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Topics - Pinky

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1
General Discussions / 75th anniversary of D-Day
« on: April 20, 2019, 11:19:09 am »
It seems hard to believe it, but it's now 75 years since the D-Day landings.  Does Rubicon have any plans for anything to commemorate it? 

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Showcase & Gallery / Does anyone have...
« on: March 06, 2019, 02:45:42 pm »
...a spare tub of the Citadel basing sand?  It's the brown type, with lots of rocks in it.  I've had the same tub for years, and I used it to partially base some of my infantry.  Now I've almost run out, and of course they don't produce it any more.  Does anyone have a stash they've be willing to part with?

It's this one:



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Showcase & Gallery / Stuart Recce
« on: May 02, 2018, 01:01:40 am »
I discovered I had enough M5A1 bits to build a Recce version.  So, having checked out the threads here on the subject, I thought I’d have a go at a partial interior.  There’s very little information on what these turretless Stuarts looked like inside.  Presumably the ammo bins were removed along with anything else related to the main gun.  And the radio must have been relocated into the hull.  So I filled the sponsons with a spare radio, ammo boxes and a couple of spare stowage boxes.  The kit-supplied floor isn’t accurate, so I converted it into an approximation of the actual floor layout.  And there’s a kind of bench (greenstuff), which seems to have been a feature.  Of course, most of it disappears when the hull roof goes on...







4
Showcase & Gallery / M8 HMC WiP
« on: April 01, 2018, 08:19:37 pm »
I don't think I've posted this before.  I just finished modifying the .50 cal, which is from the new Sherman kit.  It has an approximation of the rigid mounting which was a feature of the M8, and I carved away the solid grip (it's still pretty crude).  I try to mount all my MGs so that the barrels point downward, to minimize the chance of breakage. 

The M8 has a few missing details added, like the barrel inside the mantlet and the antenna mount (which is slightly too far forward).

One point worth mentioning is that the moulding seams on the jerrycans have been left intact, to represent the joins on the real thing.   

I'm still looking for some appropriate plastic crew figures.







5
Showcase & Gallery / WIP Rubicon Shermans
« on: March 27, 2018, 08:34:43 pm »
Following on from the British Sherman's thread, here is my Rubicon Sherman III.  I've wanted to have a kit of this version of the Sherman for the longest time.  It went together quickly, and Rubicon's accessories proved very useful for representing a British Sherman in the Mediterranean in 1943.  I like it so much I'm going to build another one.

I'm also building a couple of Sherman Ic Hybrid Fireflies.  I'll put up some photos when there's something worth showing.



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General Discussions / What's Warlord up to?
« on: August 20, 2017, 12:04:25 pm »
Interesting to see what Warlord are up to in the plastic kit department. 

The plastic King Tiger is out, and I'm sure it will be popular.  It would have been nice if they'd sculpted a new commander and not just re-used an existing one.  I wonder if the Zimmerit is better than the Tiger I's?  The most interesting aspect for me is being able to build the early version.

They have an Opel Blitz/Maultier on pre-order.  It includes a sprue of seated troops.  They haven't been doing these kinds of figures very well - they tend to be lumpy and less detailed than their multipart infantry.  This is the only subject that overlaps Rubicon.  I'm going to bet Rubicon's Maultier is better.

And there appears to be a plastic Char B1 Bis on the way.  That's probably the most exciting release.  Finally the early war period is getting some plastic.  I know Rubicon has plans for a T-26 and early Panzers.  Hopefully we'll see some more, like the Somua S35 and some British types.

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General Discussions / New Rubicon Sherman
« on: April 02, 2017, 01:41:20 pm »
I picked up the new Rubicon M4A3E8 kit yesterday, and have been playing around with it since then.

The first point is that this kit marks another milestone for Rubicon.  It's pretty much an entirely new kit - not much remains of their original (discontinued) M4A3 kit.  There are 4 sprues packed with bits, including optional parts, accessories and crew figures (well, half figures).  The precision and accuracy of the detail is up there with their best kits, but you can also have a lot of fun personalising the model.  It's also going to be easy to build several 76mm-armed Shermans and have them all looking different.  So I think this is their best kit yet in terms of just being enjoyable to build.

