Escolar Documentos
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MAGACH6B
WE BUILD THE MENG GAL BATASH
CONTENTS
2 Magach 6B
The Editor delves into Meng’s brand new IDF offering.
30 Beirut Bruiser
Cesar Jachan gets technical with his gun-slinging Toyota.
36 Panzerkampfwagen IV Part 24
The Editor continues detailing Trumpeter’s 1:16 kit.
46 Keeping Track
New releases.
1
ISSN 2059-4305
MAGACH6B GAL BATASH
MODELLED BY DAVID PARKER
2
MAGACH6B
3
MAGACH6B The M60 chassis has to be one of the more
complex AFV designs and therefore presents a
slightly daunting assembly task for the weary
modeller. The road wheels come with separately
moulded tires to accurately capture the lip on
the wheel which is excellent and similarly the
internal holes in the sprockets are replicated.
Meng have employed their usual working torsion
bar system which is really effective but I chose to
fix the ride height of mine during assembly. This
also allowed me to glue the three shock
absorber mounts on each side of the hull in
position as if you don’t the shafts have a
tendency to drop out of the housings.
4
The kit comes with a nice set of individual link
tracks and a jig to assemble them but as my
preference is always for a metal track I used a
set of the MasterClub replacement tracks for the
Magach. The trackguards can be assembled
separately if preferred and with separately
moulded stowage bin latches there really is
nothing to do but glue it together!
The precision assembly of the turret modules is
an absolute joy and they all locate flawlessly,
completely transforming the look of the tank!
Although the kit has a moulded anti-slip it is impossible to Sand & Gravel glue was brush painted onto a panel and the VMS
replicate the correct texture in plastic so I turned to my trusted texture applied as quickly as possible. Any overspill was cleaned
VMS Hull texture to improve the anti-slip areas. I tackled one up and the anti-slip areas were treated with Mission Models Tan
panel at a time as larger areas are tricky and in this case the primer to improve adhesion.
turret cheek modules have some large areas to cover. The AK 5
Fighting fit!
This really is one of those kits where
assembly is a real pleasure and even
repetitive areas like the running gear were
painless. Apart from the tow ropes and my
own preference for the aftermarket tracks I
couldn’t find anything that cried out for
upgrading or additional details. The anti-slip
is worthwhile improvement but other than
that the Magach is ready for some paint!
6
MAGACH6B
7
MAGACH6B
8
Moving to the upper hull I employed
the same technique relying heavily
on the airbrush to build up the dust
deposits over the over the horizontal
surfaces. It allowed me to quickly
build up the density and has the
advantage of looking quite naturally
like dust. On the turret I
concentrated the dust build up on
the lower frontal areas of the cheek
armour and around the mantlet.
Colour washes were used to build
up the intensity across the turret
and to sit around raised details like
the rings on the gun barrel. I kept
areas around the turret hatches
cleaner to reflect the activity of the
crew.
9
Above The tracks were fitted which also allowed me to install the skirts. I replicated
photos of the vehicle in service in the excellent Desert Eagle books by only fitting the
front skirt sections and leaving the rear sections off the model.
Quick Crew
On the hunt for a quick solution to crewing the turret I dug out a Blast Models IDF
crewman’s torso and head as a basis for a Commander figure. I used copper wire to
establish the pose of the figure leaning in his hatch before quickly sculpting a couple
of new arms using Magic Sculp, after a couple of hours I had a completed figure
ready to be painted. Painting was done entirely using Lifecolor acrylics.
10
MAGACH6B
11
Pour yourself a cold one, sit back and we’ll tell you all about the new FAUN L900
and Sonderanhänger 115 from the new boys from Bremen, Das Werk
12
The FAUN L900 was manufactured from 1937 to 1939 and is a typical
design of the larger trucks of the period, with it’s long ‘snout’ it reminds
me of the kind of trucks I drew pictures of when I was five! FAUN are still
manufacturing specialist vehicles to this day in Germany
The heavy FAUN L900 with the 10to sd.Ah. 115 Trailer was used to transport two Panzer I's or
II's and the other early war smaller and lighter tanks and AFV's of the Wehrmacht, one of the
biggest customers supplied with this combination. The Leichte Divisionen (Light Panzer)
Divisions) of the German Wehrmacht used this combination of truck and trailer until the Light
Divisions were converted into regular tank divisions and the FAUNs and trailers were moved to
the heavy maintenance companies of the tank regiments and used until the end of WW II
which opens up some great modelling opportunities.
rk N eville
y Ma
o d e lled b
m
Cast your mind back to the previous issue and you’ll remember we
previewed a pretty exciting new kit from a new player to the model kit
market, Das Werk. Powered by the giant German hobby supplier Modellbau
König who have assembled a team of experts to work on their debut
project (including German manufacturer Customscale who have produced a
resin kit of the L900 in the past and FAUN themselves) which is impressive
and certainly ambitious with their choice of subject and quality of the
presentation. The packaging and instruction booklets are on a par with the
highly regarded Wingnut Wings aircraft kits, beautifully done and packed
with cool touches throughout including QR code links to online videos of
some of the assembly steps; simply point your smart-phone camera at the
barcode and up pops the footage as if by magic! Modellbau König are
based not far from the famous Becks brewery making it the perfect regional 13
heavy load for the Faun.
