Model Military International May 2019

PINT-SIZED PANTHER

GERMAN GROSSTRAKTOR

LAST BRITISH TW TWO-MAN AN TAN TANK

Tamiya 1:48 Panther Conversion

THINK TANK

IMA’s 1:35 Tank, Light, Mk.IV

Issue 157 May 2019 www.modelmilitary.com

OPERATION

DAGUET

Tiger Models’ 1:35 AMX-10RC

INSIDE:

May2019 / £4.75 / Issue 157

1:35 Marder III Ausf. M ■ 1:35 M19A1 SPAAG ■ 1:35 Morser Karl ■ 1:35 A9 Cruiser Tank ■ 1:35 M6 GMC WC-55 ■ and more...

Contents - Issue 157 May 2019 REGULARS p 4 NEWS

12

What’s new in the world of military modelling

p 56 BOOKS New model and history related titles

p 58 FIGURES All the latest in figure modelling

p 60 1:48 SCALE News and new releases in 1:48 scale

p 65 NEXT ISSUE What to look forward to next time

p 66 LAST POST Australian Army protected mobility vehicles

FEATURES p 6 THINK TANK

50

Grosstraktor by John Prigent

p 10 PREVIEW Bronco 1:35 M119A1

p 12 OPERATION DAGUET Part One Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC by Kamil Feliks Sztarbala

p 24 PREVIEW Zvezda 1:35 Panzer IV Ausf. E

p 26 LAST BRITISH TWO-MAN TANK IMA 1:35 Vickers Mk.IV by Mark Bannerman

p 36 PREVIEW Gecko 1:35 A9 Cruiser Tank

p 38 PINT SIZED PANTHER Tamiya 1:35 Tamiya 1:48 Panther G by John Bonanni

p 48 PREVIEW

38

Italeri 1:35 M6 GMC WC-55

p 50 DACIAN ACIAN WARRIOR Stormtroopers 1:9 Dacian Warrior, 2nd Century AD by Adrian Hopwood

© Doolittle Media Ltd 2019 Tel: (UK) 01525 222573 Email: [email protected] Address: Doolittle Media Ltd., Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK Model Military International is published monthly by Doolittle Media Ltd. Reproduction in part or whole of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure the contents of Model Military International is accurate, the publishers and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions.

ISSN 1749-8864 May 2019 - Model Military International 3

Newsline - May 2019

MMI Newsdesk, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK Tel:01525 222573 Fax:01525 222574 Email:[email protected]

Brett Green takes a look at the resurrected and improved Tamiya Marder III Ausf. M, now with link and length tracks and more crew figures.

The upper hull.

The lower hull is broken down as a flat pack with separate lower, side, front and rear sections.

Tamiya 1:35 Marder III Ausf. M Normandy Front ■ Kit No. 35364

MARDER UPDATED T he Marder III M was the last of the Marder III family and was based on the Geschützwagen 38(t) Ausf. M, a purpose-designed vehicle for self-propelled gun use, again armed with the 75 mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun. This model was a significant improvement over previous models, with its lower silhouette, sloped armour and much more functional fighting compartment. In this variant, the engine was moved from the rear to the middle between driver and the rest of the crew. Because there was no engine in the rear, the gun and the crew did not have to sit on top of the engine deck as in previous models. The fighting compartment could be lowered down to the bottom floor level where the engine used to be, which decreased crew exposure and visibility. Unlike the previous two Marder IIIs, the fighting compartment was closed at the rear, protecting the crew up to their midsection. It stayed open-topped. The Marder III Ausf. M could carry only 27 rounds of ammunition. The machine gun port at the front was eliminated in the Ausf. M in favour of an MG 34 or MG 42 carried by the crew. In the previous two models, the Commander served as a gunner. However, in the Ausf. M, the radio man moved to the rear, with the Commander and gunner, to serve as a loader. Combat effectiveness increased because the vehicle commander was freed from manning the gun. The full name of the Ausf. M

was Panzerjäger 38(t) mit 7.5 cm PaK 40/3 Ausf. M, Sd.Kfz. 138 . It was the variant that was produced in the largest numbers, with 942 vehicles built in two series from May 1943 to May 1944. Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Marder III Ausf. M was released in 2002 to great acclaim. A number of the running gear parts were sourced from their 2001 Marder III release (Kit No. 35248). Tamiya has now upgraded their Marder III Ausf. M to include link-and-length tracks plus four additional figures. Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Marder III Ausf. M now comprises 264 parts in dark yellow plastic, one photoetched fret, four polythene caps and markings for two vehicles on the Normandy front. 17 years has done little to dim the light of this great little kit. The moulding is all you would expect from Tamiya and the addition of the two new sprues is a genuine improvement. The hull is broken down as a flat pack with separate lower, side, front and rear sections. The fighting compartment is well details with gun breech, ammo containers and other interior details being well represented. The gun may traverse and elevate when the model is complete thanks to the use of polythene caps. The link-and-length tracks are in Tamiya’s usual recent style, with long runs for the bottom and the top – the top run sagging realistically between return rollers – and a combination of short sections and individual links to wrap around the drive sprockets

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and idler wheels. Track detail is crisp inside and out. I have no reason to expect that these will not be fast and easy to assemble too, based on my recent experiences with Tamiya link-and-length tracks. The four additional figures make up the balance of the crew. One slightly stiff standing figure was included in the original release, but these four new guys feature the more natural poses and better detail of Tamiya’s more recent crew figure efforts. They will look great with nothing more than careful painting. A small, thin and very flexible photo-etched fret supplies the perforated heat shield for the exhaust.

CONCLUSION I somehow missed out on building this kit when it was first released. It is a fantastic example of Tamiya’s ability to produce a welldetailed kit that is also fast and easy to build. Tamiya’s 1:35 scale Marder III M sits right in that sweet spot, and the 17 year old sprues stand up well to scrutiny in 2019. The addition of the link and length tracks and four additional figures makes this great little kit even better. I don’t think I will wait another 17 years to build this one! Highly Recommended. ■

Detail parts still look good.

New link and length tracks and drive sprockets are included.

Individual links are supplied to wrap around the sprockets and idler wheels.

Four brand new figures are also in the box, up to Tamiya’s very high standards.

Very thin photo-etched exhaust shield.

Thanks to Tamiya Japan for the sample www.tamiya.com Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net The kit’s modest decal sheet.

Think Tank - German Grosstraktor

CODENAME

Here is a rare shot of the Daimler Benz Grosstraktor in service – most photos show these beasts after retirement and use as ‘Barrack Monuments’. Although not of a high quality it does show the bow MG port and DB tracks, and that the Panzer beret was already in use. It also shows a one-colour scheme, presumably Reichswehr grey. It was probably taken after the return from Russia, but might show the tank before it was sent there.

‘HEAVY TRACTOR’ John Prigent describes the development and assessment of the interwar Daimler-Benz, Krupp and Rheinmetall Grosstraktors

I

n 1926 the German Government was beginning to think about rearmament and decided to start on a project codenamed ‘Armeewagen 20’, an innocuous designation meaning ‘army vehicle 20’. The Inspectorate of Weapons and Devices decided to make a wooden model of a 15 tonne vehicle about 6 metres long and 2.4 wide, mounting a 7.5 cm gun in a rotating turret, so that dimensions, layout and equipment could be considered. Krupp was asked to produce a wooden model of a suitable gun for it.

EARLY CONTRACTS By early 1927 things were moving ahead on this project. Krupp was given a contract to

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produce two tanks and meetings were held to finalise design requirements. Rheinmetall and Daimler-Benz were each given contracts at about the same time for two tanks, and four extra turrets were contracted from Krupp to go on their competitors’ tanks. All were to be ready by summer 1928, and the type was now being officially described as ‘Grosstraktor’ - ‘heavy tractor’. Despite major differences in their internal equipment all three designs look similar with the same main turret and rear-mounted MG turret, but are easy to tell apart from the side. The Daimler-Benz hull has three semicircular mud chutes under its return rollers, and a conspicuous elongated stiffener at the front of each side to brace the idler; the Krupp hull

has no stiffener and its mud chutes are large oblongs; and the Rheinmetall version has square mud chutes with inverted-V outer mounts for the rollers as well as a large hatch in its port side. The Daimler-Benz Grosstraktors, numbered 41 and 42, used a modified 31.2 litre, 260 HP, 6— cylinder aircraft engine, plus a DKW 10 PH twostroke auxiliary motor. They used a planetary gearbox with band brakes and a three-speed countershaft giving 6 forward and 2 reverse gears. They had planetary steering gearboxes with clutch steering and oil-pressure brakes. Krupp’s numbers 43 and 44 had BMW watercooled 6-cylinder, 250 HP, 22.9 litre aircraft engines. They had compressed-air operated gearboxes with 6 forward and 1 reverse gears

and also used planetary steering gearboxes but with band brakes and pneumatic operation. Rheinmetall’s numbers 45 and 46 used the same engines as Krupp. Their gearboxes used electric transmission with 8 forward and 1 reverse gears. Their differential steering had infinitely variable control and chain transmission. All of this was internal, but their suspensions were very different though all had 3 return rollers on each side. DaimlerBenz used four pairs of 4-wheel bogies with leaf springs and rubber tyres. Their tracks were pressed-steel sheet. Krupp used six pairs of 4-wheel bogies on coil springs, plus three individual wheels at the front and one at the rear and rubber track pads on its links. Rheinmetall’s design used two groups of 2 X 4 pairs of roadwheel, each group with hydraulic shock absorbers, plus two individual front wheels and one at the rear. The tracks were described as ’rubber’ but I suspect them to be similar to the Krupp ones – photographs of the original version don’t seem to exist. The object of all this was to produce examples of differing designs which could be compared, tested, and have their best points merged into a single design for further development. But attempts to disguise their purpose as being prototype chassis for mechanical excavators foundered when Krupp pointed out that they were too light for such use. Krupp suggested instead that the Reichsbahn railway system might find them useful, but didn’t suggest for what! Security was a problem with these large tracked chassis, with something about them bound to leak out, so it was suggested that all be built at Rheinmetall’s Unterluess factory and if possible tested inside the assembly hall there. One of each design could then be stripped down to a bare chassis and fitted with dynanometers for open testing as a heavy towing vehicle (perhaps to be claimed as possible artillery tractors) and the others disassembled and their parts stored under maximum security at Kummerdorf. This seems to have been done, because it is known that at least one had to be rebuilt in its armoured form in 1929.

One of the DB Grosstraktors was given to 1 Pz Regt for display as soon as it had been shipped back from its failure in the Russian trials. It was repainted in the 1935 three-colour scheme and fitted with an MG in the bow port. Its only marking was a small number ‘42’ on the hull rear. This photo was taken on 23 August 1936.

Here’s the other side of that monument, also photographed in august 1936 but before the marker stone had been inscribed. Note that the bow MG actually has an internal ballmount, not just a simple flexible mount like the Panther D. DB may have been the first to attempt a workable ballmount.

TESTING IN RUSSIA In June that year all the Grosstraktors were packed in special watertight crates and sent by sea to Leningrad, then by rail to Kazan in Russia. They were towed from there to the Soviet Army’s testing grounds at Kama. Despite having all been built to meet very detailed specifications the three manufacturer’s versions were very different in details and suffered numerous different faults during testing. In fact no test runs were made until September 1929 and only very short ones until the next spring. This was because planned improved parts had to be designed and built in Germany and then shipped to Kama for installation. It seems that although the need for those was known the Grosstraktors had been shipped to Russia without waiting for them because the site at Kama offered much greater secrecy. The Daimler-Benz Grosstraktors had a major problem in their planetary gears which

A

At a later date the Grosstraktor was ‘improved’ as a display item by fitting a dummy large-calibre weapon – or was the real gun simply removed to leave only the recoil sleeve? In any event, it still has the three-colour camouflage and gives us a detailed view of the track construction.

May 2019 - Model Military International 7

Think Tank - German Grosstraktor

This is the Krupp Grosstraktor with a memorial dedicated to Oberstleutnant Herbert Baumgart, former commander of a Panzerschule whose full designation I can’t read, who was killed on the night of 7/8 September 1939 in the invasion of Poland. Although at this angle it looks very much like the DB tank its tracks are very different, and the bow MG mount differs as well.

This Rheinmetall tank was ‘upgraded’ for display by the addition of a 3.7 cm co-ax gun. Needless to say there is no record of this being done during the trials in Russia, so we have to assume that it was done after return to Germany. The colour scheme appears to be monochrome grey again, and this side view shows many differences to the Krupp and DB designs.

B was never solved, as well as inadequate tracks. In fact they were only able to run for 25 km in 1930 and 31 in 1932. After that they were left aside, and turned into barrack monuments as soon as they returned to Germany. The Krupp design fared rather better, though many changes had to be made during the tests. It ran smoothly, but its compressor didn’t give enough output to keep the compressed-air steering and gear-change working properly in Russian conditions. In 1930 that problem had largely been solved, and new tracks, sprockets and roadwheels were fitted and tested. 1932 brought new gearboxes, built by Alphon, and continued testing. The two Krupp vehicles ran for a combined total of almost 300 km until they were sent back to Germany. The differential steering of the Rheinmetall

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This side view shows the same Krupp Grosstraktor, serial #43. Its unusual colour scheme that appears to use only two of the paints of the three-colour scheme.

The other side of the Rheinmetall version, again with the co-ax 3.7 cm.

tanks failed under load, and one had to be replaced almost immediately by Cletrac steering gear. This was so reliable that the other one received the same replacement steering after their return to Germany, but the original steering cannot have been too bad because one vehicle covered nearly 500 km at Kama and the other over 750. But there had been significant changes to both tanks: in 1930 the original roadwheel arrangements were replaced by four 4-wheel bogies on each side, and in 1932 those were replaced by six 2-wheel bogies each side. Their ‘rubber band’ tracks (the German description of them!) proved unsuitable with a tendency to climb onto the sprockets and then be thrown, so were changed in 1931 to steel-link tracks. The Rheinmetall tanks also received the new Alphon synchronized gearboxes that had

been fitted to the Krupp vehicles. Apparently the Grosstraktor was supposed to be amphibious, with 2 reversible propellers and a theoretical swimming speed of about 5 km / h, though I haven’t found any evidence of how important that was to the Reichswehr. What I have found is a note about an amphibious trial at Kama in October 1932. A Rheinmetall Grosstraktor was taken to a nearby lake and reversed into the water – presumably so that its water-drive system was submerged first, but the note gives no reason for this odd decision. Whatever the explanation, it entered the lake at what was described as an ‘unfavourable angle’, filled with water and promptly sank. Rheinmetall’s water-drive expert was drowned, though the vehicle itself was quickly recovered. There’s no further mention of swimming

A front view of the Rheinmetall tank shows another variation of the bow MG’s ball mount, as well as the very different tracks that it used.

This is the original appearance of a Rheinmetall tank without the co-axial 3.7 cm. Although the view contains many people, you can still see that this one was fitted with a frame aerial for trials with a radio set.

The Daimler Benz tank was also ‘upgunned’ but kept its three-colour camouflage. The photo was taken at the caserne of II Abt, PzRegt 5, Wunsdorf in April 1939.

experiments so one has to assume that the amphibious requirement was quietly dropped.

