Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'WWI'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Calendars

  • Community Calendar
  • Group Builds
  • Model Show Calendar

Forums

  • Forum Functionality & Forum Software Help and Support
    • FAQs
    • Help & Support for Forum Issues
    • New Members
  • Aircraft Modelling
    • Military Aircraft Modelling Discussion by Era
    • Civil Aircraft Modelling Discussion by Era
    • Work in Progress - Aircraft
    • Ready for Inspection - Aircraft
    • Aircraft Related Subjects
  • AFV Modelling (armour, military vehicles & artillery)
    • Armour Discussion by Era
    • Work in Progress - Armour
    • Ready for Inspection - Armour
    • Armour Related Subjects
    • large Scale AFVs (1:16 and above)
  • Maritime Modelling (Ships and subs)
    • Maritime Discussion by era
    • Work in Progress - Maritime
    • Ready for Inspection - Maritime
  • Vehicle Modelling (non-military)
    • Vehicle Discussion
    • Work In Progress - Vehicles
    • Ready For Inspection - Vehicles
  • Science Fiction & RealSpace
    • Science Fiction Discussion
    • RealSpace Discussion
    • Work In Progress - SF & RealSpace
    • Ready for Inspection - SF & RealSpace
  • Figure Modelling
    • Figure Discussion
    • Figure Work In Progress
    • Figure Ready for Inspection
  • Dioramas, Vignettes & Scenery
    • Diorama Chat
    • Work In Progress - Dioramas
    • Ready For Inspection - Dioramas
  • Reviews, News & Walkarounds
    • Reviews
    • Current News
    • Build Articles
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Walkarounds
  • Modelling using 3D Printing
    • 3D Printing Basics
    • 3D Printing Chat
    • 3D Makerspace
  • Modelling
    • Group Builds
    • The Rumourmonger
    • Manufacturer News
    • Other Modelling Genres
    • Britmodeller Yearbooks
    • Tools & Tips
  • General Discussion
    • Chat
    • Shows
    • Photography
    • Members' Wishlists
  • Shops, manufacturers & vendors
    • Aerocraft Models
    • Air-craft.net
    • Amarket Model
    • A.M.U.R. Reaver
    • Atlantic Models
    • Beacon Models
    • BlackMike Models
    • Bring-It!
    • Copper State Models
    • Freightdog Models
    • Hannants
    • fantasy Printshop
    • Fonthill Media
    • HMH Publications
    • Hobby Paint'n'Stuff
    • Hypersonic Models
    • Iliad Design
    • Hobby Colours & Accessories
    • KLP Publishing
    • L'Arsenal 2.0
    • Kingkit
    • MikroMir
    • Model Designs
    • Modellingtools.co.uk
    • Maketar Paint Masks
    • Marmaduke Press Decals
    • Parkes682Decals
    • Paulus Victor Decals
    • Red Roo Models
    • RES/KIT
    • Sovereign Hobbies
    • Special Hobby
    • Test Valley Models
    • Tiger Hobbies
    • Ultimate Modelling Products
    • Videoaviation Italy
    • Wingleader Publications
  • Archive
    • 2007 Group Builds
    • 2008 Group Builds
    • 2009 Group Builds
    • 2010 Group Builds
    • 2011 Group Builds
    • 2012 Group Builds
    • 2013 Group Builds

Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


AIM


MSN


Website URL


ICQ


Yahoo


Jabber


Skype


Location


Interests

  1. US Army Drivers 1917-18 (35706) 1:35 ICM via Hannants We reviewed the Standard Liberty truck that this set is intended to mesh with here a few weeks back, and that kit included a squad of US troops. This set arrives in a small top opening box with the usual ICM style captive inner lid and a single sprue of grey styrene wrapped in a resealable bag with instruction sheet. There are two figures on the sprue, and the one doing the driving is a private with putties and utility belt with braces, while the co-driver is his commander with knee-high leather boots and Captain's rank insignia on his shoulder boards. They are both in the seated position as you'd expect and the driver has his hands out grasping the wheel with his feet appropriately angled for the pedals. This is ICM, so sculpting is excellent with simple parts breakdown along natural seams speeding up assembly and preparation for paint. Each figure is broken down into head, torso and separate arms and legs. The hats are separate parts to achieve a better brim and these have a flat contact patch with the equally flat-topped heads, plus moulded-in detail of the hat band with tassles. Conclusion An excellent addition to your Liberty truck at a good price, or any other vehicle used by the US Army in WWI, although the driver may require a little adjustment if the controls for the driver are different. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of
  2. Standard B Liberty Truck with WWI US Infantry (35652) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Ltd. The Liberty truck was a collaboration between the major US manufacturers and the Quartermasters Corps to reduce the need to carry spare parts for every weird and wacky truck that might find its way into service. The aim was to cut down on the breadth of inventory they needed to keep in stock to maintain the vehicles, and to reduce the training needed for their mechanics who only needed to be familiar with one main design. Production began in mid 1917 as American was becoming more involved in the Great War and with very few alterations over 9,000 were made before the ending of hostilities. The vehicle's engine was also a collaboration and pushed out a staggering 52hp linked to a 4-speed box that drove all wheels, propelling the truck to a break-neck 15mph on a good road, drinking a gallon every seven miles at best, which with a 22 gallon tank gave it a fairly short range. The Kit This isn't a brand new tooling, but was released in 2018 so it's barely out of the "new" range. This reboxing contains an additional set of US WWI Soldiers with their distinctive "mountie" hats from the era. It is a high quality kit with a lot