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Issue 131 March 2017 www.modelmilitary.com

HOW TO... Working with Resin Parts

MID-ATLANTIC PANZER

Dragon’s Black Label 1:35 MBT-70

DEFEAT IN 35MM

1:35 scale Diorama

Hobby Boss’ 1:35 scale T-35 Heavy Tank

SOVIET BEHEMOTH

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Dragon 1:35 5cm PaK 38 auf Pz.II ■ Dragon 1:35 Panther V2 ■ ScaleACT 2016 Report ■ and more...

March 2017 / £4.50 / Issue 131

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Contents - Issue 131 March 2017 REGULARS p 4 NEWS

What’s new in the world of military modelling

p 56 BOOKS

Reviews of the latest historical and modelling publications

p 58 LARGE SCALE

News and reviews of large scale models and figures

p 59 INCOMING

Accessories and kits summary

p 66 LAST POST

A Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Elefant Arrives in the UK

FEATURES p 6 THINK TANK

T-35 Soviet Heavy Tank by Bruce Culver

p 16 SOVIET BEHEMOTH

Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35 Heavy Tank by Luke Pitt

p 30 MID-ATLANTIC PANZER

Dargon’s Black Label 1:35 scale MBT-70 by Brett Green

p 40 DEFEAT IN 35MM

Early war diorama in 1:35 scale by Javier Redondo Giminez

p 48 TECH GUIDE / PREVIEW Working with resin by Rafe Morrissey

p 52 SHOW REPORT

ScaleACT 2016 by Brett Green

p 60 PREVIEW

Zvezda 1:35 GAZ Tiger

p 61 PREVIEW

Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw. II auf PaK 38

©Doolittle Media Ltd 2017 Tel: (UK) 01525 222573 Fax: (UK) 01525 222574 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. 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 - March 2017

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

Canadian Lynx C & R - Reference Images from Armour Piercing Photography

rmour Piercing Photography, operated by Jason Bobrowich, a former Leopard tank commander, has released a digital reference image DVD on the Canadian Lynx C & R: This reference image DVD contains over 700 walkaround and "in the field" images of the Canadian Lynx Command and Reconnaissance vehicle. From 1968 to 1993 174 Lynxes served with Canadian Armoured Regiment Recce Squadrons, Infantry Combat Support/Recce Platoons, and in Combat Engineer

Regiment Recce Sections. The small and manoeuvrable Lynx served their crews exceptionally well during deployments in Germany with NATO and in Cyprus with the United Nations. For more information and for ordering please see the Armour Piercing Photography Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/236742973363249/ Thanks to Armour Piercing Photography for the information and images

TANK WORKSHOP 1:48 FERDINAND CONVERSION ON THE WAY Great news – we’ve heard that The Tank Workshop will soon be releasing a Ferdinand backdate/conversion for Tamiya’s brand new 1:48 scale Elefant kit. The resin conversion will offer new glacis, superstructure roof, engine deck and more. We’ll have more information about this exciting 1:48 scale conversion soon in Model Military International magazine. Thanks to The Tank Workshop for the information www.tankworkshop.com

DRAGON 1:35 IJA TYPE 4 LIGHT TANK “KE-NU”

The Type 4 Ke-Nu was a light tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) in WWII. It was essentially a hybrid combining the hull of a Type 95 Ha-Go light tank with a turret from the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank. When the Type 97 was up-gunned with a higher-velocity 47mm gun, turrets with the original low-velocity 57mm tank gun became surplus and were installed onto the obsolete Type 95. The IJA received approximately 100 examples of the Type 4 Ke-Nu from 1944. While the type’s firepower improved, the heavier weight of the turret added a ton of weight and thus reduced its maximum speed to 40km/h. The 8.4-ton tank’s thin armour could easily be penetrated by Allied anti-tank weapons. It was operated by a crew of three. Most tanks were retained on the Japanese mainland in anticipation of an Allied invasion, but some saw combat against the Soviets in Korea and Manchuria. Dragon has produced a 1:35 scale plastic kit of the Type 4 Ke-Nu. Dragon’s team conducted research on the real tank, produced highly accurate technical drawings, created the stunning box art and supervised the whole project to a successful conclusion. There are numerous new kit parts such as the turret with the characteristic ring antenna. Although the Type 4’s hull may look similar to that of Dragon’s Type 95 Ha-Go kit, the glacis plate has been completely redone. This will be one of the most eye-catching 1:35 releases of the year from Dragon, and it just proves the adage that good things do indeed come in small packages! Dragon kits are distributed in the UK by The Hoby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Bronco 1:35 Sd.Kfz.247Ausf.A Armoured Command Car

n 1936, the German army issued a requirement for a command and personnel car. As a result Krupp manufactured the Sd.Kfz 247 Ausf. A using their 6x4 Protze truck chassis. in 1937. It employed a 65bhp Krupp 4-cylinder air cooled petrol engine which gave a top speed of 70 km/h. Armour was from 6-8mm, enough to protect against small arms fire and shell splinters. Combat loaded it weighed 5.1 tons and had a road range of 350 kilometers. The Sd.Kfz 247 Ausf. A was designed as a command car for use by the Commanders of motorcycle reconnaissance battalions. It was not issued with a radio as standard equipment and

carried no fixed armament. Only 10 of the Ausf A model were built and these served in the early years of WWII, a few surviving until 1945. A smaller Sd.Kfz 247 Ausf. B was built by Daimler-Benz using a 4x4 heavy car chassis, 58 were built 1941-42. Bronco will release a 1:35 scale model of this interesting vehicle featuring engine and fighting compartment detail, photo-etched detail parts and markings for two vehicles. We will have a detailed review of this new kit in a future issue of Model Military International magazine. Thanks to Bronco for the information and images www.cn-bronco.com

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Think Tank - T-35 Heavy Tank The French Char 2C, built by Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), a shipyard in southern France, was too late to serve in WWI, but was the heaviest tank built before WWII, weighing 69 tonnes (76 tons). The main armament was a 75mm gun.

THE RUSSIAN T-35 HEAVY MULTI-TURRET TANK Bruce Culver explores the worldwide doctrine of the heavy breakthrough tank, and specifically the design and development of the Soviet T-28 and T-35 heavy tanks.

he Great War, “the war to end all wars”, later to be known as World War I, resulted in casualties that stunned both governments and whole societies. Total losses exceeded 17 million deaths and over 20 million wounded. The ‘Triple Entente’, the coalition of Allied nations against Germany, lost some 6,000,000 dead, the German-led ‘Central Powers’, lost 4,000,000 dead, and an additional 6,000,000 from both sides were missing and later resumed dead. The loss of so much of the early 20th century European population was socially and economically devastating. The result was a wide-ranging revulsion against war that in a positive way led to the formation of the League of Nations, but also led to vastly decreased military budgets, limiting further military research. A second conundrum was

that in many ways, military technology had outrun the tactics and strategies of the old armies that fought in this great struggle. Sending infantry and cavalry against massed machine fire had proven horribly expensive in loss of life and poor morale. The tank had gained some advantages when used well, but early models were clumsy and not very reliable. The large British rhomboid tanks had shown some promise, yet most of the Great War tank attacks had petered out due to breakdowns and lack of infantry support. It was obvious more had to be done to improve tanks and tactics.

ARMOURED WARFARE DOCTRINE In Britain, two of the most farsighted men in improving armoured warfare were J.F.C. Fuller, a staff officer in the Machine Gun Corps’ Heavy Branch, which later became the Tank Corps, and his junior

officer, B.H. Liddell Hart. J.F.C. Fuller helped in the planning for the first Allied tank attack at Cambrai in 1917. Later, Fuller designed an advanced plan for using tanks against Central Powers forces: his Plan 1919. This was an audacious departure from the infantry supporting rather slow tank assaults that had been the rule in the war. Plan 1919 proposed a new approach to defeating the enemy: destroying the enemy’s command, control, and communications. This would lead to the enemy’s forces being unable to organize or fight effectively, leading to a collapse of the German front. Fuller’s vision was a three-stage attack. First, medium tanks would attack at a couple of separated points and break through, supported by aircraft and with no preparatory artillery barrage that would signal the assault and make the ground impassible. The

heavy tanks and infantry would push through the German lines before they could react. Last, more medium tanks and cavalry would push for the rear through the breaks in the front lines, destroying supply dumps, transportation equipment, rail line and roads, cutting communication telephone lines, ands over-running rear heavy artillery and headquarters, again supported by aircraft in local tactical support and strategic bombing of rear areas. In the event, the unexpected end of the Great War in November 1918 meant that Fuller’s Plan 1919 was never implemented. One particular weakness of Plan 1919 was that it was an all-tank force on the ground, with an emphasis on movement rather than taking and holding ground. Also, there was no provision for transporting the supporting infantry, who would have had to ride the tanks as far

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as they could. Obviously, many of these deficiencies resulted from the limited technology of the period. Aircraft performed many of the duties of support troops who would be left behind by a rapid advance. The French supreme military commander, Marshal Foch, saw in Fuller’s plan a way to renew the offensive war against the Germans without the mass casualties that had exhausted Allied troops. Foch’s plan called for 10,000 tanks - breakthrough tanks and lighter exploitation tanks. The problem was that the older larger tank models were not reliable enough for sustained operations envisioned, nor did they carry enough fuel and ammunition for any extended operations. The only tanks suitable for rapid maneuver and advance were the light Renault FT-17s and they were too small and poorly armed to serve as either breakthrough or exploitation tanks, being more suitable for scouting. And so began the development of new classes of tanks for this new kind of tank warfare. The basic requirements were for a heavy shorter-range assault or breakthrough tank and a faster longer-range medium tank to pass through the breaks in the enemy line and move rapidly to the rear, cutting the command and supply structures from the front line troops. Several designs were proposed. The Whippet, the first British medium tank, was not a complete success, being too short-legged, poorly armed (only machine guns) and incapable of crossing large trenches. Several other mediums appeared – the Medium B, C, and D. All these adopted the rhomboid shape of the earlier British tanks for their trench-crossing ability, with improvements. The Medium B was not successful, but built in small numbers, the Medium C was built in a small run of 50, but never used in combat, and the Medium D production was only four prototypes.

HEAVY BREAKTHROUGH TANKS The project for the larger heavy breakthrough tank was more successful, resulting in the BritishAmerican Mk VIII, known as the “International” or “Liberty” tank. This was a larger and more powerful version of the Great War British rhomboid tanks, and while an incremental improvement, did introduce a solid firewall between the engine and the crew. It was not produced in Great Britain, but was produced in the United States and formed a large part of the US tank force up until the rearmament

program of 1940. Most of he remaining examples were sold to Canada for training purposes. France also worked on a new breakthrough tank and amid a great deal of political intrigue among various departments of the French Army, managed to design and build some of the largest and heaviest tanks ever constructed. The initial effort was a bizarre request for Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), a shipyard in the south of France near Toulon, to design a heavy breakthrough tank, a project abandoned when the French learned of the British work in developing tanks for their army. The huge infantry losses in the ill-fated Somme offensive in 1916 drove further work on a new heavy tank. The political situation in France was such that the military had considerable autonomy in developing weapons, but the public and the government also became curious about progress in this area, and FCM, assisted by Renault as requested by Gen. Leon Mourret, who had ordered the first design from FCM, began new work. At the same time, Albert Thomas, French Minister of Armaments, specified a tank of some 40 tonnes, armour proof against artillery bursts and the ability to cross a trench 3.5 meters wide. This coincided with a separate heavy tank from Renault that soon had the attention of the French Army. In the event, Renault’s heavy tank was also abandoned, Renault preferring to work on the more practical FT light tank. FCM’s heavy tank program contained three different models for development – a ‘light’ version (Model A) weighing 30 tonnes with a 75mm main gun, a ‘medium’ version (Model B) weighing 45 tonnes also with a 75mm gun and a ‘heavy version (Model C) weighing 62 tonnes and using the 75mm gun. Eventually, the “FCM 1A” was chosen, equivalent to the Model B. The FCM 1A was the largest tank built to that time, with a length of 8.35m (27.4 ft) and a width of 2.84m (9.32 ft) and weighed 41.4 tonnes. It mounted a 105mm gun and had maximum armour of 35mm (1.38 in). It featured a petrol-mechanical transmission. During testing, the FCM Char 1A proved to be capable of excellent performance, though like many tanks of the period it was slow, achieving a 6 km/h top speed. It was more capable than any other tank of the WWI period, able to cross a 3.5m (11.5 ft) trench, climb a 90cm (2.95 ft) vertical wall, and descend into and climb out of a crater 4m (13.1 ft) deep and 6m A

The T-22, or TG-1, was an experimental tank designed by a German engineer, Edward Grotte, for the Soviet OKMO design bureau in 1931. Armament was a 76mm A-19 gun in the fixed casemate with a 37mm PS-2 anti-tank gun in the rotating turret above.

The A1E1 “Independent” multi-turret tank built by Vickers was a major influence on heavy tank design in the early 1930s, although it was built as a single prototype and never entered production or service. The main armament was a 3 pdr (47mm) anti-tank gun.

The Vickers A6E2 prototype of 1928 was based on the A1E1 “Independent” but simplified with only two auxiliary machine gun turrets. The main armament again was the 3 pdr (47mm) anti-tank gun. Only three prototypes were built.

