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Contents
modeller military illust illustrated rated
ISSUE No.092 December 2018
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NEWS
Military modelling news
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FROM THE JUNGLE TO THE CITIES
Using real Vietnamese red soil in a spectacular Ho-Chi-Minh trail diorama
14 ORDNANCE DEPOT
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New and recent accessory sets and modelling materials
16 AMBITIOUS AMPHIBIAN
A detailed look at the widely exported Soviet PT-76 reconnaissance tank
22 GET TO DA CHOPPA! CHOPPA!
Some fascinating elements feature in this late-period Vietnam War diorama
36 A THOROUGH THOROUGHL LY MODERN AFFAIR
38 ARROW TIPS
Zimmeriting-up Dragon’s 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.VI ‘Tiger P’
46 AT THE CROSSROADS
US troops watch as German POWs take the long march...
48 SMOOTH-BORE SNIPER
References for the T-62, a Cold War icon
54 AIRBORNE ALUMINIUM
Tamiya’s all-new M551 Sheridan ARAV arrives
56 LOW, LOW, LEAN, KILLING MACHINE
Adding aftermarket detail sets to Dragon’s 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/48
62 BOOK REVIEWS
Military modelling-related book reviews
66 SIGN OFF
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Building and painting Royal Model’s 1:35 Freccia VBM armoured
COVER STORY
30 PORSCHE’S PROTOTYPE
Zvezda’s new T-90 variant in 1:35 is packed with detail
An immaculate WW2 Fallschirmjäger smock in 1:1 scale
AFV Edition
News NEWS JUST IN... AMUSING HOBBY - 1:35 Sd.Kfz.184 Ferdinand fullinterior - 1:35 Sd.Kfz.184 Ferdinand w/16t
Strabokran BALATON MODELL - 1:35 IFA IFA W50 Kipper - 1:35 Niva 4x4 - 1:35 M6 High Speed Tractor DRAGON - 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf K (Smart Kit)
ON THE WAY FROM TAMIYA 1:35 M3A1 SCOUT CAR Tamiya's an all-new 1:35 kit of the M3A1 Scout Car is on release soon! Five figures in Red Army Winter attire are included: helmeted driver in tanker overalls, a pistol-wielding commander with choice of ushanka or regulation headgear plus two gunners and one seated soldier. www.hobbyco.net
MENG - 1:35 British Army Husky TSV - 1:35 IDF MBT Magach Gal Batash - 1:35 Bergepanther Ausf.A RYE FIELD MODEL - 1:35 Volkswagen Volkswagen Type 82E TAKOM - 1:35 Fries crane 19t Strabokran - 1:35 M3 Grant CDL pocketbond.com TAMIYA - 1:35 Panther Ausf.D special edition w/metal barrel and indi-link tracks - 1:35 Pz.IV Ausf.J special edition w/metal barrel and indi-link tracks - 1:35 JGSDF Type Type 10 tank w/2.4GHz Control Unit - Panel Line Accent Color Dark Grey - Modeller’s Knife (Dark Yellow) Yellow) - Modeller’s Knife (Olive Drab) hobbyco.net
ON THE WA WAY Y FROM MINIART 1:35 M3 LEE EARLY PRODUCTION MiniArt are to released their own, completely new kit of the M3 Lee medium tank, making it the second allnew model of this machine to hit the market in the last couple of years after Takom. Unlike this kit though, MiniArt's will feature a full interior and engine www.creativemodels.co.uk
LONDON MODEL ENGINEERING EXHIBITION 2019 A new feature for this year is 'The Ministry of Steampunk'! Takes place at Alexandra Palace, London N22 7AY. Friday 18th to Sunday 20th January 2019. Doors Doors open at 10am 10am to 5pm Friday and Saturday and 10am to 4.30pm Sunday. Last entry is 4pm Friday and Saturday and 3pm Sunday. If you would like to order by telephone please call SEE Tickets on; 0115 8960154. To book tickets online, go to; www.londonmodelengineering.co.uk
ON THE WAY FROM RYE FIELD MODELS The Egyptian Army 122mm SPG 'T-34/122' is on its way from RFM, featuring a massive turret housing a Soviet 122mm howitzer on a T-34 hull. www.tigerhobbies.com ON THE WAY FROM TAMIYA Tamiya's new kit of the US M551 Sheridan features a movable driver’s hatch features, a three-man crew and two markings-options. A separately available aluminium gun barrel and photo-etched set will be released alongside the kit. www.hobbyco.net ON THE WAY FROM ZVEZDA Coming soon from this Russian manufacturer are the TBMP T-15 Armata Russian Fighting Vehicle (1:35), T-35 heavy tank (1:72) and SU-76M (1:100).
ON THE WAY FROM DRAGON In 1:35, Dragon are to release a newly designed 1:35 Israeli Defence Force M113 APC to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. www.hobbyco.net
ON THE WAY FROM REVELL Revell have a 1:72 model of the notorious WW2 German V-2 missile and launch pad landing near you soon. www.revell.de/en
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Military Illustrated Modeller - December 2018
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FULL-BUILD: VIETNAM WAR DIORAMA
TRUMPETER 1:35 PT-76 MOD 1951 • KIT NO.00379 TRUMPETER 1:35 PT-76B • KIT NO.00382 TRUMPETER 1:35 BTR-60 • KIT NO.01544
FROM THE JUNGLE TO THE CITIES Giang Xuan Le uses real Vietnamese red soil in this spectacular Ho Chi Minh trail diorama
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or a long time, I have had a dream to make a diorama about the Vietnam War. I experienced so many different kinds of emotion when planning the work; happiness, honour and a bit of worry because the Vietnam War is not a new topic and there have been many excellent dioramas made about it already. However, what if my diorama were to tell a story about the opposite side, from the Vietnamese perspective? There are not many dioramas about the North Vietnamese Army and National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (commonly known as the Vi ệt Cộng) within the Vietnam War modelling genre and it was for this very reason that I was inspired to make something rather different, recreating the idea of 'from the jungle to cities'. The diorama depicts a battalion of the North Vietnamese Army heading to the South to liberate cities in that region, leading to the fall of Saigon on April 30th, 1975. It was a coincidence that my friend Mr Norio Takemura made a great diorama called 'The Fall of Saigon' to describe final hours before Saigon was defeated. I added another scene to complete the whole picture of this war. How do these soldiers travel a thousand miles to the south? How do they prepare?
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
AFV Edition
FULL-BUILD: VIETNAM WAR DIORAMA
TRUMPETER 1:35 PT-76 MOD 1951 • KIT NO.00379 TRUMPETER 1:35 PT-76B • KIT NO.00382 TRUMPETER 1:35 BTR-60 • KIT NO.01544
ABOUT THE DIORAMA Before starting this project, I gathered a lot of picture references about the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) but the forest scenes made the strongest impression on me. We often see combat scenes in a city but it is rare to observe how the VA transported their weapons, ammunition and food through the jungles of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It amazed me to see how they overcome the tough conditions of the Ho Chi Minh trail, no matter what time, day or night. My diorama measures 30cm x 45cm x 50cm, large enough to depict the rugged highlands of Vietnam to which I added low cliffs together with a small trail, interrupted by a stream. I created the base using expanded foam and the surface was covered with resin to make it more durable. The ground was mostly covered with clay. The texture of the rocks was carved into the foam and again, coated with resin. It is very challenging to make a miniature jungle because of the many plants and trees needed. With the limited options open to me in Vietnam, I couldn't buy all the photo-etched sets I needed to make a jungle from this material alone. But I hadn't considered some other, equally suitable choices at that time. So, I decided to use dried leaves which had been pre-coloured. The trunk and roots were made from real dried tree-trunk with a little modification in putty for small details. The grass was made from an old brush with plastic and laser-cut paper leaves. Another interesting point is the soil colour, because famously, the earth in the highlands of Vietnam is red. I visited these areas personally to collect some, ensuring I achieved exactly the real colour. I used clear resin mixed with the colour of redwas soilmade to make The bridge withthe thinstream. (0.5mm) wood strips. This diorama makes use of easily available materials in Vietnam because there are not many aftermarket products on offer here. It was also an interesting challenge for me.
The author chose Trumpeter’s Trumpeter’s P-76B (00382) and PT-76 Mod 1951 (00379) with a few modifications so they would be suitable for the Vietnam War versions
At the time of the diorama’s construction, it was almost impossible to find NVA figures, so the author had1:35 the slightly crazy idea of sculpting them himself
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
FULL-BUILD: VIETNAM WAR DIORAMA
TRUMPETER 1:35 PT-76 MOD 1951 • KIT NO.00379 TRUMPETER 1:35 PT-76B • KIT NO.00382 TRUMPETER 1:35 BTR-60 • KIT NO.01544
CHOOSING THE VEHICLES What kind of armoured fighting vehicles should I use for this diorama? Vietnam's topography is quite complicated with many rivers, which would require a highly adaptable vehicle. The Soviet-built PT-76 was my choice to be the first into the stream. I used Trumpeter's P-76B (00382) and PT-76 Mod 1951 (00379) with a few modifications so they would be suitable for the Vietnam War versions. Sandbags and other accessories were added and the rubber tracks were replaced by workable tracks from Trumpeter. The Soviet-made BTR-60 was used at the end of the war to transport soldiers and to support the battle. Trumpeter’s Trumpeter’s kit has a very good fit of parts and full interior. I used acrylic colours from Tamiya, Mr Color and AMMO by Mig to finish the vehicles.
NVA INFANTRY My next challenge in this project were the North Vietnamese Army figures. At the time of the diorama's construction, it was almost impossible to find 1:35 NVA figures, so I had the slightly crazy idea sculpting them (they are now available commercially). I made more than twenty figures (in just two months) including tank riders, infantry, Vi ệt ộ
C ng, girltrail's and volunteer. the established time of the Ho Chithe Minh operation,During the NVA many battalions of mobile infantry along the trail to ensure the maximum resources were available. Beside the tank riders, there is another mobile infantry unit coming across each other. Each soldier has a different emotion and they are all very young, only from eighteen to twenty years old. In one corner of the diorama, there are scouts reporting strategic points on the way to a middleaged commander. Behind the BTR-60 is a partisan who leads the way for the battalion and there's also a bicycle carrying ammunition and food. On the cliff, I decided to place a small anti-aircraft machine gun, crewed, as they were frequently, by young VC women. The girls are curiously observing the young soldiers walking on the trail. VC women often had roles as pathfinders and were in charge of the smooth running of the logistics during the war.
