I

During its war production run, there were many special purpose variants produced; over 100 different types were recorded. Most important of these featured a house-type body (Einheitskofferansbau) which could be fitted as a workshop, laundry, laboratory, command caravan, radio van, cipher office, ambulance, or for dozens of other purposes. The box-like house body was made of wood and compressed card, partly for ease of production and to save metal. Late in the Blitz’s production life it was similarly fitted with the famous ‘ersatz’ cab, a wood and pressed card structure know as the ‘einheitsfahrerhaus’, again as a major economy measure when steel became short.

Getting straight to it, construction begins with the lower chassis which I assembled per the Tamiya instructions with only a small deviation to replace the stowage boxes with a new set of Aber brass. Tamiya has reproduced this kit with the double leaf spring suspension found on later

production vehicles, though provided the early bolt patterned wheels.  If you are using the kit wheels then the upper leaf spring should be removed.   However, I found that the MIG Productions wheel set shows the later bolt design thus eliminating the need for modifications to the suspension.  The MIG replacement wheels feature very crisp molding and make for a nice alternative to the kit parts; however the mounting holes are very shallow.  The quick fix is to drill out the holes and/or shortened the axel ends to achieve the proper fit.  I chose to also insert a section of brass rod for added strength.  I realize now that I should have added snow chains to the real wheels…oh, well.  We'll just say that there was a material shortage.

Continuing along with the instructions the next steps move onto the crew cab.  Here again the basic Tamiya instruction are clear and assembly is straightforward.  But, once again I deviated from the basic instructions I spent quite a bit of time dressing-up the cab with Aber brass, while Royal Models resin replaced the kit’s headlights.  I also choose to replace the kit’s pioneer tools with some better detailed DML tools I had in my extra parts box.  Moving forward, the impressive snow plow is from Plus Model.  I approached this particular part of the construction, the plow, with some apprehension as it appeared very complex from the box top photos. 

Opening the box to take a peak at the minimalist instructions inside (line drawings) did little to boost my confidence.  Once begun, however, I was pleasantly impressed by the logical sequence and sure fit of the parts.  The only issue I found was that the Plus Model conversion is designed for the Italeri Mercedes L 3000 kit which required a little fudging on some of the bracket mounting.  Nothing too drastic:  Only requiring a little sanding here or a replacement bolt head there.  The familiar Tamiya rear cargo bed features nice wood grain texture and some very inconvenient sink holes.  Be prepared to spend a relaxing evening of puttying, sanding and re-scribing of the wood grain texture.  Here again, the rear cargo area is supplemented with bits and pieces of Aber brass.

Of course any respectable “Snow Blitz" would need proper camouflage; a rough winter white wash.  I relied upon the "hairspray method" while also incorporating a kitchen pad to mask the pattern’s edges for a rougher, hand-painted look.   The hairspray process is well documented and very simple.  Briefly, over the base grey color and a protective coating of Johnson’s Future floor polish I misted a layer of hairspray.  After letting the hairspray dry for about 1 hour I went about adding the rough, white stripes over top the layer of hair spray.  Finally, again after about one hours drying time I used a small brush and water to scrape away flakes of the white camouflage paint.  Finally, I went back over the white with a fine brush and white Vallejo paint and re-applied, or color mapped some of the chipped areas to add refine some detail in the flaked off areas.

I followed with some localized chipping and scratches to the cab’s running boards and fenders using rusty brown colors and a scouring pad.  Next came a few very light acrylic color washes over the entire surfaces to unify the colors.  I wanted to continue to accentuate the different color tones between the cab and wooden cargo area so on the cab my filters consisted of brown and cream colors, while the cargo bed was filtered using a little touch of green in the color mix.

The next phase of the weathering process is the familiar back-n-forth process of adding detail and depth to the finish.  MIG Productions 502 Abteilung artist’s oils were used to add depth, define details, and additional color tones to the finish.  Here again I tried to vary my color choices to emphasis the subtle color variation between the metal and wooden surfaces.  Through-out the process my bottle of Vallejo white continued to be used to refresh the white camouflaged areas if they became too discolored by the oils.

For a little added color (and to have some fun) I decided to paint the mounting brackets for the snow plow in rusty metal colors.  Base colors were applied using Tamiya and Vallejo colors with the finishing touches being made using MIG Productions 502 Abteilung artist’s oils and MIG pigments.  The business side of the snow plow blade was first painted using Model Master Metalizer Stainless Steel to achieve a nice, polished steel finish.   To weather the metal finish I first moistened the blade with tap water and then applied a fairly heavy layer of salt, especially over the lower blade.  To the upper areas I sprayed light areas of brownish rust colors to replicate surface blemishes and stains.  Finally, I applied light “washes” of MIG pigments dissolved with thinner to further discolor the surface.   

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BT is the abbreviation of the Russian term for “fast tank”, with the BT-7 being the last in a line of Soviet fast tanks designed during the 1930’s.  Each tank in the series incorporated the Christie type suspension – as designed by J. Walter Christie. 

During the Spanish Civil war the BT-5 tanks proved successful against the opposing light German and Italian armor used by the Nationalist.  In 1939 the BT-5 and BT-7 tanks proved their combat success in border skirmishes with Japan, again outclassing the lighter Japanese tanks. At the outset of World War II the BT-7 was employed with success during against Polish forces during the Soviet invasion of Poland, but by the time of the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 – Operation Barbarossa – the BT-7 was critically obsolete.  As a result, large numbers of the vehicles where either lost in battle or abandoned by their crews during the first year of the campaign with very few surviving service beyond 1942.  

I recently had the opportunity to build a copy of the soon to be released Tamiya BT-7.  The full article will be featured in the October 2010 issue of Military Modelcraft International.  In the interest of preserving the integrity of the article I wll postpone adding detailed text of the project at this time.  In the meantime please enjoy a few excerpts and photos from the project.

