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Contents modeller

military illustrated

ISSUE No.032 December 2013

10

4 NEWS
34 Military modelling product news

6 ABANDONED BY THE
ROADSIDE; THE TIGER II
IN NORMANDY
Diorama ideas based on a set of images from
the Normandy campaign

10 HEMMT OVER HET


Balaton Models 1:72 HET M1070 plus M1000
trailer, with a HEMMT on top

COVER
16 WHEN THE EAST FEATURE
WIND BLOWS
Angus Creighton builds Dragon’s 1:35
Flakpanzer IV 3.7cm Flak ‘Ostwind’

22 HARLEY-DAVIDSON AT WAR
Modelling references for Harley-Davidson
military motorcycles

28 DESERT PREACHER
Bronco’s 1:35 British self-propelled ‘Bishop’
howitzer in desert camouflage

34 THE WHITE BUFFALO


Building, painting and weathering Dragon’s
1:35 Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C

40 PATTON MAKER
Construction on Dragon’s new 1:35 post-war
28 M48A3 Patton tank begins

44 JUST A LITTLE TEDDY


BEAR... Part 2
Construction continues on Meng’s
1:35 D9R IDF bulldozer

54 THE DEADLY 88;


FLAK 37 IN DETAIL
Modelling references for the 88mm
‘Fliegerabwehrkanone’ Flak 37

60 ORDNANCE DEPOT
New and recent accessory sets and
modelling materials

62 BOOK REVIEWS
Capturing Clerveux, Case Yellow

66 SIGN OFF
Dioramas to build before you die…

AFV Edition 3

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News NEWS JUST IN...
MENG
• 1:35 Achzarit IDF
APC
• 1:35 Char 2C
• 1:35 Leopard 1A3/
A4
creativemodels.co.uk

MASTERBOX
• 1:35 Soviet Marines
and German Infantry
hand-to-hand combat
1941-1942
• 1:72 Mk.I Female
IWATA
REVELL
British tank 1916
TRN1 AIRBRUSH creativemodels.co.uk
1:35 ATF DINGO 2 Brand new from Iwata is the TRN1 gravity-feed,
New from Revell In 1:35 we have the beefy ATF Dingo 2 trigger airbrush. This new instrument features BRONCO
GE A2 PatSi, ideal for modern military dioramas and the interchangeable paint cups and a chunky • 1:35
ideal accompaniment for Leopards etc. handgrip for maximum comfort while working. Panzerkampgwagen I
www.revell.eu www.airbrushes.com ausf.F VK18.01
hannants.co.uk

ANDREA MINIATURES
• 1:32 Tank Fight on
the Western Front
1916
historexagents.com

AK INTERACTIVE
• Waterborne Polymer
MINIART Surface Primer White
1:35 EUROPEAN TRAM (AK177)
This highly detailed, injection-moulded • Waterborne Polymer
kit of a typical 1930s/40s European Surface Primer Black
tram, perfect for cityscape dioramas (AK178)
and vignettes. Full internal and creativemodels.co.uk
external detail, plus number decals
and a section of cobbled street with DIOPARK, TAIWAN
tram-tracks, naturally. • 1:35 ‘70s German-
www.creativemodels.co.uk made civilian car’,
(Mercedes-Benz
W-123)
www.luckymodel.com

TAMIYA
• 1:35 LRDG
Command Car
North Africa W/7
Figures
www.hobbyco.net

KIT FORM SERVICES


REVELL
• 1:72 Russian T-90
1:24 TQ-FV432 Mk2/1 APC MBT
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, KFS are to release www.revell.eu
a 1:24 kit of the British Army FV430 AFV in
resin, white-metal and photo-etch brass.
The model is fully detailed inside & out
with a lift-out K60 engine. 187 parts in
polyurethane resin, 250 in white metal plus VISION MODELS
337 in photo-etched brass. Joining the FV432 1:35 BA-64 VARIANTS
is the L118 105mm light gun, which served Two versions of the tiny Soviet BA-64 armoured
in the Falklands campaign. The model allows car are on their way from Vision Models; the
any firing angle, both towing options (barrel railway-modified BA-64-3Zhd and the snow-
forward/reversed) and comes complete with a modified BA-64-3SKh. Original ideas for the little
demountable base plate turntable machine!
www.kitformservices.com www.hannants.co.uk

THIS MONTH IN
NEW FROM MINIMAN FACTORY TAMIYA MODEL
1:25 KrAZ-255B RUSSIAN PONTOON BRIDGE-LAYER
The Russian KrAZ bridge laying truck is on its way in resin, MAGAZINE…
in the car/truck-modelling scale of 1:25. Expect lots of Tamiya 1:35 M561 Gama Goat
detail and very fine resin castings. This month’s edition of Tamiya
www.fieldsofglorymodels.co.uk Model Magazine (December,
No.218) is Tamiya 1:35 M561
Gama Goat. Order now at;
www.tamiyamodelmagazine.com
4 Military Illustrated Modeller - December 2013

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MODELLING REFERENCES: S.H.PZ.ABT. 503 Tiger II in Normandy

ABANDONED BY THE
ROADSIDE; THE 503’s
TIGER II IN NORMANDY
Some diorama ideas based on a famous set
of images taken near Vimoutiers, Normandy

A Canadian Universal Carrier has to veer


to the left to pass the massive bulk of
the abandoned Tiger II. Note the neat
piles of clean-looking stowage on the
rear of the ‘Carrier

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MODELLING REFERENCES: S.H.PZ.ABT. 503 Tiger II in Normandy

Presumably positioned by the crew of the Tiger or the


Bergepanther, a few saplings propped up against the rear
of the hull are barely enough to hide the mighty tank from
marauding Allied ‘Jabos’, or fighter-bombers. From this view
we can get an impression of the narrowness of the country
lane where the vehicles were abandoned

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Feature Article: Balaton Modell 1:72 M1070 HET • Kit No.BM7220
Balaton Modell 1:72 M1000 Heavy Trailer • Kit No.BM7226
Academy 1:72 M977 HEMMT • Kit No.13412

HEMMT OVER HET


The US Army has used several tank transporters over recent years, but the
most outstanding in terms of versatility and functionality is the HET M1070
plus the M1000 trailer, made by Oshkosh. Domingo Hernández builds
three 1:72 kits to create this impressive combination
CONSTRUCTION; HET M1070 building the lower chassis with the wheels fitted. are less visible to the human eye and also would
I admit that at first I had mixed feelings, having It sounds silly, but those who build these types of invest a lot of effort in getting more or less the same
dismissed the HET model of Hobbyboss for being models know what I mean! The only modification results as with a model in 1:35. I was clear from
too big and complex, but on seeing the tractor unit that I decided to give the tractor unit was to the beginning that I wanted to paint the nose of the
of Balaton Models in 1:72 I thought “resin model, a reinforce the cabin doors with additional armour as truck in the sand colour, the body green and the
brand I do not know too much, a model at 1:72”, seen in many photos. field-modified armour on the doors in rusted tones.
still too many doubts! Still, I chose to buy it to see With that idea in mind, I used Tamiya XF-67
if it met my expectations. PAINTING NATO Green, liberally applying two coats. Before
I'm glad to say they were not only met, but My way of painting models is fairly strange. I gluing on the nose of the truck, I painted it with a
greatly exceeded, the kit coming in a perfectly have no defined method, I just use my techniques mixture of XF-57 Buff with a drop of XF-60 Desert
packaged box, two photo-etched sheets of different depending on the model in question and I change Yellow, followed by two further layers with X-22
thickness, very clear instructions and clean resin the processes as I am painting, based on the Clear added to prepare the paint for weathering.
castings without deformation; everything a modeller results I get. So I guess I will not create a modelling The armour on the doors was painted entirely
wants when he opens a kit box. school! The important thing is that I do not decide with Vallejo acrylics with various sponges, oxides
Only it took me an afternoon to clean up the on any painting process when I start, I have only a colours plus semi-transparent blues and greys to
resin parts and prepare my modelling table for this vague idea of how I want to finish the model when recreate the effect of raw, rusted armour plating.
jewel. One of the most exciting times for a modeller I begin to paint. What I do have are several ways From my experience there are moments when the
when building a wheeled vehicle is to check that all to deal with the painting of a small-scale model, modeller has to stop a moment and ask themselves
the wheels touch the ground once you've finished the processes for which must be simplified as they what to do next. This is where I had come now,