FINAL ASSESSMENT In an October 1932 meeting in Kama it was announced that the Rheinmetall Grosstraktor had been chosen, and Rheinmetall would receive orders for more vehicles. General Lutz also planned to order all turrets from Rheinmetall, so that only a single producer would be to blame for any defects. But it took many more months before in August 1933 the six Grosstraktors were loaded into their watertight crates at Kama and sent to Leningrad by rail. From there they were taken by Russian ships to Stettin, where the last transport arrived on 21 September 1933. All six were transported to the Daimler-Benz company in Berlin Marienfelde, where the four Krupp and

Rheinmetall Grosstraktors were further modified, tested and used. The Daimler-Benz ones, as already mentioned, were relegated to use as barrack monuments at the bases of the new Panzer units. The Rheinmetall and Krupp vehicles were used by the brand-new Medium Panzer Company in the first exercise of the equally new Panzer Division in Munster in August 1935, together with at least one of the Neubaufahrzeuges that followed them into service. After that they were also retired to use as barrack monuments. One received a mocked-up long-barrel gun afterwards, and another was given a dummy co-axial 3.7 cm gun. Nothing is recorded of their eventual fates, but it has to be assumed that they fell victim to scrap metal drives either during the war or soon afterwards. ■ May 2019 - Model Military International 9

KIT PREVIEW

Bronco 1:35 US M19A1 Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage - Korean War • Kit No. CB35148

The single upper hull moulding.

Al Bowie is impressed with Bronco’s rendering of the US M119A1 40mm Gun Motor Carriage.

BOFORS BLASTER T

he M24 Chaffee was developed as a family of vehicles with a Light Tank, AA GMC, SP Howitzer, Recovery/Repair etc. The M19 was the AA variant of the Chaffee family and mounted a substantial armament of twin Bofors 40mm guns on a redesigned hull with the engine moved amidships and the open fighting compartment at the rear. It entered service just too late to see action in April 1945 and production was cut at war’s end at 285 vehicles. It first saw action in Korea in the AA and infantry support role where it’s devastating firepower of twin quick firing 40mm guns were a huge asset and put to good effect. The M24 family / combat team was replaced by a new family based on the M41 light tank and the M19 by the new M42 with its front mounted fighting compartment almost identical to the M19s. A few were given as military aid to Japan and the Netherlands with the remainder going to National Guard where in turn it was replaced by the M42 Duster, of which approx. 3,700 were produced To date, no company has produced a kit of this rarer vehicle that only really saw action in the Korean War despite a number of companies having kitted the M24 light tank and the later M42 Duster. Bronco was one such company to kit the M24 Chaffee offering a number of different boxings as an excellent well detailed kit. Bronco has also previously released almost all variants of the towed ground mount Bofors. Out of the blue in late 2018, Bronco announced a new kit of the M19A1 40mm GMC, which was released shortly after. Having built the Bronco M24

and a few of their Bofors and other Artillery pieces I was keen to see what this kit was like and soon got the chance (thanks Brett). The first thing that struck me was the size of the box for such a small vehicle but found it bursting at the seams! Detail is typical for a Bronco kit, very complete but with a veritable plethora of small minute parts – beware when taken them off the sprue. Construction starts with the lower hull with integral sides and the suspension which is a near perfect replica of the original right down to the individual torsion bars which in theory give you a working suspension, if a little fragile! The road wheel detail is excellent being made up of six parts; as are the multi-piece final drive and sprockets. The idlers have all the lightening holes opened and separate rims. The original M24 had all steel T72E1 tracks but later tanks had the T85E1 rubber chevron type more suited to Piece time soldiering. The kit offers the both T85E1 and T72 types with the T85 being workable. These are quite easy to assemble but take time. Hull detail is excellent with clear periscopes included for the hatches and photo-etched guards. A very nice M2 .50 cal is included with an AA mount ammo can on an extended pintle as frequently seen on Korean vehicles to give themselves ground protection. Spare 40 mm barrels are included along with the folded winter driver’s windshield and a very nice pioneer tool rack and tools. All hull details match my photos of the real thing but some are very fiddly. The guns are highly detailed and construction almost follows the exploded parts diagrams of the real thing! This results in a

near perfect gun assembly in a well detailed turret/tub which has sublime perforations on the floor not normally seen in plastic. A lot of parts go into the gun and tub assembly but the finished product is quite lifelike. The turret seems pretty complete to reference right down to the stacked radios in their rack which match period radios. The only thing I feel you could add is some of the cabling for the radios and electrics. If I have a criticism it is that the ammo bins that surround the turret wall are all moulded shut but two clips of 40mm are given for the guns. An optional assembly in the form of an auxiliary generator is included but it is believed these were fitted post Korea as a result of battle experience. Markings are provided for three Olive Drab examples and a single Camouflaged example with little detail as to where/when. • 15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Bn 7 Inf Div Hungnam Korea 1951 named “Little Beaver and Dolores” • 46th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Bn US Army Hanua Germany 1954 named Banhoff Betty” • 15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Bn 7 Inf Div Hungnam Korea 1951 mounted with a pintle 50 cal and named “Flak Wagon” • “Dragon Slayer” in a MERDC Winter Verdant Scheme with no unit insignia This is an awesomely detailed kit and will give museum quality model when completed but it is not for the beginner unless they have a good mentor and lots of patience. Highly recommended to Cold War and Korean war armour fans. ■

Detail parts including an impressive plastic grille.

The lower hull tub.

The turret base.

Drive sprockets and idler wheels are exquisitely moulded.

The kit features individual track links.

The photo-etched fret.

Review sample provided by Bronco Models www.cn-bronco.com/en/ Clear sprue.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC • Kit No. 4609

AMX PART ONE - BUILDING THE w Tiger Models Kamil Feliks Sztarbala builds the neger desert scene. 1:35 scale AMX-10RC as part of a lar

T

he Tiger Model AMX-10RC makes a truly great first impression. The plastic colour, assembly guide layout, kit design and part breakdown – all these features show close similarities to the market benchmark from Japan: Tamiya, which, along with sharp and numerous details, promised a straightforward build with attractive result, even if being built straight out of the box. However, this promise went down in flames as soon as I started assembly, and this is my main complaint against the kit. I’ve built many worse and ill-fitting models over the years, but in the case of those, it was easy to notice from the very beginning that each and every part would require some serious treatment in one form or another. In the case of the AMX-10RC from Tiger Model, this proves to be true only during the assembly stage, resulting in a big disappointment.

ASSEMBLY

The plastic wheel rims had to be sanded to the correct diameter, as they had originally been designed for the installation of the rubber tires.

Expecting a relaxing build, I decided to start by doing something that required attention and meticulous work, namely improving the wheels. As I do not like to work with rubber, I went for resin replacement wheels from Def Model’s set, intended for the VAB, which included Michelin XL tires that I needed. These looked definitively better than their vinyl counterparts supplied with the kit.

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As Def wheels had been designed for the VAB and were cast as single pieces together with rims suitable for this vehicle, in order to use the tires for AMX-10RC I had to drill them out, precisely removing the rim detail.

Fortunately, both the wheels from the kit and Def Model were of the same size, meaning a trouble-free cross-matching. I only had to slightly reduce the thickness of the rims.

A small problem was encountered with only two of the wheels: the poly caps could not be plugged deep enough into the rims, so I had to cut off the protruding parts. As usual, the golden rule of dry-fitting before assembly proved to be correct. May 2019 - Model Military International 13

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC • Kit No. 4609

However, sometimes even the latter can fool you! Without using any adhesive, the fit of the hull halves appeared to be perfect, but when I put them together, small, but annoying gaps emerged almost everywhere. I therefore had to glue these parts little by little, squeezing each joint with clamps.

The turret required similar treatment.

Nevertheless, this didn’t mean that I could avoid filler. For this purpose, I used medium viscosity cyano, which was applied over the chosen edges with a toothpick.

Once it had dried, I removed the excess with a sharp scalpel blade…

With the basic shape of the hull and turret complete, I could focus on adding the details… …and smoothed the edges using a fine metal file and a polishing sponge.

…which brought another disappointment: each and every part needed laborious cleaning up. Of course, one has to clean up the details in some manner in almost every kit, but good kits only require removal of moulding seam remnants with a scalpel blade or a file, which can be done quickly and easily. In this case, almost every detail was affected by slight shift of the moulds against each other. Furthermore, most of the parts were thicker than they should be in in areas which needed a realistic scale thickness, such as the edges of parts. For example, let’s take a look at this sight cover, whose halves only roughly fit each other.

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In this case, I also filled the gaps with cyano. Next, I shaped the assembled piece using micro files and sanding bits from Hobby Elements.

The muzzle brake was similarly affected by moulding seams, gaps and flash.

The sanding bits from Hobby Elements proved to be indispensable for levelling the surfaces and drilling out the barrel.

The edges of the cover aft of the muzzle brake were thinned down. I also glued a circular piece of thin styrene sheet inside the cover, in order to replicate the mirror installed there.

Quite a lot of work was involved in the correction of the smoke dischargers. To remove the moulding seams, I had to remove some details. These were restored using various styrene bits that had been created using RP Toolz ‘Punch and Die Tool Sets’ (both the standard and hexagonal).

The inclusion of a template intended for correctly bending the rangefinder photo-etched cover, was a welcome addition… …but the fact that the bars of the cover had to be shortened by nearly 2mm, wasn’t.

The PE rolling set from The Small Shop was essential for correctly bending the screen of the turret basket.

At least, the remaining photo-etched bits didn’t require any adjustment. The screens were first temporarily attached with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement. Of course, this glue doesn’t dissolve brass, but the softened plastic sufficiently secures the photo-etched parts, allowing for correct positioning of the latter. I subsequently strengthened the joint areas by applying tiny amounts of ‘Roket Hot’ extra thin cyano from Deluxe Materials.

As the bending line had not been marked on the photo-etched part in any way, the shape of this detail had to be determined by trial and error.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC • Kit No. 4609

I then decided to cut off the simplified handles, located on the engine deck.

Their remnants were removed with a scalpel blade.

To polish the surface, I used a fibreglass scratch brush from Green Stuff World.

The lights were equipped with bulbs, made from tiny tin balls. The replacement handles were made from lengths of 0.25mm wire. I rolled these over a length of square-shaped styrene rod. By cutting the rolled wire with a knife, I created a bunch of identical handles.

The edges of the hatch handles were enhanced using a flat scriber from Mr. Paint.

The tow cable was represented in the kit by a length of steel wire. As the latter was quite elastic, I had to heat it with flame from a cigarette lighter. This made it more formable, allowing me to bend it to the correct shape.

I then drilled small apertures in the hull and installed the handles, securing them in place with tiny quantities of super glue.

The tools also required some attention. The shovel, for example, was clearly too bulky, so I thinned down its edges.

The kit tools were moulded together with clamps, which were also too solid. I could replace them with aftermarket photo-etched details, but I thought that thinning down the plastic parts will involve a similar amount of work. I therefore shaped the outer edges with a sharp scalpel blade and file, whilst the inner areas were treated with micro files from Hobby Elements.

To bend the lengths of thin styrene rod which had been used for detailing the headlights, I had to drag them a few times along the edge of my nail. Once they had been attached, I additionally ‘painted’ them with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, in order to fix their shape.

The instructions recommended equipping the turret with photo-etched stowage holders. However, those supplied with the kit were too fragile and rather poorly shaped. They should have featured some apertures inside, although the walkaround photos I had gathered didn’t allow for determining their depth and inner detail. I chose to show them by installing small circles, which were created using a length of 0.7mm brass tubing and JLC mitre tool.

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Afterwards, I emphasized the demarcation between the pressure vessel of the fire extinguisher and its mount, and drilled out the nozzles.

Instead of those, I attached the plastic stowage parts originally intended for a different version of this kit, as I had planned to add more stowage myself anyway.

Next, I dealt with the rear hull details, which, aside from the usual moulding issues, were quite simplified.

The kit was ready to have some paint applied. As usual, many parts and sub-assemblies were left separate for easier painting.

…each and every “ part needed laborious cleaning up... ” Before I proceeded with the aforementioned process, I prepared the stowage. Many photos of AMXs used during Operation Daguet showed sandbags placed within the turret baskets. These were replicated with pieces of plastic trash bag. First, using a soldering iron, I cut the plastic that had been previously bent into a few layers, into narrow strips. The heated tip did not only cut the plastic, but also welded the edges.

Before the latter had fully dried, I arranged the bags within the basket.

Next, I added some welds crosswise, and cut the strips into smaller pieces. The mini-bags were filled with pieces of Magic Sculp putty.

Finally, various resin accessories from PanzerArt and Eureka XXL were added into the rear turret basket.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC • Kit No. 4609

PAINTWORK In accordance with French Army regulations, vehicles sent to the Middle East, should have had the black and green camouflage patches overpainted in sand colour. Yet, I managed to find a photo of just one AMX-10RC finished this way, whilst the majority of pictures showed vehicles that had painted sand overall and subsequently camouflaged with brown paint of unclear origin. Before I began to recreate this finish, I painted all periscopes with Tamiya X-23 ‘Clear Blue’.

I left this to dry for 24 hours, and then masked off the ‘glass’, allowing for spraying a layer of Mr.Color AVC02 ‘Previous Silver’ over the periscopes.

Afterwards, I primed the entire vehicle with Tamiya XF-10 ‘Flat Brown’

Only the tires were given a priming layer of Hataka’s black primer.

…vehicles sent to the Middle “ East, should have had the black and green camouflage patches over-painted in sand colour...

” Next, I airbrushed the kit with AK-Interactive RC060 ‘Dark Yellow’ in such a way that the brown priming layer still showed through in various nooks and crannies. Taking advantage of the fact that the layer formed by Real Colors isn’t very strong before it is fully dried, I added damage to the paint layer on the wheel rims. For this purpose, I used an old, stiff brush that had been dampened with Microscale Microsol decal softening solution.

AK-Interactive RC046 ‘Ivory’ was sprayed as meandering streaks over all flat surfaces. I also applied some vertical streaks to the sides. This way I created the base colour of the vehicle.

18 Model Military International - May 2019

The base shade for the brown camouflage patches was Mr.Hobby H406 ‘Chocolate Brown’. The pattern was based on the kit’s painting guide and archive photos, which revealed that every vehicle carried a more or less different scheme.

The brown patches were highlighted with meandering streaks of heavily diluted Hataka C308 ‘Middle Brown’.

The details were brush painted with various vinylbased acrylic paints. These were mainly sourced from the Lifecolor CS20 ‘Weathered Wood’ and CS28 ‘Hemp and ropes’ sets, along with a few tones from Vallejo Model Color range and two paints from the AK-Interactive AK3030 ‘Leather & Buckles’ set.

May 2019 - Model Military International 19

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC • Kit No. 4609

I usually emphasize the details with oils or enamel products. In this case, I chose to check how the Citadel washes that are very good for figures, would work on the larger surfaces. I used ‘Nuln Oil’ and ‘Agrax Earthshade’, which are almost black and brown shades, respectively. They were applied over the surfaces that had been previously dampened with Lifecolor’s acrylic thinner. Here and there, I also used heavily diluted Vallejo 70939 ‘Smoke’.

Although the fluids nicely gathered around the details, work on the larger flat surfaces wasn’t a pleasant experience, even when I added Vallejo Glaze Medium to the mixture. The washes had to be controlled until they had fully dried, in order to avoid creating ugly stains and spills.

The paintwork was subsequently secured with a layer of Mr.Hobby H103 ‘Premium Clear Flat’ varnish.

20 Model Military International - May 2019

WEATHERING As the vehicle did not serve long in the desert and had freshly applied camouflage, I had to be quite subtle in creating any wear and tear.

I limited myself to painting tiny scratches and paint chips on the chosen edges and details that were located mainly near hatches. Vallejo’s 70861 ‘Glossy Black’ and 70939 ‘Smoke’, mixed at different ratios, were used.

