mmi.143.2018 by meta3106

■ All the information you’ll ever need to create the best military models... ■

WINTER SPECIAL!

Issue 143 March 2018 www.modelmilitary.com

SHELF QUEEN CORONATION

Tamiya 1:35 U.S. M8 Light Armoured Car Greyhound

WINTER JAGDPANZER Dragon’s 1:35 scale Jagdpanzer IV

Tamiya’s new 1:35 Korean War M4A3E8 “Easy Eight” Sherman

R E G I T T I E F R TE N U O C INSIDE: Dragon 1:35 Panzer III ■ Bronco 1:35 Turin II ■ MiniArt 1:35 Su-85 with Crew ■ Tankfest 2017 Show Report ■ and more...

p 01 CoverMMI 143B 1

March 2018 / £4.75 / Issue 143

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NEW in the ‘HOW TO BUILD...’ series

How to Build... TAMIYA 1:32 F4U-1A and F4U-1D CORSAIR

When Tamiya released their 1:32 scale Spitfire Mk.IXc in 2009, they set a new standard for plastic model kits. Each model since then has seen incremental improvements. Just when you think the series can’t get any better, Tamiya goes and proves you wrong. Their 1:32 scale Birdcage Corsair was released in mid-2013. This was an outstanding kit in every respect. Tamiya expanded their 1:32 scale Corsair family with an F4U-1A in late 2014. This kit included several new sprues and offered a wider range of camouflage and marking possibilities. Tamiya has now completed the -1 trio with their new 1:32 scale F4U-1D Corsair. Once again, this kit includes a significant number of brand new sprues to depict the unique attributes of this variant. We can also marvel at the kit’s subtle surface textures, high level of detail, clever parts breakdown and accuracy. In this new book, we provide an exhaustive stepby-step illustrated guide to building and detailing the 1:32 scale F4U-1D and F4U-1A, offering plenty of inspiration with two different configurations and colour schemes.

Only

£14.95 plus p&p

We have also a bonus Chapter on building Tamiya’s 1:48 scale Corsair family, offer some tips for painting pilot figures and include a helpful walk around of a Corsair under restoration.

ALSO AVAILABLE Visit doolittlemedia.com for details PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW ON TEL: 01525 222573 FAX: 01525 222574

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Contents - Issue 143 March 2018 REGULARS p 4 NEWS

What’s new in the world of military modelling

p 58 BOOKS

The latest military and modelling titles in print

p 60 1:48 SCALE

News and opinion in the world of 1:48 by Luke Pitt

p 66 LAST POST

Aussie Angels and Armour

FEATURES p 6 SHOW REPORT

Tankfest 2017 by Royce Wilson

p 10 PREVIEW

MiniArt 1:35 Su-85

p 12 COUNTERFEIT TIGER

Tamiya’s new 1:35 scale Korean War M4A3E8 “Easy Eight” Sherman by Brett Green

p 26 PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 Turan II

p 28 SHELF QUEEN CORONATION

Tamiya’s 1:35 M8 Greyhound by Gary Edmundson

p 36 PREVIEW

Tamiya 1:35 Paladin

p 38 EASTERN FRONT WORKSHORSE Dragon 1:35 Panzer III Ausf. L by Konrad Dzik

p 50 WINTER JAGDPANZER

Tracy Hancock builds Dragon’s 1:35 scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V)

6 ©Doolittle Media Ltd 2018 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 March 2018 - Model Military International 3

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Newsline - March 2018 BLAST MODEL NEW RELEASES

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

Blast Models has announced the release of a new Gabion set plus five new WWI figure sets, available now from Blast Models' website: • BL35283K - GABIONS - 2PCS • BL35312F - FRENCH SOLDIER N°8 WWI • BL35313F - FRENCH HEADS N°1 WWI • BL35314F - FRENCH TRACTOR CREW N°9 WWI • BL35315F - FRENCH TRACTOR CREW N°10 WWI • BL35316F - FRENCH HEADS N°2 WWI These are all available right now from Blast Models’ website www.blast-models.com Thanks to Blast Models for the information and images.

BRITISH MODEL SOLDIER SOCIETY 2018 SHOWS The BMSS Annual Show 2018 will be held on Saturday 28 April 2018 at the Church Hall, St. Saviours', St. George’s Square, Lupus Street, Pimlico, London, SW1V 3QW. Put the date in your diaries now, for what promises to be another great event not to be missed! More details will be posted as they are confirmed. The full schedule of BMSS dates are listed below: Friday Saturday Friday Saturday Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday

19/01/2018 17/02/2018 16/03/2018 28/04/2018 18/05/2018 15/06/2018 20/07/2018 17/08/2018 21/09/2018 19/10/2018 16/11/2018 21/12/2018

Artillery, Transport AGM Conversions Annual show Military Pageant Open meeting Militaria Open meeting Indian Army Auction Armies of Europe Old Toy Soldier

For more details, please visit the BMSS website www.bmssonline.com/annual-show.html

DRAGON 1:35 DAK 15cm s.IG.33 auf Fgst.Pz.III Germany created a wide variety of self-propelled howitzers during WWII, these typically being converted from existing tank chassis. Some were even field-improvised conversions, and this is certainly the case with Dragon’s newest German kit. It represents a 15cm s.IG.33 auf Fahrgestell Pz.III which, as its name suggests, mated a 15cm field howitzer with a Panzer III chassis. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was seeking heavy artillery mounted on tracked chassis because horsedrawn or truck-drawn howitzers were impractical in the desert. This SPH was used by the Deutsches Afrika Korps, specifically the 90 leichte Infanterie-Division, in North Africa. It first saw action in September 1942. Just like its forbear in the desert of North Africa in WWII, it combines the Panzer III and s.IG.33 howitzer, both already high-quality items from Dragon’s range. However, it’s far more than just an amalgamation of two kits, because many new components were required to make this vehicle a reality. The front armoured shield and the armour plates protecting the sides and rear of the fighting compartment. The installation of the 15cm howitzer in this compartment also required new parts. Furthermore, there’s a new stowage rack mounted on the rear of the engine deck. Not only is this a unique addition to the Panzer III range, but this novel SPH gives fans of DAK subjects something new to sink their teeth into! Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the information and image www.hobbyco.net

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Think Tank - Tankfest 2017

TANKFEST 2017 Royce Wilson offers us a taste of The Tank Museum’s latest landmark Tankfest event.

Royce Wilson with a Churchill tank on display.

very year in late June, a small English village plays host to the largest display of running armoured vehicles in the world. Held at The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, the Tankfest event brings together more than 300 static display vehicles and 60 operating tanks for two days of delight for model-makers, historians and videogamers alike. The first Tankfest event was held in 2000 and the latest event,

Tankfest 2017, attracted more than 20,000 ticketholders along with an international media contingent. The Kuwait Arena, donated by the people of the Gulf state as thanks for their country’s liberation in the Gulf War of the early 1990s, was the centre of the action over the weekend of June 24 and 25. Vehicles from the world’s oldest operating tank (a WWI-vintage French Saint-Chamond) to the latest British military Challenger II were took to the arena,

complemented by everything from armoured cars to Cold War-era Soviet tanks and even Armoured Recovery Vehicles. The action started at 10.30am when museum director Richard Smith took to the arena in a 1920s-vintage Rolls-Royce armoured car to start the show, followed by three main battle tanks roaring around the arena at top speed. The 1944 Embarkation Convoy bought several historic vehicles

into the area, ranging from Willys MB Jeeps to a Ford Lynx scout car, Daimler Mk I armoured car, a Dutch East Indies Humber Mk IV with 37mm main gun, a Bren Gun Carrier, and M16 Half-track with multiple .50-calibre machine guns mounted, an M5A1 Stuart light tank, and an M4A2 “Easy Eight” Sherman with 76mm main gun, as seen in the 2014 Brad Pitt movie Fury. Adding to the event, 200 re-enactors covering everything from WWI British soldiers through

The Tank Museum’s extensive dirt track will host dozens of rare historic vehicles.

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Soviet re-enactors dig in for the show.

A jeep and an Airborne U.S. re-enactor.

You never know what you’ll bump into on the grounds of the Tank Museum!

Afrika Korps.

British Paras crew a camouflaged 6 Pdr.

to WWII Soviet, US Airborne and Volksturm units were also present. The attention to detail was quite remarkable, with re-enactors carrying deactivated rifles, SMGs and even actual machine guns to complement their period-correct uniforms. One display had a 25pdr field gun set up and in addition to the WWII themed re-enactors, there was at least one unit dressed as 1980s British soldiers from the Falklands War, complete with a Land Rover.

Churchill Mk.VI in desert colours.

It wasn’t all about the scenery, living history or static displays either, with more than 100 stalls selling everything from reproduction uniforms and equipment to military surplus gear to books to air guns to model kits and accessories. Regardless of your interest in armour, there is something at Tankfest to appeal – as well as the unique chance to see the gear actually running, instead of just sitting silently in a museum.

Bivouac on the Tank Museum grounds.

Tanks are incredibly loud and imposing things in real life – you can hear the clanking long before you can see the behemoth creating the racket, and the sight of a main battle tank rounding the bottom of a hill with its turret scanning the area really is quite something to behold. One of the highlights of the event was the WWI armour feature, with a replica British Mk IV “Male” Tank (as seen in movie Warhorse) and a replica German A7V tank

driving into the arena alongside a real British 1920 Rolls-Royce Armoured Car and a French 1918 vintage Saint-Chamond tank – the last one of its kind in existence. Respected armour historian and former Tank Museum curator David Fletcher led the discussion on these vehicles, engaging the audience with insights into the history and design of WWI tanks. The British Army had the run of the arena in the late morning, showcasing its range of vehicles A

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Think Tank - Tankfest 2017

Of course, the museum was also open throughout the show.

Modellers were well catered for too!

B from the Panther armoured car

and Jackal reconnaissance vehicle to the Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the AS90 155mm SelfPropelled Gun, and the jewel in the army’s armoured crown, the Challenger II Main Battle Tank. Weighing 66.3 tonnes, the Challenger II has a top speed of 45km/h on any terrain and its 120mm main gun can be relied on to hit targets more than 2km away – the tank makes for a most imposing presence in the arena and is always a crowd favourite. The Cold War display was another highlight, featuring an

Sherman BARV in a unique submerged display.

Large scale radio control tanks were put through their paces.

array of Western and Eastern tanks and armoured vehicles, including an impressive demonstration of the power of a smokescreen from a Soviet T-72 tank. Completely shrouding the vehicle in impenetrable smoke, it was quite disconcerting being able to clearly hear a Russian tank only a few metres away, but being utterly unable to see it through the pall of white smoke filling the area. It wasn’t all about offensive capability vehicles either, with a display of armoured recovery vehicles reminding the audience that even when tanks break down,

Plenty of traders were on hand.

This gigantic 1:6 scale metal 8.8cm PaK 43 was available at the show.

there’s still other tanks ready to get them going again – or at least move them out of the way. The historic armour display was a highlight of the event for WWII tank enthusiasts, with many of the vehicles from the Embarkation Convoy being joined by German Panzer III, a StuG III and a Jagdpanther tank, along with a Kettenkrad light half-track. Rounding out the event was the “Battle Normandy” spectacular, with period uniform and weaponequipped re-enactors joining the historic armour for an explosive and action-packed finale.

Replica grenades and potato mashers.

Throughout the event, rides were also being run in an M548 cargo carrier and a turretless Leopard II “Bathtub” tank, giving visitors the chance to experience tracked movement for themselves. There was also plenty of live entertainment and food to add to the atmosphere. Given the subject matter, one could be forgiven for expecting the audience to fit a certain (largely male and middle-aged) demographic, but it really was on for young and old with women, children, families and people of all ages getting into things and having

Canadian Leopard on the track.

