Mike

If the figures come out as well as the rest of it, you'd better set up a production line for all the orders you're going to get I love the original Aliens space suits. They're stupid and impractical, but they look cool. One of the hang-overs from Jean Giraud's (Mobius) involvement at the start of production

I'm pretty sure that there's a highly-detailed 3D printed kit out there somewhere. Have a search of the forum, as I think it was discussed once-upon-a-time.

Sorry to butt into this thread but I noticed that some of the pics were loading slowly, so I ran a check. I tested some of the pics, and although a few were small in size, others were up to 1.2mb in size, which is pretty large when posting up on the internet, even in today's relatively fast broadband. You should be aiming to save your files to around 2-300kb maximum, give or take a bit. To accomplish this, you can reduce the size of your pics, as anything over the recommended 1024 x 800 or 1280 x 800 maximum we advise is wasted bandwidth and your own storage space usage. Most people view these pics on phones, tablets and 1080p screens, so huge photos of 2048 x 1536 px for example will have to be shrunk down by the forum software, creating unnecessary load on the server and delay for the user, as well as the extra bandwidth that it uses up on the wider internet on its way here (far more than what's necessary). The downsides of this from a viewer's point of view is the waiting time before you can view the pics, and some people might get bored and click away, especially if they're not lucky enough to have fast broadband for whatever reason. From the server's point of view, it's wasteful of bandwidth, storage size, and it's wasteful of the server's processing resources due to the reduction in size, which means a slower experience for all of us. This isn't meant as a "telling off" BTW, more of a bit of useful advice to help you as well as help us. If you can size your pics to the recommended limits, we'll be really happy, and so will the members

Can't wait

The CHARIOT from Lost in Space FruitPACK (FP28 for Doll & Hobby Kit) 1:35 GreenStrawberry Danger Will Robinson! In the mid-60s, a new series called Lost in Space premiered, a creation of Irwin Allen, a man with a prodigious imagination. His output during the 60s and 70s consisted of well-known fantasy, adventure and Sci-Fi series and TV movies that many kids of the day grew up loving or loathing. Many of them were repeated late at night with a new audience of drunk or stoned youngsters that delighted or laughed at the corny but intriguing stories that were unfolding before their bleary eyes. Lost in Space was one such show, and it became quite a familiar sight, consisting of three seasons and eighty-three episodes plus an un-aired pilot in its original form, although a big-screen reboot in the 90s happened, and another reboot in 2018 as a very different series that I just couldn’t enjoy. The original show was based on the premise that a family heading out to colonise the galaxy was thrown hopelessly off course when a stowaway caused issues. That stowaway was the overly arch and slightly effete Dr. Zachary Smith, who became trapped whilst trying to reprogramme the robot, which was designed by the same gentleman that also create Robbie the Robot for Forbidden Planet. Whilst in space they jollied around in the Jupiter 2 space ship, which was a similar saucer shape in a similar vein as the C-57D from Forbidden Planet, but on a smaller scale and with a large and highly impractical picture window for the crew to stare out of. When planet-bound, they trundled around in an extensively glazed Chariot, which was a tracked vehicle that just happened to have road-style tyres on its wheels. Where it would fit within the saucer is a practical aspect that’s best not thought about too closely. The Kit This FruitPACK set from our friends at GreenStrawberry is a combination of the sets that are also available separately from them, but in one box and with a discount for the modeller. The super-set is intended to significantly improve the detail of the 1:35 Doll & Hobby kit (who?), and it arrives in a handsome black box with the set’s name and details on a large sticker that wraps over the side onto the underside and securely seals the front-opening lid against accidental release before it is deliberately cut open by the new owner. Inside the box are three sets that target specific areas of the model, broken down as follows: Exterior & Interior Accessories Tracks Those few words oversimplify the aims of the sets, while “Accessories” is rather vague, but it refers to stowage that can be placed inside or around the vehicle, or alternatively loaded into the stowage rack on the roof for extreme visibility. The tracks set is a work of art, and must be seen to be believed, while the Exterior & Interior set is a comprehensive reworking of the model’s details that improves upon the injection-moulded kit parts. Between them they will transform your kit and raise the level of detail to something very special, which will be a head-turner with careful painting and minimal weathering. We will deal with each set separately to do them justice. Exterior & Interior (19323-1/35) This is the most comprehensive of the three sets, and it consists of two sheets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, a short length of styrene tubing, and two instrument panel faces, printed in duplicate on film and paper to add to your choices. The instructions are four pages long, and begins with the removal of much of the detail in the front of the Chariot’s cockpit, sanding away raised detail on the dash, the kick panel, two seat lugs on the floor, and the massive centre console. A new interior is then built, starting with the top of the centre console, which is folded into a shallow rectangular box with a dual layer instrument panel at the rear, set to the side while the largest part of the sheet is folded into shape to cover the console and both floor areas on either side. Extra tread-plated layers are added to the floor sections, with folded over returns linking the kick panel, gluing the console top to the assembly, and adding three detail parts to the rear of the left floor portion. The dash is next, angling the upper face and adding an extra layer, plus four inserts that are applied to the cut-outs in the part. This is lowered over the remains of the kit dash, while the console and floor parts with folded-up kick panels is slotted in from the rear. The computer console that is mounted in the right position is folded into a wedge-shape with supporting legs under the front, and holes for dials in the crew-facing surface, which lends itself to lighting from within. Your choice of film or paper dials is then applied over the holes, and is locked in place by adding the instrument panel surface over the top, which has bezels etched in around the cut-circular outs for added realism. The console is slotted into the right station after installing two diagonal inserts in the corners against the wall below the dash. The step to the rear of the new PE crew section is folded over at the top, and glues into position, adding a long hand-rail across the rear of the console, which is formed from an extended O-shape that is folded in half to add thickness. A scanner device is mounted on the console between the crew members, and this is detailed with a new section added to the underside to fill a gap in the kit part, along with a pair of grab-handles on the front sides. A box-like shape at the rear of the cabin has its raised circular detail removed, and is covered by a lid that is folded into a shallow open box, while the seat mounting posts are also removed from the kit floor, with the corresponding lugs on the underside of four of the six crew seats also removed, and replaced by a PE panel that has triangular strengthening webs between it and the 9mm length of styrene tubing that is cut from the length provided in the set for each one. On the top surface of all six of the seats, eight tabs are added around the perimeter of the cushions, and lap belts are folded up and draped over the cushions. The focus now switches to the exterior as promised, starting with the front of the Chariot, folding a mesh panel in half to create the lower grille, and curving another part to the same shape as the upper grille. The lower grille is then covered by another coarser diamond-patterned grille that has a protective panel curved under the front, and a long strip at the top that stretches across the width of the vehicle. The Robot gets a look-in too, adding replacement pincers to the ends of his concertina arms, rotating sensors on either side of his ‘head’, and lugs on his shoulders, replacing the chunky kit equivalents in the process. He also has his narrow tracks filed down and replaced by four strips that wrap around to the back under his track-units that hide the operator’s feet… sometimes badly. An astrodome is present on the roof of the Chariot, which has a new square surround folded into a shallow box with a large hole in the centre that receives the dome later, adding a top layer and two double-thickness grab-handles along one edge. The kit’s roof-mounted stowage rack has the solid sides removed along with several lugs denoted in red, leaving just the framework present, which is built into a rectangular frame that has a PE mesh floor inserted from below, with shallow folded-down sides, and a separate ribbing insert underneath. An L-shaped box is then made and attached to one side of the stowage rack, which supports one of the sensors after removing its mounting lug, and adding a textured surface to the flat rectangular sensor panel. Another radar-like assembly at the front of the roof has the kit’s moulded-in dish removed, bending a replacement from a circular PE part that has a section missing to help create the cone shape, mounting it to the remains of the kit radome, strengthening the joint with two large tapering supports at the rear, with lightening holes etched into them. Four handles are folded double to thicken them, and are applied to the two opening doors on each side. The access ladders on both sides of the Chariot have their lugs removed, and a doubled PE strap fitted between the top supports, which hook onto two brackets that are made from two parts each and are glued to the side of the vehicle between the two opening doors on each side. Accessories (20123-1/35) This set consists of seventeen items in grey resin, some of which share a casting block with others of a similar type. There are nine cases of various sizes with moulded-in handles, hinges and clasps around the edges of the opening, and stiffening ribs along the larger surfaces. Three vertical tubs with handles and clasps on their lids are on a single casting block, as are the five differently-sized bedroll elements, all of which are individually shaped to be more realistic. All these parts are sensibly mounted on their casting blocks, and should be simple to prepare once liberated from them. Sympathetic painting using your references will bring them to life, and where you place them is entirely your choice. Tracks (19223-1/35) This set will make a huge difference to the look of the model, which from the box has each track run moulded as a single part that includes the many road wheels, so you know it won’t be particularly detailed. There is a lot in this set, including twenty-four resin wheels and springs, four long PE track parts that form the base for the build, and two bags of track ribs, one containing 140 of one type, the other with 40 of a different design. The track ribs appear to be made from a very thin fibrous material that is possibly a thick card impregnated to strengthen it, and each part has been cut out very cleanly, possibly by a laser, although I could be jumping to conclusions to match the Sci-Fi theme. The instructions are simple but the build will be time consuming due to the number of parts involved, however it will be well-worth the effort. Each run of tracks is etched as air-gapped pairs within an outer frame, and the side frames are first folded up, creating an upstand that spaces the tracks from your desk while you glue the track ribs to the PE. The detail is etched into what becomes the underside of the tracks, which will be seen between the wheels, and is in no way a mistake, and you should ensure that the detail is facing down during construction. The ribs are laid out and glued into place using three of the shallower and more numerous parts, followed by one deeper part from the smaller bag, repeating this process until you reach the other end of the track run. The frame of the PE can then be cut away, and the finished track is wrapped around the wheel set, which consists of five identical road wheels with standard tyres you might find on a 1960s truck, plus a drive sprocket at the rear of each run, arranging the track so that the join is under the wheels for minimum visibility. This task is carried out again in mirror image for the other side of the Chariot, and all the wheels have a resin axle with a spring at the rear pushed into the holes in their rears, the hollow springs plugging into the kit’s location stubs on the sides of the body. The instructions don’t show the wheels on the model, but this is probably the easiest way to obtain the correct length and shape, wrapping the tracks around the wheels after fitting them to the lugs moulded into the model. You may have to reseat a few of the track ribs whilst bending them around the ends of the track runs, but if you remember the order in which they are applied and don’t over-glue them, no-one will know but you. The detail will be noticed by everyone however, as they look very impressive when finished. Conclusion It’s not all that often that a set comes in with the ability to make me purchase a model to go with it, but this one did. The level of detail it brings to the model is enormous, so extremely tempting, even though I was never a fan of Dr Smith’s malevolent campness. Don’t forget that these sets are also available separately if your budget or area of interest won’t stretch to the Fruity package. If you click the link below, you’ll be able to find them from there. Extremely highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Sorry to butt into this thread Rob, but I was admiring the huge amount of intricate metal work you've put in so far. I did notice however that some of the pics were loading slowly. I tested some of the pics, and while a few were a couple of hundred Kb, others were up to 2.4mb in size, which is pretty large when posting up on the internet, even in today's relatively fast broadband. You should be aiming to save your files to around 2-300kb maximum, give or take a bit. To accomplish this, you can reduce the size of your pics, as anything over the recommended 1024 x 800 or 1280 x 800 maximum we advise is wasted bandwidth and your own storage space usage. Most people view these pics on phones, tablets and 1080p screens, so huge photos of 5120 x 2131 px will have to be shrunk down by the forum software, creating unnecessary load on the server and delay for the user, as well as the extra bandwidth that is uses up on the wider internet on its way here (10x what's necessary). The downsides of this from a viewer's point of view is the waiting time before you can view the pics, and some people might get bored and click away, especially if they're not lucky enough to have fast broadband for whatever reason. From the server's point of view, it's wasteful of bandwidth, storage size, and it's wasteful of the server's processing resources due to the reduction in size, which means a slower experience for all of us. This isn't meant as a "telling off" BTW, more of a bit of useful advice to help you as well as help us. If you can size your pics to the recommended limits, we'll be really happy, and so will the members Keep up the good work