Brass rod and a jig are
The screen is provided, as on the
provided if you wish to
real vehicle, in two sections and
create the hood bows. The
needs careful alignment. A fresh
fixing points require some
scalpel blade and Tamiya tape
careful drilling but the idea
provide masking duties.
works well.
Rear view mirrors
and semaphores are
delicately moulded
but need handling
carefully...yes I
managed to snap
one...
15
We’d decided on an overall dunkelgrau finish for that
early-war look. There’s an option of a later three-tone
scheme offered if that takes your fancy. A black
primer is perfect for the dark grey as it acts as a pre-
shade also and as we’re having great results at the
moment with the Mission Models range went with a
good solid coat of their primer. MM’s primer seems
to ‘bite’ into the plastic more than the regular
colours, more like a lacquer based paint which
proves a solid base to key the colour coat.
16
We figured the wooden panels on the bed of the trailer and
ramps would have the appearance of bare timber similar to
scaffolding boards and as you still see on truck beds. The panels
were masked and airbrushed in neutral tones. Using a paper
mask allows some highlights and subtle differences in
shades between the panels.
The cab canvas was given a base colour of RAF
Tan airbrushed ‘directionally’ from above
over the black primer, this provides
highlights and shadows easily.
To add some
texture a lighter
tone was stippled
with a broad stiff-
bristled brush.
17
18
Das Werk have set the bar pretty high for a first release with
an undoubtedly impressive display piece which is sure to star
in many dioramas in the near future. A very comfortable kit to
build (albeit with the few amendments to the instructions to
note) with little fuss and high levels of detail straight from the
box. We’d give the resin wheel set some consideration and
no doubt there will be other aftermarket parts
released including photoetch; many
modellers I’m sure will want to go to
town with extra detail and of course
the choice of loads. How about a
fighter fuselage or Seehund sub?!
19
G o d t hse av e
Ki n g
. . . m ay b e
Fabio Mosca’s
stunning
diorama
20
21
NORREY EN BESSIN, NORMANDY JUNE 1944...
The dreaded landing has just happened, the coasts of Normandy With the failure of this German counter-offensive the Canadians
have been the choice of the Allied high command. In the Caen managed to maintain defensive positions until the next launch of
sector. On June 7, 1944, the Regina Rifles Regiment (commanded the Epsom operation on June 26, 1944.
by Lieutenant Colonel F. M. Matheson), belonging to the 7th
Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, took the town of The diorama ... a story in history
Norrey-en-Bessin without a fight. During the sortie between the night of 8 and 9 June the elements
With Norrey to the south and Bretteville the Orgueilleuse were in of the 12th SS Panzer Division managed to capture a jeep from
fact able to control the N13 road from Bayeux to Caen. the Regina Rifles and to take a prisoner. Now off to the rear under
The night between 8 and 9 June 23 Panther tanks of the 3. the eyes of Max Wunche and the panther 326 commanded by SS-
Panzerkompanie of the 1st battalion (commanded by the SS- Unterscharfuhrer Eismann who will lose his life in the sortie of
Sturmbannführer Arnold Jürgensen) of the SS Panzerregiment 12 June 9th.
(commanded by the SS-Standartenführer Max Wünsche) carried
out an armoured raid from Rots to Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse and Panther A
Norrey-en-Bessin, but they could not break the Canadian The base kit is Dragon (6538). The zimmerit was reproduced with
resistance. Mori Mori Putty. It is a two-part filler that perfectly simulates the
At about 12.30 on 9 June, 12th SS Panzer Division Panthers Zimmerit. As it is quick drying, I recommend texturing small
attempted a new sortie to Norrey this time passing beneath the portions at a time. All the tool stowage has been improved or
railway underpass. In this direction the attack over flat ground in scratchbuilt, the photoetched locking clips are the incorrect design
broad daylight, was exposed on its flank to the Canadian anti-tank so they have been replaced by scratchbuilt clips of the correct
guns presumably positioned towards Bretteville, which proceeded design for the Ausf. A. The protective cover for the MG ball mount
to knock out 7 of the 12 tanks. was scratchbuilt in plasticard along with the gun cleaning cylinder
which I constructed from sheet metal and damaged. The front
hatch stops were rebuilt adding also the springs. The anti-aircraft
MG mount is an upgrade from the 1120 range, and the tracks are
from Friulmodel.
Mori-Mori putty is an
effective old favourite for
replicating zimmerit.
22
The Panther 326 of 12th SS Panzer regiment carries
a 3-tone camouflage, and the turret numbers were
painted by hand as was the case with the regiment.
