Skoda PA-II Turtle

Its easy to see why this vehicle was designated Turtle.  Tis is the new Takom kit. Not much to it. No interior and not that many parts to put together. It can be confusing though as which was is the front does make a difference, though this vehicle did seem to dive in both directions. 

Crazy to think that this thing had a crew of 5.  2 drivers, 2 gunners and a commander.  I believe there were only 13 of these vehicles made in this configuration with the 4 ball mounted machine guns. There was another version modified to have a cannon. This was not actually used in WWI but produced after the war.

I airbrushed a base coat of Gunmetal.  Then rolled worm strings of that Therapy putty and randomly crisscrossed these strings around the vehicle until I had patterns similar to those shown on the color charts.  I then carefully airbrushed in sections of random colors, varying the shading as shown.  I covered sections again with thinned out sheets of the putty until I had all sections painted. Once removed and cleaned, I did the basic glossing and oil washes.

Vince B 9-11-16

Renault FT 17 Practice

This is from the old RPM kit.  As I said above, this was for practice for when I get the MENG kit. The first version I did had various errors from the poor instructions. Once I researched photos of the real Renault FT 17s, I saw all of the parts in the wrong places, or backwards etc.

So, I started over since I had parts from 3 variations of this kit left over from the John Ford collection.  I also for the first time tried out Fruil tracks, which I happen to have for this kit. One of the reasons I called this practice. I learned how to weather the white metal tracks as well as adding some missing details on the kit.

Overall I am pretty happy with the result though this was more work that it should have been. At least now I am ready for the MENG version with interior and opened hatches.

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Vince B 8-26-16

Chrome Magnum

OK. I finished another Gundam kit. This is still what they call 1/144 scale, but for my purposes is 1/72.

I built the kit out of the box except I actually use glue, paint and occasionally, putty. I do use my own decals from scraps. Most of the Gundam Club just snap them together from the box with whatever colors are appropriately manufactured on the sprues.

Funny thing yesterday at the build that they actually noticed I was using liquid glue. My concoction does usually smell funny.

Vince B.  Aug 21. 2016

M998 Gun Truck or (Who Spilled the Ice)

This was an Academy kit. After having done a lot of web searches, I found that I could do just about anything with this subject and it wouldn't be wrong. It makes me feel like doing another one with even more modifications.

I added stowage everywhere that I could find used from web photos. I really liked so many of them had spare tires strapped to the hood or the front grill so I stuffed the center with more stowage.

I used Tamiya tape for all of the stowage straps. I also added components from the MENG modern stowage set which included some nice coolers. I just had to open one up and fill it.

 I had several clear water bottles and found some useless decals to wrap around them. Cant even tell what they say, but looks like a water bottle label. I stuffed a piece of water soaked toilet paper in and covered it with watered down Crystal Clear.  While it was still wet, I sprinkled in some table salt and stuck the bottles to it.

 I included some spare ammo  and fuel cans and crates, tents and personal stowage for the crew.

Vince B. Aug 16

St. Chamond in the trenches

 OK. I have completed the groundwork to show the St, Chamond approaching a barbed wired trench emplacement.

I thought it would be fun to make a WWI colorized exposure.

Takom's St Chamond Early version

This Takom stuff is really nice. Takes some getting used to, having everything fit exact as it shows. Hard to not try to anticipate and correct something that doesn't need correcting. Treat it like an old Tamiya kit with way better detail and accuracy. Best part is NO PHOTO ETCH.

I learned a lot about these French WWI tanks as I was studying. This early version was a monster and had 5 or 6 crew. Basically it was a tractor with steel riveted plates around it.  The drive train and track suspension assembly was very intricate but if you follow the steps it works out well.


 I will complete the build by inserting the model into a battlefield trench setting with barbed wire fencing and posts being pulled apart.

Vince B.  July 31-2016

A Workspace in a Briefcase

http://www.core77.com/posts/55002/A-Workspace-in-a-Briefcase

How clean is your workbench?

HobbyBoss 1/48 KV-1

This is the captured KV-1 tank, repainted and marked with German ID.   The kit went together well.  There were some photo etched fidley bits, but I got through it. The detail was great and a good fit.

I added on some resin stowage.

The kit tracks were plastic length and link with preformed sagged on the return rollers.  This was impressive.

 Vince B.  July 14

M42 Duster

This is the really old Tamiya kit with all of the battery & motor fittings in the lower hull.  Since I am going to screw it down to the base and groundwork, I didn't bother to fill all the openings.