PATHFINDER AND OTHER STUFF I had great support from my friend Norio Takemura and he sent me a bicycle kit from Diopark. This is an Asian bicycle or we often called it 'phoenix' bicycle (Vietnamese style). This is a very good kit with many photo-etched brass details and accessories. I adjusted a bit to make it become more of a Vietnamese version which was used by the NVA to transport goods (the carried weight was up to 500kg sometimes). I modified it a bit by not fitting the pedals or brakes and used putty to make a sack of rice, together with some small details in wood strip. A few ammunition boxes were added from many other different kits. The 12.7mm machine gun is from DML and comes with quite good detail.
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FINAL THOUGHTS I made this diorama in three months non-stop, with a comprehensive range of details. Fortunately, I made the deadline! Thank you Norio Takemura who always encourages me.
AVAILABILITY; Trumpeter models are widely available from good model shops and online. UK import and distribution by www.pocketbond.co.uk The NVA figures are available from Paracel Miniatures; www.paracelminiatures.com
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
ORDNANCE DEPOT New and recently issued kits and accessory sets for armour modelling projects
ALBION ALBIO N HOBBIES, HOBBIES, UK
AMMO BY MIG, MIG, SPAIN SPAIN
New from Albion Alloys are two gauges of aluminium sheet, 0.276mm and 0.15mm. Both sheets are 100mm x 250mm. The material is extremely malleable and is ideal for
Two new sets have arrived from Mig Jimenez’s AMMO Jimenez’s AMMO by MIG product product line, ‘Urban Diorama Colors’ (x6 colours) for street-type scenes and the other, ‘Metallic Colors’ a set of twelve metallic shades for all sorts of uses from cars to
forming custom and partshundreds such as AFV fenders, add-on armour of other uses.tool brackets, - Aluminium Sheet 0.276mm x 100mm 100mm x 250mm (SM10) - Aluminium Sheet 0.15mm x 100mm x 250mm (SM9)
weathering exhausts. Both sets can be applied via jet brush and airbrush. - Urban Diorama Colors (A.MIG-7177) (A.MIG-7177) - Metallic Colors (A.MIG-7175)
BALATON BALA TON MODELL, HUNGARY Recently arrived from this Hungarian manufacturer is a kit of the (Citroën) Méhari, a utility vehicle based on the 2CV. The kit is beautifully cast from grey resin with photo-etched brass, clear parts and copper wire. It is full of character and has many diorama possibilities. Anothertractor, recent arrival is the curious little ‘Terra T20’ garden a fun addition to a diorama or a little vignette on its own. - 1:35 Méhari (BM3574) - Terra T20 Garden Tractor (BM3573)
MR HOBBY, JAPAN DARK STAR, UK New from this paint manufacturer are ‘Victorian Gold’ and ‘Blue Steel’, ideal for weathering and the painting of ancient weaponry. A special thinner has been developed for the paints. - Victorian Gold - Blue Steel - Metal Thinner
Mr Hobby offer a superb flat varnish in their lacquerbased ‘Mr Color’ line but for modellers who prefer to work with a less pungent solvent, they have re-formulated it for their water/alcohol-based Aqueous Hobby Color range. Ultra-fine grained and high quality. If you have a gloss acrylic paint and want to turn it matt before spraying, Mr Hobby also offer Premium Flat Base which you add to the paint, rather like Tamiya’s own X-21 Flat Base. - Premium Clear Flat (H103) - Premium Flat Base (H104) (H104)
MR HOBBY, JAPAN www.albionhobbies.com Mr Hobby’s Procon Boy SQ is a single-action airbrush with a cut-down design, feeling more like a mini spraygun than a traditional airbrush in the hand. It’s ideal for laying down base colours in a perfectly even and controllable manner and is manufactured to an extremely high standard. - Procon Boy SQ 0.4mm nozzle single-action airbrush 14
Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
WHERE TO BUY?
TAMIYA, ZVEZDA; STAR DECALS; RYE FIELD MODEL; DEF MODEL; EDUARD; ROYAL MODEL; ICM;
www.hobbyco.net (widely available from good model shops and online) www.star-decals.net www.tigerhobbies.co.uk www.defmodel.com www.eduard.com www.creativemodels.co.uk www.royalmodel.eu/en www.icm.com.ua
EDUARD, CZECH REPUBLIC You can save quite a bit of cash by purchasing multiple Eduard sets together in their ‘BIG ED’ packs. In the set for Takom’s 1:35 King Tiger Initial you’ll find a full set of zimmerit, fenders and external fittings such as tool brackets and more. - 1:35 Centurion tank Mk.III side skirts (36389) for Tamiya - 1:35 King Tiger initial PE details (36386) for Takom - 1:35 King Tiger initial fenders (36388) for Takom - 1:35 Panther A exterior (36392) for Takom - 1:35 Panther A interior (36390) for Takom - 1:35 M3A3 Bradley CFV (36394) for Kinetic - 1:35 M35A2 truck PE details (36393) for AFV Club
DEF MODEL, KOREA Academy’s 1:35 Pz.IV Ausf.H Early/Mid is the recipient of some serious detail sets from DEF Model, with a ‘basic’ set that provides air-intake flaps, fender brackets and many other external fittings. Another pack provides tool brackets, tools, wingnuts and more and yet another set contains the turret schürzen without mounting brackets. DEF offer even more for this kit and it can all be purchased in one go thanks to an all inclusive pack. For Dragon’s 1:35 M48A5, DEF offer a whole new main gun barrel in machined aluminium, with resin dust-cover cast in situ. The mantlet also Ausf.H provided, plus a set of photo-etched brass fittings. -cover 1:35isPz.IV Early/Mid basic PE set (DE35017) - 1:35 Pz.IV Ausf.H Early/Mid turret schürzen PE set (DE35018) - 1:35 Pz.IV Ausf.H Early/Mid OVM holder PE set (DE35020) - 1:35 Pz.IV Ausf.H Early/Mid PE complete set (DE35021) - 1:35 M48A5 105mm M68 gun w/canvas cover set (DM35082)
PLUS MODEL, CZECH REPUBLIC
UMP, UK Perfect for sanding off the waste resin from a cast part or levelling the contact fuselage halves (plus surfaces a millionofother sanding operations) UMP’s modellers sanders will be extremely handy to keep on one’s workbench. The abrasive sheets are firmly mounted on plastic backing plates and can be easily cut to size for specific sanding jobs. Use wet for best results. Available in grades from coarse to fine. - Modellers Sanders
Dioramas almost always need heaps of accessories to create the right atmosphere and if you’re building a modern-day scene, this new set from Plus Model is ideal. Comprising thirty-two gas bottles in resin, plus a ‘steel’ safety locker (photo-etched bass), the set will look fantastic in a workshop setting. Decals are provided for the data stencilling on each bottle. - 1:35 GAS BOTTLES (518)
MODELLING REFERENCES SOVIET PT-76 RECONNAISSANCE TANK
AFV Edition
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
AMBITIOUS AMPHIBIAN Zack brings us a look at the Sex widely exported Soviet PT-76 PT -76 reconnaissance tank
A front three-quarter view of the PT-76 displaying the sloped lower hull, simple pressed 'pumpkin' wheel design and 76mm gun to good effect
AFV Edition
MODELLING REFERENCES SOVIET PT-76 RECONNAISSANCE TANK
ith its slanted front, the PT-76 ploughs into the water through the reeds, the two hydro-jets kick in as water is sucked into the inlets below the hull and sprayed out the rear hull outlets. This scene has been repeated
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the large one-piece, two-man hatch harking back to the earlier T-34-76 model turret hatch and the large, flat engine deck with numerous tie-downs for stowage. The driver flips forward a swimming vane attached to the front of the vehicle and deploys his
Laos and Cambodia made use of the PT-76, with the later fighting the Khmer Rouge on the waterways, rivers and dykes of the Cambodian countryside throughout the 1980s as did the nowunified Vietnamese People's Army. In Bosnia and
by the Indian Army in Eastern Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971, by North Vietnamese forces crossing numerous rivers on their way to Saigon and by the Egyptian 130th Amphibious Brigade as it crossed the Great Bitter Lake, only to be torn apart by up-gunned IDF M48s in 1973. Developed out of the experience of the Red Army as it fought its way into Germany during World War Two, the role of the light scout-tank that could find and exploit gaps in the enemy's defences and also cross water barriers with ease was seen as essential. Unlike the smaller T-60, T-70 and T-80 scout-tanks of WW2, the PT-76 is a large flat vehicle allowing for floatation with a spacious two-man turret. In terms of armament, the PT-76 utilises a version of the old 76mm ZIS-3 in the form of the D-56T anti-tank gun. Designed between 1949 and 1951 at the Kirov plant and then produced in the Stalingrad
retractable periscopes before hitting the water, but other than that, it is ready to go. While the PT-76 was used in large numbers throughout the Red Army and Warsaw Pact, it was in regional conflicts over the decades that it found its real calling. Iraqi units used the PT-76 fighting Iranian units in the Hawizeh Marshes during 1983. Small numbers of Syrian PT-76s were to be found abandoned on the Golan Heights after 1973, while Israeli units modified former Egyptian PT-76s with GPMG mounts and hinging the turret hatch to the rear. Indonesia found the PT-76 so useful that instead of retiring their variants they up-gunned them with 90mm Cockerill canons and painted them in garish camouflage and unit markings. In Angola, MPLA PTs were to be found abandoned in rivers or destroyed on the battlefield by long-range South African cross-border raiders. In South East Asia, the North Vietnamese Army PT-76s had the distinction
Croatia, ex-Yugoslavian PT-76s saw action with Bosnian Serb units covered in black rubber stand-off armour, while Croatian examples wore four-colour camo and their distinctive chequerboard markings. Russian PT-76s would see action in Chechnya patrolling the hinterland and mounting road-blocks during the that savage conflict. It is interesting to note that the engine that powers the PT-76 is half of the original V12 diesel engine found in so many Soviet tank designs. The V6 stands upright in the mid-section of the hull, beneath a large rectangular grille, positioned directly behind the turret. The PT-76 hull was also to lead to other successful designs such as the basis of the BTR-50, OT-62, ASU-85, ZSU-23 and early FROG launch vehicles. On a final note, the PT-76 provided the inspiration for a Chinese amphibious tank in the form of the Type 63, the major difference being the People's Liberation Army
STZ earlier factory,PT-76 the PT-76 came main variants. The models hadinatwo long, slotted muzzle-brake , while later models have a twopiece muzzle-brake. Other distinctive features are
of only and armour to NVA fight US in Benbeing Het inthe1969 laterunits other PTs Forces were the first vehicles to be destroyed by air-launched TOW missiles, fired by experimental UH-1B choppers.
opted for a full V12 and diesel engine,design. a largerNow 85mm gun , larger wheels a beefier that would be a classy model for a Chinese model company to release.
