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Hurricane Mk.I VY-G of No. 85 Squadron, RAF, Advanced Striking Force, Lille-Seclin, France, May 1940 It's been a while since I have posted a completed aircraft build in this section. I've mostly been making AFVs in the GB area. This will be my only aircraft build of this year and it's actually one I started in a GB back in 2016! After I had finished the last of my current projects in the GB section earlier this year, I decided I'd like to finish this, partially started, Hurricane. My original GB project had been to make two Hurricanes - one taking off and one on the ground. I completed the taking off version but ran out of time with this one. I enjoyed finishing off of this build but it's taken a lot longer than I thought it would. The kit is lovely, if a little flawed in places. I added most of the parts from the Eduard PE set designed for this kit and also replaced the four spoke wheels with replacement 5 spoke, resin wheels from CMK. I have also done a bit of extra work on the kit, to correct some of the issues, and the WIP for this build can be found here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235100221-back-into-the-hurricane-mki-airfix-172/ As always, all the paint was applied by paint brush. Kit: Airfix 1/72 A01010 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I Extras: Eduard Photoetch Set, CMK Corrections 5 Spoke Resin Wheels Set, Lead Wire and 1 strand of hair Paints: Humbrol, Revell and Citadel Acrylic Paints all applied by brush. The first few photos were taken against a sky photo background with some Gaugemaster Grass Mat on the base: This set of photos were taken against a white background: A few closer views: I have made the canopy so it can be removed to see into the cockpit: …..but it's still difficult to get a photo of the detail in there - so I have included a few photos here of the cockpit during the assembly stages: And some photos in Sepia: Finally - this is how the completed 'taking off" version looked back in 2016: More photos of this model can be found here: Well I enjoyed my one aircraft build of 2021 and I must try and make a few more aircraft in 2022! Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

This was my build for the French Fancy GB which is still running in the GB area. I bought this kit when it first came out in 2016 and it's one I had been looking for an excuse to build for quite a while and the French Fancy GB gave me the perfect opportunity to get it made. I always thought this was an interesting looking vehicle - a little bit different from the norm. It was a typical Tamiya kit and I found it to be quite a relaxing project - the tank itself is completely OOB - although I have made a small base for it. Rather than my usually worn and muddy weathering, with this one, I decided to go for the 'in use' look - with some worn edges and a bit of dust here and there. According to Wikipedia: The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1952 to 1987. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 26 other nations. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and reliable chassis, it was fitted with an oscillating turret built by GIAT Industries (now Nexter) with revolver type magazines, which were also used on the Austrian SK-105 Kürassier. Including prototypes and export versions, there are over a hundred variants including self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft systems, APCs, and ATGM versions. The Wikipedia page for the AMX-13 can be found: HERE Kit: Tamiya 1/35 Kit No. 35349 Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Vallejo, Citadel and Railmatch acrylics all applied by brush Base: Wilko picture frame, picture frame backing board MDF from a larger frame, Polystyrene, emery paper, Woodlands Scenics Blended Turf, Army Painter grass tufts/flowers and a Tamiya road sign. The Work In Progress thread can be found HERE A few closer views: A few with the turret at different angles: A few on it's base: And a couple with a sky background: Finally a big thank you to the hosts of the French Fancy GB and to everyone who took the time to comment in my build thread. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Operation Veritable was succinctly summarised as being of 'Mud and Mines' and so I wanted to do diorama which summed this up. Took around 3 months of fairly continuous work, my first 1/35 models ever (seems like 'first' is all I ever say but I had started modelling back in March this year, in 1/72 scale.) Its brush painted and mostly scratch built. I built the base, signage, ground works, vegetation, the booby trapped mine and mines, fence, tree stump, scarecrow, some of the carriers stowage (the sandbags, areal with flag, the satchels with the maps, the bag in the back and the roll sacks). Some of inspiration and ref pics below: Ok so obviously not a UC but gave me the initial idea: This is the 9th Camaronians in the Reichswald. Note the general detritus at the road side, including a ripped out door frame. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?attachments/br-offensive-n-holland-27-jpg.186292/ This is taken from Holland but helped with the water effects: Also from the Reichswald (not sure of the unit): The 2nd Argyll's in Normandy (where gecko got their idea for the figures from). Now onto the dio itself: My initial sketch: Barely make out the dropped rifle under the murky water (top right). The bag pipes came with a decal which I would never have been able to fit so I ended up painting the tartan on. Its a difficult balance to strike with regards to the mines as I had to try make them be seen, as they were the whole point and title but also not very obvious to spot which would have been realistic to the soldiers in the piece. Hopefully your might be just able to make them out in the above and below pic (Their was four in total but really only three ended up visible. Played with a cold filter for the pic below: Note the booby trapped mine under sarge sten gun's boot. The link wire cutting across the front of the resin water, in front of the ducks Thanks for viewing. Paul.