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with the model in its the base paint; push ahead previously-applied colours stronger whilst not of indicators and reflectors. I painted their bases
or repaint it? My intuition told me to repaint, but I covering them completely. The next step was to with Tamiya XF-16 Flat Aluminium by brush, then
held back, putting the model in a closed box to let further enhance the airbrush work with thinned applied Tamiya clear colours.
dry and to see it with more perspective a few days Tamiya enamels, applied by brush. I also applied
later. Those days became weeks. I had no intention some dark, enamel-paint colour-washes; the
of continuing with the model until I felt I really advantage of this method is that you can do it
wanted to but when it happened, I finished it in one almost immediately after applying the airbrushed
go. Weeks later I got the truck out of its box and acrylic paints, because the acrylic paint will not
I knew exactly how I wanted to finish it. I applied suffer any damage. I applied splashes, extreme
the first superficial dust layers with thinned Tamiya dirt, stains, etc... The last step was to apply oil-stain
XF-57 and XF-55, applying it to horizontal areas effects without going over the top; we must always
where dust had accumulated and vertical zones bear in mind the scale and look at the model
creating streaking effects. overall to make sure the effects look appropriate.
In a second pass, almost immediately, I applied I left off some details until final assembly, such as
darker, earth-toned colours, outlining previous the windshield, cables and headlight lenses (Greif). The completed tractor unit revealing in its raw resin state, revealing
the extent of the photo-etched parts
colours using XF-10, XF-78 and XF-52, making Another job that I left until last was the painting

Over the base coats of green and To create more


sand, a dusty layer was airbrushed variety of tone in the
on using Tamiya acrylic paints dust streaks, Tamiya
enamels were then
airbrushed over the
pale dust effects

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Feature Article: Balaton Modell 1:72 M1070 HET • Kit No.BM7220
Balaton Modell 1:72 M1000 Heavy Trailer • Kit No.BM7226
Academy 1:72 M977 HEMMT • Kit No.13412

Hydraulic lines and an additional armoured windscreen frame The tractor’s headlights were created with clear
resin lenses by ‘Greif’

Oil paints, diluted with thinners, were used


to enhance and deepen detail The tractor unit is complete; the
many layers of weathering can be
seen here, working together to
create a convincing overall effect
HET M1000 TRAILER
The construction of the M1000 trailer is no more
difficult than having the patience to sand and
attach no less than forty-two wheels! Above all, it's
essential that the forty roadwheels (two are spares)
all touch the ground. It is highly recommended to do
the assembly work slowly, patiently and carefully.
There will always be one or more wheels that won't
completely touch, but, as in other cases, I resorted
to a little trick. I placed a weight on the trailer and
with a hairdryer, I heated up the bottom of the
trailer until the resin of the offending wheel's axle
softened very slightly and was able to be pressed
down by the weight of the trailer. To paint the trailer
I followed pretty much the same steps as for the “The construction of the M1000 trailer is no more
tractor unit. It started by painting of the bottom of
the trailer with Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black, thereby I difficult than having the patience to sand and
saved having to paint the tyres one by one.
attach no less than forty-two wheels..!”
HEMMT M977
I couldn't decide what to use as a payload for the
transporter, considering tanks and even the D9
dozer, also by Balaton Models, but after looking
at many pictures of trucks in combat, I found a
picture of an M1070 carrying an M977 HEMMT.
To accomplish this set-up, the only model available
is by Academy, which is somewhat poor in detail.
This was provided by my friend Alvaro Rodriguez
who gave me the kit together along with a nicely
cast set of wheels by D-Toys.
The only problem is that this set only comes with
eight wheels, which means that if you want to add As with the tractor, the trailer combines resin and photo-etched brass in its Tamiya Fine Surface Primer was used to create the initial
construction. Note the brass rod hand-holds undercoat, sealing in the differing materials
the spare wheel, you must buy two sets of wheels.
To create the spare, I cut out the kit's spare wheel
rim and coupled it to one of the resin items which
had its wheel drilled out, leaving just the tyre. I
encountered no further problems with the rest of the
model, it's decent kit of good proportions to which
I just added a new front grille, kindly provided by
Alex Clark.
To paint the truck, I chose different colours from
those used on the M1070 to vary the visual effect
and make it stand out from the trailer. I decided
to paint it in overall sand, mixed from XF-55 Deck
Tan and a pinch of XF-60 Tamiya Desert Yellow. I
painted the chassis XF-72 JGSDF Brown, forming
a layer of earth-toned dirt. For the upper areas of
the cabin and cargo of the truck, I lightened the
mixture a little, with a small amount of white to
make it look cleaner than the lower areas, and
play with the scale of the model. I painted the tyres
black, adding a drop of Tamiya XF-15 Flat Flesh
to break the pure black of Tamiya and provide a
Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tank formed the basic layer of dust underneath the trailer
rubbery tone. I weathered the tyre with the dusty
colours used on the vehicles' chassis.

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Some of the XF-55 Deck Tan was airbrushed onto the upper surfaces XF-52 Flat Earth was then used to add earth tones to the loading deck Portions of the deck were masked off and Vallejo sand dabbed on with a
torn scouring pad to add a textured pattern

Rust tones were created with a deep brown colour, mixed from acrylics More dust layers were added to tone down the previously applied Pigments only came into play as a final touch to give the trailer deck a
and stippled on with a cut-down paint brush effects and create a layered effect dry, muddy appearance

The application of dirt to a desert-based vehicle


is always a much debated topic and creates
several lines of discussion; I am of the opinion
that it's another useful way to contrast parts of
the model, but a model painted in light colours to
which dust is applied has to be done in a manner
that wont obscure the model, covering details and
underlaying paint finishes. Following the previous
proposal I started with the painting of the wheels
with the Iraqi Sand colour by dry brush; later I
would apply some black pigments to attenuate the
sand stains.
As with the tractor, the layers of
The rest of the weathering process relied on paint and dust effects give the
earth-colour enamels diluted with corresponding model a well-used look
lacquer thinner, plus several 'splashes' in logical

Turning to the HEMMT, the chassis was first airbrushed with a The tyres were painted with a near-black colour; 100% black would be The black was treated with Vallejo sand acrylic paint to tone down
home-made desert sand colour too dark for this scale the rubber colour

The completed HEMMT looks extremely good


and it ready to be mounted on the trailer

AFV Edition 13

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Feature Article: Balaton Modell 1:72 M1070 HET • Kit No.BM7220
Balaton Modell 1:72 M1000 Heavy Trailer • Kit No.BM7226
Academy 1:72 M977 HEMMT • Kit No.13412

The M1070 and M1000 make a formidable


combination; the vehicle is huge and very
imposing, even in 1:72!