Rather than opting for the more traditional single piece tub hull, Tamiya has engineered a double side-wall assembly, along with a separate floor, nose and rear hull.  Internally, a support frame is provided to help keep everything square and tight.  Although this sounds complicated it all fits together quite easily and quickly the vehicle begins to take shape.  The kit also provides a handy little jig for use when installing the suspension to ensure that the arms are properly aligned.  Speaking of which, the suspension arms are designed to be attached in fixed positions with the use of pins, although it wouldn’t be difficult to show the suspension articulated if one wished to do so. 

If it’s Russian then it must be green….well, not exactly.  One evening while looking on the internet for references I came across a color plate showing wonderfully striped vehicle belonging to the 24^th Tank Brigade operating near Lvov, Poland during the Soviet invasion in 1939.  Perfect; I had my vehicle reference and now it was time for paint. 

As usual I begin by applying an overall primer layer to give surfaces a nice, even finish for the steps that follow.  The color layers began with an overall base color of Tamiya XF-11 J.A. Green followed by an application of a lighter shade of green made by adding XF-4 Yellow-Green and XF-57 Buff to the J.A. Green color.  In each case the Tamiya paints are thinned using Tamiya lacquer thinner to the mix.  The lighter colored camouflage stripe was painted using a mix of Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow and Yellow Green while the darker stripe was painted using Tamiya XF-69 Nato Black. 

I began the weathering by applying a mixture of MIG Productions Abteilung 502 Shadow Brown and Light Mud directly into all of the nooks and crannies of the vehicle.  And then with a soft brush I feathered the paint and removed any heavy, unnatural accumulations.  Although a somewhat subtle effect, I feel that this is an important step in creating a certain weight and depth to the final presentation.  

In Print – Military Modelcraft International, October 2010

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I detailed the construction of the small dozer in a prior post.  If interested in seeing I invite you to visit the Komatsu posting below.

It turns out that painting a rusted relic involves quite a lot of planning and forethought – more that I had anticipated.  In my opinion, an important component in this type of finish is the element of randomness that occurs from natural conditions.  In looking at any example of heavily weathered equipment reveal a rainbow of colors and textures. 

I began by giving the entire model an underlying color layer of Tamiya NATO Black to produce my deepest shadows.  Over this I sprayed my rust layer of colors of Tamiya Hull Red, Red Brown, Deck Tan, and Clear Red.  And, although ultimately this layer of color would be painted over, scrubbed, and generally abused during the weathering process I believe that even at this early stage it is important to add visual interest.  From the photos you might notice that the color coverage is not uniform and that there are color variations over the surfaces.  I then protected this layer with a light misting of Johnson’s Future acrylic floor polish.

Let’s count the layers…shall we?  Layer three comprised of small dabs of MIG Productions Liquid Mask applied with a Scotch Brite pad to create small, deep “rusty” nicks on the surface.  Layer four is a visit to the beauty shop for a hairspray makeover.  Next I applied the vehicles grey colors using Tamiya IJN Grey mixed with Flat White and Medium Blue.  Again, these colors are applied with varying colors and consistency – layer five. 

The principal behind using the hairspray as an underlying layer is that when water is applied over the surface, certain areas of the hairspray will dissolve and lift off the overlying paint.  A little scrubbing with a stiff brush is all that is needed to promote this effect.  I tried to “enhance” this effect by combining it with the initial liquid masking layer.  From the photos I hope that you see the difference in exposed layers from where the hairspray alone has removed paint layers and those areas where hairspray and liquid mask combined to create different effects. 

At this point I am pleased with the resulting appearance, but there is more to do.  I am planning on using artist’s oils and pigments in the latter stages, but I also want to preserve some of the more vibrant patches I have right now of the vehicles grey colors.  To protect these I once again use MIG Productions Liquid Mask for a quick protective layer.  

From this point forward layer counting becomes very complex as an almost simultaneous use of MIG Productions pigments and 502 Abteilung artist’s oils are used to add visual interest and complexity to the surfaces.  One technique that I tried for the first time to good result was to lightly dab a color of artist’s oils onto the surface – Shadow Brown, German Ochre, Light Rust, Faded German Yellow – and then quickly dab dried pigment colors onto the wet oils.  These ingredients mixed and dried to very convincing patinas.  I also employed my usual approaches to weathering of using artist’s oils to help define certain shapes and contours with thin color applications.  Shadows were defined using pin washes.  In addition to dabbing the pigments onto the wet artist’s oils I also used my usual method of first dissolving them in turpentine and applying them with a small brush to certain areas.  I like this method because it allows for greater control for placing the pigments exactly where intended.  Layers, I ran out of fingers to count on!!

 I am a big believer that even a simple scenic base is an important element in the telling of the story.  For this story I wanted to show the passage of time as the jungle slowly encroaches and overtakes the forgotten dozer.  To begin I made a simple 4”x4” cube to be used for the base platform.  Over this I applied a rough layer of Apoxie Sculpt to make the basic ground contours including pressing the dozer into the putty to make sure that it really set into the scene.  Once the putty had dried I built up the surfaces using Plaster of Paris and then painted the groundwork a base color of Tamiya Flat Earth.  The majority of the vegetation is dried moss found at the local crafts store that I colored submersing in thinned acrylic paint baths of greens and yellows.  Other plant life came from Silfor grass, Woodland Scenes, and few of the Kamizukuri laser cut paper leaves.  Once the model has been placed on the scene I made the last weathering adjustments by adding some the effects of mossy build-up by dabbing a little bit of MIG Productions Allied Green and Gulf War Sand into certain recesses and corners of the dozer.

This project will be featured in an upcoming issue of MMiR.