Panther Mk.V - No. 445 - Pz.Abt. 51 'Operation Citadel' - Kursk - August 1943 This was my build for the Panther Mk.V STGB and will be my final completion for 2020. I have completed the actual build of a Pz.III in the MTO GB but I need to finish the base and figure(s) for it – which will probably take it into a week or so of January. I was planning on making a 1/35 kit for the Panther Mk.V STGB, but time was not on my side, so I decided to make a this 1/72nd snap kit from Zvezda instead. I have to say I really enjoyed the build. It was a relatively straight forward kit to make and I added a few extra bits and pieces - engine deck grills from some random PE mesh from the spares box, a stretched sprue aerial, fuse wire for the hatch handles and lead wire for the smoke launcher cables. My Panther is based on an actual Panther that took part in the fighting around Kursk and which was eventually knocked out by a mine and abandoned. As I was doing such a small kit (and many of the modellers taking part in the GB were doing incredible modelling - seriously impressive stuff – please go and check the GB out!) - I decided I had better add a simple base to mine. The WIP thread can be found HERE Kit: Zvezda 1/72 Snap Kit Paints: Humbrol, Revell and Railmatch acrylic paints all applied by brush Extras: Spares box PE grill, fuse wire, lead wire, stretched sprue, small Wilco’s picture frame, corrugated card for the base, Gaugemaster Grass Mat and various Army Painter tufts. The first set of photos were taken against the sky backdrop photo on my Spitfire Display base. There are a lot of photos but I blame the interesting changes in light quality! (I will thin them a bit when I get chance): These next photos show the Panther on its picture frame base: Finally, some of the Panther on its own against a white background: And just to show how small it actually is: If you are still here – thank you for looking. I thoroughly enjoyed this build. Thank you to Dennis @Corsairfoxfouruncle for hosting the GB and to everyone who took the time to comment and offer advice in my build thread. Don’t forget the Panzer III STGB starts on the 6th February – hopefully I will see you all there! Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

This was my project for the Patton Tank STGB. Information about the actual tank can be found on this page: http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/t26e4-super-pershing I haven't made an AFV with an engine compartment before so I decided, seeing as how HobbyBoss provided a reasonable looking version of the engine and transmision, that I would display my project with the engine compartment open. This resulted in a bit of a vignette which can be seen below. I tried a different style of base from my usual - thinking it might be quicker - but all those cobbles!! I dry-brushed them with a dark grey to start with but then had to pick out loads to give some variation. I was trying to get this project finished over the past weekend as the Panzer IV Tiger STGB starts next weekend. At some point in the future I will add something in the empty area in front of the tank - as it looks a little large and open - I blame the length of the gun!! The title for the Vignette - "How much longer?" - came from the idea of the Commander asking how long the engine repairs were going to take but I thought it also could apply to the length of the gun! Kit: HobbyBoss 1/35 T26E4 Super Pershing Pilot #1 Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Citadel and Railmatch - all applied by brush Extras: Tamiya Tank Crew, Italeri Tools, Slater's Plasticard, Academy ammo crate and jerrycan. WIP: Here RFI: Here And under it's plastic case: Well I had a great time building this. A big thank you to @Corsairfoxfouruncle for hosting the Patton STGB and to everyone who took the time to comment and make suggestions in my build thread. I'm still helping Dennis (I think) by co-hosting the GB but I'm also about to start a project in the the Panzer VI Tiger STGB. Kind regards, Stix

This was my project for the Panzer III STGB and it was a most enjoyable build. The Dragon kit was a really nice kit, but the instructions left a bit to be desired in a few places. When I’d fitted the crew figure (port side) I thought his positioning made him look like he was looking at something just ahead of the front left fender. So, I wanted something just ahead of that area. I wanted something I didn’t have to buy specially, so when I got the Tamiya figures out of the stash – I thought the running, heavy machine gunner would be suitable – as if he’d just come off the embankment and was just dodging in front the of the StuG. Hopefully, he made it to the next village in one piece! The crew member thought is was a bit of a close call! Kit: Dragon 1/35 No.6620 Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Citadel, Vallejo and Railmatch acrylic paints all applied by brush Extras: Vallejo European Mud, Tamiya and HobbyBoss/Tristar figures, Redog and Tamiya stowage, MDF, pizza box packing styrene, Polyfilla Multi-Purpose filler, Guagemaster Blended Turf, Army Painter Tufts, twigs from the garden, fuse wire, small jewellery chain, medium thread and MiniArt signs. WIP: HERE StuG III RFI: HERE A few similar photos but without the sky background: ….and a couple on its frame display base: Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

This was one of my two projects for the Less Than A Tenner Group Build, which is still taking place in the Group Build section of the forum. If you haven’t dropped by yet, or even if you haven’t built anything yet, you still have another three weeks to get something cheap built – before the end of Sunday 5th September, when the GB Gallery closes. At the time of writing this, we already have 53 absolutely superb, completed builds in the Gallery, covering a wide range of interesting themes. This Dragon 1/72nd kit was a lovely kit to build and the great surface detail helped with my style of painting. My only real issue with this kit was with the DS band tracks supplied, which look far too chunky for my taste. I have tried to disguise the thickness with some additional mud! As usual, this kit was painted with acrylic paints which were all applied by brush. It was purchased for £7.25, reduced from £9.50, in Parabellum, in Birmingham, and was built straight out-of-the-box. Kit: 1/72 Dragon T-34/76 Mod.1941 with Cast Turret Paints: Humbrol, Revell and Railmatch acrylic paints all applied by brush Extras: Vallejo European Thick Mud. WIP: Here My other kit for the LTAT GB can be found here: 1/72 Zvezda Soviet Tank Destroyer SU-100 Snap Kit On grass mat: Both my Less Than A Tenner Group Build projects together: Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

This was one of my two projects for the Less Than A Tenner Group Build, which is still taking place in the Group Build section of the forum. If you haven’t dropped by yet, or even if you haven’t built anything yet, you still have another three weeks to get something cheap built – before the end of Sunday 5th September, when the GB Gallery closes. At the time of writing this, we already have 53 absolutely superb, completed builds in the Gallery, covering a wide range of interesting themes. This Zvezda 1/72nd kit was a little more challenging than the other Zvezda’s ‘snap’ kits, that I have built before. Some of the fit, especially with regards the tracks, left a lot to be desired. On the plus side with the tracks, they do look a lot thinner, and therefore more realistic once finished, than the DS band tracks supplied with my other build for this GB – Dragon’s 1/72 T-34/76 Mod.1941 with Cast Turret, which look far too chunky for my taste. As usual, this kit was painted and weathered with acrylic paints, which were all applied by brush. It was purchased for £9.99 from JH Poynton & Sons, in Derby, and was built straight out-of-the-box. Kit: 1/72 Zvezda Soviet Tank Destroyer SU-100 Snap Kit Paints: Humbrol, Revell and Railmatch acrylic paints all applied by brush Extras: Vallejo European Thick Mud. WIP: Here My other kit for the LTAT GB can be found here: Dragon 1/72 T-34/76 Mod.1941 with Cast Turret On some grass mat with a sky photo background: Both my Less Than A Tenner Group Build projects together: Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Hi all. As planned, this will be my build for the GB: I bought this kit when it first came out in 2016 and it's one I've been looking for an excuse to build for quite a while now. I always thought this was an interesting looking vehicle. I'm hoping that, now I have finished my two builds for the Less Than A Tenner Group Build, I will have the time this weekend to make a start on this one. I still need to wash the sprues in warm soapy water, but, after that, I'll get it underway. I won't probably get as much time on this as I'd like until after the LTAT GB has finished - because I'm the host of that one - but we'll see According to Wikipedia: The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1952 to 1987. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 26 other nations. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and reliable chassis, it was fitted with an oscillating turret built by GIAT Industries (now Nexter) with revolver type magazines, which were also used on the Austrian SK-105 Kürassier. Including prototypes and export versions, there are over a hundred variants including self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft systems, APCs, and ATGM versions. The Wikipedia page for the AMX-13 can be found: HERE Kind regards, Stix

I bought this kit a while back because it seemed like a lot of kit for £24! - and it is! It got a couple of good reviews and looked like a beast of a tank! The box seems full of plastic and you even get a bit of photoetch. The detail seems nice if a little soft in places. It even has individual track links as well as some rubber band ones. I cannot wait to get started next weekend! In the meantime I got the sprues washed in warm soapy water and some photos taken. Box art: I'll put the contents of the box photos in another post later on. Some information about the Super Pershing can be found here as well as some photos of this actual tank: http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/t26e4-super-pershing Kind regards, Stix

This is my first entry for this GB: If anyone knows Parabellum model shop, in Birmingham, then you may know that the 1/72 Dragon Armour kits are in the back left corner of the well stacked shop. I always make a beeline there when I'm finished looking around the rest of the kits - just in case there's any bargains like this. I bought it a few years ago. Looking forward to getting this started at the weekend. Kind regards, Stix

This is my second kit for this GB: This was purchased from toy/newspaper/jigsaws stand - JH Poynton & Sons - in Derby Market Hall - probably about 5 years ago or so. Not reduced - just the price it cost at the time. I've made a couple of Zvezda's snap kits and they usually turn out quite nicely. But I will be using glue! Kind regards, Stix

This small scene was built as part of the D-Day GB. It features a Tiger 1 - Ausf.E (Late Production), Turret Number 313 of 3./s.Pz.Abt. 503 (3rd Company 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion) and a Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib, ZY-Y of 247 Squadron. The Tiger - ‘313’ - would become famous as the one which was overturnd at Manneville during the Allied heavy bombing at the start of Operation 'Goodwood' on the 18 July 1944. Three of the crew actually survived that bombing. My version is modelled before that date while the detachment was still fighting against Allied tank forces during the battles around Caen. My scene depicts a close call during a rocket attack from the Typhoon. Kits: 1/48 Skybow Tiger 1 and 1/48 Italeri/Hasegawa Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Citadel and Railmatch Acrylics all applied by brush Extras: Typhoon - Eduard PE set, Airfix motor and Airfix pilot Extras: Tiger 1 - Hauler Grill set, Skybow track links, Stetched Sprue arial and Vallejo Mud Base: MDF, polystyrene, filler, Woodland Scenics Trees and Turf, Army Painter Tufts, pipe-cleaners, coffee stirrers and Tamiya figures The WIP can be found: Here The Typhoon RFI can be found: Here The Tiger 1 RFI can be found: Here Whole scene:

This was my project for the Panzer III STGB and it was a most enjoyable build. The Dragon kit was a really nice kit, but the instructions left a bit to be desired in a few places. Kit: Dragon 1/35 No.6620 Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Citadel, Vallejo and Railmatch acrylic paints all applied by brush Extras: Vallejo European Mud, Tamiya and HobbyBoss/Tristar figures, Redog and Tamiya stowage, MDF, pizza box packing styrene, Pollyfilla Multi-Purpose filler, Guagemaster Blended Turf, Army Painter Tufts, twigs from the garden, fuse wire, small jewellery chain, medium thread and MiniArt signs. WIP: HERE Vignette RFI: HERE Just a couple of photos here to show how it looks on it’s base with a sky background: These photos show how the StuG looks on it’s own: This is how it looks on its base: ….and one on its final display frame: Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Hi all, Here is my finished is-2 heavy tank, zvezda in 1/72. I really enjoyed this one. Trying more techniques and learning more now (finished tank no.4). The white lines are hand painted as I thought the decals were too clean looking and I wouldn't get them to line up correctly. Before I applied the polar bears/red star decals I used a hobby knife and sandpaper to scratch the back of them to give them a slight wear/chipping affect which I'm happy with. The mud is my usual sand/actual mud/polyfiller/paint solution (Don't think I could copy right that one!!! ha) I liked the outcome apart from the zvezda supplied tracks which are a tight fit and didn't have that typical sag in the middle. The aerial is a piece of plastic clothes tag. I used poly cement to errode/mottle the turret to enhance that cast turret effect of soviet armour. Lost count of the amount of times I broke the grab rails. Please ignore the hat tank riders in the later pics, I shouldn't have stuck them onto the tank, as wasn't really happy with them. The finished diorama which this features in is linked HERE All feedback, thoughts for improvement, tips and tricks welcome!!!

