For more details about Vallejo’s range of colours, please visit www.acrylicosvallejo.comS.C.C. No. 2 Brown(Vallejo 71.035Camouflage Pale Brown)S.C.C. No. 2 Brown(Vallejo 71.035CamouflagePale Brown)S.C.C. No. 1a Very DarkBrown(Vallejo 71.042 Dark Brown RLM61)1Churchill Mk. IV, ‘Arturus II’, 51st Royal Tank Regiment, 25th Army Tank Brigade, London, 1943. Painted in S.C.C. No. 2 Brown possibly with a S.C.C. No. 14 Blue Black or S.C.C. No. 1a Very Dark Brown disruptive pattern. (right) A34‘Arturus II’, a Churchill Mk.IV with early type cast 6-pdr turret, photographed during a publicparade in London before the brigade’s departure for North Africa. The armament is a 6-pdr Mk.III, which was 43-calibres long.(Robert Fox)4Churchill Mk. IV, 30th Armoured Brigade, 79th Armoured Division, Yorkshire, March 1944.Overall S.C.C. No. 2 Brown. The Churchill Mk.IVshown here represents one of the vehicles used in trials with the 79th Armoured Division in March 1944 to perfect the crossing of sea walls. While ithas not received full modification to carry a 290mm Petard Mortar, it carries the full set of fittings for AVRE attachments on its applique armour. Standard Churchills, including Mk.III* and Mk.IV and Mk.IV (75mm) were used in the 79th Armoured Brigade’s armoured assault regiments alongside AVREs and in units equipped with the Crocodile Flamethrower.24www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 51ARMOUR IN PROFILEAll paint references are to Vallejo Model AirColour profiles bySlawomir Zajaczkowski.
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AFV Club’s Churchill hasbeen around for a few years now; in fact, their first Churchill kit – the Mk. III (ref. AF35153) – was released way back in 2008. Since then AFV Club has released a prettyfull catalogue of Mk. III, IV, V and VI variants, includingthe AVRE, no fewer than thirteen separate kits in all. I opted to build the third of the series of Churchill releasesfrom AFV Club: the Churchill Mk. IV. I had not built an AFV Club Churchill before, my oneforay into this subject beingthe venerable Tamiya Mk. VIIkit some thirty years ago. TheAFV Club kit is very engineeredand goes together without any problems for the reasonably experienced builder. The trickiest part, of course, is the suspension (both on the real thing and in 1/35 scale). AFV Club have included real springs for each of the suspension bogies and these have to be trapped in place before the parts are cemented together.I know some modellers have really struggled with this, but my advice would besimply to takje your time. It also certainly becomeseasier the more you do!As with all my models I started with a solid coat of Black Primer. After that I sprayed a mix of Gunze Sangyo acrylicsto match the S.C.C. No. 15 Olive Drab applied to these late-War Churchills. I then addedsome Desert Sand to this mixto add some highlights to theuppermost armour panels. My weathering techniqueis very simple and consists mainly of a pin wash of Van Dyck Brown oil paint once the main colours are in place. TheChurchill was notable for thelarge amounts of dirt and mudthat accumulated on the side sponsons and to replicate this I used various ready-made mud and dirt acrylic texturedpaints from AK Interactive. Finally, I added two figures, both painted with acrylics, fromAlpine Miniatures. The hatchesof the Churchill are quite smalland the Alpine figures, being true 1/35 scale, were perfect!1The complex suspensionclearly shown on this image of the model under construction. Note too theWORLD WAR IIDavid Chou presents hisrecent build of AFV Club’s Churchill. 58 Military Modelcraft International
WORLD WAR IIbeautiful turned-brass 6-pdr, a special feature of AFV Club’s initial release Mk. IV.2The tank is beginningto take shape. TheChurchill is one of the most characteristic of World War II tanks, its large side sponsons a design throwback to thetanks of World War I.3The sub-assemblies ready for priming. I usedAFV Club’s separate late-patterndouble-pin tracks(ref.35156) rather than the vinylefforts included in the kit. 4A close up of the mud texture on the side sponsons, applied with acrylic textured paintfrom AK Interactive.5ine Miniature’s British tankers (RAC AFV Crewref. 35180) are perfect for thisproject. Each figure has the option of one of two heads, one wearing a beret and the other the Helmet Steel Royal Armoured Car (HSRAC).12345
WORLD WAR II60 Military Modelcraft InternationalAvailabilityAFV Club 1/35 British Infantry Tank Churchill Mk IV MK5 L/50 6 Pounder Gun (ref. 35154) is available from good model shops.
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WORLD WAR IIIn the first part of this article, I covered the construction and painting of the interiorof Takom’s superb PantherAusf. A. In this second part I’lllook at the application of the obligatoryZimmeritt coating, the final assembly (including photoetched parts), and,last of all, the painting and weathering of the model.ZimmeritThe Panther Ausf A was produced from August 1943 to June 1944. Only a few Panthers of the late Ausf D and thevery first early Ausf As were delivered without the Zimmeritanti-magnetic minecoating. So for a late Panther Ausf A this coating is a must. I chose for this model a resin setfromthe Polish company Atak(ref. 35021). The set consists of anumber of beautifully moulded and very thin sheets of resin which need to be carefully cut from their carrier film and stuck to the model. To attach them I used ‘Flinke Flasche’ liquid adhesive from UHU on the model. Just roughen up the contact surfaces a little,and stick them on (photo 1).This-set was actually desginedfor Dragon’s Panther, so it’s not a 100 percent fit for the Takom kit. This isn’t the end of the world and the edges and corners of each piece of resin need to be smoothed out in any case (photo 2). I used thetwo-part epoxy putty, MagicSculp, for the task. It’s simply a case of using the flat edge of a screwdriver to push and patternthe puttyZimmeritt to matchthe Atak components (photo 3) If you want, you can also chip away at part of the resin to replicate the parts of the hull or turret where theZimmeritt has fallen away, a feature commonly seen in wartime features.Exterior DetailsAfter the Zimmerit applicationwas complete, I could continuewith attaching the the final details. For this I used a combination of parts fromboth the Eduard and Aber photoetch sets (photo 4). Thedegree of detail on kit parts Thomas Birzerconcludes his build of Takom’s Panther Ausf. A.62 Military Modelcraft International21
WORLD WAR IIis superb out of the box, butthe addition of photoetched details lifts it to another level, especially where I wanted to show some battle damage.Takom supplies some excellent copper wiring for the track andtowing cables, even the plasticcable ends are already hollowed out. It’s advisable thought todrill them out further beyond the diameter of the copper cables in order to preventfraying the cable end (photo 5).Except for a few for small parts,which will be attached later,the Panther was now finished (photo 6). I wasn’t sure atthis point whether the tank would end up in a diorama so assembled some of the excellent Friul metal tracks(ref. ATL-08). The kit tracks areexcellent though and as a static display model I would use them.aftinternational.co.uk 633456
