Messages

1

Wish Lists / Re: Products hopefully still in the pipeline

« on: August 29, 2024, 10:07:45 pm »

I would like to see Rubicon produce some WW 2 plastic troop sets , but 1st I would like them to release the vehicles I posted about in my post above ,2 years ago .  Rubicon could at least give us an ETA on when the kits will be released . The other guys previewed winter US & FJ boxes plus a Bedford truck 3 months ago , due out in September ......... got my order in

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Showcase & Gallery / Re: Work in Progress / Kit Bashing Summer 2024

« on: August 28, 2024, 03:39:34 am »

A really great kit to get various game play options with very little work is the T-26 kit

 I went for the plan jane T-26 1933 version , adding various tools and a partial turret interior with gun breach and ammo racks , quite visible  with the hatches open .


 After picking up some reference books and checking out the left over kit parts I realized I could make the upper hull removable to give me the option of building other types . I decided I would cast the driver's visor to glue it to each upper hull instead of glueing it to the single lower hull .  I  pushed the visor into modelling clay a half dozen times and poured resin . A real easy way to make parts that only need detail on one side . .When hard , these were sanded to needed thickness .  Here's the versions I can use in my army








Since I was using the earlier style fender supports ( parts 14,15,16,17 ) I didn't end up using the later 1938 style turret . It might end up used as a bunker turret .  Here are the various pieces for this tank , the resin driver's visor in red . The 45mm gun and flame gun mantle ( blue ) are removable as they can be used in the same turret


All in all a great little kit . Only negatives out of the box are lack of tools ,  and a lot of pictures show a stowage box on both fenders , the kit gives you one .  Probably easy to cast it in resin or craft out of plastic sheet , I didn't bother as my hulls have enough bits added to them . Tools should be easy to scratch up or find in parts box , the screw jack is a HO scale model train part .

3

Showcase & Gallery / Work in Progress / Kit Bashing Summer 2024

« on: August 26, 2024, 10:48:54 am »

Thought I'ld start a new thread as the last one I had hasn't been updated for over 2 years .  Here's a couple of ideas on how to get some extra milage out of the GAZ AA/AAA truck . I've built 2 , your bog standard AAA and one with the resin box body
 



 I then purchased the quad Maxim mg mount and dropped in the cargo bed of the truck


 I had a few seated resin Russians in the paint que and decided to add them to my truck as well


How did I manage to mount both the quad mgs and the troops to the same truck you ask ? Easy , I just mounted them on a drop in floor ( plastic siding material cut to size )


But what to do with the left over pieces from the box body kit ? I built a trailer

 Quite an easy kit bash really , I just looked at some of the pickup truck body trailers a lot of the local farmers have and copied it in plastic


1st remove drive train and plastic between the side rails


2nd  bend side rails together to create tongue , add axle, wheels , tow ring , and whatever bits and pieces that take your fancy . I glued some fuel drums and a tarped stack of boxes trying to not overload the "1 ton " capacity of the trailer .

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Wish Lists / Re: SD KFZ 232 Schwere Panzerspähwagen 8-Rad

« on: May 09, 2024, 09:35:52 am »

That would be a great kit .  I'ld have to get a 3 pack and build one of each

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Work In Progress / Re: T17E1 Staghound - Mk II added 210417

« on: March 14, 2023, 03:25:15 am »

Any word on the Staghounds release ? I've got a couple of great books for research purposes ...




