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Issue 148 August 2018

THE EASIEST EIGHT Tamiya 1:48 U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight”

BORN TO FIGHT Tiger Model 1:35 BMPT-72 Terminator II

Tank Workshop 1:48 LRDG Chevrolet 30CWT

AS TOUGH AS NAILS

INSIDE: p 01 CoverMMI 148 1

1:35 Maxx Pro ■ 1:35 Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz ■ 1:35 Panther Ausf. D ■ Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle ■ and more...

August 2018 / £4.75 / Issue 148

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Contents - Issue 148 August ugust 2018 018 REGULARS p 4 NEWS

What’s new in the world of military modelling

p 61 1:48 SCALE

News and new releases in 1:48 scale

p 66 LAST POST

Exercise Joint Warrior 2018 in words and pictures

FEATURES

p 6 THINK TANK

LRDG Part One

p 10 PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 Maxx Pro

p 12 TOUGH AS NAILS Part One Tank Workshop’s 1:48 LRDG by Luke Pitt

p 22 PREVIEW

Dragon 1:35 Kugelblitz

p 24 BORN TO FIGHT

Tiger Model 1:35 scale BMPT-72 Terminator II by Matt Szefer

p 36 THE EASIEST EIGHT

Tamiya’s 1:35 M4A3E8 “Easy Eight” Sherman by Brett Green

p 46 PREVIEW

Tamiya 1:35 Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle

p 48 GALLERY

Bronco 1:35 DFS-230 Glider by Brett Green

p 52 TINY TKS Part One IBG Models’ 1:35 scale TKS Tankette by Kamil Feliks Sztarbała

p 60 PREVIEW

Meng 1:35 Panther Ausf. D

Tel: (UK) 01525 222573 Email: enquiries@doolittlemedia.com Address: Doolittle Media Ltd., Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK Model Military International is published monthly by Doolittle Media Ltd Ltd. 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.

ISSN 1749-8864

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Newsline - August 2018

MMI Newsdesk, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK Tel:01525 222573 Fax:01525 222574 Email:editor@modelmilitary.com

Dragon 1:35 MGM-52 Lance Last year, Dragon issued an exciting new plastic kit of the M752 Lance surface-to-surface missile launcher system. That particular kit (#3576) featured a Lance tactical ballistic missile mounted on a tracked chassis. Now, following a good response to the subject from modelers, Dragon has doubled the options by releasing another kit, this time of a short/medium-range MGM-52 Lance missile mounted on a single-axle trailer. The MGM-52 Lance missile was deployed in 1972, replacing the bulkier and less mobile Honest John and Sergeant missile systems. With the end of the Cold War, the MGM-52 was withdrawn from service in 1992. The Lance system was used by the US Army, Belgium, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands and UK, meaning that this new kit offers enterprising modellers plenty of versatility. The specialised two-wheel trailer is all new, and it features all relevant details such as storage boxes and four outrigger legs for stability when firing. For the benefit of modelers seeking to pose their model dramatically, the missile can be elevated up or down to represent a firing scenario. The missile mount and associated elevation mechanism are sophisticated. Notably, these are the only two 1:35 scale plastic kits of this US-manufactured missile launcher currently available on the market, allowing modelers to choose which Lance they want to get acquainted with. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the information. www.hobbyco.net

New Wilder Aquiline Acrylics and SharpenAir from The Airbrush Company The Airbrush Company has announced the new Wilder Aqualine Acrylics line. These are now in stock at The Airbrush Company. Available colours are: Code Description AW-AL-01 Wilder Aqua Line Brown Mud (50ml) AW-AL-02 Wilder Aqua Line Common Dust (50ml) AW-AL-03 Wilder Aqua Line Dark Earth (50ml) AW-AL-04 Wilder Aqua Line Light Mud (50ml) AW-AL-05 Wilder Aqua Line Dry Earth (50ml) AW-AL-06 Wilder Aqua Line Orange Ochre Rust (50ml) AW-AL-07 Wilder Aqua Line Brown Rust (50ml) AW-AL-08 Wilder Aqua Line Dark Track Rust (50ml) AW-AL-09 Wilder Aqua Line White Winter Camo (50ml) AW-AL-10 Wilder Aqua Line Black Smoke (50ml)

Blast Models New Releases

Blast Models has announced five new releases: - BL35321K - BOOMERANG III GUNFIRE LOCATOR - BL35322K - MAXXPRO DASH WHEELS - PANDA - BL35325F - FRENCH SOLDIER N°5 OPERATION BARKHANE-SERVAL - BL35331F - FRENCH SOLDIER N°11 OPERATION BARKHANE-SERVAL - BL35334K - SDKFZ 251 FALKE CONVERSION - AFV CLUB These are available now from Blast Models’ website - www.blast-models.com

The Airbrush Company has also announced SharpenAir™ - the first and only hand-held device that is designed specifically for repairing bent and damaged airbrush fluid needles. The concept and design was created by Chad Elliott, an airbrush artist, especially for the airbrushing community. SharpenAir™ works by utilizing multiple angles allowing your damaged needle to be straightened efficiently and with precision each and every time while maintaining its factory angle. There are four runners located at the bottom of each SharpenAir™ which are uniquely angled to do the work for you. At the end of each runner is a diamond-grit coated sharpening stone. These stones are made up of varying grit and work together to provide you with a consistently perfect finish. Includes Polishing Pad. Thanks to The Airbrush Company for the information and images www.airbrushes.com

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MISSION MODELS PREMIUM HOBBY PAINTS, PRIMERS & ADDITIVES

CHANGE ANGE THE WAY YOU PAINT

WWW.MISSIONMODELSUS.COM Please visit Mission Models for dealer locations

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Think Tank - Chevrolet WB 30cwt Truck

The Real Deal An unrestored Chevrolet WB 30cwt truck

Luke Pitt offers a detailed walk around of an unrestored ChevyWD 30CWT truck, courtesy of photos by Dan Rothberger Jr.

his month I have included some twelve photos taken by Mr Dan Rothenberger Jr on his recent trip to the UK. This is the unrestored WD number 8202 “Waikaha” found in Libya some time ago. The photos are important as they are the real deal, and not of a restored type. My thanks go out to him for providing them to me for this first part of this article. ■

Looking from the left hand side into the front portion of the rear tray the floor is covered in English “Flimsy” cans. Note also how smooth the wooden grain is of the tray guards (something in hindsight I over did on my build)

A slightly different angle from the same side. This image gives a good idea of how the wheel well protrusions looked like. Note how the BOYS rifle mount support beams connect to them and how they connect to the support and mounting bar that runs across the top of the tray itself.

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The rear tailgate is shown clearly in this image with its four support hook attachments.

A close-up of the rear flimsy brackets that were located just behind the rear mudguards at the rear bottom of the vehicle. Note how the middle outside support bar is attached and the lower division bar to separate the flimsy cans from one another.

A good image of the rear differential and double leaf spring arrangement.

The driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spare wheel mount and side step are clearly seen in this image. Note the spare wheel was attached via single mounting point secured by a flat piece of bar stock mounted on the outside of the spare wheel via a single bolt.

In the same location but from a different angle. Note how the leaf springs are attached to the chassis and the exposed drum brakes. August 2018 - Model Military International 7

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Think Tank - Chevrolet WB 30cwt Truck

In this image it becomes apparent that the rivet bands on the side of the tray sides are incorrect. The rivets are simply inserted on the outside skin of the tray itself.

The front grill in all its glory. Note the bonnet mascot, the mounting of the headlights and the small hook tie downs on the outside of the running lights on top of the front mud guards.

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In this image the instrument cluster can clearly be seen. Note the shape and diameter of the steering wheel.

Looking back from the cab right hand side. Note how the wooden portions of the tray guards attach to one another at the ends. This is again something I missed on by build.

The brackets for the sand mats that were located on top of the front fenders. August 2018 - Model Military International 9

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KIT PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 M1224 MaxxPro MRAP • Kit No. CB35142

The hull roof.

Separate side panels for the body.

MRAP TO THE MAXX Andrew Judson checks out Bronco’s busy 1:35 scale M1224 MaxxPro MRAP.

t is always nice when a kit that has been advertised for quite some time finally becomes reality, as we see here with Bronco’s latest - their M1224 MaxxPro. There are some other brands that have released kits of this vehicle recently, although I must say not to the standard of this one when it comes to detail. I know that seems a big call, though having built one before, I can see a lot of differences. What are these, you may ask? The biggest is that you get a full chassis, with complete engine, suspension, driveline and under armour plating. The interior is also a lot more complete, with well-detailed seating, radios and other electronic devices, and the driver’s cab with a very detailed dash and all the accessories such as navigational, comms equipment. Very impressive. Externally, there are finer details such as the air conditioning units on the vehicles sides, and highly detailed gunners turret on top of the vehicle. Inside the actual box, on opening, you are confronted with a heap of grey plastic. 28 spues of various sizes for a total of 878 parts, a fret of photo-etch with 59 parts, a detailed decal sheet, 4 x vinyl tyres, and a 39 page instruction book, with well-drawn and detailed images. The last two pages are colour profile sheets, all

in sand colour. Looking through the instructions reveals the level of detail within. The process of construction begins with the chassis and driveline over the first 38 stages, followed by the interior and exterior over the next 44 stages. Not a quick and simple build, that’s for sure! As stated, the chassis and drive line is very detailed, and I was very struck with the engine and transmission detail - a great touch for an impressive kit. There are areas where I believe care will need to be taken, such as aligning everything correctly with the chassis, or one will have further issues along the way with the build. I also thought the

individual body panels were a surprise. These could create issues if not done right as well. As a plus with the individual panels and chassis detail, it leaves the modeller with options to do this kit in a maintenance scenario, or as one damaged by an IED. In summary, I think that this is a fantastic kit, with a high level of detail right out of the box, although I would say it is not one for the beginner or a modeller who wants a quick fix. Another fine issue from the team at Bronco. ■

The “V” shaped blast directing armoured sub-floor.

The surrounds of the engine grille.

The kit photo-etched fret.

Thanks to Bronco for the sample www.cn-bronco.com/ en/index.php

Vinyl tyres are nicely presented. Clear parts.

Decal sheet.