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Challenger tank traversing its turret.

a fantastic time – I saw several young women carrying model kits they’d purchased, mums and dads pointing out tanks to excited children, and gamers suitably impressed to be able to see the real-life versions of their game vehicles in action. Tank Museum communications manager Nik Wyness attributed much of the success of the event to the support of games company Wargaming, who also sponsor the Tiger Tank exhibition in the museum itself. The first Tankfest was held in 2000 and the event has grown to receive more than 20,000 guests, with Mr Wyness saying the

The new Vehicle Conservation Centre.

German Leopard I.

museum had one of the world’s most unique armour collections. “We’ve got things here you can’t see anywhere else,” he said. He acknowledged the invaluable support Wargaming gave to the museum, particularly by the exposure it provided through World of Tanks, and YouTube videos – bringing the museum to a much wider audience than they’d ever previously thought was possible. “People who play tanks in video games will always want to know more about the real thing,” Mr Wyness said. Mr Wyness said the support of keen historian and Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi had also been a vital

part of the museum’s success in recent years. “He knows and understands the importance of keeping this kit restored... and that’s why Wargaming have been so involved in the tank museum, supporting our exhibitions and our education centre in particular,” Mr Wyness said. Mr Kislyi said he was proud of Wargaming’s contribution to museums and historical research projects around the world, including The Tank Museum and events like Tankfest. “I am really glad and proud that we, as a company, can ignite interest for millions and millions of

There was plenty for everyone to see and do.

people who’d never read about or get into WWII,” he said. “Not just tanks, but when you start showing them this (events like Tankfest), museums, they go to Wikipedia, they buy books and atlases, they learn history that way. “We need to learn this history (particularly WWII). We don’t want to repeat it again - wars should be only virtual, behind a computer screen – not real ones.” ■

Royce Wilson travelled to Tankfest as a guest of Wargaming.

The Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps memorial on the museum grounds.

More than 20,000 ticketholders attended on the weekend.

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KIT PREVIEW

MiniArt 1:35 SU-85 Model 1943 Early Production with Crew • Kit No. 35178

The Editor examines one of the latest in MiniArt’s 1:35 scale Soviet tank destroyer family – the SU-100 Model 1943 Early production.

The upper hull shell includes the engine deck.

The lower hull is made up from separate sides, front, bottom and rear.

WINTER DESTROYER

arly in World War II, Soviet tanks such as the T-34 and KV-1 had adequate firepower to defeat any of the German tanks then available. By the fall of 1942, Soviet forces began to encounter the new German Tiger tank, with armour too thick to be penetrated by the 76.2 mm guns used in the T-34 and KV tanks at a safe range. The Soviet command also had reports of the Panther tank, that was in development then and possessed thicker armour than the Tiger; both represented an advance in German tank design. Although the Panther was not seen in combat until July 1943, the new generation of German vehicles meant the Red Army would need a new, more powerful main gun for their armoured formations. In May 1943, work was begun on a new anti-tank gun. Military planners directed the design bureaus of both Gen. Vasiliy Grabin and Gen. Fyodor Petrov to modify the 85 mm antiaircraft gun for use as an antitank weapon. Petrov’s bureau developed the D-5 85 mm gun. Though much too large for the T-34 or KV-1 turret, it was thought the gun could be mounted upon the chassis of the SU-122 selfpropelled gun to give the weapon mobility. The version of this gun intended to be mounted upon the SU-85 was called the D-5S, with the “S” standing for selfpropelled. Initially the production factory at Uralmash rejected the

The kit photo-etched fret.

proposed design. scale SU-100 Model 1943 Early Nevertheless, the Production comprises 530 parts administrators at Uralmash in grey plastic, 10 parts in clear were persuaded to proceed, and plastic, 73 parts in photo-etch and the new design was put into markings for two vehicles. production. The weapon was later Considering the total sum modified to include a telescopic of parts includes individual link sight and a new ball gun mantlet. tracks, the number should be The SU-85 was a modification quite manageable. The parts are of the earlier SU-122 selfpresented on around 60 (yes, six propelled howitzer, essentially zero) separate sprues, so hunting replacing the 122 mm M-30S for sprues and parts may take a howitzer of the SU-122 with little longer than usual! a D-5T high-velocity 85 mm Otherwise, the model appears antitank gun. The D-5T was to be quite straightforward. capable of penetrating the Tiger There is a core of parts including I from 1000 m. The vehicle had a the flat-pack lower hull and low profile and excellent mobility. the upper half shell. The latter Initially given an armoured really only provides the engine commander’s cap on the first deck and the track guards, with batch, the SU-85’s observational the superstructure comprising optics were improved by the separate mantlet, sides, rear and introduction of a standard roof. commander’s cupola - the same The vents on the sided of the as on the T-34/76 model 1942. In engine deck are hollowed out, addition to the already existing and MiniArt offers optional solid prismatic observation sights plastic or photo-etched mesh for installed in left side and rear. On the rear deck grille. later vehicles, the same optics The running gear is beautifully were added, almost allowing alldetailed, and the road wheels are around observation.* crisply presented. The tyres are One of MiniArt’s latest the perforated variety. On vehicle additions to their SU-122 / 85 / equipment looks good, including a 100 family is this SU-100 Model pair of all-plastic tow cables! 1943 Early Production. As a The five crew figures are well bonus, this release also includes done too. They are all dressed up a five-person winter crew. These snugly in their winter sheepskin have previously been released as long jackets. a standalone figure set. MiniArt’s SU-100 Model 1943 Some of these recent Soviet is a very well detailed model tank destroyer releases have and should be appropriate for included a full interior. In this experienced modellers. ■ case, and mercifully I Thanks to Creative Models Australia for think, it does not. the sample www.creativemodels.com.au MiniArt’s 1:35

Clear parts are included.

The inside of the floor displays its full interior legacy, although this release does not include the interior parts.

Optional parts for the solid rear grille or photo-etch.

Mantlet and roof parts.

Crisp road wheel detail.

The two marking options. A five-figure crew set is included.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Sherman Korean War • Kit No. 35359

COUNTERFEIT TIGER

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The Editor is inspired to build Tamiya’s newest Sherman thanks to its striking tiger face artwork. Tamiya’s Korean War box art.

A totally new sprue is included. The engine deck and mantlet are new.

A new rear engine vent arrangement is included too.

The second new crew figure.

Texture is impressive on the new mantlet waterproofing cover.

One of the crew figures and spare T80 track links. Optional headgear is included.

The full-length flexible T80 tracks.

The kit decal sheet.

Tamiya’s old GAZ-67B Russian Field Car is included Detail is basic on the GAZ-67B kit but it still looks in the box. pretty good when built.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Sherman Korean War • Kit No. 35359

he M4A3 was the first Sherman variant to feature HVSS (Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension) as factory fitted equipment. HVSS suspension was equipped with wider tracks to distribute weight more evenly. These wider tracks allowed more armour to be fitted and offered a more comfortable ride for the crew, but also required narrow track guards to be fitted to the sides of the hull. With its experimental E8 designation, the smooth ride of the HVSS led to the nickname Easy Eight for this Sherman variant. The M4A3E8 first entered service in Northern Europe during December 1944, and the variant continued on the front lines post-war, including service in Korea. In late 2015, Tamiya expanded its WWII Allied catalogue with a new 1:35 scale M4A3E8 Easy Eight Sherman. This kit had nothing at all in common with the Tamiya Easy Eight released around 1970. The 2015 kit was almost all new. The running gear sprues are taken from Tamiya’s 2011 Israeli M51 release and the only other recycled sprue is the .50 cal machine gun, which dates from 1998. Tamiya has now added to the family with a Korean War version of the Easy Eight. This model features T80 flexible tracks (these first appeared in Tamiya’s 2011 M51 kit), a brand-new sprue with two Korean War crew figures, an impressively textured mantlet waterproofing, a new engine deck and a very striking scheme for one of the two marking options. Tamiya’s 1:35 scale M4A3E8 Easy Eight Sherman comprises 278 parts in olive coloured plastic, ten parts in clear and two black full-length flexible tracks. Tamiya has also included the venerable 1:35 scale GAZ-67B Field Car as a bonus in the box. The Sherman kit features the T23 turret with the oval loader’s hatch and subtle cast texture wherever appropriate. The running gear includes the later Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension (HVSS) suspension units, and full-length flexible T66 tracks. All of the other key features of the M4A3E8 are there too, including the 47° glacis hull with the enlarged hatches, the correct rear deck configuration and 76mm gun barrel with muzzle brake. The lower hull is made up from a “flat pack” arrangement of separate floor, sides and engine firewall. The track guards and sponsons are cleverly moulded as one piece per side. The diagonal supports are supplied as separate parts. A

Extra texture was added to the transmission cover.

The lower hull is made up from a flat pack of pieces.

Lower hull parts assembled and ready for the transmission cover.

The completed rear hull and the adjustable track tensioners. Rear hull parts.

Drive sprockets, idler wheels and return rollers.

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Each bogie assembly is made up from only eight parts.

The running gear ready to be fitted. One completed bogie truck.

Completed lower hull.

The idler wheel may be fitted in various positions thanks to the adjustable track tensioner.

Assembly of the running gear was fast and without complication.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Sherman Korean War • Kit No. 35359

B Detail on the new T80 tracks

is very good. The guide horns are moulded onto the tracks with an indentation front and rear to suggest the hollow nature of the real thing. There is one raised pip on the inside of every 16th link, but these will hardly be visible once the tracks are fitted. The tracks may be fixed with regular plastic glue. Note that the idler wheel mounts are also workable track tensioners. Do not glue these parts in place initially, as you may want to swing the arms to tighten the vinyl track when it is installed. The Commander’s cupola features separate clear vision blocks fitted from the inside. All hull and turret crew hatches may be posed either open or closed. A pillar-mounted .50 cal machine gun is also supplied. The package is rounded out with two nicely moulded and animated crew figures.

I used the kit’s full-length flexible tracks.

SHAKING THE BOX When I heard about this release, I wasn’t planning to build it. I thought that this M4A3E8 Korean War version would be a simple re-box of the 2015 kit. However, upon receiving the package I was inspired by the striking tiger face painting, the lovely new crew figures and the

These were looped and glued using Revell Contacta cement, then clamped and left to set.

significant new parts. Not for the first time in the last few years, I found myself building a previously unscheduled Tamiya kit! Tamiya’s newest Easy Eight is a pleasure to build. It’s fast too. Not surprisingly, the experience was very reminiscent of building Tamiya’s European Theatre Easy

Eight back in 2015. The lower hull is made up of flat pack panels that fit perfectly, and the running gear goes together very quickly. I liked the cast texture on the model but decided to enhance the effect on the transmission cover. I slathered the plastic part with Tamiya’s new White Surface

The new upper rear deck.

Sponson covers are moulded as part of the track guards and front mudguards.

Basic upper hull parts in place.

Hull detail parts cleaned up and ready for assembly.

Upper hull with detail parts in place.

Components of the new heat deflector…

…and assembled. Tracks are test fitted.

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Main turret parts.

Tamiya supplies separate clear vision blocks for the Commander’s cupola.

Gun barrel, mantlet and cupola.

Primer. I applied the thick liquid unevenly using an old brush, dragging it around as it dried to create an almost layered effect. When the liquid had partially set, I also stippled the surface with the end of a stiff square-ended brush that had been dipped in Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement and sanded it slightly when it was dry. From this point on, basic construction followed the sequence of Tamiya’s instructions. The ejector pin marks on the inside of the loader’s turret hatch were scraped off with my Mission Models Micro Chisel, and the slightly scored plastic was repaired with Tamiya’s Liquid Surface Primer. As construction continued, I was surprised by the number of detail and substantial differences between this Korean War version and the initial release. These were focussed around the engine deck, tool stowage, the later style of rear hull engine vent and more. I used the kit’s full-length flexible tracks. Detail is very good

and these live tracks would be stretched taut – no sagging here. These were looped and glued using Revell Contacta cement, then clamped and left to set. There were no visible gaps once basic construction was complete. The only areas requiring any attention was the join between the upper and lower turret halves. Although there was a join line here on the real vehicle, I thought it looked a bit too pronounced so I reduced its prominence with a thin sausage of Milliput on either side. In the case of this Korean Way Easy Eight, Tamiya has included a number of design characteristics that suggest that the upper hull might be removable, but in reality once the rear hull parts including the engine compartment vents and rear mud flaps are installed, the upper hull will be fixed permanently. This is not a problem though, as there is still plenty of access to remove and replace the full-length flexible tracks. A

A new four-piece mantlet cover is included.

