some extras, like photo etched (PE) details
and great value for the amount of parts
the quality of the kit.
and a turned aluminium gun barrel. The
included. I found the thin brass tubes for
Dragon kit is superbly moulded and the fit
gun cleaning rods to be excellent, and
I used two different brands of tracks;
is great. Most areas are very fine, to the
these added a nice touch to the completed
Friumodelisimo and Model Kasten. The
point of wondering how they can even
model. I used turned gun barrels for both
reason for this is simply because I had the
mould these details and you really need to
the MG34’s and main gun, as these create
Model Kasten ones in my vault and these
think twice before you change parts for
an unbeatable sense of scale and detail
are detailed on both sides, which the
aftermarket replacements. I used PE from
compared to the styrene kit parts. The
Friumodelisimo aren’t. Unfortunately, the
the Chinese company Griffon, which
same goes for the main gun, which even
Model Kasten tracks are very delicate and I
includes a vast number of parts for several
has the rifling, and I also replaced the kit
suggest anyone considering using them, to
versions of the Panzer IV G. A model does
antenna with a turned brass version.
paint them with an acrylic primer, so as to not damage the plastic with stronger paint
not automatically become better the more
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PE you use so I was selective in which
The vehicle I had decided to represent
thinners. If you are building on a deadline or
parts I used. One example is the fenders,
displayed a number of field modifications,
are just generally eager, they also take
and after trying a number of times with the
enabling me to give it a personal touch.
more than twice the time to construct
PE fenders I decided to use the original kit
One of these is a plank attached to the rear
compared with the Friumodelisimo type.
fenders. In the end I only used the front
armour plate, I took a piece of plasticard
mudflaps from the PE set, to be able to
and scribed it to represent wood grain, and
have them hinged up, to let the
it was fitted with Calibre 35 bolts. Another
Winterketten run smoothly.
prominent detail on this tank was a small
The usually difficult to construct German
fitting on the Commander’s cupola,
tool clamps, were impossible with this PE
probably for mounting a machine gun. I
Painting Painting begins with a coat of primer, and I used a black spray can from the Games Workshop Citadel range to create a protective layer for the upcoming washes
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and filters. I use black primer for its coverage and pre-shading qualities and if you miss a hard to reach section, you don’t have an obvious grey or white spot glaring at you. I chose to paint the base colour with Tamiya paints, as I think they are the most suitable for airbrushing. The first mix contained 85% XF-63 German grey; 10% XF-18 Medium Blue, and 5% XF-15 Flat Flesh, to create a warm dirty tone. I also added a dribble of X-22 Clear to get a bit of metallic feeling to the model. I deliberately avoided covering everything, keeping the heavier coverage to the middle of the panels and fading towards the edges, and letting the black primer create depth. A second layer was then airbrushed, this time with more XF-15 Flat Flesh added for highlights; around 30% to the base mix. Keeping the paint thin, this is repeated a few times until the mix is 50% base colour and 50% XF15 Flat Flesh. I used the same principle for the road wheels, but made a mask from plasticard to conceal the rubber rims, thereby saving a lot of time. Now the model starts to resemble a real tank, but to add further depth and bring out the details even more, I drybrushed all areas. I prefer to drybrush with Humbrol enamels, as they don’t dry as quickly as acrylics do. I used a 50/50 mix of 147 Matt light grey and 61 Matt flesh. I wiped off the excess paint on a cloth until the brush leaves almost no trace of paint, and the worked over the model section by section.
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I then left it to dry out completely for a
with the hairspray method, I searched the
whitewash from Sin Industries. This filter
couple of days before the next step – filters.
Internet and read all facts. Accordingly
creates a matt finish over the clear varnish,
several thin hairspray layers were applied
and was applied in two layers using a size
I choose to make the first filter with 5%
and to avoid getting a gritty result, I used
5 brush.
Prussian blue oil paint and 95% Humbrol
my airbrush for the application. Tamiya XF-
thinner, and it was applied with a No 5
2 White was then applied in thin layers over
After this had dried I started with the dark
brush. This step calls for some quick
the model. I wanted a washed out kind of
washes. A overall wash of Winsor &
working, as you need to cover the whole
faded look, and to achieve this I was
Newton Raw Umber and Ivory Black
model before the filter dries or you might
meticulous with applying quite a random
thinned with White Spirit was applied, to
end up with ugly drying marks. After drying
thickness. I found it best to thin this paint
bring out the details. I added more black
completely; I sealed the work so far by
with tap water, as acrylic thinner might
paint around hatches and shadow areas,
airbrushing a layer of Tamiya X-22 Clear;
dissolve the underlying layers, and it is
and more brown on the lighter areas. To
protecting it from further painting steps and
easier to remove the white paint if you only
control the result, this work should be done
also to assist the application of decals.
use water.
in several steps. The final step was a pure
Out came the aforementioned Echelon
The areas I wanted to remove the white
black pin wash over the darkest parts of
decals, and in my opinion these are the
paint were moistened and after half a
the model. To represent worn paint, the
best waterslides on the market. They are
minute I started scrubbing the paint with
‘dot technique’ works best for me. This is
thin and the risk of silvering is minimal. I
different sized brushes working in small
when you cover the whole model with dots
started by adding Humbrol decal fix to the
sections at a time. To create an even more
of different coloured oil paint, blended with
working area, applied the decal then an
battered appearance I drybrushed selected
the addition of white spirit.
additional swipe of decal fix was added to
details with Humbrol 67 Panzer Grey. Even
make the decal blend into the model.
though these colours don’t fully match with
Now it was time to give the model more life
When all decals were fixed, another spray
those already applied, they do help in
with chipping and scratches. I used fine
of X-22 was added to seal them and hide
breaking up the uniformity. The more
brushes and I also use a sponge for the
any decal edge.
nuances the better! This was once again
more irregular undefined chipping. To keep
sealed with a thin layer of varnish. Time for
randomness in the chipping, I turn the
Finally I got to the bit I had been brooding
the last filter to harmonise the whitewash
model around frequently. I prefer to use
over since the start of this project: Painting
with the underlying colours, and this was
Vallejo acrylics for painting details, chipping
the whitewash. Without any experience
done with a ready mixed filter for
and such, and used 70822 German
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Camouflage Black Brown and 70950 Black for the chips and scratches. To further enhance the chipping I added some rust streaks, which gives the tank an aged appearance. It was now time for detailing. I started with a layer of Cast-a-coat to texture the exhaust system and then by masking it off. A mix of Tamiya XF-9 Hull Red and XF-1 Black was airbrushed on. A Vallejo mix of 70856 Light orange, 70822 German Camouflage Black Brown and 70817 Scarlet was then stippled on with an old brush. Another layer with 70856 Light Orange added was added to lighten the rust. I also used the dot technique but this time with Naples Yellow, Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber. A thin hairspray layer was then added for the latter part of weathering process. This was covered with a coat of the original Panzer Grey mix, and the chipping was then done the same way as with the whitewash, but with much more paint removed. This was sealed with a Dullcoat layer. A wash of W&N Raw Umber picked up the details; followed by a thin layer of Production P023 Light Rust pigment set with Humbrol thinner. Lastly I added some soot to and around the exit pipe. I wanted the wooden plank on the rear armour plate to stand out and replicate old unpainted wood. This was achieved with a Vallejo base mix of 70% 70864 U.S Field Drab and 30% 70822 German Camouflage Black Brown. The graining was brought out with pure 70822 German Camouflage Black 7
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The final parts to paint were the tracks and
Brown and a W&N Raw Umber wash. After some thought; I decided I wanted to have
As previously mentioned, I wanted the tank
spare track links. They received a base
the plank as if it had originally been painted
to look as it really ‘had been around’, and
coat of 50/50 Tamiya XF-1 Black and XF-9
in the original Panzer Grey, and used the
to achieve this I started mixing mud from
Hull Red. This was followed by a wash of
hairspray method once again, and added
MIG Production acrylic resin, fine sand,
W&N Raw Umber to bring out the detailing.
extra chipping with Vallejo 70819 Iraqi
plaster and different MIG Production
Again, I used grinded graphite for the
Sand.
pigments; P034 Russian Earth, P033 Dark
recently worn areas, applied with the
Mud and P026 Concrete. This goo was
rubber tipped brush. The highest highlights
All tools originally painted German Grey
applied with a scrap brush to exposed
received a light touch of a ‘graphite paper’
was painted with Humbrol 32 Light Grey, to
parts around the drive train. When this was
used in carpeting industries. The spare
make them stand out from the Grey
dry, I stippled the same parts with a lighter
track links did obviously not receive this
background.
shade of the mix. On the lower parts I
graphite treatment, but instead an
Tools with metallic finish were painted with
added a rather thick wash of W&N Raw
application of MIG Production P024 Light
Vallejo 70864 Oily steel, followed by a coat
Umber oils to represent moist mud. These
rust and P025 Standard rust.
of powdered graphite applied with a rubber
steps were repeated a few times until I
tipped brush to give them a slight sheen.
was satisfied with the overall effect. To
The figures
The tools then received a wash of W&N
further enhance the illusion of a well used
For me, no tank model is complete without
Lamp Black to further accentuate the
tank, I decided to add oil spills on the
at least one or two figures or two, as they
details.
engine deck and at certain greasing
give ‘life’ to the model. Therefore I chose to
Wooden parts were painted with 60%
nipples. This was done with the rather
add two interacting figures to this model,
70819 Iraqi Sand and 40% 70873 U.S field
unusual mix of 70% Tamiya X-19 Smoke,
using a stock Alpine figure and one
drab, and the graining with W&N Burnt
10% Humbrol 33 and 20% W&N Raw
converted Takahashi figure, from which
Umber.
umber, thinned with Humbrol thinner and
only the torso was used, together with a
The same techniques were used to polish
applied in several successive layers.
Hornet head. The head on the Alpine figure
the sprockets and other areas of wear.
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was also replaced with a Hornet one, as
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these have a little more character to tell the
these weather conditions. The dirt is
glued it on top of the grass. Another layer
story better.
comprised of filler mixed with fine sand,
of Acrylic Resin and bicarbonate was
Skin tones were painted with Winsor &
white glue, static grass, and dark brown
applied to build up a natural shape, before I
Newton oils, using a combination of Naples
acrylic paint.
applied a layer of gloss clear varnish to get
Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber and
The grass is Plumber’s hemp seal, which is
the icy effect. The old abandoned plough is
Titanium White. All other areas were
cut to appropriate lengths and white glued
scratch built from plasticard and brass, and
painted with Vallejo acrylics. Vallejo paints
in place to resemble flattened remains of
painted in the same manner as any tank
are very well suited for painting clothes and
last year’s grass. I then airbrushed the
model.
garments, as it can be extensively thinned
grass with different Tamiya acrylics. A wash
with water. For the SS runes and other
with W&N Raw Umber oil paint was added
This has been a very interesting project for
insignia; I used decals from Verlinden and
to strengthen the nuances, followed by
me, trying out quite a few new techniques
Archer Dry Transfers.
drybrushing with light browns and beige
that I have wanted to try for a long time.