A detail study of the intricate lefthand light guard, extremely tricky to replicate in 1:35
The driver’s hatch is mounted dead-centre on the PT-76, unlike to the left on the heavier T-54, T-55 and T-62 tanks of the time. The central periscope is raised when fording rivers and lakes
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A detail shot of the altered roof hatch on a Polish modified PT-76. The Poles decided to add a DShK 12.7mm AA gun on the right of the large hatch door, with a new opening for the gunner. Here we can make out the empty MG mount 18
Military Illustrated Modeller
To the rear of the PT-76 turret is the engine bay area, below which is found the V6 diesel engine. This engine can be easily accessed by removing the bolts along the outer edges of the engine deck cover and lifting to the side. The associated cooling grills are found alongside
- December 2018
A battle damaged 76mm muzzle break on a former Egyptian PT-76. Many of these vehicles were used throughout the Middle East and the IDF put former Egyptian examples to good use raiding, their positions during the war
This second example of a Polish PT-76 has its national markings and traffic reflector found on most Polish AFVs. The empty DShK mount unit is clearly seen here. North Vietnamese units also mounted DShKs on their PT-76s but to the rear of the turret
of attrition and during the 1973 conflict
An overhead shot of the torn 76mm gun mantlet cover and gunner's sights which jut out slightly from the conical turret shape
A rear view of the Latrun PT-76 turret , showing the removed fan cover; on later variants such as this one, a snorkel tube could be fitted here. Empty spare track holders to the left of the turret and stowage rails used to tie up the tank crew’s gear
AFV Edition
MODELLING REFERENCES SOVIET PT-76 RECONNAISSANCE TANK
A detail view of one of the two air filter units for the crew compartment of the PT-76
A look at the inside of the water breaker which is slotted into the forward position when fording water obstacles
Close up of a well muddied PT-76 road wheel. These wheels can be found on the BTR-50, OT-62 TOPAS and Frog 3. Similar style wheel designs are used on many Soviet and recent Russian light tanks and APCs
A close-up shot of the hinge unit for the front water breaker. When pushed forward it locks itself into position for waterborne operations. Of note are the standard tow hooks used during recovery operations
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Detailil shot Deta shot of the lefth lefthand and side de headlig headlight ht and warni warning ng horn. horn. The The headlig headlight ht has a black blackout out kit kit install installed ed
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Military Illustrated Modeller
The righthan g hthandd side infra infrared red headli headlight g ht unit unit and its its wire wire light light guard guard
- December 2018
Main Ma in gun man antl tle t co ve ve r an andd e mpt mptyy 7. 7.62 62m mm co axi axial a l m ac ac hin hinee g un un c ove overr
On th thee s tan tanda darr d PT PT-7 -766 m ode odel, l, a ro tat tatin ingg s ear earcchl hlig ight ht is moun unte tedd to th thee rig ight ht of th that at tu turr re re t ha hatc tchh. T his his,, presumably, can be operated from inside the tank in conjunction with the coaxial machine gun
To the rear of the PT-76 are the hydro-jet outlets through which water is pumped out during amphibious operations. Of note are the T-55-style rear fuel cells that replaced the round fuel drums found on earlier models
FULL-BUILD: VIETNAM WAR DIORAMA
AFV CLUB 1:35 M113A1 ACAV • KIT NO.AF35113 DRAGON 1:35 OH-6A CAYUSE • KIT NO.3310
G E T T T T O O D D A A
H O P P A !
Ben Kahn brings together some fascinating elements to create this late-period Vietnam War diorama in 1:35 he Vietnam War was slowly winding down in the early 1970s. This air base
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is set somewhere in the hilly interior near the Demilitarized Zone. The mood is okay among the soldiers, but the end of the war is not far and troops have started to go home since President Nixon took the Oval Office. Those who stayed were increasingly assigned to base security or South-Vietnamese troop-training. The counterpart to this decrease in men (the first since the early 1960s) was the intensification of the air war. To help with this air raid campaign, 'little Birds', such as our OH-6A Cayuse, were essentials. They looked for enemy troops by flying very low and fast. When they stumbled on some, they harassed the enemy by shooting at them with light machine guns like the infamous M-60. Once they pinpointed the 'VC' (Vietcong) they
threw smoke grenades to mark the place and transmitted coordinates to aeroplanes in the zone to drop regular bombs or napalm. This whole story is compressed in this diorama. I have always been fascinated by the Vietnam War and the way it was tackled by the US military in the American way with loads of stuff and ultra-modern equipment sent halfway around the world. The helicopter was well suited to this war as there was no real road system per-se in Vietnam at the time. This new machine represented the only way to move soldiers and equipment around. It was the first and to some extent the only, helicopter war. Another symbol of the war was the M113 APC that had been introduced into the US army a few years before the war started and was deployed everywhere the US Army went in Vietnam.
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
“The crew arrived at the helicopter pad on their personal Vespas...”
The Cayuse crew just scootered its way to the air base to scramble their chopper, while the M113 crew emerges from its slumber due to exhaustion and the horrid heat in Vietnam, to watch the crew of two get ready and fly away
FULL-BUILD: VIETNAM WAR DIORAMA
AFV CLUB 1:35 M113A1 ACAV • KIT NO.AF35113 DRAGON 1:35 OH-6A CAYUSE • KIT NO.3310
AFV-CLUB’S NEW M113, HALLELUJAH! It was about time one of the plastic model manufacturers went back to the drawing board and completely remade this iconic armoured vehicle. AFV Club managed to surpass our expectations with an amazingly well detailed model, almost all in plastic. The photo-etched set is very limited, meaning that plastic takes over even for the smallest pieces, and boy are there a few of those! The model is easy to build and straightforward, however the running gear is a real problem. The road wheels are so fine and light that it is quite difficult to get them in place, level and aligned. Furthermore, the vinyl tracks are unusable and I immediately turned to Friulmodel to replace them. The problem is that this aftermarket set was designed for Tamiya's and Italeri's M113s: the drive sprocket isn’t shaped for the AFV Club model. In addition, the AFV Club drive sprocket does not adapt to the Friul tracks: the sprocket’s teeth do not align with the tracks’ guide-holes; the teethYou need to be shaved off the sprockets entirely. should thus expect a lot of work there. Looking at many pictures from the Vietnam era, I noticed the tendency US Army crew had to line the floor of their 'shoeboxes' with sandbags. I turned to Tamiya’s Tamiya’s excellent Fine Putty and made these from scratch. This is a fun process that's relatively easy to do and carries the unique satisfaction of personalizing the model to your liking.
This diorama will be big. However, each element is pretty small such as the M113. The size of the crew on top shows the comparative compactness of the vehicle
The sandbags were created with the help of Tamiya Putty which is very easy to use and model. However, it is so fine that you need to press each bag on sandpaper in order to give it texture just like the real thing
The inside of the 'Shoe Box' is painted and ready. This interior green is a tough nut to crack as I didn’t find one paint that could have been used as-is. As you can see four different tones
As seen on many pictures of the M113 in Vietnam, the floor was often lined with sandbags to protect the crew and soldiers inside from land mines
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were used to achieve it (Ed's note; Tamiya XF-21 Sky is quite a close match)
The sandbags were painted individually so each one was given a slight difference in tone. They were also treated as a regular fabric and therefore received a dark line between them to simulate the shadow
Once all the elements inside the M113 had been painted, filters and colour-washes applied, time then came for pigments. The sandbags were literally covered with dust as everyone who goes inside, walks on them!
The M113 was closed up so the painting process could continue. The The first primer was applied, and as usual we go from dark to hatches and back door were masked off so to keep them clear of light. Vallejo paints were used, of course, as they are so efficient in the exterior paint covering in one layer
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Military Illustrated Modeller
The light grey primer was applied from the top allowing the author to keep the running gear as dark as possible in order to aid the dusting process
- December 2018
The Olive Drab was the applied over the whole model. Luckily, the US Army of the day fielded uniformly coloured vehicles which helps when create an interesting dusting scheme
The decals came from the AFV Club box and were applied using setting fluids so they would adapt perfectly to the surfaces
The dust was applied using Humbrol paints applied, with the airbrush. After a forty-five minute to one hour pause, the paint was almost entirely brushed of with a paintbrush dipped in clean thinners, leaving just traces behind
Chips and scratches were painted all over the hull of the M113. These vehicles would routinely traverse jungle-like vegetation that would score The tracks are from Friulmodel and will replace the one-piece vinyl items and scratch painted surfaces provided in the kit
AFV Edition
FULL-BUILD: VIETNAM WAR DIORAMA
AFV CLUB 1:35 M113A1 ACAV • KIT NO.AF35113 DRAGON 1:35 OH-6A CAYUSE • KIT NO.3310
DRAGON’S OLDIE BUT GOODIE ‘CHOPPA’ Although old, this model is very well detailed and thewith update is and somewhat I to started the work cockpit addedlimited. padding the pilots’ seats and remade the gunner’s folding seat with the help of Green Stuff. I also added cables and wires to the back of the instrument panel. The gunner’s position is also filled with stuff like an M-79 grenade launcher (aka ‘Thumper’) and ammo boxes for the M-60 aka (‘The Pig’). The originality of this Cayuse resides in its camouflage which I found on a profile of an AOA decal set for Vietnam OH-6As. I thought that mixed (air and ground) dioramas are not that common, so let’s spice it up some more!
