102

SEPT/OCT 2018 • £6.50 UK $15.99

www.mengafvmodeller.com

FABIO SACCHI’S TERRIFIC T40

 CONTENTS
2 Huge Het Part Two
Domingo Hernandez Martin stocks-up on paint to get some colour on
the massive new Meng M-911 C-Het and M747 Trailer.

12 Whizbang Part One

Fabio Sacchi talks us through the building of the hull of his terrific T40 Sherman.

18 KV-1 Resurrection
Ilya Yut’s KV-1 will ride again after a long rusty rest.

30 Big Bad Bär

Paper Panzer Perfection from Lukasz Orczyc-Musialek

38 Panzerkampfwagen IV Part 20
The Editor continues detailing Trumpeter’s 1:16 kit.

46 Keeping Track
New releases.

56 Motherland
Tamiya’s brand new M3 Stuart makes a scene.

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1
 HUGE HET
MENG’S M-911 C-HET & M747 TRAILER
MODELLED BY DOMINGO HERNADEZ MARTIN
2
PART TWO In the previous Issue we covered the assembly of the M-911
C-HET and its M747 Trailer for this super-sized project and now it is time to tackle the
painting! Like the assembly the model will be split into the tractor, trailer and load and
dealt with almost as three individual projects. Time to load up the primer!

3
1 2 3

In order to paint such a large model it is always necessary to try to
simplify the painting process into stages. I started with the cab of the
truck and then sealed it and was able to concentrate on the rest of
the model. For this I started to paint with Nato Black from Mission
Models as a primer. Photo 1. The next step was to place all the
windows of the cabin with their masks to avoid painting them. These
masks are quite rigid, perhaps too rigid for my taste, it is difficult to
remove them when you have finished. Photo 2. As the base colour
for the interior I used Nato Green from Mission Models, a couple of
thin layers were enough to cover. I diluted the paint at a rate of 75/25
paint to thinners. Photo 3

4
5

The most laborious job was to paint the different dials on the dashboard
and place all the decals that correspond to the different parts of each
dial. Photo 4. Here you can see the interior finished and ready to glue
all the pieces together. Photo 5.

4
 6 7

8
The exterior painting work was much easier, although it took a long
time due to the large size of the entire model. The NATO
camouflage scheme was done without masks with the colours from
Mission Models again. The darker colours I lightened a little with
the sand colour to adapt the model to the scale. Photo 6.

The weathering process is profiled on the underside of the truck

and also on the trailer with a light coat of Tamiya XF-72 and XF-78
paint. Photo 7. The next step is more laborious. With oil painting I
started to outline the lines of the panels, details and dirty the
chassis a little more. This step can be done immediately after the
previous step as they are two different types of paint and are not
aggressive to each other. Photo 8.

9 10
Most of the chipping process was done with sponge, the model is
too big to do it with a brush, for this I used Ammo’s chipping paint
and tons of sponge. Photo 9. The Lifecolor Oxide colours helped
me to give a different touch to the chipping process and although
11
it seems very vivid, the subsequent processes will lower the
intensity. Photo 10. Here you can see how the final result will look
with a mixture of pigments and dark wash. The layer covers
almost all the rust but the contrasts are visible. Photo 11.

13
I applied dry pigments to the chassis of the truck as well as to the
trailer and then with a damp brush apply a few drops of pigment
fixer. Photo 12. While these were drying I decided to start with the
wheels, after covering the rims with some masks, I airbrushed a
12 mixture of black Tamiya with a few drops of Flat flesh to imitate the
slightly discoloured rubber. Photo 13.
5
 14 15 16

I painted the inside with the same dusty colours as the chassis. treads of all the wheels. Photo 15. Then I removed the excess
Photo 14. I had in mind some slightly muddy wheels but with dry pigment with clean paper and let it dry a little until the liquid
marks so I started with a mixture of dark mud and a brush to fill the evaporated. Photo 16.

17

19

18
I painted the tire tread with AMMO black paint. Photo 17. And this outside of the tire, Then I blurred them until they were to my liking.
is what it looks like with dry pigments. Photo 18. For the mud Photo 19 This is the final look of the finished wheels with the same
marks, with a fine brush I painted some lines on the inside and ones already placed on the finished chassis.

20

To start with the upper section I started by

airbrushing a light layer of dust, specifically
washable dust from AMMO, then I started to
touch it up with cotton sticks. Photo 20.
6
 As I did before and with the same system, I made some chipping with a
sponge on the engine covers. Photo 21.
22 To highlight the panel lines and details I used various types of washes from
light rust to almost black, then wiped off the excess with a flat brush with a
little thinner. Photo 22.

21

22

23

The last step was to apply a little,

but very little dry pigment with a
large brush dabbing the surface to
leave this micro point effect.
Photo 23.

24
The second part of the truck was the part that
controls of the trailer. I started by painting the
cable with various colours, as a base the
chipping colour and black, with some traces
of metal. I didn't want a worn, rusty look.
Photo 24.
25
To finish off with some rust washes and dark
washes, I finished this part by applying dry
pigments. Photo 25.
I painted the spare wheel with vertical
26
In some parts in particular I gave some
touches of oil marks to contrast with the
pigments. Photo 26.

27 strokes simulating the rainfall on the

dust of the wheel and finished it with a
28
cable to support the wheel from the
crane. Photo 27.

Finally I painted the glass with a very

diluted mixture of Ammo's Crystal green.
Photo 28.

7
 29
TRAILER TRASH
The second big element of this set was the trailer. As I
said before, I created the NATO camouflage with Mission
Models paints, a real discovery for me, they airbrush very
well and the finish is satin and very soft. For the trailer I
started with a NATO Green base with some Sand colour to
give some clarity to the colour. The second step, and
following the instructions I painted the colour NATO Brown
Also with a little Sand too. Finally the colour NATO Black
also a little tinted with Sand and following the pattern from
the kit instructions. Photo 29.

30
One of the differences with
respect to the truck is the amount
of decals that the trailer takes so
you have to take your time to cut
out the film left over from each
one and then place them with the
help of micro set products and
finish varnishing to protect the 31 32 33
work done. Photo 30.
To paint the multitude of lights on the trailer, I first I made the wear marks on the trailer's taxi area with
painted it with a Silver base to reflect the a sponge and a Shadow Rust colour, not too much
transparent red and orange colour. Photos 31 either, since the dust and mud that would go in a
second step would cover part of the work. Photo 33.

35 36

The rear ramps received an intensive session of various oxide colours to simulate the effect
of wear and polish on the metal. Photo 34. The lower part of the trailer also received an
long session of splashes of various shades of pigment diluted with a little solvent and

8 34 helped with a toothpick. Photo 35. The Appearance is quite hard so the next step is to
soften up a bit was to soften up a bit that look first with some layers of X-19 smoke with
airbrush and some washings of AMMO's Fresh Engine Oil. Photo 36.
 37

On the upper load bed I applied

the same, application of raw
pigments and then removed it
with some filters to mitigate the
effects of the dirt. Photo 37.

After the wheels are in place, the

look of the trailer is impressive, not
only in presence but also in size.

9
 LOADED LOADER For the Wheeled Loader from
Mig Productions I won’t trouble you with an in-depth description
of the processes as they are almost the same as those used for
the truck and trailer. After carefully cleaning the resin with soap
and warm water, I let the pieces dry until I gave them a coat of
primer.

I planned after the main parts for

the painting, first the wheels,

37 38 39
The part of the tires I painted in NATO The second main group was the chassis itself which I also The third element was the armoured
Green from Mission Models while the painted in NATO Green and the acrylic details of AMMO as cabin which I wanted to highlight by
rubber parts I painted with the you can see in the picture. Photo 38. painting Sand from Mission Models and
reference Rubber Tires of AMMO with which I retouched with some filters on
a little thinner. Photo 37. different panels.Photo 39.

41

40 41
I painted the details like the shovel with green and The weathering process began at the bottom of the chassis by applying several
red primer, and then covered them with wet and layers of wet pigment to fix it, then adding splashes of Fresh Mud with a toothpick
dry pigment to give contrast.Photo 40. around some details, and finally some grease marks. Photo 41-42.

42 44

43
In some areas the chipping effect was
much more intensified, for example on
the rear fender. Photo 43.
10
As in the previous steps, the washing
together with the oil allowed me to make
some effects of wear and dirt as well as
change the colour of the panels. Photo 44.
 45 46 47

The problem with this process is

that the model becomes too
unified, so I took the opportunity
to review all the panels with the
help of grey and black Gundam
markers. Photo 45.