Vallejo paints. The thawing snow was made
The hairspray method proved to be highly
The base
by pouring Mig Productions Acrylic Resin
effective and time-saving and it is definitely
To enhance the feeling of a cold late winter
onto a flat surface, followed by layer of
not the last Panzer IV I will build!
scene created a small base depicting
bicarbonate of soda. When dry, I super
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DAVE OLIVER MODELS ACADEMY’S 1:35 M51 ISRAELI SUPER SHERMAN
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The M51 Isherman was the result of continued development of Israel’s fleet of M4 Shermans to counter the increasingly modern Soviet armour used by the Syrian and Egyptian Armed forces. Fitted with 105mm gun, requiring a heavily modified turret to accommodate the breach and a muzzle brake to decrease the recoil. Other modifications comprised of an uprated Cummins Diesel engine and HVSS suspension. All in all, it’s an impressive looking vehicle which
acquitted itself well against much more modern armour during the 6 day war of 1967. Nevertheless, the Israeli Defence Forces suffered some of the highest casualties during clashes on the Golan Heights, which is where this diorama is set, with one unit losing 24 of its 26 vehicles. Having bought the Academy kit at a reasonable price and sourced the very comprehensive Eduard photo etch set. I started researching the build. There were several different
marks or ‘phases’ of the M51. The Phase 2 version seemed most common during the six day war, but having said that, the IDF seemed to modify many of the tanks in a rather random manner, with many different stowage configurations often used on different phases. One surprise was the appearance of many of the crews, who often wore beards and relatively long hair, not the usual regulation army short back and sides!
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The first thing that struck me upon starting the build was the rather unrealistic cast texture on the hull, this was sanded down to a greater degree with a few areas left around some of details on the turret and hull. The pronounced weld around the rear of the turret was remodelled with milliput . A Dremel drill was then used to add scuffs and gouges to the surface, then Mr Surfacer was stippled over the whole tank in a random fashion, while some areas were smoothed off with thinners to form a contrast.
The engine deck required some modification in order to represent a Phase 2 tank. The exhaust housing was deleted and photo-etch engine louvers were added. Weld marks were made using Andrea Sculpt, while the brace for the gun and brackets were scratch build from Evergreen styrene, replacing the kit item which was incorrect for this version.
The mantlet cover for the gun would not sit flush with the turret, so this was padded out with Andrea Sculpt, thereby providing a much better fit, and a more realistic look to the canvas.
Miliput weld beads were added to the muzzle break. Unfortunately when it was offered up to the turret, I realised the mantle was the wrong way up!
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HULL AND TURRET
The photoetch gives the kit’s .50cal the added detail and finesse it needs
The bead holding the mantle cover in place was replaced by lead wire while the cleats holding this in place were re-modelled with lead foil. P.E. details such as the smoke dispensers and the antenna harness were then added.
The side skirts were thinned down in random areas, again with a Dremel, the plastic being gently heated and pushed out of shape with a round scalpel handle to simulate wear and tear.
The hull then had the stowage attached; the kits Jerry cans were modified to accept the P.E. baskets, which looked much better than the ones moulded onto the cans themselves. Many reference pictures show the rear baskets bent out of shape so I tried to model this as best I could 13
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WHEELS AND TRACKS The road wheels were prepared first with a Dremel then nicks in the tires were added with a blunt scalpel blade to make them look worn. These were then brush painted with Lifecolor Vulcanised Rubber from the excellent ‘Shades of Black’ set and then weathered with the Tamiya Weathering System Grey to give them a worn look. The tracks supplied with the kit are of the rubber band variety and look accurate enough, the problem is the rather pronounced seam line that runs along the outside of the track pins. The vinyl used is very hard to clean up so in the end I decided to use the AFV club individual tracks instead. Having wrecked about half a sprue of links, I hit upon the best way of removing them. Trimming all the sprue away and then placing the sprue cutters across both sprue gates at the same time meant that the delicate pins that hold the two track plates together are not put under pressure and don’t break. The instructions maintain
FIGURES I then turned my attention to the figures. The three crew figures supplied with the tank looked good but their poses had to be altered in order to make them appear more natural. The Commander required the most work. Having seen a rather dashing period picture of an Israeli Commander sporting a pipe, I decided to use a Hornet head with a suitable smoking expression and add a scratch built pipe made from lead wire. I also gave him a late 60’s hair-do complete with side burns and receding hairline. Looking at the figures in position on the tank, the hands looked rather large so these were replaced, again with Hornet aftermarket items. Finally, the gunner was given a beard made from Andrea sculpt.
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that no glue is required, but having had to reassemble the tracks every time I moved them, I would dispute this! Instead I applied ‘Tamiya Extra Thin’ glue to the front of each track pin, this kept everything together, but still allowed the track move naturally.
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PAINTING AND WEATHERING Finally, the model was ready for its primmer coat. I used Alclad grey primmer which formed a good key for subsequent coats. A shadow coat of gloss black was added around the base of the turret and side skirts to give contrast to what could otherwise be a rather monotone finish. Several thin coats of ‘Lifecolor IDF Sandgrey’ were then sprayed on. I then tried my hand at colour modulation. The top of the turret, engine deck and front of the hull were given increasingly lighter shades of the base colour, while underneath the side skirts and the base of the turret were given darker tones. I feel I could have been a little bolder in making more of a contrast but did not want to repaint the tank if it all went wrong. After adding a little chipping, I repeated this over the course of the build to add contrast with some areas being covered by the weathering process while others were added right at the end. I then gave the whole model a coat of future. Due to the irregular surface of the hull and turret, I decided to spray on the future coat to avoid any unwanted build up around the hatches and details. The kit decals were correct but the options were a little limited so I decided to use the Archer IDF Dry Transfer set instead. This brought back many happy childhood memories as transfer books were all the rage in the 1970’s. These went on without any fuss and were easy to distress with a sewing needle to make them look worn. Another coat of future then a coat of Lifecolor satin clear was then added to seal everything in and prepare the model for weathering. A MIG Brown Wash was used to pick out details, once this was dry I used the AK Interactive Streaking Grime which added a nice grubby appearance. I then used the dust effects, unfortunately this proved to be rather stubborn when trying to remove any excess. This may well be due to the fact that I used standard white spirit not the official AK Interactive product. Finally, certain areas where the crew would climb on the tank were given a light wash with MIG Buff oil paint to restore the original colour. Once the Antennas’ and crew hatches and other fittings had been glued on, the model was given a light coating of Tamiya XF57 in areas where dust would build up, this also helped unify the finish on the whole tank, blending in the crew and items of kit that looked a little stark before this. Pigments were then used to add the final stage of weathering. The sand and soil of the Golan Heights has a red-brown appearance so I selected the excellent Pinnacle Pigments Desert Sand and Beach Sand colours, which provided a good match. Finally a few extra items of kit were added, these were tied down with EZ-line. Then I turned my attention to the base.
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GROUNDWORK AND BUILDINGS I wanted to create a simple scene that told
removed and a pin was used to remove
telegraph lines were then added to
a story, but one wouldn’t detract too much
the masking solution and add random
complete the scene.
from the tank. The Arab mother and
scratches.
daughter figures by Verlinden, looked great
Once I was happy with the road and the
I enjoyed every aspect of this build, from
and required minimal modification, I just
backdrop, these were glued to an ‘Art
the research to the completion of the tank
added bags and repositioned the mother’s
Foam’ card base. The banks of earth at
and the diorama I have learnt new
arm so it is resting on her daughters
the front and back of the diorama were
modelling techniques as well as learning a
shoulder.
then made. I used Sculptamould, a paper
lot about the history of the conflict in the
One thing that immediately became
based modelling medium which has a nice
area.
apparent to me was the need for some
earthy texture to it. This is first mixed with
kind of back ground. I was a little reluctant
white glue and water, then the same
at first to use a two dimensional picture,
pigments used on the tank are added to
but having seen the Costal kits backdrops
give it the right colour, it is then spread on
at Telford I was convinced it would work
the base. Bricks, bottles and other debris
with a few extra details. First of all the
were added while it was still drying in order
window was cut out and left slightly open,
to avoid them looking stuck on. This was
then some beams were added from old
then left in the airing cupboard over night
bits of balsa wood. A telegraph pole was
to cure properly. Once dry, the whole area
added, along with a piece of corrugated
was given a light dry brushing with Tamiya
sheet treated with the Deluxe materials
XF57, then the same colour was
rust system, over the other window.
airbrushed over the pavement and the
The Pedestrian crossing was first masked
edge of the road section to give a dusty
off; masking solution was then dabbed
appearance and a key for the pigments.
around the edges. A light coat of Citadel
The Pinnacle Pigments were then used to
Skull White was then applied with the
give a sandy appearance to the banks
emphasis on the middle of the lines, to
along with some scatter to add some
make them look worn. The tape was then
contrast. Other small bits of wood and the
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DIY
PHOTOETCH
Ever fancied your own Photoetch? Chris Meddings from Inside the Armour explains the mysteries of designing your own photoetched parts
Designing Photoetched Parts
group objects etc so that they can be
The cost of the tool is a one-off cost
PE is one of those things that isn’t very
resized, rearranged, copied and so on,
provided you don’t make any revisions to
difficult to do once you know how, but it
with ease; which really helps when you are
the design. If you do make revisions the
does take a lot of practice to do it well. It is
playing drawing ‘Tetris’ trying to arrange all
tool needs to be completely redrawn so
also expensive to do it as a one off.
the parts into a coherent fret design.
you double your cost right away. It pays
When designing a sheet you need to know
The next thing to consider is how to design
The sheet cost is fixed no matter how
how PE works. Essentially the sheet is
your parts. All parts are compromise; you
many frets fit on it. So if your fret is A6
etched from both sides to a standard
need to measure the real thing then adjust
sized; you can get 4 frets for the same
depth of half the sheet thickness. This
your measurements so that the part
cost of having one done, if it’s A5 you can
means if you have it etched in the same
matches the kit part you are designing to.
get two and so on. So if you build a lot of
place both sides you get a hole. This can
Good etch, in my experience, works to a
the same subject you can consolidate the
limit you. For instance, if you want an L
tolerance of 0.01 mm. If you get the width
cost over a few builds.
shaped bracket that’s easy; you just put an
of your folds wrong, or your parts are
etched line in the middle on one side and
slightly out they won’t line up and it is not a
When I first send something I intend to
that’s your bend. However, if you want it to
medium that is tolerant of mistakes like
release commercially off I know that no
have nuts on it on the outside you can’t,
styrene can be. I use digital callipers that I
matter how careful I have been there WILL
because the half etch needed to etch in
bought for about £10 to measure all parts
be mistakes. I get a couple of test frets
the nut heads on one side will eat through
and the program I draw it in will also draw
done then adjust the design to fix the
to the half etch on the other side for the
in 1:1 scale to my measurements to
errors then get the final sets done.
fold and make a hole or cut the part in half.
0.01mm which means I know the drawing
So on to the ‘nuts and bolts’
So you can either not have the fold line
is exactly the right size when I send it to
and fold the half thickness part (created by
PPD.
then to get your drawing right first time!
