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Hi Pals, A bit of history...(source Wikipedia): "A stopgap upgrade to the KV series was the short-lived KV-85 or Objekt 239. This was a KV-1S with the new turret from the Object 237 (IS-85) still in development, mounting the same 85 mm D-5T gun as the SU-85 and early versions of the T-34-85 (not yet in production at the time). The 85 mm proved capable of penetrating the Tiger I from 1000 m and the demand for it slowed production of the KV-85 tremendously, only 148 were built between August and October 1943.[18] Soviet industry was therefore able to produce a heavy tank as well armed as the Tiger I before the end of 1943. Although the KV-85 was an excellent opponent to the Tigers and Panthers, it was a stopgap and thus was built in small numbers.[15] The complete Object 237 was accepted into service as the IS-85 and was produced in the autumn and winter of 1943-44; they were sent to the front as of October 1943 and production of the IS-85/IS-1 was stopped by the spring of 1944 once the IS-122/IS-2 entered full-scale production." A new model, already finished, I'm sorry I don't have photos of the assembly and painting for a WIP, but everything was lost... I think that this tank can be considered a "lesser type", since the JS-2 Stalin, the most valid model, won the game, so it seems that in the field of modeling it is also little seen. I wanted to make one of these, because it is still a KV-1, but with a very T34/85 turret (in fact I have changed the turrets of my T34/85 and the KV85 and they could pass for a "real" model). ..LOL I saw that there was a test version with the 122mm gun, which is very similar to the JS-2 in appearance, so, not having any KV-1, I preferred to make one with the 85mm gun. The kit is pretty good in my opinion, and I don't recall any significant problems with assembly. It includes some very good vinyl tracks and others made of rigid plastic, also very good, with already preformed segments... Still, since I had some Friuls that I could use, I decided to use them in this kit. They were already mounted on an ISU-152 that I made a long time ago, but, with the intended improvement in the models, I saw that I had "left something that could be improved" (it was not in vain that it was my first purchase when I returned to the hobby).... I had to clean them well, because they had a lot of pigment and snow in some points that made their handling and reassembly difficult, and add a few more links (I had spare parts)... I also added the aluminum barrel, although once painted...there is no difference. The towing cables are from the Eureka brand, which I had prepared long ago for some Soviet vehicle. An antenna, which was exchanged for the stump from the kit, and the muzzles of the machine gun that I managed to pierce. I'm still trying the shade of green, although this one, with the idea of a subsequent weathering in mind that doesn't get too dark, was a little lighter than I would have liked, but I was satisfied. I have tried to show a used vehicle, in the last months of the war, I imagine that in a very chaotic and dangerous environment (with the big German cats and their Paks getting bigger and bigger). I have used pigments in the "belly", sides and some wheels, to simulate dry mud. Weathering, as always, with occasional washes to get details, chipping at "contact" points and use of oils to simulate rust, grease, and wear at points of use. I hope you like it, it is not a popular model, but it is part of history, and it helps to understand models from the same period and later developments... I attach some real photos for comparison with the kit. Thank you very much as always for watching and commenting Cheers and TC Francis.👍

Hi Pals, The model I share is the well-known and iconic JS-2 Stalin. The model is basically OOB, except for an added antenna, Eureka brand copper tow cables, and some PE cast markings on the turret. There are no major problems to review in its assembly, this being simple and quite fast to complete. The tracks are individual plastic link, (although it also included rubber ones, very good too), but although these have been more laborious to make, they are quite simple to manipulate, since the pieces are of a manageable size, with a finished of some saggy. The painting was not a big problem, this time, the chosen tone, I liked the first time, and then the process, the same as for other models, using oils and pigments. The bottom and side have dry mud-like pigments, and there is some dry vegetation at random spots. I hope you like it, and thanks for watching and commenting as always. Cheers and TC Francis.👍 BLACK BACKGRPUNG:

The fahrgestell munitionsshlepper as most German armour builders will know is the ammunition loading crane for the Karl-gerat siege mortar, I built it as part of the panzer iv group build, as its panzer iv based,

Well I’ve decided to start on this monster build! It’s huge! The track base provides won’t even fit in my double door display cabinet! the kit itself is getting tired I think, there’s some miss aligned parts and flash that need removing on most pieces. (Not horrific but still requires attention) cylinders that have great big seams running through them etc. I bought this kit off a member here (though I forget his name) it comes with 2x photo etched kits to upgrade the details. Heres where i am at at the moment Before starting I highlit everything for where the photoetch replacements/additions need to go. Takes some time but we’ll worth the effort! how I now organise my process. The air cylinders started off well... until I realised I muddled them up... one is shorter in height and length and sit in the opposite positions to where I fixed them to start with, I had to break the PE to get them to fit in the correct place after that short legs and long legs needed changing over and position on the loco was switched 😞 [ note to self...pay more attention idiot!] 😂😂

Hello folks, I know I haven't finished the M114A1 howitzer yet, but I can’t resist this interesting and amazing kit. Well, a big project requires extreme measures ...BIG kit + BIG ED = BIG work and BIG challenge . It will be a long and slow assembly...lots of copper wires will be added , but I'm motivated to start it. There are hundreds of parts on 13 sprues, not counting the hundreds of photo-etcheds... I decided to build a Egyptian version with a camouflaged SA-2 missile: The vehicle appears to have a light sand color, different from the missile and base above... Well, hard work ahead...

Here's a Russian ZIL tractor with an engine problem. It was hauling a SA-2 Guideline missile trailer but the trailer went ahead with another tractor. Not a favorite but a Christmas present so had to be worked on. No markings as it was not officially in the 1973 Yom Kippur war, just passing through and lost it's trailer and missile.

Hi everyone This is Trumpeter's USMC M1A1HA Abrams with mine plow, which I have built to depict a tank from B Company, 1st Marine Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division. This tank operated in Bagdad as part of OIF. Built OOB with stowage items from spares box and Echelon decals (ammo box decals from ACM). The CIPs were pilfered from Trumpeter's 'M1A1HA Abrams' kit. I took some of the photos outside and some inside on a sheet of cardboard covered with dirt, however I plan to build a proper display base for it soon. Also, it doesn’t look as dirty and some of the decals look a bit silvered in the photos, however this isn't the case (lighting perhaps). In some of the photos you may notice the smoke dischargers are missing. This is because I removed them to replace with aftermarket ones (once they arrive). ps. I'd love to add figures as well, but unfortunately I have not yet mastered the effective painting of them Thanks for looking.