Hi all. This was a build to fill a gap of three weeks between my last GB projects and my hosting of the Panzer III Single Type Group which starts this Saturday - 6th February 2021. This was a bit of a rush job for me but it was a very straightforward project. These toon kits are great fun! Kit: Meng Toon Panzer III Paints: Acrylic Revell, Humbrol, Citadel and Railmatch all applied by brush Extras: Decals - crosses and numbers from the spares box, Vallejo Rust Texture and European Mud Thick texture WIP: Here The above photos were taken with it on some Gaugemaster 12mm Grass mat against my Spitfire base sky photo backdrop. Some photos against a white background: I also took a few without the Schurzen - just to prove I had painted and weathered behind it: As I mentioned - it was a fun project. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix PS - please make sure you join us for the Panzer III STGB which starts this Saturday 6th February 2021 here: - https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/722-panzer-iii-stgb/

250 StuG.III Ausf. F/8s were produced from September to December 1942. The F/8 made use of an improved hull design similar to that used for the Panzer III Ausf. J/L and had improved rear armour. This was the 8th version of Panzer III hulls, hence the designation 'F/8'. The hull had towing hook holes extending from side walls. 30mm thick plates of additional armour were bolted on to speed up the production line from October 1942. From the F/8 onwards, the 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 gun was standard until the very last of the Ausf. G. I'm thinking of making this Dragon kit as one of the ones based in Sicily: Back of the box: I was very lucky when I found this kit, which was reduced in price, in the old Ian Allen bookshop in Birmingham before it closed down: I always used to enjoy hunting through the stack of reduced kits in that back kit section upstairs. I managed to get quite a few Dragon kits, including several Dragon Panzer IIIs as well. I was also lucky, in that this kit included Magic Tracks as well as the normal DS tracks usually included in this kit. Most versions of this kit only came with the DS tracks alone. The reviews I have seen only seem to have the DS tracks so I assume this boxing was a limited run: I will probably add a figure or two, some stowage and make a base for it. Can't wait to get started. Kind regards, Stix

PK553 of No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, RAF Ouston, 1948. From the Airfix website: Spitfire PK553 was produced at the Castle Bromwich factory as part of contract B981687/39 and issued to No.607 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force. The RAuxAF was a force of paid volunteers who acted as a reinforcement reserve force for the Royal Air Force, giving up their evenings, weekends and holidays to train and serve in this essential force, following the end of the Second World War. RAF No 607 Squadron reformed on 10th May 1946 as a RAuxAF day fighter squadron at Ouston, in Northumberland, initially flying the Spitfire Mk.XIV and later the Mk.22, before eventually entering the jet age with the de Havilland Vampire. This was my build for the Spitfire/Seafire STGB. I originally bought the kit for £6.99 from a toyshop when I was in there and just wanted to buy a kit. If it hadn't been for me not having much time for the Spitfire GB, I probably wouldn't have made it for quite a while yet. When I saw the box in the stash I thought it would be a suitable kit - in that it would be very quick to build. But, when I opened the box, I realised I had forgotten that I had bought the Eduard etch set for it. This would obviously make it longer to build but I decided to go for it anyway - and I'm glad I did. I actually enjoyed the build despite a few 'operator error' issues!! I can certainly recommend it as a nice, cheap kit. I did originally plan on making it as the aircraft that took part in the Cooper Trophy Air Race in 1948. However, when I started looking online for information about it, I realised that most of the models from this kit were based on that version (with the big, white number 4s and red tailband) with others based on the all over silver version, from 603 Squadron. The silver version was going to be a lot harder for me to do as a brush painter but, luckily, Airfix does provide the decals in the box to make the 'vanilla' version of the aircraft which took part in the Cooper Air Race aircraft - I presume pre-race. I rather liked the idea of doing the less popular version. The photos of it can be found below. The WIP can be found: HERE Kit: Airfix A02033 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.22 Extras: Eduard 73436 Photoetch set Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Citadel, Railmatch acrylics all applied by brush Hopefully you will be able to see some of the cockpit detail here - it's not easy to see into a 1/72 cockpit with an iPad camera! Same views as the first ones above, but with the Spitfire on my Spitfire display base. I also used a small cut-off section of slabbed area, from a previous base I had made, for it to sit on The background is a copyright free photo I found a long time ago on the internet. I really enjoy working on the cockpits of aircraft, but of course, a lot of the work gets hidden inside the fuselage once the model is complete. So here are a few photos of the cockpit before it was sealed away: A few in black and white: Thank you to everyone who commented and offered suggestions in my build thread. Thanks also to Patrice @TEMPESTMK5 for hosting the STGB so well. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