This Vickers Medium Mk III was another experimental tank derived from the A1E1. Three were built as prototypes – this example, fitted with an extra radio antenna around the turret, was used by Gen. Percy Hobart in the 1934 Salisbury Plain exercises. March 2017 - Model Military International 7

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Think Tank - T-35 Heavy Tank B (19.7 ft) wide. The next FCM design, the Char 2C, was based on the 1A, but was larger and much heavier – at 69 tonnes (76 short tons), the FCM 2C was the heaviest tank to be produced and see active service. It was the largest tank ever produced and used in service – 10.27m (33 ft 8 in) long, 3m (9 ft 10 in) wide and 4.09m (13 ft 5 in) high. Armour was heavy for the period – 45mm in front and 22mm on the sides. Performance was similar to the FCM 1A except the top speed was raised to 15 km/h (9.3mph). It had a crew of 12 and the main gun was now a 75mm Canon de 75 modèle 1897, the standard French field piece. There were four 8mm Hotchkiss light machine guns fitted, one in the front of the hull, two in the forward sides, and one in a mount in the rear turret, manned by the mechanic. Production of the Char 2C was delayed until after the Great War had ended, and only 10 were built. The 10 Char 2C tanks were all delivered by 1921, and by the end of the 1930s were obsolete as better designs appeared. Nonetheless, they were ordered into active service when the French mobilized the army in 1938. They all served in one unit, the 51st Bataillon de Chars de Combat, and were used largely for propaganda purposes. When Germany invaded France in June 1940, the Char 2Cs were placed on a train to be transported to the south to save them. A blocked rail line led to the destruction of all the 2Cs by French troops, an ignominious end for what had been an innovative vehicle.

BRITISH HEAVY TANK DESIGNS Great Britain had produced as number of tank designs during the Great War, the majority of them large turretless rhomboid tanks with sponson-mounted armament. Although the later models had improved over the first machines, the General Staff in 1924 ordered a prototype heavy tank with new features. It was designated the A1E1 “Independent”. Designed by Walter Gordon Wilson and built by Vickers, the A1E1 was to test new concepts in tank design. It had not one, but five turrets – the large central turret mounted a 3 pdr (47mm) gun, and the four auxiliary turrets, two in front of the main turret and two behind, mounted .303 Vickers machine guns. The MG in the left rear turret could elevate sufficiently to engage aircraft. The A1E1 was intended to be a versatile and self-sufficient breakthrough tank, and was one of the first

examples of the “land battleship” – tanks with multiple turrets to engage enemy guns and infantry in multiple directions. The A1E1 was 7.6m (24 ft 11 in) long, 2.67m (8 ft 9 in) wide, and 2.72m (8 ft 11 in) high. It was powered by an Armstrong-Siddeley V12 engine of 280 kW (370hp), giving a speed of 32 km/h (20mph) and a range of 152.9 km (95 miles). Armour ranged from 13 to 28mm, and total weight was 30.84 tonnes (34 tons). It had a new hydraulic brake system, and was delivered in 1926. The A1E1 was not put into production and only one example was constructed. It was used extensively for testing and retired in 1935. However, it had a major influence on the design of heavy breakthrough tanks for much of the 1920s and 30s, and several countries developed tanks based on the concept of the A1E1. Indeed, the interest in the A1E1 was so great that the Russian government ended up with the plans fore the A1E1 as a result of industrial espionage, and the Germans also gained this information. Vickers continued work on tank design and built a number of prototypes of multi-turret tanks in the 1930s. These tanks were referred to as “16 tonners” because the specification limited their weight to 15.5 tons (14,061 kg). There were three prototypes – A6E1, A6E2 and A6E3. They were based on the configuration of the A1E1 ands had a main turret with a 3 pdr (47mm) gun and two auxiliary turrets each with two Vickers .303 machine guns. A rear third turret on the A6E1 was later removed. The prototype featured a hydraulic Wilson epicyclic steering transmission that promised much better performance. In June 1928, the first and second prototypes were delivered, featuring an Armstrong-Siddeley air-cooled V8 180hp engine that gave a top speed of 42 km/h (26mph). There were changes due to maximum weight restrictions. The A6E1 and E2 were similar in having twin Vickers MGs in the auxiliary turrets, but these proved impractical and the A6E3 was fitted with single Vickers MGs in these turrets. None of these prototypes was satisfactory due to poor suspension design, and no more A6 models were built. The A6 prototypes were used extensively for testing of automotive components. The next iteration of the Vickers tank development was the Mk III, similar in many respects to the A6 series. The armour was improved and the Mk III had a new turret

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Germany also produced a large multi-turret tank in the 1930s, built by two different manufacturers. This Krupp-built PzKpfw VI Neubaufahrzeug had a main turret with a 7.5cm KwK L/24 gun mounted coaxially with a 3.7cm KwK 36 L/45 antitank gun.

The United States also joined the multi-turret tank parade with the M2 medium tank seen here. The main armament was the 37mm M3 anti-tank gun, and four auxiliary turrets each mounted a .30 Browning light machine gun to fight enemy infantry.

The Soviet SMK (named for assassinated official Sergei Mironovich Kirov) was one of several attempts to replace the T-35 heavy tank. Designed in 1939 by a team led by Josef Kotin, it was unsuccessful, but a shortened single-turret version was adopted as the KV-1.

The SMK featured a main armament of a 76.2mm L-11 gun in the main turret and a 45mm Mod. 1932 gun in the smaller forward turret. It was used briefly in Finland during the Winter War. Note the family resemblance to the successful later KV-1 series.

The T-100 was a competitor to the SMK, and was also operated in the Winter War against Finland. It was designed at the OKMO bureau in Leningrad in 1938-39. Like the other multi-turret designs, its long length hampered mobility and turning performance.

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with a flat gun mantlet and an extended rear area for a radio set. The auxiliary turrets were moved forward to improve the center of gravity. The first two prototypes were tested in 1933, and still suffered from weak suspensions that made them poor gun platforms. The third prototype had an improved suspension that was effective, but the tank’s high price resulted in no production. One of the Mk IIIs was used by General Percy Hobart as a command vehicle in the 1934 Salisbury Plain exercises, equipped with an extra antenna.

GERMAN HEAVY TANK DESIGN The Germans had also looked at the A1E1 and experimented with their own heavy tank design. Forbidden by the terms of the Versailles Treaty from building armoured vehicles, Germany secretly worked with Russian tank developers at Kazan in the 1920s, and in 1926 the Reichswehr, the army of the German Weimar Republic, ordered prototypes of a “Grosstraktor” from Krupp, Rheinmetall-Borsig, MAN and Daimler-Benz. The name “Grosstraktor” (Large Tractor) was a cover to hide the true nature of the project. Daimler-Benz built two examples of the “Grosstraktor I” and Rheinmetall-Borsig built two prototypes of the “Grosstraktor II”. They were tested in 1929 and used by 1st Panzer Division in exercises in 1935. They were unreliable and soon passed into service as gunnery targets and monuments, but they led to the next development, the PzKpfw Nb.Fz. V and VI “Neubaufahrzeug” (New Construction Vehicle). The “Neubaufahrzeug” was another large multi-turret vehicle, built in two versions. The first version, the Model A, was built by Krupp and the second type, the Model B, was built by

Rheinmetall-Borsig. The only significant difference was the armament design – the Krupp Model A had the 7.5cm KwK L/24 howitzer and secondary 3.7cm KwK L/45 gun were mounted coaxially (side by side) while the Rheinmetall-Borsig Model B had the two weapons mounted vertically in a narrower mantlet. There were two secondary MG turrets adapted from the PzKpfw I light tank. The first prototype built had the Rheinmetall-Borsig vertical armament installation and a prominent radio antenna around the turret, but the other four examples had coaxial gun mounts. The first two vehicles were built of mild steel and were partially welded. The last three examples were fully constructed of armour. All had secondary MG turrets at the right front and left rear. The first prototype was powered by a 180 hp BMW Typ A engine, but the rest had the 300 hp Maybach HL 108 TR. The crashtype transmission (no clutch) had five forward gears and no reverse. The suspension rode on coil (Model A) or leaf springs (Model B) with five bogies on trailing arms, each with two wheels. Armoured skirts with mud chutes and access doors covered the sides of the high hull. All these tanks were 6.6m (21.8 ft) long, 2.19m (7.2 ft) wide and 2.98m (9.9 ft) high and weighed 21.23 tonnes (23.4 tons). Top speed on roads was 25-30 km/h (16-18 mph) with a range of 120 km (75 miles). Armour was similar to other tanks, 13-20mm, too light for combat in the late 1930s. The first two prototypes reportedly served in action in Ukraine and Romania in 1941. The last three prototypes took part in the invasion of Norway in April 1940, used as propaganda to convince the Allies these tanks were in service. In fact, like most other examples of the “land battleships”, their thin armour and A

The T-28 was a lighter multi-turret tank designed in 1931 and built from 1932-41. 503 examples were made. The T-28 was an infantry support tank and had a main armament of a 76.2mm KT-28 gun and two 7.62mm DT machine guns in auxiliary turrets.

During the 1930s, many of the Russian multi-turret tanks spent much of their service participating in parades. Large tanks like these two T-28s were impressive to see and served a useful propaganda purpose, though the parades wore out the power trains.

T-28s were used in Finland during the Winter War, where these two examples were knocked out. Early models proved vulnerable and extra armour was added during the course of the war. The improved armour was 80mm in front and 40mm on the sides.

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Think Tank - T-35 Heavy Tank B limited speed had been overtaken by new tactics and better anti-tank guns, and propaganda displays were their best use.

UNITED STATES ARMY BREAKTHROUGH TANKS The United States Army was late to the development of a heavy breakthrough tank, starting the design of the M2 medium tank in 1938, when other European powers had determined they were obsolete. Rock Island Arsenal based the new medium tank on the design of the M2 light tank, and this produced a suspension and power train that would be used on US medium tanks throughout WWII. The engine was a Wright air-cooled R- 975 nine-cylinder aircraft radial, modified for use in tanks. The suspension was a vertical volute spring type that was mounted externally and used no room from the interior. The M2 medium had a tall hull with the turret from the M2 light tank. The main armament was a 37mm M3 anti-tank gun. Four .30 light MGs were installed in corner sponson mounts for covering fire against infantry from any direction. The two rear MGs could fire against angled rear armour plates that deflected bullets down into trenches and foxholes as the tank passed overhead. Armour was 6.35-32mm (1/4 in to 1.25 in). The 18.7 tonne (20.5 ton) M2 was never used in combat. Rock Island Arsenal built 18 M2s, and 92 M2A1s with the turret from the M3 light tank and a 51mm (2.00 in) mantlet. The 37mm gun was obsolete at the beginning of production, and the M2A1s were used for training during the war. Their primary value was in the design of their reliable suspension and power train, used in the M3 and M4 medium tanks and related types. Though a large tank itself, the T-28 (right) was dwarfed by the new T-35 (left). The T-35 was intended to be capable of dealing with both enemy infantry and armour. The main gun was a 76.2mm howitzer, supplemented with two 45mm guns and two machine guns.

Like almost all the multi-turret designs, the T-28 was a fairly large vehicle and most of them had relatively thin armour due to their large size unless upgraded. Some 200 T-28s were lost in the Winter War, but almost all of them were rebuilt and returned to service.

This shows the first prototype of the T-35, with six large road wheels per side and a dome-topped turret with the 76.2mm howitzer. The right forward and left rear auxiliary turrets had 45mm guns and the left forward and right rear turrets had 7.62mm MGs.

Like many other Russian heavy tanks in the 1930s, the prototype T-35 was used in parades to demonstrate the power and advanced weapons of the state. In combat, the tankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long hull and low power would later limit its effectiveness.

This front view of the second prototype shows the early hull shape and hinged driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hoods. A number of design and mechanical problems led to this tank being reworked to produce a better vehicle. Construction was partly riveted and partly welded.

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SOVIET HEAVY TANK DESIGN Of all the nations that took part in WWII, Soviet Russia was one of the more innovative leaders in tank design. In signing the 1922 Treaty of Rapallo with Germany, Russia entered a technical partnership with Germany that benefitted both countries. They shared research conducted at Kazan in Russia, where the Germans’ contributions were hidden from Allied Armistice Commission inspectors. Through the Germans, Russia had received the plans to the Vickers A1E1 “Independent” heavy tank, and this was to have a major influence in Russian heavy tank design. While Russia imported many examples of tanks from different countries, the concept of the “land battleship” with multiple turrets seems to have been particularly appealing. They built a number of prototypes, some quite advanced, others less so. Each project, whether successful or not, taught the Russians aspects of tank design, which they put to good use. One of the earlier projects was the Grotte TG-1, or T-22, designed by the German engineer Edward Grotte. It was an advanced concept, very modern in appearance but mechanically complex. It featured a 76.2mm A-19 gun in the upper hull, with a rotating turret above mounting a 37mm PS-2 anti-tank gun. Little is known about the vehicle but its complexity and expense resulted in only a single prototype being built. Grotte later designed large supertanks for Germany, none of which were successful. The two most widely produced multi-turret types in Russia were the T-28 medium tank and the T-35 heavy tank. The T-28 was one of the first medium tanks to appear. Before this, tanks generally had been either heavy breakthrough designs, slow and large with limited armour, or small light tanks and tankettes typically used for scouting and attacking light infantry positions. These were almost all MG carriers with thin armour proof against infantry rifle fire only. The T-28 was an intermediate type suitable for a variety of tasks.

Among the changes introduced on the new T-35 prototype was a new suspension, seen here. The coil springs and heavy suspension design were developed to support the weight of the larger new prototype. Note the mounting frame for the lower side armour.

This early T-35 Mod. 35 production model took part in the 1935 May Day parade in Moscow. Both the hull and all the turrets were redesigned as a result of test experience, and were almost identical to those used on the earlier T-28 medium tank.