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H G U O T AS S L I A N AS FEATURE ARTICLE

Tank Workshop 1:48 LRDG Chevrolet 30CWT

PART ONE - CONSTRUCTION Luke Pitt takes a longer than anticipated journey building and improving the Tank Workshop 1:48 scale LRDG Chevrolet 30CWT truck.

elf–reliance, integrity, adaptability, initiative, the ability to drive, navigate, do simple mechanical repairs and gather intelligence behind enemy lines. These were the hallmarks of the men of the Long Rang Desert Group. Formed in June 1940, their exploits have become legendary. The men of these units were, by their very nature, as tough as nails. I remember when I first started modelling I was excited by the news that Italeri was about to release a 1:35 kit of the Chevrolet WB 30cwt truck. I liked the lines of this vehicle and its wide “stance”. It looked pretty purposeful to me. As fate would have it Tamiya had plans of its own and released the Chevrolet 1533X2 30cwt, which I think may have ended the Italeri kit ever being released. I often wondered over the years why nobody ever released a kit of the “WB” as in my eyes it, looked so much cooler. Some ten years ago, when I started writing the 1:48 column for this magazine, I received word that a master scratch builder was embarking on a project that would reproduce the WB in 1:48. I became excited about the project. One thing led to another and the project was never really completed by him. It was released some time later with mix results. The model you see in this two part article was built by myself but would not have been possible without the help from a large number of people. I’ll credit them all at the end of

part two of this series of articles but suffice to say without their reference help, ego stroking and online conversations this model would have never been completed. I roughly broke the build down into nine distinct build phases and I did not move on to the next until I was happy with the results of proceeding phases. I call my approach “Modular Modelling” or “MM” for short. I break down the build into a number of steps and approach each build step in small bites adding as much detail as I can possibly can. In reality, we all do this and all I have done is simply put a name to the process. The one thing this build did was to reinforce my love for 1:48 scale. It is so much easier and quicker to produce a good result than other scales. I like the palm size appeal of the scale; to me it’s perfect for detailing and ease of building. It’s also a lot quicker than 1:35, which, for a “time starved” individual (like me) is the real motivator. This article has been written in the Spanish way, for want of a better term, as most of the build process has been covered in some way or another with photos. I have not reviewed the Tank Workshop kit, as it has been done many times before and to be honest I was a bit too close to its conception to be an objective judge, but suffice to say it is a little difficult to put together. I hope that you enjoy my LRDG journey over the following pages and it is my hope that it may inspire you to build one yourself. A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tank Workshop 1:48 LRDG Chevrolet 30CWT

A BRIEF LOOK AT THE MASTER THAT PRODUCED THE TANK WORKSHOP KIT This magazine was in a unique position to receive the masters for the kit in their transitional phase as they moved on to Tank Workshop. The year was 2010 and Alex Giersch the master builder, had become disenchanted with the whole project and wanted to move on. I mentioned to him that it would be a great shame if the masters were lost. To cut a long story short, he sent them to me and I then forwarded them on to Tank Workshop. They employed another builder to finish the project with mixed results. Looking at the masters now it is quite obvious that the craftmanship was top shelf. The only problem then was the master was being produced without a solid bank of reference material. It is clear to me that if Alex had access to the material we would have today a much more accurate model would have been produced. But still, the following photos encapsulate what I would consider true scratch building. All of this was created with flat plastic card glue and sandpaper.

Created with nothing more than laminated plastic card, this photographically illustrates what scratch building means.

Given the lack of reference material at the time, it is remarkable how detailed it was. Hindsight however would indicate that some of the details have been proven to be incorrect over time.

The rear tray was a masterful piece of work, but again the lack of any meaning full reference at the time limited its accuracy in terms of width.

The laminations of plastic card to produce the front fender guards can be clearly seen in the photos. Anyone who has ever tried this will testify that this is not an easy task.

The front and rear portions of the tray were provided as separate assemblies and were highly detailed.

The muffler and exhaust pipe were included on this piece. On the real vehicle, double leaf springs were installed one on top of another, but the master and kit has only one. Even so, nothing of that can be seen when the model is put together.

The chassis is a thing of beauty, combining everything that could possibly be seen from ground level.

The main cab incorporated the side steps but in hindsight this may have been a mistake as they did not include the correct side step, but again this was only due to the lack of reference at the time.

The bottom half of the engine was included in the chassis as well and in all honesty that all that was required it, was beautifully detailed.

All the minor details were produced as separate parts and the sand mats were particularly well done. Little or no modification was need for these in my final build.

The sand channels were also included but these were replaced with Hauler items in my final build. The spare leaf springs did not make it into the Tank Workshop kit but the front suspension bracket and differential did.

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THE START - THE SEE-THROUGH GRILL CONUNDRUM It’s funny where inspiration comes from. I that know I have discussed this on many occasions in the 1:48 column, and for this build it came from the strangest of places. I was knee deep into a room renovation and needed some “me” time. I logged onto my laptop and asked Phil Young via Facebook if he had any new head sets coming along. He told me he didn’t but was working on some LRDG figures for a personal project. He shared some of his photographs and in two; the Tank Workshop LRDG was used as a backdrop. I thought to myself, you know what, that looks pretty cool, I might give that a crack. I pulled my sample out and began what I thought would be fairly rapid build.

The Tank Workshop kit has a solid grill that is slightly off centre as well. As this was a distinctive feature, I decided I would give scratch building the grill work a go. The inner grill work was then hollowed out using a motor tool and the grill top added. At this point, I was feeling pretty happy with the result and posted on the Facebook 1:48 group. This led to a few early morning phone calls to Phil Young, as he wanted me to explain to him the building process of the grill itself. I suggested that a better way to do this would be photo-etch but I had no idea how to get this done. We talked about how easily it could be bent around the kits grillwork, he suggested the grillwork be open at the ends but I suggested it would be better as a one-piece etched part that would encompass the logo and grill sides. He said he would talk to a few people. I basically thought nothing would come of it. I have since learnt that if Phil Young says he’s going to do something, it gets done!

I elected to scratch build the grill work, as I wanted to see light through the grill when viewed from the side. I simply glued oblong shaped 10 thou card onto a 20 thou base with 15 thou spacers in between. The assembly was left to dry for a few days and then the sides profiled to suit the Tank Workshop bonnet shape. 10 thou side pieces we then added and again left for a few days to dry. I then profiled the front of the grill and added the centre grill bar and lower grill base I then blended my grill work into the front coachwork of the Tank Workshop kit. The bottom of the grill was also blended into the Tank Workshop resin coachwork

About 3 months later I got a call form Phil Young to say the grill work had arrived I was a little taken back when he showed me the photos. I knew right there and then this was better than my plastic card solution. I promptly ordered one. When the etch arrived, I was faced with one of the hardest choices I’ve had to make in my modelling life. Keep in mind that the build was basically half way through by now and I’d attached the rear tray and front coachwork to the kits chassis. I made the decision and prised the coachwork from the chassis. As I was about to cut a way my grill work I said to myself, this better work spud boy! This is the only picture I have of Phil’s etch attached to the Tank Workshop front coachwork. I think you will agree it looks far better than my solution. I have used an old strip of Dymo tape as the central grill bar.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tank Workshop 1:48 LRDG Chevrolet 30CWT

A QUESTION OF WIDTH - THE REAR TRAY

The kit-supplied tray is some 5 millimetres too narrow. This is quite evident when viewing the vehicle front on, as the rear tray should extend well past the A pillar of the truck itself. In this view the lack of width is evident. The width question was addressed by cutting the kit-supplied tray down the scoured lines within the tray itself. A 30 thou piece of plastic card was then inserted in the joins and left to dry overnight and then sanded to shape.

When looking at the period photos of the rear tray it became apparent that the rivets on the outside of the tray were not on metal bands as depicted in the kit, but rather simply inserted on the outside skin of the tray itself. I achieved this by sanding the kit surface flat and attaching a veneer of 10 thou plastic card. I then attached the very small rivets to the sides as well as the fabrication of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Uâ&#x20AC;? beams and wooden tray guards out of 20-mil strip. The rear mudguard were modified a by inserting them in boiling water and then bending them around an appropriate metal bar and left to cool.

If I was to tackle this project again I would simply would scratch build the entire tray as it would have been quicker

WATCH YOUR STEP - CORRECTING THE SIDE STEPS

It became readily apparent when viewing my reference photos that the side steps on the kit were over simplified and need replacement

Although it looks simple the interpretation from my reference photos was the hard part, basically the structure was made from 20 and 30 thou plastic card and extended from the cab entry point to front guard and extended all the way to the front of the rear guard.

A BIT SILLY - ATTACHING THE REAR TRAY The rear mudguards need to be re-profiled and made a little longer

This is a better view of the side step length and the completed rear tray assembly The scratch-built grillwork can be clearly seen in this view, removing this at a later build stage proved a challenge.

Inside the tray itself, the exposed semi-circle wheel well protrusions proved to be incorrect and were box like in their appearance

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12/06/2018 12:30

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tank Workshop 1:48 LRDG Chevrolet 30CWT

WHY DON’T THEY MAKE THIS IN PLASTIC AGAIN? SCRATCH BUILDING THE BOYS ANTI- TANK RIFLE

I looked in vain for either a plastic or resin Boys antitank rifle in 1:48 scale but alas none were available. Looking on the web for reference pictures I thought to myself, this wouldn’t be all that hard to do myself. Photographs reveal that the gun was basically made from three pieces of copper tube, plastic card, the bolt action mechanism from a German 1:35 German rifle and the grip from a 1:48 Machine gun. Not hard but a little time consuming to get right

My first mounting consisted of a long pole mounted to the base of the tray itself. This proved to be incorrect as more reference became available. Only the mount remains on the final build

THOSE CRAZY LITTLE GUYS - THE FIGURE BUILDS I’m a firm believer in adding figures to vehicles. They add a certain finesse and life to any armoured fighting vehicle. Up until now, it has been a real challenge to obtain suitable heads in 1:48 scale. This now has thankfully changed with the introduction of a head set from Figures with Attitude. The heads on offer are the equal to anything available in 1:35. For whatever reason. I’m never able to find a suitable figure out of the box for my builds so, I tend to mix and match parts from various manufactures to suit my needs. From the onset, I wanted a crew with this build. I had become very tired of seeing almost every LRDG crew, both in plastic and resin, wearing the Arab keffiyeh or Shemagh headdress. Most crews did not wear them. What they did wear was a mish-mash of uniforms and headgear. Often seen from period photos were World War One and Two greatcoats in a myriad of styles. The headgear ranged from nothing at all to the woolen cap comforter in its various versions, and side caps. Most had long pants and boots.

The other myth is that everyone wore shorts and it was hot all the time. Anyone who has been in the desert will tell you that it can become very cold early in the morning and all the period photos I have seen indicated that. I could say that figures are scratch build but that would simply not be the case. On all three figures I have used the quite superb Figures with Attitude 1:48 replacement heads. The hands were sourced from the Tamiya WWII US Navy Pilot (item 61107) set

The figures were then test fitted a number of times into their intended locations to ensure perfect fit. The woolen cap comforters were added to the heads as a blob on the top of the heads’ crowns and worked downward. A sharp knife blade was then imprinted into the putty and left to dry. The band around the edge was applied as a thin Milliput strip when the top had dried the same sharp knife method was also applied to the band after a few hours. When the band had dried a little I impressed it with a tooth pick end to achieve a concave lip within the band itself.

The really tricky part was to pose the figures in such a way to express action and also tell a little story. Not only that, but I had to fit them into a very confined space. In all cases I have used the stock figures from the Tamiya US Navy pilot in a highly modified form. I modelled them as a complete unit that included both figure sculpts with only the heads as removable items.

The greatcoat (or overcoat to some) was made from Milliput with the lapels being tackled as separate items first. The lower ones were modelled first and left to dry off the figures. These were then glued to the figures in the appropriate locations and then blended into both the figure and the bench seat.

The last step in the figure assembly was to see if everything fitted correctly. I’m a firm believer that any figure that is on or in a vehicle should appear as part of the vehicle. There is nothing worse than seeing a beautifully painted piece with a figure no intended purpose to the vehicle it is on,

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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER - FINAL ASSEMBLY AND TEST FIT The vehicle is seen here with the first fit of the figures and stowage

The vehicle was test fitted without the custom printed wheels and the ends of the drum brakes fitted. These were obtained from the centre hubs from a 1:48 scale Hasegawa P-38 that I’m working slowly as well.

The outstanding Gas Patch Lewis Mk.I were used on this build (Item No. 13-48021). They are without a doubt the finest machine gun resin castings I have ever seen in this scale and well worth the asking price.

Hauler’s 1:48 sand channels were used on this build and the support brackets made from thin brass strip. The channels are again so much better than the kit provided examples and are well worth the investment. I pored over almost every available photograph of this vehicle on line and noted that the kit suppled bonnet was slightly too shallow when Phil’s grill was fitted. I built it up slightly and re engraved the panel lines accordingly.

I then fitted Dennis Loop’s custom wheels to the build and at this point the build was starting to come together.

