Military Modelling Collector's Edition April2016.pdf

’ Collectors Edition Nineteen

Military Vehicle Special From the publishers of

1st April 2016

100 PAG

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£4.99

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contents Vol.46 No.4 2016

Published by MyTimeMedia Ltd Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF UK & Overseas: +44 (0) 1689 869 840

Military Vehicle Special Collectors’ Edition Nineteen

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CURRENT & BACK ISSUES Website: www.mags-uk.com Tel: 01733 688994

EDITORIAL

Editor: Kelvin Barber PO BOX 6018, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2RS Email: [email protected] Consultant Editor: Ken Jones

PRODUCTION

Designer: Richard Dyer Illustrator: Grahame Chambers Retouching Manager: Brian Vickers Ad Production: Robin Gray

ADVERTISING

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MANAGEMENT

Group Advertising Manager: Rhona Bolger Email: [email protected] Publisher: Julie Miller Chief Executive: Owen Davies Chairman: Peter Harkness

12 BIG GREEN GECKO!

Steve Zaloga builds Trumpeter’s Russian SA-8 Gecko in 1:35 scale.

26 BE MY VALENTINE!

Mark Bannerman finds AFV Club’s Valentine Mk.II version to be the best of the many 1:35 scale kits available for this widely used WW2 tank.

38 “BEAST KILLER”

58 PANZERKAMPFWAGEN I AUSF F Fraser Gray describes how he built and weathered Bronco’s 1:35 scale model that earned him a Highly Commended award at Euro Militaire 2014.

72 SDKFZ 7/2 FLAK 36 WALKAROUND

Mario Eens builds and paints Bronco’s 1:48 scale SU-152 kit as a vehicle used on the Eastern Front.

Robin Buckland takes advantage of a rare opportunity to photograph a German half-track at Bastogne Barracks.

50 AUSTRALIAN 2PDR ANTI-TANK CARRIER

78 SCHNEIDER CA – THE INSIDE STORY

Peter Gillson tests his modelling skills by building an unusual ‘Carrier’ variation in 1:35 scale.

John Prigent scratchbuilds an interior for the HobbyBoss 1:35 scale kit of this French WW1 tank.

38 Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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All rights reserved ISSN 0026-4083 The Publisher’s written consent must be obtained before any part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, including photocopiers, and information retrieval systems. All reasonable care is taken in the preparation of the magazine contents, but the publishers cannot be held legally responsible for errors in the contents of this magazine or for any loss however arising from such errors, including loss resulting from negligence of our staff. Reliance placed upon the contents of this magazine is at reader’s own risk. Military Modelling, ISSN 0026-4083, is published monthly with an additional issue in April by MYTIMEMEDIA Ltd, Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF, UK. The US annual subscription price is 59.40GBP (equivalent to approximately 99USD). Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named Air Business Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Military Modelling, Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at dsb.net 3 Queensbridge, The Lakes, Northampton, NN4 7BF. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.

W

elcome to this Collectors’ Edition Military Vehicle Special another of our annual 100-page perfect bound issues of MM. This is where we substitute our normal monthly content with some longer and more in-depth articles about building military vehicles. This is my sixth Military Vehicle Special as MM editor, although unfortunately it will be my last. I’d therefore like to take this opportunity to thank all those contributors, advertisers and loyal readers who have made this annual publication the success it is. With its

varied selection of model subjects in the most popular modelling scales, and from differing nations and periods in time, it has always been a respected compendium of excellent articles with something to please all tastes. As usual, the modelling advice, techniques and historical references contained within, all from respected and regular MM authors, should prove both inspirational and practical. Myself and designer Richard Dyer have certainly enjoyed putting this Special together for you, we hope that you like the result! Kelvin Barber

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Aircraft Scale Modelling. F.A.Q. This book is a compilation of aircraft scale modelling techniques, step by step guides with hundreds of colour pictures for WWI, WWII, coldwar and modern aircraft, showing a wide range of painting and weathering techniques. 380 pages, more than 2,500 images. £47.99

Scratchbuilding Masterclass. Four of the best Scratchbuilders in the scale modelling world share their tips, tricks, techniques and advice in scales from 1/72 to 1/15 to help explain how scratchbuilding can open up a new world of modelling beyond kits alone. £15.00

Landscapes of War Volume 2. Paperback, Full Colour, 200 pages, chapters include Rommel in Tunisia, Base Ground Grass-stones,The Ardennes, Hurtgen Forest, autumn, 1944 Belarus, September 1944, Ivy Always present, Ferns, Normandy. £33.99

F.A.Q.2 Limited Edition. The third edition of our best-seller. This title is suited for beginners and the advanced modeller alike. The book has 320 pages, more than 1500 colour photographs. £48.99

Static Model Manual Volume 11. Military Figures for Dioramas. The ultimate diorama figures painting guide. These easily mastered techniques allow you to get good results using materials you have at home. £19.99

The Weathering Magazine 14. Heavy Metal. In this issue we examine how to paint all kinds of metals including a golden C3PO, aluminium aircraft, jet exhausts, rusty metal plates, and much more. £8.99

ADAM’S ARMOUR 1 Modelling Guide. The ultimate in the construction of armour modelling! Adam Wilder’s pioneering processes and techniques are described by him in the greatest of detail. These present the culmination of many years of Adamís work, many unseen in print until now.192 pages covering every aspect of assembly, detailing and conversion techniques which keeps Adam at the forefront of scale armour modelling with Worldwide acclaim. £29.95

Building Dioramas 3. In the third instalment of the series called Building Dioramas, readers can follow the making of four different, complete miniature landscapes step-bystep. Full Colour, 104 pages. £16.99

Encyclopedia of Aircraft Modelling d lli g Techniques 2. Interiors and Assembly. This second volume covers in depth through its 160 pages. £28.99

Tankograd In Detail: Fast Track 17 Leopard 2A4M Canadian Main Battle Tank. In action photographs and a detailed walkaround, English text. - Limited print-run 999 copies. Paperback, 40 pages,75 colour photographs. £10.99

ADAM’S ARMOUR 2 Modelling Guide. The ultimate in the painting & finishing of armour modelling! Adam Wilder’s pioneering processes and techniques are described by him in the greatest of detail. Adam’s Armour 2 will improve and enrich any modellerís work from beginners to the more proficient. This volume totalling 232 pages covering every aspect of stunning range of finishing techniques which keeps Adam at the forefront of scale armour modelling with Worldwide acclaim. £29.95

Modelling the Eagle. Announcing the ultimate Eagle publication for modellers and fans alike - a lavish, profusely illustrated, highly informative 84-page magazine devoted entirely to this most iconic of fictional spacecraft in all its incarnations! £7.99

Extreme Reality. EExtreme t Reality R shows how realism can be achieved in scale modelling. Divided in step-by step articles showing you well known techniques to some or specific techniques only used on a specific model. £22.99

Abrams Squad 14. Abrams Squad: The Modern Modelling Magazine is the FIRST and UNIQUE magazine in the world devoted to Modern Warfare modelling. £9.99

F.A.Q for Constructing & Painting Dioramas. All that you need to know to build outstanding vignettes and dioramas step-by-step through over 380 questions and answers and more than 1300 high quality photographs. £49.99

FAT in Detail.WWII Allied Field Artillery Tractors in Detail. Written by James Baxter and Frantisek Koran. Photo Manual for modellers. Vehicles covered. CMP Chevrolet Cab 12, CMP Ford Cab 13, Morris C8 Mk 1/2/3, 25 pounder howitzer. Paperback,143 pages, full colour. £25.99

Tanker Techniques Magazine. Second issue, the level is even higher than in issue 1, with 104 pages dedicated to more amazing armor. A must have magazine for lovers of military and civilian vehicles and for modellers who love quality modelling. £8.99

Single Model 01.Fish Submarine. The SM Series launches with a most unusual and unique project, 1/35 FichtenFoo’s Fantastical Fish-shaped Submersible. £15.99

Tankograd 5058. Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A7. The World’s Best Tank - Development History & Technology experts considered as the best main battle tank in the world. 56 pages, 125 colour photograph’s. £13.99

Major Credit cards accepted and cheques payable to: Tankograd 9024. AT105 Saxon Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier of the British Army 1977 to Today. Illustrated with 126 colour photographs, 10 black & white photographs. £13.99

Photosniper 22.Panzer IV. The Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H and Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J tanks were produced in the largest numbers in the range known as Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161 in German terminology ñ 7,000 vehicles. 112 pages, 58 b/w and 74 colour photographs, 60 Renders. £17.99

Bookworld Wholesale Ltd. UK Postage: Single book £2.50, two or more books £4.50. Overseas Airmail: please allow 15% of order value.

Metalics Volume 2. In this second volume we will show how to apply metallic effects over historic and fantasy figures. Many tricks and techniques from the best modelers. £10.99

The Eagle Has Landed. If there is one modeller that th t has h distinguished himselflf over the last decade, due to his amazing dioramas, it is Aitor Azkue. This book shows off the very best of all of his work. With spectacular dioramas, more than 1800 images, step by step guides, and all of his tricks described in detail, there is no book quite like this. 292 pages 10 complete dioramas looked at in total detail. £35.99

British Military Trucks of World War One. Types and Variants of British-Built and Non-British-Built Trucks in British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Flying Corps Service 1914-18. Hardback, 396 black-and-white photographs, 200 pages. £34.99

British Military Trucks of the Cold War. Manufacturers, Types, Variants and Service of Trucks in the British Armed Forces 1945-79 The end of hostilities in 1945 left the British ushered in an incredible demand for a future, forces with a massive surplus of military vehicles potentially nuclear clash between NATO and the placed throughout the many countries involved in Warsaw Pact on European soil. the conflict. Much of this equipment after six The fear of World War Three made possible one of the years of war was in a very poor state of repair, most creative design periods in military technology ever. and a lot was only fit for scrapping. The introduction of the FV numbering system additionally The development and use of military trucks in the aimed at standardising the British military vehicle. post-war period was therefore dominated by the After the war it blossomed into the idea of idealised feverish search for the ideal military vehicle. Moves military truck designs. The result of this heyday had been made between the War Office and British of military vehicle development was amazing trucks manufacturers to produce a family of standard types taking shape on drawing boards. to avoid the logistical nightmare that had occurred during the war with so many different makes. This book aims at illustrating this amazing story for the very first time in one comprehensive publication. This search for much more suitable tactical-truck designs in the early 1950s created a period that was Hardback, 184 pages, 333 B&W photo’s and brimming with new ideas. The upcoming Cold War 55 colour photographs. £34.99

British Military Trucks in Wehrmacht Service. Vehicles captured around Dunkirk, in France, Belgium, Greece and North Africa. Service on the Eastern Front, in the West, South and with the Afrikakorps, Hardback, 304 pages, 547 B/W photo’s, 425 of which hitherto unpublished! £34.99

BRAND NEW

BK-062 M48 Early pattern wheels + Spare (for Revell & other manfuacturers’ kits). QuickWheel mask included.

Set of resin wheels for kits in 1/35 scale. Our wheels are designed with use of original measurements and pictures. The original casting method leaves only a tiny trace of casting plug (around 1 mm wide). The set contains 14 complete wheels, a spare wheel, a drill and a QuickWheel painting mask. FEATURES LIST: - corrected shape of the steel wheel by adding the grooves inside the rims - corrected depth of the steel wheel (please note how shallow are the ones in plastic kits and how deep are the wheels actually on pictures of real tanks) - corrected shape and size of the bolts - added optional „stripe” in the middle of wheel’s rubber bandage to imitate the residue of rubber from vulcanization process, which can be easily sanded off if not required. - corrected height and width of the middle hub of the wheel - added the grease nipples on the middle hub cap and its side (early place ment and shape) - added markings on the rubbers

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The Hasegawa MT Range of 1:72nd scale military vehicles feature many historically correct vehicles from both Axis and Allies camps. Each model is highly detailed and requires assembly and painting. Perfect for AFV modellers and war gaming fans alike.

HMT15 - 1:72 M4 (A3E8) Sherman

HMT23 - 1:72 M5 High Speed Tractor

HMT50 - 1:72 SD.KFZ.162/1 Panzer IV/70 Lang

HMT49 - 1:72 SD.KFZ.162 Jagdpanzer IV L/48

HMT51 - 1:72 SDKFZ162 Jagdpanzer IV Late

HMT47 - 1:72 Flak Panzer IV Ostwind

HMT31- 1:72 Checkpoint Set

HMT32 - 1:72 Field Camp Equipment Set

Unit 2 The Quadrant 60 Marlborough Road, Lancing Business Park Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8UW

These and other great HASEGAWA products are available to order through your local dealer. For further information please visit www.amerang.co.uk or email us at : [email protected] E&OE

BRONCO MODELS 1/35 SCALE CB35010SP Cruiser Tank A34 COMET.............£32.99 CB35134 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.A......................£36.99 CB35213 sWS w/ 2cm Flakviering 38........£39.99 TRUMPETER 1/16 SCALE TRU00922 Pz.Beobwg.IV Ausf.J.................£179.99 MINI ART 1/35 SCALE MT35193 Soviet T-44 Medium Tank............£39.99 MENG MODELS 1/35 SCALE MMSS010 D9R Bulldozer w/ Slat Armor......£57.99 MMTS023 Russian ZSU-23-4 Shilka.............£49.99 TAMIYA 1/48 SCALE TA32587 Humber MK.IV a/c.....................£13.99 TAKOM 1/35 SCALE TAK02036 AMX13/75 Light Tank 2 in 1.......£39.99 TAK02037 AMX13/90 Light TANK................£39.99

TAK02038 AMX13/75 w/SS-11 ATGM 2 in 1..£39.99 TRUMPETER 1/35 SCALE TM01024 Ex-Soviet 2P19 Launcher (SS-1C SCUD B)............................................£99.99 HOBBYBOSS 1/35 SCALE HB83870 IDF APC Nagmachon(Doghouse II)...£34.99 HB83878 Vickers Medium Tank MK I ........£34.99 AFV CLUB 1/35 SCALE AF35210 M24 Chaffee British Army..........£39.99 TAMIYA 1/35 SCALE TA35348 Russian Su-76 SPG....................£29.99

Bison/Star Decals and Black Dog Resin NOW IN STOCK - ring for details! POST & PACKING U.K. £3.00

Presented by the South London Warlords, Salute 2016 is the biggest independent one-day wargaming and gaming event in the UK. Once again, we have a huge number of international and UK traders attending the show at ExCel London as well as plenty of demonstration and participation games to enjoy. We will, of course, be running our renowned painting competition on the day.

16 APRIL 2016 10.00 - 17.00

Runs Like Clockwork

Tickets and full details are now available from our website/facebook page at www.salute.com The price of a ticket is £12.00 via eticket or, on the day, £20.00 (cash only) on the door. Again this year there will be several ‘golden ticket’ prizes for lucky advance eticket holders only. Full details at www.salute.co.uk Under 16s free with a paying adult. Please note: there is no bring and buy at Salute 2016.

PAINTED EMPIRES

Modular scenery Figure display bases Removable tree inserts

In a variety of sizes and styles

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6mm to 28mm scale sci-Fi vehicles and buildings Find us on Facebook and eBay or visit our website 120X95mm paved oval display base

25mm cargo truck and trailer

Oval skull bases

6mm scale orbital drop ships

AFV special

The model in a scenic setting via the magic of Photoshop.

Big Green Gecko! Steve Zaloga builds Trumpeter’s Russian SA-8 Gecko air defence missile vehicle in 1:35 scale.

T

rumpeter has become the new champion of Soviet Cold War combat vehicles, and among their recent releases is an excellent new kit of the SA-8 Gecko air defence missile vehicle. The kit is quite large and elaborate and has a high price tag. In the United States, the retail price is around $150, but I managed to get mine for about $100. While this is a big bite from the hobby budget, the model is fairly large and comes with a useful photo-etched sheet.

The original 9A33BM of the initial Osa system had many distinct differences from the 9A33BM2 depicted in the kit. As can be seen, the vehicle nose is blunter and the window configuration is different.

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History

SA-8 Gecko is the NATO intelligence designator for the Soviet 9K33 Osa (Wasp) air defence missile system. This was the first Soviet air defence to include the fire control radars and missile launchers on a single vehicle. Earlier types such as the Krug (SA-4 Ganef) and Kub (SA-6 Gainful) had separate missile launcher vehicles and radar vehicles. The integration of these features on a single vehicle proved to be a real challenge and delayed the deployment of the system. Development started in October 1960, and a variety of chassis were considered including the BTR-60P and MT-LB. These were too small and the prototype was eventually mounted on the Obiekt 1040 8x8 wheeled transporter designed by the Kutai automobile plant. The first missile firing trials began in 1964-65, and there were sufficient problems that the experienced Fakel design bureau was brought in to complete development of the 9M33 missile. By the late 1960s, it had become evident that the Obiekt 1040 chassis was not adequate, and instead the new Briansk BAZ-5937 amphibious 8x8 vehicle was selected. The 9K33 Osa system was accepted for service in October 1971. The TELAR (transporter-erector-launcher and radar) was designated as 9A33B, the ‘B’ suffix recognizing the change from original Obiekt 1040 to the new BAZ-5937 chassis. The design was still not very mature, and a string of changes were recommended including a shift from four to six missiles per launcher. The early version was built in relatively modest numbers and was not exported.

Military Modelling Vol.46 No.4 2016

AFV special Another obvious difference of the early 9A33BM is the exposed missile rails.

The box art for Trumpeter’s 1:35 scale SA-8 Gecko kit.

A through re-design program began in 1973 as the Osa-AK. The most visible change on this version was the use of ‘TPK’ (transporter-launch containers) that encased the missiles instead of leaving them exposed on the launch rails. The BAZ-5937 chassis had numerous improvements, the most noticeable of which was the addition of two corner windows in the front, as well as a redesigned vehicle bow. When accepted for production in 1975, the system was designated as 9K33M2, the TELAR was designated as 9A33BM2, and the missiles as 9M33M2. This became the definitive production version of the system and is the type depicted in the Trumpeter kit. This version was widely exported under the codename Romb (Square) including most of the Warsaw Pact armies (Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland) as well as many overseas customers including Algeria, Angola, Cuba, India, Iraq, Jordan, Libya and Syria. The Greek army later purchased some surplus German systems. Another modernization programme was initiated in 1977, the Osa-AKM. The most visible difference on the TELAR was the addition of a 1L24 identification-friend-or-foe antenna on top of the existing surveillance antenna. This version was accepted for production in 1980 as the 9K33M3 Osa-AKM system with the 9A33BM3 TELAR and 9M33M3 missile. In more recent years, the Osa has undergone various modernization schemes including the Belorussian Osa-T and the Polish SA8P Zadlo (Sting).