The dirt, however, could be more prominent. I started by airbrushing AK-Interactive AK042 ‘European Earth’ and A.MIG-3007 ‘Dark Earth’ pigments. To apply the powders with an airbrush, they have to be mixed with industrial alcohol. Such mixture dries quickly once applied, and the pigments doesn’t firmly hold the surface. Their excess can therefore be easily removed with a soft bristled brush.

The dried mud splashes were created using the weathering pastes from Mr.Hobby. These products behave quite similarly to Tamiya Weathering Sticks, but the latter are water-soluble, whilst the former are enamel-based, although they’re something entirely different than ‘Mud and Splashes’ products from Ammo MIG. Mr.Hobby’s product is a more sticky substance with a very fine pigment. In this case, I mixed it with a small amount of ABT113 ‘Fast Dry Thinner’ from 502 Abteilung and blew it onto the kit from a cotton bud, using an airbrush.

The archive photos revealed quite evident stains and spills near the fuel filler points. To replicate these, I first airbrushed a tiny quantity of A.MIG-1408 ‘Fresh Engine Oil’ enamel that had been diluted with white spirit.

WP01 ‘Mud Brown’, WP04 ‘Mud Yellow’ and WP05 ‘Mud Red’ pastes were applied alternately in different quantities. As these products can be diluted with white spirit, I could easily remove the excess paste with a dampened brush, create accumulations in various areas, or add rain marks to the already dried mud.

To give some variety to the effect, I rolled a cotton bud that had been slightly dampened with white spirit, over the surface.

Afterwards, I sprayed some misted applications of strongly diluted AK-Interactive AK082 ‘Engine Grime’, which allowed for the enhancement of some chosen effects, and blending the others. May 2019 - Model Military International 21

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC • Kit No. 4609

Modelspec Tiger Model 1:35 AMX-10RC

Kit No. 4609

Kits Used:

Paints & Finishing Products:

• Tiger Model 1:35 scale AMX-10RC – Kit #4609 • Def Model 1:35 scale French VAB Sagged wheel set 1-Mich. XL – Kit #DW35068 • Royal Model 1:35 scale Tommy & Lazy Donkey – Kit #790 • KMT 1:35 scale French Tank Crew Daguet 1990 – Kit #35029F

Primers: • AK-Interactive AK757 & AK758; Hataka Paints: • AK-Interactive: Acrylics & Real Colors • Hataka’s Orange Line • Lifecolor acrylics • Mr.Hobby’s Mr.Color and Aqueous Hobby Color ranges • Tamiya (acrylic) • Vallejo Mr.Hobby Clear Varnishes Microscale Decal Solution Abteilung 502 ABT113 Fast Dry Thinner Citadel washes AK-Interactive weathering products: • AK042 European Earth • AK082 Engine Grime • AK8013 Asphalt • AK8027 Dry Mud • AK8030 Stirred Earth Ammo-MIG weathering products: • A.MIG-1408 Fresh Engine Oil • A.MIG-3007 Dark Earth Mr.Hobby Weathering Pastes: • WP01 Mud Brown • WP04 Mud Yellow • WP05 Mud Red Vallejo 26.219 Brown Sand acrylic paste

Tools & Modelling Products: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Tamiya Extra Thin Cement Deluxe Materials Roket Hot Cyano Styrene Rod, Strip & Sheet Copper & Lead Wires Griffon Model Brass Hollow Pipe JLC Razor Saw JLC Mitre Block for Circular Sections RP Toolz Punch and Die Tool Sets (circular & hexagonal) Hobby Elements Micro Files and Molding Flash Sander Green Stuff World Scratch Brushes The Small Shop PE Rolling Set Magic Sculp Epoxy Putty Balsa Wood Styrodur Foam Tile Adhesive

22 Model Military International - May 2019

The kit was then ready for final assembly.

May 2019 - Model Military International 23

KIT PREVIEW

Dragon 1:35 60cm Morser ‘Karl’ Gerat 040 • Kit No. 9157

Marking options.

BLOCKBUSTER T

he Karl-Great was a heavy siege weapon designed to destroy large fortifications. It was unusual in that it could move into position by itself, although railway transportation via specially designed carriers was needed to get it to where it had to be. Only seven were built, of which six saw combat. All of these weapons were named after Norse mythological characters and ‘Ziu’, as depicted here, is a German name for Zeus, the Norse God of War. This weapon was deployed in the West during the Battle of the Bulge, but ended up in Russian hands and is now on display at the Kubinka Russian Armour Museum Dragon first released this kit back in 2003 and it was wellreceived at the time. This recent re-release contains pretty much the same kit but now includes the crew and an alternate lower hull. Coming in a large sturdy box, the kit is moulded in their familiar grey plastic and there is no flash present on my example. It’s size alone makes it impressive and is made from approximately 400 parts on 13 sprues, plus a single metal rod that goes on the large breech block. Alternate lower hulls are provided, allowing you to depict in in either transport or firing mode. There is no etch included. The tracks are provided in link and length, we get a basic driver’s compartment, and markings are provided for ‘Ziu’ and ‘Loki’. First impression, and comparison to the photos that I have, is that detail on this kit is

adequate but simplified. There are some good details, such as the treadplate, finely molded handrails and driver’s compartment, but that is offset by the basic items such as poorly detailed tracks & running gear, suspension arms moulded to the hull and rather bland upper hull details. The instructions with this kit are very clear to follow and only comprise 20 steps. We kick off with the lower hull to which we add the front & rear panels (with ladders) and the roadwheels and tracks. A note that the rear exhaust pipe is moulded to the rear panel and subsequently looks clunky and is missing lots of detail. This pretty much sets the standard of the kit I am afraid. A test-fit of hull halves and major parts reveals no fit issues, so full marks Dragon. The tools have moulded on straps and would benefit from some etch. The track links are poor in that all of them have two knock-out pins on the inner face, are missing the pins & holes on their side, missing the holes in the guide horns and the track pad face isn’t wide enough. On the plus side, they do fit together well. To the large, one-piece, upper hull part we add the side beams, exhausts, gun mount and the walkways. Into all of this sits the gun cradle which is simplified and made of only five large pieces. After this we get to the gun barrel which has a representation of rifling inside it, and this then slips into the two-part breach. This has cabling moulded onto one side which, like the exhaust pipe above,

Graham Tetley takes a close look at Dragon’s big and impressive 60cm Morser ‘Karl” Great. is very basic. Included in this release is the figure set, which you initially had to buy as a separate item. Detail on them is generally nice and sharp, with good facial features reproduced. There is a little flash present – especially around the hands – but the gas mask canisters are a little soft on detail. Six figures in total are provided although we get two sets of arms allowing you to have them either standing around or in action. This is a big, impressive, model and with the addition of the figures you have an instant diorama. Its main strength is that it looks the part and is simple and easy to build. Fit of the main parts is very good and, if you want to superdetail it, there are things out there (etched brass, new tracks, turned metal barrel, ammunition, and Trumpeter even do the ammunition-carrying vehicle) that will make this into a show-stopper. If, however, you want something a little more complicated that for the same price contains better detail out of the box then go for the Trumpeter kit. In the UK at least both kits are at a very similar price range, although the Trumpeter version with the rail carriers is about £50 more expensive. ■

Close up of the figure detail.

Wiring on the breech block.

The rather bland exhaust part.

Gun cradle and breech.

Upper hull pieces.

References Used : Allied Axis No.9 Ampersand Publishing. No ISBN. Track face detail is soft.

Perth Military Modelling Site and Terry Ashley’s comparison review of the Dragon and Trumpeter kits: https://www. perthmilitarymodelling.com/ reviews/vehicles/trumpeter/ tr00209.html Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net

Alternate lower hulls.

24 Model Military International - May 2019

Soft detail on the rear panel.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

International Models Asia 1:35 Tank, Light, Mk.IV

LAST BRITISH TWO-MAN TANK Mark Bannerman explains how to work with resin to build this unique British tank.

T

he Tank, Light, Mk.IV was a new model in the series of Vickers light tanks. The initial plan was a new design, larger hull and a more reliable tank. It had also been planned as the tank for colonial duty in India with every intention to eventually mass-produce for export purposes. However, only thirty-four were ever produced. Design started in 1931 with several prototypes, many modifications and alterations until the final design was approved in 1933. The new design presented a tank weighing approximately 4 tons with a top speed of 55 Km/h which made it the fastest of all of the Mark types up until that time. The engine was located to the right of the driver and the most significant modifications carried out on the MK. IV compared to its predecessors (MKI - MK III) were the use of the hull as a chassis. Previous Mark types had their amour attached to the chassis.

The MK. IV was constructed with a higher silhouette and the turret was set back from the center of the tank. The rear idler wheel was removed, and all suspension springs were now attached facing forward. Its cross-country performance was unsatisfactory, particularly with its tall hull and short track base which made it prone to tipping over. The two-man tank mounted a .303 VMG and while its speed was quite satisfactory, the War Office opted not to proceed with mass production favouring a new threeman design tank (Mark V). The Light Tank Mk. IVs were used primarily for training purposes in the UK, however, some references suggests that some were sent for advanced field training exercises in France in 1940, with the BEF. Photographic evidence will show some of these pushed into German service and designated Leichter Panzerkampfwagen Mk.IV 734(e). There is only one existing MK. IV and sits at Bovington Museum. A

Tank, Light, MK IV. (Photo source unknown)

26 Model Military International - May 2019

The Mk IV was designed in 1933 and entered production in 1934 with thirty-four being produced. Rear view and fully equipped with mudguards, additional storage, and searchlights. (Photo source unknown)

The MK IV undergoing field testing. (Ph

K

hoto source unknown)

A Light MK IV used for training on Salisbury Plain – note hand grips for commander. (Photo source unknown)

Prototype of the MK IV. The engine was located on the right side of the driver. (Photo source unknown) May 2019 - Model Military International 27

FEATURE FEA ARTICLE

International Models Asia 1:35 Tank, Light, Mk.IV

Construction of the model was quite simple and clean up and prepping was minimal.

B CONSTRUCTION Choosing a resin model can be a daunting task. Many manufacturers have come and gone but there still remain several dozen excellent producers of high quality full resin models – one of these is International Models Asia (IMA) out of Hong Kong. They have great subject matter and while their models are not complicated to build, they do offer very reasonably priced models. The IMA offering is in every sense a skeletal model which gives me the freedom to make additions and adjustments with surplus parts from spares box. The fit was very good, with fewer than 40 parts, the subject matter quite unique and overall a very easy build from start to finish. The model was washed, parts removed and assembled in three evenings. The first evening was dedicated to removing parts and prepping the parts and gluing the main structure using 5-minute epoxy and the second evening was dedicated to adding the small resin parts with superglue. The third evening was dedicated to attaching the tracks which I pirated from the Vulcan MK VI Light tank. Once all of the parts were identified, all parts were soaked in soapy water to remove the releasing agents which is part of the casting process. This is an important step because the releasing agent will affect the adhesion of fillers, glues and paints. A worn toothbrush is helpful when cleaning up the resin. Once the parts have been cleaned and dried, it is time to remove the parts from their respective carriers. Similar to plastic models, there will be excess material that needs to be removed from the parts of the kit assembly. The main difference is that, with resin models, the parts needing removal can be larger and removal requires more care.

The sprocket was only loosely applied until the tracks were ready to be attached.

28 Model Military International - May 2019

The tracks were sourced from the Vulcan MKVIa offering and took the better part of an evening to assemble.

Once the tracks were in place, I applied copious amounts of glue over the tracks to loosen up the joints between the tracks then jammed a part of a toothpick to push and force the tracks downwards to create a sag.

Various parts were sourced from a spares box – note the commander grips (sourced from a .30 calibre machine gun).

I used sheet styrene strips for the fender support brackets and added some rivets using a punch and die set where these were needed.

The exhaust pipe was not glued into place until the end of the painting process so that it was easier to paint and weather separately.

To remove parts from the carrier, I will use one of two tools - a jeweller’s saw for long or thick attachment points between part and carrier or a set of nail-clipper for parts with smaller attachment points. I rarely use a hobby knife to remove parts from the carrier because blades often split resin (especially brittle resin) when pressure is applied and could damage parts. I only use a hobby knife to remove a part where there is no “buffer” attachment point between carrier and part. In this case, I used the hobby knife by lightly moving the blade between the part and carrier repeatedly until the part gives away. Another characteristic of resin models is the occasional flash. Flash is paper-thin excess resin that has managed to get between the two halves of the mould, forming a thin membrane around or between parts. Flash can easily be removed with a sharp blade - try to avoid using your fingers to twist or break it off. Before you remove any flash, check the instructions to ensure that the flash is not part of the actual model. Removing flash usually leaves a small mould line and these can easily be removed with a modelling knife, file or sandpaper. After the parts have been cleaned up of flash and mould lines, it was critical to dry-fit or test-fit parts before committing to glue. This just means placing the parts together to make sure they are a good fit before you apply the glue. This is useful, as it will provide you with potential problems such as uneven joins and slight gaps in the joins. For the actual gluing of parts, there are only two adhesives that work with resin - cyanoacrylate glue (also known as Superglue) or two-part resin epoxy glue.

Cyanoacrylate glue - or Superglue - will adhere just about anything (including skin!), but the bonds formed are weak unless the mating surfaces are clean, absolutely dry and fit well. Superglue is best applied with a small toothpick or a hobby knife. The better the fit between the parts to be joined, the stronger the bond. Be extremely careful when working

with superglue glue. It contains some minute quantity of cyanide, which is a toxic compound. Use it in a well-ventilated area and don't breathe the fumes. Never heat it to make it cure faster. If your eyes begin to water, it is time to ventilate your working area. The other type of adhesive epoxy glue - covers a variety of adhesive resins that are cured

The model almost complete and ready for paint.

by a chemical reaction instead of evaporation. Most epoxies come in a two-part set that is mixed in equal proportions and yield a very strong bond. These require a few minutes to set, making them perfect for assembling variable position parts. Both of these adhesive types will allow you to attach photoetch, white metal, and plastic to resin. A

A few more details were necessary to render it more complete.

The model fully assembled.

May 2019 - Model Military International 29

FEATURE ARTICLE

International Models Asia 1:35 Tank, Light, Mk.IV

One light coat of primer so that I could identify any surface blemishes.

B

For heavy parts or where the connecting point between two parts is vital in supporting the model, I always use 5-minute epoxy glue (which really takes 15 minutes to fully cure). This is a very strong bonding agent and far superior. It allows you to position the parts correctly before the two part mix hardens. The down side with 5-minute epoxy is holding the part and cramping your fingers until the resin dries thoroughly. A small trick is to add a small drop of cyanoacrylate glue - right over the wet epoxy resin glue - to one of the parts being joined. Within 5 seconds, the two glue types cyanoacrylate glue and two-part resin epoxy – will bond providing

enough strength to stand free without holding the parts with your fingers. You will still need to allow the resin to fully cure but the cyanoacrylate glue will speed up the process greatly. Because of the weight of resin, some modelers prefer drilling the joints and using metal rods to secure the contact point. This is usually only necessary if you want to add extra strength to a join. I have never followed this step but it is an option if you find the two parts to be joined are too heavy to be supported by 5-minute epoxy. The two-part epoxy resin is mixed with a toothpick and applied immediately to the parts. If you wait too long and allow the epoxy

The tracks were picked out using a small brush and a mix of Tamiya NATO black and Neutral Grey.

The rubber on the wheels was painted in Vallejo Grey Black.