THE T-28 The T-28 was produced at the Kirov Works in Leningrad in 1932 and adopted as the T-28 in 1933. It was a smaller companion to the T-35 heavy tank and had the same multi-turret configuration. There was a large main turret mounting a 76.2mm KT-28 gun and two auxiliary turrets with 7.62mm DT MGs. The suspension had A

The T-35 served in the 5th Separate Heavy Tank Brigade in Moscow. In WWII they saw service in only two units in the Red Army – the 67th and 68th Tank Regiments of the 34th Tank Division, serving on the Kiev front and in the defense of Moscow in late 1941. March 2017 - Model Military International 11

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Think Tank - T-35 Heavy Tank B multiple twin bogies with vertical springs. The armour was originally 20-30mm but after service in Finland, the front armour was increased to 80mm and the sides and rear to 40mm. The weight was 28 tonnes (30.8 tons). The Kirov Works built 503 T-28s from 1933 to 1941. As with most other tanks of the early 1930s, advances in anti-tank weapons had made them obsolete, but the extra armour allowed the T-28s to give useful service later in Finland. In the German invasion of Russia in 1941, the T-28s suffered heavy losses, many to mechanical breakdowns, as the tanks were old and any added weight taxed the power trains and suspensions. They were in Moscow during the defense of that city but by late 1941, very few were in service. The Finns captured a small number of them.

The combination of an antiquated design and years of use in parades meant that the T-35s were of limited use in a mobile war. However, the Russian military decided to use them in combat until they were lost. This example in the winter of 1941 leads a later T-34/76.

THE T-35 The T-35 heavy tank was another product of the influence of the A1E1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Independentâ&#x20AC;?. It was developed by a design team led by N. Tsiets at the OKMO Design Bureau in the Kirov Works in Leningrad. A competitor was a team led by Edward Grotte, who designed the TG-5, a five-turret 100-tonne tanks that was not built. The T-35 prototype was completed in 1932. It had a main turret with a 76.2mm KT-28 gun and four smaller turrets, two with 37mm anti-tank guns and two with 7.62mm DT machine guns. There were serious problems with the complex transmission, which had to be redesigned and simplified. Numerous defects appeared in testing and the whole vehicle was reworked with a new engine and transmission. The upgraded prototype had turrets adapted from the T-28 medium tank to standardize the turrets between the T-28 and T-35. The Kharkov Locomotive Works built 20 of this early type in 1933-34. Continued difficulties led to another redesign, this time resulting in a longer hull with a modified suspension having eight road wheels instead of six. The four auxiliary turrets were now carried over from the BT-5 light tanks and the two gun turrets mounted the 45mm 20-K anti-tank gun. This model was accepted as the T-35 Model 35, and 35 were built from 1935 to 1938. The T-35 Mod. 35 was 9.72m (31 ft 11 in) long, 3.2m (10 ft 6 in) wide, and 3.43m (11 ft 3 in) high. Armour ranged from 11-30mm and weight was 45 tonnes (49.6 tons). The top speed on roads was 30 km/h (20 mph), and maximum range was 150 km (100 miles). The crew

This T-35 Mod.35 was destroyed during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. Though large and impressive, the armour was of moderate thickness and vulnerable to many German weapons. The great majority of T-35s were lost due to mechanical breakdowns.

Another abandoned T-35, a Mod. 35 equipped with extra radios as a command vehicle, was a victim of its unreliable power train. Large vehicles like this put more strain on engines and transmissions, with a subsequent loss of durability.

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was 11-12 men: driver, mechanic, senior driver, and the rest were gunners for the MGs and anti-tank weapons. The crew spaces were very cramped and affected the combat capabilities of the vehicle. The Mikulin 500 hp M17M engine and the transmission were still less than ideal, and breakdowns were common. During the 1930s the major use of the T-28s and T-35s was in the 5th Separate Heavy Tank Brigade in Moscow, driving in ceremonial parades such as the annual May Day celebration. Used as propaganda this way, the machines were eventually worn out and even less reliable. In 1938, a modified version of the T-35 appeared, the Model 38. This had new turrets with sloped side armour for better protection and mechanical improvements. Only six examples of the T-35 Mod. 38 were built. The new changes did not alter the basic obsolescence of the design. The German invasion of Russia in 1941 put aside plans to retire the T-35s from active service, and they served in the 67th and 68th Tank Regiments in the Kiev area and these units suffered losses of over 90% in a short period of time. The majority of tanks lost fell to mechanical failures caused by lack of maintenance and spare parts. Many were destroyed by their crews. One intact specimen captured by the Germans was later displayed at the test facility at Kummersdorf. The T-35 proved to be an excellent example of the speed at which military technology advanced during the interwar period in the 1930s. Though often effective in terms of fire power, all these large multi-turreted â&#x20AC;&#x153;land battleshipsâ&#x20AC;? were overtaken by the great changes in tank design, new anti-tank weapons, and changing tactics, for which they were profoundly unsuitable. Four T-35s were relegated to training and they survived the war. One is still extant in running condition in the Russian armour museum in Kubinka, and a full-sized static display replica was built by a Russian company, UMMC.

This view of an abandoned T-35 Mod. 35 again shows the size of these land battleships. Their excessive length made them very hard to turn and maneuver, which in turn aggravated the lack of durability in the transmission and final drive units.

The SU-14 was a self-propelled gun mount developed form the chassis of the T-35 tank. This example, seen in 1934, was the original SU-14 mounting the 203mm M1931 (B4) howitzer. Later prototypes used the 152mm Mod. 1935 (Br-2) gun.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS Russian designers also produced several advanced concepts intended to replace the T-35 heavy tank. The first of these was the SMK, designed by Josef Kotin at the Kirovski Works and named for an assassinated official, Sergei Mironovih Kirov. It was a long, somewhat narrow tank with two turrets. The larger turret in the center mounted a 76.2mm L-11 gun and the forward lower A

This T-35 Mod. 35 is a replica built by the Russian Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC). It is a complete visual replica but does not have a power train, and is for static display only. The Kubinka Tank Museum maintains the only running T-35.

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Think Tank - T-35 Heavy Tank

In 1938, an improved model of the T-35 appeared with new turrets and increased frontal armour. This example of the T-35 Mod. 38 was seen in another May Day parade in Moscow. The turrets were built with sloped armour to improve the level of protection.

The T-35 Mod. 38 was introduced in 1938, and only six were built before construction was halted. Though armour protection was marginally improved, the tank’s extra weight due to increased frontal armour did not help its less than great reliability in service.

Left in the middle of the road, this T-35 Mod. 38 hosted its new owners. The Germans captured dozens of these obsolescent pre-war tanks, most of them not reparable. Many of them were blown up or scrapped. Note here the revised rear idler and side armour layout.

The T-35 Mod. 38 had a revised side armour installation to clear the revised and wider rear idler. A major disadvantage of all these large multi-turret tanks was the difficulty in trying to coordinate the use of five gun turrets at the same time.

B turret carried the 45mm M1932 anti-tank gun. It had a torsion bar suspension and weighed 49.9 tonnes (55 tons). Armour was 20-60mm, not heavy, and the SMK was not selected for production. Kotin and his team redesigned the tank with a shorter hull and a single turret, and this was

accepted as the KV-1 heavy tank. The SMK’s competitor was the T-100 designed by the OKMO Bureau in Leningrad and built in the Kirov Works as a prototype. It was sent to Finland with the SMK and two KV-1s for testing and was not successful. Only two prototypes were completed. It

carried the 76.2mm L-11 main gun and the 37mm M1932 secondary weapon as for the SMK. One of the main problems encountered with these long multi-turret vehicles is that they were very hard to manoeuvre due to the high drag of the long tracks when trying to turn. ■

The T-35 Mod. 38’s new slope-sided turrets show well in this shot of a broken-down example. The short 76.2mm howitzer in the main turret was intended to attack enemy infantry fortifications while the 45mm tank guns were to fight enemy tanks and armour.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35 • Kit No. 83844

T E I SOV H T O M E H BE Luke Pitt builds and improves the Hobby Boss 1:35 scale T-25 Soviet Heavy Tank.

ig. Really big. That was my impression when I first laid eyes on this vehicle in my late teens. Over the years it has always been my intention to model the T-35. I had purchased the now out-of-production ICM kit some 20 years ago along with a number of updates. The kit was the early version but for some reason I had always been drawn the late conical turreted variant. For that reason, I always seemed to find some excuse not to build it. Hobby Boss released their new late-version 1:35 scale T-35 kit in late 2015 and I purchased it early the following year. The kit is not without its faults and while I have corrected some, others I have not. I will not cover the history of this vehicle as Bruce has done so admirably in the accompanying Think Tank reference article. It is my hope that this article may inspire some of you to build a better rendition than mine. I broke the build down roughly into six distinct stages. I did not move on to the next phase until I was happy with the results of proceeding phases. I call my approach “Modular Modelling” or MM for short. This article has been written in the Spanish way (for want of a better term) as most of the build has been covered in one way or another by photos. Nor have I reviewed the kit as it has been done many times before; but suffice to say that it is a fairly accurate and a straightforward model with very few vices. I have corrected some of the minor faults as I saw them but others I left as is. I hope that you will enjoy my T-35 journey over the following pages. A

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;reThaisllykbitigis..!big â&#x20AC;?

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35 • Kit No. 83844

The Start. Where to Begin? As I mentioned in my opening comments, this kit is big - really big! For that reason alone, I approached the build with the attitude of “if it’s not seen I’m not going to clean it up”. This of course goes against my build philosophy somewhat.

All builds have to start somewhere and this one began with the road wheels and bogie assemblies. When reviewing the instructions, I noted that part “A18” was missing from the instructions. This can be a trap for the younger players, so my advice is always study the instructions before you glue parts together, once glued, de-assembly is very time consuming to correct.

Given the bogie assemblies are hidden for the most part, I elected not to clean up the sprue attachment points. The trick here is to line them up when you glue the road wheels together, the reasoning being that you can hide these scars at the bottom of the wheel (where the track touches) and the top of the road wheel (where the bogie assembly hides it).

You will note in this reference photo that the real vehicle had a mould seam in the middle of the rubber tyre. Given that, these vehicles didn’t really travel that much, there is no need to clean this area up. Cool

Some areas of the bogie assembly need to be cleaned up however and the support springs are one of them. The only real area than can be seen is the connecting arm. In this photo I am removing the sprue attachment point and later cleaned it up with sand paper.

The road wheel support casting parts had a nasty sprue knockout stub on the inside of the part itself. If this is not removed it will impede the rotation of the road wheel when the assembly is put together. I wanted to keep the road wheels turning freely as it would be an aid in lining up the sprue attachment points on the final assembly and secondly as an aid in painting the rubber portion of road wheel itself.

I was mindful that the tracks would be difficult to paint and assemble on the vehicle. For that reason, I elected to glue the bogies and return rollers to the outside hull armour plate. I firstly press fitted the completed bogies to the inner hull wall and then glued the outer armour plate to them. I left this assembly overnight to dry and then removed the glued assembly to reveal what you see in this photo.

The bogie assemblies are now complete. Hobby Boss includes photo etch support bars (PE-A1) that attach to the mud deflector plates to the bogie assembly itself but, as these could not be seen with the side plates fitted, I elected to omit them. You will also note that anything that can be seen on the final assembly has been cleaned up but anything that cannot has been left as is. The only problem now is that you have to repeat these previous steps 8 more times! Oh, the joy of modelling.

This approach is not for everyone but for me it helps with not only the final assembly sequence but also the painting stage. I painted each assembly as almost a model in its own right.

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The Build Begins. Putting the Tracks Together Hobby Boss has included some pretty neat link and length tracks with this kit and sell a set of workable tracks as well. Looking at my reference photos for the vehicle however I noticed that the track pins were recessed. I could have shaved these the pin heads off the kit supplied parts and drilled out the ends but, as luck would have it I had purchased a set of Friulmodel tracks many years ago with the intention of using them on the old ICM kit. My thought process at the time was it may be quicker but in hindsight this proved to be incorrect.

The first job is the drill out with an appropriate drill, in this case a .022 dia. This is important (although laborious) as the pin can be inserted freely when the assembly begins. Never mind what anybody tells you, these track links need clean up and this is by far the most mind numbing experience known to man.

I never use the wire included in the Friulmodel tracks as I find it too soft and bendy. What I use is brass wire and in this case Model Supplies .022 item 2507. I firstly cut one piece of wire the appropriate length and then used that as a guild for the rest.

As my cutters had left a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vâ&#x20AC;? cut on the end of the pins I had to file the ends flat. Now after about 2 or 3 goes at this, I thought to myself, this is taking way too long. I came up with a solution that cut this process in half. Stick with me here folks. The Model Supplies brass rod comes in a shrink wrapped backing card onto which 5 or 6 pieces of the rod are stuck. I firstly measured out the length of the pin on the card in segments and then cut them on the card itself. The real trick here is to obtain some really good photoetch scissors. The ones I used were the Xuron Model 9180. When they cut the brass rod on the cardboard backing they leave an almost flat cut with no need to clean up after. Magic!

The pins can then be inserted into the track itself.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35 • Kit No. 83844

As the track pins on the T-35 are recessed, I then pushed the pin itself in to a semi recessed position. If you drill out the holes when cleaning up with a drill that is the same size as the wire, then there is no need to glue the ends (in fact in some cases it’s appropriate to smear machine oil to push them through.

It is always important to do a short run to The entire run then can be completed. check the fit against the drive sprocket. In this photo I have posed the run against the track I have used.

Looking more like cheap jewellery chain promotional photo, the tracks are now complete. My inner voice was telling me at this stage “so Lukey boy, you’re going to have to do this again, this time, for the other side!” Oh what joy. One full day was spent assembling theses tracks. When finally completed, I thought to myself, “I have no life”.

