Sd.Kfz.7/2. 3.7cm Flak 43. Trumpeter 1/35 kit#01527 (Chapter 3: Weathering begins)

 Previous chapter

After setting the model aside for 24hrs for the paint to fully cure I started the weathering process by first applying a selective pin wash with oil paints. Utilising the excellent Abteilung 502 series I employed several umber and dark brown tones first, adding slightly darker colours lower down on the bodywork. The same mix of oil paint tones was also employed to add light vertical streaking to the cab areas. The engine bay was then treated to the same oil work along with enamel dust effects.

Schwerer Wehrmachtschlepper (sWS) armoured cargo version. Chapter 2: Construction

 

The kit chassis is a nice solid one piece item

Schwerer Wehrmachtschlepper (Armoured sWS) Chapter 1: Whats in the box?

This is the 2016 ‘2in1’ Bronco kit #CB35214. It was the last release of a series of sWS variants that were based on the original Great Wall Hobby(GWH) mouldings stretching back to 2009.

Sd.Kfz.7/2. 3.7cm Flak 43. Trumpeter 1/35 kit#01527 (Chapter 2: Painting)

Previous chapter

 Painting

 

Building the kit in sub-assemblies makes for painting both the chassis and cab interior far simpler. So, after the chassis was first primed in Tamiya red oxide it received an overall airbrushed coat of Tamiya acrylic dark yellow (Dunkelgelb) The engine and gearbox were base coated in Tamiya german grey, and all the metalwork parts were mist primed in Tamiya hull red. All contact points were then cleaned of paint, or masked beforehand, to ensure clean mounting points. I manipulated the steering gear linkage angles during the build stage to leave the wheels slightly turned. I always think this adds to the finished appearance. 

Sd.Kfz.7/2. 3.7cm Flak 43. Trumpeter 1/35 kit#01527 (Chapter 1: Construction & prep for paint)

 

3.7cm Flak 43 auf Selbstfahrlafette (Sd. Kfz.7/2) and Sd.Ah.56/57 ammo trailer

 

Kit                       Trumpeter (Sd.Kfz.7/2) #01527
Trailer:                WM resin & 3D printed 

Tracks:                Kit tracks
Barrel:                 ABER
Photo Etch:         Kit supplied etch
Wheels:               QuickWheel QWX-027
Start date            March 2015

 

This Sd.Kfz.7 SP flak kit was purchased many moons ago and within a few weeks 99% of the construction work had been completed. It then remained unfinished until only recently when I found a suitable ammo trailer. The images below are the only ones I have from the build stage. However, many of the main chassis and engine compartment parts are shared across all of Trumpeter's Sd.Kfz.7 kits. Contruction steps from my wooden bodied cargo variant build can be found here. 

 

Like all Trumpeter's 8ton series vehicles these kits can be somewhat challenging to build. Accuracy issues aside, the main chassis is a multi-part affair, and although well detailed, many of the part location points are not very well defined. Many smaller, delicate parts often require plenty of test fitting and judicious amounts of clean up to avoid missaligning assemblies. There are also a few places where crude moulding hampers construction, making swift progress somewhat frustrating. Another problem is the instruction to fix many fragile parts way too early in the construction steps, making damage all the more likely. Once you realise that a fair amount of pre-planning, clean up, and test fitting is required at almost every stage, you have to be prepared to put the time in to rectify these issues. If you do the final result can be rewarding.

 

This is Perth Military Modelling's review conclusion of this Trumpeter kit when it was released.

 

'While this kit again carries over some accuracy issues from earlier versions such as the drive sprocket roller offset, the chassis length and fender profile it also includes excellent details in the engine/gearbox assemblies as the full compliment of driver’s pedals and decals for the instrument panel. But as with the Flak 37 kit what makes this very attractive is the inclusion of the later style road wheels, front wheel hubs, the later style track links and the ”mid” style instrument to allow you to build a correctly configured late model 8ton. The new 3.7 Flak 43 mounting again has some nice details and is overall better done than the Flak 37 in the previous kit. The only real issue being the missing crew seat but as with any kit there is scope for additional detail enhancement to lift the final appearance. The mix-up of trailer features is unfortunate and detracts a little from the overall appeal but the kit still has many pluses to offset some of the minuses'

Pz.IV Ausf J. Which one hits hardest? Dragon #6575 or Border Models #BT-008

After finally tracking down Dragon’s elusive #6575 Ausf J kit last year I was curious to know how this well-respected 2012 kit stood up to a much more recent release in Border Models 2019 kit #BT-008. This came out around the same time RFM and Miniart both released Ausf J's, and although manufacturer's moved the 1/35 armour game on to StuG kits in 2021, I thought it would be interesting to do a side-by-side build comparison.

I’ve built a few Dragon Pz.IV variants over the years and although it appears I was fortunate, I have since discovered many turn out to be less than enjoyable to build. Dragon's heyday is very much perceived to be in the mid noughties where they offered not only great value, but produced some of their most accurate and well-engineered kits. Sadly, releases have been thin on the ground since, with what they do offer being re-packaged kits, often with a much-depleted parts count. The rest of the industry has since moved the game on but as we will see there are an alarmingly number of similarities that are proof that the Dragon recipe still remains the gold standard in many departments.

Fiat 626 truck (Victoria Model 1/35 Resin kit) Lost in Normandy

This still remains one of my most pleasurable builds since getting back into the hobby. It represents a Normandy casualty with a battered Opel car dumped on its back.

The truck is an Italian Fiat 626. This is a resin kit made 1/35 Model Victoria. The car is a Bronco Opel Olympia staff car

 

Both kits were built out of the box with subtle damage added to both. The truck screens were replaced with cake wrapping plastic. They were painted in whatever paints I had available at the time. From memory I am pretty sure this included both Vallejo and Tamiya acrylics.

Sd.Kfz 135 Marder I (Tamiya 35370. 1/35)

 

 

Tamiya Marder Sd.Kfz 135 Marder I  

Skoda RSO-Radschlepper Ost (Riich Models RV35005/1:35)

March 2021

 

Skoda RSO-Radschlepper Ost (Riich Models RV35005. 1/35 kit)

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/riichmodels-rv35005-skoda-rso-radschlepper-ost--136824

 

The strangest of times, self assessment and back to the bench

01 March 2021

With the lockdown restictions many of us have been experiencing it has been a difficult time for all of us and although I have had more hobby time over the last twelve months it has been increasingly difficult to motivate myself.  Now things are looking more positive and Spring is upon us, the creative juices are flowing, and it is time to get creative in the cave again. Whilst away from the bench, I had been evaluating why I had struggled with a few processes and techniques over the last year. Being self-critical is one way I continue to better myself as there is always room for improvement.