WORLD WAR IIPaintingI always prime my models andthis is especially necessary when you’ve been using photoetched parts in order toensure that the paint has a goodsurface to adhere to. I prefer touse ‘rattle cans’ and in this caseI used Tamiya’s excellent ‘FineSurface Primer’ (photo 7). The base Dunkelgelb base was a mixture of about 50:50 Tamiya Dark Yellow (XF-60) and Flat White (XF-2). The spare track links were first sprayed a dark brown and then also painted over with my Dunkelgelb mix, but not without first having applied some AK Interactive ‘Heavy Chipping Fluid’. Of course, hairspray is alsopossible and almost all other paint manufacturers makesimilar products. After a shorttime drying, some areas of paint can be scraped off with a little water which leads to a very effective chipped paint appearance (photo 8)Before I applied the subsequent camouflage of Tamiya NATO Green (XF-67)and Red Brown (XF-64), I applied another layer of the Chipping Fluid. Once applied, the camouflage strips can be partially removed with a hard-bristled brush and a toothpick, resulting in some convincing worn effects(photo 9).Afterwards – before thefilters and the application of pin washes – I further refined the chipped paint appearance. Anychipping and scratches should also be weathered, so they do not seem garish and unnatural. Realistic effects were obtained by first applying some chips with a lightened shade of Dunkelgelb, followed by a dark brown. My proven chippingcolour is Vallejo’s German Black Brown (70.822) from Vallejo. I concentrated these effect on the edges of the armour plates and other areas of high wear(photo 10). Small parts were only attached to the modelafter they had been painted andweathered. This allows you topaint and weather with muchmore precision (photo 11).Filters and WashesAfter chipping, the model was treated with oil paints. First, l applied an overall filter to the model. The should make thesometimes quite bright coloursa little more homogeneous, and it also provide a pleasing fading effect. I used a mixture of Buff from 502 Abteilung and LightOchre from Lukas as a filter. Thepaints were heavily diluted with White Spirit, and then paintedin a thin coat over all thesurfaces. If you apply the filtermore thickly in some places, you can simulate deposits of dust with it. On the still wet filter, I immediately began the process of adding pin washes. These were applied with a finebrush, adding diluted oil paint in the recesses and arounddetails. I like to use Lukas’s Van Dyck Brown” to add theseeffects (photo 12). Oncedry the pin wash gives a real depth to the model.The exhaust was painted witha dark brown (AK Interactive’s Chipping Color (AK711)). Then I added with a sponge a still darker brown (Vallejo’s German Black Brown (70.822). I then started to add different rust-coloured pigments from MIGProductions, these included the Old Rust, Standard Rust, Track Brown’ and, for the soot, Black Smoke. It is particularly important to ensure thatadjacent components do notget any pigments, as these arevery difficult to remove. I simplymade some temporary paper masks to protect the adjacentareas. With a late Panther Ausf.A it should be noted that the two cooling pipes should not be rusted on both sides of the left exhaust, as they didnot get hot (photo 13).MudI still had (and continue to have) plans to place my Panther in adiorama so it was important to properly weather the lower hull and running gear. It’s always advisable to apply lighter tones first, and then slightly darker ones. I like to makea mixture of Vallejos’ Sandy Paste” (26.232), plaster, and matching acrylic paint. In this case, Vallejo’s Al. Cam. Beige (70.821) provided the first layer. The second layer Imixed with Revell’s Panzergrau(36178) and a bit of brown. Just try a few different coloursuntil you find a suitable earth tone. The consistency shouldnot be too fluid, otherwise thetexture of the grime will be too smooth. Simply dab this paste with a coarse bristle brush onto the lower hull area and on the road wheels (photo 14).After everything has dried,you can then treat the thicker slush areas with dark pigmentsor dark oil paint. This simulates wet dirt. It’s important to avoid a monotone appearance and ensure your dirt consists of several shades to represent an accumulation over time. On a few road wheels you can also represent some grease and oil leaks (photo 15). I like to use AK Interactive’s Engine Oil,but again all manufacturers have similar products in their arsenal. To make the whole thing even darker in places, I added some black oil paint to it.Finally, I added a few dirt splashes on the model (photo 16). I restricted this effect to the suspension area and on the lower hull. This is best donewith a hard-bristled brushand flicking, once loaded withpaint, over a toothpick. I like to take AK Interactive’sSummer Kursk (sic)Earth and Dark Mud. However, it is advisable to practice this techniqueon some card or, betterstill, an old model first, so that you get a feel for it. Otherwise you can mess up the model very quickly!64 Military Modelcraft International78
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WORLD WAR IITracksSince the Panther was to be put into a diorama at a later date, I purchased a set of fullyworkable metal Friul tracks. After assembly, these were firstprimed, and then painted with a mixture of grey and brown applied a rough ‘cloud’ pattern.This was followed by chipping with dark brown, especially on the insides. Then the usualpigments were used again: MIGProductions’ Dark Mud, Gulf War Sand and Russian Earth. The pigments were applied wet, mixed with White Spirit, but, of course, other earth-coloured pigments can be used (photo 17). The exact aren’t themost important thinghere. The main thing isthat it looks coherent and matches the rest of the weathering effects. A few more splashes to tie the tracks in the lower hull and we’re done. To simulate the bare running surfaces on the insides, I used Ak Interactive’s True Metal paintfor the firs time. After drying, it can be polished to a high gloss.Final AssemblyNow it was finally the time isfinally time to instal the tracks on the Panther, and to addany missing details, such asthe antenna(photo 18).Since I have always wanted toadd an additional camouflage with branches to a model, I bought a few sets from Mantis Miniatures. The littlebranches are not cheap, but are handmade and look verygood (photo 19). A few small details, such as a jerry can substituting for a spare track link, make the model even more interesting (photo 20).ConclusionWhat Takom’s Panther and thismodel worth waiting for? The Panther by Takom is certainlynot a fast ‘shake-and-bake’ kitbecause of its extensive interior. Yet if you want to take the timeto get a very accurate, completeand detailed Panther Ausf A then this is the kit for you. I found it a pleasure to build.You don’t needto add the detailsI did to this kit,but however you choose to buildand finish it, it’llbe a fine addition to your collectionof World War IIGerman armour.66 Military Modelcraft InternationalAvailabilityTakom 1/35 Pz.Kpfw.V Sd.Kfz.171/267 Panther Ausf.A (Late Production) Full Interior Kit ‘2 in 1’(ref. 2099) is available from all good model shops. Takom kits are distributed in the UK by Pocketbond (www.pocketbond.co.uk).17191820
WORLD WAR IIThe starting point for thisproject was Italeri’s 2018 release of a ‘World of Tanks’ T-34/85. Rather thantreating this as an out-of-the-box build, I decided to addfurther elements to give it a unique appearance. Havingmarvelled at Adam Wilder’s creation, which involved adding ‘Thoma’ Schürzen panels to his T-34 model, I was keen tofollow suit (not that I wished to copy his work, but this wouldbe an inspiration for my piece).I also planned to add spaced armour panels to the turret, a feature I had come across invarious reference photographs.Although the kit is adequately detailed, I opted to make further improvements by way of a set of metal tracks fromMasterClub(ref. MTL35023), and replacementtowing cables fromEurekaXXL. The plastic fenders would also be replaced byetched-brass versions from Aber. Although intended for the Tamiya kit, they fitted perfectly, and would offer the potential for representing battle damage and distortion. While perhapsseen as an unnecessary luxury,I invested in PanzerArt’sresin turret, complete withturned-metal gun barrel (ref. RE35-460); also from PanzerArttheir set of resin road-wheels, which includes captured ‘Panther’ wheels (ref. RE35-169). The fender-mounted tool boxeswere fromBits Krieg (ref. BK-066), and afinal addition, an incompletemine-plough attachment, leftover from an oldZvezda kit.Even at this early stage, I was considering how to present the completed model. The conclusion was that this should be on the streets of Berlin, and show signs of extensiveŁukasz Orczyc-Musiałekk returns with an ambitious World War II project.
