This is a photo sent in recently of a Kiwi Sherman at Cassino. We’ve been trying to ID the tub thing on the rear and so far can’t do better than a cut down drum used as a tub of some kind. Open to suggestions on that one. It does make for an interesting view of just how much rubble you get after you bomb a building.

click to enlarge

No tags

Just a quick addendum to the below. I’ve had a comments block added to the community pages so that people can use it as a sort of chat area. It’s not perfect and I’m still pursuing the idea of a simple forum but it’s a start.

You can use this for things like looking for a particular part for a kit, looking for a club or contact in a particular area, “ie Looking For Other Modellers in Waikikamukau, preferably female between 18 and 25 ” and suchlike.

No tags

We’ve added a new resource page which you’ll now find on the top right. This page is open to any New Zealand modelling related, community oriented, information that readers of this site wish to share. You’re welcome to add your own personal details if you’re looking to find other modellers in your town/area, club details can be added for various groups looking to gather in new members, or it can be used for any non-profit announcments.

Right now it is in its infancy and I’m open to suggestions for how this might evolve, but the key theme to it right now is just a resource to help modellers from throughout New Zealand connect with one another.

I’m expecting it to take time to grow, currently although we get 10,000-12,000 visits a month 65% of those are from overseas and we have waaaaaay more readers than commenters so I’m sure it’ll take time for people to come in from the shadows. But it’s there for people to use and I hope people will.

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No tags

One thing I’ve found while trawling the web for reference photos is that in the vast majority of cases no-one ever bothers to edit photos before they upload them. So frequently I read threads in forums where a photo is being used to aid in the discussion but it is often complained that not enough detail can be seen as the photo is too dark.

These old photos weren’t taken with digital cameras, so in most cases the detail is there, it just can’t be seen. Usually what obscures it from being seen better is the method used for adding the photo to the interweb. If you look through a lot of published reference photo books you’ll usually notice that photos are much clearer and much better detailed. This is usually because the printer had access to the original and could do a hi-res scan and then lighten it all up and bring out the detail that was always there.

I’ve included a few examples below to show what I mean. The original photos are as found and are quite dark, all I’ve done is use a very basic photo editor, in this case the Kodak software that came with my camera, to lighten them up. The results will vary depending often on the method by which the original photo was uploaded, the resolution it was stored and displayed at, as well as the quality of the original photo.

Sometimes you’ll end up with a lot of the photo looking washed out and over exposed, the trick is to lighten it up till you can see the bit you want, or to crop down smaller and lighten just that bit. One thing you just can’t escape though when working with photos on the net is the resolution, they can only be enlarged so much.

click images to enlarge

 

Pz.Kpfw. II with Mine Rollers : Before ( above ) and after ( below )

Radio Truck Crew On A Break : Before ( above ) and after ( below )

A Vomag FlaK 88 : Before ( above ) and after ( below )

improvng photo references

I notice that in reviews that German figure sets are often referred to as wearing “early war” or “late war” uniforms, I do it myself. It also recently occured to me that many people wouldn’t know one from the other. So I’ve put together this very simple guide. It doesn’t seek to identify the many small changes such as stitching and linings, but rather to show the progression in small changes that help you to date a uniform to a given year. While it’s easy to explain a 1940 cut tunic in 1944 it’s somewhat harder to explain a 1944 one in 1940.

I’m not going to get into the myriad variations of officer’s tunics, camouflaged smocks, fatigues, tropical uniforms, rocks, jackets, tailored clothing, hats, helmets, boots, equipment etc. Not now anyway as I want to keep this very simple. I may chuck up other guides to some of these at a later date as I feel the urge, but for now I’m just going to be looking at the basic “feldbluse” or field blouse.

Now you’ll have to forgive my artistry, I’m too much of a technophobe to work in anything but MS paint. But I’m not going for complete accuracy with the cut and stitch but rather just enough to be identifiable for the purposes at hand.  Also don’t read anything into the colours other than a general attempt to show how “feldgrau” or Field Grey got less green and more brown as the war went on and material quality changed.

One other point I should make while we’re on the subject of colour is that the field trousers prior to 1940 were more of a slate grey. I decided not to include the field trousers here as they pretty much stayed the same general appearance for what is relevant to modelling in 1/35. There were changes but these were mostly around the waist and wouldn’t be seen on a figure wearing the field blouse over the top of them.

So let’s get down to it. The sections highlighted in blue identify the changes between each year that can be identified on a 1/35 scale figure.

Click images to enlarge.

 

1939 Issue. Five buttons, pleated pockets, scalloped pocket flaps, dark green collar.

 

1940 Issue. As for the 1941 Issue but the collar is now the same colour as the rest.

 

1941 Issue. As for the 1940 Issue but now has six buttons.

 

1942 Issue. As for 1941 Issue but now has patch pockets with no pleats.

 

1943 Issue. As for 1942 Issue but now has squared off pocket flaps.

 

1944 Issue. Now much shorter, similar to the British tunic, with only two pockets.

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german field blouse, guide to german field uniforms, guide to german unifroms wwii

I’m sure there are many people who have never heard of Mr. Surfacer, or have only heard of it in passing. So I thought I’d put together a quick explanation of what it is and some of the uses for it.