The most important options are the tracks and suspension - there are 3 versions, and they take up a lot of the space on the sprues.  The basic version is virtually identical to the original, except that the chevron detail on the treads has been mounded onto the front section (but not the back - the only real flaw in this kit).  The extended end connector version is very nicely cast, and a good example of how Rubicon are prepared to push the envelope with one-piece castings.  They will fit on the original M4A3 kit, so I may replace mine.  They don't fit on the M10/M36 hull.  As an aside, the extended end connectors often broke off, so you can remove a few for added realism.  You only get enough pieces for either the basic tracks or the version with extended end connectors.

The HVSS suspension is one of the big attractions of this kit, and it's very nicely done.  All the details are there, and once again most of it is a one piece casting (although the tread detail is still only on the front section of the tracks).  The tracks are the later T80 type (distinguished by the chevron tread pattern), which were less common in WW2 than the T66 single pin type.

There is one basic hull, with optional parts for the VVSS and HVSS suspension.  The HVSS suspension involved narrow mudguards down the side which (along with the wider 23 inch track) altered the Sherman's appearance significantly, and these are separate parts which slot on very neatly. The hull hatches are separate, and other details like the rear plate and exhaust deflector have been greatly improved.  Even the spare tracks brackets have been improved (remember not to mount these on the HVSS version).

The turrets have been totally redesigned, and look very accurate.  As the instructions point out, you should only use the later version for the M4A3E8 (only very early M4A3E8s had the circular loader's hatch).  The machine-gun storage brackets are included (they are a bit fiddly).  You can't build 2 complete T-23 turrets - you have to choose.  I don't think that's an issue.  There are two .50 cals, one with a slightly thicker barrel for wargaming (a nice touch - I hope this becomes a standard feature in Rubicon kits).  The M36 turret fits the new hull easily - as the M36B1 was often fitted with extended end connectors, you can now build a very accurate model of one.

There are 4 crew half-figures, all identical except 2 are modified to attach inside the hull hatches.  No doubt most of us will replace them with figures from the forthcoming US tank crew set.  The accessories include jerrycans and spare tracks and wheels (for the VVSS version) which are basically from the Allied stowage set.  There are no spare HVSS wheels. There is an unusual version of the Cullin hedgerow device - these would be very rare on this Sherman, which entered service after the US Army left the Normandy bocage. 

So, in summary a very good kit, and a very promising start to the Sherman range.  Go out and buy some!

8
Wish Lists / Ideas for future tank kits
« on: March 25, 2017, 02:44:42 pm »
This thread is intended as detailed suggestions for future Rubicon tank kits.  I'm taking the Rubicon Crusader kit as the template, as it includes 2 turrets as well as the parts for a major variant (the Crusader AA).  Not only is it one of Rubicon's most accurate and well engineered kits, it's also very flexible.  The idea is to come up with more kits along these lines.   

First, the M3 Lee.  Not a great tank, or even one of my favourites, but potentially a good subject for a Rubicon multi-option kit.   

The basic Lee only served with the US Army for a short period - it had been replaced by the Sherman by the invasion of Sicily.  The only options needed for the basic Lee would be different 75mm barrels.  The Lee was also used (unmodified) by the Red Army, so that means more marking options (red stars and slogans, mostly).



It would be mandatory to include the parts for the British Grant, including the turret and sand shields (as well as some typical desert stowage).  This would be a great companion piece to the Rubicon Crusader.  Grants were also used by Australia, which means even more marking options.



The British used the Lee in Burma, and these vehicles were quite distinctive.  The kit could include some extra parts to represent the modifications made for service in Burma - smoke dischargers, extra track armour, revised stowage boxes and a low-profile cupola (although the Grant cupola would probably do).



What would really give the kit some versatility would be if it could also build the M31 Tank Recovery Vehicle.  That would mean a crane (which was substantial, and would take up a lot of sprue space), large stowage boxes, dummy 75mm gun mount and other recovery-related fittings. It might be a stretch in terms of the parts count, but it was the main US tank recovery vehicle throughout the war and would be a good addition to the existing US armour range.


