Search the Community

This is a 1/35 model made by me last year. This is an Academy KIT no.13234. I made it as moving model, and made side hatch opening. All the parts are original from the kit. Thanks for the comments in advance.

Standard B “Liberty” Truck ICM 1:35 As America's war effort ramped up in 1917, there was a collective realization that the fleet of vehicles needed to support a semi-mechanized army needed some standardization. The Liberty truck was the solution. It was designed by the Motor Transport section of the Quartermaster Corps in cooperation with the members of the Society of Automotive Engineers. A group of leading automotive engineers was summoned to Washington in 1917 to design standardized trucks for the AEF. It took 50 men 69 days to design a 1-½ ton "A" model and the 3–5 ton "B" model. Production of the Liberty B began in the fall of 1917, and the first models were delivered to the secretary of war on 19 October. Of the almost 9,500 produced by 15 manufacturers, more than 7,500 were sent overseas. The Liberty's four-speed transmission coupled with its 52-hp engine gave the truck a top speed of about 15 miles per hour. The Model The model arrives in a strong box with a separate top sleeve with a nice artist’s representation of the vehicle on the front. Inside, within a large poly bag, are four sprues of medium grey styrene and, in a separate poly bag, one clear sprue. On initial inspection the parts are really well moulded, clean, with no sign of flash. There are a number of moulding pips, some of which are on delicate parts, so care should be taken when removing. The sprue gates attaching items like the tilt rails are also quite heavy so again take care with their removal and clean-up. The build starts with the chassis, with each rail being fitted fore and aft leaf springs, each of two parts. Two of the cross-members are assembled from two parts each before being fitted to one of the chassis rails, along with three other single piece cross-members followed by the other rail. The radiator is then assembled from six parts before being glued into position at the front of the chassis. The single piece front axle is then glued to the front pair of leaf springs and a further cross-member is also glued into place. The rear differential is made up from fourteen parts which include the rear drum brakes. The front bumper beam and transfer box are also assembled and glued into position along with t he drive shafts and three piece front mudguards. The front wheels and single piece items with a choice of separate hub caps, the rears being made up of inner and outer wheels with separate tyres and hub caps. The completed wheels are then attached to their respective axles. Work then begins on the engine, which is made up from eleven parts. Once assembled, it is fitted to the chassis along with the two piece exhaust pipe and silencer. The gearstick is then added to the gearbox and the engine fitted with two more parts. The cabin is then assembled from twenty one parts before being fitted to the chassis over the gearstick, followed by the outer radiator grille, and two piece bonnet, which could easily be made to be posed open to show off the engine, even though it’s not shown posed that way. The next assembly is the truck bed, with the bed itself being fitted with the sides, rear, and front plank sections. On the underside, five lateral strengthening beams, and the sides with four vertical beams each. Two five piece storage boxes are assembled and fitted to the front underside of the bed before the whole assembly is attached to the chassis. There is a five piece searchlight and two piece horn attached to the cabin coaming and the steering wheel is also glued into place at this point. The pair of two piece headlights are attached to the front of the cabin bulkhead, while the bonnet latches, and grab handles, plus the cabin access handles are fitted, as is the starting handle. The cabin roof is fitted with left and right hand frames before being glue into place, and on the bed the modeller has the option of just fitting the five tilt rails, or the complete canvas cover which is made up from five parts, completing the build. Decals The small decal sheet gives the modeller just two options of vehicle, both in use by the US army in 1918, one with just unit badges and one with US Quartermaster Corps labelling on the tilt sides. The decals are nicely printed, clear and in good register with a slightly matt finish. Conclusion It’s great to finally see a WW1 Liberty tuck being kitted, especially in this centenary year. ICM have not only provided us with a nice tribute to one of the lesser sung vehicles of the First World War, but a very nice truck to build too. It’s not overly complicated, which is good to see, even though the truck itself was pretty simple, and would be a great kit for any level of modeller. Review sample courtesy of

Weird the random thoughts that occur to you and were you are when it happens, right ? - sitting at the traffic lights in-town this lunchtime and realised that in forty-eight years of building plastic models, I have NEVER completed a German WWII vehicle, not once, been pretty close, but never actually finished one. So… time to change that, I think. I bought Tamiya’s Marder IIIM (35255) a couple of weeks ago, and have made myself a promise… this time I’m going to finish what I start. Please stick with me as this could take a while, but this time, this time I’m going ‘all the way’. Ian.

This is a kind of experiment. I have not built a plastic kit in, I guess, 45 years! And I have always dreaded taking on air brushing. But now I have decided that it is time for some changes in both these departments. So I have started to build a Hitachi Zaxis 135US Excavator. A 1:35 scale kit by Hasegawa. No, I'm not into construction or civil engineering and thus do not know more than any ordinary citizen about excavators. So why an excavator? I assume I just found this modell to be cool. As I already said, airbrushing has not been a favourite of mine. Throughout the years I have made some attempts but only ended up with clogging and every other possible mishap. This time however, I have decided to make a more serious attempt. So far I have at least learned to not be outright scared bye the airbrush 😀 Regarding the kit at hand, I have put together the major sub-assemblies and given them a coat of primer. Like this: Yes I know, the primer is a little thin on the orange parts. But this will have to do. There will be other layers of paint on top.

If you check your modellers dictionary under the heading of 'Shelf Queen' you may well find a photo of this wee thing - Tamiya's 1997 Jeep... apart from the stowage, .30 cal belt and the M1 carbine, straight from the box. First figure I've painted in about 25 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. Started just before Christmas 2011 and finished this afternoon ! As ever please feel free to comment, abuse or ask a question. Have a great weekend y'all... :soldier Ian.