For an explanation of what Mr. Surfacer is please read Part 1 HERE.

The effect we will be looking at today is that of creating textured effects to replicate heavy rusting finishes, the sort found on heavily rusted drums etc where the rust hasbegun to bubble and flake.

The photo series included here demonstrates the creation of these effects using an old already painted Tamiya Kettenkraftrad that I pick up with a boxlot of old models.

Start by painting on a layer of Mr. Surfacer, not too thick as then it looks a little overdone. As it starts to dry stipple it lightly. Once dried use the blunt end of a hobby knife to push down any areas that are too poiny or raised.

Paint with the base colour of the model and then drybrush the highlights with a lighter shade of the same colour. If you’re just rusting bare metal then paint the whole thing a dull grey, or for burnt rust use a dark brown.

Add a bare metal burnishing rub to the areas around the rusted area and a dark gun metal wash to the rusted area then apply a layer of “old rust” coloured pigments or if you’re not using commercial pigments  this can be made from a mix of brown, red and orange pastels and chalks ground up and mixed together.

Go over the rusted areas with a lighter shade and also use this as a rub along areas where water will run and collect the washed away rust staining.

Finish with a light redo of the dark rust colour in spots to add highlights, together with small areas of runs and staining done by using a small, fine tipped, moist brush.

 

And there it is. This one was a little rushed for this article so it could be done be better, but you’ll find that a little time spent fine tuning the finish will give you the result that you’re after.

Please note : the choice of the Kettenkraftrad was simply a case of it being handy and isn’t meant to necessarily represent how a rusted one would look.

creating rust effects, mr surfacer techniques, using mr surfacer, working with mr surfacer

One thing I’ve notice with model kits as well as with a number of built models is that it is quite apparent that many manufacturers and modellers alike aren’t aware of the difference between World War Two era and modern era .50 calibre and .30 calibre ammo tins ( ammo cans, ammo boxes, call them what you will ). While a WWII era ammo tin can be explained in a modern setting it’s a little harder to explain the presence of a modern ammo tin in a World War Two setting. So here is a very brief, simple guide to help to identify which are the right ones for your WWII era model.

The .50 Calibre Tins : The World War Two era M2 is distinguishable by the side opening hinge as opposed to the modern M2A1 with the hinge on the end and the latch on the other. The M2 has a hasp and staple type closure with a retaining pin, the M2A1 uses the latch which hooks under a lip and then is pushed down till it clips into place. The M2 also has strengthening ribs pressed into the sides where-as the M2A1 does not.

   

M2 .50 Calibre Ammo Tin                   M2A1 .50 Calibre Ammo Tin

The .30 Calibre Tins :  The main differences are that the older World War Two era M1 and M1A1 tins have the strengthening ribs pressed into the sides as well as a flat lid. The later M19 and M19A1 have the tapered lid and no side ribbing. All of them have the hinge on one end with the push down latch on the other though the M1 latch is narrower. The M1 and M1A1 also have a toe at the base on the hinge end which is used to lock it into place on mount frames.

    

M1 .30 Calibre Ammo Tin                         M1A1 .30 Calibre Ammo Tin

M19A1 .30 Calibre Ammo Tin

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30 cal m19a1 ammo tin, 30 cal m1a1 ammo tin, m1 30 cal ammo tin, m2 50 cal ammo tin, m2a1 50 cal ammo tin

On Saturday I went for a walk around Browns Bay on Auckland’s North Shore and, as I’m in the habit of doing, checked out the various “Low Cost” shops for any useful bits and pieces to aid me in scratchbuilding or diorama making. So here are a few of the things I found that some of you out there may also like to go looking for.

Pack of 4 Tweezers. Always handy. $2 from Sunnys

 

 

 

 

 

Pack of 4 coils of Soldering wire. This stuff is great for making piping and tubing when detailing things as well as for use making armatures for sculpting. $2 from Sunnys

 

 

 

Pack of a LOT of large popsicle sticks. Useful for all manner of woodwork such as diorama sides, fences, buildings, furniture, boxes, etc, etc. You name it, if it’s made from wood in real life the chances are you can also make it from wood in 1/35 scale. $1.60 from Sunnys

 

Picture Frame, 20cm x 25cm. Good for a quick and easy diorama base. These don’t have glass, which gets turfed aside anyway, so are nice and cheap and came in a variety of sizes. $3 from the asian $1-$2-$3 shop.

 

 

 

Copper tubing. This stuff is used as bead separaters in beading and this particular type that I found measures 1.1mm in diameter and 35mm long so scales out at 38.5mm in diameter and 1.225m long. Great for tubing, piping etc when detailing vehicles and buildings. And if I can find some in brass or copper ( it’s available but the shop didn’t have any ) then it should be suitable for making brass shell casings for any 3.7cm or 40mm gun by adding small round bases puched from brass shim stock. .50c ea from a beading shop I forgot to get the name of.

