Showing posts with label 1/72 Kit Build. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1/72 Kit Build. Show all posts

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Egyptian T-122 SPG - Blackdog 1/72 kit review

 

 Egyptian T122mm SPG



Another purchase being assembled for the Analogue Hobbies Winter Challenge. While picking up a few bits from my Favourite French hobby supplier during the Black Friday deals I picked up the 1/72 Blackdog conversion set for the Egyptian T34/122 self propelled howitzer, it may of been used during the 6 day war, but did serve during the Yom Kippur War. 

This beast was based on a T34 chassis, in the majority T34/85 had T54 road wheels added also. Two batterys of T122 of 18 guns each did see action in the Yom Kippur. I do note that Syria also done a similar modification of the old T34 chassis. 

The Blackdog kit has the turret, gun and wheels, barrel, baffles, and barrel rest, and finally two boxes. Really nicely cast, although some fine bits that will get damaged from wargaming (the equipment rings on the rear for example). Overall though quite easy to remove from the resin sprue, quite a bit of cleanup on the wheels though to clean out the holes and shape the pear, with two of mine have bad deformity flash from mold wear I suspect and I was supplied one incorrect wheel, although it could be easily modified. With a bit of patience everything cleaned up well and assembly was straight forward. The barrel baffles also need some flash clean up, but not too bad, be careful with the barrel alignment and the baffle assembly to ensure it is square.

T122 Egyptian kit

 The kit recommends the dragon T34/85 or the Italeri. I did note that some people have used the zvesda kit also. My kit was a Italeri and upon dry fitting I needed to sand more off the bottom of the rear of the turret to get it to fit correctly. I also removed my front guards as per the surviving example in Israel. 

Overall a great addition for anyone wanting to do something different or wanting like me to add it to your Egyptian army for 67 or 73 wars. 

Overall a simple addition armour build, scoring a nine out of ten. 

Plan to get some paint on it soon, when I do my next batch of Egyptians. 

Cheers
Matt 

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil - Gecko Heavy Industries kit review

 

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil



As I start preparing for the Analogue painting challenge I have been focusing on building kits for our “Whisky on the Rocks” Cold War Wargames Holiday from the 3rd to the 7th of May 2024. My Swedes need quite a bit of anti armour to deal with the Soviet VDV division that will oppose them. The 

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil 1/72 Gecko Resin kit

Another kit review of Gecko Heavy Industries 1/76th scale resin kit. The Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil 90mm recoiless anti tank gun. The only model of this kit that I am aware of for 20mm wargaming, I needed to purchase this for my Swedes for our Cold War event “Whisky on the Rocks” at French Wargame Holidays from 3rd to 7th May 2024. 

The kit is resin with four options for the build, a complete clear resin cabin with stowed gun,  a half cabin with stowed gun, a windscreen with roll cage mounted or a firing version with folded down screen and roll frame. 
The resin spruces were simple to remove, do take care though with assembly as the instructions are not that clear, and you will require a few images from the web to fully assemble it correctly, particularly the gun mount. The roll cage will need some work if you are to get close to an actual vehicle, so I opted to fold mine down in the firing version. The clear parts are not that great and I think I will scratch a new windscreen(which will be folded down anyway…. The front seats were also incorrect from what I could see, so I trimmed the kit pieces to suit. Overall a 8.5 out of 10. 

The kit was €22 from panzerfux and worth the price I think as it is such a rare beast. Looking forward to getting some paint on it and I will possibly convert some S&S miniatures Swedish crew. 

Volvo C303 Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil Layed out




Cheers
Matt

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Volvo c303 Tbg11 - Gecko Kit Review

 


 Volvo c303 Tbg11 - Gecko Kit Review 

Gecko Heavy Industries Volvo C303 TGB11


I purchased this beast earlier in the year when I started formulating a plan to conduct a Cold War wargaming event at French Wargame Holidays, this lead to our “Whisky on the Rocks” event being organized for May 3-7th 2024. 

This also means I need to build some Swedish Army vehicles for my Cold War Collection. Soft skins are a bit of a challenge, particularly the Volvo series of vehicles. So whilst perusing the web I stumbled upon the Gecko offering and duly purchased it along with a few other Swedish specific pieces. 