The Dragon Cayuse kit (also found on eBay) is an old model and in desperate need of detailing and updating. Green Stuff was used to simulate the covers of the pilots' seats and for the gunner’s folding seat
The gunner had a crucial role in this sports car of a helicopter! His task was to harass Vietcong and NVA troops by shooting at them and then dropping smoke-grenades to mark the enemy’s position for incoming USAF strafing runs
VERLINDEN’S FORKLIFT eBay seems to be the ultimate garage sale place where one can find just about anything and more! After browsing the website for exactly ten seconds, I found what I was looking for; a brand new, original and sealed WWII forklift for less then $50. Although it says WWII on the box, these forklifts were not thrown out at the end of the war and were still in use way afterwards. I couldn’t find pictures of this specific forklift in Vietnam, but it isn’t hard to imagine some that were still in use there. In any case, I used it. The model is very crisp and very detailed, but one can tell it is old by the way the large resin casting blocks are left to the customer to clean off. The instructions are also very small and hard to understand as they were always with Verlinden, but luckily, the model itself is straightforward and basic.
THE SCENE The diorama would be simple and would represent a little piece of some random air base
First elements of colour were applied and dials were filed with clear gloss varnish to simulate their glass or clear plastic covers. Above right, the most boring part of this model had arrived; masking that impressive canopy. For this I only have one tip; get yourself a long movie you know by heart so you don’t feel completely alone for hours on end! (Ed’s note; I’m glad I’m not the only one who does that!)
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in Vietnam. I just made a separation wall to define the vehicles’ spaces on the surface. The M113 would be on asphalt and the chopper on some PSP matting as observed in pictures from the war. The separation wall would evoke the presence of other helicopters or planes in the vicinity. I found some Voyager PSP set on eBay (my wife must be right, I do spend an awful amount of time on there!), for a minimal price: $5 for ten plates! The figures are all from Bravo-6 and are superb; they are very detailed and have very natural poses. I personalized the helicopter crew by painting different schemes on their helmets. The crew arrived at the helicopter pad on their personal Vespas. These scooters are from Diopark and are amazing! Detailed and fun to build and add a civilian touch to this otherwise military-green diorama.
AOA decals were used and it was on their camo profiles that the author discovered a two-tone Cayuse with which he fell in love almost immediately!
•
Wooden pallets to transport various equipment and supplies were added to the dio. They come from an unknown brand (at least to the author) called Shadow Hobby
PSP plates were laid into the still-soft plaster so they adapted perfectly to the groundwork. The revetment wall is typical of what could be observed at US airbases in Vietnam 26
Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
Two sets of figures from the fanta stic 'Bravo-6' brand were selected. This maker has specialised in US army figures in Vietnam, whose poses are inspired by pictures and movies www.bravo-6.diorama.ru
Oncee built, Onc l t, the the figu figures res wer weree spray sprayed ed with t h a thin thin coa coatt of blac blackk prime primerr from from Valle Vallejo jo
The Cayuse crew moves around the base with the help of simple scooters. These are from Diopark and are surprisingly finely detailed and accurate
The seco second nd layer layer was a light light grey grey pri primer mer,, spray sprayed ed from from abo above ve to acc accent entuate uate the creases. This will help the painting of the colour coats
The scooters were primed in black and then grey. In both cases, Vallejo primers are used
The pilot is finished. The Bravo-6 figures are exceptionally well made and cast and are a real pleasure to work with
Each to his own! Although exactly the same scooters, the author thought it would be nice to vary their colours. Therefore, one was painted yellow and the other white and blue
The blue and white is finished. The license plates were hand made and the level of dirt needed to remain assurfaces these were used on tarmac and mostlylow clean The yellow scooter also differs from the other one by giving a different tone to the vinyl seat
AFV Edition
FULL-BUILD: VIETNAM WAR DIORAMA
AFV CLUB 1:35 M113A1 ACAV • KIT NO.AF35113 DRAGON 1:35 OH-6A CAYUSE • KIT NO.3310
The forklift is an old Verlinden Productions kit, found on eBay. This website is incredibly well stocked with old kits and rarities!
The kit was prepared by removing the large resin cast pouring plugs. This model was created at least twenty years ago and its age is starting to tell. Recent resin productions are way easier to manipulate, clean and prepare
These little trucks were used and abused and over time the paint got really worn. The author tried to create to a genuine-looking result by chipping the model heavily at the corners and angles
A mix of two yellows from Vallejo were used to achieve to a satisfying colour. The author searched the internet for a few days looking for pictures of forklifts used by US forces in Vietnam to figure out the general tone
The author remains distinctly old-school and still uses Humbrols and oil paints to apply colour-washes
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
Rust-coloured 'washes were applied around the horizontal surfaces of the forklift, since these vehicles were rarely looked after or taken inside The forklift is ready. Dusted, but not too much, since it too mainly drove on tarmac and asphalt. A pallet with supplies for the helicopter rests on its forks
AVAILABILITY; AFV Club models are widely available from good model shops and online. UK import and distribution by www.pocketbond.co.uk Bravo-6; www.bravo-6.diorama.ru
AFV Edition
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FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR
DRAGON 1:35 PANZERKAMPFWAGEN VI (TIGER P) SD.KFZ.181 • KIT NO.6210
PORSCHE'S PROTOTYPE Kreangkrai Paojinda (SSNW Panzer Modeller) zimmerits-up Dragon's 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.VI Tiger P
O
n the 21st May 1942, Henschel and Porsche were asked to submit designs for a forty-fiveton heavy tank capable of mounting the high velocity 88mm KwK L/56 gun which was derived from the German 88mm flak gun. Both the Henschel and Porsche tanks were to be fitted with the same turret, supplied by Krupp. The Porsche company worked on updating the VK30.01 (P) medium tank, Porsche's medium tank prototype and adapted parts used on it for the new design. The new Porsche tank, designated the VK45.01 (P) was to be powered by twin, air-cooled gasoline Porsche Type 101 engines which were mounted to the rear of the vehicle. Each of the engines would
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Military Illustrated Modeller
then drive a separate generator, one for either side of the tank, which would then power each of two electric motors, one powering each track. But the engines along with its drive system were very prone to breakdown from their design and the deficient quality of copper for electrical use available to the Third Reich and needed almost constant maintenance to keep the tank running. This, and the tank being less manoeuvrable than its competitor, was the reason why Henschel's 88mm-armed VK45.01 (H) H1 prototype, which became the Tiger I, was adopted for production instead. The VK45.01 (P) chassis was later chosen to be the basis of a new heavy tank destroyer which
would eventually be called the Ferdinand and mount the new 88 mm Pak 43/2 The VK45.01 (P)'s chassis and many of the Elefant's components were later used in developing the VK 45.02 (P) prototype heavy tank. Only one example went into service as a command tank. Panzerbefehlswagen Tiger I (P) Tactical Number '003' served as Befehlswagen (command vehicle), with the original turret on the Russian Front with the Spz.Jg. Abt. 653 in the early summer of 1944. The kit depicted here is by Dragon, released back in 2004. In this photo-article, I describe how I added my own zimmerit to the model and how it was subsequently painted and weathered. •
- December 2018
With the build of the Sd.Kfz.181 Panzerkampfwagen VI (P) complete, the author applied zimmerit to the hull using Alteco two-part epoxy putty mixed with Mission Models White Primer (MMS-002). AFV Club's zimmerit coating applicator was used to create the ribbed pattern. Baby-oil was used help to prevent the putty mix from sticking to the roller tool
To create further detail, the author scratchbuilt some elements like the rear engine grills using 0.5 brass wire and Tamiya plastic netting. The antenna basket behind the command cupola was rebuilt with 0.2mm brass wire to replace the clunky Dragon kit part
With the main assembly complete, some missing details, such as hatch-handles, were needed. The author also replaced the DS tracks with an aftermarket Hobbyboss set for the Elefant tank-destroyer
Tiger P is ready for its primer paint. Before application, the model was cleaned with soapy water to remove the baby-oil from the zimmerited surface
AFV Edition
FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR
DRAGON 1:35 PANZERKAMPFWAGEN VI (TIGER P) SD.KFZ.181 • KIT NO.6210
Mr Color Red Oxide Surfacer was used as an undercoat. After this, a mixture of Mission Models acrylic paints
He we see the airbrush-applied camouflage paint work taking shape. The first colour, Mission Models
was used to create the dark base-coat; Dunkelgelb 50%, MMP-016 Sandgrau 50%.and Forhighlights panel highlighting, the author addedyellow MMS-002 WhiteMMP-001 to the mixture for different levels of natural shadow
MMP-009following Olivegrün,photographic was used direct from the bottle, then MMP-012 Rotbraun. Both were sprayed freehand, references
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Once the camouflage was dry, the author created scratching and paint-chipping effects using a toothpick moistened with Tamiya X-20A on the thin Mission Models paint layers. This reveals the red oxide primer base-coat
To create an overall scratched look, the author used sponge chipping For the final chipping effects, scoring and scratching was recreated technique, dabbing on some Vallejo Black Brown Paint in random patches with a fine paint brush , repainting and refining some of the previously applied effects
To weather-up the running gear, the author used various AK Interactive enamels and pigments were used, such as Light Dust (AK040) and North Africa Dust (AK041). These were fixed with AK pigment fixer fluid