Let's move on to the turrets. All five of them! The T-35 is a multi-turret design and this is the main area where the Hobby Boss kit falls a little behind. The shape of the turrets themselves scales out accurately but it’s the various bits on the turrets themselves that seem to be oddly shaped. So let us begin

The two machine gun turrets are basically supplied in four main parts to make up the assembly onto which the detail pieces are attached. These turrets are good in outline but suffer from poorly fitting roof tops on my example. These were filled and a new weld joint applied to the edge.

I replaced the rivets around the viewing and pistol ports on the side of the turret as they seemed a little too small when compared to the reference photos I had on hand.

The main turret suffers from a poorly fitting top plate as well but on balance it is not too bad or overly hard to fix. I also added a weld seam around the turret edge as I had done on the smaller turrets.

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The overall shape of the machine gun mount can now be more clearly seen in this overall photo of the turret itself

The most difficult problem to fix on the main turret assembly is the machine gun port. Hobby Boss has interpreted this to be a tear drop shape when in fact it is more like a hemisphere tacked on the side of the turret itself. In this photo the correction has been made with the aid of Milliput and a little sanding. The rivets around the viewing and pistol ports on the side of the turret have also been replaced.

I generally don’t use aftermarket barrels. They may look great in construction photos but they look pretty much the same as the kit supplied example under a coat of paint. The minor filling of the turret can clearly be seen in this view.

Under a coat of Tamiya grey surface primer the corrections to the turret machine gun mount can clearly be seen. The priming also picks up any gaps that need to be filled.

Unfortunately, the most work on correcting the turrets occurs on the secondary 45mm turrets. It centres on the gun mount itself. Hobby Boss has interpreted this large casting as sloping slightly toward the front and indeed the drawing I had of the type almost agreed with their interpretation. After viewing as many reference photos as I could, I came to the conclusion that it is a little flatter on the top and slightly wider. The casting was also bolted the turret itself in an almost seamless fashion. I modified the mounts to better represent what I was seeing in those reference photos.

The antiaircraft mount was the last piece of the puzzle This was detailed up with a combination of the kit’s photo etch and plastic strip.

The two turrets were painted in Tamiya surface primer to reveal any imperfections in my interpretation of the gun mount.

I added a small sprue to the onside of the turret in an aid for the painting process.

…and various other nick nacks added in accordance to my reference photos

The mount was then placed on the movable ring mount…

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35 â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 83844

That hull. It's so long The T-35 hull needed to be long to accommodate the sheer number of turrets. I found it odd that Hobby Boss choose to supply some of the parts as photo etch where the choice of plastic would have been far better. I agree with photo etch for the engine screens but for the other parts? Maybe not. The hull has one great advantage over the kits that have proceeded it in that us moulded as a tub that makes assembly that much easier.

The upper and lower hulls were glued together. The result is an almost seamless joint.

The turrets have been added to give an overall impression of shape The uses of photo etch on the top of the command turret base is curious as it does not add anything apart from a higher photo etch count. The bolt heads on this assembly have been replaced as they looked a little too small compared to the reference photos.

The various parts of the tank are starting to come together now. Modifications, primed assemblies and photo etch tend to make this an interesting photo to look at.

The various bits were then added to the upper hull itself I have added the turrets in this sequence of shots, because it just looks, well, cooler.

The figure. Why can't I ever find anything commercially available? I am a firm believer in adding figures to vehicles; they add a certain finesse and life to any vehicle. I tend to mix and match parts from various manufactures to suit my needs. In this case I have used Alpine Miniatures WWII Russian Tanker (35012) suitably modified to suit the mood of the vehicle itself.

Years ago I obtained an Eduard photo etch update for the ICM Kit for the T-35. Included were some very nice engine cooling louvres. I decided to use these for this build. I firstly cut away the kit supplied louvres and installed the Eduard parts.

On the underside of the louvres, small nuts and bolts were installed on the mounting points of the slats themselves. Students of the T-35 will note I have missed something that is on the real vehicle. There was a slight ridge on the top outward edge of the assembly itself. I simply missed this and as a result the assembly itself is inaccurate. A simple solution here would be to add a strip of square plastic strip on the outside edge and blend it in.

The placement of this figure was important to me and I always try to make the figures I place in my vehicles to seem part of the vehicle. Try as I may I can never seem to find a figure that suits my build exactly. With this figure I wanted something that would connect the machine gun mount to the tank itself. After much searching I found a WWII Russian Tanker from Alpine (Item No. 35012) and modified the arms and legs to suit. I modified the belt line with the addition of a photo etch belt and replaced the hands with items from the hornet range.

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The figure was then placed in the commanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hatch to test fit and fabric creases. A number of faults in the fabric crease lines we corrected after this photo were taken.

The figure was more or less complete but after I posted it on Face book a number of my friends noted that the collar was incorrect for an early war Soviet Tank, I duly modified it and set the whole assembly aside for the next phase - painting

"So tell me again, why did you prime this model?" To be honest I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t normally do this on any of my builds but in this case, the model was so large and there were so many different elements on it that I wanted to be sure all the gaps and build mistakes had been addressed. The other factor was the model had taken so long to build. I had started this in tandem with a major home improvement project and was keen on seeing how the model looked built up.

I primed all the components separately and once checked for errors dry fitted all the components together.

I always use Tamiya surface primer. Why, you may ask? The simple answer is itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to use and it works. In this photo of the engine cooling louvres, one could almost be forgiven for thinking that it is a CAD image.

The overall primed model cuts quite a stance.

You will note that on one side of the vehicle the track tension is tighter than the other. The T-35 was notorious for throwing tracks as well as a raft of other mechanical issues. In this rear quarter view the cooling louvres on the rear of the engine deck are shown to good advantage

All the component parts were then disassembled ready for the first start of the painting process. You will note that each of the turrets has a small holding sprue attached. I have done this as an aid to the painting process

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35 • Kit No. 83844

Painting the Beast Being a large tank the amount of paint used just to cover it all was nothing short of amazing! I kid you not, I used one and a half bottles of Mr Hobby 303 Green! Admittedly, I did paint one side of the complete bogie assembly twice, but still one full bottle... and that’s more paint than I’ve used on any model ever.

I wanted to keep the paint finish as easy as possible so I opted for overall camouflage of Soviet Green. I used Mr Hobby 303, which to my mind seems like a perfect tonal match.

The mix was 30% paint, 70% thinner. I generally spray with a higher PSI air mix than most (in my case 35 PSI) for the first pass, as I tend to do a few light coats rather than one thick coat.

I deliberately didn’t want to weather this model too much. My reasoning was simple. The T-35 generally didn’t see a lot of action and most of my reference photos indicated that.

I have used the less-is-more method with the shading process. The leaf litter on the upper hull was also a deliberate attempt to add contrast to the model but not enough to have it stand out.

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The mud mix was applied to the road wheels and lower half of the body in a random pattern. When complete, the areas treated were highlighted with a thin oil wash and dry brushed in a sand white mix.

I generally use 30% paint, 70% thinner. For this model I have thinned the paint with Mr Hobby Levelling Thinner. It simply does wondrous things to paint making it, so much easier to achieve a fine demarcation lines between the base tyre colour and the dust on the wheels. When complete, the areas treated were highlighted with a thin oil wash and dry brushed in a sand white mix.

The rear engine screen is an interesting mix of shapes and textures. The fan itself was firstly sprayed black and then Alclad Aluminium applied. The fan was then covered in Ammo Chipping Fluid (A-MIG2010) and then finally covered in Mr Hobby 303 green. I then chipped the top coat off with the aid if a tooth pick.

Micro chipping was applied all around the vehicle but more on common areas like the vehicle sides also note the subtle weathering effects on the front of the vehicle. It is important in any model to have various focal points. I have applied a number of dark oil washes to the access covers and micro chipped as well.

The bottom of all the turrets have a very diluted mix 90% thinner 10% paint) of my dust mixture of equal parts of Tamiya â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Dark Yellow (XF60), Wooden Deck Tan (XF-78) and Khaki (XF-49).

A lot of micro-chipping was applied to the engine access cover by using the same black oil wash that I used for most of the vehicle. The effect is subtle which I prefer to more over the top effects I often see.

This close-up of the front section of the vehicle clearly illustrates another fault that I picked up too late. The headlights were designed to pivot down ward and a thin metal cover clipped in place to cover the headlight lens. Hobby Boss have elected to mould these directly on to the hull itself where they should hinge on to the front edge of the cover itself and look something like a flat dinner plate.

This profile photo clearly illustrates just how long and tall the vehicle is. The figure reinforces this.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35 • Kit No. 83844

The figure was painted in a Soviet blue grey overall with a brown inner undershirt.

The collar tabs were hand painted.

The Base I always tend to make a base for my models and this one was no exception.

I chose a red Russian Flag for the base. This was done on my work computer and plastic laminated. Over the laminated base I applied a 2-part resin high gloss finish over the top. This produces a hard mirror-like surface, which is a nice contrast to the matt finish of the model itself.

Modelspec Hobby Boss 1:35 T-35

Kit No. 83844

Tools Used: • Waldron Sub-Miniature Punch and Die Set • Small Shop Brass Assist Roller set • Small Shop Hold and Fold Paints Used: • Tamiya XF-2 Flat White, XF-69 Nat Black, XF-58 Olive Green, XF-1 Black, XF-52 Flat Earth, XF-49 Khaki, XF-60 Dark Yellow, XF-78 Deck Brown • Mr. Hobby Green 303, Sandy Yellow H79 • Humbrol Matt White “34”, Wood Brown “62”, Brown “94” • Vallejo Matt Varnish “520”, Red “829”, Brown “856”, Maroon “859”, Yellow “953”, Orange Brown “981” • Revell Colour light flesh “35”” • Andrea Flesh paint set “ACS-01” References • Soviet Heavy Tanks Osprey Vanguard 24 ISBN 0 85045 422 0 • Frontline Illustration issue 5 2000 T-35, T-100 ✓ Good fit; nice detail. ✗ A number of errors. Available from www.creativemodels.co.uk

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Being a large tank, â&#x20AC;&#x153; the amount of pa

int used just to cover it all was n othing short of amazing!

â&#x20AC;?

When the model is attached to the base it tends to highlight the subtle weathering on top of the track guards. The same could be said for the rear of the vehicle and the cooling fan now seems to stand out.

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MODEL CRAFT OPTION 2 9 Piece Plastic Modelling Tool Set & 16 Piece Precision Craft Knife Set The 9 Piece Plastic Modelling Tool Set is ideal for plastic modelling and other craft & hobby applications, and includes: • Plastic Sprue Cutter - for cutting & snipping sprues and parts on plastic kits, eg. planes, cars, boats, military models and figures, etc. • Mini Flat File - for filing and smoothing off burrs or excess material. • Craft Knife - for cutting out shapes, decals and general craft/hobby tasks. • Self Healing Cutting Mat - protects work surface and extends blade life. The excellent Precision Craft Knife Set comes complete with a choice of 3 knife handles & 13 various blades, ideal for hobby, craft and professional tasks. The knives can perform fine angle cuts & precise trimming, cutting, carving, sawing, gouging & shaping. All packed in a handy storage case. Includes: Classic craft knife #1, Medium duty hobby knife #2 & Plastic handled craft knife #5 Blades to fit the #1 handle • 1x General purpose curved blade #10 • 2x Classic Fine point blades #11 • 1x Scoring blade #16 • 1 x Chiselling blade #17

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon Black Label 1:35 scale MBT-70 (Kpz. 70) • Kit No. 3550

T N A L T A D I M uilds Brett Green bk Label Dragon’s Blac -70 1:35 scale MBT a (Kpz. 70), withmary historical sum iew by and in-box rev. Cookie Sewell

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R E Z N A P C I T N The one-piece upper hull.

The lower hull is presented as a single piece tub.

The big upper turret shell.

The rear turret basket is broken down simply into the main section and two sides.

Smaller parts are well moulded.

Clear parts are light included for head . lenses and covers

The tracks are supplied in four lengths.

s Generic marking are offered.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon Black Label 1:35 scale MBT-70 (Kpz. 70) • Kit No. 3550

Voyager’s upgrade set was used on the kit.

COOKIE SEWELL KICKS US OFF WITH A HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF THE MBT-70 AND AN IN-BOX REVIEW OF THE KIT At the end of the 1960s the US Army entered into a joint programme with the Federal Republic of Germany to create a universal main battle tank for combat in Europe against the Soviets and the Warsaw Pact. It was felt that a quantum leap forward was needed over the tanks then in service (the M60 and Leopard 1 series tanks) as the Soviets were fielding newer and more powerful tanks such as the T-62 and the “M-1967” (which turned out to be the T-64 series tanks). The new tank was to be ahead of the Soviets on every scale – better armor, variable suspension height, missile firing capability, a heavy machine gun or light cannon for engaging light vehicles or helicopters, night vision sights, and a new and more powerful engine. It was also to have all crew members in the turret (three) and an autoloader to replace the human one in all Western medium tanks up to that time. Both countries would work together on the new tank design, and as a result would pool their efforts in the areas where they were best suited. The Germans offered the suspension and running gear, and the Americans offered their 152mm gun/launcher and the Shillelagh missile system then being fielded in the M551 Sheridan and M60A2 tanks. The US authorized the construction of eight prototypes, most of which were to be made of mild steel as proof-of-concept demonstrators. Testing began at the end of 1967 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and there were immediately problems with the technology overreach of the systems. The driver was located in a gyro stabilized module at the front left of the turret, with the gyro keeping him facing front no matter which way the turret was pointed. But the constant jerking

Voyager supplies a generous amount of photo-etched details on three frets.

of the module made him nauseous and as a result was seen to be a failure. (Similar positions in older vehicles such as the M52 105mm SP howitzer and M53/M55 series field artillery SP vehicles relied on the turret being locked facing forward when he was operating the vehicle, so no problems were encountered with them.) The fire controls left something to be desired, and many changes were made to the missile fire control system. An NBC filter/ overpressure purge system was added during testing, and as a result the bore evacuator was discarded as unnecessary. The remote control 20mm automatic cannon proffered by the Germans was another headache and found to be unnecessarily heavy and awkward. Finally, in late 1970 the MBT70 project was cancelled. The Germans withdrew and began working on the Leopard 2 series tanks which emerged about a decade later. The Americans tried to come up with an austere version of the MBT-70, now dubbed the XM803, but it too failed and was terminated in June 1972. A total of 14 prototypes were built - eight US and six German. Of the US ones, only five were completed as MBT-70s and only two of them exist today (one was finished as an XM803 and another set of parts was assembled as a “gate guard” dubbed the “Pigg Tank” at Fort Knox). Only two of the German prototypes survive, but one at Koblenz in the Deutsches Panzermuseum is intact and nearly complete as built.

