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General Discussions / Re: Will the Official Assembly Instructions section get updated?
« on: June 25, 2024, 09:09:25 am »
New assembly instructions have been added. 
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General Discussions / Will the Official Assembly Instructions section get updated?
« on: January 09, 2024, 11:26:06 am »
Rubicon Models »
Rubicon Models »
Official Assembly Instructions
This section has none of the newest releases for some time.
Rubicon Models »
Official Assembly Instructions
This section has none of the newest releases for some time.
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General Discussions / Re: Panzer 38t
« on: July 31, 2023, 08:20:47 am »Quote
I'm not sure what to make of the WG model, because it sure has a ton of riveting on it, and the E/F had more welding present, and the G had almost no riveting at all. So the WG really isn't a stand in for the final G version unless you snip/sand off all those rivets!
So it sounds like it would stand in better for an earlier 38t than a later one, though I didn't think of removing all those rivets for a Ausf G. I have one un-built kit remaining, so I might just do that. Thanks for the info EWG.
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General Discussions / Re: Panzer 38t
« on: July 27, 2023, 01:08:25 pm »
I have not really thought about converting the kit to an Ausf B, but now that you have mentioned this, I have to look into the details. I have a really good book on the subject - Panzer Tracts #18: Panzerkampfwagen 38(t).
Was it really that much different to make such an effort to convert?
That being said, the last time we played an early war scenario (Invasion of Poland), we used our Warlor... cough... mumble... ames Panzer 38t plastic models (painted gray) as early versions of the tank. Of course, a rivet counter would probably complain, but for us it looked and played the part very well.
As for a Panzer 35t, I would hope to see a few other things released before something like a Panzer 35t. Since the 35 wasn't as widely used as the 38, I'm okay with waiting for this, but in the end would it be nice to see a good model of the Panzer 35t? Sure, but how popular would it be? A 38 is almost a must, but a 35? Let us hear your thoughts.
Was it really that much different to make such an effort to convert?
That being said, the last time we played an early war scenario (Invasion of Poland), we used our Warlor... cough... mumble... ames Panzer 38t plastic models (painted gray) as early versions of the tank. Of course, a rivet counter would probably complain, but for us it looked and played the part very well.
As for a Panzer 35t, I would hope to see a few other things released before something like a Panzer 35t. Since the 35 wasn't as widely used as the 38, I'm okay with waiting for this, but in the end would it be nice to see a good model of the Panzer 35t? Sure, but how popular would it be? A 38 is almost a must, but a 35? Let us hear your thoughts.
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Work In Progress / Re: Project of the Month - Dec 2021 - M3 Lee & Grant
« on: May 17, 2023, 09:15:19 am »
Was this project cancelled?
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General Discussions / Re: BTR-60PA and BTR-60PB
« on: January 28, 2023, 11:28:54 am »
The problem with rubber tires is that, well, they are rubber and so you have to deal with rubber rot and cracking over time.
Click on the picture below to see an example:
I have some old models with rubber tires/tracks and some old models with plastic tires/tracks. Most of the ones with the rubber tires/tracks show rubber rot and cracking like what you see in the picture above. Those with plastic tires/tracks look just fine.
The rubber tires/tracks also deteriorate over time in an unopened model kit. Even if stored correctly, rubber just deteriorates. I have an old model kit with rubber tires, but after opening the kit, I discovered the rubber has deteriorated to the point were the parts can't be used.
In the short run, does this make a difference? No. It does take a few years for the rubber to begin to show signs of it deteriorating.
Click on the picture below to see an example:
I have some old models with rubber tires/tracks and some old models with plastic tires/tracks. Most of the ones with the rubber tires/tracks show rubber rot and cracking like what you see in the picture above. Those with plastic tires/tracks look just fine.
The rubber tires/tracks also deteriorate over time in an unopened model kit. Even if stored correctly, rubber just deteriorates. I have an old model kit with rubber tires, but after opening the kit, I discovered the rubber has deteriorated to the point were the parts can't be used.
In the short run, does this make a difference? No. It does take a few years for the rubber to begin to show signs of it deteriorating.
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General Discussions / Re: M102 105mm Light Howitzer instructions...
« on: December 27, 2022, 09:18:51 am »
Rubicon Models has not posted the instruction sheet for their M102 105mm Light Howitzer kit (Product Code: 280126), and I do not have this kit (it wasn't used in WW2).
Rubicon Models used to be pretty good at posting their instructions for their kits. They would post them just before the kit was released or shortly afterwards. The great thing about this was that people were then able to as questions within the "Official Assembly Instructions" thread. I wonder why they stopped this practice because it was very useful, and at times, informative.
Anyway, can you share some pics of the sections and parts in question?