After finishing the chipping effects, Mission Models MMA-006 (Gloss Coat) was used to prepare the surface for decal application. Mr Mark Softer comes highly recommended when working on a complicated/curved zimmerit texture
For the tracks, a similar treatment as applied to the running gear was utilised, using AK Interactive weathering pigments. The tracks' running surfaces were polished with AK dark steel pigment, as well as the road-wheels and drive-sprocket. Final touches were made with a Silver colour pencil
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Military Illustrated Modeller
The running gear is ready to install
- December 2018
To recreate a layer of heavy dirty on the chassis, the author began with AK Light Dust Deposit enamel wash (AK4062) and pigments working them into the chassis and setting with fixer fluid
Streaking effects were added using Abteilung 502 Engine Grease oil colour (ABT160) applied by fine brush paint
The upper hull was weathered with enamel paint colour-washes plus oil and grime effects
Overall weathering; the layers on the hull and turret were created with these paint products
The author scratchbuilt the vehicle antenna set from from 0.8mm brass tube and 0.4mm Lion Roar Roar brass wire
The radio antenna bracket was drilled out and fixed with super-glue super-glue
AFV Edition
FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR
DRAGON 1:35 PANZERKAMPFWAGEN VI (TIGER P) SD.KFZ.181 • KIT NO.6210
Back to the final weathering, after the running gear had been installed; the author recreated grease and wet fuel effects on the engine deck
More layers were applied using the AK enamel ‘filters’ Light Brown (AK065) for desert yellow mixed with Neutral Grey Wash (AK677)
Following the hull colour-washes, specific areas were treated with dry pigments to create some dust and dirt effects
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The various of pigments on the Tiger P’s mudguards were fixed
To recreate some zimmerit damage effects, the author used Tamiya’ Tamiya’ss electric drill to form scratches on the textured surface
Kits and accessories used; Dragon 1:35 Sd.Kfz.181 Panzerkampfwagen VI (P) 1:35 Hobbyboss No.81006 Sd.Kfz. 184 'Elefant' tracks Verlinden No.1352 panzer crew
Availability; Dragon models and accessories are widely available from good model shops and online. UK import and distribution by The Hobby Company Limited; www.hobbyco.net Hobbyboss models and are widely available from good model shops and online. www.creativemodels.co.uk
The figure is a Verlinden piece, Tiger Tank Crewmen Relaxing (1352)
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
The figure was placed on a cork to hold it during the painting process. The resin was primed in Mr Color Black and then the colours were blocked in by brush. Various Vallejo and Mission models acrylic colours were employed
AFV Edition
KIT PREVIEW ZVEZDA ZVEZDA 1:35 T-90MS RUSSIAN MAIN BATTLE TANK • KIT NO.3675
T-90MS Main Battle Tank at the 2013 Russian Arms Expo, showing its distinctive three-colour camouflage Photo by Aleksey Kitaev (http://vitalykuzmin.net/?q=node/531) via Wikipedia
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THOROUGHLY
T
his is a new-tool kit for 2018 and it looks it; the box is stuffed with sprues carrying astonishingly well-detailed parts, from the multi-part lower hull to the futuristic-looking turret and its modern spaced armour. The suspension swing-arms are moulded individually which potentially allows for them to be fitted at various levels if installing on uneven groundwork within a diorama, but to do this you'll need individual-link tracks. The latter might provide to be the kit's week-point, as the guide-horns are moulded in strips that cement to the tracks' links and lengths; precision will be needed here. Otherwise, this appears to be a highly detailed, flawlessly moulded kit of a sinister-looking modern Russian MBT. Fantastic detail, great subject choice, but the tracks look challenging; individual links might work better. •
AVAILABILITY; Zvezda models are widely available from good model shops and online. UK import and distribution by The Hobby Company Limited; www.hobbyco.net 36
Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
FULL-BUILD: POST-WAR ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLE
ROYAL MODEL 1:35 FRECCIA VBM • KIT NO.724
al Model describes the building ya le from Ro y Raonbde prtaoi nRtin eag of the compan y y''s 1:35 Freccia VB VBM ing Vehicle) (Veicolo Blilinndato Medio, or Medium Armoured Ve Ve
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
TIPS
T
he Freccia (Italian for ‘Arrow’) is an 8x8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle in use with the Italian Army. The first batch of 253 vehicles were ordered to replace Cold War VCC-2 armoured personnel carriers of the Mechanized Brigade Pinerolo in Southern Italy. The Freccia is built by a consortium combining Iveco (hull, engine, suspension) and Oto Melara (armament). The vehicle is up-armoured and revised variant of the ‘Centauro’ tank destroyer fitted with the Hitfist Plus turret which is armed with an Oerlikon KBA 25mm automatic cannon and carries 200 rounds of 25mm ammunition. Two 7.62mm NATO machine guns are also fitted. Additionally, a pair of Spike ML/ LR anti-tank missiles can be fitted on the turret. The Hitfist Plus turret could theoretically also fit cannons and guns of up to 60mm calibre. Four 80mm smoke grenade launchers are mounted on each side of the turret. The fire control system is the same as for the Centauro reconnaissance/ anti-tank version. The Freccia can carry up to eight combat-ready troops. Engineer and Ambulance variants are in development. Source; edited from Wikipedia
Specifications Weight: Length: Width: Height: Crew: Armour: Engine: Power/weight: Suspension: Operational range: Speed: Main armament:
28 tonnes (31 short tons; 28 long tons) 7.6m (24ft, 11in) 2.9 m (9ft, 6in) 3m (9ft, 10in) 3 crew (commander, gunner, driver) plus 8 passengers Welded steel hull with ceramic add-on armour IVECO Diesel 5HP-1500 V6, 405 kW (560 hp) 22.2 hp/tonne hydropneumatic 800 to 1,000 km (500–620 miles) 105km/h (65 mph) on road, 25–30 km/h (16–19 mph) off road Oerlikon KBA 25mm automatic cannon (200 rounds)
Secondary armament:
7.62mm co-axial machine gun (4,000 cartridges), optional 7.62mm anti-air machine gun, 8 smoke generators In service 2006 to present War in Afghanistan
Service history: Wars:
FRECCIA IN 1:35 MODEL-FORM
After the long and tiring design work in collaboration with Royal Model, I could now finally have fun building the model hoping to please Italian modellers who waited a long time for the release of this kit. The kit, being in resin and photo-etched metal, is obviously not for novice modellers but for those who already have some experience with these materials. This said, the kit does not present insurmountable problems, in fact the construction proceeds fairly quickly, with only a few points to pay attention to. The model consists of about 300 parts in easily workable grey resin that is free of bubbles and supported by small sprue attachment points that allow a quick clean-up. On three brass sheets, we have about 200 photo-etched parts. The hull comes with all the doors separate (apart from the engine hatch) and is divided into three parts: upper, lower and rear. Internal details are not included, but at least the doors are openable for those who want to try their hand at adding their own interior. The turret is composed principally of two parts: an upper and a lower, plus other castings because of the complexity of the frontal area and to make the cannon able to elevate. The tyres are designed with a weighted effect. A template for the windscreen is provided within the instructions, along with a painting and decalling guide for the few decals provided: number plates, bridge-crossing class and a few placards. There's only one camouflage choice; the well-known NATO three-tone scheme. As mentioned earlier, there are some parts that require a little more attention, such as the headlight covers. I recommend heating these photoetched parts over the flame of a lighter to anneal the brass so it will bend more easily, taking great care not to burn oneself or cause a fire! The same goes for the curved parts for the frontal area of the hull that fit on the junction of the upper and lower sections. On these is then applied the anti-slip paste and for this purpose one can use various products now on the market. In order to assemble the photo-etched parts, where possible, I made use of a soldering iron which allows much greater strength than superglue. For the rest of the article, I will let the photographs speak for themselves, where we can see the kit take shape!
FULL-BUILD: POST-WAR ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLE
ROYAL MODEL 1:35 FRECCIA VBM • KIT NO.724
BUILDING THE VEHICLE - The photo-etched cover for the frontal seam was curved to shape and must be given a layer of anti-slip paste, as were the covers of the headlights and some bolts. - The winch is very well detailed, but unfortunately its photo-etched cover will hide some of the details when fitted. The rear ramp carries detail on its inner face, allowing it to be mounted even in the lowered position. - On the turret, the articulation of the gunsight cover allows for the elevation of the cannon. The basket was assembled before being fixed to the back of the turret. With the aid of scissors, the
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excess mesh of the turret basket was trimmed off. - The machine gun mount is highly detailed and can be considered a model within the model. It is composed of more than thirty parts in photoetched and a dozen in resin, allowing a very accurate realisation.
“On the turret, the articulation of the gunsight cover allows for the elevation of the cannon...”
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
“The machine gun mount isbe highly detaileda and can considered model within the model...”
FULL-BUILD: POST-WAR ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLE
ROYAL MODEL 1:35 FRECCIA VBM • KIT NO.724
PAINTING THE VEHICLE - After washing to degrease the resin, some ‘pre-shading’ was applied using black enamel paint. Over this, the base colour was applied, using layers of Humbrol 117 and Lifecolor UA303 from set CS02 ‘NATO MERDC’. The brick red and black were applied directly over the green using further Lifecolor shades.
AFV Edition
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The colours were not used neat, but instead slightly lightened, then lightly applied to lift the centres of the colour patches and also in the most highlighted areas. After applying the small quantity of decals, I covered the model with acrylic gloss varnish which gave the model a robust layer in readiness for the first oil paint colour-washes, general and localised
“The colours were not used neat, but instead slightly lightened, then lightly applied to lift the centres of the colour patches and also in the most highlighted areas.”