Thickness A huge range of material thickness are
etching the bolts) carefully in the right place, or leave off the bolts and add the
Cost-wise, drawing your own PE is not for
available, from 0.05mm or thereabouts to
fold line. So there is a lot to consider when
the faint-hearted. The ‘photo tool’ (a
2mm. However, 0.05 is fragile, and
drawing your parts.
template the etching company uses to
definition suffers over 0.8mm simply
produce the films that stop out the areas
because the eye can more easily see the
When designing it you draw the front and
on the brass not to be etched) is a fixed
fact etching leaves an angled cut (the
back separately. (Picture 1) Simply put, the
cost which includes the time needed to
angle is insignificant and all but invisible to
company I use; PPD Ltd, accept drawings
translate your drawing into a compatible
the naked eye at normal thicknesses)
in black and white with black being not
file for their system, then you have to add
etched and white being etched. I use a
the cost of the brass (which is per A4
The usual thickness you get in kits and
cheap drawing program called Serif Draw
Sheet of brass), then the VAT, then
commercial PE is between 0.15 (6 thou)
Plus as it allows you to design objects,
carriage.
and 0.25 (10 thou) with most coming in at
1 18
FRONT
REAR
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/10/2013 16:14 Page 19
0.2mm/ 8 thou. But if in doubt ask PPD or
length of around 2mm if you want to be
Part Breakdown
your supplier and they will be able to
able to cut it out. You need a minimum line
Remember, the more complex you make
advise you.
thickness of 0.25mm, but 0.3 is a lot
parts and the more folds, the more
better. Etching is a timed process where
precision you need in your maths. Making
the brass is covered in a photoresist based
multi-part assemblies can help this
Etching Folds
tool and is placed in a bath of acid. If it’s in
problem somewhat. Make sure though that
The depth of the fold line fixed at half the
there a few seconds too long a tiny tag
your parts fit together! A good way to do
material. The etch line itself is pretty much
can disappear, but big tags are ugly and
this is to print your drawing on thin card
a V cut. To get a right angle fold you need
more work to clean up. I only add tags on
when you think it is ready and do some
to ensure your etch line is the same width
the drawing for the rear. It makes it much
test folding and assembly with the card
as the material thickness. To get a fold to
easier to work with the fret on your bench
versions.
work well past 90 degrees you will need a
when the tags are half etched and
wider line. To make it look on a fold under
therefore easier to cut through.
90 degrees a little less is good, but no less
Line it up Most importantly as your final check, make
than around 60% of the material thickness.
Detail and Line Width
sure the two drawings; front and rear, are
Remember though, anything under the
Just because you can draw it, it doesn’t
lined up perfectly or you will get steps in
thickness of the material will not allow you
mean they can etch it! When I originally
the parts or worse the etch company will
a 90 degree fold! If you are etching on
designed the set of Pyrene extinguisher
be unable to resolve the tool.
0.2mm / 8 thou or less and you want it to
placards I added the writing on the
look really neat you can stop the fold line
placards in full detail. Sadly the only thing
Conclusion
just before the edge, maybe 2.0mm but
that could physically be etched was the
Like anything it’s a learning process. It can
bear in mind this may affect the bend
Pyrene logo. I had to change the rest to
be expensive at the start but you will learn
depending on the length of the fold
mere representative lines.) The minimum
a lot and get better and better. Never be
(Picture 2)
line width that the photo-tools can cope
afraid to ask for advice. Photoetching
with is 0.1mm. Keep this in mind in your
companies etch for a living and want
designs.
happy customers so they will share their
Arranging Your Fret You will want to arrange your fret for the
expertise. Once you crack it though it is
minimum empty space and maximum use.
The Fret
rewarding and opens a whole new world of
It’s a good idea to draw one side of your
The fret is a necessary part, but you need
detail for your own projects.
fret as separate objects and play with
to keep it within the minimum tolerances to
tessellating them together before you
make sure it doesn’t eat up valuable and
settle on a design. Make sure you leave
costly brass real estate. Keep the border of
enough space though for tags and a
the fret to around 3 to 5mm. The fret will
couple of lines across the fret to give it
twist on the X and Y axis and will damage
some strength.
parts if it doesn’t have some strength, You
Serif Draw Plus: www.serif.com PPD Ltd: www.ppdltd.com
can do this in two ways; either lines across
Tags
the fret which the parts can attach to as
These are the little lines that hold the part
well as the border, or by basically making
onto the fret. (Picture 3) Forget these and
part shaped holes in a sheet of brass to fit
you will receive an empty fret in the post
the parts into. I prefer the latter as it also
with no parts! Opening new etch is
protects the parts from ‘catching’ on things
exciting; not so much when all you get is a
in the package and on your bench
half empty fret. Tags need a minimum
2
3 19
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"In der Falle?" Tasca’s 1:24 Zündapp KS 750 m. BW43 ("Kriegselefant") PART ONE
• Modelled by Robert Doepp
Along with the BMW R 75 the Zündapp KS 750 was the first German motorcycle originally designed for military use. In particular a differential simultaneously drove the sidecar-wheel which gave stunning cross country performance. Along with its reliability and solidity this made the "Kriegselefant" (war elephant) one of the most legendary German vehicles. Even though the Zündapp’s overall design proved superior to that of BMW and was to be eventually exclusively produced, in 1943 Zündapp changed the sidecar frame from the original layout (BW40) to the leaf spring system of the BMW (BW43). A total of 18,284 units were produced between late 1941 and May 1945. While originally mainly used as a combat vehicle for reconnaissance units it was later on employed for multiple transportation purposes just like the fictional motorcycle from a tank maintenance unit (Pz.Werkst.Kp. Pz.Rgt. 16, 116. Pz.Div.) I have decided to represent with my model. Tasca has chosen the rather extraordinary 1:24 scale for this subject. To super-detail this model and to integrate it into a small scenic diorama turned out to be rather ambitious, because I could not rely on the usual aftermarket details that 1:35 scale enthusiasts have come to rely on.
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In order to enhance the cold running characteristics the late style air cleaning system was connected to the exhaust with a thin tube represented by copper wire. Notice that all nuts and bolts are replaced with hexagonal rod.
2
1
The storage boxes were fixed to a characteristic cast frame and held in place by a spring supported doubled hook. To enhance the simplified kit part I carefully removed the plastic representation of the spring and replaced it with copper wire.
Construction
joints of the frame. Therefore I tried to find a
Even though the Tasca Zündapp kit
handy way to create sub-assemblies, which
provides an already stunning level of detail,
would be easy to work on and could be kept
like all injection moulded kits it has to face
separate for painting.
the limitations of moulding techniques,
When I had finished the main components
which provides the opportunity for a fair
of the engine, I glued all main parts of the
amount of additional detailing. Instead of
frame together (Pic 1) and carefully cut the
describing all of them I will concentrate on
steering head assembly afterwards following
some major changes. The images of the
the lines of the original weld seams (Pic 2).
unpainted model hopefully are self evident
The result was a wide gap, which allowed
to explain the missing details.
me to insert the motor and by drilling the frame ends and gluing copper wire pins to
22
The instructions suggest gluing the two
the steering head the frame could be rather
halves of the frame around the pre-
firmly fitted and disassembled again
assembled engine and differential. Having
whenever necessary throughout the ongoing
done this these components cannot be
construction work. Later on the small gaps
removed anymore, which will complicate
were hidden by newly created weld-seams
painting them as well as reworking the
from Magic Sculp.
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 08/10/2013 17:10 Page 23
All three lamp bodies were hollowed to adapt lenses made from clear sprue. The latter were turned with an electric drill. I also decided to make the clamping rings from copper wire as well.
The inside of the steering head lacks the hollowed character of the original part. A piece of plastic rod is employed to glue the wiring of course is not original but everything is covered by the fuel tank anyway.
To open the toolbox on top of the fuel tank I had to carefully cut out the upper half of the tank and thinned out the lid. The actual seats were made of a rubber-like material called "Drilastic", which was far thinner than the kit parts and pinned to a metal frame.
3
The driver’s seat springs were remade from copper wire to get the correct conical ends.
The late style air cleaner system of the Zündapp had three single caps, which were held in place by wire clamps. I replaced the moulded parts with very thin wire taken from an electric cable.
The long copper wire pin fitted tightly into the differential and therefore fixed the sidecar firmly while staying removable throughout construction work.
As I planned to show a late war scene I
framing (Pic 4). Just like with the actual
Adapting the sidecar frame made frequent
decided to change the sidecar layout from
vehicle the exact position of the frame had
handling of the motorcycle necessary. Thus
BW40 to the BW43 type. The BW40 had
to be fixed by two adjustable rods (Pic 5).
the most delicate details had to be added
been developed by Zündapp and showed
The main fixing point of the sidecar
later on. Beside the manual shifting
a torsion bar based suspension. which was
mudguard was located on top of the outer
system it was also necessary for the
technically superior. But the leaf spring
leaf spring section, which I had to build
cables and the wiring system as well.
based BMW system of the R75 was more
completely from scratch. To estimate the
These ran from the handle bars and front
simple and easier to produce and
necessary sizes I provisionally fixed the
lights into the hollowed out steering head.
therefore Zündapp adapted it.
fender to the sidecar wheel (Pic 6) and
While the kit instructions suggests keeping
When the motorcycle could stand on its
made the front mount from copper strip
the front forks separate I decided to firmly
wheels I could start to create the new
connected to the newly made protective
glue them to the steering head instead.
sidecar’s drive (Pic 3) and to make a first
front bracket before I could complete
This decision complicated the painting
rough representation of the simple sidecar
spring system and central mount.
process of course but on the other hand 23
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 08/10/2013 17:10 Page 24
4
The hand shift lever system was one of the most difficult things to make. The moulded in Zündapp emblem was made from Magic Sculp.
5
The fully detailed sidecar frame. You can again see the copper pins that were used to attach this to the main motorcycle frame.
6 proved helpful in dealing with the completed front end as soon as the stiff cabling and wiring from copper-wire had been added. The sidecar body was the last part I finished. The basic problem was the fact that it was originally made of thin sheet metal while its plastic representation is rather thick, so details which I added to both inside and outside were hard to adapt. My plan had been to use only two figures for the diorama setting and so I filled the otherwise empty sidecar body with some scratch built extra stowage from the "Panther" family. So when I decided later on that a third soldier would add to the little scene I used a salvaged civilian pillow to create additional seating accommodation. 24
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 08/10/2013 17:10 Page 25
The cast in metal strips to hold the wooden food rests were replaced one after another from copper to preserve the original shape.
In order to support the storage boxes fixations the side car body was stiffened with extra sheet metal plates on the inside. These were engraved into the thick plastic. Notice the also engraved reversed "Steib" emblem, which was originally stamped into the sheet metal.
25
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The front end of the side car body will be out of reach once the outer sidewall is glued into place. Thus it had to receive a complete painting and weathering treatment at first.
Tamiya tape was used to prevent dust from recessing on the painted areas. Notice the "Steib" emblem made from Magic Sculp, which was manipulated with the tip of a knife and a needle.
