Model Military International - Issue 100 (August 2014)

Contents - Issue 100 August 2014 30

48

40

REGULARS

FEATURES

p 4 NEWS

p 6 THINK TANK

What’s new in the world of military modelling

p 52 SMALL SCALE

The latest in the world of 1:72 scale and smaller

p 54 INCOMING

MMI’s thoughts on the latest kits and accessories

p 56 BOOKS

Roundup of the latest modelling and reference titles

p 58 1:48 SCALE

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

p 66 LAST POST

Late breaking news and ramblings from the Editor

AMX-30 by Bruce Culver

p 14 FRENCH COLD WARRIOR Meng 1:35 AMX-30 by Mike Rinaldi

p 24 RADICAL RHOMBOID

Brett Green builds Tamiya’s new 1:35 Tiger British WWI Mk.IV Male tank

p 28 PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 6 pdr

p 30 HUNGARIAN TANK HUNTER

Bronco 1:35 Toldi conversion by Thomas Morgan

14

p 38 PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 sWS Cargo Version

p 40 SHOW REPORT

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014

p 48 PANTHER COMMANDER Large scale bust by Matt Wellhouser

p 57 PREVIEW

Kinetic 1:35 MRAP

©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 - August ’14

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

ISSUE 100 – HOW TIME FLIES!

I

t is hard to believe that Model Military International has already reached the milestone of 100 issues. I have been privileged to be Editor of this publication from Issue 38, before which John “Spud” Murphy guided the magazine through its launch and earliest issues. I consider myself very fortunate to work with a talented and devoted team. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all of Model Military International’s contributors, whose wonderful models and research have appeared between our covers over these first 100 issues. Our Think Tank articles, usually related to a modelling subject in the same issue, are an important part of the character of the magazine. I would particularly like to thank Bruce Culver for his remarkable ability to turn around high quality and original reference articles at amazingly short notice. Stuart Ransley has done a great job with modern subjects, and it has been a pleasure to welcome Steve Zaloga, Peter Brown, Zack Sex and Dennis Oliver as Think Tank contributors in the last few years too. MMI is fortunate to boast a team of reviewers with expertise in a number of specialist areas, including (but not limited to) Andy King, Graham

Tetley, Al Bowie, Steve Shrimpton and Andrew Judson. Not only do they know their stuff, but they also understand the importance of providing a balanced review pointing out both the high points and the potential problems with new release kits and accessories. I am very grateful to our ensemble of reviewers. Alex Hall has been responsible for MMI design duties during my entire time at the magazine. Alex does a fantastic job converting basic photographs and words into attractive flowing visual stories. Thanks Alex! Despite the extra duties imposed by MIM’s AFV Edition, ADH Publishing's Group Editor Marcus Nicholls continues to be an essential part of the creative process with his feedback, suggestions and support. Luke Pitt’s monthly 1:48 scale section has become a fixture of the magazine, and he has also found time to build models! There is a surprising amount of administrative work associated with any magazine, such as dealing with correspondence and distributing samples. Thanks to Paula, Hannah and Joe for shouldering the back-office burden of MMI. We launched our new-look MMI website last year at http://modelmilitary.com too. Thanks

MENG MODEL ANNOUNCES 1:35 PANZERHAUBITZE 2000 Meng Model has the announced the forthcoming release of kit number TS-012, a 1:35 scale German Panzerhaubitze 2000 Self-Propelled Howitzer. The model kit will have a length of 339mm and a width of 102mm. Its height can be up to 300mm when the barrel is elevated. The driver’s and crew’s hatches can be built in either open or closed position; the movable suspension system is perfectly reproduced; cement-free workable track links are easy to assemble; and the kit will include a metal barrel. An optional dust cover for the muzzle brake will be provided too. Optional parts will allow the kit to be finished as German, Dutch or Greek. Five painting schemes will be included. We will have more information about this new kit in a future issue of MMI. Thanks to Meng Model for the information and images www.meng-model.com

to Justin Noble for his hard work in this area. I am also grateful to our Publisher Alan Harman, for having the faith to give me this wonderful job five years ago, and for letting me keep it. And last but certainly not least, thank you, MMI reader, for your ongoing support of the magazine. We hope that you will enjoy the models, research and news that we will have in the next 100 issues!

COMBINED OPS SHOW TO COMMEMORATE FRONTLINE KENT The Combined Ops Show this year commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the start of World War 1, the 75th Anniversary of the outbreak of World War 2 and the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings at the Headcorn Aerodrome, Ashford, Kent. Combined Ops will be commemorating the start of the First World War with demonstrations of WW1 weapons and equipment by re-enactors representing British and German soldiers of the period, as part of the multi-period living history. In addition they will take part in a recreation of a First World War battle, which will include a replica WW1 British Mark IV tank. From early 1944 until September of that year, Headcorn Aerodrome (then known as RAF Lashenden) was the operational base for RAF, Canadian Air Force and US Army Air Force fighter and fighter bomber aircraft which were flying from there in support of Allied landings in Normandy on D-Day and afterwards. The show will also be host to numerous WWII military vehicles, including tanks and other armoured vehicles, of both the Allied and German armies. There will be battle re-enactments of the D-Day Normandy fighting, and a 1940s village will recreate the atmosphere of civilian life throughout the war, such as having to cope with German bombing and food rationing. Displays will demonstrate 1940s cooking, clothing, hairstyling, firefighting, farming, etc. Visit www.combinedops.co.uk as tickets can be pre-booked at a discounted price (and to avoid disappointment as may sell out) also for more general information.

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Think Tank - AMX 30 Main Battle Tank Development of the ARL 44 began under German occupation during WW2, and as such the vehicle had the features of older designs, such as a long narrow hull, a low top speed and tracks taken from the pre-war Char B bis. It mounted a 90mm French Naval anti-aircraft gun.

Bruce Culver traces the origins, development, technical specifications and service record of the French AMX-30 Main Battle Tank.

AMX 30 MAIN BATTLE TANK

W

ith the defeat of France in June 1940, production of tanks and other armoured vehicles for the French army stopped. Some vehicles were produced for use by the Germans, but in the main, French factories were used largely for maintenance and conversion of French vehicles for the German Wehrmacht. Emulating what Germany had done after the First World War, French engineers worked on technical improvements by hiding them in seemingly innocent approved projects as disparate as a trolleybus, a desert tractor for use in Africa and a tracked snow blower intended for use in Norway by the Kriegsmarine. With the liberation of much of France, including Paris, by August 1944, the French government wanted to return to its pre-war importance and felt that only by contributing to the industrial war effort directly could France regain her position as an important world power. The French wanted to re-start tank production, but ran into the problem of obsolescence – virtually all pre-war French tanks were obsolete and not suitable for use against later German designs. Looking for an area to exploit, the French decided that a heavy tank project would be the most useful with their limited capabilities, since the Allies had little that compared with the late war German tanks like the Panther and Tiger II. It was also important to keep the tank designers busy to maintain the capability to design tanks, since engineers would leave if there was no new design work. Even though many aspects of a

near-term French tank design would be obsolescent, the French government felt a heavy tank’s capabilities would compensate.

POST-WAR TANK PROJECTS The first project was a heavy tank built by the Atelier de Construction de Rueil (ARL), the French Army workshop. Because of the short development time, it used design features of pre-war French heavy tanks, the Char B and Char D, particularly the long narrow hull and trench-crossing suspension that limited top speed to 30km/h. The final main gun was a 90mm L/44 gun developed from a prewar French weapon, and every attempt was made to keep the project, the ARL 44, a completely French program, not using parts from any other Allied tanks. Loss of experience – tank design had bypassed France during the war – and severe shortages of materials resulted in major delays, and the ARL 44 was not completed until after the end of the war. Even though the tank was not needed, 60 were ordered to keep the lines working and maintain some design capability. The hulls were completed in 1946, but the welded turrets with the 90mm main gun were not added until 1949, by which time the ARL 44 was obsolete, though the 90mm DCA gun was excellent. The ARL 44s were all powered by captured HL230 Maybach engines returned to France. The design did provide French industry with valuable experience in producing heavy tanks.

AMX-50 In March 1945, work began on a more modern tank project,

which turned out to be a series of prototypes comprising different hulls, turrets and guns. The initial design, the M4, was heavily influenced by the WWII German Panther and Tiger II tanks and the chassis used overlapping road wheels. Armour was limited to just 30mm to save weight, but it was realized very quickly that this was unacceptable. The early turret was of welded construction and mounted a Schneider 90mm gun. The armour was increased and to save weight, a new oscillating turret was introduced – the turret shell was in two sections, with the upper part hinged to allow elevation of the turret and gun, which was fixed in the upper turret. Renamed the AMX-50 with the new turret, the first prototype appeared in 1949. Over the next few years, a number of various modified prototypes and concepts appeared, featuring different guns – a 100mm weapon from Schneider and later a proposal for a 120mm gun. This final version, one of only five prototypes of the AMX-50, weighed 64 tonnes, overloading the chassis and straining the modified up-rated Maybach engine. Nonetheless, the French had hopes for offering the AMX-50 as a competitor in the scheme to re-arm Europe with a standard battle tank, and even with its problems the AMX-50 had many good features. Unfortunately, due to technical problems with the U.S. M47 Patton, this tank was replaced by the M48 and thousands of M47s were then offered under military assistance programs, killing any chance of a new European tank being adopted. Even the French army bought the readily available M47 as an interim

medium tank, delaying a new French battle tank design for over a decade. The AMX-50 was reworked as a more agile medium tank, but its engine problems proved intractable and its high oscillating turret was unsuitable for sealing from chemicals and radiation. Only the last of the five prototypes survives, in the armour museum at Saumur. A related private venture was the Char Batignolles-Châtillon, a 1954 design from the BatignollesChâtillon company that built railroad locomotives. It had a low hull with a torsion bar suspension like that of the M26 Pershing, the transmission and drives up front and the low oscillating turret set well back on the hull. It had 80mm of frontal armour and weighed 25 tonnes. It was a well-balanced design but suffered the same fate as the AMX-50: the supply of cheap surplus U.S. M47s eliminated the need for a French-built medium tank. But the Char BatignollesChâtillon proved that it was possible to build a medium tank with a good 100mm gun and 80mm of armour while limiting weight to 30 tonnes. And that led to the later efforts to design a new medium tank, that became the AMX-30.

AMX-30 ORIGINS The beginning of development for the AMX-30 came with a program to design a new European battle tank as a joint effort among several countries, the FINABEL project. The name came from the countries involved: France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In 1956, France and Germany agreed to collaborate on developing a new tank, called the Europa-Panzer.

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The AMX-50 was developed after the failure of the ARL 44, and was heavily influenced by the design of the WW2 German Panther and Tiger II tanks. It was armed with a 100mm gun in an oscillating turret in which the entire upper turret elevated and depressed to help aim the weapon.

The 1955 Char Batignolles-Châtillon was another developmental step in the French quest for a new heavy tank after WW2. It was originally a private venture, and proved that a competent medium tank could meet the desired specification. It too mounted a 100mm main gun. Unlike the AMX-50, this prototype used a front drive system, with a new suspension of Western design.

This is one of two pre-production AMX-30 medium tanks, seen in 1965. It used a torsion bar suspension and the cast turret mounted a French Modele F1 105mm gun, and was the first to use a new diesel engine. It was designed with relatively thin armour to make it more manoeuvrable.

The early production vehicles were designated AMX-30Bs to distinguish them from the prototypes. This high view shows the overall hull and turret casting shapes, the cupola with its light MG on the right and the stereoscopic incidence rangefinder on the turret side.

The basic specification was for a weight of 30 tonnes, a 105mm main gun, torsion bar suspension, a road range of 350km and limits on maximum size, France and Germany were to build prototypes that would compete. The project got under way and then politically everything changed…. Charles de Gaulle came to power in France and established his Fifth Republic. Intent on maintaining French power and influence, he changed the agreements in the pan-European rearmament program and altered the course of European cooperation. Part of the overall program was the development of a European nuclear weapon for defense. De Gaulle refused to allow Germany and Italy to share in the nuclear weapon and partly as a result, Germany lost interest in the common Europa-Panzer project. The French and German tank projects now became competitors.

Work on what would become the AMX-30 main battle tank began in 1960, with design being done by the Atelier de Construction d'Issyles-Moulineaux, the first prototype being delivered in September 1960. A second prototype was delivered in July 1961 and both underwent extensive testing. The early models had dome turrets reminiscent of the Soviet T-54/55, but later versions built through the early 1960s had an improved turret and gasoline engines. Meanwhile the Germans were working on their design, with two teams competing. The team of Porsche, Maschinenbau Kiel and Luther & Jung completed their prototype in 1961. As it happens, de Gaulle decided that France would remain a member of NATO but would not participate in NATO’s military forces. This ended any hope of having a European battle tank and the German designs then

This side view shows the clean lines of the early AMX-30 main battle tank (MBT). The cast turret was inspired by that of the Russian T-54/55. Note the unique stepped appearance of the thermal covering on the main gun and the relatively tall cupola for the tank commander.

The AMX-30 could be fitted for very deep wading to cross smooth bodies of water such as rivers or lakes. This is a training snorkel fitted to an early AMX-30 as it emerges from a training tank. Note the frogmen in the water and on the tank itself.

leaned toward standardizing their equipment with that of the U.S. forces. At this point, both France and Germany decided to develop their own national tank designs. Trials were conducted in 1963 with five French tanks, now named the AMX-30, and five German prototypes, now named Leopard. The Leopard was judged better in mobility, and then there were negotiations over which gun to adopt. The Germans rejected the French-German 105mm gun, and chose the excellent British L7A1 105mm tank gun, which they had previously ordered in 1962. The Europa-Panzer was dead and France and Germany went their separate ways.

AMX-30 DESCRIPTION In November 1965, the first two pre-production prototypes of the AMX-30 appeared, with a number of changes from the earlier test

models, though additional minor changes appeared in the first production run. Full production began in 1966. The AMX-30 was the smallest and lightest tank that would carry the desired main gun and armour. It had a cast and welded hull and a fully cast turret, torsion bar suspension, relatively light armour of only 80mm maximum, a rather tall commander’s cupola and a 105mm F1 main gun. The light armour had been chosen to make the tank as fast and manoeuvrable as possible, a concept reminiscent of U.S. tank destroyers in WW2. The initial production versions were called the AMX-30B to distinguish them from the AMX-30A prototypes. The AMX-30 hull was comprised of welded rolled armour plates with a good ballistic shape and a low silhouette. The driver sat on the left of the front compartment and had three periscopes available

A

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Think Tank - AMX 30 Main Battle Tank

The combat snorkel was considerably smaller in diameter than the training version and didn’t allow a crewman to observe from outside the tank as was done in training. The smaller diameter required guy wires to stabilize the tube and keep it from collapsing.

One of the features of the AMX-30 MBT was fitting a 20mm auto-cannon as a coaxial weapon, replacing an earlier .50 HMG. This early AMX-30 shows the 20mm gun as well as the searchlight and LMG mounted on the commander’s cupola.

This AMX-30B shows the new French armour camouflage scheme of tan, olive green and black that has continued to the present time. The high cupola was an unusual feature of the AMX-30 when most designers were attempting to reduce the height of their tanks but it allowed excellent views for the commander.

This clear portrait of the AMX-30B illustrates the equipment mounted on the cupola, including the dual-mode searchlight and prism head mounting both daylight and infrared sighting systems. Just visible next to the main gun barrel is the coaxial 20mm auto cannon for use against light vehicles and helicopters. The box on the turret front is for a smoke grenade launching system.

B when he must be “buttoned up.”

The centre periscope could mount either a Thomson-CSF night vision system or a SOPELEM day-night (infrared) periscope providing the driver with a 24 – 35 degree field of view. Above the driver was his hatch, which opened to the left. The rest of the crew sat in the cast turret, which was over the fighting compartment. The commander was at the rear right of the turret with the gunner in front of him; the loader sat on the left side of the turret with a separate hatch. The commander had a prominent TOP 7 cupola with 10 periscopes that provided excellent views around the vehicle. At the

The AMX-30 had good mobility but its thinner armour meant that it was better when using concealment, as this early AMX-30B illustrates. Viewed from a distance, this vehicle with its effective camouflage would be difficult to see in this terrain.

This AMX-30B2 served as a surrogate for the Russian T-72 in maneuvers as part of the Force Adverse (FORAD). Note the use of fabric to soften the contours of the turret, an effective camouflage technique.

front of the cupola was a SOPELEM M270 prism head that directed the target image through either a day sight or an infrared night sight. The prism head could also be used for aiming the 20mm co-axial auto cannon. Next to the prism head was a remote-controlled 7.62mm light machine gun for the commander. The MG mount had an infrared searchlight fitted for targeting. The gunner sat in front of the commander and had an M271 day sight that could be changed for an infrared night sight, which was used with the main IR searchlight on the turret. The maximum effective range of the IR system was 800 meters. The loader on

the left side of the turret had two periscopes and a hatch that opened to the rear. There was also a small port in the left side of the turret to eject spent cases and reload ammunition. The main armament of the AMX30 was a GIAT F1 105mm L/56 gun developed in France. It did not have a muzzle brake or bore evacuator but did have a magnesium thermal sleeve over the gun barrel. Pressurized air forced fumes from the barrel when the breech was opened. The AMX-30 carried 47 rounds of 105mm ammunition: one ready, 18 in the turret bustle and 28 in the hull next to the driver. A 20mm GIAT F2 auto cannon

replaced the .50 HMG originally mounted as a co-axial gun, and was used against ground targets and helicopters, with an effective range of 1500 meters. The F1 could fire standard NATO 105mm ammunition, but its best known round was a unique HEAT (high explosive anti-tank) projectile, the first successful 105mm version of this warhead type. HEAT rounds lost effectiveness if they spun, but spinning a round was essential for accuracy and stability. The French developed the Obus G round that featured a HEAT warhead inside a ballistic outer shell. The HEAT warhead rode on ball bearings that

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‘Europe’s Number One Model Shops’ kept it from spinning as the outer shell did spin to maintain accuracy. Later, the Obus G HEAT round was largely replaced by the armourpiercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) anti-tank round widely used today, fired from smooth-bore main guns. The engine compartment was behind the fighting compartment and turret. The engine was a Hispano-Suiza HS-110 multi-fuel engine built by Renault that proved to be unreliable and was eventually replaced in later years. The engine was liquid cooled with the cooling radiators alongside the engine with fans to draw air down from the rear deck for cooling. The engine, transmission and final drives were part of the power pack located at the rear of the hull. The entire installation could be changed out in 45 minutes. The transmission was a pre-war French design later influenced by the design of the German Panther, and proved to have some of the same problems, among them forcing the driver to change gears manually according to specific requirements, even under poor or dangerous driving conditions. With the HS-110 engine, it proved to be the Achilles’ heel of the AMX-30 and was later replaced during a major upgrade. The torsion bar suspension had five road wheels per side running on 570mm tracks. The AMX-30 could ford 1.3 meter deep water with no preparation, 2 meters with some preparation and up to 4 meters of water with full wading preparation, including complete sealing and a snorkel fitted in front of the loader’s hatch. Top speed on roads was 65km/h and maximum range was 370km. Due to its light weight (36 tonnes), the AMX-30 had good mobility.

www.hannants.co.uk AMX-30B2s were often fitted with skirts to reduce levels of dust in sandy areas. The basic configuration of the AMX-30B was relatively unchanged except for the addition of equipment boxes and bins. This B2 mounts the coaxial 20mm auto cannon and a second smoke grenade launcher box, as well as a stowage bin added to the rear of the turret.

IBG Models

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The AMX-30DCA was a design adopted by Saudi Arabia and consisted of twin 30mm Hispano-Suiza auto-cannon in an armoured turret. An analogue computer used the Doppler radar at the turret rear to guide the weapons, but the system was accurate only in clear weather as it required visual guidance.

IBG35016 1:35 Bedford QLT troop carrier £29.99

IBG35017 1:35 Bedford QLR wireless/radio version £29.99

The AMX-30R was an anti-aircraft missile launcher designed in the 1970s to fire the Roland missile. The system’s radar had an effective range of 16 km. The missile launch tubes could be reloaded, with 8 missiles in reserve inside the superstructure.