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budget diorama building supplies, budget modelling supplies

I’m sure there are many people who have never heard of Mr. Surfacer, or have only heard of it in passing. So I thought I’d put together a quick explanation of what it is and some of the uses for it.

For an explanation of what Mr. Surfacer is please read Part 1 HERE.

The effect we will be looking at today is that of creating textured effects to replicate differing intensities of coarse materials such as woolen coverings and similar types of finishes. This is also useful for doing fur type effects on animals. 

The photo series included here demonstrates the creation of these effects using an old already painted Tamiya Kettenkraftrad that I pick up with a boxlot of old models.

Add the Mr. Surfacer and as it dries use a cut down stiff brush to stipple the surface, doing it slowly and repeatedly. A light coat with gentle stippling will result in a woolen type look as on the roll on top of the seat. If you then add more layers of Mr Surfacer and keep stippling with slower, deeper strokes using a thicker brush it results in a more coarse woolen type effect such as on the right hand side of the seat. The thinner the coats of Mr. Surfacer, the finer the stippling brush and the gentler the action the more subtle the effect. The thicker the coats of Mr. Surfacer, the harder the brush and the firmer the action the coarser the effect will be.

Stippled on Mr. Surfacer

Once that has dried just paint as usual

Then add washes and dry brushing

And there you have it, it’s as simple as that so have a play around with it and experiment a bit till you get the results you’re after.

Note how the washes sit on the lower part of the seat creating a deeper background effect. The wash used here was a burnt umber oil wash over acrylics which contrasts a lot with the buff of the seat so if you want this to be more subdued use a lighter wash colour that is closer to the base colour.

Please note : the finish here is not meant to represent any particular type of finish but rather to demonstrate the extremes of the results, the choice of the Kettenkraftrad was simply a case of it being handy - and ignore the Mr. Surfacer on the sides as that will be used in Part 3.

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mr surfacer techniques, using r surfacer, working with mr surfacer

These are three useful photo reference sites that can keep you browsing for ages.

All contain walkarounds and reference photos of a large range of military vehicles.

www.toadmanstankpictures.com

www.primeportal.net/the_battlefield_armor.htm

www.dishmodels.ru/index.htm

 

Have fun.

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military vehicle photo walkarounds, military vehicles photo references, tank photos

This section called “FOCUS ON … :” takes a look at a particular subject and what is available in the way of kits and a little about what you can expect from each. A few weeks ago we took a look at German trucks in 1/35 scale plastic kits ( see HERE ), so now it’s time to take a look at what is available in allied trucks in the same medium.

It seems that the allied modeller is never as well served by the main kit manufacturers as the axis modeller in any given area, and so you would expect this to be true with trucks. But you’d be wrong. If you look around there are some out there, more than there are German trucks in fact. Though where the German trucks are mostly cargo versions the allied selection is a little more varied and many come from the lesser known manufacturers, particularly those in the Eastern European countries. On top of that there is the promise of more to come.

So let’s take a look at what is available if you’re looking for one and what you can expect to get with each.

Italeri WC54 Dodge Ambulance :

Another old Peerless Max kit redone by Italeri, then rereleased by Italeri. Actually quite a good kit for its age, a little heavy on detail in places and lacking on some of the finer detail but you do get a good interior and with the addition of the Eduard PE set it turns out as a very nice kit. If you want a WC 54 Ambulance it’s the only boy on the block so if you want one then you have to do your best with this one but it is actually quite nice. This platform was also used by Italeri to make a Wc-52 3/4 ton truck and a Dodge M6 Anti-tank vehicle which are both OOP but will be added here separately if Italeri also rerelease them.

Italeri Chevrolet  15 CWT :

One of Italeri’s older kits which can also be found under the Peerlass and Aifix name, but the newer rerelease from Italeri is much better quality mouldwise, even though it’s more or less the same kit. Being older some of the detail is a bit heavy, particularly the canvas tilt for the bed. No engine or figures are included, but Italeri figures are dreadful anyway so you’re better of without any. Still a good kit and the only one in play so worth the effort to work with it to bring it up to the current level of detail.

Italeri Bedford Truck :

Another kit that can be found in old Airfix or peerless Max livery that made it’s way to Italeri and has now been cleaned up and rereleased by them. The truck is quite a nice piece, and again is the only player for a 1/35 Ql Bedford so a good thing it is. A quite decent complete engine is included but no figures. The detail is again a little heavy in some places and missing in the fine detail department, mainly the interior of the cab. That aside it still makes a nice model.

Italeri Bedford QL Gun Portee :

The truck is the same kit as above with the same pedigree but with the inclusion of Italeri’s 6pdr Anti-tank gun and the mountings for it. The gun requires a bit more love to get the best out of being a little heavy in detail but it can still turn out quite presentable. You also get ammo tins and ammo for the gun. This kit includesthe gun and a few more bits so is a bit better value for money than the Italeri Bedford QL Truck on its own but only if you really want the gun as well.