combat. Luckily,PanzerArthad recently released some excellenttank crew figures,which could be combined with various items from Alpine Miniatures andEvolutionMiniatures (convenientlylurking in my spares box).Until now, my idea for the diorama settinghad been no more than a section of road and pavement, with a few scattered cobblestones.Looking for furtherinspiration, I learnedthat the Berliners used street trams to formsubstantial barricades. Lo and behold,MiniArtproduce a range of tram kits… one of these would be ideal for my scene. They also offervariousdiorama accessory sets includingroad sections,items of furniture weapons,and militaryequipment.In addition, I acquired a selection of resin pieces from Eureka XXLandPlusModel, together with red bricks fromLandscapes in Detail (the grey bricks I made myself). www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 69WORLD WAR IIAvailabilityItaleri 1/35 T-34/85 Zavod 183 Mod. 44 (ref. 6545) is available fro good model shops.1connectors is much better than some of the metal pins offered by other manufacturers.234
WORLD WAR IIAssembling the T-34 Construction began with the tracks. MasterClub’s castingis excellent, and their choice of resin connectors is muchbetter than some of the metal pins offered by other manufacturers. Not surprisingly,assembly was straightforward,the remaining links being put to one side to be added asspare tracks on the glacis.The next task was to assemble the chassis. At this point, I decided to mix the wheel types: resin items from the PanzerArt set, one from an old MiniArt kit, and the remaining from the Italeri kit. This odd combinationwas quite common; T-34 crewswere used to repairing theirvehicles with different wheels, and the Soviet authorities even published instructionson how to fit capturedPanther wheels to the tanks.With the chassis complete, I cut away the kit’s fenders, sanded the hull panels, applied a thin layer of Tamiya putty, andfinally two layers of AK Interactive’s ‘Easy Cast Texture– Medium’ (ref. AK897). Theresult was far superior to the kit’s representation of the cast-steel surface.The large grab-handlesaround the model were replaced with lengths of soldering wire, plastic spacersbeing used to ensure auniform distance from thepanels. Holding the wire with tweezers required some careto prevent damage to the softmetal. Smaller handles were replaced with copper wire. Time now to add furtherdetails … cable conduits located on the rear hull plate, and various hinges (again metal replacements). Theexhaust-pipe covers came from a redundant MiniArt kit(a definite improvement overthe Italeri versions), and a sharp blade was used to replicatetorch-cut edges to the hull plates. Having soldered themetal fender sections, I glued them to the hull, and bentthem with a pair of pliers to suggest appropriate battledamage (not to mention the result of some careless driving!) As with most current kits of the T-34, the engine air-intake screens have been provided as etched-brass items. Replicatingdamage to these was easily achieved using the tip of a hobby knife, and dents added with the end of a pencil eraser. Using reliable references, I scratch-built the holders and straps for the additional fueltanks. Once attached, thestraps were bent for a morerealistic appearance. Furtheritems were now added to the fenders: the tool boxes (from Bits Krieg), ice cleat holders(made from copper wire), and aconduit for the cables leading to the horn and headlight. The mine-plough attachment from the old Zvezda kit was improved by way of some weld-seams, and ametal hook and eyelet to replace the plastic items.The tension cables weremade from lengths of EurekaXXL’s towing cables. While the mine-plough would have been fitted with steel rollers,photographs show that these were often transported intrucks, to be installed on the device when required. At this point, I added details to the glacis area, and replaced thebow machine-gun with alength of hypodermic needle.Moving on to the resin turret, I gave this a light sanding, and attached the turned-metal gun barrel and etched-brassmantlet dust cover. Certain smaller details along with the loader’s hatch were takenfrom the Italeri kit, and varioushandles were scratch-built.Weld seams were added, and a spring mount wasmade for the antenna rod.70 Military Modelcraft International56
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So here we were with thevehicle in its basic configuration … time now to add some field modifications. The first task was to add the brackets to the fender edges. Once these were soldered in place, I made a start on the mesh schürzen panels. Only three of these would be required, and the smallattachments were solderedto ensure a strong fixing. Withthe panels bent (using a pair of pliers), I added damage to the mesh (again using the hobby knife and pencil eraser). The panels would be mounted on metal tubes, attached tothe hull via large brackets. Once in place, these werealso subjected to damage.The final constructiontask focused on the turret’s spaced armour panels. These were made from brasssheet, soldered together,and mounted via a series of thick support rods.Painting & WeatheringWith the model broken down into sub-assemblies, andsmaller items mounted on cocktail sticks, I was readyto apply a coat of Citadel’s ‘Chaos Black’ primer. Havingallowed this to completely dry, I painted the wheels. Todifferentiate between thedifferent types, I base-coatedthe Panther wheels with typical German colours, and over-painted with an appropriate Soviet Green. Scratches and ‘chipped-paintwork’ effectswere carried out using the ‘hairspray’ technique. The T-34’s original wheels were painted in Soviet colours, a combination of ‘Protective K’ and ‘Protective4BO’. Painting the wheels was made much easier, thanksto QuickWheel’s masks.The main areas of the hull and turret received an overall coat of AK Interactive’s RC072(Protective K) from their ‘RealColors’ range, and the mineplough attachment was givena coat of RC073 (Protective4BO). Aware that these paintsdry to a matt finish, I added a few drops of gloss varnish to provide a more suitablesurface for the subsequent weathering treatment. The ‘Thoma’ supports werepainted in a ‘Dunkelgelb’ colour,to suggest that these (and the panels themselves) had been taken from a disabled German tank. Similarly, some of thespaced panels around the turret were painted to representones from a StuG; others wereintended to be steel plates(marked with factory numbers). The ‘hairspray’ techniquewas employed to carry out damage to the paintwork, and to add extensive ‘rust’ effects.I also hand-painted the whitevehicle-recognition bands,and deliberately incorporatedsplashes and drips to give the impression of a hastily applied paint-job. Roughly applied white bands were added as vehicle identification marks, complete with paintsplashes and streaks for good effect. Finally, the ‘Thoma’ mesh panels were given a heavily worn three-colourGerman camouflage, andthe entire model receiveda coat of satin varnish. The weathering sequencebegan with a series of oil washes (a mix of black andbrown from Adam Wilder’srange, heavily diluted with white spirit). Any excess wasthen removed with a clean brush. The next step was tocreate tonal variation to the green panels around thevehicle. Using a piece of spongeand a range of acrylics, I applied ‘chipped paintwork’ and ‘rust’ effects to the ‘Thoma’ mounts,concentrating on weld joints and areas where the panelswould be attached. Extensive corrosion would also be evidenton the spare track-links. For this,I applied a base of dark brown acrylic paint, and followed with a selection of MIG Productions’ pigments (flicked onto the surface, and secured with a small amount of white spirit). www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 73WORLD WAR II2324
Time to replicate heavy ‘paintchipping’ around the hulland turret; a combination of brush-painting and ‘speckling’ to create a realistic and variedappearance. Patches of rustwould be evident in areas where the damage had extended to underlying metal, though it was important not to overstatethe treatment, and to keep inmind the scale of the subject. Certain panel edges were also lightly touched with silver paint, to give the impression of polished steel resulting fromcrew movement and friction between moving surfaces. The tip of a graphite pencil wasused to polish the steel cables and the machine-gun barrel,and also certain edges of themine-plough attachment.Returning to my oil paints, I placed small amounts onto a piece of card to remove mostof the oil, and applied thesein a series of light coats to replicate accumulated dirt andgrime over relevant surfaces.With the wheels already painted, I applied a layer of MIG Productions’ P039 (IndustrialCity Dirt), the perfect choice forrepresenting dried mud. The pigment was then secured with Abteilung 502’s Pigment Fixer.Moving onto the lower hulland chassis, I added a quantity of AK Interactive’s AK 015(Dust Effects) to the previous pigment, and again secured this with Fixer. The same process was carried out over the tracks (though this time secured with white spirit). All contactsurfaces (including the guide horns) were then polished with graphite. Using my ‘mud’ mixture, I flickedthis over the ‘Thoma’ panels, and I wasready to give some thought to the vehicle’s stowage.Looking more like gypsy caravans, these tanks were oftenlittered with all mannof items: boxes,tarpaulins, radios …and even bicycles, suiand musical instrumentThankfully, MasterBox andPlusModel provided much of what I needed here; other items were easily scratch-WORLD WAR II74 Military Modelcraft International253129302632