Flettner Fl-282 Kolibri detail sets Eduard 1:35 MiniArt’s release of the Flettner Kolibri was a wonderful surprise when they showed it off at Telford in 2017. This surprise turned to a fair amount of joy when it was actually released. The model is great, straight from the box, but is their way, Eduard always try to help the modeller make a great model into a greater one. They have since released three sets for the kit:- Interior Set (32927) The parts are contained on two sheets of relief etched brass one being quite a bit bigger than the other, with one being unpainted and the other pre-painted, and not self-adhesive as Eduard seem to have dispensed with that feature. Starting with the pre-painted sheet, this contains a new instrument panel which comes in front and rear sections, the rear section painted with the various dials. You will need to use the original panel as backing but with the moulded detail removed. The same goes for he side panels. The sheet also contains a very nice set of seatbelts, there are both lap and shoulder straps plus the clasp protection panels. The straps are very nicely printed, complete with shading and stitching. The clasps and attachments are picked out in steel, which all looks quite realistic. The larger unpainted sheet contains a selection of panels which can be posed open and give a much closer scale thickness than plastic ever can. Some of the panels will need to be rolled to shape and fitted with internal bracing and frames. It you wish, you can leave these panels next to the aircraft to form part of a diorama, allowing the frame work and interior visible. Lastly, the engine is provided with a wiring harness which is fitted between the engine casing and the push rod ring. Interior Zoom (33195) This single sheet set is for those modeller who just want to enhance the cockpit area, and thus contains just the pre-painted sheet mentioned above. Masks (JX216) This set of yellow Kabuki tape masks for the wheels. As with most masks the tape is only provided for the surrounds of the wheel or covering a painted wheel, the rest being made up from masking fluid. Conclusion Once again it’s proven that there’s never a kit release without an Eduard set or two being designed for it, they are so prolific. Whilst not as comprehensive as some of the previous releases, they will add that extra level of detail sought by some modellers. Review sample courtesy of

T-55 RMSh Workable Track Links Early Type 1:35 MiniArt With the numerous T-54 and T-55 variants produced by MiniArt it was only a matter of time that they would produce a new style of workable track link system for them. I was lucky enough to see the initial designs and learnt what the team were up to in a visit to the factory last year. That design process has at last borne some fruit with this their first set. In the colourful end opening box are sixteen sprues, each with twelve links and twenty four pins. Each link is removed from the sprue gates and cleaned up. Be aware that the styrene is quite soft, so be careful if using a blade to clean up, might be best just to use a foam emery stick. With the links cleaned up you then join each link together and insert a pin, add a drop of glue, in my case I used Tamiya extra thin, so you have to be careful not to put too much on as it can wick up the pin and you won’t get moveable tracks. With the pin glued, just snap off and fit the pin on the other side, rinse and repeat until you have a full length of track. They are very much like the metal tracks you can buy from Miniarm but actually easier to assemble as I find the resin pins Miniarm use are too fragile to fit in the metal links. The length of track I built up as shown in the photograph took about 5 minutes once the links had been cleaned up. Conclusion This set represents a much better solution to the click together style MiniArt used to use. They are so easy to put together that even the most ardent opponent of individual links should be happy putting them together. They really do work too as my photo shows. I now hope they include these tracks or ones like them in all their new tanks and other tracked vehicle kits. Review sample courtesy of Miniart - Distibuted in the UK By Creative Models

...

RKKA Drivers (1943 – 1945) ICM 1:35 ICM have a great selection of figures in their catalogue, the latest set is of is for RKKA Drivers, consisting of two drivers, with eh picture on the front showing one in a truck and one in a staff car. I’m sure each could be posed to fit in most of the vehicles released by ICM or indeed any other manufacturer that needs a driver. Each figure is made up from separate legs/lower torso, upper torso, arms and head; the truck driver also has a separate hat. Conclusion This is another very useful set for the diorama builders where it’s good to have the vehicles built actually being driven. Review sample courtesy of

Soviet T-34/85 with Riders ICM 1:35 History The T-34 was and remains a legend. It is not only the most produced tank of the WWII-era, with 84,000 built (compared to the 48,966 Shermans of all versions) but also one of the longest-serving tanks ever built. Many are still stored in depots in Asia and Africa, and some served actively during the 90’s (such as during the 1991-99 Yugoslavian war). They formed the backbone of countless armoured forces around the globe from the fifties to the eighties. The basic design was drawn for the first time in 1938 with the A-32, in turn partially derived from the BT-7M, a late evolution of the US-born Christie tank. The T-34/85 came about after it was recognised that there was a need to increase the firepower of the T-34/76 following the Battle of Kursk in 1943. While the hull stayed the same, a new turret was designed and was to be originally fitted with a derivative of the M1939 air defence gun. This gun wasn’t chosen to be produced en masse, that honour went to the ZIS-S-53 which armed the 11,800 tanks produced between 1944 and 1945. The Model The model arrives in a strong box with a separate top sleeve with a nice artist’s representation of the tank and riders on the front. Inside, within a large poly bag, are five sprues and two hull parts of green styrene and, four lengths of tracks, a small sprue of clear styrene, and a smallish decal sheet. On initial inspection the parts are really well moulded, clean, with no sign of flash. There are a number of moulding pips, some of which are on quite fragile looking parts, so care should be taken when removing. The sprue gates attaching some items like are also quite heavy and I can see these parts breaking if not careful. The build begins with the fitting of the engine cover onto the rear decking, and the bow machine gun, armoured tear drop, mantle and ball. The two intake covers are then assembled and also fitted to the rear deck. The two piece bow mounted machine gun is then assembled and slide into the ball of the mounting, being glued such that it is still moveable, whilst there are four plates that are fitted to the underside of the rear decking. The drivers hatch is made up form four parts before being glued into position. Back aft, the rear bulkhead is attached, followed by the radiator cover. Inside the lower hull section the eight suspension boxes are fitted, four per side as are the two driver’s control sticks, whilst the rear mudguards are fitted to the rear. On the outside the driver gearbox covers are fitted, as are the five axles on their torsion beam suspension arms and the idler axles. The drivers are machine gunners seats, each made from six parts are glued in their appropriate positions and the two hull halves joined together. Each of the idler wheels, drive sprockets and road wheels are made from two parts before being fitted to their respective axles. The four towing hooks are then attached, two at the front and two aft. The upper hull is then fitted out with grab handles, stowage beams and a couple of smaller hooks. Each of the two halves of rubber track lengths are joined together and slide of the wheels. While there isn’t really any interior, ICM have allowed for the fact that some modellers like to have the hatches open, to that effect there is some semblance of interior parts. The main gun breech is made up form thirteen parts, and although relatively simple, does look quite effective. On the outside of the turret the mantlet and fixed section of the mantlet cover are fitted, the breech assembly is then glued to the mantlet from the inside and the lower turret, including the turret ring is glued into place. The moving section of the mantlet cover is then attached, along with the machine gun muzzle. The three piece mantlet extension and three piece main gun is then fitted, along with the four piece cupola, gunners hatch, grab handles, ventilator dome, viewing block and top armour plate for the mantlet. There are more stowage bars, periscope sights, lifting eyes and viewing blocks fitted to the turret before the whole assembly si fitted to the upper hull. Final assembly includes the four, four piece fuel drums, each with two cradles, spare track links, stowage boxes and aerial base. There is a four piece folded tarpaulin, (in place of one of the fuel drums), another stowage box, two more track links headlight, horn, two towing cables and a large saw attached before the model can be declares complete. The riders are then assembled. There are four of them, and each is made up from separate legs, upper torso, arms, head and headgear. There are also separate pouches, water bottles, ammunition drums and ammunition pouches. The weapons are also separate with the ammunition drum or magazine to be attached. Three are armed with the PPSh-41 sub-machine gun and one with a German MP-40 sub-machine gun. Decals The decal sheet provides four options for tanks that each served in 1945. All of the tanks are in all over green, each with tank ID numbers and unit markings. The choices are:- A T-34/85, 7th Guards Tank Corps, Germany, Spring 1945 A T-34/85, 7th Guards Mechanised Corps, Germany, Spring 1945 A T-34/85, 4th Guard Tank Army, Germany, Spring 1945 A T-34/85, of an undesignated unit, from the Spring 1945 Conclusion This is another fine kit from ICM. Although not the most complicated of tank kits, it does look the part and would make a nice, relaxing weekend build. The addition of the riders makes for some interesting diorama builds. Review sample courtesy of