On first glance the kit is well mauled in soft grey resin with two parts in clear resin. Removal from the sprue was done with ease for the grey parts however the clear was a tough job and I had to use my saw blade to remove the sprue from the main body. 

Assembly required hot water to straighten some pieces, the frame and suspension required quite a bit of work to straighten before I glued the frame. The clear resin is very disappointing and I cannot in anyway say that it is satisfactory, I think I shall paint the entire vehicle then add glass effect rather than mask it up and hope that it is translucent. 

Positives the kit looks like the vehicle but lacks fine detail for such a pricey kit €22 from Panzerfux. The instructions are basic with no images, but simple enough to work out. The solid resin body was problematic fitting and cutting, taking more than an hour of clean up. I do note that this was Gecko Industries earliest model and the later kits have separate clear parts. 

Overall a 7 out of ten kit. I plan to get some paint on it next week. 

The kit removed from sprue, note the alignment on the chassis 


Note the huge sprue knob on the clear cast resin 

Piece removed, then wet and dry to smooth to level, a good hour of work 

Cheers
Matt 

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Praga 53/59/70 30mm AA 1/72 review


Praga 53/59/70 30mm AA Lizard

History Praga 53/59


The Praga M53/59 was developed post ww2 and entered service in 1959, mounted on a armoured cabin, the cabin armour was quite thin 10mm on the front and 6mm on the sides making it small arms fire proof only. The vehicle was the Czech V3S 6 wheel drive truck chassis. The chassis, engine and electronic components were upgraded and improved in 1970, these vehicles became the M53/70. Further electronic additions were added in the eighties so electronic air tracking was available via connection to a battery command vehicle using the M85 Zirafa radar allowing it to remain in service for some time in the Czechoslovakian army until 2003. A large number of both models were exported during the Cold War and quite a number still remain in a number of armies today.

The 30mm cannon was originally designed by Bruno for the kreigsmarine during ww2 as a submarine anti aircraft design. The Czechoslovak designation was the 30mm PLDvk viz.53. The top mounted magazines for the gun held 50 rounds, however weighed a hefty 85 kilos when fully loaded. The guns had a practicable rate of fire of 150-200 rounds per minute, AA effective range was 3500m and on ground targets 2000m. The gunner had optical sights only and manual trigger and hydraulic assisted traverse and elevation, until the 1980s when the upgraded system appeared for targeting. The twin guns could also be dis-mounted from the chassis into a fixed ground position. The vehicle had a crew of five, Commander, driver, two loaders and a gunner, and normally operated in a division of 6 vehicles, plus a command vehicle for the battery of two divisions.

The Praga had the nickname the lizard due to its code name during its development and was widely used in the ground role during the Yom Kippur war and the Yugoslavian wars, where Praga became the nickname for all anti aircraft SP cannons.

Review NB models Praga 53/59

A superb offering of the Praga 53/59 30mm SP AA gun by NB models. This is the 1/72 version, there is also a 1/35th scale available too. 

A very crisp 3d print with very little clean up, a bit of light filing and sanding where the supports were, predominately on the underside of the pieces and on the back of the Gun. A little sanding and it was ready to assemble. Assembly was simple and straight forward and  every thing nicely together with no problems, I used super glue gel for assembly giving me time to square up wheels and the gun assembly.

My only critiques are, I would of liked the tyre treads on the wheels to be more detailed, a posable gun for the deployed AA role with removable and spare ammunition drums plus the racks and finally the crew compartment to be open so I could add crew, a gunner and loaders. 

I will mount this on a base to prevent it being knocked about whilst it is on the game table as I can see the mirrors and rear steps becoming detached quickly.  I also left off the clear canopy for painting as it can easily be placed after painting. One will join my Egyptians the other my Iraqis, and I will possibly get them painted before Christmas! 

The Praga 53/59 NB models kit fully laid out, a very crisp kit


Cabin detail is excellent, a few delicate parts…. A few bits to clean up but overall great


The NB models Praga 53/59 Guns and cabin front, the light mounts and mirrors are superb


NB models Praga cabin side, the tools are superb, as are the lights, handles and mirror


The Armoured glass cupola and gun sight…. 

Cheers

Matt
References
AK interactive- vol III Arab revolutions and border wars.
You tube training clip of the Praga 53/59
Praga 53/59 walk around
Yugoslavian wars use

Friday, August 4, 2023

VW 181 Kurierwagen 1/72 Germania Figuren build

  As I start to complete my Bundesgrenzschutz units I thought I would find a 1/72nd scale VW181 to complete my command platoon. 

