How To Build Tamiya Armour Kits

HOW TO
BUILD...
TAMIYAS
ARMOUR
KITS IN 1:35
SPENCER POLLARD
INCLUDES
FIVE COMPLETE BUILDS PLUS:
How to apply zimmerit

In-service references
Step by step tutorials: construction,
painting and weathering
How to detail your model:
aftermarket and from scratch
Learn to sculpt your own tarpaulins
and sandbag armour
From the publishers of Tamiya Model Magazine International,
Model Military International, Model Airplane International
and Military Illustrated Modeller
Covers Armour.indd 1
FEATURING THE WORK OF
Spencer Pollard, Marcus Nicholls

and Brett Green
27/10/2014 10:59
FOREWORD
How to build... TAMIYAS ARMOUR KITS IN 1:35
here can be very few people who have taken

an interest in modelling military vehicles who
havent at some time or another, built one of
Tamiyas extensive range of military vehicle
kits. Such is their ubiquity, originality and availability,
they have become almost as much a watchword for
1:35 armour modelling, as Airfix have been for kits of
aircraft in 1:72.
But perhaps their greatest boast, the one that they
hold most dear, is that they are the most user-friendly
kits on the market. From the most basic kits that
they offer, through to the giant tank-transporters that
grace their range, you open the box and you know
that your next project will be fun, with parts that fit,
instructions that make sense and details and features
that will make you smile with every passing step
along the way. They are, quite simply the modellers,
model kit.
Ive lost count of how many Tamiya armour kits Ive
built perhaps most of them. Without exception Ive
always enjoyed the delightful way that the designers
approach even the most subtle of details and not just
those offered in plastic. The instructions for instance
often make me smile, pointers that others miss,
such as colour call-outs, exact positioning arrows
and clear drawings, making the road to completion
pleasant and relaxing. In concert with their simple
approach to kit breakdown (why use 100 parts when
20 will do?) building a Tamiya armour kit is quick and
that means you can speed along the path to those
areas we all enjoy, painting, weathering, adding
detail, crew, accessories and even building dioramas
around each and every one. They are a gateway to
an all-encompassing hobby and thats why I love
them so much.
This new book brings together five in-depth
features created around a diverse group of Tamiyas
more original releases, two of which are new to
their range this year the Nashorn and the M4A3E8
Easy Eight Sherman, the latter being as you may
be aware, a tie-in with TASCA. Hold on a minute! I
hear you cry that Shermans not a Tamiya kit! No,
its not, but its design, layout, ease of assembly and
appearance once complete is such that it could so
easily have been designed by Tamiya rather than
elsewhere and that makes its inclusion here, more
than acceptable.
Id like to thank my other two co-conspirators in
this project Marcus Nicholls and Brett Green for the
offer of their models, as well as the Hobby Company
who so kindly provided the kits that we used to
create the five extended chapters that I hope you are
about to enjoy. Thank you all, without your help this
book would not have been possible.
This then is How To Build Tamiya Armour Kits in
1:35. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we
enjoyed putting it together.
Spencer Pollard, October 2014
Spencer Pollard
Spencer was born in Haverfordwest, South Wales in 1967. Having
been born into a military family (both his mother and father served
in the Royal Navy) it was not surprising to see him develop an
abiding interest in the military and thanks to that Fleet Air Arm
connection, aircraft, both full-size and in miniature. Having spent
many years building models as a hobby, Spencer was able to turn
a part-time passion into a full-time career, as he swapped a role in
the Civil Service for one in the Editors chair, taking over the reigns
of Military In Scale magazine in 1997. Sixteen years on, Spencer
changed direction once more as he joined the ADH team to become
their in-house model-maker, working on a wide range of models
both military and civilian. He spends downtime playing drums in a
rock-covers band, living in Shropshire with his wife Liz.
2 How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35
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CONTENTS
2
Page 4
Page 6
Page
Forward
Introduction
Chapter 1
Tool Box
Page
Chapter 2
An Easy Eight by Spencer Pollard
Page
Page
Designed by Alex Hall
36
Chapter 4
Rhinoceros: Armed And Dangerous
by Marcus Nicholls
Page
First Published in the United Kingdom by:
ADH Publishing Ltd., Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,

Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX
Telephone: 44 (0) 1525 222573
Fax: 44 (0) 1525 222574
Email: enquiries@adhpublishing.com
Website: www.adhpublishing.com
Chapter 3
Getting Your Goat by Spencer Pollard
Copyright 2014 ADH Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or

whole of any text or photographs without
written permission from the publisher is strictly
prohibited. While due care has been taken to
ensure the contents of this book are accurate,
the publisher cannot accept liability for errors.
28
52
Chapter 5
(Re)Made In Israel by Brett Green
Page
66
Chapter 6
Elefant In The Room by Brett Green
Page
82
Chapter 7
Final Thoughts
How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35 3
p 02-03 ForewardContents Armour.indd 3
27/10/2014 11:03
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Where it all began,

Tamiyas very first
1:35 military release
was this group
of spiffy looking
German tank crew,
offered for sale
during 1968.
Tamiya have never

rested on their
laurels, often taking
time to replace
older kits with new
tools, as they did
in 2009 when they
replaced their 1973
era Matilda with a
brand new kit.
elcome to the latest in

our How to Build
series of books and
the second that I have
personally put together, based
around Tamiyas superlative range
of kits. Last year we took a look at
their aircraft and now we are tackling
some of the kits from their extensive
range of 1:35 armoured vehicles,
perhaps their most loved range.
Over the next 80-odd pages
youll find five different projects that
encapsulate what Tamiyas range
of kits is all about: simplicity, ease
of assembly and fun. Each of the
articles is designed with beginners
in mind and as such, we have tried
to offer ideas that most should be
able to at least attempt, if not in
their entirety, then at least in part,
pulling out aspects of each one to
help improve their own projects.
But why have we done this?
There can be little doubt that
over the last few years that
modelling has become more and
more sophisticated. Kits that once

featured 200 parts, now contain
500-1000. Individual track links
have become the norm, etched
brass, resin updates, multi-layered
finishing techniques, everything
that has pushed the boundaries of
the hobby to hitherto unimaginable
heights. It is truly a golden age.
Whilst this is great for those with
the skill sets to keep up, those less
able can at times feel left behind,
unable to both commit to the time
needed to complete these complex
new kits and learn the skills needed
to finish each one. Sure, magazines
are a useful way to offer ideas to
these modellers (indeed many of
those published here at ADH do
just that) but often the features
can be complex and the kits
used, embellished with all many of
aftermarket goodies and finishing
products. Its not that we are
against that sort of thing as we love
these models as much as you do,
its just that we feel an opportunity
Before their tie-in

with TASCA, this
was what Tamiyas
Easy Eight looked
like!
The addition of
personal touches
can improve the
most ordinary of
kits. This is Spencer
Pollards Opel Blitz,
built just after its
release.
Spencer Pollards favourite Tamiya

1:35 armour kit is the Leopard 2A6,
as featured in our sister title How To
Build The Leopard Family In 1:35.
An all-time
classic - and still
available today - is
this neat little Pak
35/36. How many
remember those
end-opening boxes?
4 Introduction
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is being missed. And thats where

we come in
The great thing about Tamiyas
range of kits is that they are on
the whole very easy to build and
so can be used as a learning tool
without feeling that you need to
spend hours on construction. As
youll see here, they compromise
little on detail and so can be made
to look very good, even when you
build them from the box and apply
a simple layer of paint.
But thats only just the beginning
of the story!
What we really like about our
favourite manufacturer is that the
shorter time needed to complete
basic assembly, leaves plenty of
time to add those little personal
touches that we all love so much.
With the exception of Marcus
Nicholls out of the box build
of the new Nashorn, all of the
models have been embellished
with scratchbuilt details, crew
figures, accessories and other
little features, most of which are

either homemade, or found in the
spares box. This has resulted in
a collection of unique models that
almost anyone can be inspired by
without worrying about breaking the
bank, or being beyond their level
of skill.
Along with the constructional
aspects of each feature, we
have been careful to ensure that
the finishing steps are simple to
follow and use products that most
modellers will find in the toolbox.
Though there are some advanced
ideas amongst those revealed
(such as the hairspray technique
used on the Sherman), many of
them will be familiar to modellers
who have followed our work over
the years with washes, drybrushing,
pigments and chipping all present
and correct. Thats not to say
that you wont learn anything, just
that you might find yourself more
inspired than intimidated, just as
we would hope you might be.
We certainly do use off-the-shelf

weathering products and materials,
but we dont let them sit front and
centre: the kit and resulting model
is always the most important
element of each feature, not the
materials used to finish it.
We hope that this book will be
used to drive forward your projects
and that you try and build some of
the models seen within its pages.
But dont let that be the end of the
story; use the ideas to help you
choose other kits to build, other
models to collect, other techniques
to master. There are plenty of
fantastic kits that we could have
built - such as the Leopard 2A6M
seen here but we will leave those
to be part of your future. We just
hope that you enjoy building your
Tamiya kits as much as we have,
after all, that really is what this is all
about: having fun!
So, with the introduction out of
the way, shall we begin..?
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CHAPTER 1 TOOL BOX
TOOL BOX
efore we begin to enjoy

the models, we thought
it might be worth talking
briefly about the tools that
you might need to complete the
projects that youll find within this
book. Discussions with modellers
often reveal some gaps in their
knowledge and thanks to the
proliferation of tools and materials
available to the modeller, a little
confusion about what they will need
and what they most definitely wont!
This short section should point you
in the right direction and offer some
guidance as what youll need to
complete your first model.
GETTING STARTED
In order to build a model kit,
youll need a very basic tool kit
comprising only a few specialist
tools. From the off though, let us
stress that it is always a good idea
to buy the best tools you can: you
get what you pay for. Its a false
economy to buy cheap tools,
brushes and materials and hope
that they will last and produce good
results they wont. Experience has
taught us that it is better to buy well
and youll not need to do so again!
So, in order to build your first
model, what do you need? Heres a
list of tools to get you started:
A sharp knife. Modelling
companies produce their own
knives, but we tend to favour
Swann Morton Scalpels fitted with
No.10 & 10A blades. Whatever you
choose, always ensure that they are
sharp blunt blades are far more
dangerous because you will force
the blade and that can make them
unpredictable in use. Keep them
sharp and once dull, replace.
A pair of side-cutters. This
is a very useful tool that allows
you to snip the parts away from
the runners with little chance of
damage. I use Xuron cutters, but
they are also widely available
from many of the model kit
manufacturers as well.
Tweezers. Grab yourself two
pairs, a standard set with large
prongs and fine set with sharp
prongs that can be used for
delicate details. We use Tamiyas
own tweezers, but we would also
recommend checking out Adam
Wilders new sets (www.wilder.su)
as they are very good indeed.
The basic tool kit

everything youll
need to build your
latest masterpiece!
Sanding sticks and sponges.

These are perfect for cleaning up
seams (see our Easy Eight feature
for more details on their use). Again
widely available, but we would
recommend Flory Models as the
best weve used (www.florymodels.
co.uk/skinny-sticks/).
Files. Youll always come up
against delicate parts that need to
be cleaned up and this where fine
files come in handy. Though you
can use standard steel files, we
would recommend using smaller
diamond files that are available in
packs of five. These are far harder,
dont clog so easily and if they do,
are very easy to clean. The set we
use is made by Keil Kraft and is
available online from fruugo (www.
fruugo.co.uk).
High quality drill bits and a pin
vice. Most kits require at least one
hole to be drilled to accept a small
piece of detail. To do this neatly

you will need a set of drill bits and
a small pin vice to hold it tight. A
search of the web will reveal a huge
choice of both items to buy, most
of which will be quality enough for
modelling use Amazon being
particularly useful in this regard
(www.amazon.co.uk/Micro-HSStwist-drill-20pce/dp/B004H2AF9S).
Liquid cement. Though modellers
have traditionally cut their teeth on
tubes of cement, these days we
have plenty of easy to use liquid
glues that are far easier to apply
and produce consistently clean
results. The builds in this book were
completed using four types: Plastic
Weld; Tamiya Extra Thin Cement;
Gunze Sangyo Mr Cement S and
Humbrol Liquid Poly. Each of these
glues has different properties,
drying times and viscosity, allowing
the modeller to create instant joints,
6 Chapter 1 - Tool Box
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27/10/2014 11:05
joints that can be adjusted and

those that fall somewhere in the
middle. Experimentation will reveal
which is best for a given job, so we
recommend using all four.
Modelling filler. Sometimes you
have gaps to fill so we recommend
adding this to the toolbox. We use
Humbrol Model Filler as well as
Squadron White and Green Stuff.
All are available from your local
model shop.
High quality paint brushes. Dont
skimp on this part of your toolbox! If
you want high quality finishes, you
have to use the best brushes you
can. Both synthetic brushes and
those made from materials such as
sable can be bought in both art and
model shops, as well as online. For
beginners, we would recommend
looking at some of the brushes
produced in packs from the likes of
Humbrol, AK Interactive, Lifecolor
and Tamiya. If you really can afford
it, the Winsor & Newton Series 7
range are the very best you can buy
expensive, but worth every penny!
THE FINISHING LINE

Almost all of the kits that you
build will include detailed painting
information, both for the smaller
details and the camouflage
scheme in which the model will be
finished. This will usually take the
form of numbered call-outs, crossreferenced to the manufacturers
preferred range of paints such
as Humbrol with Airfix but not
always. Sometimes youll find a list
of different manufacturers paints,
so you can choose which best suits
your personal preferences.
In terms of specific choices you
will use either acrylics or enamels
and we can certainly not offer any
advice here as to which is best. The
reason for this is that we use both
and so it will be up to you to decide
on which is more user friendly; you
may decide to spray acrylics and
brush-paint enamel details, or the
other way around: enamels being
used for the main finish and then
acrylics for the smaller features - it
really is up to you! Whatever you
Keep you bench

tidy! Heres a
shot of Spencers
workbench during a
project earlier this
year. Everything is
neatly laid out and
the surfaces are
perfectly clean
not a speck of dust
in sight!
Paint and thinners

need to match
for optimum
performance. Heres
a small selection of
those available to
the modeller.
do though, ensure that you use

whatever thinner is created for
the paint you have chosen. Each
of these thinners is specifically
formulated for the paints and so
whether you decide to paint your
model with a paintbrush or more
sophisticated airbrush, please
do so using matching materials:
Humbrol Enamel Thinners with their
enamel paints; Vallejo Thinners
with their acrylics; Mr Color Thinner
with Gunze Sanyos range of
lacquers, etc., etc. Trust us, it
makes a massive difference to
their performance after all, you
wouldnt fill your cars engine up
with the wrong oil now, would you?!
AND FINALLY
I often see images of workbenches
where the surface is covered with
all manner of kit parts, paint, glue
and accessories with barely an inch
to work in. Dont do this! If you want
to be truly productive and create
well made, well finished models,
work in as tidy an environment as
you can - youll find it easier to
concentrate on the job in hand,
will reduce accidents and the risk
to your finishes from dust and
dirt. Trust me I know what Im
talking about! Tidy up; remove
dust and dirt from your bench and
put everything away it only takes
five minutes at the end of the day,
but repays you with a clean slate
from which to begin the following
day. Think about it: how can you
hope for a dust free finish if you are
painting on a work surface that is
covered in the stuff?
We are now ready to get
cracking. Lets begin with Tamiyas
excellent Easy Eight Sherman
27/10/2014 11:05
CHAPTER 2 TAMIYA 1:35 M4A3E8 SHERMAN EASY EIG
AN EASY EIGHT
HOW SIMPLE IDEAS CAN
IMPROVE A STOCK KIT
MODEL SPEC
TOOLS AND MODELLING
PRODUCTS USED:
Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement
Gunze Sangyo Mr Cement S
Tamiya Masking Tape
ZAP Super Glue
Delux Materials Roket Blaster
Tamiya Fine Surface Primer
PAINTS AND FINISHING
PRODUCTS:
Magic Sculp
Green Stuff
Baby Talc
Spencer Pollard shows how, with

some straightforward alterations,
a little scratchbuilding and the
addition of some stowage and
crew, even the easiest of kits can
look radically different from one
built out of the box.