Turned metal and plastic parts are also included.

Road wheels have four attachment points.

Return rollers have three sprue attachments each. Lots of cleanup!

Running gear parts removed from the sprues and lined up for assembly.

I lost one of the return roller mounts to the ravenous Carpet Monster, so I scratch built a replacement from plastic block and brass rod.

One of the suspension units coming together…

DRAGON’S 1:35 MBT-70 IN THE BOX I recently built the Commander Models MBT-70, a resin kit, but this is a totally new effort from DML and not a copy of that kit as alleged in some websites. It is based solely on the Kpz. 70 at Koblenz and a four-page color flyer is included with the kit to demonstrate that point. A

…and now added to the lower hull.

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Drive sprocket components and assembled.

Road wheel, idler wheel and return roller on their mounts.

Suspension units and dampers added to the lower hull.

Wheels and sprockets attached to the lower hull. The tracks were too long by a single link. I cut one link from one end of a track lengthâ&#x20AC;Ś

â&#x20AC;Śand carefully cut the equivalent section from the other end of a second length.

One of the plastic idler wheel mounts was bending so I replaced it with a length of brass tubing.

The completed rear hull plate. The three main hull components await assembly.

The rear hull plate was taped too.

The upper and lower hull sections were taped together while the cement set.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon Black Label 1:35 scale MBT-70 (Kpz. 70) • Kit No. 3550

B And this time DML appears to

have hit all marks. There are a few minor bits missing such as the power cable from the turret to the searchlight (albeit the connector is visible on the model and in the photos) and a curious object on the turret (which I suspected was a sensor for the gyroscopic device that controlled the position of the driver’s station) is missing. But the rest seems to be here and all other items one would expect to find are present. The MBT-70 concept used a hydro-pneumatic suspension system and DML has done a very nice job of replicating it, including the hoses and fittings. While no jigs or guides are provided, DML does demonstrate that the modeler may adjust the “sit” of the model to match any of the positions that the original could take – nose down, nose up, high or low, or even tilted to one side. An alignment bar (part A45) is provided to get the suspension units in line. A small key used to set the suspension units for normal travel must be removed and an inset shows how and where to remove it from each suspension arm; ditto for the adjustable idler which must be rotated forward to take up the slack in the tracks. It must be pointed out that this

kit will ONLY build the German version, and as such only comes with suitable parts for that tank. As noted I did a good deal of research on the MBT-70 with the resin one and this kit has the German lights, exhaust grille, convoy alignment marker, smoke grenade launchers, and other detail fittings. They are very nicely done but as noted are just for the German variant. Ditto for the upper hull which has twin fans not found on the US version. All three crew hatches may be posed open or closed, and a number of other items may also receive optional settings. The missile tracker may be set for open or closed, as well as the gunner’s sight and the commander’s night periscopic sight (assembly M, which is missing in the directions!) is provided in the “up” position; the German one may be fixed in the “up” position but the US one retracted into the turret when not in use. The searchlight is only provided as “closed”. The 2 cm Rheinmetall automatic cannon (which was a stick-on barrel on the resin kit) is presented here in its entirety; there are 16 parts to it and it may be left moveable in both traverse and elevation. It may be shown elevated or retracted, but DML does not provide any information

The turret’s 20 mm RH202 autocannon may be fitted deployed or retracted. Here are the main sub-assemblies.

The Voyager photo-etched fret includes engine grilles.

Smoke discharger components. These were fiddly to assemble. A pair of tweezers was helpful.

on how to install it in the retracted position in the directions. As noted the model comes with two armored covers over the matching units for the twin antenna, which are totally different from the US VRC types used with the American tank. The bustle rack is neatly done and even though complex comes down to only three parts. While the trunnion mounts for this tank look toylike, after long study of the prototypes they are correct. Remember these were prototype tanks and the final design – which may well have looked more like the M1 Abrams or Leopard 2 – were not completed. The kit comes with the proper Diehl tracks but each run is in two sections; as always with DML DS Plastic you will have to fiddle with them to get a taught fit. However,

The cannon and its mount with the hatch components.

each section comes with three attachment links (six in total) so you should be able to get both a good fit and a good joint (I clamp the tracks for 24 hours after using Testors Liquid Cement and have had excellent results). Two options are provided, both for test tanks; one with crosses on the turret and one with an unreadable registration plate and “48" bridge classification plate. The flyer shows the one in Koblenz with a simple German flag and “Y-“ on the plate so this appears to be correct. A small sheet of Cartograf decals with a number jungle is provided for those who find more precise information. In summary, while some may be disappointed that DML did the German version first this is a great kit and one which should be popular with Bundeswehr and Leo fans. A

The hatch and the gun were assembled separately to make painting easier.

The shortened tracks test-fitted.

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Smoke dischargers and other turret fittings.

Photo-etched details in the process of being fitted. Chains for the smoke discharger caps are yet to be installed. The turret is quite busy.

Voyager supplies a seven-piece turned metal and brass replacement barrel, but I had a bit of trouble trying to line it all up accurately.

I decided to use the kitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plastic barrel instead.

The model ready for paint. The 20mm gun has been temporarily tacked in place and will be removed for painting separately.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon Black Label 1:35 scale MBT-70 (Kpz. 70) • Kit No. 3550

The model was coated with a base camouflage colour, Tamiya TS-91 Dark Green (JGSDF), straight from the spray can.

Edges were carefully dry-brushed with a paler shade of Olive Drab.

After sitting in its box for more than 12 months, I resumed painting. A fading coat using Mission Models faded Olive Drab was sprayed in mottles and patches.

B ASSEMBLY

The entire model received two thin coats of Pledge Floor Care Finish – the current equivalent of Future Floor Polish.

Assembly was quite straightforward and mostly according to the instructions. I added details from Voyager Model’s Update Set No. PE35683 – Modern German MBT-70. This includes three frets of photoetched details plus multi-part turned metal gun barrel, smoke discharger and antenna bases. The only real wrinkle was that I managed to drop one of the mounting blocks for a return roller. Despite dropping the piece at my feet, no amount of crawling around the floor would recover the mount. I notched it up as another loss to the Carpet Monster and scratch built a replacement from plastic block and brass rod. Test fitting the flexible tracks showed that they were a little bit too long. I carefully removed a single link, which involved cutting sections of the DS link from each end of the track length. The shortened track fitted perfectly – not loose but not too tight. After fitting the tracks, one

of the idler wheel mounts bent backwards. I cut off the idler and drilled out the back of the wheel and the locating position in the forward hull side. I piece of brass tube was fitted to ensure a nice solid join.

PAINTING AND WEATHERING The model was coated with a base camouflage colour, Tamiya TS-91 Dark Green (JGSDF), straight from the spray can. From this time onward, there seemed to be a large number of new releases arriving on my desk. These new releases moved to the top of my building pile so the MBT-70 found itself sitting in its box for more than a year. I finally found a window of opportunity to finish the model. A fading coat using Mission Models faded Olive Drab was sprayed in mottles and patches. Edges were carefully dry-brushed with a paler shade of Olive Drab. The entire model received two thin coats of Pledge Floor Care Finish – the current equivalent of

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A few drops of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown were Decals were applied over the gloss finish. added to a 50/50 mix of water and Pledge Floor Care Finish to create a dark acrylic panel wash. This was applied to panel lines and around structural features.

The solid plastic strobe light was painted grey with a streak and spot of white painted on each side. This was later coated with Tamiya Clear Orange. The tracks were covered in a wet mix of Maruâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Easy Mud, which was then wiped off with a clean cloth.

The tracks were sprayed with a 50/50 mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown.

This resulted in a subtle residue of mud in the tracks.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon Black Label 1:35 scale MBT-70 (Kpz. 70) • Kit No. 3550

B Future Floor Polish. A few drops

of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown were added to a 50/50 mix of water and Pledge Floor Care Finish to create a dark acrylic panel wash. This was applied to panel lines and around structural features. Decals were applied over the gloss finish. The solid plastic strobe light was painted grey with a streak and spot of white painted on each side. This was later coated with Tamiya Clear Orange. The tracks were sprayed with a 50/50 mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown. The tracks were covered in a wet mix of Maru’s Easy Mud, which was then wiped off with a clean cloth. This resulted in a subtle residue of mud in the tracks.

CONCLUSION Dragon’s Black Label kits have received some criticism due to errors and omissions, but their 1:35 scale MBT-70 seems to be one of the better in this series. I do like the relatively modest number of parts and straightforward assembly typical of this series. I’d be happy to recommend Dragon’s 1:35 MBT-70 as a straightforward and satisfying project. ■

Modelspec Dragon Black Label 1:35 scale MBT-70 (Kpz. 70) Kit No. 3550

Valkyrie produced a range of attractive tank crew figures, including these 1970s-era Germans.

The set includes two full figures for the turret plus an upper body of a driver for the hull.

I only painted the two turret figures. The bodies were assembled and primed with Tamiya’s Grey Primer straight from the spray can.

The heads were primed in Tamiya’s Fine White Primer, also straight from the spray can. The three basic colours used. The uniform base colour was a 50/50 mix of Tamiya XF-67 NATO Green and XF-21 Sky.

The bodies painted in the green mix.

The bodies after a dark acrylic wash. This settles in the recesses, lending depth and shadow as well as highlighting features such as pockets and zippers.

Accessories and Decals Used: Voyager Model Item No. PE35683 – Modern German MBT-70 (Gun barrel, smoke discharger, antenna bases included). Valkyrie Item No. VM35006 – West German Army Tank Crew (Deutsches Heer, 1970-80 Era). Tools and Materials Used: Evergreen plastic strip Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement Revell Contacta Professional Cement Selley’s Supa Glue Tamiya 10mm Masking Tape Gator’s Grip Acrylic Glue Paints and Finishing Products: Tamiya Spray Can TS-91 – Dark Green (JGSDF) Mission Models acrylic paints, thinners and polyurethane additive Tamiya Acrylics Vallejo Acrylics Future Floor Polish Alclad II Klear Kote Flat ✓ Good fit; decent level of detail; useful workable elements; generally accurate.

The figures, assembled, painted and flat coated.

✗ Minor accuracy issues; tracks too long by one link. Available from Dragon kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

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Short lengths of copper wire were used for the antennae.

I do like the relatively â&#x20AC;&#x153; modest number of parts and straightforward assembly typical of this series...

â&#x20AC;?

The figures fit nicely into the turret hatches.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya French Armoured Carrier UE • Kit No. 35284

DEFEAT IN 35MM Javier Redondo Giminez brings together three models, two figures and a scratch built building to record the fall of France through German eyes.

peration Fall Gelb, the German invasion of France, was launched on 10 May, 1940. German armoured divisions supported by the Luftwaffe quickly conquered Holland and Belgium, prompting the Anglo-French army to concentrate its military efforts in that area. Simultaneously, the XIX Panzer Corps of General Guderian traversed the Ardennes and crossed the Meuse with their armour, passing the back the French army. On 18 May, German armoured units reach the English Channel and the encirclement was complete. The Allied armies were trapped in Dunkirk. After the partial evacuation in the so-called Operation Dynamo,

on 5 June the Germans attacked again, running the second part of the plan, called Fall Rot. France had by then already lost many of its best divisions and weapons, and armoured forces were significantly diminished. They gambled on one last effort to hold off the Germans in the Somme-Aisne line, but in two days the Germans breached the front and on the 9th they crossed the Seine. A day later, an opportunistic Mussolini declared war on France and Britain to attack France in the back. Despite fighting a defeated country, Italian forces could only penetrate a few kilometres, offering a hint of Italy’s contribution for the rest of the war; an unreliable ally for the Germans. The French government declared Paris an Open City to prevent its

destruction and escaped first to Tours and then to Bordeaux. The Germans entered Paris on June 14, prompting the renunciation of Prime Minister Paul Reynaud. The desperate President of France Albert Lebrun then provided the formation of a new government to Philippe Petain, Marshal eighty-four year, hero of the Great War and until last May, French Ambassador to the General Franco's fascist Spain when he returned to Paris to be vice chairman in the Reynaud government. The new French government of Marshal Petain immediately rushed to sign the armistice, as embodied on 22 June near Compiegne, in the same rail carriage where the German surrender of 11 November, 1918 was signed to end the Great

War. It was the first of many humiliations that France would suffer under German rule.

THE IDEA The world looked on amazed at the lightning defeat of France. Countless photographs and films testify to the magnitude of the military and human tragedy. Endless columns of refugees, equipment and abandoned animals. Victims in the gutters were strafed mercilessly by the Luftwaffe. Long lines of military equipment were abandoned. These disasters were recorded by the famous German PK (Propaganda Kompanie) units making the record available to Minister Goebbels’ propaganda machine. A

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e world looked â&#x20AC;&#x153;onTham azed at

the lightning defeat of France. Countless photographs and films testif y to the magnitude of the military and human tragedy...