Kozak-001 (35015) 1:35 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd The Kozak series of vehicles are a Ukrainian-produced Mine Resistant Ambush Protected family that are based upon commercially available chassis, but are heavily modified with armour, some of which is under the crew compartment to deflect blast from a mine or IED. It was developed in response to a need for protected troop transports for reconnaissance, patrolling and other such tasks, and was first seen in 2014, although only a few proof-of-concept vehicles were made by Practika, in competition with several other types from other manufacturers, the Kozak going through to the next stage as one of the three that met the Ukrainian Army’s requirements. The original vehicle is based upon a heavily modified Iveco Eurocargo chassis, but the -001 design is based on the Iveco Daily, which has a shorter chassis, resulting in a more compact vehicle. Looking at any of the variants side-by-side you wouldn’t think they were related to any commercial platform, as the outward differences are so great. It doesn’t have a sharply V-shaped hull in the same respect that custom designs do, but most of the chassis’ length is protected by a shallower V-shaped armoured panel that underpins the crew compartment, and in concert with the anti-trauma seating that is installed within, it satisfies the needs of the Ukrainian forces in the event of an IED detonating underneath. The exposed wheel stations would likely be sacrificed in the blast, but the diversion of the explosive energy away from the crew is the key aspect. After the initial design, and subsequent production of the Kozak-001, the improved Kozak-2 was developed, incorporating a weapons station on the roof that allows the operator protection from small-arms fire, with vision slots that are protected by armoured glass in each of the side wall panels, plus a splinter-guard with more vision slots at the front, through which the machine gun projects, either mounting an NSV heavy machine gun, or another 7.62mm weapon, depending on availability and mission requirements. The Kozak-2 entered service in 2017, and has seen plenty of active service since the invasion of Ukraine that began on 24th of February 2022. The Kit This is a reboxing of a brand-new tooling from ICM of the Kozak-2 with new parts to backdate it, and has been made in cooperation with the vehicle’s manufacturers Practika, as noted on the box top in the top right, which bodes well. The kit arrives in a top-opening box, with a captive flap on the lower tray, and inside are seven sprues of grey styrene, two identical clear sprues, a bag containing five flexible black plastic tyres, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) of a copper-coloured metal, decal sheet, and the instruction booklet that is printed in colour on glossy paper, and has profiles on the rear pages to help with painting and decaling. Detail is excellent, and as it’s a home-grown product, local knowledge will have come in very handy, as will their proximity for fact checking, although the vehicles have been rather busy of late, working tirelessly to recover areas of their country still under occupation. Construction begins with the chassis rails, which have a leaf-spring attached to the front, and two double-leaf arrangements that are each made from two halves at the rear. Small armour plates and other parts are fitted to the frontmost rail sides, then the cross-members are built, with two under the engine bay, a central four-part transfer box at the midpoint, a tough braced bar behind that, and another at the rear. Under the rear suspension is an additional cross-rail, plus a braced rail that has a pair of two-part tanks applied, one on each side before mounting. The solid floor pan is detailed with a three-part representation of the underside of the engine and sump, then the chassis rails are mated to the underside on tabs, adding a short drive-shaft that links the transmission to the transfer box, ready for when the axles are completed. The front axle is a thick assembly with differential bulge near the centre, which is made from two halves, and has the rear of the hubs attached at the ends, and a damper bar that joins to the chassis via links, and the drive-shaft that links it to the transfer box. A steering actuator and two armoured plates are fitted over the newly mounted axle, adding two dampers to the rear, and a C-shaped linkage that joins the two hubs together. The rear axle is built from four parts, and is much bulkier than the front, as are the hub assemblies, which are each three parts. This is then glued to the leaf-springs, adding dampers, drive-shaft, damper bar, another cross-member, and a towing shackle at the rear. The interior of the Kozak-001, the name of which, if you haven’t already guessed means ‘Cossack’, is a spartan compartment that is designed for a purpose and nothing more, keeping weight and clutter to a minimum, as well as reducing the likelihood of small parts becoming projectiles in the event of an IED detonation. The crew seats are built first, making the back from cushion and backrest, then adding this to the base cushion and two concertina-style side panels, plus front and rear sections, taking care to line up the concertina elements to minimise clean-up. An adjustment lever is fixed under the front edge, and you should bear in mind that the seats are handed, so take care to fix the correct one to the tread-plated floor on its guide-slots. A small gear lever is made from two halves and inserted into the centre console, which is moulded into the floor. The dash is a single moulding with three decals that has the three pedals glued into the lower portion, then has the multi-part steering wheel, column and separate stalks fitted on the left side, with a gaiter and hi/low ratio knob mounted in the centre of the dash low down. The dash is mounted on a central locating guide in front of the crew seats, and behind and between them a four-part rack with crew step/jump seat that has anti-slip tread-plate moulded into it, and acts as the support for the gunner when he is in action, folding away when not in use to keep obstruction to a minimum. Two individual passenger seats are built with two-part backs, adding tubular frames to the sides and head-rest that helps prevent crew displacement, flail and neck injuries, fixing onto the seat cushion that has more U-shaped tubes glued underneath that project up and help keep the sitter’s body in position in case of a sharp sideways jolt. A back frame and a pair of shock-absorbing tubes attach the frame to the deck behind the driving crew, facing forward. The other six seats are fitted centrally in an island formation with three on each side facing sideways. The base cushions are all moulded as a single linked unit, to which the lower tubes are fitted, adding two central supports in the space between them, then adding the seat backs, which are built identically and at the same time as the first pair. This assembly is then mounted on a pair of raised rectangular areas of the floor, ready for the body to be built up. The vehicle sides are one part each, and cover the entire length of the chassis, adding radiused bullet-proof windows in the sides, a foot-plate at the front, and drilling out three 1mm holes as indicated in a scrap diagram nearby, which also advises the removal of two loops on the top of the parts. An interior skin is prepared by adding grab-handles and weapon stowage clips under the windows, with the inner face of the shooting loupes moulded into the surface. The laminated right side is offered up to the chassis, adding the front wing liner and inner panel to the engine bay at the same time, then doing the same for the left side, before working on the windscreen panel, which has two panes inserted into the frames, and two instruments applied to the centre frame on the inside. This is mated to the bonnet and two windscreen wiper blades are fitted into pockets in the bonnet before joining the two. The rear bulkhead has an inner and outer skin, then has the multi-part bumper and clear light clusters applied to the lower edge. It would be a good idea to prepare the front and rear panels at the same time as the sides, not just for ease of painting, but also to ensure that the side panels are mounted to the correct angle and can’t sag while the glue cures. The roof has four small parts fitted to the underside before it is glued in place, completed with a pair of moulded-in escape hatches and the circular cut-out for the roof-mounted weapons station. The grille is fitted to the front of the vehicle, and has a thick bumper with moulded-in reflectors for the clear lights that are installed and painted with suitable clear shades, then have protective cages folded from PE parts, with a winch housing between them. The front skirt is made from two layers and has small sensors fitted into recesses, then is assembled on the front with the bumper, and a cow-catcher that is built from eight parts, including three horizontal slats that protect the grille. The Kozak-001 has four side doors, two on each side for the driving crew and front passengers, all of which have inner and outer skins plus glazing, with grab handles fitted inside, and handles on the outside, while the front doors have wing mirrors on large C-shaped tubular frames, and the rear doors have a circular cut-out that doubles as firing loupe for the front passengers. The rear doors are similar in construction, but with a smaller fixed window near the top, inserting into the frames at the rear. All doors can be posed open or closed as you please. Inverting the model allows fitting of the anti-mine keel panel, which has the ends closed off to prevent ingress of the explosive wavefront to maximise its effectiveness in diverting the blast laterally. Mudflaps are added to the rear of the front wheels, and on both sides of the rear wheels, then the wheels are made to fill the arches. The spare tyre is built first, adding a two-part hub from either side of the flexible tyres, and mounting it under the body at the rear. The rear pair of wheels have a slightly different pair of hub halves inserted from each side, and then have a choice of two styles of dust covers fixed over the outer face. The front wheels have similar two-part hubs, with an additional centre insert, and the same choice of dust covers over the front. They all fit onto their appropriate axles, but don’t put the model on its wheels just yet. There are a pair of crew steps to be fitted onto the keel panels under the rearmost side door on both sides, then the model is turned right-side up for all the external detail to be added to it. The first item is a searchlight, which has a clear lens and styrene rear, mounting on the right wing in front of a small part near the scuttle. A perforated mount for the pioneer tools is filled with four hand-tools before it is mounted on the right rear of the body. A two-part cage is closed around the searchlight, and is completed by adding two top bars, and a bracket that stands out past the side of the wing for another mirror that is added later. Under the tools a pair of three-part brackets are mounted on recesses, and on the opposite side a pair of towing bars are fitted under the windows on pins. Two small lifting eyes are glued to the scuttle, and an LED lamp with armoured shroud fits into a pair of recesses on the left wing. What looks like a tubular convoy light in a shroud is added to the centre above the rear doors, and five rungs are glued to the left side of the rear for access to the roof, with a sixth on a bracket that hangs down below the bodywork, adding a jerrycan in its holder to the left. Grab handles are fitted between and above the side doors, on the roof above the ladder, and on the front and sides of the bonnet to ease access to all the horizontal panels, and on the right flank, a cage is fixed to the body for another jerry can. The detailing is still far from over though, as the wing-mounted indicators and roof-line repeaters are positioned, with the more exposed lower wing lights protected by four half-torus PE guards that create a cage around them on both sides. PE cages are added around the rear lights too, bending the ends to match the profile, then adding a pair of stirrups below the back doors. The left door frame accepts a two-part exhaust that allows the vehicle to plough through water up to a metre deep without stopping to prepare. The machine gun turret is based on a ring under the floor, which has triangular supports for the side panels moulded-in, fitting two grab-handles to the inside of the hatch before installing it in the D-shaped cut-out. The two side armour panels have their bullet-proof windows inserted from inside, and are then assembled onto the base, adding an Y-frame support for the machine gun, which needs a 0.8mm hole drilling to accept the weapon, moulded with a separate spent-brass dump bag on the left, and with a three-part ammo box on the right, adding a folded bipod under the barrel, an adjustment lever on the vertical support, and another part affixed to the breech. The completed gun is then lowered onto the mount, securing its pin in the hole drilled earlier, then finishing off by adding a rear-view mirror on a bracket on the left side. The completed assembly then drops into the cut-out and is rotated to lock it in place. Markings There are four options on the decal sheet, all with a base coat of green, and various camouflages applied over the top. From the box you can build one of the following: Kyiv, 2016 Odessa, October 2016 Eastern Operational Territorial Unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, Autumn, 2019 South Eastern Ukraine, Autumn, 2022 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion it’s good to see that Ukraine’s military equipment being kitted for us modellers, so we can show support in some small way for their fight. It’s a good-looking kit, and apart from adding some window blinds, strap for the top gunner, and a few cables in the passenger compartment, it’s an excellent rendition of the type. Hopefully, we’ll see some of the other variants in the future. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