I have managed to drag a few over the finish line this past year despite life getting in the way at times. Every build was done in GBs. First one finished was mostly completed in 2019 in the T-55 STGB: Tamiya's 1/35 Tiran 5 The WIP can be found HERE The RFI can be found HERE The vignette photos can be found HERE Next was another tank - this time: Tamiya's 1/48 US Main Battle Tank M1A2 Abrams The WIP can be found HERE The RFI can be found HERE An aircraft build next in the In The Navy GB: Airfix's 1/72 Grumman Martlett Mk.IV The WIP can be found HERE The RFI can be found HERE The vignette photos can be found HERE Quick build in the summer Blitzbuild GB next - only project where I used rattlecan red paint: Revell 1/24 Easy-Click System Kit - Porsche Diesel Junior 108 Tractor The WIP can be found HERE The RFI can be found HERE Another aircraft this time built in the Spitfire/Seafire STGB: Airfix's 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.22 The WIP can be found HERE The RFI can be found HERE Back to a tank in the T-34 STGB: Tamiya's 1/48 SU-122 Tank Destroyer The WIP can be found HERE The RFI can be found HERE The vignette photos can be found HERE For the Battle of Britain GB I decided to motorise the prop on a Hurricane and include a bit of a vignette: Airfix's 1/48 ‘Ready for Battle' Vignette - Hurricane P3522 - GZ-V - Biggin Hill, August 1940 - The WIP can be found HERE The RFI can be found HERE The vignette photos can be found HERE This project is still in progress but should be completed by the end of the year - the Pz.III is complete but I am going to add a base and a figure or two. I will update the photos once it is finished. Tamiya's 1/48 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N - Tank No.04 Tunisia 1942 The WIP can be found HERE The 1/72 Panther Mk.V, which I had in progress in the Panther STGB, was actually finished yesterday (29/12/20). It's a Zvezda Snap Kit but I have added a few extra bits and bobs from the spares box plus some wire and mud products. Pz.Kpfw. V Panther Ausf. D - Panther Mk.V - No. 445 - Pz.Abt. 51 - 'Operation Citadel' - Kursk - August 1943 The WIP can be found HERE Lots more photos can be found in the RFI section HERE The Zvezda Snap Kit was a fun way to finish the year! A big thank you all the hosts of the GBs I have taken part in and all the fellow modellers who have taken the time to kindly offer advice or support in my threads. Without these interactions I know my builds wouldn't be what they are. Again - thank you. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix PS Hopefully I'll see some of you in the Pz.III STGB in February and also in the Less Than A Tenner GB starting in May.