of detail that provides a full interior, erected tilt and bare frame options and engine. The kit arrives in a standard ICM box with four sprues for the truck and two more for the soldiers, plus a clear sprue and decal sheet between the pages of the instruction booklet. Two additional sheets of instructions are included for the soldiers and their accessory sprue. Construction begins with the chassis with leaf suspension fore and aft, then spacer rails to join them together, radiator, axles and steering gear. The rear axle is a substantial chunk and has large drum brakes with a drive-shaft leading to a central transfer box in the middle of the chassis. Front mud guards, bumper bar with rebound springs are added, then it's time to add the wheels with two singles at the front, and two pairs at the rear all with spoked hubs and moulded-in solid rubber tyres around the rim. There is a choice of hub caps on the front wheels, then the engine is made up from 11 parts and dropped in place on the chassis behind the radiator along with a two-part manifold and short exhaust pipe that you'll have to take a small drill to if you want it hollow. The connection to the radiator from the block sprouts from the top of the engine, and at this early stage the gear shifter is installed on the top of the box, ready for the crew cab later. The cab is formed on an stepped floor part that has tread-plate moulded in, to which the sides, full-width bench seat and the firewall with dashboard and fuel tank are attached. Two foldable crew steps are stowed under the floor, and the steering column inserts almost vertically into a hole in the floor, then the assembly is added behind the engine allowing the cowling to be fitted together with a perforated grille that sits forward of the cowling by a few scale inches. The hand brake attaches to the side of the transmission hump, and then it's time for the load bed. The floor is stiffened by five lateral ribs and the front wall is added and braced by the side panels, which also have 4 stiffeners, then two stowage boxes are glued in place under the floor at the front. The tailgate is made up from two thicknesses and is added at whatever variation of open or closed you fancy, then the whole bed is fitted to the chassis on tabs and depressions to get the correct location. Back in the cab the steering wheel, searchlight with clear lens and horn are all fitted, the last two on the top of the dash, and two headlamps again with clear lenses are attached to the outside front of the cab. The area is then decorated with a multitude of grab handles, closures and two towing hooks at the front of the chassis rail. A starter handle is inserted into the front, and the cab's tilt is made up from three styrene parts with two clear portholes and it too is fitted to the cab. The cover for the cargo bed can be modelled either hidden away with just the framework visible, or with the canvas draped over for a bit of variety. The framework option is quite delicate, so care will be needed when taking the frames off the sprues to avoid breakage. There are five of them and they fit at intervals to the sides with a substantial overlap for strength. The covered parts comprise front section, two sides with the exposed parts of the frames sticking down, a rolled-up rear cover, and separate roof section. All have realistic drape and creases moulded in, and your only task is to hide the seams before you apply paint, whilst avoiding breaking off the ends of the frames that hang down. The Figures Four soldiers are supplied on one sprue with their equipment on another sprue. They are all standing with one taking a photo of the others on a box-brownie type camera, while the others walk along, only one of which is acknowledging the camera with a wave. They are broken down into separate heads, hats, torsos, legs and arms, with the arms broken down further where sensible, and the walkers each have a large kit bag that is slung over both their shoulders with rucksack type straps, and over that are their rifles, the slings for which you'll have to make yourself from foil or tape. The accessory sprue contains a plethora of weapons and accessories, most of which you either won't use or can be dotted around this and any other models of the period you may make, including battle bowlers, pistols, pouches, tools, a Lewis gun and other oddities. The instructions show the part locations for each sprue and a combined assembly and painting diagram that is covered in little arrows, with the remaining sheet showing construction of the accessories, their painting and even the names of each item on the sprue, which is very helpful. Markings There are two decal options for the truck, both of which are the same colour, olive green for the body, and khaki for the canvas areas. The sheet is small and includes a few stencils, divisional badges and a warning to carry no more than 3 tons. Conclusion A beautifully detailed kit of an early truck from WWI with the bonus of some very nicely moulded US soldiers into the bargain. Highly recommended. Available from Importers H G Hannants Ltd. In the UK Review sample courtesy of
  3. Standard B “Liberty” Series 2 WWI US Army Truck ICM 1:35 (35651) As America's war effort ramped up in 1917, there was a collective realisation that the fleet of vehicles needed to support a semi-mechanised army needed some standardisation. 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 standardised 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 series 2 truck was actually a much simpler one with most of the electrical systems removed and the lamps replaced by oil ones. It had a slightly different radiator, fuel & oil systems. 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 quite fragile looking parts, so care should be taken when removing. The sprue gates attaching items like the tilt rails are also quite heavy and I can see these parts breaking if not careful. 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 the 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 moulded 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. 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, and again with this series 2 vehicle. 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
