Kit Build/Review: 1/72 Kfz. 305, Opel Blitz Ambulance, Pt II

Part II of the build of this model.

Ok, so here's a follow up to my recent archival report on an Opel Ambulance Build in 1/72. All of this second post still pertains to the original build, way back at the beginning of the year, during which I started detailing the interior of the ambulance body. In a third post, due soon, I'll be finishing the model with paint and decals.

I left off the last post having blocked in some colours for the interior of the cab. Having done quite a few similar builds I felt I was wasting time doing fairly detailed interiors, which wound up nigh on invisible. So I decided to keep this simple. Block colours, no shading, and very little detail.

Introducing a driver figure. Keeping it all very simple.

Starting to put the glazed cab together.

What's with the steering wheel moving 'twixt driver ...

... and dashboard?

Cab more or less completed, next thing was to fix it to the chassis. 

Cab assembled...

... er, that should be fixed to the chassis by now!?

At this stage I decided that, like the British ambulance I built a long while back, this should have opening rear doors and an interior with some detailing/interest. Finding contemporary wartime ref of original German vehicles where the interior was visible seemed nigh on impossible. The image below was the best I could do at the time.

The only view into the interior I could find; poor and limited.

So I wound up referring to this.

In the end I was forced to look at assembly or parts images from 1/35 models, such as the Dragon stuff shown above. More recently I got a load of modelling mags, one of which has a Maultier ambulance with detailed interior as a featured build. That'll be a great help when I get round to finishing the interior, in the third and hopefully final part of this extended build!

Started adding detail to the interior of the ambulance body.

I should've done this before putting the body together!

It's not going to be anything too great, I can see that. Especially since I decided to go down this rabbit-hole after putting the ambulance 'office' space together. Adding detail - and painting it, for that matter - would've been a lot easier whilst this whole assembly remained as separate parts. They say you learn from your mistakes. That's why I make so many... I'm keen to learn!

Kit Build/Review: 1/72 Kfz. 305, Opel Blitz Ambulance, Pt I

NB Another old post finally arrives. 'Tonight' was actually some time twixt Jan'-March!

Tonight I started a kit that's been in my stash for a couple of years at least. Somewhere along the line I seem to have discarded the box, save for a cut-out of the 'colour profiles' off the back of it. I think this is the Italeri kit, possibly formerly produced by Esci. 

Laying out the kit and tools, etc.

Step one, the chassis.

Step two, the cab (inc. glazing).

Blocking in interior colours.

At this point my photographic record, like the build itself, gets hazy. I know that I completed the cab, and started detailing the interior of the rear of the vehicle. Hopefully I'll locate the images, and come back with a second instalment on the build soon...

PS - In the interim, I've got hold of a modelling mag (Airfix Model World, Mar' 2016) in which a guy builds a 1/35 Maultier Ambulance. Although the chassis is rather different, the inner detailing of the ambulance should be a great help to me in completing the interior of my own much smaller model.

Show Report: Colours, 2019

Imagine my gleeful surprise, whilst away on a short holiday with the mrs, on discovering that Colours 2019 was on the very weekend we were staying near Newbury! Well, actually, I'm stretching it a bit. We were staying in Burghclere, in order to visit the Sandham Memorial Chapel, and look at the Stanley Spencer paintings there, on wednesday and thursday. By the time Colours came around, we'd be staying in Aylesbury, and visiting Waddesdon, NT property and former home of the Rothchilds. But, as we were visiting the latter on the friday, I figured we were close enough to justify a return to Newbury on the saturday.

And lo, it came to pass.

French and Austrians clash at Wagram.

It's congested in town...

I'm beginning to wonder about me and wargaming shows. I find them exhausting. And most of what they contain is of little or no interest to me. And also, the types of folk that constitute the wargaming community are, to a fairly large extent, a rather odd bunch, and feel a little alien to me. But despite this, I feel compelled to attend these shows. Or at least a few of them. 

More space to manoeuvre in't country.

A French ambulance on the field of battle. A great touch.