Hands are an oft-neglected part of any figure, seen by some as merely and afterthought. I try to make them part of the vehicle itself. Hands do a lot of things and one of them is grab. In this view, the standing figure is meant to grab the side rail (it does on the final build) and rest on the end of the passenger bench seat. A fair bit of tweaking was required to get this aspect right.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tank Workshop 1:48 LRDG Chevrolet 30CWT

In this overhead view, most of the components are now in place.

The focal point of the figures was the frequently seen pointing scenario. I tried to keep this aspect a little more subtle than often otherwise seen by trying to integrate all the figures together and having them look in essence at the same spot. The wide stance of the vehicle is also evident which, in part, was one of the main motivators for this build.

All the various sub-assemblies and figures are all lined up and ready for priming.

THE DONUTS - THE WHEEL STORY The drawings really impressed me as they had the right hub depth and different central hubs for the front and rear wheels.

The original Master for the Tank Work shop kit was created with nothing more than flat plastic card and tube. The workmanship was truly outstanding and given the lack of any real measurement of the wheels themselves and was remarkable in its execution. The tread pattern was masterfully created.

After attaching the main parts to the chassis I posted pictures of my progress on Facebook, I made a side remark that I was about to modify the kit wheels. These wheels have a wonderful tread pattern but on closer inspection they are a little too small in diameter and do not have a deep enough rim. I was prepared to accept the diameter problem but was unable to accept the hub depth. Dennis Loop offered to design some new wheels for this project and now has them available on Shapeways for anyone to purchase. I was not only taken back by Dennisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help but was greatly impressed with the finished product.

The slight differences in the central hub design are quite evident when comparing both drawing side by side. These wheels are available on Shapeways for anyone wanting to attempt this Tank workshop build.

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THE LAST STEP - PRIMING ALL THE PARTS AND BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

In order to paint the model I fabricated a stand from plastic card. The model was the mounted to it by a metal stand off with the aid of nuts and washers. The mounting point is at the rear end of the tray and the hole was covered in the final build by the stowage.

Blending of Phil’s grill into the coachwork proved to be a little tricky but well worth it. The bonnet mascot was added, as it was not included in the kit itself.

The rear wheel well parturition modifications are evident in this photo. They are more box like in appearance.

The figure and stowage assemblies were also primed before paint. This was necessary as I wanted to pick up any minor faults before the first coat of paint.

In fact, the grill work is so good that it even includes the word Chevrolet on the top portion of the grill itself. The kit supplied sand mats in the fender tops were done extremely well and were only modified slightly.

NEXT TIME Well that’s about it for the build. In next month’s edition I will focus on the painting and finishing of my little LRDG. Stay tuned, as I will include more than 20 walk around photos of a first class replica vehicle as well. ■

Next time Luke will describe the painting and finishing of his LRDG Chevy.

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KIT PREVIEW

Dragon 6889 Flakpanzer IV (3cm) Kugelblitz

Graham Tetley examines Dragon’s second-generation 1:35 scale Kugelblitz.

Close-up of the hull top

BALL LIGHTNING

0 years ago, Dragon released their first 1:35 version of the Kugelblitz but it was one of those that I missed. Fast-forward to the 21st Century and up pops a new one. Let’s just say that this is rather good! The Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz (“Ball Lightning” in German) was developed as a self-propelled antiaircraft gun. It is thought that five vehicles were completed but exact numbers are unknown. It had a unique, fully enclosed, two-man rotating turret containing a 30mm Zwillingsflak 103/38 twin gun. The rate of fire of these guns was 450 rounds per minute. It was thought that the Kugelblitz never saw combat, but it is now suspected that one fought against American troops near Spichra, Thuringia, after remains of its turret and hull roof were unearthed there in 1999. No complete vehicles survive, but a complete turret can be found at the Lehrsammlung der Heeresflugabwehrschule in Rendsburg, Germany. Coming in a box that is brim full of sprues, what we have is an amalgamation of previous Panzer IV ‘H’ & ‘J’, Jagdpanzer IV, Brummbar and Flak 38 sprues combined with two new ones containing the ball turret, upper hull roof & sides and some other fixtures & fittings. A clear sprue gives us the rear light and frontal glacis vision block. DS tracks are provided and whilst detail is sharp, some flash is present and mine will be replaced. No spare tracks are provided for the hull front although the mounts are supplied in plastic. There is a new etched fret which mainly contains the twelve separate rings that go in the idler wheel, some braided wire for the tow cables and some copper wire for the plumbing inside the turret. Markings are limited to a set of simple

crosses and painting options are for four vehicles, all of which are from unidentified units. Detail throughout is superb and there are no moulding flaws on my kit at all. The basic Panzer IV hull has been around for some time and there are many reviews of it so all I will say is that detail is sharp & construction will be okay if you follow the instructions. What I will concentrate on here are the new parts. Sprues ‘B’ & ‘G’ contain the interesting bits. On Sprue ‘B’ we have the new upper hull part which correctly shows the angled drivers hatches to accommodate the larger turret ring. The ball turret is beautifully done with fine interior detail, as is the mount for it with fine weld seams and the toothed turret base flawlessly represented. Sprue ‘G’ contains the main parts for the turret as well as three bits for the hull. Comparing the detail to the photos of the real thing, there is nothing that Dragon have omitted from this turret. Construction of this is spread over four steps but each one has several sub-assemblies. We start with the side of the ball turret and add the mounts first then the various interior detail parts. It is here that we are asked to add the wiring to the three internal junction boxes. Thin copper wire is provided but it is a bit too inflexible for my taste. I will be using a micro-drill to makes holes in the plastic parts and then 5-amp fuse wire as it is more pliable than the kit-supplied copper wire. Let me say here that the detail on the roof panel

New turret sprue

and crew hatches is stunning and these can be displayed open or closed. The guns are beautifully done as are the ammo bins and feed chutes. I am struggling to see where the gunners would have sat as there are no seats provided but, in this small turret, it is hard to see where seats would fit. The housing for the ball turret is done in one piece with a separate floor. We simply slot the ball turret on its mounts to the floor then slip the housing up and under the gun barrels. A basic dry-fit of parts show no issues but that is no guarantee when the glue starts flowing! The basic Panzer IV kit is one of Dragon’s best and the turret has been rendered to an equally high standard. I do wish that Dragon would include Magic Tracks as an alternative, as well as some spares to fill the front glacis with, but these niggles do not detract from the overall quality of it. This comes highly recommended and gets 8.5/10 from me.

Detail on the inside of the ball turret

Most of this will be hidden

The new hull side plates

REFERENCES • A Google search will quickly reveal plenty of photos, articles and histories of the real thing on Google Images. • Nuts & Bolts 8 Germane Experimental Flak Weapons • Nuts & Bolts 25 Flakpanzer IV, Wirbelwind & Kugelblitz ■ Close-up of the angled driver’s hatch

Dragon kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Inner hatch details

The new turret & hull parts The top of the ammo bins

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 BMPT-72 Terminator II â&#x20AC;¢ Kit No. 4611

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BORN TO

FIGHT Matt Szefer builds Tiger Model 1:35 scale BMPT-72 Terminator II straight from the box.

he chassis of the popular T-72 tank and an unmanned turret, armed with two 30mm automatic cannons, four guided missile launchers and a machine gun. Two automatic grenade launchers and a crew of 3 people in the hull. This is the shortest possible description of the latest Russian tank support combat vehicle BMPT-72 Terminator II. It has been produced since 2013 by UralVagonZavod Corporation. The new vehicle, fitted with a guided weapon system, is capable of destroying infantry vehicles, enemy tanks and other armoured objects. It is intended mainly to support tanks and infantry in urbanised areas. The Terminator is very futuristic and interesting looking, so I wanted to build model of this vehicle. I had the choice between Trumpeter and Tiger Model kits. I chose the Tiger Models offering because I was curious about the quality of this manufacturer's products. It was my first Tiger Model kit so I immediately started work on it.

IN THE BOX The kit comes is big cardboard box with a separate lid and interesting box art on the top. On the sides, the company has placed more information about the real vehicle and all kit features and advantages. Rich content fills almost all the space inside the box. The kit compries 18 tan sprues with plastic parts, one clear sprue, workable tracks, separate packed turret base, upper and lower hull, two side skirts, photo-etched fret, poly caps, metal tow cable, two turned metal barrels and small decal sheet. Beside all the parts there is also a book with build instruction and a colour booklet covering four painting schemes. An examination of the mouldings left me with a positive opinion about the contents, the quality of all parts is very good. Details are sharp and crisp and what's more I didn't find any sink marks or other quality issues. All sprues with hull parts comes from previously released T-90MS kit. All parts for the turret and armament are totally new. This kit combines a compromise between the number of parts and build complexity but brilliant engineering make the assembly process fast and easy. It's enough to say that it gives the impression of a premium product and that's what it is. Tiger Models provides everything that is needed to build a good looking model straight out of the box. I bet that it could be one of the best without spending even a penny on the aftermarket accessories. A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 BMPT-72 Terminator II â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 4611

The moulding quality is very good.

Well detailed sprockets and idler wheels.

Tiger Model's kit comes in big box with nicely done box art.

The side of the kit box shows all the features of the kit.

The deep box suggests a lot of parts inside. It suggests correctly!

Surface textures are also nicely done.

The kit provides two different types of wheels. Details are crisp and sharp.

Workable tracks consists of a lot of parts.

The upper hull come as one large piece. Four paint schemes comes in a booklet.

For additional protection, the turret comes in a separate blister.

The kit contains a lot of extras: a big sheet of photo-etched parts, turned metal barrels and metal tow cable.

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B CONSTRUCTION

RUNNING GEAR AND SUSPENSION: According to the instruction I started the build with the running gear. The road wheels, drive sprockets and idler wheels all come in two halves with polythene caps between. This makes painting and final assembly much easier. Note: Before cutting off parts form the sprues check the painting schemes because this kit contain two different types of road wheels so make sure that you chose correct set for your paint scheme. All parts fit together perfectly so I could quickly move forward and start the lower hull and suspension assembly. This step requires a little bit more attention and time because you need to build workable suspension with torsion bars and swing arms, return rollers, dozer blade at the front and well detailed rear plate with spare tracks, slat armour mountings etc. Note: Check twice reference photos of real vehicle that you want to build because in mine case BMPT from the Kadex 2014 Expo, that I want to build, didn't have the track guard on the rear plate so parts D40 and D41 were unnecessary. Instruction do not mention about it. The final look of finished lower hull is worth the effort. All areas are well detailed and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pity that after the side skirts and slat armour assembly most of them are almost invisible.

Workable tracks test fitted on the running gear. Assembled wheels looks very good. Thanks to poly caps inside they are removable

Suspension is ready. It's a pity that a lot of these details will be invisible after final assembly.

TRACKS: In this kit, Tiger Model provides great workable plastic tracks. Each link is connected with the other by a guide horn that is snapped into place without the glue. The links are also connected by rubber end connectors. They fit tightly so special attention is required. I must say that after assembly the tracks work really well and they do not break up at every touch! These are some of the best workable tracks that I ever used. Of course the clean-up and assembly process take a little bit time but the effect is superb. Tiger Models supplies a plastic jig to make the assembly faster but I didn't use it. Note: you need to take special care during connecting each link together to avoid broke the thin plastic track pins. The manufacturer included only a few more spare links than you need, so if you accidentally damage some of them, you will run out of parts for two track runs. The kit also provide the additional track pads, but I didn't use them in this build. A

I compared the side skirts from the kit with reference photos and need to cut off these tiny bolts to make them the same like in real vehicle.

The periscopes and other clear parts was painted before assembly.