The completed turret. The cover looks great when in place and the fit is perfect.

Ready for paint. Tracks and turret will be removed prior to painting.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Sherman Korean War • Kit No. 35359

B TIGER FACE PAINTING The key to this whole project was the tiger face on the front of the hull. With something this big and bright, there is always the risk of having it appear garish and unrealistic. I wanted to reproduce the finish as it appeared on Tamiya’s striking box top. I started by spraying the glacis, front mudguards and transmission cover with Tamiya Fine White Primer straight from the can. The kit instructions suggest a mix of 80% Tamiya XF-7 Flat Red with 20% XF-60 Dark Yellow. I decided to paint a paler base colour with a higher proportion of Dark Yellow first. This orange-pinkish shade was sprayed onto the white primer. When dry, I applied an airbrushed

coat of MIG Productions’ “Absolute Chipping” acrylic solution. With the surface prepared, I now sprayed several thin layers of the 80/20 Flat Red and Dark Yellow mix. I was very happy with this shade, which seemed to match the colour on the box art quite well. I now scrubbed the red colour with a stiff brush dipped in water, revealing some of the paler pink-orange colour beneath. The effect is subtle – perhaps even not consciously noticeable – but I think it helps break up the slab of colour. Two circle masks were now cut from wide Tamiya tape using Shadow Hobby’s Thinnerline Circle Cutter. The open circles were centred over the tiger’s “nostrils”, surrounding the gun crutch mounts

The open circles were centred over the tiger’s “nostrils”, surrounding the gun crutch mounts.

Tamiya does supply decals for these features, but I thought that painting them would look better.

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before they were sprayed a mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-63 German Grey. Tamiya does supply decals for these features, but I thought that painting them would

This orange-pinkish shade was sprayed onto the white primer. When dry, I applied an airbrushed coat of MIG Productions’ “Absolute Chipping” acrylic solution.

The glacis, front mudguards and transmission cover were painted with Tamiya Fine White Primer straight from the can.

Two circle masks were now cut from wide Tamiya tape using Shadow Hobby’s Thinnerline Circle Cutter.

Tamiya includes several colourised photos of this striking scheme.

look better. The red glacis and transmission cover was now carefully masked with Tamiya tape in preparation for the main camouflage.

Several thin layers of the 80/20 Flat Red and Dark Yellow mix were now sprayed over the top.

They were sprayed a mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-63 German Grey.

The red glacis and transmission cover was now carefully masked with Tamiya tape in preparation for the main camouflage.

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The hull and turret were now blasted with Tamiya TS-5 Olive Drab, also straight from the spray can.

Mission Models’ new range of acrylic paints include six shades of Olive Drab. I used four of these on my model. Here is the model after application of the first two (darker) shades…

The reveal! Masking tape has been removed from the red nose.

…and now with the two palest shades on the model.

OLIVE DRAB IN LAYERS

The new mantlet cover was painted Vallejo Canvas.

The model received a coat of Tamiya Grey Primer straight from the spray can. It was at this stage that I filled the pronounced recess between the rear upper and lower hull join with Milliput White twopart epoxy putty. The hull and turret were now blasted with Tamiya TS-5 Olive Drab, also straight from the spray can. This is a fairly dark colour – very similar to the colour of Tamiya’s plastic in fact – but I thought it would be a good base for the next stage of painting. I figured that some of these Korean War Shermans would have seen previous service in Europe and would also be quite weather-beaten by the extreme conditions up and down the Korean peninsula. I therefore decided to depict a fairly

faded finish. Mission Models’ new range of acrylic paints include six shades of Olive Drab. I used four of these on my model, applied in this order: 1. MMP-026 US Army Olive Drab FS 33070 2. MMP-025 US Army Olive Drab FS 34088 3. MMP-022 US Army Olive Drab Faded 3 4. MMP-021 US Army Olive Drab Faded 2 The faded shades were applied more sparingly to the horizontal surfaces and the tops of the vertical surfaces. Natural shadow areas were left with the darker Olive Drab shades showing. I was very happy with the faded effect. It was obvious that the vehicle had seen action, but did not look like it has been baking in a wrecking yard for decades. A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Sherman Korean War • Kit No. 35359

B DECALS At this stage, the model received two coats of Future Floor Polish (mixed with round 20% Tamiya Acrylic Thinners) as a glossy base for the kit decals. The face was first. The large one-piece mouth decal needs to settle over some pretty serious structural features, including deeply recessed holes along the top of the transmission cover. I used Solvaset to help the decals soften and conform, but this was not enough. I eventually cut the decals around the recessed holes and painted them to match the surrounding decal. Once this was done though, the face looked suitably spectacular. The remaining decals settled down without any problems. As often happens when applying decals over Future Floor Polish, a few large white stains appeared when the setting solution had dried. These were easily dispatched by applying Future over the stains with a micro-brush.

Maru Easy Mud 21105 – European Earth was cracked open to apply to the painted tracks. The mud was wiped off the tracks with a clean cloth before it set, leaving a residue in recessed areas. The same mix was used to spatter tiny spots of mud onto the hull and glacis. The mixture was loaded onto a brush and simply

flicked onto the model from a low angle. Fuel stains were added to the hull using thinned oil paints. A brown Prismacolor pencil was used to add vertical and horizontal scratches and scrapes, as well as damage to the edges of the hull. Rub’n Buff Metallic Finish was applied to the tops of the steel

These stains were quickly dissolved by applying Future over the stains with a micro-brush.

chevrons and the edges of the connectors using a soft cloth. The final weathering effect was remnants of snow and ice. I mixed a quantity of Precision Ice and Snow’s powered medium with a big blob of Gators’ Grip Acrylic Glue, then applied the gluggy mix sparingly with a toothpick to the hull and turret. A

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

DETAIL PAINTING AND WEATHERING The first step of weathering was to dry-brush the edges and raised surfaces with a pale shade of Olive Drab, applied with a soft flat brush. The tools, tyres and tracks were now painted by brush using Vallejo acrylics. Tool handles were treated to a mix of Vallejo’s Old Wood and New Wood. A mixture of Winsor and Newton Raw Umber and Lamp Black was thinned with Mineral Turpentine to act as a wash for the turret and hull. This was applied sparingly to edges and recessed areas. The basic weathering was sealed with two coats of Alclad II Flat Clear Lacquer. The cupola vision blocks were painted using Vallejo Panzer Aces 309 – Periscopes. My rapidly dwindling supply of

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

A mixture of Winsor and Newton Raw Umber and Lamp Black was thinned with Mineral Turpentine to act as a wash for the turret and hull.

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

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The cupola vision blocks were painted using Vallejo Panzer Aces 309 – Periscopes.

The basic weathering was sealed with two coats of Alclad II Flat Clear Lacquer.

Maru Easy Mud 21105 – European Earth was applied to the painted tracks.

Fuel stains were added to the hull using thinned oil paints.

A quantity of Precision Ice and Snow’s powered medium was mixed with a big blob of Gators’ Grip Acrylic Glue, then applied sparingly with a toothpick to the hull and turret.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Sherman Korean War • Kit No. 35359

B CREW FIGURES Tamiya supplies two excellent new crew figures for the Korean War Easy Eight – a Commander and a Loader. Tamiya figures have been steadily improving over the last decade, to the point where I did not think these guys needed any enhancements beyond careful painting. The poses are relaxed and natural, and the sculpting is excellent. Facial features are very realistic and of course the standard of moulding is everything you would expect from Tamiya. The figures were assembled using Revell Contacta cement, but the heads were not glued in place just yet. The heads were drilled and

Tamiya supplies two excellent new crew figures for the Korean War Easy Eight – a Commander and a Loader.

mounted on toothpicks to make handling easier. I also decided to use an orphan resin figure left over from a Nemrod crew set. He seemed to fit in with the winter theme, although he needed some surgery to fit into the bow gunner’s position. I thought the poses and sculpting of the Tamiya figures was noticeably superior compared to the resin Nemrod figure too. First, all the figures were primed - bodies using Tamiya Grey Primer and heads Tamiya Fine White Primer, both straight from the spray can. Next, the faces and hands were brush painted with Vallejo Panzer

Aces 341 Flesh Base acrylic as a base for the skin tones. This was followed by a fairly heavy wash of thinned Rowney Georgian Oil Paint 221 Burnt Sienna, which flowed nicely into low-lying areas including the mouths and eyes. Painting of the skin tones continued with a range of Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylics, mixed, remixed and reapplied on a trial-and-error basis – no magic formula here unfortunately! I have, however, provided a detailed list of the colours used in the Modelspec section following this text. The base uniform colour was also sourced from Vallejo’s acrylic range – Panzer Aces 318 US Army

Tankcrew. The base uniforms were then dry brushed, first with a 50/50 mix of 318 US Army Tankcrew and 322 Highlight US Tkcr., then very subtly with 100% 322 Highlight US Tkcr. A wash of Future Floor Polish, water and a few spots of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown was brushed over the uniforms, which settled naturally into shadow and recessed areas. Details were picked out using Vallejo acrylics applied with a fine brush. The heads were attached to the bodies at this stage too. The figure painting was completed with two generous coats of Alclad II Flat Clear. A

Heads were primed with Tamiya’s Fine White Primer…

Faces and hands were brush painted with Vallejo Panzer Aces 341 Flesh Base acrylic as a base for the skin tones.

…while bodies were sprayed with Grey Primer.

The base uniform colour was also sourced from Vallejo’s acrylic range – Panzer Aces 318 US Army Tankcrew.

A wash of Future Floor Polish, water and a few spots of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown was brushed over the uniforms, which settled naturally into shadow and recessed areas.

The base uniforms were dry brushed, first with a 50/50 mix of 318 US Army Tankcrew and 322 Highlight US Tkcr., then very subtly with 100% 322 Highlight US Tkcr.

Details were picked out using Vallejo acrylics applied with a fine brush. The heads were attached to the bodies at this stage too.

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The figure painting was completed with two generous coats of Alclad II Flat Clear.

I thought the poses and sculpting of the Tamiya figures was noticeably superior compared to the resin Nemrod figure.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Sherman Korean War • Kit No. 35359

B CONCLUSION Tasca set the standard for Sherman kits for nearly ten years, so comparisons between Tasca’s 2010-release 1:35 scale Easy Eight and Tamiya’s new kits are inevitable. Both look great when

complete, but the approach of the two kits is markedly different. Whereas Tasca’s kit comprises more than 800 parts, Tamiya’s is less than 300. A good example of the different design philosophies is the running

gear. Tasca’s suspension units are made up from 17 pieces, and will be articulated when assembled. Tamiya’s are made up from eight pieces, including the road wheels. The only compromise is lack of articulation – the running gear can

be posed any way you want as long as it is flat on the ground. For most modellers, this will not be an issue. If you want to build an accurate and straightforward Sherman, you can choose these new Tamiya kits with confidence! ■

Modelspec Tamiya 1:35 M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” Korean War Kit No. 35359 Accessories Used: Figure: Single figure from an old Nemrod crew set Tools and Materials Used: Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement Revell Contacta Professional Cement Selley’s Supa Glue Milliput White Two-Part Epoxy Putty Tamiya 10mm Masking Tape Tamiya White Liquid Surface Primer Gunze Mr Surfacer 500 Microscale Industries Kristal Klear Iwata HP-CH Airbrush Paints and Finishing Products: Vehicle: Tamiya Spray Grey Primer Tamiya Spray Fine White Grey Primer Tamiya Spray Can: TS-5 Olive Drab Mission Models Acrylics: MMP-026 US Army Olive Drab FS 33070; MMP-025 US Army Olive Drab FS 34088; MMP-022 US Army Olive Drab Faded 3; MMP021 US Army Olive Drab Faded 2 Tamiya Acrylics: XF-1 Flat Black; XF-2 Flat White; XF-60 Dark Yellow; XF-64 Red Brown. Vallejo Panzer Aces Acrylics - 310 Old Wood; 311 New Wood; 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) Vallejo Model Color – 919 Foundation White; 925 Blue; 942 Light Green. Alclad II Flat Clear Lacquer Prismacolor Pencils - Dark Brown; Silver Rub’n Buff Metallic Finish 2B Pencil Maru Easy Mud 21105 – European Earth Precision Ice and Snow Crew Figures: Flesh Base Coat: Tamiya White Primer followed by Vallejo Panzer Aces 341 Flesh Base. Wash: Rowney Georgian Oil Paint 221 Burnt Sienna. Variations and Highlights: Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylics 341 Flesh Base; 342 Flesh Highlights; Vallejo Model Colour 919 Foundation White (various mixes) Uniforms Base Coats: Pale Uniform Colour - Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylic 318 US Army Tankcrew. Straps: Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylic 312 Leather Belt Wash: Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown mixed with water and Future floor polish. Variations and Highlights: Base coats mixed together and with Vallejo Panzer Aces 321 Highlights British Tkcr., 322 Highlight US Tkcr. and Vallejo Model Colour 847 Dark Sand and 919 Foundation White. Borders and Additional Shading: Vallejo Panzer Aces 337 Highlight Ger. (Black).