On this occasion there was only one game I felt drawn to enough to want to document it, and that was a 15mm battle of Wagram. There were other games that had clearly been labours of love, with some impressive terrain and figures (I really ought to have photographed the 6mm Franco-Prussian game). But I just wasn't seduced by them on this occasion.

One noteworthy thing was that the event was staged on three levels. I think the last Colours I went to was in an entirely different building, and all on the ground floor. The spaces it occupied today were bright, airy, and not as crowded as either Partizan or Salute get.  I still had my 'dizzy spell', where I feel like I'm about to feint or pass out. I seem to get this at all the shows! I used to get the same thing when I went round art galleries as an art student. I'm not sure if this is physical or psychological, or what!?

My sole book purchase.

I had hoped to buy a couple of books from Paul Meekins, but I left it too late to make my desires known. By the time I emailed, the van had already departed for the show. And they hadn't just so happened to pack the two titles I was interested in, as sometimes fortuitously happens. The only book I bought Naval, Marine and Air Firce Uniforms of WWII, by Mollo and McGregor, a Blandford title that's a companion to a similar title focussed on the land based forces of WWII, I got from Anita Books.

My sole model purchase.

Figure and model wise my swag bag was also very minimal: an Italeri 1/72 Elefant, some decals for WWII German stuff (Decal Details), a couple of 10mm baggage wagons (Lancer Miniatures) for my Russia 1812 Napoleonics, and some circular MDF bases, for 15mm Napoleonic commanders.

Sundry odds'n'ends: decals, baggage wagons, bases.

I kind of enjoyed the show, in much the same way I've kind of enjoyed all the shows I've been to in the last few years. I think what this is all pointing to, for me, is that I need to get down to really finishing my armies, building some terrain, and fighting some battles at home! 

Book Review: M2/M3, ed. Robert Jackson (Land Craft, 2)

After the disappointments I mention in my review of the previous publication on the Jeep, it's great to be able to report that this, the second in the new Land Craft series, is back on track (boom-boom!). 

This iteration of these very useful publications follows the standard form - Design & Development, In Detail, Variants, Camouflage & Markings (aka 'colour profiles'), Model Showcase, Modelling Products, In Service & In Action - covering each aspect with a good balance of clarity and thoroughness. 

The archival and contemporary images are superbly chosen, conveying maximum info with great concision, and the colour profiles are excellent, and include front, back, side and plan elevations, for maximum coverage. The difference in quality between the rather poor illustrations of the Jeep in the previous title, and these - crisply detailed, terrifically coloured, and with nicely rendered shading/texturing - is very noticeable.

M3 mounting 75mm gun, Sicily, (1943?)

Whilst no 1/72 examples are included in the Model Showcase section - they're all 1/35, with the lone exception of one 1/16 example - they're much better covered in the Modelling Products segment, with mention made of PSC, the Italeri fast-build kits, Hasegawa and Academy kits. The old Airfix 1/76 is there as well. And they even cover the large range from Milicast, also in 1/76, a manufacturer I haven't seen mentioned in this section until now.

As is normal for me now, when I enjoy these books as much as I've enjoyed this one, I feel more than a little tempted to acquire a model or three and have a crack at building and detailing them, using the images herein as inspiration. Uh-oh... I can feel a trip to either the Ely model shop or Creative Models in Chatteris coming on!

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Thanks to the middle of the black and white photos on the cover, of an M3 ambulance, I fancy making up one kit as this vehicle, as well as some more typical variants. So I tried to find that very photo, but couldn't. I did however find the following:

Possibly taken at the same photo-shoot as the image I can't find?

An example in context.

A contemporary survivor.

Looks fab!

Kit Build/Review: T-34 Factory

The last thing I needed to do prior to undercoating my ten T-34s was add some scratch-built handles to the inner sides of the turret hatches on the Revell kit. With this done I duly sprayed them all with Halfords grey primer. The latter seems to vary in consistency. Occasionally I get a can that's heavier and grainier, producing a rough surface. That's happened this time, and is a nuisance.