Finally a few touches of dirt with

oil paints and it's almost ready.
Photo 46-47.
48
I didn't do too much work on the
cabin after applying filters; I
simply applied some washes
with a different brown wash
than the chassis Photo 48. and
put the windows painted in
transparent green. Photo 49.
Finally an intensive pigment
work on the wheels Photo 50
and the model was ready for
final assembly.

49
50

It's been a real challenge, not only because of the size of

the model which I was not used to, but also because of the
amount of time required to see a project of this size
through to completion. However there is a lot of satisfaction
in seeing how a monster like this takes shape. I hope you
like the results as much as I do.

11
 FABIO
SACCHI’S
TERRIFIC
T40

12
PART ONE

13
 I don't know if this happens to other modellers, but
to me, sometimes, it’s enough to see a photo and
suddenly I start thinking I must build a model of it...
That’s what happened a couple of years ago when I stumbled
onto a wartime photo depicting a very odd rocket launcher
mounted on a M4A1 Sherman.
Regardless of the efforts I put in researching information, I could
not find very much. I had to wait for Steve Zaloga’s book on “US
Armoured Funnies” to find some more photos of what I then
realised was a T40 (or M17) demolition rocket system.
I think the big push came once I got in contact
with Bob Holt. Bob is a Historian and he is also
the webmaster of 752nd Tank Battalion
(www.752tank.com). 752TB in Italy was where
most of tanks for T40 conversion were taken
and (unsuccesfully) deployed. His father was
the commander of “BEDSORES” the
“B”company tank depicted in the few phots
related to these conversions. Bob was a
tremendous help and provided so many
insights about his father’s tank and history that
I could not eventually resist and started the
project! I would recommend you to take a look
at Bob’s site, lots of great information about
this unit in Italy and some priceless wartime
photos.
14
This system was an early attempt to provide troops with enough
firepower able to destroy fortified pits. The rockets themselves
were quite powerful and effective. Unfortunately shortcomings
were quite remarkable amongst them being a very short effective
range which made it necessary to position the tank very near to
enemy fire and the clearance between turret roof and launch
system made it then impossible to operate turret hatch. In short, it
was more dangerous for it’s crew than for the enemy!
In fact the launcher was planned to equip tanks for the D-Day
invasion but at the last moment it was decided to take systems off
and not deploy them. A famous photo in Normandy of a bogged
down M4 named “Cannonball” still had the T40 fittings installed.
The dismounted rocket systems were then assigned
to a different theatre of operations, Italy where they
were tested and probably rarely deployed in action.
Through Steve’s book I finally had some more details
but unfortunately not yet enough to attempt a
scratchbuild even if at first sight it was a simple plain
boxed container.
I was able finally to get over the internet the technical
manual (TM9-396). By browsing the manual, it was
clear that “simple” box shaped object was in
reality comprised of 20 individual 7.2inch rocket
rails assembled into two group of ten…Each rail
was of skeleton-type construction. It took me a
split-second to step away from the challenge,
but still the idea remained in my mind.
So armed with this fresh information I
seriously started to plan the model.
I had a turretless half-completed Asuka M4A1
kit which was left from an aborted project
which I thought I could save some time with.
In Italy “donor tanks” were the M4 and M4A1.
Sgt Holt’s tank I chose to replicate and
named “BEDSORES” was an M4A1, actually
a Pressed Steel Co. production vehicle.
Unfortunately the hull I intended to use
was an early M4A1 produced by
LIMA Co. While not evident at first
sight, differences between
factories are sometimes
pretty clear.

I had therefore to build

another M4A1. I used the
TASCA/ASUKA offering
as a basis.

An accurate rendition of
‘Bedsore’s PSC hull required
lots of subtle modifications,
some re-sculpting around the
hatches being one.

15
 Note the PSC hulls had the idler brackets riveted in place
rather than bolted. Tasca Sherman kits are always a great
starting point.

Tasca’s kit is probably the best M4A1 in town, however it mixes

some features of different factory productions. I therefore
modified the hull to represent an accurate PSC tank such as a
much smoother transition of the casting around the front
hatches, idler wheel brackets fixed with rivets instead of bolts,
higher than usual rear light guards, welded lower hull and
straight rear wall junction.
All of these modifications were applied to the basic Tasca Kit.
From photos was also clear that the Hull MG had a cover
installed, so I modelled it with Tamiya epoxy putty, ‘quick’ type.
I just added some photoetched parts (mainly Light guards and
tool fixings) from Aber’s set dedicated to the M4 Sherman. Well
respected modeller and author Steve Zaloga some time ago
suggested fixing Sherman light guards with Duro epoxy putty ( or
Green Stuff ) I have to thank him as it results in a much tougher
bond and in addition you can simulate welding points! With the
leftover mixed putty I then recreated the weld mounds
around lifting rings.

Overall to tweak the hull did not that long thanks to the
great quality of Tasca’s kit and after 2 months the
basic model was ready. Sounds like a long time,
however by my standards it was quick, very quick!

Last addition were the T48 tracks. I used Bronco’s

offering; I understand that there’s a kind of a “love or
hate” feeling about these tracks, however since once I
fine-tuned the assembly steps, I find them pretty
straightforward. They are not overly complicated, just
boring to detach from sprues and glue together.
Actually I created a “buffer” of about 500/600 pre-built
subassemblies of guide horns/connecting rods and I
just add the track pads as needed. Overall they are
just slightly less detailed than Model Kasten versions
16 but much more straight forward to build.
NEXT ISSUE
My attention turns to the main focus of the project and
one of my biggest scratchbuilding challenges to date;
the very complexed rocket launcher and turret mount
and the more relaxing painting and weathering!

17
18
Ilya Yut’s restoration workshop scene
I
bought a Zvezda KV-1 kit more than 10 years
ago to cannibalize it for interior parts. Since
then the model has been a silent part of my
stash. Eventually I decided to build it, but not as
a regular green tank…
My recent interest in modelling abandoned,
destroyed and rusty subjects resulted in
modelling the KV as a tank undergoing a modern
day restoration, after been forgotten for decades.
Actually there were several ideas that I wanted to
implement while building a project like this:
achieve more progress with rusting, metal &
hairspray painting techniques, clear my stash
and eventually make a sort of a garage base
with various tools and equipment.

19
 I had various sources of inspiration and references: articles in this
and other magazines, youtube videos about restoring tanks,
various photos, great builds seen at Moson 2017 model show and
so on. A tank undergoing restoration provides more flexibility and
freedom for creativity, much more than a regular subject. exact
production detail is less relevant here and different
painting/weathering patterns can be legitimately applied on a
model like this. My KV has areas with paint that faded to almost
non-existence, freshly fabricated metal parts and very rusty plates.
Each aspect of making these effects is described in detail.
Hull – Newly fabricated metal sheets.
The idea here was to finish several parts as metal sheets
fabricated by the restoration team. On real vehicles these parts
can be lost or badly damaged in action, beyond the point of
restoration. And a big piece of KV’s side plate was cut away,
possibly stolen and sold for scrap. It was the fate of a Pz III’s hull
that I found on the internet.

I started with a blue-grey mix of

Tamiya acrylics as a base layer.

Once dried, it was followed

by a thin layer of light grey,
again with a light blue hue.

The upper coat was removed using water

It was covered with Worn Effects
and a stiff brush. I started removing very
fluid, similar to hairspray.
quickly after the paint had dried.

Then I applied another layer of Worn Effects, let it dry and followed by a layer of light rust. It was also
scratched and mostly removed using brushes and other tools.

Mapping was done using an

old toothbrush (speckling) and
a fine paintbrush. Here I used
several rust and grey tones.

Small touches ad features.

One of my favourite steps –
adding various creative
features. White marks, heavy
rust streaks, emphasizing
details

20
Hull – Original metal and previous repairs.

Additional rust
tones applied by
airbrush in a
mottled effect.

Areas of newly fabricated metal were masked with Dark rust tone is a mix of XF-10
Tamiya tape & Wilder masking liquid. and a touch of XF-1

Rust speckling. I used a

sponge and an old
toothbrush to add rust
speckles. I decided to leave
less green colour on the hull
and invest more in rust
texture and chromatic
richness.

21
 Light grey tone will add additional texture feel for the huge rust areas. Heavy chipping
(hairspray) fluid was airbrushed with a light grey mixed followed it once dry.

Removing light grey tone was done using similar equipment and approach as described before.