Starting the model I was surprised on receiving the Trumpeter kit as the box is a fairly normal size for a vehicle that is larger than most 1:35 scale types. One of the reasons for this is that Trumpeter has moulded the upper and lower hull parts in two large pieces. These are surprisingly well detailed and they make the hull construction very simple. After a cursory examination of the parts, I was very impressed by the overall design of the complex missile-radar Text continues on page 18.

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ABOVE: The rear of the early 9A33BM had many small differences, and there were prominent brushguards behind the missile rails. BELOW: This is a Polish 9A33BM2 Osa-AK as depicted in the kit. This is in the older colour and scheme from the Warsaw Pact days. (Photo: Andrzej Kinski)

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AFV special

ABOVE: A Russian 9A33BM3 Osa-AKM in Berlin prior to the pull-out. The 9A33BM3 had an additional IFF antenna at the top of the surveillance radar, barely evident here. This colour scheme was for parade purposes and would not normally be seen on a serving vehicle, especially the painting on the antenna covers. (Photo: Michael Jerchel)

ABOVE LEFT: An Iraqi 9A33BM2 shortly after the 1991 Gulf War with the usual haphazard assortment of painted camouflage. ABOVE RIGHT: Detail views of the air pressure bottle over the cabin roof.

ABOVE: A detail view of one of the wheels. RIGHT: Another view of the Iraqi 9A33BM2 from the rear.

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Military Modelling Vol.46 No.4 2016

AFV special

ABOVE LEFT: A view of the rear end of a 9A33BM3. ABOVE RIGHT: A detail view of the APU exhaust with the door cover open showing the white asbestos panel inside.

ABOVE LEFT: A view of the right side headlight and night driving light. ABOVE RIGHT: A detail view of the forward cabin and windscreen wipers.

ABOVE: A detail view of the right rear side showing some of the small detail around the hatch cover and blast cover.

ABOVE: A general view of the radar-missile complex from the right side. LEFT: The left side missile control antenna module. Note the white cover on the uplink antenna.

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AFV special

ABOVE: An overhead view of the surveillance radar in folded travel position showing details of the wiring. ABOVE RIGHT: The base of the surveillance radar in folded travel position.

ABOVE: A view of the surveillance radar module with the radar antenna in the folded travel position.

ABOVE: A detail view of the rear of the surveillance radar module. On this vehicle, the radar/missile complex has been traversed rearward with the folded surveillance radar pointing towards the front of the vehicle. BELOW: A rear view of the missile TPK. This is a 9A33BM3 vehicle as can be determined by the additional IFF antenna on top of the surveillance radar.

ABOVE: A detail view of the elaborate signal feed system in front of the surveillance radar antenna.

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AFV special

LEFT: The right side missile control antenna module seen from below.

ABOVE: Another view of a left side missile control module on an Iraqi vehicle providing details of the wiring. BELOW: A left side view of the radar-missile complex with the fire-control module to the left of the photo.

ABOVE: An overhead view of the rear of the fire-control module showing details of the wiring.

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BELOW: The rear of the forward fire-control module showing the core module with camera on top.

LEFT: A detail view of the 9M33M3 missile. This one is on display at an air show and is more colourfully painted than usual. In general, the missile is left in overall grey with a green nose cover.

17

AFV special

module on top of the vehicle. Comparing it to photos I have taken of the Osa over the years, I noticed that a number of small wires and fittings could be added to the missile-radar module, but that the kit was otherwise very complete. I decided to start on the hull interior first as I wanted to seal up the hull before proceeding with the small detail parts. Trumpeter suggests adding all the small detail parts to the separate hull assemblies, but I generally want to make sure that hull will go together properly before adding small and delicate detail.

Interior ABOVE: I started the model by adding detail to the cabin interior. Some of the detail is ‘Gizmology’ since I could not find detailed photos of the areas on either side. BELOW: The cabin interior after painting with the instrument panel shown in front.

BELOW LEFT: The cabin interior after painting from the right side.

The kit comes with an elaborate interior that includes both the driver/commander compartment in the front, and the fire control compartment further to the rear. I decided from the start to skip the fire control compartment since it can’t be seen once the model is complete. I actually cut off the walls of this section and put them in the spares box for some future project. There is a curtain that is drawn between the rear fire control compartment and the forward compartments, and I depicted this with a piece of corrugated sheet plastic. The driver/commander compartment in the front is the most part of the interior that can be seen through the vehicle windows, and the anteroom with circuit breaker panels between the two main compartments can be seen if the upper hatch is left open. I decided to concentrate on the driver/ commander compartment since this can be seen quite clearly through the windows. The kit depiction of the driver/commander compartment is quite spartan. It provides a nice instrument panel, but the seats and bulkhead are very plain. I have never had the opportunity to photograph the interior of one of these vehicles, but there is quite a bit of material in the ‘Walk-Arounds’ section of the Internet site Dish Models including some useful interior photos: http://www.dishmodels.ru/wshow. htm?np=7&p=1080&vmode=T#blockpre I decided to add some details to the most obvious areas such as the bulkhead (B10). The areas on either side of the seats are not well covered in

RIGHT: The painted cabin interior. To the rear can be seen the curtain that I added to cover up the deleted fire control cabin in the rear.

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Military Modelling Vol.46 No.4 2016

AFV special

ABOVE: The instrument panel in the 9A33BM2 is painted aluminium as are many of the electronic modules inside the hull. The ordinary surfaces are painted a dull blue-grey. BELOW: An illustration of the cabin interior from the manual.

ABOVE: The surveillance radar module. The kit depicts this pointed to the rear, but in reality this antenna rotates.

ABOVE: Another view of the unpainted surveillance radar. Most of the additional work involved detail to the antenna feed assembly and the various added wiring.

photos, and I decided to apply some ‘gizmology’ to these areas, adding enough detail bits to create the impression that ‘something’ is in there. In reality, these areas are not especially evident once the hull is closed up. But it’s nice to have the hint that something is in there. I used various bits from the spares box as well as some HO model railroad detail parts. I painted the interior in Tamiya Light Blue XF-23, with the instrument panel and various electronics panels in Alclad Duraluminum ALC 102. The Trumpeter kit is well designed with the window panels attaching from the outside of the hull. I wish more manufacturers would do this! As a result, it is possible to assemble the upper and lower hull halves before attaching the windows.

Hull With the interior completed I turned to adding the exterior detail to the hull. In looking over photos, I could see a few areas where extra detail was warranted. I decided to leave open the rear APU hatch (E1) on the back as it adds some visual interest to this area. The combing around the APU opening is very thick so I carefully removed it

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ABOVE: The kit antenna lacks the many lightening holes in the frame which I drilled out. LEFT: The aft surveillance radar module prior to painting. I removed the diagonal reinforcing bars to clean up the kit part, and then replaced them with .020 thou. plastic rod.

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AFV special

BELOW: A view of the completed radar-missile complex from the front left side. I left the cassegrain antenna protective covers off since they will be painted a different colour.

ABOVE: This is the central core of the forward fire control module. Much of the extra work involved wiring around the Camera at the top of the module.

ABOVE: This is the side missile control module prior to assembly, it shows some of the added wiring. The braided cable was made from Karaya copper tank tow cables.

BELOW: The base of the radar/missile complex. There are a few wires added to this, but mainly out of the box. The photo-etch comes from the excellent sheet included in the kit.

20

from the hull with a thin razor saw, and thinned it down with files before re-attaching it. I added a fair amount of detail to this area, including a new APU vent as well as the combing on the APU door. The engine exhaust (E8) is very thick, and so I rebuilt this with sheet plastic. The area around the large access hatch on the right rear corner is overly simple, and I decided to re-do this area. The access hatch itself should stand proud of the surface a bit, so I used a razor saw to create a bit of separating between the hatch and the hull. This destroys much of the hinge detail which I then rebuilt. I also added various small detail in this area based on photos. I built most of the remainder of the hull out-ofthe box, adding some small detail here and there. I substituted .020 thou. brass wire for the various grab irons on the hull front as the kit parts are a bit thick. I also cut away the support arms for the two rear-view mirrors (E3, E11) and replaced these with .20 thou. brass wire. The kit provides a nice

brushguard over the headlights but I found that it really does not fit very well as provided. So I had to fuss with this quite a bit to get a better fit. The area around the air-pressure bottle (C31, C32) on the forward vehicle roof can use some additional detail. I replaced the brushguard (C80) with a length of HO scale photo-etched ladder which was closer in scale. I also added the various air lines that run between the bottles and the vehicle windscreen wipers.

Missile-Radar Module This is the most complex element of the kit and certainly the most complicated. Overall, the fit was good, though modellers should be warned to try dry fitting various bits before applying glue as I found that on some of the parts, the locating pins were a little too snug for the locating holes. Probably the worst fit on the whole kit are the covers over the transformers (E4, E5) that required a good deal of trimming to fit properly. The main issue with the missile-radar assembly is the plethora of wires and wiring bundles that connect various transformers and other bits. I decided to add the more visible of these since it gives the model a convincing sense of complexity. I am not going to list every single one, since there are dozens, but most are visible on the photos of my model or in the accompanying reference photos. For most of the small wire, I used .010 thou. lead wire from a fly-fishing store. Fisherman who make their own flies use this material to weigh down the fly, and it comes in various diameters. The main advantage of this material is that it is very soft, so it is easier to bend into shape than copper or other types of wire. For the thicker wire bundles that had braided covers, I used lengths of Karaya twisted copper tank tow cable. I began this process with the vehicle surveillance radar (B2). This piece is very simplified. To begin with, it does not provide the modeller with the

Military Modelling Vol.46 No.4 2016

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ABOVE: A view of the completed radar-missile complex from the left rear side.

RIGHT: A view of the completed radarmissile complex from the right rear side. BELOW RIGHT: The right rear hatch should be separated from the hull below, so I used a razor saw on the right side and right rear to create a gap. I replaced the various hinges and added the wiring detail in this area. A view of the completed radar-missile complex from the right front side.

I substantially rebuilt the APU exhaust port and the cover. I also replaced the main engine exhaust port combining with a new one made from black sheet plastic.

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option to position the antenna in any location other than pointing backward over the rear of the vehicle. On the actual vehicle, the radar antenna rotates a full 360 degrees. It didn’t bother me that the antenna is pointing towards the rear, but for modellers wanting a different angle, the upper assembly would have to be sawn off the top of part A11 before proceeding with assembly. There are many detail issues with the surveillance radar antenna (B2). The vertical supports should be perpendicular to the antenna face, but instead are parallel to the radar direction. I suppose that each piece could be cut off and slightly re-positioned, but I wasn’t interested in doing such a complicated correction for such a modest result. The main problem with part B2 is that the assorted mould lines are difficult to clean properly with the small reinforcing rods in place. I removed all the reinforcing rods, and cleaned the antenna frame using files. This radar frame lacks the many small lightening holes and reinforcing ribs on the inner faces. I drilled out the lightening holes and made reinforcing ribs with plastic strip. I then replaced the reinforcing rods with new ones made from .020 thou. plastic rods.

I replaced the brushguards over the air pressure bottles on the cabin roof, and added the hosing that connects to the windscreen wiper system. The thick kit brushguard can be seen to the right.

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LEFT: The forward missile control module on the front of the complex. The cassegrain antenna covers are missing in this view since they will be airbrushed a different colour. ABOVE The radar/missile complex mounted on the hull prior to painting as seen from the rear.

The antenna waveguide assembly (C10) is a bit thick and chunky. I hollowed it out with the careful use of my Dremel power tool with some fine burrs. There are numerous small details missing from this assembly as well as the assorted wiring. I kept the surveillance radar assembly (assembly Step 9 in the instructions) separate from the rest of the launcher/ radar module until after painting as it is quite delicate and easy to damage. The forward fire control radar assembly is the most complicated module of the entire kit. It consists of the main fire control radar (A4) in the centre and the two smaller missile control antennas (D22) on either side. The Osa usually fires two missiles at the same time at the same target, and the two outboard antenna complexes are used to guide the individual missiles to their target. I added many small wires to this assembly based on photos. From a painting standpoint, the cassegrain covers over the radars (parts A2, 2 x D23) are a different colour than the rest of the vehicle, so I left these off to make it easier to paint. On top of the fire control radar module is a 9Shch38

ABOVE: A view of the front fire complex module after the complex has been mounted on the hull.

BELOW: The finished model prior to painting from the left front side.

ABOVE: The finished model prior to painting from the left rear side.

ABOVE: I used Bare Metal Foil to mask the windows. ABOVE: The finished model prior to painting from the right front side.

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electro-optical tracker (E21, E22). I decided to depict this with the forward cover (B14) open. This meant hollowing out the front a bit so that a lens could be inserted at the front of the camera later after painting. The instructions recommend assembling the missile TPK transport-launcher containers on to the launcher frames (assembly Steps 7 and 8) I would recommend against this since the TPK boxes are often in a different colour. In addition, it is important to make sure that the launcher frames are perfectly level, and the joint between these frames and the central module are by no means foolproof. So I glued the launcher frames to the central module without the TPK, and aligned them on my workbench to make certain that they were properly aligned.

Painting and markings The kit provides a variety of painting options, but I thought the selections were a bit boring. After joining NATO, Poland repainted its Osa in NATO 3-colour camouflage which strikes me as a more attractive option. The Polish colours are not identical to the Tamiya NATO colours, so I changed the mixes a bit. For the basic green, I used RAF Green XF-81 and Yellow Green XF-4 in roughly a 6:4 mix. For the brown, I used NATO Brown XF-68 brightened up a bit with orange. I used the NATO Black XF-69 unchanged. For the field drab colour of the cassegrain covers over the fire control antennas, I used a mix of Tamiya Brown JSGDF XF-72, Orange X-6 and Light Green X-15 in a ratio of four parts: two parts: two parts. The missile TPK come in different colours depending on their role. The tactical containers are normal Russian camouflage green, but export containers to the Mid-East were often in sand. The training containers were usually in silver/ aluminium. I decided to paint mine as training containers to add a different colour to the model and I used Alclad Duraluminum. To paint the narrow rubber gasket around the front windscreens, I used Bare Metal Foil. This is used by aircraft modellers to re-create metal finishes and is basically a very thin sheet of aluminium foil with an adhesive backing. I find that it is a very useful tool for masking certain delicate jobs since it conforms better to the surface than any masking tape. It sticks very well when airbrushing, and it comes off easily. For markings, I raided my spare decal box and found a Polish szachownica insignia (checkerboard) of the appropriate size and the white tactical numbers came from the Microscale Condensed Gothic-White decal sheet. One of the odder features of the kit is that the decal sheet has dozens of small decals for the stencilling inside the fire control cabin, none of which can be seen on the finished model. On the other hand, none of the numerous small placards on the missile/radar module are provided. I raided

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my decal spares for these, mainly from old aircraft model projects. On the actual vehicles, these are mostly in black paint lithographed on to light metal plaques. There are a few that are red. The Polish vehicles have some additional reflectors and warning lights. The Polish Army uses an orange circle with a black triangle as a ‘wide load’ road marking, and on current vehicles, this seems to be an orange reflective disc with an opaque black triangle. To replicate this, I sprayed Tamiya Clear Orange X-26 on a suitable circular aluminium colour disc with the triangle made from black decal sheet. The orange reflector lights were made by spraying the Clear Orange on reflective lenses. The orange

A view overlooking the radar-missile complex. I opened up the camera port and put a reflective lens inside.

‘‘” The kit provides a variety of painting options, but I thought the selections were a bit boring.

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Views of the author’s completed model.

A view of the completed surveillance radar. Notice that the cover on the feed horn in front of the antenna is white.

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manoeuvre light on the roof was made from a piece of transparent acrylic rod turned on a lathe and airbrushed with Clear Orange. Trumpeter provides the two rear light covers (J1) in clear plastic but on the Osa I have seen these are usually transparent orange/red. I started by airbrushing the clear parts with Clear Orange, then masking off the upper section and airbrushing it with Clear Red X-27.

Weathering These missile vehicles are very expensive and so not subjected to much heavy cross-country use in peacetime. So I decided to finish mine in a very lightly weathered condition, almost parade-ground standards. I applied a weathering glaze over most of the model consisting of Winsor & Newton original Liquin as the medium, a bit of Sepia oil paint, and mineral spirits (white spirits) as the solvent. Once dry, I flattened the finishing by airbrushing on a few coats of Testors’ Dullcote. I added some highlights by dry-brushing. About the only parts with any noticeable weathering were the wheels where I applied a light dust wash to accent the wheel detail.

Conclusion Overall, the Trumpeter SA-8 Gecko is an extremely nice model. It does not go together as easily as a Tamiya kit, but it is not difficult to assemble with a little care. Most of my added work was due to the sort of delicate details such as wiring that are impossible to mould into a kit.

Availability Trumpeter’s Russian SA-8 Gecko kit (item TM05597) is imported into the UK by Bachmann Europe PLC, 13 Moat Way, Barwell, Leicester LE9 8EY and retails at £79.99.

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ABOVE: A detail view of the rear showing the added detail of the APU exhaust port, main engine exhaust port and the transparent painting on the rear light plastic covers.

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Be my Valentine! Mark Bannerman finds AFV Club’s Valentine Mk.II version to be the best of the many 1:35 scale kits available for this widely used WW2 tank. TOP: Valentine Mk.II of the 50th Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment, 23rd Armoured Brigade as it might have appeared in Tunisia 1943. (Courtesy of Photoshop)

T

here is no question that volumes could be written on the British Infantry Tank Mk.III (Valentine) and there are many excellent books and references on the development, design and service of this tank. The Valentine was a cousin to the A9 and A10 Cruiser Tank design. Most of the features on these early cruiser designs were carried over to the Valentine such as the engine, transmission, drivetrain, steering, and suspension,

but different in that the hull was lowered and a better protected silhouetted turret was designed. The Valentine was the most widely produced British tank of WW2 (approximately 6,000 were produced in the UK from 1940 until 1944 and Canada produced an additional 2,300 for the war effort). The production of the 16-ton Valentine accounts for almost 25% of wartime British tank production. The Valentine served on all fronts including the Eastern Front and the Pacific. There were 10 mark types and can be categorized by main armament, turret and different engines: 2pdr gun with two-man turrets on Mk.I, II, IV, VI and VII, the 2pdr gun with three-man turrets on the Mk.III and V with either British AEC or American GMC engines, and 6pdr on Mk.IX and X and 75mm

RIGHT: A rare photo of a desert Valentine with the spoked wheels as per the kit offering. (Photo source unknown)

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on the Mk.XI which were all GMC powered. The Mk.VIII never entered service. The Valentine was also converted into specialized vehicles such as the Duplex Drive, mine-flail versions and bridgelayers. Derivative vehicles based on the Valentine include the Bishop and Archer self-propelled guns. The tank first saw combat in Operation Crusader in North Africa and served as a replacement to the Matilda Infantry tank. Although it proved to be a reliable vehicle, the Valentine’s 2pdr gun lacked firepower. While the Valentine did see other guns fitted to increase its firepower over the course of the next several years, the Valentine was replaced by the Infantry Tank IV Churchill and the US-made Sherman.