â&#x20AC;?

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya French Armoured Carrier UE â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 35284

VEHICLES - RENAULT UE

The 1:35 scale Renault UE is from Tamiya. Fit is perfect, quality of detail is excellent and assembly is clear and simple. As it is intended to appear abandoned I added the Azimut interior detail set.

We begin using the resin Azimut interior detail set, coupling it to the Tamiya kit without any problems.

The first step of painting was a white primer, followed by acrylic paint different parts in their specific colours using available references.

Following the instructions for detailing the exterior, I added some missing rivets and made other improvements with plastic sheet.

The trailer was also detailed with photoetched parts and plastic sheet, adding some missing rivets in the model.

The trailer was ready to begin the painting process. The tracks colour sections are painted XF-52 Flat Earth before fitting, which will facilitate further work on them.

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The base colour of Vert Olive was mixed using Tamiya acrylic paints XF-5 Flat Green and XF-51 Khaki Drab applied with the airbrush in fine and successive layers.

XF-60 was heavily thinned and used to fade the centre of panels.

Wear and tear was represented using a heavily diluted Humbrol enamel wash and Sin Industries filters.

We started working the oils using a wide palette of colours

A thin wash of Humbrol enamels was used to detail rivets and recessed areas.

HOTCHKISS H38

Andrea acrylic nยบ 5 Russian Khaki and a fine paintbrush were used to simulate fine surface chipping. Deeper damage was reproduced in the same way with Vallejo 302 Dark Rust.

The Bronco 1:35 scale Hotchkiss H38 allows us to create a good reproduction of this iconic French tank, but it requires extra work to correct some bugs and improve other details. To do this we will use a set of Eduard photo-etch for the model and materials of different origins, as can also be seen in the attached photos.

The interior detail is from the kit, with additional detail from photo-etch, Evergreen plastic and copper wire, followed by painting and weathering of the fighting compartment and engine bay. We hit the top of the hull and continue the assembly sequence following the kit instructions. March 2017 - Model Military International 43

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya French Armoured Carrier UE • Kit No. 35284

The chosen camouflage corresponds to a unit of the 2e Compagnie, 1re section of the 14e BCC as it appears in “Histoire of Guerre. Blindés & Matériel” magazine Issue 77. The turret presents an attractive scheme of varied camouflage colours. To reproduce this I used Vallejo acrylics applied by paintbrush following the camouflage pattern.

The hull was textured with Tamiya putty thinned with acetone to reproduce the texture of the cast. Nuts and rivets were added to areas including tool fittings with corresponding closures in photoetches.

The hull base colour was a sand shade mixed from Tamiya acrylics and applied with the airbrush. Once again, Vallejo acrylics were used for the green. This was applied by paintbrush.

We finished the outlining in black between the respective colours

The tactical symbols were applied using a Minitrack decal sheet for French armoured vehicles. The national flag on the front, a hallmark of this unit is printed with adhesive stencils and Tamiya acrylics applied to airbrush. The rest of the weathering process is similar to that used in the Renault UE.

OPEL OLYMPIA CABRIOLET

The model ready for paint. The wheels were set aside to paint more easily.

The interior trim is also paints with acrylics of the same brand delimiting the parts to be painted with adhesive mask.

The Olympia sedan is also from Bronco. It was assembled with no notable complications. I only added number plates from a leftover photoetched fret from a previous project. The canvas canvas top was formed from modelling putty.

After washing with soapy water, a primer coat of Vallejo Primer Grey was applied that provides an excellent basis for subsequent painting.

Tamiya XF-53 Neutral Grey highlights were applied to lend variation to large areas.

For the German Grey use a mix of Tamiya acrylics applied by airbrush.

A filter of Sin Industries P240 Blue started the general weathering.

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The folded canvas is placed in its final position. Dry transfers were used for the PK lettering.

Various oil colours were used to provide earthy tones, especially to the lower parts of the vehicle.

The dirty windows were simulated with matt varnish applied by airbrush.

Different pigments of the same color as the ground were applied to all the vehicles.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya French Armoured Carrier UE â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 35284

THE SCENE

The building is built entirely with PVC foam plates of 5 mm thickness. This material is easy to cut, and sands perfectly to shape. Details are from plastic sheet and strip, parts from the spares box and more.

Detail painting is extremely important.

Climbing vines on a stone wall.

The measurement of the base are 33cm x 21cm.

A rusty gate also rests against the wall.

The earth on both sides of the road is done with modelling paste, texturing and setting before final drying fine sand and pebbles. The vegetation zones are reproduced using SILFLOR.

Fine grain sandpaper was used for the road base. This was subsequently surfaced with acrylics and pigments.

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Modelspec Kits and Accessories:

The Opel Olympia placed on the base.

The movie camera is an old reference source that I remember, that has been enhanced with photoengraving and leftover pieces of diverse origin.

- Tamiya Kit No. 35284 - French Armoured Carrier UE - Voyager Model Item No. 35227 - French Armoured Carrier UE - Azimut Item No. 35373 - Update Set Renault UE - Azimut Item No. 35375 - Update Set 25 mm. Ammo Set - Bronco Kit No. CB35019 - French Hotchkiss Light Tank H-38/39 - Eduard Item No. 35921 - Hotchkiss H-39 (H) - Friul Item No. ATL-68 - Hotchkiss Tracks - Bronco Kit No. CB35047 - German Light Staff Car model 1937 “Cabriolet” - Ultracast Item No. AC35007 - French Helmets WW II - Royal Model Item No. 172 - Leutnant Art. Reg. 6 - Andrea Item No. S5F03 - German Officer References:

Rear view of the dusty Hotchkiss.

Small details scattered on the ground lend an air of subtle authenticity.

The mud and dust on the UE tractor is the same as that applied to the Opel and the Hotchkiss.

The two figures in the scene are of the brand Andrea mounted as is, and Royal Model, which has needed to adapt the current regulations uniform in 1940 with the help of modelling putty.

- Focus no.1 Renault UE Editions du Barbotin - Focus no.5 Hotchkiss H-39 Editions du Barbotin - Histoire de Guerre. Blindés & Matériel no.77. Histoire & Collections - Histoire de Guerre. Blindés & Matériel no.78. Histoire & Collections - Wydawnictwo Militaria no.75 Fall Gelb 1940 - Wydawnictwo Militaria no.107 Fall Rot 1940 - Militaria Magazine Hors Serie no.4 Guderian perce a Sedan. Histoire & Collections - Militaria Magazine Hors Serie no.8 Blitzkrieg a l´ouest. Histoire & Collections - Militaria Magazine Hors Serie no.21 La Bataille d´Abbeville. Histoire & Collections - Militaria Magazine Hors Serie no.64 Les derniers combats de 1940. De la Seine a la Loire. Histoire & Collections

scale Renault UE is from Tamiya. “FitTheis 1:35 perfect, quality of detail is excellent and assembly is clear and simple... ”

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Tech Guide

- Cobra Company 1:48 MV/CV-22 Osprey Update Set â&#x20AC;˘ Item No. 48064

OSPREY UPDATE Rafe Morrissey reviews and assembles the new Cobra Company Osprey Update Set

he MV-22 Osprey had a protracted and checkered development. While its unique design allowed for a much faster vertical take-off platform, a number of fatal crashes in the prototype stage and some unique design limitations such as not being able to utilize a hoist in hover mode have generated criticism from some skeptics. Nevertheless, the Osprey is now in full deployment and the attraction of its unique appearance as a modeling subject is undeniable. The only option for modeling the Osprey in 1:48 scale is a basic kit by Italeri that is actually an extensively reworked version of the Testor kit of the prototype. The kit has been updated externally to attempt to represent the production version of the Osprey but is still held back by raised panel lines, some key shape issues and a very basic (and incorrect) interior. Cobra Company has released a detail set that addresses most

of the shortcomings of this kit. Modelers will want to seek out the most recent release of the kit with the 2010 copyright as it is the only one with clear canopy parts. Earlier releases had yellow or very dark tinting which is not accurate and will obscure the new details provided in the set.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IN THE BAG The Cobra Company detail set contains 32 parts in light gray resin packaged in their customary zip lock bag stapled to a card. The parts in my sample were very well cast with no air bubbles or short moldings. Cobra resin is among the best in the aftermarket business in terms of quality and this set was no exception. The parts layout and attachments to casting blocks are well thought out and should make removal and cleanup very easy. A few parts had a bit of thin flash but it was easily removed.

Most of the parts are devoted to extensive internal detail that completely replaces the cockpit, which is far from accurate as presented in the kit, and enhances the cabin area. Cobra Company also provides a new side entry door so all that detail can be shown off. A couple of the interior bulkhead parts will require minor modification to fit properly and this is clearly noted in the instructions. Kudos to Cobra Company for actually test fitting their product and calling this out. Many aftermarket companies force modelers to discover these little adventures for themselves.

Two quarter panels are provided to fill deep recesses in the rear entryway. They are somewhat undersized but at least make an attempt to fill the huge recesses which are unsightly if modeling the ramp down. Some modelers may want to further enhance this area but at least Cobra Company provides a starting point.

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Description: 32 Piece detail set including interior and exterior upgrades in gray colored resin. Advantages: Crisp castings, excellent detail enhancements over kit parts, clear instructions, well laid out castings with easy to remove pour stubs. Disadvantages: None noted.

A couple parts are also provided to accurize the exterior including a new FLIR head and a replacement for the fairing over the junction between the trailing edge of the wing and fuselage. This is undoubtedly the most difficult aspect of using the set as it requires removing a major portion of the upper wing and replacing it with a resin insert. Since this is a bit tricky, I thought a little tutorial might help those contemplating using the setâ&#x20AC;Ś

CUTTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; TIME

Hacking out a chunk of a major kit part creates a major gulp factor for any modeller. A few basic techniques can make it a bit easier. First, it is important to thoroughly clean any resin parts.

I use a diluted solution of water and simple green to ensure that any mold release agents are removed from the part.

A P-cutter tool by Tamiya is helpful for removing the resin part from the casting block. It actually removes a thin slice of resin with each pass. Run the tool lightly at the junction between the part and the block and add a little pressure after the first couple passes. The part should fall away. It is easy to clean up the edge with a sanding stick.

Set the replacement part over the kit part and mark the outline with a pencil.

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Tech Guide

- Cobra Company 1:48 MV/CV-22 Osprey Update Set â&#x20AC;˘ Item No. 48064

Dymo labeling tape can then be set on the marked lines and a needle scriber used to make recessed lines to guide the P-cutter tool.

Repeated passes with the P-cutter followed by an X-Acto knife will cut through the part completely.

The forward cut line is very close to some fine raised details on the kit part making it hard to get a marking or cutting guide in place.

The solution is to work from the underside of the part again using the resin part to make the location of the cut line and repeating the process with the Dymo tape, needle scriber and P-cutter to cut through.

I used a large flat file to clean up the edges of the opening for the new part. As it turned out, the opening was slightly larger than the resin part but this worked to my advantage.

With inserts of this kind, I like to apply strips of sheet plastic to the edges of the resin part with super glue. This accomplishes two things. I can then file the edges of the part for a perfect fit and use regular plastic solvent glue to attach the insert to the surrounding kit part. This enables me to tweak the fit possibly avoiding the need for filler if enough molten plastic oozes from the join area. Make no mistake, it takes a good amount of repeated filing and test fitting, but careful work adjusting the plastic edging will result in a near perfect fit for the replacement part.

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CONCLUSION Cobra Company’s detail set for the Osprey is a real winner and offers the ability to make a so-so kit into a real show stopper. Cobra’s reputation for high quality casting and crisp detail is on full display here. It is nice that they also call out the tweaks necessary to make sure all the new parts fit correctly, eliminating a lot of frustration and guess work for the modeler.

Just how good is the set? Well, prior to this review, I had no interest in building an Italeri Osprey but I just ordered one. For me, that’s as good as it gets.

Highly Recommended Thanks to Cobra Company for the review sample www.cobracompany.com

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SHOW REPORT

ACTSMS SCALE ACT 2016

SCALE ACT 2016

The Editor visits the Scale ACT 2016 model show in Canberra, Australia’s national capital.

any people are surprised to learn that the capital city of Australia is not Sydney or Melbourne, but Canberra. The location of Canberra was selected as Australia’s seat of Government in 1908. There was no pre-existing town. Canberra was to be a planned city inside the newly defined Australian Capital Territory (ACT), designed by American architect Walter Burley Griffin. Construction commenced in 1913. The Federal Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. It met in what was intended to be a temporary location, but this iconic building remained the seat of Parliament until 1988. Today, Canberra is the home of many national institutions including the National Library, the Australian Institute of Sport, the National Gallery and the Australian War Memorial. Canberra also boasts an active model club – ACTSMS – which meets monthly and also holds a lively annual model competition that is open to all modellers Australia-wide. Scale ACT 2016 was held at Kaleen High School in suburban Canberra. This is the fourth time that the show has been held in this large, well equipped venue.

The main auditorium housed the model competition, which comprised more than 450 models in categories including aircraft, military, science fiction, maritime, junior and more. This number broke the previous record by more than 70 models. The standard of kits in competition was very impressive indeed. Also under the same roof were traders, both local and from interstate including Red Roo Models, Mouse House Enterprises, Firestorm, FoldIT, Hawkeye Models and more. Good use was made of other areas in the school, with a number of impressive displays of large-scale radio control tanks, Boeing aircraft, model railways and more. The Swap and Sell room was amazingly busy with a long queue of modellers waiting to pay for their treasures. The local Lions Club kept hunger pangs at bay with a sausage sizzle. A pleasing number of visitors attended over the weekend. The organisers of Scale ACT 2016 should be congratulated for another wellorganised and enjoyable event. If you’re passing by Canberra next year in mid-November, Scale ACT 2017 should be well worth a visit! ■

There were plenty of traders on hand. This is Firestorm Models.