MODELSPEC
BALATON MODELL 1:72 M1070 HET KIT No.BM7220
BALATON MODELL 1:72 M1000 HEAVY TRAILER KIT No.BM7226
ACADEMY 1:72 M977 HEMMT KIT No.13412

Materials;
FINAL THOUGHTS
The HEMMT was loaded up with 1:72 resin crates and fuel drums The final touch of the model is put it all together,
Balaton Modell kits; Resin, photo-etched brass
which are actually aircraft accessories fixing the HEMMT to the trailer in an authentic Academy M977; Injection-moulded polystyrene, waterslide decals
manner. I noticed how, in one photo, the loading
areas, all very simple to give an aspect of credibly ramps were held in a vertical position by anchoring Paints used;
to the model. I painted the details with Tamiya them to the back of the truck. I found this curious
Tamiya Acrylics XF-67 NATO Green, XF-57 Buff, XF-60 Desert Yellow,
transparent colours as per the other models and because normally this does not happen, so I
XF-69 NATO Black, XF-16 Flat Aluminium, XF-55 Deck Tan, XF-15
I defined some panels with black colour-wash by looked for some chain that was in-scale with the
Flat Flesh, XF-72 JGSDF Brown, X-22 Clear, XF-10 Flat Brown,
Mig Productions. I masked off the windscreen wiper model and I aged it with rust colours. The model
XF-78 Wooden Deck Tan XF-52 Flat Earth
arcs and applied some matt varnish to the windows had been finished for some time when I made this
to emphasize the dusty feel of the HEMMT. The discovery, and it proved to be the perfect finishing
M977's load was generously provided by another touch. With this project, I discovered – thanks to Availability;
friend, Ricardo Rodriguez, and it comprises Balaton Modell – that there some great models in Balaton Modell; www.lonewulfmodels.co.uk
several types of cargo box that are actually aircraft this scale and I think I will continue to build more of www.storymodels.com
accessories. When building military models in this them, alternating them with my 1:48 projects. I feel Academy; www.pocketbond.co.uk
scale, one must take advantage any accessories very happy with the result and hope that you think www.creativemodels.co.uk
you can find! the same! •

The HEMMT is the ideal load for the


transporter combo

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FEATURE ARTICLE: DRAGON 1:35 3.7 cm Flak 43 Flakpanzer IV Ostwind • Kit No.6550

WHEN THE EAST


WIND BLOWS
Angus Creighton discusses the PzIV 3.7cm Flak ‘Ostwind’
and builds Dragon’s recently released 1:35 kit

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The spare wheel holders were given weld seams where they mount to the rear plate. Note the rearward The engine cooling air intakes are shown in the up position here; they were replaced with plastic card
angle of the exhaust boxes

Note the textured jacking block with plastic card frame The jack was given a few extra details and the mud guard spring was added from coiled wire

T
he Ostwind or ‘3.7cm Flak 43 Flakpanzer IV’ however one can see the lifting loops welded to
to give it its full title, must be one of the most the upper and the hull sides are not extended, so
elusive vehicles produced by Germany in any presumably traditional towing points were fitted.
numbers. Images of the 1944 prototype have Comparing the position of the hatch guards in front
survived plus two production vehicles abandoned of the turret would suggest they are (to my eyes) not
in 1945; out of just over 40 produced. Records in line, confirming that an unmodified tank hull was
suggest thirty-six Ostwind were built using reworked used to mount the Ostwind turret. We will probably
hulls, while seven used newly produced Ausf J hulls. never know for sure but we can live in hope that
The model seen on these pages would be from the photographs will turn up one day on the weekly
latter batch. eBay auctions that will resolve this debate once and
Debate has raged over recent years regarding for all.
the use of a Tiger I turret ring, whether the turret
was moved forward to enable better access to OSTWIND IN PLASTIC
the engine hatches, which in turn necessitated Moving to the Dragon kit, the lower hull includes
moving the radio operators hatch forward. The three upper return rollers and features extended
latest research suggests the seven built on new towing points at the front and rear. This late war
hulls used un-modified, standard Panzer IV hulls as feature simplified manufacture by eliminating the
seen with this kit. Looking at the remaining images need to mount the traditional towing brackets.
in more detail, the exterior of the prototype is well The rear idler mount is also the simplified final
documented, with a simplified turret design and pattern with a reduced quantity of support fillets.
unmodified hull roof. The suspension follows the same pattern as their
The first production Ostwind abandoned in 1945 other recent Panzer IV kits with well-detailed bogies
features a production-turret mounted on a reworked that can be made to move by removing small pins
‘G or ‘H hull with zimmerit applied. From the angle during assembly. Although the fit is very positive,
of the two images of this vehicle, it is not easy to make sure you assemble the bogies on the hull, as
determine if the turret has been moved forward. it is important to ensure the axles all line up before
The front hatches are not visible at all. installing the wheels.
The second production vehicle features a The wheels take quite a while to clean up as the
production turret but mounted this time on an Ausf mould seam round the outside is relatively deep. I
J hull. Three men stand in front of the abandoned added a slight texture to the tyres to suggest wear
vehicle, thoughtlessly hiding much of the hull, as this also serves to hide any moulding join. While

AFV Edition 17

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FEATURE ARTICLE: DRAGON 1:35 3.7 cm Flak 43 Flakpanzer IV Ostwind • Kit No.6550

The Bosch headlight was given a cable conduit One element of the engine air intake baffle has been placed in the lowered position The turret is being test fitted to the hull in this view; the fit is excellent

The idler bases were textured with a dental burr PE brass inner rings are provided for the idler wheels The turret parts come packed carefully to avoid damage

The turret walls are realistically thin and free from distortion Tie-downs and lifting lugs were added by the author

I was doing this, I was conscious that I was adding issues. I added a very slight texture to all panels with the jack and wire cutters seen on the right
six months wear to a tyre that in reality, only saw with a fine dental burr followed by enhancing the hand fender, mounted on a special angle support.
a couple of week’s use! In contrast are the spare many weld beads with a pyrogravure. It must be I can only assume that when the original Ostwind
wheels provided in the kit that feature an accurate said that the accuracy and pattern of the welding was developed, there was a need to keep the side
mould seam running round the tyre that should not represented in the Dragon kit is very good, fenders as clear as possible to allow the crew to
be removed. however reworking each weld bead will mask any move round the outside of the vehicle. The large
Both the tubular rear idler and the cast version visible join lines. turret prevents the use of the hull roof to walk on.
are supplied in the kit. The latter includes etched The fenders are, I believe, unique to this kit I suspect the spare wheels were moved from their
brass inner rings that enable the hollow section of and appear reminiscent of those seen on the usual fender mounted box to the rear hull for the
the rim to be accurately represented. These cast Möbelwagen. The front inner cheeks lack the fixing same reason. Where appropriate, tool clamps were
idlers were used on my finished model. Moving bolts seen on all other Panzer VIs although the replaced with Aber photo-etched examples, with
to the upper hull, the flat plates that make up the spring retainers that stop the hinged front section other clamps made from plastic card.
walls of the fighting compartment are moulded as in place are still retained. I replaced the moulded The long rectangular stowage locker seen on
separate parts to maximise surface detail. Although springs with 3-amp fuse wire coiled around an the right hand fender presumably carried spare
care needs to be taken to ensure they line up appropriately sized drill bit. The tool stowage is barrels and possibly replacement aerials (there
correctly, the fit is very positive and presents no also similar to the layout used on the Möbelwagen is nowhere else visible on the hull to carry spare

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Close-up view of the turret tie-downs and lifting lugs, plus weld seams The turret interior features gunners’ seats and mounting points for various items of equipment

The Flak43 is extremely well detailed and needs very few additions Some springs were added to the gunsight mount, but that’s about it

Above and below; views of the 3.7cm Flak43 anti-aircraft gun during assembly. Rather than use an aftermarket replacement item, the kit’s barrel was used as it’s a well detailed and accurate

The completed turret in its three-tone


camouflage and vehicle number

AFV Edition 19

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FEATURE ARTICLE: DRAGON 1:35 3.7 cm Flak 43 Flakpanzer IV Ostwind • Kit No.6550

Modelspec:
Dragon 3.7 cm Flak 43 Flakpanzer IV “Ostwind” Kit no 6550

Items used;
Aber Clamps Kit No 35A93, plastic card

References
Achtung Panzer No 3, Panzer IV
ISBN 4-499-22662-X
Panzerwrecks No 1 (page 56)
The model has been given its camouflage colours and awaits weathering ISBN 0-9754183-0-0
Ground Power No65
German Flakpanzer
Nuts & Bolts No 25
Flakpanzer IV (2010)

Available from;
Dragon kits and accessories are imported and distributed in the
UK by The Hobby Company Limited and are widely available
from good model shops. www.hobbyco.net