The same steps were done with faded green colour. To obtain contrast I
remained some areas almost free of faded green to emphasize the
irregular nature of the deterioration. Once finished with faded green, the
KV hull received some rusty streaks, washes etc. Note how the
fabricated metal areas differ from those with rusty and faded green

I chose to use a more faded shade of green that will be a
perfect background for rust stains. I applied the rust effect by a
fine brush and then used a brush moistened in AK odorless
thinner to remove excess paint.
.
These armour plates were painted similarly to other rusty areas, but additional rust
tones weren’t added randomly but rather as a gradient. I used a stencil to prevent
overspray.

With minimum effort freshly fabricated weld

seams look great and act as eye-catchers.
The secret is contrast between the shine
For the horizontal plate I used a diagonal gradient. At the initial stage it looks unrealistic but with metal and the surrounding dark grey area.
more layers added it looks convincing enough. Again the rusty areas nicely contrast with This effect is done easily. Use a 0.2 nozzle to
surrounding fabricated metal and faded green areas. airbrush a thin dark grey line around the
seam. Emphasise the seam with a bright
metallic paint using a fine brush.
22
The Turret.

The first layer was the dark rust base coat. I prepared a dark I used lighter rust paints to highlight some parts and make the rust base less uniform. It was
brown mix and airbrushed it over the entire model. The again airbrushed in a random manner. I didn’t imitate complicated patterns with salt or sponge
cheapest airbrush does the job. Actually I used one for the techniques because the area will be covered with what was left from the base colour and all
entire project after breaking my Iwata CMB. the fancy things would be obscured. However, some rust tonal variation is vital.

The surface was moistened with

tap water and the base colour
was removed and scratched
using an old toothbrush,
tweezers, brushes and toothpick.
The result of this step already
looks good with nice contrast
between darker rust and lighter
faded green. However it needs
another step to make it more
realistic and less uniform.

I deliberately made the green tone very light and faded. Single rust & base colour is simply
Since I prefer more vivid colours, the mix was based around not enough to achieve realism. I used
Tamiya XF-5 Green instead of any sort of dull Olive Drab. I let acrylics to achieve more contrast.
it dry for a very short time before removing with water, Small chips and areas of bright green
paintbrush and scratching. were painted over rusty areas and
the opposite. I used Vallejo retarder
Important note here: medium to slow down the drying time
Hairspray technique requires A LOT of practice before and make acrylics more controllable.
applying on a model. The final chipping drastically depends Now the overall look is more realistic,
on the exact hairspray product, its drying time, number of random and less uniform. The turret
layers, paint above it, the paint’s characteristics, drying time was sealed with a layer of satin
and amount of water used to remove it. However, the positive varnish before applying washes and
thing here is that you can easily remove an unsatisfying oils.
result. To emphasize details I used regular
brown and black washes alongside a
rust one. Additional rust tones and
dust were introduced with dry
pigments. Here I used a small brush
to avoid over-applying sticky
pigments.

23
 The workshop.

Styrofoam is a very convenient material for dioramas. I had

several smaller sheets, so I cut them and glued using the white
glue. The PVA glue dried for 1-2 days. Styrofoam texture is
visible even with several layers of acrylics. To eliminate this
effect, I first tried styrene sheets, but eventually used a mix of
wall filler and Wilder texture paste. Next time I should use a
simple cork sheet for making a flat surface as the chosen
materials caused me some headaches. Texture paste with its
small grains is perfect for outdoor terrain, but not smooth
concrete floor. The wall filler takes too much time to dry
completely and the resulting layer turned out to be too brittle.
I decided to “build” the wall using bigger size concrete blocks
instead of smaller bricks. I tried to scribe the texture on the
foam core but it didn’t go that well. Then I glued styrene sheets
atop of it. Irregular surface of blocks was imitated using glue,
putty and a stiff brush. The “blocks” were scribed on styrene
sheets. I started with a pen and then scribed using Tamiya
scriber.
I decided to have some fun with the outer side of the wall with some
vandalism. To make the blocks look less monotonous I used several
shades of grey acrylics, added streaks, washes, pigments and so on.
Earth texture was made using AK texture paste with small stones,
grass. “Punx not dead” was painted with artist’s oil paints. Not that
good a paint choice. It took entire week to dry completely and
eventually I repainted it several times.
I added streaks to the wall using AK enamel fluids. The floor got a
covering of MIG & Wilder pigments. To make split fuel I used
dedicated branded stuff as well as Tamiya’s transparent X-22 Clear
and grey-black X-19 Smoke and oils

24
 In addition to the accessories described above, I made a power cable,
prepared wheels, several track links, added paper posters and so on.
The paper KV model fits well into the vignette next to the “real” thing.

I tried several layouts and eventually some details were

left aside which didn’t work with the composition
including the red wooden ladder I’d prepared.

You can’t make a workshop dio empty, without any

tools and equipment. To add life to my garage I
used kits by various makers: Aber, Diopark, Italeri,
Dan Models, Denisss models, Miniart, RB model,
Tamiya, resin from my stash, scratchbuilt things.
Eventually I had painted more accessories than
were actually used. Most of the stuff is intended to
imitate either metal or wood. Each material needs
its own approach.
Many of the techniques are the same as used
painting the KV1; multiple layers of colours with
‘hairspray’ technique to produce a scuffed and
scratched appearance throughout. The pallets from
Dan Models are actually made from wood veneer
but still look more realistic with a little weathering
and some paint spills.

25
26
27
30
BEAR
NECESSITIES
Lukasz Orczyc-Musialek’s Mythical Mörser Bär
rolls straight out of the factory and into action
Considered less popular than the rest of
German military vehicles, even among the so
called ”paper panzers” it is far and away the
spearhead. When the Amusing Hobby kit
was released I did not even check the review
because of the subject which simply didnt
appeal to me particularly. Then out of the
blue my friend asked me to build this vehicle
for his collection with free hand in its finished
appearance.
My standard procedure before the parts
were cut from the sprues is to start to look
for ideas and interesting camo schemes.
Quite fast I found the images of Adam
Wilder’s superb Bär which was my
inspiration, especially for the building but
also for the painting stages. But the most
important requirement was to find some
interesting colours for this project. All of the
painting charts I saw in the books and the
internet were unsatisfactory. I felt that they
were not suitable for my project. Then I
remembered my E-75 kit from 2015 where I
painted all sections in different colours and
finishes. That was it!
The idea was to create the vehicle which
was pressed into service right after it was
assembled and armed. This is why I left the
tools and small elements in the spares box.
Regarding colours I wanted to build a
multicoloured model with factory unfinished
surfaces and some freshly painted yellow
camo. The steel areas were planned to be
painted in different manner to simulate two
conditions: storage circumstances (rust) and
various sources of origin. As the additional
elements I planed to add Wilder’s dry
stencils and Verlinden’s German wall
slogans.
When I was thinking about the stowage and
checking different elements I realized that
there is no space on the superstructure to
add any. The towing cables and wire tied to
the hooks would be enough this time. The
tarpaulin on the roof was the only real
stowage addition.
31
 The very first work I did was to add a new surface to particular big imperfections on the hull sides more often visible on the
elements of the kit. The mix of Revell's glue and Tamiya's putty Russian tanks than German but here the big surfaces needed to
was applied with squared blade and then sanded with different be improved more than on a typical tank.
paper gradation until the proper surface was achieved. I left quite

Looking closer to the side of the superstructure we can

see the details and the rough surfaces of the steel.
With tweezers I made some holes in the engine fan
mesh.

They were embossed into the openings

of the grilles and torn here and there.
After that they look more realistic. Note
the new mudguards brackets.

When the surface was ready I turned my attention to

the track links which were designed to be workable.
They consist 3 elements to complete one link but even
though it was quite time-consuming, the simple tool
provided in the set helped with this task. A drop of
super glue needs to be applied taking care to
keep it away from the gaps between each
link.

32
 I put all elements together to check
the final look after building stage
was complete. Note the double
machine gun and exhausts which
were added. There are also hooks
for the additional tracks and some
other small improvements of the
kit. I sculpted the welding seams
with Milliput, some of the handles
were changed for metal ones.The
superstructure was also enriched
with the ladder steps on the rear. I
made them with 0.7mm copper
wire. They were shaped on the
simple wire bender.

All priming was done with Chaos

Black spray. It dried quickly and
was the perfect base for the
paints application.

The first colour was the mix of Hull Red When the base colour was drying I airbrushed the
and Flat Red. I applied it over the entire wheels in 3 different German tones.