30 Model Military International - May 2019

A second coats was applied in preparation for the painting process.

to dry, it becomes “stringy” which can then become messy. Once cured, I further reinforce all points of contact with cyanoacrylate glue. A small piece of advice when applying cyanoacrylate glue – try to use an old hobby knife blade as your applicator. It allows for more control and reduces the risk of excess cyanoacrylate glue on your model. Too much wet cyanoacrylate glue can be removed with pieces of typing paper – the paper will soak up excess glue. When assembling models, I usually start with the large parts working exclusively with 5-minute

For the base painting process, I opted to use Tamiya paints by mixing Olive Green XF-58, Dark Green XF-81 and JA Green XF-13 in a 50/25/25 mix.

epoxy, then once the skeletal is constructed, I move in with the smaller and delicate detail parts with cyanoacrylate glue. Once all parts are glued in place, I start the process of sanding rough areas or spots where superglue may have spilled over. I usually use fine sandpapers (400-600 grit paper). Sanding should be done in a circular motion. Most would strongly recommend using a face mask whenever resin is being sanded to avoid breathing in resin dust. Sanding can also be done under a running tap to keep the resin from going airborne.

For weathering, I prefer artist’s pastels and Rembrandt Sepia oil as my basic weathering mediums.

Alternatively, I will sand resin outside in the open air. Either way, try to avoid sanding in a small unventilated area. Whole sanding sticks and sandpaper are ideal for flat surfaces; a set of files can be used for cleaning hard-to-reach areas and smoothing castings to make parts fit better. With the model fully assembled, I then began the process of filing gaps and small holes. Putty is a malleable substance that hardens when it dries. Putty comes in small, squeezable tubes, and several brands are available at your local hobby store. The two putty types that I use most commonly are Tamiya putty or auto primer (my preferred choice). Mix the putty per the instructions, apply the putty with a toothpick, just enough to fill the gap and allow drying before sanding off the excess. Model putty takes considerable time to fully dry when applied in thick coats so building layers is helpful. Putty will shrink as it cures so it is not a bad idea to fill the void and allow for excess putty to jut out from the gap. As it shrinks, it will level out to meet the surface around the gap. Any excess can be trimmed or sand out. Once I applied the putty, I will also use liquid glue (Testors) to smooth down the putty just before it fully cures, particularly in areas where it may be difficult to use sand paper. Once the model is completely built and ready for paint, I recommend dipping the whole model into water and using a wide soft paintbrush to remove dust and particle as a result of sanding and filing as well as oily patches from handling. Once the model is dry, a very light primer (Tamiya Grey or White primer works really well) should be sprayed on. The purpose of applying a light primer is to help pick out any imperfections, gaps and pinholes that were not visible on the bare resin surface. Some further sanding, filing of gaps,

These are very long lasting.

and removal of excess glue will be necessary. A further brushdown with a wet brush should be done before moving to the priming stage. Usually, two lights coats of primer will be adequate. If the model will be finished in a dark colour (i.e. olive drab, panzer grey), a black or grey primer works best. For a light coloured vehicle (i.e. desert, winter or multicoloured), a white or grey primer are the best options. Once the primer is dry, the model is ready to move into the next stage similar to any plastic model.

I applied pin-washes using Rembrandt Sepia oil and heavily thinned with Testor’s thinners.

PAINTING AND FINISHING

The tracks received a wash of Rembrandt Sepia oil paints mixed 50/50 with Testor’s paint thinner.

I pre-primed the entire model in Tamiya White Primer (I would use a grey for this one but ran out) to provide tooth for subsequent paint and would also allow the base coat to be uniform in appearance. For the base painting process, I opted to use Tamiya paints by mixing Olive Green XF-58, Dark Green XF-81 and JA Green XF-13 in a 50/25/25 mix. The paint was sprayed lightly to all parts with an Iwata HP-B airbrush in two light coats at 20 DPI’s. I had the choice of either leaving it as a solid base or applying a darker second camouflage colour. I opted with the solid colour base. I then proceeded with a light “dusting” of Tamiya Buff thinned with Tamiya thinners to the entire model. To break up the monotone uniformity of the colour, I applied three separate filters. The first filter was Humbrol 160 mixed with 95% Testor’s thinners and I allowed this to dry thoroughly. For the second filter, I used Humbrol 30 (Dark Earth) also mixed with 95% enamel thinners. The third filter was a highly diluted mix of Humbrol Matt 170 applied with a very large rounded brush. The three filter applications altered the overall tone of the dark green drab base with an uneven A

The tracks took several washes varying the colours from Sepia to dark brown using oils paints.

May 2019 - Model Military International 31

FEATURE ARTICLE

International Models Asia 1:35 Tank, Light, Mk.IV

I applied three separate filters - Humbrol 160, Humbrol 30, Humbrol 170, in that order.

The best way to apply filters is always to do so in a one-directional downward motion.

The results after a Tamiya Buff overspray, several pinwashes and three filters. M1. The pastels treatment – I make my own mix of using artist pastel chalks. I also tried to use a new weathering product from Tamiya.

Although well packaged and designed, I was not entirely bought on this Tamiya weathering set as I found these light, translucent and do not adhere very well.

32 Model Military International - May 2019

I resorted to my original recipe of artist pastels.

I will try the Tamiya set eventually and give them another try.

I applied a conservative amount of pastels then airbrushed Tamiya thinners neat so that the thinners dilute the pastels on the surface and hold it in place.

B discolored finish which was the

result I was looking to achieve. This was followed by pin-washes. Pin-washes are controlled and localized application of washes along seams, crevices, around bolts and nuts. I applied pinwashes using Rembrandt Sepia oil and heavily thinned with Testor’s thinners. This was applied to the model with a “liner” brush. For the tracks, I hand brushed with a mix of Tamiya NATO black and Neutral Grey. The next step was a light airbrushing to the whole lower part of the model with a very light application of Tamiya Earth - including the tracks – to bring uniformity between the tracks and the lower hull of the tank. I was not very pleased with the effect because it looked too unbalanced. To remedy this, I applied two successive filters of Rembrandt Olive Green oil paints mixed with 95% Testor’s thinners and I allowed this to dry. This is a good trick to keep under your belt in the event that a wash or light overspray alters your base colour too much: Filter - or several successive filters - in the corrective colour will help bring back tone and hue. In this instance, I used too much brown and several light filters of green brought me back to the green colour. The only disadvantage with using many filters is that decals and markings may become obliterated. The trick is to keep filters heavily thinned and only apply once the previous filter is absolutely dry. A

keep filters heavily thinned and only apply “once the previous filter is absolutely dry... ”

Note the build-up of pastels around the running gear. I repeated this application of pastels and spraying thinners several times each time slightly altering the colours of the earth-coloured pastels.

May 2019 - Model Military International 33

FEATURE FEA ARTICLE

International Models Asia 1:35 Tank, Light, Mk.IV

I smudged pastels with a very small amount of thinner on the brush and poked and scrubbed the pastels into the surface of the model creating blotchy patches.

B I applied a conservative amount

of brown pastels that I sanded down from artist sticks. I brushed the pastels on in very liberal amounts then airbrush Tamiya thinners neat so that the thinners dilute the pastels on the surface and hold it in place. I repeated this step 3-4 times, each time slightly altering the colours of the earthcoloured pastels. My next weathering step was applying black pigments diluted in Tamiya thinners around prominent nuts, bolts, along seams, crevices and in shadows areas. This was done by dipping my "Liner" brush into the Tamiya thinner, then into the pastels and drawing the brush along cracks, seams and around rivets. I was using the same application as I had done with the pin-wash mentioned above but this process further accentuates the shadows and more importantly, provides a dirt-like texture in the shadow areas which creates a nice gritty effect. I also added a few rain marks by drawing my liner brush in a vertical motion from any large run-off area. For my last weathering step, I smudged pastels with a very small amount of thinner on the brush and poked the pastels to the surface of the model creating blotchy patches. Once there was enough pastels applied to the surface, I used a perfectly wide dry brush and whisked the brush lightly in a downward motion over the surface to remove some of the loose pigments. The result was a blotchy dusty dirty effect that provides another layer of weathering to the surface of the model. I opted not to use any markings

The exhaust pipe was painted in Vallejo Gloss Black and then pastels were applied lightly to mute down the gloss. Exhaust pipes tend to become shiny when they heat up – I tend to shy away from the red brown rusty appearance unless the tank has been in the field and in the elements for extended periods of time.

per a few wartime photos I found other than to use an identification plate which was printed from a photo (off of a MKIV), resized and glued into place with some regular white glue.

CONCLUSION This is a lovely model of a unique and not frequently modelled subject. I plan on building one of each of the six light Mark types over the next while and this MKIV was my first. A simple model to build, inexpensive, very manageable and a lot of fun to put together. If you are looking for a simple resin model to build, take a look at IMA’s offerings. I am also working on an IMA Indian Pattern Light Tank which became the prototype of the Light Tank Mark IV (later designated as the Light Tank Mark IVA). ■

Modelspec International Models Asia 1:35 Tank, Light, Mk.IV Accessories: Tracks from Vulcan MK VI Light tank. Materials and Accessories: Hobby knife, super glue and 5 –minute Epoxy Paints and Finishing Products: Tamiya White Primer Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement Tamiya Surface Primer (White) Tamiya Two-Part Epoxy Putty Tamiya paints Olive Green XF-58, Dark Green XF-81 and JA Green XF-13 Humbrol 160, Humbrol 30 and Humbrol 170 Rembrandt Sepia oil paint, Rembrandt Olive Green oil paint Various pastel chalks (mostly browns and greens)

34 Model Military International - May 2019

A simple model to “build, inexpensive, very manageable and a lot of fun to put together...

”

I wanted to keep the weathering conservative as it was not a fighting vehicle but rather a vehicle that was maintained for training purposes.

The identification plate on the front is a resized photo and printed off of my home computer and glued into place with white glue.

Vickers Carden-Loyd Light Tank Mk IV, India. It is very similar to the Mk.IV Light Tank with the major difference in the shape of the turret. (Photo source unknown)

IMA Light Tank MK IV Indian Pattern model under construction.

May 2019 - Model Military International 35

KIT PREVIEW

Gecko Models 1:35 Cruiser Tank A9 Mk.I • Kit No. 35GM0003

Lower hull parts.

The instruction booklet.

SUPER CRUISER

The one-piece upper hull.

Luke Pitt takes a look at the second new A9 Cruiser Tank in less than a year.

W

e certainly do live in the golden age of 1:35 scale modelling, don’t we? Who would have thought that we would get another British Cruiser Tank A9 Mk.1? Gecko seems to have pushed the modelling envelope a little further yet again and produced a model that would have been unthinkable a few short years ago. The kit is presented in a largish box with a first class illustration adorning the box lid. A well printed and precise 31-page instruction book (yes, it’s a book) is included with 38 construction sequences and 6 marking choices. The instructions and the packaging have a quality feel to them and this perception is carried over to the plastic parts that make up the kit itself. 1,006 medium grey plastic parts are included across 39 sprues. In addition to this, a 35 part photo-etched fret, one medium size decal sheet and a strand of wire is included. To be fair, the massive part count is largely made up of 588 parts (over 7 sprues) for the individual link tracks. Comparisons between this and the Bronco kit are inevitable as are the different design and assembly approaches. For instance, the Gecko kit tackles the tracks by the inclusion of multiple part individual tracks. The Bronco kit does the same thing with the link and length, which is by far easier to put together. The Gecko approach is more accurate in terms of shape,

particularly on the guide horn inner profile, but it comes at a cost. The tracks themselves are very fiddly and require a fair degree of cleanup. The best way to assemble these is to glue the upper and lower track pads together and let dry. The end connectors of the track pin part can then be removed and two pad assemblies slid onto the pin part. The previously removed end connector than then be carefully glued on to where it was removed. The lower hull tub is another example; the Bronco kit is supplied as a one-piece molding where the Gecko kit addresses this area as a six-piece flat pack assembly. The sheer detail of this kit is breathtaking. The upper hull has both domed rivets and screws on the rear deck, and is covered in all the smaller fine detail that the Bronco kit lacks. The road wheels and suspension are another example. The Gecko kit exhibits much finer detail in terms of shape and definition of the smaller details with bogie springs in particular being provided as two parts as opposed to Broncos one. The Gecko approach gives the springs a see through look that is far more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The Gecko kit also provides a semi complete interior with only the engine and transmission missing. The two small hull turrets are pretty much complete both internally and externally and exhibit very fine detail on all surfaces. A nicely posed and

detailed Commander figure is included that would complement any of the desert marking choices provided. The marking choices are: • A two-tone example in Khaki Green and Dark Green from the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment 1st Armourded Division stationed in the France in 1940. • A three-tone Caunter scheme “Antelope” from the 1st Armoured Division stationed in Libya 1940. • An overall Portland Sone example from the 7th tArmored Division stationed in Egypt in 1940. • A two-tone (of Khaki Green and Dark green) example from the 5th Royal Tank Regiment 1STArmourded Division stationed in the France in 1940. • A three-tone “Caunter” scheme from the 1st Royal Tank Regiment stationed within the Tobruk Garrison 1941. • An overall Portland Stone example from the 1st Royal tank regiment 7th Armored Division stationed in Egypt in 1940. The Gecko kit is not perfect by any stretch and the overly complex nature of the track assembly comes to mind. In terms of detail however, it is superior to the Bronco kit in many of the smaller details. Both kits are fine out of the box but may well appeal to a different building demographic. If you want a quick build buy the Bronco kit. If you want a detailed build as I do then buy the Gecko kit. Highly Recommended. ■

Thanks to Gecko for the sample www.gecko-models.com Six marking options are offered.

36 Model Military International - May 2019

A small sample of the interior detail parts.

The workable track links. Edge track pins are used to secure these.

Check out the beautiful plastic see-through spring. Amazing!

The kit photo-etched fret.

Kit decals.

EW in the ‘HOW TO BUILD...’ series How to Build... TAMIYA’S 1:48 SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK.I

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When Tamiya released their 1:32 scale Spitfire Mk.IXc in 2009, they set a new standard for plastic model kits. As one of the most popular subjects in the history of scale modelling, we should not be surprised to find that Tamiya has now released an all-new Spitfire kit in 1:48 scale. Tamiya’s brand new 1:48 scale Spitfire Mk.I delivers innovative design, outstanding detail, an accurate outline and crisp, subtle surface textures. This model has nothing at all in common with their 1993 kit. Between these covers, we provide an exhaustive step-by-step illustrated guide to building Tamiya’s 1:48 scale Spitfire Mk.I straight from the box plus tips on painting and weathering. Plenty of inspiration is offered with two different configurations plus a conversion to the Photo Reconnaissance version with models by Brett Green and Marcus Nicholls. Also included are a walkaround of a surviving Spitfire Mk.I, a summary of other Spitfire Mk.I model kits available in 1:48 scale, a list of available accessories and decals plus a catalogue of helpful references.

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FEATURE FEA ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 Panther G • Kit No. 32520

PINT SIZED John Bonanni brings us Tamiya’s 1:48 scale Panther with an interesting twist using an aftermarket conversion.

38 Model Military International - May 2019

D PANTHER

May 2019 - Model Military International 39

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 Panther G • Kit No. 32520

A benefit of the diecast hull is that all the wheels are perfectly aligned. However, hull details are soft and limited.

Wheel and track assemblies have been popped off and set aside until painting. Only the outer most set of road wheels is left off during the painting process.

T

his project began with a completely different vehicle in mind. Initially, I had ambitions of converting Tamiya’s gorgeous 1:48 Panther Ausf. G to an A variant. However, after inspecting the conversion kit I determined the hull required more work than I was willing to spend in order to bring it up to standard. After realizing this I began to think of alternatives. As time passed I forgot about this project until reading the excellent Panther: External Appearance and Design Changes. This book is arguably one of the best references on the Panther tank. On page 190 a unique knocked out Panther is pictured in front of the Hotel Ardennes in the small town of Lignueville, Belgium. The photographs clearly indicated a vehicle that had a turret with Zimmerit and a hull without. I had my project back on track!