The kit lacked a lot of detail based on the photos I researched on line. I packed it with stowage and made some minor corrections.  The ammo provided in the kit was way undersized.  I went to my supply rack and found more suitable substitutions.

 I decided to do this as the US Vietnam version, though I was confused on several details.  I found what I believe were early war photos where there were no flash suppressors.  I found what I think were post VN versions with a wire bracket around the flash suppressors.

Each vehicle had its own personality as well as a name in most cases. I did use the decals in the kit, though I did find actual photos of this subject online with a different personality.

The mud was a concoction of my dried out air brush sludge mixed with some Burnt Umber oil paint.  The sludge had dried to chunks which I ground down into powder. This worked out great under and behind the road wheels in the lower hull.

Vince B July 10.

Panzerjagerwagen

This is a Trumpeter Panzerjagerwagen, early version, which did not have the raised stowage bin. In this case I added some wooden blocks wrapped in paper towel and ship rigging thread.

 These kits are relatively simple. The fun part is deciding on the paint scheme. I tried to match this to the previous kit I built a few years ago as the later version.

I have learned to NOT use the rail beds that come in the kit as it just raises the height. Imbed the actual rails into scuptamold or celluclay groundwork and press in gravel, and chopped up lichen.

Vince B  June 11.

Rhino

Not the ordinary large legged animal, but a 1/72 scale armored beast. The scale is illustrated by the size of the boarding ladders.

See if you can figure the main components of this monster tank.

1) Top of an Empire ATAT.

2) Main Gatlin Gun is from a Gundam.

3) Chassis is a backward Sherman.

4) Track shields are from a Bradley.

And of course, there are fiber optics and LEDs

The side guns are scratch built from brass and plastic tubing, wires etc.

I used the Therapeutic Putty to mask for the camo pattern. I dug through my decal spares for appropriate markings.

Vince B  May 6,   2016

Gundam Conversion

Well, some of you may know about Gundams from Ban Dai. They come in various scales from 1/60 to 1/144 generally depicting any and every MECH from the various ANIME series over the past 20 years.  Yesterday I saw an encyclopedia of everyone of these thousands of kits.

The kits are fun as they are made to be posed, yes like action figures. Normally no glue is needed and the parts are very well made to not really need putty or paint.  The sprues for the parts are in the proper color configurations so the parts can be easily clipped and snapped into place with the polycaps so as to allow replacement or enhancements (After Market Parts) to be added.

OK, enough of the toy talk.  These kits can also be taken seriously.  You can use glue, paint and weathering as with ay other piece of armor. I have also added special lighting affects to the larger kits. I like the ones with the big Gatling guns.

I also went through my batch of spare decals to get some appropriate markings and logos.

Once I was finished, I used Super Glue to hold the joints in position.

I painted up the spikes to represent dragon's teeth. 

I used the Therapeutic (Panzer Putty)  for masking the layers of the camo coloring.

This kit represented a 1/144 scale MECH, but for my purpose, I called it 1/72.

NEW Build
Alliance Model Works - Sd.Kfz. 9 - FAMO with 88mm FlaK 37
Anti-Tank and Anti-Aircraft Vehicle

I recently purchased a kit I'd wanted for a long time. It is the anti-tank and anti-aircraft vehicle based on the 18 ton FAMO. The pictures of the partially built model are from the internet and are NOT my model. I haven't started my model yet but I thought I'd show you what it might look like as I go.

This is the first installment of a build I hope is fun and challenging. During my progress I'll make more installments as time allows.

(from AuchtungPanzer.com - http://www.achtungpanzer.com/88cm-flak-37-selbstfahrlafette-auf-18-ton-zugkraftwagen.htm)

8.8cm Flak 37 Selbstfahrlafette auf 18 ton Zugkraftwagen

8.8cm Flak 37 Selbstfahrlafette auf 18 ton Zugkraftwagen

In 1940, 15 vehicles armed with 88mm Flak 18 were produced using FAMO Sd.Kfz.9 chassis and were used as anti-aircraft vehicles.  In 1942, order was placed by the Luftwaffe and Heer to build 112 8.8cm Flak 37 auf Zgkw 18t.  The vehicle was a Sd.Kfz.9 halftrack mounted with an armored cab and platform to mount the 88mm gun. The gun itself had limited traverse because of the armored cab and could only be fully traversed with the gun elevated. First 14 vehicles were delivered in June and July of 1943, but the order was cancelled and further production did not continue.

Dioramas from Around the Internet

I hope you enjoy these dioramas as much as I do.