A jack weighing about 50 kg would certainly imprint the side car seat and should be kept from damaging the sidecar body with some fabric, which both were represented by Magic Sculp. To allow painting everything had to be kept removable. The 15 t jack of the early "Panther" series was completely made from scratch including the "Pfaff" emblem. The letter was reversely engraved into a piece of plastic card and pressed into half-dried Magic Sculp.
26
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While already disassembling the
treatment. To enable this after
motorcycle to sub-assemblies I finally
construction was done I split the model
prepared its firm fixings to the base by
into many sub-assemblies and time-
drilling the tires and adding pins made
consumingly attached them to home
from copper wire.
made handles.
The key problem when modelling a
The Project continues in the next
motorcycle is the fact that it consists of a
Issue with painting the Zündapp.
fair amount of very delicate parts, of which hardly any are hidden in the end. So almost every part has to receive a complete painting and weathering
The completed Zündapp broken down into its different sub-assemblies in preparation for painting.
27
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Photos courtesy of Peter Breakspear
1
28
Painting began with a coat of matt black to shade all the recessed areas followed by a coat of ‘Shadow Rust’ from the new AK Interactive Rust Effect Colors set.
©
2
There then followed a rather unsuccessful attempt at the hairspray effect with a coat of ‘Old Rust’ from the same AK Interactive set which produced this rather unexpected finish. My perfectionism almost had me reaching for the stripper but I decided to push on instead.
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 09/10/2013 10:07 Page 29
Part two of the Target Tortoise and it is time to start painting, a procedure that would be make or break for the finished model. I have had no real experience in tackling a subject like this before so it proved to be a case of making it up as I went along. My aim was to replicate as closely as I could the different finishes found on the actual vehicle and with different sides of it having very different appearances this offered an intriguing challenge. After the initial stages of painting with the airbrush I found it most useful to divide the model up and to work on front, side and roof as separate mini studies. Observation is the key to getting good results and I worked with colour print outs of the relevant sections to guide me. The final challenge was to present the vehicle in context, something that replicated its real life location. The key here was to get the heavy sunken look of a massive vehicle that has not moved for years and has been absorbed into the landscape. The sloping position added some interest and made sense of the carefully replicated weathering effects. A copy of the original makers plate for this vehicle was an appropriate finishing touch for the base.
TARGET
Tortoise Part Two Painting
David Parker builds the Meng A39 Tortoise
3
Another coat of hairspray was applied and the model was sprayed with different shades of AK Interactive ‘Dark Rust’ and ‘Medium Rust’. ‘Light Rust’ was then used to paint the sheet metal areas like the track guards and the stowage bins.
4
This time the hairspray was more effective and the darker underlying colours were exposed by srubbing with water and a bristle brush.
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l a e r e h t TARGET
Tortoise
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Photos courtesy of Peter Breakspear ©
31
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 09/10/2013 10:07 Page 32
5
To tone down the contrast between the colours some of the lighter tones were oversprayed resulting in a more subtle finnish.
7
At some time it appears that the Kirkcudbright vehicle was partially painted to improve its visibility on the range but only on the side facing up range. Now worn and faded the hairspray technique was perfect to replicate this. Here the grey paint has been sprayed over a coat of hairspray.
9
I brush painted the stowage bins and track guards to sharpen up any soft edges that had been left by the airbrushing.
11
32
Oil colours were used to add rain and rust streaks running down the inside walls of the hull.
6
An overall view to the model at this stage and I was happy that it was conforming closely to the colours of the actual vehicle. Most of the running gear will be hidden so i was happy for this to remain in the darker colours.
8
The paint was then distressed to replicate as closely as I could the finish on the real vehicle. Working panel by panel or area by area is the secret here rather than diving in and stripping paint from the wrong areas.
10
Time for some work inside the hull and I was grateful that the top had not yet been secured. I added a dull grey/brown wash to the floor silt.
12
I began to add some of the debris lying inside the hull which seems to be mostly bits of sheet metal work and the seemingly obligatory car tire! I used scrap plastic card to make these parts which were perforated with a burr and then painted.
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 09/10/2013 10:07 Page 33
13
14
The hull is speckled by bright orange spall marks which have then rusted. My initial attempt to replicate these looked wrong but lead me to develop this process to create them. I began with dots and chips of AK ‘Light Rust’
15
An overall view of the hull tub at this stage. The tracks have been sprayed and given an initial oil wash at this stage and you can see than the rubber tires have been painted in a faded grey tone.
16
Step three and I applied a selective blended oil wash to the panel. Dots of Abteilung 502 Light Rust Brown were dabbed over the speckles and then dragged downwards with a thinners damped brush to give a rain streaked effect.
18
Step five. To match this area with the finish of the real vehicle a further overall oil wash using Abteilung 502 Light Rust Brown and Light Mud was applied to tone down the finish.
Step two and the centre of these dots and chipping shapes are shaded with AK ‘Medium Rust’ giving this look
17
Step four, a darker shade was then touched into the centres using AK ‘Old Rust’ and some of the rust streaks are enhanced with further applications of oil colours.
19
The same technique was used to create the spall marks across the front of the superstructure.
33
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20
The running gear armour was handled using the same techniques and similarly toned down to match the colours of the real vehicle. Once toned down I first sprayed and then brush painted the green staining over the lower edges of the armour and the running gear which replicates the finishes on the real vehicle.
21
The left hand side of the hull has its own distinctive appearance and has been shielded from the gun fire. I tried to replicate the different colours and stains and as the Tortoise sits on a slope the stains are not perpendicular.
22
Back to the roof and I used an old soft brush to apply random soft edged chipped patterns using a darker shade - here the front roof panel has not yet been treated.
24
34
I used some very dilute Mr Metal Color Chrome Silver to go over the weld beads, allowing some of the pale grey to show through for a dulled look. On the pistol port I added the green stains seen on the real welds.
23
I used a pale grey to start outlining the weld beads over the vehicle. Assorted rust streaks were added with oil colours and pale dust/orange washes were applied to replicate the real thing
25
Some foliage is growing where light gets into the hull like the engine bay and the area under the transmission cover. I added some more sheet metal to the engine bay and then tufts of static grass from the Joefix Studios range were applied.
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 09/10/2013 10:07 Page 35
27
26
I painted the grass and added some granulated foam to simulate moss. A quick and easy way to add more tiny scraps of sheet metal was to paint offcuts of decal paper. This tears for nice ragged edges and accepts the paint readily and is much quicker to work with than plastic.
28
Close study of the real tracks showed that the raised areas had a distinct purple tint so I mixed a dark purple/brown mix to replicate this on my tracks.
29
30
I also added some foliage and accumulated debris to the empty auxiliary motor bay to match the real vehicle.
31
One final thing before glueing the two parts of the hull together was to glue the gun cradle into position on the hull roof. It is not terribly visible but again it replicates the real vehicle.
An overall view of the hull with all the debris and foliage added. Some green tones were airbrushed selectively to give that damp look and you can see the same effects on the exposed right hand side suspension bogies.
The rusted out muffler can now be installed - it covers much of the compartment but the details can still be seen so it was well worth taking the time to add them.
32
The vehicle has been standing for so long that debris has collected on top of the tracks and some weeds are starting to grow there. I began by sprinkling some very fine dirt into selective areas of the tracks. Clumps of the Joefix static grass were then added as well as other bits of debris.
35
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33
34
The same treatment was applied to the section of exposed rear tracks and a large clump of grass was added to the top of the towing hook.
35
This shows the building up effect of consecutive clumps of the Sisa Moss. At this stage there are some huge long strands which look unsightly but these can be trimmed once everything has dried.
36
For the base I sandwiched together some polystyrene sheet and formed a suitable slope. A thick layer of filler was applied and using cling film to protect the model it was pushed down to give a sunken look. Once dry I began to apply the grass using Gardman Sisa Moss which was glued onto the base in clumps with white glue.
36
Test fitting the model into the base ensures that it is sitting in a natural way and that there are no strange gaps. With the model removed you can see that I did bother to apply grass under the tank. You can also see that the moss has been trimmed with scissors for a more scale appearance.
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 09/10/2013 10:07 Page 37
37
The grass has a bit of a brown shade from the bag so I gave the whole thing an overspray of green to adjust the colour balance.
38
The next job was to add the taller grasses for which I used two different products. The first was a Woodland Scenics product which is a pack of long bristles and you could probably use bristles from a decorating paintbrush instead. The second is a dried natural plant which I found in a florists and the tiny seed heads are ideal for this grass effect. Individual strands with the seed heads are plucked off the bunch to be applied.
39
The taller grasses were added individually or in small clumps using a touch of PVA glue to secure them until a convincing depth was achieved.
40
As a finishing touch I added the makers plate from the Kirkcudbright vehicle. Derek Hansen of Accurate Armour kindly made a resin copy of the original plate which I painted with Mr Metal Colour Brass and some carpet tacks made perfect stand ins for the studs.
My thanks to Richard Stickland for his help with information from the original Tortoise manual, Peter Breakspear for his photos of the Kirkudbright vehicle and to Derek Hansen for a copy of the original makers plaque.
37
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Modelled and described by Radek Pituch The story of the so called Stalin tank (IS or
capable of defeating even the heaviest
JS in English nomenclature) begins in 1943
German tanks. The gun had some
where the demand for a powerful heavy
shortcomings like a low rate of fire (the
tank arose due to the ever increasing
projectile and the charge were loaded
power of the Panzerwaffe. It was by then
separately) and consequently restricted
obvious that the KV series, even the
quantities of stowed ammunition, but the
modernized KV 1s (skoryj - fast) was no
menacing look of the JS 2 surely terrified
match for German long-barrelled tanks
German tankers when encountering them
and antitank guns deployed in vast
in the field.
numbers before Zitadelle. It was also armed with the F-32 L/41,5) lacked punch
Building and updating the model
to defeat the even better-armoured AFVs
My model, having been a long term shelf
of the Reich. They also lacked sufficient
queen, represents the later version of the
power when a breakthrough operation was
Stalin tank with redesigned hull nose that
required and heavy fire was supposed to
could withstand direct hits even from
destroy strong points and artillery
88mm PaK fire. The model is the older
positions. The Stavka (Russian high
generation Dragon kit. The kit has some
command) decided that a new tank should
shortcomings and is below today’s
have a long barrelled large caliber gun and
standards (when comparing to Tamiya) like
armour sufficient enough to withstand the
an incorrect hull (the sides are too short by
fire from German heavy ant-tank guns. The
2 mm and if you won’t fix this issue the
final result of this development was the JS
upper track run will touch the underside of
1 armed with an 85 mm gun that later
the fenders. I reworked the hull sides that
developed to the JS 2 tank armed with the
also resulted in some alterations to the hull
122 mm gun, so much needed in
bow and rear by adding styrene strips and
breakthrough operations. It was also
putty which were later sanded. I also
obvious that the 76,2 mm guns (KVs were
38
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acrhlin Appro to Be JS II Model 1944, April 1945
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added some other aftermarket products to
medium green shade, a flashed light green
applied some delicate splashes over the
build a more accurate model like a turned
one and a deep green shade colour. I
suspension and lower hull parts. The
D-25T gun barrel from Armorscale, turned
proceeded with the model, masking some
wheels were treated with pigments (Dark
turret rear DT machine gun from Aber, and
of the areas during painting with paper
Slate Grey and Green Earth, that were later
towing rope from Eureka. Etched grills
card masks. After this phase I enhanced
fixed with a pigment fixer. I usually apply
come also from an Armorscale update set.