To improve the level of detail I added the headlight wires. I made them from 0,4mm lead wire. August 2018 - Model Military International 27

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 BMPT-72 Terminator II • Kit No. 4611

B UPPER HULL: The upper hull build starts from the inner side where I glued two fillers over the track runs and drilled a few pilot holes. Of course the real fun starts on the outside where there is a lot of work to do but first I glued the lower and upper hull halves together. They could be press-fitted using poly caps and disassembled for painting but I decided to glue them together constantly. Then I started adding all details on the upper hull, around the engine hatches and front glacis plate. Combination of well-made plastic details supplemented with clear and photo-etched parts where necessary gives a great results. The kit goes together quickly and with a high level of detail. Some areas look really busy. During the whole construction process I used the putty only once, on the front glacis where I fill the mounting holes intended for the different type of light guards. Until then I only cleaned the part and glued in place, any additional work wasn't required. (Note: paint the inner side of the lights before final assembly, otherwise after clear part assembly and painting process the unpainted styrene will be visible thru the light lenses.) I compared the reference photos with my model and noticed that

to achieve full satisfaction I only need to add electric wire for the lights, I made them from a lead wire. Next, I mounted the tow cable which position in the real vehicle is slightly different than the manual shows but it wasn't a problem. I had some trouble with the photo-etched fender reinforcements. They were made from stiff material and didn't want to bend correctly so I replaced them by styrene parts, they weren't much worse at all. The last parts of this area that is worth to mention are side skirts. They are beautifully moulded with all bolts and nuts details but again I compared then with tha real thing and I need to cut off the smallest rivets (pic.17) to make them the same as those mounted on a real vehicle. Sharp modelling knife and sanding stick did the work. I leaved the side skirts unassembled to leave the access to the suspension and wheels during the painting. I did the same with slat armour panels. The last thing that I mounted on the upper hull was armoured ring with two crew hatches around the turret.

periscopes. These were first painted clear green. Then I glued the upper and lower halves of the turret together and started to add the rest of the details: commander and gunner hatches, grenade launchers, tool boxes etc. All clear parts I pre-painted using Tamiya X-19 smoke colour. The construction of main part of the turret was fast and trouble-free - so far so good. Next, following the instruction, I built the part with two automatic cannons and guide missiles launchers. In this kit two 30mm autocannons gun barrels are provided as two well done turned metal parts so they didn’t need

any special attention. The anti-tank guide missile launchers also comes together nicely. The only one part that made some problems during assembly was the gun mounting. It comes in two parts: upper and lower and they didn't fit together very well. I filled the resulting gap with ca glue and sanded until achieved a satisfactory result. Then, I assembled all subassemblies in one whole part. Again, to make the main guns and missile launchers movable I used two poly caps included in the kit. The last touch during the build was adding the antenna. My Terminator II was ready to paint.

TURRET The turret assembly begins from the inner side where I mounted the commander’s and gunner’s

The vehicle is ready for painting. It was a fast and easy build.

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PAINTING PROCESS

BASE COLOURS: As I mentioned previously I want to reproduce a vehicle from Kadex 2014 Expo, which was painted in light grey colour with yellow and dark grey camouflage pattern. First, I removed the tracks, wheels and turret to have access to all the nooks and crannies of the model. Before painting the model should be well cleaned and degreased. To do this, I washed it in warm water with dishwashing liquid. Next step is primer, I used Ammo One Shot Black Primer. I applied two thin layers. Terminator II vehicle have a lot of details, and flat surfaces so it is perfect for black and white technique, which I decided to use on this model. It also nicely differentiates base , it is important in this case because as demonstration vehicle it can't be too much weathered so I had to paint the base colour in the most attractive way. When the primer was dry I started applying the white colour, I tried to do something like colour modulation using only white and black colours. When all highlights was airbrushed I used small round brush and well diluted white colour to paint all the details, nuts, bolts, straps etc, tried to highlight them as most as possible. Black and white colours given a nice depth and emphasized all details, the model was ready to the base colour applying. To do this I used Ammo Mig Cold Grey and airbrushed four thin layers on entire model. In black and white technique it is important to painting well diluted paint in a few thin layers; to achieve the correct effect the paint must be transparent. I helped myself by adding a few drops of Ammo Mig Transparator to my paint. After base colour painting I left the model for 24 hours and let it dry. Next, I needed to paint the hardedge two colours camo pattern. My idea to do that was simple but

Finished wheels with the products used.

time consuming, I used Tamiya 6mm and 10mm masking tapes to mask the contours of camouflage spots. First I painted dark grey spots, then remove all masks and repeated the whole process with the yellow colour. Following the booklet with paint schemes I used Ammo Mig Grey Blue for the darker colour and for the yellow I mixed 50/50 A.Mig-119 Cold Grey with A.Mig-048 Yellow. The 30mm autocannons I airbrushed using AK Xtreme Metal Gun Metal paint. Again I removed all masks, corrected some spots, painted red anti tanks missiles ends and let the model dry.

WHEELS: In meantime I continued work with the wheels. I applied a coat of SIN Industries P405 Brown Filter. When this had dried, I covered them with Ammo Mig Gloss Varnish and pin washed using a Mig Productions Neutral Wash thinned with Ammo Mig Odourless Thinner. Before I painted the rubber tires on road wheels I checked again my reference photos where I saw that they are super shiny and looks more black than rubber. To reproduce them correctly I used Ammo Mig Satin Black colour, then, I applied a thin coat of AK Interactive Ultra Matt varnish. The wheels was ready for final assembly.

The model was disassembled and primed black.

The black and white technique was used to add more variety on the surfaces.

TRACKS: The tracks were painted in very simple way. I primed them with One Shot Black Primer, painted the rubber parts, I used Ammo Mig Satin Black, then sprayed two coats of gloss varnish and washed the tracks using AK Interactive Track Wash. When it was dry I dry brushed them using Vallejo Air gun metal colour. Next, I applied Mig Production Gun Metal pigment. I used a piece of rubber and rubbed the pigment where the tracks could wipe off to bare metal. To fix the pigment in place, I airbrushed a thin coat of AK Interactive Pigment Fixer. A

I did the same on the wheels.

I applied a heavy coat of Track Wash to the black-primed tracks and removed the excess with cloth moistened in Odourless Thinner.

I then dry brushed them using Vallejo Air Gun Metal.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 BMPT-72 Terminator II â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 4611

B WEATHERING The real vehicle that I want to reproduce was new and very clean so weathering had to be very delicate but noticeable. Just like in the case of wheels I started from applying Sin Industries P405 Brown filter on whole surfaces. When it was dry I sprayed two thin coats of Microscale Micro Satin varnish. It's a great base to start work with oils. To add some variety on the model surfaces I used two Ammo Mig Oilbrushers. Medium Grey for shades and grease and Light Flesh for highlights. For more attractive look in some spots I also used traditional oils: Abteilung 502 Buff, Blue and Yellow. I applied these paints on small areas and rubbed on the surface with brush moistened in White Spirit creating dilations. Traditional oil paints need some time to dry, so after this stage I always leave the model at least for 24 hours. Next step- emphasize all details with wash. First I applied Ammo Mig Gloss Varnish, then did a pin wash on whole model. I used Mig Productions Neutral Wash and thinned it down with Odourless Thinner. I worked on small areasapplied wash around the details and when it dried removed the excess with brush moistened in White Spirit. This model has a lot of details so process was time consuming but the effect was worth the effort. The completed paint and weathering was sealed with two coats of AK Interactive Ultra Matt varnish for a dead flat finish. A

The base was painted by applying a few layers well diluted paint with Transparator.

To mask the camouflage I used Tamiya 6 and 10mm masking tapes.

First disruptive camouflage colour.

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Finished camouflage and details painting.

I started the light weathering by applying two coats of Ammo Mig Oilbrushers.

I created some shades and highlights. It was important to not to overdo it as the real vehicle was very clean.

Next stage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the wash. I used Mig Productions Neutral Wash.

At the end I sprayed all parts with AK Interactiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ultra Matt Varnish.

I applied it around all details and when it was almost dry removed the excess with brush moistened in white spirit.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 BMPT-72 Terminator II • Kit No. 4611

B FINISHING TOUCHES After painting and weathering I only needed collect all subassemblies together. Thanks to the poly caps it was very easy. Workable swingarms let me for wheel assembly without removing tracks. First I mounted drive sprockets idler wheels and the tracks, then I pressed road wheels into place. Next I glued side skirts and slat armour on the sides and rear. Turret assembly was equally fast and trouble-free, I finished it by installing the antenna on the top and painting the rear light with clear red .. The last thing that I did during this build was adding some glossy look on all clear parts, to do this I brush painted all periscopes, light lenses etc with Micro Scale Satin varnish. The model was finished.

BASE STAND In my opinion finished models look much better on base stand. I decided to build simple base for my BMPT. I tried reproduce the concrete plates similar to those that I seen on photos from Kadex Expo. First I cut rectangle base from piece of styrofoam. Next I wrap its sides with pieces of wooden slat. I painted the wood with varnish in the of a rosewood. When it dried I cut from the underlay for floor panels sixteen rectangles which were supposed to imitate concrete slabs. This material is perfect for this task because it has very realistic surface texture and it's easy to paint. I glued the slabs on the stryrofoam using PVA glue, let it dry and filled all gaps between with acrylic putty. Next I masked the wooden sides with painting tape and primed the base using Ammo Mig One Shot Black primer. Next I painted the slabs using a different shades of grey colour, when it was done I applied thin coat of hairspray, masked and painted yellow lines. When I removed masking tape I moistened the brush in water and remove a little bit of yellow colour on the lines to make they look a bit damaged. To add more variety I applied three filters (Ammo Mig Ochre, Ammo Mig Brown and AK Interactive Filter for NATO Tanks) on the slabs, each of them was painted in different colour. When it was dry I applied a coat of Micro Satin varnish and AK Interactive Dark Yellow wash along the lines between the plates. For more dusty and weathered appearance I applied a few different enamel effects (Ammo Mig Africa Dust, AK Interactive Dust, Kursk Soil and Earth Effect) and pigments (Mig Production Gulf War Sand, Ammo Mig Rubble, Vallejo Light Slate Grey, Umber Natural). At the end I airbrushed a thin coat of Fixer on the whole base. ■

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I was very pleased with the look of the model after final assembly.

The very high quality of this kit allows for “ the fast and enjoyable build with very good level of detail without any aftermarket... ”

For better presentation, I built a simple base for my model. This is my base and the materials used.