built. Appropriately paintedand weathered, these werearranged around the vehicle; not forgetting that they would have probably been secured with rope or wire to preventthem from falling off once the tank was on the move. Further itemswere conveniently wedgedbetween the turret andthe spaced panels to add to the cluttered appearance.And now for those all-important finishing touches … pigments applied to horizontal surfaces (again secured with white spirit), ‘sooting’ appliedaround the exhausts (though left without any form of fixing agent), and touchesof ‘Engine Grease’ oiluted in various s) to replicate stains round the engine deck. All that remained was to drill a couple of holes in the hull bottom, to allow me toscrew the finished model to the diorama base.www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 75WORLD WAR II27333428
Łukasz will return with the concluding part of this project next month.WORLD WAR II76 Military Modelcraft International363840353739
Like many of you I’m sure, Iwas happy to see Tamiyarelease a Jagdpanzer 38(t), but my consciencewouldn’t let me purchase one without having a go at the Eduard Jagdpanzer38(t) Late kit sitting in my stash. Built out of the box, the Eduard offering looks likea Jagdpanzer 38(t), and is astep up in quality to the older Dragon offerings, but buildingan accurate Jagdpanzer 38(t) from the Eduard kit is another matter altogether.The BuildThe Eduard kit poses noproblems with build or fit, but soft or missing detailcombined with some odd decisions and inaccuracies plague this kit. Again, thesensible thing to do would have been to put everything back in the box and buy the much better Tamiya kit; butpart of my goal was to expand my skill set in detailing using primarily plastic card and strip, so I pushed things forward. Itend to work exclusively fromhistorical photos, and becausethe Jagdpanzer 38(t) is my favourite vehicle; it didn’t take me long to find a photo of a unique vehicle in my files. The photo showed a January 1945, BMM built vehicle sportinga 97th Jäger Division unit marking abandoned in early May 1945 in Czechoslovakia.This vehicle also sported some unique features, such as a fieldadded stowage rack on the rear engine deck, and spare tracks mounted on the left hull. I was also pleased to see that the photograph showed the fighting compartment hatches closed and the engine bay doors open; so I skipped any work on the interior andconfined my work to the engine bay and exterior.Eduard give you a goodstarting point with a basic Praga engine and engine bay,but both need some serious attention if you plan on leaving these areas viewable, as there is simply no real detail to them. A fume extractor was added tothe firewall; and the engine bay, engine, and radiator were all heavily detailed, using as manyreference photos as I could find. When the engine bay doors areclosed, they rest on metal strips running along the inside of the hull openings, with tabs for the closing bolts to be threaded through: none of these were present on the Eduard kit and were added from strip. With the engine and engine bay’s soft detail attended to, I turned myattention to a significant flawof this kit: Eduard’s engine deck extends over the top of the rear hull plate, and the tapering hullsides extend over the sides of the rear hull plate, whereas in reality the rear plate butts up to both of these areas. This is a bit of a tricky fix, as the rear hull plate detail is correct. Tobegin with, a piece of squarestock was glued to the top of the rear plate and sanded to thecorrect angle to meet the rear decking but not raise the rearhull height. The tapered hullsides were then trimmed and plastic bits glued to the existing small tabs on the rear hull plate to extend them. Next came the adjustment of the engine deck plate by trimming and sanding the central piece connecting to the fighting compartment roof,as well as sanding the lower edge of the engine bay door openings, and upper and lower edge of the engine bay doors, to allow these to fit without changing the dimensions of either too significantly. Thehinges on the engine bay doors were carefully shaved off and repositioned to align with the hinges on the engine deck once the doors were fitted.With the engine deck platenow secured, I began work on correcting and adding details to this piece. The engine accesshatches were secured by square headed lug bolts, which are represented as small blobs onthe kit; these were shaved off and replaced with square stock,touched with a sanding stick to ease the sharp corners; with thin stretched sprue added on the inner faces to represent the securing bolt shanks. All of the handles of the hatches was replaced by wire as well. The boxy cover forthe exhaustexiting theWORLD WAR IITracy Hancock wrestles theEduardkit into shape.78 Military Modelcraft International
ngine deck was made of thin sheet metal on the real vehicle; Eduard’s part was thinned to better replicate this. The angles of this piece were also off slightly, with the rear sitting too high and the openend too low, an easy fix with some plastic strip and some careful sanding. The tabs andbolts attaching this piece to the engine deck were alsomissing; these were added. The intake fan housing on the rear deck was missing someobvious detail; like the three bolts holding it in place, and the cast in tab which the sliding cover’s securing bolt threads in. Scrap plastic and punch and die to the rescue. The kit-supplied photoetch screen was added, omitting the adjustable cover, as per my reference.1Eduard’s Praga enginereally shines with some added details.2A good bit of reference material, plastic card, and wire bring the engine bayto a better level of detail.3The exposed engine bayand engine provide an early opportunity to get to the fun of painting and weathering.www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 79WORLD WAR II
On to the recall there being anything wrong with the kit muffler, but I had a spare from an old Dragon build that was already sanded and ready to go, so I used that. The exhaust pipeleading to the muffler was the Eduard part, but as it lackedany detail whatsoever plasticcard and Tichy Train nutswere added to represent themuffler attachment bracket,and foil tape and another nut was added to replicate the stub attachment sleeve. Thebrackets holding the muffler to the rear hull were kit parts,with missing bolt detail added.Moving on to the rear hull, the starter crank cover on the real vehicle was held in place by three clasps, not representedat all in the kit; these were replicated using plastic strip and wire. The right rear sparetrack section on BMM built vehicles is mounted higher and more to the right than on theSkoda built vehicles; an easy fix. Frustratingly, Eduard onlyprovide the spare track brackets in multi-part photoetch assemblies, so I robbed minefrom an old Dragon kit, thinningto a scale thickness. Othersmall modifications to therear hull area were to thin the kit provided step and add the small triangular support fillet, to round off the short posts on either side of the crank coverand to add the small groove near the ends of these, and to add the three tow cable mountsand their attachment bolts.Eduard give you rather thick, flat rear fenders, whichof course, could be repwith photoetch; but it wasquite easy to sand the kit items from the bottom, replicateany bending or damage, and glue thin strip to each side to replicate the rolled lip. The fender support brackets werealso thinned to a better scale appearance at this time as well.The kit tool box was used, buta stretched sprue hinge was added. The tool box clasps wereflatly moulded on, but running a razor blade underneath allowed the proper flair to the latch, and thin wire was used to replicate the catches.The jack stowage assembly on the right rear fender wascreated using plastic strip and photoetch clasp latches.The rear fender supports arebolted to a small plate on the rear hull; the Eduard kit lacks both the small plate and bolt detail, which were added withplastic strip and bolt headspunched from plastic card. The kit’s front fenders andtheir support brackets werealso thinned at this time. It was at this point, after beingso focused on the minutia of the build, that I noticed that the rear hull tow extensions were the earlier type; these have a different shape anda higher location than thelater type correct for my build(both types included in the kit); so after some very carefulcutting the later style tow extensions were glued in place.Corrections to the fighting compartment roof were toadd the fouretaining tabs to the sliding gun sight aperture, andto drill the tiny drain holes to the bilsten mounts. Thecomplexrundumfeur mount was completely scratchbuilt,including the asymmetrical shields; and I’m quite pleased at how it came out. Thegunsight guard on Skoda built Jagdpanzer 38(t) is centeredabove the gunsight, but a distinctive feature of BMM builtmachines is that this guard is offset; this was easily createdfrom thin plastic strip. The sheet metal periscope guards werealso made from thin strip, with bolt detail added. The righthull side was detailed with radio plugs made from discs of plastic rod, photoetch tarp tie downs and foliage loops. Thekit’s moulded on spareantenna tubeswere shavedoff, as theywere solid and representedthe longer shape and location seen on very early vehicles. Replacements werecut from appropriasized Albion Alloy The location of thesantenna tubes is differBMM and Skoda built vehicles, on BMM built versions their ds are in line with the fourth Schurzen bracket.Eduard provide the early four-bolt idler adjustment assemblies, which are seen oninitial production vehicles and on vehicles wearing the Skoda and BMM ambush camouflage,and even the Jagdpanzer Starrr; but for a laterJagdpanzer 38 you will need the simpler three-bolt assemblies, which I sourced from the old Dragon kit. Also provided are the latersixteen-bolt roadwheels, which unfortunately lack any boltdetail on the rear faces. These were added using Tichy Train bolt heads. The return roller support was similarly lackingin detail, so strengthening ribs and attachment bolts wereadded. The inner bolt and rib WORLD WAR II80 Military Modelcraft International