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Plans for a return to the continent of Europe had been developing ever since the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. However it was only by 1944 that the huge amount of men and equipment necessary for such an invasion would be ready. In the meantime the Germans had been building the ‘Atlantic Wall’, a series of fortifications along the coastline that they occupied, from northern Norway to the border with Spain. In August 1942 these defenses were tested in the disastrous raid by the Canadians at Dieppe. Very few tanks had been able to get off the beach to help the infantry, and the engineers who, without protection, were to help them do this suffered horrendous casualties from the German guns. The raid showed what some people already knew – that it was very difficult attacking a heavily defending coast, breaking through the defenses and getting off the beach. A lot of work would need to avoid another Dieppe on D-Day.

Experiments were already taking place in various parts of Britain looking at the problems of landing in the teeth of enemy fire. These experiments led to tanks that would swim ashore to support the first waves of troops; tanks that could flail the ground ahead of them to explode the mines that littered the beach; flame throwing tanks; and tanks that would help the engineers deal with other beach defenses – clear the concrete and steel obstacles, destroy pillboxes, and cross the anti-tank ditches that the Germans had dug to prevent the Allies getting off the beach.

In April 1943 all this work was brought together under one man, Major-General Sir Percy Hobart, and one unit – the 79th Armored Division. His job was to produce from all this development work fully trained and equipped units that would help the Allied forces break through the Atlantic Wall.  The Churchill AVRE (Assault Vehicle, Royal Engineers) was developed after the Dieppe raid in an attempt to make combat engineers less vulnerable while they were attempting to destroy enemy defenses.

The AVRE was developed from a suggestion made by Lieutenant J. J. Denovan of the Royal Canadian Engineers.  His idea was for a tank with as much of the standard internal equipment as possible removed and replaced with storage space for the sapper's equipment, tools and explosives. The Churchill was chosen because of its combination of a large interior, thick armor and side access door.  The Churchill’s main gun was replaced with a powerful stubby mortar, called the petard which threw a 40 pound bomb, nicknamed the ‘flying dustbin’, on a wobbly flight for about 80 yards. Up to 24 of the big bombs were carried in the roomy AVRE. The crew also had plenty of ‘standard’ explosives in their Churchill, with names like General Wade, or the Beehive. These could be planted against a pillbox or concrete obstacle using the tank as cover, and then blown up from the safety of the tank.

Soon after their release of the initial Churchill Mk. III, AFV Club quickly followed with the release of the AVRE version of the vehicle.  For those familiar with the initial release you will surely recognize many of the parts and building sequences from the earlier release.   Featuring the Petard mortar, this box contains all of the extra parts needed to convert the standard Churchill Mk. III to the AVRE version.  Most of the construction of the AVRE is very similar to the construction of the initial Mk.III release.   For those who might be interested a more detailed summary of the AFV Club MkIII can be found in an earlier posting found here —> Churchill Mk. III "Margie".

I must say that I find the Churchill’s particularly enjoyable to paint.  The numerous panels, plates, ridges, sections, nuts, bolts….you get the idea; it just lends itself so nicely to doing some interesting work.  Green in

color, I wanted to depict this Churchill as a mid-summer 1944 veteran.  She had helped blow a hole though the shore obstacles in early June, and was now proceeding with the allies as they slog their way across France.  Wear on the vehicle would be somewhat minimal with limited chips and scratches.  Instead, I wanted to concentrate on first making the mono-tone green color interesting in itself, and then allow the weathering to be accomplished though filters, oils, and finally pigments.

I began with a primer coating of Mr. Surfacer 1000, followed this with my base colors using a mix of Tamiys XF-58 Olive Green and XF-21 Sky thinned with Tamiya lacquer thinner.  I vary this initial layer from time to time to create shadows and highlights.   Continuing in my effort add interest to my base colors, I next add varying amounts of XF-4 Yellow/Green and XF-2 to the mix.  These later applications of color are done in a more limited fashion often using a small piece of card stock as a masking tool to create sharp contrasts along panel lines for dramatic effect.  These early foundation steps are very important, in my opinion, to creating a visually interesting finished result – especially when working with a monochromatic finish.  

The next step for me is to continue to alter the base colors by applying light, acrylic filters.  This is when those lovely contours of the vehicle really begin to pop as I work my way around the surfaces.  It is important to remember that this is a gradual process as the idea is to only alter the base colors, not repaint the base colors.  The paints should be mixed very thin, much to the consistency of tinted or dirty water.  Finally, limited scratches, scuffs, and marks were applied using Vallejo’s German Camo Black Brown with a fine tipped brush.  A light misting of Johnson’s Future Acrylic Floor Polish makes the vehicle surfaces ready for decaling; and then a second misting seals the decals and ready’s the surface for weathering. 

I try to address each of my projects with a slightly different approach when it comes to weathering.  For this project I wanted to expand my use of artist’s oils and premixed filters as much as possible to see what results I could achieve by painting effects alone.  I began by applying dot fading using MIG Productions 502 Abteilung oils, beginning with a number of the green colors; Olive Green, Green Grass, Faded Green and finally Faded Yellow.   The oils are particularly important in my work as I believe that they add a level of richness and depth to the finish that cannot be achieved using other mediums.  Again, this is a step that requires a little patience as you much allow each layer of paint to dry before proceeded with the next.  A blow dryer on low heat or a light bulb can be helpful to quicken the process.  Once I was satisfied with my green colors, I then began to lay the foundation for the dirt and dust layers.  Again I turned to MIG Productions Light Mud, Basic Earth and Buff colors to add earthen tones to logical areas of accumulation, especially on the lower hull and running gear.  Afterward, I used MIG Productions Filters in a sparing manner choosing to apply them primarily as pin-washes to bring out some of the surface details.