some of the details with a very light green
pigments on wet surfaces and tap them
The tracks are of my usual choice of Friuls.
colour composed of the flashed shade and
with a old soft brush. I apply two-three
I also added some torch marks on the hull
geldbraun. Later I used Mig Prod. neutral
shades at once so I get more colour
bow section where the casting blocks were
wash and some van Dyke Brown based pin
diversity at once. The oil stains on the
cut (the whole bow section was a single
washes. The scratches were painted using
wheels were made using van Dyke Brown
casting). I also added some of these marks
Vallejo 70.002 paint diluted with retarder. I
white spirit based solution and with the
on the commanders cupola, this was all
find it to be the most useful colour for this
help of Mig Prod. neutral wash.
done with Greenstuff putty that I normally
purpose. This basically sums up the
use for my figure sculpts. I also added
painting process.
some weld marks in the areas of the
40
The figures A vehicle without figures is not that
missing fenders and scratchbuilt front
The weathering of the model was done in
interesting as it can be with them on
fenders bracket remains with thin plastic
a different manner than I normally do. This
board. They not only add some life to the
sheet (0.2 mm). I wanted the vehicle to
time I wanted to try out something else, a
subject we’re building but also colours and
look very beaten up that’s why I removed
kind of dry mud effects on the hull and
tend to attract more attention to the
the front parts of the fenders and one of
turret. Since I wanted to show the tank
subject. Sculpting can be difficult but you
the rear flaps, a common feature of battle
operating in the first warmer days of April
can always try converting some stock
weary Stalin tanks.
1945 I didn’t want it to be completely wet,
figures to your ideas. By adding figures you
yet very weathered after the wet season.
can always tell a story with a single
Painting and weathering
That’s why, after some initial testing, I
vehicle, yet without necessarily adding
The paintjob was done basically in two
came up to an idea to use the excellent
groundwork. In my case I choose to
steps. First I sprayed a primer layer of
Tamiya acrylics (XF 52 and XF 72) as the
portray a conversation between the crew
Tamiya’s Deep Green shade. This basis
basic weathering component. These were
and a recon troop squad leader. Late war
allowed me to work further with a new set
diluted with alcohol. By mixing them with
soviet tank crews can be seen wearing a
of Lifecolor paints dedicated to Soviet
alcohol I was able to scratch and remove
leather type black jackets over their
vehicles – a 3 in 1 Soviet AFV 4 BO green
some areas of the so painted surfaces due
standard tanker uniforms and overalls.
paint set. The set consists of three paints
to weathering. All was done with fine
After some research and help from my
selected especially for the Colour
brushes, layer after layer different earth
colleague Taesung Harmms of Alpine
Modulation technique so we have a base
tones were applied on the model. I also
Miniatures it appeared that the jackets
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/10/2013 11:42 Page 41
were made of a kind of fire-retardant material so not leather as I initially though them to be. As for the recon troop leader I decided to give it a go with the very common type of camouflage clothes in the so called amoeba camouflage pattern. Development of camouflage clothes in the Red Army began before the war and in 1941 the amoeba pattern was already available though not so common in army units other than recon, sniper or engineer troops. By 1945 Red Army deployed other types of camouflage clothes issued to specialized army units but I was very keen on painting the amoeba type camouflage. This type consisted of dark brown blotches printed on different colour smocks and trousers, from dark sand to khaki
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Painting of the turret numbers was done in two ways. First i painted the 'old' three digit tactical number by applying a diluted layer of vallejo stencil white colour. Then using a modelling knife and toothpick I started scratching the paint to remove as much as possible yet to leave the outline. Then I painted the new number along with the air recognition marks around the turret and its roof. This was a common practice especially before Berlin operation to reorganize the units and give the vehicles new numbers. A simple yet interesting touch.
green ones. Some sources claim that
details with Greenstuff putty. Both can be
toothpicks. It’s always useful to have a
there were even blue types of these
mixed together and that gives you the
sharp blade at hand. GS as well as MS can
pattern but I wasn’t able to confirm that.
flexibility of GS and the ductility of MS in
be smoothed with water. For the belt of the
The figures were sculpted with Magic
one. In my case Greenstuff is good as it
recon trooper I used led foil strip. The
Sculp using the excellent Hornet heads
comes to details such as hair, belts,
buckle comes from a PE set of medals,
and hands sets. I also have some boots
buttons, resculpting facial expressions etc.
buckles and other useful stuff my friends
castings that I use as a basis for my own
but some sculptors use this putty even for
once designed for me. If you want to
conversions. The armatures of the figures
larger parts of their sculpts. Nevertheless
achieve as much realism as possible it’s
were made with the paper clip wire and
for sculpting clothes I prefer Magic Sculp.
important to focus not only on the details
magic sculp made torsos and hips. For
The tools I use are very simple consisting
and folds of the clothes but most of all on
sculpting I always use Magic Sculp two
of a spatula made of old brush stick while
the language of human body. Choosing
part epoxy putty and make most of the
the main folds sculpting tools are shaped
proper gestures, facial expressions help to
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achieve a overly natural look of a figure. In my case I wanted to portray a situation that may have occurred during the advance toward the city of Berlin, a recon squad reports his observations to the crew of a JS 2 that had advanced up the Berlin suburbs. I wanted that figure to be in a quite dramatic pose hence his worried expression. The commander of the tank indicates some areas of advance on the map while the gunner gives a long gaze into the distance. I have added some ruggedness to their faces by painting some stubble to emphasize their weary looks. The paints I use for figure painting are mostly Vallejo Model Color and Panzer Aces with addition of acrylic retarder from Talens. For the painting of the camo smock base colour I chose a khaki green tone Vallejo Panzer Aces 70.314. For the shades I added 70.316 to the base colour and for highlights 70.321. These tones are applied as follows – the highlights on the upper 44
edges of the folds of the uniform and the
AFV-73 Nov Dec 2013_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/10/2013 11:43 Page 45
shades in the lower ones. By doing this you enhance the 3D look of the figures. For the blotches colours no 70.312 and 70.302 were used. To get an even more in depth appearance in the figure I also stressed the contours with a mixture of 70.316 and 70.337 with a reasonable amount of retarder to get the thinnest line possible. All in all the I had a lot of fun with this project, experimenting with acrylic paints and alcohol-based weathering technique. This attempt ended up with some nice dry weathering results yet without too much pigments involved in the process. I find this satisfactory and I was already able to use this technique in another modeling project. Needles to say that the Stalin tank along with its crew is planned for a diorama but that’s another story!
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KEEPING TRACK
new releases
Dragon 1:35 M48A3 Mod.B It's refreshing to see a completely new kit from Dragon, and what better news than an M48?! AFV Club have released shots of their forthcoming release of the 'Patton' but as they’ve done before, Dragon have swiftly brought their own kit to the market. So if it has been rushed out does it look? First impressions on lifting the lid are good, Dragon’s renowned moulding finesse is as you’d want it and the parts count looks very reasonable for a straight forward build. DML always exploit their tooling to the full and the design of the kit is so that several other versions can be easily produced, this upgraded 'Model B' features the beefed-up mudguards and light guards and also the raised cupola with vision blocks which are supplied as clear parts (requiring a dark green tint, drawing ink airbrushed from the reverse would do the trick) As usual the build begins with the lower hull and running gear, the single piece hull bottom is fully detailed complete with cast texture and the complex suspension mounts and shock absorbers are all pleasingly detailed. Road wheels are produced with separate tires offering excellent sharp detail but I was disappointed to see the sprockets without the large slots running along the internal depth, not difficult to rectify thankfully. The track is produced in DS styrene and very well detailed, this should suit the tight look of the runs across the support rollers well. If you must use individual links I'd recommend AFV Club's track sets (as I used on the old Tamiya
Accurate Armour Micro Saws
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Scotland's stalwarts of specialist resin kits and accessories Accurate Armour have produced their own micro saw blades to fit a regular Swan Morton scalpel handle. Ideal for both resin and plastic, these mixed size toothed saws prove invaluable tools, MT011S provides eight saw blades on a heavy duty photoetched fret and comes complete with a handle. MTO12 contains six thinner gauge micro blades with fine, medium and coarse teeth which need to be folded before fitting to the handle. For more info: www.accurate-armour.com
kit back in issue 63). The upper hull and mudguards continue the quality with well reproduced exhaust deflector and fine lifting hooks. The drivers hatch can be posed swung open and clear periscopes are provided, the cast texture is again well rendered. The turret and cupola look accurately detailed with fine grab rails and bustle rack, the main gun tube is moulded as a single piece with the front section and muzzle brake separate, the muzzle being the earlier straight 'T' shape. Now before we get too carried away, I can't work out why Dragon have produced the mantlet without it's ever-present protective cover? I can't recall seeing a period photograph of an M48 without one fitted, they've even gone to the trouble of moulding the fasteners. An unusual omission which spoils the look of the otherwise excellent turret. If you can't face sculpting your own the aftermarket guys have already come to the rescue (DEF Model and Legends among others). Another no-show is the searchlight which was more often seen than not, again aftermarket sets are available. The markings offered are rather bland considering the choices available. Maybe we could expect a USMC release with the mantlet cover, searchlight and perhaps an externally turret mounted .50 cal? We've waited over thirty years for an all-new kit of the M48 and we're certainly looking forward to seeing some built.
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Stalingrad 1:35 figures Stalingrad marches on Berlin with this series of Russian infantry involved in the fight for Berlin in 1945. Sculptor Alexander Zelenkov is surely amongst the best figure artists working today and these new releases will fit very well with his future release of a full tram car in 1:35! S-3041 is firing his PPSH, clutching the drum magazine, S-3042 is decked out in a greatcoat holding a 7.62 with bi-pod, S-3043 gets to grips with a captured panzerfaust, S-3044 is kneeling firing his PPSH and my favourite S-3045 running at full stride gripping a captured MP44. The finesse and casting of all the figures is superb along with details such as hands moulded to the weapons offer the modeller ultimate realism- figures don't get better than this! www.stalingrad.diorama.ru for these and the whole Stalingrad range.
Tommy's War World War One 54mm figures Two more beautiful Tommy's War figures to add to the range of 54mm miniatures depicting WWI subjects, as with the rest of the range the sculpting and casting is delightful. Along with the resin parts both have a small photoetched set of belts and buckles. TW54015 is an Australian of the 11th Bn at Gallipoli examining a Turkish sun helmet and TW54016 depicts a Sergeant in Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Along with the figure you'll receive 'News from the front' containing historical details on the figure's Regiments and action along with the back-catalogue of others available in the range. First rate quality all round available from www.tommyswar.com and specialist figure retailers. Superb!
Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.D DAK DML continue to refine and re-visit their beautiful range of Panzer IVs, here's a fresh look at the DAK 'D' with around thirty exclusive parts to this tropical version, namely the air filters. The early hull and running gear is superbly detailed as usual with accurate bump-stops and multi-part final drives, while some hard-core detail freaks may shun the single band 'DS Track' there's no denying that Dragon have made a great job and they speed up assembly no end. Now the confusing bit; The sprues include two sets of wheels, one without tyres and a set with- parts 'A18' which are called for in the instructions. These appear to be the wider, later tyre provided in their other kits and quite noticeable when sat
on the skinny, early track. Upper hull and mudguards are again superbly done and as this kit is under the 'Smart Kit' banner we're only supplied tools with moulded on clamps. The turret has the stowage bin as we'd expect on a DAK 'D' and the wonderfully detailed interior and cupola with full open-up options and the ultra fine recessed fastener details we're accustomed to with these Dragon kits. Six options of markings give some great scope for weathering as the brutal desert conditions wear the overpainted tan revealing the contrasting dunkelgrau. Another very nice Panzer IV version- if you can live with those wheels!
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new releases
MiniArt 1:35 AEC Mk.I Armoured Car The Associated Equipment Company Mk.I is a bit of a surprise release as an injection moulded kit and will certainly please British vehicle modellers, this is a really purposeful looking vehicle sporting the Valentine Mk.II turret. Popping the lid off the sturdy box reveals a packed-out pile of grey styrene, a small etched fret, an even smaller decal sheet and a few clear parts- it's immediately apparent this won't be a weekend build but the level of detail is superb with a truly 'full' interior extending to the turret and engine bay with all gear and transfer boxes, and of course the engine itself. Moulding quality is on-par with any of the modern toolings from the major manufacturers with minimal clean-up. All of this interior detail requires a multi-plate build-up of the main body which looks to be well designed, as does the make-up of the
wheels and tyres with MiniArt's usual approach of a separate moulded single piece tread part which the sidewall and wheel parts drop into along with fully detailed hubs and brakes. Some of the folding required of the photoetched parts is pushing things a little with a few specific radiuses and curves but I'm sure this can be excused as the designers have strived for the ultimate in delicate detail from this kit. Maybe stating the obvious but there's the option to show off the interior and engine bay with open hatches, or if you're short on time an 'exterior' version could be built? Three different schemes are suggested for finishing; overall sand, dark green and a hard edged wave camo all based in North African countries around 1942-43. MiniArt are to be commended on a very thorough job of a niche vehicle- an excellent looking kit.
MiniArt 1:35 AEC Mk.II Armoured Car
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Following very closely the Mk.I, the Mk.II carries a somewhat larger turret sporting the 6 pdr main gun requiring an extra crew member and comparable with the firepower of contemporary tanks of the time. The Mk.II saw post-war service in Yugoslavia and with the Lebanese army giving a wide range of finishing options. The obvious difference with the kit then is the turret which is of an equal standard to the rest of the sprues. The ammunition stowage extends to the floor mounted containers which require
the modeller to cut down the shell cases supplied and onto into the holders. The majority of the build follows the Mk.I with different side panniers and mudguards supplied which along with the larger turret give a much chunkier look to the Mk.II. Four marking options are supplied, one being a vehicle supplied to the Yugoslav People's Army in the Balkans. I'm sure if British armoured cars are your thing you'll be adding both versions to your collection, you wont be disappointed- highly recommended
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MiniArt 1:35 German Paratroopers and Tankers- Italy 1943
MiniArt 1:35 German Tank Crew, Normandy 1944
Three vehicle crew and two fallschirmjäger make up this set who could be posed together or used in pairs or individually. The vehicle crew could adapt to a wide range of subjects with their basic tropical climate shirts and shorts. Quality again is very impressive- just about as good as it gets in injection moulded plastic and equal to many more expensive resin miniatures on the market. The paratroopers in the tropical uniforms aren't often seen as figures and are a welcome change superbly done.
Yes, we have a very wide choice of panzer crew figures in 1:35, probably more than any other subject, but another great idea from MiniArt here taking some well known period photographs as inspiration for their sculptors to work from who have really delivered the goods! This really is an instant vignette which will bring a great touch of character and atmosphere to any panzer project. Poses look very natural and the fabrics are beautifully rendered. Another excellent group of figures from MiniArt that get the imagination racing!
MiniArt 1:35 'Market Garden' 1944
MiniArt 1:35 Hungarian Tank Crew
Another scenario based on period photographs is this grouping of three captured British paras and two German artillery troops depicting the battle for Arnhem. The Red Beret's camo smocks are particularly well sculpted and assembled as a 'clam' front and back sections for ultimate detail, the para's helmets are also really nicely done. Another superb instant vignette from the box either with or without a vehicle in the scene. I don't think we've been disappointed by any of the figures released from MiniArt, and they seem to get better and better, highly recommended.
The last of four new figure sets from Ukraine's MiniArt is a timely release coinciding with some recent Hungarian armour kits out on the market. The five figures are in relaxed poses in a diverse range of uniforms ranging from leather all-in-ones to an officer in cavalry breeches, a couple look like they'd very easily adapt to represent French crew. Sculpting and anatomy are first rate and the moulding clean leaving very little in the way of seams to clean up, a bit of a bug-bear with some injection moulded figures. Great subjects well executed.
Dragon 1:35 SAS 1/4-ton 4x4 Patrol Car A long-winded way to say 'SAS Jeep' and obviously down to license restrictions, here's DML's second release of the vehicle with a welcome addition of two figures based on the famous Wartime photographs. This new version has different MGs included, Vickers 'K' (twin and single) and a pedestal mounted .50 Cal which Dragon have made a really nice job of. Also finely rendered are the jerry cans with the US versions slide moulded in one piece joined horizontally at the top seam allowing you to display cap open realistically. Other features of note are the optional 'layered' tyres built from multiple slices for well defined tread detail and the comprehensively detailed engine and engine bay. The majority of the body is moulded as a single piece with
true Dragon flair making this 'Smart Kit' a straight-forward build with much of the time spent assembling the MGs and jerry cans with fine photoetched frames. A couple of errors have been pointed out on this kit in the past by Jeep fans (grille slat spacing and an additional chassis part if I remember correctly) but really not much to concern most of us. A couple of crew are provided but some soft stowage and personal gear are a big omission with this kit, not something Dragon generally provide but an integral part of these SAS desert raiders- a few aftermarket sets are available or maybe a rummage in the spares box. Probably not as impressive as the Bronco Jeep, but certainly a simpler kit.
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new releases
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Tamiya 1:35 JGSDF Type 10 Tank You’d expect Tamiya to produce a stunning kit of their homeland Main Battle Tank and they certainly have. A plain (pre-production) box houses the five pale grey sprues, separate hull bottom, rubber band tracks, poly caps, nylon mesh and decals in true Tamiya fashion. Even though this vehicle holds little interest for us, as a quite generic-looking sleek modern tank, but this really is one of those kits that just looks so inviting to build the subject is almost irrelevant! The simplistic break-down of the parts is superbly done, the sprue containing the upper hull, side panels and skirts is truly a masterclass in moulding, just look at the realistic rubber skirts, delicate anti-slip texture and the finesse of the lifting handles and mesh - certainly no need for photoetch here. Rubber band style tracks are pretty dated in most cases but
these are about as good as you'd get in the medium with superb detail to both inner and outer faces. A faint mould seem running across the end connectors is something most of us could live with. The tricky turret basket has also been handled with style with fine and sharp slats needing no clean-up, a nylon mesh is supplied with a cutting template. Once we calmed down we found there were a couple of nit-picks. The .50 cal is very simplified and the main gun is supplied split lengthwise old-school style and looking at a build-up in the Japanese magazine 'Armour Modelling' this needs attention to produce an invisible join. Two decent figures round off this beautiful kit, if you're a fan of modern armour or just fancy a quick and simple project this one has to be highly recommended.
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Tamiya 1:35 M561 Gama Goat
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Who could forget the Gama Goat? Well, pretty much everyone it seems - except Tamiya who've taken everyone by surprise with this release. Originating in the early 1960s the vehicle is a two part affair with an articulated joint between the tractor unit and cargo trailer- quite a radical design which appeared to be troubled with numerous problems. Not something that's going to win any beauty contests, this release certainly has us bemused, but what of the kit? Our pre-release sample arrived in a plain white carton so there's none of the usual beautiful Tamiya box art to get you excited, two main sprues, two smaller duplicates, a clear sprue, poly-caps and decals- typically Tamiya. Also typical of the premier brand is the precise moulding and familiar modeller-friendly
design with ease of assembly promised. Tamiya have followed a similar format with their kits for many years and never seemed swayed by what other manufacturers are producing so we have solid moulded wheels and tyres with a rear tyre wall and hub insert, simple fixed axles and steering and large tubs forming the main bodies to add panels to- quite a basic kit all-round which should assemble in no time at all. Whether the kit will be popular enough for the aftermarket guys to get to work remains to be seen but some photoetched finesse wouldn't go amiss. Marking is supplied for vehicles from the mid-seventies and 1980s. Thanks to Tamiya's UK distributor The Hobby Company for the sample kit.
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Meng 1:35 FT-17 Time to crack open a new box of superlatives as Meng raise the bar again with their latest release of the tiny Renault FT-17 with complete interior detail. First impressions of the sand-coloured sprues are that this might be a Tamiya kit, such is the quality of the moulding, yet it offers an extra level of finesse without deluging the modeller with thousands of tiny parts. Meng have designed the kit to allow you build four different versions of the tank, two WWI examples, armed with either the cannon or MG, and WWII versions again with the cannon or the 1931 Reibel converted MG versions. Assembly begins with the highly detailed engine and gearbox and we can confirm that this builds beautifully with shaped location pegs to prevent any accidental misassignment. This locates on the hull floor plate and the individual panel sides then assemble around this and care needs to be taken in cleaning off the moulding plugs from the sloped interlocks. There is a choice of ammunition stowage depending on your chosen weapon and Meng have supplied tiny individual
37mm shells to load up the racks. The kit supplies a die cast suspension struts and metal springs, but tighter coils are required for complete accuracy so these are best replaced with home made versions. The suspension bogies are another superb piece of kit design and come with a choice of Idler wheel design and cleverly sprued road wheels. The wood grain texture on the idler is a tad heavy but could be toned down with some Mr Surfacer. Individual track links are de-sprued and snap together for hasslefree assembly and of course all the hatches and covers are separate to allow all that interior loveliness to be shown off. A small etched fret supplies stowage straps and the turret seat strap and the kit usefully includes a bonus tripod mount for the stunning Hotchkiss MG. The decal sheet provides markings for four different vehicles, two French, one Finnish and a German example. Overall a stunning kit which builds painlessly and one I would recommend unreservedly.