As for Section 10, most of their kits can be assembled either deployed or in transport mode, and sometimes both if you do not glue the parts (depend on the gun). When assembling, people should read the instructions carefully. Rubicon Models instructions are usually very good and at times has lots of details and side notes. However, people sometimes rush through without carefully examining and noting any special options/choices/drilling/warnings/modifications. Not sure how common this is, but I have a friend that does this all the time.
Sometimes Rubicon Models does make a mistake or two, but that is where their "Official Assembly Instructions" thread becomes very handy and people can ask. Or have questions if something is not clear or misleading.
Well, I guess that was a long answer to say, "Can you take a picture?"
Rubicon Models used to be pretty good at posting their instructions for their kits. They would post them just before the kit was released or shortly afterwards. The great thing about this was that people were then able to as questions within the "Official Assembly Instructions" thread. I wonder why they stopped this practice because it was very useful, and at times, informative.
Anyway, can you share some pics of the sections and parts in question?
As for Section 10, most of their kits can be assembled either deployed or in transport mode, and sometimes both if you do not glue the parts (depend on the gun). When assembling, people should read the instructions carefully. Rubicon Models instructions are usually very good and at times has lots of details and side notes. However, people sometimes rush through without carefully examining and noting any special options/choices/drilling/warnings/modifications. Not sure how common this is, but I have a friend that does this all the time.
Sometimes Rubicon Models does make a mistake or two, but that is where their "Official Assembly Instructions" thread becomes very handy and people can ask. Or have questions if something is not clear or misleading.
Well, I guess that was a long answer to say, "Can you take a picture?"
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Work In Progress / Re: Project of the Month - Dec 2021 - M3 Lee & Grant
« on: December 14, 2022, 10:39:41 am »
All quiet on the Rubicon front.
it has been pretty quiet here on Rubicon Models website for these last few months.
Not even a "Project of the Month" for quite sometime now. Maybe RM needs some good ideas?
How about some more Soviet WW2 stuff?
Soviet vehicles and equipment in plastic:
Plastic AT-Guns - these would be popular; especially the ZiS-2 and ZiS-3 AT guns.
BA-64 – one of the most produced Soviet armored cars.
Note: The BA-3/BA-6 and BA-10 from Rubicon Models are very good model kits.
BT-5 or BT-7 - a BT-7 is coming soon?
T-60 or T-70
SU-76
And of course the Medium Tank M3 (AKA the Lee) was also used by the Soviet Army in WW2.
it has been pretty quiet here on Rubicon Models website for these last few months.
Not even a "Project of the Month" for quite sometime now. Maybe RM needs some good ideas?
How about some more Soviet WW2 stuff?
Soviet vehicles and equipment in plastic:
Plastic AT-Guns - these would be popular; especially the ZiS-2 and ZiS-3 AT guns.
BA-64 – one of the most produced Soviet armored cars.
Note: The BA-3/BA-6 and BA-10 from Rubicon Models are very good model kits.
BT-5 or BT-7 - a BT-7 is coming soon?
T-60 or T-70
SU-76
And of course the Medium Tank M3 (AKA the Lee) was also used by the Soviet Army in WW2.
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General Discussions / Re: A Gentleman's War
« on: October 21, 2022, 11:49:10 am »
Just a quick follow up:
A member in my gaming group picked up the new starter set called "A Gentleman's War" and brought it with him one day for a show and tell. So I finally got a chance to get a better look at what is inside and this includes the two armored cars. Looks like the SdKfz 222 is made by Italeri and the Humber is made by SK. Both look nice and are more than good enough for tabletop miniature gaming.
I had offered to assemble (not paint) his armored cars, and even though he was very tempted to take my offer, he too likes building things and wanted to do it himself. So I cannot do a side by side build comparison of the Rubicon Models and Italeri SdKfz 222 model kit.
I did take a good look at it, and from what I saw of the Italeri kit, both the Rubicon Models and the Italeri kits look nice and are vastly superior to the resin and metal kits available. This including the Blitzkrieg Miniatures model. The tabletop gamer could choose either the Rubicon Models or the Italeri kit and be rewarded with a very good model. That being said, I will stick to Rubicon Models. I'm just surprised Warlord didn't ask RM if they could use theirs. No team work in this industry. That is for sure.
As for the Humber armored car, well, it is the very first plastic model of the Humber Mk.II/IV. This one looks like it comes from SK - the look and style of the kit itself gives it away. I was able to give it a good look over and it looks like a very good plastic model kit and a great addition to our gaming hobby. This plastic model should be far superior to any resin/metal kit now available. Sadly though, we cannot just buy this model by itself. At least not yet.