The final step in my weathering sequence is usually applying pigments, and this project is no exception.  The earlier applications of the artist’s oils had provided me with a wonderful color foundation for the pigments.  As usual, I limited my palette to a few select; in this case primarily European Dust, Light Dust, Dry Mud and Allied Green (Fading).  This was my first experience with the Allied Green and I wasn’t too sure how I was to approach the color.  Initially, I tested it straight from the bottle on certain panels which gave a nice, sun-faded appearance to the finish.  As I went along, however, I began to use it within my “dirt” color mixes and found that this was an excellent way to achieve a grimy, well worn finish that I found really worked well on this vehicle.  Applications of the pigments are mostly done wet, having first been dissolved in thinners.  I generally use a finer brush to apply the pigments and work with them in a manner similar to using the oils.  I begin in the corners, nooks and crannies and then work my way outward; slowly building the accumulations.  I am very careful to continually vary my color mixes from time to time to ensure that I have a final presentation that has visual interest. 

As a final touch with the pigments and to show heavier accumulations of dust around the removed track guard, I applied the pigments dry to the surface, and then allowed MIG Productions Fixer to soak the pigment covered surfaces.  Once this application had dried, I repeated the process, but his time as the Fixer was drying I used an old brush and stippled the pigments lightly to create a little texture. 

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In 1920, the mine ran into financial difficulties and ceased operations. At this time, the head of the mining company, Meitaro Tacheuchi, got together a group of investors to form Komatsu Manufacturing Company Ltd. Earlier, in 1911, an iron casting works had been built near Komatsu City and named Komatsu Ironworks. This ironworks was the foundation for Komatsu Manufacturing's iron and steel casting. This same group was responsible for the manufacture of the first domestically produced Japanese vehicle, the DAT, which eventually became Datsun.

Komatsu began crawler tractor production in 1932 with a copy of the Caterpillar 2-Ton crawler designated G25. In 1935, they released a copy of the Best 30, designated the G40.

In May 1937, the G40 was put up against a range of other tractor from other producers around the world in trials in Manchuria. The G40 out-performed all competitors but its gasoline engine was slightly less economical than the Cat RD4 which was its main competition. From these trials it was decided by the Japanese government that all agricultural tractors for Manchuria were to be diesel-fuelled. Komatsu began working on producing its own high-speed diesel engines. Their first diesel powered crawler was the G35, apparently released the same year.

Some years ago, what is believed to be the only surviving G35 was found on a farm near Griffith, New South Wales, Australia in working condition. It was shipped back to Japan where it now resides in a display of tractors at a Komatsu factory

Rarely does a new release announcement catch my attention as did Tamiya’s recent Komatsu G40 Bulldozer.  No sooner had I seen the images I was feverishly tracking one down.   With the help of MMI editor, David Grummitt, I had a copy on my bench within days.  Upon opening the box I am greeted by the little jewel inside – and I mean little. 

The built tractor measures approximately 2.5 inches long by 1.5 inches in height (6.3cm x 3.8cm) and a quick review of the parts show a high level of molding detail.  The 7 step (yep, only 7 steps) instructions are in the familiar Tamiya format using exploded diagrams to show parts placement.  Also included in the box is limited decal sheet, a metal IJN emblem, and supplemental sheet showing the dozer in period photographs.

The fit is flawless though-out, with little flash or seams to clean from the parts.  Construction begins with the main chassis and engine hood and quickly moves to the underside where the suspension supports are added.  I spent a little extra time in the driver’s cockpit carefully thinning the control levers and pedals for a more scale appearance.  I would not be surprised to see one of the aftermarket companies offer replacement parts for this area before long.   The wheels and tracks are provided as a single piece, which look great and make assembly a breeze.

Step 5 of the instructions deals with the installation of the prominent hydraulic lines on either side of the body.  After studying photographs of the preserved Komatsu dozer on display at the company’s headquarters, and the box art, I noticed that the kit supplied hoses lacked the accordion type texture seen on these two examples.  I decided that this was an important feature that should be better represented.  After a few trials (and errors) I finally decided to wrap thin gauge solder with very fine wire to represent the accordion texture.  Using the kit parts as a pattern I bent the new hoses to shape and then clipped off the old hoses and replaced them with the new.   I would later find-out that the hydraulic hoses on the display vehicle at the Komatsu factory and as shown on the box art represent the a Post-war design.  The fix was simply to remove my wire-wound solder hose and replace them (again) with small gauge solder.

The final step is the blade.  The blade is a multi-part assembly which truly captures the feeling of weight of the real thing.  The blade attaches to the dozer body along the lower sides and front arms with simple pins and slots.  For ease of painting I would suggest leaving the blade separate and attaching once painting is completed.

Speaking of painting…I’m sure that most of the reason I was so excited by this release was to be able to paint it.  For me there is something uniquely special about working with construction equipment.  Perhaps it is as simple as the fact that real world examples are easily found, but challenging to replicate.   Looking around at my real world examples I could not help but notice the severe wear these type of machines display on their lower areas.  This type of wear was something that I was eager to attempt.

A few photos of the nearly finished G40 bulldozer.   

In Print – July Issue of Military Modelcraft International.

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The Type 97 was the Japanese Army's standard medium tank during World War Two.  The Type 97, like it's predecessors, was intended primarily for an infantry support role.  In 1939, skirmishes with Soviet forces along the Manchurian border proved that the Chi-Ha's short barreled 57mm cannon was not effective against enemy armor.

To remedy the situation a new version of the type Type 97 was ordered which was equipped with a new turret mounting a more powerful high-velocity 47mm gun with good penetrating power.   However, the i9mporved Type 97 did not enter service until 1942 due, in part, to complacency in the army after early victories in China and Manchuria, as well as later victories in Malaya, Burma, and the Dutch East Indies.  As the Pacific War progressed the Type 97 soon found itself outclassed by the better Allied tanks, such as the M4 Sherman.  This resulted to an increased use of the Type 97 deployed as bunkers and pillbox fortifications.