Cartridges and Shells 1:35 Master The latest releases from Master Models in their series of cannon shells and cartridges have recently arrived at BMs London offices. Trouble is they are seriously small and very difficult to photograph now that my macro lens has given up the ghost. There are loads of uses in dioramas or vignettes for both the empty cartridge cases and loaded cases, not sure so much with the separate shells, unless you glue them to the cases. [GM-35-018] – This set contains 15 German 2cm ammunition (cal. 20x138B) for Flak 30/38, KwK 30/38 - shells and 5pcs each of 3 types of projectiles [GM-35-019] – As above, but includes 25 German 2cm ammunition (cal. 20x138B) for Flak 30/38, KwK 30/38 - empty shells [GM-35-021] – This set includes 25 cartridges for the Browning .50 calibre heavy machine gun. [GM-35-020] – As above, but includes 25 empty cartridges, great for being strewn around the floor of a M3 half track of the turret of a tank. Conclusion Here we have some really useful and well produced items. Very handy for your dioramas. Review sample courtesy of Piotr at

Hi everyone. Hope there's room for another Ian McQue inspired scratch build . I've loved his designs since the first time I saw them, and have all of his kits from Industria Mechanika that I'll eventually build. Since those are all 1:35 scale, I'm building this scratch to match. Check him out if you like his designs. Facebook Twitter Instagram This will be my first attempt at scratch building, so it'll probably be a slow build. Parts of the model will be more kit bash than scratch, mainly the engine and underside. These are the sketches I'm basing the build on. I mirrored one to use as the basis for the opposite side. I started off by building an L shaped box to use as the core of the design. Next, I added another layer to build out the basic shape a bit more. I'll be adding weld line decals from Archer where you see the pencil lines. Here, I've thickened up the top of the front fins, added a floor and round greeble, and cut a notch on the port side. If you notice some rough edges, those are intentional. His sketch looks like a vehicle that would have beat up edges. That's where I am today with the main body. I did spend a little time playing around with some parts to add to the deck, and came up with this "control box" that I'll add somewhere behind the pilot. The red part is from an old Koh-I-Noor drafting graphite container I found at work. I'm not sure what the numbers on the top will look like under primer and paint, but they should be slightly visible. I figure it can serve as an engine system model number. That'll be all I post until next weekend. I'm excited to keep going, but I'm away from home for a few days. Thanks for looking!

German Schnellboot S-38 Eduard 1:35 It was great to see the release by Italeri of the 1:35 S-38 Schnellboot, adding to their impressive array of 1:35 scale MTB’s. The kit itself is very nice, but there is always room for improvement, and Eduard have a lot of experience in giving us modellers the sort of detail sets that will help do this. The three sets reviewed here are perfect for the task in hand, although I’m sure there is a lot more that can be added to the model, and not just in etched brass. 53212 – Schnellboot: Comes in a zip lock bag with a large sheet of etched brass and a small pre-painted sheet of etched steel. The brass sheet contains many new and replacement parts for the torpedo tubes both internally and externally, a new door and other fittings for the bow mounted 20mm cannon, plus a host of deck fittings such as gratings, hatch fittings and 48 stanchion plates. There are also new foot plates, brackets for the boot hook, skylight surrounds, ventilator grilles, plus foot pedals, sights and other fittings for the 40mm Bofors. Within the wheelhouse there are new fittings for the ships wheel, compass rose and surrounds for the two binnacles, and grille for the aldis lamp. All the dials and instrumentation are replaced with the well printed items on the etched steel sheet. For those modellers who wish to build a pre-war version with the 20mm cannon on the stern, then there are parts include for this weapon too. 53213 – Flag: This set is very simple in that it just contains are large pre-printed German flag. The flag comes complete with eyes top and bottom for you to add your favourite rigging line. If you don’t like to build your models with the swastika then you might not like to use this on your model. 53214 – Hatches: Also comes in a zip lock bag with one sheet of etched brass and a pre-cut acetate sheet. The sheet contains complete replacements for all the deck hatches. Each hatch is made of the hatch surrounds, the hatch itself with an acetate backing representing the glass, hinges, handles, clasps, and outside cover. Conclusion As mentioned above, the kit out of the box will make a nice model, but if you want something more, then these sets will certainly go toward making a model with more finesse and improved detail. Some modellers may want to go further, but for those with a limited budget you can’t go far wrong with these sets. Rieview courtesy of