detail was added to the blank inner faces of the drive and idler wheels before turning my attention to the exterior of theidler wheel. The initial style of idler was used by both Skoda and BMM, and when these were phased out each manufacturer began using idlers specific to their assembly lines, with Skoda using a four-hole version and BMM using a six-hole version. That’s the simple breakdown; there were also flat faced versions of both the four and six-hole idler wheels, along with eeight-holeand a ribbed six- hole idler wheel; but these are outside the scope of this article. The Eduard kit provide early, four-hole, six-hole, and eight-hole idler wheels, so great for the spares box. BMM’s six-hole idler isquite a bit more complex than what is provided in the kit, and I’ve yet to see an aftermarketexample that captured thelook of the real thing. The kit piece has a flat face, where the original has a slight dishing;easy enough to fix: I made a hole slightly larger than thespindle in some medium density foam and pushedgently, the outer edge of the wheel being supported bythe foam. The rim of the wheelwas a little anemic compared to photos, so it was wrapped with plastic strip. The mostchallenging part of correctingthis wheel was the area where the rim and wheel meet; this being grooved on the surface nearest the rim, but then slightly raised and rounded as it meets the surface of the idler wheel. This was achievedby scribing, sanding, checkingreferences, repeating until asatisfactory result was obtained.This may seem like a lot of work for one simple part, but to my eyes; the chunkiness of theidler wheels on these vehicles is a large part of their charm.At a glance, any of the versions of the idler wheel provided in this kit will require some work to capture their proper look.5While some of this detailing may be almost impossible to see on the finished model, I wanted to test my problem solving and scratch building skills, while the correction to the rim and face of the idler were of paramount importance to achieve theproper look and details.6The ‘Rundumfeuer’, or closesupport weapon, requireda great deal of work to achieve the look of the real thing. A complex device, this assemblyhas been understandably simplified in the kit, but the extra work pays off in a very iconic feature of this vehicle.7The final assembly photo before paint; you cansee that a great deal of work went into the details. 8The vehicle was primed in the colours it would have been seen in on the factory assembly line: The hull was red oxide, the gun assembly in grey zinc primer, and the barrelin heat resistant dark grey.www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 81WORLD WAR II
The kitSchurzen were used, but in order to refine their scaleappearance, the brackets wereshaved off of the back and the Schurzen sanded down frombehind to a better thickness. The hanger bolt was shaved off of the brackets and a file was used to thin the thickness of the brackets without altering their dimensions. Holes weredrilled to accept replacement bolts and the brackets were reglued to their proper places on the backs of the Schurzen. The hull sides of the kit had locating notches to accept theside skirts; these were filled and small holes drilled in their place, so that theSchurzen couldbe hung. My reference photoshowed the front leftSchurzennwas stowed on the rear fenderbehind the tool box, it’s second bracket sheared off but stillattached to the hull; this was replicated. Also stowed with theSchurzenon the rear fenderwas a track tensioning tool; this was an easy scratchbuild. Thehull side spare track hanger wassimple to fabricate using thelonger one meant for the rear deck from a Tamiya kit. It wasonly after completion of themodel that I noticed that on myreference photo, the spare track on the hull side was actually held in place with a flat bar; I leftit as it was, but it does still annoyme a little bit. I robbed the spare track assembly from a Tamiya kit, drilling out the openings for the track pins on the first and last link. The other field modification for this build was the rack on the rear deck; often seen on StuGs, but found on less than a half a dozen photos I’ve seen on Jagdpanzer 38(t), a very cool feature. This was easyenough to fabricate from plastic strip, taking care to insurethat the angles matched what was in my reference photo.Corrections on the front hull were minor; BMM-builtmachines featured a small tag on the nose armour with thefahrgestelllnumber, thiswas added from thin strip. The cover on the driver’s vision blocks was too tall asprovided with the kit part, but was easily sanded to match references. The rain guardframe on the front of this part was also thinned at this point, for a better scale appearance.The only other modification was to fabricate the two stubsfound on the top sides of thelafette, to help position thegun assembly as it was being installed in the factory.That wraps up the corrections to the kit. As you can see, Eduard dropped the ball in terms of producing an accurate kit, which is doubly perplexingas the vehicle was a product of their own country. On the other hand, these vehicles were indispensable in securing their freedom during the Pragueuprising, and formed the basisof their post war army, so the expectation for a better kitis not unwarranted. On thebright side; if you plan on building multiple Jagdpanzer 38(t)s, as I do, the Eduard kit is a giant box of spare parts, which is not a terrible thing.PaintingThe first bit of painting to actually occur was the engine and engine bay. The engine bay was painted with VallejoCalvary Brown, while the engine was painted with someacrylic greys and blacks, andweathered with oils before the rear deck was glued in place.The model was primed with Tamiya primer; once cured,the red-oxide primer layer was applied using Vallejo CalvaryBrown. Even the earliest factory photos show the cast gun mantlet and collar in a grey primer, while the barrels were in heat resistant grey primer; these were replicated onmy model with Tamiya NatoBlack lightened with a dropof grey for the barrel, and alight grey for the mantlet and collar. As you will read further down, I ended up not doing any hairspray chipping, so in hindsight, I could have skipped all but the initial Tamiya primer.Ah well, what can you do?Contrary to what you mayhave seen on the Internet after a certain point in the production runs, you cannot paint your Jagdpanzer 38(t) in whateverscheme you want and call itaccurate; both BMM and Skoda WORLD WAR II82 Military Modelcraft International
had fixed factory camouflageschemes for the Jadgpanzer 38(t) from the time theirrespective ambush schemeswere introduced, following suitwith their late war schemes.BMM’s late-war camouflagescheme consisted of a greenbase, with red-brown amoeba shapes covering approximately 50% of the surface, and cream-coloured noodles following the edges of the red-brown shapes at several points on each side of the vehicle.My base green was a mixture of Vallejo Hemp and Ammo6011 Resedagrun; I found the initial colour was a little dark once the other colours were applied, but was adjustedvery carefully after the other colours were applied with oilpaints. The red-brown wasAmmo 8012 with a few drops of Games Workshop RuddyLeather to bring it aroundto a more brown colour. Thecream was Ammo 7028Dunkelgelb; both colours were brush painted and were nerve wracking paintingsessions, but I felt I captured the look I was after. The other, factory specific feature to thepaintwork were the fake visorspainted under the visor on the front hull; Skoda painted one slightly to the left and one slightly to the right, while BMM painted both descending tothe right. This was easy enoughto do with some Tamiya tape masks and brush painting.While I am a fan of the hairspray technique forchipping, I’ve found that vinylacrylics, like the ones used here, produce large, unpredictablechips, so I skipped the hairsprayon this build: all weathering instead being done with oils. A selection of earth tones, dust colours, Burnt Umber, Rawand Burnt Sienna, greens, and Transparent Earth Orange andYellow were dolloped onto a piece of cardboard to allowthe linseed oil to leech out.Used in small amounts at full strength in specific locations and blended in, and for near dry brush effects, as well as thinnedto create washes and speckling, oil paints are flexible enoughto achieve almost any effect. Thinned dust colours were used on wheel rims, around bolts and hinges, and in crevices; on topof or followed by Burnt Umberapplied in the same way. It’s hard to describe my weatheringin a methodical way, because it doesn’t happen in a methodical way; I work on an area, building up wear using Transparent Earth Orange or Yellow to representrust leeching, then go back with Burnt Umber to create the chip. I will use lighter colours in one area and darker in another, only to go back and layer the opposite on top of them. I work on one surface until I have it toa satisfactory point, but then the effects on the next surfacecan make lead me to go back and add some small, specific work on the previous surface. On the whole, the chipping and rust were kept to a minimum on this build, being applied in logical places, like the lowerfront and rear of the hull, the ends and edges of the fenders, inside the jack fixtures, and invery minute quantity on somehatches and on the gun barrel. 8The green base was an airbrushed mixture of Vallejo Hemp and Ammo Resedagrün, while the red-brown was a hand paintedmixture of Ammo Rotbraun and Games Workshop RuddyLeather. The cream colour wasAmmo Late War Dunkelgelb,also hand painted.9A close up of the oil paint weathering used on the fenders (rust, chipping, and dust) and the rear deck and exhaust. LifeColor’s excellent Rust set was used on the exhaust. The wear of the spare tracks on the rear engine deck can be seen here, along with the exhaust cover, which will be all but hidden once the open engine bay doors are glued in place.10The lower hull is treated to several mixturesof pigments. Speckling and darker oils are used here as well to define seeping oil and accumulated moisture, butthe large running gear will hide the majority of this.11Following referencephotos, dust, grime, speckling, and seeping fluids were added to the running gear with oil paints.www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 83WORLD WAR II