Looking into the turret, we can see the Flak43 plus submachine gun
magazines in cases

aerials). The prototype Ostwind featured a taller Outside the turret are what appear to be, four breech assembly and to ensure correct alignment,
box with vertical reinforcing strips on the outside. lifting eyes. Infuriatingly the images of the original I added a brass locating pin. Dragon has made
The production Ostwind featured a shallower box production Ostwind do not show this feature in an excellent job of moulding the perforated flash
and lacked the vertical ribs. Curiously Dragon have profile so the ‘loops’ seen on my model are pure suppressor. However it can be improved by
re-created a mix of both box styles with shallow conjecture on my part. The tarpaulin tie downs are thinning the inner walls, then using a small twist
height, yet vertical strengthening ribs. I simply made from 3-amp fuse wire formed over a piece of drill to open the holes up fully. Painting using
sanded off the vertical rib detail to match the plastic card strip. Humbrol gunmetal really brings this feature to life.
photos of the two production Ostwind. Aber latches Moving inside the turret, the ‘floor’ lacks
complete the assembly. the ring of bolts seen on the Wirbelwind, that THREE-COLOUR SCHEME
would fix the turret to the ball race. I harvested I chose a three colour scheme, typical of the
THE OSTWIND’S UNIQUE TURRET appropriate bolts from the spare suspension Wirbelwind/Ostwind assembly plant where
Time to put the Panzer IV hull to one side and parts supplied in the kit. On the Wirbelwind, green and brown were thinly sprayed over a
investigate the turret. This is beautifully represented communication boxes were installed next to each dark yellow base. The markings are obviously
in the kit with wafer-thin walls. As you handle the crew seat, into which headphones could be conjecture, however it is possible that at least
plastic, it has the feel of a vacuum-forming, but is in plugged. I guess the Ostwind would have a similar one of the forty unphotographed Ostwind
fact injection moulded and is testament to Dragon’s feature so these were made from plastic card carried turret numbers. The plain white markings
skill with this process. Congratulations too to and added. Again referring to the Wirbelwind, seen on the finished model are taken from
Dragon for including a vacuum-formed support for hooks appear on the rear of the turret that appear an Echelon sheet designed for Panther tanks,
the turret parts that prevents the delicate moulding reminiscent of MP40 mounts. I added two MP40s fielded by the 5th SS Panzer Division ‘Wiking’.
from being damaged in the box. You might expect plus ammo to the turret walls. Dragon have produced a fine rendition of the
the turret to be split horizontally, however Dragon Ostwind with details gleaned from the few
chose to have the split vertically. This enables the MAIN WEAPON remaining photographs of the original vehicles
splash panels either side of the gun ‘slot’ to be The Flak 43 is exquisitely rendered with all all represented. The fact that the turret is mounted
moulded in place. Weld beads are included where the features of the original well represented. on an unmodified upper hull does not trouble
the mould allows and appear very accurate. As Coiled fuse wire springs were added to the me as this seems to match the one image of the
with the hull however, I reworked them with the sight mount, but other than that, I found little late Ausf J Ostwind discussed at the start of this
pyrogravure as the vertical join line can be hidden to try and improve. To make final painting a article. Well done Dragon for producing such a
more easily and any missing welds added. little easier, I separated the gun barrel from the great kit. •

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MODELLING REFERENCES: MILITARISED HARLEY-DAVIDSONS

HARLEY-DAVIDSON
AT WAR Modelling references for Harley-Davidson
military motorcycles

T
he Harley-Davidson WLA was based on an general military expansion. The entry of the WLC. The WLCs differed from WLAs mainly in the
existing civilian model, the WL, with some United States into the Second World War saw use of some heavier components and Canadian-
design changes for military use. A heavy- significantly increased production, with over pattern blackout lighting.
duty radio rack, a holster for a Thompson 90,000 being produced during the conflict.
submachine gun, skid plate, ammo box, windshield WLA IN MODEL FORM
and leg protectors could be fitted. An oil-bath air WHY WLA? There are several kits of the WLA in 1:35, most
cleaner for the engine was employed to cope with W: The ‘W’ family of motorcycles. Harley Davidson notably from Tamiya and much more recently,
increased levels of dust from off-road use and (except in very early models) gives a letter MiniArt. The latter is a modern production that
changes were made to the crankcase to allow the designation for each model family. The W series at comes with photo-etched spoke discs and some
bike to ford a river without flooding the engine. the time was the newest incarnation of the 45 cubic excellent figures, perfect for vignettes or larger
To reduce night-time visibility, WLAs were inches (740cc) flathead engine and was developed dioramas. •
fitted with a second set of blackout headlights from the earlier R family 1932–1936.
and rear lights. Painted surfaces were finished L: ‘High compression’, in the usual HD scheme.
olive drab and parts that would have been The ‘low compression’ W model was only Wartime photo courtesy of Regional Council
black or chrome were generally blued or briefly available. of Lower Normandy/National Archives USA
parkerized. Some parts were left in unfinished A: ‘Army’. The company would also produce a and Regional Council of Lower Normandy/
aluminium. Production of the WLA began in model to the slightly different specifications of National Archives of Canada
small numbers in 1940 as part of the USA’s the Canadian Army, which would be named the

22 Military Illustrated Modeller - December 2013

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Detail view of the engine and its pushrods

AFV Edition 23

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MODELLING REFERENCES: MILITARISED HARLEY-DAVIDSONS

The leather holster is for a Thompson sub machine gun

The ever-useful entrenching tool mounts over the holster

Note the cabling to the lights and horn Detail view of the horn and headlight

24 Military Illustrated Modeller - December 2013

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Harley’s famous twin-V engine is technically a radial engine Leg shield is made from pressed steel

Detail view of rear frame and saddle bag. Note the kick-starter Close-up view shows how the ignition lead fixes to the top of the spark plug

Rear view of the Plexiglas and canvas screen

Original data placard with authentic wear and tear

AFV Edition 25

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MODELLING REFERENCES: MILITARISED HARLEY-DAVIDSONS

Leather saddle bags will be a challenge to paint on a model Seat is mounted on a single, height-adjustable pin Fuel tank data placard

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Classic wartime image of a US Army
dispatch rider on his stowed-up WLA

AFV Edition 27

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FEATURE ARTICLE: BRITISH 25PDR SP BISHOP KIT NO.CB35077

DESERT
PREACHER
Özgur Güner builds Bronco’s
1:35 British self-propelled
‘Bishop’ howitzer and finishes
it in a well worn desert
camouflage scheme

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FEATURE ARTICLE: BRITISH 25PDR SP BISHOP KIT NO.CB35077

The Valentine hull – moulded by


MiniArt – takes shape

The engine radiators are provided and these can be observed through the
individually moulded access doors on the rear of the engine deck

The kit-supplied plastic tracks are well


moulded and detailed Once cleaned up, the track links simply snap together... ...and remain flexible once mounted on the vehicle