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Wish Lists / Anti-tank guns - what next?
« on: February 15, 2017, 11:15:34 am »
Rubicon now has an extensive range of German vehicles and anti-tank guns in the pipeline (and I'm guessing that an 88mm and SdKfz 7 is also planned).  I'm now hoping to see something similar for the Allies.  I'd suggest that Rubicon not try and cover as many types as they have for the Germans, but focus on the really important weapons.  Here's my suggested list: 

Soviet M1937 / M1942 45mm anti-tank gun
Soviet ZiS-3 76mm infantry gun
British 2-pdr anti-tank gun
British 6-pdr / US 57mm anti-tank gun 

I'd suggest that the US M1 3 inch gun isn't worth doing, as it wasn't that widely used.  A 17-pdr would be cool though.  Of course, it would also be nice if we also got tractors for these weapons, although some (like the ZiS-3) can be towed by existing models (i.e. the Studebaker). 

I'd suggest that Rubicon holds off for a while before doing any field guns [edit: although as UVS said, a 25-pdr would be pretty good].




10
General Discussions / Colour photos of WW2 armour
« on: January 28, 2017, 05:24:55 pm »
Happy Chinese New Year everyone...

I spent a bit of time digging up genuine colour photos of WW2 vehicles, to get a better idea of the colours and the weathering.  Here are a few (I'm sure some of you have seen some of them before).  I've tried to find photos that haven't been re-touched, or colourised.  I haven't adjusted them at all.  There are a lot of famous colour photos from Signal, but they tend to be very washed out, probably as a result of the limitations of colour printing at the time.

US jerrycans.  The colour seems different to olive drab on most of them, but you can see some darker ones.  Note the weathering, and the spot of red near the handle.


A beautifully clear photo of a jeep (it looks fairly new).  Note the colour of the stowage, and the way the dust has accumulated.


A French Sherman, probably an M4A2 and probably also quite new.  Note how dark the olive drab is, and the light colour of the dust.  The appearance of the tracks and stowage is also interesting.


Early Churchills in training.  This shows how mud accumulates, and the different colours that result as it dries.  Note also how the paint tends to wear away rather than chip.


11
General Discussions / New Rubicon upgrade sets
« on: January 08, 2017, 12:21:59 pm »
I picked up the new Rubicon SdKfz 251/23 and SdKfz 250/251 command vehicle upgrade sets.  I also bought an SdKfz 250 Alte and an SdKfz 251 Ausf C (I hadn't bought their Ausf C previously) to build as command vehicles.

I think Rubicon has done a really good job with these new sets.  The command vehicle spruce is especially nice.  The various 'bedstead' (frame) antennae are well moulded, as are the radio sets.  You can build at least 2 complete vehicles from one sprue.  The crew figures are a huge step forward - I think these are Rubicon's first really good figures, and I look forward to seeing how they combine with Perry and Warlord plastics.  One minor issue - for some reason there's a bedstead antenna included for the SdKfz 250/3 Neu.  I've never seen such a vehicle.  I thought Rubicon were going to provide one for the SdKfz 251/3 Ausf D (there are a couple of photos of Ausf ads with frame antennas, although nearly all sources say the Ausf D only had a star antenna), but they didn't.

The /23 sprue is a less versatile kit, but the Pak 40 is well reproduced and crew figures are well posed (but are perhaps not quite as good as the figures on the command vehicle sprue - I think these were done earlier).  There are some subtle detail differences in the replacement upper hull provided.  Looking at this kit, it occurred to me that the US Army had tried putting anti-tank guns in half-tracks in 1942 and realised it didn't work, so this doesn't seem to have been a very sensible use of a much-needed (and expensive) SPW.  But it's a striking looking vehicle.

It goes without saying that the Ausf C is far better than Warlord's. 

I'm saving the SdKfz 250 Neu till later.

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Showcase & Gallery / Oddball's Sherman - WIP
« on: September 14, 2016, 10:02:10 pm »
We've discussed this iconic tank a few times, and the retirement of Rubicon's M4A3 kit prompted me to try and build it.