The sides of the hull were

sprayed with 2 coats of
hairspray and then with
water-diluted Neutral Grey.
The paint was scratched
and wiped off with old
brush. On both sides I
added some straight
vertical and diagonal lines.

33
 More speckling colour on all surfaces with Once more the hairspray was applied to Again I use the old brush to wipe off the
highly diluted Sky Grey. cover the sides of the kit and next it was paint and build more contrast with different
covered with thin coat of Mahogany Brown. colours on this surfaces.

The Post-it notes were used to mask areas A dark grey filter was applied to enhance More rusty tones were added over the
kit and I sprayed Red Cuir shade. In this the contrast. whole area. They were applied with
way I built up the rusty traces of steel plates sponge, speckling and with fine brush.
storage.

The rear section was sprayed with Pastel

green and also scratched with help of
previous sprayed hairspray. Note that here I
left more paint untouched in comparison to
the front plate.

The roof was airbrushed Flat

Red to increase the contrast
between all elements.
I coloured the parts on the roof
with different shades of grey.
Note the silver bolts on the
engine deck.
The front plate was treated in the same way
as sides but here I used different colour as
a layer applied on the base. It was also
coloured with different rust shades and
scratched lines.

34
More tones on the crew's compartment,
barrel support and gun.
The welding details were enhanced with Light green was use to outline the hooks on
dark grey paint which was applied around both sides of the model.
each detail. It simulates the burnt paint.
Each element was painted dark brown and
weld seams I coloured with silver.

Using the dry rub German factory markings The yellow paint was partly airbrushed on the different sections of the
I added some of them. superstructure. It was intended to show it as a new coat of paint so I minimalized
the amount of chips or scratches but only dirty streaks appear strongly. Before the
wash was applied I covered the kit with gloss varnish.

The previous step was

preserved with a coat of matt

With the very dark wash applied in all corners and

around the details I started to do more oil work. The
paper pallette absorbed the oils from the paint. I
added more tones to the surfaces.
35
 With a dark brown acrylic I added the Also more oil work was added but this time The outsides of the tracks were pre-
chips. For this purpose sponge, brush only the dark grey as the filth and dirt. dusted with Buff colour.
and speckling were used.

When the tracks were ready I polished the Keeping the pencil in my hand I also add The metal ladder was dented a bit by the
inner surfaces with the soft pencil. small amount of polished edges on the kit. careless driver.

Very thin metal wire was first burnished The roof was enriched with the tarpaulin. I Around the kit I added the dark grey
and then added to the body. Note the used tissue, soaked with the mix of paint pigment to create the dry mud. It was
towing cables. and white glue. After it was dry I added fixed with a dedicated fixing liquid.
some details and weathered it.

The fumes added on the sides. Note the yellow With black pigment and Smoke paint I prepared
paint on the exhaust pipe. some oily stains on the wheels and on other
surfaces. The final touches of pigments were
applied on the gun cover.

36
37
 Panzerkampfwagen
David Parker builds Trumpeter’s 1:16 kit
Now that I had completed the engine bay I moved to the front of
the hull to fit out the Driver’s compartment. With most of the
construction work completed and the parts already painted I was
looking forward to seeing it come together after the months of
work on the engine. Once again though, restricted space meant
that I needed to consider a preferential sequence for adding
everything, starting with the electrical systems. The complex
My first job was to completely seal up the engine bay to prevent any dust and
debris collecting inside while the project continues.
Working from the manual wiring diagram and photos of the real vehicle I
began to add the electrical cables using the woven cord which replicates the
pattern of real cable. The cord is sprayed with Mr Surfacer as it helps to hold
it in shape and then painted in a dull aluminium. The cables enter the
compartment via the tunnel under the drive shaft 1 but as this area will be
covered by the gearbox fan I simply glued it to the wall.
The other end is then glued in place checking that it will feed up to the Z18
38 comms box which is dry fitted. One cable is a little short but I will simply hide
the join when I add an extra length under one of the cable clamps.
Part Twenty
wiring around the intercom system and the power supplies for the
radios was a challenge but I had good pictures of the real wiring
and a wiring diagram from the vehicle manual to help me replicate
it exactly. I also made some changes to the arrangement of the
vehicle fusebox panel from when it was first constructed based on
new information. A fire extinguisher was added and the Driver’s
intercom box.
I moved to the bow to begin fitting it out and I quicly realised that I had not
thought through the fitting of the gearbox when I originally assembled it.
Removing the pair of front mounts from the floor rails and fixing them to the
gearbox means that I can now just drop the gearbox into position. The
damaged areas of paint were the touched up.
The next run of cables goes across the hull and feeds under the gearbox and
Driver’s seat to connect his intercom box with the rest of the intercom
system. Here I have started to glue the cord into position working from one
side.
The gearbox is dropped in to check the finished look and to be certain that
there is nothing fouling.
The final details were painted onto the Z 18 box The real box has a
Phosphorus strip on the edge of the lid to pick it out in the reduced light
which was painted with Lifecolor Dayglo yellow. The stencils were from the
dedicated AFV Modeller decal sheet and the placard one was applied to self-
adhesive aluminium foil.
The cables were added individually and glued into position against the small
squares which are the mounting points for the cable clamps.
Things are starting to get quite complicated now and there are now cables
running to a separate Z 23 junction box.
The cables are connected into the Z 23 box leaving the one empty connection
as on the real vehicle. I pre-painted strips of self-adhesive aluminium foil to
make the cable clamps.
The Z 18 box is the hub for the three crew intercom systems so there is a
considerable amount of cabling running to it in the other corner of the bow. A
lot of care is needed to replicate this area with the cables being colour coded
which does help! I used Albion Alloys aluminium tube to make the colour
coding rings and these were crimped onto the cable.
The next cables are added with a lump of blu tac used to temporarily hold the
loose ends that will connect to the box. During this process I realised that
some of my square mounting points were in the wrong place so they were
removed.
The Z 23 box is fixed in position and new cable clamps fixings added 2. I
modified the Z23 so that it has the correct 4 outlets on one side and 3 on the
other.
The Z 18 box was now glued in place and I added the screw head fixings for
the cable clamps using Aber photoetched screws.
39
 It just remains to connect up the cables to the Z 18 - not an easy task Another view of the Z 18 connections.
working upside down with the hull on its side!

The transformers which power the radios were painted in the same RLM66 In preparation for fitting the transformers I had to re-route one of the wall
dark grey and the placards were created by applying the AFV Modeller mounted cables and add a connecting cable to the junction box. The pair of
decals to self-adhesive aluminium foil. EUa4 transformers were also connected together with a cable 3.

Before fitting the transformers I began to weather the floor and corner area Finally the three transformers could be fixed into position and the last cables
as they would restrict access. I began with an oil wash which was worked connected.
over with some acrylic washes.

Moving to the fusebox panel on the other side of the hull now and I began to assemble the fire Mocking up the panel with the new extinguisher,
extinguisher which is mounted on the panel using the excellent ABER kit. I replaced the pair of handles Driver’s intercom box 4 and Gyrocompass power
40 on the extinguisher body with my own plastic versions as the photoetched parts were too flat. supply 5 both from the AFV Modeller range of resin
detail parts.
 6

The almost complete extinguisher was In preparation for fitting the fuse box panel I added primer to the The fusebox panel is fixed in position with
painted Dunkelgelb and finished with the hull wall and created an overspray of the Elfenbien with some the mounting plate for the Gyrocompass
Tetra decal from the Archer Fine Transfers dribbles of paint to reflect the manufacturing process. As it power supply 6 in place.
range. turned out this barely visible when the panel is fitted.

I had a small problem connecting up the Driver’s intercom box as The extinguisher and power transformer could now be fitted to the panel, note the brush
my pair of cables was too short to reach. I added a pair of cables to painted labels on the fuse box panel.
the box so that I could hide the join behind a cable clamp.

I added another pair of cables which run Cable clamps were added as before and I I painted up the pair of pipes that 7 connect the steering brakes
across to the gearbox and feed up to the also started to weather the hull floor with to the gearbox fan. On the right side the pipe runs right across
instrument panel via a conduit. acrylic washes. the Radio Operator’s very restricted foot space so I added some
wear to the paint.

