From: Think Tank Subject: Think Tank Vol. 0031 15/04/2000 Think.tank@tesco.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS' INDEX 1: Tank Museum's Tiger 1 2: Beatties 3: Beatties - The Saga Continues 4: Gepard flakpanzer 5: Very fine chains 6: Sdkfz 251D appliqué armour -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Duxford vehicle show 2000 2: Dragon and Fujimi 3: Next volume -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: John Harris [john@ukmilmod.force9.co.uk] Subject: Tank Museum's Tiger 1 The below was posted on the Tank Museum's Tiger I restoration discussion group : By Museumstaff (Museumstaff) on Monday, March 20, 2000 - 10:49 am: We are noy (sic) sure when the restoration will be completed. Originally it was to be finshed (sic) this Summer however complications detailed elsewhere on the site have meant that 131 will not be finished this year. John Harris john@ukmilmod.force9.co.uk UK Military Modelling http://www.ukmilmod.force9.co.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Richard Marks [richard@marks28.freeserve.co.uk] Subject: Beatties Hi Rob, I was in Beatties in Holborn yesterday (8th April). I had a chat with the manager there, and apparently they have the administrators in, however the intention is for the administrators to close a number of shops (The ones that make no money), and leave Beatties as a going concern with a chain of 25 shops (I guess this means shops in major towns. Holborn, Leeds, Birmingham etc). The reason why the shops appear to be "running down" is that Beatties owe money and cannot order more stock from manufacturers until they pay up, which they can't as they have no money!!!. Apparently the guy has been asked to go manage the Reading shop so is guessing that is one of the ones that will stay. Richard I was there myself on Tuesday and had much the same discussion (he must be getting pretty fed up with us by now!). They showed me a list of the sites which are planned to survive, but said that some of the others may be sold as independent going concerns or alternatively just as retail space. So Beatties is not dead after all. He did ask me not to tell the staff in the branches which are being closed in case they haven't found out officially yet.. Interestingly, although there was some discounting going on, it seems to have little logic, and some which have been discounted before were back up to RRP. Still, I bagged another early DML Jagdpanzer 38t for £12.99, which I then had to conceal throughout my business meeting for the rest of the day! Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: John Harris [john@ukmilmod.force9.co.uk] Subject: Beatties - The Saga Continues While this is not directly a modelling related subject, Beatties are often the nearest source for kits and accessories. My local Beatties (Romford) appears to be closing in the near future (they were removing shelves last Monday!) however, the 'next nearest' Lakeside shows no signs of running down at all. If they are selectively closing branches, I'd like to see the rationale behind closing a branch (Romford) without any serious local competition, either in the toy or model field, also bearing in mind that the area (London Borough of Havering) supports a number of IPMS branches and the 'Southern Expo' show. John Harris john@ukmilmod.force9.co.uk UK Military Modelling http://www.ukmilmod.force9.co.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: MALCOLM IRESON [ireson@carltons36.freeserve.co.uk] Subject: Gepard flakpanzer I have just started to make Tamiya`s very old German Gepard flakpanzer. I have managed to find bits and pieces of limited reference on it, but all the reference I do have shows it painted all-over green! Does anyone know whether, or have any reference of, this vehicle in the NATO 3-colour camo scheme; I know what colours to use in the camo scheme, but I need to know if it was used on this tank. If it never had a camo finish, what shade of green would have been used? I’m not on about being exact, but just in the right direction; was it allied WWII olive drab/green, Israeli green (if you can call it that), Russian sort of pea green. Basically any information on the paint job would be of great help. With thanks, Malc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: alan fanning [alan@afanning.fsnet.co.uk] Subject: Very fine chains I need to get hold of some very fine chains, preferably not the flat etched type. I have seen an article in Military Modelling Vol.28 No 12 on Jagdpanthers which showed some from the "Show Modelling" Panther set; does anyone know how much you get? Or know of any other good supply? Any help appreciated. P.S Any more news on Beatties? I was told they were £2,000,000 in the red. If they are going out of business are they going to have a closing down sale, or would the receivers auction it all off somewhere? Regards Al. How fine (i.e. links per inch) do you need? Accurate Armour does (or did?) several sizes but the finest I have was acquired from PP Aeroparts some years ago. I will ask Tim where he got his supply. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Listmaster Subject: Sdkfz 251D appliqué armour I was flicking through Sturm & Drang's tome on the 250 an 251 the other day and I noticed a photo on p60 of a 251D command vehicle with what looks very like appliqué armour on the upper hull sides. There are two distinct slabs, either side of the join between front and rear hull sections, with the front plate slotted where the vision slot is. I have failed to find it on any of my other 251 photos. It looks very much like a professional job - not the sort of thing that is produced from the crew’s own welding set which is compulsory stowage in certain modelling circles (along with a stone Buddha ;-)) ). Any comments? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Listmaster Subject: Duxford vehicle show 2000 I spoke with Jack Livesey at a show last weekend about this (he works in the vehicles Conservation Dept) and he told me that the concern was about whether the running area would be rebuilt in time for the show date in August. The protective berm that prevent the public from being run over needs to be relocated further out so that the running area can be extended to take account of the fact that much of the old one will be filled by the Land Warfare Hall extension. This may not be completed in time, so apparently the show is likely to have less heavy duty tracks running round than usual, although the space used for the exhibitors’ vehicles should not be compromised and there is no reason why the show should not still go ahead. The DAS is organising it and I am intending to go along on Sunday, so will see what else I can learn. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Listmaster Subject: Dragon and Fujimi Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the model shop ;-(.. I was surfing through the Missing Links site this week and found the following from Peter Brown: Dragon and Fujimi "no more" by Peter Brown Visiting my local model shop - Plastic Past-Times in Poole, Dorset - I was surprised to hear that Dragon/DML were "in receivership" and that Fujimi had ceased to produce kits. This was news to me, while I do not model in smaller scales any more I will miss Dragon's models. With luck moulds will be bought up by someone else and the kits will still be about, but the signs for the plastic AFV kit market are not good judging by this. Any news on these two companies would be most welcome. Posted on Apr 14 2000, 01:50 PM At least it gives me an excuse for collecting more kits which I have no immediate prospect of building :-).. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Listmaster Subject: Next volume I am away next weekend (Easter) so the next issue will go out on Monday night. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Lockie (Think Tank Listmaster) Visit the Miniature AFV Association website at http://homepages.go.com/~mafva/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume