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Hi BM'ers! I've been a little lacking in posts over here in recent years - bit tied up with moderating in another place that focuses on Large Scale Planes. However, I've recently acquired a copy of the 1:32 Hawker Siddeley Andover from Toshihiko of One Man Model in Japan and thought, being a British type, I really ought to share here too... Very occasionally you log on to the Interweb and spot something that immediatedly shouts 'what the...' Well, this was one of those moments. And it proceeded to create a 'disturbance in the force' - or at least my model building plans. Forum member Anthony Galbraith had spotted that Toshihiko, of 'One Man Model', was drawing up the Hawker Siddeley HS780 Andover C.Mk 1 with a view to 3D printing in 1:72 and 1:48 scales. Anthony asked if this could be printed in 1:32 and the intial answer was a no. However, a few weeks later the answer came back as a yes - and Anthony posted on the LSP forums asking if anyone else would be interested in a 1:32 print of the Andover. Two immediate positive responses - and a slightly delayed yes from me - subsequently followed up by a fifth - and the project was on! Oh, and beware, it's a fair size - here are the fuselage parts, taped together, compared to HK Models 1:32 B-17: I put together a review here. Plan is to build mine as a 115 Sqn E.Mk 3 from the mid/late '80s as we used to see them a lot in the skies over Oxfordshire. Back in a mo... Iain

All of these CAD renders have been taken periodically over 2022, each vehicle has been modeled from separate parts items like the engines and gear boxes have been designed as single items, chassis frames, suspension, drive shafts, axles, door and other parts are separate parts (80 parts make up one of the vehicles) all designed for 3D printing. The parts and the vehicles were designed according to workshop manuals and individual component drawings, and a lot of help from owners of the real historic vehicle owners. Some are designed as conversions for the Italeri 109" Kits and before anyone asks Yes Mike @bootneck is aware of these and has helped me with the Series 3 Ambulance conversion. The next stage is to start test prints of the parts and once I'm happy with everything I am planning on making the files available for purchase buy others A full 17 CH 4 cylinder petrol engine Mike was happy when I sent him these images. Yes a full 3.5 Rover V8 engine Yes I have modeled the body door handles on the finished doors. The radio and vampire vehicles are void of any internal parts as I could not able to get anything on the equipment and considering it is still in service quite right too. The series 3 Ambulance body will be a conversion to the Italeri base Kit. I will post updates as I proceed with the test printing. Pete

Hello! This is a pretty simple build/paint. Someone over on Starship Modeler gave me the bug to build a TIE Defender. I'm a big fan of SW Squadrons, and the Defender is a playable ship in that game. The 3D model is fairly well detailed, and I bought the files from ModelWerks here. After reviewing all the parts, I was able to get things printed out pretty easily on my Elegoo Saturn, and everything fit nice and tidy on one build plate. Then I ran into a hitch. The way that this is designed, the ball is split vertically into two halves. I didn't think this would be a problem, but after printing, support removal, curing (and resulting shrinkage), the two halves didn't exactly line up. That cockpit consists of 5 pieces, and there was just too many things going on for it all to fit together well. SO! Back to the computer I went. I brought all 5 files into MeshMixer: And combined them all into one part: (MM makes the preview of the model pretty low-rez. The actual model is fine) With that, it was saved out as a new STL file and brought into ChituBox, with supports being added: This might not be the most optimal way of printing/supporting a sphere, but it printed perfectly on the first try, with just a few support marks on the back of the ball to cleanup. You can see a few layer lines in there, but I think between primer and a bit of sanding, those'll go away. It still blows me away that you can just print stuff like this. Here are some closeups of the cockpit and pilot: (and remember, this is all one part now): This will all be painted black shortly. I cleaned up the supports on the wings and the engine tri-section, and those got a layer of Tamiya fine surface primer: Here is a group shot of all the pieces together. A simple build, really. I'm going to wait for some warmer weather (maybe...) before I prime the new cockpit section and the rest of the parts. Now on to color.... I know that the close Tamiya paint for the ANH TIEs is TS-32 Haze Grey, but I think that that is a bit too blue for my liking for this build. I am going to reference the SW Squadrons image at the top of this post for paint color: more gray with a dash of blue, rather than the other way around. Anyway, that's all for now. I wasn't going to do a build thread on this one because it is such a simple build, but I thought I'd show some of the 3D stuff I did in MeshMixer in the hopes that it'll help someone else out someday. Stay tuned for more! SB

I have a project that's nearing completion, at least it will be once I get my mojo back. It started out as an ICM OV-10A Bronco in 1/48 scale, and I've done some conversion work using scratch building, 3D printing and vacuform. Here is the model as of tonight: (note: if you don't see the image it's because your browser is blocking it. It works on Firefox.) The build was coming along nicely until I hit some bumps in the road. The first bump is that the propeller blades are set at the wrong angle - they should be in flat pitch (blade angle = 0). No manufacturer of OV-10 kits has ever got this right, so it's hard to fault ICM for this. If I squint I can pretend they're at flat pitch. The other road block was the decals. I really should sand them off and re-do them, but I don't have enough mojo left for that. From a distance they look fair. The most arduous part was building the kit without the sponsons. This required sanding and filling the recesses for the sponsons, then scribing over them. 3D printed parts are: jet engine pod, ILS antennas, 230 gallon external tank, main landing gear, winch operator's seat, and a mold for vacuforming a clear cargo bay door. To do: install winch operator's station, finish and install cargo door, finish decals -- Dave

Transport Box with Panzerfausts (P48001 & P72003) 1:48 & 1:72 Special Hobby 3D Print The original Panzerfaust was a WWII invention of Nazi Germany that gave the power to take down a heavily armoured tank to a single soldier, in the shape of a disposable launcher tube that could project a shaped charge to a target over a short range. The operator needed little in the way of training, but some bravery or foolhardiness was required to get close enough to the tank in question due to the limited range. When used properly however, they could be highly effective in disabling or knocking out many an Allied tank or other armoured vehicle. They were even attached to aircraft on occasion, which must have been quite an experience. These two sets from Special Hobby’s new 3D Print range both arrive in orange-themed blister pack with card hanger on the rear and the instructions sandwiched between the two parts. Inside are the resin parts, with decals safely separated behind a piece of clear acetate at the back of the blister for the 1:48 set. Other than the smaller set not having decals, both sets include the same components, consisting of four Panzerfaust 60s in a printing frame, plus a transport box that is printed in two sections, set slightly apart and held to the small base by delicate fingers. An additional tubular riser with an array of fingers supports the interior structure of the case, which has slots to receive the weapons once everything is cut free from the base. The layout of the boxes is different between the two scales, but the design is essentially the same. For extra realism you can add some wire or thread from your own stock to represent the carry-handles at each end of the case. 1:48 (P48001) Note the decals included in this larger set 1:72 (P72003) Note that there are no decals in this set Conclusion 3D printed aftermarket parts are incredible in the level of detail that they can provide with a relatively low part count, and these are no exception. The trigger mechanism alone would have taken several PE parts before now, and preparation of the parts is a breeze. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Panzerfaust 3 Modern Recoilless Anti-Tank Weapon (P35007) 1:35 Special Hobby 3D Print The introduction of light-weight anti-tank weapons such as the original German Panzerfaust, the British PIAT and the American Bazooka during WWII, led to a new way for infantry to combat armour with at least some prospect of success. During the 1980s the German Bundeswehr requested a replacement to their ageing weapons of a similar type, resulting in the Panzerfaust 3, which was semi-disposable and capable of firing a number of types of round to give it a wider utility to the troops. The rounds differ slightly from the exterior, but most have a probe on the front that varies in length, but gives the weapon different functionality, as follows, with the codes corresponding to the legend on the support frame: Panzerfaust 3T Tandem HEAT grenade with day and optional night sight Panzerfaust 3IT Improved Tandem grenade with 900mm penetration and optional laser guidance system Bunkerfaust intended for hardened shelters, soft targets or unarmoured vehicles up to 300m away Panzerfaust 3 – probe gives the HEAT grenade a 700mm armour penetration capability at 3-400m The set consists of a launcher suspended from its print-base by a number of tendrils and towers, plus a frame of the different round types mentioned above, a few of which had fallen off the frame in transit with no harm done. There is also a small sheet of decals of stencils for the bodies of the grenades. A series of scrap diagrams show each munition type in combat ready and transport modes, and which decal should be applied to the sides, and although the parts are shown in colour diagrams there are no colour call-outs, so a quick Google might be necessary. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I have for the last few years been thinking of and experimenting with the new possibilities that technology brings us. We are now able to design a model with a CAD program (with relative ease) and then use CNC routers and 3D printers to turn out the parts. However, as with all scratch building it is quite time consuming. That is why I thought I would post here and see if any skilled scratch builder(s) would be interested in a joint effort. I am fairly competent in a free CAD program called Blender, I own a CNC mill and 3D printing is readily available online. I would create the computer model, CNC mill and vacuum form large parts. Smaller parts would be 3D printed online (shapeways, imaterialise). I will then send the parts your way and your task would be to build the actual model! Some parts will also have to be scratch built. We should of course document our progress here at the forum. We could go super accurate and detailed or just try the actual concept. So I am hoping this will interest some of you. This will be a great opportunity to build an unusual aircraft or at a particular scale (no point doing it if we can just pick up the airfix box). Let me know what you think! What aircraft would be fun to make? I will be up for any aircraft as long as we can find decent references to work from. As a bit of inspiration I have posted two pics of a Swedish Saab J21A that I have been playing with in my CAD program.

Hello everyone! Last year I completed a build of three Fine Molds 1/72 X-Wings (one of them being a rescue after a botched attempt from my teen years) as Red-2, Red-3 and Red-5. Given that Fine Molds provide extra parts for a landed version with an open canopy and extra decals to build several markings, I had a lot of spare parts, even after using some in my rescue of poor old Red-2. With such a large pile of parts and decals available I decided they shouldn't go to waste and decided to try and build yet another one, the caveat - this one is mostly 3d printed on my cheap, sub-$200 FDM Tevo Michelangelo printer! I know there's a lot of debate if 3d printing scale models is possible and given the entry-level equipment I have, I hope I can prove resoundingly yes. It won't hold to scrutiny at a very close inspection compared to Bandai or Fine Molds' fantastic kits, nor win a contest, but as something to sit nicely on the shelf it would do. A big, big thank you to the creator of the absolutely fantastic 3d models I am using for this print - 1/24 X-wing by Simhopp and Cockpit and pilot for 1/24 X-Wing by Simhopp! They're free, to boot! Scaled down to 33.3% it's very close in size to the Fine Molds kit; however, to exactly match the spare parts I had to resize the wings with some changes to their STL files. At 33.3% the main fuselage (comprised of four main sections) is about 2.5mm shorter than the FM kit with the rear section being just a tad shorter; barely noticeable even if they're side by side but if you want the exact length, print the forward fuselage halves at 34.3% and the rear at 35.5%. I printed the main parts from white PLA and then switched for the gun barrels to a sturdier white PET using a 0.2mm nozzle at mostly 0.1mm layer height. As I assembled the trio in flying mode, this one will be landed in a mini diorama displaying Red Leader. What I'll be using from the FM kit as spares will be: clear canopy (in fact, the spare one from my oldest kit, after polishing it with Tamiya polishing compound) top engine covers engine nozzles (short versions; what remained as spares) landing gears spare pilot figures and R2 droids The main parts printed and assembled: Engines with nozzles as test assembly: Gun barrels: Pilot figure; yes, it's 1/72 and 3d printed! Photo taken before I painted the helmet using Red Leader's markings: Panel line scribing details; not only am I not great at scribing but PLA is porous and keeping an even line is quite difficult... The first couple coats of primer revealed tons of impurities in the print. Tedious amounts of sanding, rescribing, repriming, and then some more all over again, followed. I'll spare you photos, it was boring and the kit is still waiting for a final primer coat. There are still numerous small detail issues I am not fully satisfied with but at this point it's about equal in detail level with the quality of pre-2010s Eastern Europe garage kits that I grew up with, so I guess it will do!

Hello A few photos of my newest project. It is a resin model printed on an Anycubic 3d printer. Cheers.

Mojo went walkabout, so required a mojo restorer, One of them there new fangled 3D printing jobbies of the main character from Prey. Really nice print with very little clean up required, FYI I didn't print it,I bought it as a kit.

Hello Something unusual. On the cgtrader website I found a RoboCop Cain model for 3D printing. The model is scaled to a scale of 1: 6. It is designed as a puppet for time-lapse photos (inspired by the original models used for FX effects during filming). The model contains instructions in PDF format. I took some shortcuts. It will be a static model and reduced to a scale of 1: 8 ( about 32 cm high). This will make assembly a little easier, and secondly my printer will not print such large elements. A few photos of the beginning of the project:

F/A-18F Ejection Seats & Wheels (648775 & 648776) 1:48 Eduard Brassin We recently reviewed the first batch of aftermarket from Eduard for the new Meng F/A-18F here, and now we have a second tranche, including wheels and a delightful pair of ejection seats, all highly detailed and pretty much drop-in replacements. As is now usual with Eduard's medium resin sets, they arrive in a shallow cardboard box, with the resin parts safely cocooned in bags, and the instructions folded around acting as padding. The smaller sets are supplied in flat resealable packs with the instructions wrapped around the protective card inserts within. Ejection Seats (648775) The two seat Super Hornet carries its pilots on a pair of Martin Baker Mk.14 seats, and those seats are replicated in exceptional detail in this boxed set. Arriving in two Ziploc bags, the first bag contains two each of the main seat components, cushions and umbilical between the pilot and aircraft. The other bag has a small fret of brass Photo-Etch (PE) that depicts the anti-flail leg restraints that tighten in the event of ejection, a full set of four-point crew harnesses in pre-painted brass, plus the stripey pull-handles that initiated the process between the pilot’s knees, and additional loops and controls on the side of the seat pan. The decal sheet includes three stencils per side of each seat, one of which is a stripey rectangle that is wrapped around the alternative ejection handle on the right side of the seat pan. Paint codes are given using Gunze codes for acrylic and lacquer, and stencil decal placement is shown on a pair of diagrams on the instruction booklet. Wheels (648776) Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. This set includes two main wheels with separate rear hubs that have copious brake detail moulded-in, plus two nose wheels, all of which have fabulous detail on the side walls, circumferential tread on the contact patches, and a minimal amount of sag in the bottom of the tyre where the weight of the aircraft makes itself visible. This is also where the casting block is attached to each wheel, so once cut off, it just needs to be flatted off and doesn’t affect the tread. Painting is eased by the inclusion of a sheet of pre-cut kabuki tape masks (not pictured) that will allow you to cut the demarcation between wheels and tyres with little effort. Conclusion A fabulously well-detailed pair of resin and PE sets that will add extra detail to an already excellent kit. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Out of the Box Models is crowdfunding a 1/72 3D-printed Yak-9T project; see here if interested: https://outoftheboxmodels.com/collections/crowdfunding-projects/products/crowdfunding-1-72-scale-yakovlev-yak-9t The goal is 20 preorders before the project goes ahead. John

Hello, I have made this over the last few days, it's for a friend. I downloaded the dog and Teddy from CG trader, the collar and base I did in fusion 360. I'm actually really pleased with how this has turned out. Hope you all enjoy it Cheers, Andy.

A while back during one of my all too frequent interweb trawls, I happened across this shot purporting to be that of a 28 Sqn Avro 504K. My heart sank. I thought I was almost there. I had built a Camel, an F2b and and almost everything up to a Wessex with only a Spitfire and a Hurricane left to complete the series. I knew things were too good to be true. I had found an occasional reference to 28 flying a 504 and even a BE2e out there in India but no concrete evidence, just a scurrilous rumor here and there. When I came across this photo I started digging some more, and the more I dug the more it seemed this indeed was a 28 Squadron aircraft. This excerpt from an Airfix magazine back in 1960 states that H2278 was a 6 Sqn aircraft, but the more digging I do the more certain I am that it flew with 28 Sqn - and perhaps with 6 Sqn as well at some point. It's rather depressing isn't it? That now means that I have to build yet another one of those darned biplane things. Oh well I thought - off I scurried to ebay only to discover that the modeling world is not awash with 1/48 scale 504's. There was the SMER kit of course. It was a repop of a repop of a repop and calling it basic would be kind. There was the Blue Max 504 but that was long out of production though reviews appeared to state it was accurate ('ish). Being as dumb as I am, and have proved beyond any reasonable doubt many times on this forum, I thought, well if I can build a Wapiti I'm sure I can build a 504? Regular inhabitants here will recollect our antipodean brethren @Bandsaw Steve's marvellous 504 scratchbuild from a couple of years ago, which I shall be using as a reference in this build. Steve also kindly supplied me with some plans which will be coming in very handy as this build progresses (dangerous assumption p'raps). Now, I'm not sure if transmitting those electrons all the way from down under to up here stretched the electrons a bit but when I started digging into the plans I found some slight discrepancies between the views and the fuselage cross sections... just enough to confuse me and stop me in my tracks. As luck would have it (or so I thought) just a few weeks later a Blue Max 504 popped up on that bay at a very reasonable price. I popped in a bid, and as it turned out I was the only bidder. Maybe I should have asked myself why? Fast forward a few days and this popped up on my bench. Very nice quality box though surprisingly small. The comprehensive instruction sheet. To be fair, they do provide a couple of shots of the model on the reverse side - which don't really help a lot. Decal sheet appears functional, if somewhat basic. WHat about the kit itself though? I think I know why I was the only bidder now. These are the plastic bits, including the plastic worms that got caught up inside the fuselage mold, and as much flash as well, just lots and lots, and LOTS of flash. On everything. This is after all, the Collectors Limited Edition version so there's more. In addition to those quality items shown above, we also get some white metal parts to play with. (sorry but that skid at bottom center just cracks me up) Just where does one start with such a spread before them? Finding a good knife would be a good start. I think this kit will involve more whittling than any of your actual model building. I did try sanding to begin with, but it turns out the days were a bit too short so I resorted to whittling. If you look hard enough you can just about make out some vaguely aircraft shaped parts inside all that flash. It was a lot quicker to scythe off that unwanted plastic then sand the final fraction of a millimeter. Can you get a fraction of a millimeter? Shouldn't it be decimal? For a larf I decided to measure some of the flash. Wow. That's impressive. That 0.62 is the thickness of the flash - not the thickness of the tailplane. The downside to that is that this means the mold was forced open by over half a millimeter under plastic pressure. If the mold was forced open, that also means that the tailplane thickness is going to be increased by that same amount. In 1/48 that's over one scale inch too thick. it was at this point that I pulled out the second kit to take a look at. It's a coin toss as to which one is going to take more work I think I really need to work on my packaging though. It's not quite as eye catching as the Blue Max box is it? Yes, I think I'm going to be doing an ♬ Avro from a bottle ♬ I never learn, do I ? Strangely enough I found all that carving and whittling quite therapeutic and after some effort and a lot of sanding, some of the parts start to look as if they may even belong to the same aeroplane. With a bit, okay then, a lot of work I'm sure it will turn out looking something like a 504 However, a more rewarding alternative awaits me in that bottle of grey goo. It's just needs a bit of pre-work too. As a detour from sanding I sat in front of the laptop for an hour or two and started with something simple. It goes without saying that I completely forgot to take any screenshots of the process. (and just noticed I missed a fillet or two on the trailing edges). Altogether not a very auspicious start, but a start nonetheless. The plan, as stupid as it undoubtedly is, is to create a full 504 kit from printed parts, and maybe even build the Blue Max kit as penance. to be continued... very slowly, probably no, most certainly

Hello Chaps, This is my first post in this section, not technically space or Sci Fi but at the same time it is... As you can probably tell from my name, I really like ELO, the first album I bought was a little known masterpiece called 'ZOOM' when released in 2001, I think it is one of the best relatively unknown albums ever produced. What I was drawn too was the fantastic album cover as a 12 year old it was great and I've been hooked ever since. I am going to attempt to model this particular beautifully grungy version as a display, modelled in Fusion 360 and printed on the elegoo mars resin printer, I have spent around 2 hours fiddling and I have the basic shape set, still a lot of surface details and greebles to add but it's a good start, as you can see I am having to add a little bit of artistic licence to the engine area. I will attempt to print the blue glass in blue resin and ad some illumination. I am printing one of at 1/4 of the intended size as a test. Lets see how this goes Cheers, Andy.

Hello, Now my batman is complete and in the RFI, I thought I'd toy around with this, It was found on CGtrader and printed last night, still needs a little cleanup before starting. I will be trying to replicate my own dog 'Spud' who is a staffie crossed with lab and collie, so the model isn't 100% accurate but close enough. Here is the 1:1 happy dog scale reference. And the resin one, I would have liked to have found a smiling one as my dog always looks furiously happy, I think I will make the ears a little larger to match a little closer. It'll probably be a slow build as I'm also building the new Airfix Buggati Chiron (lovely kit) Cheers, Andy.