areas are also the starting point for the assembly small pins. The workable suspension and tracks the removable hull parts were cemented together
of the model. In particular, the assembly of the add a lot to the model. The rear hatches, spare entirely after necessary areas received paint.
engine involves many complicated sub-assemblies tracks and other small details were then fitted, to The instruments inside received some old left-over
that involve a lot of small parts. If you don’t want complete the assembly of the hull. decals from my spares box. I know that these
to open this area to display the engine section, It was now time to assemble the turret, which will be invisible when the model is completed,
you may completely skip this part of assembly to also compromises of a lot of parts with very but I know that they are there! The interior of the
save time and energy. I would be displaying the complex sub-assemblies like the feed mechanism turret was also painted with white and then the
model with all hatches open, so I tried to add every of the main gun. Extra care and patience is small details were painted by a hand brush using
little bit of detail I could. The engine assembly also needed here as like the running gear, many of Vallejo Panzer Aces colours. The painted and
allows the engine itself to be removable, which will the assemblies can be made workable. I should weathered turret received some minor details to
be very useful during painting. The suspension and also state that the instructions are a little vague spice things up (like the Rita Hayworth picture,
the running gear also compromise a lot of parts in one area. There’s a counterbalance placed on maps, etc) and it was temporarily fitted.
and if they are assembled with great care and the 25pdr gun and it is also provided in the box.
patience it’s possible to make them workable. The Despite this, the gun on the Bishop did not use EXTERIOR PAINTWORK
upper portion of the lower hull is moulded as a this part. There’s a small leaflet in the instructions After masking the painted areas on the model,
single piece, with a lot of sharp and nice details telling you about this, but it’s not really clear and the entire thing was primed with Revell’s Matt 47
and it fits the lower hull like a dream. As the some of the drawings can confuse you. Lastly, Mouse Grey. Bishops were painted green in the
interior of the model will be painted later, this part the turret section also involves some parts I only factory and then in the desert they were repainted
should not be cemented at this stage. temporarily fitted in place so that they could be according to the environment they were in. The
Next up are various details on the hull; hatches, removed during painting. With the addition of the profile I chose is a Bishop that was repainted with
headlights, exhausts and several other small side skirts and the attachment of some small detail sand over its original green colour. To replicate
details that involve many small parts. The PE fret parts, the assembly was complete. I could now the effect of the repainting, I first sprayed the
provided with the kit is adequate and helps to proceed into the painting stage, which was made entire model with Tamiya’s XF-58 Olive Green
improve the detail of some critical parts. I just up of multiple stages. and made created highlights using Tamiya Buff on
used some metal wire to create the connection some areas. The areas that would remain green
hoses of the spare gas tanks, the remaining parts PAINTING were masked and then the remaining portion of
were all provided with the kit. I separated the model into several sub-assemblies, the model received two thin and even coats of
removed the parts I could and then primed the hairspray. After the hairspray dried, it was time
TRACKS interior with matt black. The driver’s compartment to paint the sand colour. I mixed my own colour
The tracks are well designed and well detailed. in the rear hull was painted with white, while the for this using Tamiya’s XF-59 Desert Sand and
Bronco also sells these tracks as aftermarket items engine compartment was painted with a mixture XF-57 Buff. For areas that would reflect more
for Valentine tanks and similar vehicles and they of Tamiya’s red and hull red. The engine was light and look lighter, I added some white into
are very, very good. The tracks should be carefully painted with Modelmaster’s gun metal and then my paint mixture. The masks over the green were
removed from the sprues and the excess plastic put back in place. The interior was weathered removed and I started to wipe off the sand colour
carefully removed which takes even more time using oil colours and several layers of brown on some areas, using warm water and a proper
than actually assembling the tracks themselves. The colour-washes. I used Black Grey (#71056) from sized brush. This application was repeated over
cleaned up track links are held diagonally and Vallejo Model Air series with a brush and sponge the entire model, but the result was not yet what I
pressed to attach them to each other using their to simulate paint chips and scratches. After that, aimed for.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C • Kit No.6291

THE WHITE
BUFFALO Lars Richter describes the
building (from the box),
painting and weathering of
Dragon’s Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C

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T
he early production ‘Ausführung C’ variant ASSEMBLY grills made of single plastic parts or soldering
of the Panzer IV was launched by Dragon I started with the lower hull. This has fine detail on up some PE-parts. Let me tell you, the PE parts
some years ago. This was one of the newer- the underside and very well rendered, front-drive look much better! The upper hull consists of
tooled kits and came with a lot of parts and housings. The final drive housings are separate separate side panels, front and rear plates,
fine details. Every serious modeller knows they can parts with superb detail on their inner areas. Sadly, engine deck-doors plus separate driver’s and
never just build a model from the box; for each you see nothing of that after assembly unless you radio-operator’s hatches. The fit of these parts
project we find a lot of additional aftermarket plan a workshop scene. Another nice detail is the is again very good and as all the visors are
products such as workable tracks, PE-sets, turned possibility to pose the fuel filler ports in an open or provided with clear mouldings, you can choose
metal barrels and so on. But for me it was closed position. between closed or opened positions.
interesting to discover how detailed and convincing The roadwheels come with separate, early-style The hull fenders carry fine detail on the top
a modern plastic kit could be, built purely ‘out of hub caps. As usual, the wheel rims exhibit excellent and bottom and mate perfectly to the upper hull.
the box’. So, let’s have a first look in that kit box. detail and fine embossing on the sidewalls. After You should note that there are alternate for the
We find a multi-media kit consisting of plastic parts, this, I turned my attention to the tracks, which are fenders; use D2 and D46 you need if you intend
photo-etch, ‘Magic’ tracks, aluminium components Dragon’s ‘Magic Track’ with all the advantages that to fit the plastic moulded tools with clamps. In
and a nice decal sheet. All parts have an extremely entails. Their assembly is fairly easy and doesn’t this case you are required to make some holes.
good level of surface detail and all fit together take long; I chose to build up the track into two If you prefer tools with photo-etched clamps
without problems. In total there are about 1,000 halves each side so it would be easier to fir the you should use the fenders on Sprue ‘S’. By the
parts waiting for assembly! This means we certainly running gear after painting. Assembly of the lower way, I used PE clamps from Aber; not strictly
don’t have a weekend project on our workbench. hull needs time, but it is problem-free. necessary but I love their PE parts. Now it was
The instructions run to twenty-one steps and I Next, I started work on the upper hull and time for the most fun part; the paint-job.
recommend following them carefully. here we are offered the choice of ventilation

Sub-assemblies of the running gear

The engine ventilation grilles are in the typical early style. Here we see the plastic
part and the soldered PE-Parts. The latter requires a lot of time but looks much better

The lower hull with wheels mounted. Note the “Magic Tracks”
Extra fine detail is incorporated in the final drive housing and the way they are assembled

Overview of all sub-assemblies

The completed hull, built mostly


out-of-the-box except the Aber
PE tool clamps and the home-
made wooden jack-block
AFV Edition 35

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C • Kit No.6291

Painting starts with the turret interior. The author used a mixture of XF-1 A mixture of XF-2 Flat White and XF-60 Dark Yellow was lightly sprayed over the base-coat
Flat Black and some drops of X-22 Clear as a base-coat

The vision blocks were painted with


a heavily diluted mixture of X-19
After applying some dark grey chips made with a sponge, the turret’s Smoke and X-25 Clear Green
interior received a dark colour-wash with thinned burnt umber oil paint

PAINTING TIME together! For the ‘white buffalo’ sign I used a brings the model to life; after having built many
The majority of this version of the Panzer IV were PE-template from Stencilit. The white colour outside models I am a real fan of Vallejo Acrylics and so
used in the French campaign during the early the template was sprayed very carefully with low this paint range is my favourite choice to bring
months of 1940. There have been many discussions pressure. details out.
about the camouflage on tanks of this campaign.
There was an order that all tanks must be painted PAINTING THE LOWER HULL COLOUR-WASHES, OR FILTERS
overall in RAL7021 Dark Grey from the beginning The hull was then sprayed with a diluted mixture After a few hours of drying, it was time for next
of June/July of 1940, after the French campaign. of XF-1 Flat Black and X-22 Clear. This gives the steps. To subtly unify the different shades and
Before this order, all tanks were painted with a two- whole model an undercoat and also helps create colours, the model need some colour-washes,
colour camouflage consisting of dark grey and dark the first impression of depth; it is easier for me sometimes called ‘filters’. With a brush, I applied
brown. Some wartime photos seems to indicate that to apply the following colours over a dark base. a ready-mixed product from Mig Productions’ ‘Sin
those orders were not followed and only dark grey The top colour is dark grey with a light, blueish Industries’ line called ‘Blue for Panzer Grey’ plus an
was used as a single camouflage tone, so therefore tone. For this I mixed Tamiya XF-63 Dark Grey, orange coloured filter made from different Revell and
I decided to apply a simple camo overall of dark XF-50 Field Blue and XF-55 Deck Tan in a ratio Humbrol enamel paints. Please take note that the
grey with a typical blue note. of 5:2:1, thinned with Tamiya Lacquer Thinner. effect only becomes noticeable after the weathering
My Panzer IV represents a vehicle of the 7. Only thin layers were sprayed to preserve the liquids have dried completely. When I was satisfied
Panzer Regiment, belonging to 10.Pz.Div. This unit contrast created by the black base-coat. For further with the result, I applied oil paints (burnt umber,
used a conspicuous (but unofficial) unit symbol on contrast I added XF-1 to the grey toned-mixture black and buff) to the surfaces to create some more
the turret sides, the white buffalo. The Pz.Rgt.7 and sprayed carefully only the deepest areas and effects, especially dust and dirt marks. The oil paints
took part in the French campaign and remained in panels. Well, after this stage the whole model were re-applied in small amounts many times until I
France until 1941. looked nice, but still uninteresting. For more effects was satisfied with the result.
The painting starts with the turret interior. As I used some techniques from the colour modulation During the next step of the weathering process, I
a base-coat I used my favourite Tamiya acrylic style, especially the upper areas which should look began a series of localised colour-washes to further
colours. Here I started with XF-1 Flat Black, brighter. By adding some drops of XF-23 Light Blue define small details and panel lines. For this pin (or
followed by a mixture of XF-2 Flat White and XF-60 to the grey camo mixture, I reached a suitable detail) wash I again used heavily diluted oil paints.
Sand Yellow. This mixture represents the typical effect. Tamiya Masking tape was used to get a well- To avoid nasty stains (‘tide-marks’) I always apply
ivory ‘elfenbein’ paint of German vehicles. After defined edge. Before moving onto the next finishing pure thinner just before I start this wash to wet
this step I applied the usual weathering processes stages, I applied even more highlights and tones the surface. I would recommend applying the oil
like chipping and colour-washes. Unfortunately you by brushing acrylics onto the details. This method paints to a piece of corrugated cardboard before
can’t see this work after gluing the turret halves makes the lesser details much more interesting and you use them on a model. The cardboard absorbs