Italeri 2 1/2 ton 6X6 Truck :

Another of Italeri’s rereleases and a very nicely made one for it’s age. Again it’s a little simplified and basic in some of the detail, particularly the interior and the .50 cal machine gun. You get the choice of a winch or no winch. No engine is included but it has a very nice underside. There is a driver figure  included but he is awful. Bin him. The only full cab version of the GMC around currently and a decent companion to the Tamiya version. Italeri also used this platform to make a tanker truck version which is OOP but will be added here separately if Italeri also rerelease it.

Italeri Russian Zis-5 :

A simple, cleanly moulded kit, a little soft in detail in some places and missing some of the smaller, finer details but still makes up into quite a good kit. This represents a Zis-5V with the simplified wooden cab. The wood grain detail is very nice, there’s a full, if somewhat simplified engine, the doors are separate part, and you get a single driver figure who isn’t the best figure around but does the job. The seven tyres included are all the soft vinyl type ones. Also available reboxed by Zvezda.

Italeri DUKW :

The oldest version of the Itaeri DUKW family and thus the most basic. The mould quality is still quite good though the detail is somewhat simplified with a lot of the finer detail just not being there. It comes with no cargo, no tilt, no gun, no crew. It is a very simple and basic kit to be honest. It still makes up into quite a nice kit if you just want a fair representaion of a DUKW, not to mention a rather large one and is usually quite cheap if you find it so worth it for a quick and simple build. For a better version try one of the later releases.

Italeri DUKW w 105mm Howitzer :

This is the same kit as above but with the inclusion of Italeri’s U.S. M2 105mm Howitzer and a few extra parts, mainly parts to accomodate the mounting of the gun and a tyre to hang over the side as a bumper when in the water. The gun itself isn’t bad, again the detail is a little simplified and as with most older kits there’s a little more cleanup required of knock-out marks as manufacturers back then hadn’t quite cottoned on to minimising their effect. The gun comes with three crew figures but as has been mentioned before Italeri just never could do figures so they really aren’t worth having.

Italeri DUKW 353 :

This kit may actually be a case of a manufacturer actually listening to feedback as this takes the original DUKW and makes it better. Not earthshatteringly better, but better none-the-less by including the wheel inflation parts of the tyres that are missing in the original kit, adding a pulpit ring mount with a Browning M2 .50 cal machine gun, and adding stowage in the form of four jerry cans, two fuel drums, two large boxes, two small boxes and some rolled stowage. The price difference between this one and the original one can often make the original seem the better option but only if you can find the original at the old pricing, the current pricings only have them $10 a part making this version the better value for money.

Italeri DUKW British Army :

The latest rendiditon of the DUKW by Italeri. This one again takes the first version and “updates” it with a few more parts. This time it gets British Army markings, a full tilt, the Browning M2 .50 cal machine gun with the pulpit ring mount. It also gets different stowage in the form of two boxes, two spare wheels and a jerry can. For some reason though it doesn’t this time get the tyre inflation bits. If a full tilt is important go for this kit, if not the DUKW 353 kit is the best option in my opinion.

Tamiya Quad :

An older kit that Tamiya has just cleaned up and rereleased. A nice, simple and well detailed kit that makes up very nicely. The interior is a little light on detail but the rest looks good despite its age and can be dressed up very nicely with the Eduard Photo-etched set which adds a lot of the missing finer detail like doorhandles etc. A single driver figure is included but no other equipment. This kit is also available together with the 25pdr Field Gun in a separate kit. Although it costs alittle more to buy both separately it’s worth it to get the gun crew.

Tamiya L.R.D.G. Chevrolet :

Available in two different kits, both OOP. The original 1970s kit and the much more recent version which is the excat same kit with the addition of the Italeri Breda Anti-Aircraft gun. Nicely detailed kit for its day. Includes the Lewis gun, a Boyes anti-tank gun, some boxes and rolled stowage. Also includes two figures and markings for a New Zealand truck. The original crops up on ebay and TradeMe from time to time, the newer one was a limited edition released in 2009 so still around but getting harder to find.

Tamiya 2 1/2 ton 6X6 Cargo Truck :

A very nicely made kit with a lot of deatil. The wood detail in particular is very nice. It includes a full engine and a single driver figure and Tamiya makes their own detail set for it which adds a Browning M2 .50 cal machine Gun on pulpit ring mount, cabin tilt and canvas door covers, several bits of stowage and even a dog. Possibly the best 1/35 scale plastic kit of an Allied cargo truck available at the present time, with the possible exception of the ICM Studebaker.

Tamiya GMC 2 1/2 ton 6X6 Cargo Truck “Red Ball Express” :

The same kit as above but with the Tamiya “Allied Vehicle Accessory Set” added which adds a lot of jerry cans and fuel drums for a load as well as a lot more stowage gear. You also get two additional figures, some welding tanks and some tools. If you’re buying one of these this is the beter choice of the two as it doesn’t cost much more than the base kit and you get a lot more in it.

