alloydog

One other thing: If a Panzerknacker knackers panzers, does a Nebelwerfer werf nebels?

OK... I decided that rather than start again from scratch, I'll merge the two kits. Keeping the main hull and turret of the Revell kit, I'm going to use the side hull parts, wheels and tracks from the Zvezda kit. I can also use other parts, such as the MG mount - the part from the Revell kit got broken a while ago. So, here we go again...

I'll put this one hold and start a new topic - I'll come back to this later...

Well, disaster struck... The tracks just didn't go together at all. They looked horrible. I then had the idea that if I could get another set of tracks, maybe even from another kit, then I could rescue it. The only tracks I could find were from OKB Grigorov (http://shop.okbgrigorov.com/search.html?phrase=tiger+II+tracks+1%2F72). But, before I ordered then, I popped into the local games' shop. They had the Zvezda Tiger II kit. The guy said the tracks were one piece and flexed well - he showed me pictures of the one he had built. The whole kit was cheaper than the mail order tracks and postage, so I went for that. because the Zvezda was labelled as "snap together", I figured I wouldn't feel to bad about buying it and using the tracks on the Revell Tiger. I could use the Zvezda Tiger as an objective point in a game. Before I opened the Zvezda box, I started to remove the track bits from the Revell one. Wheels started coming off. AAAAAargh! Anyway, I then took out the Zvezda kit from the box and... ... I would say it's as good as, if not better than the Revell kit. So, this kit is being pushed to the side now and I will build the Zvezda instead. At least I have the lessons learnt fresh in my mind!

I've found one resin set of tracks, but I'd prefer rubber or preformed hard plastic. I think this week, I'll crack on with the Shermans.

I too have the PSC 3x 1/72nd Allied Sherman M4A4 and Firefly Tank set, along with the 3x Allied M4A1 Tank set.: They are still work in progress, as I decided to stop and finish the Tiger II first. I've done some minor modding - I found a photo of the 44th RTR in Normandy - there was a line of Shermans along a road. It seemed like every tank was a different version! Some were loaded up with lots of supplies, with the rear parts of their side-skirts cut off and rewelded on to the rear as stowage racks. My platoon will be Sherman IIs with a Vc. I don't know if it's courting disaster, but I'm tempted to try and remove one of the Sherman II's single piece transmission housing and replace it with a 3-piece one from the M4A4 kit, just to mix up the batch even further.

Well, it has been some time since I sat down with this. Things went from not good, quickly through bad and onto horrible! A combination of poor planning and thick fingers. The poor planning: When I was a kid and gazed in wonder and awe through the pages of Military Modelling magazine, I'm pretty sure I remember that most folk painted a lot of the parts while still on the sprue. Flash forward to my twilight years and watching videos on YouTube, it seems that now people practically build the model complete, then paint it. I went for the former method. Then found that things like the tiny lugs on the track pieces don't fit, as they have a layer of paint and the recesses they are supposed to fit into are also filled with paint. 🙄 I ended up cutting off the lugs. Next are my sausage-fingers. Those tiny track pieces are a nightmare to handle - a decent pair of tweezers are needed. I am not even going to bother posting pictures of the mess. I never thought it would be a work of art and I'm only using it for solo wargaming, but I would like it look neat and tidy. I am seriously considering removing them and somehow starting again. My question now is: Can any one recommend an after-market set of rubber tracks for the 1/72nd scale Tiger II? I did a google, but only 1:35 scale parts came up. I seriously could not handle individual links.

Each tank has a small plaque with a short description: COMET In 1961, 40 vehicles were acquired by Finland as training vehicles. The Comet tanks were taken out of service in Finland in 1970. (Suomeen vaunuja hankittiin vuonna 1961 koulutusvaunuikksi 40 kpl. Comet-panssarivaunut poistettiin Suomessa käytöstä vuonna 1970.) STUG III The StuGs were brought into Finland in two batches during 1943-1944. A total of 59 were imported. They took part in the battles of Kuuterselä and Ihantala, among others, where they destroyed 82 enemy tanks, with a loss of 8 of their own. This StuG, Ps no. 531-26, took part in the battles of Vuosalmi in the summer of 1944. At that time, the vehicle was used for artillery fire control. This vehicle was restored in 1990, in Sarrijoärvi. The restoration was attended by: Lieutenant Kari Broström, Corporal Jari Kivimäki, Infantryman Risto Nyrkinen and Infantryman Timo-Jaakko Yli-Kiikka. (Sturmit tuotiin Suomeen kahdessa erässä vuosien 1943-1944 aikana. Yhteensä niitä tuotiin 59 kpl. Ne osallistuivat mm Kuuterselän ja ihantalan taisteluihin, joissa niiden toimesta tuhottiin 82 vihollisen vaunua omien tappoiden ollessa 8 vaunua. Tämä sturmi Ps n:o 531-26 osallistui Vuosalmen taisteluihin kesäällä 1944. Vaunussa on ollut tuolloin tykistön tulenjohto. Vaunu on estisöity vuonna 1990 Sarriojärvellä. Entinsöintiin osallistuivat: Ylil Kari Broström, koprp Jari Kivimäki, jääk Risto Nyrkinen ja jääk Timo-Jaakko Yli-Kiikka.)

Funnily enough, I was recently thinking of going back there to see if they are still there and also contact the army offices there to try and get a bit of history on both the Comet and the StuG. I usually commute to work by bus, but on the occasions that I drive, I go past the army base where they are located. I actually found them by accident, when I had to visit there for work. I had to drive past three signs, which effectively read: "STOP!" Live firing range, you could get shot", "STOP!!! Go beyond this point and you'll probably get shot!" and "If you get killed, don't come moaning to us..." I will let you know what else I can dig up. If I can get there again and if they are still there, then I can more close up pictures.

That's a good link, thanks! Here's on of Ps531-21: It was taken about 10-years ago, when Boy No.2 was doing his national service in the Armoured Brigade. That's Boy No.5 "playing" with the tank. When No.2 started, they get asked what position would they prefer. After the "69" jokes have died down, most say they want to be the commander. 2 said main gunner - he reason: The commander only get a 7,62 to play with, he would get the 120 mil! https://alloydog.neocities.org/comet/index.html

I'm disappointed: The writing in the book isn't legible... 😕 Jus' kidding. Awesome work!

I last played with 1/32nd scale figures when I was about 10-years old. My mate and I used to dig trenches in my back garden and put the soldiers in the trenches - they had to be in "realistic" positions, like shooting over the edge and so on. We would then stand behind our own trench and throw hard lumps of soil at the other's trench to know over the soldiers. Naturally, there was losses. For years after, every now and then, my mum used to find a soldier or two when she did the gardening. As far as I remember, the last time she found anything was just before I left the UK - just over twenty years ago. Today, she posted this on Facebook and tagged me: From the photo, it looks to be in pretty good nick for something that has been buried for over 40-years! I've asked her to post it over. If it is as good as it looks, I'm really temped to paint it up.

I wanted to see the original Pink Panzer in Prague, but by the time I got there, '96 or '97, it had been moved. 🙄

Lovely job! If anyone's interested, I have a few "walk-around" photos of a Comet I B, nestling in the woods in northern Finland. I quickly stuck them up on simple web page: https://alloydog.neocities.org/comet/ Warning, though, the photos are about 6½ megs, so take time to load.

Nice 👌