 Hopefully the decals will include both Polish and Canadian units that used the Staghound

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General Discussions / Reply to a FB post re GAZ Quad MG

« on: March 13, 2023, 11:19:47 pm »

Sorry about posting this here but FB and I don't seem to get along , I can read the posts but for some reason FB just refuses to let me respond or comment on anything .
  Sorry John that you found the Quad MG kit to such a PIA . For my part , I found it to be well designed , minimal to zero flash and great instructions  , a whole lot better than most other companies metal kits .  I have to ask , is this your first metal kit ? If so I can understand your frustration , it is not a shake the box kit , you have to test fit and visualize how something that goes on sideways , moves over a couple of things and then turns 180 degrees is going end up looking , But if you take your time it all comes together and looks great






 I ended up mounting the gun on a spare  GAZ truck bed floor so I can remove it to use the truck as transport if needed . Further research , which I always seem to do after the kit is built    I've found pictures of these guns on building roofs in Russian cities , so I'll have to get another one to mount on one of my 4ground Stalingrad apartments

7

General Discussions / Re: Regarding a couple topics

« on: January 14, 2023, 10:48:33 pm »

I would like to second birbia's inquiry  as to when the 50 cal will be available again . As well I can't seem to find those seated British riding in the rear of the Bedford in either web stores . An update on them , the Staghound , Lee / Grant and your other WIPs would be appreciated . Thank you
 Your Russian truck riders shown on FB look great ,

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General Discussions / Re: Bedford Truck Decals

« on: January 13, 2023, 07:47:27 am »

. Its got the Canadian decals I need , thank you

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General Discussions / Bedford Truck Decals

« on: January 12, 2023, 06:30:16 am »

Anybody have either of the Bedford truck decal sets  ? If so, could you post a picture of them , I want a couple of trucks for my troops but want to be sure it comes with the decals I need .  Its difficult to find aftermarket decals in 1/56 unlike the larger scales

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Showcase & Gallery / Re: Heisler's WIPs

« on: September 14, 2022, 08:52:37 pm »

That's fantastic . Nice to see 1/56 scale finally  getting the recognition it deserves . I was ay a hobby show in Calgary this past weekend and although 99% of the models on show were 1/35 there were some 1/56 models on display

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Wish Lists / Re: Products hopefully still in the pipeline

« on: September 09, 2022, 02:59:27 am »

I'm waiting on the Staghound , M3 Lee / Grant and 6 pounder . They seem to be more active on their FB page which shows a lot of the Viet Nam stuff , Patton , M 113 , and Huey . But they  also show the WW2 4omm Bofors Gun , so our era of stuff is still coming

12

General Discussions / Re: A Gentleman's War

« on: September 05, 2022, 10:35:40 pm »

Its like a GW starter box with 2 factions already available ( Afrika Korp / 7th Army ) , a rule book , dice , tokens and a couple of new kits only available in this box ( to be released singlely at a later date ) . Priced a lot better than the latest GW toys  . Not interested in the box as my interests are Eastern Front and Canadians in Normandy , but I will get the Humber when its released . Im still waiting on the Staghound , been coming for about a year . hopefully Rubicon can get it out before Italeri has one .

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Showcase & Gallery / Re: Heisler's WIPs

« on: August 31, 2022, 07:32:24 am »

They look great

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General Discussions / Re: Tank Museum Tour UK / Europe

« on: August 21, 2022, 11:03:13 am »

I wasn't even thinking about going to Italy , but maybe I'll have to rethink my plans . My main interest is tanks and so the major museums are a given , and my friends who are coming with me are interested in the Normandy beaches and battle sites of the WW2 Canadian forces , so we will be doing those . I guess it depends on how much time we can spend over there and the dollar value we have to spend . The travel agents here in Canada tend to plan trips that cater to the vets who fought in Europe where as we want to take in a lot more that covers are hobby interests . At least we have lots of time to figure stuff out and any info past on  is appreciated

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General Discussions / Tank Museum Tour UK / Europe

« on: August 20, 2022, 03:51:42 am »

 I planning on going to Europe in the summer of 2023 and want to see / tour the tank museums in Bovington , Saumur , Munster and hopefully Kubinka , as well as the Normandy beaches  before I get too old to travel and walk around a lot asking dumb questions like most tourists . My question , does anyone on the forums know of a good UK travel agent who could arrange this type of tour ? Thank you