Read a full review on this kit HERE

Tamiya Dragon Wagon Tank Transporter :

This kit features an abundant use of multi-media parts such as photo etched parts, pipes, chains, chrome plated parts, and rubber tyres. There are also metal plates with screws and washes to reinforce the trailer. It is a beautiful kit, not to mention a very involved one as it comes with a LOT of parts that are all beautifully detailed. Quite possibly one of the best 1/35 plastic injection moulded kits around. Like all Tamiya kits it goes together like a dream and looks just stunning. Not to mention big. You get four crew figures for inside, they’re the usual “twins” being two pairs of the same body/legs/head but with different arms. If you need a U.S. tank transporter get this kit without a doubt. In fact if you don’t need one get this kit anyway just for the fun of building and displaying it.

Tamiya M26 Armoured Tank Recovery Vehicle :

This kit uses the Tractor from the Dragon Wagon kit and comes with the same range range of muti-media parts though of course without the trailer parts. You do get an additional two standing figures for outside the truck as well as the four figures for the inside. There is a rumour Tamiya is to discontinue this kit as it doesn’t sell as well as the Dragon Wagon. I think people don’t realise is that all you lose is the trailer but you gain a lightweight crane mounted on the rear and this kit is around 2/3 the price of the Dragon Wagon so it would be a shame to see it go as it’s also a very nice kit in its own right.

ICM Studebaker US6 :

Another very nice kit of a U.S. cargo truck that saw service everywhere. The mouldings are good though requiring a little cleanup, the level of detail is good particularly the interior of the cab and you get a very nicely detailed complete engine and a very nice chassis. The doors are separate and can be modelled open or closed, the tailgate can be made to work and the seting in the rear can be modelled folded up or down. There is an error in the wheels in early releases of this kit that is passable if you’re not finicky. The tread pattern lines up front and back rather than being offset. That will require replacement wheels or delicate surgery to cut the wheels down the centre to be able to realign the tread and then fill the resultant gap from the cut. A seemingly small thing but it does detract from an otherwise excellent kit. ICM have since corrected the wheels but nothing identifies which kits are the new ones from the old ones.

ICM Studebaker US6 U4 :

This is the same kit as above except coming with the bumper mounted winch and a full tilt cover. This version also has the corrected tyres with the right pattern, otherwise it’s the same kit as the US6.  The US6 was more common in Russia, the US6 U4 was more common in U.S. service. Given the choice this is the better kit as you know you’ll get the right tyres and the full tilt cover is also a nice addition.

ICM BM-13-16N Katyusha :

This uses the same Studebaker US6 kit as above but replaces the rear cargo tray with the Russian Katyusha rocket system. The rocket frames and their mounting system are very well made and look good, only lacking the firing wires etc. This kit includes the new corrected tyres with the right tread pattern plus of course the very nice engine and chassis. You also get sixteen nicely detailed, and supposedly accurate, rockets.

Zvezda GAZ AA :

Actually a very nice kit with very clean mouldings and nice sharp detail. Some of the finer detail is missing (not that Russian trucks had much ) but you do get a very nice complete engine and a full tilt cover. The woodgrain effect on the wooden parts is very well done and you also get a nicely detailed chassis. The seven tyres included are all the soft vinyl type ones and to be honest a good set of resin ones with good tread detail would look better.

Zvezda GAZ AAA :

This is the same kit as above but being the twin rear-axled version so it comes with a new sprue that includes the parts for the new chassis frame, third axle and the suspension setup parts. So you still get the same high quality moulding, the same engine and the same full tilt cover. You also get an additional four soft vinyl tyres for the extra wheels.

Zvezda Zis-5 :

A reboxing of the old Italeri kit. A simple, cleanly moulded kit, a little soft in detail in some places and missing some of the smaller, finer details but still makes up into quite a good kit. This represents a Zis-5V with the simplified wooden cab. The wood grain detail is very nice, there’s a full, if somewhat simplified engine, the doors are separate part, and you get a single driver figure who isn’t the best figure around but does the job. The seven tyres included are all the soft vinyl type ones.

Ark Models  Zis-5 :

The best of the Zis-5 models currently available. This kit is of the earlier Zis-5 with the full metal cab and rounded wheel arches. The mouldings are very good, well detailed and sharp. You get a very decent full engine, nice woodgraining on the cargo bed planks and a well detailed chassis. This version also includes seven soft vinyl tyres but this kit has no figure. It builds up quicly and easily with no mojor clean-up or fit issues. Unless you specifically want a wooden cab if you’re looking for a Russian WWII truck this or one of the Zvezda GAZ versions is the one to go for.

AFV Club WC63 :

Originally released under the Skybow name this is an extremely nice kit with a very good level of detail and nice clean, sharp moulding. You get a very nice complete engine and a well detailed chassis. The wheels are injection moulded with the correct tread pattern. The interior of the cab area is nicely detailed and a full tilt cover is included as an optional part. No figures or personal equipment are included. Definitely a worthy choice if you’re looking for something a little different to the usual U.S. troop carrier.