The Germania Figuren vehicle is made from resin and upon inspection is a very nicely cast model. Hardly and flash and no bubbles. It comes with two options roof on or folded back, plus driver (which is a bonus) with four head variants. It was a little pricey at €16.50 plus shipping but I added some more pieces to my Swedes which reduced price per unit shipping. I will post the Swedes in the coming weeks after I complete my American ww2 airborne build. 

I hope to get it together this weekend and get some paint on it this coming week as we have rest before the next Wargame Holiday tours and Wargaming. 



Cheers

Matt 

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

WIP Wednesday - Saab Viggen

 Saab Viggen WIP

Another aircraft for my Swedish army, a Saab Viggen from Airfix again straight out of the box. A simple build with very few fitting problems (body and wings needed clamping) we shall see how the decals hold up when I paint it in late April. 





Cheers 
Matt 

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Belgian Alvis Hefty Chasseur Ardennes

 Belgian Alvis-Straussler Hefty truck


While I was researching my Belgians, I came across a reference to the Alvis designed hefty artillery tow truck, finding info on this beast is quite difficult as it seems a number of models were produced and all called "hefty".

The most common image is the trial version, but I believe the Chassuer Ardennes actually purchased the fifty vehicles of the C model. I could find little or no record of how many were built of each type, it seems several different were in production at the same time, all seemed to have the pivot in the chassis though. 


I know I started this beast almost 5 years ago but it is now complete and awaiting paint! 


WIP 1 from 5 Years ago

WIP 2


Finally Completed this year quite happy with it. Now to the paint shop! 




This year I want to complete a lot of my parked projects and get back to completing my 20mm early ww2 kit and armies.

The Belgians ordered fifty of these primarily for towing artillery and AT guns for the Chasseur Ardennais as far as I can research only thirty five were delivered before the war commenced. 

Alvis-Straussler Hefty gun tractor in Belgium




The C model Alvis Hefty, was conceived by Nicolas Straussler and presented to London Commercial Motor Show in 1935. It was powered by the Ford 3.6L V8 65 hp engine, weighing 2.2 T empty and was articulated and pivoted in the middle to make it possible to cross uneven ground.

cheers
Matt

Saturday, April 30, 2022

30 day kit build challenge part 3

 

 #30daykitbuildchallenge

The final week of the challenge I finally had some time to sit down and complete a lot of kits, all PSC which are simple, some I will revisit to add finer details and stowage when I return home to France. Again focusing on allied kit, but three german Styers also slipped in. For the first time I have not built a aircraft in the build although did pick up a box then put it back...... 

M1a1 Shermans for my yanks



British artillery, cabins left open until crew and vehicle painted

British trucks, like these a lot

Steyr heavy cars for my germans 


Build week 3 : 15 kits 
Total 24 kits

Total 

cheers
Matt


Thursday, April 28, 2022

30 Day Kit build Challenge week 2

 30 Day Kit build Challenge update 2

An update for last week another 3 kits from PSC, simple builds for my French 2DB. quite a bit behind my target at the moment though!





count week 2 = 3
total for build = 9

cheers
Matt 

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

30 Day Kit build challenge, week one

 #30daykitbuildchallenge

Ok off to a crackings start but that is easy with PSC kits, although sometimes not the most accurate 1/72 kits on the market with actual scale off sometimes (a lot) and parts that are not correct (shermans) they do make kits that are really simple to put together, I purchased a lot of them last year on sale and they have been sitting in my kit cupboard ever since. I have elected to try to concentrate on Allied kit in this build, first up some british kit , stuarts, bren gun carriers, some trucks and a battery of 25lb guns, plus limbers, tractors. Then some shermans for my Free French, then onto some other bits I think, I have a bunch of Panzer IV to assemble Fijimi......purchased a long time ago.

Week 1 total 6 kits

Bren carriers, an easy simple build




Stuarts, love these, really like them


Total 6 kits 

cheers 
Matt



Saturday, April 2, 2022

30 day Kit build challenge -2022

   

April 30 day Kit challenge!