This was my project for the MTO GB. It was a fun kit to build – as most of Tamiya’s 1/48 Armour kits seem to be. Pz.III No.04 was part of the 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion, which was part of the Afrika Korps in North Africa. Following the Allied landing in French North Africa the Battalion, with its 16 Panzer IIIs, arrived in Tunisia between November 1942 and January 1943. Initially only three Tiger Is of the 501st landed at Tunis on 23 November 1942. These first elements of the battalion, along with four Panzer IIIs, were organized with other units into Kampfgruppe Lueder. They were involved in fighting just over a week later during the Axis counterattack on 1 December, destroying nine US and two British tanks on the first day while relieving German forces. I have done my version as part of a small vignette with the crew using the radio to get their orders. The base was one of my slightly rushed simple ones, using a bit of 4mm MDF and some household filler. Kit: Tamiya 1/48 Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Citadel, Railmatch and Vajello acrylic paints – all applied by brushes Extras: Lead wire, fuse wire, splatter guard mesh, stretched sprue, styrene strip, plasticard, Redog Models and Tamiya stowage, Tamiya 1/48 figures, 4mm MDF, household filler, Army Painter grass tufts. The WIP can be found HERE The Pz.III on its own against a white background: On its base with the figures: I also took a set of photos against the desert photo backdrop I have: Thank you to everyone who commented and offered advice and encouragement in my build thread. Thank you also to Patrice @TEMPESTMK5 for hosting such an excellent GB. Looking forward to the next one! Kind regards, Stix PS. IF YOU LIKE MAKING Pz.IIIs - PLEASE JOIN US IN THE Pz.III STGB WHICH STARTS ON THE 6TH FEBRUARY!

*Well quick for me!! Having finished my 1/72nd Panther and my 1/48 Pz.III a few weeks ago, I decided I wouldn't be able to fit in a proper full build before the much anticipated Panzer III Single Type Group Build starts on the 6th February. So I checked through the stash for something fairly quick to make and figured one of Meng's Toon kits fitted the criteria. As this is a toon kit of a Panzer III, I also figured it would make a good promotional project to promote the Panzer III STGB which starts on the 6th February. Oh, by the way - did I mention the Panzer III Single Type Group Build starts on the 6th February? I started work on this kit last week and my aim is to finish it before the Pz.III STGB starts on the 6th February. Please note - I am not intending for this kit to be part of the actual GB - it will be finished before the GB starts and will not appear in the gallery. So, this is the artwork on the box: Contents of the box: Sample of the instructions: I have made a start on the lower hull - doing some cleanup and assembly. I also got the wheels, return rollers, drive sprokets and (now) idler wheels ready for painting - you can probably see I have cut the teeth of two off the drive sprockets - there's usually only two drive sprockets - one each side - on a Pz.III - to create the idlers: First bit of paint on - Revell's Aqua (acrylic) Panzer/Tank Grey - which I applied with a Humbrol, medium flat brush: One of the reasons I decided to make this project was because I'm thinking of doing a grey Pz.III in the upcoming STGB - so it was a good oportunity to check the new pot of paint was okay. And it seemed to go on very well. I have also started to clean up and add some parts to the upper hull: More soon. Comments and suggestions welcome. I'm afraid this won't be much of a WIP thread as I'm just going to be adding stuff to it when I get time - and I am struggling a bit for time at the moment. Kind regards, Stix PS - Please don't forget the Panzer III Single Type Group Build starts on Saturday 6th February.

I had originally planned to be part of this STGB right from the start, but, a combination of less modelling time generally and, as a result, my MTO GB Pz.III build taking longer than expected, has resulted in me starting with only about a month to go!!.......and part of that month includes Christmas, with all it's distractions! I had originally planned on building something in 1/35. I have some rather nice Dragon kits - some with Zimmerit. Then, as time went by, I thought I would do something in 1/48 - the Tamiya range in 1/48 usually produces some fine looking models. But a week or so ago I decided to drop to 1/72. I have a nice Dragon 1/72 Panther G kit, with Zimmerit, but I purchased a large set of PE to go with it - so far too much to be done in a month. So here I am with a Zvezda snap kit. I have made a Tiger I from the Zvezda snap kit range and it resulted in a rather nice model. I'm hoping this one will be okay too. There are a couple of known issues with the kit which I think I have a plan for sorting out - and I may see if I have some mesh of some kind for the grills on the rear deck 🤞 I think I'm going to make it as Panther 445, a tank that was with the Pz.Abt. 51 during 'Operation Citadel' near Kursk in August of 1943. Kursk was the largest tank battle of WW2, Kursk was also the first time that the Panther tank was used in combat. So this is the kit I am going to use: A photo of 445 after it was knocked out This Panther received mine damage and was abandoned. You can see the damaged road wheel rim beside the crewmen. I may try and get this started this weekend alongside doing more work on my Pz.III. I'm not doing the knocked out version but a version of it before this and I may try and make a small base as well. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Not sure how much time I'm going to have for this project with everything that’s going on, but it is THE Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary GB!! This was a birthday present from a colleague at work a few years ago: I'm going to at least try and get the Hurricane finished (hopefully with the prop motorised) and then see how many of the other bits and pieces I can complete before the finish. Really looking forward to the GB! Kind regards, Stix