  4. My daughter got me this wonderful kit for Christmas. It has re-kindled my interest in WWI aircraft. The kit's painting guide is very basic so I bought this Eduard Kit in the hope I will get a painting guide and some nice decals. Thanks for looking. Stephen
  5. Lanchester 4x2 Armoured Car Copper State Model 1/35 This is CSM's new WWI era Lanchester armoured car. It's quite a simple little kit compared to some of the armour mega-kits that come from a lot of manufacturers these days. Despite the simplicity though, it really is a joy to put together. The fit is just about perfect, and the whole thing was built up and ready for paint in only 4 days. There's some really nice example of moulding to, like the front fenders which are thin enough to almost pass for being photo etched, and the wheel spokes which are remarkably thin for an injection moulded part. There are a couple of errors in the kit. The little bump on top of the turret is a socket for a flag, and it should be closer to the turret roof hatch rather than at the front edge. Also the insides of the rear wheel arches should be panelled off, instead of being open as they are here. Neither of them are big deals though and are pretty easy to fix. CSM have a photo etch set in the works for this kit, although to be honest, I don't think it's really necessary. They do have some nice figures though which should work well for a diorama. This one's painted with Gunze RLM 65 and RLM 76 in a rough representation of Admiralty light grey Thanks for looking Andy
  6. Here's a Flashback I finished a few years ago. The color profile for this model is in the JaPo book on the Aviatik D.I & D.II page 98. The prototype photo is on 87. I used a Micron brown pen to add the numerous dot pattern and the sealed it an added the streaking.
  7. I have always been fascinated with the looks of this beast, and it was indeed a challenge to complete it. Ancient, outdated kit but with enough material to get it finished. A new softer, light gray plastic, made rear fuselage swung a bit, but I can live with it. Wings canvas structure looked cartoonish, it had to be almost sand off. Used 0.73mm fishing nylon for rigging, Front machine gun is Eduard’s excellent photoetch Scarff gun ring which sits prominently at the front of the plane and is good investment (thanks @warhawk). PC-10 green is Humbrol's Hu 163. A few in progress pics: A sofisticated 4o dihedral jig. It is quite big actually: Paper clips were use to keep rig lines tight during gluing.
  8. Group Build Dates: 21 July to 11 November 2018 --- I'm a little surprised that I haven't seen this suggested already... but, we'll be commemorating the end of the Great War in 2018, and I feel we should think about a group build, so... Land, sea and air, models of any military or support equipment or personnel used by any country involved in the Great War, 1914 to 1918. Standard Group Build rules, and No what ifs What do you think guys? {edit 12 Mar 2017} Title changed from 1918 - 2018, 100 years after the end of WWl to Eleventh Hour GB: 1918-2018, commemorating the end of WWl Thanks to TigerTony66 for suggesting the Eleventh Hour {/edit} Yes, I know it's the armistice, and the war didn't end until 1919, but ... General Theme GB Robert Stuart - host Wyverns4 - co-host Arniec Kallisti Blastvader Murdo JackG Ozzy CliffB Basilisk Wez whitestar12chris Blitz23 Jb65rams charlie_c67 PlaStix jrlx stevehed Grey Beema Sgt.Squarehead 825 TonyTiger66 Sabre_days limeypilot Bonhoff alancmlaird SleeperService stevehnz Ray S Plasto Corsairfoxfouruncle krow113 sampanzer planecrazee Peter Lloyd John D C Masters
  9. The Habsburgs' Wings 1914 Vol 1 ISBN : 9788365437792 Kagero & Company via Casemate UK When we think of the Air War of WWI we initially think of The Squadrons of The Royal Flying Corps in battles with the Jastas of Imperial German Flying Corps over the trenches of the Western Front; of the Air Craft of The Royal Naval Air Service operating against the Marineflieger. WWI through was just as the name suggest a World War and the Air War was carried on in many different places. One such forgotten front in aviation terms was the Eastern front, and in particular the Balkans. This book aims to re-address this by looking at Austro-Hungarian Aviation in the Great War. Volume 1 will look at the first Campaigns of WWII. The Book looks at The Birth of the Austro-Hungarian Air Force, and the Order of Battle of military aviation of Austro-Hungary in 1914. It is A5 Hardback in format with 154 pages. There are many black and white photographs of the period along with some colour ones of paintings and the present day geography. Conclusion This publication brings the untold story of early Austro-Hungarian Air operations to light, something which many of us probably have never even heard of. The text is well written and there are plenty of photographs in the book many of which have probably never been seen before. Highly recommended to the WWI fan, and fans of the early days of aviation alike. We await with interest to see what Vol 2 brings. Review sample courtesy of