My last work: Merkava Mk. IIID (Hobby Boss) 1/35 tank Regards

Soviet T-34/85 ICM 1:35 History The T-34 was and remains a legend. It is not only the most produced tank of the WWII-era, with 84,000 built (compared to the 48,966 Shermans of all versions) but also one of the longest-serving tanks ever built. Many are still stored in depots in Asia and Africa, and some served actively during the 90’s (such as during the 1991-99 Yugoslavian war). They formed the backbone of countless armoured forces around the globe from the fifties to the eighties. The basic design was drawn for the first time in 1938 with the A-32, in turn partially derived from the BT-7M, a late evolution of the US-born Christie tank. The T-34/85 came about after it was recognised that there was a need to increase the firepower of the T-34/76 following the Battle of Kursk in 1943. While the hull stayed the same, a new turret was designed and was to be originally fitted with a derivative of the M1939 air defence gun. This gun wasn’t chosen to be produced en masse, that honour went to the ZIS-S-53 which armed the 11,800 tanks produced between 1944 and 1945. The Model The model arrives in a strong box with a separate top sleeve with a nice artist’s representation of the tank and riders on the front. Inside, within a large poly bag, are five sprues and two hull parts of green styrene and, four lengths of tracks, a small sprue of clear styrene, and a smallish decal sheet. On initial inspection the parts are really well moulded, clean, with no sign of flash. There are a number of moulding pips, some of which are on quite fragile looking parts, so care should be taken when removing. The sprue gates attaching some items like are also quite heavy and I can see these parts breaking if not careful. The build begins with the fitting of the engine cover onto the rear decking, and the bow machine gun, armoured tear drop, mantle and ball. The two intake covers are then assembled and also fitted to the rear deck. The two piece bow mounted machine gun is then assembled and slide into the ball of the mounting, being glued such that it is still moveable, whilst there are four plates that are fitted to the underside of the rear decking. The drivers hatch is made up form four parts before being glued into position. Back aft, the rear bulkhead is attached, followed by the radiator cover. Inside the lower hull section the eight suspension boxes are fitted, four per side as are the two driver’s control sticks, whilst the rear mudguards are fitted to the rear. On the outside the driver gearbox covers are fitted, as are the five axles on their torsion beam suspension arms and the idler axles. The drivers are machine gunners seats, each made from six parts are glued in their appropriate positions and the two hull halves joined together. Each of the idler wheels, drive sprockets and road wheels are made from two parts before being fitted to their respective axles. The four towing hooks are then attached, two at the front and two aft. The upper hull is then fitted out with grab handles, stowage beams and a couple of smaller hooks. Each of the two halves of rubber track lengths are joined together and slide of the wheels. While there isn’t really any interior, ICM have allowed for the fact that some modellers like to have the hatches open, to that effect there is some semblance of interior parts. The main gun breech is made up form thirteen parts, and although relatively simple, does look quite effective. On the outside of the turret the mantlet and fixed section of the mantlet cover are fitted, the breech assembly is then glued to the mantlet from the inside and the lower turret, including the turret ring is glued into place. The moving section of the mantlet cover is then attached, along with the machine gun muzzle. The three piece mantlet extension and three piece main gun is then fitted, along with the four piece cupola, gunners hatch, grab handles, ventilator dome, viewing block and top armour plate for the mantlet. There are more stowage bars, periscope sights, lifting eyes and viewing blocks fitted to the turret before the whole assembly si fitted to the upper hull. Final assembly includes the four, four piece fuel drums, each with two cradles, spare track links, stowage boxes and aerial base. There is a four piece folded tarpaulin, (in place of one of the fuel drums), another stowage box, two more track links headlight, horn, two towing cables and a large saw attached before the model can be declares complete. Decals The decal sheet provides four options for tanks that each served in 1945. All of the tanks are in all over green, each with tank ID numbers and unit markings. The choices are:- A T-34/85, 7th Guards Tank Corps, Germany, Spring 1945 A T-34/85, 7th Guards Mechanised Corps, Germany, Spring 1945 A T-34/85, 4th Guard Tank Army, Germany, Spring 1945 A T-34/85, of an undesignated unit, from the Spring 1945 Conclusion This is another fine kit from ICM. Although not the most complicated of tank kits, it does look the part and would make a nice, relaxing weekend build. Review sample courtesy of

Hello everyone, I've been looking around here for a while and now it's my turn to contribute. I returned back to modelling a couple a years ago. And after building a couple of models I found that my creativity wasn't triggered enough by just putting together pieces someone else had made. I read all I could find on the internet and when I felt like I knew enough to start I kicked away. This build started somewhere last spring so I try to recreate the progress. Materials used, scrap electronics, cardboard, plasticard and spare parts from other kits. First step was using an old dock station for a laptop as a base and detailing it, this would later become the centre area underneath the spaceship.