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Modelspec Tiger Model 1:35 Russian BMPT-72 Terminator II Kit No.4611 Tools and Materials Used: Vehicle - Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement - Mr.Hobby Mr. Cement S - CA Glue - Tamiya 10mm & 6mm Masking Tape - 0,4mm lead wire - Wamod Acrylic Putty - Pr.Hobby Procon Boy PS 270 airbrush Base - Wooden slat - Piece of Styrofoam - Masking Tape - Hairspray - PVA Glue - Fengda BD-130 airbrush Paints & Finishing Products: Vehicle - A.Mig-2023 One Shot Black Primer - Ammo Mig paints: A.Mig-119 Cold Grey, A.Mig-048 Yellow, A.Mig-210 Grey Blue, A.Mig-050 Matt White, A.Mig-032 Satin Black. Clear Paints: - Tamiya X-25 Clear Green, Tamiya X-19 Smoke, Mr. Hobby H90 Clear Red - Life UA301 Black - A.Mig-2016 Transparator - AK 483 Xtreme Metal Gun Metal - MIG Productions P222 Neutral Wash - SIN Industries P405 Brown Filter - AK 083 Track Wash - Ammo Mig Oilbrushers: A.Mig-3519 Light Flesh, A.Mig- 3509 Medium Grey - Abteilung 502 oil paints: buff, yellow, blue - A.Mig-2019 Odourless Thinner - AK 011 White Spirit - A.Mig-2053 Glossy Lucky Varnish - Microscale Industries Micro Satin Base - Italeri Flat Pz. Schwarzgrau RAL7021 - A.Mig-909 Grey Light Base, A.Mig-911 Grey Shine, A.Mig-048 Yellow, A.Mig-1404 North Africa Dust, A.Mig-3013 Rubble, A.Mig-1503 Ammo Mig Ochre for Light Sand Filter, A.Mig-1506 Ammo Mig Brown for Dark Green Filter - AK 076 Filter for NATO Tanks, AK 015 Dust Effect, AK 017 Earth Effect, AK 080 Summer Kursks Earth, - Vallejo 73109 Natural Umber, Vallejo 73113 Light Slate Grey â&#x153;&#x201C; Good engineering; workable tracks and suspension; good level of detail, everything what is needed for a great model is included in the box â&#x153;&#x2014; A few small fit issues, brittle track pins

Rating

Tiger Model's BMPT-72 Terminator II is an attractive and unusual display piece even straight from the box.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” • Kit No. 32595

THE EASIEST EIGHT Brett Green builds a test shot of Tamiya’s forthcoming 1:48 scale M4A3E8 “Easy Eight” Sherman

he M4A3 was the first Sherman variant to feature HVSS (Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension) as factory fitted equipment. HVSS suspension was equipped with wider tracks to distribute weight more evenly. These wider tracks allowed more armour to be fitted and offered a more comfortable ride for the crew, but also required narrow track guards to be fitted to the sides of the hull. With its experimental E8 designation, the smooth ride of the HVSS led to the nickname Easy Eight for this Sherman variant. The M4A3E8 first entered service in Northern Europe during December 1944, and the variant continued on the front lines post-war, including service in Korea. A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” • Kit No. 32595

The uppermost section of the four-part upper hull.

B IN THE BOX Tamiya has expanded its WWII Allied catalogue with its brand new 1:48 scale M4A3E8 Easy Eight Sherman. This is not the first 1:48 scale Sherman that Tamiya has released, but it is the first with HVSS, opening up another range of possibilities. I was fortunate to receive early test shot sprues of this forthcoming kit. As a test shot, it is possible that there will be slight changes to the production version, but what you see here will be close to final. Tamiya’s 1:48 scale M4A3E8 Easy Eight Sherman comprises 220 parts in pale grey coloured plastic (the final kit will most likely be olive coloured plastic), foursteel

Excellent cast texture and surface detail.

ingots, four polythene caps, a length of black string and markings for two vehicles. The kit is almost entirely new. The only legacy parts are on the small sprue containing tools and the .50 cal machine gun, which dates from 2005. The kit boasts subtle cast texture and casting marks where appropriate. The model features the T23 turret with the oval loader’s hatch and subtle cast texture wherever appropriate. The running gear includes the later Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension (HVSS) suspension units, and link-and-length T66 tracks. All of the other key features of the M4A3E8 are depicted too,

Lower hull elements. Once again, Tamiya supplies steel ingots for scale weight.

The lower hull is coming together.

The separate hull sides. The holes accommodate spare track links.

including the 47° glacis hull with the enlarged hatches, the correct rear deck configuration and 76mm gun barrel with muzzle brake. Appliqué armour is not provided. The lower hull is made up from a “flat pack” arrangement of separate floor, sides and engine firewall. Steel ingots are offered as an option to suply "scale weight" - typical for Tamiya's recent 1/48 scale kits. The track guards and sponsons are cleverly moulded as one piece per side. The diagonal supports are supplied as separate parts. Detail on the tracks is very good. They are supplied in a combination of individual links, short lengths and full runs for the top and bottom. The guide horns are moulded onto the tracks with

The hull floor with the ingots super-glued in place.

Rear hull panel and return rollers.

The lower hull flat pack.

The Com but the l

an indentation front and rear to suggest the hollow nature of the real thing. The inside surfaces do have very feint but visible ejector pin circles. It will be up to you whether you fill or sand these, but considering how difficult it will be to see them on the finished model, I probably won't bother. Clear parts are not included. The Commander's turret hatch may be posed open or closed. All other hatches are moulded closed. A pillar-mounted .50 cal machine gun is also supplied. The small decal sheet offers a selection of Allied stars for the two simple schemes. The package is rounded out with is a nicely moulded and animated Commander figure.

Transmission housing.

Exhaust and ventilator ready for installation.

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The Commander’s hatch may be posed open but the loader’s hatch is moulded shut.

Link and length plastic tracks.

SHAKING THE BOX This is an all-new kit with slightly different engineering to Tamiya’s other M4 family releases, but fit and design are as good as you would expect them to be. The lower hull is made up from separate floor, sides, rear panel and front transmission cover. Assembling the HVSS bogies was a breeze. They are made up from

Road wheels and drive sprockets – complete and in components.

Assembling the HVSS bogies was a breeze.

We start at the top with the longest single run.

Running gear parts.

just eight pieces each but they look great when they are finished. The tracks are equally trouble free, with the separate upper and lower runs, short runs and individual tracks fitting together exactly as indicated in the instructions. I was a bit surprised that the upper hull is almost a flat pack too, with separate sides and

The kit decal sheet is simple in the extreme!

rear panels. I assume that the kit is designed this way due to the relatively high vertical sides. Moulding may have been tricky for perfectly vertical sides on a onepiece upper hull. Tamiya supplies small track guard braces for the hull sides. These are a little fiddly to handle but well worth the effort. The delicate detail and dimensions

The M4A3E8 featured two styles of return roller side-by-side. Also note the vertical locating peg on top of one of the inner rollers. This locks in the position of the upper track run.

A finished bogie unit close-up.

Individual links are wrapped around the drive sprocket and a short length spans the gap to the bottom run.

deliver an in-scale result. Tamiya would have you glue the upper and lower hulls together at this stage but the fit is so good that there really is no need. I left the upper and lower hulls as separate sub-assemblies, making access to the tracks easier during painting. Aside from this, the rest of the model was built exactly according to Tamiya’s instructions. A

The HVSS bogies are made up from just eight pieces each but they look great when they are finished.

The tracks are equally trouble free, with the separate upper and lower runs, short runs and individual links. Here is a full run for one side.

Assembly of the tracks was fast and straightforward.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” • Kit No. 32595

The upper hull features separate sides and rear panels.

Fit of the upper hull panels was perfect. Are you surprised?

Glacis plate details have been fitted here.

Tamiya supplies small individual track guard braces for the hull sides. Thes braces are a little fiddly to handle but well worth the effort. The delicate detail and dimensions deliver an in-scale result.

Turret components ready to assemble.

is not the first 1:48 scale Sherman that Tamiya has released, but “it This is the first with HVSS, opening up another range of possibilities... ”

The sides have been fitted here, with the rear panel ad the roof to follow.

The gun may elevate thanks to two polythene caps.

Fit was so good that I really did not need to glue the upper and lower halves together at this stage.

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Parts are test fitted. Fit was better than it looks in this photo. The small gap on the glacis plate disappeared with a little pressure.

I bought two Value Gear stowage sets designed specifically for 1:48 scale Shermans.

I easily found enough stowage to fit the front and rear of the vehicle.

I rolled out some Tamiya two-part epoxy putty into an Air Identification Banner and formed the leftovers into a long tarpaulin for the rear deck.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” • Kit No. 32595

B STOWAGE I thought a little stowage was in order. I bought two Value Gear stowage sets designed specifically for 1:48 scale Shermans, although obviously not specifically for this brand new Tamiya Easy Eight. Even so, I easily found enough stowage to fit the front and rear of the vehicle. I also glued individual and dual packs to the sides of the turret. You may have noticed that the spare wheel on the glacis plate is actually a pressed metal wheel from a VVSS tank, and the track is the rubber block style, also from a VVSS Sherman. My narrative is that they have been thrown onto the front of the vehicle not as spares, but as improvised armour. A splash of colour can never hurt, so I rolled out some Tamiya two-part epoxy putty into an Air Identification Banner and formed the leftovers into a long tarpaulin for the rear deck.

The model received a coat of Tamiya Grey Primer straight from the spray can in preparation for painting.

The Air Identification Banner was primed with Tamiya’s Fine White Primer straight from the can

The turret, upper and lower hull subassemblies were now coated with Tamiya’s spray colour AS-14 Olive Green (USAF), which had been decanted into a glass jar and sprayed using my black Meng airbrush.

PAINTING The model received a coat of Tamiya Grey Primer straight from the spray can in preparation for painting. The turret, upper and lower hull sub-assemblies were now coated with Tamiya’s spray colour AS-14 Olive Green (USAF), which had been decanted into a glass jar and sprayed using my black Meng airbrush. I thought this would be a good base for the next stage of painting. Many of these late-war Shermans were quite war weary so I settled on a fairly faded finish. Mission Models’ new range of acrylic paints include six shades of Olive Drab. In the past I have used up to four of these shades on my WWII US subjects, but this time I used just one - MMP-021 US Army Olive Drab Faded 2. This faded shade was applied to the horizontal surfaces and the tops of the vertical surfaces, with lighter coverage on natural shadow areas. I was satisfied with the faded effect. It was obvious that the vehicle had seen action, but did not look like it has been baking in a wrecking yard for decades.

I thought this would be a good base for the next stage of painting.

Mission Models paint MMP-021 US Army Olive Drab Faded 2 was applied to the horizontal surfaces and the tops of the vertical surfaces, with lighter coverage on natural shadow areas.

The edges and raised surfaces were dry-brushed with a pale shade of Olive Drab, applied with a soft flat brush.

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The tools, tyres and tracks were now painted by brush using Vallejo acrylics.

DETAIL PAINTING AND WEATHERING The first step of weathering was to dry-brush the edges and raised surfaces with a pale shade of Olive Drab, applied with a soft flat brush. The tools, tyres and tracks were now painted by brush using Vallejo acrylics. Tool handles were treated to a mix of Vallejo’s Old Wood and New Wood. The cupola vision blocks were painted using Vallejo Panzer Aces 309 – Periscopes.

The Air Identification Banner was primed with Tamiya’s Fine White Primer straight from the can, then sprayed Tamiya XF-3 Flat Yellow. A dark oil wash was mixed using small smudges of Winsor & Newton Lamp Black and Raw Umber, heavily thinned with Mineral Turpentine. The basic weathering was sealed with two coats of Alclad II Flat Clear Lacquer. My rapidly dwindling supply of

Front stowage was also painted using Vallejo acrylics applied with a fine brush.

Maru Easy Mud 21105 – European Earth was cracked open to apply to the painted tracks. The mud was wiped off the tracks with a clean cloth before it set, leaving a residue in recessed areas. A Sepia coloured Prismacolor pencil was used to add vertical and horizontal scratches and scrapes, as well as damage to the edges of the hull. The turret mounted .50

cal and the hull-mounted .30 cal machine guns were first painted Tamiya acrylic XF-1 Flat Black then Tamiya enamel X-10 Gunmetal, both applied by brush. A

The kit-supplied Commander is very nicely sculpted.