That being said, I did notice something strange. It shows that the model kit can be assembled as a Mk.II or Mk.IV. However, the location of the spare tire (in the instructions) is the same. On the Mk.IV, the spare tire should be on the side and not on the front, but maybe some Mk.IVs had it on the front? Overall, this should not be a problem. This will only give rivet counters nightmares. Also, with a little extra skill and work, the kit could easily be modified so that the spare tire could be moved from the front to the side. But like I said, I don't see this as a big issue, and most tabletop gamers will probably just assemble the kit as a Mk.IV without realizing this. The important thing to take away here is that we now have one very good plastic model of the Humber Mk.II or Mk.IV armored car!
A member in my gaming group picked up the new starter set called "A Gentleman's War" and brought it with him one day for a show and tell. So I finally got a chance to get a better look at what is inside and this includes the two armored cars. Looks like the SdKfz 222 is made by Italeri and the Humber is made by SK. Both look nice and are more than good enough for tabletop miniature gaming.
I had offered to assemble (not paint) his armored cars, and even though he was very tempted to take my offer, he too likes building things and wanted to do it himself. So I cannot do a side by side build comparison of the Rubicon Models and Italeri SdKfz 222 model kit.
I did take a good look at it, and from what I saw of the Italeri kit, both the Rubicon Models and the Italeri kits look nice and are vastly superior to the resin and metal kits available. This including the Blitzkrieg Miniatures model. The tabletop gamer could choose either the Rubicon Models or the Italeri kit and be rewarded with a very good model. That being said, I will stick to Rubicon Models. I'm just surprised Warlord didn't ask RM if they could use theirs. No team work in this industry. That is for sure.
As for the Humber armored car, well, it is the very first plastic model of the Humber Mk.II/IV. This one looks like it comes from SK - the look and style of the kit itself gives it away. I was able to give it a good look over and it looks like a very good plastic model kit and a great addition to our gaming hobby. This plastic model should be far superior to any resin/metal kit now available. Sadly though, we cannot just buy this model by itself. At least not yet.
That being said, I did notice something strange. It shows that the model kit can be assembled as a Mk.II or Mk.IV. However, the location of the spare tire (in the instructions) is the same. On the Mk.IV, the spare tire should be on the side and not on the front, but maybe some Mk.IVs had it on the front? Overall, this should not be a problem. This will only give rivet counters nightmares. Also, with a little extra skill and work, the kit could easily be modified so that the spare tire could be moved from the front to the side. But like I said, I don't see this as a big issue, and most tabletop gamers will probably just assemble the kit as a Mk.IV without realizing this. The important thing to take away here is that we now have one very good plastic model of the Humber Mk.II or Mk.IV armored car!
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Wish Lists / Re: Focusing on the more useful kits – wake up and smell the molded plastic!
« on: October 08, 2022, 10:12:23 am »
I have updated the list at the very start of this thread to include a few bits of new information (new releases).
Still hoping to see the QF 6-pounder AT-Gun mentioned earlier turned into a 57mm Gun M1 / QF 6-pounder (American/British) AT-Gun combo kit.
Still hoping to see the QF 6-pounder AT-Gun mentioned earlier turned into a 57mm Gun M1 / QF 6-pounder (American/British) AT-Gun combo kit.
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General Discussions / A Gentleman's War
« on: September 05, 2022, 09:36:00 am »
The new BA starter set called "A Gentleman's War" is going to have two plastic armored cars. One will be the SdKfz 222 and the other a Humber II/IV. When I heard these were going to be plastic, my first thought was, "Fantastic, they made a smart deal with Rubicon models." But now after I read this article in the latest Wargames Illustrated, it mentions that the armored cars will be from Italeri? News to me, and I can't imagine a better SdKfz 222 model kit better than what Rubicon Models already has.
Has anyone picked up A Gentleman's War yet? What do you think?
Has anyone picked up A Gentleman's War yet? What do you think?
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Work In Progress / Re: Project of the Month - Dec 2021 - M3 Lee & Grant
« on: September 05, 2022, 09:18:41 am »
Is this still on the production table?
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General Discussions / Re: Tank Museum Tour UK / Europe
« on: August 26, 2022, 09:26:42 am »
Not in Europe, but also, don't over look some of the good tank museums in the US like the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, WY and the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA, to name just two of several good museums worth visiting.
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General Discussions / Re: Tank Museum Tour UK / Europe
« on: August 21, 2022, 06:02:16 pm »Quote from: ripley
...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.
Don't forget to remind them that Canadian forces played an important role in the Italian campaigns from Operation Husky, to Monte Cassino, to help liberate Rome, to all the way up to the Gothic Line in northern Italy. This might spark an interest to go to Italy (hint, hint). Oh, and did I mention that the tank museum (Museo Storico della Motorizzazione Militare) in Rome has a lot of tanks?
Side Note:
If you and your friends also like aircraft, and you are in Rome, then you have to visit the Italian Airforce Museum (Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare) which is just north-west of Rome located at the picturesque Lake Bracciano.