For this model I wanted to try the AK Real Colours,
range for the base colours. For weathering I tried not
to weigh down the zimmerit but work it with chipping
and light deposits of dust. The remainder of the tank
not covered by the zimmerit was first treated with
filters to break up the various areas a little, then
chipping with Vallejo 822, scratches with light yellow
on the dunkelgelb and dunkelgelb on green and red.
The numbers were hand painted just to emulate the
real vehicle. Introducing some imperfections, I paid
special attention to the shurtzen, taking care to paint
a different camouflage pattern, also varying the
shades on the two shurtzen without zimmerit to
reinforce the idea of repositioning them with others
from another tank.
23
I wanted to reproduce the prelude to the
attack of the third company of the 12th SS
Panzer Regiment adding all the characteristic
elements of the Normandy urban landscape.
The house has been carved entirely from
plaster, working from a photo. French
windows and shutters have been scratchbuilt
in palsticard and wood as well as the dormer
window. The roof is a Miniart product (35518).
The fireplace was scracthbuilt in balsafoam,
as was the gutter in sections from sheet
metal. Finally the rooftop weather vane was
scratchbuilt in plasticard adding the letters in
photoetch. The surrounding walls have been
built in plaster as well as the pavement. The
street cobbles are from Miniart reference
Walls and pavement are cast (36043), and the telegraph pole is from
from plaster with the roof and HDMODELS (HDMD35016) while the wall
frame details from MiniArt. lamp is also an HDMODELS product
(HDMD35042). For the interior I built a trunk
inspired by some photographs, inserted
frames and a Pickelhaube helmet printed in
3D by HDMODELS as well as a dressmaker's
mannequin HDMODELS (HDMD35043). The
field telephone is also printed in 3D.
24
Willys Jeep
The kit is from the Bronco (cb35106), is a nice kit that also provides
the trailer. The engine is fairly detailed even if I had to add some
missing items. I proceeded to replace the wheels with SKP model
(SKP 246). As a Canadian jeep I had to make a couple of changes.
The first one concerns the lightmount that is inserted in place of the
normal left hand light, while the right light has been covered by the
bridge load made from thin sheet metal, riveting the edge and
painting the number with masks. The bonnet and the windshield have
been removed. The Jeep has been painted with Tamiya colours. In
this case the green variations were achieved with Abteilung oils.
Weathering as above, and have to thanks my friend Fabrizio Mercuri
for helping me to weather the Jeep. Also thanks to my other friend
Stefano De Paolis for painting the Canadian wounded soldier. I
enjoyed inserting several things in the trailer to give even a touch of
colour.
25
26
CONCLUSIONS
I've always been fond of Dioramas, it's
because I grew up with the work of
Verlinden and Bob Letterman. I loved
to see the complexity of their
creations and I am still convinced that
the Diorama is the pinacle of
expression for the modeller because it
combines vehicles, figures, setting
and historical location.
Not only the pinacle of expression but
maximum level of difficulty, which
requires meticulous historical research
to avoid running into obvious errors.
SPECIAL THANKS
Finally a real special thanks to:
Peter Usher for advice on painting the
house;
Fabrizio de Petrillo for 3Dprinting and
modeling support;
Stefano Appetiti for support and
references
27
30
Introduction and decorated with Christian religious symbols
Despite the large variety of inspiring local of the Virgin Mary, Christ and saints.
‘exotic’ Lebanese fighting vehicles of all kinds
and calibre, most of the modelling subjects Toyota Time
concerning Lebanon conflicts show Israeli or The Toyota from Mig Productions is a 15 year
Syrian tanks. old kit, but if you plan to build a 1960s/70s
Toyota this is the only decent 1:35 product you’ll
Being a Lebanese Modeller I felt it was about find. An older resin kit is not really for beginners!
time for a purely Lebanese project. Resin parts were all washed and were shot with
I had to dig into the past, re-visit books, a grey base coat of primer from Tamiya. The kit
newspapers, get my souvenirs back, the street was built straight from the box. A first assembly
fighting ambiance and the surroundings of my was done ‘dry’, then fixed with CA glue very
war-torn city. I was supported by Samer Kassis’ carefully ensuring neat alignment. The wheels,
(of Hobby Shop Lebanon) immense archive, the too bulky in my opinion, were kept as is. I was
most important one in the region in terms of too lazy to replace them with the excellent DEF
diversity, quantity and accuracy. Model ones; they will go on my next Toyota.
No extra work was invested on the cab. The kit
The decision was taken to create a small but is decent without being brilliant but I had limited
intense scene common in 1976 in my city of time to spend (as many modellers do).