Also getting sprayed, the Fujimi BMW R-75 and Kubelwagen kit, and accompanying figures. These latter include a reasonably rare example of a German officer in 1/72 giving the 'Roman' or 'Heil Hitler' salute. 

And there they all are, my little Russian 'horde', in front of similarly large numbers of German armour. I'm really rather chuffed. And I'm particularly pleased that I bothered to detail them all somewhat, to improve them, and give a bit more variety and, hopefully, realism. 

Kit Builds/Reviews: Various 1/72 T-34

After enjoying the T-34 Tank Craft book, I decided to try and build a few more, and work towards finishing a batch of Russian armour. The models in question are all T-34s, some are the earlier 76 variants, others the later 85 type. The makes are Trumpeter (one T-34/85), Armourfast (two T-34/76 and two T-34/85), Italeri (two T-34/76), and Zvezda (two T-34/85). I also got a SU-100 tank destroyer, by Zvezda. The Zvezdas are the snap-fit variety, but I'll be gluing them up anyway. 

My tank factory, inc. several T-34s.

So far I've been detailing the kits I've already got in hand. Although I did also build the two Italeri 'fast assembly' kits, which are very well designed, and, as they proclaim themselves, perfect for wargamers. They're better detailed and nicer than the Armourfast models which, whilst robust and easy to assemble, are just too clunky and lacking in detail.

These are great, far superior to Armourfast.

So, first thing for this post, a quick look at building the fast assembly Italeri kits. The colour of the styrene is gorgeous, a near perfect Russian WWII green. If you wanted to go super basic, you could simply apply decals, paint the parts that aren't green and there you have it. But that wouldn't satisfy me, nor, I suspect, most of us modellers/wargamers. In fact I want to use these tanks as practice at weathering and making monochromatic colour schemes look good.

Got to dig that green styrene!

Laying out the kits for cleaning up.

Tank number one cleaned and ready for assembly.

The turret mounting clip is a really great bit of design.

First tank assembled. I'll attach the turret after basic painting.

Adding stowage and little bits of detailing.

As well as detailing the models a little, e.g. with wire handles, lamps, boxes, blankets, and so on, I had to reattach an idler wheel on the Trumpeter T-34, which snapped off when I was supergluing the tracks in position. I'm also drilling out the barrels on a pair of Italeri (old Esci) Nebelwerfers, as they were ludicrously thick. You can see before and after above.

Not a great photo, but I'm pleased with my scratch-built saw and headlamps.

In the photo above you can see, albeit not very well, my scratch-built saw and headlamp, on the left. At right you can see how basic the rear engine-deck of the Armourfast kits are; no grill detail. I've also made a boo-boo with the towing cable, tying it off as if it's just strong, as opposed to steel cable. That's it for tonight. I'll do further detailing tomorrow, and then get them all undercoated and base coated, ready for detailed painting, decals, and weathering, etc.

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And now it's tomorrow... today! Decided I'd try a bit of silk purse from a sow's ear, and replace the Armourfast rear deck grill panels, with some mesh and plastic card. Got the mesh from Ely City Cycle Centre's model department, along with some more Vallejo acrylics and some (new to me) Tamiya liquid cement.

Rear deck grill panel removed.

New wire-mesh replacement fabricated, with added storage.

Is this overkill on an Armourfast kit? Hmmm!? It certainly improves the tank, in my view. But it also makes me feel the need to do similarly for hand rails, lifting eye-hooks and tracks. Can I be bothered? It remains to be seen. I've already cut out mesh for the other three Armourfast T-34s. But one of them is going to be very difficult to do on account of stowage I've already added. Unless I remove it...

Adding more detailing to the various T-34s...

1/72 WWII - Italeri JagdPanzer Hetzer

I'm not exactly sure why, but I've always liked the look of the little Hetzer tank destroyer [1]. This one from Italeri (is this another of their old Esci models, re-released?), has the late-war big exhaust muffler thing, and a remote machine gun on top. As pictured on the box artwork, there are also two crew. More on these guys later!