XF-1 Flat Black
XF-52 Flat Earth
XF-49 Khaki
XF-67 NATO Green
XF-59 Desert Yellow
XF-62 Olive Drab
XF-71 Cockpit Green
XF-68 NATO Brown
XF-15 Flesh
XF-85 Rubber Black
XF-7 Flat Red
XF-84 Dark Iron
Gunze Sangyo Mr Color Thinner
Humbrol Enamel Thinners
86 Light Olive
150 Forest Green
159 Khaki Drab
33 Matt Black
72 Khaki Drill
29 Dark Earth
119 Light Earth
61 Flesh
34 Matt White
73 Wine
26 Khaki
117 Light Green
33 Matt Black
Mig Productions Thinner For Washes
502 Abteilung oil paint, buff, Light Earth,
Light Rust, Dark Rust
Dark Wash
Tamiya Earth Texture Paint
Vallejo Flat Varnish
Vallejo 169 Black
150 German Camo Black Brown
306 Dark Rubber
Vallejo Face Painting Set
ACCESSORIES
Verlinden Productions - US Tankers WWII
Wet/Cold (2587), US AFV Crew WWII
(1619).
Value Gear Wooden Crates #3, Tents
&Tarp Rolls
8 Chapter 2 - An Easy Eight
27/10/2014 11:07
SY EIGHT KIT NO.25175
amiya have had a

longstanding love affair
with the Sherman,
releasing kits of this
famous vehicle regularly over the
years. Indeed, the Easy Eight
was one of their very first kits and
though far from accurate (parts of it
were in 1:32, with others in 1:35) it
was a staple of the kit world before
they decided to replicate the M4A3
during 1981, followed by the 105
mm howitzer-armed variant during
2002. More recently weve seen an
Israeli M1, an M51 and thanks to
a tie-in with Asuka Model (formerly
TASCA) we now have both the
Sherman Firefly and the subject of
this feature, the M4A3E8 - or more
memorably, the Easy Eight - thus
taking us full circle!
27/10/2014 11:07

IN THE BOX
Though this feature is not really a
review, it may well be worth offering
some thoughts on the kit before
we get cracking on the meat and
bones of this section of the book.
When TASCA first emerged onto
the modelling scene, they were
instantly lavished with praise, many
believing that their new range of
Sherman kits were not only the last
word on the subject, but also bore
an uncanny resemblance to the
work of Tamiyas designers. Though
more detailed than Tamiyas
Sherman kits, they matched in
terms of sensible breakdown of
parts, ease of assembly, packaging,
instructions and fun! They seemed
to be twins split at birth and so
seeing their kits now sold in Tamiya
boxes, is no surprise whatsoever.
Their Easy Eight is a fine
example of what they are capable
of. Though initially daunting in terms
of parts-count (the tracks alone,
could give you sleepless nights!),
the ease with which everything
goes together, makes the building
of this kit a far from arduous task.
The hull for instance is broken
down into individual panels that fit
cleverly together, internal bulkheads
stiffening it up until the one-piece
upper hull is glued in place. The
turret is similarly straightforward,
two parts taking care of the shell
before the modeller spends a few
happy hours adding the details.
The bulk of the work is needed to
construct the wheels, suspension
and tracks. Initially, this looked
overwhelming, 26 parts for each
suspension unit seeming like a lot
of work, but fear not; clean-up is
minimal and so once the parts are
free from their runners, everything
falls together easily. The kit would
have you build the bogies so that
they can articulate, but as I loath
such gimmicks, I glued everything
together firmly, a flat surface being
used to ensure everything was
straight and level.
With the suspension dealt with,

we come to the tracks. As part of
this feature youll find a step-bystep guide to their construction that
will show you how easy they are
to build. In essence they are made
up from individual links broken up
into two pieces that combine to
trap pins moulded on the edge of
each one. Though repetitive, the
only care you need to take is with
the glue brush, sparing application
of adhesive being needed to join
the links to create a run of flexible
track. It was planned to build these
tracks over a few days, but once in
the groove they can together in only
a few hours.
The finer details in this kit are
really very well handled. I was
particularly taken with the amazing
.50 cal MG and the almost
unbelievably fine retaining springs
found on the loaders hatch: Im not
sure I ever seen finer parts in a kit!
Tools and other fittings are equally
splendid and though they dont
feature any form of retaining straps
thus aping the Tamiya parts found
in their own kits they look great
once in place and painted. Where
you will find improvement over
Tamiyas Shermans, is in the way
that TASCA handle the handles
(sorry!), all of these being tiny
individual parts rather than solid
features, moulded in-situ. This of
course adds to the care needed to
assemble this kit, but the results are
worth it: even from the box, this is a
fantastic looking model.
The lower hull is built up

from separate flat panels,
internal bulkheads ensuring
that everything joins square
and true. The fit is perfect.
The lower hull is complete. Fix the inner wheels in

place allowed the bogies to be lined up and then
flattened out, all working features being fused
permanently in place with liquid glue.
THIS FEATURE
Over the next few pages or so,
we will take you through the
construction and painting of this
model. Unashamedly aimed at the
beginner/intermediate modeller,
youll find a whole raft of step-bystep guides that you can use for
not only this model, but many more
besides.
This then is Tamiyas Easy Eight
we hope you like it!
When TASCA first emerged onto

the modelling scene, they bore an
uncanny resemblance to the work of
Tamiyas designers...
The large air vent and exhausts

are superbly realised in the kit,
multi-part assemblies ensuring
a pleasing level of finesse.
27/10/2014 11:08

DRAWING UP A LIST OF
THINGS TO DO
Though looking complex, the multipart bogie assemblies are easy and
fun to build. Note the excellent detail.
Another view of the completed lower hull. For those inquisitive

types who may be wondering why there is a mark inside the
hull, I glued a return roller mount to the wrong side of the hull
plate for the photos and had to remove it
Anyone who has stuck with me

through my years of building
models, will know that I like to
draw up to-do lists that I can
use to guide progress through
a project. This model was no
different and though not as
complex as others that I have
completed recently, was needed
so that everything was done
both in order and within the time
needed to complete the model.
Heres the list that I drew up:
Build the lower hull checking
everything was square and
true.
Assemble all suspension
units, fixing the innermost
roadwheels in place to allow
each bogie to be fixed to the
hull and levelled out.
Assemble the tracks, ensuring
that they remained flexible.
Paint and set aside to dry
ready for weathering.
Complete assembly of model,
leaving .50 Cal separate,
along with sprocket and idler
wheels (to allow fitting of the
tracks later on).
Make sandbags for the glacis
plate from Magic Sculp. Leave
in place to be painted with
the rest of the model thus
ensuring the colours and
tones are in sympathy with the
surrounding camouflage.
Add stowage to the rear hull
using resin items from the
spares box. Glue in place.
Blend stowage into model with
soft tarps created using thinly
rolled sheets of magic Sculp.
Tie in place ready for painting,
once again at the same time
as the camouflage.
Add heavy mud to suspension
and lower hull with Tamiyas
textured paint.
Apply camouflage paint and
layer of hairspray ready to deal
with worm whitewash finish.
Weather model.
Paint details.
Construct figures, painting
results with Tamiya acrylics
and Humbrol enamels.
The HVSS assemblies are superb and surprisingly quick to build.
27/10/2014 11:08
SEAMS EASY AND IT IS!
When building plastic model kits, whether they are armour

or aircraft, you will be faced with the need to deal with
joints between large sections and the clean up of the
seams that result from their union. Beginners can sometimes be stumped by this step of a models construction
but they neednt be as much like anything else that we
do, with the right tools and a little guidance, it can be
easy to achieve excellent results. In this section well show
you how to deal with the joint line between the upper and
lower turret sections and restore the texture that will be
removed during the clean up operation. Lets go!
Some of the tools needed to deal with a joint on a model: a black Sharpie marker pen,
sanding stick, sanding sponge and a piece of Scotchbrite. The two halves of the turret
shell have already been joined and left to dry out.
Happy that we have highlighted all areas in need of work, a medium grade sanding stick is
used to smooth out the joints, short controlled strokes being used to ensure that we dont
remove too much material and damage the surrounding surfaces.
Having spent time with the sanding sponges, the whole turret was treated to a buffing with
the Scotchbrite seen early.
For those difficult to deal with areas, a curved scalpel blade (No. 10) was used to gently
scrape away the unwanted plastic.
And heres the result of our labours, a turret shell with little evidence of a joint line.
That said, the surface now is a little too smooth, so needs some additional work to
complete the job
The jo
mould
that w
27/10/2014 11:08
Here,
remov

B
The joint is marked out with the Sharpie, as are any unwanted seams left from the intricate
moulds use to form the turret parts. This not only highlights areas to be worked on, it shows
that we have done enough sanding once all trace of the black ink has been removed.
Here, we can see that the joint has been smoothed over and that seam around the hatch,
removed. Time to clean up the surfaces ready for painting.
There is a nasty seam around the opening for the turrets side hatch that needs to be
removed seen here marked with our Sharpie.
Sanding sponges come in all manner of sizes and grades and are perfect for this task, being
able to not only smooth the surface but thanks to their soft nature, do so without risk of
deforming the rounded edges.
Where the surface

has been smoothed
over, Mr Primer
Surfacer 500 was
stippled on to
create a delicately
rough surface that
blended in with the
surrounding plastic.
Our turret was now
ready to be detailed.
27/10/2014 11:08

Though we have a separate stepby-step guide to the completion of
the stowage on the engine deck,
here is a shot of the underlying
resin parts initially fixed in
place. Though its great to
use these items, its also
fun to add your own
touches and thats
why further layers of
tarpaulins were created
to lay over this collection.
The dark grey tarpaulins and box
are from the Value Gear range,
the remaining yellow pieces being
from VPs extensive range of
accessories.
Many of the images I found of late-war Shermans showed

them bedecked in all manner of soft camouflage and that was
something I was keen to add to the model. The glacis was
decorated with sandbags made from small blobs of Magic
Sculp, fine mesh embossed into each one, adding texture,
modelling tools being used to add seams and other details. The
tarpaulin was made as shown later. Note the resin box and the
wooden retaining plank, the latter being made from a coffee
stirrer liberated from a well-know chain of coffee shops
Were starting to get somewhere now, the bulk of

the hull being assembled ready for the finer details.
Though not everyones cup of tea, I like to fix as
many of the accessories in place as possible and
paint in situ, as it allows everything to blend in to the
surrounding camouflage more naturally than would
be possible if they were painted as individual items.
PHOTO ETCHED DETAILS:

OVERCOME YOUR FEAR
Many modern kits include frets of
photo-etched details. These usually
include such hard-to-mould items
as light guards, handles and other
tiny features. Though many of
these are also supplied in this kit
in plastic, they are far from delicate
and so the use of the brass parts,
though daunting, is something to be
encouraged. To do so needs little
more than a few tools, some fine
tweezers and superglue all things
that an average modeller will find
in their toolbox. Lets take a look at
how we can use those supplied in
this kit and maybe inspire you to
have a go at more complex sets.
Some tools of the

trade: a cutting plate
from Little Cars, a
scalpel, diamond
files, superglue and
section of brass rod
to shape the pieces.
The rear hulls

light guards are
shaped with the
aid of a jewellers
screwdriver, care
being taken not to
deform the part
through rough
handling.
27/10/2014 11:08
Had we taken the stowage

away from this build, Tamiyas
Easy Eight would have taken
little more than a few hours to
get to this point, making it a
perfect beginners kit.
The pioneer tools are nicely detailed,

lacking only the retaining straps found
on the originals. Photo-etched details
available from the aftermarket can deal
with this omission should you choose
to address it.
The fret is laid down on

to the Perspex cutting
plate and then using
a new No. 10 scalpel,
the part to be used is
careful removed from
the fret.
With the part removed,

any excess brass from
the attachment point is
removed and then the
surface smoothed off
with a file, the delicate
piece being held tight
within the jaws of a pair
of modellers pliers.
Small drops of medium

viscosity superglue
(ZAP in this case) were
applied around the tabs
for the light guards with
a length of fine wire.
The tiny guard could now

be dropped into place
adjusting its position
before the glue set. In
order to reinforce the
joint some thin superglue
could also be flowed
around the joints thats
up to you!
27/10/2014 11:08
EPOXY PUTTY TARPAULINS

MADE EASY!
Though the aftermarket is awash with all manner of stowage
items and tarpaulin rolls, sometimes youll need something
unique to fit your model. Over the years, these have been
made from tissue paper soaked in thin PVA glue, but you can
also make them from two-part epoxy putty. In this section, well
show you how.
There are a number of different products on the market to
accomplish this task, but our favourite is Magic Sculp, a soft,
ultra-fine putty perfect for jobs such as this. Along with the
putty youll also need some talcum powder, soft brushes and a
section of rubber-tipped sculpting tools that are available from
all good art shops.
Using a fine metal blade (in this case a thin steel ruler) the sheet is cut into small squares.
The roll has been placed onto the model and is being gently forced down over the detail. In
order to ensure that the putty stays put, small drops of water are added between it and the
model, the water helping to make it sticky enough to bond to the resin details seen here.
The putty is mixed by taking equal quantities and combining them until the colour is
completely even with no evidence of marbling. This is then rolled into a ball and placed onto
a cutting mat well dusted in talcum powder. We can now start to roll it out.
Though it is possible to cut the putty sheet with a blade, I find it tends to drag and deform,
so the use of a longer cutting tool pressed into the surface, helps create more accurate,
neater cuts.
With the putty in place, sculpting tools are used to added creases, details and other shapes.
There is no science to this, the details being added until the results are pleasing to the eye.
27/10/2014 11:08
The p
result
it doe