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There is also the promise of a C15A and Bedford QLD from IBG and a Bedford Ql from SKP so I’ll update this when those are released. 

NB : If you know of anything we’ve missed please let us know so that we can update the list and keep it as accurate as possible.

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1/35 allied trucks, 1/35 british trucks, 1/35 us trucks, AFV Club WC63, Ark Models Zis-5, ICM BM-13-16N Katyusha, ICM Studebaker US4, ICM Studebaker US6, Italeri Bedford QL Gun Portee, Italeri Bedford Truck, Italeri Chevrolet 15 CWT, Italeri DUKW, Italeri DUKW 353, Italeri DUKW British Army, Italeri DUKW w 105mm Howitzer, italeri gmc 1 1/2 ton truck, Italeri Russian Zis-5, Italeri WC54 Dodge Ambulance, Tamiya Dragon Wagon, Tamiya Dragon Wagon Tank Transporter, Tamiya GMC 2 1/2 ton, Tamiya GMC 2 1/2 ton Red Ball Express, Tamiya LRDG Chevrolet, Tamiya Quad, Zvezda GAZ AA, Zvezda GAZ AAA, Zvezda Zis-5

I’m sure there are many people who have never heard of Mr. Surfacer, or have only heard of it in passing. So I thought I’d put together a quick explanation of what it is and some of the uses for it.

Mr. Surfacer comes in three grades, Mr. Surfacer 500, Mr. Surfacer 1000 and Mr. Surfacer 1200, with each being progressively thinner than the prceeding one. It comes in a small screwtop jar and is normally applied with a paintbrush. Mr. Surfacer 1000 is similar to Tamiya’s surface primer but Mr. Surfacer 500 is thicker and more useful for the things I use it for, namely suface texturing.

The usual use for Mr. Surfacer is as a liquid filler that fills small surface imperfections, small gaps, air holes, knock out sink holes etc. Though to be honest I find using a good solid filler to be a lot quicker and easier to work with. As a filler Mr. Surfacer is however excellent for difficult to get to places.

Where it really shines though in my opinion is as a surface texturer. Applied as a thickish coat of paint to the areas that are to be textured it can be treated in several ways to create different effects.

The effect we will be looking at today is that of a rough cast iron look though this will also work to replicate brickwork surfaces and a rough poured concrete look.

Paint the Mr. Surfacer on in a slightly thickish coat as normal. As the layer of Mr. Surfacer dries press a piece of coarse sandpaper ( I use 80 grit followed by 120 grit ) directly down into the coating and then remove it. The harder you push the more pronounced the finished result. A lighter effect works best for a rough cast look or for brickwork, a heavier effect for a rough concrete look.

The photo series included here demonstrates this effect using an old Tamiya Kettenkraftrad I pick up with a boxlot of old models ( excuse the dust in the first photo, it was cleaned off after this was taken ).

First up the painted but otherwise stock standard Kettenkraftrad.

 

Next the layer of Mr. Surfacer 500

 

Next the sandpaper is pressed into the hardening Mr. Surfacer 500.

 

And finally painted.

 

Then you just finish it as desired. As simple as that.

Next week we’ll take a look at using Mr. Surfacer for doing a light cast iron effect, woolen cloth effect, and rusted surfaces effect.

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mr surfacer, using mr surfacer, working with mr surfacer

One of the hardest things about photographing your models is getting the lighting right. Too little and they come out too dark but too much and you get heavy shadows. So what you need is a photo booth but they can cost a lot, often giving you little change from a thousand dollars.

So here is a simple do-it-yourself option that anyone can make at home for under $10 ( sometimes even for free ). All you need is a good solid cardboard box with the flaps cut off. Go for one around 40-50cm wide, 30-40cm high and 20-30cm deep. You can do it with smaller but this size gives you the ability to get in and around your model from more angles. The only other things you need are about 1.5m of light tissue paper or baking greaseproof paper, an A3 sheet of coloured card, and some tape and a knife.

 

Start by cutting holes in the box on both sides and the top. Cut to around 4-5cm from the edges to retain as much rigidity in the box as possible.

 

Then tape one end of the greaseproof paper to the back, roll it around over the three openings so that you finish at the back again, then tape it down all around.

 

The next thing you need is a good background sheet in a neutral colour. I find a mid -blue works best for me as it contrasts well with all the colours I most work with. Fit it to the top, back edge of the inside of the box and let it curve down and out. Trim it at the sides to fit the box if necessary but let it protrude out the front if you like ( or trim it if you want to tape it down permanently ).

 

And that’s it. One basic, budget photo-box. You can use lamps on either side and from the top to shine light onto your model and the paper will diffuse it. Tissue will diffuse the light better but also keeps more out. The photos below were all taken at the same distance and angle, the first one using the box in bright, direct sunlight, the second with no box in the same sunlight and the last one inside with the flash. They are all untouched and no additional lighting was used.