Beirut. Toyotas were widely used by all militias
with all kind of mounted weapons, heavy The Toyota was airbrushed with a grey base
machine guns (DShK, Cal 50, ZPU-1, ZPU-2, coat from Tamiya. Then I applied a thin layer of
KPV’s) or recoilless guns (B10, B11, and AK RC Light Green and let it dry for a day or
106mm). My choice was a “PNL” vehicle. “PNL” two. Sand Beige diluted with a light tint of yellow
is a Christian Lebanese party; Parti National was sprayed all over the vehicle, lighter on top
Liberal. Most of their vehicles had a mixed surfaces, and darker on the sides.
civilian aspect, military green, local camouflages
31
Chipping was done using AK Worn Effects, Toyota kit, it’s different design ads a touch under Virgin Mary, note the red tracer
applied in between paint layers, trying to of interest to the right side. The mirror arm rounds. On the bonnet the PNL logo in red,
get an abused look, Toyotas worked hard was fixed in position but without the actual green and white was hand painted, I
with minimum maintenance. Chipping was mirror adding more of the damaged couldn’t find any decals to suit my
enhanced by some hand painting micro- appearance. Also the front indicator is requirements. The interior of Toyota’s rear
effects. I always feel more comfortable and missing on purpose and front left headlight was intensively weathered using chipping
in control with my brush when enhancing is broken, sculpted, then painted with AK effect, rust, and oil traces.
details. Metallic Colour. The cable was added for a The Mig Productions tailgate was replaced
Lebanon is a humid country with heavy touch of detail. by Meng parts from their later model
winters bringing rain and snow, so streaked Toyota range, details are much better.
rust traces and light textures were also The Toyoya’s front end had to get a special Hand painted local camouflage was
added sparingly on the most exposed and look with the local Christian militia style. A applied and the Arabic word
fragile parts and edges. To give more religious ‘shield’ with an image of the Virgin “Al Moodameeron”. It means “Destroyers”,
accuracy to a Lebanese operated Mary was installed centrally to protect the an actual name of a “PNL” special unit.
‘Technical’, the left front side of the Toyota fighters when in the combat zone. Many
was painted in deep red, representing an military vehicles were decorated with Oil colours were used to enhance some
extra part added from a scrap vehicle. This religious and extravagant banners between effects here and there. Finally, a filter was
was frequent when shooting and 1975 and 1990. The model company ETA’s applied overall to fix, mix and unify.
manoeuvring in the narrow Beirut streets. religious Icons were very useful here. A .50
The spare wheel was taken from another Cal belt was also fixed shown hanging
32
Meng’s ZPU-1: Ammunition boxes were usually kept open to
It made my day when Meng announced their avoid jamming and easy reloads. Ammo belts
Soviet AA guns. They filled a big gap, bringing were taken from Meng’s ZPU-2. The 14.5mm
accurate and highly detailed kits to the belt looks superb.
market. To complete the kit, I have added an empty
ZPU-1, 2, 4 and ZU-23 are all excellent kits belt of 8 to 9 rounds, hanging from the
fully detailed and very well moulded. I ejector, on the left side. ZPU’s in action eject
selected the ZPU-1 to be installed on my the empty cases from below, and belts are
Toyota. In the Lebanese war, ZPU-1 and 2 evacuated every ten rounds from the left.
were frequently seen on such vehicles. ZU-23 Paint is AK Russian Green with highlights
is heavier and needs a larger more stable done by adding olive green. The barrel is
base when shooting because of its high fire supposed to be a Gun Metal tone but Matt
rate. Black is more accurate due to the heat of the
ZPU-1 is an easy kit to build with crisp detail rapid firing rate in action. Rust and oil traces
but I wanted to correct a couple of issues. were added and the 14.5mm belts were
The gun barrel appeared too long to me so painted as the original ones, inserting a tracer
was shortened 8-9 mm and the gun handle red round in between 3 to 4 explosive cases.
looked too large and high for my version so I Tracers help especially in the urban
built a more accurate one. A manual hand- surroundings to lay accurate fire. I also added
wheel is missing on the upper crank for my Red Zebra’s 14.5mm extra ammo boxes.
version which was also added. The optical They look outstanding, I have ordered them
sight is basic, even if rarely used when firing especially from the UK, as well as ZPU-2 and
on ground targets I added a few details to the ZPU-4 boxes.
kit part. (www.redzebramodels.co.uk)
Diorama : rain marks were lightly applied on all sides. were layered for depth and interest. Oil
I wanted this to be engaging, tight and Filters and washes were added at a final traces were painted here and there adding
packed with detail. I started by cutting cork stage to give it the ‘weary’ look. more drama and unrest to my street.
sheet to make pavements and elevate the Bullet impacts were carefully painted, one The pavement was done using embossed
wall. An old Verlinden plaster wall was by one, copying what I have seen for so plastic card, It was chosen because it
selected for it’s interesting shape. The wall many years on Beirut’s walls. When a looks close to Beirut’s pavements in the
has enough hight to hide and protect a bullet strikes a wall there are so many 70’s.
vehicle. My Toyota could position itself and explosive and destructive effects that
fire few bursts over the wall without being happens to the paint, cement and stone. Pavement borders came from Plus Model
noticed, and then move away to reload. AK ‘Asphalt’ was layered on the base with painted light yellow with a brown wash.