B
The putty is rolled with a brass rod, the sheet being rotated and flipped over to ensure the
results are even. With each pass of the rod, the sheet is dusted with more talcum to ensure
it doesnt stick to either the rod, or the cutting mat.
We can now start to roll the individual pieces using a soft, flat brush. Note the amount of
talcum in this shot; this is necessary to ensure that the material can be worked without
worrying about it sticking to you, the mat or the tools.
Here, you can see how thin the sheet is as we scrunch it up. At this point it is ready to use
for our tarpaulins and bedrolls.
With your first sheet rolled neatly, folds and the like can be added using either a paintbrush
or the rubber-tipped brushes seen here. This can be done either on the mat, or on the model,
whichever is easiest for you to achieve your desired results.
Happy that the first layer is in

place, another sheet could be
added and blended in with the
underlying detail. The putty is so
soft that it can be pushed over the
detail with the aid of a soft brush,
all of the underlying features
being perfectly visible, just as
they would be in reality. It is now
up to you how many layers you
wanted to add and where just
use your imagination!
27/10/2014 11:08
Compared to more modern designs, the Shermans turret is

positively basic!
27/10/2014 11:08
The stowage on the

rear deck is finished
off with several
layers of Magic
Sculp tarpaulins
(see separate guide
to their creation).
Whatever you do
with your stowage,
make sure you
tie it down! Those
loose items wont
stay there all by
themselves!
I feel that an
armoured vehicle
model really
benefits from the
addition of crew,
both for a sense
of scale and also
a level of drama
not possible from
the vehicle itself.
These two arguing
crewmen are made
up from different VP
figures, arms and
heads, found in the
spares box. The
loader obviously
has plenty on his
mind!
The remaining crew

figures are stock
items taken from
VPs US Tankers
WWII Wet/Cold set,
plasticard plinths
glued inside the
hull, holding them
in place.
27/10/2014 11:09
MAKING TRACKS
A STEP BY STEP GUIDE
The tracks in Tamiyas Easy Eight are well

moulded and easy to assemble if you
take your time and follow some simple
steps. Over the next few paragraphs we
will show you how to build not only these
tracks, but also similar tracks in other kits.
To accomplish this task youll need a sharp
knife, side cutters, a sanding stick, tweezers and some high-quality liquid glue.
The individual components are removed from the runners ready for assembly. Each link
comprises two parts: the tread and the upper panel complete with guide horn.
Using a pair of fine tweezers, pick up the upper panel and very carefully lay it into place,
trapping the second link as you do so.
Heres a close-up of the tracks nicely detailed and flexible.
Press the upper panel down using the tip of the tweezers for a few seconds until the glue sets.
With the individual lengths constructed, they could be brought together and left to dry
overnight. The following day they could be checked to see if any links had accidentally
fused together, if so, they could be carefully flexed until they worked loose.
Assem
and so
27/10/2014 11:09
Begin
are fir

B
Assembly begins. Lay a link down and then drop a second in place ensure that the pin
and socket joints line up.
Begin to add the next few links, ensuring that they are all lined up and the upper panels
are firmly cemented in place.
Very carefully add drops of liquid glue onto the upper surface of the first track link.
A fine brush is essential to accomplish this task.
The tracks were built in blocks of twenty until I had the 77 that were needed for each side.
And here they are

complete after little
more than a few
hours work: perfectly
detailed, flexible
tracks ready to be
fitted to our model.
27/10/2014 11:09
Before painting the model, some mud was added to the lower hull using Tamiyas
excellent Soil Effect Diorama Texture Paint.
When applying the textured paint to the model very little care was taken it was just applied where I
felt it needed to be!
There was something utterly liberating about splashing mud-coloured paint all
over my model subtle it most certainly wasnt!
In order to regulate the

tone of the upper colours
and provide an initial layer
of shadow, the model was
basecoated in a layer
of Halfords Satin Black
aerosol paint. This provided
a hard surface that dried
ready to be overpainted, in
only a few minutes.
The upper surfaces have

been airbrushed with
several layers of green
beginning with Tamiya
XF-62 Olive Drab, followed
by XF-67 NATO Green and
then NATO Green lightened
with XF-59 Desert Yellow.
All of these colours were
applied in very thin layers,
the paint being diluted
around 50% with Gunze
Sangyo Mr Color Thinner.
27/10/2014 11:09
The sandbags were given an initial coat of Tamiya

XF-49 to differentiate them from the surrounding
paintwork. Though not an obvious shift in colour in
this shot, this was enough when it came to painting
them properly, later on.
As with the sandbags, the stowage on the rear deck was

first sprayed with some light green, grey and khaki tones
ready for final painting and weathering. There was no
real science to this, generic shades being mixed in the
airbrushs colour cup until I was happy to move on.
Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-52 Flat

Earth were mixed to create a dark brown
colour and then sprayed over the running
gear, lower hull and wheels. The colour
was then lightened with increasing levels
of Flat Earth, each one being sprayed over
the details to create a nicely 3D effect
ready for final weathering.
The completely airbrushed model.

Note the patchy finish, made possible
through the use of multiple shades
applied in both a scribbled pattern
and long streaks, the latter being used
down the models vertical surfaces.
In order to create a worn winter scheme complete with patches of

whitewash, the hairspray technique was used. This involves a layer
of hairspray over which paint is applied, the hairspray allowing the
upper paint to be removed through the application of water to dissolve
the hairspray and thus dislodge the paint. Here, the model has been
sprayed with several layers of fine hairspray and then oversprayed
with a thin layer of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White thinned with water.
Happy with the camouflage, a brush was used to

apply water over the white, which in turn melted the
hairspray to allow the white to be removed. Care is
needed to ensure this is done carefully to ensure that
the effects are natural and in scale.
The whole model has been scrubbed

to remove areas of the white paint, the
results being a realistic, worn finish. Time
for some weathering and detail painting.
27/10/2014 11:09
The turret was the first section to be completed. This was weathered using very simple
washes of Raw Umber oil paints (thinned with white spirit) to bring out the detail, stippled
areas of Vallejo German Camo Black Brown (applied with a sponge) to replicate paint chips,
and drybrushing with Humbrol Matt Black and Forest Green to pop the edges and smaller
features. Detail painting was completed in the main using enamels, Xtracolor RAF Blue Grey
being used for the periscope glazing.
Here, you can see the difference between the completed turret and as yet, unweathered hull.
Note how much darker the turret is after all of the washes and why it is necessary to begin
with lighter shades when painting, if the resulting model is not to end up looking overly dark
once complete.
Time to weather the hull
Of all the areas of the model, the most

fun to paint was the glacis plate and its
sandbag armour. These were washed with
various dark earthy shades, before being
drybrushed with Humbrol 72 Khaki Drill
darkened with a little 29 Dark Earth, thinned
layers of this mix repeatedly lightened with
the addition of white, helping to define the
creases and seams. The tarpaulins were
painted in a similar manner, greens and
greys being used for contrast.
The figures were painted in an almost identical way to the stowage, their
uniforms and flesh being blocked out with Tamiya acrylics before their uniforms
were refined with Humbrol enamels to add highlights, shadows and details.
27/10/2014 11:11
The rear hull is awash with details, painted effects and weathering. The greasy fuel stains
flowing from the filler caps were applied using AK Interactives Fuel Stains, thinned layers of
this liquid being used to add further dirt and degradation over the surfaces of the upper hull.
The tools were painted with a mixture of Vallejo and Lifecolor acrylics and Mig Productions
washes. Metal parts were painted with Lifecolor UA731 Dirty Black, washed with Humbrol
72 Khaki Drill and then highlighted with graphite. Handles were basecoated with Vallejo 310
Weathered Wood and then washed with Mig Productions dark Wash, a fine, flat brush moistened
with thinners being used to manipulate the wash to create the grain pattern seen here.
Close-up of the finished

sprocket. Oil paint and enamel
washes helped break up the
colour, as did an overspray with
gloss brown, the latter helping
create the look of wet mud.
Some graphite would also help
here around the sprocket teeth
maybe later when this model is
built into a diorama
The completed model with crew in place.

Note how everything blends together,
nothing looking to be out of place.
27/10/2014 11:11
I feel that an
armoured vehicle
model really benefits
from the addition
of crew, both for a
sense of scale and
also a level of drama
not possible from the
vehicle itself...
27/10/2014 11:11
27/10/2014 11:11
CHAPTER 3 TAMIYA 1:35 M561 GAMA GOAT KIT NO. 35
GETTING YOUR GOAT
Spencer Pollard builds a very unusual

vehicle, the M561 Gama Goat, adding
plenty of homemade details along the way.
MODEL SPEC
MATERIALS
Injection-moulded polystyrene, polycaps,
waterslide decals
TOOLS AND MODELLING
PRODUCTS USED
Gunze Mr Cement S
Tamiya Masking Tape
Zap Super Glue & Zip Kicker
Gunze Sangyo Mr Color Thinner
PRODUCTS
Magic Sculp
Green Stuff
Baby Talc
XF-1 Flat Black
XF-52 Flat Earth
XF-49 Khaki
XF-67 NATO Green
XF-74 Olive Drab (JGSDF)
XF-71 Cockpit Green
XF-72 Brown (JGSDF)
XF-68 NATO Brown
XF-15 Flesh
XF-85 Rubber Black
XF-7 Flat Red
XF-84 Dark Iron
X-35 Semi-Gloss Clear
Humbrol Enamel Thinners
86 Light Olive
150 Forest Green
159 Khaki Drab
33 Matt Black
72 Khaki Drill
29 Dark Earth
119 Light Earth
Mig Productions Thinner For Washes
502 Abteilung oil paint, buff, Light Earth,
Light Rust, Dark Rust
Dark Wash
European Earth, Beech Sand pigments
AK Interactive Dust Effects
Vallejo Flat Varnish
Vallejo 169 Black
150 German Camo Black Brown
306 Dark Rubber
28 Chapter 3 - Getting Your Goat
27/10/2014 11:13
NO. 35330
he Gama Goat was a

six-wheel-drive semiamphibious off-road
vehicle originally developed
for use by the US Military in the
Vietnam War, although it never took
part in combat during that conflict.
The vehicle's nickname came from
two sources; Gama from the
name of the inventor of its powered
articulated joint, Roger Gamount
and Goat for its mountain goatlike off-road ability. Its full military
designation was M561, 66 tactical
1-1/4-ton truck.
27/10/2014 11:13
Having completed the chassis, attention turned to the nose of the vehicle. The kit does not
supply foot-pedals so they were added from Evergreen rod and strip. Note the cable bundle
under the dashboard.
GAMA GOAT IN MINIATURE

So, having got over the shock of
this left-field release, what does
the kit offer the modeller? Well,
this kit is typically Tamiya in the
sense that it is well packaged,
beautifully moulded and very easy
to build but there is a but this
kit is typical of a 1980s Tamiya
kit rather than one produced in
2013. Let me explain; when you
open the box you are faced with
a very simple kit with little in the
way of parts (around 130) and
some areas of simplified detail. It
looks to all intents and purposes
as though it was designed some
time ago and has only just seen
the light of day. Thats not to say
its a poor kit, it isnt, but if you are
expecting a modern, all whistles
and bells replica, you may well be
disappointed.
So what do we have? From
the off this kit looks to have been
designed with ease of assembly
first and foremost. The main
bodywork of the both the tractor
and trailer are essentially created
from one large section that is then
embellished with suspension and
drive train sub-assemblies, again,
mostly moulded in one piece. Not
only does this make assembly easy,
it makes it quick: I had the lower
flanks of the tractor built in less than
thirty minutes almost unheard of
in a 1/35 kit!
Though this simplification is
a welcome aspect of the kit, it
does have a knock-on effect in
terms of detail; despite the basics
A Tamiya Dragon Wagon was robbed of some towing lugs and a cable-end for the winch.
Lifting eyes were made from Evergreen rod and fine brass wire wound around a drill bit.
The inside of
the drivers
compartment was
plagued with some
hard-to-remove
pin marks, so the
floor was lined
with plastic card
to cover them up.
Another pedal was
added to the side
of the transmission
tunnel.
The fuel tanks are

rather simplified
in the kit so
were extensively
re-detailed using
rod and strip. Note
the plethora of
pipes attached to
the hull sides.
Adding detail to the tanks was a fun

aspect of this build, careful reference
to online images, being used to ensure
everything was in the correct place.
Fire lead wire
available from littlecars.co.uk was
used to add the
electrical cables
to the headlights,
predrilled holes
being used to
anchor each one.
27/10/2014 11:14
NO. 35330
The rather
agricultural trailer
coupling is another
simplified aspect of
the kits detailing
and could really
do with either
some extra detail,
or better still,
replacement. We
went with the kitsupplied parts,
choosing only to
add a few cables
here and there.
Small brackets were fashioned for the hoop that holds the tarpaulin over the
cabin. Note also the small strengthening strip that has been added to the
lower edge of the engine cover.
A view of the
completed tractor
reveals the compact
look of this very
distinctive design.
The front of the

model certainly
looks impressive
with that winch in
place. The kit offers
the choice of a
plain nose as well,
depending on the
version chosen.
The wing mirror stanchions were replaced with fine 0.5 mm Evergreen rod,
before being detailed with tiny bolts sliced from the end of another piece of
rod, this time 0.2 mm.
27/10/2014 11:14
all being present and correct,

careful examination of reference
photographs reveals a lot of
missing features that you would
perhaps expect from a twenty-first
century kit and not just one from
Tamiya. What that means is that the
modeller can either elect to build
the model quickly from the box and
enjoy the painting, or as we have
here, have some fun adding some
of those missing items and make
something that is perhaps a little
more unique.
Along with the plastic parts, the
kit includes a comprehensively
drawn set of instructions and a
finely printed set of decals that
cover three options. The choices
are as follows:
No.14, 82nd Airborne Division,
Grenada, October 1983.
Vehicle painted in MERDC
scheme of Mid-Brown, Green,
Buff and Black.
3rd Marine Division, Camp
Fuji. Vehicle finished in overall
Olive Drab.
A Standard U.S. Army Goat
from an unknown unit during
1976. Vehicle finished in overall Olive Drab.
The trailer is easy

to build and looks
fine from the box.
We decided to take
things a little further
though and so
chose to add some
extra detail
The rear tailgate is
nicely detailed, but
the tool stowage is
rather heavy-handed
and so they were
left off and the area
cover with a Magic
Sculp tarpaulin. The
retaining handles
were shaved off
the rear wall of the
trailer and replaced
with new, larger
pieces made from
strip and rod.
Pictures often show a jerry can on the rear mudguard and so a

Tamiya accessory set was raided for one, Tamiyas masking tape
and some strip being used to create the delicate retaining straps.
Jerry can on one side: stowage box on the other. This is simply
a resin part from the spares box.
27/10/2014 11:14
NO. 35330
The decals are well-printed and

feature plenty of the distinctive
data panels that can be found
in and around the interior of the
Goat. The instructions provide
plenty of painting instructions
that not only help you deal with
the fine details as you proceed
through construction, but also the
camouflage and markings once
complete. All paints are pulled from
Tamiyas range of acrylics.
Being such a simple kit, we
decided not to take you through
the construction and painting using
a lengthy written description, but
instead, create a photo-essay that
would show you some of the details
that were added to the model and
a few of the painting steps that
were used to finish it. All of the
techniques, tools and materials
used should be suitable for the
beginner/intermediate modeller, or
perhaps those with more advanced
skills who will be looking for a
relaxing little project during which
they can have some fun.
Some hoops for the

trailers tarpaulin
cover were made
from some Albion
Alloys 1 mm brass
rod, bent to shape
using a plastic card
template.
Test-fitting the
tractor and trailer.
The wheels have
been washed with a
thin layer of Humbrol
Dark Earth and then
the tyres drybrush
with Humbrol Matt
Black to pop the
tread detail.
Broken down, the various sub-assemblies have

been airbrushed in their relevant colours. In
keep with our reference shots, the tractor was
painted Olive Drab Tamiya XF-71 Interior
Green over XF-74 Olive Drab (JGSDF) - and
then the trailer in a MERDC camouflage
scheme painted using a base-coat of XF-67
NATO Green, XF-72 Brown (JGSDF), XF-78
Wooden Deck Tan and XF-69 NATO Black. The
tyres were painted with Tamiyas brand-new
XF-85 Rubber Black, with XF-71 Interior Green
hubs. Once done, the sub-assemblies were
sprayed with several thin layers of X-35 SemiGloss Clear ready for weathering.
Here are the wheels painted ready for weathering.