Scary tiger face!

Sherman in profile.

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

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Maru Easy Mud was also used to spatter tiny spots of mud onto the hull and glacis. The mixture was loaded onto a brush and simply flicked onto the model from a low angle.

The rear plate arrangement and heat deflector are unique to this kit.

The spare jerry cans and ammo containers are included with the kit.

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KIT PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 Turan II Hungarian Medium Tank 40.M • Kit No. CB-3512

The lower hull is a one-piece tub.

The upper hull.

UPDATED MEDIUM

The turret is conventionally broken down into upper shell and base.

The Editor examines the new 1:35 scale Turan II Medium Tank from Bronco.

he Turan was a Hungarian medium tank of World War II. Based on the design of the Czechoslovak Skoda T-21 medium tank prototype, it was produced in two main variants: the 40M Turan (or Turan I) with a 40 mm gun and the 41M Turan (or Turan II) with a 75 mm gun. A total of 424 were made. The Turan was produced in multiple versions. The Turan I was the original medium tank type, which mounted the 40 mm gun. The gun, the standard Hungarian light anti-tank gun, could fire the same ammunition as the Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun. The gun was mounted in a riveted turret. A total of 285 tanks were produced between 1941 and 1943. After the disastrous Stalingrad offensive, the army realised that they needed a more powerful weapon to counter the more effective Soviet tanks, especially the T-34. A variant was ordered which utilized a short 75 mm gun in an enlarged turret. Known as the Turan II, this vehicle otherwise remained virtually unchanged from the original vehicle. Despite

the improvement, the relatively Hungarian Medium Tank 41.M low velocity of the projectile Turan II comprises more than was unable to pierce the frontal 500 parts in dark yellow coloured armour of a T-34, except at plastic, 216 individual track links point blank range. The T-34’s in brown plastic, 108 photo-etched main gun could penetrate the parts plus with a decal sheet with Turan’s 50 mm of armour at a three marking options. much greater distance. Hungarian The kit shares most of its manufacturers built a total of 139 sprues with the Turan I. The vehicles in 1943 and 1944 before main differences are an all-new the Soviet occupation of Hungary. turret and one different photoAside from tank production, etched fret covering the unique the chassis was the basis for the perforated turret skirts. Zrínyi II assault gun. This mounted The kit is broken down a 105 mm short gun in the hull, conventionally with a one-piece and lacked the traversable turret lower hull tub, a one-piece upper of a tank. 60 examples of this hull and a turret with upper shell vehicle were produced. The only and base. other vehicles known based on The fully articulated suspension this chassis were the Turan III units are well detailed with 34 and the Zrínyi I, both of which pieces per bogie, and four bogies used the German 75 mm KwK 40 on the vehicle. These will require L/43 tank gun (which armed some some patience, care and test variants of the German Panzer IV fitting to build. medium tank). Both vehicles were General detail is excellent too. produced as prototypes only, as This is another welcome the Hungarian Army were supplied addition to Hungarian armour with German armoured vehicles.* subjects in 1:35 scale. Keep ‘em Bronco released their 1:35 scale coming Bronco! ■ Turan I during 2017, and has now added the Turan II to Thanks to Bronco for the review sample their ever-growing line. www.cn-bronco.com/en/index.php Bronco’s 1:35 scale

The large photo-etched side skirts feature the distinctive perforations.

Plenty more photo-etched detail on the second fret too.

Individual click-link tracks are included.

Clear parts comprise headlight lenses and vision blocks.

Three marking schemes are supplied.

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The kit decal sheet with five marking options.

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FEATURE ARTICLE:

Tamiya 1:35 scale U.S. M8 Light Armoured Car Greyhound â&#x20AC;¢ Kit No. 35228

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SHELF QUEEN CORONATION Gary Edmundson finally finishes his Tamiya 1:35 scale M8 Greyhound in a worn, winter scheme indicative of service during the Battle of the Bulge in December of 1944.

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FEATURE ARTICLE:

Tamiya 1:35 scale U.S. M8 Light Armoured Car Greyhound • Kit No. 35228

Interior detail was enhanced with parts from the spares bin, scrap styrene, and lead wire.

Decals from Fingerprint designs were used for the directional markings on the turret ring.

odellers often use the term “shelf queen” to refer to a model started and then abandoned at some point during the construction/painting stage and set aside. The reasons for this are numerous, and range from loss of interest, the lure of a new, more exciting kit release, or not willing to tackle the next, perhaps more difficult step in construction or painting. I’ve prided myself to never having fallen into this situation. Well, almost never. I bought the new release of the Tamiya M8 Greyhound when it came out nearly 20 years ago, and started construction soon after. Aftermarket parts were bought, and then the project was shelved and mostly forgotten for well over a decade. When trying to pair one of John Rosengrant’s magnificently sculpted figures with a US AFV project, I dusted off the box of the M8 and tied into it with determination to complete what I’d started. I chose to finish this model with a worn, winter scheme indicative of service during the Battle of the Bulge in December of 1944.

INTERIOR DETAILS The model comes with a basic interior, so I took advantage of a partial Eduard photo-etched detail set (actually for the Italeri kit) along with some parts from the spares box to dress up the inside. This allowed me to open the hatches up front to expose the work. An ammunition rack directly behind the driver is shown in the Squadron “In Action” reference is, so this was added from the Eduard set. Communications boxes and inter-connecting cabling was built from scrap styrene and lead wire, and an M1 carbine with ammo pouch was added by the front of the vehicle using spares from a DML figure set.

Radio details and colours were scrounged from searching the Internet, along with other miscellaneous helpful information. A decal sheet from Fingerprint Designs was used to add the directional indicator markings to the turret ring, which is quite a prolific detail to the interior. This same decal sheet also had stowage labels for binoculars, ammo, flashlights and other interior components.

INTERIOR COLOURS There seemed to be quite a bit of variation in how modellers have finished the interior colours of their M8 kits. Most surfaces that appear open to the sky (like open hatches and the floor of the vehicle) were painted in standard olive drab. Unfortunately some of the restored examples of today have many components painted in white which were actually olive drab back during their service years. I studied as many period references as possible to get these colours painted correctly. For the white sections of the interior, I mixed up an off-white combination of Tamiya’s XF-2 Flat White and a few drops of XF-55 Deck Tan. The floor and other details were airbrushed XF-62 Olive Drab. Ammunition rounds stowed in the turret had their cases painted with Alclad’s polished brass, and the entire interior was coated with Future floor finish to give a gloss surface. Thinned black and raw umber oil paint was applied to the surfaces to bring out the detail and give a weathered look, and small scratches were added to the high-traffic areas using a fine tipped 000 brush and Vallejo acrylic dark grey. The gun was painted in olive drab, and the breach then given a metalized look using Uschi brand Steel Metal Polishing Powder.

The radio was detailed with a microphone made from styrene.

Information placards and stowage labels came from the Fingerprint Designs decal sheet

After buttoning up the painted and weathered interior, the openings were masked and prepared for the worn winter whitewash.

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EXTERIOR VEHICLE DETAILS I had acquired a set of resin wheels for this model which included chains, seen in the winter months of service. The Tank Workshop product chain detail was quite fine, and well cast. Since US vehicles tended to have a lot of personal stowage fastened to the outside, I had to dig out some old Verlinden accessory sets which, much to my delight, included bedrolls and tarps specifically designed to fit the contours of the M8 kit. To make the front glacis look somewhat realistic, photo-etched light guards are an absolute must, so the kit parts were replaced with the delicate Eduard photoetched parts. Thin cable from an old drafting table square was cut to length and added to the hull after fastening the kit tow-cable ends. The front towing cleats are unfortunately not correct for the model, so the cable was attached to the front cleat using an improvised method involving brass rod. I fashioned a rear clamp for the cable with lead foil and a ModelKasten wing nut.

A coat of off-white acrylic was airbrushed over a thick layer of hairspray after laying down a base color of Olive Drab

PAINTING THE VEHICLE EXTERIOR The hull and wheels were airbrushed with Tamiya’s XF-62 Olive Drab, and then gloss-coated using Future floor acrylic. Some markings were applied, but they were non-specific from the kit decal sheet. The national star markings on the glacis and rear wheel covers were sprayed on using an off-white mix of Tamiya acrylic and brass stencils from STENCILIT. All markings received a protective gloss coat of Future. A fairly thick coat of hair spray was applied over this by decanting a generic brand into a jar and airbrushing on several coats. This was a mistake – so read on. I let this all dry and then airbrushed on a muted, patchy coat of off-white Tamiya acrylic. To achieve a worn look to this white-wash finish, I took a damp paintbrush and tried to rub down the white paint. As the hair spray dissolved, it took large sections of the white –wash completely off. It started to disintegrate in sheets. It was a disaster. I spent the next hour trying to clean off all of the white paint and hairspray previously applied. After a few days of re-composing myself, I diluted the hairspray a bit with some water, and applied one thin coat with the airbrush. After repeating the previous procedure after that modification to the process, I achieved a much more satisfactory result. A

After a disastrous experience of the paint peeling off in sheets, the model was washed back down to its base coat and the procedure repeated with a more diluted thin coat of hairspray.

A more acceptable result was achieved by gentle rubbing with a damp brush on the various components (with a thinner layer of hairspray!)

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FEATURE ARTICLE:

Tamiya 1:35 scale U.S. M8 Light Armoured Car Greyhound • Kit No. 35228

B ADDITIONAL DETAIL The tools and antennae were added at the final stages of finishing the model. US antennae consisted of three sections of rod, each 3 feet long, and then pulled back in most cases to aid clearance. I heated the “spring” sections of the antennae mounts to bend them slightly, and used stretched styrene rod 3- 5/64” long, tied down with stretchy thread called EZ-Line. The tools were painted flat black, and the metal sections were rubbed with Uschi metal powder to give a very realistic look of steel. The wooden sections of the spade and axe were initially painted with Vallejo Light Sand 837, and then finished with a mix of raw umber and burnt sienna oil paint to mimic a wood-grain appearance. Tie-down straps were made with Aber buckles and lead sheet, then painted using Vallejo 988 Khaki. After the wheels were sprayed with Olive Drab, the tires were painted Vallejo Black Grey 862.

The wheels were airbrushed Olive Drab, and the tires painted with Vellejo’s Black Grey. A silver pencil allowed the chain detail to pop out.