KHD A3000 Light Truck ICM 1:35 From 1940 onwards the German army, by standardizing and simplifying the numerous types of trucks, tried to improve the procurement of spare parts and facilitate repairs. The result was the standard 3 ton truck, which all German manufacturers now used as a basis for construction. This was also the basis on which the motor manufacturer Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG, (KHD) of Cologne produced the A3000. Various bodies and sets of equipment were available, including a half track, “maultier”. A typical recognition feature was the oval radiator grille and one-piece windscreen. In total about 5960 examples were built between 1940 and 1944. The 4 wheel drive A3000 came to be used on all fronts in the Second World War and was indispensable for supplying the troops with goods of all kinds. The Model The model arrives in a strong box with a separate top sleeve with a nice artist’s representation of the vehicle on the front. Inside, within a large poly bag, are three sprues of light brown styrene and, in a separate poly bag, one clear sprue. On initial inspection the parts are really well moulded, clean, with no sign of flash. There are a number of moulding pips, some of which are on quite fragile looking parts, so care should be taken when removing. The sprue gates attaching items like the cover rails are also quite heavy and I can see these parts breaking if not careful. The original kit was released in 2015, this one includes new parts, but not having the original, I couldn’t tell you what they were. The build starts with the nicely detailed engine with the block and gearbox halves glued together followed by the addition of the rocker covers, starter motor, alternator, front engine mounts, cooling fan, air filter, and other sundry items. The instructions then move on to the complicated transfer box, with its input and output shafts and cross member frame that fits onto the chassis rails with the addition of four other cross members and rear chassis end piece, to which the towing eye, cover and pin are added, along with the front mudguards and engine are attached. The front and rear leaf springs are pre moulded to the chassis rails, the front and rear axles and transfer box are then fitted. Turning the rails over the engine can now be fitted plus the exhaust system, which comprises of four parts, and looks particularly fragile so it may be an idea to build in situ rather than as a separate assembly the instructions call for. The two driveshafts are then be added, as are the radiator/front chassis end piece. The steering rack assembly is built up using the four parts provided and, if the modeller chooses can be built up so that the front wheels are posable, although this may make it rather fragile, particularly the rear tie rod. After fitting the various brackets and supports as well as the front bumper, it’s onto the wheels, these come as single piece tyres plus inner and outer hubs. There are seven provided, singles for the front, doubles for the rear and a spare which fits on the chassis behind the cab and under the bed, along with the four piece fuel tank. The building of the cab begins with filing off the ejection pins marks on the underside of the floor, before fitting the pedals, steering column, steering wheel and handbrake handle. The seat support and cushion is fitted to the floor, whilst the windscreen, instrument panel, (with decal instruments), are fitted to the roof/front part of the cab. Onto the rear panel of the cab the seat back and rear screen are attached. The next assembly for the cab is the bonnet, which is made up of left and right hand parts, bonnet and radiator grille. The completed bonnet cannot easily be made to be posed either open, which is a shame. To finish off the foot plates are attached along with the doors, which are made of the external panels, door cards, clear parts, and door handles. Last details are the wing mirrors, lights, wipers; grab handles, spade, triangular roof marker, jerry can and its support bracket. The last assembly is the truck bed, with the bed itself being fitted with the side, rear, and front plank sections. On the underside, four lateral strengthening beams, plus the two wheel arches are fitted with their attachment struts. The kit comes complete with four tilt rails that attach to the outsides of the truck bed sides. To complete the build the windscreen wipers, wing mirrors, grab handles, headlamps, and width markers are glued into their respective positions. Decals Apart from the instruments mentioned above, the small decal sheet gives the modeller two options. The decals are nicely printed, clear and in good register with a slightly matt finish. The options:- KHD A3000, Ukraine, Summer 1942, in Panzer Grey overall KHD A3000, Italy, Summer 1944, in Dark Yellow Conclusion This is another superb truck kit from ICM. The details straight from the box are rather good, and there is plenty of scope to add extra detail, particularly to the engine and the very empty cargo bed. Once built and weathered this truck will make a nice component to a multi-vehicle diorama, or on its own with a bit of imagination and some figures, one or two of which would have been nice to have been included in the kit. There doesn’t appear to be anything that would trouble anyone other than complete beginners, so I can quite happily recommend this nice and quite interesting truck. Review sample courtesy of

Hi to all,My main hobby is mount tanks 1/35. On each kit there are several leftover pieces. One day I imagined mount something with those pieces and this is the result. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS_XDiluZs4

CMP F 15A Water Truck Mirror Models 1:35 The Ford built F 15A trucks were 4x4 versions of the ubiquitous CMP designed series of trucks. They had a wheelbase of 101” and could carry ¾ of a ton. There were a number of different bodies used, with the kit example being that of the water tanker. The kit comes in a very attractive, full colour box with a representation of the vehicle in use. The kit is contained on fourteen sprues of light grey styrene, plus two with a slightly mauve tint, although there are quite a few parts that are only destined for the spares box, as they are not used in this build. There is a single sprue of clear styrene, two sheets of etched copper, a length of rubber tubing, a length of copper wire, a length of steel wire, five rubber tyres and a medium sized decal sheet. All the parts are very nicely moulded, with no sign of flash or other imperfections and only a few moulding pips, but be aware of the sprue gates as they are quite large, even for the smaller parts. The build process is quite complex with lots of detail in and around the chassis, as for most truck models, so this won’t be a quick and easy build, but one that will need time, patience, and care to assemble, certainly not for a beginner. The instructions are very clear and easy to read, but not always logical, particularly with the way the sub-assemblies are used, although they use the CAD/Photo style of drawings. Before beginning assembly the modeller will have to make a choice of whether they are going to build a CMP F 15 or F 15A, as there are optional parts for both vehicles and each has different bonnets, and running gear, the F 15 being a 4 x 2 while the F 15A is 4 x 4. I’ve concentrated on the build of the F 15A. Construction begins with a load of sub assemblies. These include the rear cross member spring unit, which includes the tow hook, associated clamps and the anti-swing bars, front bumper frame, exhaust/silencer, fuel tank and gearbox. The assembly of the very nicely detailed engine is then started. The two block halves are glued together, followed by the lower block plate and sump, cylinder heads, front, which includes the auxiliary drive points plus the starter motor and air filter unit. The drive belt needs to be made of tape from the modellers stock. The water tank is assembled next. But before construction begins, you need to assemble the two pump assemblies, each made from five plastic, one PE part and a length of steel wire. The tank itself is in two halves, top and bottom. To these, the top access hatch, two lifting eyes and the vent mast are all attached. Four cradles are glued to the underside of the tank, followed by two longitudinal rails. To the rear of the tank the control cupboard is fitted, made from a single piece unit to which the water levels are fitted, along with the two doors and locking mechanism. The doors can be posed open if the modeller wishes. Two walkways are then attached, one per side of the tank, as are two, three piece stowage boxes and one two piece box. To the rear, two mudguard support beams are attached, followed by the mudguards and another stowage bin. The cab is assembled from the floor pan to which is fitted the scuttle, gearbox/engine cover, bonnet, wheel arches, windscreen, instrument binnacle, front end, grille and bonnet side panels. The four part seats, gear sticks, PE window hinges and pedals are then fitted. The two piece rear bulkhead is then attached, followed by the roof, rear window, two doors, wing mirrors and PE radiator grille. Finally we get to the chassis, which is normally one of the first things assembled in a truck kit. Each of the chassis rails is fitted with the single leaf springs and their supports at the front, whilst at the rear there are double leaf springs fitted, along with the tow bumper beams and their brackets. Each rail is then joined together by the front bumper, five cross members and the rear end beam with tow hook assembled earlier. With the chassis assembled, all the sub assemblies can now be fitted to it, the engine, exhaust, the front and rear differentials, transfer box, all joined together by the various drive shafts, truck fuel tanks, water tank assembly, cab and access steps, and the five piece wheels, which at this point you will have a completed model. Well, almost. You will then add eh rubber hoses above and below the front of the tank, joining the pumps with the outlets. Decals The decal sheet provides decals for seven different trucks, with various placards for around the truck, plain stars for the cab doors. The decals look like they have been printed in house and appear to be very well printed, with good opacity and very thin carrier film. Ford 15A with Cab 11 in Canadian service Ford F 15A with Cab 11 in Italian service Ford F 15 with Cab 13 in Canadian service Ford F15 with Cab 13 in British service There are also decals for other vehicles, well, their registration numbers, but not shown on the painting guide, as well as three German crosses for a captured vehicle, again, not mentioned on the guide. Conclusion It’s great to see another version of the well recognised CMP truck released as an injection moulded kit. Whilst it is certainly not for the beginner, with care, patience and a bit of skill the average modeller should be able to produce a great looking model. I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the mouldings and will certainly be looking forward to their future releases. UK Distributors for