Tool handles were treated to a mix of Vallejo’s Old Wood and New Wood.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” • Kit No. 32595

B CONCLUSION I am delighted that Tamiya has added the first HVSS Sherman to their M4 line. The new kit is well detailed, and it is a breeze to build. I am looking forward to seeing what else Tamiya might release based on the running gear and hull of this version. ■

Modelspec Tamiya 1:48 U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight”. Kit No. 32595 Accessories Used: Value Gear Item Nos. SH2 and SH7 – 1:48 scale M4 Sherman Stowage Tools and Materials Used: Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement Revell Contacta Professional Cement Selley’s Supa Glue Milliput White Two-Part Epoxy Putty Tamiya Two-Part Epoxy Putty Tamiya 10mm Masking Tape Tamiya White Liquid Surface Primer Iwata HP-CP Airbrush Meng Airbrush Paints and Finishing Products: Vehicle: Tamiya Spray Grey Primer Tamiya Spray - Fine White Grey Primer; AS-14 Olive Green (USAF) Mission Models Acrylics – MMP-021 US Army Olive Drab Faded 2 Tamiya Acrylics: XF-1 Flat Black; XF-2 Flat White; XF-60 Dark Yellow; XF-64 Red Brown. Vallejo Panzer Aces Acrylics - 309 Periscopes; 310 Old Wood; 311 New Wood; 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) Vallejo Model Color – 919 Foundation White; 925 Blue; 942 Light Green. Alclad II Flat Clear Lacquer Prismacolor Pencils - Sepia Maru Easy Mud 21105 – European Earth Crew Figure: Flesh Base Coat: Tamiya White Primer followed by Vallejo Panzer Aces 341 Flesh Base. Wash: Rowney Georgian Oil Paint 221 Burnt Sienna. Variations and Highlights: Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylics 341 Flesh Base; 342 Flesh Highlights; Vallejo Model Colour 919 Foundation White (various mixes) Uniform Base Coats: Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylic 318 US Army Tankcrew. Wash: Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown mixed with water and Future floor polish. Variations and Highlights: Vallejo Panzer Aces 322 Highlight US Tkcr. Borders and Additional Shading: Vallejo Panzer Aces 337 Highlight Ger. (Black).

A Sepia coloured Prismacolor pencil was used to add vertical and horizontal scratches and scrapes, as well as damage to the edges of the hull.

The Commander at home in his turret! The cupola vision blocks were painted using Vallejo Panzer Aces 309 – Periscopes, followed by two coats of Future floor polish for a glassy finish.

✓ Superb fit; fast build; high level of detail. ✗ A few chunky details (e.g. plastic brush guards). Available from Thanks to Tamiya for the sample www.tamiya.com Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating

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Maru Easy Mud 21105 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; European Earth was cracked open to apply to the painted tracks. The mud was wiped off the tracks and road wheels with a clean cloth before it set, leaving a residue in recessed areas.

Tool handles were treated to a mix of Vallejoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Old Wood and New Wood.

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KIT PREVIEW

Tamiya 1:35 Japan Ground Self Defense Force Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle • Kit No. 35361

Any colour you want as long as it’s JGSDF Green and Brown.

The test shot decal sheet is supplied in two parts – colour and white.

EIGHT WHEELER

HOT ROD

The Editor takes a close look at a test shot of Tamiya’s latest JGSDF vehicle, the 1:35 scale Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle.

he Technical Research & Development Institute of Japan's Ministry of Defense has developed several prototype vehicles since 2008. They unveiled the fourth of what were initially called "mobile combat vehicle" prototypes on 9 October 2013. JGSDF service acceptance tests were scheduled to begin in 2014 or 2015, with initial operational deployment by the JGSDF planned for 2016. 99 MCVs were originally planned to be introduced by the end of FY 2018. The name of the vehicle was changed to Maneuver Combat Vehicle during the second half of 2011. The MCV was part of a new armoured vehicle strategy that prioritized light air-transportable firepower. Originally the number of main battle tanks was to be reduced from 760 to 390, with most remaining tanks to be concentrated on the main Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Kyushu. Some 200–300 MCVs were to be procured and these would be airlifted to islands when and where they were needed. The idea was

that the smaller, lighter, and faster MCV could be redeployed quicker than tanks to better defend the outlying islands. This represented a shift in Japanese armoured vehicle structure from one designed to repel a Soviet invasion from the north to a more mobile force aimed at possibly defending against a Chinese invasion of the southern island chain. The MCV was intended to help re-equip existing divisions and brigades reorganised into mobile (rapid reaction) divisions/brigades, as well as equip new dedicated rapid reaction regiments alongside (eventually) the Light-weight Combat Vehicle System (LCV) which was also designed with defense of the outer islands in mind. The Type 16 maneuver combat vehicle (MCV) equips designated combat units. Due to its light weight and small size, it is designed for easy deployment (by aircraft if needed) allowing rapid movement on narrow roads and in built-up areas in response to various contingencies. Despite its small size and light armour, it has been designed to

attack much larger armoured fighting vehicles as well as personnel, using its large calibre gun. The main gun is manually loaded as a cost-saving measure. In 2009 resistance testing of the shielding against HEAT rounds was conducted using the Carl Gustav M2; and against regular kinetic ammunition the frontal shield was developed to resist shots from 20 mm to 30 mm autocannons while the side armor was deemed sufficient to resist 12.7 mm heavy machine gun fire.

The vinyl tyres are flawless.

IN THE BOX Tamiya has been quick off the mark with their brand-new kit of this brand-new vehicle. Their 1:35 scale Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle comprises 239 parts in olive coloured plastic, 20 parts in clear, eight vinyl tyres, 18 large and ten small polythene caps, plus markings for four vehicles. The sleek lines of this modern vehicle are very obvious from looking at the main hull and turret parts. The surface textures on this kit are simply superb. The hull and

Specifications Weight............................... 26 tonnes Length .............................. 8.45 m (27 ft 9 in) Width................................. 2.98 m (9 ft 9 in) Height ............................... 2.87 m (9 ft 5 in) Crew ................................. 4 Main Armament ................ 105 mm gun (developed by Japan Steel Works) Secondary Armament ....... 12.7 mm NATO M2 Browning machine gun, coaxial Sumitomo Type 74 7.62 mm NATO medium machine gun Engine ............................... 4-cylinder water-cooled turbocharged diesel engine 570 hp Power/weight.................... 21.9 hp/tonne Suspension ....................... Wheeled 8 x 8 Operational Range ............ 400 km (250 mi) Speed................................ 100 km/h (62 mph)

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Lots of lovely surface detail and anti-slip texture on the upper hull.

Two nicely sculpted figures are included.

The one-piece lower hull.

The turret is a multi-part assembly. Here are the sides.

Wheel hubs are plastic.

turret are covered with anti-skid patches, hatches, hinges and tiedowns, all beautifully done. Tamiya has not skimped with the suspension detail on this vehicle. 13 of the first 15 steps are devoted to the suspension, steering and underbody. It appears that the front and rear wheels will be poseable if not actually moveable, but I will confirm this impression when I build the model. Detail under the vehicle is excellent. I am not usually a fan of vinyl tyres but Tamiya has done a superb job here. There is not a hint of any seam lines along the centreline or faces of the tyres, and tread detail is crisp and free

from any imperfections. The tyre faces also feature fine raised lettering and lines - lovely! The wheels all fitted via poly caps, allowing the parts to be moveable after assembly. The driver's and turret hatches are hinged and therefore also moveable. The gun barrel is supplied in six pieces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; two main halves split lengthwise, a separate cap for the end, two halves for the fume extractor and two halves for the recoil cover. Clear parts are supplied for the turret vision blocks and various light lenses. Continuing the theme from their recent US tank crew figures, clear visors are included

Clear parts are supplied for the vision blocks, tail lights, headlights and crew goggles.

for the crew figures too. Speaking of figures, Tamiya offers two crew for the turret hatches. These are well up to Tamiya's recent high figure standards in terms of sculpting and detail. Markings are supplied for four vehicles in any colour you want as long as it is JGSDF Green and Brown. They are nicely in register and should snuggle down nicely under a coat of setting solution.

- sleek and menacing - and Tamiya has delivered a highly detailed replica in 1:35 scale. Tamiya's Type 16 is a state-ofthe-art kit. It won't be a half-day build, but I am certain that it will deliver the typical Tamiya building experience - perfect fit and a smile on the modeller's face from start to finish. â&#x2013;

CONCLUSION Tamiya has a knack of getting me hooked on subjects for which I had no particular previous peccadillo. This is a very cool looking vehicle

The wheels will rotate thanks to polythene caps.

Thanks to Tamiya for the sample www.tamiya.com Tamiya products are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net The underside of the vehicle is treated to plenty of suspension, steering and transmission detail.

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GALLERY

Bronco 1:35 DFS 230 B-1 w/Fallschirmjager

Brett Green presents Broncoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest crossover military / aircraft subject, their 1:35 scale DFS 230 B-1 Tactical Assault Glider.

IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE? IS IT A MILITARY TRANSPORT? 48 Model Military International - August 2018

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he DFS 230 was a German transport glider operated by the Luftwaffe in World War II. It was developed in 1933 by the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS - "German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight") with Hans Jacobs as the head designer. The glider was the German inspiration for the British Hotspur glider and was intended for paratrooper assault operations.

Bronco supplies individual windows for the fuselage. These were glued in place and masked before painting the interior. Eduard STEEL photo-etched harness straps were added to the bench and the pilot’s seat.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS I didn’t expect that my words would come back to haunt me quite so quickly. In the previous issue of Model Military International magazine, I stated the following: “Model Military International magazine will continue some of the longest and best loved traditions of Military Modelling, including original research, detailed modelling articles and an exclusive focus on military subjects – tracked and wheeled vehicles as well as figures.” And yet here I am, only a month later, devoting four pages to a model that clearly has wings! My justification is that Bronco’s DFS 230 B-1 is an ideal crossover subject for both military and aircraft modellers due to its role – delivering assault troops – and its undeniably military scale of 1:35. Even so, I have only taken up four of our precious pages for this potentially controversial choice. If you want to read about the construction and painting, you can find much more detail in Issue 87 of Military Illustrated Modeller – Aircraft Edition.

The tail skid mount was reinforced with metal rod.

Camouflage was painted with the assistance of masks cut from paper and elevated from the surface with balls of Blu-Tack.

The front tiger stripe mottles were sprayed freehand. Wings and fuselage were painted separately.

CONSTRUCTION I built the model mostly per the instructions and their suggested sequence, although I didn’t glue the wings to the fuselage until almost the very last step, painting and weathering the major subcomponents separately. This made handling the large parts much easier. Fit was generally good throughout although there was a lot of fine flash on small and thin parts, especially the mass of structural framing. There are also quite a lot of ejector pin circles on the fuselage interior that I did not get around to filling and sanding - but I should have! The model was mostly built straight from the box but I added some Eduard harness straps and replaced the very simple wheels on the take-off trolley with True Details 1:32 scale Bf 109 B to G-2 resin wheels. The diameter was A

I replaced the rather simple kit wheels with True Details 1:32 scale Item No. 32002, Bf 109 B to G-2.

* Historical text courtesy of Wikipedia

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GALLERY

Bronco 1:35 DFS 230 B-1 w/Fallschirmjager

B almost identical. Xtradecal Hakenkrueze were

used on the rudder too. Bronco has demonstrated an uncompromising commitment to scale detail on their military vehicle kits, which is good in some ways and not so good in others. On the one hand, some of the fine plastic parts have to be seen to be believed; but on the other hand this approach means that a number of key assemblies are fiddly, fragile or attached using impossibly small locating positions. This is a particular challenge with the canopy and with the wing braces. In summary though, this is a very good kit. The stretched fabric effect is superb - subtle and very realistic - detail is more than adequate and the main assemblies fit well. After painting, it was time to bring the wings and fuselage together, and to add the smaller details. The wings were attached to the fuselage tabs with Revell Contacta cement. The span and the weight of the wings means that they would droop considerably without the braces, but the locating point on each side of the fuselage were pin-sized. I used super glue to obtain a fast, strong bond. Small detail parts such as the MG34 machine gun, the upper fuselage grab rails, the foot step and more were fitted to complete the model.