There are a lot of areas which are inaccessible where dirt and dust would Ushi van der Rosten polishing powders and a pencil were used to apply
collect on the hull floor and where the activities of the crew would not disturb some polished metal effects over the worn paint. 41
its build up so I used an airbrush to start building up these effects. The patch
of wear 8 caused by the Driver’s feet was also added. The project continues in the next Issue
 new releases
KEEPING TRACK
Meng 1:35 Jagdpanther G1
Hard on the heels of the Panthers comes Meng’s new
Jagdpanther which represents the earlier G1 version but includes
a welcome variety of production options to optimise the
modeller’s choice. The lower hull at first glance looks the same as
the Panthers with the same interlocking panels and cross braces
but it is in fact a new part. Like the Panther a sub-frame is
provided for the upper hull onto which separate armour panels are
mounted. Suspension and running gear are carried over from the
Panther with the exception of the track which still has separately
moulded teeth but the sprue points for each link have been
reduced to just 3. Depending on your choice of subject vehicle
from the 4 schemes provided there are location holes to be drilled
out on the hull plates for tool stowage racks. Optional camouflage
loops are supplied as photoetched parts and there is also a full
range of exhaust variations from Panther A style through to flame
dampers. Skirt rails are supplied as photoetched sections with a
46 moulded mounting rib provided down the length of the hull side
for added strength. You have the option to mount the tool frames
on the hull sides or to reposition them on the engine deck and
rear of the hull as favoured by some Jagdpanther units. Although
there is no full interior the kit does provide a nicely detailed gun
breech and a choice of both types of gun barrel with a turned
aluminium barrel for the two-part barrel. There are also three
different styles of gun mantlet surround and two different
mantlets. There are two patterns of MG kugelblende and clear
moulded periscopes, gun sight and scissors scopes are also
provided along with two styles of optional stowage bin for the rear
of the fighting compartment. There are two quite large
photoetched frets, one for the side skirts which like those for the
Panther are pleasingly thick and designed to hang from the plastic
mount brackets. The other fret carries the engine deck screens
which look a touch on the dense side for the mesh pattern, star
antenna, the skirt rails, hatch locks and camo loops. Plenty of
options and lots of lovely details across the kit which looks great in
the sand coloured plastic, we’re pleased to report assembly is
very pleasing with excellent fit all-round; look out for a full feature.
Meng 1:35 King Tiger Porsche Turret
It is a fairly logical choice for Meng to follow up on their original
King Tiger release with the early version of the turret commonly
referred to as the ‘Porsche Turret’ even though the turrets were
manufactured by Krupp. Only 50 vehicles were fitted with this
elegant design of turret and the kit cleverly includes a choice of
LHS turret armour panels with and without the deleted
communications port. As all these vehicles carried zimmerit its a
subtle detail but welcome nevertheless. Location points for
optional spare track hangers on the turret are provided and can
be shaved off if not required. The turret roof is moulded separately
which will be welcome if you plan to add the separately available
interior. The gun is provided as both versions with a metal barrel
included for the two-part version. The hull is carried over from the
Meng 1:35 King Tiger Interior Set (Porsche Turret)
Also available as a separate kit is the superb fully detailed interior
for the Porsche turret King Tiger. It is essentially the same interior
set as was released for the series turret release but with
modifications for the different turret. The levels of finesse are
excellent and the separately moulded ammunition means the
racks and shells can be painted individually before they are
assembled. The turret interior provides the monocular gun sight to
correspond with the welded up hole on the turret for the
previous King Tiger with the exception of the armoured turret ring
to be fitted to the hull roof. It has been modified to cure the
alignment issue of the internal bracing for the suspension which
could cause the roadwheels to toe in. The missing machined slot
on the underside of the sponson and the last fixing point for the
track guards have also both been added. Tracks are link and
length with an assembly jig to assist getting the required sag and
there is a small photoetched fret with the engine deck screens.
The kit also includes a reproduction Normandy campaign miliary
map. For those who are not entirely comfortable with the whole
zimmerit process there is also a separately available 3D decal
type sheet from Meng to compliment the kit.
discontinued binocular sight. The gun mount has been changed
with a different cradle mount to fit the turret and the turret bustle
ammunition racks are of course new. The only oversight I can spot
is the detail of the welded up communications port on the inside
face of the turret but it should be an easy detail to add. The kit
provides a full set of placards, dials and shell markings on the 47
decal sheet and there is a photoetched fret for parts like the
ammunition rack frames. Complex, crisp and compulsive!
 Takom 1:35 Bergepanther Ausf D & Ausf A
At long last we have high quality injection moulded versions of the
Bergepanther armoured recovery vehicles, discounting the vague
Italeri version for obvious reasons. With Takom having already
developed its full Panther interior it is not a huge leap to develop
the recovery version and there is a choice of two versions, the
Ausf.D version and the Ausf.A. The D is a turretless chassis
without the winch or spade whereas the A feature the winch,
spade and raised superstructure. As anticipated the kits carry
over most of their interior detail from the existing Panther kits with
some modifications like the reworked floor panels and crew
seating in the forward hull. The enormous winch has been
beautifully replicated but utilizes on a nylon rope which some may
want to replace with a more realistic representation. The new
battery stowage and tool boxes that replace the sponson
ammunition bins are provided and the fully detailed engine bay is
of course provided in both kits meaning that you can create the
48 obligatory Bergepanther scenario of the vehicle removing its own
engine! On the Ausf.A the rendition of the wooden panels that
make up the superstructure is especially well handled with a
subtle woodgrain texture. The winch cover panels are moulded as
a single piece so you will have to score and separate them in
order to expose the winch detail beneath them. On the Ausf.D
there is a two part hinged cover over the turret ring that will allow
the interior to be seen. The huge rear spade is also beautifully
handled with just a couple of easy to clean up release pins on the
outer face and the kits. The A has a choice of open or closed
canvas rain cover for the crew compartment with realistic fabric
effect on both. Tracks are the same link and length style as the
standard Panther kits and the single piece side skirts also make
an unwelcome return. The kits both have a full colour painting
guides for the interior to make the process as painless as possible
and a choice of schemes for the exterior although as markings
are quite minimal everything is supplied on a small decal sheet.
Photoetched engine deck screens are included along with two
sizes of woven copper tow ropes and two sizes of chain for the
crane. Impressive, comprehensive and well worth waiting for!

Merkava Siman1- Part 2
Michael Mass and Adam O'Brien
Published by Desert Eagle
Softback format, 82 pages
ISBN 9789657700099
www.deserteagle-publishing.com
One of the World's most famous armoured
vehicles in perhaps it's purest form? Merkava
Mk1 is revisited by the Desert Eagle team with
Volume 2 providing the usual Desert Eagle
approach of quality large format colour images
and detailed, knowledgable research resulting in
the perfect easy access modelling reference.
Part Two follows the highly detailed focus on
areas of the Merkava as in the first volume with
unprecedented access to the driver's
compartment, fighting compartment and all
access hatches to the turret and hull; superb
reference for the super-detailer with line
drawings to accompany many of the
photographed features. Images of something
not often seen will spark a few modelling ideas;
Merkava wrecks being broken for parts (in true
IDF recycling style!) another essential addition to
the library of any IDF modeller and always highly
recommended. Our thanks to
www.aviationbookcentre.com
for our sample copy.

Cromwell and Centaur
Tanks British Army &
Royal Marines
Dennis Oliver
Published by Pen and Sword
Softback format, 64 pages
ISBN9781526725417
www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
Another release in this 'Tank Craft' series sees
British Cromwell and Centaur featured, always
popular with modellers of Allied armour. A hybrid
of historical content and modelling is on offer in
common with the other titles in the series, this
one probably heavier on the modelling than the
other titles with kits and aftermarket items well
represented in all scales. The model gallery
images vary in quality but there is some really
nice work featured. One of the highlights are the
numerous Dennis Oliver colour profiles, nicely
rendered with markings well illustrated and
detailed captions provided about specific
vehicles. A good selection of period images
feature but the photos are mostly familiar
featuring information about different regiments
and deployment in N/W Europe 1944-45. A
handy chapter on modifications and
specifications rounds off a good value modelling
guide.