Frank Morgan, Editor of ModelArt Australia, our sole Australian modelling magazine.

Gary Byk from Red Roo Models with new releases at the show.

Large scale vehicle display.

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Trumpeter 1:35 scale ASLAV.

An impressive 1:32 scale B-17G Flying Fortress as part of the Boeing display.

Dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1/35 scale ZSU-23-4 Shilka.

Trumpeter 1:35 scale Canadian AVGP Grizzly (Early).

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SHOW REPORT

ACTSMS SCALE ACT 2016

Centurion ARV.

An unusual subject and a rare kit – Baxmodel’s 1:35 scale Casspir attached to the South African Police.

Berlin Brigade Chieftain Mk.10 in 1:35 scale from the Takom kit.

Another Takom kit – the 1:35 scale Skoda PA-II Turtle

A7V Mephisto as captured by 26 Battery, Australian Imperial Forces. The real vehicle is currently on display in the Australian War Memorial Canberra.

Welcome to Tiny Town – a 1:72 scale Panzer III.

1:35 scale Diamond T modified to represent a post-war wrecker.

Bronco’s 1:48 scale Staghoud Mk.I in New Zealand markings.

Italeri 1:35 scale DUKW.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ghost of Warâ&#x20AC;? 1:35 scale diorama.

Cherry blossoms over rust. Another evocative diorama.

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Book Reviews MODELING WWI TANKS

BY FREDERIK ASTIER HISTOIRE & COLLECTIONS ISBN: 978-2-35250-468-9 AVAILABLE FROM CASEMATE UK WWW.CASEMATEPUBLISHING.CO.UK

BRITISH ARMOURED CAR OPERATIONS IN WORLD WAR ONE BY BRYAN PERRETT PUBLISHER: PEN & SWORD ISBN: 1473861187

Bryan Perrett is no stranger to the subject of armoured warfare and in particularly British armoured warfare. As such it is no surprise that his latest title covers the same genre and is devoted to British armoured car operations in World War One. With the anniversaries of the WWI battles, it is pleasing to see that a number of oft neglected subjects are at last getting some recognition. The British were amongst the first to recognise the potential of the motor vehicle as a weapon of war and developed and used any number of them from armed commercial vehicles such as the Ford Model T through to the dedicated and armoured Austin or Rolls Royce Armoured Cars. This title is a history of armoured car operations of the British and their Commonwealth Allies and I have to say the scope of these gripped this reviewer with some truly amazing stories told in a factual but engaging manner. The book has a small selection of rarer images of WWI British/ Commonwealth Armoured cars and is also backed by a great selection of maps. It acquaints the reader with the history of the armoured car from its inception to being one of the most effective weapons used during the course of the war. It covers operations in Africa, the Middle East, Russia, Persia and North West and Eastern Europe spanning the whole of the Great War. I found this a fascinating read of a subject rarely, and certainly never covered as comprehensively in one title. It is more aimed at those with an historical interest of armoured operations or WWI, but modellers will find plenty of inspiration within its 150 pages. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Pen & Sword for the sample www.pen-and-sword.co.uk Al Bowie

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the tank, which first appeared on the stalemated battlefields of France in the hands of the British followed by their French allies and eventually their German opponents. To coincide with the interest in all things WWI, due to the various anniversaries of the campaigns, many new releases of WWI tanks have been seen by established and newer plastic model companies. This title from Histoire & Collections in conjunction with the excellent modelling magazine Steel Masters by renowned and very talented French modeller Frederik Astier covers a variety of WWI tank models in Diorama settings. This book is intended primarily for modellers as it is dedicated to 1:35 tank models used during the First World War. It will provide detailed scrutiny of the kit, its construction, assembly, finishing and display in a relevant diorama. It is illustrated with over 500 high quality images of the construction and a number of period photos to give some scope to the diorama process. The author is an immensely talented modeller with a highly realistic style of finishing and he shares his techniques in each project covered within this excellent book making this a very valuable modelling reference not just for modelling AFVs but for diorama and groundwork construction. The book begins with an excellent comparative article on the Tamiya MK IV Male vs the Takom Mk IV Female kits which sparked a renewal of interest in WWI armour subjects. This article was the genesis of this book and provides an excellent springboard into the various projects that follow starting with Frances first entrant to the field of Tank Warfare the St Chamond “Tardif”. These are followed by diorama projects devoted to a single AFV type, each followed by a historical photo collection of the major subjects as such: • Mark IV Male – Tamiya Vs Mk IV Female – Takom (31 pages) • Mk IV Tanks – Historical Pictures (4 Pages) • St Chamond “Tardif” – Takom (22 Pages) • St Chamond - Historical Images (4 Pages) • A7V “Shnuck” – Meng (22 Pages) • Schneider CA1 – Hobbyboss (20 Pages) • Schneider - Historical Images (2 Pages) • Renault FT – (12 pages) • Renault FT – Historical images (2 Pages) Each project is presented as a review and step by step guide of construction, a detailed finishing guide followed by a step by step article on the diorama construction. Each is supported by excellent quality full colour images and contains some of the finest scale AFV finishes I have ever seen. The author is an amazingly talent modeller and shares his techniques with the reader in helpful way. Unlike a few other modelling guides I have read he does not hold his techniques above all others and is very humble in his presentation. Whilst the models are first class they are further elevated by the excellent dioramas the author creates to display them. It would not be an understatement to say these are some of the finest dioramas of AFVs that I have ever seen. Like the kits, a step by step guide is also provided. This is an excellent title and a must for any modeller of WWI subjects but also for any AFV Modeller or Diorama maker. The quality of each subject is superb and backed by easy to follow, step by step guides. It provides an excellent read and I defy any AFV modeller to not be impressed and inspired by the content. Highly Recommended. Sample supplied by Casemate Publishing www. casematepublishing.co.uk Al Bowie

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DRAGON WAGON PART 2 BY DAVID DOYLE AND

MAXXPRO MRAP

BY JOHN ADAMS GRAF AND DAVID DOYLE AMPERSAND VISUAL HISTORY

The latest titles in the popular Ampersand Publishingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Visual History range of books cover one of the latest military vehicles in US military service and a series of heavy tank transporters from 1955-1975. This series of books is large format softcover in landscape format. They are essentially a collection of photo walk arounds and in-service photos in both black and white and colour. They offer a small introduction and informative captions but are essentially picture collections. The first title, Dragon Wagon Part 2, continues the theme of US Army heavy tank transporters in service between 1955-1975 and covers the M123- M123C-M123A1C-M123E2 and the M746 tank transporters. These vehicles are covered in a number of large format photos from official and private sources in black and white and colour. Most are detailed walk around-type shots, however a number of interesting in service shots are also included in the titles 120 pages. The other title covers the ubiquitous MaxxPro Family of MRAP vehicles so commonly seen in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conflicts and now in service with a number of other nations. These mine protected vehicles are the modern day equivalent to the WWII Jeep and halftrack but offering levels of crew protection (and comfort) far beyond their predecessors. This title is in full colour and provides photos of detail points as well as service photos. It covers the main members of the MaxxPro family consisting (at this time) of the M1224, M1224A1, M1234, M1235 and M1249 MRV vehicles. In addition, it gives a good concise history and description of the MaxxPro family. These are great titles offering great quality detail photos which are very useful to modellers. The photos are all clear and in good sized formats with descriptive captions. I would recommend these to modellers and vehicle restorers but they offer little to those interested in the history of these vehicles. Both Recommended. Thanks to Ampersand Publishing for the sample www.ampersandpubco.com Al Bowie

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GTG RESIN

PANZER II L “LUCHS” TRACKS 1:16 SCALE ITEM NO. #ST16010

We are experiencing a Renaissance in large scale modelling at the moment, with a number of model companies launching or expanding their ranges of 1:16 scale vehicles. The bigger the scale, the more detail is possible. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on your point of view. What might be more than acceptable in 1:35 scale may look toylike in the larger scale. This presents a unique opportunity for after-market companies. One of the latest to join the large-scale train is GTG Resin. In addition to re-releasing some of WWII Productions’ famous 1:35 and 1:48 scale Click-Link resin tracks, they have added a number of new releases including this impressive set for Classy Hobby’s 1:16 scale Luchs kits. Classy Hobby supply single track links with metal pins and they look pretty good. Each of the kit track links is attached to the sprues via three attachments. GTG Resin’s links feature crisper detail and a convincing cast texture, as well as impressive track pin end detail cast into each side of the links and raised casting numbers. Furthermore, the resin links are bagged and ready to use with no further preparation necessary. Assembly couldn’t be easier. Each track link features a short pin and a long pin cast in place. First, slip a link over the long pin, then simply click the other side of the link over the short pin. Wiggle the newly joined links a bit and repeat. It really is as easy as that. GTG supplies 208 links although you should only need 94 to 98 links per side, so you’ll have plenty of spares just in case. If you are building either of Classy Hobby’s 1:16 scale Luchs kits, do yourself a favour and buy yourself a set of these excellent tracks. Highly Recommended. Thanks to GTG Resin for the sample. Brett Green

CLASSY HOBBY

1:16 SCALE ITEM NO. MC16004 - WWII GERMAN WEHRMACHT PANZER CREW (DRIVER) ITEM NO. MC16005 - WWII GERMAN WEHRMACHT PANZER CREW (COMMANDER)

Classy Hobby has released two crew figures that will be suitable for their own Panzer II Ausf. L Luchs kit, but will also apply to other popular large scale German vehicles. The first figure is leaning against a hatch and includes alternative parts to finish him as either a Driver for the Luchs or a Panzer IV; or a Commander for a Tiger or a Panzer IV. Alternative parts include the cap and right arm. The second figure is seated, either in the turret side for a Panzer III/IV, the top of the turret for the Luchs or the Gunner’s hatch for a StuG. III Ausf. G. Alternative parts here are the left arm, heads and caps. Both figures include decals for Wehrmacht epaulets, collar badges and cap badges. Colour options are offered for Panzer Corps (pink), Armoured Reconnaissance (yellow) and Assault Artillery (red). The figures look good and, being plastic, will be simple to assemble and clean-up. Detail is good with crisp moulding and impressive fabric drape. Both of these figures will lend a sense of scale and action to your large-scale modelling projects. Both Recommended. Thanks to Classy Hobby for the sample www.classy-hobby.com Brett Green

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Incoming

DIOPARK

1:35 SCALE 70’S GERMAN MADE CIVILIAN CAR W/ LIVING SUPPLIES • KIT NO. DP35018

This kit follows on from DIOPARK’s previously released “70’s German Made Civilian Car” and it contains some nice additions that will allow you to have the basics to create a diorama almost straight out of the box. The kit contains approximately sixty parts on six sprues with a small bag for the plastic tires, a small photo etch fret and a small decal sheet. The kits construction is set out over seventeen steps which is quite comprehensive given the small size of the finished model. All the sprues showed very few traces of flash and surface datil being nicely defined. The body shell is packed in its own sturdy cardboard box and this is a nice touch to ensure this key part remains free from damage. Some other manufacturers may want to take not of this practice. Construction commences with the lower floor pan and chassis which has nicely defined raised details. The addition of a simplified lower engine/transmission front end suspension and associated springs and linkages are added. The detail on these parts looks to be quite nice and will certainly look the part Interestingly the instructions would have you add both front tires at this stage however this would better to leave until nearer the end of construction/painting The next several construction sequences cover the addition of under car details such as rear axle/suspension, exhaust and fuel tank and again show the addition of the rear wheels again. Also added are the interior details of the body such as the rear seat and rear parcel shelf and front seats as well as the center console. The front dash board components are also added at this stage and exhibit some nicely rendered control knobs and dials with decals being included for the key instrument faces. DIOPARK have included nicely detailed plastic representations of the gas, brake and clutch pedals to finish off the detail on the driver’s side. Other manufacturers please take note that this is possible! The upper body construction is completed through steps seven through fifteen. The front and rear windscreens are added both of which are molded commendably thin and distortion free. An option at this stage is for the addition of the “taxi” sign on top of the roof and guide holes are marked for drilling on the inside of the roof. There are some very “tiny” photo etch parts to be added to the windscreen wipers and the steering wheel inner fascia MB logo. The boot and associated hinges to allow you to display this open are also added with some fine rib structure detail added to the inside of the boot. The front grill is added to the upper body and this has some very finely molded lower louvres. The rear end is also added as this has nicely molded bumper details. The upper body construction is completed with the addition of the four separate doors with nice detailed inner door trim and clear glass windows. The final steps are allocated to the construction of the “Living Supplies” which include a spare tire, water/tea tank, Car refrigerator (esky), leather brief case, jerry cans for water and fuel. Cola bottles of various sizes, shirt and sweater, car blanket, and mineral water bottles. All up a very comprehensive load out to add to the car as well as the optional roof rack which is also finely molded in plastic This is yet another fine release from DIOPARK who continue to think outside the box with many of their kit release providing a nice crossover option for the military modeler in a scale that will provide additional possibilities for even more modelers. Highly Recommended. Thanks to DIOPARK for the review sample. Ross Ferro

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KIT PREVIEW

Zvezda 1:35 scale GAZ-233014 ‘Tiger’ • Kit No. 3668

The nicely detailed PKP 6P41 machine gun.

Andy King examines the third 1:35 scale GAZ Tiger offering, this time from Zvezda.