Artist’s chalk pastel sticks were ground down on sandpaper, then adhered to the wheel well’s using a soaking of Tamiya Acrylic thinner X-20A

Using a silver pencil, the chain on the tires was highlighted to stand out. Photos show these chains looking quite bright, and not rusty while in use. The wheel wells were given a coating of accumulated muck by adding a healthy sprinkling of artist’s chalk pastel powder, and then soaking it with a slight touch of a thick brush loaded with Tamiya’s acrylic thinner X-20A. The thinner soaks into the pastel

A small amount of thinned Tamiya clear gloss was dabbed near the bottom of the muck to show a damp layer.

An assortment of vehicle stowage was prepared for painting by mounting on tooth picks for handling. The components were pre-shaded by airbrushing them dark brown, and then bringing in the colour gradually by airbrushing with various shades of khaki and olive green, allowing the shadow to show.

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Tie-down straps for the tool stowage was made from strips of lead sheet and Aber buckles.

The tow cable was added using thin cable from an old drafting table arm.

The metal parts of the tools were painted black, and treated with Uschi’s metal polishing powder – steel type.

chalk and adheres it to the model. Subsequently, Tamiya’s gloss finish X-22 was dabbed onto the lower edges of this to mimic a dampened layer.

TANKER FIGURE As previously mentioned, John Rosengrant’s S&T Products figures are nicely sculpted. The face and hands were primed a dark flesh colour, and painted using oils. I airbrushed the rest of the figure flat black and then drybrushed the colour into his overalls and jacket using various Vallejo colours such as US Field Drab 873, Stone Grey 884, and Khaki 988. The details were picked out in a lighter shade of the original, and a very light grey was used to highlight buckles and the coverall zip.

DISPLAY BASE Celluclay papier-mâché was mixed with a bit of water, white glue and acrylic paint colour to form the groundwork, which was spread onto an old trophy plaque. Sand and small grit were pressed into the soft mix after it was spread onto the base. Various colours of static grass were also pressed into place randomly. Plant root from a garden shrub had the muck shaken off, and sections of it were glued together to form a wintery tree-like object. A small truck was fashioned from a lump of epoxy putty and the assembly was painted dark brown. After adding it to the base, baking soda was sprinkled on randomly, and also was added to the wheels of the vehicle. A

Faint traces of raw umber oil paint were applied to the model in random downward streaks, indicative of rust and weather. The various items of stowage came from a couple of Verlinden detail sets, acquired over the years. With the front hatches open, the vehicle’s interior is quite visible.

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FEATURE ARTICLE:

Tamiya 1:35 scale U.S. M8 Light Armoured Car Greyhound â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 35228

The wheels with chains came from The Tank Workshopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s line of resin accessories

Being a shelved project, the 50 cal. MG had disappeared over the years, so the model received a spare one from a DML Sherman kit

Front right side view.

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Chipped paint was simulated on the open hatches using silver enamel, toned down with a touch of raw umber oil paint.

B CONCLUSION After languishing in a box for many years in a half-built state it was nice to put this project together, especially considering the extras I’d accumulated for it. It was also a pleasure to use some of the newer weathering techniques and finishing products available, along with a decent quality resin figure to set it off. ■

Modelspec Tamiya 1:35 scale U.S. M8 Light Armoured Car Greyhound. Kit No. 35228 Available from Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating

After languishing in a box for many “ years in a half-built state it was nice to put

this project together, especially considering the extras I’d accumulated for it... A tree for the small vignette was made from plant roots from the garden. John Rosengrant’s S&T Products US Tanker made an appropriate addition to the vignette, painted with Vallejo acrylics and oils for the face and hands.

”

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KIT PREVIEW

Tamiya 1:35 scale Self-Propelled Howitzer M109A6 • Kit No. 37026

The Italeri upper hull.

The kit decal sheet offers three Iraq War options.

The lower hull is moulded in one piece as a tub.

PALADIN UPGRADED The Editor gets an early look at Tamiya’s reboxed and upgraded 1:35 scale M109A6 Self-Propelled Howitzer.

he M109 is an Americanmade self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It was upgraded a number of times to today’s M109A6 Paladin. The M109 family is the most common Western indirectfire support weapon of manoeuvre brigades of armoured and mechanized infantry divisions. The M109 has a crew of six: the section chief, the driver, the gunner, the assistant gunner and two ammunition handlers. The gunner aims the cannon left or right (deflection), the assistant gunner aims the cannon up and down (quadrant). The M109A6 Paladin needs only a crew of four: the Commander, driver, gunner and ammunition loader. The M109A2 variant incorporated 27 reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) mid-life improvements. Most notably, the long barrelled 155 mm M185 cannon in the M178 gun mount, ballistic protection for the panoramic telescope, counterbalanced travel lock, and the ability to mount the M140 alignment device. Stowage was increased from 28 rounds of 155 mm, to 36 rounds. .50cal ammunition remained at 500 rounds. The M109 saw its combat

debut in Vietnam. Israel used the M109 against Egypt in the 1973 Yom Kippur War and in the 1982 Lebanon War and 2006 Lebanon War. Iran used the M109 in the Iran-Iraq War during the 1980s. The M109 saw service with the British Army, the Egyptian Army and Saudi Arabian Army in the 1991 Gulf War. The M109 also saw service with the U.S. Army in the Gulf War, as well as in the Iraq War from 2003.* Tamiya has now reboxed Italeri’s venerable 1:35 scale M109A6 Paladin kit with some improved parts plus re-issued Tamiya sprues – mainly stowage and two Iraq War US crew figures. The kit comprises 273 dark yellow plastic parts on the Italeri sprues; a further 95 parts on Tamiya’s sand-coloured sprues; two lengths of flexible vinyl track; one photo-etched fret with 16 parts; a printed paper sheet representing MRE boxes and markings for three vehicles. The original Italeri kit dates from 1983, but new parts were included for its upgrade to the A6 variant in 1999, and now there are more improvements to the Italeri sprues, mainly to the road wheels. The old full-length silver vinyl tracks are still in this boxing. I was hoping that there might be an upgrade to link-and-length tracks

Box-side painting guide for the new Tamiya stowage.

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this time around. If you don’t like the tracks, there are always the after-market Skunkmodel link and length tracks available; and Italeri themselves offer a workable set of individual link tracks too. Tools are a bit clunky and would best be replaced. Tamiya brings two new sprues to the package with crisply moulded and well detailed packs, rolls, modern jerry cans, ammo containers and Iraq War specific parts, including two torso crew figures. Tamiya has also provided a paper sheet of Meal Ready To Eat (MRE) cartons. You’ll need to cut these out, fold and glue these. A brand-new photo-etched fret is also added for the turret stowage bins. Italeri’s 1:35 scale M109A2 Paladin is reasonably detailed and should be quite straightforward to build. The addition of Tamiya stowage, accessories, figures, photo-etched parts and decals is a bonus that will deliver a definite improvement. This should be an easy project for fans of modern armour. Recommended. ■

The main turret shell.

The improved road wheels.

The full-length flexible silver tracks.

One of two more recent sprues supplied by Tamiya.

Thanks to Tamiya Japan for the sample. Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Paper MRE cartons. * Historical summary summarised from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M109_howitzer

The brand new photo-etched fret.

11/01/2018 11:38

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23/11/2016 12:37

FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Late Production w/Winterketten. â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 6387

EASTERN WORKHORSE Konrad Dzik finishes his Dragon 1:35 scale Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf.L in a war weary winter whitewash.

think that the Panzer III must be one of the best-known German tanks during WWII. We could call it the workhorse of German army, mainly on the Eastern Front, but also seeing action in all other theatres. I always like how tanks look with Winterketten, especially in a case of Panzer III or Stug III. When I grabbed the Dragon model from the stash, I started looking for some inspirational reference photos on the Internet, but what I mostly found was the J version in this particular configuration. Some time later, when I had started building the model, my friend lent me a book with a picture of a Panzer III Ausf. L being repaired in the field. I built this one using the markings from the box and without exhaust diffuser on back.

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ASSEMBLY

The Dragon 1:35 scale Panzer III Ausf. L kit has nice detail straight from the box so I decided to add only basic items from the Aber photo-etched set that contains all necessary parts like clamps for tools.

I decided not to change fenders, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to do the damages using a knife and sandpaper to the plastic ones, what saves a lot of time.

This kit is a nice stepping stone towards more complicated models.

All building was fast and without any major problems.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Late Production w/Winterketten. • Kit No. 6387

PAINTING I start painting by applying Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black as an overall primer. Tamiya paints are durable enough to be a base, and thel black paint covers all the arts which might be in different colours giving us a smooth dull surface that is best for the proper painting.

Next Tamiya XF-63 German Grey was applied.

I painted it with smooth layers - half opaque so that I could achieve the best control and mark first shades coming out from the black base.

WEATHERING I decided to do some colour modulation, even though it would not be very visible under the white wash. I lightened base colour with some medium blue and deck tan. It was applied in translucent layers, which can end up with a nice gradient that gives us smooth transition of the various shades.

I’m not a big fan of heavy modulation that sometimes occurs as strong different of shade and light. To me, it just looks too exaggerated. Even so, modulation is crucial to achieving an interesting finish that doesn’t look like a toy.

This is why I prefer to soften the finish compared to the very strong contrast that may be hard to control in the next phases.

When the paint was dry I was able to filter the whole model. This action helps us easily vary our model with different shades of base colour. I decided to use to the Blue and Tan filters from Ammo. It is crucial is to apply them with a damp brush that isn’t wet and often mix the bottle. That’s why I rub the brush down on a paper towel before start applying paint on the model. Another important thing is to let each layer dry, otherwise some damp patches may occur.

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Tools were painted using the acrylic paint set from Ammo dedicated them. I started by painting with a paler tone followed by a fine brush wood pattern done with different shades of brown.

As you can see on the photo, a nice variety of colour can be easily achieved.

This increased contrast between lower and upper areas, as well the wash can make modulation smoother and unifying.

The whole vehicle was washed using two shades - one bluish overall, followed by a dark wash over the lower hull.

I decided to make chipping in the traditional way - just painting it. I started by painting the light ones with a mix of Intermediate Blue and Medium Sea Grey from Life Colour, mainly with a sponge and fine brush. It is important to wipe off most of the paint, so the marks you are making are finer and more random.

The brush is easier to control but as well much more time consuming, that’s why it was used only to finish it and in the place where I couldn’t be precise enough using the sponge.

Next, some rusty, deeper chips were applied. This time I decided to use chipping colour from Ammo that was firstly diluted. It easier than to control, and therefore to paint smaller chips. Then with a good fine brush, I applied paint into some of the previously done scratches. Thanks to using two stages, you can achieve more realistic scratches that add some structure effect.

When the scratches were done, it was time for some oil paints. They were used to paint some rust over the chips and streaks. Firstly, I applied some paint over the place where I want to achieve this specific effect. It’s good to put the oil paint on cardboard and let it stay for some time, so the oil will soak into and the paint will dry much faster on the model.

Then I blended the paint using Odourless Enamel Thinner with a small brush. The more precise and better brush you use, the nicer and in scale effect you can achieve. While I’m working on the flat surface I typically use some taping motion, but in the case of incline surfaces, vertical motion is much more appropriate. March 2018 - Model Military International 41

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Late Production w/Winterketten. â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 6387

WHITEWASH After the oils, it was time for the white wash. Firstly, I applied the heavily worn effect over the whole model in two layers, then I could apply white paint. I used Tamiya paint diluted with water. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crucial for this technique to apply paint with thin, translucent layers.

When the paint was dry I was able to start getting rid of the top layer. I used to type of paint and water. Firstly, I soften the surface with water and then using damp brush rub it till the paint was coming off.

When the first white wash was ready, I coated it with the satin varnish from Tamiya and repeat the whole procedure so it looks as the white paint was wiped and replied.

After the white wash, many techniques were applied one more time.

Firstly, I put a Dark Wash, over the majority of the vehicle and Dark Brown over the lower parts of the hull.

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As you can see, paint was applied in form of dots over the white.

Then I decided to do a mapping over the white wash. This technique can different the white, you can show that it was applied in different time and they were warned in another level. I decide to use for this oils, but you can use other types of paint as well. After a couple of minutes, it was blended with a tapping motion to combine it with the rest of vehicle and make it appear more realistic.