The hubs were painted freehand, subsequent layers
of dirt helping to blend in any overspray.
Washes of thinned Winsor & Newton oil paints helped to define the smaller details, a layer of
drybrushed Humbrol Khaki drill carefully applied being used to sharpen up the details, post wash.
27/10/2014 11:14
Painting the tractor and trailer in different

camouflage schemes certainly helps to make
this model even more interesting.
Though a simple part of the

model, careful painting and
weathering brings out the
best in the kit parts. Along
with those washes applied
earlier, Mig Productions
and AK Interactive
pigments were applied to
the rear end and then fixed
with Humbrol Thinner and
Pigment Fixer. Washes of
MPs Fuel Stains and Raw
Umber oil paints, followed
by drybrushed layers of
Matt Black and Humbrol
Metalcote Steel, add to the
filthy look.
The Gama Goat is

predominantly made of
aluminium and so any
chipping was carried out
with Games Workshop
metallics, Chainmail and
Boltgun Metal. Some areas
that are steel on the real
vehicle were chipped
with Vallejo German
Camouflage Brown and
then washed with MPs
Rust oils.
Being an old for sale

vehicle, the winch came in
for some heavy weathering
including oil-paint washes,
pigments and drybrushing.
Note the appearance of
the glazed lights in this
shot, Tamiya X-26 Clear
Orange being used for the
indicators and X-27 Clear
Red for the reflectors on
the trailer.
The completed tractor, painted

and weathered and ready to
be joined to its trailer.
27/10/2014 11:14
NO. 35330
27/10/2014 11:14
CHAPTER 4 TAMIYA 8.8CM PAK43/1 AUF GESCHUTZW AG
RHINOCEROS
ARMED AND DANGEROUS
Marcus Nicholls builds Tamiyas new-tool
1:35 Nashorn Tank-Destroyer
MODEL SPEC
MATERIALS;
Injection-moulded sand-coloured polystyrene, flexible synthetic rubber tracks
(glue-able with kit cement), metal rods,
waterslide decals
PAINTS USED;
Vallejo - AFV Painting System:
Dunkelgelb German Dark Yellow
(78.401), 71006 Camouflage Light
Green, 71249 NATO Brown, Vallejo
306 Dark Rubber, 71057 Black, 306
Dark Rubber
Tamiya:
XF-3 Flat Yellow
XF-55 Deck Tan
XF-49 Khaki
Alclad II:
Steel, Transparent Yellow, Transparent
Smoke
36 Chapter 4 - Rhinoceros; Armed And Dangerous
27/10/2014 11:15
ZW AGEN III/IV SD.KFZ.164 NASHORN KIT NO.35335
ts been a while since Tamiya

released a new-tool WWII
German vehicle in 1:35, so
when the news of the Nashorn
started to filter through, the sense
of excitement was palpable. Sure
there are already kits available of
this vehicle in 1:35 from the likes of
Dragon and AFV Club, but there is
something wonderful about seeing
one from the Big T. Over the next
few pages we take a detailed look
at this kit and offer some ideas
to beginners keen to tackle its
construction and painting.
27/10/2014 11:15
CHAPTER 4 Tamiya 8.8cm Pak43/1 Auf Geschutzw age

BEGINNING THE KIT
As you might imagine, the Nashorn
assembly begins with the running
gear. The roadwheels are in two
halves with a polycaps trapped
between them for easy mounting
to the suspension bogie axles.
The idlers also have polycaps and
then those for the drive-sprockets
are mounted within the final-drive
housings. The lower hull's belly is
covered with masses of superb
detail, perhaps for modellers who
wish to display their rhino as a
knocked-to machine on its side!
Tamiya choose to mould their Pz.IV
suspension bogies as one-piece
units and quite frankly, once the
wheels are fitted, you'd never
know. Some modellers prefer the
multi-part construction favoured by
Dragon and that's fine, it's just a
different way of doing things and
variety is the spice of life! The
modular bogies also allow for
extremely rapid construction and I
soon had a rolling chassis on my
workbench.
The track-guards were next and
here it's essential to make sure
they are cemented on perfectly
straight or gaps might form when
the fighting compartment walls are
attached. I recommend temporarily
fitting the hull roof (C23) and
the frontal section of the fighting
compartment armour (C8) while
the track-guards' cement dries as
you'll be able to check the guards'
alignment against these upper
structural parts. They can be
lifted off for use later on once the
track-guards have bonded in place,
ideally overnight.
The chassis and

running gear is
finely detailed.
Here, you can see
the suspension
mounts and
associated details.
Poly caps hold the
wheels in place.
Those for the
sprockets are fixed
inside the wheel
mount.
The suspension
units are single
pieces perfectly
adequate when they
are this detailed!
In order to allow
the tracks to be
adjusted, the idlers
mounting holes
were reamed out to
allow them to move.
The opened
mounting hole
FIGHTING COMPARTMENT WALLS

The main fighting compartment
sidewalls are slightly marred by a
number of ejector pin marks - which
is slightly frustrating - but it only
took a short while to fill and sand
them out of existence. I used my
favoured filler, Holts' Cataloy Knifing
Putty (available in the UK from
Halfords). It's a very smooth, fastdrying tube filler that bonds well to
kit plastic without destroying it. I
chose to leave off the various items
of equipment that are fitted on the
walls' inner faces, choosing to paint
them individually and fix them in
place later on.
I skipped through the instructions
And the now

moveable mount,
fixed in place.
27/10/2014 11:16
The hull is completed in

very short order. Despite its
simplicity, the detail is superb.
The wheels and sprocket now in place. Though a brand-new kit, the ease
of assembly is very similar to early Panzer IV variants from Tamiya.
to assemble the basic parts of

the 88 mm main gun, mainly so
I could see how the barrel looked
with its hardware fitted. Tamiya have
chosen to mould the barrel as a
solid part in standard kit plastic;
quite a bold move but one they
seem to have pulled off in style.
The gun 'tube' just has some very
fine moulding seams to scrape
off (very gently, to avoid distorting
The underside of
the hull is well
detailed. Those
ejector pin marks
are invisible on the
completed model.
the cross-section) and it's ready to

use. The muzzle brake is moulded
conventionally in two halves with
a detailed baffle in the middle.
The weapon is fully moveable and
the heavier-than-normal barrel is
supported by elevation cylinders
that feature metal piston rods
and a pair of mini polycaps each,
which will ensure the barrel doesn't
develop a droop.
Some careful cleaning up of the spokes is needed here, before the idler can be fixed in place.
HULL STRUCTURE
Having highlighted the ejector-pin
marks on the inner faces of the
fighting compartment wall earlier,
it becomes clear that with the
ammunition bins and other parts
test-fitted, most of them are actually
hidden. You will need to fill/sand the
marks along the upper edges of the
sidewalls though, as they are the
ones most easily seen.
The kit supplies one-piece tracks and though they are not everyones cup of tea,
they look perfectly fine once run around the road wheels.
28/10/2014 10:27
IDLER MOUNT
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly,
Tamiya's new kit comes with
one-piece flexible tracks rather
than the link-and-length, kit-plastic
tracks that we have become used
to in recent AFV kit releases. The
one-piece items are well detailed
and are usually fine for vehicles
with concealed upper-runs (modern
tanks etc) because the natural
'sag' of the track is not visible (the
sag is a feature that one-piece
tracks cannot easily replicate) but
on machines such as the Nashorn
whose tracks are fully exposed, it
becomes a bit of a challenge. So,
we have to make a compromise
by tightening the tracks to remove
the unrealistic bowing effect around
the idler and sprocket wheels; this
looks much worse than an absence
of sag. The idlers' axles plug into
bases on the hull sides which each
contain a locking device to fix the
idlers at the correct, average angle.
By hollowing them out, the idlers
are free to rotate and can be swung
rearwards, which will have the effect
of tightening the track. The idlers
shouldn't go all the way to the rear
or the tracks will be too tight and
they'll distort around the rim of the
idlers, but just off the horizontal is
about right to pull the tracks straight.
The insides of the

armoured shields
are afflicted with
some noticeable
ejector pin marks.
Here theyve been
covered with
automotive filler.
And here they are cleaned up. As mentioned in

the text a number of these are covered by the
ammo bins, so you could actually only deal with
the upper marks and ignore the rest!
The hull is broken down into

individual panels. The fit is perfect!
THAT HUGE 88 MM GUN

The gun is by far the most complex
sub-structure of the kit. Tamiya
have incorporated some nice
touches here and if you are really,
really careful with the liquid cement,
the gun can elevate and depress.
I, unfortunately, was not careful
enough with the cement and so the
gun on my Nashorn is fixed in the
position you see it in here! I chose
to build up the gun and its shield
Test fitting the panels reveals a

close tolerance between the parts
and some nicely in-scale edges.
27/10/2014 11:16
Fine detail found inside the upper panels.
The glacis plate and the drivers hump reveal some very neat weld beads.
The periscope and MG mounts fitted to the inside of the left-hand shield. Further detail
could be added, but from the box, this kit is perfectly acceptable.
The poor old driver cant see much through that open hatch!
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Tamiyas new

kit comes with one-piece flexible tracks rather than
the link-and-length, kit-plastic tracks that we have
become used to in recent AFV kit releases...
The dot-pattern treadplate is beautifully realised and will look amazing under paint.
Time to build the ammo bins and associated ammunition rounds.
27/10/2014 11:16
The completed bins, one open, one closed. The ejector pin marks inside the open bin are covered with The bins can be completely assembled, painted and then fixed in place. Note how
the rounds, once in place.
many of those pin marks are covered by the bin, once in place.
The closed bin:

its nice to have
some variation!
Tamiya have chosen to

mould the barrel as a solid part
in standard kit plastic; quite a
bold move but one they seem
to have pulled off in style...
The completed pistons very nice!

Cleverly designed pistons allow
the gun to move up an down,
plenty of friction reducing the
chance of drooping to almost nil.
The gun barrel is astonishingly moulded

in one piece testament to Tamiyas skill.
27/10/2014 11:16
The complete gun is a stunning example of the tool-makers art.
as much as possible and rely on

the airbrush to push the paint
into the recessed areas. The rotor
shield is very well done and looks
about the right scale thickness.
The support struts also have a
nice scaled down appearance and
look just right, without the need for
photo-etched parts.
AMMO BINS
The Nashorn had two large
ammunition bins within its fighting
compartment, each capable of
holding eight rounds of 88 mm
ammunition. The bins featured
three-part covers that were folded
The gun is fun to build and fun to paint!
up and rested on the top of the bin.

The bins in the kit are built up from
a main rear panel, end panels and
four internal shelves that support the
forward end of each round; the rear
ends are supported by shallow lips
moulded into one of the end panels.
The inner faces of all the bin parts
exhibit ejector-pin marks but they
are hidden by the ammunition, so it's
not worth filling/sanding the marks
unless you intend to build your bins
with the covers open and empty of
shells. The bins build up easily but
make sure each shelf is pushed
downwards onto its location-lip on
the inner face of the end panel.
The ready rounds were mounted on cocktail sticks, ready to be painted.
And heres the completely

assembled Nashorn superb, eh?
27/10/2014 11:16
PAINTING AND WEATHERING

To paint this model, I chose to
use one of the pre-packed sets
currently on the market, to see how
it performed. The set I used was
'AFV Painting System Dunkelgelb
German Dark Yellow' (78.401) by
Vallejo of Spain (complied by Jos
Brito) and it comes with five 8ml
bottles of incrementally lighter
shades of dark yellow, plus satin
varnish. You can form your own
opinion of how it looks on the
model (bearing in mind that the
layers of weathering did change
the colours somewhat) but I think
the set worked well and created a
subtly shaded effect without being
too contrasty. The set is available
now from Creative Models and
costs 8.99 which I think is a pretty
good deal; I reckon you could
paint at least two good-sized 1:35
AFVs with one set, maybe more
if you spray conservatively! The
images that accompany this feature
take you through the stages we
completed to paint this model.
A
First of all, the model was
given a good dusting to remove
particles on its surface; model
kit plastic can be quite static
charged and quite a layer of
dust can build up, which will
spoil the surface.
B
For this project,
Vallejo's recently
issued 'AFV
Painting System'
set for German
Dark Yellow AFVs
was tried out. It
consists of six,
8ml acrylics
starting with a
greenish primer
and ending with a
pale stone colour
for highlights, plus
a bottle of satin
varnish.
The initial colour to be

airbrushed on was #604
German Dark Yellow Primer.
The instructions say to cover
the whole model but here,
just the lower areas were
sprayed, chiefly because
the green colour is quite
strong and I wasnt sure how
well the subsequent colours
would cover it.
C
Next on is #25
Dark Yellow, with
is close in shade
to the primer but
lighter in tone. This
was applied over the
whole model, inside
and out. I chose to thin
the paints with tap water to a ratio
of around 70% paint to 30% water,
to allow thinner layers to build up.
D
Here we see the Nashorn's main weapon getting its
coating of #25 and we can see how green it looks!
27/10/2014 11:16