Small Arms for Volkssturm Set 3 (P35003) 1:35 3D Print by Special Hobby During the closing days of WWII, the people of Berlin and the surrounding areas were pressed into service as make-do militia soldiers by the desperate hard-core Nazis, and when we say people, it was mostly old men, teenagers and those that had been injured and invalided out of service previously. Some women even took part, and there’s a famous piece of film of a German lady being taught how to use a Panzerfaust by a soldier with a nervous smile on her face. They were given basic training, often no more than on how to operate the weapons they had been given, and sent off to almost certain death, in order to delay the Allies from reaching the higher-ups. The weapons were often old and outdated, so overall they stood little chance of giving a good account of themselves against hardened Allied troops and heavily armoured and armed tanks. This set from Special Hobby is part of a new range that is using direct 3D printing using light-cured resins, which is a technique that is rapidly becoming suitable for making realistic models, even at the budget level. These sets are being produced on more high-end machines, and no layers were visible to my eyes, even with magnification! It arrives in a standard blister pack with orange branding, and lots of foam within to keep the parts safe during transport. The instructions are in the rear, sandwiched between the blister and the card header. Inside is a single printed block of parts that are printed in a light orange resin with what appears to be a lot fewer support struts ensuring that the freshly printed parts don’t sag under their own weight before they are properly cured. There is also a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) for the rifle slings, which should be annealed in a flame to soften before use for your own ease. At first look it looks like a badly strung clothes tree, but on closer inspection you can see a number of weapons and parts within that should be removed with a pair of sharp-nosed clippers, being careful that you don’t accidentally also trim a barrel or stock tube as you go. Care is the watchword here. Once released, you will see that there are four weapons, as follows: EMP44 submachine gun MP3008 submachine gun Volkssturmgewehr VG1 rifle MG81 machine gun The rifles are recipients of the slings, and the instructions show where they fit. The 3008 was a last-ditch design for a cheap, easily produced sub-machine gun, so it is apt that it appears in this set. The MG81 consists of three parts, with separate cocking handle and bipod to be glued in place, and no sling. This was a development of the MG34 used primarily by the Luftwaffe when they moved away from the MG15, and again it was an attempt to reduce costs and material use toward the end of the war. The EMP44 was a failure in terms of design, having only progressed as far as a working prototype by the end of the project, and resembles some really poor plumbing more than a rifle. It is also incorrectly noted on the site’s page as an RMP44. Finally, the VG1 was a simple rifle that was designed as a last-ditch type for the defence of the Reich, with a simple 10-round magazine and was crudely machined and designed when compared to more well-rounded rifles such as the Gehwehr98 that saw action through the whole of WWII. Conclusion Special Hobby have taken full advantage of the advances in 3D printing here, and the results are exquisite, if a little delicate if you’re a fat-fingered goon like me. Take care when handling, and you will end up with a superbly accurate set of arms to add to your next Battle for Berlin project. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Luftschutz Helmets x 2 (P35004) 1:35 Special Hobby 3D Print During WWII, firefighters and rescue workers often laboured while the bombs were still falling in order to save people and buildings from total destruction, or at least to minimise the ravaging fires and reduce the effects on collapsing buildings. Many of these brave folks were volunteers that were either over fighting age or had been invalided out for one reason or another. Nazi Germany too had these people braving death and destruction, and many of them wore a helmet to protect their heads called the Luftschutz. It bore a passing resemblance to the military Stahlhelm, but had extended brims front and rear, with cut-outs over the ears to reduce any effect on hearing that the brims would otherwise have. They were often painted a dark blue and had a winged Swastika on the front, and a leather interior structure to protect the wearer’s head from abrasion and impacts. A leather strap held the helmet on the wearer’s head with a friction buckle keeping it on their head during activity. This set is another direct 3D printed offering from Special Hobby, printed in their pale orange resin using SLA printers for ultimate detail. Inside the standard blister pack are two helmet parts, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) and a decal sheet for use once the model is painted. The helmets have already been removed from their printing base, with just a single support mark on the flat top that can be sanded off with little effort. The four rivets are present, as are the small perforated ventilation holes on the sides, although you can only just see them because they are small at full-scale, so reduce that by 35 times, and they are utterly minute. Thick paint may obliterate them completely, so take it easy when applying it. The instructions show the location of the straps, which are in two parts like the real thing, and also shows the location of the decals for Luftschutz use as well as other times they were seen during the Prague and Warsaw uprisings. If you’re wondering which is the front, look at it from the side and you will see the brim at the front is shorter than at the rear, in much the same way as a modern firefighter’s helmet. No-one wants hot debris down the back of their jackets, especially when their mind is on other more dangerous things. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I have two Shermans kits in need of some love & attention, one Asuka M4A1 & another Tamiya M4. I started building them about a year ago when I was commissioned by Stahlhelm Models to design the master for a 1/35 T1E3 Mine Exploder conversion (shameless advertising ). The resin conversion kit has since been released & several other people have built it but my own build remains incomplete! The upcoming Sherman GB has given me the KUTA I need to get these two finally finished before I start on any new Sherman builds First up is the early version of the T1E3 fitted to an Asuka M4A1 Sherman. The hull has been built & a cast texture applied with Mr.Surfacer 500. The suspension & wheels are also done, they are hiding in the box ATM. The turret is the main issue with this build as I want to make a specific tank & the Asuka kit comes with a mid production 75mm turret, I however need a late version though. I dont have the grey prototype parts in the above photo anymore so I'm currently 3D printing a new set. I'm planning to build this kit as Aunt Jemima 2, I have a set of Star Decals that includes the artwork seen on the side of this specific Sherman. Next up is a late version of the T1E3 (sometimes mislabeled as the T1E6) which is fitted with new toothed wheels to improve traction (this version currently isn't available from Stahlhelm Models, but they have the master so if your interested in one send them a message). I used a Tamiya M4 Sherman which other then a few small bit is nearly complete. Once again the cast parts were stippled with Mr.Surfacer to add some texture, the large gaps on the bottom of the sponsons was also filled with plastic card (typical Tamiya) but other then that it was mostly built OOB. The main thing holding this build up was that I wanted to fit it with a set of T49 tracks which were commonly used on the T1E3 because of there better traction in mud. I also want to add some stowage to the rear deck but cant decide on what & how. The above photo shows the parts dry fitted, here they are separated. I used parts from various test prints cobbled together which is why they are different colours & materials. During development I also made a hollow version of the crank with a separate cover & internal chain mechanism. The idea was rejected but I get to use the prototype print on my build to add some extra detail Close up of the rear "push plate", because of the extra wight of the mine rollers sometimes a second Sherman tank was used to help push the T1E3 along. Here is one in action getting a nudge from behind To resolve the parts issues I was having with both builds I picked up a Zvezda M4A2 kit which comes with a late production 75mm turret & a set of T49 tracks that I can borrow. As the M4 is the closest to completion I'll focus on that one for now & start work fitting the new tracks, meanwhile my 3D printer will be making the rest of the parts I need for the M4A1.

