Sd.Kfz 234 Rubicon Models

[John]

 

I've had little time to get much modelling done these last few months but, browsing the Rubicon Models UK website last week, I discovered this kit had been released.

 

That'll do me!

 

There's already a 1/56th scale Italeri kit of the 234/2, but this one offers the open-topped variants as well. 

 

So what do we get? 3 neatly moulded sprues of ABS plastic:

 

 

 

 

Loads of alternative parts which allow 3 of the 4 main production variants to be built out of the box. You can get a seperately available turret to do the /1 version if that's what you want.

 

Typical Rubicon high quality instructions:

 

 

 

 

Also typical of Rubicon is the generic decal sheet, so you'll need to do a bit of research if you're modelling a specific vehicle:

 

 

There's some info and a couple of suggested colour schemes on the back of the box:

 

 

Choices, choices...

 

More soon.

 

John

[Stef N.]

That looks a good kit, John, and very generous with the decals. They will come in handy. All the best in your build.👍

[Milan Mynar]

Interesting kit in interesting scale.

[John]

I expect many of us first came across the Sd.Kfz 234 in the form of the 1/76th scale Airfix kit, in my case hanging up on the Woolworths wall of kits in its Series 1 plastic bag. 

 

 

Quite impressive, and moulded in Airfix dark green plastic so it didn't need painted. Mine benefitted from extra camouflage in the shape of moss and lichen from the garden tube glued to the hull. I thought it was cool 😀

 

The kit also showed up in the El Alamein German Defence Forces boxed set along with the Tiger tank and a set of Afrika Korps infantry. You got a neat vacform base and some of those little glass phials of Humbrol enamel. 

 

Of course neither the 234 or the Tiger was actually used at El Alamein, and the 234 was too late to see any service in North Africa, but these are mere details 😀

 

Then, a few years later, along came Matchbox and their innovative range of 1/76th AFVs which included the turreted 234/2. It was a delicate little thing, particularly the suspension. I also wonder if it might be just a little under scale? 

 

Amazingly enough both of these kits are still generally available today, along with more recent releases by the likes of Roden and Italeri, so it's a well covered vehicle in the smaller scales. I was also lucky enough to be able to study the real thing in the shape of Bovingdon's /3 last Summer:

 

https://tankmuseum.org/tank-nuts/tank-collection/sd-kfz-234-3

 

Plenty of inspiration then 😀

 

John 

[John]

I'm building the /3, since I've actually seen a real one:

 

 

Not too much progress yet but hopefully more shortly.

 

John

 

[sardaukar]

I love the decal sheets Rubicon do, I wish someone would do similar in 1/72.

 

Looks like an interesting build.

[John]

I'm building the /3, aince I've actually seen a real one:

 

 

The interior isn't complex but not much can be seen beyond the ammo lockers and the backs of the driver's seats. 

 

 

Since this is an open-topped vehicle the bits you can see though the open top and the insides of the hull hatches are painted in the exterior colour of RAL 7028 and for this I've used some of my dwindling stock of Airfix enamel M9 Beige. The walls of the forward and rear driving compartments are Sovereign Hobbies German Tank Interior Cream, the oxide primer is Humbrol 107 German Purple and the black bits are Revell 8 Matt Black.

Very thin Revell 8 is also used as an overall wash.

The transmission casing is Humbrol 27 Sea Grey and the tops of the ammo lockers have a thin coat of Humbrol Dust enamel wash.

It's shiny because it's still wet in the photo.

 

John

 

[John]

 

The basic hull. 

I've seperated the used cartridge bag from the rear of the gun to let me add a bit of detail to the breach area.

There's also some very fine gaps where the fenders meet the main hull and where the top and bottom hull halves join at the nose. 

Nothing an application of Liquid Green Stuff won't fix.

John

[John]

Got a bit of modelling time today:

 

 

 

John