  10. Hi all, After the lessons learned posts on the Albatros DV and the Siemens-Schuckert DIII, it’s now time for the third and final one of my past builds: The Albatros DI of Otto Höhne by Roden, in 1/72 scale. The Albatros DI was the first of the famous line of Albatros Scouts, designed by Robert Thelen in 1916. Thelen was the chief designer at Albatros, and responsible for many Albatros designs. I chose to build the machine of Otto Höhne of Jasta 2, 1916. Whilst Höhne did not accumulate the impressive number of victories as some of the famous aces of WWI (he had 6 victories credited to him by the end of the war), he was the first fighter pilot to score a victory with an Albatros scout. Here’s an excerpt mentioning Höhne from the Osprey Duel 55 Fe 2b-d vs Albatros Scouts “The many duels between FE 2s and Albatros scouts began upon the frontline arrival of the new Albatros D I scout in 1916, which coincided with Germany’s premier ace Oswald Boelcke forming Jagdstaffel 2. A new and permanent unit type, Jagdstaffeln were born from the reformation of temporary Kampfeinsitzer-Kommandos (KeK, or fighting single-seater commands) that were dedicated to aerial interdiction following their equipment with single-seater scouts. Yet for weeks Jasta 2 was burdened with just a smattering of Fokker and Halberstadt D machines, rather than a full complement of Albatros’s new twin-gunned fighter, although Offz Stv Leopold Reimann arrived from Jasta 1 in late August and brought one of the new pre-production Albatros D Is with him. Boelcke used this meagre ‘fleet’ for training during the first half of September, but on the 16th – the day Jasta 2 finally received its first allotment of Albatros D Is, as well as its D II prototype for Boelcke – he led some of his pilots aloft. At 1800 hrs Ltn Otto Höhne shot down his and Jasta 2’s first FE 2b (6999 of No. 11 Sqn).” And here is a beautiful picture of Otto Höhnes Albatros DI D 390/16 in flight: The Roden Kit is of good quality and detail, and part of a big series of Albatros kits, therefore offering many options for different types and sub-types. This versatility does not come without disadvantages though. The top wing is split in three sections, and assembling a perfectly straight wing profile is not straightforward. In addition, the forward fuselage needs quite a bit of work to, but the end result can look accurate. Things I wanted to try with this kit Despite the good finish achieved with the airbrush in my previous kit, my lazy nature made me try once again if I can create a good finish just with brushes, avoiding the dreaded airbrush 🤔 The completed model The lessons learned whilst building this particular kit I can’t create a good finish without an airbrush. Shouldn’t try again! I built this kit without having access to the original pictures. Knowing them now, I believe the wood varnish on the fuselage is probably a bit too bright, and could maybe be a bit darker I should not apply rigging by making a knot around the struts with the thread, but only use through-holes instead The colours of the wings may be inaccurate, as some early Albatros had a three-color scheme for the wings Super-glue creates a grey dusty coat around the areas it is applied to. Maybe avoid using super glue when possible The top wing is not perfectly straight. Should have used a rig when assembling it from the three pieces The finish I chose seems a bit too matte, and should be silkier Building a kit with photographic documentation from the start is more satisfying than building one where the paint scheme is largely based on assumptions or box instructions only This was the last of my youth-builds, and hopefully, I can share my first adult builds this year. Whether they will be any better than my past builds, or much worse, remains to be seen 😎 Best regards, Rob
  11. British (1917) & American (1918) Infantry in Gas Masks (35703 & 35704) 1:35 ICM Gas attacks during WWI were a constant danger to both sides of the trenches, and many men were killed or maimed horribly during the conflict, which necessitated all soldiers carrying a gas mask with them whenever they were at the front. This still didn't mean you were 100% safe, as my paternal Grandfather found out when he was mustard gassed at one of the many battles he was involved with. He recovered sufficiently, but I don't doubt that it shortened his life somewhat. The Allied gas masks were broadly similar (in fact my parents still have my Grandad's somewhere), with circular glazed eyeholes and a concertina hose that led to the filter box that was carried in a bag usually resting on the wearer's chest. They were effective, but must have restricted their situational awareness something rotten, and been horribly claustrophobic to wear for any length of time. The Kits Both sets arrive in top-opening figure sized boxes with the usual ICM inner lid that is captive to the tray. Inside are three sprues of varying sizes in sand coloured styrene, a glossy instruction sheet, and a matt painting and sprue guide. British Infantry in Gas Masks (1917) 35703 This set has four figures in various stances, giving the impression that they are advancing on the enemy. Three of the men are carrying rifles with bayonets fixed, which backs that up, and the fourth is holding his Webley revolver out in front, with an (ever-so useful) Swagger Stick in his left hand. They are all dressed in standard British uniforms with boots and puttees wrapped around their lower legs. The officer figure is less burdened by equipment, carrying only leather binocular case and holster, while the troops are weighed down by ammo pouches and assorted kit bags on their webbing. Each sports a battle bowler and their gas mask, which is moulded into the front parts of the head, with the rear a separate part from a separate sprue. The original heads can be seen attached to the main body parts, which also include separate legs, torsos and arms. All the weapons, pouches and head gear are separate parts on the other large sprue, with the gas masks and bags on the third smaller sprue. US