Model Military International - Issue 094 (February 2014)

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and Development, Hull Walkaround, Turret Walkaround, Merkava MK.2. Paperback.

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The Abrams family of tanks has been America’s premier main battle tank for over 30 years, and remains arguably one of the most formidable tanks in the world. 80 pages, 230 photographs plus detailed line drawings and a colour profile.

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Nuts & Bolts Volume 31 Marder II Panzerjager II fur 7.5cm Pak 40/2 (Sd. Kfz.131) 176 pages, 365 photos,

of these 190 contemporary photos from manuals, combat and War fronts in b/w, a number of them previously unpublished; 155 colour photos, 20 colour photos of the two models from Tony Greenland & Vinnie Branigan, 10 pages scale drawings of all versions.

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12054 U.S MRAPS In Action

More than 225 color photos present in detail all the major MRAPs: RG-31s, RG-33s, Cougars, Caimans, MaxxPros, and MATVs. Also included are the early deployed M1117 ASVs as well as Husky and Buffalo route-clearance vehicles. Colour photography and detailed captions take the mystery out of identifying the myriad U.S. deployed MRAP vehicles, 80 pages.

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This 80-page volume chronicles the design, development, testing and field use of this iconic vehicle through 143 vintage colour and black-and-white photos, as well as showcasing the nuances of the remarkable design via 74 colour photos of immaculately preserved examples. Illustrated with over 200 photographs. 80 pages.

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and markings policies of RAF aircraft during this ‘golden age’ of British military aviation. 72 pages, colour profiles.

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Hardback, 160 pages, full Colour Illustrations, covers serice use, Finish & Markings, Phantom Histories, bases and units.

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This edition has been revised and augmented, with more accurate captions as to dates and locale, together with new illustrations and a chapter on additional units. 288 pages - square spine.

Chapters include: History and Development, Walkaround, Engine and Transmission, 2S1 Hull Interior Details, 2S1 Turret Interior, D30 Walkaround, 2S3 Walkaround, D20 Walkaround Paperback, 106 pages, 327 colour photo’s.

Panzerkampfwagen T 34 - 747(r)

The Soviet T-34 Tank as Beutepanzer and Panzerattrappe in German Wehrmacht Service 1941-45. This book is illustrated with 552 black and white photographs, the bulk of which have hitherto gone unpublished, 328 pages.

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Tankograd 6029 - U.S. WW II Ward LaFrance / Kenworth M1 - M1A1 Heavy Wreckers 48 pages

with 150-200 illustrations, among them WW2 action photos, colour photos and technical drawings. Illustrated throughout. Excerpts of technical manuals, wartime photos, photos of restored vehicles. Ideal compagnion for modellers and fans of technology. Complete background history and variants. £9.99

Abrams Squad Volume 3: The Modern Modelling Magazine T-90A Lethal Metal, JGSDF TYPE 10 MBT, T-80, The Russian Predator, Remote Thermal Sight, plus much more!!! Full Colour, 68 pages.

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Firefly Collection No 6 - To The Last Bullet: Germany’s War On 3 Fronts. Part 2 Italy

13 pages of full colour artwork by Dennis Oliver highlighting over 40 different vehicles including Panthers, Tigers, Panzer III and IV tanks, halftracks, the Nashorn self-propelled gun and of course the ubiquitous StuG.

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Tankorad 6030 - U.S. WW II Heavy SelfPropelled Artillery M12, M40, M43 48 pages with 150-200 illustrations, among them WW2 action photos, colour photos and technical drawings. Illustrated throughout. Excerpts of technical manuals, wartime photos, photos of restored vehicles. Ideal compagnion for modellers and fans of technology. Complete background history and variants. £9.99

Tankograd 9021 Warpaint 94 - SuperChallenger 2 Main marine Attacker By Tony Butler. 40 pages, colour Weapon System in Armoured Regiments profiles, black and white photos. £13.00 of the British Army. First fielded in 1998, the Challenger 2 main battle tank is today the main weapon system in armoured regiments of the British Army. Illustrated with 139 colour photographs, 64 pages.

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British Phantoms Volume 5 - On Display Volume 3 - British How To Build Tamiya’s The Pantom FG Mk.1, FGR Steel 96 pages, full colour, paperback, British Aircraft The latest addition to this popular series of Mk.2 and F-4J(uk) in Royal WWII Armour, Models featured include the following: Boulevard of sorrowDaimler Dingo modelling titles and as such, offers the enAir Force 1979-1992 MK.II, A Freezing Desert Rat_The Cruiser Tank thusiast plenty of inspirational builds, hints,

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Gama Goat Detail In Action

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Modelling Grassland Merkava Mk. 1B in Detail Gvozdika & Akatsiya In Detail and Landscape Detailing Merkava Mk. 1B in European Museums Soviet Modern 122/152mm SPHs Featuring Weeds and Wild Flowers, 84 pages, 374 colour photos, chapters include: History and Guns Hedges, Roads and Pavements, Mud, Puddles and Rivers by Gordon Gravett. This book is a great follow up, to the two books published on Modelling Trees. Full Colour, 108 pages.

M1 Abrams In Action

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MK.VIII A27M “Cromwell” Dry Country: Valentine III MK.II North African Desert, Trainspotting, Trainshooting - Churchill MK.VI 3rd Scots Guards, Germant 1945, The Bishop’s Prayer-Bishop 25 Pounder, 4 Wheeled Recon-Humber Armoured Car MK.IV, Lucky Number 13-Matilda MK.III.£19.99

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Contents - Issue 94 February 2014 26

46

50

REGULARS

FEATURES

p 4 NEWS

p 6 THINK TANK

p 54 BOOKS

p 14 PREVIEW

What’s new in the world of military modelling Roundup of the latest modelling and reference titles

p 56 INCOMING

MMI’s thoughts on the latest kits and accessories

p 58 1:48 SCALE

Luke Pitt explores 1:48 scale military models, figures and accessories

p 60 SMALL SCALE

New releases in 1:72 scale and smaller

p 66 LAST POST

Late breaking news and ramblings from the Editor

M561 Gama Goat by Bruce Culver Dragon 1:35 Zugkraftwagen 1t

p 16 ANTI-SOCIAL CLIMBER Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Gama Goat by Brett Green

COVE FEATURRE

p 36 NORMANDY SEXTON

Jose Brito places Dragon’s 1:35 Sexton SPG in a Normandy diorama setting

p 46 SHOW REPORT ScaleACT 2013

p 50 STARING AT A SUNLIT PICTURE OF HELL

Young Miniatures 1:10 scale by Matt Wellhouser

p 24 PREVIEW

Meng 1:35 Leopard 1A3/1A4

p 26 WAFFENTRAGER Pt.2

Thomas Morgan paints and weathers Dragon’s 1:35 Waffentrager

p 34 PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 Korean War M24 Chaffee

6

©ADH Publishing Ltd 2014 Tel: (UK) 01525 222573 Fax: (UK) 01525 222574 Email: [email protected] Address: ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK Model Military International is published monthly by ADH Publishing. Reproduction in part or whole of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure the contents of Model Military International is accurate, the publishers and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions.

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Newsline - February’14 THREE NEW KITS AND CONVERSIONS FROM ACCURATE ARMOUR

MMI Newsdesk, ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK Tel:01525 222573 Fax:01525 222574 Email:[email protected]

Accurate Armour has three new releases:

NEW CHURCHILL UPDATEES FROM INSIDE THE ARMOUR Inside the Armour has announced two new releases, both available now:

Bedford RLC 3-Ton Light Recovery - Item No. K186 The Bedford RL series of 3-Ton (Later uprated to 4-tonne) trucks is one of the best known and mass produced British vehicles of the post war era with approximately 73,000 made over a 17 year period. Entering service in 1952, the Bedford RL served in almost every British military unit long after production ended in 1969. This workhorse of the post war British Army was adapted into a wide range of versions to suit many particular operational roles. This complete 1:35 scale model kit designed by David Jane and Rob Tearle is produced in resin and etched brass with comprehensive full colour decals with many marking options. This particular model kit depicts the REME 3-Ton Light Recovery FV13115. This is the recovery vehicle serving tucks up to 4-Ton, Ferret, Humber 1-Ton series & Humber Pig, and maintenance on larger vehicles such as Saladin and FV432 series. Full cab, chassis and suspension details are included along with fully detailed and accurate boom and associated equipment, jerry can and welding set stowage, cables and a wealth of fine detail including front mounted vise. An etched brass detail set includes front grille, Bedford logo, mudguards and tie downs etc. Lights are provided cast in clear & coloured resin and the front headlamp guards are fine laser cut material.

Churchill Air Intake Louvres. Item No. 35091 A simple and inexpensive addition to your Churchills to improve the look and accuracy of the side air intakes by providing the louvres missing from AFV Club and Tamiya kits. Grills sold separately and not included in this set.

Centurion A41 Operation Sentry Conversion – Item No. C096 This comprehensive 1:35 scale conversion set designed by Derek Hansen converts the AFV Club Centurion kit to depict one of the very early prototype A41 vehicles. Under the codename 'Operation Sentry', six A41 prototypes were sent to Germany in May 1945 for extensive troop trials, and this conversion represents a typical vehicle from that trial. This conversion comprises revised glacis, drivers, and top deck plates, transmission deck and extended hull rear along with A41 centre suspension units, final drive housings and 20" pattern prototype track. Also included are revised hull bins, towing cable assemblies, 17 Pr. gun cradle and stowed 20" track. The turret is an all new design of cast/welded construction mounting the 17 Pr. gun with auxiliary 20mm Polsten Cannon, rotating ARV cupola and opening hatches for gunner and loader. Cam net stowage is provided and an etched brass set includes bin padlocks, rear track-guards, drivers visor and other small detail fittings. The 17 Pr. gun barrel is provided in turned aluminium and a set of decals is provided which includes the Operation Sentry trials logos. Many thanks to the RAC Tank Museum at Bovington where the only surviving trials vehicle (P9) is on display.

Centurion Mk.I (A41*) Conversion - Item No. C097 Also available is this conversion for the first production Centurion Mk-I (A41*) vehicles. Following on from the 'Operation Sentry' trials, Centurion went into series production with the Mk-I, and this conversion represents a standard production vehicle. This conversion comprises revised glacis, drivers, and top deck plates, transmission deck and extended hull rear. Also included are revised hull bins, towing cable assemblies and 17 Pr. gun cradle.

All three new releases are available right now direct from Accurate Armour’s website www.accurate-armour.com

Churchill Idler Plates. Item No. 35090 Provides plates missing from the AFV Club Churchill Idler assemblies. An inexpensive and ideal addition to Churchill builds where track guards are not fitted, especially early and Dieppe Churchills.

Available online from Inside the Armour www.insidethearmour.com

BRONCO 1:35 6 PDR ON AIRBORNE CARRIAGE Bronco has sent images of their forthcoming 1:35 scale kit no. CB35168, OQF 6 Pdr Anti-Tank Mk.IV on Carriage Mk.III (Airborne) w/Crew. We will have a full review of this kit, which includes a British Airborne crew of four and a wide array of weapons, in a future issue of MMI.

Thanks to Bronco for the images www.bronco-model.com

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Think Tank - M561 Gama Goat LTV tested its Corvair-powered prototype Gama Goat at several locations to interest the Army in acquiring the vehicle. This demonstration was at the Grand Prairie Naval Air Station, Grand Prairie, Texas in 1960. LTV

Bruce Culver describes the origins, development and deployment of the M561 Gama Goat all-terrain vehicle.

GAMA GOAT HISTORY

T

he initial requirement that led to the development of the M561 6x6 light truck came from the French Army in Indochina, who complained that the US-supplied WWII and post-war trucks were inadequate to deal with the demanding terrain and wet ground of the SE Asia jungle. In 1959, ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) issued a requirement (Project Agile) for a new light tactical truck for use in SE Asia with advanced crosscountry capabilities even in marshy or boggy conditions, having more agility and better flotation than the surplus US vehicles being used at that time. As it happened, a private inventor-engineer named Roger Gamaunt, who worked at the Hughes Tool Company, in 1947 developed a new concept for a light truck and he applied for a patent in March 1960. This new design was a 6x6 articulated light truck

in two sections – a 4x4 tractor and an articulated trailer with a single driven rear axle. The trailer was restricted in that it could roll in rough terrain and also move in pitch compared to the tractor unit, but could not move in yaw (side to side) motion. The central axle at the rear of the tractor did not steer, but both the front (tractor) and rear (trailer) axles did steer, which gave the new truck much improved mobility and allowed the tractor and trailer to function as a solid body in turns.

ARPA PROPOSAL RESPONSE Several companies answered the proposal from ARPA, among them Clark, General Motors and LeTourneau. At this time, Chance Vought Aircraft was trying to find additional areas to pursue to expand its business and reduce its dependence on military aircraft contracts. They had become aware of the Gamaunt 6x6 truck

concept and decided to offer it to answer the ARPA proposal. Gamaunt became a consultant for Vought and subsequently was heavily involved in the testing and marketing of his invention to the military. Gamaunt received a development contract to design and produce a prototype for evaluation, and 10 months later delivered the prototype to Vought for testing. The first prototype was built from aluminum to save weight and was powered by a Corvair automobile engine, a 6-cylinder boxer air-cooled design rated at 100 HP. Due to delays at Gamaunt’s California facility, the prototype was completed at Vought’s plant in Grand Prairie, Texas. A number of component changes delayed the project, but eventually the prototype was ready for testing. The prototype vehicle was an extremely complex design, and

the complexity would be the “Achilles heel” of its service life. In addition, the prototype had been cobbled together using parts from other vehicles and not all the assemblies were durable enough to survive testing. There were 22 universal joints in the power train, and the failure of only one would usually render the truck unusable. Nonetheless, the prototype’s excellent cross-country performance validated Gamaunt’s original concept.

IMPROVEMENTS Vought made some modifications to improve the vehicle’s performance. The ground clearance was increased from 9 inches to 15 inches and the tyre size was increased for better flotation. Completed at the Vought Grand Prairie plant, the prototype rolled out on 1 September 1960, ready for company testing. In 1960, there were still

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The Corvair-powered prototype transmission and linkage, seen here in 1960, shows the complex nature of the design, which plagued reliability for its entire service life. LTV

The Corvair powered prototype hung up when it hit a rock in Thailand, 1962. It was offloaded and the tests continued after it was backed off the rock with no damage. LTV

LTV dispatched its Corvair-powered prototype to Thailand in 1962 for testing in tropical and jungle conditions. LTV employees comprised the testing team and tried several configurations, including a winch. Overall performance was acceptable, but problems were noted and redesigning failed systems solved some of them. LTV

LTV employees pose in Thailand with the Corvair-powered prototype Gama Goat, 1962. Note the early prototype winch and the wide tyres for good flotation. Later tests in Thailand were conducted by the Army in 1965. LTV

The test rig #1 roll-out occurred in December, 1963 at the LTV plant, Dallas, Texas. This was the first contract test vehicle. There were two test rigs for automotive testing and 14 developmental test vehicles for overall evaluation. LTV

large tracts of open land near the Vought plant suitable for cross-country testing, and initial automotive tests were conducted by Vought engineers and by Roger Gamaunt, who was under contract to Vought to develop the prototype for testing by potential customers. Gamaunt often served as the driver for demonstrations, in Texas and at several locations in the US. The Vought testing in October 1960 disclosed a number of design and mechanical faults

that required redesign of much of the power train and steering, delaying the planned October 1960 demonstrations to January 1961. Testing also included swimming and flotation, conducted in Mountain Creek Lake in Grand Prairie, as well as rough terrain, mud, steep slopes, highway driving, and other tests of agility and cross-country performance. While the problems delayed some testing, overall the vehicle performed well enough to confirm Gamaunt’s

The rear of test rig #1 at its roll-out at the LTV plant in Dallas shows the original solid rear body sporting a conventional folding tailgate. This eliminated the marginal fording and swimming capability of the prototype. LTV

original design. In 1961, Vought conducted a series of demonstrations for the US Army and Marine Corps in several locations including Ft. Benning (Infantry), Ft. Knox (Armor), Ft. Belvoir (DOD), Quantico (USMC), the Detroit Tank Automotive Command and Ft. Sill (Artillery). These demonstrations repeated the testing done by Vought and showed the prototype was capable of operating successfully over very rough

terrain, mud, sand, high vertical obstacles, slopes and both salt and fresh water. Other demonstrations included loading the prototype into suitable cargo aircraft like the C-119 “Flying Boxcar.” All these were successful and the military showed interest in this unusual new vehicle. In 1961, Vought submitted an unsolicited proposal to the government for production of the new concept. This was rejected because there were plans to issue A

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Think Tank - M561 Gama Goat

The XM561 was delivered to Aberdeen Proving Ground in December, 1963. The Army conducted a series of evaluation tests over the next few years and found a number of problems that required extensive reworking of the design and many of the parts. LTV

Initial swimming tests of test rig #1 took place in Mountain Creek Lake, Grand Prairie, Texas in 1964. The movement in the water was entirely by the vehicle wheels, and as a result, speed was limited. The low freeboard restricted the Gama Goat to calm water. LTV

One of the test units at Aberdeen Proving Ground was involved in articulation testing, 1964. This was to show the proper articulation of the tractor and trailer in pitch and roll. The tractor and trailer were never to move from side-to-side, however, and when that happened, it indicated a failure in the drive train or steering. LTV

B a request for a new 1 1/4 ton light truck. Vought then demonstrated the prototype to the US 7th Army in Germany and to other organizations in several European countries. In December 1961, the Army released its specifications for the XM561 high-mobility light truck program and Vought tendered a proposal based on the Corvairpowered prototype in March 1962. The proposal suggested a choice of engines for selection: the original Corvair 6-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine or the General Motors (GM) Detroit

This LTV engineer is driving test rig #1 in Grand Prairie near the LTV plant, 1964. At that time, there was still a lot of open fairly rugged land available for local testing. LTV

Cross country testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, 1964, demonstrated the Gama Goat’s remarkable cross-country performance but also highlighted a number of mechanical and design problems. LTV gradually resolved most of these over many months of testing. LTV

The test rig went through cold weather testing at LTV’s facility in Michigan, 1964. Here it is towing a 1.5 ton M105 trailer, which was a common load in Army service. Note how the articulated body followed the terrain to improve cross-country performance. LTV

Diesel 3-53, a 3-cylinder liquidcooled 2-stroke diesel producing 105HP. In the meantime, ARPA conducted more testing of the Corvair-powered prototype in 1962, sending the vehicle and a Vought and Army test cadre to Thailand for jungle and tropical tests. The prototype successfully passed these requirements and during this test period, Vought (now part of the Ling-Temco-Vought conglomerate) was selected as the winner of the development contract.