With a sharp X-Acto blade bullet impacts a spatula. The effect is stunning and easy The wooden pylon was installed at the side
were created to enhance the intensity of a to apply. Leaving it to dry for two days I to give hight to the composition. As often
street fighting scene. I was satisfied by the decided to enrich the road textures “a la happens when street fighting erupts,
effects and result. Ruben Gonzalez” referring to his Diorama cables are cut down and they fall to
FAQ book. ground, this adds desolation to the scene.
The wall was painted with a grey base Cat litter grit, Industrial and dust pigments Bullet impacts were carefully drilled into
colour then I added AK White, Light Yellow, were used for rubble and textures, the the post and a little greenery was created
and Beige applied by airbrush. Oil colours whole base was fixed and sealed using AK behind the wall. It adds contrast and colour
were applied to accentuate the wall Sand and Gravel Fixer. More rubble was to the diorama.
volumes and shadows. Traces of dirt and added on the sides and middle of the road.
Oil Colours and pigments from similar tints
33
34
Many smaller items were selected to enrich and detail the scene. I started by
generously littering the ground with empty shells all around the Toyota, on the
pavements and over the wall. With rapid fire the ejector goes crazy spraying
empty cases everywhere. Empty shells are not 14.5 but 20mm from Voyager
Model. They work for me, close enough! When you go to war, you go with plenty
of ammunition, so 14.5mm ammunition boxes from KMT were piled on the
pavements, they look perfect after painting.
On the other side of the diorama, many 106mm empty shells, cases and
ammunition crates are strewn on the ground. In combat these things are simply
cast aside and litter the streets. Cases for the 106mm were drilled to give
realism. Some are displayed open and dispersed in a balanced and composed
way. Fine pigment was added to fix them to the ground. Ammunition boxes were
heavily chipped by some careful, fine brushwork. The water bottle and grease can
were my final touches to create my little corner of 1970s Beirut.
35
Panzerkampfwagen
David Parker builds Trumpeter’s 1:16 kit Part Twenty Four
This installment is focussed on fitting the ammunition storage shell cases which fortunately worked well. Various inaccuracies in
inside the hull, something which proved to be extremely time- the shape and design of the sponson ammunition lockers meant
consuming mostly because of the sheer number of shells required that these had to be mostly rebuilt. Finally I started to work on the
and the various steps required to complete each shell. I also had fabric covers for the floor and sponson lockers.
to develop some new approaches to replicating the colours of the
The control box for the footswitch involved a degree of guesswork as I dont The wiring which connects to the generator is fixed to a mounting strip,
think there is an intact example in existance. There are partial examples attached to the hull wall. I used the same woven nylon chord that I have used
where the front cover has been removed and I was able to use these to judge throughout to make the cabling.
the size and produce a reasonably convincing switch box.
The switch box was connected in and the cable clamps were made from self- One picture but days of work! Each shell has three sprue points that must be
adhesive aluminium strip which was then painted in situ to match the rest. cleaned up as well as a seam line. Each shell was then subjected to a multi-
stage progressive polishing process using different grades of sanding sticks to
bring the surface of the cartridge cases to a polished finish.
For the most visible of the stowed rounds ABER have released turned Ammunition lockers came next and the hinged shelves that carry the shells
aluminium grenades which are far better detailed than the kit ones. I used a have solid moulded racks. I used scrap strips of brass from the kit shell base
burr in a mini drill to carefully thin the drilled out tops of the cases to accept etching fret which were just the correct width. These were shaped over the
the new grenades. Note the polished cases and photoetched base which are solid kit versions and then fitted in their place.
36
supplied by Trumpeter.
The shells of the lockers were also reworked in plastic card as the
photoetched kit versions were not correct and each locker has a different
design. Only the reworked base plate and rear plate were retained.
Another missing detail is the locking bar which holds the rounds securely by As well as the shell lockers there is also a locker to hold the MG ammunition
clamping them to the top shelf. Gurtsacks. This is the kit part supplied as photoetch but modified to give the
cut out 1 on the front edge.
The locker was then detailed by adding the hangers made from aluminium The lockers were painted based on photos showing the Nibelungenwerk
sheet folded into a U shape. The locking bar was made from scrap photoetch factory production line where the bins have a very dark interior colour. Earlier
fret and the feet were made from plastic strip. Ausf appear to have Hellgrau RAL 840 interiors but I went with red oxide
which appears to match the factory photos better.
For some inexplicable reason the MG locker is finished in overall Elfenbein. Back to the shells and I wanted to replicate a mix of cartidge case finishes
Note the the fixing brackets that have now been added to it with parkerised, lacquered and brass washed. All based on a steel case I
sprayed Alclad Steel over all the unprimed cases 2. For the parkerised finish 37
this was oversprayed with Gunze Mr Metal Color Iron 3.