Perhaps not as many fancy features are contained the box as some of the marquee brand kits, never-the-less this kit certainly lends itself to a very fine rendition of the important Japanese tank.   My only fit issue with the kit came when trying to mate the upper and lower halves of the hull.   Try as I might to get these parts to match, it appears (at least in my case) that the top is a couple of millimeters too short in length.  The solution was simple; only requiring a small section of Evergreen strip to fill the gap in the front.

Painting & Weathering

Japanese armor can be a very colorful lot.  Tanks were generally painted in hard edged camouflage patches of Mahogany Brown and Dark, or Olive Green over a dull brown base color.  Once of the unique features of f Japanese armor was the frequent use of a bright yellow disruptive stripe which made a cross pattern over the vehicle.  This was going to be fun.  I decided to apply my base colors using a mix of Vallejo Stone Grey and Beige and Chocolate Brown.  Once dried I masked areas for the camouflage colors – this time using Tamiya paints.  The weathering of this vehicle follows my usual routines of light chips and scratches applied using Vallejo acrylic paints, followed by filters and artist's oils.  A final dusting of pigments complete the process.

Fun with Paper

When I begin a project I am also thinking of how I might be able to place the kit into a scene or setting.   For some time I had been looking for an opportunity to try the laser cut paper foliage from Kamizukuri and now the the Chi-Ha I had the perfect excuse.  The base itself could not have been simpler being made from a cut piece of foam, styrene sides topped with Magic Sculpt two part putty.  For the groundwork I looked no further than my backyard picking up a handful of materieal from under the trees which I glued over the top of the Magic Sculpt shell.  This tangle of compost was perfect for simulating the dense undergrowth near the ground.

I used 3 sets of the Kamizukuri products for the base.  T prepare, I simply airbrushed varying shades of greens and yellow on to the paper and left them to dry.  On some of the leave I took a little time to add some variegation and veins for added interest.  In the mean time I cut small sections of brass wire and place them into pre-drilled holes in the base and then painted these "stems" similar shades of green as the leaves.   An additional layer of growth was added using Silfor products tufts of grass.   Next, I carefully cut the paper foliage from the carrier paper and attached them to the stems using super glue.  The small tree was made from a twig and then adorned with the Banyan Leaves.  As a final touch to the foliage I lightly brushed MIG Productions Wet and Damp Earth Effects to the leaves to give them a nice sheen.

In Print:  Military Modelcraft International – May 2010

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I have a number of good friends who are aircraft modelers; I admire their attention to the details, the painstaking paintwork, the scribing of panel lines….listening to their enthusiastic discussions.   The thought …"perhaps I need to do something different than armor, maybe I should stretch my wings".   You realize, or course, that it's been probably 30 years since I have built an aircraft kit.  In the winged world I am a newbee and so I began to ask for kit recommendations and tips from those in the know.  With increasing enthusiasm I began to narrow my choices until finally chose to build the recently released Tamiya Spitfire.

Let's begin with the box, shall we?  It's big, and it's packed!  I took a bit of time to familiarize myself with the instructions and tried to get the unfamiliar part trees into some type of organized pile for later use. 

With armor kits one usually begin with the road wheels, with aircraft it is the cockpit.  So many parts in such a small space.  With a little patience and a few dry fits construction proceeds without a hitch.  Right from the start, however, I realize the biggest difference (at least for me) between constructing armor vs. aircraft is that painting as you go is essential. 
 

The detailing here is excellent and looks every bit the part according to my references.  The only small enhancements that I did was to drill out the lightening holes in the frame and add a little bit of wiring to some of the controls.

Another day…a little more progress.  I realize that the cockpit is an important part of the project – it seems like the first thing that everyone does when inspecting a model aircraft is peek inside!  But, having judged a number of contest (aircraft) I know that it's the fit details that can either make or break a model airplane.   There have been a number of aircraft models at show – excellently painted – that have been eliminated from consideration due to small seams, alignment and fit issues.  Knowing this I moved onto the airframe with quite a bit of nervous anticipation.

The work begins with some very clever engineering for the flaps.  Small metal rods and photo etched pins are used to make these workable.   Quite simple, yet very effective.  I took the plunge and mated the two halves of the fuselage – the fit is good, though small seams still exist – however, nothing that a little careful filling and sanding couldn't handle.

The wings come next.  The panel details are just amazing…I hope that I can due this thing justice with the painting!  The wheel wells are an intricate little assembly were the first use of screws and magnets are used to hold certain parts together.  Again, a clever touch that allows certain panels to be attached, and then removed rather easily.  Attaching the wings to the fuselage was another of the "hold my breath" moments…but once again the fit is tight requiring no filling or sanding.  Moving to the underside for a moment the wheel struts are another small assembly…complete with a metal reinforcement rod sandwiched within the leg for added strength – super nice touch. 

I'd been looking forward to finally working on the engine.   Unlike other kits where the modeler is  forced to decide whether or not the engine is to be on display, or not.  Tamiya has once again come up with a very clever solution.  On this Spit., the cowling and side panels are all held in place using small tabs and magnets.  Brilliant!  Now, I can feel good about spending time detailing the engine – with also the option of displaying the aircraft ready for flight! 

The actual construction follows an "inside – out" type of flow; each step adding more and more details until finally the frame is installed.  Many of the parts – such as the air intake – offer different variant opens, so check your references.  Not being very well versed in the aircraft I assembled the engine almost entirely OOTB, with the exception of adding a just a little bit of wiring to the plugs.  Painting was done mostly using Tamiya acrylics for the base colors, and then followed by weathering applications using the MIG Productions oils and pigments.

Painting!

Oh My!  It's amazing how anxious I'm feeling moving into the painting process.   Matthew Sinclair (an excellent armor modeler) did a P-47 some time ago and we spoke at length on how to translate the use of armor painting and weathering techniques to aircraft.  He set the bar very high with his outstanding job…now it's my turn to give this a shot. 