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt - WZ-P - No.226551 As flown by Lt.Col. Benjamin Mayo, 84th FS, 78th FG, Duxford Air Base, 1944 Kit: 1/48 Tamiya "Bubbletop" Paints: Citadel, Humbrol and Revell - all applied by brush. Built mostly OOB apart from a few bits of scratch-built plastic and wire in the cockpit and wheel wells. This was built as part of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt STGB Work In Progress: Here This build represents a number of firsts for me. It's the first non-Spitfire aircraft build since getting back into making kits again a few years back (I'm not counting the Captain Scarlet Angel's Interceptor here!). I'm pretty sure I only made one American aircraft when I was a child which, I think, was a Hellcat. This is also the first time I have attempted a brush painted NMF on such a large area. With regards the NMF paint - I got a lot of advice from fellow Britmodellers, thank you, and did some practicing on some scrap bits before deciding to use Citadel's Runefang Steel - I've not really used much Citadel paint in the past either. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed building this kit - it is a well detailed kit and the fit is excellent. Some photos: The detail in the cockpit was excellent but I couldn't get any decent photos yesterday so here are a few from during the build: Photos of the undersides added 04/04/16: Edit 04/04/16: I have now added some photos of the detail on the undersides (above). I'll also do some more B&W versions when I get chance. Edit - B&W photos added 09/04/16 As always: comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Well it's been a while since I’ve made any aircraft kits but two GBs have got me back into building 1/72nd aircraft. This build was for the ‘In the Navy’ GB that is still running down in the Group Build section. I have previously built Airfix’s 1/72nd Wildcat as if it were in flight so, when a colleague at work kindly got me this Martlet for a birthday a while back, I thought - rather than make it with the wings out, I would do them folded. The ‘In the Navy’ GB seemed the logical place to make it in this way and I had some ideas for how I would display it. This particular Mk.IV Martlet - FN142 - is modelled when it was based on HMS Formidable in November 1942. This is a photo of the actual aircraft: This certainly isn't a diorama - it barely qualifies as a vignette but, my intention from the start was to display it as if it were on the deck of HMS Formidable - although my idea changed a little as a couple of things became obvious. The first was that the plastic I had chosen for the deck was too thick for me to cut neatly enough in a curve. My original idea was to have the Martlet on one of the aircraft lifts but the ones I could see seemed, in photos of the actual deck, to have rounded corners. The other thing was that I was going to have it surrounded by mechanics working on it. I purchased a couple of boxes of the new 'Classic' 1/76 figures from Airfix. In my opinion they are terrible!! They look way too small and the material they are still made from is rubbery and really difficult to remove seams from! So there are only three figures in my small scene and they are away from the aircraft so it's harder to tell how small they are. Kit: Airfix 1/72 A02074 Extras: Plasticard, plastic rod, lead wire, Paints: Humbrol, Revell, Citadel and Railmatch acrylics all applied by brush. Base: Wilkos picture frame, Evergreen styrene sheet, Airfix 1/72nd figures and Academy stowage items. The GB WIP can be found: HERE The RFI for the Martlet itself can be found: HERE The title of my vignette comes from the idea that there must have been a discussion, at some point, about the name change - here it's an American commander and two RAF chaps. A few photos of the overall base: So a big thank you to my colleague at work for buying this Martlet for my birthday and thank you to everyone who took the time to comment and make suggestions in my build thread. Thank you also to @rob85 for being the fantastic host of the GB. Kind regards, Stix