Infantry in Gas Masks (1918) 35704 The four figures in this set are also going over the top, and are more animated than their reserved British counterparts, with dynamic poses even for the officer. Bayonets are fixed for the men, while the officer has his 1911 pistol out and a wide stance. Their dress is very similar to the British, and without studying the weapons and webbing, they could easily be mistaken for Tommies, but as you would expect the enlisted men have more equipment than the officer, although he does add a map case and canteen to his webbing. The gas masks are again moulded to the front of the head with a separate rear, and the filter bags are thinner and deeper, while the battle bowlers are pretty much identical to their allies. The officer is further distinguished from the men by his wearing of knee-length lace-up boots, while the others wear puttees wrapped around their lower legs. Again, the original heads are found on the main sprue alongside separate legs, torsos, arms and some of the larger packs. Conclusion Both sets offer a good choice of soldiers for diorama purposes, and the poses are different enough to add some action in use. As well as the suggested weapons as per the instructions, there are a large number of additional weapons of various types to give you customisation possibilities. As usual with ICM, their sculpting is crisp and realistic, with good definition between smocks, buttons, straps etc. Couple these with the German Infantry in Gas Masks we reveiwed recently, and you have the beginnings of a battle. Very highly recommended. Available from all good modelshops both on the high street and online. Review sample courtesy of
  12. Hello there, My first publication goes for the recently finished Sophwith Camel, in 1/72th scale from Revell Models. I had added some Ammo Rigging (Uschi) for upgrade the detail... Thanks for watching! Ricardo
  13. Renault FT in 1/35 scale by Meng-Model. The only changes to the kit are the use of metal chain and tool straps made with Tamiya tape to replace the photo etch ones provided in the kit. Finished in Vallejo Model Air (ugh...) and Tamiya acrylics; AK Interactive and Ammo of Mig enamels; and Ammo of Mig and Secret Weapon Miniatures pigments. As a whole, I think this kit turned out pretty good and I would place it as one of my better kits, which is funny because I started this kit almost a year ago and put it aside after I painted the camouflage because I was really unhappy with how it turned out. That being said, the strengths are the washes, oil paint rendering, the chipping, and the metal chain on the unditching tail. The weakness are the pigment effects and the camo paint. I'm not satisfied with the dirt effects (mainly on the tracks themselves) even though I think it's a step up from my previous efforts. I decided against using the kit-supplied base, as cool as it is, for a couple of reasons. It's a little too dramatic for my tastes and it's going to take more work than I'm willing to do to make it good. I'll probably swing by the craft store and grab a small wood plaque or picture frame and use it to build a little base to have the tank look like it's trundling down a dirt road on the Western Front. Comments and criticism is welcomed as always!
  14. Turkish Infantry 1915-1918 ICM 1:35 This set brings us four figures. Two troops running, with one kneeling firing his rifle, and one officer kneeling with his pistol out. In the period leading up to WWI the Ottoman Empire decided to modernise its Army, but did so by buying equipment in, instead of arranging for domestic suppliers to do this. A German Army mission was invited to advise on this, and surprisingly they favoured German Army weapons, and German manufacturers. The standard infantry front line rifle was the M1903 Mauser bolt-action rifle, and the side arm the Mauser C96. This set from ICM brings us two sprues of caramac coloured plastic one for the figures, and one for the equipment with a selection of the the M1903 with and without a bayonet. The C96 holstered, and out of the holster with the holster separate. Other items on the sprues are Helmets, Bayonets, ammunition pouches, water bottles, grenades, a map case, and even binoculars and their case. A box with two sets of the equipment is also available here from ICM. Conclusion This is a good set which provides for any WWI Turkish diorama, or even a small stand alone vignette. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  15. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/our-region/portsmouth/first-world-war-german-destroyers-found-in-portsmouth-harbour-1-7296572
  16. Eduard's now OOP 1/48 Fokker E.V, built mostly OOB save for the gorgeous Master turned brass MG cooling jackets and barrels. Lovely little kit, although getting the wing straight & level was a PITA. Constructive criticism welcome! Cheers, Tony Bell
  17. WWI Russian Maxim MG Team ICM 1:35 The set from ICM brings us a Maxim 1910 and a crew of two. 58 Maxims were purchased by the Imperial Russian Army in 1899 but then they contracted Vickers to make them in Russia. Even though the contract was signed in 1902 manufacturing only started in 1910. Due to these delays and the war with Japan in 1904 an additional 450 guns we purchased from overseas. The gun was supplied on a wheeled carriage. There is one sprue for the gun crew, two small sprues for the gun and carriage, and one sprue of Weapons & Equipment. This is one sprue from ICM 35672 WWI Russian Infantry Weapons and Equipment. Conclusion This is a good set which provides the gun and crew, it will make a nice little model/diorama in its own right, or can be used as part of a larger diorama. Its good to see ICM producing kits slightly out side the normal westen countries for WWI. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  18. WWI Turkish Infantry Weapons & Equipment ICM 1:35 In the period leading up to WWI the Ottoman Empire decided to modernise its Army, but did so by buying equipment in, instead of arranging for domestic suppliers to do this. A German Army mission was invited to advise on this, and surprisingly they favoured German Army weapons, and German manufacturers. The standard infantry front line rifle was the M1903 Mauser bolt-action rifle, and the side arm the Mauser C96. This set from ICM brings us two sprues of caramac coloured plastic with a selection of the the M1903 with and without a bayonet. The C96 holstered, and out of the holster with the holster separate. Other items on the sprues are Helmets, Bayonets, ammunition pouches, water bottles, grenades, a map case, and even binoculars and their case. Conclusion This is a good set which provides weapons and equipment for any WWI Turkish diorama, or even a German one given that most of the equipment is German. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  19. I will join if I may. I have a couple of kits in the stash that qualify and having done some research I now know the difference between a rotary and a radial engine (yes I admit it I didn't know before but you live and learn). I am going to build the Eduard 1/48 WWI Fokker E.II. I should point out (a) I have never built a WWI plane before, (b) I have never done rigging on a plane before and (c) this looks quite fiddly. Fingers crossed. The kit. I understand its one of Eduard's older offerings but hopefully that doesn't mean problems. I will be building it OTB and have some E Z Line to try out for the rigging. The sprues. So far so good. And finally some photo etch and a very very small clear sprue. Thanks for looking. As always all comments very welcome. Cheers Dave
  20. Alright I'm in with a second build for this one, could be a risky proposition as quite often I don't finish one build in the time let alone two! I'm doing the old Airfix Sopwith Pup in 1/72. Picked it up for $5 on Ebay, only slightly more than the 99c price tag still on it. Lovely little kit, will be adding details, either scratch build or spares box. I would love Airfix to update this but not sure that would happen in the near future, HR do a very nice looking tool of the Pup in 1/72, it's little pricey and not very common on this side of the pond. Anyway, I have the warpaint book, Pheon decals set and the Wingnut Wings instruction sheet, one of the best references out there I think! Cheers
  21. Been enjoying watching the great builds in this GB and realised there's no plucky Tommies in the mix yet! So I'm going to jump in with a Sergeant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Ploegsteert 1915 by Tommy's War. I've made one of their figures before, for the Non-injected GB, and they are lovely, beautifully sculpted and molded. Not a huge amount to the construction, most of the work will be in the painting and I think I'll do a nice little base. Got some suitable reference material and am raring to go! Cheers Segan
  22. STEEL Seatbelts (Various) 1:48 & 1:72 Eduard Here's the latest batch of the newish STEEL seatbelts from Eduard. In case you don't already know, they are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. Seatbelts Italy WWII Fighters (FE826) Contains two sets of belts including the twin shoulder and single lap belt, with optional rear section. Seatbelts Italy WWII Fighters (SS594) in 1:72 Confusingly labelled as both 1:72 and 1:48 on the package, when in fact the 1:72 labelling is correct. This set contains three sets of belts including the twin shoulder and single lap belt, with optional rear section. Seatbelts France WWII (FE839) Three sets of four-point harnesses are included, with an optional central fifth point with buckle and alternate left lap strap minus the buckle found on the 4-point version. SE.5a Seatbelts Early (FE843) Two sets of belts for the famous WWI fighter, with diagrams showing where the laces attach on the airframe. Seatbelts Soviet Union WWII Fighters (FE846) Two sets each of Yakovlev and Lavochkin designed seatbelts for their respective fighters, each with four-point harness and buckles. Seatbelts France WWI (FE852) During WWI three types of belt were used up until 1916, with two of each type supplied. Two other types were used throughout the war, and again, two of each type are included, totalling 10 sets of belts, which is quite generous. You will need to supply the thin wire that connects the belt loops to the airframe, which is described in a scrap diagram in the instructions. Review sample courtesy of
  23. SE.5a Upgrade Parts (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Eduard's new tool kit of this famous WWI fighter is a little beauty and you can see our review here, but you can always itail, or budget. As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. The Photo-Etch (PE) set arrives in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Two Blade Propeller (left 648296 Right 648297) Available in two flavours, spinning left and right, the clockwise rotating prop being applicable to the (at this time unkitted, although I believe the parts are in the box) Hispano-Suiza 8b engine, and the other for the Wolseley Viper engine variant. Pick your two-bladed prop and marvel at the detail, with a separate boss and spinner plate provided in PE. Left – Anti-Clockwise (648296) Right – Clockwise (648297) Radiator – Wolseley Viper (648298) This highly detailed resin replacement for the kit part consists of five resin parts and four PE parts, the former making up the body of the radiator, the latter providing the mesh detail for the panels for maximum detail. It is a straight-forward drop-in replacement for the kit part. SE.5a Guns (648299) Another drop-in replacement