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
WW WWW. W.TI TIGE GERH RHOB OBBI BIES ES.C .CO. O.UK UK
Amusing Hobby (35A027) (35A027) - Due Nov 2018 1/35 FV 214 Conqueror MK II British Army Tank - £49.99
Great Wall Hobby (L4822) (L4822) - Due Nov 2018 1/48 F-15E Strike Eagle Dual-Roles Fighter USAF - £74.95
Beemax Models (B24017) - Due Nov 2018 1/24 AUDI Quattro S1 1985 MONTECALRO RALLY - £38.99
Modelcollect (UA72202) - Due Sep 2018 1:72 Boeing B-52G Stratofortress ALCM Carrier - £79.99
Amusing Hobby (35A023) (35A023) - Due Nov 2018 1/35 Pz.Kpfw.VI Tiger(P) with Resin Figure of well know Engineer -
TIGER HOBBIES LTD. SCALE MODEL AND HOBBY IMPORTERS
Tiger Hobbies are always looking for new UK hobby trade customers
FULL-BUILD: POST-WAR ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLE
ROYAL MODEL 1:35 FRECCIA VBM • KIT NO.724
£55.00
GECKO (35GM0002) - In stock now 1/35 Cruiser Tank Mk. IIA, A10 Mk. IA - £54.95
Tiger Hobbies Unit 18B Goldthorpe Industrial Estate, Commercial Road, Goldthorpe South Yorkshire, S63 9BL Telephone: 01709 890 940 Email:
[email protected]
PAINTING THE FIGURES FIGURE S - The figures are also by Royal Model (444), whose poses were slightly modified by slightly lowering the arms. It was not easy to adapt the position of the machine-gunner given the small space between the hatch and machine gun. - An undercoat of airbrushed matt black enamel was applied upwards from the bottom of each figure, followed by a downwards-sprayed layer of medium green, lightening the areas of greater light from above. The uniforms’ camouflage was created with Lifecolor acrylics. - The author referred to photos downloaded from the ‘net to achieve the correct balance of the spots; a long and boring job, but in the end the result was more than satisfactory. With the oils the shadows and the lights of the camouflage have been accentuated. Oil paints were used for the areas of exposed skin.
MAKING THE BASE
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- Terracotta Das putty was spread over sheets of expanded polystyrene, over which was sifted fine sand using a sieve. The tyre marks were stamped in while the Das was still soft, then a layer of diluted PVA glue fixed everything. When the base was completely dry, the groundwork was airbrushed with differing shades of sand and earth, plus dark grey on the triangular corner of asphalt. - Following this, colour-washes in burnt
page was added, plus some pieces of plastic rubbish. Taking a cue from reference photos, the author designed a ‘stop’ sign on a PC and printed it out in colour. It was then glued onto an octagon of plastic card. - The pole and base were first painted in dark rusty tones, followed by a layer of hair lacquer and a dusting of Metallic Gray XF-65. This was then removed at some points using a brush dipped in water. Some oil paint washed and
sienna were applied and then base was drybrushed. A few tufts of paintbrush bristles were used to form the small plants. To conclude, a 1:35 newspaper
pigments finished the weathering. The Jersey barrier barrier is by Meng Meng and was painted with enamels and acrylics, then weathered with oils and pigments.
Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
AVAILABILITY; Royal are available from direct from Royal Model Model; kits www.royalmodel.eu
MODEL REFERENCES BATTLE OF NORMANDY
AFV Edition
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
AT A T THE CROSSROADS US troops watch as German POWs take the long march...
I
n this animated and and detail-packed photograph from the Battle of Normandy Normandy,, we see an M5A1 Light Tank named ‘Mickey Georgiana’ parked up in front of an M3A1 halftrack, also with a name-tag, ‘Zephter’. Many details can be
fender (with dangling strap) and the rope looped between the front towing hooks. In the middle of the crossroads, troops from the US 6th Armored Division watch a column of German prisoners of war as they march into
gleaned from this image, such as crew-clutter and camouflage net around the M5A1’s turret, the bright steel rims of its idler and roadwheels, polished up by the track, the ubiquitous bucket hanging from the tow hook and the AL-140 Recognition Panel draped over the rear. On the M3A1 halftrack we can
captivity. The location is Sartilly, about ten miles north west of Avranches and the building in the background is the Mairie (town hall) of La RochelleNormande, which still stands today, pictured right. Both vehicles are available in model-form and this scene would make a dramatic diorama, if one
observe a rolled-up canvas tarpaulin on the nearside
could add all the figures too! • Photos; Archives Normandie, Wikipedia Commons
MODELLING REFERENCES SOVIET T-62 MODEL 1967
SMOOTH-BORE
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SNIPER
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Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
The T-62 was a stop-gap tank that came and stayed on to become a Cold War icon. Zack Sex brings us a walk-around on a particularly faded specimen
T Front three-quarter view of the T-62 Model 1967. This particularperhaps vehicle due has to headlights an odd position, the fact fitted that itinonce had KMT 6 mine ploughs fitted Of note are the two towing cables looped around the front of the vehicle.
he T-62 was developed by Uralvagon with twenty-five early-models built and tested in the Carpathian Military District in 1961. Commander of Soviet ground forces, at the time Marshal VI Chuikov, had demanded a main gun bigger than the 105mm weapon on the latest US M60. The new Soviet U-5 TS Molot 115mm seemed to fit the bill, despite some stabilisation problems. Other competitors included the T-12 Rapira which Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev (soon to be ex-premier) wanted mounted in a new tank design, despite its over-long ammunition. The rifled D-54 100mm in the newer T-55 models with new APDS or Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot rounds offered extremely good penetrating power also. In the end, Khrushchev was removed from power, the T-12 remained towed, the D54s in the T-55 continued and the T-62 went from being a stop-gap intended to fill a tank hole until the T-64 (with its 125mm gun) was ready. The T-62 was to become a major player in the Red Army and abroad. This fairly straightforward tank design was essentially a stretched T-55 with an improved engine. Sleek and smooth in its low slung design, it had little appeal for Warsaw Pact countries at twice the price of a standard T-55 but with similar fire power to the newer T-55/D54 combination. Perhaps wisely, they decided to wait for the 125mm T-72, a cheaper offshoot of the T-64 program, while a number of countries such as Czechoslovakia and Poland licence-built the T-55 themselves. It is worth noting at this stage that while China and the USSR had an political 'parting of the ways', it was a Red Army T-62 captured by Chinese troops during a boarder skirmish along the Ussuri River that provided the PLA with a series of advancements and design improvements that they incorporated into their T-54-based tanks. Meanwhile in the west, the T-62 had come into NATO focus when numbers of them had been spotted pouring into Czechoslovakia during Operation Danube, the 1968 Soviet invasion of the country. Bedecked in white
powerful 115mm gun, against well trained tanktroops with improved western equipment and well prepared positions, Soviet equipment and localised Soviet style tactics could easily come undone. On the Sinai Front, Egyptian forces suffered similar results when they attempted to break out of their Suez bridgehead, a major problem being the T-62's inability to lower its main gun to the critical number of degrees below the horizon line required when fighting in the hull-down position compared to Israeli Magachs and Centurions. Later still in the battle of Lebanon, Israeli tank crews would spot the tell tale sign of T-62 tank barrels raising in the air as their auto loaders removed empty 115mm shells and reloading, taking critical extra seconds while IDF units were able to fire off twice the amount of rounds more accurately in the same amount of time. These details were shared by my old pal Paul Kunkels when he met a former IDF Shot/Centurion tank commander at an irrigation trade-show, of all things. The standard T-62 Model 67 and later 72 went on to see major action with Iraqi and Iranian forces during the eight year long slug-fest that was the Iran-Iraq war. Iraq even updated their early-model turrets (which lacked a machine gun cupola) by welding on a T-55/54 cupola and mounting a DShK 12.7mm MG in place. Iran, for its part, made major use of captured Iraqi T-62s as well as acquiring up to 200 North Korean Choma-ho T-62 clones. The Iranian Army found these particular tanks so badly made that they quickly donated the lot to the Revolutionary Guard Corps. Ethiopia also purchased Choma-ho tanks from the North Koreans but seem to have retained them for the defence of the capital. Choma-ho examples are identifiable by the KPV 14.5MM AA gun and cupola counterweight mounted to the rear. The T-62 saw large scale deployment in Afghanistan, Chechnya and Georgia with Russian forces. As a result of NATO ATGM developments and earlier combat in Afghanistan, the tanks were up-armoured to T-62M standard with horseshoe armour, belly
invasion stripes, Red Army conscriptcrews had been confused told they were on their way to stop fascist imperialists. T-62s were in the vanguard as the Soviets snuffed out the Prague Spring and returned the wayward and westlooking Czechoslovakians to the communist fold. The next test for the T-62 would be in a very different climate and should really been a wake up call for Soviet tank designers. The USSR was rapidly lagging behind in the technological front and the vast numbers of tanks that could overwhelm enemy positions as they had in the second half of World War Two was becoming something firmly of the past. Nowhere was this more evident than on the Golan Heights in 1973, where the 188th Barak Brigade of Israeli up-gunned Centurions blunted the Syrian tank offensive of the Yom Kippur War. They destroyed hundreds of T-62s and other armoured vehicles of the Syrian Army as they tried to bludgeon their way down the volcanic plateau of the Golan. The aptly named 'Valley of Tears' bore testimony to the fact that, although the T-62 had better night vision and a
armour and a laser rangefinder. The T-62M1 got a lead and fibre matted layer added to its roof to protect the crew from the effect of gamma radiation in the event of limited nuclear war in Europe. In the recent Syrian civil war, government forces have been seen with updated T-62s fitted with side-mounted wind-sensor units and later Scarab 1 anti-missile boxes. T-62 copies still serve in large numbers and variants in North Korea and countries such as Syria, Yemen, Vietnam, Egypt and Algeria will have plenty in active service for years to come. It is, however, only a matter of time before most countries retire or modify their weary warriors. Two interesting examples of modification are the North Korean Koksan M1989, in which a 170mm gun is mounted on a back-to-front T-62 tank chassis. The somewhat less complex Bulgarianand TV-62 seriesover havebytheir turrets removed areARV covered a truncated T-55 turret top or T-34-85 roof welded on to a flat circular disc plate. Now there's a few ideas for the scratchbuilders out there! •
MODELLING REFERENCES SOVIET T-62 MODEL 1967
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Above: A rear
three-quarter shot of the T-62 showing to good effect the sheer grunge of this example. The chipped paint, build up of dried mud on the wheels, hanging tarp and empty engine bay add character of this old hulk.