IBG35022 1:35 Marmon-Herrington Mk.II Middle East desert version £29.99

PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT Production of the AMX-30B began in 1966 and by 1973, the French were planning to upgrade the design. From 1979, new build AMX-30s had an improved fire control system and a new transmission and were designated AMX-30B2; older models were modernized and redesignated B2s also. The suspension was upgraded for better cross-country performance and in the late 1990s the problematic HS-110.2 engines were replaced with more powerful Renault-Mack E9 type of 750 hp. Total production of the AMX-30 type was 3,571 vehicles, including 1,355 AMX-30 MBTs for the French army, foreign sales, and several derivative models. In the late 1990s, GIAT developed a suite of explosive A

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The AMX-30D was the tank recovery vehicle in the AMX-30 family and was developed in the early 1970s. It featured a bulldozer blade and two winches, one rated at 35 tonnes and the other for 20 tonnes. Vehicle defense was provided by a single 7.62mm light machine gun

IBG35023 1:35 Marmon-Herrington Mk.II Mobile Field Force vehicle £29.99

H.G.Hannant Ltd, Harbour Road, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 3LZ, England.

Open from 09.00 to 17.30 Monday to Saturday.

The AMX-30 ACRA (Anti-Char Rapide Autopropulsé) was a prototype developed in 1967 to fire a 142mm French guided anti-tank missile from its main armament, similar to the US M551 Sheridan light tank. The high cost of the missiles forced the French to cancel the program in 1972.

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: August 2014 - Model Military International 9 www.hannants.co.uk/cgi-bin/mailinglist.pl

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The AMX-30 Pluton nuclear missile launcher was developed as part of France’s independent nuclear deterrent force. The Pluton tactical nuclear missile had a maxiuum effective range of 120 km, and five batteries of these launchers served in the French forces.

The AMX-30EBG was an engineer vehicle similar to the AMX-30D TRV; 48 were delivered to the French army. It is fitted with a bulldozer blade, a crane and winches for various engineering tasks, and a new folding bridge has been developed to allow it to serve as a bridge-layer as well.

In the 1990s, GIAT developed a system of appliqué armour for the AMX-30B2, called BRENNUS. It provided superior protection from HEAT and shaped charge weapons, but was adopted for only two of France’s armoured units, in the rapid reaction force.

Greece purchased a number of AMX-30s in 1969 and was the first foreign user of the type. This is one of 190 AMX-30s used by the Greek Army until the 1990s when 90 survivors were turned over to the Cypriot National Guard.

B reactive armour (ERA) for the

AMX-30 which, because of its relatively thin armour, was vulnerable to a number of antitank weapons. This system of ERA blocks was called BRENUS (or Brennus) and consisted of 112 blocks of GIAT explosive-filled boxes applied to the exterior. Because of the expense of equipping the AMX-30s with the BRENUS ERA, only two regiments, both in the rapid reaction force, had their tanks modified with the ERA suite. Two other units had their tanks set up to be modified if needed, but this was not done. Although the AMX-30 MBT itself did not see major design changes during its production and service, the French did work to develop the basic tank. An early developmental model was the AMX-30 ACRA,

which featured a new turret and 142mm main gun intended to fire conventional ammunition and the French ACRA guided antitank missile. The high cost of the missile led to the program’s being cancelled in 1972.

Variants The AMX-30 chassis proved ideal for a number of derivatives, some of which remain in service even though the AMX-30 has been replaced by the AMX-56 Leclerc MBT. The AMX-30D was a tank recovery vehicle (TRV) intended to retrieve the AMX-30 and other vehicles. It used the AMX-30 chassis with a low fixed superstructure. It had a bulldozer blade for engineering use and two winches for towing and retrieval: a 35 tonne main winch driven by

A later installation of the BRENNUS ERA shows the evolution of protection for modern MBTs, with full frontal protection skirts and a large number of defensive weapons and smoke dischargers. Note the ERA blocks on top of the turret, as this has become a vulnerable area with new top-down firing anti-tank weapons.

Spain was a major purchaser of the AMX-30. This AMX-30C2 was a prototype for a Spanish version of the AMX-30. Spain built the AMX-30 under license and the Spanish version was known as the AMX-30E. Initially it was similar to the French versions.

the engine and a smaller 20-tonne winch that used a second cable. It is currently in service, though supplemented by a TRV based on the later Leclerc MBT. An essentially similar vehicle, the AMX-30 Engin Blindé du Génie (EBG) was developed specifically as a combat engineering vehicle, and was fitted with a powered lifting arm, a 20-tonne winch and a bulldozer blade. It was adapted to mount a folding bridge to replace a dedicated bridge-layer cancelled in the 1970s. It has a three-man crew and remains in service, though no AMX-30 MBTs remain in the French army. The AMX-30DCA was an antiaircraft tank on the AMX-30 chassis, developed for Saudi Arabia, and mounting two 30mm Hispano auto cannon in a large

armoured turret. The system had been mounted on the AMX-13 light tank but the AMX-30 chassis allowed more ammunition to be carried, and had better mobility. The guns were guided by an analog computer linked to a Doppler radar set at the turret rear. Because the radar depended on visual tracking, the system could be used only in clear weather. The AMX-30 PLUTON was a launcher on the AMX-30 chassis for the French PLUTON tactical nuclear missile. A number of these served with five batteries during the Cold War, but all had been retired by the early 1990s. The vehicles consisted of a chassis and a transporter-erector-launcher. The usable range of the PLUTON missile was from 17km minimum to 120km maximum, and it was

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The AMX-30E served in the Spanish Army for many years until replaced by the M60 MBT in the early 1990s. The later AMX-30EM2 served a bit longer until replaced by the Italian Centauro anti-tank heavy armoured car. This AMX-30E is at the El Goloso Museum of Armoured Vehicles.

In the Gulf War, known to France as Operation Daguet, French AMX-30B2s of the 4e Régiment de Dragons reinforced the 6th Light tank Division (renamed Division Daguet) with 44 AMX-30B2s. They were positioned to guard the left flank of the US XVIII Airborne Corps.

The AMX-30EM2 was an extensive rebuild of the Spanish AMX-30Es and was issued to the Spanish Army in the late 1980s. The engine and transmission were replaced by more reliable units, the loader’s hatch was fitted with a mount for a heavy machine gun, and numerous improvements were made to the fire controls and sighting equipment.

The AMX-30B2 performed well in Operation Daguet, though in deference to its thinner armour, it was not tasked with the destruction of Iraqi heavy tank units. Nonetheless, the tanks achieved all their objectives, culminating in the capture of the Iraqi-held As-Salman airfield on Day 2 of the four-day war.

Six older AMX-30s were fitted with Soviet mine rollers obtained from Germany and designated AMX-30 Demin. They performed mine clearing during the advance during Operation Daguet. This AMX-30 Demin illustrates the clean early style turret. Note the extensive paint peeling.

accurate to within 150 meters. Another weapon mounted on the AMX-30 was the Roland surface-to-air missile (SAM). This vehicle, the AMX-30R, comprised a rotating launcher with two missile tubes and a radar set to the rear, mounted on the AMX-30 chassis. Eight missiles were stowed in the superstructure for reloading the launcher. The Roland missile had an effective range of 500 meters minimum to 6300 meters maximum. The Roland system was fielded in two versions. The Roland I was a clear weather system, while the Roland II was all-weather. The French army used 83 Roland Is and 98 Roland IIs on the AMX-30R chassis, and the Roland was used by Germany, the United States and several other countries, including Iraq, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina,

Nigeria and Spain. The AMX-30 chassis proved suitable for a self-propelled artillery weapon and in 1969 preliminary work began on such a system. The prototype appeared in 1972 with further prototypes being developed through the 1970s. By 1979, the French had ordered 110 of these systems, designated canon automoteur de 155 GCT. It was commonly known as the “AuF1” and is still the tactical self-propelled artillery support for French army units. It mounts a 155mm L/40 howitzer in a large rotating enclosed turret set on the AMX-30 chassis. The vehicle carries 42 rounds of ammunition, which features combustible cases, and an auto-loader allows a rate of fire of eight rounds per minute. Maximum range with the standard

One AMX-30 was used to construct a proof of concept prototype for a “stealth tank” comprising the latest in materials and shape design engineering. The stealth installation was a shell of radar absorbing material (RAM) added to the tank’s structure. To counteract infrared radiation, cold air was pumped between the tank’s structure and the RAM shell. Tests were quite successful.

load is 30km. The vehicle proved so successful that the order was increased to 190 examples. The AuF1 also served with a number of other countries, most extensively Saudi Arabia, and in the 1980s a number were purchased by Iraq, which used them in the Iran-Iraq War to good effect though none survived later conflicts. One interesting variant of the AMX-30 was the Furtif a Chenille, a stealth demonstrator built by GIAT to test low-observable technology for MBTs. A standard AMX-30B was fitted with a spaced exterior shell made from radar absorbing material (RAM) and shaped to reduce or eliminate radar returns. To enhance the effectiveness of the system, cold air was pumped into the space between the tank’s exterior and the RAM shell to cool

the space and lower the infrared (IR) signature. Testing was actually very successful, but no production followed.

Export Customers The AMX-30 MBT itself also served with a number of countries. The first customer was Greece, followed by Spain, which used more AMX30s than any other foreign country, and also received a license to build the AMX-30. Initial Spanish AMX30s were very similar to the French models, but designated AMX-30E (for Espana). Later the Spanish modified the AMX30Es, replacing the engines and transmissions and improving other equipment, in two versions. EM1 was a basic upgrade while the AMX-30EM2 was a major reworking of the tank and served until the late 1990s. Building

A

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The canon automoteur de 155 GCT is a version of the AMX-30 mounting a 155mm L/40 howitzer with an autoloader in a large turret on the AMX-30 chassis. The French designate it the AuF1, and it is still in service with the French Army. There is also an improved AuF2 version.

Saudi Arabia received 51 AuF1 GCTs and they currently serve with the Saudi Army. Interestingly, the Iraqi Army also received some 85 GCTs and they were used in the fighting during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, where they proved to be very effective.

The AMX-32 was a development of the AMX-30 intended for export orders. It featured composite armour on the hull and turret front and the turret was a welded shell instead of the cast type of the AMX-30. It was offered with either a 105mm or 120mm main gun, but did not sell.

The AMX-56 Leclerc is the current main battle tank of the French Army. It was developed in the 1980s and represents a modern MBT design comparable to other MBTs in current service. It mounts a GIAT 120mm main gun and has the equivalent of 400mm of frontal armour protection.

B the AMX-30 gave the Spanish

companies valuable experience in tank manufacturing. Among other nations that still use the AMX-30 were Saudi Arabia, which purchased a tropicalized version, the AMX-30S (for Sahara), Venezuela, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus (ex-Greek tanks), Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. A number of these countries are planning to replace the AMX-30, which is seen as less capable of dealing with modern MBTs.

In Action The AMX-30 had a limited combat career. Like most Cold War tanks and weapons, it served as a deterrent without actually having to fight. Its most notable combat use was in Operation Daguet, the

1991 invasion of Iraqi-occupied Kuwait, known as Desert Storm or the Gulf War in the United States. French troops deployed to the Middle east as part of the coalition, assigning the 6e Division Légère Blindée (6th Light Armoured Division) to Kuwait, where it was positioned on the left flank of the U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps, where it would be able to maneuver with less chance of encountering Iraqi heavy tanks. The division was reinforced with 44 AMX-30B2s from the 4e Régiment de Dragons (4th Dragoon Regiment). The AMX-30s were successful in their combat deployment, destroying a number of Iraqi tanks and armoured vehicles and taking their objectives by the second day of the four-day war. Manned by

The AMX-40 was another prototype derived from AMX-30 experience, this time with more extensive changes, such as a new suspension, a 120mm gun and further improvements to the fire controls and armour protection, but armour developments had rendered its improvements obsolete. Like the AMX-32, the AMX-40 was unsuccessful in obtaining any foreign orders.

The Leclerc’s main gun is 52 calibers in length, giving it a higher muzzle velocity than other contemporary tank weapons. The tanks can fire at moving targets 4 km away while traveling at a speed of 50km/h. All Leclercs in service have been upgraded to the latest standard.

experienced professional soldiers, the AMX-30 gave a good account of itself in action. The acknowledged deficiencies of the AMX-30, particularly its armour protection, brought about studies to replace the AMX-30 with a new MBT, starting in 1964. In 1971, work began on a new vehicle. There was a short-lived plan to work with German designers on another European tank project but as before, basic disagreements on the project led to the two countries going their separate ways. The new French tank was to have passive and active protection and an armour equivalent of at least 400mm from the front. To defray the considerable costs, France signed a co-development agreement with the United Arab

Emirates, which ordered more vehicles than the French army planned to do. The new tank, called the AMX-56 Leclerc, after General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, who led the French 2nd Armoured Division in its liberation of Paris in August 1944, was started in 1986 and by 1990 production was under way with small batches for evaluation. A number of changes were made and full production was done in batches, each introducing improvements. By the late 1990s, most early production Leclercs had been upgraded to the later standard. The Leclerc now has replaced the AMX-30 completely in French service, with 240 tanks in four regiments and 100 in reserve. It also serves with UAE forces in the Middle East. n

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13/06/2014 14:34

FEATURE ARTICLE

MENG Model 1:35 AMX-30B French MBT • Kit No. TS-003

FRENCH COLD WARRIOR Mike Rinaldi describes the painting and weathering of his 1:35 scale Meng AMX-30B in detail.

I

n the back on my mind, I always wanted to tackle some post-war French armour subjects, namely the AMX-30 and -13 series. I liked them for their uniqueness and somewhat less conventional design directions, but as many of you know, we only had the older Heller 1:35 offerings available to us. While not terrible kits in and of themselves, especially given their age, they are certainly simplified and the soft moulded details are not up to current standards. That itself isn’t a major hurdle to true modellers, it’s just meant I was not in a rush to build them any time soon. The poor quality tracks were also a major deterrent to me. That all changed last year when a new plastic injected kit manufacturer arrived on scene

with some serious new releases for the 1:35 armour crowd. Two things actually happened — the first, MENG Model from China hit the ground running and set forth a prodigious initial release effort that saw the emergence of a new AMX30 series with back-to-back 1:35 injected plastic kits of the AMX30B MBT and AUF-1 155mm SPG variants. The second, Friulmodel introduced their impressive aftermarket metal track set for the early version of the AMX-30 tank series, which I had to use because I had personally suggested that they make this set. What a turn of fortune for those interested in such subjects, and that is the beauty of this hobby, the diversification of subjects that has simply exploded in recent years.

Using reference photos, the author modified the exhaust and rear hull areas to portray the derelict nature of the project.

QUALITY INSIDE So what is the new AMX-30B kit like? And how does MENG stack up to the rest of the industry? Both simple and valid questions, and thankfully for the hobby community, both have very positive answers. Truth be told, I’m not in the group of modellers that seek out the last 10th of performance in a kit. I am okay with “close enough” most days and that’s mostly because the level of effort I have to put forth as a professional modeller requires that I simply can’t super detail every project that crosses my desk. My goals have changed as a result, but one thing I am keen on is to know if the canvas of a kit is worthy, or in other words, what’s inside the box is accurate and build-able for the

Removal of the rear fittings, and filling of the kit mounting holes was necessary to fit the new details and empty PE tool brackets properly.

enjoyment of those purposes, and allows me to add and/or replace details for my own goals (vs. if replacement is necessary because they are inaccurate). Along those lines post-war French armour is undoubtedly a more difficult subject to research due to a general lack of readily available reference material out there, but fortunately, the Internet can fill some big holes at times. [Edit — Bruce Culver provides a wonderful companion research article in this issue as well]. My first impressions of the AMX30B kit from MENG were most favourable indeed. Moulding quality is up to today’s crisp standards, A

Mr. Surfacer 1000 was stippled onto the turret to add a subtle cast texture, which would facilitate the paint chipping further on. Tamiya tape strips were added for the tie-downs straps.

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The well-worn NATO defender. This derelict AMX-30B has seen years of exposure after its many years of service in the French Army.

R

Overall construction of the MENG kit is exceptional. Fit and finish are state-of-the-art and a joy to assemble.

Friulmodel AMX-30 tracks were added, even if they are not really needed. It's nice to finally have decent options for this chassis! The model is ready for some paint. August 2014 - Model Military International 15

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FEATURE ARTICLE

MENG Model 1:35 AMX-30B French MBT • Kit No. TS-003

B and early reviews and online builds showed it went together quite well, which I was able to verify during my own construction efforts. The model itself reminded me immediately of how good a Tamiya kit is — similar amount of parts, similar parts breakdown, and similar mould quality. Additionally, some other details that tell me MENG is serious and very skilled in all aspects of production; smaller details that makes a big difference to me, for example, the box art is exceptional (including the matte lamination coating on the box itself that speaks of quality), and the instructions take the form of a very well presented booklet with clear, precise and error free illustrations and callouts. The feeling of this being a high-quality offering created a positive mindset and engaged my enthusiasm to begin the project, and that to me gets my motivation going to glue some plastic together!

Using AK Interactive's new line of friendlier acrylic primers, the model is airbrushed in Grey Primer.

Hairspray was sprayed in two even layers covering the whole model... the first round of chipping is to follow.

Black Primer was added for the lower hull to represent the unique French NATO scheme better, then the first layer of Rust paint was applied on top.

GETTING UNDERWAY In order to put this model on the bench and start the all-important construction phase, I had to first do some preliminary research to bring my knowledge up to the kit’s standard, and decide upon the camouflage scheme for the painting that would come later. Typically, I try to gather my material ahead of time and then set about the course to achieve my vision for each model. This one was no different, but the trouble, as mentioned above, was the lack of reference, namely print material in English. So, like many of you I turned to the Internet to help me out, specifically the www.charsfrancaise.net website for a series of images on the early AMX-30B variant over the course of it’s service life. Next, I had to decide between the overall French OD scheme, or the later 3-tone NATO scheme, (the French AMX series use a slight variation of the official NATO scheme, but I still refer to it as that for ease of conversation). And with that said, I obviously sorted it out soon enough and settled on the NATO scheme for the simple reason I have not painted one before. Construction started in the very traditional armour building sequence of assembling the road wheels, drive sprockets and idlers first. The use of poly caps was much appreciated and all of them

Heavily faded French OD was airbrushed on via Lifecolour acrylics, they have very useful green tones.

Hairspray chipping is performed with water and older brushes and scratches are made with Tamiya's excellent metal Paint Stir Stick. The paper towel allows the amount of water in the brush to be controlled.

The results of the first round of hairspray chipping... now on to the NATO colours!

Again, two even layers of hairspray are sprayed over the entire model. Note the exhausts have been painted in light grey alloy looking colour as well.

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are so equipped, again this speaks of quality and understanding our needs (making painting the tires easier on the model). From this step, the suspension units are attached to the lower hull tub and here I added a very slight nosedown rake to the model by placing some lead weight inside the hull while the glue set, which gives the tank the appearance of being older and worn out, appropriate for my painting goals further up the road. The nice part is the adjustability within the suspension allowed for this subtle visual change. I continued my efforts to create an out-of-service rendition by attending to the fenders. My goal was to replicate an AMX-30B that was more or less left abandoned on a range as seen on the Internet photos (I recreated a compilation of a few subjects, as a result), and for this I wanted to thin and dent the fenders, remove the tools, and illustrate the exposed fittings that were seen on these derelict tanks. I used traditional plastic thinning methods to rework the front and rear fenders, removing some with a razor saw and the rest were thinned to translucent levels with a Dremel tool and then bent. However, the most noticeable change was the empty tool clamps, and thankfully a simple solution revealed itself to facilitate this idea. That generation of tool clamp design closely resembled the German WWII style, and from that I could use a generic WWII German tool clamp PE set and replicate them quite closely. Funny how things work out! With those changes complete, I proceeded to rework the rear of the hull and add PE tool clamps for the empty fittings using reference photos to finalize the rear of the hull. To wrap-up the construction process, I had a very straightforward task of assembling the turret and it’s various fittings. The turret is excellent OOB, and the only changes I made to it were the use of fine brass rod to replace the moulded tie-down loops, then adding thin Tamiya tape tie-downs as a result, and finally adding some subtle cast texture via stippling Mr.

The exhaust was given special attention to match reference photos of these derelict tanks.