I did some tidying up of the paint the other night, putting down very fine outlines in dark grey around the more messy shapes (which do resemble the profiles to an extent), and then proceeded to the decals, whilst working on the weapons and tanks under the wings. Unbeknownst to me, one of the decals had been damaged and came apart when I release it from the sheet, and I wasn't able top recover it. I removed the other fuselage cross with tape, but it brought the the top layer of paint off too. I wasn't happy with the underwing crosses either, and I can't remember why now, but I removed those, and they decided to leave their black bits behind. I'm not one to have a paddy when a model-related thing goes wrong though, so I left the model for the day, and worked on the X-4 missiles, as they have quite a few colours applied to them. Tonight after I got in, I tidied up the areas that would need repainting, and just as I'd finished laying down a mist-coat over one of the L-shapes of the fuselage roundel, I remembered to take a few pics of the damage, but with my phone and on the dirtiest piece of kitchen roll I've ever used. I think I must have spilt my coffee on it earlier With that bit of modelling honesty (copyright me, 2024), I finished off repainting those areas with the tire black I'd used earlier, with very little in the way of drama. My Gunze PS-770 is just brilliant for very fine work, although my nozzle is the original, and needs replacing due to wear. Turns out I have one in stock, so I'm going to chuck that in at next colour change, and see if that improves the finesse. I should probably change the needle, but I need one of those and a spare, so I'd better get ordering. More money As it happens, I decanted the modulation mix into a dropper bottle just in case it was needed later, and I'm now glad I did. Fortuitous, eh? Once this coat is properly dry, I'll noodle it on, and then see whether I've got an decals I can use to replace the lost ones. For the record, I'd say some of the decals are a bit oversized, as they only just fit on the model - check out the swastika on the tail. It was supplied in two halves, and it's MAFFISS! Not to worry though.