EYE OF THE TIGER T

he GAZ ‘Tiger’ is a modern four-wheel drive personnel carrier extensively used by Russian forces and which has also been exported to other nations. The vehicle first entered service in 2006 and recently found fame during the annexation of the Crimea during 2014 when the Tiger was seen on TV screens around the world along with the so called ‘Polite People’ (basically Russian Special Forces troops). The vehicle itself has been produced in many variants and the one in this kit is the 233014 Tiger 6A. This is a newly tooled kit by Zvezda and in the box there are six sprues in grey styrene, one clear sprue, five vinyl tyres, a decal sheet, a sheet of styrene mesh and self-adhesive silver stickers for the mirrors. Moulding quality is okay with only a little flash present. Any mould-pin marks are confined to hard to see areas. There is evidence of some slight sinkage around the top of the rear door frame and there are some seam lines on parts with a particularly heavy one around the chassis. What is odd is the presence of diagonal lines on some parts

such as the interior floor and side doors. These will need a light sanding as they will show up under paint (good luck with that on the floor pan though). Obviously, this is from when the tooling for the kit was being produced. Interior detail is adequate with decals provided for the instruments in the dashboard and the texture on the two front seat cushions is nicely done, all that is really needed is the seat belts. Looking at pictures on the internet the interior has what looks to be a camouflaged material attached and this is not included in the kit so check your references as to whether the vehicle you are building had it. The Tiger exterior is pretty bland, so the detail is good enough although you’ll need to wrap some nylon thread around the winch on the front bumper and find a hook from somewhere too. The PKP 6P41 MG and the AGS ‘Plamya’ 30mm grenade launcher mounted on the roof are okay but aftermarket replacements would be better, especially as the ‘Plamya’ is moulded in two halves and will make clean up tricky. The vinyl tyres have some VERY fine lettering and detail

on one side but there is a line of flash around the circumference of the tyres and sprue attachment points that will be impossible to get rid of without destroying the tread so I would recommend resin replacements. The glazing for the cabin is clear and relatively thin although they could all do with bit of a polish. The decals are useable although the emblem for the doors on option 1 are a bit nondescript along with the instrument panel decals and again these would be better replaced with aftermarket items. Rather boringly, just two painting and decal options are given and both are green with no clue as to which units they are from. Colours quoted are from Zvezda’s own paint range and Humbrol. This is the third ‘Tiger’ available in 1:35 scale and for the retail price it makes a good base kit. With the addition of some etch, resin tyres and weapons it should scrub up pretty well! Recommended. ■

Diagonal lines visible on the doors.

Nice moulded dashboard detail.

The one-piece chassis.

Gunner’s ring.

Body side.

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

The bonnet.

The vinyl tyres with those nasty mould lines.

Kit decals.

Floor pan.

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KIT PREVIEW

Dragon 1:35 scale 5cm PaK 38 auf Pz,Kpfw.II (sf) • Kit No. 6721

Graham Tetley checks out an interesting SPG design that could be considered a forerunner of the Marder II.

MARDER TOO?

nlike some recent Dragon kits, this one did exist and could be seen as the forerunner to the Marder II. It is said that it was an expedient design but there is ample photographic evidence of it serving with the 23rd Panzer Division on the Eastern Front from October 1943. The reference I have states that eight vehicles were on the inventory of the Panzerjagerabteilung 128 from October to November 1943. Once you finish admiring the Rol Volstad artwork and actually open up the box you are met with a full load of plastic. This kit contains approximately 490 parts but approximately 250 are unused, which is something of a waste as you are paying for these in the purchase price. As this is based on the Panzer II it is not surprising that most of the parts here come from Dragon’s Panzer II line with a smattering of Marder II bits. Dragon provides us with a new sprue containing the upper hull, superstructure armour, ammunition stowage bins and cases as well as a new etched fret. Whilst the marketing blurb on the box states ‘Plentiful provision of ammo cases’ we only get four and this represents about a quarter of what you need. DS Tracks round off the package and whilst nicely molded, I don’t like DS so will be seeking aftermarket replacements. The Pak 38 is one of Dragon’s older kits and it unfortunately shows. Detail is less sharp and more ‘clunky’ than the rest of the kit and it is a shame that Dragon has not spruced it up a little.

CONSTRUCTION Everything here up to Step 8 you will have seen before. We kick off by building the lower hull and road wheels and the level of detail is superb. Having built a few Panzer IIs I can say that the parts and construction steps

are the same so you will not encounter any fit problems. A partial interior is provided which includes the driver’s station, transmission and all internal bulkheads. You can build it so that the upper hull remains separate (I did this on the Cyberhobby Panzer II with mine roller) to show off all of this detail but a lot can be seen through the fighting compartment so keeping it un-glued isn’t vital. Dragon provides a full set of radios, clear periscopes & visors, plus a driver’s control panel that at fits under the front glacis. I must admit that, in my reference collection, I have very little on this so cannot comment on the accuracy of the internals. We then turn to the Pak 38, which is one of Dragon’s efforts that dates from the late 1990s. Although a full trail is provided all of these parts are unused, so we simply build the basic gun and add it to a new mount assembly. Detail is okay but not as sharp as the rest of the kit, and when I built this same gun previously the gap present when you join the trunnion halves needed a lot of filling. Similarly, the muzzle brake needed filling and smoothing with wire wool. There is thankfully very little flash present and no ejector pin marks in visible areas so, with a bit of paint, it will look the part. The instructions at first appear busy but they are actually not too bad. The only problem that I can foresee is in Step 22 where we fit the gun to the main hull. There is only one drawing showing you where it goes and no location points so just test-fit carefully before applying glue. Markings are provided for three vehicles but all are from unidentified units and simply contain three crosses and one unit marking.

CONCLUSION Dragon’s basic Panzer II is an excellent little model and still

Yummy new parts.

Just, wow!

Markings. The Pak 38 parts breakdown.

Close-up of the inner gun shield.

The new upper hull. Sprue breakdown.

holds up well. Adding new parts to the existing lower hull makes sense and certainly gives us something not available in plastic in 1:35 scale before. I would have liked to have seen a little more photo-etch included for the gun, more ammunition containers and optional Magic Tracks which Dragon of old would probably have done. Maybe they will listen but we have what we have. Bronco will come to the rescue though for the tracks and Eduard do, or did, a set for the gun so there is scope for further improvement if you wish. Overall this is a sound kit, sufficiently captures the look of the real thing and so comes recommended. ■

Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net

Detail on the DS Tracks.

New etched parts.

March 2017 - Model Military International 61

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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

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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

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

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MODEL WHOLESALE UK LTD

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SIMPLE 2 TRADE

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

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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

SCHUMO KITS

(ETCHMATE, GRABHANDLER, MICRO CHISEL)

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

GREAT NORTH ROADS

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CALIBRE 35

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

BLAST MODELS

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

SCHIFFER BOOKS in UK

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ITALERI

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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

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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

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VERLINDEN PRODUCTIONS (Historex in UK)

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

VALLEJO

(Creative Models in UK)

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

VLS CORPORATION (LSA in UK)

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

WHITE ENSIGN MODELS

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

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UK distributor for Model Victoria and Royal Model

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

SCHATTON BARRELS

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

MIG PRODUCTIONS

SCHIFFER BOOKS

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

SWANN-MORTON

SB MODELS

http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~m.a.mori/index_eng.html (Creative Models in UK)

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

(Toms Model Works)

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

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

■ Please mention ‘Model Military International’ if you make contact with any of the companies listed above - thanks! 64 Model Military International - March 2017

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Next Issue On sale 2nd March 2017

ISSUE No.131 March 2017, Published February 2nd 2017 Editor;

Brett Green

Group Editor;

Marcus Nicholls

Publisher;

Alan Harman

Graphic Design;

Alex Hall

Advertising Manager;

Sean Leslie

Office Manager;

Paula Gray

Administration Manager; Hannah McLaurie Administration Assistant; Julie Lane MMI Website;

Doolittle Media Web Team

Printed by; Henry Stone Ltd, Oxfordshire 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 Fax; +44 (0)1525 222574

M2A1 HALF TRACK

Dragon’s 1:35 scale diorama by Lukasz Kapelski.

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Kamil Feliks Sztarbala builds Thunder Model’s 1:35 scale Case Vai tractor.

Brett Green paints and crews-up Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Type 10 JGSDF Tank.

Subscription rates are; 1 year (12 issues); £44 UK £56 Europe £69 Worldwide (Airmail)

FOR YOUR SAFETY

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

Reproduction in part of any text, photograph, or illustration without written consent from the publisher is strictly prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure the contents of Model Military International is accurate, the publishers and printers can not accept responsibility for errors and omissions. Advertisements are accepted for publication in Model Military International only on 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.

NEW SAMURAI PART 3 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!

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Binders; £8.50 plus postage (UK £2.45, Euro £4.45, World £6.45) For all orders, please call; (UK) +44(0)1525 222573 or visit www.modelmilitary.com Back Issues; Back Issues are available at the current cover price. See the latest back issues advert or visit www.modelmilitary.com

MORRIS MENAGERIE Jose Brito places Mirror Models’ 1:35 scale Morris C8 Quad MK III, N.º 5 Body in a diorama setting.

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.

The paper used on this title is from sustainable forestry

Order online now at; www.modelmilitary.com

CASE VAI TRACTOR

March 2017 - Model Military International 65

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The Last Post...

K U IN S E IV R R A T N A F E L E ) P PANZERJÄGER TIGER ( EXHIBITION AT THE TANK AHEAD OF MAJOR NEWBY WORLD OF TANKS. MUSEUM SPONSORED e of the largest combat ll into Allied hands, on riving in Southampton fe it r te af s ar ye o tw ySevent Second World War is art. e th in n tio ac e se to es vehicl Tank Museum in Dorse e Th r fo d un bo S U e from th

he 70 ton Panzerjäger Tiger (P), commonly known as Elefant, has undergone an historic 3,500 mile return journey across the Atlantic. It was captured near Anzio, Italy by US troops in June 1944 – and quickly shipped stateside for military evaluation. Tank Museum Curator David Willey said: “Tiger tanks like this one have a powerful reputation which was underpinned with Nazi propaganda at the time. “This reputation has persisted beyond the war itself into books, films and video games.” The tank is being loaned from the Ordnance Museum at Fort Lee, VA, by The United States Army Centre of Military History and is one of just two surviving examples of the 91 Elefants that saw service with German forces. It will be the first time that an Elefant has ever been seen in the UK. “This mythical reputation, coupled with their rarity, is what makes them of such great interest. But in truth, the myth has elevated them to be greater than the reality.” David added. Designed by famed auto-engineer Ferdinand Porsche, the Elefant was a self-propelled antitank gun and member of the ‘Tiger family’ of Second World War German tanks. Before serving in Italy, it took part in the Battle of Kursk, which remains the biggest tank battle in history. Its final destination is The Tank Museum at Bovington in Dorset, where it will feature in ‘The Tiger Collection – the Tanks, the Terror & the Truth’ exhibition sponsored by World of Tanks. “Tigers are large and impressive by contemporary standards – but there is a moral responsibility to remember what they were used for and the regime that created them,” said David.

“Representing less than 7% of their wartime tank production, Tiger tanks failed to have a real impact and our exhibition will be presenting a more balanced account of these vehicles, along with views of veterans.” Set to open in April 2017, the exhibition will bring every member of the Tiger tank family together in one space for the first time in history. However, one example that has eluded the Museum will be appearing virtually, courtesy of exhibition sponsors World of Tanks. “We’re taking our experience of creating historically accurate models for our World of Tanks video game and using this to create an exhibit to complete the collection,” said Richard Cutland, World of Tanks European Head of Military Relations. “Using the latest digital technology, visitors will be able to see a full-sized Surmtiger in the exhibition with the use of our Augmented Reality App. We’re pleased to be supporting an exhibition of such international significance.”

ABOUT THE TANK MUSEUM The Tank Museum at Bovington in Dorset holds the national collection of tanks and brings the story of tanks and tank crews to life. With over 300 tanks from 26 nations, The Tank Museum holds the finest and most historically significant collection of fighting armour in the world. These range from the world’s first ever tank, Little Willie, through to the British Army’s current Main Battle Tank, Challenger 2. Eight powerful exhibitions tell the story of armoured warfare spanning over 100 years of history. As you explore the Museum’s seven large halls, you come face with face to face with tanks and hear incredible true stories from the last century. The Tank Museum is an independent Museum and registered Charity. http://tankmuseum.org/home ■

ABOUT WORLD OF TANKS World of Tanks is published by Wargaming, an award-winning online game developer and publisher, and one of the leaders in the free-to-play MMO market. Founded as a privately held company in 1998, Wargaming has shipped over 15 titles. Currently, Wargaming is focused on its team-based MMO war series dedicated to mid20th century warfare that includes the armored World of Tanks, the airborne World of Warplanes, and the naval World of Warships. The three intertwined titles form a common gaming universe integrated within the portal www.wargaming.net. As part of its multiplatform line-up, the company has introduced World of Tanks on Xbox and World of Tanks Blitz on mobile platforms, Windows 10 PCs and Mac OS X. Launched in 2014 and 2015, World of Tanks on Xbox introduced epic tank-on-tank battles to console gamers and offers the first crossplatform gaming experience between Xbox 360 and Xbox One. In 2016, Wargaming released World of Tanks for PlayStation®4, continuing its console campaign. Official website: www.wargaming.com

66 Model Military International - March 2017

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D6815 Sign Up to our Newsletter on www.hobbyco.net Find us on facebook search Plastic Kits UK

p 67 Dragon 131.indd 1

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

10/01/2017 13:22