Surfacer 1000 across the surface to rough it up. This is not a “rough cast texture” in the normal sense, rather the plastic is extremely smooth and needed some added bite for the painting and chipping processes I had planned out. It would make the later chipped painting stage considerably easier vs. the desire to replicate the texture perfectly. The real tank is somewhere between the two, and once painted would look very close to the authentic surface. However before I prepared for the painting, I assembled the Friulmodel ATL-115 AMX-30B earlystyle chevron pad tracks to ensure proper fitment. And, as expected, I was able to achieve perfectly tight tracks. These are “live” tracks, meaning no sag is appropriate. Even with derelict tanks, the tracks are rigid tight, much like the American M48/60 tank series. A final note on the tracks, the Friulmodel track set was entirely superfluous, because the impressive link-to-link kit tracks are just as beautiful and definitely do not require any replacement. I simply had other goals and desires to promote and utilize the Friul tracks in this particular project.

First up is the NATO Green tones based largely around Tamiya's XF-67 NATO Green shade.

Second colour is NATO Brown using Tamiya’s XF-68 NATO Brown with the paints shown here.

PAINTING LAYERS & MORE LAYERS I set about early on with the intention to replicate an outof-service AMX-30B, which meant the NATO scheme was in reality sprayed directly on top of the original French Army OD camouflage that was then heavily chipped off. I personally love such a challenge and this was the heart of the entire project to me. I saw the photos of what happens to them after years of exposure and I knew I had to paint mine like that. A bonus was the main gun barrel was often painted white on these abandoned tanks (I’m guessing to signify they are out-of-service), and that was a striking visual element I could add to the finish. To get started, I first had to prime the model. Here I used a new-to-me product from AK Interactive with their acrylic primers. The AMX-30B NATO camouflage scheme used a black A

Last colour is the NATO Black, again using Tamiya’s excellent XF-69 NATO Black as the primary tone.

No time was wasted and chipping began right away, using the tried and true techniques and tools.

The finished results of all of the hairspray chipping, the layered process created an extremely authentic result.

The white barrel is chipped using a different process of rubbing window cleaner over the white to remove it with softer looking transitions. August 2014 - Model Military International 17

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FEATURE ARTICLE

MENG Model 1:35 AMX-30B French MBT • Kit No. TS-003

B lower hull and running gear area, so I started with that colour and painted the lower hull and road wheels with AK Interactive Black Primer, then used some paper masks and sprayed the upper hull and turret in their Grey Primer. I followed up the layer of grey primer with a layer of Rust paint, which is used to represent the chipped surface, after which I sprayed the model with two even layers of hairspray in preparation for the chipping purposes. This is my preferred method, mainly because the resulting chips and scratches are some of the most authentic and realistic looking effects attainable. I’ve fine-tuned the process over time such that I can now control the size and intensity of the chipped effects via the quantity of hairspray applied, and the opacity of the top layers of paint. To that end, I start off with the first layer of camouflage colour to be chipped away — the original albeit heavily faded French Army

OD. For this shade, mostly eyeballed from reference photos, I used a mixture of Lifecolour UA224 Fade Olive Drab 2 and UA437 IDF Green as a close approximation to the look I was after. Chipped paint is not simply that. There are differences between what causes the paint to chip and why. Here, it’s a derelict tank sitting outside for years, fully exposed. So the chipped paint takes on a look specific to that style and I worked my brushes and water use to illustrate that sort of visual effect I was after. (It’s a wholly different technique to how I paint and chip a thinned and worn away whitewash.) I add slightly more water to the surface, let it sit a little while longer (about a minute before starting), and I use more of a stabbing and picking motion to flake off the paint. I follow this with additional motions that flow with the surface I am chipping to create the more general style of the paint chips. Once I’ve achieved the desired results, I apply a thin varnish to seal the model, and then proceed to repeat the hairspray application in preparation for the NATO paint scheme.

Time to get the model dirty! Using Wilder's new line of pigments, the colours are readied for application.

Tamiya’s X-20A Acrylic thinner makes a great pigment fixing agent, and using a brush to apply the thinner via capillary action to let it flow freely into the pigments without direct contact.

The road wheels were then heavily chipped to show the faded OD underneath, again using reference photos for guidance in how they looked after years of exposure.

At this stage of the painting, I switched to Tamiya paints and based my colours off their excellent 3-colour NATO set — XF-67 NATO Green, XF-68 NATO Brown and XF-69 NATO Black. Within each colour I add tones to lighten and fade the base colour, which are then applied in that order and according to the colour instructions in the kit manual (which shows all 5 necessary views to ensure an accurate pattern is applied). Again, the online reference photos are critical to achieving success with the correct faded-over-time look, and present

an accurate illustration of this goal for the model. The French colours fade to slightly different shades than the other European NATO army colours, so I kept that in mind during this phase. Again, I use the photos as a guide to proximate this all. And like with the first layer of chipping, I proceed to chip this triple-coloured layer and worked very slowly and in complete control to ensure accuracy for the final look. The technique worked as intended, and I created chips down to the base OD camouflage layer, including additional chips that

The model is placed on its side so gravity holds the dry pigments in place for us.

Washes in Rust and Green tones represent the aged rusted hull being taken over by moss and vegetation sitting gin the field for years exposed.

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The wheels are all properly treated with pigments, rust washes, green moss washes, and oil stains to give a realistic appearance in this area.

cut all the way to the exposed chipped rust layer adding plenty of depth and realism to this very specific finish. One item of note, or two rather, is the exhaust system consisted of alloy mufflers on the rear fender deck and I paint those a whitish-grey first, a hairspray layer next, then heavily chipped-off the camouflage colours according to some rather interesting reference photos — I loved the extra splash of colour it created.

PAINTING MORE LAYERS! Moving right along, I felt the road wheels needed more attention than

The model is looking appropriately used and worn out, it's time now to work directly on the paint's finish.

the simple black base colour, and looking at the photos closer you can see the paint flake off heavily and exposed the OD underneath. So in sort of a reverse order, I go through the hairspray chipping processes again and overspray the wheels in the faded OD colour and proceed to apply a wide variety of heavy flaked-off chips on the wheels. From this stage the model is looking really good and the efforts to employ multiple hairspray chipping layers was an effective painting process. That left the final painting element of the white

Dust and additional green moss tones were applied with AK washes beginning the first round of faded paint and dust accumulation on to the model's surface.

A pinwash was added to the main panels and details with MIG Production's Dark Wash and a fine tipped brush, control is the key to successful pinwash application.

main gun barrel. In truth, the real tanks had the distinctive stepped 105mm main gun thermal sleeves removed, but since that’s a near impossible scenario to replicate, I chose to paint the barrel as is. However, I wanted to try another cool technique to create the rubbed-off paint effect seen on the white sections. It was different to the hard-edge paint flakes, so I

turned to a new method of using Tamiya paints rubbed off with thinned down Windex (an ammonia based-window cleaner). The idea is rather simple, much like hairspray chipping — paint the underneath colour to be exposed first, seal it with a lacquer varnish (such as Testor’s DullCote), and then spray the top coat in Tamiya acrylics, (white over rust in this case). Take

A

The process continues around the whole of the upper areas of the hull, The lower hull at this stage is the result of the hairspray chipping and adding additional rust and darker earth tones via AK washes. faded paint techniques via the previous washes.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

MENG Model 1:35 AMX-30B French MBT • Kit No. TS-003

B a small cup and thin Windex with

water approx. 50-50, and then carefully brush the white paint with this mixture until the rust begins to show through. It’s not totally unlike using the hairspray technique except the visual effect has more gradations and softer transitions, which is what it looks like in real life. Once all of that effort was finished I airbrushed a splash of red paint as seen in the ref. photos, which completed the final painting task.

GETTING IT DIRTY My attention now returned to the lower hull and my first ever use of the Gunpowder line of weathering pigments from Wilder, a new company started by world-class armour modeller Adam Wilder. And what a treat we are all in for, these new weathering products will provide us modellers with yet another superb option for recreating amazingly realistic weathered finishes. To me it signals the true health of the hobby as a whole, and since they are based in Russia, they do provide needed products to those new emerging scale modelling markets. I was happy to sample some of Wilder’s new products when I spoke with Adam at a recent show. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his considerable skills, and he has long served as an inspiration in my own model work. My typical use of pigments is to create a tonal batch from 3-4 colours, mix this up like dry paint and then apply it to the surface of the model, and then set them in

place with a fixer. I do this step because the earth effects take on a more realistic level of colour and texture than just a single pigment colour provides. And to perform the application correctly requires that I place the hull on it’s side, add the pigments to the upper surface, and set them in place with a liquid fixer, such as Tamiya’s X-20A acrylic thinner, which worked perfectly. This pigment application method is straightforward and very controllable. I only wanted to illustrate some remnants of old dried mud and applied the necessary amount of pigments accordingly. After I set them I used a hair-dryer on low heat and quick-dry the section, which is then followed by a prodigious amount of dark brown, rust and lime green washes. Lime green, you say!? Well photos showed a substantial amount of green moss growing on the dried mud areas, largely a result of the wet European climate these derelict tanks were sitting within. Now that the lower is more or less finalised, I can add the tracks. One of the cool aspects of using Friulmodel tracks is that they can be weathered via a chemical solution process. My favourite is Blacken-it and I use it to good effect. The resulting tones are remarkably accurate to the actual tanks and I further enhance this colouring with more of the same

The oil paint rendering stage is a process to refine and enhance each section of the model to bring out the maximum in the paint, in this case to make it look old and worn out.

And now time to get serious and begin the Oil Paint Rendering process designed to bring out the ultimate in the paint's finish.

A comprehensive palette of oils are created, including the brushes needed and proper Odorless Thinner, this one from AK Interactive.

rust and lime green washes I used on the hull sides, which tied it all together very nicely. The finished tracks are dried completely and then fitted to the lower hull. Afterwards, I touch up the running gear details with some more rust and dark oil paint stains to represent wheel bearing leaks, a very common sight on most tanks, let alone those sitting around for a long time. I worked my way up the model and focused the weathering on the faded and chipped paint to

realize the ultimate goals of this paintjob. For this stage, I started with a very tight and controlled pin wash of dark wash tones to create some false shadows in the panel lines and make some of the moulded detail pop out more. I say controlled because a proper pin wash is a very specific process and requires a fine tip brush and is not designed to be applied everywhere. Keeping things tight to the details enhances their appeal and adds to the level of realism achieved in-scale.

The previous chips are used as a guide to make this a more efficient weathering process.

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The completed track runs are ready for installation. The Blacken-it created the base rusted metal look, more washes are added to this, then the black rubber pads are painted last.

Dust and rust coloured washes and panel filters complete the upper hull areas to my liking before I switch mediums. With the pin wash stage completed, I created a cardboard palette of oil paints for a process I term Oil Paint Rendering, which I used to “render” the exposed fittings on the hull, namely the heavily rusted spare track links and the various tool clamps and chipped paint effects. Oil paint rendering utilizes the power of oil paints to enhance each section of a model’s surface to create the maximum amount of visual information to the viewer about the model’s paintjob and service life. In essence, you tell the complete story of how the vehicle arrived in this condition. Since this model lacked stowage and figures, it’s important to find a few spots where I can add more interest, and the exhausts and spare tracks fill that role on this model. I spent quality time here and applied various oil paint rust tones to create more depth to the spare tracks; I make each one unique without being overtly obvious about it. Like most of my processes, I used very little product to achieve the results and it’s this heightened level of restraint that elevates a piece to

the standards seen here. I believe in the idea of continually layering effect upon effect to achieve the desired finish, and I can’t emphasis that idea enough — less is indeed more! At this point, the lower hull is now completed, and I can turn my full attention to the turret’s finish. Here I focused on the chipping effects already in place, maximizing the faded paint on the top surfaces, and creating the lasting impressions of the severely worn our appearance these tanks represent. A potent by-product of the hairspray chipping process is that the “road map of weathering” is essentially laid out before us. All I’m really doing is going over each existing chip and scratch with tiny amounts of oil blended in and enhancing the look until I’m satisfied and the model has visual balance across the surfaces as it relates to the intentions of what that finish represents — in this case, a derelict tank sitting outside for a number of years, after a considerable peacetime service life. I also spent time reworking the chipped cupola and the larger chips present along the upper

Not a lot of dust was present on these derelict tanks that have been sitting in the field for years exposed to the moist European climate, washed off with years of rainfall.

curvature of the turret. I worked to keep the elements believable and present the impression of a controlled wearing away of the paint over time. It shouldn’t look haphazard, instead like Mother Nature kept at the same sections over and over again.

What this overall weathering concept “hairspray paint chipping followed by Oil Paint Rendering” does for us is reduce the level of stresses involved to manually solve the problem of “where and how much”

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The white barrel adds a splash of colour in a very original fashion, it's not often we get to tackle such a situation in the armour modelling world. Thanks to some good research the author found the right inspiration to make MENG's excellent AMX-30B kit a real standout on the shelf!

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FEATURE ARTICLE

MENG Model 1:35 AMX-30B French MBT • Kit No. TS-003

This turret close-up was the realisation of the hairspray chipping plus the Oil Paint Rendering weathering stages to create this heavily worn out finish. The straps are hand painted separately.

Modelspec MENG Model 1:35 AMX-30B French MBT

Kit No. TS-003

Accessories Used: Friulmodel ATL-115 AMX-30 tracks Tools: Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, Mr. Surfacer 1000 liquid surfacer, Iwata HP-C+ Airbrush, Tresemme Tres Two Spray Level 3 hairspray, #2 Round brush, #1/4 Rake brush, #1/4 Angular brush, Tamiya Paint Stir Stick, Water Paints & Finishing:

B as it pertains to weathering steps,

and makes for a far more efficient painting process from start to finish. Which in turn ups the reward factors and enjoyment levels, with the added bonus of being generally a faster collection of processes to see the model completed sooner and with better end results. Something I feel is often overlooked today and a concept I’m promoting to bring the joy in painting back to the forefront and see the vast array of kit stashes reduced a bit more. With this project at the final stages of weathering I can reflect back upon it’s beginnings and where my heart was at when first

presented to me. I enjoy postwar tank design theory and think it’s one area of modern armour yet to be fully exploited in the market place. MENG Models is to be highly commended, the AMX-30B is a bold selection to create a model of. It’s arguably not that popular amongst main model circles, but the tank and this kit, while already an older release for them, is tantamount to the idea there are still many, many available subjects left to produce to a new level, a new standard, and provide the hobby with another fantastic option for us to work with. Believe me, I am more than happy to never

The modified rear area was faithfully painted alongside the worn alloy exhausts and thinned fenders to represent the neglected aspect of this unique subject.

have the need to seek out the old Heller kits any longer. That to me speaks volume of the health of our hobby and where we are headed for the foreseeable future, and I can’t wait to take the box top off a new MENG kit bound to cross my workbench very soon. I’d like to give special thanks to MMI’s Editor, Brett Green, for this unique opportunity to share the AMX-30B project between our publications. To see more on this model, including additional photos and commentary, please see the new book TANKART 3 Modern Armour by Rinaldi Studio Press. www.rinaldistudiopress.com ■

AK Interactive Grey Primer, Black Primer, 708 Dark Rust. Lifecolour UA 224 Faded OD Type 2, UA 437 Dark IDF Green. Tamiya XF-67 NATO Green, XF-68 NATO Brown, XF-69 NATO Black, XF-5 Flat Green, XF-3 Flat Yellow, XF-21 Sky, XF-52 Flat Earth, XF-55 Deck Tan, XF-12 JN Grey, XF-23 Light Blue, X-20A Acrylic Thinner. Wilder GP-10 European Road Clay, GP-03 Road Dust, GP-21 Grey Dust, GP-08 European Dry Mud. AK Interactive 046 Light Rust Wash, 027 Slimy Grime Light, 080 Summer Kursk Earth, 022 Africa Dust Effects. MIG Productions Dark Wash. Blacken-it metal weathering solution. Oil Paints: Winsor Newton Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Raw Sienna 502 Abt 155 German Three Tone Fading, 125 Light Mud, 160 Engine Grease, 015 Dark Shadow, 035 Buff, 165 Faded UN White, 130 Dark Mud, 090 Industrial Earth, 020 Faded Dark Yellow, 093 Basic Earth, 092 German Ochre, 001 Snow White, 094 Green Grass, 050 Olive Green. 502 Abt or AK Interactive Odorless thinner. ✓ Very high level of detail; convincing surface textures; excellent mouding quality; individual link tracks. ✗ Nothing worth mentioning. Available from Thanks to Meng Model for the sample www.meng-model.com

Rating Historical summary from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDF_Achzarit

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MMI ISSUE 100 COMPETITION This is the 100th issue of Model Military International magazine. 100 Issues is a big milestone, so we are offering a big prize for one lucky reader. By simply answering one question below, you will be in the running to winning ten 1:35 scale armour kits. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net and Creative Models Limited www. creativemodels.co.uk for the prizes.

The kits are: • Dragon VK.45.02(P)H • Dragon Panzer I Ausf. A • Dragon leFH18/40/2(sf) auf G.W. Pz.Kpfw.III/IV • HobbyBoss Defender 110 Hard Top • HobbyBoss Ranger Special Operations Vehicle w/MG • Tamiya Elefant • Tamiya Su-122 • Trumpeter Canadian AVGP Husky (Early Version) • Trumpeter M1129 Stryker Mortar Carrier • Trumpeter Soviet KV-1S/85

HOW TO ENTER - For the chance to win this great prize, simply fill in the coupon below with your answers to the one easy question and your name and address details and send to: MMI Issue 100 Competition, ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds. LU6 1QX

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Please send this form to the address above (photocopies of this form are acceptable). Email ................................................................................................................ Competition rules: Usual terms and conditions apply. Only one entry per household. Photocopies of this form will be accepted. No purchase necessary. The prize awarded is final and there is no cash alternative. Closing date for entries is 31 August 2014. The Winner will be notified and the results in a future issue. 23 August 2014 -published Model Military International

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TEST SHOT BUILD PREVIEW:

Tamiya 1:35 WWI British Mk.IV Male • Kit No. 30057

RADICAL RHOMBOID The Editor gets hold of an early unmotorised test shot of Tamiya’s forthcoming 1:35 scale Mark IV Male tank and offers his impressions.

T

he British Mark I was the world's first tank to enter combat. Born of the need to break the domination of trenches, barbed wire and machine guns over the battlefields of the Western Front, it was the first vehicle to be named "tank", a name chosen as an expedient to maintain secrecy and to disguise its true purpose. It was developed to be able to cross trenches, resist small-arms fire, travel over difficult terrain, carry supplies, and to capture fortified enemy positions. It is regarded as successful in many respects, but suffered from many problems owing to its primitive nature. Armament was naval 6-pounder guns and machine guns. The Mark I entered service in August 1916, and was first used in action on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette,

part of the Somme Offensive. With the exception of the few interim Mark II and Mark III tanks, it was followed by the largely similar Mark IV The Mark IV was introduced in 1917. It benefited from significant developments on the first British tank, the intervening designs being small batches used for training. The major improvements were in armour, the re-siting of the fuel tank, and easier transportation. The Mark IV was first used in mid 1917 at the Battle of Messines Ridge. It remained in official British service until the end of the War, and a small number served briefly with other combatants afterwards. A total of 1,220 were built: 420 "Males", 595 "Females" and 205 Tank Tenders (unarmed vehicles used to carry supplies), which made it the most produced British tank of the War.*

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In the Box Before describing the contents, I should first let you know what I have here. This is an early test shot direct from Tamiya, and as such it does not yet have any of the motorisation gear, or decals, or some of the associated hardware such as the chain. Also, the kit is moulded in light grey, rather than the customary tan coloured plastic that we will probably see for the official release. Even so, these grey sprues give us a very good impression of what we can expect to see in the commercial release. My Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Mark IV Male test shot comprises 321 parts in light grey plastic and another 176 individual tracks links in medium grey. Surface detail is excellent. Just like the real Mark IV,

Tamiya’s model is festooned with prominent domed rivets. These are supplemented by raised hinges, peep-hole covers, bolt heads and a myriad of other structural details. Panel lines are recessed where armour plates are butted together. The kit has been designed to be motorised, but there are few compromises as a result. Use of polythene caps for means that various panels may be removed to provide access to batteries and the motor even after the model has been assembled and painted. The only protrusion is the on-off switch on the bottom of the hull, and on my sample even that is flashed over. As mentioned, my sample does not have any of the motorisation gear, but assembly of these elements is covered in the instructions. It all looks pretty straightforward. The distinctive rhomboid hull * History courtesy of Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org

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is broken down into a classic “flat pack”. As a result, moulding quality is perfect with no ejector pin circles on any of the external surfaces. The driver’s visors, the sponson hatches and roof hatch are all separate and may be posed open if desired. There are a few ejector pin circles on the insides of some of these hatches. The main body is broken down into hull top, rear, front, bottom and inner and outer side subassemblies. The outer hull sides are themselves split into front, mid and rear panels, with the sponsons representing a separate and removable sub-assembly. The six-pounder naval guns are nicely detailed, including separate breechblocks and sights. They are cleverly mounted via polythene caps, which allows easy elevation and rotation after assembly. Around half the light grey parts are for the running gear – 156 are for the road wheels alone. These are mounted on axles moulded to the inner hull halves. You should test fit the wheels carefully, as some pairs (and even one set of four) need to be interleaved before being pressed home onto their axles. Tamiya suggests that the axles should be lubricated, but the surface area where the wheels touch the tracks is so fine that the tracks should move efficiently even if the wheels do not rotate. The tracks are a revelation. They are ready to use straight from the box – no sprue attachments or flash on any of my sample parts. I simply tipped them from their bags and started clipping them together. The links click together positively and quickly. Simply slip one pin into one hole on the next link, stretch and click the second pin into place. I did not have a single problem in assembling each run of 87 links. The plastic is flexible enough to stretch while the pins are being fitted, and solid enough to hold the links together. The whole length is really quite robust. The outer detail of the track links is crisp, and the side detail is convincing too. There is a single ejector pin mark on the inside surface of each link, but these are completely hidden once the tracks are fitted. These might just be the nicest track links that I have ever had the pleasure to work on.