Not surprising. Mine was a lowly 2L petrol, but I drove it like a maniac

Now if someone would do that in 1:12 I'd be there

I picked one of these up a few months ago. I used to drive a V40 many years ago after my Vauxhall got mashed on the M6 by a couple of lorries, so it's as close as I'm likely to get to reliving my first trip snowboarding

I was thinking about the shielding of a possible "helper" motor in the garage that could be used with additional hosing to boost the output out of the garage through the soffit or somewhere else. I probably didn't make that clear, but that's what was going round in my head

de Havilland Tiger Moth (A04104A) 1:48 Airfix The de Havilland Tiger Moth was one of the most important and widely produced trainer aircraft to have seen service with the RAF. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland himself in the 1930s and was based on the Gypsy Moth, suitably redesigned to meet Air Ministry Specification 13/31. In comparison to its predecessor, the Tiger Moth's wings were swept and repositioned, and the cockpits were redesigned to make escape easier. The airframe was also strengthened and the engine exhaust system was redesigned. The Tiger Moth entered service with the RAF in 1932 and remained in use until well after the war. Over 8,000 examples were completed, and the type also served with the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force as well as a great many other military and civilian operators. In service it proved itself to be ideally suited to its role, being easy enough to fly, but challenging enough to weed out the weaker students. It was also cheap and easy to maintain. Further variants would be the DH.82C fitted with an enclosed hood for cold weather operations in Canada, and the Queen Bee, which was an unmanned radio-controlled target drone that resulted in a thinning of the herd of surviving airframes. Always popular with civilian users, many Tiger Moths found their way into private ownership after the War, with many maintained in flying condition to this day. The Kit This is a reboxing with new decals of the 2019 tooling that made many quarter-scale modellers very happy. We didn’t get chance to review the original release, so it’s good to finally see one in the photo booth. The kit arrives in a suitably sized red-themed top-opening box with some dramatic artwork on the top, depicting the last landing of a biplane on a British Carrier in 1964, which involved HMS Eagle and an airframe from Britannia Royal Naval College in Plymouth wearing a silver dope and dayglo striped scheme, as shown here. Inside the box are three sprues of dark grey styrene, a small clear sprue, decal sheet and the instruction booklet that is printed in colour on matt paper, with painting and decaling profiles on the rear pages, plus a comprehensive rigging guide that extends to two pages of the booklet. Detail is as we’ve come to expect from Airfix, including restrained scalloping of the fabric surfaces, detailed cockpit and even an engine details inside the nose with the option to open one side of the cowling, and the afore mentioned rigging diagram should go a long way to calm any modellers that are rigging-phobic. Construction begins with the cockpit floor, fitting the rear seat and bulkhead, then making up the front seat and its bulkhead, which is a strange shape due to the seat being half-buried in the bulkhead, giving both crew a control column before it is inserted into the port fuselage after doing some detail painting, ensuring that a tab on the front of the floor fully latches in a slot moulded into the firewall in the fuselage halves. A set of rods are inserted into the half engine moulded into the port fuselage, with a scrap diagram showing it from the front, then the two instrument panels with their dial decals are painted and installed in front of each crew member, again after detail painting. The starboard fuselage side has a pair of crew doors moulded into it, but with the perimeters thinned to ease cutting them out if you wish to open them, although you don’t need to retain the cut-out doors, as extra parts are included on the sprues. Engine detail is glued to the flat side of the engine moulded into the fuselage half, and if you plan to use an Airfix stand, there are two flashed-over holes under the cockpit that you can cut out, painting the sidewall detail before you close the fuselage halves and deal with the seams. A curved fairing is fitted to a depression in the port side of the fuselage behind the engine, and on the starboard side the exhaust is attached to the engine, then after drilling a 0.4mm hole in the firewall, the A-frame engine mount is fitted over the engine details after painting and weathering them according to your taste. A top cowling panel is mounted over the top of the motor, fixing the front cowling with intake port and prop fairing, fitting the lower and port engine cowlings in the closed position, then deciding whether to open the starboard cowling to expose the engine detail, or closing it using the same part, a scrap diagram showing its opening angle. A jig is found on sprue C, and is mounted over the tail without glue, which allows you to remove a shallow section of the fuselage top to accommodate the strakes added to the elevators of decal option A. The instructions show it from two angles to assist you, and a file icon suggests what to use to remove this area. After you are happy with the job you’ve done removing the plastic, the elevators with strakes are glued in place for option A, and a different part without strakes is used for option B. Both tail styles are supported by diagonal struts that pin at both ends, plugging the rudder into the rear of the fuselage and adding a tail skid with the aid of a scrap diagram nearby that shows the assembly from another angle. The lower wings are moulded as a single part that is linked by a narrow section that slots into a groove in the fuselage underside. Once the glue is cured, cabane struts are mounted vertically on the curved fuselage sides, preparing the upper wing by adding a ribbed fuel tank on the centre section, then flipping it over to slot the interplane struts into grooves moulded into the wing surfaces. You might wish to align the upper wing with the model while the glue cures, and once everything is set, the two wings can be glued together, ignoring the rigging aspect of this model for the time-being. A scrap diagram shows how the cabane struts fit into grooves in the underside of the upper wing, either side of the fuel tank. The instructions suggest you apply the underwing codes before fitting the aileron actuators that are mounted under the wings, although the decals stop short of interfering with these parts on the diagram, then a handle-shaped part is fixed on the fuselage underside between the wings. The landing gear is created from a bridged W-shaped main strut, which is braced by a pair of diagonal forward struts, one on each side, adding another smaller pair behind the legs while slotting the single-part wheels onto the axles. Turning the model over onto its wheels for the first time, a vent is added to the fuel tank, and a choice of two prop styles are pinned to the front of the model by a separate part, which can be left mobile if you are careful with the glue. Returning to the cockpit, padded coamings are fitted to the front of the cockpit openings, adding faceted windscreens to slots in the top of the fuselage, then if you have cut out the crew doors, two new door parts are installed in the open position, leaving ‘just’ the rigging left to do. Most biplane modellers have their own preferred method for rigging their models, and here Airfix have provided two pages of diagrams to assist with the process, which would be most useful for anyone not familiar with the task. The Tiger Moth isn’t overly complex in its rigging either, so if anyone was thinking of joining the biplane community, this could be a good kit to start your journey with. Markings There are two decal options included on the sheet, with suitably different markings and schemes to broaden its appeal. From the box you can build one of the following: BB852/E, Britannia Flight, Britannia Royal Naval College, Roborough, Plymouth, Devon, 1st July 1965, the last biplane to land on a British carrier (HMS Eagle) No.9 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School, RAF Ansty, Warwickshire, England, October 1940 Please note that the Dayglo Orange decals above appeared light pink after scanning, so the colour has been approximated by eye and reference to a photo taken on an iPhone in PhotoShop Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt carrier film on the dayglo orange decals, and gloss carrier film everywhere else, cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A welcome re-release for those that didn’t manage to pick the kit up first time around, or just wanted another kit, while the new decals add extra interest, especially the last biplane to land on a British carrier, which will be a bright model thanks to the dayglo stripes, which aren’t pink on the sheet, I promise. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Oh?