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Dragon 1:35 Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C • Kit No.6291

Dust was added with some dust-coloured pigments (Mig Productions The wheels were treated separately with the same mix of pigments The chipping process starts with light-coloured Vallejo paints, placed on
Europe Dust/Rubble Dust) logical areas

With some red-coloured paints the author simulated deeper scratches For an impression of even more worn off paint the author added small The exhaust box was painted with the help of the rust colours
chips over the previous chips from the Lifecolor Set ‘Dust and Rust’

Subtle tonal variations can be seen on the engine deck The tracks were first painted with ‘Iron’ from Mr.Metal Color The effect after polishing is amazing, it looks like real steel

Finally, some oil stains were applied. The product from Mig A summertime vehicle needs dust; all dust was made with dust coloured An overview of all the materials used
Productions works very well for this purpose pigments to simulate a dusty surface

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Modelspec:
DRAGON 1:35 DRAGON 1:35 Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C KIT No.6291

Materials;
Injection-moulded grey polystyrene, photo-etched brass,
waterslide decals

Paints used;
Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black, XF-2 Flat White, XF-60 Sand Yellow,
X-22 Clear, XF-63 Dark Grey, XF-50 Field Blue, XF-55 Deck Tan,
XF-23 Light Blue

Weathering materials;
SIN Industries ‘Blue for Panzer grey’

Available from;
Dragon kits and accessories are widely available from good
model shops. UK import and distribution by The Hobby Co.
www.hobbyco.net

The combination of paint effects and weathering processes adds up to


create a highly realistic and natural-looking finish on the PzIV

the linseed oil in the paint, helping you to avoid I always start with the lightest colour and apply Gunze on the contact areas. To achieve a realistic
a glossy, irregular finish. After the colour-washes I small, random chips with a very fine brush. On steel effect, I polished these areas with the help
proceeded with the weathering of the lower hull. German grey vehicles I always use acrylics from of a mini-drill. After this, a pigment powder mix
A thin layer of XF-57 Buff was sprayed to get an Vallejo; German Sand, Sunny Skin and some drops (sand-coloured tones) was washed over the tracks.
optimal base for the pigments. A light shade of of Field Blue. For more depth I used a mixture of The last stage of the weathering process was to
dust-coloured pigment was used, and it was lightly Vermillion, Salmon Rose, and Black. This mixture application of dust-coloured pigments. I applied
stippled on dry, using a soft brush, over areas that was carefully placed onto the lighter chips. The them dry with a fine brush and it’s always better
dust would logically settle. To fix them permanently I idea of this process is to create an impression of and more realistic if you use different pigments and
used Mig Productions’ ready-mixed ‘Pigment Fixer’. well-worn colour, right down to the original rust- mix them to create varied tones.
primer base-coat. The deepest scratches were
CHIPS FOR TEA! simulated by adding German grey. I was very CONCLUSION
Back to the next step and a very important one careful when applying chips because I think this To sum up, it’s safe to say that Dragon’s 1:35
for the effect of a worn and used tank; we need tank was not used under heavy conditions like Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.C assembly held no nasty surprises
chips! Why do we need paint chips? This technique later in the war and so my motto here was “less is – everything was clearly shown and parts-fit was
allows you to simulate scratches and worn paint, a more”. perfect. This is a time-consuming kit but everybody
very time consuming process but important for the The tracks were now painted. The first step was can now build his own Panzer IV Auf.C, no matter
finish. But be careful, You should place chips only to spray a mixture of black and brown Tamiya if you’re a novice or experienced modeller. And my
on logical areas (for instance around hatches, on Acrylics, followed by a ‘cloudy’ layer of Buff. last words about this kit; Yes, you can build this kit
the engine deck etc.) With a brush, I then applied ‘Mr.Metall Iron’ from straight from the box, absolutely! •

AFV Edition 39

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FEATURE ARTICLE: DRAGON 1:35 M48A3 MOD.B • KIT NO.3544

Marcus Nicholls embarks


on yet another multi-part,
in-depth build, this time
Dragon's new 1:35 post-
war M48A3 Patton tank

Part 1
PATTON MAKER
W
hen Dragon announced the release of a kept the parts-count of their M48 to a sensible level dry, sanded it down with a coarse sanding stick. I
new M48A3 Patton tank in 1:35, it was which I was extremely relieved to see. This doesn't then used a round-headed dental burr spinning at
quite a departure from their more usual mean it's a simplified kit at all, it just means it has low speed in my mini-drill to make hundreds of tiny
Panzer IVs and Panzer IIIs of late, but a been designed in a way that it won't take months divots in the plastic surface. This closely replicates
welcome development nonetheless; it's always a to build, which is just fine by me. the texture provided by Dragon and after a while
refreshing change to have something a bit 'left-field' The massive cast hull of the M48 is split into the join line virtually disappears. All that's left to
from time to time. The M48 is an iconic post-war upper and lower halves onto which the engine deck do is to apply a coat of Mr Surfacer 1000 which
tank that perhaps most famously took part in the is built, element by element. The hull is covered seals any tiny gaps and evens out the texture. This
Vietnam War, serving with the US Army and US in an excellent cast steel texture, a real triumph process was carried out over all areas of the hull
Marine Corps for many years up to the introduction by Dragon's designers. The instructions suggest that needed enhancement, including around the
of the M60, itself a development of the M48. that you build the suspension – lower roadwheels, complex joins of the rear/upper hull.
Tamiya's 1:35 kit did a good job for many sprockets and idlers, upper return rollers – onto Dragon provide basically excellent one-piece
years but it has its inadequacies and needs a each half, then join them at a later stage. I think tracks with the kit which are very well detailed,
fair bit of detail and remedial work to produce this is the wrong approach and I chose instead to but are spoilt by a moulding seam that runs
a truly accurate result. Time for a new kit then! mate the hull halves as my first task, which would around the outer edge; very hard to remove or
And Dragon were the first to step up to the mark, allow me to blend and re-texture the join line disguise. I will be using Friulmodel tracks, but
although rumours have it that AFV Club are without the wheels and suspension bases getting more on that next time! •
planning a new M48 too. in the way; these parts can be easily fitted later.
When the review sample arrived from The There's a fair amount of re-texturing required where UK import and distribution; www.hobbyco.net
Hobby Company Ltd I couldn't wait to dive in, the join was made and I used a technique I am Dragon kits are widely available from good
even though my modelling bench was already fully comfortable with for the task. I first filled all the model shops
occupied with Meng's D9R dozer. Dragon have gaps with medium viscosity superglue and once