So what is the 30 day kit challenge? Well, something I shamelessly copied from Gunbird and his blog "20mm and then some" back in 2017 when we chatted about doing something about our piles of shame.

When I moved to France I found I had a lot of unbuilt kits, particularly modern and ww2, plus some ww1 aircraft make up the majority. I also suffer from half built kit syndrome, as I like to paint the interiors, the pilots or drivers then assemble the kit. So with that in mind I'm starting the 30 day kit build, if you like join me and blog about it, steal the picture below if you like

Join me if you wish on Facebook, Blog and Instagram using the tag 

#30daykitchallenge 

Or join the fun on the 

The Wargamers Forum

RULES

Goals are simple, you will build your part built and new kits during the 30 day challenge:
  • Any material (plastic, resin, metal, wood).
  • New in the box or partially built, it matters not.
  • Gun, tank, truck, aircraft, ship, figure animal? Your call.
  • Kit must be basically finished, based if you prefer that, to qualify as a build.
  • The completed kit must be ready for primer.
  • Resin and metal upgradesets can be applied after the build.....the goal is to get kits built and ready for primer, not to finish them with paint and varnish etc.
  • You decide how many kits/models you want to build in the 30 day period.
  • You set the penalty for not meeting your goal (and after that it is the honor system)
Anything beyond that is up to you

My goal is the period from 1/4/2022 up to 30/4/22, each day I plan to work on a kit until I have completed my goal.  My goal is grand total of 30 kits, If I can build more kits in the month, then bonus.

My penalty is that if I don't make my target, is not to buy another kit for the rest of the year :(.

So, starting with Day #1 (1st April 2022), I'm starting with some Allied /72 PST kits first then onto some more tanks and aircraft.

Cheers
Matt

Friday, December 31, 2021

Luftstreitkräfte Albatross W4

 Luftstreitkräfte Albatross W4

One of my last builds for 2021 was a 1/72 Roden Albatross W4, not a bad build but like most Roden kits I pinned the wings and made new struts to make it better for wargame handling! I opted for the simple brown natural and unpainted canvas wings, the transfers were again a problem being oversized for the kit. I painted them with varnish then cut to size. 

Albatross W4





cheers

Matt

Junkers D1 Luftstreitkräfte

 Junkers D1 (the furniture van)


Next build for canvas eagles collection is a Roden Junkers D1 and was a great build very simple and easy in comparison too its twin winged friends. I painted totally in purple and green, copying a similar build using the fabulous 1/32nd Wingnut models. The Roden 1/72 decals were delicate, so I switched to Pheon models decals to save the day, the pilot is a ww1 20mm Wartime Miniatures pilot. As it is a Canvas eagles model no wires were added. Really happy with my results
 
Junkers D1 1/72 Roden kit


One of the groundbreaking aircraft of WW1, the all metal monoplane with a thick cantilevered wing design creating extra lift and using duralumin pipes with aluminium riveted corrugated duralumin (alloy), it first seen frontline use in september 1917. I knew I had to build one when I seen the kit on a shelf at the local model shop.


The Junk D1 was nicknamed the furniture Van and only flew with the Luftstreitkräfte. The colour schemes are contentious, The Air Ministry report on Junkers D.1 5183/18 found abandoned at Evere, Belgium in January 1919 notes that “The wings are painted a pale green, with irregular patches of light mauve on top, and white underneath”. Close examination of photographic evidence shows that the “light mauve” and “white” were not sprayed on but applied with a brush or perhaps by sponge etc. The fuselage of 5183/18 had been overpainted ...“a chocolate-brown colour, except underneath, where a white pigment has been applied”. It also noted that “pale green” could be seen where the brown paint had come off. Interior duralumin surfaces and frames were left unpainted on the prototype J 7 and may have remained unpainted on the first few aircraft but a photo on page 12 of Datafile 33 shows the interior painted in a reasonably dark colour that was probably grey-green. Interior steel brackets and collars riveted with iron rivets appear to have been painted black or possibly with red-brown primer unless overpainted with grey-green.




cheers
Matt




Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Jasta 10 part two lt Hans Klein

Jasta 10 part 2

Completed my first aircraft for the three aircraft I am building for Jasta 10. The Roden kit was very tricky build with a lot of parts being replaced otherwise it would not handle normal wargame handling for Canvas eagles. The transfers again were appalling so I used Pheon transfers.  