The model This is my seventh Valentine model purchase but the first one to be built. I had purchased models from Bronco (Mk.IX and Mk.XI), MiniArt (Mk.I, Mk.III, and Mk.IV), Alan (Mk.III), and AFV Club (Mk.II). While all of these look quite good in their boxes (with the exception of the Alan Hobbies model which is in a class of its own), the AFV Club British Infantry Tank Mk.III Valentine Mk.II (item AF35185) model looked to be the most detailed, devoid of flash, and its moulding appears to be sharper (the definition of the nuts and bolts are good indicators). But more detail also means many more small parts. My reading of various reviews by more knowledgeable modellers on all things Valentine is that the AFV Club offering is dimensionally more accurate and captures the many details and characteristics of the Valentine. This particular release of the Valentine Mk.II by AFV Club is their second in a series – the Valentine Mk.I (item AF35178) having been released the year before. Most recently, AFV Club have released a Mk.IV in Russian service (item AF35199) and a Valentine Mk.III w/Rotatrailer (item AF35201). The contents of the AFV Club Valentine Mk.II provides 10 sprues in a dark green plastic (approximately 360 parts) and are, by-and-large, sprues from the first Valentine Mk.I kit (item AF35178). Also included is a 20-page instruction booklet, a one-piece lower hull body, rubber type tracks, a photo-etched sheet, a superbly turned

ABOVE: Crew mounting a Valentine. (Photo source unknown)

aluminium barrel and some spare resin individual track links. There are also clear parts and a decal sheet for six different tanks. While the Mk.I and Mk.II (and the Mk.IV) all appear very similar, there are some subtle visual clues to look for to differentiate between the Mark types. Aside from a few exceptions (and there are always exceptions with British tanks), the main

ABOVE: Box art for the superbly crafted AFV Club British Infantry Tank Mk.III Valentine Mk.II (item AF35185).

‘‘” Although it proved to be a reliable vehicle, the Valentine’s 2pdr gun lacked firepower.

LEFT: A Valentine belonging to the 50th RTR, Tunisia March 1943. (Photo source unknown)

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LEFT: A knocked out Valentine with German hand-painted markings, presumably captured and pushed into service then knocked out of service. (Photo source unknown) BELOW: Valentine tanks into battle! (Photo source unknown)

‘‘” It appears that all manufacturers have made a few mistakes on this particular part of the tank.

BELOW: A Valentine from 50th RTR laden with troops. (Photo source unknown)

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external visual difference between the Mk.I and Mk.II is that the Mk.II had two grab handles on both left and right-hand radiator louvres at the back, and there are hinges on both louvers. On the Mk.I, these small details only exist on the left louvre. And AFV Club has captured these important details on this Mk.II release. While none of the 300+ Valentine

Mk.Is served in North Africa, many of the 700 Valentines Mk.IIs did. The issue which has come up in various reviews of the recent releases of the early type Valentine is the lower suspension and roadwheels. It appears that all manufacturers have made a few mistakes on this particular part of the tank. While the AFV Club roadwheel dimensions, idler, and the spacing of the wheels are accurate, the spoked roadwheels included with the AFV Club Valentine Mk.II kit were more common to the Valentine Mk.I and only seen in limited numbers on the early batch of Mk.IIs in the desert. While this is not an immediate problem, it would mean that the markings on the decal sheet included in the kit are not applicable

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because the tanks with the markings per the decals were all fitted with the later style oval-shaped wheels (according to wartime image references). The majority of the 700 Mk.IIs produced used the later style roadwheels which were oval shaped. Some purists would recommend using the correct oval-shaped roadwheels included in the AFV Club Valentine IV in Red Army service – but then rendering the Valentine IV redundant without proper wheels. Alternatively, the AFV Club Valentine Mk.II model can be built as instructed with the early style spoke wheels but then one would have to find a photo of a Valentine Mk.II with early style wheels and paint/mark accordingly. A few such photos did surface on the Internet of a Valentine II in North Africa with what appears to be early style roadwheels. I did write to AFV Club about this and suggested that perhaps adding the roadwheel set included with the Mk.IV be inserted in the Mk.II release. I received a prompt response indicating they would look into this further.

ABOVE: A Valentine named ‘Respond’ belonging to 50th RTR in Tunisia, 1943. (Photo source unknown)

Assembly Instead of running through the actual assembly of the model, I thought I would point some of the challenges that I ran into, mistakes that I made and some suggestions on making the construction process as glitch-free as possible. The model is quite comprehensive and there are a number of very small parts which is impressive and perhaps a little daunting as well. The level of detail on the engine deck, the rear sloping rear hull, the front hull and turret are superbly rendered. Also, the model provides a few optional features such as differing side skirts (either extended or shortened versions), articulated suspension system, and Bren gun mounting on the turret. Ideally, it becomes a question of finding a reference photo of a specific Valentine Mk.II and modelling it per the photo as much as possible. I made the mistake of starting in on the build, attaching parts and bits which then narrowed my field of options when I reached for my reference photos for those last assembly details. The construction of the hull was quite clear in the directions but I made the mistake of assuming that parts on the sprue that look like the instruction images was the actual part to use – double-check to ensure the numbers of the parts. My typical method of snipping off three or four parts then gluing was quickly switched to snipping one piece and gluing one piece at a time. I made a few

ABOVE: The hull of the model built. Overall, the model has exquisite detail and void of any flash which makes the assembly a joy.

mistakes along the way – most adjustable and repairable, some not in which case I had to resort to sheet styrene to fix my mistakes! A lovely model but one needs to pay particular attention to the instruction directives. After the frame of the hull was put together, I started in with the suspension system. The suspension was not a difficult build and does provide the modeller with the option of allowing for fully workable suspension meaning one could partially perch the tank on a hill or a mound and the suspension will adjust itself. The road wheels, idler and sprocket are superbly rendered and idler and sprocket also have separate hubcaps with a vinyl washer which sits behind the caps. The vinyl washers are attached to the vinyl track sprue. This is particularly nice feature as it allows the modeller to remove the wheels and paint separately – really

LEFT: The main visual difference between the Mk.I and Mk.II is that the Mk.II had two grab handles on both left and right-hand radiator louvres on the engine hatches.

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ABOVE: A small sheet of etched-metal is provided and very easy to use. If you have an aversion for etched-metal parts, the model offering keeps the attachment of the etch relatively simple. BELOW: Surface detail is very well done with crisply moulded nuts and bolts.

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ABOVE LEFT: For the two straps that wrap around the fuel drum, etch is provided but I used thin strips of Tamiya Masking Tape which worked very well. ABOVE RIGHT: The driver’s hatch can be positioned in an open or closed position.

RIGHT: Tools and fire extinguisher come with latches already moulded on. These could be detailed further but I opted to build the model essentially out of the box.

RIGHT: Super glue was used to affix all of the etched-metal parts.

BELOW: The Mk.II turret is made up of six parts and the turned 2pdr barrel included with the AFV Club model represents the ‘stepped’ type barrel.

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handy when getting to painting the rubber tyres. The problem that I did encounter is that the plates which hold two roadwheels could not be aligned properly with the adjacent wheels. So this meant that I would eventually have to glue these permanently and skip trying to make the suspension system moveable. What I was really impressed with were the plastic coil springs which are flexible. This is an incredible

piece of plastic engineering and had never seen this before. Of course, this is only an advantage if you plan on having a fully workable suspension system. The one bit of caution when assembling the suspension: careful study of the instructions when attaching parts. Sometimes the image in the instructions is viewed from under the tank then another illustration will show the assembly from the top of the vehicle. It is far too easy to make a mistake and end up putting a part or parts in backwards or wrong side up. The suspension is a superb piece of work and even though I plan on cementing the entire suspension and wheels into place, some pretty neat positioning effects can be created depending on a base or diorama. The AFV Club vinyl tracks are superbly done with open guide horn holes. AFV Club also offer individual tracks as a separate after-market item but I was quite pleased with the vinyl offering. A friend who had already built the Mk.II mentioned that cementing the suspension into place was far more logical – regardless of tracks you decide to use – otherwise you will end up with the problem of bogies not all firmly resting on the surface and the tension on the tracks potentially skewing the roadwheels. The only feature of the model that I did not follow and thought it was too much work was the drilling of holes into the trackguards to accommodate detail parts. Instead, I removed the locator pip under each part that would have been inserted into the drilled holes and simply glued the smooth and sanded flat underside of the part with liquid glue right to the fender. This worked a charm and I hoped that in the weathering process, none of the parts would fall off. I did reinforce each part with super glue so I felt comfortable that the parts were secure. The trackguards take on considerable detailing including some photo-etch. The instructions are quite clear and provide good illustrations on where parts are supposed to be placed. The extra fuel drum carried on the left side of the Valentine comes in two pieces. Unfortunately when the two halves were attached, there is a very evident seam. I used copious amounts of glue to fill the gap. Once dry, I ran a blunt blade along the seam to smooth out the area. This was repeated several times until the seam was smooth and void of any line or gap. I don’t recommend using sandpaper to file the seam because it’ll flatten the contour shape. For the two straps that wrap around the fuel drum, etch is provided in the model but instead, I used thin strips of Tamiya Masking Tape. I could not get the photo etch to wrap around the

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drum and adhere (even with super glue!) so Tamiya Masking Tape to the rescue. The Mk.II turret is made up of six parts and the fit of these parts was absolutely perfect. I used the turret ring as my guide and just worked my way around. The one-piece roof dropped in without any gaps or voids around the edges. AFV Club has added a texture to the turret and adds a really nice touch of realism to the overall appearance of the turret. Unfortunately, there is very little turret interior detail with the exception of the QF 2pdr gun breech – which is superbly rendered – but missing the guard which caught the shell. The turned 2pdr barrel included with the AFV Club model represents the stepped type barrel. At the rear of the turret is the placement of the wireless. AFV Club have done a very nice job with these (they have included an option – either No.11 or No.19). Early Mk.IIs were fitted with the No.11 wireless and subsequently replaced with the No.19 set. If you use the No.11, a single wide antenna was used whereas the No.19 used two thin antennas with different bases. If using the No.19, one antenna should be fitted at the rear of the turret roof and the other on a bracket at the rear left side. The bracket for the No.11 is not included in the model. Wartime photos are helpful for this detail. One last point on the turret, there is the option of adding a vision port on the left-hand side of the turret. AFV Club provides two alternate left side turret walls – with and without the small port. Early Mk.IIs did not have this port while mid to late Mk.IIs did. It’ll be up to the modeller to determine which specific tank to model. If you decide to use the port, it can be displayed open or closed. The pistol port on the other side of the turret has a two alternate designs and it’ll be important to study photos to determine which to use. Anyhow, I did find a few photos that appear to be Valentine Mk.IIs without the vision port. But again, there are always exceptions to the rules. The really neat feature of the turret detail is the addition of a Lakeman machine gun mount in the AFV Club offering. I could not locate a wartime photo of a Valentine Mk.II in North Africa sporting the Lakeman machine gun mount. On the other hand, I can think of a slew of other vehicles that used the Lakeman mount so this will be for a future project. The detailing of the model took the better part of a few evenings. This is a relatively complete model and I cannot think of any reason why an after-market etch set would be necessary. The AFV Club model is a superbly designed and engineered model. Along the way, I did leave some of the smaller bits off of the model and took an evening to place these as per the instructions. I also spend some time going back in with super glue on those details attached to the trackguards and reinforcing any areas prone to breakage (i.e. front light fixtures). All in all, it was a relatively involved build but the results paid off.

ABOVE & BELOW: The model ready for primer and paint. I did resort to sheet styrene where I messed up the build, mostly due to my inattention to the instructions!

For the base, I used a combination of Tamiya Desert Yellow XF-59, Tamiya Buff XF-57 and copious amounts of Tamiya White XF-2 mixed in a 40/30/30 ratio.

BELOW: A liberal amount of Tamiya Clear X-22 was mixed into the base colour and was also applied neat after the base was dry.

Painting and finishing My biggest mistake was completing threequarters of the model before deciding on researching possible schemes and finish. As mentioned earlier, the earlier style roadwheels become the primary obstacle. Finding a photo

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ABOVE: For the camouflage, I used a 50/50 mix of Vallejo Black Grey and Vallejo Black.

of a North African Valentine Mk.II with the earlier spoked wheels realized just one photo and three ‘possibles’. The one still image was sourced from a PATHE film which depicts a knocked-out Valentine with the name Rosemary on the side of the skirt. It is finished in a solid sand colour with no Lakeman mount visible, short front trackguard, extended trackguard at rear and no idea whether the vision port on left side of turret is apparent. Aside from the tank’s name, the photo does not show any other markings. Just at that point, the postman delivered my order of the newly released AFV Club Valentine Mk.III w/Rotatrailer (item AF35201) which includes

ABOVE: Once the base was completely dry, I applied a thin wash of Rembrandt Sepia oil paints mixed with Testors’ Thinners. I used other oil paints in very limited amounts in some areas on the tank. I like Raw Umber and Vandyke Brown from the Winton Series as these are inexpensive and neutral enough to be used on any base colour. BELOW: Two applications of the camouflage were necessary to ensure the darker colour was opaque and even.

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three sets of optional roadwheels – including the oval-shaped roadwheels more prevalent on the Mk.II and this was perfect timing indeed! I decided that I would use the more commonly seen ovalshaped roadwheels on the Mk.II – and be able to use some of the decals from the AFV Club offering. To start the painting, the model was cleaned up in soap and water and allowed to dry overnight. The model was then primed in two light coats of Tamiya Grey Primer. My readings suggest that most vehicles sent to North Africa arrived in their factory non-desert colours and were then repainted in the theatre of operation. However, I have seen photos of British vehicles being unloaded in Alexandria already in desert colours. I am uncertain about this though, and I expect that there may have been a combination of the two – painted in the field and factory painted. Either way, I decided to paint the Valentine in a one-tone desert sand colour. For this, I used a combination of Tamiya Desert Yellow XF-59, Tamiya Buff XF-57 and copious amounts of Tamiya Flat White XF-2 mixed in a 40/30/30 ratio. Once well mixed, I added some Tamiya Clear X-22 (20%) and this was further mixed with 30% Tamiya Thinners. I applied the paint in two even applications to the entire model. I added another 20% Tamiya White XF-2 to the mix and ‘misted’ the model with a fine translucent layer from the top of the model to allow the paint to hit the highlight points. I found a set of photos I had taken at Bovington Tank Museum a few years ago of a restored Valentine in a two-tone scheme – sand base with black camouflage. I opted to try my hand at applying the camouflage scheme using Vallejo acrylic paints. I mixed a 50/50 combination of Black Grey and

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ABOVE: The markings were applied using Walthers Solvaset – a really great product! RIGHT: The model was lightly misted with a combination of Buff XF-57 and White XF-2 highly diluted with Tamiya Thinners.

LEFT: A few local washes using Burnt Sienna provided another subtle effect. BELOW: I applied two filters using Humbrol Enamels – No.93 followed by No.94. This really provided a very nice overall toning effect that does not necessarily come through well in photos.

Black (the Black is far too stark on its own so it was important to even it out a bit with some Black Grey). I mixed the paint with a bit of tap water and painted in the camouflage scheme following as closely as possible the reference photos I had on hand. The camouflage scheme was, by-and-large, applied by hand in the field so getting the perfect lines and smooth transitions over details was not critical. I re-applied a second coat over the first dry coat to ensure that scheme was opaque. Once completely dry, I applied

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ABOVE: Some chips were added and where the scratches and chips were too large, I would blend these out with a thinner-moistened brush.

a thin wash of Rembrandt Sepia oil paints mixed with Testors’ Thinners and allowed this to dry for a few hours. A few chips were added using a make-up sponge and Humbrol enamel paint. I kept this very subtle and constrained adding the chips in areas where stones, rocks and dings would occur and keeping the size of the chips quite small. Although the chips are small and very few, these do make a tremendous difference in the overall ‘used’ appearance of the model. I added two filters using Humbrol Enamels – No.93 followed by No.94 – by mixing the paint with 95% Testors’ Thinners and brushing onto the model with a very wide brush. This only takes a minute to apply and I allowed this to dry for an hour before applying the second filter (Humbrol Brown Yellow 94). The filter should be applied as a damp application rather than a soaked application. I then turned my attention to the tracks. The AFV Club full-length vinyl tracks are quite well rendered with nice details. Because half of the tracks will eventually sit hidden under the trackguards, I opted to concentrate my weathering efforts on the length

ABOVE: The model with local washes, filters and minimal chips ready for the next weathering step.

BELOW: Tools for weathering – oil paints and various pastels shaved down to a powder.

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ABOVE: The rubber on the tyres was painted in using Vallejo Grey Black 70862. I rarely use black neat as it is too stark and this particular colour is an excellent substitute. BELOW: The headlights were painted in using a Tamiya Silver Paint Marker and I would eventually fill in the pots with 5-minute epoxy.

of track that will be exposed once these are glued into place. The tracks were primed in grey primer and then airbrushed in a black and brown mix using Tamiya paints. Once dry, I added a heavy wash of Rembrandt Sepia oil paints. A few hours of drying time is required. The tracks were then attached to the model and the two ends were secured using 5-minute epoxy and the connection point hidden under the trackguards (on the sprockets and idlers). Before moving in with the next weathering steps, I opted to add the markings. I chose to mark this tank with an assortment of various decals from other

ABOVE: I apply the pastels repeatedly then spray Tamiya Thinners to help the pastels adhere to the surface of the model. LEFT: I use artist dry pastels these days. I tend to find ready-made pigments far too strong and sometimes so strong that one cannot reverse an application. I purchase different ochre and earth coloured pastel sticks and scrape the sticks with an X-Acto knife down to a powder.