There can be only one!

I've moved this into chat, as it shouldn't be in aviation, as it's a missing part query that just happens to be from an aircraft.

As long as your loft has got a way to vent the fumes through the soffits, it shouldn't be too much of an issue, provided the garage next door is your own I would be wary of what the vapours and particles are likely to drop on however, as if you don't have a ceiling in your garage it could well ruin anything below. I'd consider running an extension tube to an outlet, but you may need to add a booster pump to keep the airflow going if it's a long way. Getting it outside is the best method, which is why I took the plunge and bought a hole saw for my spray booth and aircon unit in the workshop. Be wary of flammable fumes and un-shielded motors though, which can be a bad mix that blowtorches your garage loft. Anything for use with a kitchen extractor will have to be specified to cope with 'natural' gas fumes, so should in theory be safe. I've been using an inverted cooker hood since before I started the forum and haven't exploded yet, so I reckon mine at least is safe As a final word, we're a family friendly forum, so swears and mis-spelt or obfuscated swears are a no-no. Just so you know

Squadron went bust, which might explain its loss. I use Tamiya Basic Putty, which is solvent based, but I also use super glue, Milliput, and occasionally other epoxy resins too. Large gaps are where epoxy does best, and super glue is great where structural strength is needed, especially if you need to scribe after filling.

German Tank Riders – Ardennes 1944 (35411) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd Getting a lift on a tank was a treat for the foot-soldier that occasionally turned sour if their lift came under fire from an enemy tank, especially if the turret starts to rotate and the crew begins using the main gun. Sometimes they’d ride into battle on the back of a tank, using the turret as temporary cover until it came time to dismount, usually off the rear avoiding the exhausts, other times it was a case of sitting somewhere flat on the hull of the tank for a well-earned rest, and saving some boot-tread whilst still getting from A to Battle. During winter periods, especially in the freezing cold of the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge, a seat on the warm engine deck would be prime real-estate, helping to defend against the biting cold that required heavy uniforms and great-coats, of which the Nazi invaders were woefully short. The Set This set arrives in a figure-sized box with a painting of the four figures that are depicted on the front, and annotated portions of the painting with part numbers and colour call-outs added to facilitate construction and painting of the figures. Inside the box are seven sprues in grey styrene, the sprues having wisps of flash here and there, although very little encroaches on the parts themselves. The parts for each figure are found in separate sprues for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up. The sculpting is typically excellent, as we’ve come to expect from MiniArt’s artists and tool-makers, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model. There are three sprues that are devoted completely to a substantial quantity of accessories that include Small Arms, Stahlhem helmets, pistols in and out of holsters, ammo pouches, bags, satchels and map cases, water bottles, ribbed cylindrical gas mask canisters, entrenching tools, and bayonets in and out of scabbards. The weapons range from MP40s, Karabiner Kar 98k rifles, Walther P38, and an MG42 with various magazine options, open or closed bipods, and a length of link that can be carefully heat-formed to shape. The colour call-outs on the rear of the box are given in Vallejo, Mr.Color, AK RealColor, Mission Models, AMMO, Tamiya, plus swatches and colour names to assist with choosing your colours. These refer to the blue colour numbers on the paintings above the chart. Conclusion Another realistic set of figures for your late war German AFV projects, with so many accessories you’ll be spoilt for choice. Detail and sculpting is first rate, and what we’ve come to expect from MiniArt. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Rando. First name Some?

That's the right attitude George!