I decided to make chipping in the â&#x20AC;&#x153; traditional way - just painting it... â&#x20AC;?

I jumped into working with the exhaust, which was painted with the AMMO set for rust. Each colour was applied with heavy diluted paint in a couple of layers. In this way, the acrylics are much easier to control and offer much better effects at the end. I started from the edges with the lighter tone and then next colours were applied in a similar way.

On the rusty exhaust, I applied the worn effect, like before the white wash and paint it over with the base paint, which was then scratched. What might happen due to high temperatures?

Oil stains were reapplied because the white wash covered most of the previous effect. These were applied in the same way as before.

You can see they are adding more shades to the rest and make everything look more vivid.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Late Production w/Winterketten. â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 6387

At this phase, I start working on the mud over the suspension. I start from applying pigment, firstly European Earth and Dark Earth, which was reflection of the dust accumulated there.

Next, they were blended with an odourless thinner using a vertical moves and old brush that is helpful in such effects where they should be random.

After this, the first darker spots, like those caused by different oils or just wet mud, were done with a dark wash. It was applied in vertical lines and blended a bit just as real streaks are formed. Care should be taken while blending not to destroy the previous effect done with pigment. Some wash was also speckled from the brush with the use of a toothpick.

Finally, heavy structural mud was applied with the Mud and Splashes from AMMO. I started by mixing of Loose Ground and Dry Light Soil to replicate the older dry mud. It was applied by tapping with an old brush over the suspension and other recesses where it could accumulate. Some of it was also added after thinning with odourless thinner.

Fresher and wet mud was blended with turned earth in a similar way as before, trying not to completely cover the previous layers.

The final step with mud were some wet streaks. I used Fresh Engine Oil, which has nice dark shine colour that fits perfectly. This was applied with a thin brush that gives maximum control.

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Wheels were weathered in a similar way as the rest of suspension.

I used pigments to match the whole vehicle with the suspension. A mix was applied in small quantity over horizontal surfaces as side skirts and other plates, where the crew might operate. Then it was blended with odourless thinner to fix it and spread over the surface.

Some wet spots and oils leaks were applied with Fresh Engine Oil. It is good to apply it with many thin layers so it looks like it develops not at once, as these stains build up over time.

I started painting the tracks by priming it with Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black, just like the vehicle was. The base colour, NATO Brown, was next applied overall.

To replicate the rusted structure, I speckled different shades from the Ammo Rust Set.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Late Production w/Winterketten. • Kit No. 6387

The mud was done using the same pigments that were used before so it blends with the rest of the vehicle. It was brushed off over the whole track

Then it was fixed with Pigment Fixer. It’s important to use as small amount of it as possible, so as not to break it. Magic tracks are very delicate, which is why I decided not to use any enamel based products. After applying the fixer, the tracks were attached to the model.

Edges of the track were dry brushed with the polished metal.

Modelspec Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Late Production w/Winterketten Kit No. 6387 ✓ High level of detail; includes Magic Track individual links; accurate; lots of spare and optional parts for different versions. ✗ Nothing worth mentioning. Available from Dragon kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating

Here is the real vehicle upon which Konrad’s Panzer III was based. Note the heavily weathered winter finish.

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11/01/2018 11:51

FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)• Kit No. 6397

WINTER JAGDPANZER Tracy Hancock places Dragon’s 1:35 scale Jagdpanzer IV in a wintry scene.

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e modellers are visual creatures, and when we see an image of something we want to build we file it away; both in our minds and on our computers. Such was the case when I stumbled on this photo of a victim of the late war battles in Hungary; I knew I had to build it! One of the main questions about this tank was whether the wavy white lines seen on the front of the superstructure were a whitewash pattern or visibility markings placed on wrecks by the Russians to avoid collisions by night time supply convoys. After some discussion with modeller/historian Mirko Bayerl, the theory that this was a whitewash pattern was deemed the most probable. Aside from the eye-catching paint job; the other distinguishing feature of this tank are the spare tracks mounted on the superstructure sides. A

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)â&#x20AC;˘ Kit No. 6397

B CONSTRUCTION

There is only one known photo of the vehicle I modelled, but in that photo, you can see that the right from mudguard is missing. This was removed and some remaining structure was scratch built. I made the assumption that the field modified hull spare track bracket was present on both sides of the vehicle. Note the gentle damage added to the fender lip running under the superstructure.

Dragon's Jagdpanzer IV L/70 is state of the art and can be built out of the box, resulting in a fantastic build. All of the modifications I made to the kit were to replicate damaged parts, save for the front fender support arm mounting brackets; which are solid on the kit's parts; some scrap brass was easily crafted into replacements. The spare track brackets on the hull sides were easily shaped from strip styrene. The rest of the work was to recreate the damage to the fenders; consisting of removing the front left fender, creating the damaged right rear fender, giving the right front fender a bit of a crumple, removing and drilling some missing bolt heads along the fenders, and thinning the lips running under the superstructure so that they could be given some minor wear and damage. After that the model was ready for a coat of Tamiya primer.

PRIMER AND PAINTING Once the primer had cured overnight, the factory red primer was applied using Vallejo Calvary Brown, and the gun barrel's heat resistant primer from Floquil Oily Black and Tamiya XF-54 Dark Sea Grey. The model was given a coat of hairspray to begin the chipping process, then a basecoat of Tamiya Dark Yellow thinned with Buff. This was followed by custom mixes of Tamiya paints to create the green and red-brown, adding a few drops of the base yellow into the mixture to create some colour harmony. In order to create better contrast with the upcoming whitewash; all of the colours were a bit darker than I would have normally used. It's worth noting that at this point, I posted the model for constructive criticism and Mirko was again helpful in pointing out some issues with the camouflage pattern; a quick respray followed to address those issues.

The front fender showed a significant crimp in the photo; the kit part was easily modified to replicate this.

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This photo shows the majority of the modifications made to the kit: the damage to the rear fender and the removal of the angular rear engine armour shurtzen. Again, wear was added to the fender lip using my photo as a guide.

The headlight wiring was added, and here you can see the fender arm supports, scratch built from brass sheet. On the whole, this is one of the best detailed kits I've built.

11/01/2018 11:42

Vallejo Calvary Brown was used to prime the hull and running gear; while Tamiya XF-54 and Floquil Oily Black were mixed to create the dark grey barrel primer.

Here you see the result of the 3rd repaint of the kit; I was much happier with this one than any of the previous attempts. Exhausts were painted with Lifecolor's Rust set. Note the damage to the rear hull side showing scaring from the destroyed idler wheel; this was done using the hairspray method.

While a significant part of the vehicle would be covered by whitewash, I did do some weathering using the hairspray method before the whitewash was applied.

WEATHERING Hairspray chipping is no new kid on the block, so I won't bother to cover the process; but special attention was given to the lower hull side near the missing idler wheel to replicate scarring of the paint from shrapnel. One point worth mentioning regarding the hairspray chipping method is that once I begin to work in an area and the chipping begins, I tend to move quickly to another spot and begin working my way around the model in this manner.

This keeps any one area of the model from becoming overworked and allows you to view your results as a whole, readdressing any areas that need more attention. Lifecolor's excellent rust set was used on the exhausts and on the bottom of the shredded rear fender. This same set was used to create micro effects and wear selectively on the whole vehicle as part of the first stage of weathering. Patience and a highquality sable brush are key here. At this point I break out the A

This close-up shows the effects of the hairspray chipping and some early work with oils; replicating wear that the tank has incurred before the crew applied the whitewash. When the whitewash is worn away, some of this wear will show here and there and will help guide further weathering.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)• Kit No. 6397

Two light coats of hairspray preceded the nerve wracking application of the whitewash. Here you can see the results of both. The barrel, headlight and other areas in this photo show chipping with the hairspray method and work done with oils prior to the whitewash being applied.

This close-up shows how wear and weathering done before the whitewash application peaks through and can be further enhanced with oils; you can also see the results of mapping the whitewash using flat white acrylic, creating minute, stronger areas of white. The modifications to the kit fenders are also readily seen here.

B oils and, using a bit of cardboard

for a palette to leach out some of the linseed oil and to give a matt finish, begin working these same areas with earth tones; creating additional rust tones and stains. I'd seen Lester Plaskitt mention a technique using thinned Tamiya Clear yellow to create different tones on his Drilling and after contacting him and getting some pointers decided to spray this as a filter to brighten and unify the camouflage colours a bit more. This also gives the model a very slightly glossy finish and sets the stage for the pin wash. I tend to use a more restrained colour for the initial pin wash, coming back with a darker colour and adding accents to deeper areas. I also take this opportunity to begin to add some subtle streaking and rust staining, as the vehicle was sure to have seen some action before the whitewash was applied. After all, what is weathering but taking the vehicle from the assembly line to its final form? Building up layers of weathering is the key to an authentic finish.

is weathering but taking the vehicle “…what from the assembly line to its final form? Building up layers of weathering is the key to an authentic finish...

”

An overview shot; I am pleased with how closely the wavy lines of whitewash on the superstructure front match what is seen in my reference photo. I am also pleased at how harmonious and restrained the weathering is when viewed from a distance.

WINTER WHITEWASH The next step was probably the most unnerving; hand painting the winter whitewash stripes on the model. Parallel to painting the model, I'd been spraying some scrap plastic with the same colours and before jumping in to work on the model, I used these as test pieces for the whitewash. Once I had the paint consistency dialled in, I applied a layer of hairspray and began applying the wavy whitewash with Model Master Flat White and a quality sable brush. The spare track links on the rear and sides of the hull were in place as this was done, and the whitewash was worn away

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The striking and unique pattern of the whitewash is readily apparent in this side view. This view also shows how keeping the base colors of the camouflage a bit stronger helps them pop out and creates a stronger contrast for the whitewash to play against.

accordingly. To complete the whitewash stage mapping using Model Master Flat White was applied; taking care to brighten areas where the whitewash would accumulate, not wear off as quickly, and create visual appeal on the model. Subtlety is key here.

WEATHERING CONTINUES Oil Paint Rendering was next and involves using very small amounts of oil paint, applied in a very specific manner to accentuate everything from the original camouflage colours, the weathering and rust, and the whitewash. Colours are applied to very specific areas and blended out with an almost completely dry brush. Unlike the oil dot method, which is used to break up visual uniformity on large areas of the model; Oil Paint Rendering is used to enhance specific areas of the model. In this case I used a variety of earth tones to enhance the rust, dirt and areas of wear as well as brighter greens, yellows, and redbrowns to enhance the camouflage colours, as well as a touch of white here and there on the whitewash areas. This technique is incredibly versatile and gives the ability to create the subtlest of colour shifts and staining; absolutely essential to incorporate into your skill set. The next step was applying pigments to the lower hull; first, a lighter mixture was liberally applied, allowing accumulation under the fenders and around the idler and drive housings, and the running gear assemblies. This was done by setting the model on its side and applying pigments, then fixing them with isopropyl alcohol. This mixture was also applied to the upper hull's horizontal areas and fixed the same way. A slightly darker mixture was applied next, concentrating on the deeper areas of the hull; with the darkest mixture of pigments applied very discriminately to areas of the upper and lower hull's recesses. At this point, darker diluted oil paints were used to create leaks, stains, and seepage on top of the pigments. As the brush began to dry, it was flicked against a toothpick to create spatter against the hull. A

The lower hull received heavy applications of pigments, dark washes, and speckling; making sure to treat each side with some asymmetry. Pigments are also built up on the lower areas of the superstructure, and in areas that would not receive much crew contact; like the lower areas of the gun's lafette, mantlet, and barrel.

This left side view shows the variation in pigment application from the right side; of note is the somewhat cleaner area of the rear hull where the destruction of the idler wheel would have jarred dust and accumulated dirt loose. The side armour plate covering the air intakes has also been blown away, revealing the slightly less weathered area underneath.