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TOP: Valentines over-running a deserted Italian trench line. (Courtesy of Photoshop) ABOVE LEFT: I will finish up the model by adding pastels in dry form directly to the surface working the pastels into all of the nooks and crannies. ABOVE RIGHT: Pastels are really effective for covering up any surface blemishes. What is important is to keep the surface void of any finger marks while moving the model! RIGHT: Note the light pots which were filled with 5-minute epoxy.

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models and decided to finish it as one of the 50th Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment which belonged to the 23rd Armoured Brigade serving in Tunisia.

Weathering With the model completely dry, and tracks secured, I moved in with pastels using the dry method. I think this is the one step that will really make the

‘‘” Typically, I like to use the wet technique by repeatedly applying Tamiya thinners to secure the pastels.

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Valentine on the move! (Courtesy of Photoshop)

model change its appearance. It is a very easy, risk-free process and can be corrected. I use a soft round brush and gently brush the surface with a mix of different ochre and earth coloured powdered pastels that I concocted using a variety of artist pastel chalks sanded down to a powder. Typically, I like to use the wet technique by repeatedly applying Tamiya thinners to secure the pastels. However, for this project, I wanted a more dusty look rather than grime and dirt. A small note: pastels applied dry generally adhere much better on a matt surface. I added various applications of pastels until I was satisfied with the overall results. Remember that a little goes a long way.

Conclusion This has to be one of the more enjoyable projects I have built in a while. I did not resort to any aftermarket bits, the model was flawless to assemble

(no need for putty), the clean-up process was minimal and the model quite accurate. What more could a modeller ask? This is actually my first nonChurchill AFV Club project and I would say that it was certainly consistent with their excellent Churchill offerings.

References Into The Vally – The Valentine Tank and Derivatives 1938-1960 by Dick Taylor, MMP Books ISBN 978-83-61421-26-8. Valentine Tank Walk Around by David Doyle, Squadron Signal Publications ISBN 978-0-89747-621-8. ABOVE: ‘British Infantry Tank Mk.III Valentine’ by Dick Taylor – an excellent source of information and inspiration.

The completed model with the vinyl tracks included with the model.

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“Beast Killer” Mario Eens builds and paints Bronco’s 1:48 scale SU-152 kit as a vehicle used on the Eastern Front in Winter 1943. TOP: The author’s completed model placed into a winter scene courtesy of Photoshop. BELOW: The box art for Bronco Model’s 1:48 scale SU-152 kit.

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aving enjoyed previous excursions to 1:48 scale my interest was drawn by Bronco’s recent release of the SU-152 in quarter scale. A kit review showed it had perfectly moulded mesh covers on the rear deck, a feature that usually needs replacing with an after-market update set, but all that seemed to be needed here was a good paint job! Although I do enjoy adding further details, this would be another quick build to get to the painting stages. Based on the heavy KV tank chassis, the SU152 was a self-propelled assault gun-howitzer. Its success in destroying Tiger and Panther tanks earned it the nickname “Beast Killer” (Zveroboy). Production ran from January to December 1943, when it was replaced with the improved ISU-152.

Construction

An initial inspection of the kit revealed a detailed model, with well-shaped and ejector-pin-mark free link and length tracks and a small photo-etched fret. The kit seems quite complete and just needs some basic fine-tuning here and there. The hull was prepared to accept a handle which will facilitate holding the model during the painting stages later on, as well as drilling a couple of holes to mount the model on a base once it’s finished. It is best to do this from the outset before any fragile details are added. The hole for the handle is, of course, drilled in the centre of the base, while the two holes to take the mounting pins are drilled diagonally, hiding them behind the roadwheels. As the hull floor is rather thin, some plastic strips were glued inside to give the pins more to grip to. A short metal tube formed the base for the handle and for this I used a holder for small drill bits. To keep the metal tube in place a piece of copper wire was soldered to the top, giving it a square appearance. After the metal tube was inserted and glued in the hull, pieces of plastic strip were glued around the square top to prevent it from twisting during handling. It soon became apparent when I commenced work on the suspension that there was a bit of leeway between the suspension arms and their location pins and care must be taken aligning all the arms should you wish to display your model on a flat surface, as otherwise some of the wheels may not touch the floor. I glued the four corner arms first, making sure the model was sitting parallel to the floor, then added the remainder always making sure they touched the floor and thus lined up. The axles are all very short and all wheels will need to be firmly glued in place. Another option would be to add longer axles made from plastic rod, but I did this for only the drive sprockets, as that would make

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AFV special LEFT: From the beginning the hull was prepared to take a handle to facilitate holding the model during the painting stages. Two further holes to mount the model on a base were drilled at the same time. BELOW: On the inside of the hull plastic strip was used to give the mounting pins extra thickness and support to grip to.

it easier to keep them in place during dry fitting. All of the wheels were temporarily fixed in place with Blu-Tack to determine the lengths of the tracks. Although the link and length tracks provided in the kit look very good and are easy to clean up I still decided to replace them with Friulmodel metal links because I find workable tracks easier to paint. Refining details to bring them to scale goes a long way when building a model (almost) from the box, and sanding the rear guard is one of them. Although no interior is provided the gun breech is nicely detailed and could be viewed through the open hatches if you so desire. The gun housing and mantlet look a bit too smooth so some texturing could be added here. First they were stippled with liquid cement causing the plastic to melt adding a rougher, more random appearance. Then, using a small round drill bit in a slow turning motor tool more pitting was added. Don’t forget to study some photos of the real thing before you get to work. A second thin coat of liquid

ABOVE: Copper wire was soldered to the top of a piece of metal tubing.

BELOW: To make sure the model sits level, the four corner suspension arms are glued on first.

ABOVE: The tubing is inserted and glued in the hole and later serves as a grip for the handle.

BELOW: Testing with the wheels on.

BELOW: The remaining suspension arms in between are added, always making sure they sit parallel.

ABOVE: Plastic strip was glued around the square copper rim to prevent the tube from twisting during handling.

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AFV special BELOW: Although nicely detailed, the link and length tracks from the kit were replaced with Friulmodel metal items.

ABOVE: Axles on the suspension arms are very short to say the least, and wheels will need to be glued on firmly. Both axles for the drive sprockets were lengthened with plastic rod.

ABOVE: The completed gun assembly ready to be installed in the hull.

ABOVE: Photo-etched bolts supplied in the kit were glued in place with a little liquid cement.

ABOVE:Texture on the gun housing and mantlet looks a bit too smooth.

RIGHT: The surface of the mantlet is worked with some liquid cement adding a more random and rough cast effect.

BELOW: Torch cutting marks on the side of the mantlet were made by using the sharp edge of a triangular file.

ABOVE: More pitting was added with a small round drill bit in a slow turning motor tool. RIGHT: Texture on the upper hull looks very unrealistic. Pitting is overly large and evenly spaced.

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cement will take care of any remaining plastic dust and sharp edges that need softening. To reproduce the typical torch cutting on the side of the mantlet, it was gently sanded with one of the sharp edges of a triangular file. What struck me as odd in an otherwise very nicely detailed kit, was the unrealistic texturing of the upper hull. Not only is the pitting rather large scale, it is also very evenly spaced and not at all random and quite the opposite of what it should look like. Using Tamiya Putty all existing texturing was filled and sanded down. Again, using a small round drill bit in a slow turning motor tool more ‘to scale’ random texturing was added. A thin layer of liquid cement sealed the work. In fact, all surfaces received the liquid cement treatment giving them a ‘steel’ appearance. Only thin metal surfaces, like the trackguards, were exempt, but here and there extra pitting was added using the motor tool. Leaving off some sections of the trackguards always adds character to a model, so I decided to leave off both fronts, as well as the entire rear section of the left trackguard and these unwanted parts were cut off using a scalpel. Typical of moulded on plastic trackguards is that they are too thick in scale and need sanding down and simply bevelling the edge with a file does the job. The next series of actions were to refine moulded details and lift hooks were carefully drilled out, tie downs were hollowed out with the tip of a scalpel and tubular shapes were undercut to make them look round and less heavy. With the rear deck mated to the lower hull the seams near the tops of each hull side need to be obscured as the deck rests between, rather than on top of them. The upper sides, all the way to the front and rear, require torch-cutting simulation. Moulded detail was softened with liquid cement and after a few moments the effect was recreated with a scribing tool. Further detailing of the lower hull again consisted of refining moulded detail on the front of the hull by scraping it with a scalpel. The overall fit of parts is very good. I used only two plastic strips to fill small gaps: one on the lower hull area where the mesh is situated and one where the rear deck meets the upper hull compartment. To obtain a neat, clean look it is often better to remove the larger location pins present on the arms that hold the trackguards. The corresponding locating holes in the trackguard are again filled with plastic strip and sanded smooth. Although I could

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LEFT: Tamiya Putty was used to fill the pitting and create an even surface.

BELOW: As on the gun housing and mantlet, the upper hull was then worked with the small round drill bit in a slow turning motor tool to create a more realistic and ‘in scale’ effect.

have reworked the kit part I again used plastic strip to replace one of the arms of the missing left trackguard. I wanted to portray a damaged headlight, leaving out the glass, so the edge of the lamp needed to be brought to scale by thinning it. Using a larger round drill bit in a slow turning motor tool – with the emphasis on slow – the lamp was carefully hollowed out. The same was done with the exhausts, as they also looked too heavy. Also, where necessary, all onboard equipment and holders were drilled out and refined. To emphasise the used look of the vehicle I opted to add only one of the fuel cans strapped to the trackguards. Cutting out the middle sections then replacing them with thin plastic strips producing a hollow appearance reworked the moulded-on handles on the can. The weld seam was worked over after softening it with liquid cement and then scribing it with the tip of a scalpel. ABOVE: Note the difference between the original and reworked trackguard.

Painting I was going to use acrylic paints for airbrushing, so the model first needed a good primer for the paint to adhere to. Although it is a Russian model, I went for Vallejo’s UK Bronze Green surface primer 607 instead of its Russian 4BO counterpart, as the latter looks very dark and quite different from the colour I was going to use as base colour. Not that the darker primer colour wouldn’t have worked, but after a test I preferred the base colour as it showed up over the Bronze Green primer. After putting on the primer I masked all around the excellent moulded mesh covers and airbrushed them with Vallejo Black surface primer 602 to create depth and shadow. The mesh covers were masked off and left until all airbrush work would be finished.

ABOVE: Detail on the front of the hull is brought into scale by scraping it with a scalpel. LEFT: Plastic strip is used to close the odd gap. BELOW: The seam where the rear deck meets the hull sides needs to be obscured as the deck is supposed to sit between the hull sides.

ABOVE: Pitting was added on all heavily armoured parts of the model.

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Refining small details can make the model look much more crisp. Here a clamp on the trackguard was drilled out and brought to scale thickness.

ABOVE: Overall view of the model ready for painting. BELOW: Although dealing with a Russian vehicle, the model was primed using Vallejo UK Bronze Green Surface Primer 607.

For the same purpose moulded handles on the fuel can were cut to remove the bulk from the middle…

The moulded mesh covers on the rear deck were primed with Vallejo Black Surface Primer 602.

…and a small strip was used as a replacement for the handle making it appear hollow.

The spare track link is bolted down with some plastic strip and the wing nuts from the original kit part.

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For the base colour I resorted to MIG Productions’ 4BO Russian Green 019, which is the colour that would have been used for a Russian vehicle of that era. To make the paint flow better I added some Vallejo new formula Airbrush thinner 061; the usual ratio is one drop of thinner for every three drops of paint, but you can thin according to your own discretion. The fuel can received a slightly different colour basecoat, as I added a few drops of Vallejo Air Camouflage Light Green 006 to the MIG 4BO Russian Green 019 for variation. The model was then sealed with Vallejo Air Gloss varnish 058,

which was then mostly over-sprayed with Vallejo Air Satin varnish 060, except the barrel, the dome on the engine deck hatch and the fuel can, which were left glossy. The spare track on the other hand was airbrushed with Vallejo Air Matte Varnish 059. The kit instructions sheet suggests two overall green vehicles – one overall whitewashed and one partly whitewashed vehicle. In my mind there had never been any doubt about the paint scheme I was going for, a faded whitewash. Not only is painting faded whitewash schemes a lot of fun, it also gives you plenty of choice on what the final result will

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ABOVE: Masking tape was used to protect the black areas from the next airbrushing stages.

LEFT: MIG Productions’ 4BO Russian Green 019 was airbrushed on to serve as the base colour. A little thinning with Vallejo New Formula Airbrush Thinner 061 makes sure the paint flows well.

look like, as there can be many variations of the faded white finish, either overall or only partially covering the vehicle. In this case I was going for a whitewash effect that mainly concentrated on the front of the vehicle, with the rest mostly whitewash free. Incidentally, the partly whitewashed finish suggested in the instructions also concentrates on the front of the vehicle. There are several ways to go about recreating a whitewash finish. A popular method to get good results is the ubiquitous hairspray technique. Having used this technique before, I wanted to revisit it and readily available chipping products now make the search for a good working hairspray product

BELOW: To help create the faded whitewash I next put on a couple of layers of AK Interactive Heavy Chipping fluid 089. Only the areas that were to receive a coat of white were treated.

LEFT: Tamiya Flat White XF-2 diluted with tap water was misted onto selected areas.

BELOW: Overall view of the model after the whitewash had been airbrushed on.

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ABOVE: Close-ups of the left and right sides of the hull. BELOW LEFT: After wetting an area, a moist brush is put to work to remove parts of the whitewash. Here, on the hull sides, I’m working in a downward motion, mostly disturbing the edges of the white areas. BELOW RIGHT: As rain tends to wash off the whitewash over time in a downward motion, it looks best if you go about distressing the paint in the same way.

ABOVE LEFT & RIGHT: I tend to stay away from the middle of the white areas and mainly concentrate on distressing the edges. A small round slightly blunt brush gives me a lot of control.

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unnecessary. Having said that, you still have the option of mixing the regular and heavy chipping fluids to your own needs, as different mixes, put on in more or less layers, give different results. After some tests I went for two straight layers of AK Interactive Heavy chipping acrylic fluid 089, as I wanted the paint to come off rather easily. The fluid was airbrushed on over the areas that would receive the whitewash later, whereas areas that were to remain green were not touched. Next was a thin coat of Tamiya Flat White XF-2 diluted with water; using water to dilute the paint makes it easier to remove later on. Also, using Tamiya paint means that you will be able to remove the paint even weeks after it was airbrushed on. No need to hurry there! When putting on the white you should already have some idea about how the whitewash ought to look and have a rough idea which areas will be covered and those that won’t. Covering everything with white, assuming you are going to take away the paint where it is not wanted afterwards anyway,

might not give a satisfactory result. Using the paint in selected areas adds to the faded look as this way you get soft borders of white, while an opaque layer will not. So, thinking about composition at this stage is important. For removing the white paint I used different size brushes ranging from small round ones to larger flat ones. Also a scribing tool can be a good choice in case you want to draw scuffmarks along the side of the vehicle where the paint got damaged when travelling through shrubs, etc. Removing the paint is done by first gently moistening the area you want to work on with water, and then use a moist brush to work the surface. Depending on which, and how much, chipping fluid you use the paint will come off more or less easily. To disturb the paint on the large sides of the model I worked mainly in a downward motion, as over time rain tends to run down removing the whitewash. For the most part I just disarranged the edges of the white areas, only sometimes

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ABOVE: Overall view of the model; note how the whitewash has changed since the previous step. It now looks much more realistic.

LEFT: When happy with the result the whitewash was sealed with varnish to protect it from the next weathering stages.

taking away some paint inside the larger surfaces. Remember, less is more. Don’t get carried away when removing white paint, it is easier to take away some more paint later, than having to get out the airbrush again to touch up the white in case too much was removed. Once satisfied with the result so far I added a new coat of varnish to seal the whitewash for further weathering.

Weathering General weathering Before actually starting the weathering process I first dealt with the mesh covers on the rear deck. During the airbrushing stage they received a coat of black creating depth and shadow. Now it was time to give them some colour. Using the 4BO Russian Green base colour I gently dry-brushed them lifting out the mesh structure. The rest of the model was also carefully dry-brushed with the base colour mixed with some MIG RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb 011, to

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lift out some detail and create a first variety in the base colour. To further add tonal differences in the overall green appearance of the model I added local filters with Lifecolor RAL 6003 Olivegrün UA206 and picked out more details highlighting them with Lifecolor Olive Drab Green Tone UA427. With a first variety of base colour present, the next step was to begin the shading process. Vandyke Brown oil paint was thinned with odourless white spirit and run along all details and into all nooks and crannies creating depth. After the first outlining session I always give a model a quick dry-brush run with the base colour to freshen up its overall appearance and remove any unwanted remains of the outlining. Next, I started chipping with Lifecolor RAL 7008 GrauGrün/KhakiBraun UA212, concentrating mostly on edges, small details and well-worn places. Here and there I added further highlights to the chipping by using the Lifecolor Olive Drab Green Tone UA427.

ABOVE LEFT: Close-up of the mesh covers on the rear deck after shading. ABOVE RIGHT: With a wide flat brush the base colour was carefully drybrushed over the mesh covers lifting out the detail.

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ABOVE LEFT: Some larger panels were picked out with Olivegrün. ABOVE RIGHT: The smaller details where highlighted with Olive Drab Green Tone. BELOW LEFT: After the initial outlining I always give the model a quick dry-brushing with the base colour to revive colours and clean up any unwanted remains. BELOW RIGHT: Rear view close-up of the hull. Note how details stand out due to highlighting.

ABOVE: A fine-tipped brush and Vandyke Brown oil paint thinned with odourless white spirit were used to outline all details and fill all nooks and crannies to add depth.

ABOVE: To paint the exhausts I turned to Lifecolor’s Dust & Rust set. The colours were used from dark to light, sometimes going back and forth to get to the desired result.

