Dragon Sdkfz231 in 1:72 scale

 As anticipated in my last post I am presenting a model of an Sdkfz 231 (8 rad) in 1:72 scale from Dragon Models. This is my second AFV in a row after the captured KV2 I posted a few days ago. I have to say this is a very nice model, with a great fit and quite amazing detail for a small 1:72 scale vehicle. It is in Sicily 1943 camo of wavy dark green lines over the classic German dark yellow.  I have to admit that the green lines should be much thinner than they came out but I am not yet too familiar with the more intricate airbrush techniques and my airbrush is a basic model so I doubt it is able to produce pencil thin lines anyway.

The model was weathered using a mixture of acrylic, oils, and AK weathering pigments. The commander is from the 20mm German Tank Crews set of Preiser's Military range. These are very well moulded multipose figures in soft plastic and with 20 figures to a pack they give a very nice range of poses and options to choose from.

The kit requires only minor modifications such as drilling holes in the exhaust pipes but I think it is well nigh impossible to get all 8 wheels to touch the ground simultaneously.  In fact in all the internet material I came across for this model there were always a wheel or two suspended by a fraction of a millimeter in mid air. This, however, should not be an issue if the model is mounted on a diorama base. Dragon give the option of choosing whatever number plates you want but the miniscule decals for this make it a challenging - albeit not impossible - task. I chose to compose my late dad's old Ford Anglia number just for laughs !

 

 

Top-down view.  The green lines should be thinner and more numerous

The cable attached to the front is moulded - one of the few things I didn't like

Loads of underside detail - shame it's all hidden from view!

Next up is a 1:72 scale Stug III in Russian front colours from Dragon Models

Operation Herkules Pzkpfw KV2-754(r)

Having recently been playing Rommel on Vassal with my pal Dave as well as some sessions of Conflict of Heroes with the rest of the gang my interest in WW2 Afv's has been piqued. So I recently got myself a haul of 1/72 and 1/35 scale models, chucked them in my war chest and started off by building what I saw as the easiest of the lot - a captured Russian KV-2 tank in 1/72 scale from Trumpeter. 

Part of my catch of AFV models with a B-17 thrown in for good measure!

 While researching the tank prior to the build I came across an interesting article that immediately caught my eye. In early 1942 the Axis situation in North Africa warranted the invasion of Malta. The operation - code named Herkules - was scheduled for July of that year and was supposed to involve a paradrop to secure the south eastern harbour of Marsaxlokk (that's Marsa-shlock for you guys) so that German and Italian armour and heavy equipment could be beached the following day. Among the German armour were a group of ten KV-1 and KV-2 tanks captured from the Russians during the invasion of Russia in 1941 and given Panzer designations.  So the KV-2's became Pzpkfw KV-2 754(r)'s and were physically modified by the addition of a commander's cupola and extra ammo rounds on the rear hull. They were given a fresh camouflage scheme of dark yellow and reddish brown (no green) to better blend into Malta's arid environment at the height of its hot summers. These freshly painted KV's were put on standby in Sicily awaiting the invasion plans to be given the green light.

As it were, Operation Herkules never materialised. Knowing full well the high number of casualties suffered during the 1941 paradrops in Crete, Hitler was never so enthusiastic for a second airborne invasion.  Furthermore, in North Africa, Rommel's troops broke out and rushed eastwards towards Tobruk, making the occupation of Malta largely irrelevant at that point in time since the front lines had moved hundreds of miles to the east. So it came to pass that the invasion never took place even though in July 1942 the defenders of Malta were on their last legs and would probably have been easily overrun by a well trained and supplied force. Not taking the islands there and then would eventually come back to haunt the Axis further down the line.

So it was the most logical thing for me to build and paint the KV-2 in Herkules colours.  As these tanks were freshly painted and never saw action in those colours (they were repainted and sent north once the invasion was cancelled), I chose not to do any weathering - just a bit of mud and rust on the tracks and inferior structures.  The kit itself is very good and highly detailed for a 1:72 model although I cut out and replaced the turret handholds with 0.4mm copper wire (with hindsight I think a thinner gauge would have been better) as well as carefully shape out the hooks on the sides of the turrets with my craft knife. The painted model was varnished in gloss, decals applied and panels lined with Tamiya black panel liner. Once complete it was given a finishing coat of matt varnish.

Overall the build was ok but the instructions were not always very clear. Especially annoying were the steel cables attached to the front of the hull - there was simply no indication how they were to be secured at the other end so I ended up fitting one to a hook which was on the sprue but for which no assembly indication was given and the other was just left resting on one of the toolboxes. This is the one that can be seen resting on the left side of the hull in the top down pic above. I also had to resort to Youtube video builds of the same model in 1/35 scale to get hints and tips.

All in all it was a fun build - next up is an Sdkfz 231 from Dragon Models also in 1:72 scale.

 

Federico di Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino and his merry men

 Although it's been some time since I last posted I was still busy at my painting (and modelling) desk. One of the projects I completed recently is a six man MAA unit of Italian knights, specifically Federico di Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino between 1474 and 1482 together with a handful of his closest and most loyal knights. Being late fifteenth century MAA's, they are mostly clad in full plate with Italian and German armour styles for both mount and rider. The Duke's livery is especially intricate and was a challenge to paint but it is such challenges that I relish. I also tried my hand at a piebald horse and am particularly pleased at how it came out, never having done one before.

Figures are 28mm Perry multipose plastics and are exquisitely cast although my usual gripe of having to construct multipose figures still stands. Also, I noticed that they are built smaller than Front Rank 28mm MAA's but on the table the difference shouldn't stand out too much.

The Duke  and friends

 

Top-down view

The big cheese himself

 

 

 

 

 

Fireforge Templar sergeants

Still coming to terms with the emptiness created by Jack's loss and trying to stay busy as much as possible in an effort to keep the sadness at a distance.  These Templar sergeants were finished last week but I am only posting them now as I could not find the drive these past few days.  As a six figure unit they can be used for Lion Rampant but also for any other ruleset such as Impetvs. Or they will stay put in my display cabinet which is where my 28mm minis usually end up !

The figures themselves are the usual finely detailed multipose plastics from Fireforge. My only criticism would be that the lances seem to be a bit too long and the arms grip them from a seemingly impossible low position but this detail gets lost in the big picture. I have attempted to create the arid terrain typical of Mediterranean / Middle Eastern desert for these figures and I am happy with how the bases turned out. All Templar crosses and shield designs are hand painted.

A farewell to a faithful companion

Jack, our faithful companion and my ADC of sixteen years had to be put to sleep after a long illness. He fought bravely but in the end it was too much to bear and we had no choice but to end his suffering. He is now cured of all his ills on the other side of the rainbow bridge. 

Sad days ahead.

All decked out in full dress in better times