Panzer III on the

Battlefield 2, WWII
Photobook Series
Tom Cockle
Published by PeKo
Hardback format, 110 pages,
English / Hungarian text
ISBN 9786155583100
www.pekobooks.com /
www.panzerwrecks.com
This series of nicely presented hardbacked books follows a simple format which works; quality
large format (usually) unpublished images which offer a wealth of reference and inspiration to
modellers. The author has a great depth of knowledge of the Pz.III so we're into details such as
when and where the subject vehicle was probably manufactured and excellent call-outs of unusual
features to note. All WWII fronts are represented and everything from factory fresh to worn-out
whitewashed wrecks are featured. This is a very collectable series (this being number 18)
especially if you're tired of the same images cropping up in books, the majority have been new to 49
us which makes them excellent value. Our thanks to Panzerwrecks for the sample copy.
 The Airbrush Company
Distributors of the ‘Sparmax’ range of airbrushing products, The Airbrush
Company have an excellent new ‘Zeta’ compressor out which is ideal for
modelling. A brand new patented feature is the ‘Smart Stop’ holder which
switches the compressor on or off when the airbrush is placed or removed
from the holder which saves on energy and extends the life of the
compressor’s working parts by reducing pressure fluctuation. The system
allows for a similar pressure stabilising effect of an air-tank compressor but
very compact in size. The kit comes complete with the desk-top clamp which
houses the switch and pressure regulator / moisture trap (a 2M braided
airbrush hose is also included) and allows up to 40 minutes continuous use
(before needing a 10-15 minute cool down) and is suitable for all of the usual
modelling airbrush brands. The oil-less piston operation is very quiet and being
light and compact makes this system ideal if you’re working in a limited space
and offers excellent value as we’ve come to expect from the Sparmax range.

Another innovative product for anyone using airbrushes regularly is the new
‘SharpenAir’ which will restore and sharpen damaged needles keeping your
airbrush in tip-top working condition. The quality hand-held tool has four
progressive diamond-grit coated sharpening stones and is very easy to use. A
polishing pad for the final finish is also included.

airbrush not included

in Sparmax Zeta kit.
www.airbrushes.com offers great
service and everything you may
ever need to airbrush including an
extensive choice of paint and
weathering ranges.

Dragon 1:35 IJN Type 2 (Ka Mi) Amphibious Tank

Boxed now as an ‘Early’ version, DML have re-visited their quirky
Ka-Mi floating tank with the full detachable front and rear pontoons
looking like an entry into the old cartoon show ‘Wacky Races’.
Dragon productions seem to vary greatly these days with some
50 very poor kits released alongside some little gems, thankfully this
one is another nice production. The basic tank in ‘combat mode’
has been available before (as has a fully equipped ‘late’ version)
and is renowned as one of Dragon’s best releases and the extra
pontoon parts are up to the same levels of detail. Tracks are single
piece ‘DS’ versions, not everyone’s preference but with these tiny
links it’s surely the best route. Detail is excellent throughout with a
nice turret interior and a few photoetch parts included for good
measure. The more I look at this cartoon-like creation the more I
fancy building it! Excellent.
MiniArt 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.B with
Whilst Dragon had pretty much cornered the super-detailed
Panzer III market in stepped MiniArt with their superbly detailed
early versions (up to and including the ‘D’ with the leaf spring
suspension). In common with other MiniArt releases these kits are
for the more experienced modellers who demand the highest level
of detail which of course tends to involve a high parts count and
demanding assembly. Moulding finesse is superb and photoetch
parts feature throughout leaving the modeller without the need for
any aftermarket parts, even the tracks can’t really be bettered
from a detail perspective if you can spare the time to clean-up five
sprue points per link. Tracks can be made ‘workable’ with care as
the pins are attached in short rows with a push-fit, the pins are
Zvezda 1:35 T-90MS
As Russia update and develop their T-90 Main Battle Tank so do
Russian manufacturer Zvezda. The main visual differences with
this version (AM or MS which is the export version) concern the
turret where Zvezda have made a great job of the new ERA blocks
and remote AA gun, in fact on closer inspection none of the
sprues are carried over from their previous T-90 by the looks of it,
this is a completely new kit it seems. There is some superb detail
evident and very delicate moulding throughout, some so fine you
miss it at first glance such as the weld detail on the lower hull.
Tracks are a new pattern and quite clever with their link-and-length
then detached from the sprue. The typically 1930s design of the
suspension is very delicate and highly visible making all the
assembly work worthwhile. The beautifully detailed turret has
excellent interior detail (although the feature of a turret basket /
floor has been debated on these early vehicles) and will lend itself
very well to the set of figures (previously available as a separate
set and very nice indeed). One negative raised with the initial
releases of these early Panzer IIIs was the layout of the rear upper
hull, MiniArt reacted to this and re-tooled the parts also offering a
commendable service in replacing the sprue should you have one
of the early kits. Respect.
assembly with rows of guide horns, for what's on show certainly
usable. Some nice details are present such as the plumbing for
the external fuel tanks and even the slat armour has a decent look
to it. No fancy photoetch here, a couple of pieces of nylon mesh
will have to do, very old-school; in fact generally Zvezda kits have
that no-nonsense feel about them but the levels of moulding
finesse are bang up to date. The fit of the previous T-90 from
Zvezda was reported to be very good, if this new release bodes 51
the same it has to be considered outstanding value at around half
the price of other comparable kits of this Russian beast.
 Dragon 1:35 Sturmgeschütz III Ausf.D with tropical air filter
Dragon have now boxed the well-known 'Africa' StuG.III D of
Sonderverband z.b.V 288 which appears to be their latest
generation C/D with the inclusion of the cylindrical pre-filters
(presumed to help with dust filtration in the desert environment).
Only four of these vehicles are reported to have been shipped to
North Africa and one of those was lost while unloading at the dock
if I'm not mistaken, two eventually were captured and shipped to
England and one is now restored to running condition (which
shares features closer to Bronco's recent release of this vehicle,
air filter shape and light guards being obvious ones…time to dig
out the reference). As DML's other StuG (and Panzer III based kits)
it's a cracker showing Dragon's capability of producing some of
the most beautifully detailed kits. As usual there's a huge amount
Italeri 1:35 M163 VADS
The fearsome 20mm rotary cannon of the Vulcan Air Defence
System gets a perch on top of Italeri’s M113, I don’t recall this
being available from Italeri in the past (a few releases from
Academy have certainly been available). Italeri’s M113 is a pretty
basic kit which is void of any interior, wheels and link-and-length
52 tracks are reasonable and a single piece body accepts the
separate roof, front and rear panel which appear to be a decent
of parts left unused and the option of engine decks to allow a
more regular eastern Front vehicle (markings for 1./StuG.Abt.177
in Russia 1941 are included). DS tracks make an appearance and
some good photoetched finesse will produce a stunner straight
from the box. The fighting compartment is well represented albeit
with a little cutting of parts required (rear section of gun barrel and
gun mount, a little lazy on Dragon's behalf who could have
produced a couple of new parts). Although the cylindrical filters
wouldn't be the most difficult items to scratch-build this release
offers the option if you don't already have a C/D in your stash. How
many other versions and re-boxes Dragon are able to squeeze
from these sprues remains to be seen! Stay tuned.
dry-fit. A large sprue carries all of the updated body panels and
the turret itself which is cleanly moulded with decent detail.
Several US markings are provided (including a Vietnam version)
and also a Chilean version. AFV Club’s new M113 overshadows
anything we’ve been offered in the past but this kit still looks a
decent basis for extra work or perhaps a kit-bash of the two?
MiniArt 1:35 1.5 ton Railroad Truck AA Type
A great variant on MiniArt’s 1.5 ton truck, and a great companion
to their excellent railway accessories, is this rail operated vehicle
which must have made for a hell of a rough ride! The moulding
finesse is superb and straight out of the box these kits are
superbly detailed and need nothing adding. Not a build for the
novice due to the delicate chassis and full engine detail but
Inside the Armour 1:48 Churchill
Crocodile upgrade
Big Churchill fans ITA have down-sized their knowledge
to 1:48 to add some finesse to Tamiya’s new quarter-
scale Churchill Crocodile with some finer brackets and
details with the main components being the exhaust
guards and air intake slats and screens. The quality
coloured instruction diagrams included with help greatly
improve the Tamiya kit.
ultimately rewarding with separate doors, bonnet and full cab
internals with a good amount of photoetch offered. Options are
offered for the cargo bed and different gauge railway track wheel
spacers. Some of MiniArt’s railway track is included (I think the
European gauge?) to complete the display with great diorama
potential. Beautifully detailed kit.
Solid Scale
A new German company offering precision
cut masking stencils for airbrushing is now
up and running with their on-line shop.
There’s no doubt the best way to achieve a
painted-on look for markings is to...well,
paint them on! Solid Scale have started their
range with some of the more generic shapes
in a wide range of sizes to suit all scales
provided on the sheets. Soviet red stars,
Allied white stars and three types of
balkenkreuz are a good start with various
wheel masks and some attractive ‘Paper
Panzer’ camo schemes and specifics such
as the ZTZ MBT and a BRDM2 scheme. The
film is high quality with a translucent finish
which can be reused time and time again
without leaving residue. Keep a look out on
their website for the range expanding and
easy shopping; www.solidscale.de
MiniArt 1:35 USMC Tank Crew at Rest
MiniArt certainly plug plenty of
gaps in the figure market and
here's another great example
with these modern USMC crew
figures in chilled-out poses who
would look great with an
Abrams or Bradley; the dude
throwing a football and another
lying with hands behind head
are particularly good. MiniArt's
figures are always sharply
detailed but our sample is let
down by some moulding flash,
easy enough to remove but
we're sure MiniArt will address
this issue as their standards
are very high. To see how good
these guys look painted check
out www.miniart-models.com
53
 Belgian Bergepanzer
2 and 2000
Patrick Winnepenninckx
Published by Trackpad /
Leopard Club
Softback format, 80 pages
www.trackpadpublishing.com
/ www.leopardclub.ca