DESIGN AND TESTING In January 1963, Vought started preliminary design of the production specification vehicle, powered by the GM 3-53 2-stroke diesel engine. There were a number of design changes as reliability was now more important. In March 1963, Vought was awarded a contract for two “test rigs” (preliminary prototypes) and 14 developmental prototypes. Of the 14 developmental vehicles, nine were to use the GM 3-53 diesel and the other five were to use an experimental 102HP Lycoming air-

cooled aluminium engine, which was not successful, and those vehicles eventually used the 3-53 engine in testing. The “test rigs” were preliminary examples, not using all the military parts, to expedite testing. As development got underway, under government orders (as part of winning the contract) Vought opened a facility in Warren, Michigan in November 1963 to base the XM561 program there. During development, a number of add-on kits had been proposed, including a winch, a cabin heater and various

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‘Europe’s Number One Model Shops’ weapons kits, including the 106mm recoilless rifle. In any event, the weapons kits were not issued. Back at the Grand Prairie plant in Texas, the first XM561 test rig rolled out and began initial testing. Again, a number of components failed and had to be strengthened or replaced. Test Rig #1 was then sent up to the Michigan facility for further testing In February 1964 the second test rig rolled out and resumed testing, again revealing serious problems with the power train, especially universal joints, axle shafts and brakes. The swimming tests revealed that because there was no propeller, forward speed in the water was limited by the performance of the tires rotating to move the vehicle. In addition, the very low freeboard and new tailgate in the trailer section limited the design to still waters only, such as streams and lakes. The tailgate was a change demanded by the Army, and if not in perfect condition, it prevented the vehicles from entering deep water. Even at this stage of testing, the prototypes picked up a reputation for being “maintenance intensive”, a trait that would follow the M561 through its service life. Several kits for special purposes appeared and were tested at various military facilities, including a multi-purpose shelter to be placed inside the trailer body, an arctic weather kit, an ambulance configuration, a radio installation, and several weapons kits, though none of the weapons sets were issued. In addition, the excessive noise from the high-mounted diesel engine required the crews to wear hearing protection. Drivers also needed special training to learn how to handle the unusual driving characteristics. The double steering arrangement with both front and rear axles turning on curves could be dangerous at higher speeds and a number of M561s were rolled by drivers. Drivers also had to be aware the steering was not self-centring and required constant attention. In spite of the noted higher maintenance requirements, the test vehicles clearly demonstrated their superior cross-country abilities, and on completion of airdrop and air transport tests plus successful completion of the durability testing, the M561 was accepted for issuing as Type Standard ‘Class A’ materiel in June 1966. Many of the problems found in testing had to be put off until parts could be procured, but a program was set up for this purpose. The Army always referred to the vehicle as the M561; Vought

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Fording tests in 1964 showed the very low freeboard restricting Gama Goat water operations to still water only. Production versions had a folding tailgate in the rear body and were not able to swim, which had been found not to be a critical need. LTV

CB35069 US Light Tank M-24 ‘Chaffee’ (WWII Prod.) with Tank Crew Set £37.99

CB35084 British/Commonwealth Bofors Gun crew set £11.99

CB35089 1:35 Bruckenleger Auf Pz.Kpfw.II ausf D1 £27.99

The XM561 program developed a number of kits for special purposes. This demonstration tested an add-on kit for a 106mm recoilless rifle at the Fort Knox armour centre in 1965. This kit was not used in the M561’s Army service. LTV

CB35098 1:35 British/Commonwealth AFV Crew set £11.20

CB35102 US 155mm Howitzer M114A1 (Vietnam War) £22.50 CB35103 German Telemeter KDO Mod.40 with Sd.Anh 52 Trailer (Kommando-Gerät 40) £19.99 Test rig for improving water travel performance, 1965. Tests conducted in Michigan used an outboard motor and wide terra tyres as shown here for better flotation.

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Tests did show improved performance and the terra tyres improved flotation in very soft ground and bogs, but the adoption of a folding tailgate for the production trailer precluded swimming for normal use. LTV

Phone: 00 44 (0)1502 517444 (8 lines) 0845 130 72 48 local rate from UK phones only (NOT mobiles) Fax: 00 44 (0)1502 500521 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.hannants.co.uk To join our mailing list so you receive our free weekly email news letter please use this link: February 2014 - Model Military International 9 www.hannants.co.uk/cgi-bin/mailinglist.pl

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Think Tank - M561 Gama Goat

In 1970s Army adopted MERDC multi-colour camouflage as seen here; this is the winter verdant scheme using earth yellow rather than sand. The MERDC colour system allowed easy changes of camouflage by over-painting only one colour, so that most of the vehicle remained the same. US Army

B early on had designated it as

the “Gama Goat” for marketing purposes, and that is the popular name that stuck, “Gama” referring to the inventor’s name (Gamaunt) and “Goat” to its mobility over rough ground. The Army procurement agency then let out the production contract. Several manufacturers tendered proposals, and the production contract was awarded

in June 1968 to the Consolidated Diesel Electric Company (Condec), who low-bid the contract well under anyone else’s bid, just under $8500 per vehicle. In any event, Condec was not able to produce vehicles that were properly built or reliable, and at one point some 4400 M561 trucks were in depots waiting for fixes to various production problems. Cost overruns were so

numerous and extreme they led to a Congressional investigation in 1972. In service, the M561 and its companion M792 ambulance version were either loved or hated. Their cross-country performance was superior to any other wheeled vehicle, but the maintenance requirements, high noise levels and unusual driving characteristics made them problematic. Numerous

problems that had come up in testing defied correction. A particularly bad problem was the difficulty in maintaining the proper alignment between the front and rear axle steering, which was critical for proper control of the vehicle. There were additional problems with the externallymounted brakes, which proved almost impossible to bleed and adjust correctly. A

There was a good deal of variation in the application of MERDC camouflage; here is another version of the winter verdant scheme. Note the folded back side curtain on the soft cab. This was usually closed to prevent mud and dirt from entering the cab. US Army

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In part because of its excellent cross-country performance, the M561 Gama Goat often went through a lot of soft ground. Its design made it a messy vehicle with all six wheels throwing up mud and dirt. In some cases, if the mudguards and the cab cover were removed, the centre wheels could throw mud on the inside of the windshield. US Army

Many of the M561s were deployed in Europe and served for many years in USAREUR, equipping a number of units. These vehicles are in a MERDC “snow temperate with trees and shrubs” scheme. The MERDC schemes could be altered easily by over-painting only one of the four basic colours. US Army

The M561 articulated design was ideal for crossing very uneven ground, but its flexibility came with the cost of high maintenance requirements. This example is painted in the tropical verdant MERDC scheme. US Army

For use in colder climates, a solid crew cab was added to the M561 Gama Goat. This example has a radio shelter in the rear trailer. Note that the tractor, trailer and shelter all have different camouflage schemes.

Many M561 Gama Goats were used with hard shelters in the trailers to mount various types of radar. This example in the US desert carries the AN-MPQ 49 radar set, with the generator carried in the detached trailer at the right. US Army Operation Urgent Fury was the invasion of the island nation of Grenada in 1983 by US forces ostensibly to rescue American medical students on the island, and prevent Soviet forces from using the new large Port Salines International Airport. This M561 from the 82nd Airborne Division debarked from a C-130 Hercules at the disputed airport. US Army

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Think Tank - M561 Gama Goat Another 82nd Airborne Division M561 in Grenada, 1983, shows a completely different camouflage pattern application, though using the MERDC colours. Additionally, the colours faded and often presented a far different appearance compared to a freshly painted vehicle. In some units there was considerable variation in vehicle camouflage. US Army

This M561 Gama Goat is in the winter verdant scheme and is another example seen at the Port Salines International Airport in Grenada, 1983. The major role of the US troops once hostilities had ceased was evacuating American medical students from Grenada. US Army

B The basic design of the vehicle,

with a double walled body, made maintenance of the systems a nightmare – the complete lubrication process could take as long as 6 hours – and also made it difficult to remove and replace internal assemblies. A particularly bizarre situation was that if the mudguards over the central wheels were damaged or missing and the cabin soft top was lowered, the central wheels could throw mud and dirt on the inside of the windshield. Some drivers resorted to keeping wet towels to clean the glass if that happened. Later production M561s proved to be more reliable once the

modifications had been made, but the design flaws stayed with the vehicles until they were replaced.

IN SERVICE The M561 Gama Goat entered service during the Vietnam War, and it served in that theatre of operations. All of the mentioned maintenance issues followed it there, but its excellent crosscountry capabilities were appreciated. The high level of engine noise made them conspicuous and in some areas, M561s would be sent out on a trip before the other vehicles so that all would arrive at the same time. Gradual improvements and

The ambulance version of the Gama Goat was designated M792. These M792 ambulances were sent to Grenada to support operations and provide medical services to US troops and the American students as needed. US Army

better maintenance procedures reduced the repair requirements, but maintenance was always considerably more than for more conventional vehicles. M561 Gama Goats served in the continental US, and especially in Europe as part of USAREUR, the US Army in Europe. They served as cargo haulers, personnel transports and carriers of radio shelters and portable radar stations. They were painted largely in the MERDC camouflage scheme developed by the US Mobility Equipment Research & Design Command in the 1970s. This used four colours painted in a variegated pattern. An interesting feature was

that changing the camouflage from summer to winter or fall colours usually involved repainting only one of the four colours, the others remaining as is. There were several standard schemes, but in Europe for most of the year the Winter Verdant scheme was the most common. M561s were commonly found participating in the various Reforger exercises conducted by NATO troops in Europe.

GRENADA Another operation in which M561 Gama Goats played a significant part was Operation Urgent Fury, the US invasion of the island nation of Grenada in 1983. This was a

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This M561 of the 82nd Airborne Division, in Grenada in 1983, is painted in the grey desert scheme. This could be changed to a more temperate scheme by over-painting the sand colour with a green as required. Not all M561s were equipped with winches. US Army

This M561 Gama Goat carried a text book example of the winter verdant camouflage scheme. This was a very common configuration – the vehicle with a radio shelter in the trailer and towing an M105 cargo trailer. R. Rost

This M561 Gama Goat was seen during the Reforger 84 exercise in Germany. It was painted in the winter verdant scheme and, as common for M561s in Europe, it towed an additional M105 1.5 ton trailer behind the shelter trailer. US Army

This M792 Gama Goat ambulance of the 82nd Airborne Division was being prepared for loading in 1985. It is painted in the grey desert scheme that used sand in place of green but was similar to the more common winter verdant scheme. US Army

reaction to a leftist coup in 1979 and the building of Port Salines International Airport, a large airfield on the island capable of handling Soviet military aircraft. The ostensible reason for the invasion was to rescue a number of American medical students studying on the island. Among the special troops involved in the landings were elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, who were equipped with M561 trucks and M792 ambulances to transport the students and care for any

casualties. The fighting on Grenada was over in a few weeks, and represented a last hurrah for the M561 and M792, which were now beginning to show their age. The initial production problems had resulted in cancellation of subsequent orders, so only the original 15,274 vehicles ordered in 1968 had been constructed. The continuing high maintenance requirements and cost had not gone down as much as hoped and in the 1980s the Army began

This M561 Gama Goat in Germany in 1985 sports a very faded winter temperate MERDC colour scheme. By this time the MERDC scheme was being replaced by a new three-colour scheme of sand, green and black. US Army

This M561 Gama Goat in Reforger 87 towed the M102 light 105mm howitzer and was painted in the winter verdant colour scheme. A few years after this, the Gama Goats were replaced by CUCV pickup trucks and then the new Humvee light truck. US Army

to replace the M561. The first replacement was the Chevrolet CUCV 4x4 pickup, which was somewhat more reliable but had poorer cross-country performance. Later, the final replacement for the M561 Gama Goat appeared in the form of the AM General M998 High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, popularly called the Humvee.

EPILOGUE

of them ending up in scrap piles, sometimes stacked like cordwood several rows high. A fair number were disposed of to civilian operators and collectors, and they are sometimes seen at military vehicle rallies and shows. And to demonstrate that what is old is new again, the original Corvairpowered Gama Goat prototype from 1960 still exists and has been fully restored, the first of its kind and now among the last… ■

The Gama Goats disappeared from the military inventory, most February 2014 - Model Military International 13

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KIT PREVIEW

Dragon 1:35 5cm Pak 38 (sf) auf Zugkraftwagen 1t • Kit No. 6719

Dragon adds a number of brand new parts to its Sd.Kfz.10 to create the 5cm Pak 38 (sf) auf Zugkraftwagen 1t. Graham Tetley takes a look.

TRACKED PAK

N

ewly arrived is Dragon’s latest addition to the Sd.Kfz.10 family contains approximately 600 plastic parts and 25 etched ones. Instructions come in Dragon’s usual format : 15 construction steps where some contain multiple sub-assemblies. They are cluttered, but take your time and you will prevail. The actual vehicle saw service in very limited numbers and was a field conversion by the Panzer Grenadier Division ‘LAH’ on the Eastern Front. This version of the vehicle provides us with new parts for the engine grille and bonnet covers, a folded down rear tarp, the gun mounting system and some ammunition boxes for the Pak 38. A new etched fret and markings for two vehicles round it off. Earlier versions of this kit had some problems, but most have now been corrected. The engine lacks some detail, but if it is covered up under the bonnet it isn’t a problem. The new drive sprocket parts are included here, so that makes the tracks fit nicely. Detail throughout is clean and crisp and there are no mold blemishes or flash on my example. The tracks are of the ‘Magic’ type and come as separate track pads and shoes – these are fiddly to assemble (trust me!) but look great when done. Give me these over ‘DS Tracks’ every time!

The new photo-etched fret.

Optional front road wheels are provided, you can either go for the convention two-part type or the more detailed 5-part type with ‘CONTINENTAU’ on them. The Pak 38 is one of Dragon’s older kits but it still stands up well, your spares box will appreciate the full gun cradle, wheels and support arms that are not needed. All told there are just over 100 parts that are not needed for this model. Turning to the construction of the kit, we naturally start off with the road wheels and suspension. Some months ago I built the Cyberhobby kit with the Pak 36 and, as a lot of it is common, the same building experiences apply. The road wheel arms B64 are a little sloppy in their attachment, so I recommend fitting them to the road wheels first and then putting a spacer underneath the hull to get everything level. I would also advise fitting the front road wheel unit to the kit right at the very end as Part A23 (that the wheels mount to) are fragile and prone to bending with the wheels attached. Best practice to fit the tracks at this stage, then fit the front steering assembly so that everything lies level and true. You can skip the engine in Steps 3 and 4 if you are doing the bonnet closed, but the transmission in steps 5 and 6 you have to include. My experience with the transmission is that it is the Devil’s Own Spawn to construct

Plenty of registration options!

– a lot of the parts are small and fragile and are prone to breaking when you remove them from the sprue. The location of parts is vague in the instructions so great care is needed. The cab area is beautifully detailed with decals provided for the dials. When you get to the bonnet, it is best to fit parts A28 and A31 to the chassis before the radiator assembly. Once dry, use the grille (A63) to then align the bonnet parts correctly. Once done, the new bonnet armour parts in this kit (which in my view make the vehicle look pig-ugly!) simply fit over the kit bonnet. Unfortunately, these new parts also cover up the lovely ‘DEMAC’ etched emblem that Dragon provides: I assume that ‘DEMAC’ must be related to ‘CONTINENTAU’….. Our attention now turns to the rear bed and mounting for the Pak 38. You construct the rear bed as normal but add the new ammo boxes & etched straps to the rear fenders. If you want to leave one separate, Dragon kindly give you the parts to show one with its lid open. The gun itself is fairly basic and should go together easily. Where I can forsee a problem is that the mounting points are only vaguely shown, so take care. So, in conclusion, we have a lovely little model here of a very unique field conversion. My advice is to take care with assembly, don’t rush it, and plan at least two construction stages ahead at all times. You will be rewarded with a fine model if you do. ■

New gun mount parts.

New bonnet armour sprue.

The crew seats.

The two-part plastic gun shield.

The new folded canvas tilt.

Gun cradle.

Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net The sprockets have bolts moulded in situ.

Tools by Dragon.

14 Model Military International - February 2014

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13........................................................£TBA MM35603 Marmon Herrington Mk II......................................................................£TBA MM35900 Morris Commercial C8 Quad.................................................................£TBA MM35121 CMP C8A Heavy Utility Cab 13 .............................................................£TBA MM35901 Morris Commercial CS8 GS ..................................................................£TBA MM35161 CMP C60L GS Truck cab 13 .................................................................. £due MM35104 CMP C15A Water Tank Lorry cab 11 & 12 ...........................................£TBA MM35105 CMP F15 Ford Truck ..............................................................................£TBA MM35107 CMP F15 Italian service Ford ............................................................... £due MM35851 US Caterpillar D7 Tractor ......................................................................£TBA MM35300 Italian 20mm Breda Gun ....................................................................£16.99 MM35200 Russian T-20 Art Tractor .......................................................................£TBA MM35831 US Indian 741B M/Cycle ....................................................................£21.99 MM35126 CMP Ford F.A.T cab 13 ..........................................................................£TBA MM35821 US M5 High Speed Tractor....................................................................£TBA MM35181 CMP F60L Ford Workshop Lorry...........................................................£TBA MM35151 CMP C30 Chevy GS Truck .....................................................................£TBA Bronco Models (future releases) BM35065 Panzer 35T (SKP) ..................................................................................£TBA BM35066 Nimrod 40M A/A Tank 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05/12/2013 19:09

FEATURE ARTICLE

ami a 1:35

561 ama oat . . 6 6 argo ruck • Kit No. 3533

ANTI-SOCIAL CLIMBER It was noisy, it was unreliable, it was slow; but it could tackle tough terrain like nothing else. The Editor builds Tamiya’s brand-new 1:35 scale M561 Gama Goat.

16 Model Military International - February 2014

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T

here is no doubt about the amazing climbing and offroad abilities of the Gama Goat, but it was finicky to m aintain, noisy to drive and slow. It maintain, seems that the fondest memories that many of its US Army and Marines crews have is waving them goodbye! Fortunately, we modellers don’t have to worry about reliability and noise in 1:35 scale, so we can focus on the details and the camouflage of this fascinating vehicle. Tamiya’s brand new 1:35 scale Gama Goat comprises 108 parts in grey plastic, six parts in clear, 22 polythene caps in three different sizes and markings for three vehicles. My sample is an early test shot, so the arrangement of parts on the sprue and the colour of the plastic may be different to the general release kit.

GOAT IN A BOX

The attractive box art from Tamiya’s brand new 1:35 scale Gama Goat.

The first impression is that this is quite a simple model. The complex suspension is broken down into a relatively small number of parts; the wheels are uncomplicated affairs each with a single main section incorporating the tyre and hub, an insert for the rear and a poly cap to press it onto the axle; and the front and rear bodies are both straightforward. Despite the modest parts count, the intricacy of this odd six-wheeled vehicle is still well represented. Moulding quality is up to Tamiya’s usual high standards. I did not see any ejector pin circles or other moulding artefacts that would be visible when the model was complete. Detail is good. The various levers and handles are depicted inside the cab and there is nice fabric texture on the seats. Instrument dials and placards are provided as decals. These are very effective. Vent detail is moulded onto the engine hood, which looks quite convincing after a dark weathering wash. It is nice to see that clear parts are supplied for the headlight lenses and front indicators, as well as the windscreen. However, some details are missing. The box top illustration and historical photos show that a ring and post was fitted on both front corners of the cab, and a filler cap was present in front of the driver. Tamiya does not provide a hook for the end of the tow cable or towing eyes either. The tailgate is a separate part that may be posed open without too much trouble. Plastic pins allow the joint between the cab and rear body

sections to be workable in pitch, but it is not designed to roll. A polythene cap is built into the joint to allow the front and rear halves of the vehicle to be brought together after painting and weathering. The steering is fixed in the straight-ahead position. Options include the full windscreen with clear plastic panes, or the cut-down version often seen on vehicles in front line service. Markings are offered for three vehicles – two in Olive Drab and one in the four-colour MERDC (Mobility Equipment Research and Development Center) camouflage. The latter was a Gama Goat deployed to Grenada in 1983 as part of Operation Urgent Fury.

BUILDING THE GOAT This model is pure Tamiya to build. You won’t encounter any resistance in assembly. Fit is perfect and the instructions will logically guide you through a remarkably quick and trouble-free construction. There really are no traps to be found here. I would only suggest three things to watch out for: 1. Be very sparing in the application of glue to the pins on the universal joint in Step 4. 2. Don’t forget to drill out the locating holes for the winch in the forward hull in Step 6, and 3. In Step 7, after removing the dashboard (Part B31) from the sprue, do not slice off or sand down the four raised rectangles on the top front of the part. They look like sprue attachment points, but they’re not! I cut two of these off before I realised my error. The only areas I deviated from the instructions were to leave off the clear headlight and indicator lenses until the very end of construction. I also left off the seats so that I could paint and weather them separately; and the steering wheel as it was easier to glue the painted driver into the vehicle first, then to add the steering wheel and adjust it to meet his right hand.