This overhead shot shows how the pigments have been worked heavily into the areas of the front hull where crew movement would have been least. The driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side of the front hull superstructure would have seen a fair amount of crew traffic, so is kept a bit cleaner.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Dragon 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)• Kit No. 6397

Here Fruil tracks have been fitted, after being subjected to Blacken-It, washes, and pigments. The main gun elevation was kept low, to imply a defeated vehicle.

Tarps made from Milliput have been added and painted with Lifecolor paints, as they give a realistic, flat finish indicative of cloth. Opposing sides of the tarps are painted in differing colour for visual interest.

An overview showing the pigment application and staining of the tarps, as well as the addition of pieces of naturally weathered newspaper which will also be scattered on the ground to imply a quick intel search by the passing Russian troops. Traces of whitewash remain on the upper surfaces of the hull, but areas of heavy crew traffic have worn off much of this.

B Along the way, the running gear had been treated to the same process outlined above, and at this point it was time to add them. Fruil tracks were assembled and treated to a bath of Blacken-It and weathered appropriately with oils and pigments and added at this time as well; a quick swipe of sandpaper to the track faces was used to indicate a very recently abandoned vehicle. Milliput tarps and an old newsprint advert cut into small bits were placed on the hull's rear deck, simulating the hurried search for intel by Soviet forces. Once glued in place, these were treated to pigments and delicate washes as well.

BASE AND FIGURES At this point I began to address the beginnings of the base and figure. Conversations with Mirko revealed that the roadway was of concrete

construction, so a sheet of plastic was laid down and the colouring and staining began. Trees were constructed using wire armatures and Papier Mache putty, coated with Mr. Surfacer when dry. These were painted and given a stippling of various moss colours with a sponge. Grasses and forest litter came from a variety of manufacturers and were all treated with dark washes to impart the feeling of a late winter thaw. Roadside barriers were constructed from basswood, painted white; given a light sanding and weathered with pigments. The figure was an excellent Pegaso sculpt with a replacement Alpine head. Lifecolor's excellent acrylics where used for the uniform colours as they give the best matt finish. Special attention was paid to the patina of the leather jacket.

Once the vehicle was placed on the base, various debris was placed on the surrounding area; including the ubiquitous bucket and more of the bits of naturally weathered paper advert. ■

The fig was re glossy with en add to

Modelspec Dragon 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)

Kit No. 6397

✓ Near complete new kit compared to the previous release; high level of detail; accurate; good fit. ✗ Nothing worth mentioning really. Available from Dragon kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating The figure is from Pegaso with a replacement Alpine head.

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Trees were constructed using wire armatures and paper mache putty, coated with Mr. Surfacer when dry.

The loss of the idler wheel has caused significant leakage from its housing, and the bucket has seen better days as well.

Various debris was placed on the base, including the ubiquitous bucket and more of the bits of naturally weathered paper advert.

Roadside barriers were constructed from basswood, painted white; given a light sanding and weathered with pigments.

The figure's leather coat was rendered with a more glossy finish and treated with enamel Track Wash to add to the worn patiena

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Book Reviews HAYNES PUBLISHING

ROLLS-ROYCE ARMOURED CAR OWNERS WORKSHOP MANUAL 1915-44 BY DAVID FLETCHER ISBN 978 1 78521 058 7 CONTENTS & MEDIA: HARD-COVER FORMAT; 156 PAGES; BLACK AND WHITE AND COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS AND LINE DRAWINGS. PRICE: £22.99 PLUS POSTAGE. AVAILABLE ONLINE FROM HAYNES PUBLISHING

World War One is now regarded as the first truly mechanised war and the armoured car, like the tank, was a genius idea for reconnaissance units needing something highly mobile but perhaps better protected from enemy fire than a horse. A number of cars were converted for military use, and the best known and most widely used were the vehicles mounted on Rolls-Royce chassis. The Rolls-Royce armoured car has come to be regarded as the standard WW1 armoured vehicle and while there were others developed, It’s the Rolls-Royce vehicles we now associate with all WW1 armoured cars. The full story is much wider than that and it’s nicely represented in Haynes Publishing’s latest “owners’ workshop manual”. The Rolls-Royce Armoured Car was introduced by the Royal Naval Air Service in 1914 for shore patrols while later modified versions were still in service during the Second World War with the British Army’s 11th Hussars in the North African desert. Between the wars upgraded versions were used for policing duties by the Royal Air Force in Iraq, Egypt and India. The Haynes people are well known for their series of automotive workshop manuals which date back to the mid 1960s. More recently they have branched into a wide range of “lifestyle” manuals traversing a wide range of subjects including a growing library of military titles. The owners workshop manual for a WW1 tank, and the recently reviewed SE5a owner’s workshop manual are two examples. In reality, the Haynes titles are really a general history and walk through of each specific subject, with a more general reader in mind. The Rolls-Royce Armoured Car 1915-44 (All Models) to give it its full title, has been produced in conjunction with the Tank Museum at Bovington which has a carefully preserved and restored example in its astonishing collection. Author David Fletcher is the former Librarian at the Tank Museum and a respected world authority on armoured fighting vehicles. He is also a published author, including the Haynes Great War Tank Manual (2013) and co-author of the Haynes Tiger Tank Manual (2011). In this 156 page lavishly illustrated account featuring more than 260 photos and illustrations, we learn of how the chassis of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was adapted into an armoured car that served in diverse areas such as the Western Front, Ireland during the Irish Civil War of the 1920s, and supporting Lawrence of Arabia’s Arab forces against the Turks in the desert of the Middle East. Upgraded Rolls-Royce armoured cars continued in service between the wars, especially in Iraq, Libya and India and later versions were still in use with the British army in World War 2. As the title indicates, David Fletcher’s book traverses the years 1915 to 1944 and thus covers all variants of the vehicle. Mr Fletcher’s writing style is comfortable and informative and gives us a useful history of the Rolls-Royce Armoured Car’s development, and service use, and incorporates a detailed look at the construction, maintenance and restoration of the vehicle. Like Haynes’ recent SE5a book, the photos and illustrations used throughout are a huge benefit and an invaluable reference source for modellers, especially anyone tackling the detailed Roden 1/’35th armoured car kit. As an endorsement I am currently making the Roden kit and the Haynes’ book is frankly better than the kit’s instructions. Like all Haynes’ titles, the chapters are presented in clearly defined groupings. There’s some background on Messrs Rolls and Royce, separate sections on the armoured car’s service use in WWI, the interwar years and WWII, and a detailed anatomy of every part of the vehicle. Further sections detail driving and maintenance and the restoration of “Sliabh na mBan”, the Irish machine which is the centrepiece of this manual. The Irish Army’s 1920 Rolls-Royce Armoured car ‘Sliabh na mBan’ was restored jointly by the Irish Defence Forces and specialist historic Rolls-Royce restorer James Black Restorations between 2012 and 2015. Highly detailed photos are invaluable for modellers and give general motoring history enthusiasts a clear insight into how these classic vehicles were made. It’s pretty much a one stop book for modellers and the impressive number of historical, detailed and modern photos, many published for the first time, are packed with visual detail to satisfy both the aviation enthusiast and the detail-obsessed modeller. This is welcome addition to the reference library for WW1 modellers and especially useful for those making the Roden Rolls-Royce Armoured Car kit. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Haynes Publishing for the review copy https://haynes.com/ David Wilson

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PEN AND SWORD BOOKS

IMAGES OF WAR ARMOURED WARFARE IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1916-1918 BY ANTHONY TUCKER JONES ISBN 1473872987 Here is another great title from Pen and Sword Books on the topic of World War One Armour. It comes in the form of soft back with 144 Pages and over 150 rare archive pictures, all very nice. There are 12 chapters covering the following: 1. Little Willie and Mother 2. Male and Female 3. Heavy or Light 4. First Blood at Flers 5. French Heavies at Berry-au-Bac 6. Trapped at Passchendaele 7. Fortress Cabrai 8. The Allies Strike 9. Tank Verses Tank-Villes-Bretonneux 10. Renaults at Soissons 11. Amiens Sledgehammer 12. St Mihiel Debut Each Chapter is well written, drawing you into the battle with great narratives of the actions, giving you a good idea of what it was like to be a crewman in one of these beasts. Whether an enthusiast or Modeller, I would recommend this great title to all. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Pen and Sword Books for the sample https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk Andrew Judson

MMP BOOKS

THE SS-DIVISION WIKING IN THE CAUCASUS 1942-1943 BY MASSIMILIANO AFIERO NO. 4123 ISBN 978-83-65281-37-1

PEN AND SWORD BOOKS

IMAGES OF WAR SPECIAL THE PANZER IV, HITLER’S ROCK BY ANTHONY TUCKER JONES ILLUSTRATOR - DAVID LEE HEMINGWAY ISBN 1473856752

The images of war series now has many titles on great military subjects, and here we are presented with another, The Panzer IV. This tank has always been an interesting topic, with a lot written out there on it. In this soft cover, 123 page title you will not be disappointed. As with other titles in this series, this one is full of brilliant wartime pictures, many rare and not seen before plus there are 15 nice colour profiles. There are ten Chapters entitled as follows 1. Early days – Ausf. A - C 2. Ramping up Production – Ausf. D - F 3. Something Special – Ausf. F.2 4. Panzerwaffe Backbone – Ausf. G - H 5. No Frills Ausf. J 6. The Rhino and other Beasts 7. In the Desert and Mountains 8. From Barbarossa to Berlin 9. Beyond the Seine 10. Hitler’s Rock The written content is very informative and easy to understand making this a great book for all. I would recommend this to add to anyone’s library. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Pen and Sword Books for the sample https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk Andrew Judson

During World War Two, the actions on the Eastern Front were some of the most brutal, with soldiers enduring both extreme summers, to extreme winters, then adding to that that they were fighting in a major conflict. In 1942, the Germans resumed attacks on the Eastern front, with the objective of taking Stalingrad and the Caucasus. Through heavy pushes forward, facing counter attacks and ambushes from experienced Russian forces, the Germans were able to push deep into the Asiatic regions. Due to heavy losses, terrain and logistical problems, the Germans were then forced to withdraw, before being trapped. This was no easy task, having to fight their way out in extremely harsh winter conditions, eventually making it out, and was not without suffering terrible losses. This A4 soft cover book, with 144 pages and 340 photos, 17 campaign maps, takes you through these actions via firsthand accounts, war reports and original documents. There are ten chapters in total, each detailed with plenty of brilliant photos. Chapters are as follows: 1. The New Offensive on the Eastern Front 2. The March Towards Rostov 3. Towards the Caucasus 4. On the Terek Front 5. The Battle Continues 6. More New Orders 7. Rearguard Action 8. On the Manych Front 9. The Retreat Continues 10. On the Rostov-on-Don Bridgehead This is a book that anyone should read if interested in WWII Eastern Front Actions. It gives you a very good “man on the ground” account, leaving you wondering how soldiers can survive in such conditions. I Recommend this to all, big thumbs up! Thanks to MMP Books for the sample http://mmpbooks.biz Andrew Judson March 2018 - Model Military International 59

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1:48 Scale – A round-up of the latest news and releases FAILURE REQUIRES NO PREPARATION

ou know, I’m often amazed at the standard that some modellers achieve. Is it raw talent or lots and lots of practice and preparation? I believe that practice makes perfect. Whether it is in sports or modelling, practice and preparation, can lead to success. For every sport there is a different way of training to build your strength. The same goes for modelling. If you find your weak in one area like figure painting for instance, then only practice will make you better. I believe in practicing with determination. You know, there is no golden pill that will make you better it just takes practice. To me perfect means the improvement made towards a goal, the hard work towards the goal, and the dedication put into the achievement of the goal. The saying “practice makes perfect” is used in everyday life and honestly it is the only way to improve In everyday life, everyone experiences situations that make them work harder at achieving things. People who want to have a good career push themselves

to become good at what they want. Throughout school they practice all of the necessary things they need to know for the future. By doing so this helps with getting them a step ahead of their competition. In today’s world competition is everywhere. Without practicing and preparation there will be many lost opportunities that will have to be faced. Now you may be thinking, Dude, I do this to relax! I don’t need all this pressure to practice and prepare! Well as a wise man once said, “if you keep on doing the same thing you’re going to get the same result”. So if you want to get better practice and prepare. Anyway I’m late for my bus so, I’ll pop off my “soap box” for now...