Not only are we in a golden age regarding kits and accessories
but also reference, here's a great example of that with a new
releases from Trackpad featuring the Leopard-based ARVs
operated by the Belgian Army. Packed with quality colour images
every area the modeller may want to see close-up is featured and
broken into manageable sections such as 'The Running Gear' and
'The Crane' everything is very accessible including excellent
internal images and also a section of the machines in action in
the field. An excellent series of images of a Leopard powerpack
being removed will have fans weak at the knees! An excellent
reference for any Leopard modellers.

The Challenger 2
Family in Germany
Sebastian Kreutzkamp
Published by Trackpad
Softback format, 94 pages
www.trackpadpublishing.com

The Chally 2 always makes for a good looking model and if you're
after inspiration or reference look no further than this recent 'In
The Field' release from Trackpad. Not only the MBT is covered but
also the recovery vehicle, Trojan and Titan in a series of excellent
colour images of the vehicles on exercises including live firing. As
the title suggests the images are general overall shots of many
different vehicles and offer modellers great colour and weathering
reference, the series of shots of a CRARRV dragging a Conqueror
wreck is a killer diorama in the making! Recommended reading.

MiniArt 1:35 German Grenades and Mines
Following on from their superb German anti-tank weapons
sets, this selection of mines and grenades is perfect for
detailing any scene. Loaded boxes of grenades and mines
are offered with separate items too, even Molotov Cocktail
54 type bottles are moulded in tinted red and green. Moulding
and detail is excellent and several photoetched parts are
included along with some very detailed decals.
MiniArt 1:35 Railway Tools and
Equipment Set
Forever expanding their 'Buildings and Accessories' series,
MiniArt produce some must-have sets for diorama builders.
This selection of railway related items is the perfect
companion to some of their larger track signals and rail sets
with beautifully detailed lamps, tools, buckets and a flat-bed
cart.
Takom 1:35 M60A1 with ERA
Takom continue their alarming rate of new releases and offer us a
modern tooling of the M60A1 in it's final combat role for the
USMC with the main visible difference being the covering of ERA
blocks. This is a great looking M60 and has been a popular
modelling subject for many years with plenty kits to choose from
but none as nice as this, there's some excellent cast textures and
weld detail and really just great moulding throughout from the
multi-part suspension (with the correct upgraded shock absorbers
for this version) to the busy turret which is bristling with details.
Tracks are single bands as the other Patton series tanks in
Takom's catalogue with nice detail and a good 'weighty' feel to
them with metal pins supplied to join the ends. Wheels have
Zvezda 1:35 Panzer IV Ausf.E
We're of course in a very enviable position here at AFV Modeller in
as much as that we are sent kits, books and all of the related
modelling paraphernalia we get to share our opinions on. We do
though always bare in mind value for money, modelling is a hobby
to suit all budgets, a good example being this new release from
Zvezda. There are so many choices of Panzer IV in 1:35 but
probably the most highly regarded are the latest generation from
Dragon, this Zvezda kit comes in at less than half the price of the
high-tech Dragon equivalent, so is it half as good? The kit offers
nothing fancy, very old-school in approach but actually has some
great detail on close inspection and with around 550 parts looks
suitable for modellers of all abilities (obviously a market Zvezda
good definition with the separate tyres and the drive sprocket is a
clever moulding complete with mud-chute slots. The upper hull
has nicely done lifting hooks and the rear panel has an optional
wading snorkel. Mud guards are built-up separately and added
once complete which could be a help at the painting stage if left
separate. Takom have tackled the complex turret bustle basket
well with some photoetch and a moulded former (annealing the
photoetch over a flame before assembly would help here) and the
multitude of brackets for the ERA blocks should look great if not a
little tedious to assemble. Four 'Desert Storm' marking options
round off a really nice kit packed with nice features.
target). The running gear and suspension are nicely done as are
the link and length tracks and the hull features the 'E' upgraded
armour. The turret features good basic internal detail with posable
hatches and cupola. While generally impressive a few odd
features are present such as the ultra fine mud guard tread
pattern, poor moulded tow cables and a few detail compromises
here and there. This kit offers a great budget OOTB build or a
solid basis for some traditional tweaks, hardcore early panzer
modellers will be best sticking with Dragon or Tristar/HobbyBoss
kits.
55
 This little scene hasn’t really turned out
how I wanted. I’m happy with the result and
thoroughly enjoyed the process (which is the whole idea of
modelling after all!) but what started as an idea to show off
Tamiya’s new Stuart has backfired somewhat. I now feel
looking at the finished piece and taking the shots, the little
M3 has become part of the background and the beautiful
figures from the ‘Stalingrad’ range sculpted by the talented
Alexander Zelenkov, kind-of steal the show and have
become the main focus. Stalingrad produce a huge range of
delightful figures but the samples we received of the several
sets of Russian refugees really left an inpression on me, the
inspiration being taken from actual wartime images really
56
shows. Mixing figures from three sets has created a
depressing scene of war with a touch of human kindness as
the soldier plays the role of the missing mother and shares
some of his precious rations with the desperate children as
they prepare to move them to a safer place in the Karkhov
suburbs, carrying a few bundled posessions.
These were teamed with the building from now defunct
Spanish company Toro Models, The idea was to create a
very compact scene which tells a little story with minimal
time and fuss. As is the case with many of us who are
passionate about our hobby, time at the workbench can be
limited and best used wisely.
Mark Neville
sets Tamiya’s new
1:35 M3 Stuart in a
simple little scene

57
 If you are pushed for time at the workbench, Tamiya kits are still a
great compromise between detail and buildability and I was
delighted to see they had revisited another one of their classics,
the little M3 Light Tank ‘Stuart’. Our pre-production sample arrived
from The Hobby Company (UK distributors) in a plain white box and
in the usual ‘test-shot’ pale grey styrene which makes it difficult to
get a true indication of the detail (and tricky to photograph) but it
was immediately apparant this kit is brand new and light years
ahead of the veteran version as well as being a different variant.
Quality of moulding and design is everything you’d expect from
Tamiya and this is a great little kit to pack in your suitcase if you’re
off for a summer break taking no more than four to five hours to
assemble with the most
basic of tools. The lower
hull is the starting point as
The ends of all the gun barrels need a little
work with a pin vice to sweeten them up. Front
hatches can be posed open if you want to add
your own interior detail (maybe time to
canabalise that old Academy kit in your stash?)
Tamiya don’t tend to include much
in the way of photoetch parts, the
only way to create in-scale light
guards on U.S. vehicles. The kit
parts are woefully thick, I’ve thinned
these to around half the moulded
thickness (and still wish I’d replaced
them!) The front step has also been
thinned-out and note the new
handle from brass rod.
58
usual and comes as a flat base plate with separate side walls,
transmission cover and rear panel; the fit is perfect as is the upper
hull which is a lovely piece of moulding with separate armour and
rear hinting at perhaps some other versions to be released ?
Running gear features very well detailed wheels especially the
delicate drive sprockets which have the usual poly-cap fittings
which allows the removal of the sprocket and track to aid painting.
Talking of tracks I think many modellers will be happy with the
detail offered and ease of assembly. Other points to note are the
beautifully done .30 Cal and mount and the excellent figure which
comes with a choice of U.S. or Russian head-gear. A nylon tow
cable and clear light lenses are provided along with a decal sheet
offering one U.S. marking of the classic 1st Armored Regiment in
Tunisia (yellow star and band around the turret) and a couple of
Lend-Lease Soviet Stuarts.
Stuart Little
There realy aren’t any issues worth mentioning
regarding assembling the kit; it’s that well
engineered it has a ‘snap together’ feel to the
larger parts. Rivet and weld detail has been paid
attention and faithfully rendered.
Some Mr Surfacer was required to fill the seam at
the turret rear and our sample had a sink-mark at
the base of the barrel to take care of.
The late stuart has simple folding
turret hatches, no detail is given for
the interior though and it’s very
visible. Weld detail is nice.
Air-clearner ‘cans’ are realy well detailed unlike the air
intake mesh. Thankfully this is a separate part and will
easily be replaced with some photoetch should you wish.
Rubber band tracks bond with regular cement and the join
is well hidden. Detail is very good for the material, more
than enough for the coating of mud I was intending. Plenty
of aftermarket options are available including an
inexpensive set from AFV Club (T-16 Stuart track
AFV35019)
More handles were made to replace the moulded-on
‘lumps’ of the engine access doors on the rear panel.
Tamiya do catch us out still at times with these awful
solid handles.
Tool webbing straps (and ones on the MG external
mount on the front mudguard) were added from
masking tape with photoetched buckles from the
spares box.
Note the hooks on the hull side and rear haven’t been
added yet.
So with a few hours of fun building (mostly on a sunny day in the
garden!) I was ready to shoot some paint. By this time I had my
little Russian vignette in my mind’s eye the colours, focal point and
finish I wanted on the Lend - Lease M3. I’d found some great
images of M3s with a very worn winter whitewash and a heavy
build-up of mud on the running gear and lower hull so I stated by
applying a coat of black Mr Surfacer across the lower portions as
a pre-shade to the Mission Models Olive Drab base coat and the
detail realy started to pop now. This worn-off white would usually
have me reaching for some tried and teasted water-based tubes
of Designer’s Gouache but we’d had a few samples sent to us
from The Airbrush Company who are distributors and UK stockists
of the new Wilder (as in Adam Wilder, AFV modeller contributor
and author) ‘Aqua Line’ range of weathering products. As the
name suggests, these products are water-based and have the
advantage of being easy to manipulate even when dry by simply
revisiting with a damp or wet brush. You can even completely
remove the effect and start a fresh. Speaking of fresh, there is no
odour, well, except for a pleasing added vanilla fragrance.