 

Next week we’ll look at adding extra lighting to improve the over-all result.

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budget photo box

When it comes to detailing and scratchbuilding the world is an endless source of handy bits and pieces that are often more useful, not to mention cheaper, than speciality items from your local hobby store. Some you’ll need to go out and buy, others will pass your way in the normal course of time.

These are just a few of the bits and pieces I use and some of the uses I’ve found for them, but the best advice is to start seeing everything as potentially useful and keep a well stocked “odds and ends” container – because you never know when something might come in handy.

Paper – 80gsm printer paper, thin note block paper and handiest of all thermal paper from receipts. Used in place of thin plasticard because it’s easier to work with. Great for rifle slings and webbing.

Foil – from pie plates, oven dishes, chocolate wrapers, the tops of Milo and coffee cans. Ideal for making tarps and anything else that needs to look like cloth.

Left over Sprues – useful for stretching to make aerials, rivet heads, in fact anything you can make with plastic rod.

Netting – mine came from a $5 clearance curtain at The Warehouse and a dress up fairy skirt from Spotlight for $10. The curtain is softer and is used when I need small bits, the dress netting is stiffer but I have large ammounts of it so useful for spread out nets. Looks better than surgical scrim.

Old pens – the empty tube can be stretched like sprue to make bottles and the springs also come in handy.

Cheap paint brushes – from The Warehouse, cheap sets of the big ones at six brushes for $10 and little ones at ten brushes for $8. Make straw, grass, hair, all sorts of things along those lines.

Lengths of wire – from DSE for literally cents per meter. I cut it to 30cm lengths then stip off the top 10cm and pull out the inner wire strand by strand leaving the outer tube to use as hoses. The inner wire comes in all sorts of thicknesses.

Soldering wire – depending on the thickness is used for wiring, tubing and the like as it can be shaped and stay in shape.

Paper clips – also used for wire.

Old broom bristles – the cheap $2 shop ones that are a sort of nylon that wears and splits to make a useful waist to chest high plant ( see photo ).

Ice Cream Sticks, blank Matchsticks and toothpicks - from Spotlight, used in crafts, handy for anything from fences to buildings when you need to make something wooden as nothing looks more like wood than wood itself.

Ice cream containers – along with many other plastic containers makes for cheap plastic card.

Blister pack clear packaging – makes for cheap clear plastic card for windscreens etc.

Kitchen cleaning pads – the sort with a sponge on one side and a scourer on the oter, cut into small shapes they make applicators for applying paint, especially when doing chipping and the like.

Florists tissue – useful for making tarps, upholstering seats so they can be torn, jacket flaps etc.

Knead-It – available from Mitre 10 etc, used to sculpt parts.

Chalks and Pastels – from artists shops, used for making your own pigments.

Cat Litter – you can get big bags of this cheap from The Warehouse and it makes great scenery rocks and rubble.

Model shipmaking supplies – thin wood veneers, ship rigging and often little things like barrels and pulleys are available from places that make model ships or sell model ship building supplies.

Tree bits from the garden – dried sections of small tree branches as well as roots make for great bases for 1/35 scale trees and small bushes once you add Woodlands Scenics foliages.

Toy animals – sold at K-Mart in $3 packs, many of the animals are close enough to 1/35 scale for use and only need minor clean up and detailing.

 

So if you don’t already have a stash of useful bits find yourself a shoebox and an icecream container and start collecting. But be warned that wives will not understand this box/container nor your need to keep dead pens or coffee/milo tin seals and chocolate wrappers. My advice here is to keep a shoe catalogue strategically placed beside your containers of bits, this way if she ever passes within eye-shot of them she will be distracted from seeing them.

model making scratchbuilding tips and material

The mighty German “88″ or Acht-Acht is probably as well known as the Tiger Tank which is why it’s somewhat surprising that there are not that many kits of it available compared to some of the lesser known WWII vehicles. For many years in fact only the old Tamiya kit was available but over the past few years the selection has been padded out a little, but still not hugely.

So here is a look at the rather short list of the kits available.

Tamiya German 88mm FlaK 36/37 with Trailer :

The oldest of the available Flak 18/36/37 kits and although it shows its age in the lack of finer detail it still makes up into a very nice kit and with a little care and attention will turn out very nicely. You get the gun with full shield, the trailer wheels, a motorbike and nine figures in this kit. You can build this in either the deployed position with the trails down and wheels removed or in the travel position with the trails up and the wheels attached. The gun is also able to be moved up and down and turned on the base.

The gun itself has a reasonably good level of detail though it’s showing its age these days when compared to the Dragon kits.  The figures are older Tamiya figures so very simple in mould detail with rather dull faces, not really up to today’s standards. The included motorbike Zundapp KS750 is the old ( see HERE for more on the bike ).

Tamiya German 88mm FlaK 36 “North Africa Campaign” :

 A recent re-release of the above kit with some new parts to provide 8.8cm shells and four wicker ammo cases. You also get eight new figures dressed in DAK uniforms.