Takom 1:16 Renault FT-17 New manufacturer Takom know how to make a dramatic entrance to the market with this 1:16 Renault FT-17 also with full interior detail. Whether the blood red plastic is also part of this strategy we leave you to decide but there is no mislaying these sprues! The kit comes with a coloured photoetched fret, metal tow chain and individual link tracks and a decal sheet with three different schemes. In many ways this is a scaled up version of the Meng kit with the same assembly breakdown and many identical parts. The quality of the moulding is generally high with a tiny bit of flash and good surface detail. The plastic is a little brittle and can splinter when snipped off the sprues, but can be worked cleanly with a sharp blade. The main hull sides are a little warped on our sample but nothing to really cause alarm. Just like Meng, the complete engine and gearbox are superbly detailed and the treadplate on the driver’s pedals are supplied as photoetched parts, as is his seat back strap. There is no choice of weapons
here, just the stubby 37mm cannon and the ammunition racks reflect this but sadly do not include any shells to fill them. The Tail skid also does not provide the sprung towing hook mount that was a feature of post 1931 vehicles. The running gear is robust without sacrificing detail and there is only the wooden version of the idler provided. Solid moulded plastic springs for the return rollers would benefit from being replaced and the suspension lacks the casting numbers found on the Meng kit. The three piece track links look excellent and these sprues also included moulded rivets to add to curved parts of the turret where the rivets could not be moulded which is a nice touch. Early days with our build but so far this assembles well and should make a very impressive model with all that internal detail. Our thanks to Inside the Armour who are UK distributors for Takom for the sample. www.insidethearmour.com
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Tamiya 1:48 Russian Armoured Car BA-64B Fancy a quick and easy project? Maybe something to complete over a quiet weekend? With only thirty six parts including a figure this new Tamiya kit certainly falls into that category, the BA-64B looks very much like a Russian SdKfz 222 with it's angular body and small open turret. I'm sure this kit will fall together with ease in true Tamiya fashion but I do find their 1:48 kits overly simplified
in places, the 7.62 MG and suspension are toy-like and very chunky but we have nicely detailed wheels and good surface detail on the body. Finishing is typically overall green with large white turret numbers provided on a postage stamp sized decal sheet. If you're a 1:48 fan I think the wait for a photoetched set from someone like Hauler will be worth it.
Hornet 1:35 Head sets
HH 37
HGH 27
It's a pleasure to see Hornet adding to their range of their famous heads, the quality is still unsurpassed after many years of service! HH36 are bare 'unkempt' heads with beards suitable for LRDG crew for example or Robinson Crusoe! HH37 are bald heads, European features with a good selection of expressions. HGH 26 is a set of three heads of WWII panzer crew in schiffken caps with a set of separate resin headphone straps and throat mic (will need very careful removal from the resin block) and HGH27 an excellent set of Volkssturm youthful and older characters with a mixture of headgear. Hornet's legendary quality continues - www.hornetandwolf.com with Historex Agents are longstanding UK distributor to whom our thanks for the samples. www.historexagents.com
HGH 26
HH 36
AK Interactive
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Two new large-bottled primers from AKI, simply basic black and white. I’ve found these to airbrush very smoothly (best with a little of AK’s thinner) and ‘bite’ very well to plastic resin or metal. A good stable base coat available in a good range of colours. Also another in their boxed set of colours which are ready to airbrush- ‘German War Colors’ covers dunkelgrau and three-tone camo patterns. Top quality paints all round www.ak-interactive.com
Inside the Armour 1:35 Decals A nicely produced set of 1:35 decals here to suit British vehicles in Russian service covering matilda, Valentine, Churchill and even a Universal Carrier. The decals are contained in a A5 booklet with very comprehensive plans and information, the large turret markings have a nice in-scale hand applied look. 35087D is the code to search for at www.insidethearmour.com
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EA35-093
E35-192
E35-183 E35-184
E35-195
ET Model Detail Sets The steady release from China's E.T. continues, they never fail to impress and keep up with newly released kits at an alarming rate. One recent kit to get the treatment is Meng's Gaz 'Tiger' with a couple of sensible etched frets containing finely detailed ammo cans, number plates and smaller details. A woven steel tow cable is also included, reference is E35-184. If you really want to go to town on your Tiger, E35-195 is a set of interior details, along with the expected finer handles etc is the full framework and ammunition stowage for the 12.7mm. Another recent kit is the Hobbyboss T-26, being a delicate light tank in 1:35 these two frets (E35-183) will be a nice addition and include full mudguards and stowage boxes. Next this weighty set E35-192 will give the Tamiya M1A2 SEP MBT TUSK the ultimate make-over with no less than fifteen etched frets and resin pieces, woven steel tow cables and turned metal antennae bases- not a set to be taken lightly then! An alternative if you're after a quick fix for the Tamiya 'TUSK' EA35-093 consisting of the engine deck mesh and turret baskets. Top quality upgrades from E.T., take a look at their huge range at www.etmodeller.com.
Lifecolor sets Two new Pigment and Colour sets aimed at armour modellers from Lifecolor. 'Dust' and 'Mud' each contain three paint colours and three pigment powders with specifics such as 'Eastern European dust'. Both the acrylics and pigments can be mixed together to produce subtle variations in finish as well as texture. Ideal for any armour project and the closely matched colours and pigments in the dust set should be a big help in getting a unified finish. Lifecolor products are distributed in the UK by the helpful folk at the Airbrush Company www.airbrushes.com
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MiniArt 1:35 Ardennes Building MiniArt's series of buildings provide the diorama builder an excellent choice of excellent subjects, many of which thankfully are in an undamaged state. This building is indeed typical of the Ardennes area but would suit equally as well any part of Northern Europe over the last couple of hundred years. The usual format of the range is followed with the main walls and roof supplied as vac-formed sheet requiring trimming out, not difficult and the
detail is excellent with subtle textures but our samples have a few tiny air bubbles creating small ‘pips’ on the surface, albeit very easy to remove. The usual generic injection moulded sprues appear again supplying drain pipes, doors and fixtures and a specific set to produce the staircase. These kits provide a simple way to complex structures and have an advantage over plaster casts as they're very lightweight. Highly recommended.
MiniArt 1:35 Ruined Factory with Base Another highly detailed instant diorama which would suit any Western European or indeed Russian scene. The elements are nicely composed, the building corner can be used with or without the section of ducting and the paved base is large enough to carry a Panzer III or T34. Again, some generic sprues will provide
plenty of spares along with the parts specific to this scene. A couple of hours assembly should see this ready to paint, very time and cost effective all round- another excellent set! www.miniartmodels.com has details of the full range and very good painting guides in a step-by-step pictorial format.
Dragon 1:35 5cm PaK38 (Sf) auf Zugkraftwagen 1t
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Another 1 tonner to add to Dragon's collection, these field modified vehicles were used by Waffen SS units on the Eastern front to provide some make-shift mobile anti-tank firepower mounting the PaK 38. As we'd expect, DML have combined sprues from previous releases and added some bespoke parts. The basic zugkraftwagen vehicle is a very detailed but a demanding build (as we saw with our feature in issue 60) with delicate suspension components and minute track links which come de-sprued but do have fine ejector marks on the inner surface. A basic engine is included but not something you'll be able to display with the new armoured bonnet and grille covers which are very well done. The cab interior is well detailed with
exposed gearbox, the base vehicle still sports it's folded hood and frame (also provided as optional photoetched parts) The PaK 38 is or course the vintage Dragon kit with much of the single sprue unused and a new cradle provided. New ammo storage boxes are also provided but the lack of any shells or empty cases is a bit of an oversight. A revised gun would have been welcome as this one lacks the ‘sparkle’ of the newer elements. So, packed (or should that be PaKed?) with detail but tricky kits to build although ultimately worth the effort, this particular version would look superb with an 'in-action' crew as the box art depicts but you will have to provide this.
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Churchill Tank 1941-56 (all models) Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual
By Nigel Montgomery A4 hardback format, 160 pages Published by Haynes Publishing ISBN 978-085733-232-5 www.haynes.co.uk
This is another of the excellent Haynes workshop manual guides with this one focussed on the Churchill tank. This is an excellent concise study of the tank written by Nigel Montgomery who has restored his own Churchill to full working order and begins with a look at the history of the tank’s development and an outline of the different production marks and how to distinguish them. The weapons are examined in detail with information on the twin Vickers PLM anti-aircraft mount which was new to me. Useful info and photos of the different ammunition types and even the Rota trailer gets a mention. Chapter two looks at the Funnies and specialised armour which covers the Toad and ARV as well as the familiar Hobart vehicles. The next chapter covers the different
campaigns where the Churchill was deployed from Dieppe through to Korea with some interesting first hand accounts. Chapter four looks at the anatomy of the tank with all manner of useful technical details and diagrams with some valuable info right down to photos of the crew headphones and coms equipment. The next chapter covers the author’s restoration which is just fascinating and there is also a section on service and maintenance and another on operating it with advice on how to drive one and more first hand accounts from the men who fought in them. The book is extremely accessible, well illustrated and informative and highly recommended for Churchill fans.
MK35 Always to be relied upon by the diorama builder, France's MK35 produce a terrific range of civilian figures and accessories and have sent us a couple of their latest releases. A103 is a set of French roadsigns in resin with printed facias to apply. F235 is a seated figure in dungarees with the armchair included in nicely cast resin, a great character who would also suit more modern scenes. F230 depicts an SS Unterscharführer in the Ardennes campaign leaning casually with crossed legs with a beautifully cast MP44 slung over his shoulder. www.mk35.com has details of the extensive range.
A103 is a useful set of French road signs suitable for the World War Two period. Resin signs and ‘I’ beam posts are provided, four square and four triangular together with a printed sheet for the artwork which comes with a guide to each sign in case you cannot work them out! Simple but very effective!
Scanphoto Interactive DVD German Tank Interiors Part 2 Panther, Tiger I and B, Elephant Requires Adobe Reader 6 or higher (free to download) PC and Mac compatable www.afv-interiors.com This second interactive DVD focusses on the German big cats and variants namely Panther Ausf.A and G, bergepanther, Jagdpanther (late) Tiger I, Sturmtiger, Kingtiger, Jagdtiger and Elephant. The beauty of the format is the multi-media mix of archive film footage from the School of Tank Technology (Swedish narration ?) which is great to watch tanks of the period tackling numerous tests, plans and photographs. The vehicles studied are an excellent mix of contemporary restorations as well as original condition survivors with the main focus being on the interiors as the title suggests.
The author's unlimited access to these vehicles gives us information rarely seen in such detail with the interactive 360 degree views allowing a virtual 'look around' with superb lighting and clarity. Plenty of informative text gives general background to the vehicles and focuses also on more detailed aspects such as sighting equipment and components removed during restoration. An absolute wealth of reference information to any German armour modeller, much of which you'd be hard pushed to find anywhere else. Highly recommended.