I am sort of happy, not really 100% with the build. I hand painted the yellow and I had it little too thick but I did achieve the stripey look of hand painted canvas with the white. I nevertheless it will take to the skies and very soon be on the table using canvas eagles rules. The pilot is from Wartime Miniatures ww1 pilot range I commissioned a number of years ago.

The aircraft is Lt Hans Klein, he lead Jasta 10 from the 17th September 1917 until he was wounded in February 1918 flying a Pfalz dxiii. a record of 22 victories, 1 unconfirmed. 

Lt Hans Klein Jasta 10

Lt Hans Klein Jasta 10



cheers
Matt


Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Jasta 10 ww1 WIP 1


Jasta 10 1916-18 Part one

It has been a while since I have built any ww1 aircraft for my Flying Circus but during my three week painters block I watched two ww1 films and put together four kits. Two of these will join Jasta 10, the others are for another Luftstreitkräfte posts. 

In June 1917 Jasta 10 joined the flying circus along and was credited with 118 enemy planes and 33 enemy observation balloons destroyed. In turn, it would lose twenty killed in action, another killed in a flying accident, ten wounded in action, and four held as prisoners of war


First plane off the block is the most famous Pilot of the Jasta, Werner Voss credited with 48 kills, 14 with Jasta 10. I will paint his triplane in the familiar colours of Jasta 10, a yellow nose and tail (as per recorded his shot down aircraft), not sure if I will add the large white field to the cross pattée and yellow tail plane tops (not recorded for Voss)

"Capt. J. McCudden, No. 56 Squadron ... saw a S.E.5a fighting a triplane, so with others dived at it, and for the next ten minutes the enemy triplane fought the five S.E.5s with great skill and determination. Eventually, however, it was destroyed by 2nd-Lieut. Rhys Davids of the same squadron, who had previously driven down a two-seater. . .The triplane was seen to crash in our lines by other pilots and the other occupant proved to be Lieut. Werner Voss, who was killed." Royal Flying Corps Communique









The second aircraft is Lt Hans Klein, he lead the Hasta from the 17th September 1917 until he was wounded in February 1918 flying a Pfalz dxiii. a record of 22 victories, 1 unconfirmed. I have built the Roden kit for this, a lot of work......

lt Hans Klein Jasta 10


The third will be Adam Barth, one confirmed before he was shot down. 

Vizefeldwebel Adam Barth


And another ace Obt Erich Löwenhardt, flying a Fokker Dvii. The son of a doctor, Löwenhardt served with an infantry regiment before he volunteered for the German Air Force. He was wounded in action over Roulers on 20 September 1917. After scoring his 54th victory, he collided with Lieutenant Alfred Wenz of Jasta 11, on the 10th August. Both men jumped from their planes but Löwenhardt was killed when his parachute failed to open. Löwenhardt had 54 victories at the time of his death.




Cheers
Matt 

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

KV2 build Part 1

  

 KV2 build

I know I should not be building eastern front stuff at the moment but Piers has inspired me with his Stalingrad photos on the Wargamer Forum  , so I completed this KV2 kit I commenced for the #30daykitbuildchallenge during the week in between the renovations, it really just need the tracks to be completed and the hull assembled. 

I plan to get some paint on it this weekend I hope.  He will join my ever growing fleet for the Barbarossa in preparation of the new Rapid Fire books coming out for the campaign!




Cheers
Matt

Monday, August 9, 2021

JU86 D1 project part 1

 

Junkers JU86 D1 build


Well a cold wet day kept me from doing external chores so I elected to pull out some kits from the stock and decided upon the Italeri Junkers JU86D1 and four others to assemble over the coming week of predicted wet weather.

 Originally I purchased this for SCW aerial dogfights, but as it is a little large I have decided to add it to my Luftwaffe for the invasion of Poland where I believe the JU86D1 flew its only combat missions of ww2 with Kampfgeschwader 1 /III, (I do quite like the 5th Staffel KG254 1937 colours below).

I will paint in the early war pattern I think, and as a wargaming flying model, as very little information exists for the JU86D1 service. 

JU 86 colour ideas

JU86 colour ideas


cockpit Interior 
looking at the forward bombardier/gunners position



The  dorsal gunners position; and within a retractable ventral position


Interior commenced RLM 02 brush painted


cheers
Matt