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The process of highlighting and shading can go back and forth adding several layers until the desired result is reached. There is no hard and fast rule dictating how many layers you should add. It’s up to you! In my case it was time for a second outlining. Again all details, nooks and crannies received the Vandyke Brown oil paint treatment. A second outlining will create more depth, more variation and will thus add more life to the model. So far, apart from outlining, the faded whitewash received no further attention. The initial chipping using the hairspray technique can create great effects, but there is always room for some fine-tuning. Small detail chipping on the whitewash was carried out with a brush and the 4BO Green base colour. Subsequent chipping was carried out on the rest of the model with a mix of Vallejo Model Color German Camouflage Black Brown 822 and Chocolate Brown 872. I would usually opt for straight German Camouflage Black Brown for chipping, but here the colour seemed a bit too dark and unnatural looking, hence the mix with the lighter Chocolate Brown. As before I concentrated on well-worn areas. Although I knew it would probably get lost during the final weathering stages, I still went ahead to create a visual reminder of where the missing trackguard was once located. To do this I taped off the surrounding area and painted on the brown chipping mix. Immediately after that I used Vallejo Airbrush thinner 061 and a brush to distress the brown paint. The result is a faint reminder of where the trackguard used to sit. Attention now returned to the whitewash. The gun mantled needed further variation in colour and therefore Vallejo Panzer Aces White 344 was applied to create some interest. The same colour can be used to add small remains of whitewash around details like bolts and suchlike. In some areas I opted to use Titanium White oil paint, as this can be worked for a longer time.

For the exhausts I resorted to the trustworthy Lifecolor Dust and Rust set (item CS-10). Starting with the darkest colour first I then proceeded until I was happy with the result. For a final darker tone on the base of the exhausts I used Vallejo German Camouflage Black Brown 822. The insides were given a dark soot colour with Lifecolor’s Smoke TSC 208. In the final stages soot deposit will be reproduced on the rear deck using MIG Productions’ Black Smoke pigments P023. Dusting Although I wanted the model to look muddy from travelling through the wet winter landscape, it needed more than just the dark mud. When dirt dries it turns to dust, so the first move was to add some dusting to go underneath the fresh mud that would follow later. To create the dust colour I combined AK Interactive Dust Effects 015 with Dark Mud 023. Using a wide flat brush several filters were put on the lower hull, building up the dust gradually. With a small round brush I added more dust in specific areas creating a more interesting look. Oil spills were then recreated around suspension parts using Vandyke Brown oil paint. The dusting was carried through over other parts of the model concentrating it in logical places such as the rear trackguard, certain parts of the rear deck and the hull top where the crew would drag up dirt on their boots. Always keep composition in mind trying to make it visually interesting. Wet spots, oil spills and run offs The dusty areas on the rear deck were carefully chosen as I wanted to add some oil spills in particular places and as we know oil spills attract dust. So the dust spots from before, or at least some of them, would now receive some Vandyke Brown oil paint simulating oil spills. Some smaller oil

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ABOVE LEFT: Detail chipping on the whitewash was carried out with a fine tipped brush and the 4BO Green base colour. ABOVE RIGHT: The rest of the model was chipped with a mix of Vallejo Model Color German Camouflage Black Brown 822 and Chocolate Brown 872, mostly concentrating on well-worn places. BELOW LEFT: Simulating soot on the inside of the pipes was done with Lifecolor Smoke TSC 208. BELOW RIGHT: The tracks were basecoated with a mix of Vallejo US Olive Drab 608 and Black 602 surface primer.

spills were created with Lamp Black oil paint, while further wet spots, be it oil spills or otherwise, were imitated by mixing gloss varnish with a little Vandyke Brown oil paint. I used Revell Gloss varnish 01 as well as MIG Productions’ Wet Effects and Damp Earth Mixture P409, as both gave good results. Basically any gloss varnish could be used and tinted with an appropriate colour. Dirt and stains running down the sides of the hull were again simulated with Vandyke Brown oil paint. For any remaining areas of whitewash I used Titanium White oil paint. Wet mud With the dust in place I could proceed with adding the wet mud. I had decided on smaller speckling on the lower hull and running gear, and more accumulated thick mud on the hull front and rear, left side where the trackguards were missing and mud would get thrown up by the tracks. For the speckling I mixed MIG Productions’ Russian Earth pigments P034 with AK Interactive Fresh Mud 016. This was then picked up with a brush and flicked onto the lower half of the model by pulling the brush along a wooden stick. Make sure you flick the mix in the right direction - normally towards the rear for a forward moving vehicle – as otherwise the effect may look a bit odd. To build up the wet mud on the trackguards and rear left hull I added the grainy pigments dry from the jar and then carefully fixed them in place with a little white spirit. Using too much liquid will make the grainy structure that imitate chunks of mud disappear. The mud needs to be the same colour as the speckling on the lower hull so it needed painting with Fresh Mud 016. However, touching the fixed pigments with diluted paint trying to cover it from all angles made the chunky structure disappear. To solve the problem I needed to fix the pigments more permanently. A little white glue diluted with water

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did the trick and when carefully applied it shouldn’t disturb the chunky structure. However, as surface tension of water will prevent it to flow as freely as white spirit, I also added some washing up liquid, which took care of that. With the pigments now firmly fixed in place it was no trouble painting them. On the left rear hull the pigments were more dispersed, still revealing parts of the hull, therefore I first repainted that area with the AK Dust mix 015 + 023 used on the rest of the model, after which the muddy chunks were picked out with Fresh Mud 016. Clean parts of the hull where then repainted with the 4BO Green base colour. The mud splashes on the front upper hull were carefully built up with a rather dry Russian Earth pigments P034 and Fresh Mud 016 mixture. No need to get out the white glue! Wheels and tracks Like the lower hull the wheels received the same dust and mud treatment. A little variation was brought into play by finishing the two drive sprockets in different ways, both in colour and in weathering. It’s always good to put variety into your model, as this will keep the viewer interested. Running surfaces of the roadwheels, return rollers and idler wheels were coloured with a soft lead pencil imitating bare metal, while the teeth of the drive sprockets were buffed up with a Karismacolor silver pencil 949. The metal tracks were given a sound basecoat with a Vallejo US Olive Drab 608 and Black 602 surface primer mixture overspray. I began weathering by filtering the tracks with the AK Dust mix 015 + 023, then dry-brushed both sides with Vallejo German Camouflage Black Brown 822 to bring out the details. Where the wheels and tracks meet, the metal gets polished and to simulate this bare metal look I used a soft lead pencil. To make sure I was working in a straight line I used a ruler and a fine tipped propelling pencil to mark the outsides, cleaning

ABOVE: Note the different finish on the drive sprockets. Variation adds interest.

BELOW: Running surfaces of the roadwheels were touched up with a soft lead pencil.

BELOW: Edges where given a metal shine with a propelling pencil.

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ABOVE & OPPOSITE: Views of the finished model.

ABOVE LEFT: Mud splashes on the front upper hull were brush painted on. ABOVE RIGHT: Note the damaged headlight visible in this front view.

‘‘” Weathering on the fuel can was done in much the same way as the rest of the model.

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off superfluous deposits from the pencil with a cotton swab. Next the outsides were muddied up with the Russian Earth pigment P034 and AK Interactive Fresh Mud 016 mix. Running surfaces where then restored to bare metal with a soft lead pencil. On the inside I added some mud splashes by flicking the mud mix with a brush and wooden stick. (I should have done this before adding the bare metal look!) After touching up the bare metal areas, again a cotton swab was used for clean up. When the tracks were mounted on the model more mud build up was added. Dabbing the mud with MIG Productions’ Wet Effects and Damp Earth mixture produced a wet look. Finishing touches Remaining work to be done on the hull was finishing the headlight, fuel can and accessories. The interior of the broken headlight was first brush-painted with

Vallejo Air Chrome 064. Then, with the aid of a punch and die set, a disk was made from black paper to simulate the hole in the rear of the light through which the wire to feed it would enter. The electric wire was made from very thin copper wire. Weathering on the fuel can was done in much the same way as the rest of the model. It only received a few extra rust streaks with Burnt Umber oil paint and AK Interactive Rust Streaks 013. For more interest some handwritten chalk markings were added using a white pencil. Metal parts on the pickaxe and the gun cleaning rods were given a basecoat of Vallejo Model Color Black 950. The gun cleaning rods were then dry-brushed with German Camouflage Black Brown 822 mixed with some Panzer Aces Highlight German Black 337. Gradually less of the Black Brown was used, finishing up with pure Highlight German Black. Shadows in between the rods and around tool holders where then produced using Lamp Black oil paint. By gently tapping with the side of a propelling pencil a metal shine was recreated. Subsequently some chipping was carried out with the German Camouflage Black Brown

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ABOVE LEFT: The fuel can was finished in a slightly different green colour and received its fair share of weathering. ABOVE RIGHT: The missing trackguard caused mud build up on the upper hull side.

822 and Chocolate Brown 872 mix. To add further interest a bit of rust tone was added with Lifecolor Rust Base UA702 and a little Rust Light Shadow UA703. Final metal highlights were added with a Karismacolor silver pencil 949. The wooden pickaxe handle first received a basecoat of Vallejo Model Color Buff 976, after which the wood grain was created using Raw Umber oil paint. I use the paint straight from the tube and paint on a wood grain pattern with a fine pointed brush. Small corrections can easily be made with a brush moistened with white spirit. Here the metal part in selected places was touched up with a German Camouflage Black Brown 822 and Chocolate Brown 872 mix. Same as on the gun cleaning rods where a bit of rust colour was added, this time using only Lifecolor Rust Base UA702. Again final metal highlights were added with a silver pencil. The spare track link was airbrushed with a basecoat of Vallejo Black surface primer 602 and Lifecolor Rust Dark Shadow UA701. As previously mentioned it was matt varnished with Vallejo Air Matte Varnish 059. Further local filters of Lifecolor Rust Base UA702 and Rust Light Shadow 1 UA703 completed the oxidised look. A little dusting and touching up of some edges with a propelling pencil completed the effect. In fact, selected edges and details all over the model were given a bare metal shine with the propelling pencil.

Conclusion Bronco’s 1:48 scale SU-152 is a very enjoyable kit to build, easily built from the box and one that can easily be improved with a few refinements. The classic faded whitewash finish is always fun to paint.

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Rear view of the completed model showing the wet tracks and splashed mud effects.

References Photos found on the Internet.

Items used Bronco 1:48 scale Russian Self-Propelled Gun SU-152 (April, 1943 Production) item ZB-48004. Friulmodel KV-1/KV-2 tracks item ATL-4803. Plastic strip, plastic rod, copper wire, punch and die set.

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Australian 2pdr anti-tank Carrier ABOVE: The author’s completed model placed into a scene setting courtesy of Photoshop. BELOW: Two illustrations from a contemporary workshop manual.

Peter Gillson tests his modelling skills by building an unusual ‘Carrier’ variation in 1:35 scale.

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uring 1939 a British Carrier (Bren No.2 Mk.1) was purchased for evaluation by the Australian army, this vehicle was the basis for the Australian Variant Carrier, the Carrier MG (Aust) No.1, also known as the LP1, (Local Pattern 1) which was made using locally sourced components. There were problems with the first design and it displayed many faults, including serious engine overheating and brake wear. After approximately 160 of these vehicles had been built the Army called for an improved design. This was the LP2 and 2A and these versions corrected the faults found in the LP1 by incorporating improved steering, brakes and other modifications. These Carriers saw service with the Australian Army both at home and abroad in the Middle East, Malaya, New Guinea and the islands of the SouthWest Pacific. For those interested in the Korean War, some were used in the early stages of that conflict. Australia was closely aligned to Britain in terms of military doctrine and like Britain had mounted the anti-tank gun onto a lorry, the classic ‘portee’ arrangement, but found the cross-country capability to be limited. What was needed was for it to be mounted on a tracked vehicle. A specification for the gun to be mounted onto a modified Carrier was given to the Directorate of Armoured Fighting Vehicle Production. Unlike the Canadian and British versions, the Australian solution was not to just mount the gun onto the existing Carrier, but to virtually completely redesign the vehicle. To this end the vehicle was

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TOP LEFT: Reference books. ABOVE: Australian Military Equipment Profiles Vol.2 – an excellent resource for this project. LEFT: My reference prints from the website photos. BELOW: Detail of the driver’s position in the full-sized vehicle, just two of the useful images found on the website.

lengthened by 8.75”, the engine moved to alongside the driver and a complete redesign of everything behind the driver’s compartment to carry the gun, crew of three and ammunition. The first vehicles produced by the Metropolitan Gas Company were delivered in May 1942, total production was 200 with the final being completed during October 1942. Unfortunately as Axis armour developed it became clear that the 2pdr was not a suitable anti-tank gun any more, and this coupled with the change of emphasis for the Australian army towards combating the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre meant that this carrier, which was unsuitable for jungle warfare, was obsolete as soon as it entered service. The Carrier never saw active service, being used mainly for training within Australia.

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The conversion Building this would be more of a scratchbuilding exercise than a conversion because the only part of the kit I could use would be the running gear and hull, and even this needs to be extended. The model utilises the Riich Models kit of the Universal Carrier and the Vulcan kit of the 2pdr anti-tank gun.

Research Although I could find no plans of the vehicle, there is a lot of information available. The booklet Australian Military Equipment Profiles Vol.2 Local Pattern Carriers 1939-1945, provides some photos and an excellent commentary on the vehicle, including many technical details.

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RIGHT: Tracing over the George Bradford drawings taped to a drawing board, note the gap at the front of the plans.

Drawing the plans

ABOVE: Box art for one of the Riich Models 1:35 scale Carrier kits.

BELOW: The hull with the 6.35mm extension pieces in place.

The website www.toadmanstankpictures.com/ australian_2pdr_carrier.htm contains 77 photos of a vehicle in an Australian museum, which together with the book and a couple of other websites and a YouTube video provided enough information to draw the plans and build the vehicle.

I do not really enjoy drawing plans, it is a necessity rather than a pleasure so I cheated by using a set of plans for the Universal Carrier produced by George Bradford, (the link is: http://www.oocities.org/ firefly1002000). These were placed on my drawing board and a sheet of tracing paper laid over the top, in this way I can draw only the modifications onto the tracing paper without having to re-draw most of the vehicle. The actual vehicle was 8.75” longer than the standard Carrier so I cut the plans and placed the two sections 6.35mm (8.75” = 222.25mm, in 1:35 scale = 6.35mm) apart on the drawing board. Most of my time at this stage is spent just looking at all of the references to really gain an understanding of the vehicle, where everything goes, how it was constructed and how it will be constructed – how many sub-assemblies would I need? I used my usual method of ratios to estimate the lengths. For instance from the front view photo I could measure the width of the vehicle and the width of the engine housing, from these two measurements I could calculate that the engine housing was 54.285% of the width of the vehicle. The kit vehicle is 35mm wide, so the scale width of the engine housing would be 19mm, 54.285% of 35mm. This is a slow process but with care, lots of crosschecking measurements and calculations, a reasonable set of drawings can be produced.

Elongation The actual vehicle was 8.75” longer than the standard Carrier, this was achieved on the model by extending the sides. To do this they were cut between the front wheel and the first roadwheel, and a 6.35mm piece of plastic card was glued between the two pieces. The floor was also cut and a similar piece of plastic card used to lengthen it. Plastic card was used to build the driver’s compartment and engine housing. The structure is square so it is not too

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AFV special The driver’s compartment and engine housing completed, ready for the external details to be added.

difficult, especially using a lot of small pieces of plastic to brace the construction and keep is nice and square. Fortunately the photos of the museum vehicle include many clear photos of the driver’s compartment, details of which were added with plastic card and thin lead wire. Additional details such as the air intakes and filters were added to the front of the vehicle, based on the photos. With the driving compartment complete I turned my attention to the rear, fighting compartment. One impact of relocating the engine is a change in the location of the rear differential housing which necessitated the need to scratchbuild two new driveshafts from the differential to each drive wheel, as well as a new driveshaft running from the engine along the length of the vehicle. The change also resulted in having to build a new rear bulkhead. Before this was in place I added the strengthening cross beams in the hull and the storage box on the floor behind the driver’s compartment. Behind this storage box is a row of hatches which, when open form a line of seats for the three crewmembers, I was inclined to have at least one of them open. Behind the driver’s/engine compartment is an open storage box, below this is a metal grille which would be visible if the hatches were open so one was made from a combination of plastic card and etched-brass. Before this was put in place, the area behind it was painted in olive drab because it would be impossible to do so when the grille is in place. The next step is a cautionary example of not having looked at the references closely enough. It

was time to tackle the rear fighting platform and at this point I noticed a mistake. In the vehicle the section where the rear bulkhead joins the horizontal rear fighting platform is curved. I had fitted in place a rear bulkhead which would have resulted in a square join. The bulkhead was removed and a new bulkhead was made, which included the curved portion which was the rear part of the crew’s fighting platform. But what diameter would the curve be? ABOVE: The converted transmission in place along with the incorrect rear bulkhead. LEFT: The ‘interesting’ clamps being used to hold the rear fighting platform in place, the vertical bulkhead portion having been glued in place the evening before.

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ABOVE: Main items added to the front glacis plate plus the fitted out fighting compartment.

Circular fighting platform On each side of the vehicle is a segment shaped platform which could be raised for travelling and lowered when needed, which combined with the rear plate would form a circular fighting platform for the crew. The booklet refers to this circular fighting platform as having a radius of

RIGHT: The three forward hatches, for over the crew seats, completed ready for trimming and fixing. BELOW: Completed vehicle, without any running gear added.

3’ 6”, centred on the pivot point of the gun, providing a fighting platform for the gun which could turn through the full 360-deg. Armed with a pair of compasses with the metal point set in the centre of the vehicle I set them to 30mm, and drew the circle. We can clearly see from the photos where the front and rear end of the side platforms should be and I was really pleased when the circle I had drawn passed within a fraction of where I had estimated these points to be. I had to make a very small adjustment, moving the location of the centre point back a little and I was happy with the drawing. With the size of the platform determined I was able to draw and cut out the rear bulkhead with the correct diameter curve for the rear part of the fighting platform. Since there is a 90-deg bend in the bulkhead/platform the plastic part was bent over a metal rod to replicate the curve. To ensure the plastic did not split this was done very slowly and even then it would not keep the 90-deg bend. The bulkhead section of this part was glued in place and left overnight to fully cure. With these joins fully cured and secure, the next evening the top cover was bent into place, glued and held in place using various tools to clamp it in place.

Fighting compartment The fittings in the fighting compartment are reasonably simple, a mounting structure for the gun which was made from ‘H’ section plastic beams, the photos show an ammunition box fixed to the front of the supporting leg, one from the Vulcan kit was added in place. Two further lengths of plastic beam were added to form the supports for the hatches and cover plates just behind the driver’s compartment. A few other boxes and fittings which I could see from the photos

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were added, these either being from the spares box or made from more card. My intention was to have at least one of the hatches open, showing a seat. However, time constraints meant that I had to change my plans and opt for closed hatches which were made from thin plastic card, my trusty punch and die set being used to punch out the hand holds. The two segments which form the fold down parts of the fighting platform along each side of the vehicle were made from plastic card and fitted in place, more thin strips of card were used to add the strengthening supports on their underside, and to form the edging strip. The basic vehicle was constructed so it was time to add details like the lights, tools, hinges etc. Fortunately the vehicle was welded together so there were very few rivets.