RELAX!  It's just painting.  I began by laying down the upper surface base color using Model Master Neutral Gray acrylic paint, while  the underside was given a base color using :ight Ghost Gray.  Now what?  Well, if you have followed any of my more recent armor projects you'll notice that I have employed small pieces of card stock as quick masks to add interest to the surfaces.  Using the panel lines as my guides I began the process of highlighting and shadowing certain panels.  

Did you know that Spitfire's where all painted in a particular camouflage pattern?  I didn't.  Friend, mentor, and airplane modeler Mike Howard educated me to this fact and was even so kind as to send me a template for me to use.   I cut out the pattern and laid it over the gray surfaces.  Using a base color of RAF Dark Green I laid down the green blotches.  I must admit that I am not the best masking guy around….no patience.  So, after I began to paint I ended-up taking off the masks and  airbrushed the blotches freehand – using the patterns simply as a reference – I'm sure that I'm breaking some sort of airplane etiquette here.   I also did the same quick masking technique on the green blotches as I had on the gray base – adding slightly lighter and darker areas for added interest.  It looks the part in my eyes – and that's good enough for me!

Markings

Next-up…decals.  I debated for some time whether or not to go with kit decals, or try one of the aftermarket offerings.   In the end I decided to go with the kit set – a decision the I am unfortunately regretting.  Perhaps it is just me – or this particular set, but I have had to fight with these to no end.  First, to me these decals seemed to be very thick.  I prepared the surfaces as usual – with a good overall spay of Future floor polish and then began the application process.  Right from the start I could tell the not only where these decals extra thick, but once I began working with them they seemed less than adhesive.  Even with liberal application of Decal Set they would not lay down snug against the surface – and are very susceptible to silvering.  As a final step I gave the surfaces an over-spray of Future which did little to help the situation as now the decals seem brittle and likely to flake.  In the end the decals are applied and I am ready to begin the process of  weathering the Spit.   I have my fingers crossed that the weathering will help bring the decals in-line with the rest of the finish.

Back to the Shop for Repairs

Ok, here's were the story gets interesting.   To make it short I began weathering the Spit using some of my usual techniques; filters, oils, washes, etc. with generally pleasing results.  But, try as I might to work with the decals I wasn't able to get them to cooperate – it was becoming obvious that they would detract from the final finish.  I ordered a new set of aftermarket decals from Zotz.  While waiting for the decals to arrive I worked to remove the Tamiya decals and repair the paintwork.   Only time will tell if this "fix" will have a successful outcome.  Making repairs is always much more difficult that basic construction – couple this with the fact that I am not a patient modeler and the stage is set for further frustration and  set-backs.  (NOTE TO SELF:  TAKE YOUR TIME!)  

I think that enough time has lapsed that I'd better wrap this one up.  Fixing the decal situation proved to be a little easier than I had feared.  Although, as with any setback sometimes the final result suffers somewhat.  I feel that this is perhaps the case here.  Many of the subtle finishing effects that I was beginning to achieve were lost in the repaint/re-decal process.  A little dis-heartening to be sure, but in the end I still enjoyed building this Spitfire.   A few final pictures to close out this chapter.

My review article and photo can be found in the September/October issue of World War II.

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No full test of a gun-type nuclear weapon had occurred before the "Little Boy" device was dropped over Hiroshima. The only test explosion of a nuclear weapon had been of an implosion-type weapon using plutonium as its fissionable material, on July 16, 1945 at the Trinity test. There were several reasons for not testing the "Little Boy" device. Primarily, there was little uranium-235 compared with the relatively large amount of plutonium which, it was expected, could be produced by the Hanford reactors. Additionally, the weapon design was simple enough that it was only deemed necessary to do laboratory tests with the gun-type assembly (known during the war as "tickling the dragon's tail"). Unlike the implosion design, which required sophisticated coordination of shaped explosive charges, the gun-type design was considered almost certain to work.

Although occasionally used in later experimental devices, the design was only used once as a weapon because of the danger of accidental detonation. Little Boy's design was unsafe when compared to modern nuclear weapons, which incorporate safety features to endure various accident scenarios. The main objective of Little Boy was to create a weapon that was absolutely guaranteed to work. As a result, Little Boy incorporated only basic safety mechanisms.

Little Boy

Soon to be released from Masterpiece Models is this kit of the Little Boy atomic bomb.  The master for this kit was created in our shop by Matt Kilwein and  he has done an outstanding job in it's representation.  I was asked to build the kit and produce the instruction guide and then paint the model for the box art and and promotional materials.

The number of parts that make up this kit are relatively few.  The main component, the bomb, is a single piece of cast resin with excellent panel line and bolt details.  The attachment of  rear stabilizer fins provide the bulk of the construction efforts.  I made a quick template as a guide to help position the fins in the proper locations. 

Once the fins have been placed, the horizontal stabilizers rest on the edge of the fins; butt-joined to one another at the corners.  The last component are the small interior fins.  These fins can be scribed and then cracked to produce a hinge point which attaches to the horizontal stabilizer at the mid-way point.  The interior edges are positioned to the stabilizer fins 2mm from the bomb itself.

The remainder of the construction is very straightforward and can proceed quickly.  One must be somewhat mindful of the placement of the four forward antenna housings; a quick look at the reference materials and a little bolt counting is in order.  The location for the top housing is 2 bolts down from the mid-section panel line, while the lower housing is another 4 bolts below.  Small wings are attached along the circumference of the mid-section near the small vent holes.  The three fuses where detailed with small wire to replicate the fuse wire seen in period photographs.  Finally, a small cart is also provided in the kit.  Not only is this an attractive accessory, but it serves to provide a stable display platform for the bomb.