MIXED BAG The vehicle I was modeling was specifically a Panzer Befehls Wagon (Pz.Bef.Wg.) or command vehicle. It differed from standard Panthers; most notably with additional communications equipment and decreased ammunition storage. With these modifications came increased assembly time at the MAN factory. During the assembly process Zimmerit application

Minor additions were all that was needed to spice up the hull. Mainly, the simple strip handles were replaced with wire and the forward periscopes were added using styrene.

occurred at the beginning. Around the time when this vehicle was being manufactured, September 1944, the order was given to cease the application of Zimmerit. Therefore, MAN was faced with an interesting situation where at least two Pz.Bef.Wg. Panthers were finished with Zimmerit coated turret and bare hull. Before leaving the factory MAN vehicles received a standard camouflage scheme, which was followed until the very end of the war. In this case the base colour was Dunkelgelb RAL 7028 followed by Olivgrun RAL 6003 and Rotbraun RAL 8017. It’s also noteworthy that the muzzle break was masked off and left Dunkelgelb.

Photo etch mesh from the spares box was cut to shape and installed on the engine deck. This simple addition is a must for most German vehicles.

A quick and easy way to fill large joints without sanding is to use 5-minute epoxy. Simply run a bead of epoxy down the joint. Next, take a cotton swab damp with denatured alcohol and run it over the joint before the epoxy has set.

What wasn’t to be. This is my initial mockup for the conversion. Unfortunately, there was too much work needed to bring the hull to a usable state.

By contrast, the turret casting was nice and only required a few kit parts to be complete.

40 Model Military International - May 2019

EASY BEGINNINGS Construction began on the lower hull by removing the wheels and transmission housings for attachment to the diecast tub. Fortunately, Tamiya has decided to go away from using the diecast hull, which has soft details and fixed torsion bar arms. Next, the road wheels were temporarily bonded to the torsion bar arms using stationary white glue. Once allowed to dry overnight the link and length tracks were attached using Tamiya Extra Thin liquid cement. At this time injection pin marks were filled on the inner track surface as well. After letting cure overnight the entire wheel and track assembly was popped off. As mentioned before I intended to convert Tamiya’s kit to a Panther A, but further inspection showed poor cast details and a warped upper hull. The amount of work required to fix these issues was too much for my liking so I pulled an audible and decided to build a hybrid vehicle. Attention was turned back to the kit supplied upper hull by attaching the tools and other details. Hatch handles were clipped off and replaced with wire and photoetch mesh was added to the engine deck. A few details were also replaced with styrene to achieve a more in-scale appearance. A

With all of the tools attached the model was ready for primer to reveal any possible building flaws.

The brass barrel provided in the kit is from Aber and didn’t fit snuggly into the mantlet, which left a large gap.

The photographs clearly “ indicated a vehicle that had a turret with Zimmerit and a hull without. I had my project back on track..!

”

The large gap beneath the gun barrel was filled with Aves Apoxy Sculpt prior to painting.

May 2019 - Model Military International 41

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 Panther G • Kit No. 32520

The finish from Gunze Sanyo’s Mr. Red Oxide Surfacer 1000 is outstanding. The smooth surface texture clearly highlighted any flaws.

The six spare track links per side are molded as one piece which doesn’t appear realistic. A quick fix is to use a micro saw to separate them.

B PAINTING HURDLES Priming the vehicle at first was a straightforward step, the tracks and wheels were sprayed in black while the turret and hull received a coat of Gunze Sanyo Mr. Red Oxide Surfacer. This was the first time I tried Gunze’s option and I’m impressed with the results. The resulting finished is silky smooth and it adheres well to the differing materials. My enjoyment came to a screeching halt when the primer began to literally flake off of the resin turret. Prior to priming, the turret was washed and scrubbed with dish soap. After removing all of the red primer the turret was washed and scrubbed with denatured alcohol followed by a coat of hardware store aerosol paint. To my amazement the same flaking happened again, another road block. The only next step was to use lacquer thinner to clean the resin in hopes the paint would adhere. Before applying another coat of primer I asked for feedback on Facebook and was recommended to use Tamiya White Primer. What did I have to lose! Fortunately, the combination proved successful and the paint was firmly fixed to the resin surface. The predominant colour of the vehicle was olive green so the first coat of paint on the model was AMMO’s Olivgrun Opt 2. The paint was thinned 1:1 with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner and slowly built up in multiple light coats. Several other AMMO colours followed to complete the vehicles standard factory applied camouflage pattern. Once finished the entire model received a thin coat of X-22 Clear for protection against decal setting solutions and weathering effects.

Tamiya primer came to the rescue to firmly cover the pesky resin.

The first green base colour used was AMMO’s Olivgrun Opt. 2; when mixed with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner the finish is absolutely smooth.

NUMEROUS NUMBERS In addition to the standard turret numbers a common feature on late war Panthers was the vehicle registration number on the front glacis. This six digit number is the key to determining when and where it was built. The decals used to create the registration number were sourced from a Dragon 1:35 Sd.Kfz 251 kit, which provided A

42 Model Military International - May 2019

AMMO’s Reseda Green was used to lighten the base colour and Schokobraun and Dunkelgelb Aus ’44 completed the camouflage scheme.

Period photographs were used to accurately replicate the MAN factory applied camouflage scheme.

Tools and other details were hand painted using a variety of AMMO and Vallejo acrylics.

Decal setting solution is highly recommended to ensure a proper adhesion and eliminate silvering.

A small number vinyl mask set made by Eduard was used to mask the vehicles distinctive turret numbers. If used carefully these masked can be used multiple times.

Bottled weathering effects are an easy way to accomplish a variety of techniques. In this case I used AMMO’s Brown Wash for Green Vehicles for a highly concentrated pin wash.

To further blend the bright camouflage colours a highly diluted filter (1:10) of Tamiya Buff was airbrushed uniformly over the entire model. After letting dry for ten minutes the excess wash, refer to previous picture, was cleaned off leaving crisp shadows. May 2019 - Model Military International 43

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 Panther G • Kit No. 32520

Streaking and fading effects were accomplished using the dot filter technique with AMMO’s Oilbrushers, which are great product for modelers looking to experiment and develop their oil painting skills.

Chipped paint along the vehicles edges and high traffic areas were added using a sponge and brush. Before application to the vehicle the sponge was loaded with paint and then dabbed on a piece of paper until the marks looked similar in shape and size as chips.

The mud and dust process began on the suspension components with a heavy wash using Oilbrusher Buff.

Pigments were mixed with tap water to create a paste that was then spread onto the tracks and allowed to dry overnight.

44 Model Military International - May 2019

Multiple shades and layers of pigments were added to the lower hull. Speckling aided in blending the pigments from the muddy lower hull to rather clean upper hull.

B countless license plate numbers.

Decals from the spares box were also used for the Balkenkreuz on the rear and sides of the hull. Micro Sol and Set aided in decal adhesion and once dry it was near impossible to see the decal outlines. The large turret numbers were applied using masks from Eduard. Intended for 1:35 vehicles, these small numbers matched perfectly for large 1:48 numbers. The exact colour of inner portion of the number is unknown for this unit. Multiple sources differ between red and black. Desiring colour I choose to go with red. The larger portion of the mask was used to create the white outline followed by the inner red portion. I experienced minimal overspray and only a few minor touchups were needed with a brush.

Black oil paint helped create the dark stains on the rear plate. At this time the exhaust stacks were also picked out with Lifecolor acrylics.

TAMED WEATHERING To unify the dramatic camouflage colours a light brown filter of 1:10, thinner to oil paint, was applied. After allowing to dry overnight a pin wash using added to enhance detail depth. A fine tipped brush was used for application to ensure the dark wash wouldn’t affect the vehicles overall appearance. Any excess wash was removed with a

clean brush dampened with mineral spirits. Weathering continued with the dot filter technique; small oil dots placed on the vehicle and then blended. For this step I only used three colours, which were in the same colour range as the camouflage colours. Following placement the dots were blended in a streaking motion for vertical

surfaces and a stumping pattern for horizontal surfaces. Again, the model was set aside to dry overnight. Chipped paint was replicated using AMMO’s Chipping Color, which was applied with a flat bristle brush and sponge. Attention was turned to the lower hull and suspension by first adding a heavy dust wash. Next,

a slurry of pigment and tap water was mixed and applied with an old brush. Once dry, speckling darker and lighter pigments help add further depth and texture. A few road wheel hubs were picked out with Mars Black oil paint for oil stains. Gun metal pigment highlighted the track contact points and edges of the vehicle. A

This photo illustrates a method I have been practicing lately while building German vehicles. The outline of the turret is clearly shown indicating the turret was in place when the camouflage scheme was added at the factory.

Subtle layers of oil paint speckling built up the layers of dust on the horizontal surfaces. Any mistakes were easily fixed with a brush dampened with mineral spirits.

Track wear was highlighted using AK’s Gun Metal pigment. Despite using multiple tools, it seems the best way to apply it is with your finger.

Black oil paint was used again, this time mixed with AK’s Oil Stains, to create the rear deck oil stains. Multiple layers with varied opacity helped build up the pattern. May 2019 - Model Military International 45

FEATURE ARTICLE

Tamiya 1:48 Panther G • Kit No. 32520

The same oil stain mixture used on the engine deck was applied to some of the hubs. It’s important to vary the intensity between wheels and in some cases leave them without a stain.

B FINAL THOUGHTS After almost calling quits several times throughout this project I’m very happy with the result. The vehicles history allowed me to create a unique subject in an underserved scale for armor modeling. Simple additions to the Tamiya kit brought it to a state that’s passable for 1:35. I hope manufacturers release more 1:48 armor subjects. One last thing I’d like to emphasize is the ability to mix AMMO acrylics with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. I wish I could tell you how and why it works, but I can’t. I’m just glad it does! ■

Modelspec Tamiya 1:48 Panther G. Kit No. 32520 Accessories Used: Tank Workshop Panther A Conversion Generic photo etch mesh Tools and Materials Used: Tamiya Extra Thin Liquid Cement 5 Minute Epoxy Waldron Subminiature Punch and Die Set Microscale Industries – Micro Sol, Micro Set Iwata HP-C Airbrush Paints and Finishing Products: • AMMO Acrylics – Dunkelgelb Aus’ 44,Schokobraun, Olivgrun Opt 2, Resedagrun, Rubber & Tires, New Wood • AK Interactive Enamels – Engine Oil, Fresh Mud • AK Interactive Pigments – European Earth • AMMO Enamels – Wash for German Dark Yellow • AMMO Oilbrushers – Dust, Buff, Rust, Field Green, Dark Mud • Windsor Newton Oil Paints – Mars Black • Tamiya Acrylics – Buff, Clear • Mr. Color – Leveling Thinner • LifeColor Acrylics – Burned Rust, Corroded Rust, Streaking Rust • Humbrol Enamel Thinner • Gunze Sanyo - Mr. Red Oxide Surfacer 1000 ✓ Perfect fit (Tamiya). ✗ Casting quality (Tank Workshop). Available from Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net

Rating 46 Model Military International - May 2019

Several layers of multiple acrylic rust colours helped achieve the spare tracks appearance. The last step was to add dry pigments to enhance the texture.

After almost “ calling quits several times throughout this project I’m very happy with the result...

”

May 2019 - Model Military International 47

KIT PREVIEW

Rye Field Model 1:35 German Schützenpanzer PUMA • Kit No. 5021

The upper hull includes some impressive detail moulded in place.

The lower hull main part with sponsons moulded either side.

NEXT GENERATION PUMA

Shock absorbers are moulded as part of the hull sides.

Rye Field Model has added a 1:35 German Schützenpanzer PUMA to their range. Andrew Judson takes a look.

R

ye Field Model is a relatively new player in the industry, although they have already released many excellent kits in a short time from WWII subjects including Tigers, Panthers, to the modern era with their series of Abrams and the amazing Breacher vehicle. Now, here is another modern subject and a welcome one at that. The current German Puma first came into official active service in 2015 after many trials until the powers decided this was to be the new replacement for the effective, though ageing Marder. It is planned to have 350 new Pumas delivered for service by 2020. The vehicle is armed with the Rheinmetall 30mm auto canon, and also a 5.56mm MG4. Its powered by a 1090 hp engine and has the capability carry six fully equipped

troops, ready to be deployed at short notice. Now let’s have a look at the kit. Firstly you are presented with a decent-sized high-grade cardboard box, with some very nice box art of this vehicle. Upon opening, you will find 11 sprues of tan coloured plastic, one small sprue of clear, a single photo-etched fret and a length of copper cable, giving you a total parts count of 700 parts. There is also a sheet of decals, and an 18 page instruction sheet, well-illustrated and what appears to be in a logical order. Within the instructions there is a colour profile paint guide as recommended by MIG AMMO. The build starts with the turret, which is quite impressive, with very nice detail. Next it moves onto the driveline, though I did note, there are no details on the track assembly or

amount of links required per side? We then move onto the upper hull details and lastly the bar armour assemblies that attach to the rear of the vehicle. I think that this is going to be a very nice kit once built, though as mentioned, due to lack of track instructions, care will be needed in that area. I do like the fact that there are some subtle yet nice surface details with the anti-slip texture. Take care not to drown that in paint! For all modern armour modellers, I recommend this kit as a great subject. This is a welcome and clearly superior replacement for the old Revell kit. I like it! ■

The kit includes individual track links.

Nicely done three-dimensional bar armour.

Thanks to Rye Field Model for the sample www.facebook. com/ryefieldmodel/

Turret parts.

The kit photo-etched fret.

48 Model Military International - May 2019

The decal sheet includes a useful number jungle for the license plate.

The rear hull plate with an opening for the separate hatch.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Stormtroopers 1:9 Dacian Warrior, 2nd Century AD

DACIAN WARRIOR Adrian Hopwood paints a Dacian Warrior from the 2nd Century AD.

50 Model Military International - May 2019

T

he second century AD was still a time when the might of Rome was flexing its muscles and expanding its borders. True there were a few reverses in fortune with the uncontrollable Picts in the north of Britain, and the Celtic tribes in Spain, but Eastern Europe suffered most because the Germanic tribes and their cousins to the east seemed a lot easier to subdue. As it was, the Roman Legions annexed most of what is now Germany and continued east. Their setting up of military camps, engineering skills for crossing rivers and travelling substantial distances supported by supply trains and their formidable strength of arms carried all before them... up until they reached the Danube. Here the land had become increasingly mountainous and the Danube itself was a very wide river that even the Roman engineers found a difficult proposition to bridge. The Dacians came into the frame at about this point, thought to be related to Thracians, they had also connections to the Scythians and possibly Celts during the fourth century BC. A mix of cultures, but all of them warlike. Dacia spanned a large area. In modern terms it covered portions of Romania, Moldova, with parts of Southern Poland, Ukraine, Eastern Serbia, Slovakia, Hungary and northern Bulgaria. To the Romans, the peoples of this area were known as the Getae and as Dacus in ancient writings – both interchangeable terms – but levelling out to us as the Dacians. A lot was written about them by the Greek writers of the times like Horace, Lucian and Vergil to name but a few, and on into Roman times where even Hadrian wrote about them. The Romans did seem to partition the terms to indicate that they viewed the Getae as occupying lands that were more to the east, whereas “Dacian” was ascribed to tribes that were occupying lands closer to Rome’s invasion forces entering the region from the west. The Dacians religion seems to have been centred on wolves, either the terminology for their warriors once they had passed through initiation ceremonies, the taking on of the lifestyle of the pack, or possibly the belief that certain individuals could transform into the shape of a wolf all mix in to some rather muddy water regarding their belief system. Images and statuary of wolves do seem to feature heavily in anything to do with Dacians of those times, with small pottery depictions of wolves and banners carved on Roman victory columns remaining today. As with all ancient history, the picture is never clear. The Dacians are thought to have had no written form of their language, which in itself is argued to be either a version of Thracian, or quite possibly a distinctly separate language ( well, it’ll likely be one or the other. But as both languages have died out except in the names of places or plants, we’re unlikely to know ). So the information we have is gleaned from two sources – Roman and Greek carvings and writings or archaeological finds. And whilst the written records are enlightening, it has to be said that from the Roman point of view, it’s a view of a people that were seen as an enemy or as being subjugated. However, the Roman carvings do seem to have had a lot of care taken about them with the artist that produced the Trajan Column going to great lengths to depict not only warriors, but different levels of the Dacian populace including women and children.