The bulk of the weatadding dust tones with oils. Observing what happens to dust naturally when morning dew or a light rain hits it, I addedsome subtle streaks, and a line of accumulated dust tones to the lower edges of the sloped hull and side skirts. Adding darker dust tones to crevices and then coming back with asmaller amount of lighter dusttones, making sure to blend out the darker, but leave thelighter somewhat definedproduced a nice effect. I hadan old painting instructorwho would say, after mixing up a colour: “let’s see whereelse we can put this!” which is an adage that I still follow, soeach dust, rust, etc tone that was mixed with oils was also thinned a bit and flicked on the lower hull surfaces to build up grime. Finding the place in this process where it’s finished it seems that you could justkeep going for ages, but once the work with oils was finished in a way that I was content with, I added a light dusting of pigments on the wheels,lower hull, and on some of the flat surfaces of the vehicle;fixing it with a mist of thinner and reapplying as necessary.Normally, I would have my Fruil tracks assembled and soaked in Blacken-it, and beapplying washes and speckling to them as I was using those colours on the vehicle; but in this case, I had already done this on a previous build thatI had scrapped. Adding thetracks and gently fixing thestowed side skirt and track tensioning tool brought the build to a close. I set myself many challenges with this build; from detailing the kit to pulling off the complex camouflagescheme successfully. None of itwas easy, but I enjoyed pushing my skills, and am quite pleased with the finished model.WORLD WAR II84 Military Modelcraft InternationalAvailability:Eduard 1/35 Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer Late Model (ref. 3712). See www.eduard.com
www.guidelinepublications.www.guidelinepublications.co.ukAtlantic Resolve demonstrates continued U.S. commitment to collective security through a series of actions designed to reassure NATO allies and partners of America’s dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region. Since April 2014, U.S. Army Europe has led land forces efforts on behalf of the U.S. military, by conducting continuous multinational training activities with allies and partners in eastern Europe. This book documents the men and machinery of the U.S. Army,and its NATO allies and partners during the first four years of Operation Atlantic Resolve. It contains over 140 photos of the armoured fighting vehicles deployed to Germany, Poland, Hungary Romania, Bulgaria, the Baltic Nations and elsewhere and features the M1 Abrams, Challenger 2, Leopard 2 and T-72 MBTs, the Bradley, BMP and CV90 IFVs, the M109A6 and other AFVs.Armour in Profile contains profiles of five armoured fighting vehicles that have shaped the strategy and tactics of the United States Army since the end of World War II. From the battlefields of the Korean Peninsula and the jungles of Vietnam, to the plains of Central Europe and deserts of Iraq and Kuwait, these vehicles are iconic of American military might. Beginning with the M47 and M48 Patton tanks, replacements for the M4 Sherman, it goes on to examine the M60 tank and the mighty M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank. As well as these main battle tanks, it profiles the ‘King of Battle’, the M109 self-propelled howitzer, another relic ofthe Cold War continuously updated to meet the challenges of warfare in the twenty-first century. Finally, the book looks at the ‘REFORGER’ exercises held in the 1970s and 80s, at the height of the Cold War, and which moved thousands of U.S personnel and vehicles to Germany on an annual basis.www.guidelinepublications.co.ukwww.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 85
During the Syrian CivWar, anti-GovernmenForces have continuedto use TOW missiles againsttanks. To counteract these,the Syrian Scientific Research Center (SSRC) developed the‘Sarab Active Protection System’ (the term ‘Sarab’ translates as‘Mirage’). Syrian Intelligence had acquired a number of TOWs from the Free SyrianArmy, and were able to use these to develop an effectivecounter measure. Designed to be fitted to the T-72, T-62and T-55 to interrupt the lineof sight of such weapons, the system itself incorporates powerful infra-red lights, andis reported to be 80% effectiveagainst anti-tank missiles.There are currently three variations of the system: ‘Sarab-1’(introduced in early 2016); ‘Sarab-2’ (late 2016, using multiple emitters); and ‘Sarab-3’ (2017, with 360° protection).The Model For some time now, I havebuparticular upabsence of anything on the market, I decided to scratch-build the ‘Sarab-1’ elements, with a view to adding these to a decent kit of the tank. By chance, a friend offered me hisModelcollect ‘T-72AV’ kit(ref. UA72044), and I wasable to improve this by way of a few after-marketand scratchbuilt details.Assembly began with the chassis. I discarded the kit-supplied running gear, and replaced this with more-accurate items:inner road-wheels from a Revell kit; outer road-wheels, cast from myown master drive sprockets; fromTankograd; and a set of resintracks from OKB Grigorov. Since many of the Syrian tanksappear to be without side-skirts, I opted to omit these from the model, which meantneed to add etails to the des. I scratch-built e air intakes grilles,and added screens using 0.3mm photo-etched mesh. Further hull additions included a 0.6mm towing cable(from Eureka XXL), headlight guards (madefrom 0.3mm plastic rod), vehicle-width indicators(resin items from the Russian company,New Penguin), and a resinexhaust (from Zedval). I also improvedthe appearance of the reactive armour bricks by adding scratch-built mounts.Moving on to the turret, I replaced the stowage boxes(again using better-detailed Revell versions). Thegun barrel was substituted with aturned-metal version (from Zedval,ref. Z7234) withoutthe thermal sleeve, and the commander’s cupola and loader’s hatch were detailedwith scratch-built items. To replicate the broken glass on hlight projector, I y added fragments of sh’ left over from some resincomponents. A final detail, omitting the commander’s NSVT machine gun; evidently, Syrian tank crews dispensed with this following frequent losses from enemy sniper fire. 1The kit’s lower hull/suspension is a die-cast metal unit, to which I added replacement wheels: innerroad-wheels from a Revell kit;outer road-wheels, cast frommy own master; and drive sprockets from Tankograd. 2A comparison between the kit’s outer road-wheel (left), and my own version (right). 3Turret assembly complete. Note the resin parts replicating the ‘Sarab-1’ elements, Zedval’s turned-metal gun barrel, and the searchlightprojector’s broken glass (madefrom fragments of thin resin).4The ‘Sarab-1’ deviceis a resin piece made of six parts.5With aftermarket andscratchbuilt items added, the model was ready for a coat of primer. The trackswould be left unattacheduntil the running gear was painted and weathered. 6In preparation for painting, the model wasgiven a coat of A.MIG-2005 (Surface Primer – Black).Sergejoins thewith a Syrian86 Military Modelcraft InternationalCONTEMPORARY AFVs
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Painting & Weathering Before making a start on the painting, I studied variousphotographs (both in books and online), to get a good idea of the camouflage schemes applied to Syrian military vehicles. While these were quite varied, the T-72s appearto have been given an overall coat of a dark sand colour. Toreplicate this, I prepared a 7:3mix of AMMO’s A.MIG-030(Sand Yellow) and A.MIG-085 (NATO Brown). Satisfied withthe resulting shade, I primed the model with A.MIG-2005 (Surface Primer – Black), and applied irregular patches of A.MIG-931 (Russian Dark Base) and various rust tones. Having treated these areas toa couple of layers of chipping fluid, I could follow the usual procedure to expose selectedportions under the base coat. The choice of ‘Russian Dark Base’ was quite deliberate, as thiswould represent the vehicle’soriginal green paintwork, over which the Syrian ‘sand’ colour would have been applied. With few flat panels, theT-72 is not the best candidate for streaking effects. Instead, I focused on tonal variation and detail painting to create visual interest to the model.This was also helped by theaddition of various items such as discarded water bottles,debris and scattered rocks around the hull and turret.This proved to be a fairlysimple project, taking acouple of weeks to complete. On reflection, I am reallypleased with the outcome,particularly the realistic weathering effects possible on a Small-Scale model.7I applied irregular patches of A.MIG-931 (Russian Dark Base), portions of which would be exposed following the ‘paint chipping’ work on the base coat. 8The ERA blocks were brush-painted withA.MIG-034 (Rust Tracks). 9I now applied two thin coats of chipping fluid.10I airbrushed this colour in a series of light coats, allowing the primer to act as a pre-shading.11Using a selection of stiff-bristle brushes and warm water, I proceeded to remove portions of the base colour to expose patches of the underlying green. I thenused a brush to re-paint areas of sand colour where I felt I had been over-enthusiasticwith the ‘chipping’ work.12The entire model was now given several light coats of A.MIG-091 (Gloss Varnish).13With the wheelsinstalled, thesewere painted, and the tyrespicked out with A.MIG-033 (Rubber & Tires). 14The lower hull and running gear received a series of enamel-based washes and various earth-tone pigments.15OKB Grigorov’s resintracks are fairly flexible,and offer a wealth of fine detail.16The tracks were given an initial coat of A.MIG-2007 (Tracks Primer), followed by random patchesof A.MIG-046 (Matt Black) to create tonal variation.17Patches of A.Mig-034(Rust Tracks) were applied, and A.MIG-1002 (TracksWash) used to blend the coloursand reduce the contrast.18To give the impression of accumulated dust over the tracks, I applied a coatof A.MIG-1401 (Light Dust) fromtheir ‘Nature Effects’ range. Thiswas then carefully removedfrom contact areas using a brush moistenedwith thinner.88 Military Modelcraft InternationalCONTEMPORARY AFVs