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1. Surface texture is excellent. I particularly like the domed rivets. 2. The axles for the many road wheels are moulded to the inner hull side. 3. The individual tracks links are bagged and ready to use without further preparation. 4. The links are well detailed and very simple to assemble. 5. Lots of road wheel parts! 6. Polythene caps are used to permit various panels to be removed, allowing access to the battery and the motorisation gear. 7. The hull is presented as a flat pack. It builds up precisely and quickly. 8. Sub-assemblies coming together. 9. The shell of the hull is complete here, just awaiting running gear and the outer hull panels.

Construction I built my model over the course of three days. As you would expect from a Tamiya kit, fit was close to perfect in all areas. The model was built according to the instructions, with the motorisation sections omitted. The single most time-consuming

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TEST SHOT BUILD PREVIEW:

Tamiya 1:35 WWI British Mk.IV Male • Kit No. 30057

10.

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B task was assembling the 54 small

road wheels. 30 of these are made up from two parts each; and another 24 from four parts each. Clean-up was a bit tedious, but I found that even that chore could be kept to a minimum if the inner road wheel sections – Parts A3 and A4 – were sliced off the sprue at an undercut angle (hopefully this will make sense when you see how the parts are attached to the sprue). In the end, removing all the running gear parts, cleaning them up and assembling them only took around two hours. I had to deviate from the instructions when assembling the drive sprocket and idler wheels as the production kit parts will feature metal sprockets and nylon gears, and these were not included with my early sample. Examining the sprues, however, I noticed a set of two plastic drive sprockets and two idler wheels, plus four short lengths of tube that were not mentioned in the instructions. The drive sprockets were assembled and fixed to the rear of the vehicle. Parts A20, A21 and A22 held the sprockets in place and still allowed them to rotate. I had to fabricate axles for the idler wheels, as these parts did not appear to be on the sprues. I simply cut two short lengths of brass tube and glued them inside the spacer tubes. The idler wheels were then clipped between the inner and outer hull halves. The kit features a working track tensioner on the idler wheels, so I took care to leave the brass axle loose in its cylindrical mount. This will make it easier to attach the tracks and adjust the tension at the very last assembly step. Assembling the track links was next. This was a fast and satisfying job. Pick up link, click together, pick up next link, click together; and repeat until you have 87 links per side. I test-fitted my tracks to the unpainted hull as I thought it might be tricky to make that final click-join to link each end of the tracks. However, I found that there was a certain amount of “stretch” to the completed track length, allowing the final link to be clicked in place with a minimum of fuss.

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Conclusion Tamiya has captured the rugged rhomboid lines of the Mark IV Male tank with this new 1:35 scale kit. The raised structural features such as the domed rivets are particularly well done. The motorisation of this model was a surprise to many, but a milestone reached this year might explain it. 2014 marks Tamiya’s

10. 30 sets of road wheels are made up from two pieces… 11. …and a further 24 from four pieces each. 12. The completed road wheels awaiting assembly. 13. Careful attention is required when adding the wheels to the axles, as the pattern is not regular. You will also need to interleave some of the wheels before pressing them home. 14. The road wheels in place. It took me about two hours from cutting the first wheel part from the sprue to this stage. 15. The six outer hull panels. 16. Although the motorised kit includes metal drive sprockets with nylon gears, the sprues also offer plastic drive sprockets and idler wheels. I used these because my sample did not include the motorisation gear. 17. Axles for the idler wheels were cut from brass tube. 18. The axle was not glued to the hull, allowing adjustment of the track tension at a later stage. Once the track has been permanently attached, the axle will be fixed and covered. 19. The drive sprocket fitted perfectly using parts on the sprues.

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40th anniversary of radio control models. The very first Tamiya R/C model was an M4 Sherman, so perhaps their new motorised Mark IV is an acknowledgement of this landmark. 2014 is also the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, so it is not surprising that Tamiya has chosen this year to debut its Great War range. I am sure that we will see a plenty of long-overdue attention over the next few years on the vehicles, equipment and troops of WWI. Tamiya’s 1:35 scale British Mark IV Male tank will be a great starting point for your WWI collection! n

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Modelspec Tamiya 1:35 WWI British Mk.IV Male Kit No. 30057 Modelling Products Used Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement Revell Contacta Glue Selleys Supa Glue Brass tube 3 High level of detail; authentic surface textures; brilliant individual track links; excellent fit; optional position hatches; clever motorisation. 7 Some won’t like the motorisation.. Avaliable from Thanks to Tamiya Japan for the sample www.tamiya.com Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating 20. The naval six-pounders are nicely detailed. 21. The sponsons are made up from seven pieces each, including separate hatches. 22. The assembled sponson – a view from the inside. 23. The front of the sponson fits via a tongue and groove join, while the rear is simply pressed in place thanks to the polythene caps. Fit is very good indeed. 24. As seen at Tamiya’s head office briefing in May, the track links simply click together. 25. The underside view. Take a good look, because this area is completely hidden once the tracks are fitted. 26. A full run, curled to demonstrate its flexibility and robustness. 27. Fit was typical of Tamiya – just superb! 28. Details have been added. Now all it needs is the untrenching beam and the chain.

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KIT PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 U.S. M24 “Chaffee” Light Tank in the Korean War • Kit No. CB-35139

Four marking schemes are covered on the decal sheet.

The retooled turret is included with this kit.

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 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 SongdongBon 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. ■

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.

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

This photo shows the correct roof configuration The fenders are thin and well detailed.

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ICM MODELS RIC35401 Type 2.5-3.2T Light truck............................................. £24.50 RIC35402 Type 2.5-32 Shelter........................................................£TBA RIC35403 Type 25-32 K&S8............................................................£TBA RIC35414 V3000S/SS Maultier.......................................................£TBA RIC35416 Lastkraftwagen 3.5 AHN.................................................£TBA RIC35477 Kapitan Saloon................................................................£TBA RIC35480 Kadett K38 Saloon..........................................................£TBA RIC35515 Zil-131 Truck...................................................................£TBA RIC35526 L1500s German Fire Engine....................................... £24.50 RIC35534 Type 770K Open Top.................................................... £24.50 RIC35536 Packard Twelve series 1408....................................... £24.50 RIC35632 WWII German Firemen................................................. £7.99 RIC35671 WWI Austro/Hun Weapons............................................ £7.99 RIC35674 Russian Maxim M/Gun (1910)...................................... £7.99 RIC35675 Russian Maxim M/Gun (1930)...................................... £7.99 RIC24021 1/24th Admiral Cabrio................................................. £29.99 RIC24022 1/24th Admiral Cabrio w/hood.................................... £31.50

Cana Leopard C2 Mexas............................................. £48.00 Leopard 1A5/C2..............................................................£TBA German Civil Car w/Rocket......................................... £32.00 WWI Mark IV Male...................................................... £49.99 WWI Mark IV Female.................................................. £49.99

ITALERI IT288 M4A3 Sherman Calliope............................................. £24.99 IT228 WC56 Dodge Staff Car................................................ £20.99 M-108 Howitzer........................................................... £29.99 IT6518 IBG MODELS IB35017 Bedford QLR................................................................. £29.99 IB35018 Bedford QLB................................................................. £29.99 IB35025 Skoda 100mm Howitzer.............................................. £17.99 IB35028 Obiceda 100/17 Italian Howitzer................................. £17.99 DRAGON KITS D3543 IAF UH-1N W/Para’s.................................................... £42.50 D3546 M-48A3........................................................................ £49.99 D6375 Pz IV Crew.................................................................... £13.25 D6387 Pz III Ausf L Late.......................................................... £49.99 D6553 SdKfz 7 Arm’d W/3.7cm Flak...................................... £55.99 D6647 Stug IV Last Prod......................................................... £49.99 D6679 7.5cm Pak 40/4 Auf RSO............................................. £49.99 D6695 German Wehr Bivouac................................................ £16.99 D6732 SdKfz 10 Ausf A W/5cm Pak 38.................................. £49.99 D6770 IJA Type HA-GO Light Tank.......................................... £35.50 D75048 1/6 Sherman Ic Firefly Hybrid...................................£499.99 D3548 M103 A1 Heavy Tank................................................... £49.99 D3550 MBT 70 [KPZ 70]......................................................... £49.99 D6789 M6 A1 Heavy Tank..........................................................£TBA D1623 Schutze Schutzstaffel.................................................. £14.50 D6003 Waffen SS 1944 D DAY................................................. £9.99 D6021 US Rangers 1944 D DAY............................................... £9.99 D6028 Tiger Aces Ltd D DAY.................................................... £9.99 D6084 16th Luft Field Div D DAY.............................................. £9.99 D6111 PzGrenadiers D DAY...................................................... £9.99 D6127 Hedgerow Tank Hunters D DAY..................................... £9.99 D6155 Kampfgruppe 1944 D DAY............................................ £9.99 D6268 Panther G Late Prod.................................................... £45.99 D6311 Elefant (Prem).............................................................. £45.99 D6358 Panther A Late Prod (Prem)........................................ £45.99 D6575 Pz IV Ausf J Last Prod................................................. £59.99 TAMIYA 32407 LRDG w/masterbox figs............................................... £25.99 35335 Nashorn ....................................................................... £44.99

p 29 ADs Collated 100.indd 8

GPA Jeep Updated w/figs............................................ £19.99 Horch Kfz 15 w/figs (ex Itai)....................................... £29.99 WWI Mark IV Tank..........................................................£TBA

TRUMPETER TM02324 ML-20 152mm Soviet How M-46 Carriage................ £30.99 TM02340 Chinese Type 56 Div Gun............................................ £18.99 TM02341 52-K model 1939 A/A gun early................................. £29.99 TM01543 BTR-60PA........................................................................£TBA TM02346 Soviet GAZ-67B............................................................ £32.99 TM915 1/16th Su-100 ...........................................................£169.99 TM02348 Zu-23-2 Russian A/A Gun............................................ £24.99 TM05522 T-64BV model 1985..................................................... £39.99 TM05565 T-80B ........................................................................... £44.99 TM05572 JGSDF Type 73 Light Truck......................................... £24.99 TM05575 Soviet Project 704 SPH............................................... £54.99 TM05581 T-80BVD....................................................................... £59.99 TM05583 S-51 S/P Gun............................................................... £39.99 TM01592 German SPW-70.......................................................... £31.99 TM? BMPT Ramka..................................................................£TBA TM? Russian T-35 Heavy Tank...............................................£TBA TM? Russian T-28 Medium Tank............................................£TBA TM? Russian Ba-10 A/car......................................................£TBA TM05327 USS Indianapolis CA-35 1944..................................... £49.99 TM05335 HMS Roberts Monitor.................................................. £49.99 BRONCO MODELS BM35101 Buffalo MPCV w/slat armour....................................... £51.99 BM35143 Panzer 1 Ausf F (VK1801)........................................... £31.99 BM35167 Italian Topolini open top w/lady.................................. £19.99 BM35144 MkIII Valentine MkIX................................................... £34.99 BM35146 MkIII Valentine MkXI OP.............................................. £32.99 BM35168 6 Pdr A/T MkIV Gun Carriage MkIII............................ £21.99 BM35171 Italian light delivery van w/civilians........................... £22.99

BM35172 AB3563 AB3564 AB3567 BM35125

S.W.S Cargo (GWH w/updates).................................. £39.99 T97E2 Track links (M48/60)...........................................£TBA Soviet BT-7 Track............................................................£TBA WWII Weapons/Equipment............................................£TBA CV3/33 Tankette series II early......................................£TBA

MINI ART UMA35089 101st Airborne 1944...................................................... £8.99 UMA35102 Soviet Inf Weapons........................................................ £7.99 UMA35144 Red Army Drivers...........................................................£TBA UMA35150 Merc Benz 1500A Cargo............................................. £27.99 UMA35151 U.S Horsemen Normandy 44.........................................£TBA UMA35159 AEC Mk III Arm Car...................................................... £32.99 UMA35160 Gaz-03-30 Ambulance....................................................£TBA UMA35161 U.S Officers.....................................................................£TBA UMA35162 Panzer III Ausf B.............................................................£TBA UMA35166 Panzer III Ausf C.............................................................£TBA UMA35168 U/S MP w/motorcycle....................................................£TBA UMA35169 Panzer III Ausf D.............................................................£TBA UMA35170 Soviet Heavy Inf weapons............................................. £7.99 UMA35171 Fire Truck w/trailer and pump........................................£TBA UMA35177 Gaz-AAA W/Quad Maxim...............................................£TBA UMA35180 US Drivers.......................................................................£TBA UMA38003 European Tram 641..................................................... £39.99 UMA38004 French Civilians 30/40’s................................................ £8.99 UMA36057 Base with Tram Line.................................................... £15.99 UMA36058 Zis-3 Gun Emplacement.................................................£TBA MENG MODELS SS-004 M2A3 Bradley w/Tusk III............................................. £49.99 TS-006 Russian T-90A MTB..................................................... £44.99 TS-007 Leopard 1A3/4............................................................. £44.99 TS-011 Ft-17 Riveted Turret........................................................£TBA VS-005 Pick Up w/ZPU-2............................................................£TBA SPS-015 Modern U.S Personnel Equipment.................................£TBA AFV CLUB AF35217 6 Pdr Gun QF Mk4 A/T gun Late................................. £27.99 AF35263 SdKfz 263..................................................................... £42.99 AF35S67 AAV7A1 Ram/RS w/EAAK........................................... £69.99 AF35236 AEC Matador Early....................................................... £49.99 AF35253 Churchill 3” Gun Carriage........................................... £42.99 AG35039 Nato 155mm How Ammo............................................ £14.99 AG35042 M2HB.50 cal M/G Conv................................................. £7.99 AF35049 AEC Dorchester Early.....................................................£TBA AF35273 AEC A/car Mk III.............................................................£TBA AF35060 M-60A1 Patton................................................................£TBA AF35166 6 Pdr A/T Gun.................................................................£TBA AF35175 M1A1 75mm Pack Howitzer...........................................£TBA AF35202 17 Pdr A/T Gun...............................................................£TBA AF35209 M-24 Chaffee (korea).................................................. £39.99 AF35219 6 Pdr Gun Airborne Crew...............................................£TBA AF35145 T-34/85 Mod 1944/45 Factory No 174 w/Int.............. £42.99

AF35186 AF35S82 AF35201 AF35267

Bofors 40mm FlaK 28 A/A Gun................................... £29.99 NM-116 (M24 Chaffee)..................................................£TBA Valentine Mk III with Rotatrailer....................................£TBA IDF Sho’Kal Gimel 82.....................................................£TBA

HOBBY BOSS HBB83807 4.7cm Pak on Pz35 R731 (f)....................................... £26.99 HBB82602 1/16th T-34/85.............................................................£future HBB83802 US White 666 Cargo soft top......................................£future HBB83806 French R-35 tank......................................................... £26.99 HBB83813 SdKfz 221 Early........................................................... £28.00 HBB83818 T-37 Early..................................................................... £22.93 HBB83822 Swedish CV9030 IFV................................................... £29.99 HBB83824 Russian T-30S light tank............................................. £22.99 MERIT MODELS MM60030 1/18th German Flak 88 type 36..................................£future MM60602 1/6th SMG43................................................................£future MM61601 1/16th German 105mm K18 Cannon..........................£future MM61604 1/16th M-ATV MRAP...................................................£future MM61605 1/16th US Maxx Pro MRAP.........................................£future MM63502 M-19 soft top w/trailer................................................£future MM62001 1/200th USS Hornet CV-8.........................................£259.99 MM67201 1/72nd Russian OSA-1 Missile boat........................... £89.99 RODEN UR806 R/R 40/50 Silver Ghost...................................................£TBA UR807 Opel Blitz Omnibus W39.................................................£TBA VULCAN VU56011 British VI North Africa....................................................£TBA VU56004 German Fuel Drums.......................................................£TBA PANZERWRECKS / CANFORA BOOKS Panther on the Battlefield................................................................. £23.99 KV Tanks on the Battlefield ............................................................. £23.99 Panzerwrecks 16.............................................................................. £17.00 Duel in the Mist 3............................................................................. £36.99  Prices correct at time of going to print

Postage charges (within UK) Large Letter................................................................................. £1.50 Small Parcel 1kg......................................................................... £3.50 Small Parcel 2kg......................................................................... £5.00 Medium Parcel 1kg..................................................................... £6.50 Courier up to 25Kg...................................................................... £8.00

Retail Shop at:

151 Sackville Road, Hove, East Sussex BN33HD E-Mail: [email protected] Web: www.lsamodels.co.uk Tel: 0044 (0)1273 705420

13/06/2014 14:53

FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 Hungarian Light Tank 38M Toldi I Conversion • Kit No. 82477

HUNGARIAN TANK HUNTER -

TOLDI PÁNCÉLVADÁSZ

Thomas Morgan converts Hobby Boss’ Hungarian Light Tank 38M Toldi I to the planned tank hunter version.

O

ne of Hungary’s domestically manufactured AFVs was the 38M “Toldi”, a licensed-built version of the Swedish Landsverk L-60 light tank. The first Toldis were delivered in 1940, and production continued into 1943 with two further models - the Toldi II and III, each with varying guns and armour. In the spring of 1944, influenced by the German Marder II, the Hungarians built a prototype “tank hunter” - páncélvadász - by grafting a 7,5cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun onto a Toldi chassis. For whatever reasons, the project failed to progress beyond

the prototype and there is no record of it seeing any action. Only a single photograph exists - a left rear view - yet its unusual features were enough to spark my interest in a build. A note of caution; two other photos claiming to be the vehicle are circulating on the Internet. One is the rear deck of a Marder II, while the other appears to be a model.

CONSTRUCTION THE PRODUCTION CHASSIS Conflicting Internet sources list the chassis as that of a Toldi I, II or III. Without the turret, or a view of the bow, it is difficult to confirm the variant. But “Magyar

Steel” specifies a Toldi I, so I went with that. Besides, it had a more interesting glacis with the armoured headlight... and I already had the kit. The turret was discarded and the hull built to represent a stock Toldi chassis... with some modifications and detailing. The Landsverk L-60 was the first tank with a torsion bar suspension; but the kit’s housings are mistakenly flush with the hull bottom. I extended them by .080" with styrene strip.

I replaced the soft detail on the final drive housings (A15/16) with hex nuts punched from .015" card. There were two styles of sprocket hub seen on Toldis, so I removed the lugs on the left side, for variety.

The kit torsion bar housiings were extended with styrene strip.