A FEW EXTRAS I received Squadron Signal’s “Gama Goat Detail in Action” book just as I started to paint the model. There are some really useful closeup photos in this book, and this is when I realised that some details were missing from the front of the hull. The most obvious of these were two rings mounted on the front corners just ahead of the windscreen. These seem to be the same as the tie-downs that are moulded onto the hull sides, and they are clearly present in A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

ami a 1:35

561 ama oat . . 6 6 argo ruck • Kit No. 3533

The lower side of the cab section with the springs and shock absorbers attached.

The lower side of the cab section with the springs and shock absorbers attached.

The shock absorbers for the middle pair of wheels are moulded to the rear hull plate.

If you are planning to fit the winch, you’ll need to drill out the flashed-over holes before gluing the front panel (Part B26) to the body.

B Tamiya’s own box art too.

I cut a few short lengths of plastic rod to act as the posts, then bent some fine copper wire around a small diameter rat-tail file. Rather than trying something fancy like drilling through the narrow post, I simply cut a gap into the rings and secured them to the posts with super glue. I drilled holes in the corners of the upper hull to accommodate the plastic posts. I also scratch built the filler point. A square base was cut from thin scrap plastic, and four bolt heads were formed using my Waldron Sub-Miniature Punch and Die set. My Waldron Precision Punch and Die set was used to create concentric disks for the filler neck and cap. Due to some clumsy gluing on

Final details have been added to the lower cab. Despite the small number of parts, this area looks suitably busy.

The seat and centre console module. Note that the seats have not been glued in place yet – they are just test-fitted.

my part and subsequent clean up, I had sanded off three bolt heads from the front of the cab near the headlights. I punched replacements while the Sub-Miniature set was still out. I also cut some tiny rectangles from the thinnest Evergreen plastic sheet that I owned to restore the small tabs that I had mistakenly cut from the top of the dashboard. I decided to add the circular eyes to the towing points on the front of the Goat. I used soft lead wire for this job. It was easy to bend into shape, then I was able to simply squash the ends and add bolts from punched plastic. I had seen a photograph that showed a chain wrapped around the front of the winch. I thought that looked interesting, and it

Differential and suspension detail added to the lower front section.

The box takes shape – front and rear panels as well as some of the interior detail have been added to the core of the cab.

would also hide the fact that the kit winch did not include a hook. Tank Workshop TWS 256B “Ornate Chain” was used for this job. I like the Tank Workshop chain as it is already permanently blackened and therefore ready to use straight from the bag.

PAINTING MERDC During the 1970s and 1980s, the US military painted their vehicles in a four colour scheme named MERDC, after the US Mobility Equipment Research & Design Command. In theory there was a set of standardised schemes, but there seemed to be considerable variation in patterns even amongst the same type of vehicle. The method of application differed too, with some very soft edged sprayed

demarcation; some hard, brush painted and others in between. Different colours were used depending on the area the vehicle was deployed and the season. There were eight standard schemes using twelve different colours. The most common of these seems to have been “Winter, US & Europe, Verdant”, which employed Forest Green, Field Drab, Sand and Black. Despite the warm Caribbean climes, it would appear that the Gama Goats deployed to Granada in 1983 for Operation Urgent Fury were finished in the “Winter, US & Europe, Verdant” colours. I knew that subsequent weathering would darken the overall camouflage, so I wanted my base shade to be fairly pale.

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The wheels are simple plastic parts. A polythene cap makes installation fast and precise.

The tailgate is a separate part that may be posed either open or closed.

The engine cover has been assembled and glued in place, and the wheels are test-fitted. They’ll be removed before painting gets underway. At this stage, the Goat looks very much like a WWII British Daimler Dingo Scout Car!

The outside of the tailgate is fitted with pioneer tools and looks suitably busy.

The winch and wing mirrors.

The two halves of the vehicle are brought together and the wheels test fitted to get a sense of the finished model.

The cab and body are separated and the wheels removed before they all receive a coat of Tamiya’s Grey Primer straight from the can.

Two rings were formed from soft copper wire. These were mounted on plastic posts on the front corners of the body.

The joint between the two halves permits good movement in the vertical plane.

I chose a mix that I had used in 2013 as a faded Olive Drab on my M22 Locust. This was a mix of Tamiya spray paints that had been decanted from their cans and stored in glass jars. They are TS-28 Olive Drab lightened with around 15% AS-15 Tan (USAF). The result was a nice medium Olive Green shade. Tamiya lacquers spray smoothly from the can but are even better (and more controllable) when decanted and applied from the airbrush. You won’t waste as much paint atomising all around you either, as happens when spraying from the can.

DISRUPTING THE CAMOUFLAGE Next, I drew an outline of the brown-shade camouflage pattern

on the vehicle using a coloured artist’s pencil. This outline was emphasised with a brush, then Tamiya AS-15 USAF Tan, a spray can colour decanted into the airbrush, was sprayed freehand with my Iwata HP-C Plus airbrush. Some MERDC camouflage was soft-edged and some was hardedged. I decided to have an eachway bet, so the final two colours were applied by brush. For Sand, I used Vallejo Model Colour acrylic 847 Dark Sand; while the Black was Model Colour 70862 Black Grey. To lend a little more ambiguity to the finish, I carefully sprayed over the sand areas with Tamiya XF-57 Buff in order to leave a very slight fuzzy overspray at the demarcation.

TONING IT DOWN At this stage the finish looked pretty garish and stark. My plan was to tone down the gawdy paint job with a bit of weathering. First, I sprayed the entire model with two coats of Future Floor Polish to seal the hybrid lacquer and acrylic finish. I applied a dark brown enamel wash overall, but it did not settle into the recesses and detail areas in the way I wanted. It appeared to be a bit too thick, and tended to pool unattractively. I tried to thin the wash by applying mineral turpentine directly to the model, but this did not really look any better. I therefore scrubbed the remnants of the wash from the model as best I could. This was mostly successful – I believe

mainly due to the hard acrylic Future barrier sprayed prior to the enamel wash. Now I hit the model with a coat of Alclad Klear Kote Matte before my second attempt at a wash, this time using MIG Productions’ Wood Ageing Solution selectively around structural features and deep recesses. Despite the timber implications of its label, the Wood Ageing Solution is really just a thin dark brown enamel wash. It did the job nicely. The model received paint “chipping” using Vallejo Panzer Aces 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) dabbed on with a common kitchen sponge. This was mainly applied to the various edges, but some was daubed onto the larger areas too. The shading and chipping A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

ami a 1:35

561 ama oat . . 6 6 argo ruck • Kit No. 3533

Some tools are expensive but they will offer a lifetime of valuable service. Waldron’s Punch and Die sets fall into this category.

Tiny circles were punched from thin plastic card to replace the bolts I had sanded off the front panel.

The new rings, the filler point, the towing eyes and the replacement bolts may all be seen here.

Tank Workshop metal chain was wrapped around the front of the jack.

Next, I drew an outline of the brown-shade camouflage pattern on the vehicle using a coloured artist’s pencil.

B

The entire model was sprayed with a mix of Tamiya aerosol TS-28 Olive Drab and AS-15 Tan (USAF), decanted into a glass jar and applied by airbrush.

Then Tamiya AS-15 USAF Tan was sprayed freehand with my Iwata HP-C Plus airbrush.

This outline was emphasised with a brush. The soft-edged tan colour on the rear body section.

Some MERDC camouflage was soft-edged and some was hard-edged, so the final two colours were applied by brush.

For Sand, I used Vallejo Model Colour acrylic 847 Dark Sand; while the Black was Model Colour 70862 Black Grey.

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I sprayed a heavy layer of Alclad Klear Cote Flat inside the cargo area and then shovelled pigments onto the wet lacquer with an old brush. After a few minutes I blew off the excess, and I was left with a pleasing residue of sandy dirt in the corners and crevices. The tyres were brush-painted in a 50/50 mix of Vallejo Panzer Aces 333 Germ. Tkcr. (Black) and Model Color 70862 Black Grey.

The wheels after weathering with Tamiya Weathering Master Set A and MIG pigments.

B helped, but I still wanted to blend

the colours a bit more. The next weapon in the weathering arsenal would be pigments. I chose MIG Productions’ P039 Industrial City Dirt, a sandy brown shade that seemed to appropriate for the Caribbean soil of Grenada. I dusted the inside of the cargo area and the lower surfaces of the vehicle overall, then gently dropped some mineral turpentine on the dry pigments to fix them in place. Instead of sealing them, they simply disappeared and did not come back when the turps had dried. All that was left was a glossy puddle. Weathering was not going well so far, but panic is the mother of invention. In desperation, I sprayed a heavy layer of Alclad Klear Cote Flat inside the cargo area and then shovelled pigments onto the wet lacquer with an old brush. After a few minutes I blew off the excess,

and I was left with a pleasing residue of sandy dirt in the corners and crevices. I scrubbed the floor with a stiff brush to add to the weathering effect, then repeated the process for the wheel hubs and the lower surfaces of the vehicle.

BABY YOU CAN DRIVE MY GOAT Tamiya supplies a driver figure for its Gama Goat. In common with the figures in recent Tamiya releases, this one is very good. His pose is relaxed and natural, having one hand on the steering wheel and an elbow on the side of the vehicle. The fit of the driver is crucial, so I did not plan to glue the steering wheel in place until the figure was painted and seated. That way, I could adjust the steering wheel to suit the driver’s right arm. The arms, legs and body were glued together and test-fitted in the cab before the cement had

set. Fit looked good so far. I also test-fitted the steering wheel and confirmed that the right hand would touch the top of the wheel at the same time as the left elbow rested on the edge of the cab. I drilled holes in the base of the figure and the head, and mounted the parts on toothpicks to make handling easier during painting. The head was prepared with Tamiya’s Fine White Primer, and the body with Tamiya Grey primer, both straight from the can. The flesh areas were painted with a base coat of Vallejo Model Colour 70815 Basic Skintone, followed by a very thin wash of Rowney Georgian 221 Burnt Sienna Oil Paint. Details such as the eyes, eyebrows and the mouth were picked out with heavily thinned Vallejo 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) applied with a 10/0 brush. The base for the four-colour

U.S. Woodland uniform was Vallejo Panzer Aces 318 US Army Tankcrew. This is a bit paler than the real uniform colour, but I thought it was appropriate for the scale, and would also cope better with later weathering. Patches of Vallejo Model Colour 847 Dark Sand were now brush painted onto the uniform and helmet, followed by more precise shapes of Panzer Aces 312 Leather Belt. The final colour was 333 Germ. Tkcr. (Black), also applied carefully by brush. I fine-tuned the camouflage a bit before I was satisfied with the pattern. Edges of the uniform features (the hem of the jacket, ends of the sleeves, the pockets and seams) were carefully brush painted with Panzer Aces 337 Highlight Ger. (Black), then a thin wash of Winsor & Newton Raw Umber was applied over the completed uniform. A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

ami a 1:35

561 ama oat . . 6 6 argo ruck • Kit No. 3533

Chipping of the paint was achieved by dabbing on Vallejo Panzer Aces 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) with a common kitchen sponge.

The cab section with MIG pigments applied to the lower areas, and a very light overspray of Tamiya XF-57 Buff to suggest dust.

Details were picked out with Vallejo acrylics and a fine brush.

B PIPPED AT THE POST At this stage the model was finished, the complex Woodland camouflage had been applied to the driver, and literally the last tiny task was to apply a flat coat to the figure. I squirted the driver with my usually reliable Alclad II Klear Kote Matte, but it dried glossy. Odd, I thought, but maybe it was reacting with the earlier oil wash; or perhaps it was just the atmospherics of a very hot, humid day. No problem though, I’ll just hit it with another coat and then force dry it with a hair dryer. Nope, still glossy. Well, how about an acrylic flat coat? I tried the new Humbrol Matt Coat, but all I got was a heavier glaze and the figure was starting to look like a toy tin soldier. By this time, the thickness of the layers was starting to obscure the features; a bit like a close-up of Cybill Shepherd in the 1980s TV show “Moonlighting”. This was not good – I wanted my guy to look more like Bruce Willis! As a last resort, I rifled through my paint drawers and found a can of Tamiya Flat Clear. I had never used this aerosol flat coat before, so I shook the can thoroughly, tore off the plastic and said a little prayer before spraying the figure with the clear lacquer. To my great relief, the figure almost instantly snapped to a flat finish. The camouflage pattern and facial features were somewhat obscured and faded, but considering the alternative was to strip the paint and start again, I decided to simply touch up some of the facial features and live with it.

The two body halves brought together.

The floor of the cargo area was scrubbed and weathered further after the pigments had been fixed in place.

The rolled was painte with the ti

The flexible joint retains its mobility on the completed model.

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CONCLUSION

The driver was assembled and The three sub-assemblies prepared with test-fitted, along with the steering Tamiya Grey and White Primers straight wheel, before he was painted. from the spray cans.

The base for the four-colour U.S. Woodland uniform was Vallejo Panzer Aces 318 US Army Tankcrew.

Patches of Vallejo Model Colour 847 Dark Sand were now brush painted onto the uniform and helmet.

The Gama Goat is an unusual subject to appear in kit form, but this is not the first time that Tamiya has surprised us. Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Gama Goat is a pleasure to build and offers lots of interesting potential for vignettes and dioramas, especially considering the recent re-release with new Operation Urgent Fury markings, figures and accessories. ■

Modelspec Tamiya 1:35 M561 Gama Goat U.S. 6x6 Cargo Truck Tools and Materials Waldron Sub-Miniature Punch and Die set Waldron Precision Punch and Die set Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement Revell Contacta Cement Selley’s Super Glue Gator’s Grip Acrylic Glue Tamiya Surfacer Iwata HP-C Plus Airbrush; HP-TR Airbrush Paints and Finishing Products

This was followed by more precise shapes of Panzer Aces 312 Leather Belt.

The final colour was 333 Germ. Tkcr. The flesh areas were painted with a base (Black), also applied carefully by brush. coat of Vallejo Model Colour 70815 Basic Skintone, followed by a very thin wash of Rowney Georgian 221 Burnt Sienna Oil Paint.

Details such as the eyes, eyebrows and the mouth were picked out with heavily thinned Vallejo 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) applied with a 10/0 brush.

The driver fitted perfectly into his seat, with the elbow resting on the sill and the hand on top of the steering wheel.

The rolled tow cable on the winch was painted black and highlighted with the tip of a 2B pencil.

Vehicle: Tamiya Spray Cans - Grey Primer; Fine White Primer; AS-15 Tan (USAF): TS-28 Olive Drab; TS-80 Flat Clear. Tamiya Acrylic – X-26 Clear Orange; XF-1 Flat Black; XF-57 Buff; XF-64 Red Brown. Vallejo Model Colour – 847 Dark Sand; 70862 Black Grey; 70863 Gunmetal Grey. Vallejo Panzer Aces: 311 New Wood; 312 Leather Belt; 333 Germ. Tkcr. (Black); 337 Highlight Ger. (Black). Figure - Woodland Uniform Camouflage: Vallejo Panzer Aces – 318 US Army Tankcrew (base colour); 312 Leather Belt; 333 Germ. Tkcr. (Black); 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) Vallejo Model Colour – 847 Dark Sand Wash: MIG Productions P225 Wood Ageing Solution Figure - Flesh: Base Coat: Vallejo Model Colour 70815 Basic Skintone. Wash: Rowney Georgian Oil Paint 221 Burnt Sienna. Variations and Highlights: Vallejo Model Color 70815 Basic Skintone plus 919 Foundation White (various mixes). Details and Shadows: Vallejo 70815 Basic Skintone plus 337 Highlight Ger. (Black). MIG Productions P225 Wood Ageing Solution, Future Floor Polish, Solvaset, Alclad II Klear Kote Matte, Mig Productions Pigments – P039 Industrial City Dirt, AK Interactive AK 045 – Dark Brown Enamel Wash, Tamiya Weathering Master Set A, Pure Gum Turpentine, 2B Pencil ✓ Accurate shapes; fast and easy build; good level of detail; fascinating vehicle; articulating joint; includes clear parts and driver figure. ✗ A few details missing from the front of the body. Sample kit provided by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Gama Goat is a supremely easy build, delivering an interesting and attractive result – if beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

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KIT PREVIEW

eng 1:35 erman

ain att e ank eo ar 1 3

• Kit No.

7

Meng Model has released an allnew 1:35 scale Leopard 1 kit with options to build either the A3 or A4 variants. The Editor takes a look at the contents.

Nice weld bead and non-skid textures on the hull.

Gorgeous drape on the upper mantlet cover.

PANZER, CONTINUED

T

he Leopard 1 is a main battle tank designed and produced in West Germany that first entered service in 1965. The Leopard quickly became a standard of European forces, and eventually served as the main battle tank in over a dozen countries worldwide. The original Leopard 1, the Leopard 1 A1 and the Leopard 1 A2 were all fitted with cast turrets. The Leopard 1 A3 was fitted with a new welded turret, which was equipped with new armour consisting of two spaced steel plates with a plastic filling, and a wedge-shaped gun mantlet. The Leopard 1 A4 formed the sixth batch of 250 vehicles, delivery starting in 1974. The 1A4 was externally similar to the 1A3, but included a new computerised fire control system and the new EMES 12A1 sighting system to aim it. Both Italeri and Tamiya released 1:35 scale Leopard 1 models during the 1970s. Of these, Italeri’s were the best. Italeri released Leopard 1 A2, A4 and A5 variants, Although relatively simple, they remain decent kits even today. Revell has reboxed the Italeri kit too. Meng Model has now brought the Leopard 1 into the 21st Century with their brand new 1 A3/A4 kit.

Meng’s 1:35 scale Leopard 1 A3/A4 comprises 283 parts in dark green plastic, 180 parts in red-brown plastic, ten clear parts, ten parts on two photo-etched frets, two lengths of flexible vinyl tracks, 20 polythene caps and a length of string. Moulding quality is excellent throughout. The lower and upper hulls are moulded in one part each. The suspension is supported by workable plastic torsion bars, while the wheels are conventional affairs with inner and outer halves, attached to the torsion bars using poly caps. I think this is a much neater solution than separate vinyl tyres and tiny attachment pins. Plenty of detail is provided for the upper hull, including optional radiator vents (circular or standard grille), photo-etched grilles and track cleat rack. The pioneer tools are worthy of mention. They are moulded with bolt head and clap detail that looks as good as most multi-part photo-etched assemblies. Two choices are offered for the tracks – flexible vinyl or individual links. The vinyl tracks look really good, with no ejector marks or imperfections anywhere on the inner or outer surfaces. The brown individual links are supplied as one part each and are slightly better detailed than the

Markings are offered for four vehicles – one Greek and four German.