Three sets of camo and markings are shown on the back of the box [2], with decals included for each variation. 

I built this pretty sharpish, after buying it for £5 at Partizan, in whatever free moments I could grab. And, despite one or two minor niggles, and excepting one or two rather more major gripes, I've enjoyed making this model. Minor niggles include such things as some parts (of the running-gear, in particular) not being sufficiently easy to align correctly, and the bits of spare track mounted on the body requiring their inner 'teeth' removing (a step not mentioned in the instructions), in order that the track retaining parts fit into their holes.

The instructions use photographs of the kit, and are serviceably clear.

To be sung Elvis-style: 'You can do anything you want, just lay offa my two beige sprues!'

The first of the two more major gripes has to do with the extreme difficulty these particular (but perhaps also this style in general?) link'n'length tracks presented. I've tried doing what I did here before - and, as I recall it, with more success previously - whereby I lay the tracks out and glue them together in two segmented lengths, per track, before finally draping them over the running-gear, and adjusting the fit.

It's a pity 1/72 is probably too small a scale for tracks to be supplied as individual links that somehow  clip together, into a fully flexible track, as Dragon's 1/35 'Magic Tracks' do. The closest I've ever seen to such an arrangement is not, perhaps surprisingly, these link'n'length numbers, but the flexible one-part tracks made of normal styrene, thin enough to bend snugly around the running-gear, on Revell's SdKfz 7/1 (the kit with a four-barrelled flak gun on the back, which I posted about here).

As is so often the case, it's the running-gear first.

Then upper and lower chassis/body. Gun cleaned up, barrel drilled-out.

As can be seen in this pic, there's some detail on the gun that will be invisible when the model's completed!

Gluing strips of the link'n'length tracks together, using lolly sticks to prevent them gluing themselves to the work surface, and to keep them properly aligned.

After excruciating agonies - continually dropping individual track links; extreme difficulty in properly aligning the links (on almost every plane/axis!) - the tracks in situ.

At this point I meant to spray the interiors, as I hoped to have hatches open, and crew inside. But, as the crew didn't fit...

Nearing completion of the build.

The second of my bigger gripes is that the two Panzer crew figures supplied don't fit inside the hatch openings. Okay, they're not the greatest figure sculpts, but I would've liked to have used them in this Hetzer model nonetheless. Instead they'll go in the spares box for use elsewhere. I tried to adjust the angle of the binocular holding arm of one of them, but I didn't achieve the result I was after!

I actually really like the crew figures, although, out of the vehicle their poses make them look rather like zombies.

Like all but one or two of my WWII models, this joins the growing armament awaiting proper painting. I finally have a decent dual-action airbrush as well, so it's just a matter of finding the time to get started using it!

My conclusions regarding this particular model? Well, it looks, judging from the figures primarily, like quite an old kit, but it's still pretty cleanly moulded, and - aside from the fiddliness of the tracks - goes together pretty well. 

A nice ref. pic. of the real thing. It'll be fun trying to emulate that rusty patina!

It is a pity the crew don't fit. Although, having said this, it might be possible to assemble them in such a way (stick the torsos through the upper casemate from below, and then glue on the arms!?) as to have them inside the vehicle.

I've docked thus kit one balkenkreuz on account of the tracks, and another 1/2 cross 'cause the figures won't fit inside. But it's still fun to build (tracks apart!), and makes a nice looking addition to my growing fleet of WWII German armour. 

On the workbench, amidst other ongoing stuff, primed in grey.

So, despite the relatively low score 'be given this model, I might well build it again one day. Although if I do I'd prefer to source tracks elsewhere. Oh, and the crew might have to go under the knife, for a bit of waistline weight-reduction surgery! But I think I'll be more likely to try a few from other brands first.

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NOTES:

[1] I suspect the reason is something to do with pics of the vehicle in Panzer Colours, a book that fired my imagination and engaged my enthusiasm on this topic as a kid. 

[2] The black and white instructions include colour and marking info on four vehicles. I haven't checked, but I assume that's the three shown in colour on the back of the box, plus one more!?