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19The inner faces of thetracks were brushedwith A.MIG-3009 (Gun Metal Pigment). The outer faces were similarly treated, though thistime using a silicon brush (to recreate the polished metal resulting from regular contactwith the road surface).20Applied with the end of a stick, A.MIG-1704(Heavy Mud) was used toimitate a build-up of dirt in the track’s recesses. 21Damp patches werethen replicated using aselection of enamel-based colours from AMMO’s ‘Streaking Brusher’ range.22Finally, extreme edges were picked out with A.MIG-194 (Matt Aluminium) from their ‘Metal’ range.23Using a combinationof Black and Dark Brown oils (from AMMO’s‘Oilbrusher’ series, I emphasisedshadow around the hull. 24Returning to my A.MIG-1401 (Light Dust), I brushed this over the hull, and followed using a brush moistened with thinner to remove portions where dust would be logicallywiped away.25In areaswhere I feltthe dust accumulation wouldbe most evident, I addedsand-coloured pigment, and 90 MilitaryCONTEMPORARY AFVs
fixed this with enamel thinner. 26Again using my Oilbrusher oils, I diluted these and applied them around the air intake grilles.27Selected areas of the hull were now treated to a touch of Ochrefrom the Oilbrusher range.28Time for some rusteffects, first applied with a sponge, and then with darker colours applied with a brush. 29The exhaust and the surrounding area were airbrushed withA.MIG-046 (Matt Black).30To give the impression of fuel and oil stains, I brushed A.MIG-1408 (Fresh Engine Oil) to appropriate areas. 31The upper part of the oil tank was then treated to a coat of A.MIG-1004 (Light Rust Wash).32Time to paint the‘Sarab-1’ device. First,an overall sand colour, optics painted silver (followed by atouch of gloss varnish), a dark wash applied to all recesses, minimal ‘chipping’ effects tothe panels, a rust-tone wash, and finally a light dusting. www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 91CONTEMPORARY AFVs
33The periscope lenwere given an initcoat of A.MIG-194 (Matt Aluminium), followed byA.MIG-099 (Black Blue) from their ‘Acrylic Crystal’ range. 34Although the main side-skirt panels weremissing, some of the upper sections were still in place.Since these would have been made of rubber, I suggestedexposed areas under the damaged paintwork usingblack pigment (appliedwith a make-up sponge).35Final touches included a light dusting to the fenders, appropriate weathering applied tbarrel, and exposed metal onvarious panel edges picked out with the tip of a graphite pencil.36When securing the various rocks and stones, I used a combination of PVA white glue (for smaller items) and A.MIG-2012 (Sand & Gravel Glue) (forlarger ones). The plastic bottles were sourced from T-Model’s ‘Modern U.S. Military Equipment’ set (ref.A72001).92 Military Modelcraft InternationalAvailability:Modelcollect 1/72 T-72AVMain Battle Tankk (ref. UA72044) is available from good model shops.CONTEMPORARY AFVs
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Title:Modelling the World’s MostIconic Tank: T-54, T-55Author:Samir Kassis, Kristof Pullinckx et alPublisher:AK InteractiveISSN:843-5-56830-6-783Price:€27.95 (pb)Whether or not the T-54/55 is the world’s ‘most iconic’ tank, it was certainly themost numerous and, largely thanks toUkrainian company MiniArt, probably the most extensively and accurately kittedAFV. The T-54/55 was the mainstay of the Warsaw Pact’s armoured might fromits introduction in 1947 until the 1970s.Subsequently it has seen extensive combatin most of the wars of the late twentieth and twenty-first century: Afghanistan,the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Gulf Wars, Vietnam, the Balkans and numerous small conflicts in Europe, Asia and Africa. The book starts with an overview of the T-54/55’s service history and the availablemodel kits. Make no mistake though, this is a book about the MiniArt kits and it offers a comprehensive listing of the many variants that MiniArt have produced, as well as accessories, crew figures and tracks. The meat of the book is six separate articles by five different modellers who tackle the MiniArt kit in their individual ways. It starts with a heavily weathered T-54-1 Mod. 1946 by Kristof Pullinckx, who then follows up with a wonderful blue SLA Tiran 4 with full interior. Next Abilio Piñeiro Grajera builds the standard T-55 as an Iraqi vehicle. Next we have, what is for me at least the standout model in the collection, Lester Plaskitt’s build of a T-55A as a BosnianSerb tank. Complete with rubber side skirts and an eclectic collection of objects on the engine desk, this is a superb model, heavily yet subtly weathered. Our ownŁukasz Orczyc-Musiałek comes next with the most ambitious project of the book: a heavily stowed and weathered Syrianrebel T-55A Mod. 1981 with slat armour and MiniArt’s superb KMT-5 mineroller. Finally, we have a wonderful Yom KippurWar-themed vignette by Rubén GonzálezHernández. This features the T-55A Mod. 1963 and three figures on a perfectly executed scenic base. The book then ends with a collection of reference photos thatwill certainly clarify details for modellers.All of the models are presented with very clear and informative step-by-step photos. A wide variety of techniques, both building and painting and weathering, are included. My only complaint is that four of the six tanks are Middle Eastern-themed and only one – the Syrian T-55 – has a camouflage scheme. Given the wealth of colour schemes and marking options supplied with the various MiniArt kits this might be something of a missed opportunity. Nevertheless, this is a superbbook, full of fantastic models, and a must-have for anyone interested in this (most) iconic of tanks and in building the MiniArt kit. Very highly recommended. Our thanks to the guys at AK Interactive for the review copy (www.ak-interactive.com).David GrummittTitle:Canadian Leopard Project:Leo 2A6M JuggernautAuthor:Anthony SewardsFormat: DVD (jpgs and Word docs)As most readers will know, the Leopard2 is a main battle tank developed byKrauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelveother European countries, as well as several non-European nations. More than 3,480 Leopard 2s have been manufactured. The Leopard 2 first saw combat in Kosovo with the German Army and has also seen action in Afghanistan with the Danish and Canadian ISAF forces. The Canadian Leopards, both Leopard 2A4M CAN and Leopard 2A6M CAN (the subject of this DVD), are among the best documented MBTs in service today. The man behindthe Canadian Leopard Project, Anthony Sewards (himself a veteran of the Canadian tank force), has compiled this DVD as the ultimate reference to the Leopard 2A6M in Canadian service. The two DVD set contains,quite literally, thousands of photographs injpeg format that cover every aspect of the service life of the Leopard 2A6M CAN. The photographs, from a wide variety of officialand private sources, chronicle the tanks’ arrival from Germany, the preparation fortheir deployment to Afghanistan, their longtours of duty there, their return to Canada,and the training and live-fire exercises that they have been involved in subsequently. As well as the photos, there are a small number of videos of the Leopard 2A6M CAN, and a very useful survey of the existingkits and conversions available to build thismost attractive of Leopard 2 variants. This multi-media package is complemented by a series of documents, in MS Word format, that provide an extensive history of the Leopard 2 in Canadian service and the particular modifications applied to the Leopard 2A6M in Canadian service. This is a wonderful reference resource,most highly recommended and essential if you are planning to build this vehicle. Moreover, a proportion of the sales of this DVD will go to the Canadian veterans’ charity, Legion OSI (www.osispecialsection.ca). The DVD should be available from the Leopard Club (www.leopardclub.ca) by the time you read this review or contact [email protected] for further details.David GrummittA round up of the latest military titles 94 Military Modelcraft International