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Below: The
distinctive rear plate of the T-62 with its circular bulge at the bottom for the engine fan housing is the giveaway from the T-55/T-54 series. The same bulge however is found on the Chinese Type 69, which was copied from a captured Red army T-62 during a minor boarder conflict in the late
Detail shot of the rear zip box on lefthand side of the T-62 which contains the large infrared night-hunting lamp when not in use and is fitted to the rear of T-55s and late model T-54s. Of note is the standard OMSh style tracks, road-wheels and drive-wheels also found on the T-55/54 series.
A detail view of two of the side-mounted diesel fuel cells on the righthand side running-board. Three of these units are normally mounted on the side of the T-62 except the T-62M1 which features an air filter unit in the mid-position. Syrian forces covered their fuel cells in sandbags in the Yom Kippur war to protect from IDF shell splinters.
A detail shot of the rear righthand side of the T-62 showing various shades of mud and rust-stain build up on the OMSh tracks and wheel hubs. A good reference shot of the dried mud on the rubber tyres on the road-wheels and the inner face of the OMSh tracks. Of note is the long, rectangular zip box containing the barrel cleaning rods.
Detail shot of the rear diesel fuel tank on the rear right running board, partially covered by tarpaulin and some fibre-board. Of note are the small clips which help hold the fuel tanks in position.
MODELLING REFERENCES SOVIET T-62 MODEL 1967
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The front lefthand side zip box was standard on T-62s and T-55s; earlier versions with a raised circular section and 'X' ribs are found on T-54s, Type 69s and North Korean Choma-ho T-62 copies.
The rear engine bay of the T-62 minus its transversely-mounted V-55 580hp diesel engine. Of note is the engine fan unit which rises above the engine deck and is protected by a bulged cover.
An empty zip box space on the mid-section T-62 Model 1967 running board. Of note are the empty mounting lugs. Two types of zip boxes were mounted here; an earlier ‘L’ shaped version and a later ribbed version. Of note is the nicely rusty towing-cable lug
Detail shot of the front lefthand side mudguard, common to all T-54, T-55, Type 69 and T-62 models. This one exhibits some wonderful wear and tear. Often these covers were battered, dented and ripped or simply gone altogether.
Top shot of the front T-62 glacis plate complete with the upper KMT-4 and 6 mine plough and mine roller attachment points 52
Military Illustrated Modeller
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The lower glacis plate complete with tow cable shackles attached to the tow hooks. On the lower glacis we see the eight bottom KMT attachment fittings
Detail shot of the driver’s hatch and lowered periscope covers
The T-62 turret showing gunner’s TShS-41U sight to the lower front and TPN-1-41-11 day and night periscopic sight above. The T-62 turret is a nightmare to get in and out of as the author witnessed in Israel. Trying to get in and out of the turret under pressure would be tricky to put it mildly
Detailed shot of the torn mantlet cover on the main gun mount. The major problem during the Yom Kippur war was the inability of the T-62 to lower its main gun while in a hull-down position compared with that of the IDF modified Centurions
Detail shot the later style T-62 engine deck covers. The ribbed covers have often been seen mounted over the two rear diesel fuel tanks for extra protection from shell splinters in Syria and Yemen
KIT PREVIEW TAMIYA TAMIYA
1:35 US AIRBORNE TANK M551 SHERIDAN • KIT NO.35365
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AIRBORNE ALUMINUM Tamiya's all-new M551 Sheridan ARAAV takes pride of place as the best kit of the Vietnam War air-droppable tank yet produced
T
54
amiya have tooled up for a 100% new 1:35 kit of the US M551 Sheridan 'Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle' (AR/AAV). This light tank was in service with active units from 1968 to 1996 and saw action in the Vietnam War and years later, different versions
over-engineered solution but one that makes the M551 very distinctive. The new kit includes this as a working part, although the modeller will have to be extremely careful with the cement to prevent the hatch from being glued open, closed or somewhere halfway. The model will come with
alongside the kit. We received a pre-production model for the review, hence the grey plastic; the full-production kits will be moulded in the usual olive drab polystyrene. From a close-up inspection of the sprues thanks to our macro camera lens, it's clear
deployed in the first Gulf War. Tamiya's new model comes with parts pertinent only to the Vietnam War M551s, such as large smoke dischargers and an M113-style ACAV gun shield. A notable feature of the Sheridan tank is the rotating driver’s hatch, arguably an
a three-man crew; two in the turret and a driver. Oddly, the driver's facial features are clearly those of an African American person, but the instructions suggest the use of XF-15 Flat Flesh for a fair complexion. A separately available aluminium gun barrel and photo-etched set will be released
that there is some extremely slick detail here, from the sagged fabric flotation-screens around the hull's upper edges to the cast-steel texture on the main gun's mantlet. Some options are provided, such as covered and uncovered searchlight, turret gunner's armoured shields and chicken wire anti-RPG
Military Illustrated Modeller
- December 2018
The figures are exceptionally well sculpted and full of detail. They add the essential touch of character needed for any Vietnam War subject
screen. Nylon mesh is provided for the latter, and a separately available detail set will provide the mesh in photo-etched metal, along with a machined aluminium main gun barrel. The metal barrel is a nice addition. The crew figures are beautifully rendered, formed using laser-scanning technology to achieve very natural-looking poses. Their helmets are moulded separately in two halves for realism, to which can be added mic booms and cables if desired. Two markings-options are provided. After several decades, Tamiya's original 1:35
M551 kit can gracefully bow out, to be replaced by this magnificent new model that is by some margin, the most accurate kit of the Sheridan yet produced as a model kit. •
AVAILABILITY;
Tamiya models are widely available from good model shops and online. UK import and distribution by The Hobby Company Limited; www.hobbyco.net
AFV Edition
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FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ARMOUR
DRAGON 1:35 JAGDPANZER IV L/48 JULY 1944 PRODUCTION W/ZIMMERIT • KIT NO.6369
LOW, LEAN, KIL Angel Iñigo Hernandez adds some aftermarket detail sets to Dragon's 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/48
B
y the end of 1942, it was clear that the current Stug III ausf.G was becoming obsolete; its armour lacked resistance and was composed of too many plates which put additional strain on manufacturing. The low capacity of ammunition and fuel was also a problem in the Stug III ausf.G, so the new vehicle needed increases in both these factors. The
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Waffenamt requested a new design based on the Waffenamt production chassis of the Panzer IV that included the new 7.5cm L/70 Panther cannon. Ultimately, this vehicle would have its main gun installed directly in its chassis as it was too big for a Pz.IV turret. This had the benefit of making its profile as low as possible. The prototype was finished in December 1943, starting production in January
1944, although due to the lack of L/70 cannons, 7.5cm L/48 guns were installed until May 1944. Our model is a version manufactured in April 1944. DRAGON'S KIT
Among the models on the market, we have a Tamiya model from the early '80s (35088), an
LING MACHINE obsolete kit by today's standards. In the early '90s, Dragon launched several kits, all based on the old Gunze Sangyo moulds, which were much better than the first, but still requiring additional work. About ten years ago, Dragon released some excellent new models of very good quality. Tamiya also launched a new-tool Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V) (35340) in 2014, an impressive production with
the addition of a gun breech. Although it is easy today to make good-looking zimmerit by hand, I wanted to appreciate the experience of making a Jagdpanzer with zimmerit included. With this feature, we have two models on offer, the L/48 (6369) and L/70(V) (6589) both by Dragon. The difference between the two – and the reason why I leant towards the L/70 – was
because it included individual-link tracks. For the main gun, I chose the excellent machined metal set from Voyager (VBS0133), which includes the mantlet in resin that I will use in another project. A photo-etched set from Aber was chosen and whilst not the ideal set for this kit, it is very complete and sufficient for my work. I also used part of the Voyager set of schürzen (PEA358).