King Tiger, Initial Production Takom 1:35 Hitler, and therefore Nazi Germany was obsessed with bigger which they equated with better, and this was reflected in almost every aspect of arms production in the run-up to, and throughout World War II. After the Panzer IV had been matched by Allied designs, the Tiger addressed the balance back in their favour, becoming the most feared combatant from any force, despite several draw-backs of its design, such as a weak transmission, and a level of complexity that meant it was slow to manufacture, prone to break-downs and expensive to repair. Expecting the Allies to bring heavier tanks to the field before too long, the King Tiger, Tiger II, or Königstiger as the Sd.Kfz.182 was known came into existence, having begun development even before the war started. Porsche's ground-breaking and complex design was unsuccessful for this reason, while the Henschel proposal was taken forward to production, using the same underpowered Maybach engine that was barely adequate for the Tiger I, and taking on the sloped armour of the successful Panther to significantly increase the effective thickness of the armour whilst keeping weight down to a staggering 70 tonnes. The initial turrets had curved surfaces that were difficult to manufacture, and a redesign was necessary to cure this and remove the shot-trap under the mantlet, with the new design being known today as the Henschel turret, while the old design became the Porsche turret, although both were designed by Krupps. A weak transmission design, coupled with the underpowered engine ensured that many vehicles broke down in the field, and plans were in progress to improve both aspects with fuel-injection and a new drive-train, but were curtailed by the end of the war. Most of the initial order of 1,500 units were built under difficult circumstances due to bombing of the factories and the encroaching Allied forces, and despite its problems it became one of the icons of German tank design of WWII, with a number surviving to be placed in museums, with some still running. The Kit We have had a few King Tiger (KT) kits in 1:35 over the years, but nothing new for quite a while, and at times the preferred brands have been hard to come by with prices reaching silly levels on eBay. Takom's new range of KT kits aims to provide a full set of these imposing tanks, with and without Zimmerit anti-mine coating, with Henschel and Porsche turrets, and with or without interiors. This should cater for almost every possibility, and if you like your tanks buttoned up, you won't be wasting the interior if you buy wisely. The type included from the box is that of the initial production, it therefore includes the Porsche turret and no Zimmerit. It is this and the paint schemes that are represented that make it one of the plainest King Tigers built. Inside the box are a lot of sprues, taking up almost all the available space. There are ten sprues, two hull parts and upper turret in a grey styrene, one sprue of clear parts, one small sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, and a very small decal sheet. The instruction guide is in the by-now-familiar Takom format, in landscape A4, with a separate booklet for the painting instructions. All the parts are beautifully moulded with no sign of flash or other imperfections, but there are quite a few moulding pips, and for those modellers who have an aversion to indie link tracks, look away as, although these are link and length, each individual link is connected to the sprue by no less than ten gates which will require the nice tedious job of cleaning them up before fitting. Before building can begin, you will need to decide which of the four versions you wish to build as certain parts of the front glacis plate and hull deck need to be removed, as well as some holes to be opened up. Construction begins with the the road wheels and the sprockets are made up from two parts whilst the idlers are three part units. Once the gearbox covers and axles, which you will have to be careful in getting the parts fitted int eh right order, have been fitted to the hull all the wheels can be attached to their relative axles. There is a separate lower glacis plate to be attached as well. With all the track links and lengths cleaned up it’s just a case of patience and following the build guide carefully, ensuring it sags in the correct places. Work then begins on the upper hull and the fitting of the towing cables, pioneer tools, and the separate panel for the drivers and bow gunners hatches. Inside, there is a large panel glued to the inside of the glacis plate, along with the two periscopes. The three piece bow machine gun is then assembled and glued into the ball socket in the bow plate. Then, on the outside the rest of the ball mechanism is fitted, along with the armoured hood. The track guards are also added at this point, although I’d probably leave them off until the entire hull is complete and the tracks fitted. Once you’ve decided which version you are building he rear bulkhead is fitted out with the engine gearbox cover, a smaller access hatch, the alternative exhausts and exhaust covers, track puller, the two rear mudguards and rear mounted towing shackles. The completed bulkhead is then attached to the rear of the hull. On the rear upper hull alternative centre engine covers, one is fitted with three individual engine hatches each fitted with a ventilation style dome and two other access hatches. The alternative centre hatch is fitted with a single large hatch each with two ventilation domes. There are also alternative radiator covers, attached each side of the centre hatch, there have different grilles and on one style the grilles are covered by armour plate. Each of the centre mounted circular opening is covered by PE grilles. Each assembly is then glued into position. The upper hull is then glued to the lower, then the upper bow mounted track guards are fitted, followed by the three piece bow mounted light and lower, inner gearbox covers, to which the towing shackles are attached. The turret is assembled next, with the single piece centre section of the turret fitted with the roof, inner rear bulkhead, gunners internal hatch framing, inner section of the commanders cupola, outer rear bulkhead gunners hatch actuator, in open or closed position, three piece gunners hatch, periscope cover, small access hatch and grab handles. The large eight piece rear mounted hatch is then attached with its hinge covers, along with the roof mounted ventilator cover or alternative cover plate. The turret base is fitted with the gun trunnion section via two trunnion mounts and then glued to the turret. The outer commanders cupola is fitted with the seven periscope covers before being glued into position. There are two types of gun barrel, dependent of which version is being built, each made up from five parts before being fitted to the mantlet and the breech end within the turret. The completed turret is then attached to the hull, completing the build. Decals There are four paint schemes, one for each version. All the paint codes are for AMMO paints, but with the German names for each colour. There are six schemes with vehicle numbers; the other two just have generic crosses etc. The decals have been printed by Takom and although only a small sheet they are nicely printed, in register with good opacity. Three of the options are from November 1943 when at the Henschel Factory, each in the same Dunklegelb overall with Panzer grey barrel and red brown muzzle. The one different scheme is for a vehicle from January 1944 at the Henschel tank proving grounds, Houdenbeck, Germany, in Panzer grey overall Conclusion This is a very nice kit, as we have come to expect from Takom. The track links could cause some modellers sleepless nights, but with a bit of patience they should be fine. Other than that a fairly easy build and will look great in any collection. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

