Sgt.Squarehead

I'd tear their arm off TBH! A braille Shilka is close to top of my list of wants (immediately below a Tunguska TBH), although Revell wouldn't really be my first choice to make it, given their other recent Russian AFV kits. Modelcollect maybe? Assuming they can ever tear themselves away from their Star-Wars-Panzers.

A metric ****-ton easier than anything from ACE!

I have a LOT of ACE kits.....As has been said, these are short run kits and you really can't generalise about their quality, other than to say: A newer kit from early in a production run can be quite lovely (on the sprue at least), I have several that fit that description, including their Ka-25 Hormone. An older kit from the end of a production run can be another thing entirely, I have quite a few of those too. @MisterE Is there a particular kit you are interested in (other than the Saracen)?

Going to try a slightly more ambitious BTR-60 conversion for my next project, the bits are in hand and I'm sizing up how best to fit this: Into the BTR-60 hull in a slightly more permanent fashion than the 57mm Portee above.....I've a mind to follow this Cuban design, cutting (more or less) along the line of the bottom of the hull side doors: That's a much heftier twin 57mm AA gun.....TBH I've always wondered why more BTR-60s didn't get this sort of treatment (hence these models, I guess), they can clearly handle the payload (an enlarged T-55 turret is another Cuban option), although it might get a bit 'exciting' once they start firing I suppose! PS - This is all still for the Fragmentistan thing mentioned right at the start of this thread.....I've got a few more BTR-152s to do, one of which will be converted into a 120mm mortar carrier (using another Zvezda QB set) and I'm probably going to give them an old (Eastern-Express) T-34/85 too. The model's part built, it was going to be for my WWII stuff, but newer & better 1/72 T-34 kits have arrived in droves since I started messing with it (which says quite a lot about my build rate). PPS - Forgot to say (twice) that everything is only dry-fitted in the image above. The fit of this old kit is much better than I expected, but the wheels are just horrible.....Out of the box their diameter is signifcantly too large and they can only be assembled in one identical orientation (as you can see in my picture). I have aftermarket replacements for my BTR-60PB, but for this mutant I just went a bit mental with the coarse-rasp, I'll worry about their orientation later!

Been a while, restoration is still under way: Utterly unfettered by any restriction of reality, purely for fun & (insignificant) stash reduction.....One ICM 1/72 BTR-60 & PSC 1/72 57mm AT Gun (mostly) off the list, so many more still on it! Still a fair bit to do, somehow have to figure out how to make the lightguards.....Does anyone make an etch set for this kit? I can't find one (TBH I wouldn't use one on this thing either, but I would do on the ICM 1/72 BTR-60PB and copying the lightguards would defintely be easier).

First AFV build, seriously? You should be well pleased with that.....I would be. Your approach to the build was spot on.....IMHO you should treat yourself to a really good base kit and give 1/72 armour some more of your attention.

Peculiar looking thing, but it seems a nice kit (yup, I actually don't have this one).

If you have a couple of Heller Shermans in the stash you may well have enough spares to rebuild the running gear completely (although your tracks are likely to be a little short due to the M4A4's longer hull).....I believe Dan Taylor Modelworks are making a set that should vastly improve the detail level of this kit (but I suspect the running gear is something you will still have to fix for yourself).

That is a lovely build of a tricky little kit.....These are probably the L&L tracks that I fear the most and having around a dozen assorted UM BTs in the stash it's a fear I really need to overcome! Do you think the issue could be dealt with by very slightly shortening each length & indy link individually or perhaps by shortening the long run under the roadwheels (where it's easier to hide)? I'd rather not shorten the indy links or one of the shorter lengths as they are always more visible.

Still staggered by the immensity of this project.....Truly amazing! All the best for the new year.

Sounds like Revell still haven't sorted out the instructions for their Kingtiger tracks....So take heart, it really wasn't your fault. The tracks actually go together really well if you approach them in the right way, but Revell screw you from the start by telling you to use the wrong number & sequence of parts around the sprocket (IIRC, it's been a while).....I used to have photos of the correct assembly sequence (which is actually quite simple, if a little time consuming) but PB ate them (along with everything else).

Very nice they are too.

Glad to see these back.....Hopefully the ex-MK-72 SdKfz.250s won't be too far behind.

I think this one may be a re-pop of a Toxso tool, rather than an update of Revell's previous kit (allegedly they will be releasing a PT-76B with the same origins in due course).

That's a cracking finish on a figure that's pure nostalgia for me. A heated needle or blade can be effective in removing flash from vinyl figures, or if you want to go a bit further, this is an interesting option: http://umpapas.blogspot.com/2015/09/converting-and-sculpting-plastic.html

What a fascinating build.....Wish I knew what more of the words meant!

So, @JohnT & @Paul821.....Are you in or are you just spectators of the apocalypse?

Welcome to the end of the world. As fas as I'm concerned, the storyline is at least as significant as the model for the purposes of the GB.....Knock yourselves out! Still hoping we might hear from some of the 'Dinosaur Crew' and I'm surprised thre han't been more interest from the Luft/Panzer 46 fans.....Probably because of me teasing them in the past, I guess?

Err.....This text doesn't seem to relate to the photos of the Leopard kit above, which clearly has L&L. I think you cut & paste from the wrong Leopard review!

Looks like they've sorted the biggest issue with the earlier releases of this kit, sinkmarks on the trailer load-bed (either that or the new grey plastic hides it better). Hopefully tis might prompt Eduard to re-release the two large etched sets they do foe the Elefant kit.....Finding them at the moment is a nightmare, it took me almost six months to get a set.

Allegedly a combi-boxing of this kit and the MIG T-54B was planned.....I believe it's listed on Henk's site. FWIW PS - Nope, it's not there anymore, just a brief mention in the Ammo/Mig section.

What awesome figures! Love your paintwork on Pestilence's pony.....But it's almost a shame you already started, I have just the GB for these:

The lack of a slat armour set for this kit is really giving me the hump now! Anybody fancy joining me in pestering OKB about it.....Or does anybody know who to annoy at Eduard or one of the other mainstream etch-makers? Failing that, is there a decent guide to backdating the kit anywhere? Maybe to something like this:

That's a very cool subject, Nick.....Can't say I'd ever noticed the sprocket being swapped before, but I assume that's down to me not looking properly?

Dude! $20 for the chance of a new YAK-9T.....That was always worth a punt. I'm sad that it didn't work out, but fair play to Dan for giving it a shot and also for looking after his backers when things didn't turn out as he hoped.....What more could you ask of him?