Scuffs on the casing are simple to add by rolling a cocktail stick over the The finished effect is very convincing and contact between the shells only
surface creating bright areas. enhances it further.
For the lacquered cases I had a real lacquered small arms casing to match The brass washed cases also had the steel base coat. I worked over this with
to. These had the same Alclad steel basecoat although it probably had no Uschi van der Rosten steel polishing powder bring the cases to a high shine
effect on the final finish. Gunze Mr Metal Color Stainless was mixed with Mr finish. I then worked over this with AK Interactive True Metal Paste mixing
Metal Color Bronze (green metallic) and a touch of Gunze H83 Grey. This was Brass, Gun Metal and Copper in different proportions
my base tone which was then tinted with Gunze clear orange for the more
brown shades and polished with a soft cloth when dry.
The grenades were then painted and the long process of adding the decals The interiors of the lockers were weathered and the lockers were loaded one
started. I used the AFV Modeller wet transfer decals as they have no carrier shelf at a time and the shelves were loaded from the bottom up, here the
38 film which is a big help when working onto metallic finishes. final shelf is ready to be fitted.
A quick dry fit of the pair of lockers in the hull to check appearances. There is weathered to reflect the condition of shells seen in archive images which are
a roof brace which fits in the gap between the lockers on both sides of the surprisingly chipped and scuffed.
hull which has yet to be constructed. The shells are deliberately heavily
The smaller RHS locker was left with one empty shelf to add some interest. The three floor lockers had already been assembled and painted but not
weathered. The inner surfaces were dirtied up and the floor level area was
also treated using an airbrush to apply the dirty tones.
The corners and edges of the bins were given some areas of heavy wear and The bins were loaded up with the shells, again they were grouped by type as
the floor level area of the centre bin was given some heavy scuffing. A pencil indicated by the markings on the base plates of the shells.
was used to add scuffs around the holes which hold the shells.
I was especially pleased with the reflective finish on the brass washed shells The front floor mounted bin behind the driver was weathered in a similar way
which contrasts with the other finishes. Some touching up of the shell base and then loaded with the appropriate ammunition. 39
rims is required in one or two examples.
I wanted to add the canvas cover to the bin and I considered using the spare I rolled out sheets of Magic Sculp putty using talcum powder to prevent the
kit bin as former for the cover with a blue foam block added to replicate the putty from sticking. I pressed them between pieces of fabric to give it a fabric
shells filling the bin. texture and cut it to size.
The sheets of putty were laid in position on the bin. I used the loaded bin I folded back one of the corners of the cover to show where the few rounds
rather than the dummy version I had prepared. Positioning the sheets was not had been removed.
easy as the natural stickiness of the putty had been dulled by the talcum
All the sponson lockers would have had covers as well and these were made in the
same way but some partly open, some fully open.
40
The project continues in the next Issue
new releases
KEEPING TRACK
Armoured Vehicles of
the Modern German
Army 2019
Ralph Zwilling A bang-up-to-date ‘catalogue’ of the Bundeswehr’s range of vehicles in all of the various
Published by Tankograd versions with Tankograd’s usual quality images and presentation. Each vehicle has a technical
Softback format, 136 pages description and detailed information about how and when they are used. Many of the vehicles
German / English text are shown ‘in the field’ on exercise which offers superb painting and weathering reference and
48 with so many of these vehicles available as mainstream kits this is a great reference for modern
ISBN 419127111990701
subject modellers.
Panzerjäger Elefant
Modelling Porsche’s Panzerjäger inside & out
Liejon Schoot
Published by AFV Modeller
Softback format, 100 pages
ISBN 9780993564659
www.afvmodeller.com
Operational History
of Hungarian
Armoured troops in
WWII
Peter Mujzer With some really interesting vehicles in both 1:35 and 1:72 available in recent years this
'Photosnoper 28' book is a great companion to Hungarian Armour of WWII (Photosniper
Published by Kagero 26) that we looked at several issues back. The major action involving Hungarian forces
Softback format, 156 pages alongside it's Axis allies is explained in accessible detail accompanied by some excellent
ISBN 9788366148079 period images and bespoke maps.The M Turán, M Zrinyi, M Nimrod, Toldi variants and
www.casematepublishers.co.uk the M Casaba armoured cars all feature along with German and captured vehicles. A
good selection of top-quality colour profiles and several pages of colorised black and
white images show what attractive modelling subjects Hungarian AFVs are with some 49
cracking alternative finishes for the StuG III. Great introduction to the subject and
excellent value.
Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III (3.7cm) (T) Ausf.F
"Operation Seelöwe"
Here's an interesting addition to Dragon's range of excellent Dragon have produced a few new sprues including a cupola and
Panzer IIIs, no, it doesn't have a tumble-drier on board, it's a gun mantlet rubber cover in flexible DS styrene. The enormous
Tauch-Panzer (diving/submersible tank) tested for the planned breathing hose is also moulded in the soft material allowing your
invasion of the British mainland in 1940 (nobody mention Brexit…) choice of position. As always the box is packed with beautifully
Basically over 150 Panzer IIIs were converted to be capable of detailed sprues but it looks like close to half the parts won't be
submersion of up to 15 metres and for up to 20 minutes allowing used following Dragon's 'mix-and-match' of parts from various kits.
launching from a safe off-shore distance. Air intake was made This kit I'm sure was available under the cyberhobby sub-brand
possible via the 18 metre snorkel tube with the end attached to a but this new boxing differs with DS single piece tracks and a
floating buoy complete with wireless antenna (which seems to be bonus figure of General Guderian. Another beautifully detailed
omitted in the kit?). With various rubber covers, seals and fittings Dragon Panzer III.
Who remembers telephone directories? Weighing in at over 450 painting and weathering explained in comprehensive detail but
pages this latest in AK's FAQ (frequently asked questions) series also construction and detailing techniques with an interesting
certainly has that kind of feel to it! Award winning Spanish chapter on the 3D printing revolution looking at the future of
modeller Rubén González (with help from other contributors who modelling. Specific 'modern' features such as barracuda netting
are all renowned modellers, many gracing our pages in the past) and anti-slip coatings are covered in detail. A monumental
takes a bang-up-to-date look at the most modern methods being amount of work has gone into this encyclopaedia and it certainly
used to get the ultimate satisfaction from our hobby. The focus is shows; beautifully presented and focussing on every technique
on modern military hardware (1970s to present day) with not only imaginable with an excellent gallery of inspiring work.
German and Russian Tank In the 'New Wave' of European armour modelling of the early 2000s, Belgium's Mario
Models 1939-1945 Eens was a regular medal winner amongst stiff competition and continues to impress
to this day with his modelling art. Five Russian and German WWII subjects (including a
Mario Eens
figure painting guide) feature in this compilation of step-by-step building and painting
Published by Casemate UK projects where Mario shares his techniques and materials used to create his master
Hardback format, 132 pages works. A very nicely presented book which covers a good variety of finishes from
ISBN 9781612007359 African desert to winter whitewash with good tips on detailing. 53
www.casematepublishers.co.uk
Zvezda 1:35 T-28 Soviet Medium
If you liked Zvezda's recent T-35 release this latest new-tooled T- looking vehicle it's no surprise. With so many wheels and
28 is bound to get you excited too. Ironically titled a 'Medium suspension components it's welcome that the tracks are in a link-
Tank' this multi-turreted monster was available many moons ago and-length format, a version can be built without the armour plate
in 1:35 from Alanger and ICM and more recently from Hobby skirts showing off all of the detail. The kit has plenty of finesse
Boss. So how does this all-new version fair? The usual bullet-proof with nicely rendered fasteners and weld beads throughout but no
corrugated box (with printed outer sleeve) is packed with dark fancy photoetch; nylon mesh is provided for intake screens which
green sprues showing some really nice moulding and detail. won't please everyone. Another really nice kit from Zvezda offering
Some parts (namely turrets) are carried over from the T-35 and it superb value.
looks a pretty involved build, but as it's such a complicated
Blitz
A great acompanying set of crew figures are available for the new Blitz 25mm
Hotchkiss CA resin French anti-aircraft gun gun kit with all figures available
separately. The Artilleur (with optional head), Tireur (gunner) and commander
(also with optional head) are part of the Blitz Premier range. If you have an
interest in French armour and military miniatures and aren’t aware of Blitz,
54 head over to www.blitz-kit.fr and be prepared to give your credit or debit card
a hammering! Manifique!
Takom 1:35 Jagdpanther G1 Late Production
The fully detailed interior that is included in the kit makes it a destroyer. The link and length style of track that was featured in
bumper box of sprues by any standard! Following on from their the Panther is also used here. The kit includes a choice of three
acclaimed full interior Panther kits the Jagdpanther features the styles of gun mantlet and two different roof plates to reflect the
same high quality super crisp approach for what will be an different location of the ventilator cover. The optional stowage bin
involved build given the complexity and number of parts but for the back of the fighting compartment is included. Like the
exactly what the serious modeller is looking for. The subtle Panthers the skirt plates are moulded in one piece which will
differences in the design of the Jagdpanther hull interior mean turning to aftermarket if you want to fit just a few of the
compared to the Panther have been replicated with different skirts rather than the whole set. The kit includes some lovely
cooling pipes and completely new hull sidewall mouldings. The photoetched engine deck screens, two lengths of braided copper
new more complex firewall is beautifully rendered and of course rope and a choice of markings for 4 different vehicles and decals
there is a totally new hull floor. The Maybach engine is carried for the interior details too. An undeniably impressive kit with a
over from the Panthers as is much of the engine bay. Takom have stunning rendition of the complex interior. Purists may want to
made an excellent job of the 88mm gun and its mount however upgrade things like the tracks and skirts but it really is good to go 55
the ammunition load provides only one type of shell, high from the box and to a very high standard.