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At the back, I re-detailed the idler support arms (A34/35) and loosened the hole in B23 so they could pivot when I later needed to adjust the tracks. In MMI No.79 Steve Zaloga described his struggle with the kit’s tracks. Luckily, Friulmodel has since issued a Toldi set; they fit the sprockets perfectly, with 123 links per run. The kit’s tow hooks were small and lacked the 360° pig-tail curl of the originals. Replacements were carved from .040" sheet. Strips of emery cloth helped shape the inside of the curls. The glacis plate bolts were misshapen - oval and blunt. I replaced them all with MasterClub #93 cone bolts, including the ones missing from just lateral to the fenders’ vertical edges. On some Toldis there appears to be a band along the front edge of the glacis. I added one with .005" strip. I also re-detailed the small hatch. The pivoting armoured headlight cover is one of my favorite features, so it got some extra attention. The light was replaced with a “crash molded” bowl, and a 4mm Elf reflector and lens. The cover was thinned and slats of .010" strip added - more dimensional than the kit’s flat PE. There should be ten slats but I only managed nine. A retaining clip tops the hood. The driver’s hatch on a Toldi did not hinge upward but instead pivoted horizontally over a supporting rail. The kit hatch has a large lip, but it was actually part of the cupola. I scratched a new lip and pivot, and re-detailed the hatch with a layer of .010" card. The rail is .035" rod, curved in boiling water. The fenders host a wealth of detail, not the least of which are the unusually robust brackets. I striped the fenders bare, and thinned the edges. The brackets were built up from .015" strips, requiring separate curved and angled pieces. The bolts were punched from .010" sheet, and the welds are Tamiya Epoxy Putty Quick Type. In period photos the sheet metal coverings over the headlights are often absent, leaving only the guards. I made the right headlight with a 3mm Elf bowl, using .010" strip for the guard. The prototype has a pedestal headlight on the left fender. Although unusual for a Toldi, they were on Hungarian Turan tanks. Fortunately the Kubinka Toldi has this base, but with a post-war Soviet bowl. A pedestal was turned in my hand tool, adding brass wire and

.030" strips of aluminum cut from a disposable pie plate. The 4mm bowl is Elf. Two styles of storage bins existed: one with flat sides, sharp corners and side latches, another with ribbed top and side, curved corners and end (or side) latches. The kit boxes are ribbed only on the sides. I chose to depict both types, with a flat one on the left (as on the prototype) and a “new” ribbed box on the right. The lids were edged with .010" strip, using .030" half round strip for ribs, and Verlinden latches. Above the boxes, new engine deck handles were scratched, using the grips from parts B1. In the photo of the prototype, the side vents are not clearly seen - the area is blurred. But it would make no sense to obstruct them, so they stayed. I did move them 2mm forward, and crafted new baffles of .010" strip correctly positioned to angle down and inwards - opposite to the kit parts. A pick axe and the jack were mounted over the right fender. The block must have been stowed in the box. The jack is a modified DML spare. I omitted the pick. On the left are the shovel, crow bar and two brackets for the pillar of the anti-aircraft gun. The co-axial 8mm Gebauer MG could be removed and fixed atop the turret on a tubular extension. I fashioned the two brackets from plastic scrap. Note that the rear one is trimmed to clear the shovel. The crow bar is a DML spare. The shovel is .040" rod with an Aber PE blade. All the tools were secured with leather straps. The loops are .010" brass wire, and the straps are cut from a spare “tarp” - a sheet of tissue paper treated with acrylic latex silicone caulking. Brian Balkwill described this great technique in an Armorama online forum. The PE buckles are from ReHeat. The stern plate bolts were replaced with MasterClub #034 hex nuts, the drain holes were drilled out (a third added) and a starter-crank opening fashioned. Hungarian tail lights were bigger than German ones. I made mine from tube drilled out to accept a M.V. Products clear lens. The complicated Toldi exhaust system is distinctive, but the kit doesn’t do it justice. I replaced the cylinders with .188" styrene tube and scratched new brackets form heat formed strip. The bends in the kit pipes were adjusted and their oval ends re-sculpted. Getting all the components to fit together correctly, and into place was exhausting. A

Tow hooks were scratch built from .040” strip.

Strips of emery cloth helped shape the distinctive pigtail curls.

The headlight was replaced with a crash moulded bowl and a 4mm Elf reflector and lens.

A new lip for the hatch was scratch built and detailed.

The sheet metal coverings over the headlights are often absent. I made the right headlight with a 3mm Elf bowl, using .010” strip for the guard.

The pedestal was turned in a hand tool. The 4mm bwol is from Elf.

Two styles of stowage boxes were made - one with a ribbed top and side.

New engine deck handles were scratch built above the boxes.

A pick axe and the jack were mounted over the right fender.

On the left are the shovel, crow bar and two brackets for the pillar of the anti-aircraft gun.

The complicated Toldi exhaust system is quite distinctive. I replaced the cylinders with .188” styrene tube and scratched new brackets form heat formed strip.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 Hungarian Light Tank 38M Toldi I Conversion • Kit No. 82477

The turret ring was opened by scribing around a template...

B THE CONVERSION Before proceeding with the conversion to the Páncélvadász - the Tank Hunter - I had to decide on how to fit the 7,5cm Pak 40. Some writers think the gun, its lower carriage and possibly the mounting platform were transplanted from a German Marder II. Declining to sacrifice such a valuable vehicle, I instead imagined the gun coming from a towed field Pak. It has also been suggested that the turret ring, the arcuate air intake and part of the rear deck were cut away. I rejected this as well; such radical surgery would eliminate the radiator which lies immediately below the intake. The paradigm I imagined was that of a fairly simple trial build to determine if mating a Pak 40 to a Toldi chassis was worthwhile. Calling it a “prototype” is almost an exaggeration. I would strip the towed Pak of its wheels and trails, remove the turret and ring shield from the Toldi and mount the gun over the hole. The turret ring was opened by scribing around a template, roughing out the edges and finishing with sandpaper wrapped around a tapered bottle neck. The same template was marked with 10° radii to locate the 36 holes. I should have thinned the edge of the ring to a scale thickness. For the 7,5cm Pak 40, I turned to the k59 detail set for Dragon’s

... roughing out the edges and finishing with sandpaper wrapped around a tapered bottle neck.

RSO. The gun is a jewel, with exquisite casting, excellent fit, and an aluminum barrel. The resin is robust - I didn’t break even the tiniest part. I recommend using 5 minute epoxy to position the smaller components, re-enforced with thin CA if necessary. My only modifications were to add a firing cable, refine the edges of the breech block, and replace the muzzle brake nut. As it would be stowed when not in use, I did not mount the telescopic sight. The base plate, or “lower carriage” was taken from the AFV Club Pak 40 kit. I detailed it to appear stripped of all its field components. The k59 upper carriage fit perfectly. The gun’s support beam is my own concept. It’s built of styrene strip and rod, with weld beads of epoxy putty. The lower carriage bolts to the truss via the empty fittings for the wheels and trails. The large bolts are MasterClub’s. Before I even began the interior detail I knew most of it would not be visible once the gun was in position. But I wanted to see what I could achieve with styrene, and I needed practice painting. Besides, I’m retired and I have the time. A confession is in order. I was working with two sets of interior photos - an Irish L-60 and a Dominican Republic L-60. The views of the Irish final drive provided wonderful detail,

The modified AFV Club lower carriage.

The same template was marked with 10° radii to locate the 36 holes.

while in the Dominican example a modern housing filled the forward compartment obscuring everything. After weeks of scratchbuilding I realized that the cover was indeed original - it was missing from the Irish tank. Well . . . that explained all the exposed red primer around the transmission. Refusing to obscure my work, and with suggestions from friends, I accepted the “explanation” that the extra weight of the Pak overheated the final drive necessitating removal of the housing?! On the underside of the glacis the main feature is the box for the hinged headlight cover, with its levers and wiring - but it’s invisible. Apart from the Aber PE floor plate, almost all the interior is

A beam was scratch built from plastic strip and rod.

made from styrene sheet, strip and rod. The small rivets on the shaft housing are Archer surface details. In the absence of diagrams to correct for the perspective error of the reference photos, a lot of trial and error was required to settle on the size and position of parts. This consumed more time than the actual fabrication. Some forethought was also needed in conjuring how to engineer components so they could be painted prior to final assembly. Although the transmission is dominant, I was particularly pleased with the minute linkages, on .010" and .015" rod. The key to working at such a tiny scale is to add one piece at a time, and to position them with a droplet

Parts from k59’s RSO detail set were used on the 7.5cm PaK 40.

And here they are together in position on the hull.

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Apart from the Aber PE floor plate, almost all the interior is made from The small rivets on the shaft housing are Archer surface details. styrene sheet, strip and rod.

of saliva. No... water won’t work, as it’s the protein in saliva that actually “sticks” the parts together. Then, with a 10/O or smaller brush apply a little liquid cement, either Testors or Tamiya Extra Thin, although the latter may be too “hot” for some pieces. The control panel was originally built into the transmission housing. But without the cover, I had to portray a detached panel bolted to the floor. The dial is Archer’s on a disc of .003" aluminum, and the switches are PE washers with brass wire. The travel lock is a simplified copy of the Marder II’s. The clamp is .010" strip, heat formed around a dowel. The nuts are by Master Club. As in the original Toldi, the Páncélvadász had a crew of three: driver, loader and commander/ gunner. The gun crew was protected with 13mm armoured side shields. These were simple vertical slabs that appear to be only spot welded to the superstructure. Although the front is not seen in the prototype photo, I envisioned angled sheets abutting the Pak’s shield, but allowing some traverse. I used .015" card, with welds beads from Archer and Tamiya epoxy putty. Support brackets were added to the inside, with handles and tarp loops outside. The loops are stretched sprue wrapped around a drill bit and dipped in boiling water. A simple jig allowed me to cut uniform loops. The ammunition locker over the engine deck is surprisingly elaborate, in comparison to the crude side shields. It angles from top to bottom and front to back, and incorporates a curved step. It’s far from the simple boxes on the Marder II. I experimented with cardboard mock-ups before building the box from .010" & .005" sheet. The lid clasps are Verlinden. To allow ready access to the engine, I made the box easily removable. It’s held by two bolts at the back, and secured at the front with two pins - .020" brass wire on

fine “chains” of .006” copper wire twisted and crimped. Toldis carried a R5 or R5a Hungarian radio in the turret. But they were not equipped with an inter-connecting intercom system as used by the Germans. Only the commander was connected to the radio, passing orders to the driver via a speaker. I could find only partial views of the front of the radio rack. Using conjecture, and estimated dimensions, I made a cabinet from .005" card. And rather than try and scratch-build the elaborate R5 radio I stayed with the “trial” theme, mounting an empty rack and cable conduit awaiting an instillation. The conduit is .019 brass tube, with clips bent from E.T. Model’s PE brass strip. A spindle shaped antenna mount is see on the front right corner of the prototype’s shield. It’s not the usual Hungarian corrugated cone type, but I did find a Nimrod photo with the same style. With the commander to the left of the gun, there is no room

The travel lock is a simplified copy of the Marder II’s. The clamp is .010” strip, heat formed around a dowel.

for the radio on that side. But there is space on the right, where the antenna mount is seen. So my radio instillation went there. I cannot imagine how the commander had access to it. Maybe that contributed to the design’s failure? In keeping with the “trial” paradigm I added a clip board, in proper A4 size - the format adopted by Hungary in 1938 (I love this kind of trivia). I placed a Hungarian fire extinguisher on the left front

One of the side sheilds, with Archer Fine Transfer weld beads.

The ammunition stowage locker.

The shelves along the walls are for MG magazines.

shield, and tossed on a couple of helmets. The driver’s leather “tanker” helmet was turned from styrene rings, with a lead foil drape. Compared to the German Stahlhelme, the M1935 Hungarian helmet had different liner rivets, and a bracket on the back. I modified a Tamiya spare, with a strip of .003" aluminum. Based on a Panzerjager I example, a “clip on” periscope was hung on the shield, using one of the driver’s episcopes. It’s a modified Tamiya scope. A

Support brackets were added to the inside, with handles and tarp loops outside.

The retaining pins, compared here to a 50 link chain.

The loops are stretched sprue wrapped around a drill bit.

The radio rack and conduit.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 Hungarian Light Tank 38M Toldi I Conversion • Kit No. 82477

The base colour for the transmission was NATO Green highlighted with a mix of NATO Green and Deck Tan. It looked bland, so I overshot the panel centers with dilute bright Green

B PAINTING & WEATHERING Unless noted otherwise, all colours are Tamiya acrylics, with Winsor & Newton oils.

INTERIOR The colours of Hungarian AFV interiors, including the Toldi, are debatable although the driver’s compartment of the Lethel was reportedly silver, with the remainder green. I started with a red primer base - a mix of Flat Red and NATO Brown, followed by hairspray. The driver’s area is Flat Aluminum. It was a little “sparkly”, so I subdued that with an overspray of very dilute Sky Grey. The fighting compartment is Gray Green IJN. Note: spraying into deep corners produces turbulence, interrupting the air flow and causing surface “pebbling.” Use an acrylic retarder to prevent this. The driver’s floor and other

heavy wear areas were chipped down to the primer, then all was sealed with Semi-Gloss Clear. The soiling is an airbrushed mix of Red Brown and NATO Black. A pin-wash of Raw Sienna worked on the aluminum, with Abt 502 Olive Green on the red primer. I darkened the olive green with Burnt Umber for the fighting compartment. Oil and grease stains are various mixtures of AK Engine Oil, Burnt Umber, black enamel and clear gloss. Graphite was rubbed on wear areas. The leather seat is a mix of Desert Yellow and NATO Brown, highlighted with the Desert Yellow. I applied a coat of Clear Orange, then Semi-Gloss Clear. It should be darker. You can’t see it in the finished model, but I’m really pleased with the transmission. The base was NATO Green highlighted with a

The placard is from Archer.

mix of NATO Green and Deck Tan. It looked bland, so I overshot the panel centers with dilute bright Green. Alclad II Aluminum and Steel were used as bare metal. The placard is Archer’s. A pin-wash of Raw Umber was followed by some dust pigments, and the ends of the linkages were buffed with graphite.

7,5CM PAK 40 I wanted the Pak to stand out from the chassis and to look like a used field piece. So I portrayed it in German Dunkelgelb, with moderate weathering. A base of Red Brown served as pre-shading, and was followed by a patchy overspray of Dark Yellow. The Yellow was darkened with Flat Earth for shadows, and lightened with Deck Tan for highlights. A Passion Models

decal was applied to the matt surface (by first dipping it in Future), followed by an overall coat of Vallejo Matt Varnish. Soiled streaks and blotches are airbrushed Flat Black mixed with Red Brown, and the chips are sponged Vallejo German Camo Black Brown. Burnt Umber oil was used as a subdued pin-wash. Rusting is AK Light Rust wash with some AK Rust Streaks. Worn edges were buffed with graphite. The k59 sight mount is a gem. Its body is Humbrol 27 Matt Sea Grey buffed with graphite, and the knobs are Vallejo Oily Steel. Lastly the block, breach and muzzle break were buffed with AK Dark Steel pigment - this stuff is great!

A pin-wash of Raw Umber was followed by some dust pigments, and the ends of the linkages were buffed with graphite.

Pak 40 - note the effective AK Dark Steel pigment.

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SIDE SHIELDS Early on I chose the side shields as an opportunity to try my hand at a bare scrap-metal finish. I began with a dark base of Red Brown mixed with Flat Black, over which was sponged chips of AK’s Light Rust, Medium Rust and Dark Rust. I toned down the chips with a dilute overspray of the base colour. Note that with each of these steps, I varied the pattern from panel to panel. After a coat of hair spray, I airbrushed large patches of Dark Grey. These were chipped and sealed with Flat Clear. Another coat of hair spray was followed with blotches of Gray Green IJN and Dark Sea Grey. These were chipped and sealed with Semi-Gloss Clear. Some of the outer panels had been masked to show where scrap sheets had been stacked together. Washes and streaks of rust were sparingly added with Abt 502 oils Light Rust Brown and Dark Rust. The weld burns began by spraying German Grey along each side of the weld, then adding scorch spots of Sky Grey. Vallejo Model Color Oily Steel was carefully brushed along the weld itself, and soiled (not rusted) with dilute AK Streaking Grime. The radio rack is NATO Green lightened with Gray Green IJN, then shadowed with NATO Green alone. The Archer placard was sealed under Vallejo Satin. Oil pinwashes of Venetian Red and Burnt Umber followed. I dry-brushed the edges with Abt 502 German Ochre, and some graphite. The antenna conduit was chemically blackened, and buffed with graphite. A

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A Early on I chose the side shields as an opportunity to try my hand at a bare scrap-metal finish. I began with a dark base of Red Brown mixed with Flat Black, over which was sponged chips of AK’s Light Rust, Medium Rust and Dark Rust. B After a coat of hair spray, I airbrushed large patches of Dark Grey. These were chipped and sealed with Flat Clear. C Another coat of hair spray was followed with blotches of Gray Green IJN and Dark Sea Grey. These were chipped and sealed with Semi-Gloss Clear D Some of the outer panels had been masked to show where scrap sheets had been stacked together. E Washes and streaks of rust were sparingly added with Abt 502 oils Light Rust Brown and Dark Rust. F The weld burns began by spraying German Grey along each side of the weld, then adding scorch spots of Sky Grey. G The completed side shield & welds, radio rack & conduit

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 Hungarian Light Tank 38M Toldi I Conversion • Kit No. 82477

B AMMUNITION LOCKER Obviously the complex shell locker was purposefully made, and worth protecting. So to further the colourful scheme I left it in primer. But I was afraid it might look like just a big boring red box. I began with a dark pre-shade of Hull Red, followed by the “red primer” mix of Flat Red and NATO Brown. This was a little too dark, so I added blotches and streaks of thinned Flat Red. I tried dilute Olive Green for some shadows, and highlighted the upper edges using Hull Red lightened by Deck Tan. A coat of Vallejo Satin was followed with pin-washes of Raw Umber oil and Abt 502 Olive Green, then random patches & streaks of Abt 502 Faded Camo Maroon, Abt 502 Primer Red, and W&N Venetian Red. I protected all this with Vallejo Matt. I added more blotches of dilute Raw Umber, then spots of AK Streaking Grime flicked from a brush. What really worked was “bleaching” the upper sides with a pink mixture of Titanium White and Venetian Red. Lastly the edges were rubbed with graphite. I employed the basics of this process on the red primer of the travel lock, the Pak’s support beam, and the right sprocket wheel (my moniker).

EXHAUSTS The exhausts were done almost entirely by airbrush. Over a NATO Black base, I sprayed a “reddish orange” mixed from Flat Red, Flat Yellow and Red Brown. This was applied irregularly, concentrating on the cylinder tops and the hot pipes. Then came streaks and splotches of German Grey, and Sky Grey. I buffed the engine pipes with Tamiya Weathering Master D “burnt blue”, and dusted the open ends with black pigment.

The painted and weathered ammunition locker.

headlight. The various louvers were accented with a pin-wash of Payne’s Gray oil. I should clarify my painting sequence. The side shields had to be finished before being fixed to the chassis. But this meant first painting part of the upper deck; I couldn’t paint the entire chassis as too much handling was involved. After the shields were attached, they were masked and the rest of the tank camo’d. The decals are Bison’s. I trimmed the carrier film and applied them over a localized gloss coat. The plate number is spurious - apparently the Páncélvadász was 376. After an overall protective coat of Vallejo Satin, preparatory to weathering, I muted the bright white of the decals with thinned Desert Yellow. I do not subscribe to the “beat to hell” philosophy of weathering; and why risk obscuring all that detail? Besides, this model represents a trial vehicle, not one in combat. So I kept the wear and tear to a minimum. Chips were sponged on with

The exhausts were done almost entirely by airbrush. Over a NATO Black base, I sprayed a “reddish orange” mixed from Flat Red, Flat Yellow and Red Brown.

Vallejo German Camo Black Brown, while the few scratches are a mix of Humbrol 85 Coal Black & 153 Insignia Red - using enamels allows the marks to be refined with a brush moistened with thinner. Pin-washes and stains are Burnt Umber and AK Streaking Grime. Busy areas, like the rear deck, were dirtied with AK Engine Grime. Tonal variation was achieved by blending Yellow Ochre oil onto the yellow areas, and Abt 502 Olive Green onto the green. Subtle rusting is AK Rust Streaks, Burnt Sienna oil (my favorite) and Abt 502 Light Rust Brown. Dust and dirt is Humbrol 72 Khaki Drill, Abt 502 Dark Mud, and AK European Earth pigment. Lastly, worn areas were rubbed with graphite.