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vinyl version, but they do suffer from two small, shallow ejector circles on the inner face of each link. The ejector circles will be tricky and tedious to clean up, but if you just leave them in place they’ll be almost impossible to see on the finished vehicle. Options are also included for the sighting system and other turret details. The cage guard for the PZB200 sighting system is an impressive piece of moulding. Alternative parts are supplied to pose the searchlight housing open or closed. The light and a clear lens are included too. The main gun is a three-piece plastic affair split along the centreline and with a separate rifled muzzle. The drape and detail moulded on the flexible mantlet cover is fantastic. All the hatches are separate and may be posed open or closed. Clear parts are provided for the various scopes and headlights. Markings are provided for four vehicles – three German and one Greek. They are printed by Cartograf. The decals are in perfect register, the colours look good and they are flat in finish. Meng has delivered another very impressive model with their Leopard 1 A3/A4 kit. This is a worthy replica of this landmark tank, and it is vastly superior to its 1970’s predecessors. The options for the different gun sights, radiator vents and other details are welcome. The inclusion of alternative tracks is a great idea, catering to modellers who might prefer either individual link, or the ease of full-length flexible tracks. Detail is excellent but this has been delivered without a huge number of parts or unnecessary complexity. This one looks like Goldilocks’ choice – just right! Highly Recommended. ■

Thanks to Meng Model for the sample www.meng-model.com

The cage guard for the PZB200 sighting system is an impressive piece of moulding

The flexible track lengths look great.

Individual links are provided as an alternative.

Optional radiator vents are provided.

Engine grilles on one of the two photo-etched frets.

Clear parts are provided for the scopes and lenses.

* History adapted from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_1

05/12/2013 18:49

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06/12/2013 09:42

FEATURE ARTICLE

rum eter 1:35 8.8 cm Pak 3 auf eic te

affentraeger ( r e t) • Kit No. 1587

P SA MC AK LA LG E S

The multi-faceted Pak was ideal for the colour modulation technique - so various panels and corners were treated to Dark Yellow lightened with Deck Tan. Shadowing was re-applied where I had overdone the modulation. To break up the larger surfaces, I sprayed a few areas with Dark Yellow tinted with Olive Green. In preparation for washes and oils, I airbrushed a coat of Vallejo Satin Varnish, with a little Createx retarder, to help prevent clogging. The dozens of corners and crannies received a pin-wash of AK Interactive (AKI) 300 Wash for Dark Yellow. Streaking and “fading” was done with oils: Yellow Ochre, Titanium White, Olive Green, Burnt Umber, and 502 Abteilung Faded Dark Yellow. Small dots were dabbed on, then blended or streaked with a brush dampened with Humbrol thinner. Spencer Pollard has recommended enamel thinner rather than white spirit, and it is indeed better.

The breech and block were buffed with graphite. Rather than the standard HB graphite, I prefer softer 7B or 9B as it rubs on more easily and is gentler to the surface. I use a soft bristle buffing wheel to apply it to large areas like the breech. These surfaces must to be perfectly smooth or the graphite (like silver paint) will reveal the slightest imperfection. Incidentally, unwanted graphite can be removed with Humbrol thinner. To suggest exposed primer, the breech’s edges were dry-brushed with Humbrol 153 Matt Insignia Red darkened with 27 Matt Sea Grey.

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PART TWO – PAINTING AND WEATHERING Thomas Morgan finishes Trumpeter’s 1:35 scale 8.8 cm Pak 43 auf Leichte Waffentraeger “Paper Panzer” in a unique and striking camouflage scheme. INTERIOR PAINTING AND WEATHERING Most of the airbrushing was done with an Iwata HP-BH, reserving my Iwata CM-B for the really delicate work. And unless stated otherwise, all the paints are Tamiya acrylics, and Winsor & Newton oils. For a couple of reasons the weathering was kept to a minimum,

just enough to add character. I envisioned such a vehicle to have a short life expectancy and would not last long enough to get really beaten up. And more honestly, I haven’t yet mastered the knack of moderate or severe weathering. As mentioned in the last instalment, I had to complete the

turret’s interior before I could join its walls and floor. I began with the gun and because of the mixed materials, I primed with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (Light Grey). Recesses were shadowed with Flat Earth, followed by an overall spray of Dark Yellow.

The sight mounts are Humbrol 27 Matt Sea Grey, buffed with graphite. Using graphite on the equilibrator pistons was a mistake. Not only was it a chore to apply, but the colour is wrong. Next time I’ll paint them Alclad Chrome, and mask them before I paint the gun. The barrel is in “factory primer” of Dark Grey, streaked with oils - Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, 502 Faded Grey.

Greased areas received a dab of MIG Oil & Grease Stain Mixture, and the footplate was dirtied with MIG pigments

The multi-coloured camouflage net is from Tech Star (TC3029). It was dampened, then wrapped on the painted barrel with fine wire. Its final shape was fixed by brushing on very dilute white glue.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

rum eter 1:35 8.8 cm Pak 3 auf eic te

affentraeger ( r e t) • Kit No. 1587

The turret interior and fighting compartment were painted as per the gun, but with more Flat Earth to simulate shadows in the darker areas of the turret. I also added some soiling with Red Brown mixed with NATO Black. After the pin-wash and oil streaking, chips were sparingly applied with Vallejo Cadmium Maroon & Coal Black (about 3:1), with some Createx retarder to keep the sponge from clogging. I tried my hand at two-tone chips by spotting some with Vallejo 70916 Sand Yellow, and adding a few dabs of AKI 013 Rust Streaks.

The turret floor and rear deck were soiled with AKI 066 Wash for DAK and AKI 012 Streaking Grime for Dark Yellow. I dry-brushed some grey-black enamel, buffed on some graphite and spattered some MIG Oil & Grease Stain Mixture. The first aid box is Dark Yellow darkened with Olive Green, followed by an Olive Green oil pin-wash. After the Archer dry transfers came a Humbrol Matt Cote, and some graphite. The bracket is Humbrol 27 Matt Sea Grey sponged with AKI Rust Effects acrylics.

I am pleased with the shell locker. I wanted to add some colour interest, so I depicted the locker in primer, and recently welded to the turret. The “primer” is Flat Red with some NATO Brown. I airbrushed blotches of dilute Olive Green, then streaked with oils: Yellow Ochre, Olive Green, Burnt Umber, 502 Abteilung Faded Dark Yellow. The dust is a mixture of AKI 015 Dust Effects & 017 Earth Effects. After a matt coat, the edges were burnished with graphite.

The MG accessories looked good before they were lost in the darkness of the interior. The spare barrel tube is Dark Yellow with a Burnt Sienna wash. Its strap is Vallejo 314 Canvas. The MG tool kit is Medium Blue with a Payne’s Grey pin-wash. The edges were dry-brushed with 502 Abteilung Faded Grey. The MG 42 ammo drums are Dark Yellow, with a pin-wash of AKI 046 Light Rust, and dry-brushed with Humbrol 24 Matt Trainer Yellow. The drum carrier is Dark Sea Grey with pin-washes of Payne’s Grey and AKI 046 Light Rust. Finally, the MP 44 magazine pouch is Khaki Drab with highlights of Deck Tan, and an Olive Green oil pin-wash. The canvas straps are Burnt Sienna oil - too bright.

The seat cushions were an experiment, as I wanted them to look like worn leather. A base of Desert Yellow was airbrushed with hairspray, then covered with Flat Earth. This was partially “chipped” away with a water moistened brush. The contrast between the two colours was harsh, so I tried to mute it with Clear Orange. This wasn’t enough, but a coat of Smoke, a misting of the Flat Earth and some Humbrol Matt Cote helped blend the shades and impart a better leather look. Next time, after the chipping, I’ll mist with Flat Earth and go right to the Smoke.

The MG 42 and MP 44 were base coated Medium Blue. I then dry-brushed Humbrol 56 Metallic Silver, but it was too grainy. I toned it down with a fine pin-spray of the blue. A coat of satin varnish was followed by a pin-wash of Payne’s Grey oil (Lamp Black is too black). The edges were burnished with graphite. The MG 42 stock is Hull Red, the MP 44’s is Flat Earth streaked with Burnt Umber oil. The straps are Vallejo 312 Leather Belt highlighted with Vallejo 70875 Beige Brown, while the tiny buckles were chemically blackened. The intercom and radio added colour to the turret, and allowed me to practice using the Iwata Custom Micron - it will take me a while to reach its potential. The radio was given a Neutral Grey box, and a front panel of grey/green (Light Blue with a touch of Olive Green). In order to detail the tiny knobs and switches I first sprayed a coat of Vallejo Gloss Varnish. Over this smooth acrylic I could paint with enamels, wiping away any excess with a very fine brush dampened with thinner. White is too stark, so the dial displays are a very light grey. The various labels are miscellaneous decal scraps. In the photo the control panel lacked depth, so I added a subtle pin-wash of Burnt Sienna. The cables are Vallejo Black Grey and Cold Grey, while the rubber pads on the radio frame were brushed Humbrol 96 Matt RAF Blue. The speaker and amplifier are both Neutral Grey with Dark Grey shadows. Archer placards were applied and sealed with Vallejo Satin, followed by a Payne’s Grey oil pin-wash. I think a fine detail pin-wash is easier to control over a satin surface, rather than matt or gloss. A final spray of Humbrol Matt Cote blended the hues. Transformers came in a variety of colours. I chose khaki - Dark Yellow with a touch of Olive Green. Shadowing used a darker mix. Again, the Archer transfer was sealed with clear satin. After an Olive Green oil pin-wash, I applied some fine chipping. The tiny headphones and throatmikes were jigged for painting. Over a base of Field Blue, the bands were picked out with Dark Grey. The headphone bands were dry-brushed with Titanium White oil, while the leather of the throat-mike bands were dry-brushed Vallejo 312 Leather Belt. The wires are Vallejo 72.141 Heavy Red.

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CAMOUFLAGE PAINTING This Waffentraeger was a “paper panzer” - a vehicle that never existed - so I felt free to concoct my own camouflage scheme... something different, but not ridiculous. I did fancy a combination of hard and soft edges. I’m a good technician, but I lack artistic imagination. And it appears I also lack the courage to venture beyond the classic German tri-colours of yellow, green and brown. Well, at least it would be appropriate for northern Europe in mid 1945. Devising a scheme was harder than I expected (no imagination, remember). I experimented on a “paint mule” - a discarded turret. Several patterns were rejected before I was satisfied. A base coat of NATO Black was followed with Dark Yellow. As I had done with the gun, various hatches and edges were lightened by adding Deck Tan, but the effect of this modulation was lost under the subsequent colours.

A random weave of 2.5mm and 5mm strips of Tamiya masking tape was applied, with more of the thinner ones on the turret.

Olive Green lightened with Deck Tan was airbrushed as a series of connected circles.

The running gear’s wheels, idlers, and sprocket wheels were painted before assembly. The rubber tires were sprayed Dark Grey and blotched with Medium Blue. The tires (and sprocket teeth) were then masked with rings of frisket film, and the wheels painted. The right sprocket is in red primer - a “tag” on all my vehicles. A graphite pencil simulated the shiny worn rims of the wheels, and the sprocket teeth and idler edges were buffed with graphite using a bristle wheel.

I removed the tape and applied another series of masks along one side of each of the broad yellow bands. Over this I airbrushed NATO Brown, producing both sharp and soft edges. A single Archer Balkenkreuz went on the turret’s rear - I figured an ambush vehicle wouldn’t advertise elsewhere. I blended the colours with an overspray of dilute Dark Yellow, followed by a protective The Fruilmodel tracks were cleaned with lacquer thinner, and treated to AKI 159 Metal Burnishing coat of Vallejo satin. Liquid. This turned them a pleasing dark grey. I misted them with Flat Earth patched with Red Brown. On these narrow links, the paint pretty much obscured the chemical burnishing. A mix of earth toned pigments were ground in with an old brush and secured with MIG Pigment Fixer. The wheel & sprocket runs were burnished to bare metal with a brass wire wheel, and the cleats polished.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

rum eter 1:35 8.8 cm Pak 3 auf eic te

affentraeger ( r e t) • Kit No. 1587

Streaking and fading followed, using a variety of oils: Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Payne’s Grey, Raw Umber, 502 Abteilung Faded Dark Grey and a tiny bit of Titanium White. I really don’t think there is a “correct” set of colours - just consider where you want lighter or darker tones, dab some on and streak them. I added a few more steaks with AKI 012 Streaking Grime for Dark Yellow. More chips were added to battered areas, as well as some scratches with dark grey enamel. After another coat of acrylic satin, I added rust streaks and spots with AKI 046 Light Rust Wash, AKI 013 Rust Streaks, and my favorite Burnt Sienna oil mixed with MIG rust pigments. The subdued weathering started with a pin-wash of Burnt Umber oil and a trial of AKI 711 Chipping Colour - it worked well. Dusting began by airbrushing the hull and running gear with a very thin mix of Buff and Flat Earth, concentrated towards the rear. Various pigments including AKI Dark Earth, AKI European Earth, MIG European Dust and MIG Dark Mud came next. I added these where ever I thought dirt would collect, with lighter colours on the turret. In some areas I used MIG Pigment Fixer, but mostly the pigments were just bushed into the matt surface. Looking at the photos now, I think the dust on the rear deck is too plain - I’ll add some darker tones and maybe some detritus in the corners.

The exhaust was painted a reddish orange, mixed from Flat Red, Flat Yellow and Red Brown. I dusted it with lighter MIG rust pigments, and fouled the end (and fender) with MIG Black Smoke. The hot outlets were buffed with Burnt Blue from Tamiya’s Weathering Master D set. The nearby fuel stains are thinned MIG Oil & Grease Stain Mix, blotched with Burnt Umber & Burnt Sienna oil washes.

Finally, graphite was rubbed onto worn edges of the turret, fenders, hatches, bow, etc. I wanted to portray the turret’s tarp hoops as a “field” addition, with fresh weld burns at the ends. First, the brass wires were chemically blackened. With the Iwata Custom Micron, the area around each weld was sprayed Sky Grey, with German Grey in the center. The weld bead was brushed with Vallejo Model Colour 70865 Oily Steel, and soiled (not rusted) with a little diluted AKI 012 Streaking Grime. Under the right ends of the hoops, the stowed antenna is Medium Blue with some patches of Dark Grey, and graphite on the wing nut. The rubber antenna mount is Dark Grey with a Payne’s Grey oil pin-wash, and a slight buff of graphite to highlight the edges.

I used the same weld technique on the Verbandkasten bracket and the supports for the shell locker. In fact the welds for the locker have “scorched” the paint on the outside of the thin shield, leaving four black burns!

The scissor binoculars are Medium Blue, shaded with Field Blue. A satin clear coat was followed by a Payne’s Grey pin-wash. I dry-brushed the lower edges with Titanium White oil, and buffed with graphite. The M.V. lenses were tacked to double-sided tape and coated with Clear Green, then secured in the barrels with white glue.

The fire extinguisher is Light Grey with a chemically darkened handle, and an Archer label.

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One jerry can is Dark Yellow. The other I wanted worn and battered. So I used the hairspray technique: red “primer” - hairspray - Neutral Grey - chip to primer. Both cans have darker chips of Vallejo Cadmium Maroon & Coal Black (3:1). Rust stains are AKI 046 Light Rust wash. The frame is Humbrol 27 Matt Sea Grey sponged with the excellent AKI Rust Effects acrylics set.

The jack is German Grey, shadowed with Dark Grey. After a pin-wash of Burnt Sienna oil, it was dusted with MIG rust pigments.

The wooden handles of the cleaning rods begin with MisterKit German Clear Doped Linen (a WWI colour) which dries to a satin finish. Over this is brush-streaked thinned Burnt Umber oil, to impart the wood grain. The effect should be subtle. Any light beige acrylic will do as long as it gets a satin finish - essential to achieve the graining. The brass patina of the metal ends was another experiment: Neutral Grey, Alclad Pale Gold, Smoke and a little graphite.

The block has a soft 2-tone camo of Dark Green and Desert Yellow, as if sourced from another vehicle. I scuffed the paint with a cotton bud dampened with Windex.

The tow shackle is simply AKI Rust Effects acrylics dabbed over red “primer”. I added a few blotches of 502 Abteilung German Ochre, then graphite.

The spare track links were painted a rusty mixture of Flat Red, Flat Yellow & Red Brown. I varied the mix for each link, to impart some variety. A dilute coat of AKI 083 Track Wash blended the shades. The crow bar and shovel blade are Neutral Grey with AKI 046 Light Rust wash and some MIG rust pigments. The shovel handle is as the cleaning rods.

One helmet is a Shinsengumi camo decal, applied in 5 pieces, and misted with Flat Earth. The other 2 are Neutral Grey shadowed with German Grey, chipped, and edged with graphite. The exposed liner is The camouflage wire on the turret is 0.1mm copper from Little-Cars, passed through a candle Humbrol 119 Matt Light flame. The kinks come from wrapping it around a square rod. Earth that I darken with Burnt Sienna oil, then dry-brushed with Titanium White. The straps are Vallejo 312 Leather Belt highlighted with Vallejo 70875 Beige Brown.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

rum eter 1:35 8.8 cm Pak 3 auf eic te

affentraeger ( r e t) • Kit No. 1587

The KwK 43 rounds and crates are little models on their own. I began with the shells. By late in the war a shortage of brass forced the Germans to use steel casings. However on missing-lynx.com (Axis forum - 13 Sept 2010) I learned that the 8.8 cm Pak 43/3 L/71 gun used only casings of brass plated drawn steel. I tarnished the Eureka XXL brass with a diluted chemical blackening solution, and buffed them to a gloss before I added decals from Passion Models German equipment set. I sealed them with a satin clear coat, and buffed lightly with graphite.

The AP projectiles are Field Blue with an off-white fuse. The HE are NATO Green lightened with Buff, and a bare aluminum fuse with graphite tip. The red bands are thin strips of red decal. Decals were applied over a gloss coat, and sealed with another matt coat.

In order to paint straight and consistent fuses, I use a “collar mask”. A length of styrene tube drilled to the required diameter, with a plug of Blu-Tack inserted. The collar is pressed over the projectile, held in place by the sticky plug, and the colour sprayed. I have painted up to six shells, one after another, without cleaning the collar.

The ammo canisters are Dark Yellow and Sky Grey, “chipped” down to red primer via the hairspray technique. Archer transfers were added and to show wear, they were chipped with a #11 blade, sanded with 6000 grit, and over-sprayed with a dilute base colour. A pin-wash of AKI 300 Wash for Dark Yellow and patches of AKI 046 Light Rust wash were sealed with a matt coat.

The 1-round box is Dark Yellow with a touch of Olive Green. The fittings are Humbrol 27 Matt Sea Grey with a pin-wash of AKI 046 Light Rust, and the stencil is Archer’s. The edges and the rope handles were dry-brushed Humbrol 93 Matt Desert Yellow. After a matt coat, MIG pigments added random soiling. The 2-round boxes are my favorites. The wood is the same method as the cleaning rods, the Burnt Umber also emphasizing the nail holes. Dilute Olive Green was misted into corners and shadows, with the rest of the weathering as above.

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Modelspec Trumpeter 1:35 8.8 cm Pak 43 auf Leichte Waffentraeger (Ardelt) Kit No. 01587 Tools & Materials Used: Iwata HP-BH airbrush, Iwata CM-B airbrush, Tamiya Epoxy Putty Quick Type, Tamiya Extra Thin cement, Tamiya Masking Tape, Tamiya Putty Basic Type, QuikCure 5 min Epoxy, Zap CA, Tenax-7R glue, Alumilite Mold Putty, Alumilite Casting Resin Accessories Used:

I usually assemble an appropriate figure finished in purely for scale.