explosive, no armour piercing at all which is bizarre in a tank
1:35 The Falklands conflict has always struck a
bit of a chord with me, being brought up reading
Commando comic books and watching 1970s war
movies this was really the first time I remember
seeing the brutality of ‘real’ war in colour on the TV
news builtins. I was in my early teens; this small
group of islands looked bleak and cold and the
conflict there is regarded one of the last
‘traditionally fought’ wars in modern history. Many
people I knew had friends and relatives serving in
the British forces but few people had actually
heard of the Falklands until those ten weeks in
1982.
56
fv101 CVR-T
SCORPION
MARK NEVILLE builds a Falklands
version of the British Boy Racer
57
Aircraft modellers, or indeed Naval modellers, have opportunity to Longdon and later when they attacked Wireless Ridge.
research and build subjects from the period but for armour The CVR(T)s also gave fire support to the Scots Guards as they
modellers we’re pretty limited, especially with subjects from the attacked Mount Tumbledown. Following the ceasefire, four
UK forces. Only four Scimitar and four Scorpion (Combat Vehicle CVR(T)s led 2 Para into the capital, Stanley, carrying the
Reconnaissance-Tracked) of the Blues and Royals were used on Regimental flag. The Scorpions had fired an average of 60 rounds
the islands in support roles. Anything heavier than the CVR(T)s apiece and the Scimitars over 100 rounds each.
wouldn’t have been suitable to the boggy ground of the islands let
alone more difficult to transport and successfully land. At this moment in time if you want to build any Scorpion or
The Scorpions and Scimitars were divided into two troops with two Scimitar in 1:35 you’re limited to the AFV Club kit which is showing
Scorpions and two Scimitars each plus a single Samson recovery it’s twenty-plus year vintage. Not a bad kit by any means, but not
vehicle. At first, they found themselves ferrying general stores to the standards we’d expect these days for detail and finesse.
forward before taking on a more offensive role with 2 Para at Bluff The turret shape has also been commented on in the past but if
Cove. On the night of 11th and 12th of June the you fancy an accurate and detailed CVR(T) all hope is not lost
Scorpions took part in the thanks to the guys at Scorpion Miniature Models who not only
offensive on Mount produce their own updates, conversions and detail sets but are
stockists of Hong Kong Creations Workshop, FC Model Trend and
the AFV Club kits and track sets. All of the conversion and detail
sets have an ‘old school’ feel of hand produced masters (without
the latest CAD and 3D printing) which show really nice casting
and detail and it really pops-out under a coat of paint. So with
all of my homework completed by the ‘bigger boys’ (well, the
infinitely more knowledgable) it was time to have a crack at
my own rendition of a Falklands fighting machine.
OLD-SCHOOL STYLE
The first surgery to the base kit is the most folding the inner returns the opposite way
heavy-handed and best completed first. One squared everything up.
feature that lets the kit down are the heavy Next the upper-hull requires the earlier style
edges to the mudguards which look way bolted cover letting in. Again the plastic is thick
overscale. SMM provide a photoetched set and a P cutter is best. The resin part (SMM3511)
(SMM3516) which consists of a ‘frame’ complete is a good fit with only some dissolved putty
with redundant fixing holes where the early needed to close the gap. Some bolt heads were
wading screen equipment was attached. A P- added to the adjacent plate as per the SMM
cutter was used on the lower hull tub as it’s instructions (which are pretty
pretty thick. My photoetch had a slight curve good across all of the sets).
(understandable for a large area) but I found
59
MUD SLINGER
I prefer to include at least one figure with a vehicle to add some life and
scale, unfortunately 1980s British subjects are few and far between.
After a fruitless search for the kind of pose I wanted it was into the
spares box for a dig around which turned up a WWII German parka
torso which with a few mods has the look of the 1980s British
counterpart. In addition to the parka to add to the cold and
damp atmosphere I’ve gone for gloves with the commander
clutching his own ‘hunting’ binoculars. The head with beret is
from a modern Bundeswehr set (I’m yet to adjust the
badge here).
61
From the outset I had an image in mind of the typical Falklands
terrain with the Scorpion moving at pace (If I’m not mistaken, the
CVR-T still holds the World’s fastest ‘tank’ record), I wanted to try
and capture a little suggestion of movement. As already
mentioned, the soft peaty ground of the South Atlantic islands isn’t
really tank terrain but at around eight tons even the Scorpions and
Scimitars still churned-up the earth.
62
63
Panzerjäger
E L E FA N T
MODELLING PORSCHE’S PANZERJÄGER INSIDE & OUT
LIEJON SCHOOT
£20
Plus Postage
N OW O N S A L E F ROM
100 PAGES • INTERIOR WALKAROUND IMAGES