E
Over the Dark

Yellow, #28 Sand
Yellow was applied,
and it was at this
stage that the model
started to looking
more like a German
AFV. Again, the paint
was thinned 70/30
paint to water.
#27 Light Brown

was applied over
the Sand Yellow,
which was actually
slighter richer
in colour than the
preceding colour,
but it did create
the correct colour
balance. Youll
notice the numerical
sequence of the paints
is not in order, but this is the correct
sequence, following the instructions on
the paint sets box.
H
Once the AFV
Painting Set had
been used, I
turned to my
own supply of
Vallejo acrylics to
create the models
camouflage. I
intended this to be
very faded so exact
colours and patterns
were unimportant
to me. I used 71006
Camouflage Light Green
for the Olivgrun portions.
The final colour in

Vallejos sequence
is #75 Sand,
which is a very
light colour that
must be used
sparingly on the
highest points
of detail only, or
the subtle colour
variations applied
previously will be
lost. If you wanted
to skip a stage of this process,
this would be the colour to omit.
J
To seal in the paints
and to create a base
for the weathering
stages, #522
Satin Varnish was
airbrushed over the
whole model.
The Rotbraun
was represented
with 71249 NATO
Brown which is
a reasonable
approximation.
L
Oil paint colour-washes were next,
and here I used a dark brown shade,
mixed from black and burnt umber,
diluted with white spirit.
K
Here we can just see
the subtle sheen on the
armour, created by the
satin varnish
M
A medium-size paintbrush was
used to apply the colour-wash,
touching it on the model surface
and allowing capillary action to do
most of the work.
27/10/2014 11:17

N
Panzer IV-based vehicles always have 'those' wheels, with the

fiddly rubber roadwheel tyres. Maybe this is why the laterpattern wheels with steel rims are so popular with modellers?
I prefer to hand paint the tyres using Vallejo 306 Dark Rubber;
a slow process but when done with care, it offers a tidy result.
The tracks were airbrushed with varying shades of

brown to form an oxidised steel effect. Using Lifecolor
PG110 Reflecting Agent (powdered graphite) the treads
were burnished.
The effect was adequate but much of it wore off during the
track mounting process!
Time to add some muck to the lower

hull sides. So the wheels would be
easy to re-fit, the axles and holes were
sealed off with balls of Blu-Tack.
Hannants XAFF Xtracrylix Flat Varnish was airbrushed in a heavy layer

on the hull sides, heavy enough to remain wet for a minute or so.
R
Q
Here we can see the varnish, still
wet. It goes on with a milky colour,
but dries completely clear.
Fine-grade model railway grit was sprinkled onto the wet varnish and
the excess immediately tapped off. Now we can see why the Blu-Tack
protection was needed!
S
When the varnish was dry, the
gritted areas were airbrushed with
Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan and XF-49
Khaki. This seals in the grit and
creates a base colour over which
pigments can be applied.
27/10/2014 11:17

T
More Lifecolor products were used here,

a combination of PG103 Lebanon Dust
and PG106 Damp Dust pigments, mixed
into a thick slurry using white spirit.
A cut-down paintbrush was then used to flick the pigment slurry over the lower
hull sides. The upper hull was masked off, otherwise it will become a complete
mess with over-sized spots of pigment everywhere.
This is an extremely messy process and the flicked pigment slurry goes absolutely
everywhere, in all directions. Protect or put away anything you don't want ruined.
The kit-supplied one-piece tracks were used on this model, so we can see how
they look. The material used is quite flexible and I experimented by jamming in
cubes of foam where the track would sag to see if the tracks would hold position.
They did to a certain extent, but it's hard to say how long this will last until the
tracks revert to being perfectly straight. The upper run was tacked down to the
return roller with CA glue to avoid an unrealistic 'floating' effect.
The model's 88mm gun is fully

on show in the finished model,
so it needs a special treatment
when it comes to weathering.
A piece of foam was dipped
into Vallejo 150 German
Camouflage Black-Brown and
dabbed onto the breech and
surrounding structures to
depict extreme paint chipping.
The sponge was small, so it was held with tweezers which allows for a more accurate
application of chips and scratches.
The dark brown paint was applied to the high points of the gun (and vehicle structure) in
places where the paint would be exposed to most damage.
27/10/2014 11:17
AMMUNITION
A SIMPLE GUIDE
The ammunition bins can be
displayed in the open position
with a full load of eight rounds
inside, or closed up for travel.
The kit comes with eight rounds
of high-explosive and eight
rounds of armour-piercing
ammunition, moulded in kit
plastic, ready to be painted in
suitable colours. The instructions
suggest using X-12 Gold Leaf
to depict brass, but due to
shortages of brass later in the
war, steel was often substituted,
so you could use an steel/
aluminium colour for the shell
casings instead. The bins are
the same left/right as they were
on the real Nashorn and can be
built off the model and simply
'dropped' in once painted and
fitted with their rounds of ammo.
Tamiya provide a full set of sixteen rounds of 88mm ammunition (eight high-explosive, eight armour-piercing) but only
eight were used in the opened up ammo locker of the review model. Here we see the high-explosive rounds being
painted; their tips have already been painted silver, masked off and the yellow for the projectiles sprayed on. Strips of
Tamiya masking tape have been wrapped around the heads to protect the yellow from subsequent paint applications.
B
Alclad II Steel has been sprayed here, in two light layers to prevent paint runs.
C
The steel-colour neck has been masked with strips of tape.
27/10/2014 11:17
With a few drops of Alclad II Transparent Yellow added to

the steel, a pale brass colour is created, and sprayed on.
A second application of Steel was airbrushed to tone down

the brass colour a little, and Alclad II Transparent Smoke
was used to create a shaded effect around the neck and
base of each round.
F
With the masking tape peeled off, we can see the effect
of the various paint operations. A light colour-wash with
diluted dark brown oil paint will create a more realistic
look on the projectiles.
Here we see the high-explosive rounds

alongside the armour-piercing rounds,
with black heads, painted using the same
method. Before painting began, the bases
of the ammunition were drilled and a
cocktail sticks inserted to act as handles.
Tiny drops of CA glue were all that

was needed to fixed the 88mm
rounds into the stowage locker.
27/10/2014 11:17

FINAL THOUGHTS
I have heard many comments
about Tamiya's new Nashorn,
primarily asking why bother, when
there are the Dragon and AFV Club
kits already on offer?. Well, true,
those kits are excellent renditions
of the vehicle, but Tamiya's release
offers a quick build and impeccable
fit of parts in the style we have
all come to know and love from
Tamiya. All kits have their plus
points and are suited to the differing tastes of modellers, and now
there's another player in the form of
Tamiya's 2014 release!
27/10/2014 11:17
To paint this model,

I chose to use one
of the pre-packed
sets currently on
the market, to see
how it performed...
27/10/2014 11:17
CHAPTER 5 TAMIYA 1:35 SCALE ISRAELI TANK TIRAN 5.
(RE)MADE IN ISRAEL
Brett Green builds Tamiyas 1:35 scale
Tiran 5, adding some stowage and
air identification sheets, to create a
memorable, post-war favourite
MODEL SPEC
ACCESSORIES USED
Modelkasten Item No. SK-59 T-55
Workable Tracks
Verlinden Item No. 1890 Israeli Army
Military Vehicle Stowage
Karaya Item No. TCR06 Tow Cables for
Modern Russian Armour
TOOLS AND MATERIALS USED
Kneadatite Blue Yellow Epoxy Putty
Albion Alloys - 0.6 mm Brass Tube (from
Slide Fit Set SFT1); Ni.Silv Tube 0.3 mm
(Set No. NST03)
Olfa hobby knife
Revell Contacta Cement
Tamiya Surface Primer
PRODUCTS USED
Vehicle
Tamiya Spray Cans: Grey Primer; Fine
White Primer
Lifecolor Israeli Amy Combo Pigments and
Colour Set - UA901 IDF Sandgrey 1;
UA902 IDF Sandgrey 2.
Tamiya Acrylics - XF-1 Flat Black; XF-57
Buff; XF-59 Desert Yellow; XF-64 Red
Brown.
Vallejo Panzer Aces and Model Colour
Acrylics - Various
Future Floor Polish
Testors Model Master Flat Clear Lacquer
Sin Industries Filter - P401 Ochre for Grey
Sand
MIG Productions - P221 Brown Wash;
P300 Earth Wash
MIG Productions P411 Standard Rust
Effects
AK Interactive Enamel Wash AK 045
Dark Brown
Mig Pigments P042 Ochre Rust; P416
Fresh Rust
2B Pencil
Figures
Vallejo Model Colour Acrylics: 845 Sunny
Skin Tone; 70862 Black Grey; 919
Foundation White; 70955 Flat Flesh
Vallejo Panzer Aces Acrylics: 318 US
Army Tankcrew; 337 Highlight Ger.
(Black); 348 Splinter Strips
52 Chapter 5 - (Re)Made In Israel
27/10/2014 11:22
AN 5. KIT NO. 35328
y 1943, Soviet tanks

found themselves pitted
against daunting German
super-Panzers and tank
destroyers including Tigers and
Panthers. It was clear that future
enemies would also field such
dangerous adversaries, so work
began on a new Soviet tank design
that was up to the challenge.
The prototype for the new T-54
tank was produced just before the
end of the war in February 1945.
This was an all-new design with a
low silhouette and rounded turret,
with five large road wheels on each
side, powered by a 12 cylinder
diesel engine and armed with the
100 mm D-10T cannon.
27/10/2014 11:22
CHAPTER 5 Tamiya 1:35 scale Israeli Tank Tiran 5.

The T-55 was initially developed
as a response to the need for
nuclear, biological, and chemical
protection of the vehicle and its
crew. The T-55 received the new
V-55 12-cylinder 4-stroke onechamber 38.88 litre water-cooled
diesel engine, improved armour and
increased ammunition stowage.
The T-54 and T-55 are simple
tanks that are relatively inexpensive
to maintain and easy to crew.
These attributes made the T-54/55
very popular as an export type,
and large numbers were supplied
to counties in the Middle East
following the 1956 Suez Crisis.
Israel subsequently captured
around 400 T-54 and T-55 tanks
during the Six-Day War in 1967.
These were modified and returned
into Israeli service as the Tiran 4
(based on the T-54) and the Tiran
5 (T-55). Further modifications and
upgrades continued into the 1970s,
and the Tiran 5 was eventually
retired from front line service by the
early 1980s.
The suspension
goes together
quickly.
Note how Part 41

interlocks with Part
36. Part 36 should
be glued in place
first, then Part 41
press-fitted into its
locating hole. Part
41 may then be
rotated into position
and fixed with a
bead of Tamiya
Extra Thin Liquid
Cement.
IN MINIATURE
Tamiyas 1:35 scale T-55 kit was
released in 2002 and became an
instant classic thanks to its high
level of detail, accuracy and ease
of assembly. It is still easily the best
T-55 kit available in 2013. In much
the same approach as it applied to
last years T-55 Enigma, Tamiya has
taken advantage of this excellent
base kit to deliver a 1:35 scale
Israeli Tiran 5.
Although the running gear,
lower hull and some of the detail
parts are from the original boxing,
most of this kit is new or modified.
Moulded in dark yellow, Tamiyas
1:35 scale Tiran 5 comprises
approximately 291 plastic parts,
four large polythene caps, ten small
polythene caps, one small sheet
of vinyl mesh and two full-length
flexible vinyl tracks. Three of the
sprues, including the turret, plus the
upper hull are brand new.
The cast texture and weld beads
are more prominent on this turret
than on earlier releases. Options
include covered or uncovered
mantlet and poseable hatches.
Plenty of mounted jerry cans are
supplied for turret and fender
stowage, while the .50 cal and
two .30 cal machine guns are well
detailed. All the parts, whether from

2002 or 2013, are moulded to the
same outstanding level of quality.
The suspension features separate
swing arms, so the wheels may
be posed on uneven terrain if the
modeller wishes. The road wheels,
idler wheels and drive sprockets are
held in place with polythene caps.
I was a little surprised that Tamiya
did not take the opportunity to

offer a set of link and length tracks
with this new kit. The vinyl tracks
are well detailed, accurate, fast to
install and they may be glued with
regular plastic cement; but with the
full top track run exposed on this
model, some may prefer individual
link tracks. Fortunately there are
plenty of options available for
The tyres were

roughed up with
a coarse sanding
stick. This also
took care of the
very faint raised
centreline seam on
each of the tyres.
27/10/2014 11:22
AN 5. KIT NO. 35328
The Tiran 5 features a number of unique stowage bins and other fittings.
replacements - Modelkasten and

Friulmodel being the best - if you
prefer an alternative to the flexible
vinyl tracks.
Vinyl mesh is supplied for the
grilles on the engine deck. The
external fuel drums from previous
Tamiya T-55 kits were replaced
by a stowage box in this version.
The engine deck appears to be
a Russian production pattern,
so break out your references to
check what style was used on
the particular vehicle you will be
modelling. The gun barrel is broken
down into left and right halves with
an end piece.
This kit retains some of the minor
inaccuracies of the original 2002
release. Probably the most obvious
of these are the recessed radial
ribs on the tyres (they should be
raised); and the missing fuel lines
from the cells fitted to the fenders. If
these issues are of concern to you,
there are aftermarket fixes available
from a number of sources.
In addition to the original Soviet
crew figure, Tamiya has also
included two well-sculpted Israeli
tankers for the turret hatches. I
particularly like the guy with the
beard and the sunglasses!
The kit-supplied
vinyl mesh looks
good with its
authentically woven
finish. A template
was made from
Tamiya masking
tape before the
mesh itself was cut
to size.
The basic upper
and lower hull subassemblies are now
complete.
More of the newly tooled parts exclusive to Israeli T-55s.
The pre-cut mesh is

glued on the inside
of the engine deck
using Tamiya Extra
Thin Liquid Cement,
then the bottom
cover is secured for
a convincing result.
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

