A long way from home! Fiat 626 lost in Normandy

1/35 Model Victoria resin Fiat 626

 

This is one of the most pleasurable builds since getting back into the hobby. It is modelled to represent a Normandy casualty giving a piggy back to a battered Opel.

 

Sd.Kfz 135 Marder I

Tamiya Marder Sd.Kfz 135 Marder I  

Build Info:

Tamiya kit #35370 

Aftermarket parts used: Brass ammo by RB Models

Tracks: Kit tracks

Decals:  Kit decals 

Paint & finishing info:

 

Primer:  Halfords primer grey rattle can

Camo:   Tamiya XF88, XF60, XF2, XF57, XF89, XF64

Tracks:  Vallejo VAL70304

Varnish  Tamiya X22

Weathering:

Mig Enamel dark wash, Abteilung Oils, Mig Pigments 

 

Interior parts made from Green stuff (Tarpaulins) and accessories by Panzerart (Fuel can), Bronco (Jerry cans), AFV Club (Ammo cannisters) and crew gear by Dragon

 

* It is worth noting that it appears the kit was referenced using the  Marder I on display at the Musée des Blindés at Saumur.  The tracks are on back to front and should be turned around. I was not aware of this issue at the time of my build so they have remained the 'wrong way round'. It is not a mammoth task to turn the link and length tracks around but care will be required to bend a few of the upper individual links between the sprocket and first return roller.

 

Box art

Tamiya's newly released Marder I is only the second plastic 1/35 kit since RPM's 90's offerings and a welcome addition. Hopefully, now Tamiya have tooled the chassis we could see a series of Lorraine Schlepper based self-propelled gun variants.

Unlike Panda's 2016 released kit Tamiya have decided to supply link and length tracks. As the individual supplied links in the Panda kit were such a pain to clean and assemble it is a far neater way of building up the tracks *  If you ignore the kit's instructions, it is possible to assemble the tracks to the bogies off the hull.

My full build blog is available here www.track-link.com/forums/site_blogs/45454/flat

The kit literally falls together and although it does lack a little detail in places and their engineering of the engine deck to side panel is a little puzzling, I can forgive them as it has been an altogether pleasure to build. When I do get round to completing it, I intend to show it pulling the Plus Model Sd Anh 32 munitionsahhanger.

 

As of May 2021 there have been a few aftermarket items released for this little Marder so I decided to purchase another and up-detail it. I will have that one towing the little munitions trailer. and this one will be modelled on a picture found in the Panzerwrecks Normandy 2 book which shows it backed into a ditch and abandoned.

Painted with Tamiya acrylics using the kits decals and weathered with enamels, oils, and pigments this is now awaiting work on the little base.