until next time Luke Pitt

RED ZEBRA

1:48 SCALE FIGURE 1 AND 2

Now Red Zebra won’t win any awards for naming their figures but honestly, these two are quite good. The first is a gent in a polo sweeter with one hand in his trousers and the other by his side, Now your also probably thinking gee that’s a boring pose but that’s the beauty of it!, the figure will fit in almost any time frame from the 1800’s onward. The figures face and head is one of the best I have seen in this scale, so good in fact it has been used on all four figures released by this company (I’ll review the other two next month). Figure two has the same basic head but now comes with folded arms with rolled up sleeves and long pants. The boots on both of the figures are very well done. Don’t overlook these figures their applications are endless and their very well done as well. Our thanks go out to Red Zebra for providing the review sample. Highly Recommended. They can be purchased from their web shop on the following address: www.redzebramodels.co.uk Luke Pitt

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NORTH STAR

1:48 SCALE HUFFERS MD-1 FLIGHT DECK TRACTOR VERSION 2 ITEM NSP-48902

ETA DIORAMA ACCESSORIES

1:48 SCALE ITEM 627: 1:48 WWII GERMAN BOARD GAMES ITEM 628: 1:48 WWII GERMAN NEWS PAPERS AND MAGAZINES

I gave a brief history of this vehicle last month so I will dispense with that in this review. This second kit is pretty much like the one reviewed last month but has subtle external changes. The changes mainly centre around a large box at the rear and are provided for by an additional sprue and different photo etch fret. As I mentioned last month the kit is rather neat and consists of 52 limited run plastic parts over 3 sprues , 8 resin parts, 13 photo etch parts and one Decal sheet, When one thinks of “limited run “ you might be tempted to think low quality, this is simply not the case here as the parts are very well molded. I particularly like how the wheels are done as they have overcome the age old problem of no tread detail on the wheels by providing the wheels as multiple flat disks , the system is not new but it’s the first time I have seen this approach in a limited run kit. The model quite frankly is a little gem and deserves every success. Highly Recommended. Thanks to North Star for the sample www.northstarmodels.com Luke Pitt

As I have said over the last couple of months the finishing touch to any vehicle or diorama is the little details that are not often seen but are often discovered by detailed inspection of the completed piece. ETA Diorama accessories hail from Greece and are highly detailed colour printed paper cards with a number of different items on them. The first item up for review is coded “627A&B”, printed on two thin sheets of high quality Paper Card. Measuring 11.5cm x 8cm they include seven board games , various German currency notes, playing cards, cigarette packs and various other nick nacks. Also included are various sized wooden “table top” facades. The second item is “628” and includes German Magazines and News Papers. These are presented on thin paper and have both the old (or yellowed hue) and a new versions included. These are printed in black and white. I can’t recommend these little sheets highly enough and I feel they will not disappoint. Highly Recommended. Available online from ETA Diorama Accessories www.eta-diorama.com Luke Pitt March 2018 - Model Military International 61

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

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Available in the ‘HOW TO BUILD...’ series How to Build... Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib New and revised for 2017 now including the Car Door and Bubbletop builds. The complete guide to building the amazing Airfix 1:24 scale Hawker Typhoon, written by Brett Green of HyperScale and Model Military fame. This new book features an exhaustive step-by-step guide to construction with modelling contributions by James Hatch, Brett, and Chris Wauchop. Hundreds of construction photos, reference images, a museum walk around, and how to get the very best from your big Typhoon kit a must have before you build the model!

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

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

ADALBERTUS

Iberyjska 7/49, 02-764 , Warsaw,Poland adalbertus@adalbertus.com.pl www.adalbertus.com.pl

THE AIRBRUSH COMPANY Ltd

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

ALCLAD II LACQUER

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

ALPINE, ROYAL MODEL, ARTISAN MORI, YOSCI; SMARTMODELLING No.7 Gordons Way, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0LN. UK Tel; 01883 734746 smartmodelling@smart7.fsworld.co.uk

AMPERSAND PUBLISHING (via Historex Agents in UK)

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

ARCHER

(Historex in UK)

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

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

BISON DECALS

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

DELUXE MATERIALS www.deluxematerials.co.uk info@deluxematerials.com Tel; 01529 455 0340

DRAGON MODELS

(The Hobby Company in UK)

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

ECHELON FINE DETAILS

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

FRIENDSHIP MODELS

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

GREAT NORTH ROADS

CAMMETT

(Lifecolour, Scale Caliber)

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

CLASSIC PUBLICATIONS

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

CREATIVE MODELS LTD

(Mig Productions, Vallejo, Accurate Miniatures)

Unit 6-10, Honeysome Industrial Estate, Honeysome Road, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. PE16 6TG Tel; 01354 760022 www.creativemodels.co.uk info@creativemodels.co.uk

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

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

THE ARMORY; M&MODELS

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

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

ORDNANCE MODELS

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

HISTOREX AGENTS

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

HOBBYLINK JAPAN

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

HUSSAR PRODUCTIONS, CANADA www.airconnection.on.ca

ICM

Via Hannants in UK

(ETCHMATE, GRABHANDLER, MICRO CHISEL)

HANNANTS

BOOKWORLD WHOLESALE

CALIBRE 35

MISSION MODELS

MONROE PERDU

BLAST MODELS

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

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

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

IAN ALLAN

Via AFV Modeller or www.blast-models.com

MILICAST MODEL CO.,

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

ITALERI

(The Hobby Company in UK)

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

JUST BASES

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

JUST KITS

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

MDC

Model Design Construction, Victoria Place, Victoria Road, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3FW Fax; 01773 513344 orders@modeldesignconstruction.com www.modeldesignconstruction.com

MODELING ARTISAN MORI

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

MIG PRODUCTIONS (Creative Models in UK)

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

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

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

PANZERWRECKS

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

PARAGRAFIX

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

PLUS MODEL

(Creative Models in UK)

SCHIFFER BOOKS

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

SCHIFFER BOOKS in UK

Bushwood Books, No.6 Marksbury Avenue, Kew Gardens, Surrey TW9 4JF, UK. Tel; 020 8392 8585, 020 8392 9876, email; info@bushwodbooks.co.uk

SCHUMO KITS

www.schumo-kits.com

SDV MODEL www.sdvmodel.cz

SIMPLE 2 TRADE

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

SMARTMODELLING

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

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

SQUADRON

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

SWANN-MORTON

Owlerton Green, Sheffield, S6 2BJ Tel; +44 (0)114 234 4231 Fax; +44 (0)114 231 4966 General: info@swann-morton.com www.craftknives.com

TAMIYA JAPAN

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

TAMIYA UK;

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

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

TRUMPETER

POCKETBOND

VERLINDEN PRODUCTIONS

(Trumpeter & AFV Club in UK)

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

PSP MODELS LTD (Mission Models in USA)

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

QUICKBOOST

www.quickboost.net

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

SB MODELS

UK distributor for Model Victoria and Royal Model

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

SBLC

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

SBX MODEL SHOP

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

www.trumpeter-china.com Pocketbond in the UK (Historex in UK)

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

VALLEJO

(Creative Models in UK)

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

VLS CORPORATION (LSA in UK)

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

WHITE ENSIGN MODELS (Toms Model Works)

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

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

ZVEZDA

(The Hobby Company in UK)

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

SCHATTON BARRELS

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

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

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Next Issue On sale 1 March 2018

ISSUE No.143 March 2018, Published 1st February 2018

HUBERT

aka Lt. Gruber’s Little Tank

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

Kamil Feliks Sztarbala creates Hubert, the little tank from ‘Allo ‘Allo!

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

Bedford QLR

Editorial enquiries; Email; editor@modelmilitary.com

IBG’s 1:35 scale Bedford QLR truck by Tony Bell.

Advertising enquiries; Tel; +44 (0)1525 222573 Email; sean@doolittlemedia.com

NEW SAMURAI PART 3

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.

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

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

FOR YOUR SAFETY

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

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!

PREMIUM PANTHER

Gary Edmudson presents his Dragon 1:35 Panther Ausf. A

Back Issues; Back Issues are available at the current cover price. See the latest back issues advert or visit www.modelmilitary.com The paper used in this magazine is manufactured at the Leipa Georg Mill and is 100% recycled using de-inked pulp. The mill conforms fully with the requirements of both FSC and PEFC and carries the full accreditations for their environmental policies.

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

The paper used on this title is from sustainable forestry

Order online now at; www.modelmilitary.com

Subscription enquiries; Tel; +44 (0)1525 222573 Fax; +44 (0)1525 222574 Email; enquiries@doolittlemedia.com

March 2018 - Model Military International 65

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The Last Post...

AUSSIE ANGELS AND ARMOUR

raveling the streets of Kabul can be daunting, however Australian troops serving in the city have their own dedicated protection force of angles and armour to keep the risk manageable. The soldiers of Force Protection Element 8 (FPE-8) and their protected vehicles have the job of moving people safely around town where they then maintain an overwatch role while specialist personnel undertake their work. The team is based on 3RAR’s B Company and consists of about 150 soldiers who are tasked with protecting Australian advisors and mentors working for the NATO mission in Afghanistan. On the way to a task, you might be taken in an up-armoured 4WD or a Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) driven by an infantryman like Private Javier Batlle. “Kabul is like any major city, the traffic can be pretty fullon,” he said. “People tend to let us through places first though, they think of us as being a small tank so people generally get out of the way. “No-one really tries to take on a 15-tonne PMV.” Private Batlle and his fellow drivers are trained in tactical driving to deal with other cars, however often it is people on foot that can be the danger. “You have to watch out for people getting out in front of you as pedestrians tend to have right of way in their culture,” he said. Passengers in the back of a Bushmaster don’t enjoy the best view, but the crew have a 360-degree field of vision thanks to a remote controlled protected weapons station on top of the vehicle. “When you first drive in Kabul you have to take it easy,” Private Batlle said. “Other cars will always try

to creep up on the inside as you’re turning. “They sometimes don’t appreciate how big and bulky a PMV is and what it could do to a normal car.” Once you arrive in location, a guardian angel like Lance Corporal Mark Schure will keep an eye out for threats while you go about your business. “You have to stay on the ball all the time, it’s that moment of compliancy where things can go wrong,” he said. “You can do a four-hour stint and nothing happens, but you have to make sure you’re always ready to deal with anything.” The guardian angels will be with you when you’re working outside at an Afghan base or in a meeting. “You’re constantly scanning the room,” LCpl Schure said. “You have a plan if you have to get out of a building quickly. “You’re thinking about where your mentor is, how you would best grab him, and different scenarios. “Apart from windows, you’re also keeping an eye on apertures like gaps in the walls.” Major Sam Thackray, the Officer Commanding FPE-8, said professional standard of his team is well known among the Coalition partners. “We’re often approached by other nations to get support from our team,” he said. “The reputation of the Australian Force Protection Element over here is exceptional. “It’s due to the quality of the training we receive in Australia and our outstanding junior leadership.” The Bushmasters also proved a hit with coalition soldiers who had the chance to ride in one. “They say they’re comfortable and the professionalism of the crews impresses them as well,” Major Thackray said. ■

Force Protection Element 8 is deployed to Kabul to provide force protection and protected mobility to Australian advisors and mentors working for the NATO mission in Afghanistan. © Commonwealth of Australia 2017

The sun rises through the windscreen of an Australian Army Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle as it drives through the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan. Australia continues to support the NATO-led train, advise and assist mission called Resolute Support, which has replaced the previous NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission. © Commonwealth of Australia 2017

Australian Army soldier Private Michael Fowler, a guardian angel, keeps watch during a graduation ceremony at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy. © Commonwealth of Australia 2017

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D6790 Sign Up to our Newsletter on www.hobbyco.net Find us on facebook search Plastic Kit UK

p 67 HobbyCo 143.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

11/01/2018 11:31