Aber: German 2m antenna R26, Engrave plate PP08, German helmet liners & straps 35A69, German tool holders till 1945 35A04 Alliance Model Works: Late war German tools LW35051 Archer: Ammo box stencils 88mm black AR34301B, Ammo box stencils 88mm white AR35301W, German information placards AR35215, Late war Balkencruz AR35104, Surface Details #1 AR88001, Surface Details #6 AR88006 Bronco: German wing nuts AB3503 Calibre35: Nuts Detail Master: .0075” red detail wire DM-1103 Eureka XXL: Ammo & box KwK 43 APCR A-3522, Ammo & box KwK 43 HI A-3523 Fruilmodel: Tracks, Waffentrager Krupp ATL-121 k59: FuSprech a/d, f radio set Z-02, MG34/42 drums & carrier Z-04, MG42 C-009, (1120) Panzer headphone Z-01, Scherenfernrohr S.F.14Z Z-03 Lion Roar: Antiskid plate - set 3 Little-Cars: 0.1mm copper wire Shinsengumi: Decal SS Plane Tree Spring MCD001 MasterClub: Nuts, bolts & rivets M.V. Products: Lenses 1.3mm P/N 300 RB Model: 88mm Pak 43 barrel 35B90 Reality In Scale: Pin up girls WW II 35075 ReHeat: Seat buckles RH03 Royal Model: German fire extinguisher 247 Tasca: German vehicle light set 35-L7 800, German jerry can Set B 35-002 Tech Star: Multi-colored camo net TC3029 Tichy Train Group: Bolts Tiger Model Designs: Solder wire Verlinden: Vehicle clamps & clasps 2499 Voyager: Pz II Ausf. A/B/C PE set PE 35280 Paints & Finishing Products: Tamiya Fine Surface Primer, Tamiya acrylic paints, Tamiya Weathering Master D, Winsor & Newton oil paints, 502 Abteilung oil paints, MIG pigments, MIG Pigment Fixer, AK Interactive pigments, AK Interactive washes, AK Interactive Rust Effects acrylic set, AK Interactive Metal Burnishing Liquid, graphite pencils, Vallejo acrylics, Vallejo Varnishes - Gloss, Satin, Flat, Humbrol enamels, Humbrol Thinner, Humbrol Matt Cote, Createx Retarder, Prismacolour Metallic Silver pencil, Outers Gun Blue ✓ Sound representation and simple build of a unique subject. Includes metal barrel. Excellent platform for additional detail. ✗ Warped hull parts. Unsophisticated turret detail. Ignores elements of the Kubinka cousin. Available from Distributed in the UK by Pocketbond Ltd.

Rating

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KIT PREVIEW

ronco 1:35 . .

affee

ig t ank in t e Korean

ar • Kit No.

35139

Scott Taylor explores the Korea War variant of Bronco’s M24 Chaffee series.

KOREAN WAR CHAFFEE

B

ronco’s Korean War M24 Chaffee release includes markings for four M24s in US Army service during the Korean conflict from 1950-53. This kit includes all of the basic kit parts from the previous releases (including photo-etched fret, corrected turret, side skirts, fender stowage boxes, and early lower front hull without the flotation device attachment points), along with a nice set of click-together individual link T72E1 steel tracks (which are appropriate for all of the decal options in this kit). No figures are included with this release, although there is a sprue of stowage and two sprues of jerry cans. Much has been already written about Bronco’s M24s. The kit includes workable torsion bar suspension, a full gun breech, optional driver’s windshield, an excellent infantry telephone box, and a .50-calibre machine gun that is similar to Tasca’s in its method of assembly. There is no question that this kit is extraordinarily detailed, but that detail does come at a price (aside from cash!): this kit is also extremely complex, in some cases questionably so. For instance, the idlers and sprockets are beautiful examples of the state of the mould-making art, but the jerry cans are six parts each – not so bad, one might say, except that the stowage rack and retaining strap are moulded integrally with the jerry can and overlap

This photo shows the correct roof configuration

seams in the jerry can, so there is a lot of clean-up. Given that photo-etched tie down straps are included for the tools, one might have expected the same for the jerry cans. This kit has the corrected turret shell which Bronco, to their credit, retooled after their first part had issues with the turret roof, but there are still a few minor issues. The edges of the turret form a substantial lip around the turret roof, which is not present on any examples of the real vehicle that I have seen (see photo); this lip should be sanded down until it is almost flush with the turret roof. The weld seams around the gunner’s sight are also missing, as are some casting marks and weld seams at various places on the vehicle. What sets this kit apart from the others are the markings options. Decals for four American Chaffees in Korea are included, all of which have an Olive Drab base colour: • “Rebel’s Roost” from the 24th Reconnaissance Company, 24th Infantry Division, one of the first three US tanks to engage the North Koreans in July 1950. The markings for this vehicle are incomplete, lacking the bumper codes (24-X right front and left rear, 24-A21 on the left front and right rear), and the turret top machine gun should be mounted in the rear position, based on clear photos on pages 440 and 442 of Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank Volume 1 by R.P. Hunnicutt (the bumper codes do not show up in a number of reproductions of photos of this tank). • “Eagle Claw” from the 3rd Reconnaissance Company, 3rd Infantry Division, near Songdong-Bon in May 1951. The vehicle registration numbers on the hull side should

be stencilled, not solid. A good photo of this vehicle, showing stowage including a number of ammunition boxes stowed on the rear fenders and spare track links on the right front fender, can be found on p. 58 of Armor in Korea: A Pictorial History by Jim Mesko and p. 66 of Tank Warfare in Korea 1950-53 by Steve Zaloga. • An unnamed tank from the 187th Airborne Regiment (sic) in April 1951 (actually the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team). This vehicle should have the turret machine gun mounted in the rear position, based on a photo on p. 56 of Armor in Korea: A Pictorial History by Jim Mesko. • An unnamed tank from the 79th Tank Battalion at the Han River in 1950. This is one of the very colourful “cat-faced” tanks, with a yellow head and black mouth painted on the turret and hull front. Decals are included for the details of the cat face, including the red eyes, outline of the head and mouth and white teeth, but the modeller is on his or her own to paint the yellow and black portions. The bumper codes should read “25-79∆” instead of “2579∆”. There is a very good photo of one of these tanks on page 3 of M24 Chaffee in Action by Jim Mesko, as well as on p. 64 of Tank Warfare in Korea 1950-53 by Steve Zaloga. Overall, despite a few minor quibbles, this is a superb kit – extraordinarily detailed and will build into an excellent model, but certainly not for the faint of heart. The parts included in the kit allow you to build just about any Chaffee with the T72E1 track, both early and late. The Korean war markings are, for the most part, well-done, but the 79th Tank Battalion example will be a challenge to mask and paint. This model is highly recommended for experienced modellers. ■

The retooled turret is included with this kit.

Turret parts.

Fine details are beautifully rendered, but care is required.

The gun barrel is supplied as a single plastic part.

The hull top.

Vents are solid but look good when painted.

The fenders are thin and well detailed.

Thanks to Bronco for the sample www.bronco-model.com Four marking schemes are covered on the decal sheet.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 e ton

5 P r P racke

o e s • Kit No. 6 7

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NORMANDY SE

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SEXTON

José Brito builds and details Dragon’s 1:35 scale Sexton II 25 pdr self-propelled gun.

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ragon’s new 1:35 scale Sexton II is a typical kit from this company. It is presented in a medium size open top box with a beautiful box-art from Ron Volstad. Once the box is opened we are presented with several plastic sprues, a small photo-etch sheet, single piece vinyl tracks, markings for five different versions and clear and concise instructions. The plastic parts are moulded in top quality grey plastic and detail is flawless. No flash is visible and the ejection marks are placed in the hidden spots. The photo-etched fret is small but covers the most important parts where an extra touch of detail is necessary. As usual, the decals are top quality and the instructions are very clear and straightforward.

CONSTRUCTION The new 1:35 scale Sexton from Dragon is a lovely kit featuring great detail. Even so I decided to replace the Dragon bogies with Resicast ones. In this case I used Item No. 352356 Sexton Heavy Duty Canadian Bogies Type A. The resin bogies from Resicast are top quality and will improve the model’s final look. The resin casting is flawless and the detail is really accurate. Assembling the Resicast bogies can be tricky and the proper tools are very helpful. It is a time consuming job, but the final look compensates for all the extra time spent on this task. The tyres also received some extra detail. Small cuts were made with a scalpel blade. Small details like this are easy to achieve and really increase the visual interest to our models. The combination of Dragon parts with Resicast parts - two great companies working hard to make our models even better! To get the best shapes and results I usually use tools from Small Shop. We can make hundreds of metal small parts of the same shape and size. Once done, all we have to do is glue them in place. The small metal parts were glued in place with the help of Deluxe Materials Rocket Hot and Deluxe Materials Rocket Rapid. All those scratch built small details

can improve the model’s highly exposed interior. Several reference pictures were used for this task. Sadly, it was not easy to find good interior pictures from the Sexton. Small and hard to reach plastic parts were glued in place with the help of Deluxe Materials Plastic Magic. This is an ultra-thin glue and ideal to work in the capillary way. For better flow control, the Deluxe Materials Pin Flow was used. All the photo-etched parts were glued most of the time using the Deluxe Materials Rocket Hot glue solution. We all know that gluing vinyl tracks can be a real nightmare but thanks to Deluxe Materials, those times are over. Their new product, Tricky Stick, is just great. As the name suggests, this is a solution for tricky situations. This is not glue. This is more like a primer for glue. All we have to do is apply some Tricky Stick over the track and then let it to dry for a few minutes. Once dry, it looks totally invisible. Then, all we have to do is apply Deluxe Materials Rocket Hot or Rapid over the joint parts. Simple, effective and it works! Finally, a product that works with vinyl tracks. Once the vinyl tracks are in place, they look great and they keep the fully workable aspect of the suspension. Dragon has done a great job inside and outside this model. The main gun is like a kit inside the kit. The best thing is that all the parts fit extremely well. Soon the model is fully assembled and ready for painting. All the extra work and details really improve the final look.

PAINTING Once assembled, the entire model was primed in Vallejo 73602 Black Primer. The primer must be applied in several layers in order to protect the fine surface detail. Once completely dry it is rock hard and extremely smooth. As usual, I like to paint my models using the Zenith Transformation approach. In the Zenith Transformation technique, the colours must be airbrushed in well-thinned and multiple layers. With this technique, the model is

A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 e ton

5 P r P racke

o e s • Kit No. 6 7

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Resicast heavy duty Canadian style bogies were used for this project. Some surgery was required to the bogies. First, the top was simply snipped off. Next, a razor saw was used to precisely cut the centre section out.

B exposed to the light and the paint

is applied in the same fashion as if the model was exposed under a spotlight. The colour transitions are ultra smooth and the model has a higher visual interest. The camouflage pattern was marked with a soft pencil in line with the kit instructions. The disruptive scheme was then hand painted in Vallejo Model Colour dark grey. Before starting the weathering and finishing, the decals were applied. In order to make the surface even smoother, the model was airbrushed in Vallejo Gloss Varnish 70510. I used the new MIG Productions decal solutions, Decal Set and the Decal Softener. We apply a small quantity of MIG Productions Decal Set in the appropriate spot. This formula will increase the decal adhesion into the model surface. The decals were cut from the sheet with the help of a brand new scalpel. Dragon’s decals are crisply printed and do not have flash. The decal is submerged into water and all we have to do is wait a few minutes until it may be slid from the backing sheet. The decal is gently transferred to the desired spot with the help of a brush. The excess water is removed with the help of a cotton bud. At this stage we can also make some corrections to the decal position. Once the decal in the final place, we apply MIG Productions Decal Softener. This formula will soften the decal and increase the setting. Let the decal untouched and when the formula is fully dry, the decal will look great and will look like painted over the surface.

The tyres were scuffed and damaged with a sharp hobby knife.

The wheels are added to the lower section of Dragon’s suspension units.

Note the grey lower section and cream-coloured upper bogies by Resicast.

Here are all the suspension and hull parts awaiting assembly.

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The hand holds are attached to the hull sides.

This metal bending tool from The Small Shop makes it easy to create repeatable shapes.

WEATHERING AND FINISHING MIG Productions’ Buff oil colour was applied to represent the humidity streaks on the body frame. It was applied in several layers and heavily thinned in MIG Productions Odourless Turpentine. The colour variation was achieved by applying several other oil colours from MIG Productions. The colours included Dark Brown, Shadow Brown, Engine Grease and Wash Brown. Once again applied well thinned and with a flat brush. MIG Productions’ Dark Wash was applied into the recessed parts. It was applied with the help of a very fine brush. For the best results and a better control, the wash can be thinned in MIG Productions Thinner for Washes. The dusty look was achieved using MIG Productions pigments. Several colours must be used in order to achieve a more realistic look. In the meantime we must take some care that the colours are accurate and in the right spots.

Detail parts are attached using liquid glue.

Also, we must not overdo this process; otherwise our model will look unrealistic. The pigments were fixed in place with the help of MIG Productions Pigment Fixer. All we have to do is apply several drops over the pigments by brush and leave in untouched to dry. During this process, the model turns very dark and it seems that the pigments disappear, but once the fixer and thinner evaporates the pigments will appear again and they will look very natural and realistic. For the splashes, MIG Productions Mud Splash Wash was applied with the help of a brush and an airbrush. The finish looks very natural and can add areas of interest to the model. MIG Productions’ Oil and Grease Stain Mixture was also applied around recessed and usually lubricated parts. For a better finish these wash solutions may be thinned with MIG Productions Thinner for Washes. A

Scratch built details are secured with super glue.

The resin bogies from Resicast “ are top quality and will improve the model’s final look... ”

For better flow control, the Deluxe Materials Pin Flow was used to apply the super glue.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 e ton

5 P r P racke

o e s • Kit No. 6 7

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Tricky Stick is a new product that acts as a primer for glue.

Once the Tricky Stick has dried, super glue is applied.

Simple, effective and it works! Finally, a product that works with vinyl tracks.

The front superstructure was not glued in place prior to painting. The flexible tracks and moving bogies allow fully workable suspension after assembly.

The entire model was sprayed with Vallejo’s black surface primer.

Stowage was painted in the base colour and coated with MIG Productions’ Absolute Chipping solution.

The base camouflage colour is Vallejo’s Model Air Yellow Brown.

A quick coat of Vallejo Model Air Camouflage Green.

When dry, this is scrubbed and chipped to reveal the paler base colour.

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Three shades are used for the zenith transformation technique. The boxes are weathered with MIG Productions’ enamel Dark Wash.

The camouflage pattern was drawn onto the model with a pencil.

The disruptive scheme was brush-painted using Vallejo Model Colour Dark Grey.

Decals were applied with the assistance of MIG’s Decal Set and Decal Softener. Markings were first cut from the decal sheet with a fresh hobby blade.

Tweezers were used to dip the decals in water prior to applications.

Excess water was removed with a cotton bud.

A final brushed coat of Decal Softener ensures that the markings conform to the contours of the model.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 e ton

5 P r P racke

o e s • Kit No. 6 7

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B BASE AND DIORAMA I’m a diorama builder and I like bases with bulk. As usual I used a wooden base and made the sidewalls from balsa wood. This formed a box and the volume will add an extra touch of interest to the base and piece. The interior was filled with heat isolation foam. This foam is cheap, easy to find and easy to work with. It is also lightweight and ideal to fill big areas. Several layers of Deluxe Materials Foam Armour were added in order to give extra strength to the foam. Once well dry, it’s really hard and will protect the underlaying foam. The elements must be placed in a dynamic way and are arranged according to invisible diagonal lines. We must avoid at all costs placing elements parallel to the sides of the base. For the soil, MIG Productions MUD P500 Europe Dry Mud Fine Texture was applied in several layers. Even when dry, it looks really nice and has a very convincing wet look. The final texture is really fine and scale spot on. Model Scene grass mat F571 Wild Area With Bushes – Spring was used for the main vegetation. This is a new item from Model Scene and is absolutely stunning. The vegetation looks very natural and visually accurate. It must be applied in small portions and glued into the desired spots with the help of Deluxe Materials Rocket Rapid. Once the terrain was dry,

several pigment colours were applied directly from the jar and fixed in place with the help of MIG Productions Pigment Fixer. A resin tree truck from Joefix was used for this project. The detail is lovely and all we have to do is make several holes on top and glue the branches into it. The branches are also from Joefix and are absolutely awesome. The tree trunk was airbrushed in several Vallejo primers. Using several colours adds more visual interest and turns the item more natural and accurate. Some dry brushing was applied to the tree truck in MIG Productions oil Light Mud. This simple dry brush will bring all the raised details into life. More foliage was added around the tree trunk. In this case foliage from MiniNatur. A resin pole from RMG was also used. This filled the empty spot in one of the diorama diagonals. This item represents a Normandy concrete telegraphic pole very well. The RMG item is a flawless resin item and also presents prebended wires. A lovely touch. I decided to “destroy” my telegraphic pole. My idea was to represent the role of French Resistance in the early hours of D-Day. Besides, this destroyed item makes the scene look even more interesting. Value Gear is a new company that specialises in military accessories, especially tent rolls, tarps and boxes. The detail is amazing and the resin casting A

MIG Productions’ oil colour Buff was applied to represent the humidity streaks on the body frame. It was applied in several layers and heavily thinned in MIG Productions Odourless Turpentine.

The colour variation was achieved by applying several other oil colours from MIG Productions. The colours included Dark Brown, Shadow Brown, Engine Grease and Wash Brown. Once again these were applied heavily thinned and with a flat brush.

A variety of resin Value Gear packs and boxes were used as stowage.

The packs were carefully brush painted and weathered with Vallejo Model Colour acrylics.

The dusty look was achieved using MIG Productions The pigments were fixed in place with the help of pigments. MIG Productions Pigment Fixer.

MIG Productions’ Dark Wash was applied into the recessed parts. It was applied with the help of a very fine brush. For the best results and better control, the wash can be thinned in MIG Productions Thinner for Washes.

For the splashes, MIG Productions Mud Splash Wash MIG Productions Oil and Grease Stain Mixture were also was applied with the help of a brush and an airbrush. applied around recessed and usually lubricated parts.

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A wooden box was built over a timber base.

A resin tree truck from Joefix was used for this project.

The sides of the box were cut to an irregular contour to lend some extra visual interest.

The tree trunk was airbrushed in several Vallejo primers.

The interior was filled with heat isolation foam for bulk.

Branches are included with the Joefix tree. The tree is being test-fitted to the scene here.

The additional greenery was held in place with super glue.

MIG Productions’ Mud Texture was applied as a base coat for the soil.

A resin pole from RMG was also used. This filled the empty spot in one of the diorama diagonals. The RMG item is a flawless resin item and also includes pre-bent wires.

The tree in place with ground cover glued in place.

More foliage was added around the tree trunk from MiniNatur. The groundwork was set with MIG Productions’ Pigment Fixer.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 e ton

5 P r P racke

o e s • Kit No. 6 7

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Figures were added from the extensive Resicast range.

The three jovial crew figures in Commonwealth Battle Dress.

Shadows and creases were given extra depth with MIG Productions’ enamel Dark Wash.

B totally flawless. So I decided

to try them! All the Value Gear items were airbrushed in Vallejo Surface Primer 70601 Grey Primer. Vallejo primers dry very fast and turn the surface very smooth, ideal for airbrushing. They must be airbrushed in several layers in order to keep the surface detail. Once the primer was dry, all the items were painted in several colours from Vallejo Model Colour range. The wooden boxes were airbrushed in a clear colour and then MIG Production Absolute Chipping was applied in order to

MIG Pigments were applied to the boots and the bottom of the trousers to blend the figures more effectively into the surrounding groundwork.

achieve an extra touch of realism. Once dry, a green paint coat was applied and, once again, when dry it was peeled off with the help of MIG Productions Absolute Chipping. The result is very accurate and easily achieved. Several washes from MIG Productions were combined to get that extra touch of realism to the wooden boxes.

FIGURES I always add figures to my dioramas. Besides the human factor and scale, they can also help tell a story.

The tree and the telegraph pole on the completed base.

Colours are from Vallejo’s acrylic Model Colour range.

The three chatty figures, ready to add to the scene.