Who does ammunition box marking. I've got some Resicast ammo sets 25pdr ammo 35.287 boxes and UK small ammo boxes 35.2227 (3" mortar; four) types of .303 and am considering decaling some of them up. I see Archer do the 25pdr but what about others? TIA Tom

My 1:35 tank series (2017)

Sd.Kfz. 222 Light Armoured Vehicle HobbyBoss 1:35 History Adoption of the SdKfz 221 series of armoured cars in 1935 by the German Army eventually led to a broadened line of similar cars all based on the same power pack, design form, and running gear of the original in the SdKfz 222 and SdKfz 223. The SdKfz 222 was an up-gunned form mounting a combination 20mm cannon with 7.92mm machine gun in its turret. The 222 also increased the crew by one to three so a dedicated gunner could manage the armament. All of the vehicles in the family were of the same 4-ton, light-class design though the 22-models proved slightly heavier in practice thanks to the additional armament and its applicable ammunition stores required. The 222-model retained the original's open turret as well as its folding mesh protector which was designed to keep enemy grenades from entering the fighting cabin in action. Production of the SdKfz 222 variant spanned from 1937 into 1943 to which some 990 of the type were eventually delivered. Early forms lacked radio sets up until early 1942 and the original MG13 machine guns were upgraded to the MG34 machine gun in 1938. Finally, during 1942, the original KwK30 cannon was upgraded to the KwK 38 series and a different chassis was used which led to the Ausf.B. The SdKfz 221, 222, and 223 cars succeeded over earlier German Army armoured cars because they were built atop a dedicated armoured car chassis designed with the rigors of military service in mind. This also improved cross-country travel which was an important quality of a modern mechanized force. All three variants held inherent 4x4 wheel drive and four-wheel steering capability and used the same Horch V8 gasoline engine which simplified in-the-field repair work and general logistics. The engines were installed in a rear compartment on all marks, leaving the central and frontal hull sections for the crew and armament. A spare road wheel was carried externally, on the right hull side in case of emergency. The addition of heavier armament added slightly more weight to the SdKfz 222 design which already was forced to manage the armoured superstructure. Sloped armour was seen on all faces of the hull superstructure which offered protection from small arms fire up to 7.92mm in calibre. The 222-model could engage other light-armoured vehicles through Armour-Piercing (AP) projectiles and enemy infantry concentrations through use of a High-Explosive (HE) 20mm shell. 180 x 20mm projectiles were carried aboard along with 1,050 x 7.92mm rounds of machine gun ammunition. However, it still remained a reconnaissance-minded and scouting vehicle first and not intended a direct-combat vehicle - its armament intended for local defence. Their compact dimensions did make them hard targets to train in on at range but protection for the crew was, on the whole, lacking against larger calibre weaponry. The Model This is yet another of the old Tristar moulds being put back into good use, and a good looking kit it is. The box art is the same as the Tristar packaging with the colour artists impression of a pair of vehicles on the road, surrounded by a yellow boarder. As with the other kits, all the parts are beautifully moulded, with the sprues in a sandy yellow styrene. There are seven sprues in the yellow styrene, one of clear styrene. There are also four rubber tyres, one sheet of etched brass, eight small springs and a smallish decal sheets. There is no sign of flash or other imperfections, but there are quite a few moulding pips that will need to be cleaned up. Looking at the parts count and layout, it doesn’t appear to be a complicated build, but the interior and suspension detailing means it would probably not be easy for a novice modeller. Construction begins with the chassis, the two rails being joined together by seven cross-members and the three piece rear differential. The four upper wishbones are then attached, one per corner, followed by the three piece front differential, drive shaft and attachment shaft. Two towing hooks are fitted to the front of the chassis, followed by the front bumper, two shock absorbers per axle, complete with actual metal springs and the lower wishbones. Each wheel is made up from five parts, plus the rubber tyre, these, and the nine piece steering rack are then fitted to the chassis and the whole assembly put to one side. The lower hull is fitted with the fighting compartment floor, followed by the build up of the interior details. These include the drivers pedals, steering column, battery box, five control sticks to the front, while to the rear there are two storage boxes and a seat frame. The engine compartment bulkhead si then fitted, as is the two piece drivers seat and six piece ammunition box and rack. The turret basket frame is then assembled and fitted with the commanders seat, rotation hand wheel and gearbox, plus turret control pedals. The 20mm cannon is made up from four parts. This is then attached to the nine piece gun mount along witht eh two piece MG-34 machine gun. Pipe work is then attached to eh mount, before the assembly is attached to the turret basket assembly, with the addition of the traversing gear and trunnion mounts. The interior is further detailed with the addition of various items such as binocular cases, pistol holster, stowage boxes, interior frames as well as the two, three piece side doors, external towing hooks to the rear, large storage box on the left hand side and spare wheel on the right hand side. The rear wheel arches are attached and fitted with more gear, such as the large jack, tool boxes, light clusters, tow cable, as well as the exhaust. The upper hull section is fitted with the vision ports which can be posed open if required. The engine hatches are glued into place, as are the headlights, lower glacis plate, pioneer tools and rear mounted extension box. The interior of the upper hull has more detail fitted in the shape of gas mask cases, steering wheel and instrument panel, which has decal instruments, vision port hinges, bolt croppers, and gun cleaning rod case. The upper and lower hulls are joined together and the four piece front wheel arches attached. These are fitted with hooded lights, corner extent poles, and wing mirrors. The gun mounts/turret basket is the pushed into place so that it can traverse before the six piece turret, plus three piece radio set and mounting, is assembled and pressed into place. The two turret hatches are fitted with their respective PE anti grenade screens before being glued to the turret in either the open of closed positions. The two piece aerial base is attached as is the PE decking to the rear of the turret. The completed hull assembly is then glued to the chassis assembly, completing the build. Decals The small decal sheet contains markings for three vehicles, they are nicely printed, in register and opaque. The three options are:- 1./Kradschuetzen-Btl., Gross Deutschland Panzer Grenadier Division, Orel, Russia, 1942 in overall Panzer Grey 20 Panzer Division, USSR, 1943, in overall Panzer Grey with Dark Yellow splotches Bulgarian Army, M222, First Army Armoured Battalion, Hungary, February, 1945, in overall Panzer Grey. Conclusion I was pleasantly surprised with this kit having a full interior, excellent news for those who like to have all the hatches open or for use in a diorama. It’s only small, but they have packed a lot into it, and it looks like it will build into a very nice little model. Review courtesy of