One of the iconic characters of the movie Oblivion starring Tom Cruise was undoubtedly the attack drones. These machines became a central part of the movie with recognizable characteristics and identifiable personalities. In the case of Drone 166, there was also a certain viciousness and a grudge. The model is about 8 inches (20 cm) and is mounted on a base that holds sound and lighting electronics. It was 3D printed from files found online but it quickly became apparent they needed help. I used Fusion 360 to rework the main shell and modify it to accept magnets to make the drone configurable from the flight mode to attack mode. I also created new parts to support the different configurations and added LEDs effects. All of the parts were made in Fusion 360. Finishing was done with common household spackle and gray filler primer. Once smooth, I shot a coat of white Tamiya Surfacer/Primer and then final coats were with Tamiya Spray. The parts are printed in PLA, which is remarkably hard and doesn't sand easy. I also used transparent PETG for the lighted parts. All of the electronic components were sourced from Amazon since finding components locally is sadly a thing of the past. Hope you enjoy it! I have a video of Drone 166 with the lights and sound working but don't know how to upload a video...

Small Arms for Volkssturm Set 1 (P35001) 1:35 3D Print by Special Hobby During the closing days of WWII, the people of Berlin and the surrounding areas were pressed into service as make-do soldiers by the desperate hard-core Nazis, and when we say people, it was mostly old men, teenagers and those that had been injured and invalided out of service previously. Some women even took part, and there’s a famous piece of film of a German lady being taught how to use a Panzerfaust by a soldier with a nervous smile on her face. They were given basic training, often no more than on how to operate the weapons they had been given, and sent off to die to delay the Allies from reaching the higher-ups. The weapons were often old and outdated, so overall they stood little chance of giving a good account of themselves against hardened troops and armoured tanks. This set from Special Hobby is part of a new range that is using direct 3D printing using light-cured resins, which is a technique that is rapidly becoming suitable for making realistic models, even at the budget level. These sets are being produced on more high-end machines, and no layers were visible to my eyes, even with magnification! It arrives in a standard blister pack with orange branding, and lots of foam within to keep the parts safe during transport. The instructions are in the rear, sandwiched between the blister and the card header. Inside is a single printed block of parts that are printed in a light orange resin with lots of support struts ensuring that the freshly printed parts don’t sag under their own weight before they are properly cured. There is also a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) for the rifle slings, which should be annealed in a flame to soften it before use for your ease. At first look it looks like a messy Christmas tree, but on closer inspection you can see a number of weapons within that should be removed with a pair of sharp-nosed clippers, being careful that you don’t accidentally also trim a barrel or stock tube as you go. Care is the watchword here. Once released, you can see that there are four guns, as follows: 2 x MP3008 2nd Production (wood stock & tube stock variants) 1 x 6.5mm Karabiner 409(i) (originally Italian Carcano 91) 1 x MG81 Machine Gun The rifles are recipients of the slings, and the instructions show where they fit. The two MP3008s have different stocks and the tube stock variant also has a perforated barrel shroud, giving it a more aggressive look. The 3008 was a last-ditch design for a cheap, easily produced sub-machine gun, so it is apt that it appears in this set. The MG81 consists of three parts, with separate cocking handle and bipod to be glued in place, and no sling. This was a development of the MG34 used primarily by the Luftwaffe when they moved away from the MG15, and again it was an attempt to reduce costs and material use toward the end of the war. As this is a first from Special Hobby, as indicated by the product code, I decided to cut the parts from the supports, as you can’t see them very well half-buried in a forest of self-coloured resin. Cutting them with a single-edged nipper worked well, but take care with the stock tubes and barrels, as they are delicate due to being scale accurate. I managed to snap the barrel on the Carcano 91, but I suspect that was my own fault. Take care though, as they’re too nice to ruin. Conclusion Special Hobby have taken full advantage of the advances in 3D printing here, and the results are exquisite, if a little delicate if you’re a fat-fingered goon like me. Take care when handling, and you will end up with a superbly accurate set of arms to add to your next Battle for Berlin project. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I printed this bust back in the summer, but I've only just got around to painting it. The 3D sculp is from Archvillain Games on MyMiniFactory, and it's probably the best thing I've printed to date. The level of detail is very impressive with a hand beaten texture on the armour parts, and individual strands on the feathers. Pretty good for a file that only cost about £3.80. I'll definitely be getting more from Archvillain in the future. It was printed on my Mars Pro as a single piece, and stands around 12cm high. The base coats for the skin and the tree were airbrushed with Tamiya acrylics, and everything else was brush painted with a mix of Vallejo, AK Gen 3, and Citadel paints. Thanks for looking Andy

ESK 2000B Gun Camera (7461) 1:72 3D Print by Special Hobby During WWII it was helpful to all combatants to be able to verify claimed kills in order to obtain accurate numbers on enemy attrition, which helped immensely with strategic planning. They were also used during training to help the novice pilots understand where they were going wrong, and could be strapped to airframes that otherwise couldn’t be used. The Germans used such devices, which could be mounted internally where there was space, or externally on smaller airframes. These sets depict the Zeiss ESK 2000B camera, which was mounted in an aerodynamic bullet fairing, and attached to the airframe by a mounting plate. Due to the limited space available only a small amount of film could be stored in a cartridge within the fairing, so the operation of the mechanism was synchronised with the pilot’s thumb on the trigger in an attempt to catch the action, which didn’t always work out 100% due to the erratic movements in dog-fighting - even in training. This arrives in the new Orange themed blister pack for the 3D Print range from Special Hobby, with a header card and instructions behind, completing the package. This is quite possibly the smallest item this reviewer has reviewed, however the details is pretty spot on. This is exactly the type of thing the new 3D printing excels at. You can find the location for many of the aircraft that used it with a quick Google, but CMK have included a drawing for the Bf.109E on the instructions for both sets, even down to the location where the control wire enters the wing at a nearby maintenance hatchway. Conclusion An unusual and interesting addition to any WWII German fighter that is incredibly well-detailed, and starts to add a back-story to your latest project. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

This is a newish release from Resin Scales, a Singapore based comany who produce direct 3D print kits of tanks from the World of Tanks game. The subject is 'what-if' of course, but it's essentially a double barreled IS-3. It's probably stretching it a bit to call it a kit in truth, as there are only five main parts. Both the hull and turret are printed as single pieces, and the tracks are also single units with the wheels, idlers, and sprockets printed integrally with each track run. The detail in some areas is very high, with even the cables for the lights being printed, but in other areas the 3D design is quite rudimentary. The running gear in particular is very basic with faceted edges on parts that should be rounded - you might almost suspect that they've pulled game assets to use for the 3D model To spice up the model a little more I added the mesh armour panels, and the stowage and fuel tank on the back. I also had to do a little printing myself since the mounting ring for the Dushka was warped from the kit's packaging and needed replacing, and I also needed to print out the support brackets for the fuel drum. Overall it built into a nice model, and it was an interesting project as this was the first off-the-shelf 3D printed kit I've tackled. Thanks for looking Andy