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...another defeat in the East
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Franck Bazin creates an image of Germany’s desperate struggle during the closing stages of the war
Hungary - March 1945 The German army launched Operation "Frühlingserwachen" (Spring Awakening), a last great offensive which aimed to free the area around Lake Balaton from the Russian hold and secure a region containing the last of the Third Reich's oil reserves. Thawing roads and poor weather conditions greatly hampered or paralysed the movement of Axis troops while giving an advantage to the Soviet defence that was spread out in depth. As in previous offensives around Budapest (Operations ''Konrad I'', ''Konrad II'' and ''Konrad Konrad III''), this attack failed and the German-Hungarian troops were once again forced to retreat in dire conditions and under the pressure of Soviet troops who launched a counter-attack as early as 16 March in ''Operation Vienna". It is such a climate of sheer debacle that this diorama is intended to depict. A small group of soldiers have taken over a cart of Russian origin and are trying to move along the roads devastated by the thaw and the elements. The road is littered with wrecks and other damaged vehicles like the Opel Olympia car strafed by enemy aircraft which eventually fell into the ditch. Progress is slow and difficult but all of a sudden a Hetzer attached to the 20th Hungarian Infantry Division appears and clearly its crew does not intend to slow down and be stopped by any obstacle whatsoever...
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The Opel Olympia Model 1937 (Bronco) The Bronco model (Ref 35054) is very finely moulded and the detail is good. The model was built almost "from the box" here. While the instructions are fairly clear, one must be careful and not mount the rear seat backrest (part A32, Step 3) as per the instructions provided; you may have problems to fit this part to the hole provided for this purpose (parts A34 and A33 steps 5 and 6). It is best to attach this part once the interior has been painted and weathered and is ready to be closed. Building was split into several sub-assemblies to facilitate the painting stages. Detailing of the interior was completed by adding some lining to the roof made from a sheet of Duro. The rivets were done with a punch and die set. The upholstery on the roof and doors was painted with a coat of Tamiya acrylic XF-57 "Buff" before several washes of "Burnt Umber" oil were applied to highlight the recesses. Some details were picked out with acrylics. Some accessories were made or altered using Duro to clutter the back seat and the passenger seat. The seats were then fixed after painting.
Accessories and seats were painted with acrylics separately before fixing them to the inside of the vehicle. Metal parts were enhanced with a graphite pencil (2B) Weathering of the car was carried out on the entire body with washes of oil paint diluted with lighter fluid. Two colours were used primarily : "Burnt Umber" and "Black". This is a very important stage to give a first illusion of depth to the paintwork. Note the inside of the doors frames where remnants of the original blue civilian paint remain as I wanted to show a civilian vehicle that had been requisitioned. The model was first covered with a base coat of Tamiya XF-8 "Flat Blue" mixed with a bit of gloss varnish; the resulting
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finish was really good but also revealed a few imperfections that had to be removed before applying a second coat of Tamiya Panzer Grey XF-63 on the outer surfaces of the car body only. The final painting stage consisted of fine camouflage swirls of very diluted XF-60 "Dark yellow" paint applied with an airbrush set at a very low pressure. I scratchbuilt a new bumper with a piece of aluminium foil using the plastic part as a template. The effects of dust / mud were obtained with a light mist of AK "Africa dust effects" on the underbody and the windshield. This light film was removed in places with a fine brush moistened with white spirit to give the effect of rain streaks on the body.
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The horse-drawn cart (Master Box) Throughout the war, the German Army used horse-drawn transport extensively. There is an abundance of archive images showing this in contrast to the view often conveyed in the scale model world. The theme of this diorama was perfect for such an endeavour, and there was additional motivation now that a few brands offer models of carts. The kit used here is by Master Box and comes with the evocative name "Road to the Rear" (ref MB3558). This is certainly not ''Tamiya quality'', as every single part had prominent moulding marks that required a lot of sanding work, but for a small fee you get a cart and two horses with correct proportions, as well as 5 figures with suitable poses. To begin with, the cart was assembled according to the kit instructions before it was customized by adding side panels
made from plastic card and balsa wood and metal rods for different poles and hooks. Finding detailed reference on German horse-drawn carriages and carts was not easy. A lot of time with books and on the internet was needed to compare pictures and understand how horses were connected to the carts and wagons. Here the problem was to represent a Russian type cart drawn by a team of horses with typical German harnesses. Thus, the draw bars had to be scratchbuilt (plastic profiles and copper wire) as the kit parts (A/4 and A/27) were too heavy. The seat was also homemade and left removable for easy painting. The tarp was made of "AB Putty" which became very hard when dry, and once it was fixed on the hoops, it could be removed easily which made painting much easier. The eyelets on the tarp were pre-drilled before
the tarp was dry. All the accessories are of different origin (Dragon Historex, Tamiya, Italeri) except for a few that had to be scratchbuilt. Some items received extra detailing, like the Tamiya bicycle for which a LIONROAR set (ref LE35065) came in handy. The wagon was painted in a grey base colour (Tamiya Acrylics again). It was weathered with various oil washes (Burnt Umber or black + lighter fluid) to make the wood grain stand out and the metal parts look rusty. The paint wearing off the wood was created with Prince August PA 819 "Iraqi Sand'' paint. Some of the scuffing was later enhanced with a lighter shade of grey, done with a soft brush. As with the other vehicle, a final dusting was applied with a wash (AK 022 "Africa dust effects).
To break uniformity and create a more messy look, a tint of red was added to some of the wood planks and they were subsequently weathered with scratches of ochre and grey acrylics. The canvas was painted last with Prince August acrylics and
was installed permanently after the fixing of all elements to the diorama. The eyelets were made from a plastic disc and with a punch and die set, fitted into the locations and then pierced.
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Horse Play The first horse has his neck bent toward the ground to suggest a feeling of exhaustion. The moulded harness on the animal was ground off, and some body parts were sculpted with Magic Sculp. The second horse has a more fearful attitude; ears pointing back and extending his neck and throwing his head forward as if it was whinnying. All grey parts (neck, mane, muzzle, ears, joints, head ....) were created with Magic Sculp, the green parts (Teeth, tongue, loops) from Duro (or Green Stuff). After careful study of reference pictures and documents gleaned on the Internet, all the harness equipment was made with Duro, lead or aluminium foil and loops from various electrical wire sections.
The horse’s manes were then carved and so the detailing of both animals was complete. The painting was done with Prince August acrylics. To expand the chromatic range in the diorama, I chose two very different colourings. Not being an
expert on horses, I studied the work of some figure painters and special references were very much needed (thanks to the Internet here too).
Figures- the story tellers The figures that populate the diorama were sourced from various brands : Master Box provided the two cart drivers while two passengers are Dragon figures. The hooded sniper and the Hungarian tanker were both scratchbuilt. Both drivers were modified with sculpted winter uniforms, Hornet heads and modifications to their poses to suit the scene. The sniper who is waving at the Hungarian tank commander to calm down is a scratchbuilt effort so as to make him the vehicle. The head comes from the Hornet head range and his shoes are Master Box parts while the rest of his equipment is Dragon. The painting was done with Prince August acrylics. I tried to use the technique developed by Joaquin Garcia Gazquez after seeing his work at the Saumur Show in June 2011. Unfortunately, I cannot expand on the painting much having failed to take relevant notes of all the colours used. The other passengers are based on Dragon figures with slight modifications and Hornet heads
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Hungarian Hetzer This is the old Dragon kit (No. 6060) which today is still a very solid base. The level of detail is certainly not up to the current standards of this manufacturer, however, as the photos before painting show, with a minimum of work it can be turned into an accurate representation of this small armoured vehicle. The bulk of the work lies with the mudguards as these were entirely scratchbuilt using aluminium foil cut out from a food tray; this is cheap, fine and is flexible enough to allow a series of ribs to be scribed which were typically found on 38T and Hetzers. To make the assembly sturdy enough, two plastic brackets were rebuilt from the kit parts as these were too thick for scale originally. An Aber photoetch set that offers several types of German tool fasteners (ref: 35 A20) was used. The jack was taken from a Tamiya accessory set, a very handy and useful source to upgrade old kits ! All handles were made with wire for more finesse. The photoetched grille
came with the Dragon kit. The muffler was detailed by adding clamps and bolts and the tow rope is twisted electrical wire. Finally, the tracks were best replaced by a Modelkasten set that provides enough parts to replace the spare track links as well; these must be handled with great care during the painting stages and when set in their final positions as they are extremely delicate plastic parts that do not take heavy handling well. The kit skirts were refined by sanding, as well as their attachment points. At this stage they were not permanently glued to make painting and adding the tracks easier. The paint scheme was inspired by a photo of a Hungarian machine abandoned during Operation "Spring Awakening". This vehicle has a hard-edged camouflage scheme with "T-038" , the letter "T" corresponding to the first letter of the name of the Major General commanding the 20th Hungarian Infantry Division : Tilger Ferenc. The model was painted with Tamiya acrylics, XF-71 "Cockpit Green" (+ gloss) for the green basecoat, XF-68 "Nato Brown" for the brown blotches, a mixture of XF-2 "Flat White "and XF-60" Dark Yellow "for the yellow sand. This hard-edge camouflage pattern was factory applied and it is necessary to carefully study several photos showing the same design from multiple
angles to determine the shape and location of the various tones. Unless you wish to work with a brush to achieve this kind of camouflage, you have no other options than to use masks. After the green base coat was airbrushed, the entire surface of the model was covered with Tamiya masking tape. The swirls in the pattern were then drawn with a pencil according to the period photos and next the tape was removed from the model and the various parts were cut out carefully. These were then repositioned in sequence based on the colour that was to be sprayed. Needless to tell that this was a very tedious task which required a lot of attention and care. Once the colours have been airbrushed, any necessary corrections can be made with a fine brush with "Prince August" paints such as PA 985 for brown and PA 885 for green. If the above method appears too complicated to use, pre-cut masks are now available from "J’s Workmodel" which should make things easier! Weathering was a time-consuming build-up of oil paint washes and AK Interactive’s ‘Africa Dust Effects’. The running gear was blended into the groundwork once in position with real earth mixed with PVA, wetter mud was achieved with oil paint.
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Groundwork The scenery may look fairly straightforward at first glance. A rectangle base was used to accommodate of piece of dirt road with a ditch in the foreground and the edge of a grove in the background. The shapes were formed with several sheets of insulation foam. It was covered with a mixture of sieved soil and wood glue into which many footprints were imprinted. It was a tricky stage since many of these track marks were to be covered with different vehicles and in some areas, the fit had to be perfect to ensure a strong bond.
The tree, a birch, was scratchbuilt with a piece of plastic sprue for the trunk while the branches were made with "Zeechium" material or twisted electrical wire which were then fleshed out with Magic Sculp and Mr. Surfacer diluted with acetone to make them stick together firmly. It was then painted with a brush with Prince August acrylics. Again studying the colours of a real tree was essential to make it look authentic.
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Vegetation was created using "Joefix" products and other natural vegetation, and the leaves were simulated with real birch catkins collected from the garden. The different mud hues were obtained with various oil washes ("Sienna", "Burnt Umber") and AK 016 "Fresh Mud". Puddles were made with transparent resin. It looks simple in design, but integrating several vehicles including a carriage and a team of horses was more complex to achieve than I anticipated because of the many different elements (vehicles, figurines, horses, painting camouflage, vegetation....) and techniques used. The key was careful planning of the various sequences and construction steps to avoid unpleasant surprises in the final assembly stage. In the end, it was a very rewarding endeavour, both on a technical and historical level. Although this work is far from perfect, I hope it might inspire you to tackle such a project. 63
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