Running gear The wheels were added next but no tracks as yet because photos show the camouflage being applied behind the running gear and it would be impossible to paint this with them in place. The tracks were painted grey black while still on the sprues.

The gun

ABOVE: Completed vehicle, the running gear yet to be added.

The Vulcan gun was built as per the kit without any modification apart from having to build a new ammunition rack, which is clearly shown in the photos. I think that a modeller who is skilled with etched-brass could build the frame and slip ammunition boxes into like the real thing. Unfortunately, I am not that skilled so I decided to cheat. I glued two cases together, using thinly rolled putty I made the rolled blankets, glued these on top and added the third ammunition box. Gluing strips of thin plastic card around this unit I was able to fabricate the frame. The whole unit was glued onto the inside of the gunshield.

Painting According to references the first few vehicles produced were finished in a two colour scheme of Khaki Green and a camouflage pattern of Light ABOVE: Box top for the Vulcan 2pdr gun kit.

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LEFT: The completed gun ready for painting, note the scratchbuilt ammunition rack.

The Vulcan gun was built as per the kit without any modification apart from having to build a new ammunition rack...

Stone, this is like the version in the museum and the scheme I decided to represent. However, there is another option, as from July 1942 they would have been in a base of Khaki Green with a Light Earth pattern.

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Basecoat of acrylic stone colour.

After priming, the model was airbrushed with a pale cream colour that looked close to the photos. Panzer Putty was used to mask the camouflage pattern after which the green was applied, again by airbrush. The superstructure was given a very light misting of the cream basecoat, just enough to harmonise the green and beige. Dry-brushing may be out of fashion these days but I still find it a useful technique, so using a ½-inch soft hair paintbrush the vehicle was dry-brushed, again using the base colour. All of the strokes were applied vertically downwards so that the top edges would be highlighted and any streaks would look like rain marks. Vallejo colours were used to detail items such as the seats and tools etc.

Time to make tracks!

RIGHT: After a coat of Khaki Green, note the Panzer Putty to mask the camouflage pattern.

Since this version of the Carrier was 8.75” longer, an additional six links were added to each side, which is a bit of a problem since the kit does not include spare links. Fortunately though, a few years ago I had bought a set of ModelKasten tracks. These are single link tracks which I had decided were too small and fiddly to use, but were perfect for this.

BELOW: View of the model with the Panzer Putty removed.

ABOVE: Fully painted with the running gear added but before any weathering.

RIGHT: Fixing the tracks, the 12 brown track links are the ModelKasten links. The white points on the tracks are where they were joined to the sprues, these were painted grey black.

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Because they are a very slightly different size I added all 12 to one side. The Resicast tracks would also be suitable. Fitting the tracks is very fiddly on the Riich kit, and even more so on this conversion. It took me four evenings to do both sides! On the first evening I fitted the tracks running around the drive sprocket and under the roadwheels, left these to set and the next evening fitted the remainder of that side, repeating the process for the other side over the following two evenings. When dry, they were touched up with the Vallejo Grey Black.

Weathering A coat of Tamiya Flat Brown XF-10 mixed with Tamiya Flat Earth XF-52 was applied to the running gear and the lower part of the Carrier, followed by a light misting of pure Tamiya Flat Earth. My homemade filter made of very diluted Vandyke Brown oil paint was applied to the whole vehicle including the running gear and tracks, as with the dry-brushing, all strokes were vertical. Having left it to dry overnight, a little more of the filter was added in places to further emphasis the details.

Conclusion This was quite a time-consuming model to build. Drawing plans from photos is frustrating but it does at least enable me to build models which I would otherwise not be able to do. With hindsight I should have changed my mind about showing a seat as the model would have looked a lot better with a seat on show. Apart from that, I am quite happy with the build. It is quite complicated in that it is almost a complete scratchbuild, but none of the modelling techniques are really advanced – as long as you can cut plastic card square you can build this model!

ABOVE: The sub-structure with a dusting of Tamiya Flat Brown XF-10 and Flat Earth XF-52 to represent accumulated dust.

BELOW: The finished vehicle mounted on a simple wooden base.

Finishing touches These included such as the lenses for the lights, painting the rolled blankets in the ammunition storage, and highlighting the tracks with Vallejo metal colour. The model was then glued to a wooden base with a suitable nameplate applied.

Websites www.toadmanstankpictures.com/australian_2pdr_carrier.htm – 77 – photos of a preserved vehicle. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk5XDSx7h0s – video of a preserved vehicle. http://auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=LC14&ID=r0022 – details including photos of a vehicle which recently sold for $96,000. I think this is the one in the video. www.aussiemodeller.com.au/pages/History/Vehicle/Boucher_BrenGun.html 18 – photos of a preserved vehicle.

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Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf F Fraser Gray describes how he built and weathered Bronco’s 1:35 scale model that earned him a Highly Commended award at Euro Militaire 2014.

ABOVE: The author’s completed model placed ‘somewhere’ on the Eastern Front courtesy of Photoshop.

BELOW: The box art for Bronco’s PzKpfw I Ausf F kit.

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ronco has produced an excellent kit of the PzKpfw I Ausf F developed by Germany in the 1930s as a reconnaissance and infantry support tank (item CB35143). The kit is well presented with a colour instruction booklet giving a concise history of the tank’s development and its participation in the Battle of Kursk. The painting annotations in the assembly instructions are poor and none are provided for the interior. I therefore referred to Mario Eens’ article Panzer One Inside-Out published in the MM Military Vehicle Special Vol.40 No.3, for the most probable interior colours. The instruction booklet seems to have created a few headaches for Bronco, as there

are a couple of stick-on patches to correct errors. A printing mistake has also gone unnoticed at stage 5. The drawing shows part 43 reversed, although it is intuitively obvious how the part should be fitted. I also have my suspicion that the illustration at stage 20 showing the gunner’s eyeshade and face buffer (part B37) is inverted, although I have no reference to confirm this. As a bonus, however, there is a poster of the box top, printed without a manufacturer’s logo or annotations. The model is injection-moulded in a sand coloured plastic, except for the superb articulated tracks, which are moulded in a contrasting brown plastic. The moulding is crisp and finely detailed although paradoxically, as a state-of-the-art kit, it is reminiscent of an East European kit of the 1990s – the modeller has to build the hull from flat plates, rather than a cast hull tub that is usually supplied with most modern kits.

Construction Care and attention are required to make sure everything is square when building the hull tub, and to check the plates remain true while the adhesive dries. I certainly found building the hull timeconsuming and disappointing for such a modern kit. The rest of the model’s assembly almost follows construction of the full-sized vehicle, even the parts to make the trackguard toolbox have the individual dovetails faithfully reproduced in styrene. The kit is supplied with a superbly detailed and complete interior, although the engine is not included in the kit. In stage 10 of the instructions Bronco has illustrated the engine ventilation grilles in the open position, drawing attention to the empty engine bay! I found some aspects of the model over-engineered

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The NIIBT Armoured Vehicle Collection located at Kubinka Russia, has one of the only two Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf F that survived the war. The other example is on display at the Military Museum Kalemegdan Park, Belgrade, Serbia, and it’s in a very poor condition. The Kubinka tank has been preserved under cover and is in excellent condition, although various fittings are missing. The tank’s massive construction is evident from its frontal armour of 80mm. The driver was protected with bullet resistant glass in his direct vision and twin vision ports when the 80mm armoured visor was lowered. The horn, Notek light and trackguard headlamps are missing and replaced with non-standard Soviet fittings.

and unnecessary complex. The crew’s gasmask canisters have finely detail photo-etched straps and are almost invisible when the model is completed. I also had difficulty assembling the tiny photo-etched and plastic components for the rear convoy light and reflector. The multi-media parts have to be super-glued with little opportunity to align them before the adhesive sets. After spending some time carefully assembling the rear reflector the super glue holding the rear reflector to the trackguard fractured, and I lost the part! I had to poach a reflector from a Tamiya Panzer II Ausf A kit and replace the bracket with one made from aluminium cut from a takeaway food container. The model was built virtually out of the box, the only modifications I made were to add a backing plate to the radio at stage 2, because it noticeably absent when viewed through the open hatch. I also made a cradle from Microstrip to support the large box on the left trackguard that mysteriously floats above the wire cutters. I replaced the tool clamps with Aber AB48A2 German Clamps and Clasp in 1:48 scale, as the company’s 1:35 scale tool clamps look oversized when used on a small 1:35 scale model. Whilst I was weathering the model I realised I had missed Bronco’s omission of the tow hawser retaining post above the circular crew entry hatch, part 2. I built the missing post with plastic rod and scrap plastic, using the adjacent post for reference.

Painting The model is time-consuming to paint because of the interior detail of the hull and turret. Any surface where adhesive has to be applied must be masked or carefully cleaned of any excess paint to ensure all interior parts are secure, as any parts that become detached will be very difficult to glue once the hull is

sealed. I painted the model using Adam Wilder’s Colour Modulation technique. The model was finished in the markings of Polizei-Panzer-Kompanie (neu) Eastern Front, Spring 1944, using the decals supplied in the kit.

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Photo 1. The model is supplied with a complete interior. Construction begins by cleaning up the numerous ammunition bags and super-gluing them to cocktail sticks for priming and painting. Photo 2. Bronco’s instructions lack any information or suggestions concerning the colour of the interior. I painted the bags a canvas colour from a blend of Humbrol Enamels - Matt Sand 63, Matt White 34 and Matt Dark Earth 29. Shading and highlights were created by adding a greater proportion of the white or Dark Earth to the blend. The covers of the canvas bags were painted Humbrol Matt Grass Green. In hindsight, I believe Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67 (representing a scale black) would have been more accurate.

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Photo 3. The interior was assembled into subassemblies to ease painting. The smaller parts, such as the steering levers, were cleaned up and left attached to a section of sprue so they could be easily held for airbrushing. Photo 4. The transmission housing was masked using Tamiya Masking Tape and Humbrol Maskol. The housing was airbrushed in a blend of Humbrol Gloss Ivory 41 and Satin Oak 71.

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Photo 5. The crew’s gasmask canisters are finely detailed and have separate photo-etched straps. Appreciate the detail, once the hull is assembled they cannot be seen!

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Photo 6. Further examples of fine detail provided by Bronco. The fire extinguisher’s notation is from the Archer set AR35266. Photo 7. The hull sides are prepared for airbrushing. The contact surfaces for the floor plate and bulkheads have been masked with Blu-Tack and Tamiya Masking Tape, as any paint on surfaces to be glued will reduce the efficiency of the cement. Photo 8. The hull sides were primed in preparation for airbrushing using Halfords’ White Primer. Photo 9. Several light coats of Elfenbein (RAL 1001) mixed from Humbrol Gloss Ivory 41 and Satin Oak 71 were airbrushed onto the hull interior.

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Photo 10. The lower part of the hull interior was painted RAL 7009 a grey-green colour, so I used Tamiya Light Blue XF-23 as the nearest visual match I could find in my paint stock. Photo 11. The rest of the hull sides were airbrushed in Tamiya Flat Red XF-7 and NATO Black XF-69 to represent red primer. Photo 12. Following my references all workable parts in the hull interior, like machine-gun mounts, handles, vision ports and handwheels were painted Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67 which represents a ‘scale black’. Photo 13. Work continues airbrushing the hull sides.

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Photo 14. The masking tape is removed and various items of the crew’s equipment are glued into position with polystyrene cement.

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Photo 15. The transmission housing and rear fighting compartment bulkhead are attached to the floor plate with polystyrene cement. Photo 16. The roof, glacis plates and hull sides have been painted and prepared ready to be glued together. Photo 17. I added a set of headphones and a connecting cable. The container below the hinge for the circular hatch contains a set of signal flags. Photo 18. The driver’s vision port and instruments have been faithfully reproduced. Unfortunately the detail and the work required to paint the components is hidden on the assembled model. Photo 19. The floor plate is prepared for attachment to the hull sides. Paint has yet to be removed from the floor plate location pegs.

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Photos 20. Revell Contacta polystyrene cement has the perfect viscosity for gluing the hull sides to the floor plate, having enough strength to hold the components in position while the glue dries. Liquid cement should be avoided here, as it leaches out of the contact seam liquefying and damaging the paintwork. Photo 21. Use of draftsman’s tape to support the hull while the cement cures. Viscose polystyrene cement has a tendency to contract during the drying process, so the hull was constantly checked for alignment. Photos 22 & 23. Before gluing the roof plate into position I prepared the areas that would be difficult to paint, such as the rear engine ventilation aperture and the backs of the drive sprockets and gear housings.

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Photo 26. The exhaust silencer, pipe and heat shield were undercoated in Halfords’ Grey Plastic Primer. Lifecolor Rust Dark Shadow UA701, Rust Base Color UA702, and Rust Light Shadow 1 UA703 were progressively applied in thin washes diluted with tap water and washing-up liquid. I allowed each wash to dry, gradually building up the opacity from the darkest to the lightest colour. Photo 27. The exhaust in position.

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Photo 28. The complete painted work masked to prevent damage during construction of the model. Photo 29. Bronco offers a choice of front trackguards. I made my selection and assembled the parts, and set them aside for the adhesive to dry. Photo 30. Before the roof plate was cemented into position low-tack Tamiya Masking Tape is used to seal the crew entry hatch apertures and turret race, to prevent overspray from damaging the completed interior paintwork.

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Photo 31. The interior of the turret is supplied with the commander’s sighting optics, detailed machine guns and their respective mountings. Photo 32. The turret interior was undercoated in Halfords’ White Primer in preparation for a coat of Elfenbein.

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Photo 33. The partially assembled turret and the aperture for the machine gun mantlet airbrushed in Tamiya Field Blue XF-50 and Clear X-22. Photo 34. The mantlet interior airbrushed in Elfenbein, and the machine guns and gunner’s sight painted in Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67 (representing ‘scale black’) When the paint had dried on the machine guns, they were ‘metallised’ using graphite powder applied with a cotton bud. The leather buffer above the gunner’s sighting optics was painted in Humbrol 62 Leather, and shaded by adding Matt Tank Grey 67 to the base colour. The base of the turret was airbrushed in Elfenbein with the traversing wheels painted in Matt Tank Grey 67.

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Photo 35.The basic sub-assembles for the turret painted and set aside for the paint to cure.

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ABOVE LEFT: The rim of the spoked tyre is marked ‘Continental’ a detail omitted by Bronco, possibly because of current licensing and copyright legislation. ABOVE RIGHT: The first, third, and fifth roadwheels were spoked while the second and fourth wheels were dished.

Photo 36. Bronco’s attention to detail is a treat for the modeller. The periscopes are moulded in clear plastic so the lenses were masked in preparation for a basecoat of Tamiya Semi Gloss Black X-18 and a coat of Matt Tank Grey 67.

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Photo 37. The trackguard stowage boxes follow the construction of the original wooden stowage boxes of the real tank and Bronco have moulded the dovetailed joints that fit perfectly. Photo 38. Although time-consuming to construct, the jack is a marvel of injection-moulding.

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Photo 39. The spoked roadwheels require time and patience to assemble as they lack a positive fit. Take care not to remove or damage the very fine seam on the top of each spoke as this was present on the full-sized tank.

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Photo 40. Once assembly of the roadwheels was completed they were mounted on cocktail sticks and secured with White-Tack. This was not a good idea, as I wasted time digging out the impacted BluTack White from the axle mounts!

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Photo 41. The tracks are excellent and fully articulated. They have been injection-moulded as belts, which reduces the time of cutting each track link from the sprue.

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Photo 42. Bronco provides a jig to assemble short lengths of track.

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Photo 43. For easy handling of tiny parts, I left the track pins on small segments of sprue. There are two types of track pin; one each for the inner and outer location holes of each link. Each pin was secured with Revell Contacta polystyrene cement carefully applied to ensure the articulation of each track link. Photo 44. When sufficient links had been assembled, the waste sprue was carefully removed with a craft knife.

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Photo 45. The separate sections of assembled track links are assembled into one length of track, using Bronco’s track jig to perfectly align the securing track pins.

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Photos 46 & 47. All the model’s components were dry-fitted using small amounts of PVA wood glue that can be easily removed with warm water. Photoetched details, such as the tow hawser stowage lugs and front track detail, were left on the fret to avoid loss or damage. Photo 48. The model was disassembled and carefully cleaned to remove grease and debris and undercoated with Halfords’ Grey Primer for plastic. Photo 49. I selected Tamiya acrylic paint to airbrush my model, thinned with Tamiya X-20A Thinner. Photo 50. All the model’s components were airbrushed with a coat of Tamiya Semi Gloss Black X-18. Photo 51. A second coat of Tamiya Field Blue XF-50 and Clear X-22 was lightly airbrushed allowing the Semi Gloss Black base colour to remain in areas of deep shadow.

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Photo 52. The rear plate was isolated from the rest of the model’s paintwork with Tamiya low-tack Masking Tape, which can be safely used on a touch dry coat of Tamiya acrylics. To economise, I have used a strip of drafting tape to prevent overspray on the lower hull, because it does not come into contact with the paintwork.

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Photo 57. Even at this early stage of painting, the volume and interest created by the colour modulation technique can be appreciated in comparison to the as yet unpainted portions of the model.

Photo 53. I used the ‘colour modulation’ technique to paint my model and began by airbrushing the highlight at the top of the rear plate by adding a substantial amount of Flat White XF-2 to the second base colour of Field Blue XF-50. Once the highlight was touch-dry a greater portion of Field Blue was added to the airbrush reservoir and airbrushed on to create a soft vignette between the highlight and shadow. Photo 54. Moving to the upper hull, a panel has been isolated from the rest of the model for airbrushing. Photo 55. The same airbrushing technique used to create a vignette on the plate. Photo 56. The model was systematically airbrushed, methodically moving from plate to plate, and it isn’t vital to get an exact match of paint colour on each plate. Slight variation all adds to the interest and breaks up the flat appearance of the tank’s monochrome camouflage.