T-55 MOD 1963 Soviet Medium Tank MiniArt 1:35 Having reviewed the massed ranks of MiniArt’s T-54, we are now onto the T-55’s. Since the T-55 was a progression of the T-54, there are still quite a few similarities, but with enough differences to make the builds interesting. As with MiniArt kits with interiors there are a lot of sprues, ninety two in this case, of grey styrene, plus one of clear, two sheets of etched brass and a smallish decal sheet. The very colourful box, quite a bit deeper than a standard tank kit box, has a nice painting of the tank on the front. On opening you are greeted by a mass of sprues, many of them quite small because modular nature of the tooling , with quite a few parts going unused for this boxing. The mass of sprues fill up just about all the space in the box, leaving only room for air between the sprues, anyone familiar with the old Krypton Factor will realise getting all this back in the box is one of life’s little challenges! Construction is almost identical to the earlier releases, complete with the full engine, which is a lovely model in its own right, and consisting of forty two parts if you include the engine mounting cradle. The lower hull is then fitted out with a multitude of parts that include the torsion beam suspension, multi part axles, gearbox covers, and interior escape hatch plus PE beam covers. The interior is then built up from the fighting compartment floor and includes all the pipe work, seats fire bottles, steering mechanism and internal bulkheads. The interior and exterior of the sidewalls are also covered with detail, including the large racks of shells for the main gun, with additional shells stored around the fighting compartment. The extra parts that go into this interior goes to graphically demonstrate how cramped these tanks were. There seems to be so much equipment and extra ammunition for both the main gun, the co-axial machine gun. The detailed sidewalls are then glued into place, as is the engine assembly, engine compartment firewall and other ancillary equipment. The upper glacis plate is then fitted as are the three piece road wheels, drive sprocket and idlers. The turret ring assembly is the attached, followed by the rear bulkhead, each fitted with more detail parts. The engine deck is then built up and the separate hatches are able to be posed open or closed as per the modellers’ wishes. The deck is topped off with PE grilles in their frames, which are much more complex affairs than in previous versions, being made of five parts. The rear mounted intakes, consisting of six parts are fitted with individual PE slats and the PE mesh is fitted from underneath, these are then glued into position, followed by the large hinge for the main hatch. There are quite a few parts that are intended to be used if the tank is fitted for use with the mine rollers, (which are not in the kit), The tracks are of individual link type, with ninety links per side, and it will be a case of assembling it like a link and length style, gluing each link together before draping them over the road wheels. The fenders are fitted with stowage boxes, fuel tanks and spare track links plus front and rear mudguards before being glued into position. The two fuel drums mounted to the rear of the tank are assembled and glued into their mounting frames, as is the unditching beam and the pipework for the fender fuel tanks. The separate exhaust assembly is also glued into position on the left hand rear fender, whilst the pair of nine piece deep wading kit tubes are attached to the rear bulkhead, one above and the other below the auxiliary fuel drums. The turret is another new moulding, which has even more equipment in it than the earlier versions, due to the improved technology. As with the other kits the turret interior includes the full main gun breech, radios, training motors, seats, hand cranks, and other equipment, but with additional sighting equipment for the main gun, and more spare ammunition boxes for the co-axial machine gun, which is just as detailed as before, consisting of sixteen parts, plus another eight for the new sighting system. Ready use shells are added to the inside of the upper turret along with a multitude of brackets and clamps. The turret roof comes complete with all the periscopes and hatch details for the commander and gunner positions, and rolled up tarpaulin. There are a pair of grab rails each side of the turret, as well as larger brackets and an aerial, including the six piece platform for the three piece fighting light.The single piece main barrel is glued into the breech, and fitted with a choice of two mantlet covers and a two piece bracket that attaches the fighting light to the gun barrel. The Commanders cupola is fitted with a smaller searchlight, and there is a large periscope for the commander, situated just in front of their hatch. Finally the driver's wet weather cover, that fits over his hatch can be posed stowed or in place. If you are stowing it, there are some PE straps to tie things down on the bustle. The turret assembly is then fitted to the hull, completing the build. Decals The decal sheet gives the modeller no less than twelve options. The decals are beautifully printed, are clear and in good register with a slightly matt finish. The options are:- T-55, Presumably the 51st Infantry of the Republic of Iraq, “Operation Iraqi Freedom” (“Shock and Awe”), Basra, March 2003 T-55, Vietnamese People’s Army, 2000’s T-55, Captured during the “Six Day War” as part of the IDF, 1968 T-55 of the Egyptian Army, 1973-1974 T-55 of the Syrian Army, during the “Yom Kippur War”, Golan Heights, October 1973 T-55 of the Cuban Army during the 1970’s T-55 of the Finnish Defence Forces, 1973 T-55 of the Ethiopian Army, during the “Ogaden War”, 1977 T-55 of the Iragi Army during the War in the Persian Gulf, Battle of Khafji, Feruary 1991 T-55 used for the Parade in Honour of the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, Khakiv, November 7, 1967 T-55 of the 24th Motorised Rifle Division of the Soviet Army, Kiev, 1967 T-55 of the Soviet Army, Operation Danube, Prague, Czechoslovakia, August-September 1968 Conclusion These beasts of tanks, and models are really coming thick and fast for the moulding machines of MiniArt and you really just can’t fault them. There is so much detail that it could overwhelm a modeller unless their mojo was really cranked up. But if you break the build into bite sized pieces as sub-assemblies, painting as you go, there shouldn’t be a problem. Not one for beginners or maybe even intermediate modellers, but there are versions being released, without interior, that would perhaps be more suited to their level to gain experience before tackling a full interior build. As bang for your buck goes, these have to be some of the best value kits around these days. Review sample courtesy of Miniart - Distibuted in the UK By Creative Models