Hurricane Mk.IIc Jubilee & 3D Parts (40006) 1:48 Arma Hobby The Hawker Hurricane was one of Britain's foremost fighters of WWII, and although overshadowed by the more graceful and slender Spitfire during the Battle of Britain, it was a capable aircraft that was available in large numbers, and achieved more than its fair share of kills during the conflict. It went on to see service to the end of the war, but was relegated to less onerous tasks as technology leapt forward resulting in faster, more agile aircraft that came on stream on both sides of the conflict. The type originated in the early 30s and first took to the sky in 1935, despite the Air Ministry’s tepid reaction to monoplanes at the time, and it was an aircraft that set standards for fighters that followed it, being a monoplane with a predominantly metal airframe, retractable landing gear, an enclosed cockpit and of course the delightfully powerful and throaty Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Compared to the Spitfire it was a little old-fashioned, starting out with a fabric-covered ‘rag’ wing that was eventually replaced by an all-metal aerofoil, and it was less aerodynamically streamlined, with a thicker wing and overall chunkier, blunt appearance. Although the wing was replaced by a metal aerofoil later, it retained the fabric rear fuselage and as such was able to have minor damage repaired quickly and easily, compared to the Spitfire that would have to go back to a repair facility for structurally insignificant through-and-through bullet damage. A fabric patch followed by a few coats of dope, and the Hurri would be back to the fray, which endeared it both to its pilots and ground crew alike. By the time the improvements to the airframe resulted in the Mk.IIC, it was tasked with ground attack, taking out German tanks, which weren’t as easy to crack as first expected, because 20mm cannon shells would often ricochet off the frontal and side armour, and bombing a relatively small target such as a tank was a matter of pure luck, all while the enemy poured lead in your general direction. It was withdrawn from front-line fighter service at this stage of the war, as by then the enemy aircraft outclassed it in most respects, so it carried on in ground-attack, night fighter and intruder roles where it excelled, without unnecessary exposure to enemy fighters. It was succeeded by the D that mounted a pair of 40mm cannon in gondolas under the wings, increasing its offensive power appreciably, at which point it acquired the nickname ‘The Flying Can Opener’, adding additional frontal armour to the airframe that was exposed during the run-in to target. They carried on in that role until the Typhoon came into service, which was capable of doing the job faster and more efficiently without the worry of being bounced by enemy fighters that outclassed it. The Kit This is a special edition boxing of the new tooling from Arma Hobby, which was one that many 1:48 modellers had been waiting for, as their 1:72 kits have a reputation for excellent detail, with the inference being that in a larger scale the detail would be even better. Spoiler Alert: It is, and the detail is present in spades! The kit arrives in an end-opening box with a sturdy tray inside that prevents the dreaded crushing in storage. The painting of a cannon armed fighter with flying over mixed Allied armour and troops disembarking from landing craft is dramatic and well-executed, with the side profiles of the decal options on the rear of the box. It depicts Operation Jubilee, which was the official codename for the Dieppe raid that is generally considered a failure, but despite the heavy losses, which extended to the pilots and aircraft of the RAF escorting the landing, it taught the Allies many lessons that were used to good effect on D-Day, probably saving many lives and helping to secure the beachhead. The package has the same design cues and layout as the 1:72 boxes, so you almost feel like you have shrunk when handling it. Inside the box is a cardboard tray that contains three sprues of grey styrene, a clear sprue, a sheet of pre-cut yellow kabuki-tape masks, special 3D printed parts in four separate Ziploc bags, and an instruction booklet that is printed on glossy paper in colour, with colour profiles on the rearmost pages. Detail is everything we have come to expect from Arma, with crisp engraved panel lines, fine raised rivets, restrained fabric scalloping effect on the fuselage rear, and plenty of raised and recessed features that should result in a superb model if care is taken during building and painting. If this is your first Arma kit, you should know that they have a technique of adding stiffening ribs and stringers inside their kits, and they hide away their ejector-pins in places that won’t be seen, usually with a circle of tiny turrets around them. They are usually placed so that they can be left intact without affecting assembly, but if they do need to be removed, you’ll be advised in the instructions. Construction begins with the lower wing for a change, drilling out holes applicable to whether you intend to fit bombs or drop-tanks under the wings of your model. The holes are marked in red for tanks, and blue for bombs, which is helpful, and the diagrams are accompanied by a little explanatory text that advises that the bombs aren’t used in the decal options of this boxing, catering to those that might want to use aftermarket decals. The gear bay is created from a well-detailed section of spar that has a pair of retraction jacks and a pressurised cylinder applied to it, then has the remaining walls and their ribs mated to it and covered by the bay roof, feeding a brass-painted hose through the bay once completed. Attention then shifts to the cockpit for a moment, building the seat from four parts, which is supplied with decal seatbelts and is glued to the rear bulkhead for later installation in the cockpit, unless you prefer to use the 3D printed seats, which have belts moulded-in, cutting down on the number of parts whilst adding excellent detail. We return to the wing again, removing the drop-tank location points for one decal option, and cutting a new rectangular hole nearby, filling in the original with a piece of scrap styrene or filler whilst you are there. The gear bay assembly is glued into the full-span upper wing, adding another short spar closer to the rear, then joining them together after removing a short length of the ridge behind the landing light bays to achieve a better fit for their inserts. Now we learn why we didn’t build the entire cockpit earlier, as it is built in the space between the wings once they are completed, starting with the control linkage and frame, with the foot rests/trays over the top, and a small lever glued to a cross-member on the left. The side frames are painted and inserted at the perimeter, locating in slots in the upper wing centre, and these are joined by the rudder pedals on a central mount, and a V-frame that stiffens the assembly. The control column is built from three parts and includes the linkages that lead aft under the pilot’s seat, which is inserted last over the V-braces at the rear, locating on more slots in the upper wing. Flipping the wing over, a pair of rods are inserted into the bays, their location shown by another drawing that highlights them in blue. The instrument panel is next, with raised details depicting the instrument bezels and other switches, with a decal included for it and the compass that fits between two legs under the panel, which you are advised to cut into sections for an easier fit. It is glued into the starboard fuselage half with a pair of small pieces of equipment, with six more in the port side, and the option to pose the foot step on the exterior skin in the lowered position, which is a nice touch. There is also a decal for a pair of dials moulded into the fuselage sidewall. With that, the fuselage halves