The turret is rendered with some superb cast-steel texture plus foundry marks. Unfortunately,
Dragon fail to provide the fabric cover over the main gun mantlet which was almost always
seen fitted to M48s in service, so modellers will need to make their own, or purchase an
aftermarket item. Voyager Model and DEF Models have both produced resin mantlet covers and
searchlights too and one will be used on the review model

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The main hull parts have already been cemented together and
the join line blending/re-texturing process begun

Running gear and suspension parts are extremely well detailed. Contrary to the instructions, it’s advisable to assemble the hull first, then add the suspension and wheels later

The characteristic angle louvres of the M48 engine access doors are nicely The engine cover comes with grab-handles moulded in; replace them if you This is the plain gun mantlet; most M48s in service wore a
replicated in Dragon’s new kit. A couple of ejector pin marks were filled here must, but they look just fine as they are canvas cover over this part

The engine deck air intake grilles are separate Dragon supply excellent one-piece flexible
mouldings and again, the grab handles look very tracks with this kit, but they do have a
realistic and don’t need replacing with wire noticeable mould seam along their outer edges

AFV Edition 41

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FEATURE ARTICLE: DRAGON 1:35 M48A3 MOD.B • KIT NO.3544

The commander’s cupola features clear parts to replicate the vision blocks. The lower half of
the base is clear and its optics are quite easy to mask off

Decals for four M48s are The cupola itself features a ring
provided in the kit, all from of clear plastic which pushes into
the Vietnam conflict the upper moulding to replicate the
vision blocks with great realism

The upper and lower hull halves fit together very well Mr Hobby ‘Mr Cement S’ is the perfect material to bond Each bottle of Mr Cement S comes with a good quality
indeed and only a very fine gap is produced when dry- the kit parts together. It does give off quite a strong smell, brush for easy application. The hull halves were given a
fitted as we can see here so always work in a well ventilated environment liberal application of cement and left overnight to dry

With the upper and lower


halves firmly bonded, work
can begin on the kit’s rear
deck and suspension

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The lower rear panel of the hull features a drop-in panel, The panel’s edges were then sealed with lines of CA glue, which were sanded down once dry. A dental
but it has none of the cast texture of the main mouldings. burr in a mini-drill was then ‘scribbled’ over the panel’s surface to replicate the cast texture of the
It was first glued in and allowed to dry surrounding hull, blending it perfectly into the lower hull. Care must be taken not to touch the detail with
the burr, to prevent damage

The upper rear deck is formed from two, quite complex mouldings that have long
join-lines. CA glue was used here instead of liquid cement, as it has better gap-filling
properties. The excess CA glue can be scraped and sanded down later

Dragon chose wisely to build up the engine deck from individual elements as
this approach offers better levels of detail for the multi-angled surfaces

A welt of CA (superglue) was built up on the inner


surface of the join lines, creating a very strong structure
in this area of the kit. Next time, we’ll look at the
assembly of the deck, plus turret and running gear

AFV Edition 43

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FEATURE ARTICLE: MENG 1:35 D9R ARMOURED BULLDOZER • KIT NO.SS-002

Part 2

Marcus Nicholls continues


construction on Meng’s 1:35
D9R dozer

JUST A LITTLE TEDDY


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L
ast issue, my closing sentence was “Next issue, I'll describe the assembly of
the running gear, tracks and that massive dozer blade, plus I'll get some paint
on this big, brutal teddy bear...”. Well, things don't always go to plan and I
didn't quite reach all those points, as you can see. This was partially due to
the unexpected amount of work need in constructing the D9's vast blade. The kit
parts all fit together extremely well and none of it was a problem, but I wanted to
add weld seams to all of the piston pivots and bases, and this takes a little time.
Referring to the Desert Eagle book on the D9, I decided not to use a pyrogravure
(a low-temperature soldering iron) to create the weld seams, instead I choosing to
create the welts of steel by flowing in medium-viscosity cyanoacrylate glue, allowing
it to build up naturally, then 'fixing' it with CA accelerator. Once the glue had set, I
used a round-headed dental burr in a mini-drill to refine the profile of the welds and
once happy with the look, coating the area with Mr Surfacer 1000. This is quite a
time-consuming process but as the back of the blade is very visible on the finished
model, I feel it was a worthwhile exercise.

GUARD RAIL
The full-width guard 'grille' that sits on the blade's top edge is an impressive
moulding but the vertical elements are a little too thick to look in scale, so, taking a
file and a No.11 scalpel blade, I laboriously thinned down each bar until it looked
a little more scale-like. Once this had been done, I added some damage! Apart
from photos of factory-fresh D9s, all images of the dozer show this grille in various
states of disrepair from mildly bent-up in places to twisted and buckled to the point
where you might wonder if it's of any further use. I chose the milder option, twisting
and distorting some of the elements using a pair of pliers, being careful not to crack
the delicate plastic moulding. Once all this detail work had been accomplished, I
applied a stippled-on coat of Mr Surfacer 1000 with a paint brush to impart a light
texture to the blade's surfaces, another time-consuming task...

PISTON CHANGES
The other change I made to the dozer was the way the blade mounts to the vehicle.
The instructions guide you to assemble the pistons onto the blade's pusher arms,
then fix each assembly to the blade, but this makes the process of cleaning up the
glue-seams on the pistons much trickier. Instead of this, I chose to drill out the pins at
each end of the pistons and build them up on their own, then make new piston pins
from styrene rod to be inserted once the pistons were ready. It might seem like a lot
of extra work to partially re-engineer the pivots, but it didn't take too long and made
the overall assembly of the D9R's main focal point a lot easier.

RUNNING GEAR
The running gear of the Meng's kit is quite simple in design, each bogie unit
building up from two halves between which the front and rear idler wheels are
trapped when the halves are brought together. The roadwheels (or rollers) are also
moulded in two halves and are if you want them to rotate once fitted, it's quite easy
to squeeze them into their locations with tweezers once the bogie halves are joined.
Be careful though, the rollers are prone to popping out again, so handle the bogies
with care until they are mated the model's main hull.
Quite a hefty join line is produced along the top of each unit and these
need attention before you fit them to the hull. I filled them by first flowing in
cyanoacrylate, filing/scraping down, then re-filling any remaining gaps with Mr
Surfacer – a very handy material.
The big drive sprockets fix to stub-axles that protrude from the sides of the D9's
body, and a quick test fit showed them to be quite wobbly. This was cured by
wrapping the polycaps that hold them in place with strips of Tamiya masking tape
which closed up the tolerance to the correct degree.

CABIN DEVELOPMENTS
I touched on the cabin's construction last time, filling the ejector-pin marks and
completing the unit's basic assembly. Meng offer the choice of tinted and untinted
window panes and as I am modelling the IDF version of the vehicle, I will be using
the tinted parts. This leaves a whole sprue of window parts as spares, but they will
not go to waste; I shall use them to blank off the cabin when it comes time to paint
the model, holding them in place with the windows' inner frames. That's the theory
at least, for now.. So, apologies for not completing this project but I shall endeavour
to push it forward for the next issue – let's see how far I get! •

DY BEAR...
MENG 1:35 D9R ARMOURED BULLDOZER KIT No.SS-002

Materials;
Injection-moulded sand-coloured, clear/tined and dark grey polystyrene, photo-etched brass, polycaps, vinyl tube,
waterslide decals
Available from;
www.hannants.co.uk

AFV Edition 45

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FEATURE ARTICLE: MENG 1:35 D9R ARMOURED BULLDOZER • KIT NO.SS-002

The cabin builds up panel by panel and they fit together with impressive precision. There are some ejector-pin marks on the inner faces and these were filled with Holts Cataloy putty, available in the UK from the
Halfords chain of car-parts shops. The redundant clear window panes can be used to blank off the cabin interior while the exterior is painted