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Photo 58. The upper hull plate was airbrushed, with the lighter shade at the bow graduating to the darker shade at the rear, anticipating any shaded areas that would result with the turret in position. Photo 59. The flat expanse of paint that covers the glacis plate is isolated from the rest of the model. Photo 60. An airbrushed graduated vignette effect on the glacis plate. Photo 61. The driver’s visor masked off and another section of the model isolated and prepared for airbrushing. Photo 62. Drafting tape is used to prevent any overspray damaging the completed paintwork. Photo 63. The junction between the lower and upper glacis plate is an interesting feature, and is separated and prepared for airbrushing with a contrasting vignette.

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Photo 64. Although the colour modulation technique seems laborious it is possible to complete the airbrushing of the larger plates quickly. Photo 65. The centre portion of the model has been painted and protected from overspray with drafting tape. Photo 66. The colour modulated lower glacis and rear plates. Photo 67. The curved upper portions of the front trackguards were airbrushed with a blend of Tamiya Flat White XF-2 and Medium Blue XF-18 to emphasise the bright highlights that would naturally occur. Photo 68. Vignettes were airbrushed from the tops of the upper trackguards progressing to darker shades at the junction points of the bright highlights on the upper portions of the curved trackguards. These separate the detail and create interest to the overall monochrome Panzer Grey. Photo 69. Completed paintwork was protected with Tamiya Masking Tape and ordinary drafting tape.

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Any awkward areas of masking can be dealt with an application of Humbrol Maskol, although use this with care as it is quite difficult to remove. The hull sides can now be colour modulated. Photo 70. A medium tone was first airbrushed and the paint blended with greater proportions of Tamiya Flat White XF-2 and Medium Blue XF-18 added to Field Blue XF-50. The lower portion of the hull, by the drivetrain suspension arms, has been kept a darker colour to represent the shadows that would naturally occur.

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Photo 71. The larger plates are comparatively easier to paint and mask and the finer detail can now be airbrushed. Patience is rewarded here when masking the smaller components such as the deck ventilation hinges, as it cuts down the time retouching any overspray.

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Photo 72. The highlight is airbrushed, but the demarcation line is a bit too harsh. The straight edge of some wastepaper held slightly above the harsh line, and lightly misted with the airbrush will reduce any stark contrast.

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Photo 73. The protective masking tape has been removed from the turret splash rail and the periscope brushguard in preparation for airbrushing. Photo 74. A bright highlight was airbrushed onto the splashguard emphasising this interesting component against the shadowed area under the turret mantlet, which has yet to be painted.

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Photo 75. The same bright highlight blend of Tamiya acrylic paint was airbrushed onto the periscope brushguard. Photo 76. Very fine work can be achieved with careful masking. The stamped reinforcement marks on the front trackguards have been isolated and airbrushed. Photo 77. Bronco’s kit has some superb detail such as the photo-etched mesh provided for the engine ventilation covers, and it’s worth the effort to carefully mask and airbrush these components. Make sure small parts are secured to avoid any loss

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when airbrushing, as the airflow can blow away any small, etched parts not firmly secured to scrap card for painting. Photo 78. The lower portions of the engine ventilation covers are colour modulated to contrast with the lifting lugs. Photo 79. The crew’s hull entry hatches are secured to scrap cardboard and airbrushed.

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Photo 80. The centre portion of the hatch vignette is masked using a compass circle cutter. Photo 81. Colour modulation of the turret begins by airbrushing a light coat of Tamiya Field Blue XF-50 and Clear X-22, diluted with Tamiya’s X-20A Thinner. Photo 82. The first highlight is airbrushed around the upper circumference of the turret. Photo 83. The various segments that form the turret’s spaced armour can be emphasised by carefully masking them and airbrushing with a contrasting vignette. Photo 84. Colour modulation of the turret and commander’s hatch complete. The leather padding on the hatch interior is Humbrol Matt Leather 62, shaded with Matt Tank Grey 67 for the shadows and Matt Leather highlighted with Matt 24 Trainer Yellow. When the paint was touch dry the demarcation line between shadows and highlights was blended with a fine paintbrush moistened with white spirit. Photo 85. Roadwheels basecoated in Tamiya Semi Gloss Black X-18, then over sprayed in Field Blue XF-50, Medium Blue XF-18, Flat White XF-2 and Clear X-22, allowing some of the Semi Gloss Black to remain unpainted for shading. I have tried to colour modulate roadwheels, but have been disappointed with the results. I would expect colour modulation would be, for

example, more effective on larger Panther roadwheels than the spoked variety fitted to this model. The tyres were painted using Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67. Photo 86. Tracks primed with Halfords’ Grey Plastic Primer, and washes of Lifecolor Rust diluted with tap water and washing up detergent to improve flow. I began with the darkest colour and when dry, progressively added each successive coat when it had dried, finishing with the lightest colour. Photo 87. Guide horns and drive sprocket apertures were sprayed with an old can of Humbrol Metalcote Gunmetal 27004 found in my paint stock. When applied the paint has a dull grey appearance, but can be buffed to a very realistic steel appearance. Photo 88. Bronco’s decals are excellent and even include annotations for the various stowage boxes, something often forgotten by other manufacturers. The decals were given a coat of Micro Sol solution to prevent any ‘silvering’ and give a ‘painted on’. However, Bronco don’t provide a plan view for the camouflage and marking illustration on their instruction sheet and I was confused at the placement of the glacis plate national marking because of the foreshortened effect of perspective, so I assumed the cross was centrally placed. With all decals in place further light coats of Tamiya Clear X-22 are airbrushed to protect them from the weathering process.

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Photo 89. To recreate a patina of weathering across the model, small points of Winsor & Newton French Ultramarine oil colour and 502 Abteilung Snow White oil colour were painted onto the model in a random fashion. Using a medium sized brush dampened with white spirit, the oil colour was blended with vertical strokes, to recreate a streaked pattern following the natural flow of any effluent rain-washed from the tank’s hull. Photo 90. A light coat of Tamiya Clear X-22 protects the oil paint weathering. I decided to try out the ‘3D chipping’ technique on my model using a dish scouring cloth with the filaments teased out and dipped in a blend of Humbrol Matt White 34 and Matt Middle Blue 89, held in forceps wiped almost dry on paper kitchen towel. The scouring pad was lightly dabbed and drawn across the model producing a series of chips and scratches. The same chipping technique was then repeated, but replacing the scouring pad with a portion of bathroom sponge to produce a varied and random pattern to the chipping.

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Photo 91. When the sponge and scouring pad-applied chipping was touch dry the centre of each chip band scratch was painted in with a fine paintbrush loaded with Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67 and Matt German Camouflage Red Brown to represent corroded bare metal. While I was working on the 3D chipping I used the same blend with a greater proportion of Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67 along the edges of the armour plate. Photos 92. When the chipping had thoroughly dried MIG productions Dark Wash, diluted when necessary with white spirit, was washed, worked and feathered into and around the detail and recessed panel lines with various gauges of paintbrush. MIG’s Dark Wash applied to the right trackguard has yet to be blended with a fine paintbrush, dampened with white spirit. When the chipping and weathering processes were complete, several light coats of Vallejo Acrylic Matt Varnish diluted with tap water were airbrushed over the model to restore the matt finish. Photo 93. I made a freestyle blend of MIG Productions’ pigments – Russian Earth P034, Dry Mud P232 and Gulf War Sand P037, coarsely mixed and applied by tapping the ferrule of a paintbrush dipped into the pigments. After application, it was fixed into position with an application of MIG Productions’ Pigment Fixer. Photo 94. Washes of Lifecolor Rust Dark Shadow UA 701, Rust Base Color UA 702 and Rust Light Shadow 1 UA 703 all heavily diluted with tap water and washing-up detergent randomly applied to the drivetrain and lower hull. Photo 95. Further weathering effects were applied. Here an oil stain was carefully built up from the ventilation cover hinges to the trackguard using Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67 ending in a puddle of oil by over painting AK interactive AK084 Engine Oil glossy finish.

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Photo 96. Rust streaks were applied using AK023 Rust Streaks, together with paintbrush applied MIG pigments used for the undersides of the trackguards. The pigments easily adhere to the matt surface and can be manipulated and feathered with a dry paintbrush. Photo 97. Various desiccated plant matter and grass seedpods can be collected from the garden and placed around the model. The vegetation was fixed to the model with a solution of PVA wood glue and a small amount of MIG pigments used on the drivetrain heavily thinned with tap water. The lightly pigmented adhesive prevents the plant debris assuming a ‘stuck-on’ appearance. Photo 98. Don’t forget to weather the aerial where the aerial deflectors of the twin machine guns have come into contact with it when the turret traversed. Photo 99. Close-up detail of the bow. Further application of the MIG pigments used on the lower hull and drivetrain and mixed with MIG Productions’ Acrylic Resin to form a glutinous paste were applied with a cocktail stick. The clear lenses complete with prismatic reflectors were supplied in the kit.

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Photo 100. Wooden parts of the tools were painted with Humbrol Matt Sand 63, highlighted by adding Matt White 34 with the grain represented by adding Matt Brown 186. Humbrol Matt Tank Grey 67 and Matt Brick Red were used for the metal components – the shovel blade and track pin hammer, buffed with a light application of graphite powder, obtained by grinding the lead of a pencil onto fine emery paper.

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Photos 101 & 102 The completed model.

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References

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Military Modelling Military Vehicle Special Vol.40 No.3 (5th March 2010), Panzer One Inside-Out by Mario Eens.

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F.A.Q. Vol.2 Modulation Style by Adam Wilder. Night Vision Creations. Colour modulation techniques are described in detail in Adam Wilder’s DVD. Art of Modelling magazine issue 04, Painting and weathering Panzer Grey by Adam Wilder. Both Available from Historex Agents, Dover. Panzer I The Beginning of a dynasty by Lucas Molina Franco. AF Editions ISBN 84-87314-43-0.

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SdKfz 7/2 FlaK 36 Robin Buckland takes advantage of a rare opportunity to photograph a German half-track at Bastogne Barracks. TOP: Inside the workshop at the Bastogne Barracks, their SdKfz 7/1 sits on one of the ramps. This one is a ‘runner’. RIGHT: Front view with lights in place and Luftwaffe number plates.

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n September 2014 I made a return visit to the Bastogne Barracks Museum in Belgium. Holding part of the Belgian Army Museum collection, in addition to their main museum site in Brussels, this is very well worth seeing. It had been home to an artillery unit of the Belgian Army until they were moved out and it became home to the ‘Bastogne Barracks’ museum in 2010. Having first visited in September 2013 (see MM Vol.45 No.4), this was

my second trip to see the collection while on the way further south to Grenoble to bring our daughter home after her year working abroad as part of her university course. In visiting the large workshops on site I was treated with a chance to see a vehicle I had not seen before other than as a model or in wartime photos. I understand that it is part of the Belgian Army Museum collection which had been in

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Walkaround TOP LEFT: Detail showing the flexible covering between the main bonnet and the firewall, plus lights and hand hold. TOP RIGHT: Grab handle and non slip plate by the driver’s position, as well as the vehicle battery. ABOVE: Instrument panel detail. LEFT: Looking down into the driver’s position and controls. BELOW: Looking up to see the detail underneath the instrument panel, and on the rear face of the engine firewall.

storage, but which had to be moved out of the building due to them finding asbestos in it, and fortunately they had chosen to move it to the facility at Bastogne Barracks. The vehicle is a runner, and was sitting on a ramp within the workshop building. If you visit the Bastogne Barracks Facebook page on the Internet there is a clip of film of it driving round the workshop building. The SdKfz 7 8-ton half-track was a successful Flak vehicle used throughout the war, mounting either the 4 x 20mm Flakvierling, or with a 3.7mm FlaK 36. In 1944 they switched the gun to the FlaK 43.

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ABOVE: Left-hand side running gear and mesh side to the gun platform.

Detail view of the road wheels, and showing where one of the hard rubber ‘tyres’ has come off.

ABOVE: Detail of the aged track links and the worn rubber track pads.

ABOVE LEFT: Left-hand side drive sprocket and roadwheels. ABOVE RIGHT: Detail of the front wheel.

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TOP: The rear panel is dropped showing the crew platform and with the folding steps down to enable you to climb on board. ABOVE: Detail of the fastenings and heavy mesh of the drop sides.

ABOVE: Looking under the space below the gun platform and the winch cable drum. RIGHT & BELOW: Detail view of the rear tow hook and the end of the winch cable.

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TOP: Right side view of the complete gun mounting. ABOVE LEFT: Loader’s platform to stand on as the gun traverses. ABOVE RIGHT: Gunner’s seat. RIGHT: Detail showing the rubber protective head pad for the gunner. BELOW: Perforated flash hider.

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Made with an open cab as in this example, some were fitted with an armoured cab. The rear body associated with the standard artillery tractor was removed from behind the driver’s seat, and the flat rear deck then had sides which folded down to create a working platform for the gun crew when in action, or simply folded up for travel. Those side panels had a stout metal grid to provide a solid platform, but without the weight of a completely solid piece. Largely intact, this example does have a few signs of age such as a couple of the solid rubber ‘tyres’ that have come off the roadwheels and the paintwork particularly on the gun itself

showing significant wear. However, it did offer an opportunity to get a lot of close-up reference photos that will afford modellers a good close-up view of the equipment and to see where they may be able to add extra detail to their model builds. Some fine models of these Flak vehicles are available in 1:35 scale from Tamiya, Trumpeter and Dragon so you have some choice to go for, while Revell have recently produced the armoured cab and 2cm Flakvierling armed SdKfz 7/1 in the smaller scale of 1:72 as well. Beyond that brief background, I’ll leave it for the photos to tell the rest. My thanks to our Belgian Army guide during the visit, Jean-Claude Clement, who was very helpful.

TOP: Back end of the gun, the gunner’s sight and seat on the right and ammunition loading tray on the left.

ABOVE LEFT: Front of the gun sight.

ABOVE RIGHT: Gunner’s control wheels.

BELOW LEFT: Gunner’s armoured shield.

BELOW RIGHT: Detail of the gun and recoil cylinders.

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This is pre-production Schneider 31001 undergoing tests at Fort du Trou d’enfer on 1st December 1916 and showing the camouflage pattern applied to the first six tanks built. It also shows just how low the body was – the officers are standing on the rear floor, so you can imagine how hard it was to move around inside. (NARA via Steve Zaloga)

Schneider CA – John Prigent scratchbuilds an interior for the HobbyBoss 1:35 scale kit of this French WW1 tank.

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obbyBoss has produced a good kit of the Schneider CA to follow up their earlier one of the Schneider without the external fuel tanks (Steve Zaloga’s article about that kit in the last Military Vehicle Special Vol.45 No.4 adds those and details the suspension so my model lacks those upgrades). The box holds nine sprues and several individual parts for a total of 97 body parts, 126 for the suspension and 96 for the track links, plus a small etched-metal fret with another seven and a decal sheet covering two examples. That suspension and track count may sound daunting, but it’s actually quite easy to assemble that area. I’ll state now that I’ve chosen a specific tank to model, Fee Kaput (Broken Fairy) of AS 2. There are several photos of this tank online (see References at end) and the kit has decals for most of its markings. Fee Kaput had the uparmouring plates, but not the added left-side door nor the rear fuel tanks, and I needed to make some minor changes to the kit’s parts such as adding rivets that aren’t there because it also lacks the ‘follow me’ plate of the kit and they haven’t been moulded under where it would be.

On with the build

The box top artwork, here minus text and logos, shows one possible camouflage scheme.

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The instructions start with building the suspension, and repay careful study because quite a few bogie parts are handed and must go on the correct bogie and pointing in the correct direction. I’ve included a photo showing one

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The author’s completed model.

The inside story of them assembled to help you. Note also that the real bogie housings were single pieces so you do need to eliminate the seam between the kit’s halves, and that there is supposed to be a gap between the front and rear sections of each bogie – they’re only joined by the C26 parts. You’ll also need to be careful fitting the return rollers and their support brackets, I had to take mine apart when I built them too quickly and got them the wrong way around! With those complete and added to the lower hull it’s time for the final drive housings. HobbyBoss has simplified them a lot, giving two ‘pyramids’ with an axle between them instead of the real quite complex affair. But since they’re almost invisible behind the ‘tail’ and under the hull I preferred to backdate mine to an earlier version. Steve Zaloga’s previously mentioned article shows how to do it if you want to. Now you reach the tracks links, with exactly the correct number provided on the T sprues –

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no spares. But it isn’t a disaster if you lose or break a few because six links are also provided on the C sprues for stowage as spares, though not mentioned in the instructions. Each has three parts, the link plate and two side pieces. They do click together when built if you get the three parts’ positions right, but I made mine differently after having problems. I made them instead by gluing one side piece T1 to each T2 plate, about 10 at a time. Then I pushed them together in line and added the T3 other sides, making sure each one’s pips were fully engaged in their recesses on the previous link. It doesn’t take long to complete each 32-link track like this, and they can then be added to the suspension. Do note that the instructions show the tracks fitted to their sprockets before the sprockets and their axles are attached to the chassis, they won’t fit around the wheels if the sprockets are fixed

ABOVE: Here’s a view of the insides of the suspension units, one without the return roller assembly so you can see more clearly how the bits fit. Note that there is supposed to be a gap between the two bogies, they’re pivoted at the centre.

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ABOVE: Here is number 31006 at the same test on the same day, with similar but not identical camouflage. (NARA via Steve Zaloga)

ABOVE: The outside of the suspension with tracks attached. They’re quite simple to put together, despite stories you may have heard, but do need to be assembled one by one so you can line up the upright sections before their glue sets.

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first. I strongly recommend that you leave off the sprocket hubs C33/34 until the tracks are fitted and the sprockets axles cemented solid; that makes it simple to put them with their ‘horns’ vertical as shown by the instructions, a position confirmed by all the period photos that show that area. The instructions now move on to adding parts to the hull exterior – don’t, if you’re going to do anything to the interior like me! My photos will show that I did follow Stage 6 first, and the added parts suffered a lot later.