CONCLUSION This is a very good kit despite being a bit fiddly in some areas. The stretched fabric effect is superb - subtle and very realistic - detail is more than adequate and the main assemblies fit well. It is an impressive replica when finished too, with a wing span of around 63 cm. That's almost the span of a Heinkel He 111 bomber! Thoroughly recommended to crossover aircraft / military modellers with a few kits under their belt. ■

Mini Modelspec Bronco 1:35 DFS 230 B-1 w/Fallschirmjager Accessories Used: True Details Item No. 32002 – Bf 109 B to G-2 Wheel Set Xtradecal Luftwaffe Swastikas ✓ Excellent stretched fabric representation; good level of detail (cockpit, fuselage interior); impressive clear parts; generally good fit. ✗ Lots of fine flash; some delicate parts; a few very small and fiddly attachment points. Available from Thanks to Bronco for the review sample

Rating

Some of the locating aids were impossibly small and delicate. I cut the two tiny tabs off the canopy to obtain a more robust join.

The wide span of the glider is quite obvious here!

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The two cargo doors are provided as separate parts. I left the port side door off.

The light blue lower surfaces were painted using Tamiya AS-5 Light Blue straight from the spray can.

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FEATURE FEA ARTICLE

IBG Models 1:35 TKS Tankette • Kit No. 35046

What’s In The Box

As the kit contains a full interior layout, most of the hatches may be posed open in order to give a good view of the interior details. In result, the superstructure walls are quite slender and fragile, because otherwise they wouldn’t look correct scale-wise. One immediately notices the splendid, sharp exterior surface detail, including the prominent rivet heads. Again, IBG made good use of the slide-moulding technology.

The running gear is supplied in two variants. The first option are complete We also get separate wheels and tracks. The former do not differ a lot wheel / track units, which obvious advantage is the simplicity of the from their counterparts that had been moulded together with the tracks… assembly. Given the size of the kit, this may be a fair choice for lessexperienced modellers, but they must bear with some simplification that concerns these units. This is especially notable on the inner sides of tracks, which instead of guide horns, feature quite wide stripes of styrene merged with the wheels.

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…but the runs of v installed

a lot tracks…

TINY TKS PART OONE - CONSTRUCTION Kamil Feliks Sztarbała builds a test shot of IBG Models’ 1:35 scale TKS Tankette.

t the very beginning I want to emphasise that for this article I used test shot sprues, which may slightly differ from the contents of the final kit. Furthermore, IBG Models provided me with top hull parts intended for the most common TKS variant that had been armed with a 7.92 mm machine gun, whilst I chose to depict the heavier-armed TKS with 20 mm Nkm wz.38 FK gun. This forced me to modify some parts, although it was by no means caused by any manufacturer’s mistake. Worth noting is that IBG Models are going to release both TKS variants featuring their distinctive details.

…but the separate tracks look way better, being delivered as a few track runs of various length and a number of single links. The latter are to be installed on the idlers and sprockets.

Regardless of the option you choose, you still have to assemble quite complex suspension.

The TKS was a really small vehicle. In terms of size, its 1:35 scale incarnation looks like a 1:72 tank kit.

What’s important, the hull parts fit really well and can be easily put together without using a drop of glue or a length of tape. This promised a trouble-free assembly.

A bulk of parts is intended for building up the interior, which is nicely detailed overall. Of course, there’s always some room for super-detailing, although this is not really necessary, even if one decides to open all the hatches. Personally, I went for some scratch building only because I really like doing this.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

IBG Models 1:35 TKS Tankette • Kit No. 35046

Construction

As I’d mentioned, the superstructure is quite fragile due to its thin walls and presence of a large number of apertures. Fortunately, it progressively becomes more rigid upon the assembly process. However, some caution is necessary. When adding the subsequent parts, one has to slowly join their edges, one by one, keeping the geometry of the entire structure.

Even though these will be almost invisible in the finished kit, I decided to represent the strips that connected the armour plates from the inside. I first attached a few lengths of 0.25 mm styrene sheet.

To modify the kit into the heavy-armed variant, I had to change the position of the periscope aperture. The new one was simply drilled out, whilst the old hole was faired over with a length of styrene rod that had been fixed with super glue. The excess rod was subsequently removed. Note that IBG will also release a model of this TKS variant, which will feature the aperture in the correct position straight from the box).

The screw heads were reproduced with tiny plastic discs that had been punched from some 0.5 mm styrene sheet, using my faithful RP Toolz ‘Punch and Die Tool Set’.

Thanks to their design, the visors may be easily mounted in any position, though they are not movable. Once I’d installed the hatches, I scratch built simple representations of the mechanisms that held them in the chosen position. I also added a few other details, including the periscope handles and electrical wiring.

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Whilst building up the interior, it is very important not only to test-fit the Some styrene bits were also used to replicate the gas pedal, parts that we intend to glue at a particular stage, but also all adjacent which is missing from the kit. elements. Be careful, as the entire section is really tight and crowded! Even though I was rather happy with the overall quality of details, I decided to improve them here and there. The steering rod seemed to be too subtly marked on the floor surface, so I removed it and made a replacement from scrap plastic.

The engine replica fitted well the interior, but I was afraid that the gap between the former and the gearbox may be visible in the finished kit. I therefore put a piece of thin styrene sheet in the right place and sanded it properly.

The engine itself is sufficiently detailed, but inevitably it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t include electrical wiring.

I reproduced the latter with lengths of lead wire of different thickness.

The same material was used to represent the exhaust pipe insulation.

During the engine cooling system assembly, extra care is necessary. If you pose the parts even slightly incorrect, you may get into serious trouble.

The seat cushions were too flat for my taste. I temporarily attached them to lengths of styrene rod and created the upholstery using Green Stuff two-part epoxy putty.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

IBG Models 1:35 TKS Tankette â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 35046

The latter was also used to replicate the padding on the hull tube inner edges.

The kit included only the ammo boxes for the 7.92 mm machine gun. Using some scrap plastic again, I made the empty shell casings for the 20 mm gun.

Instead of the ammo rack, I scratch built the wall which featured the gunner support. I then mounted the fire extinguisher which came from my spare part stash.

Similarly to the visors, the rear hatches were also fitted with hinges that allow to install them in any position.

The plastic handles, which had been a bit too thick and troublesome to clean up, were replaced with lengths of 0.5 mm wire. I also added the crank handle slide.

The 20 mm gun barrel is surely not the best part of this kit, but upon some cleaning it turns into a moderately looking piece. The good news is that as far Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been told, the final kit will include a turned metal counterpart.

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The muffler could perhaps be moulded with the aperture inside, but drilling it out should not be challenging for anyone.

More precision was required to create the hole in the thin exhaust outlet. As Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d planned to use the kit in a small vignette that would feature an abandoned, looted vehicle, I had to slightly modify the tool handles.

In this article I decided to show both running gear options. However, in each case the first step is to clean up the parts that build up the suspension.

The track runs turned out to be so fine that I could easily form them into any desired shape, so the separate track links only bring unnecessary work. I believe that this could not be foreseen during the mould design process.

I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mount the complete track as the vehicle Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to depict had its tracks removed.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

IBG Models 1:35 TKS Tankette â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 35046

At first sight, the complete wheel / track units look very similar to each other. The difference may be spotted when viewing them at an angle and looking at the track guide horns.

The simplifications of these units may be partially covered up with the help of a metal file and later, the application of mud, but this concerns only the outer surfaces of the tracks.

The hatches were left separate for the painting process.

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Conclusion In conclusion, even though the kit is very small, it can’t be described as easy to build. This is mainly due to the inclusion of numerous details and the quite complex design of the real vehicle. I therefore could not recommend it for anyone’s first AFV kit build, but more experienced modellers should be very happy with this offering. Personally, I will certainly build more of these kits, and I anxiously look forward to next models of other Polish Army vehicles from the 1930s, which are going to be released by IBG Models in the near future. ■

Construction complete!

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KIT PREVIEW

Meng 1:35 German Medium Tank Sd.Kfz.171 Panther Ausf. D • Kit No. TS-035

Meng has expanded their 1:35 scale Panther with a new Ausf. D – and they have made some improvements to the already impressive kit along the way.

DELECTABLE D M eng entered the Panther market late last year with their brand new 1:35 scale Ausf. A Late Version. This was a very impressive kit with a large range of options, superb detail and a number of clues that other variants would be coming. Meng has wasted no time in now offering the Panther Ausf. D. If you are not a fan of Zimmerit finishes, this is the one for you. It was rare to see a Panther D sporting the distinctive antimagnetic paste. Thanks to the optional and spare parts in the box, you should be able to build most sub-types of the Panther Ausf. D and even an early Panther Ausf. A.

The kit comprises 1,040 parts in dark yellow coloured plastic, 14 parts in clear, 45 photo-etched parts on three frets, two lengths of twisted metal cable and markings for four vehicles. Although the total number of parts may appear daunting, it should be noted that more than 600 of these parts are destined for the tracks with another 92 optional ice cleats. You can also subtract a large number of optional parts that apply to the Ausf. A, bringing the actual number of plastic parts used for the kit (minus the tracks) down to something close to Tamiya's recent Ausf. D and fewer than Dragon's kits. Of course, the two photo-etched frets will lend more

detail to Meng's plastic parts. Engineering of Meng’s Panther family is interesting, if not downright unique. The hull is peppered with openings, and the skeletal framework of the turret permits different variants to be delivered via a common framework. Assembly starts with the running gear and lower hull. The road wheels, idler wheels and drive sprockets are attached via polythene caps, which should make painting the layered suspension arrangement a bit easier. Full sets of Panther Ausf. D (16 bolt) and Ausf. A/G (24 bolt) road wheels are supplied. Alternative drive sprockets and three different styles of cupola are also included.

The lower hull is made up from a flat pack of sides, rear and bottom. This is made rigid by two braces fitted to the inside. Suspension swing arms are separate and designed to be glued in place. The individual track links are made up from three parts each one remarkably cleanly moulded main link (no ejector pin marks visible at all) and two individual hollow guide horns. Optional ice cleats are also included. In the previous Ausf. A release, each main link was connected to the sprue via six attachment points, which would have proved a bit tedious for removal and clean-up. This time around, the main section of the track link is held

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in place by only two sprue attachments, with the guide horns attached to one each, making the task much faster. The links are designed to be assembled on the included jig, moulded in a ski-jump shape. The links are a nice firm press fit and are designed to be glued together. Alternative exhausts are included, as well as unique Panther Ausf. D features such as the snorkel, raised stowage boxes and ladders for the rear deck. The rolled armour plate texture on the separate hull front and sides is very authentic. These panels are glued over the top of the main hull part. Cast texture elsewhere is equally good. The driver's visor and the upper hatches may be posed open or closed. Another interesting option is a plug on a chain for the front machine gun position. The gun crutch may be posed raised or lowered. Full front fenders plus feeler poles are provided as options too, as are two styles of gun cleaning rod tube.. Fan and engine detail is supplied on two individual parts that are glued in place underneath the engine deck grilles. Photo-etched covers are included for the engine deck grilles. Side skirts are included as an option, and track hangers may be mounted on the sponson covers. Individual bolt heads are offered for the top of the track hanger rack. Spare tracks and pins are included too. One of the photo-etched frets has the star aerial of the Befehlspanther command vehicle. The individual turret panels are designed to be glued to the skeletal framework. Alternative left side panels are offered for early (with shell ejector hatch) and late (without the hatch) versions. Two styles of the shell ejector hatch are supplied too – one with

the “eyebrow” gutter fairing and one without. There is also the choice between two alternative cupola machine gun mounts. All the parts for a Panther A turret are included as spare parts on the sprues as well. The gun is moulded with basic breech detail - sufficient to satisfy if glimpsed through the open turret hatch. The gun barrel is turned metal with a three-piece plastic muzzle brake. Clear parts are included for the vision blocks. Two styles of MG 34 machine gun are offered, plus an ammo belt and a detailed mount with spent shell bag. Markings are supplied for four vehicles. Decals are well printed.