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FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ARMOUR
DRAGON 1:35 JAGDPANZER IV L/48 JULY 1944 PRODUCTION W/ZIMMERIT • KIT NO.6369
This model was planned for exhibition in a showcase and would not have any figures but the commander's hatch would be open, so the author had to make a simple interior so that there wouldn't be any 'black holes'
Here we see the elemental interior being dry-fitted. The various items would be painted individually and then fitted with epoxy glue to prevent the 0.25mm plastic card from being deformed if liquid cement was used
ASSEMBLY This model is intended to be shown only in a display case so it wouldn't include figures or be in a diorama, but as I wanted to leave the commander's hatch open, I would have to create the illusion that the interior was fully detailed, even though this was not strictly true. I detailed everything that could be seen from the outside; the left ammunition rack, rear panel, floor and left side of the gun. Just enough to see through the hatch. The gunsight was replaced with part M6 (supplied by the manufacturer) and I cut at its base, making a small platform to be able to fit this item from outside of the roof so as to be able to paint it in a comfortable way. Next, I focused on the transparent periscopes (M3 and M4). I masked off the 'glass', painted the pieces in chromed silver and then painted them again in black. When the paint was dry, I could install them. I could now close up the model by cementing the upper superstructure to the chassis and move on to the next phase. The rear shields that protect the engine would be my next objective. I detailed-up the mudguards and painted the area first, as it would be very difficult to access after fitting the armour plates. I now turned to the assembly and painting of the suspension, wheels and the tracks. Why did I
At this early stage, the areas that would be hidden by the engine shields were worked on
Here we see the effect of the partial interior, which is more than adequate to satisfy a view through the open commander's hatch
do it in this order? The tracks, which are made of of construction does not warrant much comment, kit plastic, require a great deal of manipulation of other than that I attached the photo-etched parts last the model and without surface details in the way as they were the most delicate. The exhaust pipe I could handle it safely without worrying about was replaced with a piece of aluminium so that I damaging the model. When I finished painting could 'damage' it in a natural-looking way. Once the running gear, I carefully masked off the whole this was all done, I could finally paint the model. area, taking into account that when I removed the masking, the schürzen would be in place. Now I found another advantage of this process, because I had a large area to hold the kit without the risk of damaging any photo-etch or detail with my fingers. I began the detailing of the model's upper areas with those parts that I had modified or that interacted with the interior, like the periscopes, the commander's hatch and the sliding gunsight mount. To ease the painting process, I made the commander's hatch workable, detailing it completely and then painting its inner surface. Finally, I Once the model had been closed up, the wheels and tracks could be assembled. Here we can see the sub-assemblies ready to paint cemented it in place. The rest
The tracks were painted in dark browns to simulate aged steel, plus pigment powders and graphite
One major modification was made to adapt this model to one manufactured in April 1944. The gunsight 'slider' was altered using 0.25mm plastic card, shaped with a compass-cutter
The engine deck has many details, which were finished off with Aber photo-etched parts. Before attaching, the side shields were painted on their inner faces, but without weathering
After painting the running gear, it was masked off so that the upper areas could be completed. The masked sections form a ‘grip’ for easy handling
As the front fenders are in PE brass, the modeller must reproduce the zimmerit using Duro putty and a special tool from Lion Roar
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The rear end, finished. Highlighted here is the exhaust pipe, which was replaced by one built in aluminium to be able to 'damage' it with realism
Here we can observe the small hooks to hold camouflage foliage, which were removed from the kit with a blade and replaced one by one with two small plastic slices of 0.5mm diameter and 0.25mm thick glued to the armour plate. When the glue had dried, 0.02mm stretched-sprue strips were cemented over the two discs
The rear fenders are photo-etched brass, but the zimmerit was ‘extracted’ from the original kit parts by sanding their rear faces until only a thin sheet remained. This was then fixed in place with epoxy glue as were the side armour of the engine
The inner faces of the schürzen are only partially visible, but they were treated to the same effects that would later be used on the outside of the vehicle
The towing cables, once bent to their final shape, were painted separately from the model
PAINTING SEQUENCE 1: 2: 3: 4:
Light grey primer XF-60 70% + XF-2 20% + XF-3 10% XF-64 80% + XF-3 15% Same mix from from Step 2, very thinned and drawing lines similar to step 3, partly covering the previous spots 5: Citadel 'Agrax Earth-Shade' concentrating on the recessed areas 6: Colour-wash in natural shade oil paint 7: Tamiya Pigment E yellow 8: Chocolate brown Vallejo with brush tip 9: Citadel translucent ink 'Nurl Oil', concentrating on the recessed areas and corners, drawing lines from top to bottom 10: Colour-wash with thinned Burnt Sienna oil paint 11: Gunmetal on edges and holes without zimmerit 12: Powdered graphite and pencil on edges and areas not covered by zimmerit 13: Tamiya Pigment C orange rust 14: Very smooth and selective passes with 1500-2000 sandpaper until the primer colour appears 15: Same airbrushed painting from Steps 2 and 4 even more thinned and from a greater distance, selectively and randomly
AFV Edition
FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ARMOUR
DRAGON 1:35 JAGDPANZER IV L/48 JULY 1944 PRODUCTION W/ZIMMERIT • KIT NO.6369
The author made the slight mistake of attaching the gun to the vehicle a little too early, which forced him to mask off the tube for a specific colour to be applied
Another advantage of having the masked-off undercarriage is that there's a have a place to start the airbrush strokes at the time of painting
ACCESSORIES This vehicle is full of straight lines, being very aesthetic by itself, so the selected accessories, should not interfere in the cleanness of its lines. This is why I chose to focus on the engine area, with very simple elements such as a 7.5cm L/48 ammunition box from Tamiya plus a Dragon
ammunition case, crew helmets and a couple of empty shell cases. Note that the care that the helmets, although all in the same basic colour, were given slightly different shades and individual weathering processes. And with that, the Dragon Jagdpanzer Jagdpanz er IV L/48 was was complete! complete! •
The finished barrel already complete with the 'saukopf' shield and its muzzle brake
The exhaust box was coated it with a layer of thinned putty by brush to create a rough finish, and then painted in flesh tones with colour-washes of burnt Sienna and black. Finally, XF-1 Flat Black was painted into the exhaust outlet The end of the periscope was cut and a wire The whole gunsight was inserted to allow it to be fitted from the outside. then airbrushed black The place where it will finally be fitted was also drilled out. The area behind the optic was painted with polished silver and then masked off with a disc of tape made with a punch and die
Finally, the gunsight was painted in its dark yellow base colour and the mask removed. In the optic we can just see the polished silver and the rest in black, while the exterior is dark yellow
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BOOK REVIEWS ARAB REVOLUTIONS AND BORDER WARS 1980-2018 PERE VALLS, ZACHARY SEX, AK INTERACTIVE www.akinteractive.com This 152 page (with covers) production from Spanish producer AK Interactive focuses on the varied and fascinating armoured vehicles that took part in the numerous conflicts in the Middle East and north Africa. It’s an extraordinary assortment of vehicle types, including the M1 Abrams in Moroccan service, Algerian BTR-60, Sudanese Type 59D (a T-54/55 derivative), Shia Militia EE9 Cascavel armoured car and even a Daesh HUMVEE. The book mixes colour photographs with excellent colour profile illustrations and each vehicle is properly captioned. Walk-around photos are provided for some vehicles and all make wonderful modelling references and inspiration for build projects. An unusual and highly interested book indeed.
STURMGESCHÜTZ III ON THE BATTLEFIELD 4 MÁTYÁS PÁNCZÉL, PEKO PUBLICATIONS www.panzerwrecks.com The Sturmgeschütz is a popular scale modelling subject, perhaps because of the variety of versions and books on the vehicles are always welcome. This new title from Hungarian publisher PeKo is a hard-backed production 110+ pages of large-format photographs of the main variants from the short-barrelled StuG.III Ausf.A, B, C and E to the long-barrelled F and G. A collection of interesting images showing the 105mm howitzer-equipped StuH.42 finishes off the book nicely. As mentioned, the sheer variety of hull designs, armament fits, zimmerit coatings, schürzen panels and paint schemes makes this powerful assault gun an engaging subject for replication in miniature form and you’ll surely be inspired by the images presented here.
AFV Edition Edition
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M911 & M1070 HET HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRANSPORTERS IN ACTION DAVID DOYLE, SQUADRON SIGNAL PUBLICA DAVID PUBLICATIONS TIONS www.adhbooks.com With 1:35 kits of the M911 from Meng and Hobbyboss, the M1070 HET from Accurate Armour and Hobbyboss plus a 1:72 offering from Takom in circulation, this recent release from Squadron Signal will prove most handy for those about to embark on a build project. Across the eighty-four, softbound pages we are treated to some excellent imagery of these huge rigs, starting with the older Oshkosh M911 C-HET (Commercial Heavy Equipment Transporter). We are provided with some very useful photos of the exterior and cabin interior, plus a walk-around ‘tour’ of its M747 semi- trailer; ideal modelling references. Next is the more recent M1070 and its M1000 trailer and again we have a thorough photographic examination of the machine, but in greater depth than the M911. Interestingly, the book also covers the M1070F, the version built for the British Army which varied considerably to the US machine and the M1070A1 HET, the upgraded version of the tractor, also gets a look-in. The publication finishes with photographs of the rigs in action, making this a good value production.
GERMAN PANZER II, A VISUAL HISTORY OF THE GERMAN ARMY’S WORLD WAR WAR II LIGHT TANK DAVID DOYLE, AMPERSAND GROUP www.casematepublishing.co.uk Another modeller-friendly German AFV from the 1930s and ‘40s is the diminutive Panzer II, arguably Germany’s first ‘serious’ tank after the Pz.I which was only really meant for training and parade purposes, despite serving widely in the conflict’s earlier campaigns. In this impressive 168+ page hard-covered tome, we are treated to hundreds of excellent images depicting the Pz.II in its various forms, from the small-wheeled Ausf. A and B to the more common Ausf.c with its distinctive five larger roadwheels. It would be this version that would see widespread action across all fronts and also form the underpinnings for the Wespe self-propelled howitzer. The wartime images presented in this book are fantastic, revealing many interesting details such as equipment fits, variations between different ‘Ausfuhrungs’, camouflage, markings and crew uniforms. This book provides an essential collection of high quality images that will certainly have you digging out your Panzer.II kits from the attic and onto the workbench!
AFV Edition Edition
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Terry Higgins continues his exploration of anti-shipping Beaufighters with illustrations and wartime photos
BIG FALCON Tamiya’s 1:32 F-16CJ Block 50 by Steve Pritchard
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KRUSTY KRAZ Technical tips for a well-weathered Russian truck
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An atmospheric Ardennes offensive diorama from the US perspective
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MODELLING INSPIRATION...
GREEN DEVIL, FROZEN IN TIME T
he ‘Deadman’s Corner’ museum near Carentan in Normandy is well worth a visit as it contains many treasures. This impressive villa was the headquarters major von der Heydte on the morning of June 6th 1944 and his men – the infamous ‘Green Devils’ of the 6th German parachute infantry regiment – fought US troops of the 101st Airborne Division for three days in brutal, close-quarters action. There are many original smallarms and uniforms from the actual combat on show, one of which is this Fallschirmjäger smock printed in splinter camouflage pattern B. It is in remarkable condition and makes a perfect reference for anyone trying to replicate the camouflage in miniature.
http://dday-experience.com/en/visit-us/ dead-mans-corner-museum/ • •
See you again next time!
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- December 2018
Photos; by the Editor
NEW How to Build The Steel Wheeled Tiger I A New and revised edition of the ultimate guide to building the Tiger I Steel Wheeled version by Angus Creighton. The new revised edition includes: Early-batch Sturmtiger, using Tamiya’s 1:35 kit with factory zimmerit, ModelKasten battle-tracks Late-batch Sturmtiger, using Tamiya’s 1:35 kit, Dragon late pattern road wheels, extra frontal armour, no zimmerit, ModelKasten battle-tracks Dragon’s 1:35 Tiger I (SPzAbt 510 194445), ModelKasten transport tracks and more...
NOW SHIPPING
y O n l y
.9 5 9 £1 3 p& p s p u p l u
The Steel Wheeled Tiger I book
P&P: UK; £2.00