set for the kit, which consists of both the Lewis and the Vickers machine guns, plus the tripod mount for the cowling Vickers, and the over-wing mount for the Lewis gun, which also has two spare magazines of two different capacities. A small PE sheet includes a rack for a spare mag under the gun mount (over the instrument panel), the firing handle, sight and trough for the Vickers, plus blade sight for the Lewis gun. You will need two lengths of 0.2mm wire to complete the firing mechanism for the Lewis, which you will have to provide from your own stocks. SE.5a Stretchers (48915) This is the solitary PE set in this review, and at first the term "stretchers" might seem a bit obscure, but on reading the instructions it becomes clear. They are what I would call the turnbuckles that the aircraft's rigging is attached to, either in single runs, or doubles. As well as including three runs of thirty eight single loops, twenty seven of the double loops, there are also two templates provided to assist you in drilling the twin 0.3mm holes at the wing roots and the opposite ends under the upper wing. Turnbuckles are a handy short-cut for rigging, allowing the modeller to glue their chosen rigging material of choice in place without having to repair the paint-job after. The stretchers are glued into their holes during the build, after which the aircraft can be painted, and (with care) the rigging can be attached when main painting is completed. Review sample courtesy of
  24. SE.5a Wolseley Viper Profipak (82131) 1:48 Eduard The SE.5 was a huge improvement on early WWI fighters, although it originated in 1916 as an experimental scout aircraft, designed by Henry Folland amongst others, who went on to found Folland Aircraft. After some rather serious design problems that resulted in the death of one of the designers, the kinks were ironed out, and coupled with the powerful Hispano-Suiza engine, it became arguably the most capable fighter of the Great War. After a short run of the original SE.5, the A variant appeared with a more powerful engine with geared prop, but that led to more issues, including detachment of prop, gearbox or both whilst in flight. Wolseley were at this time producing an upgraded version of the engine that they named the Viper, which instead used a direct drive-shaft for the prop, which as well as resulting in reversed rotation, made for a more robust and reliable engine that was more prone to staying attached to its propeller. It became the de facto standard for the type due to its availability and reliability. There were a number of aces that flew the SE.5a, and coupled with the Camel, the aircraft helped the Allies to gain air superiority over the battlefield, with more American built aircraft scheduled to join the fray that were cancelled by the Armistice reducing their usefulness to nil. After the war many were sold into private hands and the type continued to be seen in the skies for years to come. The Kit This is a new tooling from Eduard, and that shows in the details that are immediately apparent when perusing the sprues. Arriving in one of their smaller kit boxes with the familiar orange Profipak branding, inside are two sprues in medium-dark grey styrene, a circular clear sprue, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE), a sheet of kabuki-style pre-cut masks, a large square decal sheet an A5 portrait colour instruction booklet with painting guide to the rear, printed on glossy stock. If you're not used to handling WWI aircraft, particularly fighters, you might forget just how small and delicate they were until you see the fuselage parts, which are scarcely 12cm long on the sprues (minus rudder etc.). There is no deficiency in detail on these small parts however, with lots of crisply executed stitching, ribs, hinges and fasteners depicted in a mixture of engraved and raised forms. The cockpit is also well detailed, with additions in PE bringing a level of realism that can seldom be achieved by us mortals otherwise, with PE belts and instrument panels, which are pre-painted with fine details to enhance the finish. The cockpit framework is inserted into a representation of the inner structural framing along with the seat, fuel tank, controls and cross-braces, which once painted in your preferred manner to simulate wood, are laced with bracing wires to further enhance the detail, but you will need to provide the necessary wires/thread. The cockpit floor is moulded into the lower wing, and here additional ammo cans are stored for the overwing Lewis gun, with another above the instrument panel, which has its plastic details removed before installation of the improved PE version. The dials are raised, so individual PE faces have been supplied on the fret, and great care will be needed to ensure these don't ping off into oblivion. The use of a pick-up pencil, fine tweezers or one of those little rubberised sticky-pads would be advisable, along with some careful positioning. With the cockpit installed in the lower wing, which is a one-piece arrangement by the way, the fuselage is then closed around the assembly, trapping a number of formers within the front section under the engine bay. The Viper engine is then built from parts, beginning with the sump, banks of pistons, rocker covers and exhaust manifold, to which some additional plug wires and other details could be added at your whim. There are two cowling choices for the engine, one of which is standard, with a bulkhead added, the other made up from the standard one with a scoop cut from a spare, and added after cutting the corresponding section from the original. This is only for the first markings option. The pilot's cockpit decking is also built up at this time, with a clear access panel on one side that is fitted with a PE surround, and a