can be brought together, seams dealt with, and then carefully mated with the wings, taking care not to damage the lovely detail in the cockpit. Two vents are removed on the port side of the fuselage low down near the root fairing for the included decal options. If you plan on modelling your canopy closed, you should also cut away the rails as indicated in red on a scrap diagram at this stage to allow the closed canopy to fit firmly. The underside of the fuselage has an insert with the tail-wheel fairing moulded-in, hinting at Sea Hurricanes in the future. The central radiator housing has its core made from front and rear sections with the matrix texture moulded-in, and a circular insert with hosing, all of which is glued to the underside of the fuselage and covered by the cowling that is made from body, intake lip and cooling flap at the rear, locating in a shallow recess in the lower wing that has a horseshoe flange with fasteners to add to the detail. The tail wheel inserts in the hole under the rear of the fuselage, adding a full-span elevator panel with separate flying surfaces that fills the recess in the top of the tail, fitting the two-part fin to a stepped lug in the fairing, and fixing the rudder to the rear, allowing all the tail surfaces to be posed deflected if you wish. The main gear legs are made from a strut with a retraction jack moulded-in, and another added to the rear, plus a captive bay door that fits on the outboard side, and a two-part wheel fitted on the inner axle. There is a choice of two styles of gun camera fairing in the starboard wing leading edge that uses two different parts, and your choice depends on which decal option you have chosen. There are clear lenses to cover the landing lights, and the clear wingtip lights have a recess in their mating surface that you can add some green or red paint to in order to depict the bulb before you glue them in position. The gunsight and clear lens are glued to a recess in the cockpit coaming at this stage, taking care not to disturb it before the windscreen is installed. There is a choice of two styles of cannon barrels, using either the styrene parts from the kit, or replacing them with the more detailed 3D printed parts that accompany this boxing. While the model is inverted, a pitot probe and crew step are added to the port underside, and a clear recognition light is inserted just behind the radiator, painting it a clear amber. The rest of the work on the airframe is done with the model resting on its wheels (if you’ve fitted them yet), installing a choice of two styles of 3D printed exhausts and mounting blisters in recesses in the nose cowling, a pair of glare-hiding strakes in a straight line between the exhausts and the pilot’s eyeline for two decal options, and an aerial mast in the spine behind the cockpit, cutting off the little triangular spur near the top, and the short post on the fin for all options in this kit. A two-part intake is fitted under the chin, and a choice of two styles of prop are included for the different decal options, using the same blade part, but substituting different front and back spinner parts, plus a washer inside the spinner that can be glued carefully to allow the prop to remain mobile after building. To close the canopy, part T2 is used, but if you intend to leave the canopy slid back, a slightly wider part is supplied, marked T3, with pre-cut masks provided for all options, as well as the wheel hubs and landing lights. As already mentioned, drop-tanks are included for this boxing, built from two halves that trap the location pegs between them, and have a small stencil for one side, only to be used for one decal option. The instructions also show the bombs being built up from four parts each, along with their pylons, even though they also tell you they’re not used for any options in this boxing. Again, if you are using aftermarket decals, these may be of use to you. Check your references to be sure. Markings There are three quite different options on the decal sheet, each having a full page of colour profiles at the back of the instruction booklet, with letter codes corresponding to a table on the front page that gives codes for Hataka, AK RealColor, AMMO, Humbrol, Vallejo and Tamiya ranges, which should be sufficient for most of us, although FS numbers are also included for most colours to help you further. From the box you can build one of the following: BE500/LK-A, 87 Sqn., RAF Tangmere, Operation Jubilee, Pilot: Sqn.Ldr. D G Smallwood and Flt.Lt. A H Thom Z3081/FT-V ‘Baron Dhanis’, 43 Sqn., RAF Tangmere, Operation Jubilee, Pilot: Sqn.Ldr. D A R G Le Roy du Viver (Belgium) BD867/QO-Y, No.3 Sqn., RAF Hunsdon, Autumn 1941, Shot down during Operation Jubilee, Pilot: Sgt. Stirling David Banks (RCAF) Dec’d Decals are by Techmod, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A fabulously well detailed model that shows amazing attention to detail, and deserves to be the new de facto standard in this scale. The addition of 3D printed parts takes it to even higher levels that have been hitherto unavailable from an out-of-box build. VERY highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Street Workers (38081) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd This set depicts a trio of street workers, not to be confused with a similar group of people, often referred to as the oldest profession. These are people whose work is done on the street, and it includes a street-sweeper, a newspaper seller, and a lamp-lighter, from the days when street lamps were gas-powered, a power source that lingered longer into the 20th century around Europe than you’d possibly think. Inside the figure-sized box are five sprues in grey styrene, the longest of which is nipped into two parts at the factory to allow it to fit inside the box, plus a pair of clear sprues, with a glossy sheet of instructions for the accessories that are included with the set. The parts for each figure are found on separate sprues for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up. The sculpting is typically excellent, as we’ve come to expect from MiniArt’s artists and tool-makers, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model. The street-sweeper is holding a long-handled Besom broom with a traditional bundled stick head, akin to a witches’ broom, made from two parts. For a good join, a small hole could be drilled in the head of the broom to accept the shaft, cutting it to the desired length. The lamp-lighter has one leg either side of the ladder (not health & safety approved), and has his arms above his head opening or closing the lamp head, while the paper seller is wearing a bibbed skirt and jacket, with her hair flowing over her shoulders in a 30-40s style, and a three-part stack of papers in her arms. The accessory sprues provide parts to create a step ladder for the lamp-lighter to reach the street lamp, which is also included. The ladder is made from the two sides plus a top step, while the lamp is built from a two-part bottom section and a fluted upper with perpendicular cross-rail ‘lollipops’ across the top that were commonly used by lamp-lighters if they were using a straight ladder. The lamp itself is made from two faceted clear parts for the glazing, and a styrene top-cap with ferrule on top, fitting a clear bulb to a hexagonal base that is linked to the post by a four-legged bracket underneath. There are more parts on the sprue, including an ornate suspension bracket for a lamp or a large clock, the parts for the latter also found on the long sprue. There are no clock-face decals as it’s not an official part of the set, but you could try printing your own if you have the skills. Conclusion Another realistic, life-like figure set with plenty of accessories from MiniArt that will be perfect for a diorama setting. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Nice work John. Makes me want to build another one myself