RUNNING GEAR The Friulmodel track runs were polished with a soft brass brush, then “blackened” with liquid gun bluing. A bristle brush removed any chalky residue. AK Track Wash was applied to the bottom and sides, followed

by dabbing with a slurry of AK Track Rust pigment in odourless thinner. This was secured with MIG Pigment Fixer airbrushed at 10psi. Slurries of AK European Earth, and AK Dark Earth pigments were also dappled on and fixed. Using a hair dryer after each step hastens the process. A soft brass buffing wheel was used to polish the horns & tops of the runs, before finishing by sanding the cleats to bare metal. The road wheels’ tires were gouged to impart wear, then sprayed Dark Grey, blotched with some Neutral Grey. The “new” wheel was left unchipped, and its tires a fresher Field Blue. I cut Tamiya tape masks to protect the tires while I painted the wheels. I have a trick for the bare steel of the sprocket teeth and idler rims; they are Alclad II Aluminum, over Alclad’s Gloss Black Primer. Lacquers are impervious to ammonia, so after painting the wheels, a Windex soaked cotton bud wipes off the excess acrylic down to the “steel”. Finally I darken the bare metal with a buffing of graphite.

CAMOUFLAGE SCHEME Steve Zaloga lists the Toldi’s camouflage as “ochre and chocolate brown” over a base coat of “army green”, and gives FS matches. I compromised with NATO Green, Desert Yellow and Red Brown. First came a coat of Tamiya’s fine grey surface primer. The exposed turret ring is Alclad II Steel. It was masked off and the soft-edge camo scheme sprayed free hand, beginning with the lighter yellow. After the green and brown I touched-up any overspray, and toned down the contrasts with a misting of dilute NATO Green lightened with Deck Tan. The hull sides and the running gear were left in the base green, as was the new storage box and the pedestal

Shields, welds, new storage box, camo finished & decals muted all awaiting weathering

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Modelspec HobbyBoss Hungarian light tank 38M Toldi I kit #82477 k59 7.5cm Pak 40 (for DML RSO) kit #C-019 Tools & Materials Used:

Only a single photograph exists - a left rear view - yet its unusual features were enough to spark my interest in a build.

Iwata HP-BH airbrush, Iwata CM-B airbrush, Quik-Cure 5 min epoxy, Tamiya Epoxy Putty Quick Type, Tamiya Extra Thin cement, Tamiya masking tape, Testors liquid cement, Zap thin CA. Paints & Finishing Products: AK interactive acrylics, oils, pigments, washes. Alclad II metallic lacquers, graphite pencils, gun bluing, Humbrol enamels, MIG Pigment Fixer, Tamiya acrylics, Tamiya epoxy putty - quick type, Tamiya putty - basic type, Tamiya surface primer - fine grey, Tamiya weathering master set D, Vallejo acrylics, Winsor & Newton oils, 502 Abteilung oils. Accessories Used:

The completed model. Compare this to the prototype in the reference photo.

Aber PE engrave plate PP08 AFV Club base plate from Pak 40 kit 35071 Archer German information placards AR35215 Archer M.B. G4 instruments & placards AR35373 Archer Surface details #1 - rivets AR88001 Archer Surface details #6 - welds AR88006 Bison Decals Hungary in WW2, pt II 35114 Eduard PE for Marder IID 35266 Elf headlights E.T. Model brass strip T-002 Friulmodel tracks - Toldi Nimrod ATL-128 MasterClub bolts & nuts MiniArt Hungarian tank crew 35157 M.V. Products clear lens L116 Passion Models SPG & artillery decal set P35D-005 ReHeat seat buckles RH03 Verlinden German clamps & clasps 2499 References

FINISHING TOUCHES Hungarian helmets were green. Mine is Gray Green IJN darkened with Dark Green, then highlighted with just the Gray Green IJN. A pin-wash of Burnt Umber was followed by a dry-brushing of Humbrol 117 Light US Green.

The leather helmet is Medium Blue with a pin-wash of Payne’s Gray, and a subtle dry-brushing of Abt 502 German Grey Highlight. The tool straps are Vallejo Panzer Aces Leather Belt, highlighted with Abt 502 German Ochre. The buckles were

chemically blackened. And finally, to the apparent horror of many, I remain an unrepentant heretic - I don’t paint figures. The size referencing mannequin is from MiniArt’s Hungarian tank crew. ■

“Magyar Steel - Mushroom Model Magazine Special No 4101”, C. Becze, 2006, Stratus, Poland, ISBN 978-83-89450-29-6 “Tanks of Hitler’s Eastern Allies 1942-45”, S. Zaloga, 2013, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, UK, ISBN 978-1-78096-020-3 “Panzerjäger Marder II SdKfz 131”, W. J. Gawrych, 2004, Model Centrum Progress, Warsaw, Poland, ISBN 83-920254-1-5 (for the 7,5cm Pak 40) http://photo.qip.ru/users/pakuro/4093241/98261001/ #mainImageLink Excellent walk-around of a Kubinka Museum Toldi Adam Romsits of Budapest, Hungary was an inexhaustible source of information regarding the Toldi, and Hungarian armour in general. The errors in my interpretation stem from me stubbornly ignoring his advice. Interior views of L-60’s were generously provided by members of “Missing-lynx” and IPMS Ireland: Simon Ashford, Glenn Goens, Carlos A. Bravos Rodriquez and ‘Gary’. HobbyBoss Hungarian light tank 38M Toldi I ✓ Well engineered, simple construction ✗ Poor tracks, soft details, flawed storage box Rating: 8/10 k59 - 7,5cm Pak 40 (for DML RSO) ✓ Excellent fit, strong resin, great instructions ✗ Loose block, imperfect muzzle break Rating: 9/10

The road wheels’ tires were gouged to impart wear, then sprayed Dark Grey, blotched with some Neutral Grey.

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KIT PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 Schwere Wehrmachtschlepper sWS General Cargo Version • Kit No.CB-35172

If this looks a bit familiar, it is because Bronco has re-boxed and added new parts to the Great Wall 1:35 scale sWS kit. Alex Dutt examines the result.

UNDER COVER HALF TRACK T he Schwere Wehrmacht Schlepper (or ‘sWS’ for short) was a 5 ton half-track used by the Germans during WWII. Designed to replace the Sd.Kfz.6 and Sd.Kfz.11 half-tracks, a total of 825 Schwere Wehrmacht Schleppers were manufactured by BüssingNAG and Tatra from December 1943 through to the end of the war. Early examples of the sWS were unarmoured ‘soft-cab’ vehicles, whilst later versions were up-armoured including an enclosed driver’s compartment. Variants of the sWS included; prime mover with cargo bed, anti-aircraft version with 3.7cm FlaK, and a Panzerwerfer variant fitted with 15cm Nebelwerfer 42 rockets. Bronco kit No.35172 represents the unarmoured cargo variant of the sWs and is largely a re-release of the Great Wall Hobby kit that came on the market around 4-5 years ago, albeit with some key changes. I compared the parts of this new Bronco kit with that of the original Great Wall Hobby kit and upon a preliminary comparison the parts seem largely identical with one (or possibly two) exceptions. There are however some very welcome additions to this Bronco release that puts it well ahead of the former Great Wall Hobby version, but more on that in a moment. The kit comprises 10 sprues and a chassis frame moulded in tan plastic, 2 medium brown sprues for the individual track links, and 2 clear sprues. Also included is a modest photo etched fret, and a compact decal sheet with marking

for 3 different vehicles and dials for the dashboard. Although the majority of the kit parts originate from Great Wall Hobby moulds as previously mentioned, they’re certainly on par with Bronco’s typical high degree of detail, finesse, and moulding quality. A notable inclusion in this Bronco kit is the full Maybach HL42 TRKMS engine. As with the base vehicle kit, the engine is also of Great Wall Hobby origins and was initially sold as a separate kit at the time of release. As such, with the inclusion of vehicle and engine, this Bronco release is really two kits in one. Furthermore, Bronco has included a small sprue of newly tooled parts to correct the inaccuracies and omissions of the Great Wall Hobby engine mouldings. These new parts include a revised oil pan at the bottom of the engine block, a reworked fan belt arrangement, and pieces to construct an oil reservoir that was missing from the original kit. However, the most significant addition to this Bronco kit is undoubtedly the newly tooled tarpaulin for the large rear cargo deck. By cleverly moulding the tarp in transparent plastic, this enables the modeller to easily replicate the windows of the tarp by careful use of masks during painting. This new ‘tarp sprue’ includes parts for the side covers of the driver’s compartment too, which also have windows. To round out this aspect of the kit, Bronco has retooled the tilt of the driver’s compartment in order to match the new parts from the

‘tarp sprue’. The tilt is the only former Great Wall Hobby moulding that I could readily confirm as having been reworked by Bronco, with other improvements to the original kit provided by way of additional parts as noted above. One point of contention with the original Great Wall Hobby incarnation of this kit was the road wheels. The real vehicle had a mix of spoked and dished road wheels which were of different diameters. The effect of these mismatching roadwheel sizes would balance out as the rubber cushioning of the dished road wheels depressed under the weight of the vehicle, yet the all steel spoked road wheels did not. This equalising effect was not replicated within the Great Wall Hobby kit, and resulted in some of the road wheels hovering above the inner face of the track links even though these kit wheels were dimensionally accurate. This aspect of the kit seems unchanged with this Bronco release having measured and examined them closely on the sprue, but I’ll retain my final judgement until I actually build the kit. Either way, rectifying this issue should be relatively straightforward if required. In summary, this is a very comprehensive and well detailed kit and I would certainly put it up there with Bronco’s Sd.Kfz.6 series, Dragon’s Sd.Kfz.7 series, or Tamiya’s Sd.Kfz.9 for example. Bronco should be commended for taking the time to rectify some of the shortcomings and omissions of the previous manufacturer’s release as opposed to simply reissuing it unchanged. The extras included in this Bronco release certainly add a lot to the original base kit and as a result I wouldn’t hesitate to highly recommend it! ■

Moulding quality is excellent.

A mix of road wheels is supplied.

The one-piece chassis.

The tarp is supplied as a clear parts.

The clear plastic allows the clear windows to be masked before painting.

The tarp top is a separate part.

Thanks to Bronco for the sample www.bronco-model.com The kit photo-etched fret.

Markings are supplied for three vehicles.

Individual track links are included.

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13/06/2014 14:53

SHOW REPORT

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014

SHIZUOKA T

his was only my second trip to Japan, so the prospect was still fresh and keenly anticipated. In fact, for me, travel to Japan is fresher than to most countries as Tokyo’s time zone is only one hour behind Sydney meaning that jet lag is not an issue. With a flying time of around nine hours, for an Australian it is a mere snip compared to the 23 hours needed for a European visit or 14 hours to Los Angeles.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY I stepped off the plane into the quiet arrival hall of Tokyo Narita International Airport, moved quickly through Customs, picked up my suitcase and within 20 minutes of landing was standing on the platform of the Narita Express train to Tokyo. I would not classify myself as a train person, but I do love the public transport in Japan. It is fast, frequent, ubiquitous, inexpensive; and even a foreigner such as myself can quickly master the colour-coded, criss-crossing subway and JR lines of Tokyo. Arriving at Shinagawa after 9:30pm, the station was uncustomarily quiet – just the occasional company man heading home from a bar. I trudged up the hill to my hotel and a rest after this long day. I was up and about too early next morning to catch my train to Shizuoka, so I did some reconnaissance at Shinagawa Station. It was raining, but only a fine mist wafted to the ground; not the sort of deluge that usually collapses on Sydney. Unlike last night when just a smattering of office workers were making their way home, this morning the joint was jumping. The station is an example of functional public design - cavernous, with the ever-present neon advertisements. I was swept along a relentless tide

of grey suits, and had to cross the human current to reach the ticket office on the other side. I returned a few hours later with my bags to join the Shinkansen Super Express to Shizuoka – that’s the Bullet Train to you and me. The duck-billed Shinkansen pulled alongside the platform and I found a window seat. I could feel the power and speed of the train building as we accelerated through the builtup suburbs of Tokyo, seamlessly blending with Yokohama before the countryside became sparse, dotted with back yards and factories and paddy fields and telegraph lines and those untidy clusters of buildings that seem to sprout up beside railways lines everywhere. Every now and then, a bullet train would speed past in the other direction, buffeting our carriage. When you are standing on a platform and a Shinkansen train races through at full speed, it is quite an experience. These things are fast enough to create their own weather system! Eventually, the landscape changed to a backdrop of ragged mountains, shrouded by mist and fixed still against the blurred foreground. After speeding through tunnels and past wooded hills, the great vista of Mount Fuji emerged on the right. Before too long, our train slowed for Shizuoka Station. The first item of business was Wednesday’s Agents Briefing at Tamiya’s Shizuoka Head Office. Surprisingly, there were no new-tool aircraft announcements this year; but there were plenty of military, car, motorcycle and radio control releases on hand. The tour was also very interesting, guiding us behind the scenes to administration, design, tooling and more. Of course, the biggest announcement was the Mark IV Male Tank, which was seen on the sprues and also in action, rolling across a scale-sized battlefield courtesy of its motor and workable tracks. A

A fine view of a brooding Mt. Fuji from the Shizuoka hotel.

Tamiya’s Shizuoka Headquarters.

The Shizuoka Hobby Show is held in both large halls of the Twin Messe exhibition centre.

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A 2014 Tamiya’s head office boasts an impressive museum with all of its own releases plus a number of unique artifacts on display. This is open to the public.

The Editor visits the Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014, and finds that getting there is half the fun.

A team of four modellers were working on models to be displayed the next day at the Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014.

Two high views of the mail hall.

Many companies were present, including DEF Model (with Brett Green) Scott Hards with Brian and Ryan from HobbyLink Japan / Beaver Corporation making videos.

The first day showgoers queue for entry.

Tamiya’s large stand at the Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014.

The 1:35 scale WWI Mark IV Male tank was the crown on the Tamiya stand.

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SHOW REPORT

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014

SHIZUOKA B NEW KIT DISPLAYS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS The trade days of the 2014 Shizuoka Hobby Show followed on Thursday and Friday. A number of new and forthcoming military releases were on display:

TAMIYA In addition to the WWI Mark IV Male Tank, Tamiya also announced a set of five 1:35 scale British WWI Infantry figures. These are moulded in action poses, and feature alterative head gear to allow them to be finished as trench soldiers or regular infantry. Also on Tamiya’s table were some co-operative ventures including a reboxing of Tasca’s 1:35 scale Sherman Firefly with new stowage and figures, plus ICM’s German 7.62cm PaK 36(r) in a North African diorama setting, complete with seven figures. Tamiya will also be releasing a revitalised Italeri 1:35 scale Sd.Kfz.10 with newly moulded accessory parts and figures. The new 1:48 scale Achilles 17 pdr Tank Destroyer is 100% Tamiya – looking forward to that one too!

Tamiya’s 1:35 scale WWI British WWI Infantry.

The 1:35 scale German 7.62cm Pak 36(r) diorama includes a reboxing of ICM’s gun kit.

MENG Meng had sprues, a completed kit and box art for their forthcoming 1:35 scale Russian “Terminator” Fire Support Combat Vehicle, based on the T-72 chassis.

Aoshima’s impressive 1:72 scale Patriot Missile system.

These German 1:35 scale figures were chowing down.

Dragon new 1:3 Heavy

AMUSING HOBBY Amusing Hobby continues their pursuit of all things unusual in armour with a 1:35 scale VK7201, and a Panzerkampfwagen VII Lowe. A new 1:35 scale BMD-1 was also on display.

FINE MOLDS Fine Molds were present with a big stand that included a display of their forthcoming 1:35 scale Japanese Type 61 tank, and also a selection of new post-war and modrn Japanese trucks, Jeeps and a carrier. A

Hobby Boxx 1:35 Sd.Kfz.222 and squeeze gun.

The latest addition to HobbyBoss’ T-26 family is a Model 1938.

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A 2014 The new 1:35 scale Sd.Kfz.10 half track is an updated release of the The all-Tamiya Achilles Tank Destroyer. old but still very respectable Italeri kit.

Dragon’s stand had sprues from the new 1:35 scale “Black Label” M6A1 Heavy Tank on display.

The new 1:35 scale T-28 Soviet Heavy Tank was on the Hobby Boss stand.

Grochi’s 1:35 scale M3A2 Bradley.

Fine Molds’ 1:35 scale Japanese Type 61 tank, due for release later this year.

Hobby Boss’ 1:35 scale GMC CCKW Fuel Truck.

Zoukei–Mura is expanding into the military market with two new fantasy Panzers.

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SHOW REPORT

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014

SHIZUOKA B AOSHIMA Aoshima’s 1:72 scale Japanese Patriot PAC-3 Launching Station looked very impressive, even in this small scale.

DRAGON Dragon had several stands in the main hall, with recent releases such as their 1:35 scale “Chow Time” figure set and M6A1 US Heavy Tank on display.

HOBBY BOSS

Zitader’s 1:35 scale Hexagonal 12mm howitzer turret conversion.

Hobby Boss’ stand included new and forthcoming releases such as the 1:35 scale Soviet T-37TU, the BA-10 armoured car and the big T-28 tank. Also on the stand was their US GMC Fuel Truck, T-26 Model 1938, and various aftermarket track sets.

Zitader also had a Soviet 76mm Matilda conversion on their stand.

GROCHI Grochi was a new name to me. They had an impressive 1:35 scale M3A2 Bradley on display.

ZOUKEI-MURA Zoukei-Mura are expanding into the armour field with two forthcoming 1:35 scale fantasy Panzers.

Meng’s forthcoming 1:35 scale “Terminator”.

ZITADER Zitader had a number of new accessories and conversions, including a 1:35 scale T-34 122mm Quepola Hexagonal Turret, as well as a Soviet Matilda conversion.

ASUKA (EX-TASCA) Asuka’s 1:24 scale Bantam jeep was out in force on the Asuka stand. This is an impressive looking model.

TRADE DAYS The trade days at the Shizuoka Hobby Show are busy and businesslike. Besuited visitors speak in hushed tones, meetings take place, and companies show off their new releases on glossy stands.

A

Plenty of vendors were on hand as well as private sellers.

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A 2014 Asuka’s impressive 1:24 scale Bantam.

Amusing Hobby living up to its name with a couple of 1:35 scale VK7201 kits on display.

Life Like Models was one of the companies that had set up in the Flea Market for the weekend.

Amusing Hobby’s 1:35 scale Soviet BMD-1.

This was a clever product that allow paint to be used as an aerosol.

Lots of foliage, courtesy of Kamizukuri.

The feeding frenzy at Saturday’s Flea Market.

Demonstrations by master modellers were also conducted.

Oh, the humanity! A view of the crowd in the display area on the first Public Day.

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SHOW REPORT

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2014

SHIZUOKA 2014 …and so we say “farewell” to the Shizuoka Hobby Show for another year.

B On the weekend, however, the

public is unleashed. I have never seen so many people at a model show. The crowds really are quite overwhelming. And the reason they are here is to see the models. More than 8,000 models were on display over Saturday and Sunday. This is a remarkable number in itself, but even more amazing is the consistently high standard of construction, painting, weathering and creativity – with the occasional brilliant piece bursting even above that level. This is not a competition – it is local clubs sharing their work with the public. The visitors form a four-personwide conga line that shuffles elbow to elbow along the aisles in the large display hall. The Japanese Ground SelfDefense Force was on hand too, with a couple of wheeled vehicles plus one of their newest assets – a Type 10 tank. Also for the Public Days, a Flea Market was set up in one of the buildings. This featured a brisk trade in second hand kits as well as some local manufacturers and “how-to” demonstrations.

HOMEWARD BOUND All good things come to an end and on Sunday morning I packed up, checked out and made the return journey to Tokyo. As I had a few hours to spare I checked my bags into the Tokyo Central Station baggage services area and caught the local JR train to Akihabara, where I visited one of the famous multi-story Yellow Submarine model stores. We will have more news and builds of some of the models launched at the 2014 Shizuoka Hobby Show in future issues of Military Illustrated Modeller magazine. ■

Club members, often the builders of the models on display, were there to answer questions and provide more information.

This amazing full-sized A6M5 Zero Type 52 instrument panel drew penty of attention.

A full-sized gunsight was on the same stand.

There were dozens of themed stands amongst the displays.

Modelling or art?

Surrounded! Japanese Type 10 main battle tank.