small winder with a PE handle at the joint with the main fuselage. These are both installed later after the upper fuselage section between them is added, and the separate ailerons and elevator fins are glued into their positions. At this point a number of clear triangular inspection windows are inserted into the wings and elevator fins, to show off the moulded-in control detail that will need painting beforehand. A choice of two types of elevator are offered, and the fuselage mounted machine gun is installed just prior to the top decking being closed up. A choice of curved or straight windscreen glass is given, and a simple sighting device with PE mounts is fitted to the top after filling in the slot for a simplified styrene version of the mount. The radiator is mated with the cowling as it is fitted, after which the upper wing is prepared for fitting. There are a few methods to successfully paint and rig your biplane, so I'll leave that decision up to you, but another set of clear inspection panels and PE surrounds are fixed into the wing before it is lined up with the struts and glued in place, usually after much of the painting and rigging is already completed. The ailerons are repeated on the upper wings, and PE arms are fitted, replacing the simple styrene pegs moulded into the parts. The fixed landing gear consists of an aerodynamic triangular frame on each side of the lower fuselage with an axle between them with an aerofoil section, but one markings option has simplified structure, to which you will need to add two lengths of 1mm stock to complete additional bracing struts, which isn't included in the kit. Once complete, it can be installed on the underside of the fuselage in sockets that should hold it firmly in position, and a similar attachment scheme is used for the tail bumper at the rear. The rudder is also fixed at this late stage, with a PE actuator rod replacing the styrene nub that is moulded in. Tail-wheel steering is the order of the day, and another actuator is added under the tail, again replacing the nub on that part too. For some reason the instructions then show more of the inspection windows and PE arms added at the end of the build, so feel free to skip to that point to avoid any issues. The Lewis gun and its mount is added to the upper wing right at the end with the circular magazine receiving a PE carry handle and outer face, while the muzzle gets a tiny iron sight. As one decal option doesn't carry the wing mounted gun, it should be filled, but as early in the build as possible to make life easier. A two blade prop is fitted to the Viper engine, and under the nose the SE.5a could carry a small rack of four bombs, which has been supplied on the included PE sheet as an extra. Happily for any Great War modeller, a full page of wiring diagrams are included on the last page of the instructions, with the wires picked out in blue against the airframe to make spotting them easier. Markings The basic colour scheme of most SE.5as was green/olive drab with a linen colour underside, and whatever personalisation the pilot applied to his ride. There are quite a variation on the theme with the provided options, partially because a couple of post-war airframes have been chosen. From the box you can build one of the following: SE.5a Wolseley Viper C1096, flown by Lt. H.J. Burden, No. 56 Squadron, Valheureux, France, Spring 1918 SE.5a Wolseley Viper F8146, 27th Aero Squadron, 1922 SE.5a Wolseley Viper F8953, flown by 2nd Lt. S.C. Elliot, No. 85 Squadron, Ascq, France, December 1918 SE.5a Wolseley Viper F8038, 25th Aero Squadron, November 1918 SE.5a Wolseley Viper C1149, flown by Cpt. D Grinnell-Milne, No. 56 Squadron, Béthencourt, France, Ascq, France, January 1919 Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion This is a lovely little model, and even though I'm not really a WWI modeller, which some of you might have picked up on already, this one appeals to me greatly, as it comes from a time when aircraft were starting to look more purposeful, and less like a bundle of twigs with wings! Superb detail and some really nice decal options, plus the PE and masks round out the package to a rather appealing whole. Very highly recommended. If you can't resist the lure of some of the other decal options, or can't decide which you'd prefer to model, then the Overtrees that are available directly from Eduard might well be for you. Supplied in an anonymous white box with only a sticker on the end to tell you what's in the box, the kit contains just the plastic you see above and nothing else. Not even the instructions, as you've already got them in the Profipak kit anyway, or you can pick them up from their site here. What about the PE though? Not a problem – Eduard have you covered there as well, and you can buy the PE separately too. Overtrees Overtrees Photo-Etch That's not all! Watch out for reviews of some additional aftermarket sets by Eduard to fit their kits, such as a super-detailed radiator, props, guns and the turnbuckles and tensioners for the rigging that they describe as "Stretchers". Coming soon to a forum near you. Well, right here actually. Review sample courtesy of
  25. As I finished with Ansaldo, I'm concentrating my focus on finishing another long-standing project, another Italian bird Hanriot HD.1. I'm building a plane that was flown by Mario Fuchi, the plane has two machine guns and here are my questions: What type of synchronization mechanism might it have? I mean did it have "horn" on top of the muzzle or not? Also what about scoop underneath of the muzzle (I think it was a protection from shock wave from the gun)? I also have seen pictures where they present and absent as well. And final question did his plane had a sight, if yes what type? Thank you for any help. Alex
×
×
  • Create New...