I started building the kit on a
Wednesday morning and had
finished basic construction, minus
tracks and machine guns, by
lunchtime on the following day
thus making it a perfect weekend
build! Construction is typical
27/10/2014 11:22
CHAPTER 5 Tamiya 1:35 scale Israeli Tank Tiran 5.
The locations of the legs for side guardrail (Part J3) the You will need to drill out holes in the turret for stowage boxes and jerry
Commanders .50 cal mount (Part J8) is a little tricky.
cans. This would be better done before any of the fittings are added to the
This is how they should look when fitted.
turret shell.
Basic construction,
sans tracks and
machine guns, is
finished little more
than a day after
starting.
Tamiya: sensible engineering,

straightforward parts breakdown
and perfect fit. There is no
mismatch between the original
2002 and the 2013 parts, everything
fitting exactly as it should.
There are only a couple of
additional construction notes that I
would make:
I was a bit lost in Step 20. One
of the parts initially appeared (to
me, anyway) to be unnumbered
on the instruction sheet, but it
turns out this was illustrated as
a scrap view in the bottom right
corner of the Step 20 frame. Parts
H20 and H21 should be glued
together, then they are attached
to Part H41.
In Step 21 of the instructions, you
are advised to drill several holes
for jerry cans and stowage boxes
to be fitted to the turret. I would
recommend that you drill these
holes and test-fit the parts before
you add any other parts to the bare
turret shell i.e. during Step 15.
I fitted the mounts for the two .30
Cal machine guns but left the
guns, the ammo boxes and the
entire .50 Cal assembly off until
the model had been painted.
Apart from that, and the
replacement of the kit tracks,
everything went together exactly
according to the instructions.
Even prior to
painting, the Tiran
5 is pleasingly busy
with bins, jerry
cans, spare track
links and more.
27/10/2014 11:22
AN 5. KIT NO. 35328

MAKING TRACKS
Tamiyas flexible tracks are
nicely detailed and they fit
well, but it is not easy to
reproduce the characteristic
even drape of the long top
run. This would not be a
problem if the tops of the wheels
were covered by mudguards or
additional armour, but the Tiran 5
has no such advantage.
There are plenty of replacement
track options for the T-55 family
these days, including individual
links from Friulmodel, Modelkasten,
Masterclub and WWII Productions.
For this project, I chose the
workable plastic links from
Modelkasten.
Organisation and patience is
the key when assembling any set
of individual tracks. My first task
was to remove all the links from
the sprues and trim off any excess
plastic that might interfere with the
fit or workability of the tracks later
on. The links are attached to the
sprue at just one point, so removal
and clean up is very fast. These
were placed in a ziplock plastic bag
for later assembly.
Modelkasten thoughtfully moulds
the track pins onto sprue handles.
Each handle has a pin on each
end. These are marked 1 and 2,
and they have to be installed in a
particular way to deliver left and
right-handed track lengths.
An assembly jig for 11 links
is also supplied with the tracks.
Putting the links together is really
quite simple. First, drop the 11
links onto the jig their location is
positive and precise. Next, carefully
push a pin into the hole into one of
the holes the side of the tracks. You
should feel a slight click as the
pin slides into the correct position,
and then you can twist and snap
the sprue off, leaving the pin in the
hole. Now add a tiny amount of
liquid polystyrene cement (I use
Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement)
to the head of the track pin. When
the short run is complete, carefully
lift the 11 links from the jig and set
them aside until the glue has set.
Repeat until you have enough for
both track runs.
I had eight lengths of 11 links
per side, and test fitting suggested
that I would need 89 on one side
and 90 on the other. Unfortunately, I
Modelkasten
workable tracks
were used for
this project. No
mudguards to hide
the top run of the
tracks here!
The Modelkasten individual links are held in place with

just one sprue attachment. This makes removal and
cleanup a breeze.
Two assembly jigs are included for joining 11

links at a time.
Organisation is the key

to assembling individual
link tracks. Here I have
removed and cleaned up
the individual links and the
track pins. They have been
sorted into separate ziplock bags.
The track lengths

are handed there
are two different
track pins and
they are fitted on
opposite sides for
left and right runs.
The pins are left on
their short sprue,
pressed into the
hole in the side of
the tracks, then the
sprue is twisted off
and a tiny dab of
Tamiya Extra Thin
Liquid Cement is
applied to the head
of the pin.
Completed sections
of 11 links are set
aside until a full run
of 88 is ready.
27/10/2014 11:22

had glued the adjustable idler arms
(Parts A11) in place before I started
working on the tracks. If you are
fitting individual link tracks, I urge you
to leave the idler arms off until the
tracks are ready to install. That way,
you can adjust the position of the
idler wheel swing arm - which acts
as a track tensioner - to the desired
amount of track drape. Modelkasten
supplies plenty of spare tracks
regardless of your preference.
STOWING UP
All those big empty bins just looked
too lonely, so I decided to fill them
with stowage. I also wanted to add a
dash of colour to the otherwise fairly
plain finish. Sam Dwyer sent me
some photographs of IDF tanks with
large orange Air Identification Panels
on the turret or the rear deck. I knew
I had to have one of those!
I bought Verlindens Israeli Army
Military Vehicle Stowage, Item No.
1890, and selected items from
this set to go in the big turret bin
and the rear hull bin. This set also
included some generic packs,
which I hung from the turret
handrails, and a wooden ammo
box, which was glued between the
tow hooks on the front of the hull.
Custom packs and tarps were
made from Kneadatite, a two-part
epoxy putty that comes in a blue
and yellow strip. When the parts are
sufficiently blended, it becomes an
even shade of green. When mixed,
Kneadatite feels quite stiff compared
to Milliput. It is also shinier, with what
feels like a harder surface.
I rolled and rubbed the two parts
together between my fingers and
palms until the colour was a solid
green. I sprinkled my green cutting
mat with Johnsons Baby Powder
and pressed the epoxy ball onto
the surface. A small glass jar was
also dusted with baby powder and
used as a rolling pin. I rolled the jar
firmly over the blended putty, the
peeled it off, added more powder
and repeated the process until I
was happy with the size and the
thickness of the epoxy sheet. The
epoxy sheet was now trimmed
into a rectangle by pressing down
with the edge of a steel ruler. The
result was a thin and very flexible
rectangle of epoxy just perfect
for my Air Identification panel.
One corner of the thin sheet was
Verlinden offers a helpful set

of Israeli Army Military Vehicle
Stowage in their resin range.
Some of the yellow resin parts after
removal from (sometimes stout) casting
blocks. Detail appears a little soft here
but they look much better after painting.
The tracks are being

test-fitted here. The left-hand
tracks were perfect, but the right
tracks were a little too loose with
90 links but too tight with 89. I decided
on 90. Next time I will not glue the idler
adjusters (Part A11) until I fit the tracks.
Additional rolls and packs were sculpted from Kneadatite epoxy

putty. These are really useful for filling in spaces between hardshaped commercial stowage pieces.
The biggest individual extra item was the Air Identification Panel.
This was rolled thin from Kneadatite epoxy putty, folded at one
corner and then allowed to drape naturally over the resin stowage.
Extra packs and rolls were made for the rear stowage bin too.
When fully cured,

the thin epoxy tarp
was lifted off the rear
stowage bin so that
it could be painted
separately.
27/10/2014 11:22
AN 5. KIT NO. 35328
folded upon itself, then the sheet

was carefully placed on top of the
stowage in the rear turret basket
and allowed to drape naturally
with as little manual assistance
as possible. More packs and rolls
were formed from Kneadatite for
both of the big bins.
Some reference
photos show a
wooden ammunition
box squeezed
between the towing
hooks on the front
hull. This box was
sourced from the
Verlinden stowage
set.
All the extra stowage items

are in place and the model
is ready for paint.
THE ILLUSIVE SAND GREY

The model was prepared for
painting with a base coat of
Tamiyas Grey Primer straight from
the spray can. Tamiya supplies
white decals for the cannon barrel
markings and the chevron on the
turret, but I thought that these
would look more authentic if they
were painted. The areas of the
barrel and the turret where the
markings would be applied were
sprayed white then masked with
Tamiya tape.
Lifecolor UA902 IDF Sandgrey
2 was used as the base
camouflage colour. I like Lifecolors
interpretation of this sometimes
illusive Israeli shade. A blend of
the base colour plus UA901 IDF
Sandgrey 1 was then sprayed as
a highlight on horizontal surfaces
in irregular streaks and mottles.
Next, a 50/50 mix of Tamiya XF-1
Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown
was thinned heavily and sprayed in
shadow areas. The Air Identification
The lovely soft copper tow

cables are from Karaya.
These also include resin
ends, which are nicely
detailed but quite brittle.
Tamiya supplies decals

for the barrel and turret
markings, but I decided to
mask and paint these white
markings myself. The stripes
on the top of the barrel and
the turret chevron were
masked with Tamiya tape.
A coat of Tamiya Grey Primer

straight from the spray can
highlights any remaining
flaws or inconsistencies
before camouflage colours
are applied.
27/10/2014 11:22
The base camouflage

colour is Lifecolor UA902
IDF Sandgrey 2 from
their Israeli Amy Combo
Pigments and Colour Set.
A blend of the base colour

plus UA901 IDF Sandgrey 1
was sprayed as a highlight on
horizontal surfaces in irregular
streaks and mottles. A 50/50
mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black
and XF-64 Red Brown was
thinned heavily and sprayed in
shadow areas too.
The Air Identification Panel

was painted with a mix of red
and yellow, with green on the
undersurface. Here, it is being
checked for fit and colour.
27/10/2014 11:22
AN 5. KIT NO. 35328
Kit decals were applied

over a glossy coat of
Future floor polish. They
performed perfectly.
Tyres, jerry cans and spare track

links were carefully brush painted
scale black, a 50/50 mix of
Vallejo Model Colour 70862 Black
Grey and Vallejo Panzer Aces 337
Highlight Ger. (Black).
The other stowage details

were now picked out using
mainly Vallejo acrylics.
27/10/2014 11:23
The stowage in the rear bin looks a bit stark under 1000 watts
of studio lights and prior to subtle weathering.
AK Interactive Enamel Wash

AK 045 Dark Brown has been
applied around structural
surfaces while the gloss coat
is still in place.
The Air Identification

Panel retains its shape
even off the vehicle!
The track lengths were taped to the inside of a box

lid and labelled right and left prior to painting.
Panel was painted with a mix of

red and yellow, with green on the
undersurface.
At this stage I thought I would
add a sandy filter - Sin Industries
P401 Ochre for Grey Sand to be
exact. I hated it. The filter left stark
orange patches on the Sangrey
base, which was not the effect I was
hoping for. This Ochre filter may
look good with some colours, but
I decided to rinse it off my Tirans
Sandgrey surface with mineral
turpentine.
Kit decals performed perfectly
over a glossy coat of Future floor
polish and with an application of
Solvaset decal setting solution. As
usual with most of Tamiyas decals,

they look a bit thick on the sheet
but settle down nicely once on the
surface of the model.
Tyres, jerry cans and spare track
links were carefully brush painted
scale black, a 50/50 mix of Vallejo
Model Colour 70862 Black Grey
and Vallejo Panzer Aces 337
Highlight Ger. (Black), and the other
stowage details were picked out
using mainly Vallejo acrylics.
A pin wash of AK Interactives
Dark Brown Wash was applied
around structural features while
the model was still glossy. A coat
of Testors Model Master Flat Clear
Lacquer sealed the deal.
The tracks were painted in a base

coat of a Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and
XF-64 Red Brown mix, followed by
MIG Productions P300 Earth Wash
on the outer face and P221 Brown
Wash on the inside face.
27/10/2014 11:23
AN 5. KIT NO. 35328
The Tamiya crew figures were used straight from the

box. The flesh areas were first primed white, after which
they were masked and the uniform sections treated to
Tamiyas Grey primer straight from the spray can.
The inner sections of the helmets are fitted with padding

and headsets. These were represented as a painted black
border around the faces. Looks pretty rough here!
The base colour for the uniform is Vallejo Panzer

Aces acrylic 348 Splinter Strips applied by brush.
The faces have received a Burnt Sienna oil wash and detail
painting with Vallejo acrylics. A top-coat of Testors Model
Master Flat Clear Lacquer seals the paint job. The finishing
touch is a brushed application of glossy Future Floor Polish
on the sunglasses and the glass of the wristwatch.
Edges were highlighted with thin lines of

scale black. The flesh base is Vallejo
Model Colour 70955 Flat Flesh.
Antennas were
made from Albion
Alloys 0.3mm
Nickel Silver rod. The
base for the loaders side
antenna was made from
telescoping 0.6mm brass tube.
The figures fit the hatches perfectly.
27/10/2014 11:23

A DRYBRUSHING CONVERT
The two kit figures were assembled
without modification. I really like
the poses and sculpting of these
figures, and had fun painting them.
The flesh areas were first primed
white, after which they were
masked and the uniform sections
treated to Tamiyas Grey primer
straight from the spray can. The
base colour for the uniform is
Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylic 348
Splinter Strips applied by brush.
At this point of the narrative
I am tempted to say although
I am not normally a big fan of
drybrushing Well, to tell you
the truth, I am actually starting to
view dry brushing favourably under
certain circumstances. As with any
technique, however, subtlety is
the key. We are trying to achieve a
realistic result, not blatantly flaunt
the methods we used to deliver it.
Right, now that I have outed
myself as a drybrusher, I lightly dry
brushed the uniform with a paler
shade of the base colour. Next,
edges were highlighted with thin
lines of scale black. The flesh
base is Vallejo Model Colour 70955
Flat Flesh. The inner sections of the
helmets are fitted with padding and
headsets. These were represented
as a painted black border around
the faces. Looks pretty rough here!
The faces received a Burnt Sienna
oil wash followed by detail painting
with Vallejo acrylics. A topcoat of
Testors Model Master Flat Clear
Lacquer sealed the paint job. The
finishing touch was a brushed
application of glossy Future Floor
Polish on the sunglasses and the
crystal of the wristwatch.
CONCLUSION
Tamiyas 1:35 scale Tiran 5 is a
great kit that will hold no nasty
surprises for even relatively new
modellers. The fundamentals are
well done, and detail is very good
straight from the box.
Modellers who wish to go the extra
mile may decide to add workable
tracks, plumbing for the fendermounted fuel cells or stowage.
Either way, you will have an
attractive replica of this Israeli T-55
variant, bristling with its distinctive
stowage bins, jerry cans, spare
track links and close defence
machine guns.
The area around

the exhaust was
sprayed with a
thin mix of Tamiya
XF-1 Flat Black
and XF-64 Red
Brown, followed by
a dry powdering
of Mig Pigments
P042 Ochre Rust
and P416 Fresh
Rust, and finally
MIG Productions
Standard Rust Effect
liquid brushed over
the top to seal
the pigments and
spread the rust.
The tracks were the source of some anxiety close to the end
of the project. The oil washes must have softened some of
the pins and the lengths split into two sections. These were
glued back together before the tracks were carefully wrapped
around the running gear and glued in place.
27/10/2014 11:23
AN 5. KIT NO. 35328
The Tiran 5 in profile.