Painting and finishing the bomb presented an unique challenge for this armor guy.  Obviously the "normal" wear and tear would not be present.  My challenge, therefore, was to create an interesting presentation without relying on my usual bag of trick.  Also, I needed to keep in mind that the end presentation was to be used for box art and promotional materials, so once again restraint would be called for.

Using Tamiya acrylics thinned with lacquer thinner provided me with a nice, smooth surface.  I used a bit of shading and highlighting of the panels as we as to general shape as well.  Darker colors were sprayed to the lower areas to accentuate the roundness of the shape.  Taking a cue from the aircraft builders I added a dark preshade to the panel lines - a technique that I almost never do in my regular work.  The result, however, are quite attractive on surfaces such as this and really do bring out the details.  I sealed the base colors with a couple of light applications of Future floor polish to not only protect the paintwork, but to also provide a nice sheen to the surface.  Finally, I chose to do a little bit of work with the artist oils to further promote and enhance subtle color tones within the panels.

Final Pictures

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Each car had a five-foot steel machine gun turret, with an open wooden platform behind it. The hood was armor-plated and the vulnerable radiator shielded by two armored doors, which could be closed by the driver. The driver sat on the mattress-covered floor, leaning against a canvas sling, looking through a narrow slit. The only other alteration was to install 13 leaf springs in front and 15 leaf springs at the rear, for the added weight.

The armored cars were organized into fifteen squadrons. They weren’t suited for the stalemated Western Front, so were dispatched to Africa and the Middle East. Most went to Egypt, sporting names like “Bull Dog,” “Biter,” “Bloodhound,” and “Blast.”

They were spectacularly reliable—“a triumph of British workmanship”—crowed The Times, but awkward and ungainly. In fact they were mistaken for water trucks by a German spy in West Africa; a costly mistake, one imagines.

Colonel T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) commanded a fleet of nine Rolls-Royce armored cars in Palestine. On one single day, Lawrence took three of the cars and captured two Turkish posts, blew up a bridge, wiped out a Kurdish cavalry regiment, blew up another bridge, and ripped up miles of rails, throwing the whole Turkish supply system into chaos.

After the Armistice, the journalist Lowell Thomas asked Lawrence if there was anything he would like to have. Lawrence answered, “I should like to have a Rolls-Royce car with enough tires and petrol to last me all my life.”

The early passenger car conversions were so effective, the War Office ordered specifically-designed armored cars to be built on the Silver Ghost platform. These cars were assigned chassis numbers WO1–279. Officially phased out in 1922, some served in India during World War II until they were all scrapped in 1944.

 Let's See What She's Got!

Wow!  This was my first thought upon opening the box; feeling a sense of being somewhat overwhelmed.  To begin, I took a glance at the instruction book as this is quite the impressive 40 page publication.  

On opening the box and top layer of bubble wrap I found the kit building instructions, 5 small plastic bags and 2 lengths of brass rod, underneath the next layer were 3 further larger bags containing the wheel parts and engine/axel parts and underneath that 1 further bag with fenders and some body parts. Sitting separately were the chassis frame, tilt, turret and panels and a jig to assist in the making of the wheels. Finally on the bottom of the box a large fret of PE containing the spokes for the wheels, inner and outer support brackets, rear step, rear support and front and rear mudguard supports.

Lets begin.  Work begins as usual with the chassis and engine.  Looking forward in the instructions it appears that consideration is made for displaying the bonnet in either the open or closed position.  

Although the parts count is high, Resicast has done an outstanding job of making the instructions clear and easy to follow.  To further aid in construction I was provided a CD that has numerous photographs of the vehicle and certain details.  

At this point I have not yet decided whether to display the engine in the final presentation.  However, using the supplied extra CD photographs as a guide I have decided to add some basic wiring and detail to the engine and firewall.

After a considerable delay of nearly 3 months I'm back to complete the Rolls Royce.  Continuing, attention now turns to the upper body turret.  The basic floor structure is provide as a single piece shape, with excellent wood grain scribed into the surface. 

Onto the platform are attached the numerous boxes and lockers that make up the rear cargo bed and stowage areas.   The larger parts make for quick assembly, and with the addition of the running boards the vehicle really now begins to take shape.

The installation of the front fenders is perhaps the most delicate construction area of the model.  The fenders themselves are nicely cast from resin, with the mounting brackets provided as photo etch.  These photo etch brackets must first be shaped and mounted onto the underside of the fender, then bent to the proper angle and attached to the chassis.  It is a fairly straightforward process that only requires some patience.

The turret assembly provides for the armored window to be placed in the open, or closed position as does the rear entry hatches. The finesse of the kits' casting is very apparent as even the hinges have interlocking flanges providing for an excellent overall appearance.

Those spoke wheels!  I have to say that I was a little apprehensive about approaching these as they looked incredibly delicate and very complicated.  Upon reviewing the instructions, however, I was relieved to see that Resicast has done an outstanding job in both engineering and instruction.  The kit provides a mould, onto which the photo etch spokes are laid in between to two halves.  By simply pressing the mould together a perfectly formed spoke wheel is shaped.  At this point assembly is simply a matter of placing alternate spokes and spacers within the  tire.  A little care must be taken to recognize the differing width of the spacers and to the order in which they are place, but overall this is a very simple process.

Grey Ghost

I realized from the start of this project that when it came time for the painting and finishing I would need to break from some of my usual traditions. I did not feel that this vehicle would lend itself to the heavy weathering, chipping and wear that have grown routine in my work. In fact, this provided me the perfect opportunity to try some different ideas and to break out of my doldrums.

