p-26luvr

After reading this review a couple of weeks ago I got out & assembled the set I have. I am very impressed with the method of assembly, How all of the parts fit together & look so real. I have since assembled all of the Masterbox WW1 figure sets, & most of the ICM sets. They are all excellent. Worth what you pay for them. They are not shake & bake kits. Some require very careful assembly. Particularly the ICM French infantry ones. Carl T

Today while looking through the ICM catalog I saw that they are producing a 1/16th scale Vatican Swiss Guard figure.. I also did a Google search on this figure & found a few pictures of the assembled figure. Has anyone seen this model? I would like to get one. Thanks. Carl T

I just came across this thread. Very good work. I am making up the F-2 version for a winter diorama in Russia at present. Carl T

I bought this model about 6 weeks ago, & started maki9ng it up the very next day. I have the whole model together in sub assemblies ready for painting. I found no major problems while working on the model. I think that the fit of parts are relatively good, with filler needed here and there. Nothing major. Because there are no locating pins & holes the aligning & gluing of pieces is at times a little trying but can be done. I have 7 of MiniArt's figure kits & so far I have overcome all of the problems that they present. My advice to someone who wants an inexpensive Samurai figure, for its large size,, this should satisfy all but a purist. You will earn the end result for sure, but you will have a figure worthy of your best efforts. Carl T

This is the picture that inspired me to build this model. The box art of the original kit, & at the bottom copies of the reduced plans. Carl T

The interior now has a much fuller array of tools in it since I took those pictures. I am planning on repainting the model & pairing it with a Daimler armored car in a diorama. Carl T

Thanks very much for your help. Carl T

I forgot to ask this earlier, but, were both vehicles painted in deep bronze green ? If not, what color was used ? Carl T

The M-9 field repair vehicle was a British conversion based on the American M-5 halftrack & in use for about 25 years. Were these 2 vehicles in use in the British army during the same time period ? I have finished 1/48th scale Bandai models of both & would like build a small diorama including them together. My H/T model has a fully equipped workshop area on the back, plus the boom rig. on the front bumper. The Daimler is fully detailed including the motor. Thanks for any help I can get. Carl T

Hi T, thank you for your information, it is very helpful. Carl T.

Today I acquired the old Aurora 1/48th Churchill tank model. Does anyone know how accurate it is to the scale? Also, was it finished in deep bronze green during WW2 ? Carl T

THANK YOU gentlemen for giving me your answers. I have painted the white cross on the can. Carl T

To give you a better idea of what you are looking at. In both pictures, at the very front of the model, you can see the bottom of the jib boom that sets on the bumper. The wires running up at an angle, from behind the door on both sides, go to the top of the boom and act as a support for it. The boom was used to remove tank motors or gun barrels where the tank may have broken down. This vehicle was used by the British army only, & was in service from about 1950 to sometime in the 1970's. To go back to the model, on the back end what you see as an extention in the base tan color in the top picture & light grey in the bottom one, is the open door with a window in it. The 7 Jerry cans that are on the 2 sides are scratchbuilt & have 3 brass wire handles in each/ one. The base color is a light tan. The model is now on display at the local hobby shop, & it took 3 place in the only contest I entered it in. Carl T

By way of describing the model. It is based on the old 1/48th scale Bandai M16 gun vehicle. I had been wanting to build the model since I read a build article in the April 1980 issue of Military Modelling magazine, & a later one in 1987 in another magazine. Both were done in 1/35th scale using the Tamiya kit. Both articles had plans, one with the interior. I delayed building the model so long because the removable top has so many angles to cut & fit. The whole model turned to be realitively easy to make. I think I did a passable job on the whole thing. Carl T

I have around 6 to 10 more pictures of this model but cannot get them from photobucket to this thread. a friend got these 2 on for me. I have the boom rig on the front, 2 or 3 of the full interior, & the removable top, & like things. The 2 pictures here are just scratching the surface on this model.. Once I get so I can transfer pictures again I will post the rest. Carl T

I am nearly finished making a small diorama featuring a German halftrack. I want to have Jerry can on it that will be used for carrying water rather than fuel. Did the Germans use different colors to show this, or were they in some other way specially marked ? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Carl T

Some of you who have been following my adventures with these 4 models have one or another of them in your collection of unbuilt kits.I suggest that you seriously consider building them rather sooner than later. From my builds you have seen that there are lots of very small parts, & at times difficult assembly steps. These 4 models are the first 1/350th scale ship models I have ever built. EVER. I have enjoyed the whole experience, & I have a nearly unique collection in the 4 of them. I have learned many new skills during the months of working on them. Using fine etch-brass in the railings. Different methods of scratchbuilding parts. Solving various several very complex assembly steps. Gaining a renewed sense of self confidence. Building any one of these models is only as difficult as you make it in your mind. They are only another form of building a model. They require a lot more patience than a shake and bake, but at the end of your journey you will have a very satisfying model sitting on your display shelf. Because of my experience with the scratchbuilding of the WW2 version, I have gone on to building 4 halftrack models with varying degrees of complexity in scratchbuilt sections from the simple to the very complex. At no time during all of this have I doubted that I would end up succeeding. THE POINT OF ALL THIS IS: IF I CAN DO IT SO CAN YOU. SO DIG OUT YOUR SOYA KIT & HAVE SOME FUN. The only one stopping you is you yourself. Carl T

I am still trying to down load my pictures from photobucket. I used to be able to connect photobucket with this forum, but cannot find out how to go about doing that now. Am I missing something? My SOYA conversion got an honorable mention at a contest last Sunday. Carl T

I have finished the coversion except for rigging it. I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how. Carl T

Will someone refresh my memory on how to get pictures from photobucket? I have forgotten, it has been so long since I have done it. I have a few ready to upload.Thank You. Carl T

Iain, I just finished the main painting of my conversion. Took a couple of pictures of it with the donor kit for comparison between WW 2 version & last Antarctic one. What a difference. Carl T

I have the conversion fully painted now & have taken pictures of it with the model that I used in the conversion. I still have the lifeboats to paint & all of the rigging yet to do. Carl T

After a year long break from doing any modeling, I started up by building 3 WW 2 halftrackls. Last night around 11 PM I got down my SOYA conversion, & since I like the grey paint I have used for my armor models decided to paint my SOYA in it. I have all of the upper parts painted now in the first coat of grey. I have taken a few pictures of it to show how it looks, so as soon as I can will post them. Carl T