f matthews

I went down the Vally rabbit hole a few years back and built the Bronco Mk. IX, then the Tamiya Mk. II/IV and an AFV Mk. I. I’m currently building an AFV Mk. II (I did my Tamiya as a Mk. IV). I’m sticking to gun tanks though and have an AFV Mk. III and a Bronco Mk. XI still in the stash to do. They’re ugly, but cool little tanks. In a related subject, I also did some Bronco and Gecko A10s (and a couple of Gecko A9s that are still unfinished) because they had the same suspension pretty much. I’ll be following your thread for sure!

Thanks!! MGs are Aber if I recall correctly. Big improvement over the kit parts.

Exquisite paint and finish work!

Tracks base coated and installed. All that remains are some track guard/rear mudflap parts. I will prepare a display base and finish this up.

Tracks built and temporarily fitted. Will paint tracks, weather the lowers and add to a display base.

Added the MG-13s and some other stuff today. Tracks are most of what remains now.

Headlight details.

Yes-35003. I was thinking about the kit tracks-I will see how they work out! Thanks!!

After finishing up and posting my Tristar Panzer IV Ausf. B, I was reminded in that thread that I had a long-dormant Tristar Panzer I. I’d forgotten how long until I pulled the kit box out of mothballs, dusted the kit off (I actually had to do that) and did some work on it. I looked up the photos I originally took of the build in-progress and they were blurry and low-resolution for some reason. Well, the date on them explained that-I started this build as a “weekend project” in March 2011-over a decade ago! Dig the cutting-edge digital magic of 1 megapixel! How it was left in April of 2011: Today’s workout was much more productive. And where it sits as of now:

I have one of those that I build 10-15 years ago but never finished (the two-tone camouflage scared me off). I should (literally) dust it off. The Pz. Is are nice-mine didn’t have the interior though. Definitely build that one!

Calling this one complete. These Tristar kits are wonderful and frustrating at the same time. The hull and superstructure assemblies made me insane while the suspension, which looks rather daunting and complex, assembles like a dream and fully articulates. All in all, I must have successfully blocked out the traumatic parts because I’m thinking about starting another one soon… The kit was built mostly out of the box except for Friul track and some tool details added. The figure is Tamiya with a Hornet head.

I’ve now finished up the tank and the base. Weathering is largely complete as well although I might add a tow cable and then call it finished.

Assembly can be frustrating in parts-the lower hull and superstructure assemblies in particular. Make sure everything lines up perfectly (not easy to do as the “locators” are very poorly done). I suppose I blocked the bad stuff out as I’m happy the way it has worked out and thought about starting another. I did practically trash the Ausf. C I started right before this one because the bottom hull plate was warped. The suspension, on the other hand was quite nice to build and articulates very nicely.

A little more work on the base. Need to finish the tank-weathering the lower hull and tracks and adding a handful of detail items. Hopefully I’ll have this one wrapped up by the end of the month.

Before I muddy up the suspension, I need to put together a display base. The Tristar kits come with very nice fully articulable suspensions. Coupled with workable Friul tracks, I just HAD to put it on a base that will show that feature off in good measure, so this Panzer will be crossing some railroad tracks. The train tracks are from the Italeri AB-40 kit. I painted the tracks after scribing the ends to add some detail. The figure will be standing on the tracks scanning for targets or trouble.

That was my issue as well!

I’ve had this kit in the stash for almost fifteen years (got it when Tristar first released it) and finally started building it earlier this year. One of the things that has held me back from doing this one (or other German 1939-40 vehicles) was the two-tone grey/brown camo scheme that was used in the Polish and French campaigns. I finally got up the nerve and sprayed the brown freehand with my airbrush and am pleased with the results. I’m hoping to wrap this project up before the month’s end after so long. After painting the camo, I applied the markings, then some washes and filters. Still some work left-I have to paint the tires and weather the lower hull…

Looks like you could just swap the assemblies from one side to the other (assuming the other side is similarly done)? The Riich kits are extremely well-done as are their related Combat Armor Models (CAMs) which uses the best quality styrene I’ve encountered and have engineering second-to-none. I haven’t built a Riich kit yet (have one of the Uni Carriers in the stash and it makes the Tamiya kit look like a crude toy!), but they look equally as good, perhaps a bit more complex.

Now it is “done-done”-the nameplate is on.

I’m a huge fan of the Vickers 6 Ton and its derivatives like the 7TP and they did a fantastic job with the details on this one. You did an excellent job with the finish as well! A modern kit if this (and the single turret version) finally appeared this year in 1/35 scale and is literally one of the last three tanks to be made in injection kit form (the Valentine I and Fiat-Ansaldo 11-39 being the others), so I agree that it would certainly be a while in 1/48 if ever.

Now finished is the first of four Finnish Vickers 6 Tons I am building from Combat Armor Models. These are fantastic little kits, especially the new releases which have full interiors. This is the initial tank (VAE 546) ordered by the Finns from Vickers in 1934. This tank was later modified with a new turret and upgunned, which is my next project in the series. I will add a nameplate when it arrives, but this one’s complete otherwise. A photo of VAE 546 undergoing trials in Finland in 1934 which was the inspiration for this vignette:

A little display base work. I’m building this tank from when it was undergoing trials in Finland in 1934, so I want it going over an obstacle. I carved foamcore then added texture for the ground surface and fixed styrene sheet sides. I added some fine soil then sprayed the sides flat black and hit the soil with some black for shading. The tank set into place to set the suspension:

Windburn!

I’m looking forward to the British version as well. By the time it comes out, I’ll have a few more finished I hope. I built the Polish version a few years back and enjoyed it quite a bit. Fit is spectacular on these kits.

Tank is pretty much finished. Need to put together a display base and get working on the modified version of VAE 546. These are terrific little kits and the ones with full interiors are very impressive.