What we’re interested in here though is the warriors, and again a feature of the Roman carvings is that the Dacians did suffer defeat and both the enemy warriors and the spoils of war are depicted accurately. The appearance of scale armour, oval and round shields, the peculiar curved swords and the different shaped helmets are all given to us via these historical Roman records. Worth focusing on is the curved sword that seems to be a peculiarity of the Dacians at that time. Whether this was developed or became more common because of the Roman invasions isn’t quite clear. Its design and use though are documented as although at first glance the sword would appear to be a curved blade similar in make-up to say a Cutlass or Tulwar, it has one serious difference. The sharpened edge is on the inside of the curve rather on the outside of it, so it was more like a heavy duty Sickle or perhaps a scythe with a hilted handle. The blade was relatively heavy too, and the curved point was apparently quite devastating if used overhand to pierce the Roman Helmets. Up until this point, the Roman Legions had only encountered exuberant Celts dashing at them without formation, without tactical thought and with lots of space between each warrior so he could swing his sword. In comparison we know that the tight formations that the Romans used with shields locked together and the short Gladuis used to thrust between the shields creating a meat grinder effect that allowed the Legions to roll over attackers efficiently and very effectively. The advent of an enemy striking over the top of the shield wall, striking at the top of helmets that were not meant to stand piercing attacks was a shock. It allowed the Dacians some advantages, and slowed the Roman advances. The Romans regarded the Dacians were a troublesome lot although it was due to a lot of raiding and skirmishing prior to the rise of Burebista who came to power in the middle of the 1st Century BC. Rome saw him as a threat although with Burebista’s death in 44BC Dacia became split and the threat dissipated. A century later though a new king of the Dacians rose – Decebalus ( ruled 87AD – 106AD ) and this new threat caused Emperor Trajan ( ruled 97AD – 117AD ) to gather forces for invasion. Trajan’s forces spanned the river Danube with a boat bridge, entering Dacia and conquering it. Decebalus was forced to signs a treaty which neither side really viewed as binding in the long term. Decebalus gathered forces and had a Greek engineer build a stone bridge to cross the Danube, but Trajan recognised the threat and had his forces cross the Danube a second time and on this occasion the defeat was decisive. The Dacian capital was captured and whilst Decebalus escaped to the mountains, the Roman pursuit was harsh and fast, the Dacian king being cornered and choosing to commit suicide rather than be captured and paraded through Rome as a slave before being put to death. The Romans hailed Trajan’s success as a great victory and the celebrations were the longest and most expensive then known with the records stating that eleven thousand animals were slaughtered during the festival and the same number of gladiators fought in games held during the hundred and twenty three day

celebrations. Part of the cost was likely offset by the masses of gold from the Dacian mines that were taken in the conquest along with animals captured along the return and warriors enslaved after the battle with them then being forced to fight within the gladiatorial contest.

THE MODEL Okay, an admission. Pegaso did a little 54mm figure of a Dacian several years ago, it was a beautiful sculpt and before I got hold of one a chap called Steve Walker got one painted up. It was a beauty and kind of made it redundant me painting one – I didn’t think I’d be able to do one that looked that good. Years later, I wish I’d put one of those on the Grey Army shelf, but then up pops this larger scale bust from Stormtroopers, looking very similar and very nice too. My hand was in my pocket before I even had a conscious thought. So, sculpture by Carl Reid – not much I can say about that, Carl does a very good job of whatever he’s sculpting, parts fit where they’re supposed to and volumes and anatomy are what you’re expect from a chap who’s been sculpting for over twenty years that I’m aware of. He’ll probably be able to tell you exactly how long before that he was pushing putty about, but then he’d seem old and ancient and we wouldn’t want that. Suffice to say, it was a nice sculpt. Casting, very good too, everything I’d expect from Stuart Hale, and along with a sturdy box with art by Ernesto Reyes, it all looks good. There’s the usual casting blocks to remove along with a couple of restrained mould part lines, but nothing to catch you out and nothing to cause any problems. Parts split is logical, and I chose to keep most things separate until after the painting process. The only exception is where the shield strap that passes across the body in a diagonal line extends to fasten to the shield’s inner face. This is a separate piece of resin and can only be fastened in place once the shield is attached to the back of the bust. I fastened the left arm in place too, and had a little fun getting the strap into position. So attach the shield first, then the strap, THEN the arm once the strap is painted... See, I’m being your stunt double for this one already! A

May 2019 - Model Military International 51

FEATURE ARTICLE

Stormtroopers 1:9 Dacian Warrior, 2nd Century AD

PREPARATION We show you the nicely painted box art by Ernesto Reyes, and yet again I’m out of the trap and on my way before taking shots of the raw resin parts. In this shot I’ve painted all the metallic areas with printers inks and oils. I began with a primer of black acrylic mixed with Isopropyl Alcohol, adding two further layers of black acrylic to make for a solid coating. Over this I added a shadow colour mixed from bronze Printers Ink and Mars Black oils, then painted each of the scales with a mid tone colour using just the Bronze Ink. A couple of highlights were added from Old Gold and then Silver Printers Ink. The beauty of the Printers ink is that whilst the carrier does evaporate off the inks don’t actually dry unless heated up. So the colours can be blended on the figure in a similar way to using oils. The model was put in a drying cabinet overnight and then the metallic areas sealed with a couple of layers of Tamiya Smoke (X19). This stops the metallic flakes spreading and getting onto areas that you don’t want them. I also undercoated areas that weren’t going to be metallic so that again any errant paint couldn’t migrate. I’ve also painted the face, it’s one that’s full of character and has plenty of wrinkles to play about with. I also did the arms and hands that were bare flesh as well whilst I had the paints out – the usual mix of Titanium White and Mars Brown.

Whilst that was all drying I started on the back of the shield. This photo shows the undercoated shield. As you can see there are what appear to be some uneven marks on the shield, these are where the arm will contact it and also where the cross strap piece will fasten on. There’s no need to mess about smoothing them out as they will not be visible on the finished piece.

This one shows the first addition of the oil paint – Mars Brown applied with a Ð inch wide brush. The paint is put on without any thinner being added and is spread out a lot so that the brush marks remain to begin to look like grain detail.

The next shot shows more of the pale yellow, more of a cream colour really, being added and the brush I was now using to apply it. It’s a 1/16th inch flat brush, and again the paint is added without thinner and quite lightly so that lines are left in the colour. Next for some fine detail.

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There’s a fair difference between the last photo and this one where I’ve gone back to the metallic areas with the addition of some Classic Gold from Darkstar Miniatures. It’s an acrylic paint with a very finely ground pigment in the metallic colours and whilst it’s slightly transparent, it gives s superb shine. I used it on the helmet and scale armour, then recoated with more of the Tamiya Smoke acrylic.

I’ve begun to add more paint, again with the large brush and without cleaning it in white spirit. Simply wiping most of the oil paint off is sufficient. The lighter colour being added here is Mars yellow, and the upper half has had just that colour added, with the lower half beginning the addition of a mix of Mars yellow and Titanium White. One thing to remember is that after each pass of the brush it must be wiped clean on a soft cloth. The reason for this is that as the brush passes over the surface of the model and it’s putting new colour on, it’s also taking some of the darker colour OFF the surface. If you don’t wipe that darker colour off, then it’ll just add to what you do on the next brush stroke and you’ll end up with muddy looking colours all mixed together. So, get in the habit of wiping the brush after each pass.

The brush being used here is a Winsor and Newton series 7, Size 1 and I’m now adding small amounts of a mix of Mars Brown and Mars Black. This is where all the fine grain detail is added – knots, darker grain and any shakes or cracks in the wood and in photo #9 the whole shield has been treated to this method. This all needed to dry before I could mark in the individual planks.

So back to the main casting and the painting of the cloak. I didn’t want anything too bright or glaring, and opted to use some reddish browns for this section of the model. I began with mars Brown and added some light red to build up mid tones, then thinking that this might be a woollen garment moved to a cream colour to add highlights mixed from Mars Yellow and Titanium White – you’d almost think I was using the left over paint from doing the back of the shield...

Another angle shows more of the cloak and also the beard. With all the wrinkles on that face I was thinking that this guy was aging prematurely – hard life and looking like he was ancient even though he was possibly only late twenties or maybe mid thirties, old for a warrior in those times I would guess. So I thought I’d paint the beard as though it was beginning to grey, using more of the Mars Brown, but this time with a bit of Mars Black mixed in, and then adding a little of the light Red (which is more of a rust colour) and adding the grey areas from some of the left over cream mix that I’d made for the cloak.

This shows how easy the back of the model is to paint – nothing difficult about that big open space where the shield will fasten on... So moving swiftly along and we’re back to the shield. Having accessed a few books and also the Internet regarding Dacians, I got the impression that they, like the Celts, loved their decoration. There are notes from texts written about them when Rome was battling them that they were pale of complexion, blue eyed and tattooed, and Trajan’s column depicts designs on some of their shields.

SHIELD I didn’t want to go daft with an intricate design that was over the top, but did want to add something to brighten up the shield... Yes, even though it’s on his back. This photo shows the main cover of the shield – likely a piece of leather has been painted in and allowed to dry off. I’ve also painted in the metal fittings of the diamond shape and rivets although I’ve not yet added the metal edging. Once all that was dry I could begin marking out the pattern. I took this from a design I found on the internet – OK not the most reliable source I admit, but it did echo the shape of a lot of the different designs I’d seen so far. The lower half of the shield design has been marked out with a very dark brown mix, just visible along the edges of the Mars Yellow that I’ve used to fill to leave only the dark outline visible. I used oil paints for this as mistakes can be rectified with a damp brush soaked in White spirit, and patterns can be trimmed again with the same brush – just clean it each time it’s used. In the upper half of the shield I’ve started adding lighter colours – a cream then a pure white using a small brush and stippling the paint on in small dots.

To help, I’ve also added a close up shot of just the design at this stage. It’s not perfectly neat at this stage, as I say, adjustments will be made to tie in the shape of the design and where the colours are laid out, but it gives you an idea of what’s going on.

This shows the finished design, and all that needs doing now is the edge of the shield painting with metallic inks.

May 2019 - Model Military International 53

FEATURE ARTICLE

Stormtroopers 1:9 Dacian Warrior, 2nd Century AD

THE FINISHED MODEL The final shots show the model finished. It had been looking a bit dull so far, so I opted to paint the sleeves and belt with a nice bright turquoise colour – I did actually grey this out a bit by adding black and white to it, but it still looks very! I looked to pottery produced at that period and particularly to any figures depicted on it for ideas about tattoos. The spikes on the left arm are found on a pottery jug from the period, the squiggly line with its borders again are on a few pottery examples and the “V” shape is on the arms of a warrior – again a depiction on pottery unearthed from around two millennia ago. The “V” shapes on the figure on the pottery are on both arms and there’s about four or five running up each arm, I chose just to do the one. One admission I have to make is replacing the sword hilt. I was a little bit out with the fit of the arm somehow when I’d attached the wrist (What is it with test fitting something – it’s perfect when it’s in the raw resin, but just add paint and nowt fits anymore !). Anyway, a slight bit of bending, gentle like, and there was a miniscule “crack” sort of “crack” noise and I’d managed to snap the hilt. I could have just glued it, but to be honest a blind man galloping past on horseback at midnight would’ve spotted the joint, so I decided to cut it back to the metal ring in the centre of the hilt, drill a couple of holes and insert a wire of the correct length and add some putty to fill out the shape. You’ll probably have to add a small amount of putty to the joint in the cross belt where it joins onto the body, but that is the only time I actually needed to add filler (excepting being a heavy handed fool regarding the sword). A brass tube a nice angle sided plinth from Oakwood Studios (Please stop asking Richard for these – he says they’re terribly difficult to make... My answer being that they look so good). And that was it really. Okay the short sword or long dagger – browns and metallic inks again folks, I just kept using those same colours – must’ve laid too much out on the tile I use for a palette. Things to watch for with this one – well, the short sword, shield and the left hand hang a fair way down below the cut off point of the body of the bust, so either a plinth with a narrow top or a longer than usual post to mount the piece on should be considered. Also, as mentioned in the text, add the shield to the back of the model, then that extra bit of cross strap, then after that’s fastened, filled and painted, then add the left arm. And watch the blade-like decoration on the helmet. I dropped the main casting prior to painting and it snapped off. It glued back fine and it’s my own fault, but it is rather delicate as it’s a thin piece of resin, so try not to drop him – perhaps that should be just a note to me then. The pommel stone doesn’t protrude very far from the hand, it would be a moments trouble to add a small piece of putty to make this stand out from the little finger on the right hand – something I’m going to do right after typing this.