CONCLUSION Meng's 1:35 scale Panther Ausf. D is a high quality package. The level of detail is impressive, Meng has supplied many useful options and spare parts yet basic construction of the hull and the turret does not look too daunting. The much simpler sprue attachments for the individual track links (two attachment points in this kit compared to six in the previous Ausf. A release) will also save the modeller a great deal of clean-up time. If you crave fully workable suspension, you are in luck. Meng has also produced a fully workable suspension set (available separately) including flexible metal torsion bars and individual link tracks held in place using metal pins. This is a truly gorgeous kit – highly detailed and plenty of useable options. Your spares box will thank you too! ■

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

PANTHER D WORKABLE TRACKS

ITEM NO. SPS-057 (SUPPLIES SERIES) PANTHER EARLY PRODUCTION TRACKS & MOVEABLE RUNNING GEAR PARTS Coinciding with the launch of their lovely 1:35 scale Panther Ausf. D (reviewed on pages 60 and 61 of this issue), Meng has also released a number of accessories for this brand-new kit. The first is a set that supplies fully workable parts for the suspension. Straight from the box, the kit has fixed swing axles and individual link tracks that are glued together. For those who would prefer to have fully workable running gear, this upgrade set will transform the kit. The set supplies 16 metal wire torsion bars (these will actually twist like the real thing when installed), 17 mounting blocks, a full set of swing arms and replacement workable tracks. The tracks are supplied in dark yellow plastic. Like the kit tracks, these are completely free from ejector pin circles and feature two separate hollow guide horns per link. The main links are attached to the sprues via just two point each compared

to seven on the earlier Panther A release, making clean-up and assembly much faster. The links are joined using two metal pins. Presumably the best method of attachment will be a tiny spot of super glue, applied sparingly and carefully! The metal pins are handed left and right, so make sure you use the correct ones. Instructions are supplied on the back of the simple black-and-white box. This is an impressive upgrade for the lovely new Meng Panther. If you want workable running gear, this one is for you!

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

D ZIMMERIT ITEM NO. SPS-058 PANTHER AUSF D ZIMMERIT DECAL

Meng has also released a separate decal sheet with a single Zimmerit pattern for their 1:35 scale Panther Ausf. D kit. Zimmerit was rare on these early Panthers but Meng has sourced one subject with Zimmerit on the turret and partial areas of the hull. Decals are supplied in the kit, and this Zimmerit sheet will make the job easier for those who would like to portray this option. The decals are printed onto one sheet with the patterns in relief. Please note that you do not have to cut these out of the sheet – each decal is an individual decal with virtually no decal film surrounding the raised Zimmerit. Very clever. Individual decals are supplied for all the

various nooks and crannies of the turret, including the mantlet, and tricky areas on the rear armour plate. The pattern looks nicely raised on the sheet and should be quite visible on the model after painting. A subtle wash and dry brush will help further emphasise the Zimmerit pattern. I recommend that you should apply a primer coat plus gloss coat as a base for the Zimmerit decals. This is without doubt the easiest way to apply Zimmerit to your Meng 1:35 scale Panther Ausf. D.

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

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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 adalbertus@adalbertus.com.pl 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 smartmodelling@smart7.fsworld.co.uk

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 info@badgerairbrush.com (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 info@deluxematerials.com 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

CAMMETT

(Lifecolour, Scale Caliber)

Unit 5 Greenfield Industrial Estate, Forest Road, Hay on Wye, Powys, HR3 5FA Tel; 01497 822757 Email; cammettco@btinternet.com 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 midlandbooks@compuserve.com 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 info@creativemodels.co.uk

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

www.etchmate.com www.missionmodels.com Tel; 818 842 1885 Fax; 818 842 1886 info@missionmodels.com, sales@missionmodels.com, orders@missionmodels.com

THE ARMORY; M&MODELS

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

MODEL WHOLESALE UK LTD Tel; 01892 533036 www.modelwholesaleuk.com

ORDNANCE MODELS

Harbour Road, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 2LZ, Tel; 01502 517444 Fax; 01502 500521 www.hannants.co.uk sales@hannants.co.uk

HISTOREX AGENTS

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

HOBBYLINK JAPAN

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

HUSSAR PRODUCTIONS, CANADA www.airconnection.on.ca

ICM

Via Hannants in UK

(ETCHMATE, GRABHANDLER, MICRO CHISEL)

HANNANTS

BOOKWORLD WHOLESALE

CALIBRE 35

MISSION MODELS

MONROE PERDU

BLAST MODELS

Unit 10 Hodfar Road, Sandy Lane Ind Est Stourport, Worcs, DY13 9QB Tel; 01299 823330 Fax; 01299 829970 info@bookworldws.co.uk

9 Rannoch St., Battlefield, Glasgow G44 4DF, Scotland Tel/Fax; 0141 633 1400 milicastmodels@hotmail.com www.milicast.com

9a Marcombe Road, Torquay, South Devon, TQ2 6LL Tel; 01803 400436 www.greatnorthroads.co.uk email svfarrugia@yahoo.co.uk

IAN ALLAN

Via AFV Modeller or www.blast-models.com

MILICAST MODEL CO.,

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

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

MDC

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MODELING ARTISAN MORI

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

MIG PRODUCTIONS (Creative Models in UK)

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

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

PACIFIC COAST MODELS Tel; 001 707 538 4850 info@pacmodels.com www.pacmodels.com

PANZERWRECKS

PO Box 164, Heathfield, Sussex TN21 8WA, UK www.panzerwrecks.com

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104 County Street, Suite 101 Attleboro MA 02703 USA Tel: +1 508.431.9800 M-F 9am to 4pm EST http://www.paragrafix.biz pgms@paragrafix.biz

PLUS MODEL

(Creative Models in UK)

SCHIFFER BOOKS

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; info@bushwodbooks.co.uk

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

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No.7 Gordons Way, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0LN UK Tel; 01883 734746 smartmodelling@smart7.fsworld.co.uk

SQUADRON

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

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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 enquiries@hobbyco.net www.hobbyco.net

Jizni 56, 370 10 C. Budejovice, Czech Republic. plusmodel@plusmodel.cz www.plusmodel.cz

TRUMPETER

POCKETBOND

VERLINDEN PRODUCTIONS

(Trumpeter & AFV Club in UK)

Bachmann Europe PLC Moat Way, Barwell, Leics, LE9 8EY Tel; 01455 841756 info@pocketbond.co.uk

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

SB MODELS

UK distributor for Model Victoria and Royal Model

P.O. Box 114, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0WY. Tel/Fax; 01229 430 749 sales@sbmodels.fsnet.co.uk www.sbmodels.net

SBLC

PO Box 794, Cheltenham GL52 3ZW, UK RICHARDSBLC@aol.com

SBX MODEL SHOP

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

www.trumpeter-china.com Pocketbond in the UK (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 MODELS (Toms Model Works)

8532 Lamar Drive, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, USA Tomsmodelworks@aol.com www.whiteensignmodels.com

WWII PRODUCTIONS, AUSTRALIA 12 Prince Street, Waratah, 2298, NSW, Australia Tel; +61 (0)2 4967 3205 Fax; +61 (0)2 4967 3207 ww2prod@optusnet.com.au

ZVEZDA

(The Hobby Company in UK)

Promishlennaia Str.,2, Lobnya, Moscow Region, 141730 Russia office@zvezda.org.ru www.zvezda.org.ru

SCHATTON BARRELS

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

■ Please mention ‘Model Military International’ if you make contact with any of the companies listed above - thanks! 64 Model Military International - August 2018

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Next Issue On sale 2 August 2018 ARV WISSENT

Michael Franz returns with another ambitious project: Perfect Scale Modellbau’s 1:35 Danish ARV “Wisent 1”.

ISSUE No.148 August 2018, Published 5th July 2018 Editor;

Brett Green

Group Editor;

Marcus Nicholls

Publisher;

Alan Harman

Graphic Design;

Alex Hall

Advertising Manager;

Richard Andrews

Office Manager;

Paula Gray

Administration Manager; Hannah McLaurie MMI Website;

Doolittle Media Web Team

Printed by; Buxton Press Ltd. Distributed by; Seymour Distribution 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT Tel; 020 7429 4000 Newstrade; Select Publisher Services 3 East Avenue, Bournemouth, BH3 7BW Tel; 01202 586848 Email; tim@selectps.com Model Military International is published on the first Thursday of each month by; Doolittle Media, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX UK www.modelmilitary.com Tel; +44 (0)1525 222573 Email; enquiries@doolittlemedia.com Editorial enquiries; Email; editor@modelmilitary.com Advertising enquiries; Email; richard@doolittlemedia.com

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.

DESERT RAIDER PART TWO Luke Pitt details the painting and weathering of his 1:48 scale LRDG Chevrolet truck and crew.

CHUNKY PANZER! Chris Leeman builds Alan’s 1:35 scale Panzer I Ausf. F

USMC Guadalcanal 1942

Advertisements are accepted for publication in Model Military International only on Doolittle Media’s standard terms of acceptance of advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising department. Please write to the address above. All advertising, circulation and subscription enquiries should also be directed to the UK address above. Subscription rates are; 1 year (12 issues); £47 UK £59 Europe £72 Worldwide (Airmail)

Matt Wellhouser tackles Life Miniatures’ big 1:10 scale Guadalcanal Marine bust.

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FOR YOUR SAFETY 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!

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.

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

The paper used on this title is from sustainable forestry

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August 2018 - Model Military International 65

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EXERCISE JOINT WARRIOR 2018 M

ore than 11,600 military personnel from 17 nations took part in Exercise Joint Warrior for two weeks this spring in one of the largest exercises of its kind in Europe, operating out of Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde, Scotland. British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Joint Warrior prepares our troops in the best way to meet the intensifying threats our country faces by providing a major opportunity to exercise with our allies. Our Armed Forces are the face of global Britain, and training side by side with troops from 16 other nations means we are stronger and more capable when it comes to keeping our countries safe and protecting our way of life. The bi-annual exercise is running from the 21st April to 4th May, and incorporates all three UK services as well as forces from 16 other nations including Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the US. Linked to the NATO exercise programme and open to Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Partner Nations, Joint Warrior also hosts non-NATO partners such as Australia,

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Finland and Sweden. This year the training scenarios involve multiple sovereign nations disputing resources and territories; counter-terrorism and anti-smuggling activity; information warfare; and evacuation operations. The exercise will provide NATO allies and partner nations the opportunity to train together across air, land, sea and cyber domains, practicing “high-end” war-fighting between near-peer adversaries.” Captain Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff, Captain Paul Pitcher RN, said: “This exercise gives the UK participants a chance to train with our allies and partners, honing our skills and developing our tactics. It is hugely important in making sure that we can fuse all elements of our capabilities, enhancing our ability to conduct joint operations now and in the future.” It will culminate on Salisbury Plain Training Area on the 3rd May in which JEF forces, including troops from the UK Parachute Regiment, the Danish Jutland Dragoon Regiment, the Lithuanian “Iron Wolf” Brigade and the Latvian Mechanised Infantry Brigade, will conduct urban combat operations with air support provided by Apaches, Chinooks, Wildcats and Tornados. ■

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