Wash-out white
The ‘Winter White’ was simply applied by a
flat brush and thinned with various degrees
of water added. Adhesion and pigment are
excellent and working from my reference
images layers were built-up and areas
washed off. Scratching and scuffing of the
whitewash is easily done with a stiff brisstled
brush and damp cocktail stick. A range of
earth and weathering colours are available in
the range and I’ll certainly be looking at
these in future.

Some more recent products to the market

were given a test drive to create the heavy
mud build-up. The drier texture is from AK
Interactive’s Diorama series and the damp
mud is from Vallejo’s range of excellent
acrylic based Weathering and Environments
range. More of this later with the groundwork
effects.

Lifecolor acrylics always brush well, thinned

a touch with water ‘Weathered Black’ was
used for the rubber of the road wheels and a
base colour for the .30 Cal barrels and tools.
The gun barrels were polished with Uschi
‘Steel’ polishing powder.

The next step was layers of washes

and filters. Created by artist’s oil
colours Lamp Black, Yellow Ochre,
Burnt Umber and Humbrol thinner.
Dark pin-washes help bring out
the details and also the textures
of the mud and the filters
(tinted thinner) add depth and
interest across the various
panels. ‘Faded Camo Maroon’
from the 502 Abt. oil paint
range unusually worked well as
a final touch in places adding a
pink-ish hue which gives a
warm cast to the whitewash in
places.

59
 Small slice
The ‘Russian City
Suburbs’ kit from Toro
Models unfortunately now
unavailable. The plaster
was given a black pre-
shade coat. The verdigris
finish of the copper roof
was airbrushed working to
colour reference images.

My idea was to keep the base a tight as possible while still

placing the scene in a seasonal and historical context. I
quite like creating groundwork in a shape to suit the
elements involved rather than trying to ‘fill’ a square or
oblong. Polystyrene sheet is ideal for this as it’s easily cut
and provides a stable base for any water-based products
to form groundwork.

After the pre-shade of black on the building a series of

acrylic washes were built up to give a faded, non uniform
finish with the exposed brick work picked out in red-browns
and pink tones. Subtle dry-brushing in lighter tones helped
to lift out the textures but the main weathering is done with
Vallejo ‘Slimy Grime Dark’ washed around the lower
portions of the walls and shadow areas. The colour works
well and heavier applications dry with a convincing sheen.
The colour of the blue door appears typical of the period
and ties in visually with the verdigris patina of the copper
roof and faded orange of the walls.

60
Casualties of war
As already mentioned, the figures have certainly
become the focus of this little scene, the simple
composition and burst of colours probably help draw
the viewer’s eye. The composition was just a trial and
error process using figures from the Stalingrad sets
S-3135, S-3054 and S-3544. The idea to sit them on
the back of the tank came later and just seemed to
work suggesting a level of protection for the children
and a hint that they were being moved to a safer
place. The soldier playing ‘Mother’ required some
slight modification where his great-coat meets the
turret, easily done with some Magic Sculp epoxy
putty.

I had a vision of a dark and highly contrasting look to

the scene for a damp and moody atmosphere so
decided to use a pre-shading / directional light
technique I’ve tried before (The figures are base
coated in black and then white is airbrushed from
above as if an artificial light source) used by many of
the well respected figue painting masters. Master I’m
not when it comes to painting figures but this method
gives a good head start when using acrylics. Multiple
diluted coats of colour allow the black and white to
show through to whatever degree you desire. Of
course figures as well sculpted and cast as
these are such a pleasure to paint and I tend
to concentrate mainly on the colours and
tones rather than intense and intricate detail The little girl’s blanket is made from Magic
work. The internet image search is again Sculp and painted referring to some
our help at hand providing an abundance traditional Russian colours and patterns.
Note the webbing tie-downs added to the
of colour images of period clothing , the tools
colours were also chosen to harmonise
with the building. Lifecolor acrylics were
used exclusively for the figures.

61

So within a pretty short timeframe I was all done. Nothing beats
the satisfaction (for me anyway) of calling a project fully finished.
Most modellers have their ‘shelf queens’ sitting gathering dust part
way through assembly or waiting until someone releases the ‘right’
correction part or the elusive reference image is unearthed. It’s
great to have the option to throw one of these simple, enjoyable
kits together and this new Tamiya Stuart is the perfect tonic.
Yes, everything I’ve used here is ‘off the shelf’ and super-
convienient to use, even down to the mud, but we do like to dig in
and test these new products which are released at such a rapid
rate. There’s nothing I’ve done which couldn’t be acheived with
traditional home-made methods, even the building would be
62
My impression of the Eastern Front in WWII always contains some
degree of mud, at least in the winter months. Many of the roads
away from the city centres appear little more than hard packed
earth which quickly detiriates in the wet weather. My base was first
coated with some AK Interactive diorama texture ‘Dark Cracked
Earth’, not at all for the effect but the colour was right and allowed
the tufts of Joefix grass and building to be stuck in place. To add
some interest some birch tree seeds were sprinkled to suggest
leaf debries.
The next coating was the excellent ‘Russian Mud’ from the Vallejo
Environments range with a little of their ‘Mud and Grass’ in places
to add some different texture. These Vallejo products are certainly
some of the best we’ve tried for the scale appearance and colours
offered. The M3 was set into the mud and some overlapped onto
the tracks to avoid an unrealistic ‘floating’ look. Some of the birch
seed leaves were also mixed in randomly.
A final touch was a mixture of AK’s ‘Clear Water’ acrylic medium
and brown tinted water applied with a pippete to set the leaves in
place and add a few small puddles.
simple enough to make from scratch...if you have the time.
Sculpting your own figures as nice as these though may be a
different matter altogether!
Tamiya’s M3 Stuart Late Production (No. 35360) is out now
Worldwide and I’d highly recommend it either OOTB or a great
base for extra detailing.
Check www.stalingrad.diorama.ru
to see their full range of fantastic figures.
63
NEW FROM

This 164 page

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beautifully illustrated
JAGDTIGER
BUILDING TRUMPE
TER’S 1:16TH SCA
LE KIT SAM DWYER
step by step guide
showing how to build,
correct, detail and
finish the impressive
1:16 Trumpeter
Jagdtiger kit and also
provides unique
interior reference
photos of one of the
three remaining
preserved vehicles.

BUILDING TRUMPETER’S 1:16TH SCALE KIT SAM DWYER

Available to order NOW

from our webshop £35.00

64
www.afvmodeller.com