SUMMING UP I am so glad that I got this model. As mentioned early on, I really liked the Pegaso figure, and this is every bit as good, just bigger and easier for my eyes to see that have aged fifteen years since I saw the Pegaso piece. I enjoyed painting this, even though I made a couple of problems for myself, it’s actually very easy to put together, Carl has hidden all the joints so there’s no need for putty apart from that cross belt where I can’t see how it could have been done any differently, and as is so common with Carl’s pieces, it exudes a “Look at me” presence that catches people’s eyes. Maybe it’s because it’s a little bit bigger than most of the busts on offer at the moment, maybe the pose has that bit more attitude, or perhaps it’s the composition with that left arm hanging down... Maybe it’s all of these, but whatever, I do rather like it. ■

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Incoming TAMIYA 1:35 SCALE JAPAN GROUND SELF DEFENSE FORCE TYPE 16 MCV METAL GUN BARREL ITEM NO. 12686

TAMIYA

Tamiya has released an upgrade for their excellent 1:35 scale Japan Ground Self Defense Force Type 16 MCV. This is a new one-piece turned metal gun barrel. This is a luxurious accessory that looks beautiful in its shiny alloy finish, but its two big advantages are the smooth barrel with no seam lines to clean up, and its impressively crisp and deep spiralpattern holes in the muzzle brake. Instructions are barely required but Tamiya provides them anyway. The metal barrel will be partially encased in the plastic kit parts for the fume extractor and the fabric cover for the base of the barrel. If you are building Tamiya’s new 1:35 scale Japan Ground Self Defense Force Type 16 MCV, this new replacement metal barrel is a worthwhile upgrade. Recommended. Thanks to Tamiya for the sample www.tamiya.com Tamiya products are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.com Brett Green

1:35 SCALE US MCI CARTONS (VIETNAM WAR) ITEM NO. 12685 This new accessory has been timed to coincide with the release of Tamiya’s 1:35 scle M551 Sheridan kit, but it will be useful for virtually any Vietnam War era vehicle, vignette or diorama. The set contains one sheet of brown paper with printed outlines and details for eleven MCI (Meal, Combat, Individual) cartons. All the printed detail is sharp and readable, albeit you’ll need magnification for the smaller fonts. Each carton is made up from three folded pieces of paper. Each must be cut out from the overall sheet and folded along the printed dotted lines. Instructions for the folding and assembly are offered in text and diagrams. These are quite clear and easy to understand. This will be a simple way to add convincing stowage to your Vietnam War vehicles. Recommended. Thanks to Tamiya for the sample www.tamiya.com Tamiya products are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.com Brett Green

DEF MODELS 1:35 SCALE US M551 SHERIDAN TANK 152 MM BARREL SETS ITEMS DM35087 (EARLY) DM35088 (LATE) DEF Model is fast becoming an aftermarket producer of choice for many. Their range is expanding and it is pleasant to see they have released two new additions for the recently released Tamiya Sheridan. Now I know what most of you are now thinking. Why would I purchase these when Tamiya has already released an update set for it? Well, if you just want the barrel then these two sets give you the option of either the early barrel (as in the Tamiya update) or the late barrel. In addition, the DEF barrels have the rifling as a small photo-etch plate that you simply roll up and place in the inside of the barrel itself. The only negative noticed was the hollowed out section of the barrel itself may be a tad shallow for some, otherwise these are two very welcome updates. Highly Recommended. Thanks to DEF Model for the samples www.defmodel.com Luke Pitt May 2019 - Model Military International 55

A round-up of the latest news and releases in 1:72 and 1:76 HAULER 1:72 SCALE RESIN KIT 42 CM HAUBITZE M. 17(T) KIT NO. HLP72028

ZVEZDA 1:100 SCALE SOVIET MEDIUM TANK T-44 KIT NO. 6238 This is another model in Zvezda’s Art of Tactic series and is a representation of a little-seen Soviet design, the T-44. The T-44 was planned and designed towards the end of World War Two but never saw combat in that conflict. It was meant to replace the T-34 and was to offer an improved ride, better cross-country performance and better armour. However, the Soviets decided to stick with the T-34 and used the T-44 turret to up-gun it to the T-34/85. Only 2,000 were built, but it was the precursor of the T-54/55 series of tanks post war. The model is packed in an end opening box with a nice piece of artwork on the front depicting the tank travelling cross-country and the finished model with assembly instructions on the rear of the box. Inside are two sprues with eleven parts, the first sprue has the hull upper and lower halves and the other sprue the turret, gun and running gear mouldings. There is no flash noticeable on the mouldings and they appear well detailed. Considering these are meant as wargame pieces they display a fine degree of detail for their size and I have seen them made up into very nice display pieces by Braille Scale modellers. As an indication of how seriously this is being taken, there are now aftermarket products for this scale. So whether you are going to use it as a wargames piece or as a detailed model, this is a nice little kit and will make up very well. Recommended. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net Paul Giles

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This monster was a superheavy siege howitzer used by AustriaHungary during WWI and by Nazi Germany during WWII. It was designed to penetrate the weakly armoured decks of heavy warships. Howitzers were cheaper to produce than other artillery weapons and could be hidden behind hills to avoid the expense of armouring them. These particular weapons were designed to be set up on a turntable carriage set in a concrete foundation, able to traverse a full 360° for all-around defence. On the 14th of January 1915, Howitzer No. 2, assigned to Küstenhaubitze Batterie (Coastal Howitzer Battery) no. 1, fired its first shot at the railway station in Tarnow, Austrian Poland. Eight model M14s were eventually ordered (along with a spare barrel and cradle), although one was retained by Skoda. Barrel production was very slow, and few made it into full service. One surviving M14 was used in 1940 by Nazi Germany to shell the Ouvrage Schoenenbourg from a position near Oberotterbach because the larger 60- and 80-cm guns later used by the Third Reich were not ready in time for the French campaign, so World War I vintage heavy pieces like this had to be used. The Skoda, apparently the sole M17 model, entered German possession following the annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1938/39, and was renamed the 42 cm Haubitze(t); it also served at Leningrad and Sevastopol, even though its barrel life was rated to only 1,000 rounds This howitzer is apparently the subject of this Hauler kit but I stand to be corrected as I am way outside my area of interest and expertise. It was quite a monster, weighing in at 105 tonnes (231,000 lbs) and its 630cm (20’8”) long barrel could send a 1000kg shell over 12.5km at the rate of six to eight rounds per minute. The beast required a crew of 27 chaps! * Previously Extratech have made this weapon in 1/35 and 1/72 but I do not know the tie-up with Hauler, although Hauler is tied in with Brengun. This is a quality resin kit that comes in a strong end-opening cardboard box with a photo of a completed model on the top. Parts are in small plastic bags but curiously there is none of the familiar foam packing that most resin manufacturers use. The resin is backed up with two large thick PE sheets for the mounting turntable, shields, control wheels, handles, hatches, shell cradle, a name plate and other bits and bobs. A neat vignette could be built on a suitable base and the main platform could be made to be rotatable. I can make no comments about accuracy but the parts certainly look like the ones illustrated on t’internet. Major parts are substantial and well cast in dark grey resin, no bubbles being apparent. Nice rivet and flange detail is moulded into all parts. Carriage sections and smaller pieces have thin webs which will make separation and clean-up quite easy but the two barrel sections have substantial moulding cores that will require time, care and dust protection to remove and sand. Instructions are simple printed on both sides of an A4 sheet folded into an A5 pamphlet, the four construction steps being clearly illustrated with line-drawings and placement arrows. No colours are quoted for details as I would assume the entire weapon would be painted the one colour. Two guns are illustrated on the instructions in B&W: • From France in 1940 and painted field grey overall with a name on the barrel ( provided on a tiny decal sheet). • From Sevastopol in June 1942 and painted overall khaki with yellow and field grey markings on the carriage. This is an excellent rendition of this minor but significant heavy weapon from both wars. Would make a great vignette in the hands of a competent modeller, and I can imagine a spectacular diorama when fully crewed with wee chaps from other sources. A quick search revealed a number of suitable crew sets from specialist military suppliers in the ‘One True Scale’, or one could modify the chaps who come with more readily available styrene gun sets. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Hauler for the sample www.hauler.cz Graham Carter * Background information courtesy of Wikipedia

ITALERI 1:72 SCALE BRITISH INFANTRY AND SEPOYS ITEM NO. 6187 This is a re-boxing of an old Esci set of figures - Set 232, Colonial India British Infantry – from 1986. The British troops were also featured in a previous set of Esci figures – Set 212, Zulu War British Infantry – from 1984. Despite their lineage they are still a decent set of figures for wargaming purposes. The figures are armed with Martini-Henry rifles including the Sepoys, who would probably have had the earlier Enfield rifle as they were usually equipped with older items. As to the Sepoys, there are only ten of them in three poses, not really a great selection. There are some details that are missing or incorrect for the period, this comes about from the use of the Zulu War set of infantry for the Colonial British Infantry. The helmets really should have a pugaree, or at least the cloth cover that is shown in the box art. The moulds are obviously a bit old now and this is apparent in the sprues as there is a small amount of flash evident on the figures, also the definition is not as good as some more modern figures. I am sure that the set will be of use to those who want to wargame the later periods of Victorian Colonial Wars, but it would have been nice to see a new set of sculpts. As mentioned, a decent set of figures, but it could have been much better. Recommended with reservations. Thanks to The Hobby Company Limited for the sample www.hobbyco.net Paul Giles

May 2019 - Model Military International 57

Book Reviews

OSPREY ELITE 226 DIVISION LECLERC. THE LECLERC COLUMN AND FREE FRENCH 2ND ARMORED DIVSION, 1940-46 BY M.P. ROBINSON & PHILLIPE SEIGNON ISBN: 978 1 4728 3007 4

OSPREY NEW VANGUARD 2019 SUPERGUNS 1854-1991 - EXTREME ARTILLERY FROM THE PARIS GUN AND THE V-3 TO IRAQ’S PROJECT BABYLON. BY STEVE ZALOGA ISBN: 978 1 4728 2910 7 Good Friday March 1918, an unexpected explosion rocks Paris with 159 civilian casualties. The German Army’s guns are out of range and there are no Zeppelins in the sky. By the day’s end the Wilhelm-Geschutz, better known as the Paris Gun had been located and counter bombardments begun. This incident neatly demonstrates the properties of superguns: long range; propaganda material, terror weapon and vulnerability to reprisal. The author discusses a number of big guns, but has selected four superguns for detailed examination as representing periods of rapid technological arms advancement: WWI and the Paris Gun; the plumber’s nightmare of pipes and tubes that was the German V3 high pressure gun of WW2; the US Atomic Cannon and Soviet nuclear projectile firing guns of the Cold War; and the Iraqi Project Babylon Gun of the 1991 Gulf War. Presenting many development challenges these projects were heavily resource intensive, and many failed to reach operational level. By the late 20th Century giant guns were largely superseded by more accurate missile and aircraft delivered munitions. However, the search for inexpensive delivery systems for far reaching munitions remains, and intriguing research into electromagnetic propulsion forces for these explosives bring the account up to present day. Recommended. Thanks to Osprey for the review sample www.ospreypublishing.com John Ham

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Distinguished military commanders have tanks named after them, so too, General Philippe Leclerc, aka. Phillippe de Hautcloque. An escapee from France he was an early volunteer to General De Gaulle’s Free French Forces. Being tasked to form a Free French Army from France’s African Colonies, Leclerc successfully raised a number of diverse colonial units, including camel troops. This was to become the Leclerc Column, a deep raiding force against Axis Forces in North Africa, styled on the tactics of the LRDG. After expulsion of Axis Forces from North Africa, Leclerc’s units were redeployed to participate in the invasion of France. In the Normandy battles and advance across France, the now renamed 2eme Division Blindes distinguished itself in notable battles including the Liberation of Paris, Dompierre, Baccarat, Strasbourg and capture of Berchtesgaden. The war in Europe finally ending, Leclerc and elements of his division were posted to the Far East and French Indochina as postcolonial conflicts began. Later re-assigned to North Africa, Leclerc’s illustrious career prematurely ended when in 1947 he perished in an aircrash. He was awarded the posthumous honour of Marshall of France. A very interesting account with top notch artwork illustrating the colourful vehicle markings and uniforms of the division’s units add significantly to the quality of this book. Recommended. Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review sample www.ospreypublishing.com Jon Ham

OSPREY NEW VANGUARD FRENCH ARMOUR IN VIETNAM 1945-54 BY SIMON DUNSTAN ISBN: 978 1 4728 3182 As nationalistic fervour for independence swept through Europe’s empires after WWII. In Vietnam, part of French Indochina, De Gaulle sent an expeditionary force to contain insurrection by the VietMinh in northern Tonkin. A piecemeal armoured force was assembled, including US M4 Shermans, M3 Light tanks, M3 scout cars and M3 half-tracks, British Coventry armoured cars, Humber scout cars and Universal Carriers. From the Philippines came Crabes (M29 Weasels) and Alligators (LVTs), and later US supplied Bisons (M24 light tanks) and M3 HMCs (lance-patates – potato-throwers). Some AFVs were extensively converted e.g. LVTs mounting 40mm Bofors guns or with recovery crane jibs. Tank turrets were added to riverine craft and armoured trains. Movement in the Vietnamese terrain was difficult and ideal for VietMinh guerrilla ambush and mining of roads and tracks. Operations with amphibious Crabes and Alligators in the waterlogged lowlands became an effective French counter measure. As VietMinh attacks intensified the French set up defensive and infantry support bases with their AFVs, culminating in the final decisive loss of Dien Bien Phu. Graphic recollections of tank crews, only possible from those present – using olive oil from canned sardines in lieu of exhausted lubricant for gun recuperators; adding wine concentrate as a forlorn attempt to make urine potable for lack of water – create the stuff of legend. Complementing the narrative is a good selection of photos with exceptionally informative captions, making use of the book’s margins to jam extra information into this small volume. Recommended. Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review sample www.ospreypublishing.com Jon Ham

OSPREY NEW VANGUARD NO. 251 US NAVY ESCORT CARRIERS 1942-45 ISBN: 978-1-4728-1810-2 World War Two saw the rise of the aircraft power and its eclipse of the Battleship as the primary fleet asset but allied to this development was the introduction of the Escort Carrier which was no less important despite being overshadowed by its larger predecessor. Mark Stille, a retired Naval Officer and author of many Naval titles on the Pacific Naval campaign, adds to the everexpanding Osprey New Vanguard line with a new title devoted to the unsung US Navy Escort Carriers of World War Two. The Escort Carrier was a wartime expedient forced upon a reluctant Navy by the President who was an enthusiastic supporter of the concept, which had briefly been flirted with in the twenties due to the limitations of the Naval treaties of the period. The USN originally planned to convert passenger liners due to their high speed but instead built a concept on a converted merchantman and then converted a number of older cruisers. It went on over the course of the war to build no fewer than 77 Escort Carriers for the USN and a staggering 38 more for the Royal Navy. They were initially opposed by the USN for their Austere nature but were quickly adopted and developed into highly capable ships virtually the equivalent of Light Fleet Carriers except for their speed. The served in a variety of roles and proved supremely versatile. They had a great effect in the battle of the Atlantic providing much need air cover for convoys and the hunter – killer teams that helped turn the U Boat tide in favour of the Allies. In the Pacific they were used in the convoy escort and to provide ground support aircraft for amphibious assaults. They even served in unexpected roles such as air Defence for assaults and served as the centrepiece of an unexpected large Naval engagement off the Philippines during the Battle of the Leyte Gulf. Most importantly they freed up the large Fleet Carriers for more offensive roles aimed at degrading Japanese capabilities. There role despite its successes and importance has

often been forgotten and this title aims to give the reader a great understanding of these cheap but high value naval assets which greatly added to the USN war effort and its successes. USN Escort Carriers are the theme of this title and the book covers there history, development and service. It is broken down into informative well illustrated chapters covering: • Introduction. • The Rise of the Escort Carrier • The Evolution in Escort Carrier Design • Escort Carrier Air Groups • Escort Carrier Weapons and Radar • Escort Carriers at War • The Atlantic Theatre • The Pacific Theatre The Classes • Long Island and Charger • Bogue Class • Sangamon Class • Casablanca Class • Commencement Bay Class • Analysis and Conclusion • Bibliography • Index This truly is a fascinating and informative subject and title which gives the reader a good insight into the genesis, development and the USN’s usage of the versatile and valuable Escort Carriers. It is backed up by a good collection of photos and excellent colour plates covering a variety of the subject Escort Carriers and some of the highlights of their brief service in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres of war. Combined with the colourful schemes and number of subjects in USN use the Escort Carrier is an interesting subject for the modeller and student of WWII naval warfare. I’d highly recommend it to historians, naval or WWII enthusiasts and modellers. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review sample www.ospreypublishing.com Al Bowie