46 Military Illustrated Modeller - December 2013

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The main structure of the cabin can be built up to form a central module which can be painted more easily than if it were left in individual panels. The crew door is hinged and can be left to open and close.
Numerous detail items are fitted to the interior walls and these can either be painted off the model and fixed later on, or fitted before painting and touched in by hand with a fine paint brush

The cabin’s rear extension fits together extremely well and simply cements to the assembled central module

The cabin roof also has some ejector-pin marks which need filling, but it’s a relatively easy task. This too was built into a module complete with edge panels, and it simply pops onto the top of the cabin. If built with
care, the roof hatch can open and close which will be handy if fitting figures

AFV Edition 47

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FEATURE ARTICLE: MENG 1:35 D9R ARMOURED BULLDOZER • KIT NO.SS-002

The edges and corners of the roof need some spots of filler to conceal the join lines, but much of the
excess seen here will be sanded away

Desert Eagle Publishing’s recent book on the D9R dozer provides some invaluable
references for the cabin interior, plus hundreds of other vital reference images

To this structure, the access platforms are fixed, as well as numerous hand-grips and other fittings The open door does give a good view into the driver’s compartment, which is very well detailed

Detail is moulded into the underside of the cabin roof although it will be hard to see once fixed in place The battery compartment is very well detailed with various louvres and grilles on its outer surface

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The bogie halves are highly detailed parts and are a tribute to Meng’s prowess in the art of injection moulding

The bogies are quite simple sub-assemblies, consisting of two halves, the peg and polycap for the blade pivot, two idlers and the rollers

The best way to assemble the bogies is to first mate the two halves with idlers in place and once the cement is dry, insert the road rollers using tweezers; this way, they can remain able to rotate

AFV Edition 49

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FEATURE ARTICLE: MENG 1:35 D9R ARMOURED BULLDOZER • KIT NO.SS-002

A long join line is formed once the bogies halves are joined and this needs filling. CA (superglue) was first used to fill the joint, subsequently filed down. This was then given a coating of Mr Surfacer 1000 which helps to
seal any small gaps and provide a texture too

The huge drive sprockets are


very well detailed and given
their chunky nature, are
impressively free from sink-
marks which can sometimes
afflict deeper injection
moulded parts

There are two tricky sprue


tabs to remove from the
sprockets and care is needed
when snipping them off.
Tamiya sidecutters were
used to cut down the tabs,
working from two directions
to reduce the height as much
as possible.

A Swann-Morton No.11 blade


was then used to pare away
any remaining waste plastic.
The scar can then be gently
filed with a round, rat-tail
file, taking great care not
to alter the profile of the
drive teeth.

The polycap that secures


the sprocket to the side of
the dozer’s cabin is a little
undersized and leaves the
wheel a little wobbly when
test fitted. This can be fixed
by wrapping a short length
of masking tape around the
outer surface of the ‘cap which
creates a much more snug fit.

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It’s worth spending some time on this sub-assembly to enhance the
weld seams where the various fixtures join the main structure. Once
all parts had been brought together and weld seams added, the whole
unit was given a coat of Mr Surfacer 1000 to subtly enhance the
surface texture

The D9’s massive blade is extremely well detailed and the parts fit
together well. The guard rail takes some time to clean up
Described in the main text, the piston bases were modified and fixed to
the blade first, the piston being fitted later on with plastic rod pins

Simulated weld seams were added where the guard rail mounts to the
upper edge of the dozer blade

Cyanoacrylate glue was used to build up welts where the piston bases and other items are fixed, to depict weld seams

Once in place, the guard rail was given some light ‘damage’ using
needle-nosed pliers as this part is often seen in a very beaten up
condition on real D9s

AFV Edition 51

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FEATURE ARTICLE: MENG 1:35 D9R ARMOURED BULLDOZER • KIT NO.SS-002

To enable the dozer blade’s main side arms and its smaller pistons to be assembled and their joints filled and sanded easily, some slight modifications were made to the way they build up. The moulded-in pins were
trimmed/drilled out and the holes cleaned up and enlarge with files and broaches where necessary. Styrene rod was then cut into short lengths and pressed into place to act as new piston pins

A degree of ‘slop’ in the fit of the blade pistons and connectors is desirable as it will enable
the blade to fit to the dozer more easily

We’re getting there! With the blade temporarily fitted, the D9 dozer starts to look good. The patches of grey on the main
body is Gunze’s ‘Mr Surfacer 1000’ liquid filler, applied to conceal small gaps

The blade tilt piston on the right side arm builds up from two halves, so its join line will need light sanding. Resin bolt-heads from Calibre 35 were added to the main flange, above right

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Views of the dozer blade with the arms in place. Note the inward angle of the arms and the single piston on the right arm, which angles the blade back and forth

More next time folks! Construction will


proceed apace on our D9 build and with luck,
it’ll have a set of tracks on it by the next
issue on Military Illustrated Modeller...

AFV Edition 53

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THE DEADLY 88;
FLAK 37 IN DETAIL
Modelling references for the 88mm ‘Fliegerabwehrkanone’ Flak 37

T
he infamous 88mm ‘Flak’ gun must be the
most well known artillery piece of the Second
World War. Manufactured by Krupp and
Rheinmetall, the ‘88 entered full production
in the early 1930s and gained its first combat
experience during the Spanish Civil War. Sixteen
Flak 18 guns were initially sent to Spain in 1936,
in the anti-aircraft role with the Condor Legion,
where they were fired not only at aircraft but at
land targets too, proving its effectiveness as an anti-
tank weapon. With the onset of the Second World
War, the ‘88’ found itself deployed to all fronts,
again in both ground-to-air and ground-to-ground
roles, and quickly became a much feared weapon This control wheel has lost some of its Bakelite covering
by anyone whom encountered it.
‘Deadman’s Corner Museum’ (Centre
Historique des Parachutistes de Jour-J), just a
few hundred yards down the road from the
village of Saint-Côme-du-Mont in Normandy,
is home to a well preserved Flak 37, a later
variant of the ‘88’ that saw combat in the D-Day
campaign. In these photos we can see some
useful details of the gun, which will prove handy
for anyone building Dragon’s kits. •

paratrooper-museum.cominteractif.com
Google; Deadman’s Corner Museum.

A view up the open breech, into the 88mm diameter gun-tube

The forward end of the recuperator cylinder is supported by a two-legged


brace bolted to the gun cradle

Details of the recuperator cylinder’s back end where it meets the gun mount

AFV Edition 55

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MODELLING REFERENCES: WW2 German 88mm FlaK37

Crescent-shaped gun elevation control Possibly a hydraulic coupling, viewed from behind Electrical couplings using multi-pin sockets

The breech of this gun is jammed in the open position Electrical cables snake around the gun mount, details often left off models of the ‘88

A look into the gun cradle shows its internal structure and electrical conduit.

56 Military Illustrated Modeller - December 2013

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Views of the gun control dials which are still in reasonable condition

AFV Edition 57

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MODELLING REFERENCES: WW2 German 88mm FlaK37

Electrical cabling and boxes Inside the fuse-setters, do we see traces of wartime red-oxide primer?

Remnants of the gun’s electrical cabling

58 Military Illustrated Modeller - December 2013

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SIGN OFF – FINAL THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR

DIORAMAS YOU
MUST BUILD
BEFORE YOU DIE...
CLEANING YOUR 90MM AA WITH THE ENEMY’S FLAG...

T
he American M1 90mm gun served as the US
Army’s main heavy anti-aircraft and anti-tank
gun, playing a role similar to the dreaded
German 88mm Flak guns. It served from just
prior to the opening of World War II into the post-
war period.
In this photograph we can see a US gun
crew cleaning the barrel of their gun with
the closest sheet of cloth to hand – a large
swastika flag! Both practical and triumphantly
irreverent, and neat idea for a vignette.

marcus@militaryillustratedmodeller.com US M1 90mm gun in miniature


See you again next time! The only model kit of the M1A1 90mm gun we are aware of is by Commander Models’ resin
production. The kit is available from www.ironshipwrights.com and www.whiteensignmodels.com

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