Tiger I Early Production ‘Battle of Kharkov’ (BT-034) 1:35 Border Model via Albion Alloys The Tiger tank was part of Hitler's obsession for bigger, heavier and stronger, which drove him to extraordinary and dizzying heights of impracticality at times, but in this case served him reasonably well. The goal was to mount the extremely powerful and accurate 88mm cannon used in the Flak 36 in a tank with sufficient armour to withstand any artillery round then-fielded by the enemy. This series of objectives were achieved, but at the cost of reliability and a prodigious thirst for fuel. It also made for some nervous bridge-crossings, as the finished article weighed in at almost 60 tonnes, which was too much for many smaller bridges of the day. A deep-water fording kit was created to get around that issue, allowing the tanks to ford streams and smaller rivers where the bridges or culverts wouldn’t take their weight. A competition was held with only two contenders on Hitler’s birthday, and it was the ignominy of the filmed breakdown of the Porsche designed prototype and subsequent fire that decided him in favour of the less ambitious Henschel design which became the Tiger, and then the Tiger I after the King Tiger or Tiger II came into being. When it first reached the front it caused panic and heavy losses for the Allies, being capable of almost everything it was designed to do, including knocking out tanks long before the enemy's guns were able to get within range. Even when the Allies could get their own guns into range, it wasn't until they got much closer, almost to point-blank range, that they had any measurable chance of crippling or destroying the mighty Tiger, especially during frontal engagements, where a shot might just ricochet off harmlessly. Many of the early Tigers were lost to mechanical breakdown due to excessive strain on the transmission caused by excessive weight, and often had to either be dragged off the field by Famo half-tracks under the cover of darkness under armoured protection, or failing that, destroyed by demolition charges to prevent them falling into the enemy's hands. The Tiger underwent constant changes throughout production to improve performance, fix problems, simplify and cheapen construction, but these are generally lumped together into early, middle or late productions for the sake of the remaining sanity of us modellers. If you want to get maximum accuracy of fit and finish, check your references for certainty. The Kit This is a variant of a new tooling from Border Model with some different sprues, and while some may be thinking “do we need another Tiger?”, other people’s Tigers don’t make any money for Border, and it’s a perennially popular subject, so should be a money-earner to support other more esoteric projects. This boxing represents early production of the vehicle that would have been seen at the battle of Kharkov, with Feifel air filters that were installed on the rear bulkhead, and other early equipment and appendages that were later dropped altogether, or amended in light of experience, or the need to simplify construction to get more examples into battle sooner. It arrives in a top-opening box, with a painting of a snow-smattered Tiger in wintery terrain, about to either pull up near or run over a German soldier that appears to be studying a map. Inside the box are nine sprues, the turret and the lower hull in grey styrene, some of which are amalgamations of smaller sprues joined together with runners, a clear sprue, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE), turned aluminium barrel, decal sheet, and the instruction booklet that is printed in portrait A4 on glossy paper, with spot colour throughout, and colour profiles on the rear pages that have been penned for them by AMMO, using their paint codes. Detail is good, and it is an exterior-only kit, although some internal areas are given attention despite this. The surface detail is crisp and well-moulded, but they have elected not to depict the subtle rolled-steel texture that is often seen on armour, possibly because a great many German tanks were covered with Zimmerit anti-magnetic mine paste, or because it’s simple (if time-consuming) to depict the rolled-steel texture yourself with some basic tools and liquid glue, allowing you to be as subtle or as coarse as you like with the texture. Construction begins with the lower hull, which has a pair of circular inspection hatches added into recesses under the rear, two torch-cut towing eyes at the rear of the hull sides, which have overlapping joints for strength, then a scuff-plate is fitted on each side next to the idler wheel mounts. The edges of the final drive housing frame are thickened with an extra bolted layer in the inner edges, removing three of the bolts from each one before installing them. This boxing includes the cooling radiators and fans under the engine deck, each one made from three styrene parts, one of which represents the radiator core, topping off the twin fans with a piece of PE that is folded to create a shallow box with holes for the air to pass through. These are installed on the floor of the sponsons at the rear, threading the torsion bar suspension through with swing-arms and stub axles glued into the end, which lock in place in sockets on the opposite wall of the hull. The rear bulkhead is prepared by adding two vertical two-part exhaust pipes with detailed top covers made from seven parts each, the completed tubes plugging into sockets in the bulkhead, adding a mushroom vent and a manual start hatch around them, plus two mounting frames over the rear of the sponsons. Tiny PE clip parts are folded and fitted near the top of the bulkhead, adding a Notek convoy light, which has a clear lens and PE base, then the cast armoured exhaust protectors are located over the bottom of the exhausts, with small pins fitted to slots in the sides. The bulkhead is mated to the hull and the rear mudguards fit into the frames over the sponsons, inserting a towing eye in the centre, then adding towing shackles to each side on separate torch-cut ends, building the jack from eleven parts and mounting it across the back of the vehicle after gluing the curved protectors to the exhausts. Attention then switches to the upper hull, fitting the rearmost grilles from the underside with a choice of two styles, and a pair of brackets supporting the hinges for the forward hatches on the forward deck. The hatches with their clear periscopes and armoured covers are installed once the glue is dry, adding a central inspection cover in the middle of the engine deck after fitting grab handles, a mushroom vent and a rectangular socket for the Feifel filter manifold. The rear centre deck section is fitted with another mushroom vent before it is glued in place, completing the deck surface. Four PE mesh panels are glued over the large grilles to keep dust and grenades out of the engine compartment, fitting the first pioneer tools around the forward hatches, including the jack block, sledgehammer, axe and shovel, plus a mushroom vent, a long pry-bar running past the turret ring, and a pair of wire cutters on the opposite side. The next step shows the upper hull from below, but without the hatches that have been glued in place, building the air guides into a triangular assembly under each of the forward grilles on the engine deck. A note tells you that these parts are optional, and if you use them, don’t install Z012 and the “turret outside toolbox”, which caused some head scratching. The twin headlights have a clear lens at the centre of each unit, and their wires snake away into the hull. Turning to the top glacis plate with driver’s vision slot and optional styles of bow gun socket or cover, plus internal parts applied before it is slipped into the front of the hull as the two hull halves are mated, adding the shallow sloping apron to the glacis after fitting two detail parts and removing a small raised area. The twin Feifel filters were an early fitment that was dropped later in the war to streamline production, and they are easy to spot on the rear bulkhead, consisting on two cylinders with tapered lowers, surrounded by a single central section that holds the PE attachment brackets, which are made from seven parts each, and have their feeder pipe pairs consisting of five or six parts each, which are glued to the input sockets on the filters, creating a single assembly by attaching them together using a V-shaped manifold that leads into the slot in the main hatch on the engine deck, securing the hoses with a large C-clamp that staples them to the deck. As these are installed, a pair of appliqué plates are added to the hull sides to give it additional thickness and detail. A small rack of ammo boxes are fixed to the rear bulkhead under the left Feifel filter, attaching the two styrene tow cables to the top deck with four shackles, and mounting a fire extinguisher on the engine deck, plus three clips on the aft portion. A solitary smoke grenade discharger is glued to the deck in each corner, sited diagonally into the corner to provide additional coverage in the even that smoke cover is needed. The road wheels are started, adding the innermost layer in a similar manner to the real thing, layering them to spread out the ground-pressure, which includes the inner halves of the drive sprocket and the idler wheel after the idler axle has been fitted. If you are depicting your Tiger in transport configuration, the outermost wheels are left off and the next layer have different caps with a PE spring-clip in the centre, although the reason for leaving them off isn’t mentioned in the instructions. The next layer of paired wheels are fitted, followed by another set of paired wheels and the outer faces of the drive sprocket at the front and spoked idler wheels at the rear to complete the drivetrain. Tracks for this kit are link-and-length, taking advantage of modern moulding techniques to shorten the process of creating a realistic-looking track run by moulding the straight sections as a single part on the top and bottom runs. The instructions show the two curved sections front and rear, although the number of links isn’t mentioned on this boxing. A previous boxing used 25 links at the front, and 20 in the rear, with each of the single links having two guide-horns glued in place before they are installed, so that can be used as a starting point. The completed runs are slipped over the road wheels once complete, but it’s probably best to drape the runs around the road wheels while the glue is setting, to obtain the correct shape and sag where appropriate. Another short run of tracks moulded as a single part are fixed to the lower glacis using a styrene bar to hold them in place, adding triangular profile side skirts to each side of the hull, remembering these are usually removed for transit. The main gun is supplied on the sprues in styrene, but you can use the turned aluminium barrel in the box to avoid any seam sanding and take advantage of the crispness of the metal part, adding a styrene sleeve to the rear, and either a three-part muzzle or a transport bag that is on the sprues if you plan on depicting your Tiger in transit either on the road or by train. The mantlet gives a choice of five styles for the outer face, gluing it to the inner portion, and mounting on the flat socket with two pivots to the sides. The basics of the recuperator are glued around the inner mantlet, to which the breech block and brass-catcher box-frame are added, gluing the assembly in between the turret sides later. The main part of the turret is a single slide-moulded part, which has the turret ring slipped into the hole in the underside from within, adding a pair of tiny rectangular parts to the left side of the outer ring. At the rear, a shell ejection port and cramped circular crew hatch are inserted into their cut-outs, the latter having detailed hinge and locking mechanisms added before it is installed. Two crew seat assemblies are made and installed around the turret ring, and interior detail for the ejection port is added, then the main gun is lowered into position and secured by sliding two locking pins into place. The complicated commander’s cupola is built on a clear castellated circular base, adding five clear lenses over the raised sections, and then lowering the toroidal styrene outer over the top and making up the hatch with three locking handles on the inside, pull handle and hinge on the outside, with the option of leaving it mobile by applying the glue to the three-part hinge sparingly. The gunner’s hatch is a simpler rectangular assembly with two pull-handles, a locking wheel and small latch on the underside, and another handle on the outside, gluing into place over the cut-out on the roof, and adding a choice of fume extractor fairing at the rear. When the roof is mated with the turret, you can include a pair of sighting binoculars, building the assembly from five parts, although it’s not made clear where it mounts on the lip of the cupola. A rack of three smoke grenade launchers are fitted on brackets on each side of the mantlet, building an early bustle box at the rear from only four parts, plus two PE brackets underneath, which are shown in a scrap diagram to assist you with correct location of the parts. The turret is a drop-fit onto the hull, so remember that next time you get the urge to look at the underside. Additional towing cables are clipped to the left side of the hull by five brackets, and the final step shows a series of stowage parts that you can use to personalise your model, and these parts are very nicely moulded with some realistic fabric texture to the tarpaulins and rolls, as you can see below. Markings There are three decal options in this boxing, two covered in winter distemper white, and one in a dark yellow and green camouflage scheme, as shown in the box art, although no further information is given for each one. From the box you can build one of the following: The decals are printed mostly in black or white, with only the three black crosses with white inserts having any registration, which is good, as is sharpness and colour density. Conclusion There’s not a lot to dislike about a new Tiger model, especially a nicely detailed model of the type early in its career, and despite a few strange and slightly confusing moments with the instructions, it should build up into a credible replica of this late war behemoth. Highly recommended. Available in the UK in all good model shops. Review sample courtesy of