There’s a whole brass band in there somewhere…

Back at the Hotel Century, one of the lobby spaces had been transformed into a Mini 4WD racing track. An impromptu model shop had also popped up on the 3rd floor. Model madness everywhere!

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Young Miniatures 1:10 Max Wunsche Western Front 1944 • Item No. YM1826

PANTH

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THER COMMANDER Matt Wellhouser paints Young Miniatures’ 1:10 scale Panther Commander bust, along with the cupola.

A

rmour kits are very popular with modellers. From what I have seen over the years, the German Panther tank is one of the top subjects with modellers. Young Miniatures combined the hint of the turret section and a fantastic figure- we have a winner. The figure is modelled after a very widely published photograph of Max Wunsche, who was a Panzer regiment commander later in the war. The kit depicts Wunsche as the 12th SS Colonel in 1944. This kit is a bit of a switch for the traditional “bust”. The kit encompasses a 3/4 figure and the cupola section of the Panther turret. The kit consists of 48 parts quite a few for a 3/4 figure! Most of the parts make up the cupola. All the parts necessary for the vision blocks, the hatch and the optional machine gun (MG) mount are included. 13 parts make up the figure. Assembly is straightforward, and clean up is minimal on all parts. I decided to start construction of the cupola first- as the figure has to fit inside. I wanted to make sure the figure had no fit issues before painting.

THE CUPOLA The cupola is made up of three main parts - the lower base, the outer section and the hatch. There is also an MG mount ring that is added to the top of the cupola. Inside the turret section is another seven parts that make up the vision block assemblies. Assembly of the blocks is easy stuff - just make sure you dry fit before gluing. They mount into the inside of the upper (outer section), then the armoured covers glue on the outer section of the cupola. The outer section attaches to the base as one assembly. I decided to paint the interior of the cupola with a home brewed mix of ivory - white and buff Tamiya paints- then the floor and other hidden areas were painted flat black. I painted the vision blocks semi-gloss black with the glass portions painted with 2-3 coats of Future floor polish for gloss.

I gave the interior sections a wash with burnt umber oil paint. In the end, very little of the interior of the cupola can be seen. I also drilled a hole through the centre of the base (interior section) for a screw to help hold the cupola to a wood base. The screw head would be covered by the finished figure so it could not be seen. At the end of the build, I actually used the screw and epoxy cement to hold the whole thing to the base. To back up a bit, I was continually test fitting the top and bottom of the cupola together, I drilled two holes through the outside of the cupola to the inner section, then inserted two brass rods to hold the pieces together. These were eventually covered with epoxy putty once glued in place forever- I like to reinforce my assemblies- that way it is a solid affair and going to stay together for a while. Adding the MG ring/rail was probably the trickiest part of the build - it did not fit tight- so a little heat was used to persuade it into position (just soak for a few seconds in hot water-carefully). I would recommend that you refer to pictures of this part on the real tank- the ends have to line up correctly relative to the mounting points. I used A&B putty to finish up the joins between the rail and top of the vision ports. The main hatch has a resin shaft that I thought was a bit flimsy, so I cut it off and replaced it with some aluminium rod. In the cupola, I drilled out the hatch rod mounting hole and added a matching aluminium sleeve for the hatch to slide into- maybe overkill, but I could see this breaking off easily. The exterior gun sight attached to the front of the cupola is resin in the kit- I copied the resin parts onto some sheet brass and made a new one. I added the bolt heads that were missing from the kit part as well. The MG mount was constructed and painted as well. I did not glue this to the rail- its just something to break off- so I left it loose and only add it when I am displaying the model.

The inner and outer cupola sections, still separate but pre-shaded.

Inner and outer cupola sections test-fitted.

Basic camouflage colours applied. Painting and masking the hatch is underway here.

Weathering and chipping the cupola makes all the difference.

Test-fitting the cupola on its wooden display plinth.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Young Miniatures 1:10 Max Wunsche Western Front 1944 • Item No. YM1826

The MG mount was painted and weathered separately. The first step of weathering was adding “chpping” with the point of a fine brush.

Once all the constructing was finished, I assembled the top and bottom of the figure as well as the arms and commenced test fitting the figure into the cupola. Fortunately, the figure fit like a glove- no adjustments or modifications were needed.

PAINTING THE CUPOLA The cupola was painted with Tamiya paints - German Yellow, Red Brown and Olive Green. I added a bit of Clear to mix for a semi-matt finish. I find this helps with washes and weathering later on. Once dry, I gave the cupola a wash of Burnt Umber, Sepia and Burnt Sienna oil colours. I added pin washes of the above with black added around the vision covers, and other weld beads. The interior of the hatch was painted with my ivory mix and brush painted the leather head pad – funny thing is you can’t see the pad unless you turn the model upside down! The

More weathering, this time pigments applied with a disposable Micro Final bare-metal chipping with a silver pencil. Brush.

sealing gasket was brush painted flat black with a touch of Chocolate Brown (Vallejo). Chips and scuffs were added with Vallejo German Camouflage Black Brown applied with a brush. I ground up some pencil lead and rubbed it lightly all over the metal sections of the cupola. More attention was paid to the MG rail and hatch handle as that would have more wear and tear than the other parts of the cupola. I also added some pigments to simulate dust and dirt. I use a home brewed concoction of various colours of household stucco tinting powders for my pigments. You can find these at home centres.

PAINTING THE FIGURE The figure was then primed and painted. This is pretty straightforward. Those readers that follow my work in this magazine will find that my painting techniques don’t vary too much. I use Vallejo

The face was painted using a Vallejo acrylic Brown Sand base, with Basic Skintone and Burnt Cadmium red for highlights and shadows.

paints for most of the finish work. I like to use Citadel paint for metallic- they are fine grained and since they are water based as well, you can mix black, brown and other colours in to the metallic for all sorts of different finishes. I started with the face - Brown Sand base, with Basic Skintone and Burnt Cadmium red for highlights and shadows. Everything is done in thin layers. I add a bit of Burnt Umber and Black for the 5 o’clock shadow. The eyeballs are base coated with a mix of Light Flesh, Brown Sand and Basic Skintone mix. Then I paint the iris and pupils – usually a blue colour as that gives the best “pop” to the eyes. In this scale it’s fairly easy to paint the eyes- because you can see them! The hair was painted with a mix of Brown Sand, Leather Brown, English Uniform and Light Yellow (Wunsche had light brown hair). With the face complete, I worked on the hat and headphones. The

The hat was painted with German Field Grey and Brown Violet. I shaded this colour with Black and highlighted with Sunny Skintone. Metal details were painted with Citadel Boltgun Metal and the piping painted with Vallejo Red.

hat was painted with German Field Grey and Brown Violet. I shaded this colour with Black and highlighted with Sunny Skintone. Metal details were painted with Citadel Boltgun Metal and the piping painted with Vallejo Red. The visor was given a light coat of Future Floor polish for a semi gloss look. I test fitted the headset - the kit has a resin headband, and earphones with photo etched hardware. Once the headband was adjusted to fit with a bit of heat, I glued the photo etched bits and painted the assembly. Young supplies copper wire for the mic and headphone cords, but I substituted fine gauge solder for the leads. I find it much easier to work with.

The visor was given a light coat of Future Floor polish for a semi gloss look.

The earphones glued to the head. The kit has a resin headband, and earphones with photo etched hardware.

The earphones with detail painting and wiring.

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The resin body parts assembled. Note that the hands have not been fitted at this stage.

The tunic was painted with German Field Grey base. The brown “spots” are a mix of Chocolate Brown and Red Leather.

I prime it with grey primer then brush paint it with a red brown shade to simulate the cords. A bit of Internet searching can help you here with reference pictures. The tunic is a custom cut item that was made out of Italian camouflage material. This was not a standard issue item, but big wigs such as Wunsche would often have these custom made. It is similar to the M43 tunic. If you wanted to you could paint his Field Grey, or SS Pea Dot pattern; but it would not match the photographs of Wunsche wearing the Italian version. The tunic was painted with German Field Grey base. The brown “spots” are a mix of Chocolate Brown and Red Leather; and the “Yellow” spots are a mix of Yellow Ochre and Yellow Green. The Field Grey base was painted first, then shaded and highlighted as if you were painting one single colour. I defined the seams and edges of the pockets with washes of

Chocolate Brown and Black. Conversely, as a last step, I highlighted the edges of the fabric with a mix of German Field Grey and Sunny Skintone. There are several good books and Internet images on the subject of German uniforms, particularly the Italian camouflage tunics, trousers, hats, etc. The trick to successful camouflage painting is to keep the mix thin, and don’t worry about coverage on the first coat. It took several passes to get the coverage and result I wanted. I also keep the mix thin to simulate fabric. It’s not as “hard” and bright as camouflage painted on a metal object.

The yellow spots are a mix of Yellow Ochre and Yellow Green.

then successive glazes of various browns - Leather Brown, Chocolate Brown, Brown Sand, Orange Brown and Tan Earth. I varied the shades and amounts applied to each piece to break up the colours a bit. After mounting the cupola on my wood base, I added the figure. I used a brass rod to reinforce the connection. It was mounted in a hole left centre in the leg, then into a hole I drilled into the base. I folded up the kit-supplied map and placed it in his left hand. A spot of white glue keeps it

from slipping out. All finished, the model is impressive. It is very well sculpted and the engineering to assemble the cupola section is ingenious. Although this was not a difficult kit, it could be daunting for those starting out in the figurepainting end of the hobby. It offers conversion possibilities, as Max Wunsche wasn’t the only guy to command a Panther. Swap up a head and reposition the arms, and you have a new kit! But, out of the box this is a great display model. ■

The hand is glued to the map case before it is added to the arm.

DETAILS The rank patches on the sleeves and buttons then finished the tunic. The trousers on the figure, which really can’t be seen, were painted German Field Grey. The belt, gloves and map case were painted with a base of black,

The trick to successful camouflage painting is to keep the mix thin, The rank patches on the sleeves and buttons then finished the tunic. and don’t worry about coverage on the first coat.

The belt, gloves and map case were painted with a base of black, then successive glazes of various browns - Leather Brown, Chocolate Brown, Brown Sand, Orange Brown and Tan Earth.

All finished, the model is impressive.

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

Zvezda

Zvezda

Another excellent release from Zvezda is this 81mm mortar set. The kit actually provides two mortars, one in the firing position with a two man crew, and one being carried by the other two soldiers, all in full winter uniforms. This second pair is unusual in that the legs of the mortar are being carried by both figures with their right arms attached to the top leg. As with all these sets, the moulding is excellent with very little cleanup necessary before assembly and painting. The poses are natural and the sculpting of the uniforms and equipment very convincing. The figures can either be assembled on a single base or two smaller bases for wargaming, or individually for diorama use. Although illustrated on the box artwork, no extra mortar bomb cases are included which is a slight disappointment. Highly recommended. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net Steve Shrimpton

These small Zvezda figure sets are proving very popular with both wargamers and display modellers as they offer varied scenarios and eras with great detail and poses. This kit consists of an MG-34 machine gun on a heavy, sustained fire tripod with a three man crew of gunner, loader and observer. The figures are dressed in full winter uniforms of greatcoats, headscarves and gloves, with the loader carrying a Kar98 rifle and the observer an MP40 sub machine gun. The modelling and detail is excellent, with no flash and minimal mould lines, the MG34 and mount being particularly good. As with all Zvezda figures, the poses look very natural and with careful painting will provide excellent figures for both display and wargaming. Highly recommended. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net Steve Shrimpton

1:72 scale German 81mm Mortar with Crew (Winter 1941-45) Item No. 6209

1:72 scale German MG-34 with Crew (Winter 1941-45) Item No. 6210

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Orange 3D, Singapore

1:72 Scale Kubelwagen Sand Tires, Tin Flimsies, POW Cans & Modern US Jerry Cans Item # 72-008, 72-009, 72-010 & 72-011 (Respectively)

Zvezda

1:72 scale German Infantry in Winter Uniform 1941-45 Item No. 6198

This Zvezda set compliments the other German winter uniform sets providing five figures in full winter uniform in four different poses. As ever, the moulding quality is superb with no flash and minimal mould lines, ensuring easy clean up. The poses are very lifelike and natural, the prone figure reloading his rifle is particularly good. Three of the figures have Kar 98 rifles and two have MP40 machine pistols, with one of the kneeling figures throwing a stick grenade. Again, these figures can be assembled on a single base or individual bases for wargaming, or free standing for dioramas and display. I’m sure these winter sets will prove very popular. Highly recommended. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net Steve Shrimpton

Orange 3D Miniatures established its small-scale military detail credentials with several good quality PE detail sets. They have now begun resin production as well, with the release of four new detail and accessory sets. Production quality is generally quite good, although the tyres seemed just a little out of round to me, with some appearance of delamination in the sidewall areas due to trapped air. I picked at these areas with a #10 scalpel blade, and found the issue was not serious enough to matter. I also noticed that there was some variation in the style of Tin Flimsies and POW cans. Some had recessed side panels and some had flat ones. Those with flat sides also appeared to have some air trapped, but again picking at these showed their skin to be thick enough not to matter. I also noticed that the flat sides are imperfect, but this just lends a dented and used look I feel. The items come supplied in zip-lock plastic bags on a card header. All are useful; whether you wish to produce a DAK Kubelwagen, add some vehicle stowage, or just bring interest to a diorama. The Tin Flimsies and POW cans are particularly welcome in my view. There are ten each of these, whilst there are five water and five fuel jerry cans. All but the Modern US Jerry Cans cost US$5.99, with the jerry cans price at US$8.99 for some reason; this despite their consuming a similar amount of resin as the other items. Orange 3D Miniatures’ resin is sharp and well cast enough where it counts (e.g. filler caps etc), but it seems clear that they still have some way to go to equal the Czechs in casting quality. This said; all of my samples were useable despite their variation in surface appearance evident from my harsh photography lighting. I am happy to recommend them to all but the most fussy of consumers. Recommended. Thanks to Orange 3D Miniatures for the review samples www. o3dminiatures.com Mark Davies

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Incoming

ICM

1:35 SCALE MOSKVITCH-401-420 SALOON • KIT NO. 35479

The Moskvitch 401 saloon first went into production in 1954 and is based on the Opel Kadett K38 after the Soviets removed tooling from the Opel factory as part of their war reparations. Although the tooling was for the two-door version it was modified into a four door with the help of German engineers who worked in the Soviet Occupation Zone. It was to be mass-produced for the people on the order of Stalin and it succeeded as more than 240,000 were built up until production finished in 1956 with some cars exported to East Germany and Norway. ICM has seen fit to model the Moskvitch 401 and in the box you have three sprues in tan styrene, a single sprue for the glazing, vinyl tyres and a small decal sheet. As with other ICM kits reviewed recently the standard of moulding is good with only minor flash and seam lines here and there, no sink marks are present and pin marks are mostly confined to hard to see areas except for the underside of the fenders and inner front wheel arches. Again there is a complete engine included and all that is missing is the wiring. The interior is quite bare but that is typical of cars from this period…no satnav or sound system in those days! The glazing is again a bit thick but useable and will benefit from a dip in Johnsons Kleer/Future or whatever the equivalent is now. The vinyl tyres have flash on the sides and a mould line around the diameter and it will have to be carefully removed otherwise you’ll remove the tread pattern too. Vinyl tyres….ugh! The build should be pretty viceless as it’s only a small car but if you’re feeling adventurous you could always try hacking the doors open to display the… erm… lush interior. You have four colour options which are grey, brown, light brown or the pretty blue one on the box. This time the decal sheet is in register and covers licence plates and Moskvitch logos but no dials for the instrument panel. I’m not sure quite what this kit has to do with military subjects but with the time frame of the vehicle it could be used in dioramas featuring Soviet AFVs or stuffed full of KGB agents on a mission. Either way it’s a great looking model and I may put it together just for the heck of it. Recommended. Thanks to ICM for the sample www.icm.com.ua Andy King

ICM

1:35 SCALE TYP 770K TOURENWAGEN WITH OPEN COVER • KIT NO. 35534

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ICM

1:35 SCALE PACKARD TWELVE (SERIES 1408) AMERICAN PASSENGER CAR • KIT NO. 35536

The Packard Twelve was a top of the range luxury car built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan. First appearing in 1932 as the Packard Twin Six it was renamed the Packard Twelve until the end of it’s production run in 1939. This kit is basically the same as the earlier Packard Twelve that ICM released under the heading of WWII Soviet leaders car and presumably this particular kit is for a WWII American leader although there is no mention made nor any figures to match. In the box you have four sprues moulded in tan styrene, one clear sprue and a small decal sheet, all parts are well moulded with minor bits of flash here and there, pin marks are confined to interior parts and the undersides of fenders and the only sink mark I could find was a shallow one under the front left fender. A full V-12 engine is included although some chopping of the bonnet side panels will be required to see it, the same goes for the main body interior as the doors are moulded closed. The chassis is a multi-part assembly and care will be needed to get it square and flat, I would advise that after gluing it together you should leave it to set for a day or so. The body is moulded in two halves and I can see problems with this and trying to eliminate a seam that goes across the front, roof and rear. Obviously ICM have their reasons for doing it this way but a one piece body would have been preferable as getting rid of a joint line on a part that needs a flawless paint finish will be very tricky, especially as the gluing surfaces are small and most likely very prone to flexing. The tyres are made up of five parts and care will be needed to not get any glue oozing out from between them as removing it will destroy the very fine tread pattern. The clear parts for the windows are good if a little thick and free from any blemishes. The Packard Swan emblem or hood ornament that sits on the radiator is also on the clear sprue and is a nice detail, although the wings are moulded in one piece and you need to cut them in two before attachment. There are three colour options on the painting instructions for a black, blue or brown car with classic white-walled tyres but licence plates for only two, which is odd. One of the licence plates is for the District of Columbia (a further clue that the model is aimed at an American leader) and the other is for a car registered in California. Again this is a nice kit from ICM and another good addition to their range of soft skin vehicles. Recommended. Thanks to ICM for the sample www.icm.com.ua Andy King

The Mercedes Typ 770 series was first produced in 1930 but substantially revised in 1938 with a new chassis made from oval tube and the original engine tweaked from 150bhp to 155bhp. It was the car of choice for high-ranking officers and the likes of Hitler, Goering and others to be ferried around in. In total, 88 vehicles were produced up until 1943 with the last being delivered in 1944. In the sturdy box there are over 200 parts and you have five sprues moulded in tan styrene, a single clear sprue for the windows and lights and a small decal sheet. All parts are well moulded with some light flash and mould lines, no sink marks are present and mould pin marks are in difficult to see areas except for a couple underneath the fenders. The level of detail is good, especially the engine (which seems to be a feature of ICM kits), the chassis is (fortunately) a one-piece assembly and depicts the oval tube used on the real vehicle very well, the bonnet (or hood) can be displayed open but with some cutting of the bonnet panels, the only option is for a closed canvas roof but there looks to be parts from an earlier kit still on the sprue but marked as not for use on the instructions should you wish to have an open top and the tyres are multi-part assemblies in styrene rather than that horrible vinyl stuff. The clear parts are okay if a little thick and there are optional parts for open or closed door windows however, after looking at them, there is a frame around the closed windows that I believe is part of the door, on the open window the frame

is not there so you will have to check your references as I’m not sure what’s going on here. Looking over the instructions assembly seems to be fairly straightforward, the only thing you will have to be careful with is cutting the top of the windscreen frame (part B4) from the sprue as it will be very easy to break. You have four painting options, three of which are overall gloss black with lots of chrome trim but more interestingly (for me anyway) is the fourth option of a vehicle from 1945 in a dark yellow/ green camouflage scheme but still with chrome trim. Colours quoted are from the Model Master paint range only. The decal sheet provides for licence plates, instrument dials and two pennants and is slightly off-register plus the pennants lack swastikas and the dials would be better replaced anyway. This is another very well done kit from ICM and features some nice detail. The relatively low parts count should make for a fairly quick build however getting a good finish with a realistic chrome effect is where it will test you, even on the camouflaged version. This is another great entry for your growing collection of WWII Leaders cars. Highly Recommended. Thanks to ICM for the sample www.icm.com.ua Andy King

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Figures

- A round-up of the latest figure sets on release...