Hull interior Having decided that enough reference was available to provide an interior, I set to work. First targets were the floors and bulkheads, for which I used 1mm plastic sheet. The dimensions that I worked out are shown in the captions to the photo here, so I need not go into detail about those. Note, though, that A, C and E were planked, not metal sheet like the others, you’ll need to scribe the lines into them. The hole in E is for the exhaust pipe and had to be cut after the engine was built. Note, too, that riveted strips go round

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ABOVE: This is the basic hull with my added floors and bulkheads. Knockout pin marks had to be filled, too. A, B, C, E, and F are level with the sponsons, D is raised 2mm from the floor, and G extends the front floor. I made all these from 1mm sheet, with their bulkheads and some hidden supports inside them to keep them horizontal. A is 35mm long and 29.25 wide, to fit between the sponsons. B is 30mm long and 3mm wide, C is 30mm long and 7mm wide, D down in the ‘hole’ is also 30mm long but only 8mm wide, E is 11mm long and 19mm wide, and F is 23mm long and 10mm wide. The extra floor section G is 29.25mm by 11mm, and bulkhead H is 23.5mm high with additions at its sides in case they can be seen when the model is finished. Note that H needs to fit under the front of the body, don’t make it too high or you’ll need to cut it down for the body to fit!

most of that central ‘hole’ – the only place where the crew’s legs could go – and there were unriveted strips securing the ends of the planks. With those done I could tackle the interior fittings. I could simplify them a lot, because I only needed to show what would be visible through the doors and the driver’s top hatch, plus what might be seen if I managed to make the side plates detachable from the MG positions. I started with the driver’s seat. There seem to have been at least two types, one a simple pad with a low back fixed to it and the other with its back raised on a stalk. I decided on the first, and mounted it on a bit of sprue to be cemented to the bulkhead under the main gun’s mount. The engine cylinder housing was built from a 6mm plastic tube split in half to produce its rounded ends 10mm high, with sides 20mm long from sheet. I added a top from 1mm sheet and rounded its edges, then fixed the whole thing to a sheet base 25mm long, 10mm wide and 6mm high

ABOVE: The ammunition bins, most 12.5mm high including their 1mm lids. The shells were stowed vertically in the early Schneider, not horizontally like the preserved tank at Saumur. At top left is the bin for 20 shells, 23mm long and 8mm deep, with centred on its front one for 90 fuses that is 12 x 5mm but only 8mm high. Top right are two separate bins that go beside the door, one 6mm square with six shells and the other 6 x 13mm with 10 shells. All of these have riveted L-strips around their bases. Bottom right is the bin for 24 shells at port beside the door, actually four separate bins but easier to make as a single unit with scribed lines to show the divisions. It is 20 x 9mm. Last is the bin for 32 shells that goes by the engine, again actually four separate bins and 19 x 9mm. These left-hand side bins are not fixed down, they fit into racks on the sponson for easy removal. Note that the hinges are not all the same, some with hinges at the top of the lid and others at its bottom to allow the lid to open freely.

The lower hull additions: clockwise from top left are the engine, the radiator front with its fan, the main fuel tank that goes beside the radiator, the steering brake levers, the control pedals, and the gear lever, and at centre is the radiator shroud for the fan.

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ABOVE: A view inside the preserved Schneider while it was still at Aberdeen Proving Ground shows how the MG counterbalance was fitted to late production tanks. Note also the fuel feed can on a plate beside the original fuel tank; it was fed by tubes running inside the roof from the new rear tanks. (Photo: Steve Zaloga)

to represent the block, which won’t be visible so needs no details. Two rounded tops, each covering two cylinders, need to go on next with small round caps on top of them, and then you should add four blocks on the port side for the exhaust outlets. My exhaust pipe is bent copper wire, like the thinner pipe along the engine top and the one on the side (no, I don’t know what either of those was for), and the linkage above that was made from plastic rod. At least some Schneiders had added sleeves around the exhaust as heat shields. I made mine from two sections of aluminium tube and filled in their visible ends with super glue. A thick disc at the engine’s bottom front for the fanbelt drive finishes the assembly, but you can’t do more than attach a strip for its belt until engine and radiator are in place. The radiator came next, 16mm wide and 17 high with a slant each side of its top. Mine sits on a base 8mm high with a 5mm side to keep the

ABOVE: Here’s the lower body with its lengthwise struts that go across the MG positions so need to be shown if the side plate is detached. The planking has been scribed in where needed. RIGHT: Here I’ve added the roof and body side internal braces at the left.

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ABOVE: Another look inside the tank at APG shows that the floors were mostly wooden planks, easily removable for access to the control runs and rear-mounted differential. (Photo: Steve Zaloga)

two together and straight. I drilled a hole into the radiator centre to hold its fan later. Its shroud is also 16mm by 17mm, but with a 12mm disc cut out of it and 3mm sides. I used the disc to make the actual fan, drilling a hole in its centre and cutting it into eight blades to match period photos, and dry-fitted it on a plastic rod as its spindle with a small thick disc from sheet as the pulley. Don’t cement the fan in place yet, you’ll need to adjust its position on the spindle later. The main fuel tank sits on the bulkhead in front of the driver, but it isn’t clear from photos whether it stretched down to the floor. I chose to assume that

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LEFT: The fuel tank is now in place. BELOW: Here are the body and roof struts on the righthand side.

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ABOVE: Here’s the completed lower body with all the ammunition bins in their positions. Nobody knows what was stored on the shelves behind the left rear bin – maybe it was for MG ammunition belts. INSET: This is the interior of a vision port. The hardest part of making it is scraping out the plastic to show its recess in the side. BELOW: All the interior additions are in place here: engine, controls, and ammunition bins.

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there was space under it for his pedals so made it 19mm high and 13mm wide to fit between the radiator and the body side. It only needs one side, 19mm high and but slanting down to 15mm to fit under the sloping glacis. My pedals are simple, because I found no evidence of what they looked like and they’ll be almost invisible anyway: just oblongs from sheet mounted on a single spindle that will disappear under the radiator. I also made a simple handbrake lever from rod on a shaped base of sheet and added an actuating rod running to the rear; there is evidence that its top was angled so I shaped mine accordingly. The last fittings are the steering levers, from brass rod with double bends and masking tape wrapped around them for the grips, again mounted on a simple base from bits of sheet but with two actuating rods that vanish under the seat.

that a power drill, while quicker and easier, should be avoided for this unless you are very certain that you can hold it straight and still, with no skidding to the wrong side of your lines). Cement the ‘roof’ in place before you trim the slot’s edges, so you can cut them right up to its edge. With that done it’s time to deal with the interior framework. I used 0.5mm strip, 1.5mm wide, to make the sections that go under each edge of the roof and 1mm wide to make the strips that butt up to those. I used two different widths because these frames were L-sections and both side need to be the same width when finished. For those

The ventilator took a bit of extra work to get rid of the locations for the ‘signal plate’. Here it is still in progress, with rivets to be added where none are moulded.

Upper hull With the lower interior detail parts made I set them aside to be fitted later and started on the hull top. Hobby Boss has moulded it as a single piece with good detail, but compromised for greater strength by not including the long slit in its roof that let fumes escape through the separate ‘roof’ over it. It’s rather obvious through the open rear door, so needs to be added. The ‘roof’ has locating pegs, but only three to avoid any chance of the unwary fitting it the wrong way round. That allows you to mark a line between the pair on one side, but you’ll need to measure the gap between the sides and make your own mark to guide the line for the second one. I scribed my lines, but that’s because I didn’t think of using narrow masking tape which would be simpler if you have any. Mark across the front between them, too, and then cut out the slot. This is easiest to do by drilling holes close together just inside your marked lines, cutting between them, and then straightening up the edges (it’s worth mentioning ABOVE: Here I’ve added the roof support pillar by the driver’s cab, 27mm high, and the thicker fuel tube from the tank, 22mm high. No photo shows exactly how that one ran in the original configuration, but its bottom is hidden anyway. It seems that the tank was converted to hold water when the fuel tanks were moved to the rear, with this tube truncated and a side pipe fixed to it to lead to the radiator. LEFT: A close-up of the engine and the driver’s controls.

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ABOVE: This is 31006 again, showing its other side. Conditions were vey muddy for those tests! (NARA via Steve Zaloga)

The guns are dry-fitted here. I used ‘artillery grey’ for the main gun because it seemed unlikely that tank guns were painted differently to those for use in bunkers.

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along the sponsons I used the 1mm strips just inside each edge and butted 1.5mm strips up to them. Both areas need rivets punched into them and the Brach Models punch set is designed exactly for that job. The drawback of punching rivets into plastic strip is that each one distorts the strip a bit, and it took me longer to straighten out my frames than it did to make and fit them, so you may prefer to simply have plain frames without rivets. Quite a few of the other frame sections have flat-headed or countersunk rivets that don’t show anyway. The vision ports need some work too. Check their positions and chisel out 5 x 4mm recesses inside the hull, just enough to show that they are not part of it. Each one then needs a 4mm length of 30 thou. strip at its bottom, in which you ideally need to put two holes with 1mm of rod by each hole. Those are the curved slides for bolt heads to open and close the ports’ slits, and the same arrangement is needed for the slit beside the left MG that doesn’t have a hinged port cover. By each port is a sliding bolt on a small plate to lock it. The final interior work is the fuel tank hung from the roof. It’s 26mm long and 6mm front-to-back, and tapers down from 8mm high at its inboard end to 6mm against the hull wall, as well as from its middle down. The result is a rather awkward

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TOP LEFT: This shows how the tail should fit, with its uprights on top of the crosspiece not inside it.

ABOVE & LEFT: This is the reshaped exhaust pipe. Note where it needs an added bracket at its top.

BELOW: The unpainted model.

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ABOVE: A final view of 31006 on test. The camouflage even extends to the insides of the roof hatches. (NARA via Steve Zaloga) RIGHT: Detail of the completed model from the right-hand side. The absence of the side panel affords a view inside. BELOW: The author’s completed model seen from above.

shape to make. I started with a bottom 26mm long and 2mm wide, and the flat back 8mm high. Then I made the ends; the ‘high’ one is 8mm high and 7mm front-to-back, and it tapers down from a point 4mm from the front top. The ‘short’ one is 6.5mm high and the taper starts at 2mm from its top. I cemented both into place on the back and bottom, leaving a 0.5mm overhang at the inboard end to represent the way the real one was made. A single length went against the bottom to fill the taper, and another as a top to keep it in shape. The final length filled in the top front, with its joint with the lower front rounded because the real part was a bent plate. All these dimensions are for the outside size, so adjust your own plate sizes for the thickness of sheet that you use to make it! Two straps of 1mm strip hang it from the roof, the outboard one 1mm

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from the end and the inboard one 8mm from the other end. It didn’t fit flush, so leave a bit sticking up above the tank and trim to fit. Under the fuel filler cap is a short bit of tube to represent the almost invisible filler funnel.

Ordnance With both hull sections done it’s time to tackle the guns, their mounts, and the rear doors. The Blockhaus cannon is quite nicely done but seems to be based on a ‘fortress mount’ example. I haven’t found any photos showing the barrel’s curious curved side-piece on a tank in service, as seen on the preserved tank at Saumur, so don’t look at photos of that and think that Hobby Boss left it out. What they have got wrong is the location of one control wheel, which fits to a flat on one side of the pedestal. If built as shown by the instructions it would be almost inaccessible to the gunner! Instead, turn the pedestal round so the flat is on its left and reverse the wheel – which photos show is exactly what Schneider did to make the gun usable in their tank. Note that the ‘bent’ breech lever is correct, although ‘fortress’ guns had a different one. The breechblock is moulded closed, so the lever must go at a 45-degree angle to the left as the instructions show it. It seems likely that guns for the tanks were painted in the standard French ‘artillery grey-blue’, so I used Ammo by MIG’s A.MIG-063 for mine with a bare steel breech. Don’t cement the gun in place yet as the instructions show, which will make it difficult to fit the hull top; it can easily be fitted with tweezers through the open left side before the MG ball mount and its side plate. The machine guns are also very nice, but beware when you clean them up: the ‘pip’ at the front of each barrel is the sight, not a bit of surplus flash! Their ball mounts are the early version, without the counterbalance fitted to late tanks, but fitting the actual mounts to the balls is a bit tricky. I found it

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best to cement one pivot to the ball, then dry-fit the other to the gun and wriggle it into place before cementing it to the ball. The MG grips, by the way, were metal so don’t paint them as leather or wood.

Doors The commander/driver’s hatch seems not to have had any latch or handle, which saves one job, but the rear doors need some work. Check the rivet pattern on the outside of each door and you’ll see the marks of rivets at their tops to hold interior grab handles; I made mine with thin wire. At the bottom is a pattern of four bolts. These hold the pivot for a simple swivelling latch on each door, simple to make with plastic strip. Last for attention are the rivets between those two sets. The ones at the edge of the left door held the staple of an ordinary holdopen, which can be seen hanging down in some photos that show the doors open. The other two pairs are a bit of a mystery, because I haven’t found any photos showing what’s behind them inside the doors. I fitted mine with simple rests to accept the hold-open, but this is just my guess.

Working on the outside You might think the model is almost finished now with the body ready to be fitted to the chassis but unfortunately it isn’t! There are exterior detail differences between the uparmoured Schneiders, so a close inspection of reference photos is needed for any specific tank. I modelled Fee Kaput, so most of my following comments are only applicable to that tank. First, of course, is that the rear fuel tanks aren’t fitted so you should leave intact the rivets marked to be removed in stage 6 of the instructions. The bridging planks were also not carried on each side, so fill their locating holes, and the moveable plate above the ventilator wasn’t carried so you need to fill its holes as well as adding missing rivets in that area.

The number and unit of this tank are unknown, but it gives a very good view of the uparmouring including the ‘round hole’ type of vision port. It also shows one version of the ‘movable plate’ on the roof, as well as how things were stowed on the hull rear. The crew has added a rack at one side to stop them slipping. This tank has camouflaged door interiors, and you can also see the interior handle and latch. (NARA via Steve Zaloga)

‘‘” It seems likely that guns for the tanks were painted in the standard French ‘artillery grey-blue’...

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Views of the author’s completed model.

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Stage 7 has a couple of points too. The horizontal braces of the tail should fit with their vertical part on top of the side beam, not inside it as HobbyBoss shows them. And Fee Kaput didn’t have the door in the left-side added armour, so you need to cement the two parts together and fill their joint after removing the door hinges. Plate D9 is provided with a round vision hole, but most Schneiders seem to have had an oblong one slightly larger than the vision port behind it, so I measured its size and placement and cut out the new hole – it’s rear edge is right on the edge of the round version, which helps to get its position right. In stage 8 you fit the cab armour, and you’ll see on the A sprue that there’s a part to fit there too. Ignore it, I haven’t yet found a photo showing that type in use and Fee Kaput had the D12/D13 multi-plate version. Incidentally, those are not on the D sprue but bagged separately. At stage 9 the front lamp is fitted, but Fee Kaput didn’t have it in place so I just fitted its etched mount. And here’s a confession – the carpet monster managed to run off with my rear lamp so I had to use the front lamp at the rear; my model is inaccurate there! At stage 11 you’re told to fit extra plates D3 and D11 to the chassis, but Fee Kaput didn’t have them and in fact very few tanks show them in photos. You’re also told to fit the main gun now, before the body. If you prefer, you can easily fit it with tweezers through the open left side before the MGs are emplaced and the plates round them fitted. I actually left the right-side one loose, to allow viewing my added interior. Next come the MGs and their ball mounts. They’re okay though simplified, but note that the counterbalances seen in the tank at Saumur were only fitted to late tanks so not needed for Fee Kaput. Now you’re on the final lap, with just the nose underbody, exhaust pipe and cannon armour to be fitted. Part D2 was fitted to my subject, but doesn’t show up on most Schneider photos. The exhaust pipe, however, is moulded to fit over the later rear fuel tanks so needs to be modified. Its plastic takes bends quite well so was easy to reshape as you can see in my photos. A pair of spades are given in the kit, though not mentioned in the instructions, so

Military Modelling Vol.46 No.4 2016

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the final addition if you want to make it, is a pair of brackets by the top hinge of each rear door for them to be slipped into. Otherwise you can just put them in one of the roof racks, with the spare track links if you think them also likely to be kept up there.

Colours and markings The basic interior colour was white, as you’ll have seen from my in-progress photos. Some tanks had their hatch and door interiors in white too, others seen in photos appear to be camouflaged. There’s some evidence that the white rear doors were deliberately painted thus before at least one battle, to make it easier for following infantry to see where the tanks were. I’ve assumed that it was done rather sloppily with a bit left out and white paint where it wasn’t supposed to go. The restored Schneider at Saumur was the basis for my engine and interior detail painting, so check the references at the end for that web address or just copy my model. Camouflage is a bit of a problem, because the colours are hard to tell apart in period monochrome photos. Fortunately colour photography existed during WW1 and the Chars-Francais website has some of Schneiders showing their colours. There are also old colour photos and comments on WW1 tank colours in Peintures de Guerre. My chosen subject, Fee Kaput, was therefore finished in patches of Humbrol Olive Green H150, Chocolate H98, Light Earth H119 and Leather H62 as the closest to the colours I found in photos. It’s worth mentioning that century-old colour photos are not guaranteed to show the true colours thanks to the variable conditions in which they were processed, and book-printing inks that may not be chosen for accurate colour reproduction. That’s why I settled for close approximations straight from the tins instead of spending time attempting to make mixes for perfect matches. I added markings from a new decal sheet produced by Histopic of France (http://www.histopic.net/) which matches photos of the real Fee Kaput better than HobbyBoss’s version and includes markings left out of the kit plus some for two other Schneiders. It includes an extra

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registration number to go on the glacis if you want; other tanks of AS2 carried one there, but there’s no evidence whether my subject had it or not so I left it off. As a bonus it gives markings for a typical WW1 French fuel drum, which I used, and a lattice grid to cut to size and depict the grids used to confuse gunners trying to aim at the vision slits.

ABOVE: A view inside the tank via the rear doors. The detailing work undertaken by the author adds extra interest and realism to the model.

Acknowledgement Special thanks to my friend Steve Zaloga for the use of his photos.

References Photos of my subject can be found at http://www.chars-francais.net/2015/index. php/156-classement-individuel/schneider-ca1/1762-61024, and that website has a good history of the CA1 at http://www.chars-francais.net/2015/index.php/ liste-chronologique/des-origines-a-1930?task=view&id=57 if you can read French – the online Google Translate function will help you otherwise. It also has schematic drawings of the interior layout, showing the different configurations of early Schneider and those built with rear fuel tanks. Peintures de Guerre by P. Danjou and T. Seignon, Editions du Barbotin, ISBN 978-2-917661-17-8, is bilingual French/English and describes the camouflage of French equipment from 1900 to 2013 with a lot of detail about WW1 tank colours. The French Army’s Tank Force and Armoured Warfare in the Great War by Time Gale, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, ISBN 978-1-4094-6661-1, has a great deal of information about the first French tanks and their battles.

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