It's still WiP - obviously.  There are a lot of small details to add.  The distinctive stowage (the milk churn and watering can) is proving very time-consuming to build, partly because I'm more used to 1/72 and 1/35.  The speaker was also difficult, until I found a 28mm plastic pot which is almost the right shape.  Obviously some items aren't quite right, like the boxes.  The real tank had a later model exhaust deflector, but I wasn't going to try and build that.  However, I did re-do the cupola (which still needs a periscope).

Sorry about the photos - they were taken with my Blackberry.





13
General Discussions / Your top 5 Rubicon kits
« on: August 26, 2016, 01:20:21 am »
I thought it would be fun to see how everyone ranks their favourites from Rubicon's growing range.  So give us your top 5 Rubicon kits.  It can just be based on which vehicles you like, or which kits you think are the best - just tell is which approach you've taken.  Here are mine, not in order of my favourite vehicle, but in order of what I think are objectively Rubicon's top 5 kits so far:

1.  Crusader.  Beautifully designed, highly accurate, and lots of options.  A real gem.
2.  Jagdpanzer 38t.  Almost as good as the Crusader, but just a little bit less impressive and less options.
3.  SdKfz 250/SdKfz 253.  Wonderful detail, especially given its small size.  Both versions are very complete, with no compromises in accuracy.  Perhaps a bit more fiddly to build than the top 2, hence its place at number 3.
4.  M8/M5A1.  This places mostly because of the M8, which is a  very cool little vehicle and a joy to build. The kit is let down a bit by the lack of a .30 cal for the M5A1, and minor inaccuracies on the tracks, but I think it's still one of their best.
5.  SU-122/SU-85 - actually more accurate than the M8/M5A1, and more complete.  It only loses out because it's just a bit less interesting as a model, and because (unlike the others in my list) in this case Rubicon's one-piece track design results in a bit of a loss of detail.

14
Military Modelling is one of the longest running modelling magazines.  There was a time (before the internet and the proliferation of military reference books) when it was one of the only available sources of detailed information for military kits.  In their June issue they've done their first review of Rubicon kits, and it's very favourable.  They reviewed the Crusader and Jagdpanzer 38t, which of course means they've chosen 2 of Rubicon's best kits (in terms of accuracy, precision and detail).  Nice to see Rubicon up there with other more established kit manufacturers!

15
General Discussions / New Rubicon kits
« on: June 12, 2016, 10:04:49 am »
I picked up the new SdKfz 250, SU-122/85 and Allied stowage set.

I don't plan to build the SU-122/85 yet, but looking at the sprues it's a superb kit.  It demonstrates how Rubicon's approach has been refined - there are parts for 2 different vehicles, both of which are accurate and complete.  The only 'issue' is the tread pattern, which (due to moulding limitations) isn't accurate.

The SdKfz 250 is probably Rubicon's most detailed kit so far.  The interior is especially nicely reproduced, along with all the external stowage.  Again, there are parts for 2 different vehicles, and again they are both very complete.  I think this will be a very popular kit - especially when the various upgrade sets are released.

The stowage set was the one I was particularly interested in.  It's generally good, with some very useful inclusions (like spare M4 wheels, spare tracks, MG ammo boxes and smaller ammo crates), and some nice British items (such as the 'flimsies' and funnel).  It would have been good to have more jerry cans - there are only 2 US and 2 British types per sprue.  And some of the generic boxes are identical to pieces from the German stowage set (and perhaps a bit oversized).  The lengths of spare M4 tracks are also a little awkward to work with if you want to shorten them.  There are some pre-arranged piles of gear covered with tarpaulins.  The larger of these pieces is too big for a tank, but will look good in a truck or as terrain.  The smaller piece looks great on the engine deck of a US tank.  Overall, it's an extremely useful set, and I'm sure I'll be buying many more.

I haven't yet bought the new SdKfz 251, but intend to do so.  I think Rubicon's focus on these kinds of vehicles (as well as soft-skins) is very well judged; not only are these vehicles very popular with Bolt Action players and modellers, they are unavailable in plastic from anyone else. 

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