To begin, I sprayed a primer layer of Mr. Surfacer 1000 to unify the underlying construction and provide a solid base onto which I could begin the painting. I decided to tackle the wooded planking of the flooring first. Taking a cue from our friends who model WWI aircraft, I tried my hand at simulating the wooded tones and grain using a combination of acrylic and artists oil paints. I first spayed a base color using Vallejo Model Color Iraqi Sand, over which I applied very thin streaks of MIG Productions 502 Abteilung Wash Brown and Shadow Brown artist’s oils. A satisfactory first attempt, but I am anxious to practice this technique more as I have seen the excellent results achieved by others. The wooden area was then masked to protect it from the upcoming paintwork.

Pick a color! Looking at the available black & white period photographs it is difficult to determine the color of these vehicles. Information suggests that the RNAS cars were either painted an army green or a grey color. I did, however, have a very nice photograph of the marking as provided to me by a fellow modeler which proved very helpful. Finally, I decided that a classic Grey Ghost would be my choice for the vehicle’s color; I was ready to start.

Breaking from my usual weathering traditions I skipped from adding chips or scuffs to the paintwork, rather wishing to preserve a kept appearance to the vehicle.  I began the weathering process by applying dot filters of MIG Productions artist’s oils of Faded Navy Blue, Faded Grey, and Buff to the moistened surface.  I followed this with numerous light pin wash applications into the panel lines and around the surface details.  Again the colors that I used include the same grey and blue tones as I used before as I wished to accentuate the depth and create shadows to the overall grey colored body. 

By this point I wanted to see how much of the weathering I could do using only the artist’s oils and filters; resisting the use of pigments.  To dirty the vehicle I added MIG Productions Basic Earth to my color mix and applied this to the underside of the chassis, and inside the wheel wells.  This same color, mixed with Light Mud was then used in areas over the upper surfaces to show accumulations of mud and grime.  I varied the color mix from time to time, adding more or less Light Mud and by also adding small amounts of the Faded Navy Blue, Faded Grey, and Shadow Brown.  Each application was done with a very light touch, and excess removed if necessary.  To the left of the vehicle I chose leave off the spare tire, thus added a dirt ring where the tire might have been.   A light touch using MIG Productions Filters helped to unify the weathering and added extra depth to the finish.  Finally, I gave into the pigments and applied just a few light touches of MIG Productions pigments to the areas most prone to accumulate dirt and grime such as the running boards and around the wheels and tires.

Hit the Road

Nearing the end of the project, I decided that a small base was in order.  The basic shape was created from a poured block of plaster.  The raised sidewalk was created by gluing a piece of balsa wood then overlaying it with plastic styrene sheet.  The cobble stone street was laid by cutting small shapes of plastic strip and then gluing each cobble stone to the street individually.  The base was first sprayed with Krylon flat black, the color was added using a combination of Tamiya and Vallejo acrylic paints.  Final weathering was done using MIG productions pigments and 502 Abteilung artists’ oils.  The street lamp is also a MIG Productions item complete with photo etch brackets and a clear resin lamp.

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In keeping with the British concepts at the time, the Matilda tank was developed for a role as infantry support. Although well armored, the relatively weak engine power and troublesome suspension severely limited the speed of the vehicle. This shortcoming, however, was not considered an issue as the vehicles intended role was to provide close support to the infantry. As shown though combat, the heavy armor of the Matilda's cast turret became legendary; and for a time in 1940-41 the Matilda earned the nickname "Queen of the Desert". 

However, in the rapid maneuver warfare often practiced in the open in the wide open spaces of North Africa, the tank's low speed and unreliable steering mechanism became major problems. Another problem was the lack of a high-explosive capability (the appropriate shell existed but was not issued). Ultimately, the lack of speed and maneuverability of the Matilda, along with the Afrika Korps deployment of the 88 mm anti-aircraft gun in the anti-tank role eventually doomed the Matilda in this theatre of war.

This is a very special project for me as I was very honored to be asked by Marcus Nicholls of Tamiya Model Magazine International to construct this pre-released version of the new Tamiya Matilda.  The photographs of this build and companion article were featured in the August 2009 issue of TMMI to coincide with the release of the kit.   In conversation with Marcus I came to understand that this kit, the Matilda, is the company’s 300 1:35 scale release. In my opinion they couldn’t have chosen a better deserved subject.

An Audience With the Queen

The construction begins with the road wheels, and yes, there are a lot of them.   Luckily, very little parts clean-up is needed and your time can be directed to the task at hand.   Although mostly hidden on the final presentation, the quality of the suspension is equally detailed. A little care to the instructions should be exercised while assembling the suspension as certain units are left or right specific. The instructions, however, are very clear and this should pose no problem.

Moving upstairs to the turret the first order of business is the business end of the vehicle; the 2 pounder main armament along with the machine gun. Once again, Tamiya has done an outstanding job of recreating in plastic the armament; the 40mm gun is a one piece affair with only the smallest trace of a seam line to be sanded, while the machine gun is also nicely detailed including a drilled barrel. Both fit into the housing in a conventional manner which allows the main armament be able to raise or lower the guns. The kit contains no interior, though the large hatches certainly would lend to some nice views if one should be so inclined to add an interior. The hatches, particularly the commander’s hatch has nice detail both inside and out and compares well against reference photographs. I added small plastic strip to the interior of the copula to represent the leather padding along with small bits of wire bent to form handles. Similar to the hull, the numerous turret accessories require the modeler to drill small locator holes. This is easily accomplished with the aid of a shallow trough in the interior wall of the turret that guides the drill to the exact point for the hole to be drilled. A final sparkle was achieve by adding a 5mm Grief lenses to the to cupola spotlight.

I came across a report which stated that sixty-four Matildas were lost during Operation Battleaxe and a dozen were subsequently repaired and put into service by the Germans. The Matildas were well regarded by their German users although their use in battle caused confusion to both sides despite displaying extra-prominent German markings. 

IN Print:  Tamiya Model Magazine International – August 2009

Materials:  Matilda Mk. III/IV, Tamiya

Figure:  Alpine

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