Title:Kursk 1943: Last GermanOffensive in the EastAuthor:Ian BaxterPublisher:Casemate PublishersISBN:978-1-61200-7-076Price: £19.99 (pb)It’s time for another book on the great German offensive against the Kursk salient in the summer of 1943. This one does not start off well as the subtitle ‘lastGerman offensive in the East’ is obviouslywrong, with that honour surely going tothe German spring offensive in Hungary in 1945? That said, the book improves markedly once you’re past the front cover. It is, in essence, a summary of the battle fromthe German perspective. Early chapters on the fighting in the winter and spring of 1943 and the recapture of Kharkov set the scene, before the opposing forces and their orders of battle are examined, and then it goes on, in turn, to look at the battle from the perspective of Army Group South andArmy Group Centre. The text is broken up by some very helpful and interesting studies of individual commanders, of the different formations deployed (especially thePanzer divisions), and some colour profiles. The book is well illustrated by a range of photographs and maps. The vast majorityof the photographs are familiar, but thereare one or two that seem new (to me atleast). Frustratingly, no acknowledgement is given for the source of the photographs. I would compare this book favourably to an Osprey Campaign book, perhaps the nearest analogous series to Casemate’s Illustrated. The text is informative and well-written and the photographs wellreproduced; the maps are clear, although the artwork and colour profiles are not up to the standard of colour profiles we’re used to from more modelling-orientatedtitles. Overall, for a good solid introductionto the Kursk campaign from the German point of view this is a recommended read.David GrummittTitle:How to Paint WWII GermanLate (Solution Book 04)Author:Sergius PęczekPublisher:AMMO of Mig JiménezISBN:843-2-07406-5-036Price: €9.95 (pb)AMMO’s Solution Box series is a simple idea: a box containing all the paints, washes, pigments and others weatheringproducts you need to paint and weather a particular genre of vehicle. Each boxof goodies is accompanied by a lavishly illustrated 70-page guide that shows you, step-by-step, how to finish the model in the ‘AMMO’ way. The fourth in the seriescovers the perenially popular subject of German late-war armour: that is, paintedin the three-tone camouflage scheme of Dunkelgelb, Rotbraun and Olivgrün. Thesubject chosen by accomplished Polish modeller Sergius Pęczek is the King Tiger.The painting and weathering style is quite distinctive, designed, I guess, to showcase AMMO’s range of products, but the end result is impressive and the step-by-stepguide exemplary in its clarity. Each stageis illustrated by in-progress shots of the model, photos of the different productsused and a useful guide to the techniques used and means of application. The text is in English, French, German and Spanish but really the photos speak for themselves here. Whether or not you use AMMO products, there are some really goodtips here that all modellers can benefit from. Recommended. Our thanks to the guys at AMMO for the review copy. It’s available directly from www.migjimenez.com and other good booksellers.David Grummittwww.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 95
Title: Sturmgeschütz: Development,Weaponry and Uniforms of the Wehrmacht’sAssault Gun Units (1940-45)Author:Ricardo Recio Cardona andCarlos de Diego VaquerizoPublisher:Abteilung 502ISBN:978-8-41209-3-520Price: €17.10 (hb)There are numerous books on the StuG III, but this one has to be one of the best published recently. The book provides an overview of the various assault gun units and the variants of the StuG III, the most widely produced German AFV of World WarII. The final twenty or so of the book’s 116 pages covers the field grey Panzerjacke and other uniform items worn by the men of the Sturmgeschützabteilungen. So far, so good; there isn’t anything tha is particularly new or startling. We then, however, have the photographs. First, the photographsof real uniform items are superbly done, while the archival photographs are beautifully reproduced. More than that though is the fact that a good proportion of these photographs, both of the vehicles themselves and the men who servedin them, are previously unpublished.Indeed, the majority of images in the book are new to me and I have seen quite a few StuG books over the years! This is a beautifully produced and reasonably priced book. Highly recommended. Ourthanks to the guys at AK Interactive for the review copy (www.ak-interactive.com).David GrummittTitle:DAK: German AFV in North AfricaAuthor:VariousPublisher:AK InteractiveISSN:843-5-56830-6-789Price:€28.95 (pb)The armour of the Deutsche Afrika Korps has always been popular among modellers. Books like Bruce Quarrie’s Panzers in the Desert inspired a generation of young modellers, myself included, and now, several decades later, we actually have the plastic kits available to model these AFVs accurately. This really is a wonderfulbook, both for the range of topics it covers and the quality of the models featured. The models range from the Tiger I and thePanzer IV, to more unusual subjects such as a fantastic Opel Blitz minibus by Łukasz Orczyc-Musiałek and the seldom-seen AFV Club Sd.Kfz. 233, built by Kristof Pullinckx. The production values are, as we have come to expect from AK Interactive, superb, with some great design from sometime MMIcontributor Mürat Özgül. If German armouris your thing, or if you just love thumbingthrough a superbly produced book packed full of stunning models, then this is for you. Again, highly recommended. Our thanks to the guys at AK Interactive for the review copy (www.ak-interactive.com).David GrummittA round up of the latest military titles 96 Military Modelcraft International
www.militarymodelcraftinternational.co.uk 97Advertise in...www.guidelinepublications.co.ukIncrease your business with an advert in Military Modelcraft International. Contact Tom Foxon today for more information about our media packages.Tom FoxonSales & Marketing DirectorM: +44(0) 7540 153368 E: [email protected] Kensworth Gate 200204 High Street South Dunstable, Beds LU6 3HST: +44(0) 1582 668411
Like us on FacebookIsaid last month that 2019was quite a year for Guideline Publications: well, it wastoo for many of our friendsand partners in the hobby. Interms of kit manufacturers, Iwas delighted to see ICM andMiniArt continue to flourish, releasing some excellent kits both in terms of quality andsubject. A notable newcomer is Border Models, whose firsttwo kits – the Panzer IV and Leopard 2 – have really made a splash. In terms of Small-Scale kits, Attack Hobby kits have released some great new kits too. In terms of accessories and ‘aftermarket’ stuff, I continue tobe impressed by Eureka XXL. This Polish manufacturer has really made a leap forward this last year, with some great new releases and new packaging as you can see in this month’s NATF. Honourable mentions should go to Matho Models, whose diorama accessories are really superb, and Master Model, whose turned brass barrels and ammunition which we reviewed last month aresuperb. There are so many small manufacturers out there andwe only have the opportunity to review a small fraction in these pages, but if you area manufacturer and have products you’d like to publicise then please do get in touch.Thanks to everyone who hascontinued to submit material toour Facebook page; please keep them coming. It’s a real pleasure to see your work and we’llcontinue to feature as much of it as we can on Facebook and in the magazine. Our Facebook page has over 63,000 followers and a considerable globalreach. If you would like to takeadvantage of the opportunities offered by our Facebook page or our expanding print media to promote your products thenplease contact me,Tom Foxon, Guideline Publications’ Sales and Marketing Director ([email protected]). Remember we’re always happy to receive newproducts announcements andsamples for review which willbe featured in both the print magazine and on our Facebook page. Similarly, if you wantto see your models featuredon our Facebook page or on this page in the magazine, then please do message us. 98 Military Modelcraft International(above)Štefan Pásztor returns with this stunning conversion based on Roden’s Kraz 255 and MiniMan Factory’s ATEK excavator. Not strictly a military subject, but we love it regardless!(below) Ricardo Chust joins the MMI team in2020 with this superb Merkava 3 BAZ.(above) Ilya Yut will be returning to these pages soon with this AfricanUnion Peacekeeping T-55A.(left) Carlos Blanco has done a magnificent job with Trumpeter’s Canadian LAV-III.(right) We’ve got some great modellingcoming up to in our sister publication,Fantasy Figures International,including Pete Usher’s Ma.K.-inspireddiorama‘TheRescue’
www.hannants.co.ukEUROPE’S NUMBER ONE MODEL SHOPPOST AND PACKING RATESPostage is calculated by weight / volume. Please place items in your cart and postage will be shown at checkout. It is calculated according to your delivery address.Please note we no longer produce a printed catalogue.Established since 1890 - selling plastic kits since 1955 - your guarantee of serviceH.G.Hannant Ltd, Harbour Road, Oulton Broad,Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 3LZ, EnglandTel: 01502 517444 or 0845 130 72 48 (all calls will be charged at local rate)Fax: 01502 500521http://www.hannants.co.ukEnquiries to: [email protected] address: Unit 2 Hurricane Trading Estate,Grahame Park Way, Colindale NW9 5QW Telephone: 020 8205 6697TELEPHONE NUMBER 0845 130 72 48LOCAL RATE FROM UK PHONES ONLY (NOT MOBILES)ACE72177 1:72 STS “Tiger” (special armoured vehicle 233014) £19.99ACE72570 1:72 Flak.36 3.7cm. AA gun with Sd.Ah.52 carriage trailer £8.20ACE72577 1:72 770K Armored Cabrio for Reichskanzler ) £16.40ARM99019 1:72 German Sd.Kfz.251/1 Hanomag: x 2 £8.40CB350161:35 British Humber Scout Car Mk.I with twin K-guns £26.99CB35207 1:35 British Army ATV Quad Bike and Trailer with Soldier £26.99CB35215 1:35 Canadian Cruiser Tank Ram MK.II £35.99DN6559 1:35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N Kursk 1943 £74.99DN66911:35 RSO/01 Type 470 £48.50MT35287 1:35 Australian M3 LEE £59.99MT37068 1:35 Soviet T-55 Polish Production £47.99MT390011:35 B-TYPE Military Omnibus (Old Bill Bus) £49.99MT390041:35 Railway Non-Brake Flatbed 16.5T £39.99UA72167 1:72 STUG E-50/E-75 transport train £39.99UA72176 1:72 Soviet TOS Heavy Flame Thrower System £16.99UA72190 1:72 German WWII V4 short range tactical ballisticmissile in £16.99UA721931:72 Soviet T-80 Main Battle Tank 1970S-1990S N in 1 £18.99UA72309 1:72 Fist of War WWII German 28cm Kanone 3 Auf Lastenträger E-100 £39.99ROD739 1:72 LGOC B Type Bus £15.99RV35037 1:35 Canadian Universal Carrier Wasp Mk.IIC £36.99THU350031:35 Back in stock!Indian 741B US Military Motorcycle £29.99TU01063 1:35 M4 Command & Control Vehicle (C2V) £63.99UMMT680 1:72 Armored Lokomotive Of Type ‘PR-43’ (trains) £35.30ZVE3696 1:35 Soviet Bumerang 8x8 APC with Epoch remote control turret £29.99TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOMEAceAceAceBronco ModelsBronco ModelsBronco ModelsZvezdaRodenUM-MTArmour-fastRiich ModelsModel collectModel collectModel collectModel collectModel collectDragonDragonMiniArtMiniArtMiniArtMiniArtThunder ModelsTrum-peter
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