All the figures in this project are from Resicast. As usual from this company, the figures look great and resin casting is flawless. The poses and fit are very nice. The figures were primed in Vallejo Acrylic White Primer 73600. Once dry, they were airbrushed in Vallejo Model Air 71076 Skin Tone. The figures were painted in Vallejo Model Colour, except the flesh tones that were painted in oils from the MIG Productions range. Details were picked in MIG Productions Dark Wash very well thinned in MIG Productions Thinner

for Washes. This must be applied only in the most recessed parts. The dusty look was achieved by applying MIG Productions pigments and then fix them with the help of MIG Productions Pigment Fixer.

CONCLUSION Dragon’s 1:35 scale Sexton 25 pdr SPG is a lovely kit and that can transformed into a stunning model even if build straight from the box. This was a very enjoyable project and a great opportunity to add another diorama to my collection. Hope you like it! ■

The foliage and figures set a very natural scene.

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Modelspec

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Dragon 1:35 Sexton II 25 Pdr SP Tracked Models

Kit No. 6070

Accessories Used: Resicast 1/35 Item 352356 - Sexton Heavy Duty Canadian Bogies Type A Resicast 1/35 Item 355562 - “Have a Smoke” UK tank crew Resicast 1/35 Item 355563 - Tanker leaning harms cross MiniNatur (several items), Model Scene (several items), Joefix resin tree, Joefix branches, Value Gear Details (several items)

- - -

Materials and paints used Hood glue, Deluxe Materials glue solutions, Heat isolation foam, Wood base, Injected plastic, Resin parts, Plastic card, Metal parts, Vallejo primers, acrylics and thinners, MIG Productions oils, washes, filters, pigments and thinners, Graphite soft pencil, Plus Model Lead Wire ✓ Both Dragon kit and Resicast figures and bogie items are great subjects ✗ Nothing I can remember Available from Dragon kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating This compact diorama tells an effective story of a moment of rest inland from the Normandy beachhead.

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SHOW REPORT

ACTSMS SCALE ACT 2013

Dragon’s big 1:35 scale Loki 54cm Mortar Carrier and Trumpeter Ammo Loader.

SCALE ACT 2013 The Editor visits the Scale ACT 2013 model show in Canberra, Australia’s national capital.

M

any people are surprised to learn that the capital city of Australia is not Sydney or Melbourne, but Canberra. The location of Canberra was selected as Australia’s seat of Government in 1908. There was no pre-existing town. Canberra was to be a planned city inside the newly defined Australian Capital Territory (ACT), designed by American architect Walter Burley Griffin. Construction commenced in 1913. The Federal Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. It met in what was intended to be a temporary location, but this iconic building remained the seat of Parliament until 1988. Today, Canberra is the home of many national institutions including the National Library, the Australian Institute of Sport, the National Gallery and the Australian War Memorial. Canberra also boasts an active model club – ACTSMS – which meets monthly and also holds a lively annual model competition that is open to all modellers Australia-wide. This year’s Scale ACT show was held at Kaleen High School in suburban Canberra. The main auditorium housed the model competition, which comprised more than 300

models in categories including aircraft, military, science fiction, maritime, junior and more. The standard of modelling was very impressive indeed. Also under the same roof were traders, both local and from interstate. It was nice to catch up with Red Roo Models, Mouse House Enterprises, Firestorm, FoldIT, Hawkeye Models, Showcase Models Australia and more. Good use was made of other areas in the school, with a number of impressive displays of bomber models, large scale flying aircraft, largescale radio control tanks, RAAF F/A-18 Hornets of various sizes and versions, 1:72 scale modern warships, model railways and also square riggers. An entire room was devoted to Swap and Sell, which was busy over the whole weekend. The local Lions Club kept hunger pangs at bay with a sausage sizzle. A pleasing number of visitors attended over the weekend. The organisers of Scale ACT 2013 should be congratulated for a well-organised and enjoyable event. If you’re passing by Canberra next year in midNovember, Scale ACT 2014 should be well worth a visit! ■

Welcome to the ACTSMS Scale ACT Show for 2013!

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A large number of visitors appreciated the high quality of competition entries.

Plenty of traders were on hand from Canberra and from interstate.

To the victors, the spoils!

Large scale radio controlled armour was on display and in action.

A number of special displays were set up, including this one featuring RAAF F/A-18 Hornets.

Andrew Judson’s 1:35 scale ATV and crew.

The Swap and Sell attracted plenty of attention over the weekend.

Task Force 72 is a Canberra-based club that build 1:72 scale ships, mostly from scratch.

An Italeri Sturmgeschutz III Ausf. G converted ton anti-tank bunker in Cold War Bulgaria. February 2014 - Model Military International 47

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SHOW REPORT

ACTSMS SCALE ACT 2013

Trumpeter’s 1:35 scale Small Turret KV-1.

Dragon’s tiny but perfectly formed 1:72 scale Ka-Mi Amphibious Tank.

The Sentinel Shield was an award for a nominated subject – this year Bronco’s 1:48 scale Staghound Armoured Car.

Another small scale Dragon entry was this late production StuG IV.

Another Sentinel Shield entry – this time with a Crusader turret.

Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Marder III Ausf. M.

Taking a leaf (get it?) from Luke Pitt’s book was this impressive 1:35 scale Dragon StuG. III Ausf. G.

Dragon’s 1:35 scale Panzer IV Ausf. D in the markings of 6 Panzer Division in Russia.

Tamiya Panzer III Ausf. M in 1:35 scale, Kursk, July 1943.

HobbyBoss 1:35 scale Swedish STRV122 in a splinter camouflage finish.

Tamiya 1:35 scale T-55A.

Tamiya 1:35 scale French Char B1 Bis.

Australian Abrams, 1 Brigade 2012, finished in three-colour Auscam.

Tamiya 1:35 scale Challenger 2 British Main Battle Tank.

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Another Challenger, but smaller this time – Dragon’s 1:72 scale kit.

Big 1:35 scale Tamiya FAMO with 88mm Flak 37 – Tiger Models Design conversion.

Dragon’s long tall Befehlspanzer III Ausf. H in 1:35 scale.

GAZ AAA with anti-aircraft gun in 1:48 scale

Italeri’s 1:35 scale ABM 41/42 Sahariana.

HobbyBoss 1:48 scale KV-1 Model 1942.

Unique camouflage on this Tamiya 1:48 scale Tilly.

Not often seen built – IBG’s 1:35 scale Bussing Nag 500 A truck.

A unique Afrika Korps display. February 2014 - Model Military International 49

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FEATURE ARTICLE

oung

iniatures 1:1 sca e ritis

nfantr man omme 1916 • tem No.

1837

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STARING AT A SUNLIT PICTURE OF HELL Matt Wellhouser describes the painting and shading of Young Miniature’s second WWI bust - a 1:10 scale British Infantryman in the Somme.

T

his is the second 1:10 scale World War One bust that Young Miniatures has created. The first was also depicting a Somme veteran- a German Trench Raider. This figure is full of character and I was excited to paint it for a collector. The kit has just a few parts and it very easy to construct.

WAR WEARY AT THE SOMME The battle of the Somme began in the summer of 1916. It actually went from July through November of that year. It was a very bloody battle, with over 1,000,000 casualties from all sides. As I was reading about the battle, I came across a quote from author and poet Siegfried Sassoon, "I am staring at a sunlit picture of hell” (Memoirs of an Infantry Officer). The quote struck me as a fitting

The paint job started with a coat of Tamiya Grey Spray Can Primer,

The rest of the face was then painted in the base flesh mix.

statement about the first day of battle in the Somme. After the first day of battle it was a tough, grisly scene. Of course this went on for months. As you could imagine as the battle wore on, the soldiers were tired, dirty and well worn out. I wanted to depict the feeling of the battle in the face on this bust. I wanted to add dirt, sweat and war weary eyes. To accomplish this, I went to work in the following fashion: I primed the bust, and then undercoated the majority of the bust in black with my airbrush. By spraying the folds, creases, nooks and crannies, I can speed up my painting and add depth to the shadows. I mixed up some Vallejo English Uniform, Khaki, and German Camouflage Beige as a base colour. I also added a drop of

This was followed by a base mix of Basic Skin Tone and Light Flesh around the eyes.

I used Burnt Umber, Black Red and Black to build up the shadows.

Tamiya Flat Base to the mix. As I progressed, I added Camouflage Black Brown as a shadow and Sunny Skin Tone as a highlight. I tend to keep working with the highlights and shadows in small amounts until I am satisfied with the result. Moving on to the web gear and ammo pouches, I used a light beige colour I mixed from German Camouflage Beige and Iraqi Sand. This was shaded with Chocolate Brown and Black (these are all Vallejo colours). Highlights are Sunny Skin Tone added to the base shade. The bandolier was mixed up from English Uniform and Flat Earth. The backpack was painted using a variation of the uniform base colour. Once I was satisfied with the basic uniform, I painted the hardware and insignias. I dulled the red of the unit insignia with a

I add the iris with a Blue Grey colour.

pinkish tone, as I figured that they faded due to the exposure to the elements.

THE HELMET I then moved to the helmet, base coating it with Olive Drab. I painted the yellow flash on the helmet after laying it out with a lead pencil, carefully drawing the shape lightly on the helmet. I had to erase the line a couple of times until I got two shapes about the same size. I painted the yellow following the outline. I then shaded it with lighter colours. When dry I applied a wash with a mix of oil paint. I used Sepia from the Rembrandt line. I apply the sepia as a wash, let it dry for about 20 minutes, and then go back with a clean brush dampened with thinner to remove some of the excess. A

The pupil was finished in black.

More Basic Skin Tone and Sunny Skin Tone to Brown The five o’clock shadow is very thin black mixed Sand was added for highlights. with Brown Sand. February 2014 - Model Military International 51

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FEATURE ARTICLE

oung

iniatures 1:1 sca e ritis

nfantr man omme 1916 • tem No.

1837

B Once this was completely dry,

The helmet was base coated with Olive Drab.

The yellow flash on the helmet was painted after laying it out with a lead pencil - lightly drawing the shape on the helmet.

When dry I applied a wash with a mix of oil paint. I used Sepia from the Rembrandt line.

I went back with a clean brush dampened with thinner to remove some of the excess.

I applied some pigments to the helmet to replicate the dirt and dust form camping out in trenches. I used a mix of home brewed pigments and some from MIG. I usually go back and forth with pigments, thinners to fix them, then more pigments. I add a touch of Matte Medium to my pigment to make mud, so small clumps could stick here and there. Once completely dry, I grind up pencil graphite and rub that all over the helmet. Then using the pencil itself, I rub the lead on the rim of the helmet. While I was busy with the pigments, I added some dirt and grime on the uniform and webbing.

The majority of the bust was undercoated in black with my airbrush. By spraying the folds, creases, nooks and crannies, I can speed up my painting and add depth to the shadows.

I mixed up some Vallejo English Uniform, Khaki, and German Camouflage Beige as a base colour.

Moving on to the web gear and ammo pouches I used a light beige colour I mixed from German Camouflage Beige and Iraqi Sand.

The backpack was painted using a variation of the uniform base colour.

FACE AND FLESH The face was next. I start with the eyes. The base is a mix of Basic Skin Tone and Light Flesh. I add the iris with a Blue Grey colour and finish with black for the pupil. I gave the iris a touch of Andrea Blue as a highlight. I edged the eye with a mix of Old Rose and Violet. I finish with a coat or two of Future Floor Polish and then a wash of Burnt Cadmium Red. This helps give the guy a bloodshot, weary look. Moving to the skin, the usual basic colours were employed Brown Sand, Burnt Cadmium Red and Basic Skin Tone. I used Burnt Umber, Black Red and Black to build up the shadows. I add more Basic Skin Tone and Sunny Skin Tone to Brown Sand for highlights. I use a very thin mix of paint, and work in localised areas to help accentuate the details. The five

o’clock shadow is very thin black mixed with Brown Sand. On this figure, the chinstrap for the helmet is moulded on, so I incorporated that painting with the face. I added sweat running down the face with Future, as well as some dirt here and there with my homemade pigment mix.

SHOVEL Next up was the shovel. It is barely the full blade, so it was

painted all metal. I started by spraying the shovel a dull aluminium colour with Alclad Lacquer. The colour is not really important or the brand as long as you use a solvent based paint. Once dry, then the shovel was given a coat of ground up pastelsrusty brownish colours and black. I mix the ground up pastel with a flat clear. Basically I am painting this on the shovel - but I kept the tip and hilt of the shovel relatively

I next applied some pigments to the helmet to replicate the dirt and dust form camping out in trenches.

Once completely dry, I ground up pencil graphite and rubbed it all over the helmet.

The shovel was sprayed a dull aluminium colour with Alclad Lacquer.

Once dry, the shovel was given a coat of ground up pastels - rusty brownish colours and black. Basically I am painting this on the shovel- but I kept the tip and hilt of the shovel relatively rust free.

When dry, I washed the shovel with Sepia and Burnt Umber Oil colour.

Graphite was rubbed all over the shovel, emphasizing the tip and hilt.

The shovel was also dusted with pigments.

The finished shovel.

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rust free. When dry, I washed the shovel with Sepia and Burnt Umber Oil colour. I used more dark colours on the wash to tone down the rusty colour - I figured that the shovel got used and did not have time to sit around and corrode. Then I dusted the shovel with the pigments I used for the helmet. Finally, I rubbed graphite all over the shovel, emphasizing he tip and hilt.

The metal portions of the gun was hand painted with Humbrol Metalcote Gunmetal.

RIFLE Lastly, I painted the Lee Enfield rifle. After priming with white Tamiya spray, the stock areas were undercoated with Buff Vallejo Paint. Then I used Winsor & Newton oils - Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber - applied thinly to the wood areas. I added black to the mix to shade. After allowing this to dry a bit, I went back with a clean, dry bush and added the “grain”. Oils are notorious for drying slow, so in a couple of days, I came back and hand painted the metal portions of the gun with Humbrol Metalcote Gunmetal. This is a solvent-based colour and when dry you can buff it with a cotton bud to simulate blued steel. Finally I added wear with the ground up pencil lead and a silver art pencil.

CONCLUSION

Winsor & Newton oils were applied thinly to the wood areas of the rifle.

The wooden base.

After allowing this to dry a bit, I went back with a clean, dry bush and added the “grain”.

Finally, I added wear with the ground up pencil lead and a silver art pencil.

I wanted to depict the “ feeling of the battle in the face on this bust... ”

In the end, I think the original objective of portraying a tired; war weary vet of the Somme was accomplished. I give this kit an A+ for sculpting, casting and detail. ■

Modelspec Young Miniatures 1:10 scale British Infantryman Somme 1916 Item No. YM 1837 Brush Used: # 00 Windsor Newton Series 7 sable brush Paints Used: Tamiya Grey and White Spray Primer Vallejo Paints: English Uniform, Khaki, German Camouflage Beige, Camouflage Black brown, Sunny Skin Tone, Iraqi Sand, English Uniform, Burnt Umber, Chocolate Brown, Brown Leather, Orange Brown, Flat Earth, Olive Drab, Green Grey, Red, Salmon Rose, Basic Skin Tone, Brown Sand, Burnt Cadmium Red, Black Red, Light Flesh, Andrea Blue, Black, Old Rose, Violet, Intermediate Blue, Yellow, Yellow Sand, Buff Miscellaneous: Winsor Newton Oils, Matte Medium, Mig Pigments, Humbrol Metalcote Gunmetal, Alclad lacquer, Pastel Chalk, Clear Acrylic Flat ✓ Fantastic sculpting; high quality moulding; straightforward clean-up. ✗ Nothing worth mentioning. Available from Young Miniatures products may be seen on their website www.young-miniatures.com

Rating

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MR BLACK PUBLICATIONS SCALE MODEL HANDBOOK VOLUMES. 6 & 7

Here we have two new volumes of Scale Model Handbook to add to the growing range of a great publication. As with the others, you won't be disappointed due to the excellent articles inside each of these. There are seven stories in Vol. 6 and eight in Vol. 7. As usual, they have a bit of Pegaso related subjects in each but also cover other popular brand names. The subjects range from ancient to WWII, modern, sci-fi, and some great “how to” projects. Each volume is 50 pages in length, with many high quality colour photos and well-written articles by some very talented painters across the world such as Ernesto Reyes Stahluth, Kazufumi Tomori, Man Jin Kim, Sergey Popovichenko, Roman Navarro and others. As a figure painter myself, I am very impressed with these publications and believe they are a welcome addition to my library and yours. I highly recommend these to all. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Mr Black Publications for the sample www.mrblackpublications.com Andrew Judson

PANZER ACES VOL 42

This magazine has been around for some time now, including some great special editions. In this volume there are six very nice articles with excellent pictures and well written text. The first article in the magazine is a stunning diorama of a Kettenkrad in France. The work in this is simply amazing, and well worth a look. This is followed by four articles, all covering variants of the jeep being SAS, LRDG, 101st Airborne and a nice photo journal of an SAS and LRDG Jeeps. Lastly there is a very nice SWS with an 88mm Pak gun with plenty of detail. In summary, a nice edition of this magazine, with its usual high quality builds and articles. Recommended. Thanks to Euromodelismo for the sample www.euromodelismo.com Andrew Judson

SQUADRON SIGNAL PUBLICATIONS

M1 ABRAMS IN ACTION BY DAVID DOYLE ISBN: 978-0-89747-222-7

We are all quite familiar with Squadron Signal Books, and it would be safe to say that most of us have some of their publications in our own collections. I was very happy to receive this new release covering the Abrams Tank, with the majority of photos being in Iraq or Afghanistan. The book is written by David Doyle and is presented in Squadron’s usual landscape format, with high quality glossy cover and photos with a total of 80 pages. The front cover work is done by Don Greer, that we all admire for his fantastic works as is the back cover. There are a total of 223 photos, the majority in colour, with only a few in black and white. As mentioned, most of these are of vehicles serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, with many not been seen before, including some of vehicles destroyed both in combat and by IEDs. The captions for all pictures are very informative. Being a big fan of modern subjects, I highly recommend this great book to all, and look forward to future editions from Squadron Signal. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Squadron for the sample www.squadron.com Andrew Judson

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Incoming PLUS MODEL

1:35 SCALE ITEM NO. 438 – US AIRBORNE SCOOTER WITH REEL ITEM NO. 439 – US AIRBORNE SCOOTER WITH MACHINE GUN

DRAGON

1:35 SCALE PZ.KPFW.I MIT ABWURFVORRICHTUNG KIT NO. 6480

In real life, the purpose of this vehicle was to place an explosive charge next to an object to destroy it. The problem was that the Panzer I was too thinly armoured to afford its crew much protection and that is why only a very small number were converted. Dragon has combined sprues from their newer reworked Panzer I to give us the bulk of this vehicle. It is crisply moulded and comprises of over 536 parts, although 192 of those are track links and approximately 100 parts are unused. 36 parts are included on the etched fret, along with 20 brass rims for the road wheels and one length of metal wire. We get a new Sprue ‘P’ that has all of the boom and charge box parts and those parts also show some superb welding details. The instructions are clear and uncluttered and comprise of 17 steps, although we get an addendum with a change to Step 5. Standard of moulding and detail is excellent with no visible flaws present. The road wheels come with photoetched rims to facilitate the undercut on the originals. The whole suspension system is superbly detailed and complimented by the ‘Magic Tracks’, which are tiny but really look the part when completed. Give me these over those awful DS tracks any day! Turning to the exterior details, the jack is fully detailed and all tools and clasps are depicted in plastic. The hull displays some subtle countersunk screw heads and detail is first class. The new plastic boom parts are assembled in steps 14 to 16 and the final location is clearly shown on the instructions. The decals provided give us two marking options, both Panzer Grey. One is from an unidentified unit from 1940 and the other from the 1st Panzer Division vehicle., 1940. In summary, this is a good kit of a unique Panzer I variant. Detail is nice and sharp and there are no major errors to speak of. This is another one from Dragon to keep us Panzer I fans happy. Highly Recommended. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net Graham Tetley