May 2019 - Model Military International 59

1:48 Scale – A round-up of the latest news and releases

A MODELLING TALE PART ONE - LOOKING BACK by Alan Wells

I

’m often intrigued by how others got their start in the hobby. Over the years, I’ve heard many stories of how people who model 1:48 scale armour got started and I often find a common bond between them. I’d like to start a little section within the column called “A Modellers Tale” as I think in general we like to hear stories about other modellers. If you have a story to tell please share it with me and I will publish it in the column. You may have far more in common with other modellers than you think. Besides, it’s fun! Our first tale comes from a Western Australian modeller, Alan Wells. I think you may find a lot of his tale is common to us all: “When I was a wee lad growing up in Riverton, a little suburb in the City of Perth, Western Australia, I remember with great fondness racing down to the local Newsagency with my weekly pocket money and searching through the revolving Airfix display stand for something that took my fancy. All bagged kits of course, all the expensive kits where in boxes and on the shelves, they being Revell, Monogram and some of the bigger Airfix kits that probably needed a months’ worth of my pocket money. Kids being kids, I went for the quick fix and bought the bagged kits every time. It’s quite funny now, when I think back about it. All my friends and brothers built kits back then and I guess feelings of nostalgia have led me back to searching out these old kits reliving my youth. I started building as an 8-year-old. I’m now 56

and I still recall the feeling of joy when purchasing and building a new kit even to this day. Reason would have it, that I still build because of the fun factor that became hard wired into me as a youngster. It simply never went away. It does surprise me now why I persisted with modelling after recently building some of these old kits. The skill level required to deliver a reasonable model far outstrips the ability of any 8 – 10-year-old kid (try building the old 60’s 1/72 Revell DE Havilland DH2 and you will know what I mean). Still, I persisted and here I’m today musing on how it all came to be together with “where it’s all going” to “how we all could grow our scale of choice”. As a teenager I always wanted to be a pilot. I built anything with wings and must have fought the Battle of Britain a thousand times, shooting down more Messerschmitts than Sailor Malan, Douglas Bader and the R.A.F all put together. As I grew my interest changed, my driver’s licence changed me. I started building old AMT and Monogram Hot Rods, I must have customised 50 kits over the years educating myself through plastic with what I wanted to do when it came to the real thing. I eventually built 3 1/1scale Hot Rods of which I still have my 1928 sedan delivery. Around 20 years ago I started building 1:48 scale aircraft kits, which led to the Tamiya 1:48 armour and soft skin stuff. I guess the common thread through my modelling journey has been fun and a sense of achievement

on completing a kit. I would venture a guess that the best way to get in new blood is to show, above all, this hobby can be a lot of fun. Where I live is a 2-hour drive south of Perth on the coast in a little town called Bunbury. We have not had a local hobby shop in town for nearly five years but we do have a big toy store on the main street. This sells everything from baby toys all the way up to high end RC cars. They also stock a reasonable supply of kits and paints and consumables. I happen to know the owners quite well. It’s been a family business here in Bunbury for about 40 years, so much so, that my dear departed Dad and the shops original founder where great mates, my Mum even worked there for a short while (many moons ago). The shop is now run by the two sons. It’s a true family affair with their wives and children also helping out. I make a point of buying all my paints and consumables off them as a matter of duty and it’s pleasing to note that when I go in (at least once a fortnight) the stock on the shelves is constantly changing and the paint topped up. The owners inform me that there are plenty of regular modellers in our district and one of their biggest movers are the starter kits with a couple of tubs of paint and glue aimed at newbies. So as far as the health of the hobby in my area goes it’s not on life support and is ticking along nicely. With a bit of luck some of those newbie seed kits will take root. If it’s fun, easy to build and produces something that looks good and they can have a sense of achievement, I’m betting they will be back... Enter stage left Tamiya 1:48 scale military kits, These tick all the boxes for me. It’s up to us to show them how much fun we are having and asking why they (Newbies and old hares) are still not on board yet.”

Until next time and thanks again Alan for sharing your tale. Luke Pitt

60 Model Military International - May 2019

GAS PATCH 1:32 FLEXIBLE 30 CAL AMMO BELT ITEM NO. NOT QUOTED You’re probably saying to yourself right now “what the heck – 1:32 scale?”, but bear with me everyone. I’m always on the lookout for products and material that we can used in 1:48 scale and you know what? These would work well as 1:48 scale 50 call Ammo belts. Unlike photo-etch, these are cast in a flexible resin and as a result may be draped and are three-dimensional as opposed to being two-dimensional (like photo etch). I can’t recommend these highly enough. They are very cool. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Gas Patch for the sample www.gaspatchmodels.com Luke Pitt

TAMIYA 1:48 SCALE GERMAN HEAVY TRACTOR SS-100 AND 88MM FLAK 37 KIT NO. 37027 This new boxing by Tamiya combines Tamiya’s recently released 1:48 scale SS-100 Tractor and the ten-year-old. Italeri 88mm Flak gun. Let’s look at the Italeri 88mm first. Moulded now in a sand shade (as opposed to Italeri’s original light gray) the kit is presented on three sprues. There are lots of nice details and this was one of the best 1:48 offerings from their range back in the day. The kit provides a nice cruciform gun carriage that can be built in the firing position or in its travel configuration. The gun may be moved in azimuth and elevation. The gun shield has a viewport armor plate that can be positioned open for firing or closed for travel. The kit also comes with two wheeled carriages that are attached to the cruciform carriage so the gun can be towed. Hauler made an upgrade for this kit that replaced many of the overly thick kit parts (like the Gun shield). The SS-100 is still quite new and comprises 80 parts in the same sand coloured plastic together with five clear parts. The body is moulded as a single piece and includes the cab and engine compartment. The four doors are moulded closed while the cab floor and the rear are separate parts. The chassis is a single part with engine and drive train detail moulded in place. The leaf springs, exhaust, rear differential and the front steering rack are all separate parts and are attached to the chassis. The wheels are all plastic and detail is simplified on the inner hub and tread details. The wheels could be replaced with the Old Tank workshop wheels for the Sd.Kfz.234 if desired. Five nicely detailed seated figures are also included. These two work well together and our thanks go out to Tamiya for providing the review sample. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Tamiya for the sample www.tamiya.com Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net Luke Pitt

May 2019 - Model Military International 61

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ADALBERTUS Iberyjska 7/49, 02-764 , Warsaw,Poland [email protected] www.adalbertus.com.pl

DELUXE MATERIALS

MILICAST MODEL CO.,

SCHATTON BARRELS

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Industriestrasse 6, 94 47 Ascha, Germany Fax; 09961 910 7826

DRAGON MODELS (The Hobby Company in UK

MISSION MODELS

Dragon Models Ltd, Kong Nam Ind. Building B1-10F, 60 -609 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan NT, Hong Kong Fax; (HK) 4110587 www.dragonmodelsltd.com

(ETCHMATE, GRABHANDLER, MICRO CHISEL

(For 1:6 Action Figures, please contact Amerang in UK)

THE AIRBRUSH COMPANY Ltd

ECHELON FINE DETAILS

Unit 7 Marlborough Road, Lancing Business Park, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8UF. Tel; 08700 660 445 www.airbrushes.com

FRIENDSHIP MODELS

ALCLAD II LACQUER 5 St Georges Close, Bacton, Norfolk. NR12 0LL Tel; 01962 65216 Fax; 01692 652 4

ALPINE, ROYAL MODEL, ARTISAN MORI, YOSCI; SMARTMODELLING No.7 Gordons Way, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0LN. UK Tel; 0188 7 4746 [email protected]

AMPERSAND PUBLISHING (via Historex Agents in UK

2 5 NE 6th Avenue #4 Delray Beach, Florida 48 -554 , USA Tel; 561-266 9686 Fax; 561-266-9786

ARCHER (Historex in UK

PO Box 1277 Youngsville, NC 27596-1277, USA www.archertransfers.co

BADGER AIR-BRUSH COMPANY 9128W Belmont Ave, Franklin Park, IL 601 1 Tel; 847/678- 104 www.badgerairbrush.com email [email protected] (In the UK from www.shesto.co.uk)

BISON DECALS Available from www.hannants.co.uk and www.pdi-model-supplies.com

BLAST MODELS Via AFV Modeller or www.blast-models.com

BOOKWORLD WHOLESALE Unit 10 Hodfar Road, Sandy Lane Ind Est Stourport, Worcs, DY1 9QB Tel; 01299 82 0 Fax; 01299 829970 [email protected]

CALIBRE 35 Via Hannants in UK

CAMMETT (Lifecolour, Scale Caliber

Unit 5 Greenfield Industrial Estate, Forest Road, Hay on Wye, Powys, HR 5FA Tel; 01497 822757 Email; [email protected] www.cammett.co.uk

CLASSIC PUBLICATIONS Midland Counties Publications, 4 Watling Drive, Sketchley Lane Industrial Estate, Hinckley, Leics UK. LE10 1YF Tel; 01455 2 747, Fax; 01455 2 7 7 [email protected] www.classic-publications.com

CREATIVE MODELS LTD (Mig Productions, Vallejo, Accurate Miniatures

Unit 6-10, Honeysome Industrial Estate, Honeysome Road, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. PE16 6TG Tel; 01 54 760022 www.creativemodels.co.uk [email protected]

DARTMOOR MILITARY MODELS Haylis cottage, Budlake, Broadclyst Exeter, EX5 LJ, England Tel; 01 92 881271 www.dartmoormilitarymodels.com

Available from; wwwaccurate-armour.com & http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~kriegsketten/ 12 Delta Drive, Musselburgh, East Lothian, EH21 8HR Tel; 01 1 665 0866 Mobile; 07877166225 www.friendshipmodels.com

GREAT NORTH ROADS

www.etchmate.com www.missionmodels.com Tel; 818 842 1885 Fax; 818 842 1886 [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

THE ARMORY; M&MODELS 9 29 S. Cicero Ave, Oak Lawn, IL 6045 , USA http://home.earthlink.net/~mmodels/

Bushwood Books, No.6 Marksbury Avenue, Kew Gardens, Surrey TW9 4JF, UK. Tel; 020 8 92 8585, 020 8 92 9876, email; [email protected]

SCHUMO KITS www.schumo-kits.com

SDV MODEL www.sdvmodel.cz

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Harbour Road, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR 2 2LZ, Tel; 01502 517444 Fax; 01502 500521 www.hannants.co.uk [email protected]

Via; www.steelmodels.com

HISTOREX AGENTS

PANZERWRECKS

Sano-shi, Kurohakama-cho 162-1, Tochigi 27-081 , Japan www.hlj.com

SCHIFFER BOOKS in UK

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MONROE PERDU

HOBBYLINK JAPAN

Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA, 19 10 USA www.schifferbooks.com

MODEL WHOLESALE UK LTD

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Wellington House, 157 Snargate Street, Dover, Kent, CT17 9BZ, UK Tel; 01 04 206720 Fax; 01 04 204528. www.historex-agents.co.uk [email protected]

SCHIFFER BOOKS

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PACIFIC COAST MODELS Tel; 001 707 5 8 4850 [email protected] www.pacmodels.com PO Box 164, Heathfield, Sussex TN21 8WA, UK www.panzerwrecks.com

PARAGRAFIX 104 County Street, Suite 101 Attleboro MA 0270 USA Tel: +1 508.4 1.9800 M-F 9am to 4pm EST http://www.paragrafix.biz [email protected]

PLUS MODEL

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SMARTMODELLING (Swash, Tasca, Gap, Yosci, Royal Model

No.7 Gordons Way, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0LN UK Tel; 0188 7 4746 [email protected]

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SWANN-MORTON Owlerton Green, Sheffield, S6 2BJ Tel; +44 (0)114 2 4 42 1 Fax; +44 (0)114 2 1 4966 General: [email protected] www.craftknives.com

TAMIYA JAPAN Tamiya, Inc., -7 Ondawara Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8610 JAPAN www.tamiya.com

TAMIYA UK;

IAN ALLAN

Jizni 56, 70 10 C. Budejovice, Czech Republic. [email protected] www.plusmodel.cz

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POCKETBOND

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HUSSAR PRODUCTIONS, CANADA www.airconnection.on.ca

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ITALERI (The Hobby Company in UK

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JUST BASES 21 Graham Road, Paignton TQ 1BB Tel; 0180 558520 www.just-bases.co.uk

(Creative Models in UK

(Trumpeter & AFV Club in UK

Bachmann Europe PLC Moat Way, Barwell, Leics, LE9 8EY Tel; 01455 841756 [email protected]

PSP MODELS LTD (Mission Models in USA

Unit 19B, Applin’s Farm, Farrington, Dorset DT11 8RA, UK Tel/Fax; 01747 811 817 www.psp-models.com

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811 Lone Star Drive, O’Fallon, Missouri 6 66, USA www.verlinden-productions.com

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MDC

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UK distributor for Model Victoria and Royal Model

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SBLC

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■ Please mention ‘Model Military International’ if you make contact with any of the companies listed above - thanks! 64 Model Military International - May 2019

(LSA in UK

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WHITE ENSIGN MODELS (Toms Model Works

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WWII PRODUCTIONS, AUSTRALIA

(The Hobby Company in UK Promishlennaia

Str.,2, Lobnya, Moscow Region , 1417 0 Russia [email protected] www.zvezda.org.ru

Next Issue On sale 2 May 2019

OPERATION DAGUET Part two

Kamil Feliks Sztarbała adds his Tiger Models 1:35 scale AMX-10RC to a diorama setting.

ISSUE No.157 May 2019, Published 4th April 2019 Editor;

Brett Green

Group Editor;

Marcus Nicholls

Publisher;

Alan Harman

Graphic Design;

Alex Hall

Advertising Manager;

Richard Andrews

Office Manager;

Paula Gray

Administration Manager; Hannah McLaurie MMI Website;

Doolittle Media Web Team

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Reference and modelling from John Prigent.

THE HEAVIEST ASSAULT Pawel Rzymski builds and updates Trumpeter’s older 1:35 scale E-100.

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SURFACE TO AIR Michael Franz brings us Meng Model 1:35 BUK Air Defence Missile System

FOR YOUR SAFETY Don’t forget, when using solvents such as glues, paints, thinners and cleaning agents, always ventilate your work area thoroughly and wear a face mask. When using power tools, side cutters or any tool that can suddenly break or create highspeed airborne particles, wear approved eye protectors with hard, clear lenses. Please always model in safety!

...and much more!

Binders; £8.50 plus postage (UK £2.45, Euro £4.45, World £6.45) For all orders, please call; (UK) +44(0)1525 222573 or visit www.modelmilitary.com Back Issues; Back Issues are available at the current cover price. See the latest back issues advert or visit www.modelmilitary.com The paper used in this magazine is manufactured at the Leipa Georg Mill and is 100% recycled using de-inked pulp. The mill conforms fully with the requirements of both FSC and PEFC and carries the full accreditations for their environmental policies.

Due to many influencing factors, we cannot guarantee the appearance of the above projects, but we’ll try our best!

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The paper used on this title is from sustainable forestry

May 2019 - Model Military International 65

Order online now at; www.modelmilitary.com

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The Last Post...

A Rheinmetall Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicle on display during Land Forces 2018 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia.

AUSTRALIAN ARMY LAND FORCES SEMINAR

T

he Land Forces Seminar is an Australian Army biennial event bringing together national, regional and global partners to discuss issues relevant to the future of land forces. Senior commanders of militaries from around the world attended the seminar held alongside the Land Forces Defence Industry Exposition 2018. Lieutenant General Burr said the theme for this year’s Seminar was the application of Land Power in the IndoPacific. This seminar enables us to strengthen our partnerships with other international military leaders, Defence industry and academia and explore opportunities for unlocking Army’s potential,” “This year we have the largest international contingent of delegates in the conference’s history and I look forward to sharing ideas with our allies and partners and discussing common security objectives and interests,” Lieutenant General Burr said. “I am pleased to welcome my counterparts to Adelaide to discuss the

66 Model Military International - May 2019

future of land forces in our region in an increasingly complex strategic landscape. “I look forward to strengthening relationships with national and international security leaders as we discuss the application of land power in the Indo-Pacific. “Building on our international and industry partnerships is essential to generate capability advantage. As ‘An Army in Motion’ we must continually improve and adapt in order to be always future ready. “Through engagement with our international partners, we work to ensure our armies are ready to respond to challenges that may arise.” As well as attending seminars and keynote addresses, attendees will have the opportunity to view some of the Army’s latest technology and equipment including aviation, vehicle and communication capabilities. ■

Copyright Ministerial and Executive Coordination and Communication, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT

Australian Army Drone Racing Team display. Abrams model as part of the equipment display during Land Forces 2018.

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