With the benefit of
hindsight, I really
should have reduced
the track length by
one link on this side.
The bright Air Identification

Panel offers a welcome splash
of colour to the Tiran 5.
27/10/2014 11:23
CHAPTER 6 TAMIYA 1:35 GERMAN HEAVY TANK DEST RO

MODEL SPEC
ACCESSORIES USED
Royal Model Item No. 641 Wine
Barrels and Farm Accessories
Royal Model Item Nos. 255 and 258
Ferdinand Crew Parts 1 and 2.
Kamizukuri Item No. A-5-35 Oak Leaves
(1:35)
TOOLS AND MODELLING
PRODUCTS USED
Tamiya Epoxy Putty Smooth Surface
Revell Contacta Plastic Glue
Selleys Super Glue
Mr Surfacer 1000
Gators Grip Acrylic Hobby Glue
Irwin Clamps (various sizes)
Historex Hexagonal Punch and Die Set
Evergreen Plastic Card
THE ELEFANT
IN THE ROOM
Brett Green builds Tamiyas

brand-new 1:35 scale Elefant
and reacquaints himself with
the lost art of zimmerit

PRODUCTS
Vehicle
Tamiya Spray Cans:
Grey Primer; Fine White Primer
Lifecolor Acrylic German AFV Dunkelgelb
Easy 3 Set. Item No. MS01:
Contains UA 249 Dunkelgelb Flashed
Shade; UA 250 Dunkelgelb Ground
Colour; UA 251 Dunkelgelb Deep Shade
Tamiya Acrylics:
X-25 Clear Green
XF-1 Flat Black
XF-52 Flat Earth
XF-59 Desert Yellow
XF-60 Dark Yellow
XF-64 Red Brown
XF-67 NATO Green
Figures:
Uniforms (all Vallejo Panzer Aces acrylics) 333 Germ. Tkcr. (Black); 334
Germ. Tkcr. I (Feldgrau); 335 Germ. Tkcr.
II (Feldgrau); 337 Highlight Ger. (Black);
338 Highlight Ge. I (Feldgrau); 339
Highlight Ge. II (Feldgrau).
Flesh
Base Coat: Tamiya acrylic XF-15 Flat
Flesh.
Wash: Rowney Georgian Oil Paint 221
Burnt Sienna.
Variations and Highlights: Vallejo Model
Colour acrylics 70815 Basic Skin Tone;
845 Sunny Skin Tone; 919 Foundation
White (mixed).
General Detailing (all Vallejo Model
Colour acrylics):
70826 German Cam Medium Brown
847 Dark Sand
70862 Black Grey
70865 Oily Steel
70891 Intermediate Green
919 Foundation White
70950 Black
70957 Flat Red.
SIN Industries (MIG) Filter P242 Tan for
Tritonal Camo
Easy Mud Item No. 21105 European
Earth
AK Interactive AK 045 Dark Brown
Enamel Wash
Mig Pigments P033 Dark Mud
Vallejo Pigments 73104 Light Sienna
66 Chapter 6 - The Elefant in the Room
27/10/2014 11:40
ST ROYER ELEFANT. KIT NO. 35325
27/10/2014 11:40
he hallmarks of Tamiyas
recent military releases
have been a high level of
detail, clever engineering,
simple parts breakdown and
trouble-free construction. Tamiya
has brought all of these attributes
to their new 1:35 scale Elefant. I
was so excited to see the new kit
that I started cutting parts off the
sprues before I counted them. I can
tell you, however, that the parts are
presented on five sprues of typically
Tamiya dark yellow plastic, with a
further 96 track links and lengths on
four brown-coloured sprues.
The hull is presented in one
large piece with the floor, lower
and upper sides plus sponsons all
moulded integrally. Similarly, the
big superstructure is moulded in
one piece. The rolled armour plate
features subtle but convincing
pitting some of the best texturing
that I have seen from Tamiya.
Tamiya seems to have made a
special effort to minimise ejector
pin marks on this kit. Traditionally,
the danger areas have been the
insides of hatches and the back
face of track links. On this kit, there
are literally no moulding marks
anywhere on the tracks, and those
on the insides of the drivers and
radio operators hatches are so
faint that they should not be a
problem. Smaller detail parts such
as handles, tow cable guides
and the gun barrel travel lock are
delicately moulded. The simple
suspension units will be workable
if you take care while applying
cement. The wheels and drive
sprockets are all held in place with
polythene caps.
The plastic parts are rounded out
with three crew figures a driver, a
loader and the Commander. They
are all well moulded and the facial
detail is particularly nice.
The only multimedia in the kit is
a length of string for the two tow
cables. With no headlights and the
only grille being virtually invisible
behind a heavily undercut exhaust
housing, clear and photo-etched
parts are not really required.
Three marking options are
provided one based in Italy and
two from the Eastern Front. The
instructions are well laid out over
17 steps with clear illustrations
supplemented by text directions
The completed
model as built from
Tamiyas kit. Over
the next few pages,
well show you how
to build something
similar for your own
collection
The hull is supplied

in once piece,
including covered
sponsons.
The big one-piece

superstructure.
The Elefant
features subtle and
convincing pitting
on the rolled steel
surfaces.
There is not a
hint of ejector pin
marks, even on
the back of the
track links.
Three markings
options are
included one in
Italy and two from
the Eastern Front.
27/10/2014 11:41

It has been 15 years
since I last attempted
zimmerit, so I tested
out some new products
alongside other old
favourites on a piece of
scrap plastic.
Tamiya offers the option of a self-adhesive zimmerit upgrade. Two patterns are included on the one
printed sheet.
where required. The section dealing

with the tracks is especially well done.
ITS ALL ABOUT THE ZIMMERIT

The Elefant was essentially a
reconditioned and improved
Ferdinand. During 1943, the
Ferdinand tank destroyer on
the Eastern Front suffered from
mechanical problems that were
compounded by poor visibility
and the lack of any close defence
weapons. The large smooth steel
surfaces were also a magnet
quite literally to infantry-placed
explosive charges. The surviving
Ferdinands were therefore
withdrawn and rebuilt with more
reliable engines, a modified Panzer
III cupola with all-round episcope
vision, and a bow mounted
machine gun. Zimmerit coating was
also applied to combat magnetic
charges.
The bottom line is that all Elefants
wore a coat of zimmerit. If you want
your model to be accurate, youll
need to add a zimmerit coat using

one of three methods:
Do it yourself with putty and your
favourite zimmerit application
tool.
Adapt a commercially available
resin zimmerit set to this new kit.
Use Tamiyas self-adhesive
zimmerit set made especially for
this model.
The easiest of these solutions will
be Tamiyas self-adhesive zimmerit.
The various zimmerit segments
are printed onto a textured vinyl
sheet, and feature two different
patterns. The zimmerit looks great
on the sheet, and the depth of
the pattern means that it should
show up well on your model under
a coat of paint. All you will need
to do is cut the sections from the
sheet, punch or cut out the circles
to accommodate the conical bolt
heads, peel off the backing and
apply them to your model. Voila!
Instant zimmerit!
Last century, I used photo-etched
trowels and saws to apply zimmerit
patterns in putty. This time around,
I also experimented with a set
of cast metal zimmerit stamps,
and a 2.4 mm precision metal
screwdriver. The screwdriver won.
First was GunzeSangyos Pro-L twopart epoxy putty. This

was a bit coarse, with
the grain slightly visible
when the putty was dry.
It also tended to stick
to the zimmerit tool
more than the other
putties.
White Milliput is
another two-part epoxy
putty. This is finer than
the Gunze putty, and if
the surface was kept
wet, it did not stick to
the tool.
Tamiya Putty is a onepart solvent-based

putty. The putty formed
a skin soon after being
applied to the plastic,
but remained wet
underneath. The effect
does not look good
here, but I suspect
that better results are
possible by modifying
the application and
zimmeriting techniques.
Tamiya Epoxy Putty

Smooth Surface is, in
the immortal words of
Goldilocks, just right.
This two-part epoxy has
the smoothest surface
of all that I tried, and
was also the least likely
to stick to the zimmerit
tool. It remains
workable for at least 30
minutes after mixing
too very handy.
27/10/2014 11:41
CHAPTER 6 Tamiya 1:35 German Heavy Tank Dest ro

AND ILL TAKE THE LOW ROAD
I am almost inevitably enticed
by the easiest option, so I really
should have used the Tamiya
self-adhesive zimmerit. However, I
hadnt attempted a custom-made
zimmerit finish in around 15 years,
so I thought that this would be the
perfect opportunity to try some new
products and techniques all of
which are revealed in the photos
that accompany this feature.
Tamiya Epoxy Putty Smooth
Surface is, in the immortal words
of Goldilocks, just right for this
task. This two-part epoxy has the
smoothest surface of all that I tried,
and was also the least likely to
stick to the zimmerit tool. It remains
workable for at least 30 minutes
after mixing too very handy. I
decided that this would be the
zimmerit material for my Elefant.
I also experimented with a set of
cast metal zimmerit stamps and,
following a discussion with TMMI
Editor Marcus Nicholls, a 2.4 mm
precision metal screwdriver. I was
very pleased with the effect of the
screwdriver in soft putty, but my
experiment showed that I would
have to roll the putty very, very thin
in order to obtain a convincing
zimmerit finish.
IVE GOT BLISTERS

ON MY FINGERS!
Tamiya Epoxy Putty is made up
from two flat strips, one white and
one pale grey-green. I took an
equal quantity from each strip and
rolled them together, then rubbed
the ball of putty briskly between my
palms - Only when the putty is a
single colour is it ready to be used.
The mixed putty is quite sticky,
so our working surfaces must be
very smooth. I laid out a sheet of
greaseproof paper, and chose a
glass jar as my rolling tool When
the putty was as thin as I could
manage, it was cut into shapes
that would fit onto one side of the
superstructure and then pressed
onto the plastic. Pressing the putty
not only improves adhesion, but
also makes the putty thinner still.
Now it was time to apply the
pattern to the putty. I removed the
masking tape from that side of the
superstructure and pressed the
screwdriver into top corner of the
soft putty. I applied the tip of the
Before commencing,
the superstructure
was masked along
the faint raised line
with 10 mm Tamiya
tape.
Equal proportions
of each strip of
Tamiya Epoxy
Putty were mixed
thoroughly into a
pale green ball
before being rolled
flat on greaseproof
paper using a glass
jar. The jar was
kept wet during the
rolling process to
help stop the putty
sticking to it. A tiny
spot of detergent
helps too.
A thin sheet of
epoxy putty is laid
onto the side of
the superstructure
and pressed onto
the surface with a
damp fingertip.
The zimmerit
pattern is
created simply
by repeatedly
pressing the 2.4
mm screwdriver
into the soft putty.
27/10/2014 11:42
st royer Elefant. Kit No. 35325
The same process was followed for the hull, but a rough circle around each of the conical
rivets was cut away before the zimmerit pattern was applied.
In addition to the vertical columns of zimmerit, the conical rivets were surrounded by a
starburst pattern. This was applied with a 1.4 mm precision screwdriver.
Although most of the zimmerit is arranged in vertical columns, the port side hull features
long horizontal rows. This variation was typical of the Nibelungen works in Austria, and was
often seen on Elefants serving on the Italian front in early 1944.
The zimmerit pattern on the superstructure. The putty on the sides was allowed to set
before the zimmerit was applied to the rear of the superstructure.
screwdriver at a 45 degree angle,

and worked down the first column,
one indentation at a time. With the
first column done, I started the
second, and the third, and so on.
The process was repeated for all
the panels that needed zimmerit.
The sealed vision ports and
the conical bolt heads featured
a starburst zimmerit pattern. This
was simply applied with a 1.4
mm screwdriver after the regular
columns were finished. By the
way, dont forget to drill out the
locating holes through the new
coat of zimmerit before you fit the
superstructure to the hull.
MOVING RIGHT ALONG

With the zimmerit in place, the
balance of construction could get
underway. Being a tank destroyer
without a turret, the gun and the
superstructure were simple and fast
to build. Similarly, the running gear
of the Elefant is quite simple, so
these components built up quickly
too. The suspension units were

glued to the hull, and the wheels
pressed onto the axles via the
polythene caps.
The instructions would have
you fit the track guards and
mudguards at this stage, but I
recommend that you wait until after
you have installed the tracks. In
my opinion, these link and length
tracks are Tamiyas best yet. I

always liked Tamiyas approach
to link and length tracks because
they are quick to assemble and
they represent a good solution
for sagging runs, but the level of
detail especially on the edges is
particularly impressive in the case
of this kit.
The instructions offer clear and
Zimmerit was
also present on
the rear hull, the
exhaust cover and
the stowage box.
Locating slots
and holes were
poked through the
zimmerit before the
hull was glued to
the superstructure.
27/10/2014 11:42
CHAPTER 6 Tamiya 1:35 German Heavy Tank Dest ro
Road wheels and drive sprockets are all fitted with polythene caps.
There is no interior detail, but the gun mount features a simple and effective
mechanism that permits elevation and traverse.
accurate directions to installing the

tracks. My only additional advice
would be to make sure you take
special care to keep track of the
part numbers of the track lengths.
There is little more to say about
the installation of the hull and
superstructure fittings. I found fitting
the intricate gun travel lock was
a bit tricky to assemble (in fact, I
managed to launch one of the small
parts B1 into space, never to be
seen again), but the effort was well
worthwhile.
The final job was the tow cables.
I super-glued 19 cm lengths of
string into the cable ends, then
filled the open slots with two-part
epoxy putty. I mixed up Gators Grip
Acrylic Glue and water in a bottle
cap, and ran the length of each
string through this thick liquid. This
stiffens the string as it dries, and
adds to the impression of weight.
While the string was still drying, I
glued the ends in place and ran the
cables through the guides on the
hull sides.
The wheels and drive sprockets are pressed into place. Alignment is perfect, and all the road
wheels touch the ground at the same time!
Superstructure mounting plates had zimmerit applied while they were still on the sprue. This made these
small pieces easier to handle.
The superstructure and hull were glued together using Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement and Revel Contact glue.
A large plastic Irwin clamp was used to press the parts firmly together while the glue set.
27/10/2014 11:42
The instructions would have you fit the track guards and mudguards at this stage, but I would
recommend that you wait until the tracks have been installed.
First, the individual links are wrapped around the drive sprockets.
The tracks were fitted one side at a time. Here, all the parts required for one side have
been cut from the sprue and carefully assembled by part number. You really dont want to
get these mixed up!
Next, partial lengths for the top and bottom runs are assembled. The instructions offer
some helpful suggestions for these partial lengths and the sequence of assembly.
A.
B.
C.
D.
The top forward run has been glued to the rearmost individual track on the front drive sprocket.
The second top track run has now been glued in place.
Next up is the droopy lower front run. This is followed by the two bottom runs.
A view from the bottom. The tracks fit really well and are admirably detailed, even along the edges.
27/10/2014 11:42
Tamiyas string tow cables are dipped in a thick

mixture of Gators Glue and water. This will stiffen
the string as it dries, and adds to the impression
of weight.
IT FIGURES
Figure painting is another tricky
area for me. On the one hand,
carefully selected figures can bring
a project to life. They also lend a
sense of proportion and context to
a model. On the other hand, my
figure painting skills in general, and
my face painting skills in particular,
are pretty ordinary.
Despite this, I bought a set
of three resin figures offered
by Royal Model for Dragons
Ferdinand kit, but they would be
equally appropriate for my Tamiya
Elefant. I was delighted with
the relaxed, natural poses and
excellent sculpting. In fact, I was
so impressed that I ordered the
second set of three figures. With six
figures to paint, at least I would get
plenty of practice!
First, the figures were assembled
with super glue (except for the
heads), any small gaps and pin
holes filled, and the completed
figures primed with Tamiyas Grey
Primer straight from the spray
can. The heads were sprayed with
Tamiyas Fine White Primer to give
a lighter base for the flesh tones
before being painted using acrylics.
A YELLOW ELEFANT
The excellent Fedorowicz book,
Combat History of the Schwere
Panzerjager Abteilung 653 by Karl
Heinz Munch, features several photos
of an Elefant in Italy shortly after its
remanufacture. This particular Elefant
features very low-contrast disruptive
camouflage and muddy wheels and
tracks. The six crew members are
The end connector

is glued to the hook
on the hull side,
while the still-wet
string is threaded
through the plastic
guides.
The front of the tow
cable is attached to
the large eye on the
front of the hull.
also lounging around the vehicle, and

a wine barrel is perched on the front
spare track links. I had finally found
my inspiration!
Without too much more delay.
I primed the model and sprayed
the tracks and running gear with
Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black. I usually mix
my own German Dark Yellow from
Tamiya acrylics, but a few new sets
of acrylic paint sets from Lifecolor
had recently arrived at my office.
These are sets of three related
shades designed to deliver contrast
and desaturation. Specifically, I
was using Lifecolor Acrylic German
AFV Dunkelgelb Easy 3 Set, Item
No. MS01, which supplied UA 249