Plus Model from the Czech Republic has released a couple of interesting little models recently. Both kits feature a 1:35 scale lightweight US Airborne motor scooter. Specifically, the scooter is a Cushman Model 53, which was designed to be dropped by parachute with US Airborne troops. The first boxing contains a two-wheeled trailer and cable reel. There are 35 grey resin parts, a photo-etched fret and a decal sheet provided. The second set pairs the scooter with a generic two-wheeled trailer mounting a water-cooled Browning M1917 .30 cal machine gun and ammunition boxes. This set is made up from 51 resin parts, two photo-etched frets and decals. Casting quality is excellent. There is quite a bit of featherlike flash on many of the larger parts, but this should not take long to clean up. Take care when removing the parts from their blocks and assembling them though, as some are very fine and may be fragile. Instructions are provided on a double-sided, one half A4 sheet of paper. A small decal sheet is also included with the serial number, star and other minor markings. Plus Model’s Airborne Scooters will provide some interesting opportunities for vignettes and dioramas. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Plus Model for the samples www.plusmodel.cz Brett Green

TAMIYA

PLA-PAPER 0.1 MM – ITEM NO. 70208 0.2 MM – ITEM NO. 70209

Have you ever had a scratch building or detailing task that required really thin plastic sheet? Have you ever used paper instead of Evergreen sheet to deliver a level of flexibility that you could not achieve with plastic? Well, I have some good news for you. Tamiya is packaging very thin B4-sized plastic sheet as “Pla-Paper”. Three sheets are included in each set. The two thicknesses under review are 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm. For comparison, the 0.1 mm Pla-Paper looks to be about the same thickness as standard printer or photocopy paper (about 80 gsm), while 0.2 mm is (not surprisingly) twice as thick. This is a very handy material. It may be cut with a hobby knife or scissors, but it is incredibly resistant to tearing. It will be perfect for cutting into strips for straps and harnesses, or into specific shapes as raised detail on hull and turret parts. These are plastic sheets, so they will take paint in exactly the same way as kit plastic or Evergreen sheet too. Pla-Plastic’s uses are only limited by your imagination, and will be a very useful addition to the scratch builder’s and super detailer’s arsenal. Highly Recommended. Thanks to The Hobby Company for the samples www.hobbyco.net Brett Green

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DRAGON

1:35 SCALE SAS ¼ TON 4X4 PATROL CAR – SMART KIT KIT NO. 6745

The British Special Air Service adapted the humble Willys Jeep into a long-range desert vehicle for incursion operations in North Africa, and later in Italy and North Western Europe. Dragon’s latest addition to their 1:35 scale Jeep family – coyly labelled as a “¼ Ton 4x4 Patrol Car” – is this SAS desert vehicle. The kit is packed full of parts – 203 in grey plastic for the vehicle and spare jerry cans and a further 28 covering the two figures; plus four clear parts and two photo-etched frets. As is often the case with Dragon kits, you’ll have a number of parts left over. Twelve road wheels are provided, offering the choice between conventional Jeep tyres or a full set with radial tread plus a couple of spare tyres. Both German and British style jerry cans are provided too. Captured German jerry cans were prized by Allied forces, and were often pressed back into service. Armament options include single and twin Vickers K guns with round ammo drums, and one .50 cal. M2 machine gun. The model features full engine bay, radiator and chassis detail. Two figures are included. These feature new heads moulded for this boxing. Three camouflage schemes are listed in the instructions, but the only decals needed are for the instrument panel and the jerry cans. This is a very well detailed kit of an iconic subject. The inclusion of the two desertclad SAS figures really makes this an instant vignette in a box. Highly Recommended. Thanks to The Hobby Company for the sample www.hobbyco.net Brett Green

BRONCO

1:35 SCALE ITALIAN LIGHT CIVILIAN CAR WITH LADY GIRL AND DOG KIT NO. CB36167

The car is of course a Fiat 500A Topolino and this is the third rendition of this excellent little kit from Bronco. I found it a little perplexing that Bronco would release this kit so soon after the first two releases but still, here it is. In this rendition we have the addition of two female plastic figures in 1930s style period dress. The figures are very well done with nice, soft feminine facial features in evidence. The Dalmatian dog is moulded in three parts and may be one of the best plastic dogs that I have seen in 1:35 scale thus far. The pose would lend itself to any and all applications. I won’t go into detail about the car as it has already been reviewed twice before in earlier issues, but suffice to say the moulding on the bodywork is a case study on how fine plastic injection moulding can be. Recommended. Thanks to Bronco Models for the sample www.bronco-model.com Luke Pitt

MR HOBBY

MR SURFACER 500 MR SURFACER 1000 MR SURFACER 1200

Mr Surfacer is a liquid compound that may be used as a filler, a smoothing agent or to add texture to model parts. I have been using Mr Surfacer for many years. I note that the three new samples that have just arrived are packed in wide-mouth screw-top glass jars. In my opinion, this is better than the previous packaging that featured a square glass jar with a very narrow neck. Three thicknesses are now available. Mr Surfacer 500 is the thickest of the three, with 1000 much thinner and the 1200 being about the same consistency as many acrylic model paints. I usually apply Mr Surfacer by brush or toothpick, depending on how large an area is being coated, but I have heard that some modellers even use the thinner grades (1000 and 1200) as a primer and micro-filler applied with the airbrush. The advantage of this liquid being applied as a primer is that it will cover scuff markings and sanding scars as well as small pin holes and blemishes. We tend to focus on the latest and greatest kit or glamorous modelling tool, but using the right modelling materials can also have a big impact on the quality of our finished models. Mr Surfacer is one of those important modelling materials. Recommended. Thanks to Creative Models Australia for the samples www.creativemodels. com.au Brett Green February 2014 - Model Military International 57

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1:48 Scale – A round-up of the latest news and releases THE CORRIDOR OF UNCERTAINTY S o you have just finished your latest masterpiece and you’re feeling pretty darned pleased with yourself. The model worked out, the build was enjoyable for the most part, and everything seemed to fall into place in the end. You have shown it to friends, taken it to shows and are satisfied with the comments you have received. Now what to build next? Here’s where it gets tricky. You now find yourself in the “Corridor of Uncertainty”. I find this phase of the model building the most inherently frustrating. I could go out and buy the latest and greatest kit on the market but that’s fraught with danger as every Tom, Dick and Harry is going to build one of those (in a what seems like hours after its initial release) and besides, all the aftermarket goodies will not be available for quite some time. I could go into the stash and build something there, but this is also fraught with peril also as most of the kits there are now not the “flavour of the month” or are missing some nick knack that will (it is hoped) make it a world beater and propel the build into the all time greatest model builds of all time. The other annoying thing about having a large stash is that when you’re spoilt for choice, you find yourself swapping and changing your mind all the time. One build looks a little too hard or you don’t have quite an enough reference for the next. This process can go on for weeks if you’re not careful and the end result is you still may not have decided on what to do next! I don’t know how may kits I have started, put together a few parts and decided, what the heck am I doing? I don’t even like this tank! I then ask myself why I bought this kit in the first place, which is another topic altogether. Sometimes, I also find

that I start a kit that initially seemed to be some kind of techno marvel only to discover that again I’m basically not interested in it. For me, the best bet is always doing something that is going to hold my interest for at least 3-4 months. I say this, as most of my builds tend to run that length of time. If the subject does not hold me for that amount of time then I am almost sure that it will never get done; although some of my latest builds have indeed been rescued “shelf queens”. As a modeller, I don’t tend to do the same thing

twice. Frankly, I don’t understand modellers that can build the same mark of tank several different times and in some cases in the same paint scheme. So my own personal “Corridor of Uncertainty” is a little harder as my choices (by my own making) always must be different. Modelling can be a harsh mistress!

Unit next time Luke Pitt

TORO MODELS

1:48 SCALE POLISH CAVALRY NCO ITEM NO. 48F29

Following on from last month’s review of the mounted machine gunner in this series, this new addition from Toro Models is again an excellent mounted figure and could be a companion to the figures in that earlier review. Both of the castings are very well done and are wonderfully detailed. The horse is cast as three pieces comprising a main body, head and tail. The rider is cast in four pieces with both arms separate as is the head, rifle and sabre. The fabric folds, the facial features and more importantly the “stance” of the rider /horse combination are spot on. In my opinion, this is one of the best figures Toro has offered thus far. The attention to detail is nothing short of outstanding. However, what really sets this figure apart is the reference material. Included is a small colour leaflet with four photos of the uniform worn by re-enactors. On the reverse side is a history and colour guide. An outline of the shoulder bars used to differentiate enlisted men from officers is also included. This little set is so good that I am tempted to say if you don’t go out and look at this figure and tell me it’s not as good as I would say, you must be legally blind! Highly Recommended. Thanks to Toro Model for the sample www.toro-model.com.pl Luke Pitt

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Luke Pitt hosts MMI’s examination of the growing world of 1:48 scale military models, figures and accessories.

PEOLINI DESIGN 1:48 SCALE DODGE 3/4 WHEELS

EASY METAL TRACKS 1:48 SCALE PANZER III TRACK LINKS ITEM NUMBER EMI 48-002

Easy Metal Links is a new player in the market. Their first offering in quarter scale is a set of individual links for Panzer III and variants. Consisting of 220 white metal castings, the track links exhibit some very fine detail. The attachment for each link is very much in the mold of the original Friulmodel method - that is, each link has the track pin moulded onto it. The next link is then crimped onto this pin via two small open-ended tabs on the opposite end of the link. The method works well. I managed to complete and assemble a run of 100 or so links in a little less than 20 minutes, which is outstanding. The track links require no clean up at all, which was pretty amazing in itself. Now, I’ve heard that the attachment method used may stretch over time and that may be the case for the larger tracks but for these I’ll go out on a limb and say they probably won’t due to their small size and weight. If I had to pick one fault with this particular set I would say the detail on the track side is a little sparse under high magnification, but other than that, they are pretty much bullet proof. I was really surprised with these tracks. The detail, high build speed, and lack of clean up make these are a no brainer, go out and get some. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Easy Metal Links for the review sample www.easy-metal-links.eu Luke Pitt

I previewed a photo of these in last month’s column. These join the 1:48 scale Puma wheels that a gentleman by the name of Dennis Loep has designed in the form of a CAD drawing on his computer. The drawing is then downloaded to a company by the name of Shapeways, which then prints them in resin. This may well be the beginning of how we, the modelling public, purchase our kits in the future. Anyone who has any of the 1:48 scale Dodge ¾ trucks available today will no doubt be aware how awful the wheels are on all of these kits. Not only do they all suffer from an inaccurate tread pattern, but none have correctly portrayed the hub details. For me these wheels are a godsend as, I have always liked the Dodge truck. The wheels may be purchased on the following link http://www.shapeways.com/model/1410280/1-48-dodge-3-4-ton-wc-wheels.html They are expensive, but for the most part, they are very good. The trick about any resin printed product is to clean them with acetone before you prime them as the wheels display a fine pebble finish that is a result of the wax-like substance used in the printing process. The wheels when primed are almost as good as a high-end aftermarket wheel manufacturer. If you have a 1:48 scale Dodge in your stash, and you want it to be as accurate as possible, you really can’t go past these. Recommended. Mr Loep may be contacted on the following e-mail address [email protected] Luke Pitt

VALUE GEAR

1:48 SCALE SET NOS. C1, 1, 2 AND 3

Value Gear is a new company that has until recently been specialising in creating unique sets of stowage for 1:35 scale military vehicles. They have now expanded into the two other popular military scales of 1:72 and 1:48. Set C1 offers 32 resin crates of various sizes. Tarps, Rolls and Crates Set 1 provides 27 resin packs, rolls and boxes. Sets 2 and 3 each deliver 27 different pieces, ensuring that you will avoid any embarrassing duplication on the back of your tank. Each pack in each set is totally unique, and features crisp detail including straps cast in place. Casting quality for all four sets is excellent. Cleanup will be minimal too, as there is very little in the way of resin waste. Most of the packs are cast with a flat tarp as the bottom layer. You may therefore want to hollow out the area underneath so that the piece of stowage does not float above hand holds, hinges and other structural elements on the deck of your tank or vehicle. Examples of painted packs and crates on Value Gear’s website look great. Value Gear’s packs and crates will be a very handy and individual finishing touch for your 1:48 scale tanks and military vehicles. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Value Gear for the samples www.valuegeardetails.com Brett Green

PLUS MODELS

1:48 SCALE US SCOOTER (PACKAGE DELIVERY). ITEM NO. 4011 US SCOOTER (FIRE FIGHTER). ITEM NO. AL4028

I am a big fan of Plus Models. They constantly come up with items that are different and highly original. These two new releases fit the bill in that regard. These two US scooters were mainly used stateside during the Second World War on factory airfields but I have also seen photos of these being used on light aircraft carriers. Each unit comprises twelve very well detailed castings, a small decal sheet, a length of wire and a small photo etch fret consisting of seven parts. The detail on the resin castings is sharp and in some cases breathtaking. The small wheels, for instance, even have a very fine tread pattern on them. I really cannot recommend these two highly enough. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Plus Models for the review samples www.plusmodel.cz Luke Pitt

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A round-up of the latest news and releases in 1:72 and 1:76

DRAGON

1:35 SCALE PZ.KPFW.IV AUSF H W/SCHURZEN - ARMOR PRO KIT NO. 7497

This long awaited kit from Dragon comes in the standard ‘Lid & Tray’ box with an excellent illustration on the lid. Unfortunately the contents do not quite live up to the promise. The kit consists of four large sprues, five small sprues, a lower hull, DS tracks and a sheet of decals. Strangely, this kit has very little in common with the earlier Ausf F and G kits that were so highly regarded. This offering has the feel of a kit version of a ready-made model. The moulding is up to the usual Dragon standard, with no flash or sink holes in evidence, and the detail is very fine, but the whole effect is let down by some very debatable design decisions, especially as this is supposed to be an Armor Pro model. The main problem is the fact that all the hatches are moulded closed and would prove difficult to open with surgery (strangely, the driver’s and radio operator’s hatches have details on the inside!) The schurzen is only provided in styrene (there is no photo-etch with this kit) and is thinly moulded, but again the problem is the fact that the rails for the hull schuzen are moulded on the back of the plates. The lower hull is well detailed as are the separate fenders which show a good tread pattern, however most of the tools are moulded in place albeit with good relief so that careful painting should show them up well. What will be the biggest disappointment to most modellers is the lack of zimmerit as most of the Ausf Hs from this period would have had it applied, together with the lack of extra track armour, even though it is illustrated in the artwork. The tracks and running gear are the standard set supplied with other Dragon Panzer IVs except that the idled wheel is of the late type in keeping with the variant. The decal sheet is well printed with markings for five vehicles from the Eastern Front and Normandy 1943/4, as shown on the painting and marking guide. Lastly, the kit contains some extra pieces from other Panzer IV variants, such as the Brumbar gun casement and the 8.8cm gun mount for the rare self propelled AT gun conversion! All in all, a mixed bag again which will disappoint many and bring into question the direction of Dragon’s small scale production. Recommended with reservations. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net Steve Shrimpton

VALUE GEAR

1:72 - 1:76 SCALE ACCESSORIES

Value Gear resin detail sets are, I’m sure, well known to the larger scale modeller, but now they have started producing sets for we ‘Braille Scalers’- and what a good thing too! The sets for review are Crates Set #1 and Tarp Rolls & Crates Set #1. These consist of 49 and 37 pieces respectively, finely cast in grey resin. The sculpting is very natural with lots of variation and no flaws or air bubbles that I could detect. The crates come in various sizes and shapes with a subtle woodgrain texture, but my favourites are the tarps & crates. These offer a variety of sizes, styles and shapes to suit any vehicle or era with folds and straps perfectly reproduced. I am looking forward to using some of these on my future projects and am sure they will paint and weather superbly. The packaging includes a small sheet of instructions and tips for cleaning, painting and gluing the items, including a very useful section on heating and bending the pieces to conform to areas such as fenders, turrets, etc. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Value Gear for the sample www.valuegeardetails.com Steve Shrimpton

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DON’TT MISS A THING.... Don’t worry, all the issues are still available to buy and full details are on the website @ www.modelmilitaryinternational.com

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Issue 71

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Tamiya 1:35 M51 MMSI Show Report Dragon 1:35 conversion Italeri 1:24 Opel Blitz Trumpeter 1:35 diorama Dragon 1:35 RSO Bronco 1:35 Bishop Model Victoria 1:35 CV-33 Tankette » and more...

Kit Form Services 1:24 Ferret Cz Kolinec 1:35 Zrinyi MiniArt Valentine Mk.IV Foliage Tech Guide Pt.1 Kinetic 1:35 M-ATV HobbyBoss RSOV Landrover Dragon 1:35 M4A3(75)W Sherman Trumpeter KV-8 & Aerosan » and more...

1:35 scale BT-7M conversion AFV Club 1:35 scale M1128 Bronco 1:35 scale Adler Tamiya 1:48 scale Opel Blitz Trumpeter kit by Michel Perez Dragon Panzer III Ausf. M Dragon 1:35 scale Bison II Trumpeter 1:35 scale Neubaufahrzeug » and more...

Issue 74

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Issue 78

Issue 79

Issue 80

Issue 81

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• HobbyBoss 1:35 Toldi tank • Bronco 1:35 scale Zrinyi • Miniatures PMC 1:9 Waffen SS Machine Gunner • Squadron EagleQuest XXI Show Report • Trumpeter 1:35 T-62 Model 1972 • Trumpeter 1:35 KV-8 Flamethrower Kitbash • Italeri 1:35 Sturmtiger • SKP 1:35 Challenger » and more...

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Issue 82

Issue 83

Issue 84

Issue 85

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1:35 scale Tamiya T-55 Enigma Pt1 Tamiya 1:48 Marder III M Young Miniatures’ 82nd Airborne Bust MiniArt’s 1:35 scale BA-64 Zvezda 1:35 scale T-90 Main Battle Tank Panda 1:35 scale M-ATV Dragon 1:35 scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 Tamiya 1:48 scale Js-2 » and more...

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Bronco 1:35 scale M24 Chaffee Tristar 1:35 scale Panzer IV/70(A) Tankfest 2012 show report LZ Models 1:35 M29 Weasel Tamiya 1:35 scale Matilda conversion Dragon 1:35 Panzer IV Ausf.A MiniArt 1:35 scale YA-12 Dragon 1:35 Welded Hull Firefly Bronco 1:35 Jeep » and more...

Tamiya 1:35 BT-7 Model 1937 Tamiya 1:48 Sd.Kfz.232 Bronco 1:35 scale Marder II Ausf. D Tamiya 1:35 M1A2 SEP TUSK II Abrams Kinetic 1:35 RG-31 Pit-Road 1:35 Type 92 “Early Version” Dragon 1:35 Type 95 Tank Dragon 1:35 Ostwind Model Victoria 1:35 Fiat Berlina » and more...

Tamiya 1:35 scale Elefant pt.1 Academy 1:35 Merkava IV LIC Dragon 1:35 Sd.Kfz. 251/17 Ausf.D Bronco 1:35 scale YW-531C AMPS 2012 Show Report Dragon 1:35 2cm Flak 38 Meng Models 1:35 Merkava 3D Early Ferdinand and Elefant Family Ref » and more...