ICM

1:35 SCALE WWII GERMAN ROAD POLICE ITEM NO. 35633 New from ICM is this set depicting ‘German Road Police’. In the box is a single sprue containing five figures. Moulded in a tan coloured styrene, all parts feature mould seams and a small amount of flash is present in places but it’s easily removed and unlike Dragon figures these are not plagued by any die-lines running across them either. The sculpting and detail is once again first class as uniform insignia, undercuts to pockets etc. are very crisply done. The title of this set is German Road Police and three of the figures are indeed police officers with appropriate arm emblem and white tunics, however the other two figures depict chaplains as, although they are wearing typical Wehrmacht uniform, if you look closely they both have a gothic cross on the field cap and one has a crucifix on a chain hanging around the neck. Quite what the relationship to the police officers is I don’t quite know although on the box art one of the police officers appears to be writing out a ticket so it must be clergymen speeding to the next service. Regardless, I think this could be the first time ever that Wehrmacht chaplains have been moulded in 1:35 or any scale come to think of it. The clergyman standing with hands clasped together features the field grey Frock coat that was peculiar to German Army chaplains and field bishops and had violet piping down the front, around the collar and around the edge of the turned back cuffs. The other chaplain has the standard tunic and trousers typical of the period and although no shoulder straps are worn other insignia is such as the breast eagle, collar patches etc. Two of the police officers are depicted wearing typical Wehrmacht tunic and trousers and the third is wearing a long ’duster’ coat and standing on a wooden platform directing traffic. German WWII police uniforms were generally a green rather than a field grey colour although white summer tunics were worn to make officers more visible to traffic and as mentioned white duster coats to protect the uniform underneath. The painting instructions say the trousers are black but I would check your references. I have to say that ICM is doing some really nice work at the moment and these figures are no exception as they are very well rendered and almost on a par with more expensive resin figures. The only nitpick is that decals are not included for any insignia but that’s pretty much standard in figure sets and there are aftermarket items available anyway. Highly recommended. Thanks to ICM for the sample www.icm.com.ua Andy King

ICM

1:35 SCALE WWII GERMAN FIREMEN ITEM NO. 35632 Another new set of figures from ICM and this time something a little different in the form of firemen to compliment their L1500 LLG light fire truck. Moulded in tan styrene, there is a solitary sprue with four figures and various items of fire fighting equipment such as a rolled up hose carried by one of the figures, a fire extinguisher and even a fire hydrant. There is also a length of vinyl tubing included that attaches to the hydrant or the fire truck should you have one in the stash. As with the German Police set reviewed above, there are mould seams and some minor flash but this is easily removed prior to assembly but yet again the detail and sculpting is very well done, particularly the facial expressions. The distinctive helmets also feature very fine dimples that represent ventilation holes, a nice touch but one that can easily disappear under paint. The fire service insignia on the upper left arm is moulded but unfortunately a mould seam runs through one of them so the detail will be destroyed during clean up. I’m not sure if aftermarket decals are available for the fire service or whether Field Police ones can be adapted to suit as the insignia also featured on the left side of the helmet. As with all ICM kits, colours quoted on the instruction sheet are from the Model Master range only so check your references. This is again another fine set of figures from ICM and I certainly look forward to future releases from this Ukrainian manufacturer. Highly recommended. Thanks to ICM for the sample www.icm.com.ua Andy King

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KIT PREVIEW

Kinetic 1:35 4 x 4 MRAP Armoured Fighting Vehicle • Kit No. K61011

Kinetic’s latest foray in its exploration of modern vehicles is a 1:35 scale 4 x 4 MRAP Armoured Fighting Vehicle. The Editor takes a look.

MRAP TO THE MAXX

T

he International MaxxPro MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle is an armoured fighting vehicle designed by American company Navistar International’s subsidiary Navistar Defense along with the Israeli Plasan Sasa, who designed and manufactures the vehicle’s armour. The vehicle was designed to take part in the US Military’s Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle program, led by the US Marine Corps, as well as a similar US Army-led Medium Mine Protected Vehicle program. The MaxxPro utilises a crew capsule with a V-shaped hull, mounted on an International WorkStar 7000 chassis. The V-hull deflects the blast of a land mine or improvised explosive device (IED) away from the vehicle to protect its occupants. Because the chassis is mounted outside the armoured crew capsule, there are concerns that it will likely be destroyed in the event of an ambush, leaving the soldiers inside stranded. However, according to Navistar Defense spokesperson Roy Wiley, the MaxxPro “did extremely well during the tests, and we are extremely pleased.” This design may prove as effective as the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann ATF Dingo that uses a similar design, one which mounts an armored capsule to a Unimog chassis. This design has survived a 7 kg (15 lb) land mine blast with no injuries. According to Navistar Defense,

The photo-etched fret.

the vehicle is designed with operational readiness in mind and uses standardised, easily available parts, to ensure rapid repair and maintenance. The armoured body is bolted together instead of welded, as in other MRAPs. This facilitates repair in the field and is a contributing factor to Navistar’s greater production capacity for the MaxxPro.* Although the packaging labels Kinetic’s model as a generic 4 x 4 MRAP, it is in fact a Navistar MaxxPro. Underneath the attractive box art, Kinetic’s new 1:35 scale MaxxPro comprises 304 parts in grey coloured plastic, 22 photoetched parts, 25 parts in clear, and eight black vinyl parts. Markings are provided for two vehicles. The plastic parts are mainly free from moulding flaws, although there are a number of sink marks here and there that should be filled before construction gets underway. The level of overall detail is good, with the first four steps of the instructions dealing with the running gear, chassis and lower hull. The “V” shaped lower hull is moulded as one main piece with suspension and drivetrain details being built up during these first four construction steps. The upper body, including the engine hood, is cleanly moulded in one large piece. The interior provides the main features and some details – seats, bulkheads, instrument panel, steering wheel and pedals,

The photo-etched fret.

* History section courtesy of Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_MaxxPro

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transmission shift, floor, fire extinguishers and more. The instrument panel has raised moulded detail, and a decal is supplied as an option for the dials. The side doors and rear hatch are moulded as separate parts and may be posed open. The big rear door in particular features some nice interior detail including the entry stairs with non-slip texture. The turret is fitted with armoured glass sections in clear plastic and a well-detailed .50 cal machine gun. The 22 photo-etched parts are mainly for the mesh restraints for the seats and the grilles over the windows. The four black vinyl tyres looks really good, with a convincing sidewall ripple moulded in place. The small decal sheet is printed by Cartograf. As you would expect, registration and printing are perfect. Markings for two fairly generic vehicles are provided. Kinetic’s 1:35 scale 4 x 4 MRAP Armoured Fighting Vehicle is a well detailed and nicely presented kit. It is a fascinating subject and, with its growing usage, there should be some interesting marking possibilities in future too. Kinetic is to be congratulated for their continuing exploration of this new generation of MRAPs. I’ll look forward to seeing what they have for us next! ■

The one-piece upper body.

The V shaped lower hull.

The instrument panel is supplemented with dial decals.

Interior detail is included.

The rear steps with their non-slip texture.

Thanks to Lucky Model for the sample www.luckymodel.com Wheel hub detail.

Nicely detailed tyres.

Lots of windows! August 2014 - Model Military International 57

13/06/2014 15:19

1:48 Scale – A round-up of the latest news and releases

LOOK HOW FAR WE HAVE COME W

ell here we are - Issue 100. It seems only yesterday when the current Editor approached me to write this little column way back in July 2009 in issue 39. In fact, I have been associated with the magazine since Issue 4 when my first article was published. During that time, we have seen some outstanding 1:48 scale plastic and resin kits introduced. Generally on Sundays I wander up to the local markets and browse round the second hand stalls. From time to time, plastic kits and military books turn up. A few weeks ago, I picked up an old Aurora JS-3 for the princely sum of $5. Made in 1963, it was state of the art for the time. Going over the contents of the kit got me thinking and coming to the conclusion, look how far we have come. It must be remembered this is the third crack at military vehicles in this scale. The first to my knowledge was Aurora back in the early 1960s. In the 1970s Bandai also gave the scale a go and for the time they were outstanding kits. The juggernaut that was to become Tamiya introduced more detailed kits in 1:35 scale during that period and quickly found favour with the modelling public, and more importantly with the game changers of the time namely Shep

Paine and Francois Verlinden. Tamiya did dabble in 1:48 scale and produced a series of modern motorised tanks but these were compromised due to the motorisation. It was fitting then, that Tamiya reintroduced the scale with their Kubelwagen in 2003. That kit was so much better that anything that preceded it and started the ball rolling. It was the introduction of the Tiger I and Sherman kits that really put the cat amongst the pigeons, so to speak. Here was a scale that could be detailed and indeed photographed to look every bit as good as their 1:35 scale counterparts. A few like Skybow then promised a full line up of fully detailed kits that could rival anything in 1:35. Sadly, after their Tiger I kits the company was on sold to AFV Club. They took up some of Skybow projects (namely the German 251) and latter the Stumtiger, but that was the extent of their involvement in 1:48. Hasagawa and then Italeri and Hobbyboss joined the fray. Some of those companies’ kits are some for the best 1:48 scale military plastic kits ever made. You know, people often ask me what is the best 1:48 scale plastic kit ever made was and to be honest it is a very hard choice. I still consider the Skybow Tiger series to be in the top five, as are the Hobbyboss T-34 and KV series. The Hasagawa series of 1:48 kits was also very good

with their BMW 327 being one of their best. Bronco was a relative latecomer to 1:48 but brother, did they deliver. Their Staghound series may well and be the most detailed and accurate 1:48 scale military kits ever produced. Given the competition, Tamiya has also lifted their game with some quite superb later releases later namely the JS-2. Comparing all these kits mentioned with my recent Aurora purchase, one can only say “Look how far we have come!”

Until next time Luke Pitt

HAULER

1:48 SCALE BA-64 UPDATE (FOR THE TAMIYA KIT) • ITEM HLX48343

This set is a gem! It addresses most of the overly thick parts contained in the Tamiya kit. Included are the front radiator grills and various tool brackets together with the front and rear mud guards and a complete turret. The inclusion of these parts is a masterstroke as they are so simple to bend and attach to the base model. I’m almost tempted to say if you embark on a build of this kit this update is an absolute must. The photo etch is clean and very well defined. As with all the Hauler updates, the set is simple yet effective. I really can’t recommend this set highly enough. Our thanks go out to Hauler for providing the review samples. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Hauler for the sample www.hauler.cz Luke Pitt

TORO MODEL

1:48 SCALE SDKFZ.232/232 RADIATOR GRILL UPDATE ITEM NO. 48022

Simple, yet highly effective comes to mind when viewing this small update from Toro Model. The Tamiya kit has the spare wheel mounting bracket moulded on to the rear radiator grill, which makes its removal next to impossible. Many of the German Sdkf 231/2 used in the Polish campaign did not have the spare wheel fitted, so this is a welcome addition. The new resin piece simply replaces the kit part and is every bit as good as the original. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Toro Model for the sample http://toro-model.home.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.

ATAK MODEL

1:48 SCALE ZIMMERIT FOR THE TAMIYA STURMGESCHUTZ III AUS G (ALKETT PATTERN) ITEM NO. 4804

HAULER

1:48 SCALE WOODEN BARRELS ITEM NO. HLX48344

Roll out the barrel, we’ll have, a barrel of fun! Five 1:48 scale barrels are on offer in this set, three small and two medium. The casting is flawless and the rather large pour gates simply simply break away. If you looking for something different in the way of stowage for any vehicle, I can’t recommend this set highly enough. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Hauler for the sample www.hauler.cz Luke Pitt

Atak Model is probably most often associated with high quality zimmerit sets for 1:35 scale vehicles. They have in the past produced some quite outstanding in 1:48 scale but this one is new and it is a little different. Now anybody who has ever contemplated modelling a German Sturmgeschutz III will no doubt be aware how difficult it would be to produce the tiled Alkett pattern of zimmerit applied to these vehicles. Now, I know Voyager make a set (48019) but, that does not really address the armoured engine covers very effectively and added to that it is a little difficult to apply. Atak has solved the problem by casting the complete upper hull with the zimmerit already applied. The texture and pattern of the zimmerit is a marvel and has the correct 3D ridge lines, which was somewhat lacking in the Voyager update. The armoured engine covers are also done very well with the zimmerit wrapping around the curved sides of these items. The lower hull does not miss out either, with the traditional thin resin sheets being supplied for hull sides above the running gear and front and rear of the hull. I’d be tempted to say if you embark on a 1:48 scale StuG build in the near future, and the vehicle your doing has zimmerit, you’d be crazy not to use this set. It’s that good, plain and simple. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Atak for the sample http://atakmodel.istore.pl/en/ Luke Pitt

TORO MODEL

1:35 SCALE ITALIAN STREET • ITEM NO. 48A01

It is always nice to place a vehicle or figures in context, and one of the best ways of doing this is via a display base. Toro Models has made this easy with their newest release, an Italian street scene in 1:48 scale. Although there are plenty of buildings and diorama sets in 1:35 scale, they are still relatively rare in 1:48, so this release will be warmly welcomed by mid-scale fans. The set comprises 12 parts in grey-green coloured resin plus a sheet of colour printed posters to apply to the walls of the completed scene. The windows are cast solid on the resin pieces. There were no casting imperfections on my sample. The scene includes an angled section of footpath and road in front of the buildings. This should accommodate any medium-sized 1:48 scale vehicle plus figures. Assembly should be quite straightforward. This is an attractive and versatile display base. Although it is specifically labelled as an Italian street, it would be equally applicable to any Mediterranean scene. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Toro Model for the sample http://toro-model.home.pl Brett Green

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17/06/2014 12:17

Book Reviews

“FALL GELB 1940 (1) – PANZER BREAKTHROUGH IN THE WEST” BY DOUGLAS C DILDY OSPREY PUBLISHING ISBN: 9781782006442

Fall Gelb (or ‘Case Yellow’) was the codename given to the major German offensive on opposing forces within northern France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands during WWII. Launched in May 1940, the aim of Fall Gelb was to cripple the Western European democracies that were considered to be a threat by the Third Reich. Viewed by many as one of the most skilfully devised and successfully executed campaigns in the history of modern warfare, Fall Gelb put the ‘Blitzkrieg’ tactics to devastating use. Within just four weeks the German forces had achieved their campaign objective and in the process delivered an irreparable blow to the French arsenal. This soft cover book spread over 96 pages features an array of B&W period photos, contemporary colour photos, battlefield maps, and colour illustrations. As Fall Gelb was such a huge offensive there is a lot to cover, however the author has a done a good job of breaking down the story into a logical order, comprising campaign background, key dates, the military commanders involved, the strategies employed by the opposing forces, the forces themselves including weaponry used (ground & air), and of course how the conflict unfolded. The book also features an ‘order of battle’ chart listing the various military divisions that took part in the campaign, and also an interesting look at the battlefield today. The book provides a solid introductory overview of the Fall Gelb campaign, and offers a good starting point for those interested in this pivotal conflict. An easy and relatively quick read, “Fall Gelb 1940 (1)” represents a handy and inexpensive addition to the military modeller’s bookcase. Recommended. Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the sample www.ospreypublishing.com Alex Dutt

MINI TOPCOLORS 36 – PZ.KPFW. III FAMILY KAGERO ISBN: NOT QUOTED

The latest in Kagero’s Mini Topcolors series covers a selection of Panzer III tanks and the Sturmgeschutz III. This very handy series includes high quality colour profiles, wartime photos and a description of the subject vehicles, plus a big decal sheet with markings for all the vehicles in 1:72, 1:48 and 1:35 scales. In this case, there are 16 vehicles ranging from one example used by the Afrika Korps in 1942, a number from the Eastern Front from the winter of 1942 onward, Sicily and Italy, Slovenia, France, Holland and Germany. These cover a good selection of camouflage from Panzer Grey to overall Dark Yellow and many variations on the tri-colour theme. There is still plenty of scope for a Panzer III Part 2 title though! The decal sheet is beautifully printed by Cartograf, with the markings in perfect register and glossy with minimal carrier film. With its nice variety of colours and markings, and different sub-types with and without zimmerit, there is plenty of scope for the modeller to expand their Panzer III and StuG III family based on the options provided in Kagero’s latest Mini Topcolors book. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Casemate UK for the sample www.casematepublishing.co.uk Brett Green

ISRAELI WILD AND CRUEL CATS VOLUME 3. ACHZARIT HEAVY APC PART 1 BY DR ROBERT MANASHEROB SABINGAMARTIN PUBLICATIONS ISBN: 978-0-9841437-2-6

Murphy’s Law seems particularly active in our hobby. No sooner had I finished my 1:35 scale Meng Achzarit earlier this year than I heard about this new book in The Israeli Way series. “Israeli Wild and Cruel Cats Vol. 3, Achazrit Heavy APC Part 1” by Dr Robert Manasherob is presented over 80 pages in soft cover 8.5” x 11” format. This volume covers the early Achzarits as offered in Meng’s 1:35 scale kit, so it is a perfect one-stop reference. The book kicks off with a brief description of the vehicle’s origins, followed by a section on the initial and hybrid types, then the early production variants. These Chapters all include plenty of large colour and black and white photos, mainly two to a page, with useful captions and supplemented by 1:35 scale line drawings of each type. The detail in the photos will be fantastically useful to modellers, especially those wishing to customise their Achzarits with nets or stowage or covers or crew. Exterior walk around photos are also offered, including all those hard to get at areas such as the roof and the weapons station. The book is wrapped up with a section describing camouflage and markings, plus twelve inspiring side profiles of a range of early Achzarit variants. I wish that I had this book when I was working on my Meng Achzarit. If you have one of these kits unbuilt in your collection, make sure you grab Israeli Wild and Cruel Cats Vol. 3, Achzarit Heavy APC Part 1 before you start snipping parts from the sprues! Highly Recommended. Thanks to SabingaMartin Publications for the sample www.sabingamartin.com Brett Green

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BUYERS GUIDE>>>>>>>>> AVID READER

Tel: 01299 823 330 Fax:01299 829 970

Unit 10, Hodfar Road, Sandy lane Ind Estate, Stourport On Severn, Worcestershire, DY13 9QB

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1/48 website: www.parabellum.co.uk

HALIFAX MODELLERS WORLD

Tel: 01422 349157

Halifax Modellers World , 29 Union Street, Halifax, HX1 1PR

email: sales@ parabellum.co.uk

MASTERCARD/VISA

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OPEN 10.00AM - 5.30PM, THURS & FRI OPEN UNTIL 7.00PM

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NO1 IN EUROPE FOR PLASTIC KITS AND ACCESSORIES INCLUDING THE FULL RANGE OF TAMIYA (NOT RC)

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email: [email protected]

1/2 MILE FROM RAF MUSEUM

www.hannants.co.uk

MASTERCARD/VISA/SWITCH

ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE! IF YOU ARE READING THIS THEN SO ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. FOR INFORMATION, CALL CLAIRE ALLEY ON 01525 222573

WEB BROWSER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> eduard.com

creativemodels.co.uk

www.hobbyco.net tamiya.com

italeri.com

revell.com

www.missing-lynx.com www.hyperscale.com p 62 Buyers Guide 100.indd 62

13/06/2014 14:37

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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 - August 2014

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Next Issue On sale 7th August 2014 BEATS WALKING!

Luke Pitt builds Dragon’s M2A2 Half Track in 1:35 scale and includes some lively passengers; accompanied by a detailed Think Tank reference article by Bruce Culver.

ISSUE No.99 July 2014, Published June 5th 2014 Editor;

Brett Green

Group Editor;

Marcus Nicholls

Publisher;

Alan Harman

Graphic Design;

Alex Hall

Advertising Sales;

Claire Alley

Advertising Assistant;

Joe Brown

Office Manager;

Paula Gray

Administration Manager; Hannah McLaurie MMI Website;

ADH Web Team

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SMALL SCALE AMPHIBIAN

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

Andrew Judson presents his 1:72 scale Dragon AAVP7A1 RAMS/RS, W/EAAK.

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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.

ATOMIC WARRIORS / DOUBLE 279

Pawel Rzymski builds both Amusing Hobby’s and Panda’s 1:35 scale Objekt 279 kits, and compares the results.

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

FOR YOUR SAFETY

WWI WARPAINT

The Editor paints and adds some figures to Tamiya’s new 1:35 scale WWI Mark IV Male tank.

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 highspeed airborne particles, wear approved eye protectors with hard, clear lenses. Please always model in safety!

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

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August 2014 - Model Military International 65

p 64-65 Contact NI 100B.indd 65

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D3548 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 100.indd 8

www.hobbyco.net

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