Dunkelgelb Flashed Shade, UA 250
Dunkelgelb Ground Colour and UA
251 Dunkelgelb Deep Shade
Weathering was now applied
first a brown filter, followed by
a more substantial AK Interactive
Dark Brown Wash around the key
structural features, then chipping
and scrapes with Vallejos German
Black Highlight colour applied by
the tip of a fine brush and a small
piece of sponge.
The wheels and tracks were
finished to represent areas of wet
and dry mud. The base (dried) mud
was Easy Mud Item No. 21105
27/10/2014 11:42
Note the missing

mudguard on the
starboard side. This
gives us a better view
of the tracks and its
characteristic drape.
The unmistakable
look of Dr. Porsches
ill-fated heavy tank
destroyer. An Elefant
is in the room!
The model received

an overall coat
of Tamiyas Grey
Primer straight
from the spray can.
27/10/2014 11:43
A crew can really

add context and a
sense of scale to
a vehicle. Royal
Model of Italy
produce two sets
of three crew
figures for Dragons
Ferdinand, but
they may just as
appropriately be
used for Tamiyas
new Elefant.
Each of the completed

figures has his own
unique personality
thanks to the excellent
mastering and casting
of Royal Model.
Buttons and buckles
were picked out using
Vallejos Oily Steel.
Fine facial details
such as mouths and
eyes were carefully
brush painted with
Vallejo 337 Highlight
Ger. (Black), actually
a dark brown shade.
This was thinned
with water before
application. High
areas of the face such
as the chin, brow,
nose, cheeks and ears
were painted with
paler shades of flesh,
while shadow areas
(under the eyebrows,
under the nose and
chin) received darker
shades. I made no
serious attempt to
paint the whites of the
eyes, preferring a dark
thin slit in most cases.
27/10/2014 11:44

Following a few tests on the bottom of the hull, the vehicle received
an overall coat of Lifecolor acrylic UA 250 Dunkelgelb Ground
Colour, one of three shades in a German Dunkelgelb Contrast and
Desaturation set. Next came the Deep Shade, UA 251. This was
sprayed into crevices, structural features and natural shadow
areas. Finally, it was the turn of the Flashed Shade. This is a very
pale highlight colour. Rather than spray this uniformly in the centre
of panels, it was applied in patches, streaks and spots.
Meanwhile, back at the Elefant

The first painting task was to coat
the tracks and running gear in
Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black.
The single disruptive camouflage colour was a 50/50 mix of Tamiyas XF-67 NATO
Green and XF-60 Dark Yellow, heavily thinned with isopropylene alcohol.
Despite toning down the colour

and spraying it very thinly, it was
still too intense. Reference photos
show the camouflage on this
vehicle to be very subtle indeed. I
oversprayed the green with a thin
coat of Lifecolors Dunkelgelb base
shade to achieve this effect. The
entire model was coated in SIN
Industries P242 Tan for Tritonal
Camo filter using a wide
soft brush. Before this
had completely dried,
I quickly highlighted
edges and structural
details with a
selective application
of AK Interactive AK
045 Dark Brown
Enamel Wash.
27/10/2014 11:44

Spare tracks and
the tow cables
were brush painted
a dark blackbrown shade using
Tamiya acrylics at
this stage.
The next stage of weathering was adding tiny spots and scratches with the tip
of a fine brush. This chipping damage was also applied to edges and corners
using a sponge. Vallejo Panzer Aces 337 Highlight Ger. (Black) was used as
the chipping shade.
Were getting there, but

the tracks and running
gear look out of place!
Next, a generous amount AK Interactive AK 045 Dark

Brown Enamel Wash was brushed over the Easy Mud.
Weathering the
tracks, running
gear and lower
hull started with a
wet application of
Easy Mud. Although
this product had
dried in its bottle, it
reactivated nicely
when mixed with
water. The Easy
Mud dries to a
pleasingly irregular
colour and texture.
It is also quite
robust resisting
damage from
handling.
27/10/2014 11:44
Once this had soaked in and dried after

an hour or two in the sun, some of the
dark was scrubbed off with a stiff brush.
A couple of reference photos show a large wine barrel

perched on the front spare track links of this vehicle.
Royal Model offers an accessory set that includes a
barrel of roughly the right size and style.
A little garnish was added using Kamizukuris paper Oak Leaves. A base colour of Vallejos Model Colour
70891 Intermediate Green was sprayed onto both sides of the die-cut paper sheet. Branches were bent
into shape from multiple strips of fine copper wire. These were secured with super glue. The branches
were painted brown and the paper leaves cut from their backing sheet. A few different shades of green
were randomly painted onto the leaves after they had been attached to the branches. A dark brown
acrylic wash was also applied to highlight the nice vein detail.
European Earth. Once this had set,

it was followed by a liberal, brushed
application of AK Interactives
Dark Brown enamel wash. Once
dry, some of the dark wash was
scrubbed off with a stiff brush to
provide more contrast between
the dry and wet areas. The same
products were used for the mud
effects on the bottom of the front
and rear hull.
The wheels of the Elefant were
fitted with steel rims, not rubber
tyres, so the edges of the wheels
were touched with the tip of a
2B pencil to suggest worn and

polished metal. A 2B pencil was
also used to highlight the worn high
areas of the tracks.
GARNISH
Reference photos in the Fedorowicz
book show this vehicle with a piece
of foliage attached to each side
of the mid-hull area. It is hard to
believe that anyone thought that
such modest garnish would hide
this 65 tonne, 26 foot behemoth,
but I thought it would add some
further interest anyway.
Now that
is effective
camouflage, isnt it?
The foliage was sourced from

Kamizukuris 1:35 scale paper
Oak Leaves set. A base colour
of Vallejos Model Colour 70891
Intermediate Green was sprayed
onto both sides of the die-cut paper
sheet. Branches were bent into
shape from multiple lengths of fine
copper wire. These were secured
with super glue. The branches were
painted brown and the paper leaves
cut from their backing sheet.
27/10/2014 11:45
Time for the crew to take up

residence too. Most of the
figures look very relaxed and
natural, but I am still not sure
about the guy leaning against
the superstructure
27/10/2014 11:45
27/10/2014 11:45
FINAL THOUGHTS
FINAL THOUGHTS
o, thats our book done

and dusted! By now
you should have read
our features, enjoyed
seeing the models and youre now
planning some of your own builds:
but where to go next?
ALL THE BEST LAID PLANS

Any good book should leave you
wanting more and we hope that this
one is no different. The features that
weve included were chosen as a
primer for possible future projects,
builds that you can embark on
either to continue adding to your
collection of Tamiyas Military
Miniatures, or maybe try some of
the ideas that youve discovered
within these pages.
The choices of course are
endless, even within Tamiyas
own range. How about building
a vignette around one of your
models? Even the most cursory of
glances at the Tamiya catalogue
will show you that they not only
produce kits of vehicles, theyve
released figures, accessories,
even simple buildings that can be
combined to produce pleasing
little scenes. Indeed, many years
ago, the catalogues were famous
for including centre page spreads
featuring all manner of wonderful
dioramas, all of which were built
using Tamiya kits and accessories.
Heck! It was these very same
catalogues that introduced the
wider world to the work of Francois
Verlinden and Shep Paine, both
of whom guided and inspired
generations of modellers to take up
this great hobby.
But what if you dont have the
space to build models in 1:35, is
there anything smaller that you can
enjoy? Well, yes there is. Tamiya are
now well known for their excellent
range of 1:48 vehicle kits, many of
Tamiyas kits are

perfect subjects
to build vignettes
around. Heres
one featuring their
beautiful Austin
Tilly
Two of Tamiyas
kits, that can form
the basis of multiple
conversions, the
Hetzer and Opel
Blitz truck.
Not all dioramas

have to be
constructed in 1:35.
How about building
a larger one in
1:48 such as this
one replicating a
German railway?
which mirror those released in the

larger scale. Beautifully detailed,
easy to assembly and compact,
these delightful little models are
perfect for modellers with less
space to display larger builds.
They can also be embellished with
all manner of accessories, both
of which are available from either
Tamiya, or the aftermarket. But
perhaps their greatest plus point, is
the opportunity to build expansive
dioramas around these kits without
taking up huge amounts of space
and worrying about compromising
either presence, or detail. Some
years ago I built a railway diorama
around Tamiyas Jagdpanther
and though large, it was still
manageable, something that would
not have been the case had I
chosen to attempt it in 1:35!
So you have a few models under

your belt, youve tackled some kits
from the box, added a detail or
two and even built a simple base
or vignette, whats next? Well,
how about a conversion? Though
the world is filled with conversion
kits, there are plenty of subjects
that you can tackle without using
someone elses parts. How about
converting Tamiyas Hetzer into a
recovery vehicle or Starr variant?
The Opel Blitz truck into an
engineers truck complete with tool
benches, lathes, and all manner of
other stowage items? If you fancy
something really demanding, you
could check out the T-55 and the
many specialist variants based on
this famous vehicle. All of these
projects would a fun way to not
only build something unique, but
also develop your skills as you
learn to scratchbuild new sections,
work with plasticard, rod and strip,
add details, sculpt stowage and
work with figures. You may never
want to build another kit from the
box, again!
Well, its time to move on and
build something new. We really
hope that we have inspired you to
have a go at building a new model
with plenty of ideas that will help
you either improve your skills, or
take you in an another enjoyable
direction. Have fun and well see
you around, hopefully keen to show
us what youve built from Tamiyas
range of wonderful kits.
82 Final Thoughts
p 82 FinalThoughts Armour.indd 82
27/10/2014 11:48
The HOW TO BUILD... series
Visit www.adhbooks.com
p 83 Advert Armour.indd 8
27/10/2014 11:48
There can be very few people

who have taken an interest in
modelling military vehicles who
havent at some time or another, built
one of Tamiyas extensive range of
military vehicle kits. Such is their
ubiquity, originality and availability,
they have become almost as much
a watchword for 1:35 armour
modelling, as Airfix have been for
kits of aircraft in 1:72...
Building Tamiya Armour

Kits in 1:35
Though the modelling world is awash with
an incredible variety of military vehicle
kits from a huge number of different
companies, one stands head and shoulders
above the others in terms of originality,
buildability and fun. That company is
Tamiya, who have consistently provided the
budding enthusiast with some of the finest
kits available in the scale of 1:35.
This new book brings together five
detailed features that will show what is
possible from this extensive range of
kits. In so doing, it offers hints and tips,
detailed step-by-step guides and written
descriptions on all manner of techniques
from basic construction, through detailing,
painting and realistic weathering. No stone
is left unturned in the quest to inspire the
modeller to complete similar projects for
themselves. It really is a one-stop-shop for
the budding military modeller!
This then is the world of Tamiyas
wonderful 1:35 military vehicle kits
we hope that you enjoy your visit!
Published by:
ADH Publishing Ltd., Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX
Telephone: 44 (0) 1525 222573 Fax: 44 (0) 1525 222574
Website: www.adhpublishing.com
p 84 BackCover Armour.indd 1
27/10/2014 11:49

How To Build Tamiya Armour Kits

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HOW TO

FIVE COMPLETE BUILDS PLUS:

How to apply zimmerit

FEATURING THE WORK OF

Spencer Pollard, Marcus Nicholls

here can be very few people who have taken

2 How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35

p 02-03 ForewardContents Armour.indd 2

Designed by Alex Hall

First Published in the United Kingdom by:

ADH Publishing Ltd., Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,

Copyright 2014 ADH Publishing Ltd.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or

How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35 3

p 02-03 ForewardContents Armour.indd 3

Where it all began,

Tamiya have never

elcome to the latest in

more sophisticated. Kits that once

Before their tie-in

Spencer Pollards favourite Tamiya

p 04-05 Introduction Armour.indd 4

is being missed. And thats where

little features, most of which are

We certainly do use off-the-shelf

How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35 5

p 04-05 Introduction Armour.indd 5

CHAPTER 1 TOOL BOX

efore we begin to enjoy

The basic tool kit

Sanding sticks and sponges.

piece of detail. To do this neatly

6 Chapter 1 - Tool Box

p 06-07 CH1 Armour.indd 6

joints that can be adjusted and

THE FINISHING LINE

Keep you bench

Paint and thinners

do though, ensure that you use

How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35 7

p 06-07 CH1 Armour.indd 7

CHAPTER 2 TAMIYA 1:35 M4A3E8 SHERMAN EASY EIG

Spencer Pollard shows how, with

Tamiya Fine Surface Primer

8 Chapter 2 - An Easy Eight

p 08-27 CH2 Armour.indd 8

SY EIGHT KIT NO.25175

amiya have had a

How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35 9

p 08-27 CH2 Armour.indd 9

CHAPTER 2 TAMIYA 1:35 M4A3E8 SHERMAN EASY EIG

With the suspension dealt with,

The lower hull is built up

The lower hull is complete. Fix the inner wheels in

When TASCA first emerged onto

The large air vent and exhausts

10 Chapter 2 - An Easy Eight

p 08-27 CH2 Armour.indd 10

SY EIGHT KIT NO.25175

Another view of the completed lower hull. For those inquisitive

Anyone who has stuck with me

The HVSS assemblies are superb and surprisingly quick to build.

How to Build... Tamiyas Armour Kits in 1:35 11