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Issue 86

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Issue 89

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Dragon 1:35 Panzer I Ausf. A Leichte Funk Bronco 1:35 M24 Chaffee 1:35 Tamiya StuG III Ausf.G kit Airfix 1:48 Supacat Jackal Meng Model 1:35 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer AUF1 MiniArt 1:35 Ya-12 Italeri 1:35 Gun Truck Bronco 1:35 88mm Flak 41 Gun Bronco 1:35 Su-152 » and more...

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Bronco 1:35 Versuchsflakwagen Dragon 1:35 Type 95 Ha-Go Dragon 1:35 Panzer IV Ausf. H Tasca 1:35 M32B1 Recovery Vehicle Dragon 1:35 Sherman III DV Inside the Armour A10 Cruiser Trumpeter 1:35 8.8cm Pak 43 auf Leichte Waffentraeger • Bronco 1:35 25 pdr Ammo Set and Limber » and more...

Issue 90

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Issue 93

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• 1:48 Panther A Conversion • Dragon 1:35 StuG III Ausf. G Late Production • Tamiya 1:35 Merkava 1 • Bronco 1:35 Jeep w/ 37mm Anti-Tank Gun • Dragon 1:72 Churchill in a diorama • Bronco 1:35 Korean War M24 Chaffee • Young Miniatures’ 1:10 Battle of Jang-Jin Reservoir 1950 bust » and more...

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Contact Details - for companies featured in MMI... ACCURATE ARMOUR/ ARMOUR DISTRIBUTION

Units 15-16 Kingston Industrial Estate, Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, PA14 5DG Scotland. Tel; 01475 743 955 Fax; 01475 743746 www.accurate-armour.com

ADALBERTUS

Iberyjska 7/49, 02-764 , Warsaw,Poland [email protected] www.adalbertus.com.pl

THE AIRBRUSH COMPANY Ltd

Unit 7 Marlborough Road, Lancing Business Park, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8UF. Tel; 08700 660 445 www.airbrushes.com

ALCLAD II LACQUER

5 St Georges Close, Bacton, Norfolk. NR12 0LL Tel; 01962 65216 Fax; 01692 652334

ALPINE, ROYAL MODEL, ARTISAN MORI, YOSCI; SMARTMODELLING No.7 Gordons Way, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0LN. UK Tel; 01883 734746 [email protected]

AMPERSAND PUBLISHING (via Historex Agents in UK)

235 NE 6th Avenue #4 Delray Beach, Florida 33483-5543, USA Tel; 561-266 9686 Fax; 561-266-9786

ARCHER

(Historex in UK)

PO Box 1277 Youngsville, NC 27596-1277, USA www.archertransfers.co

BADGER AIR-BRUSH COMPANY 9128W Belmont Ave, Franklin Park, IL 60131 Tel; 847/678-3104 www.badgerairbrush.com email [email protected] (In the UK from www.shesto.co.uk)

BISON DECALS

Available from www.hannants.co.uk and www.pdi-model-supplies.com

DELUXE MATERIALS www.deluxematerials.co.uk [email protected] Tel; 01529 455 0340

DRAGON MODELS

(The Hobby Company in UK)

Dragon Models Ltd, Kong Nam Ind. Building B1-10F, 603-609 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan NT, Hong Kong Fax; (HK) 4110587 www.dragonmodelsltd.com (For 1:6 Action Figures, please contact Amerang in UK)

ECHELON FINE DETAILS

Available from; wwwaccurate-armour.com & http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~kriegsketten/

FRIENDSHIP MODELS

12 Delta Drive, Musselburgh, East Lothian, EH21 8HR Tel; 0131 665 0866 Mobile; 07877166225 www.friendshipmodels.com

GREAT NORTH ROADS

9a Marcombe Road, Torquay, South Devon, TQ2 6LL Tel; 01803 400436 www.greatnorthroads.co.uk email [email protected]

HANNANTS

Harbour Road, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 2LZ, Tel; 01502 517444 Fax; 01502 500521 www.hannants.co.uk [email protected]

HISTOREX AGENTS

Wellington House, 157 Snargate Street, Dover, Kent, CT17 9BZ, UK Tel; 01304 206720 Fax; 01304 204528. www.historex-agents.co.uk [email protected]

HOBBYLINK JAPAN

CAMMETT

(Lifecolour, Scale Caliber)

Unit 5 Greenfield Industrial Estate, Forest Road, Hay on Wye, Powys, HR3 5FA Tel; 01497 822757 Email; [email protected] www.cammett.co.uk

CLASSIC PUBLICATIONS

Midland Counties Publications, 4 Watling Drive, Sketchley Lane Industrial Estate, Hinckley, Leics UK. LE10 1YF Tel; 01455 233 747, Fax; 01455 233 737 [email protected] www.classic-publications.com

CREATIVE MODELS LTD

(Mig Productions, Vallejo, Accurate Miniatures)

Unit 6-10, Honeysome Industrial Estate, Honeysome Road, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. PE16 6TG Tel; 01354 760022 www.creativemodels.co.uk [email protected]

DARTMOOR MILITARY MODELS Haylis cottage, Budlake, Broadclyst Exeter, EX5 3LJ, England Tel; 01392 881271 www.dartmoormilitarymodels.com

C/ Santiago Rusinol 7, Pral 2a, 08750 Molins de Rei, Barcelona, Spain www.migproductions.com

MILICAST MODEL CO.,

9 Rannoch St., Battlefield, Glasgow G44 4DF, Scotland Tel/Fax; 0141 633 1400 [email protected] www.milicast.com

MISSION MODELS

(ETCHMATE, GRABHANDLER, MICRO CHISEL)

www.etchmate.com www.missionmodels.com Tel; 818 842 1885 Fax; 818 842 1886 [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

THE ARMORY; M&MODELS

9329 S. Cicero Ave, Oak Lawn, IL 60453, USA http://home.earthlink.net/~mmodels/

www.airconnection.on.ca

www.ianallanpublishing.com Mail Order Dept 01455 254450 Kiev 02099, Ukraine, Borispolskaya 9 building 64. Tel/fax; (+38044) 369-54-12 [email protected] www.icm.com.ua

ITALERI

(The Hobby Company in UK)

Via Pradazzo, 6, I-40012 Calderara Di Reno, Bologna, Italy, Tel; 051 726037 www.italeri.com

JUST BASES

21 Graham Road, Paignton TQ3 1BB Tel; 01803 558520 www.just-bases.co.uk

JUST KITS

Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA, 19310 USA www.schifferbooks.com

SCHIFFER BOOKS in UK

Bushwood Books, No.6 Marksbury Avenue, Kew Gardens, Surrey TW9 4JF, UK. Tel; 020 8392 8585, 020 8392 9876, email; [email protected]

SCHUMO KITS

www.schumo-kits.com

SDV MODEL www.sdvmodel.cz

SIMPLE 2 TRADE

No 2 Hollywood Lane, Hollywood, Birmingham, B47 5PP Tel; 0121 474 3030 www.simple2trade.com

SMARTMODELLING

No.7 Gordons Way, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0LN UK Tel; 01883 734746 [email protected]

MONROE PERDU

SQUADRON

Monroe Perdu Designs, 3168 Renee Court, Simi Valley, CA 93065, USA. www.monroeperdu.com

ORDNANCE MODELS Via; www.steelmodels.com

PACIFIC COAST MODELS Tel; 001 707 538 4850 [email protected] www.pacmodels.com

PO Box 164, Heathfield, Sussex TN21 8WA, UK www.panzerwrecks.com (Creative Models in UK)

Jizni 56, 370 10 C. Budejovice, Czech Republic. [email protected] www.plusmodel.cz

POCKETBOND LTD

(Trumpeter & AFV Club in UK)

PO Box 80, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England, AL6 0ND Tel; 01707 391509 Fax; 01707 327 466 [email protected]

PSP MODELS LTD (Mission Models in USA)

Unit 19B, Applin’s Farm, Farrington, Dorset DT11 8RA, UK Tel/Fax; 01747 811 817 www.psp-models.com

QUICKBOOST

www.quickboost.net

REVELL GmbH & Co. KG

LSA MODELS

SB MODELS

Model Design Construction, Victoria Place, Victoria Road, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3FW Fax; 01773 513344 [email protected] www.modeldesignconstruction.com

SCHIFFER BOOKS

(Swash, Tasca, Gap, Yosci, Royal Model)

4 High Street, Botley, Southampton, SO30 2EA Tel; 01489 781177 www.justkitsandmodels.co.uk

MDC

Industriestrasse 6, 94347 Ascha, Germany Fax; 09961 910 7826

Tel; 01892 533036 www.modelwholesaleuk.com

Orchard Mews, 18C High Street, Tring, Herts, HP23 5AH Tel; +44 (0) 1442 890285 www.revell.eu

(TASCA, MASTER BOX) Retail; 151 Sackville Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3HD, England. Tel/Fax; 01273 705420 [email protected] www.lsamodels.co.uk

SCHATTON BARRELS

MODEL WHOLESALE UK LTD

PLUS MODEL

ICM

Via Hannants in UK

(Creative Models in UK)

HUSSAR PRODUCTIONS, CANADA

BOOKWORLD WHOLESALE

CALIBRE 35

MIG PRODUCTIONS

PANZERWRECKS

IAN ALLAN

Unit 10 Hodfar Road, Sandy Lane Ind Est Stourport, Worcs, DY13 9QB Tel; 01299 823330 Fax; 01299 829970 [email protected]

http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~m.a.mori/index_eng.html

Sano-shi, Kurohakama-cho 162-1, Tochigi 327-0813, Japan www.hlj.com

BLAST MODELS

Via AFV Modeller or www.blast-models.com

MODELING ARTISAN MORI

UK distributor for Model Victoria and Royal Model

P.O. Box 114, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0WY. Tel/Fax; 01229 430 749 [email protected] www.sbmodels.net

1115 Crowley Drive, Carrollton, TX 75006-1312 U.S.A

SWANN-MORTON

Owlerton Green, Sheffield, S6 2BJ Tel; +44 (0)114 234 4231 Fax; +44 (0)114 231 4966 General: [email protected] www.craftknives.com

TAMIYA JAPAN

Tamiya, Inc., 3-7 Ondawara Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8610 JAPAN www.tamiya.com

TAMIYA UK;

THE HOBBY COMPANY LIMITED Garforth Place, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, MK5 8PG, UK Tel; 01908 605686 Fax; 01908 605666 [email protected] www.hobbyco.net

TRUMPETER

www.trumpeter-china.com Pocketbond in the UK

VERLINDEN PRODUCTIONS (Historex in UK)

811 Lone Star Drive, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366, USA www.verlinden-productions.com

VALLEJO

(Creative Models in UK)

Acrylicos Vallejo, SL Apartado 337 - 08800 Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona, Spain Tel; (34) 93 893 60 12 Fax; (34) 93 893 11 54 www.acrylicosvallejo.com

VLS CORPORATION (LSA in UK)

(TRAKZ, WINGZ, CUSTOM DIORAMICS, WARRIORS); Lincoln County Industrial Park, 1011 Industrial Court, Moscow Mills, Missouri 63362, USA www.modelmecca.com

WHITE ENSIGN

Unit 5, Cobnash Industrial Estate, HR6 9RW Tel; 0844 415 0914 [email protected] www.whiteensignmodels.com

WWII PRODUCTIONS, AUSTRALIA

PO Box 794, Cheltenham GL52 3ZW, UK [email protected]

12 Prince Street, Waratah, 2298, NSW, Australia Tel; +61 (0)2 4967 3205 Fax; +61 (0)2 4967 3207 [email protected]

SBX MODEL SHOP

ZVEZDA

SBLC

Norwich Road, Ipswich. IP1 5DN Tel; 01473 464311 www.sbxmodelshop.co.uk

(The Hobby Company in UK)

Promishlennaia Str.,2, Lobnya, Moscow Region, 141730 Russia [email protected] www.zvezda.org.ru

■ Please mention ‘Model Military International’ if you make contact with any of the companies listed above - thanks! 64 Model Military International - February 2014

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Next Issue On sale 6th February 2014

ISSUE No.94 February 2014, Published January 2nd 2014

BY SEA AND BY LAND

Brett Green converts Tasca’s Sherman Mk.III to a deep wading version, while Peter Brown provides accompanying reference in a Think Tank piece on these fascinating amphibious vehicles.

Editor;

Brett Green

Group Editor;

Marcus Nicholls

Publisher;

Alan Harman

Graphic Design;

Alex Hall

Advertising Manager;

Colin Spinner

Advertising Sales;

Claire Alley Mark Peacock

Advertising Assistant;

Joe Brown

Office Manager;

Paula Gray

Administration Manager; Hannah McLaurie MMI Website;

ADH Web Team

Printed by; Symbian Print Intelligence, Hertfordshire, UK Distributed by; Seymour Distribution 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT Tel; 020 7429 4000 Newstrade; Select Publisher Services 3 East Avenue, Bournemouth, BH3 7BW Tel; 01202 586848 Email; [email protected]

NATIONALIST T-26

HobbyBoss’ 1:35 scale T-26 in colourful Nationalist markings by Andy King.

Model Military International is published on the first Thursday of each month by; ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX UK www.modelmilitary.com Tel; +44 (0)1525 222573 Fax; +44 (0)1525 222574 Editorial enquiries; Email; [email protected]

Leo Stevenson’s 1:35 scale British Mk.IV Male and German A7V tanks.

FOR YOUR SAFETY

OTTO’S BRIDGE

Kamil Feliks Sztarbala returns with Tamiya and AFV Club Sd.Kfz. 251 half-tracks in a highly original 1:48 scale diorama.

Don’t forget, when using solvents such as glues, paints, thinners and cleaning agents, always ventilate your work area thoroughly and wear a face mask. When using power tools, side cutters or any tool that can suddenly break or create high-speed airborne particles, wear approved eye protectors with hard, clear lenses. Please always model in safety!

...and much more! Due to many influencing factors, we cannot guarantee the appearance of the above projects, but we’ll try our best!

Subscription enquiries; Tel; +44 (0)1525 222573 Fax; +44 (0)1525 222574 Email; [email protected] Reproduction in part of any text, photograph, or illustration without written consent from the publisher is strictly prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure the contents of Model Military International is accurate, the publishers and printers can not accept responsibility for errors and omissions. Advertisements are accepted for publication in Model Military International only on ADH Publishing’s standard terms of acceptance of advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising department. Please write to the address above. All advertising, circulation and subscription enquiries should also be directed to the UK address above. Subscription rates are; 1 year (12 issues); £44 UK £56 Europe £69 Worldwide (Airmail) Binders; £8.50 plus postage (UK £2.45, Euro £4.45, World £6.45) For all orders, please call; (UK) +44(0)1525 222573 or visit www.modelmilitary.com Back Issues; Back Issues are available at the current cover price. See the latest back issues advert or visit www.modelmilitary.com The paper used in this magazine is manufactured at the Leipa Georg Mill and is 100% recycled using de-inked pulp. The mill conforms fully with the requirements of both FSC and PEFC and carries the full accreditations for their environmental policies.

© ADH Publishing 2014

The paper used on this title is from sustainable forestry

Order online now at; www.modelmilitary.com

WWI SHOWCASE

Advertising enquiries; Tel; +44 (0)1525 222573 Email; [email protected]

February 2014 - Model Military International 65

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The Last Post..

FOUR FORTHCOMING MENG RELEASES M

eng continues their remarkable release schedule with four announcements of kits and accessory sets that will be available very soon:

Barricades & Highway Guardrail. Item No. SPS-013

U.S. Infantry Fighting Vehicle M2A3 Bradley w/BUSK III Kit No. SS-004 The M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, named after the five-star general Omar Bradley, is one of the primary vehicles of U.S. Army mechanized infantry. It was designed to counter the threat posed by its Soviet counterparts. After the revolutions of Central and Eastern Europe, armoured battles are now unlikely in Western Europe. However, the U.S. Army has used the M2 Bradley IFV in the two wars in the Persian Gulf region with outstanding combat results. With operational experience from the wars, the U.S. Army decided to upgrade its whole combat system to ensure the vehicle’s superiority on the battlefield. It was upgraded with better protection and fire control system and observation system. More importantly, the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) Battlefield Command Information System became a standard configuration of U.S. Army IFVs. This system provided enhanced interoperability and situation awareness of the battlefield. A totally digital M2A3 Bradley IFV was born. Now, the M2A3 Bradley IFVs are also installed with Bradley Urban Survivability Kits (BUSK), which provide further protection to the crew and the vehicles. After studying vehicle reference material and carrying out complete and detailed design, Meng has now released this 1:35 scale SS-004 kit –U.S. Infantry Fighting Vehicle M2A3 Bradley w/BUSK III. This kit also provides full hull and turret interiors (incl. engine, transmission and all parts in the driver’s compartment and passenger compartment). Other features are precisely replicated with movable hatches, workable tracks, movable suspension and the linkage of the coaxial machine gun sight. The TOW anti-tank missile launcher may be modelled in folded or firing position with or without the missiles. The vehicle can be built with or without the ERA modules. What’s more, this kit also provides reasonably complete modern U.S. military antennae. Meng’s Bradley kit comprises 667 parts on 23 plastic sprues (incl. 179 interior parts on 6 sprues), 31 parts on 3 PE frets, 10 parts on two flexible sprues (incl. Passengers’ safety belts and coaxial machine gun bullet belt), 168 track links of 2 cement-free workable tracks.

The second announcement is a highway guardrail and barricades set. These rails and barriers are commonly seen in the Middle East. This set may be used to make modern war dioramas more interesting and realistic. They can also be used as unique highlights in civilian dioramas of the same scale. This 1:35 scale SPS-013 “Barricades & Highway Guardrail” set consists of 30 parts on two sprues including two types of barricades (one of each) and two types of road safety barrels (one of each).

Concrete & Plastic Barrier Set Item No. SPS-012 Next up is Item No. SPS-012, 1:35 scale “Concrete & Plastic Barrier Set”. These traffic barriers, which are usually used to keep vehicles within their lanes or protect temporary work areas, have become a simple, cheap and fast deployable solution for the defence against terrorist assaults such as suicide attacks and car bombs. Both concrete barriers and plastic water-filled barriers have been the symbols of heavily defended urban zones in modern local wars and anti-terrorism wars. This 1:35 scale Concrete & Plastic Barrier Set consists of 21 parts, including 4 concrete barriers, 1 mould (for modellers to make concrete barriers with Plaster of Paris), 2 plastic water-filled barriers, 3 cone barriers and 2 cone bases for replicating stacked cones.

Equipment for Modern U.S. Military Vehicles Item No. SPS-014 Lastly for the moment is item no. SPS014, Equipment for Modern U.S. Military Vehicles. The U.S. Armed Forces has established a complete and convenient logistics system to support their operations. Supplies include everything from daily personal demand items to weapons and equipment. These are used to support the efforts of frontline troops as well as Special Forces deep into enemy territory. This 1:35 scale SPS-014 Equipment for Modern U.S. Military Vehicles kit consists of 80 parts covering the following items: • kinds of coolers, two of each • Military water containers and Jerry cans, two of each • Civilian fuel cans of si es two of each • Barrett M82 anti-materiel rifles two M24 • eneral-purpose machine guns • Two 2 rounds ammo cans for 7.62 51 AT cartridge • Two pickup wheels. ou can make your models look more uni ue and interesting by using this kit.

More information about all these releases will be available in the next issue of Model Military International magazine. Thanks to Meng Model for the images and information www.meng-model.com

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D6687 Dragon Kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, MK5 8PG See the full Dragon range at www.hobbyco.net Find us on facebook Dragon models are available from all good model shops search Plastic Kits UK

p 67 Dragon 094.indd 8

www.hobbyco.net

05/12/2013 19:07