The moulds look to have been cleaned up with nice sharp mould detail. The figures faces are very well done now, the uniforms are better and up with current Tamiya offerings but still a little lacking in fold and crease detail in mu opinion. You still get the Zundapp KS750 which oddly still comes with the same rider in a greatcoat as the original kit which doesn’t really fit with the new DAK theme.

This is basically the original kit with new livery, though in this version you do lose the trailer bogeys so it can only be displayed deployed. Other than that like the original it still builds up into a very nice model and shouldn’t be overlooked.

AFV Club FlaK 18 :

The only kit available of the FlaK 18 which was later to be upgraded into the FlaK 36/37. Overall the gun has the same appearance but there are differences, most noticeably in the older Sd.Ah 201 wheel dollies which only had single wheels on the front.

This is a beautiful kit, very nicely moulded with a great level of detail. You can model it in either the deployed mode or the transport mode with the wheels removed and the trail arms down. The gun is fully traversable and can be elevated. The trail arms can also be folded up and down if you’re very careful with the glue when assembling them. The shield is moulded a slim as possible and has a great deal of detail. You get an aluminium barrel with rifling in this kit as well as metal parts for the balancing equilibrator cylinders. Also included are some lengths of chain and vinyl tubing t use as cabling.

The only negative if you want to call it one is the rubber wheels which have the usual mould seam around the middle which is a real pain to remove from rubber wheels. No figures are included but you do get a nice collection of decals.

Being roughly the same price as the Tamiya kit if you don’t have a preference between the FlaK 18 and the later model FlaK 36/37, and you don’t care about the figures, then this is definitely the better choice.

Dragon Models FlaK 36 with Crew :

Dragon’s first take on the mighty 88 and a very good one at that. This has a very high level of detail, the Sd.Ah 202 trailer bogies in particular having a lot of parts to them, the wheels alone being moulded in five slices each to get the maximum level of tread detail. The moulding are all very good and the level of detail is terrific. As with the others this can be displayed in either the deployed or travel mode.

You get three barrel options, the plastic barrel, an aluminium FlaK 18 barrel and an aluminum FlaK 36 barrel.  I always say you can never get too much in a kit and Dragon obviously agrees as you also get three turned brass shells, six live and six empty plastic shells,  two wooden ammo crates, four wicker ammo crates, a photo etch fret, vinyl tubing for use as cabling and decals for six different options.

That’s a lot of bits, and to top it off you also get a crew of six figures who are dressed in winter gear ( which may limit your options ) which are well moulded with good detail.

If you’re looking specifically for a FlaK 36 and you like the idea of the winter crew then this is the pick of the bunch.

Dragon Models FlaK 37 3-in-1 :

Most of this kit is the same kit as the Dragon FlaK 36 except in this kit you lose the crew and gain the parts to make a FlaK 37  ( the main difference between the 36 and 37 being the sighting equipment ). You also get three different shields to choose from, hence the 3-in-1 part of the kit. As with the FlaK 36 it can be displayed in either the deployed mode or in travel mode.

You still get the two alumium barrels ( a new version of the FlaK 18 one which is more accurate ) and all the extra bits and pieces that come in the FlaK 36 kit plus you get two metal empty shell cases, metal recuperators and equiliberators, and a bit more Photo-Etch. The wheels are also done differently in this kit, forgoing the multi slice approach for slide moulded ones that are equally good.

So the same level of detail and quality as the FlaK 36 but no crew with this one. If the crew makes a difference and you don’t care if it’s a 36 or a 37 then get the 36, otherwise if it has to be a 37 this is the one to go for.

Dragon Models FlaK 37 mit Behelfslafette :

Quite posibly the best to date. This kit takes the FlaK 37 kit above as the start point and then improves on it by adding a completely newly tooled cradle and a slide moulded barrel with rifling. That’s right, a rifled plastic barrel. You still get all the original bits so there is now two types of gun cradle and several barrels to chose from including the FlaK 18 and FlaK 36/37 aluminium ones as well as the new slide moulded version. Also still there from the earlier FlaK 37 kit are the working equilibrator mechanism and the authentic recoil action. There’s also a new travel lock and a few other parts have been updated as well.

You only get the pressed steel shield in this version but it can be configured three ways ( or left off completely ). Being mounted on a Behelfslafette cruciform platform there are no wheels or boggies in this kit, and again no crew. But what you do get is superbly moulded, beautifully detailed and accurate. And you do also still get all the accessories like the ammo and ammo cases.

If you don’t have your heart set on the boggies and you’re looking for a good late war variant then this is definitely the one to pick. In fact if price isn’t an option and you wanted an early war FlaK 37 I’d still buy this one and the FlaK 36 with crew and combine the two using the gun and cradle from this one and the carriage from the FlaK 36.

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NB : If you know of anything we’ve missed please let us know so that we can update the list and keep it as accurate as possible.

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1/35 flak 18, 1/35 flak 36/37, 1/35 flak 88, afv club flak 18, dragon flak 36, dragon flak 37, tamiya flak 36/37