From: Think Tank Subject: Think Tank Vol. 0039 11/06/2000 Think.tank@tesco.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS' INDEX 1: Sturmtiger 2: T-20 Kosomolets tractor 3: Crusader AA and Brit. Tanks in Greece 4: (T)s in Operation Corporate 6: New SKIF 1/35 kits 5: CVR Crusader hull side bolt heads 7: Ram Kangaroo details -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: IPMS Armour SIG website address - Oops 2: For Sale/For Trade - Barton Miniatures Scimitar 3: Tankette indices to Vol.35 No.3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: lloydstaples [lloydstaples@lloydstaples.screaming.net] Subject: Sturmtiger I've got lots of interior shots of the Sturmtiger at Meppen (or that's where it was in 1974....). None of the photos shows the circular rear hatch, but I do have shots of the general interior, including breech, driver's position, ammo stowage, top hatch, etc.. Let me know if you need any of these things. Strangely I have nothing on that rear hatch though. Chris Lloyd-Staples -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Robert A. Clifton, R.A. [rclifton@optonline.net] Subject: T-20 Kosomolets tractor Does anyone have any idea what color the interior of the Russian T-20 was? It seems from photos that is almost is the same as the exterior color, but I assume it isn't. Can anyone shed a bit of light on this? Thank you. Bob Clifton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Cooper, Mike [Mike.Cooper@reading.gov.uk] Subject: Crusader AA and Brit. Tanks in Greece Hiya I've nothing specific, but here are some leads 1. Crusader AA interior - there was a mini "thread" running on Think Tank a little while ago to the effect that Mike Starmer had worked out that in mid War the Brits changed interior colour from silver to white. Exactly when - and hence with which tanks - this happened I don't know. I would suggest that the most probably interior turret colour for the Crusader AA would be white, but I don't know if they were built as AA tanks or converted from gun tanks - if the latter then it is possible that the hull interior would be silver. I don't recall that the Osprey New Vanguard on the type is much help on this. 2. Brit tanks in Greece - can't answer the specific point, but I've seen German film of a wrecked Lt Mk IV which looked as though it was G3/G5. I've seen an A13 like this too, but equally I've seen A10s apparently in Greece or Crete in Light Stone/Portland Stone and Slate, in one of the schemes which replaced Caunter. I don't see where German paras would end up looking at A10s in a dry dusty landscape other than Greece/Crete The key would be to find out where the tanks were before Greece - straight from the UK, and then greens, transferred from Africa, then desert colours. Mixes for these on MAFVA Online Mike The last Crusader was built in October 1943, with most of the variants based on converted gun tanks but some as new builds, which doesn't help a lot other than to confirm that either colour may do. However, Paul Roberts mentioned (in TT0009) that he had heard that the colour switched from silver to white in 1943 and remained that until after the war. My Crusader AA turret will be white inside, although I suspect that the inside of the turret on the AA MK.1 would have been SCC15 as it was open-topped. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Stuart Batchelor [msb2@hotmail.com] Subject: New SKIF 1/35 kits I'm back home after my little excursion to Europe and had a wonderful time. Much thanks to every one who suggested places for me to go and visit. For the record, Tankfest2000 at Bovington was spectacular and if there are Friends of the Museum on the list, you all did a wonderful job. To my question, has anyone purchased any of the SKIF armour kits? If so, how are they? There are a couple listed in the most recent VLS flyer that I'm interested in. TIA Stuart Steve Zaloga wrote build-up articles on the T-64 in (I think) Boresight and a Greek magazine which I picked up a show on the basis that although the text was Greek (well it was all Greek to me anyway), the photos were in colour. As I recall, he commented that the subject matter was encouraging but that there was quite a lot of work to do to turn the kit into a reasonable replica. The tracks in the T-64 kit were apparently so irretrievably bad that he chopped a set of Dragon T-80 link & length track into three longitudinally, reduced the width and then re-cemented it together. That was enough to put me off but others may have different views. I think I saw a review of the BMP-3 somewhere (Military Modelling?) and that the comments were similar. Having said that, I have seen a very nice model made from the 100mm anti-tank gun by on eof the subscribers to this list and he was very impressed with that. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Listmaster Subject: CVR(T)s in Operation Corporate In case anyone else is interested in these, you may like to know that Bovington's library has a few photos of them. Quality is variable but I managed to acquire several I had not seen in print, including some Scorpions, which still show some useful details. The offending negative numbers are 2697/C3, C4, D3 and D4 and 2660 E2 and E3 and a 7"x5" monochrome is £2.65 including VAT. This reasonableness in price is not matched by the wholly extortionate 20% of order value now charged for postage, which actually cost a mere 39p for my order of nine prints but for which I was charged no less than £4.65 (that is no less than 12 times the cost of the stamp). The reason for such blatant profiteering is apparently that the shop is now handling such matters instead of the library, so there is a good case for having a friend collect them from the museum when they are ready if you know anyone who lives in the vicinity. Incidentally, the library at Bovvy is about to close for a while due to relocation and indexing of the database. If you want to order anything, I think 16th June was the deadline, so better get your skates on. Due to be back in service in mid August, I seem to recall. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Listmaster Subject: Crusader hull side bolt heads I asked about this a couple of weeks ago but while at Bovington shortly afterwards, managed to examine the sides of their Mk.III. It appears that there are two types in use – the normal hex type is found on the lower part behind the roadwheels (i.e. where they can’t be seen) while the upper ones are sort of domed and much thinner. They are barely visible other than close-up, so it is probably not worth worrying about much. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: stefan switala [stef@switala.freeserve.co.uk] Subject: Ram Kangaroo details In respect of RAM KANGAROO details, you may not be aware that there is a dedicated website for the 1st. Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment. Perhaps an approach to them might be of help. The web address is: http://www.1cacr.org/index.html Cheers, Stef -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Karl Grubb [karlgrubb@cableinet.co.uk] Subject: IPMS Armour SIG website address - Oops What a dip stick www.zyworld.com/ipmsarmoursig/ Karl -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Jeffry Fontaine [jeffryfontaine@hotmail.com] Subject: For Sale/For Trade - Barton Miniatures Scimitar, AFV007, 1/35 scale all metal and photo etched brass kit. Any reasonable offer of $70.00 will be considered either for an outright sale or a trade of equivalent value, provided it is something I am interested in acquiring. Please contact me off list. Thanks, Jeffry Fontaine Bremerton, Washington jeffryfontaine@hotmail.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Listmaster Subject: Tankette indices to Vol.35 No.3 The latest update has just gone out, so those on the recipients list should have it by now. The indices are in MS Excel 5 format and now incorporate a series of filters to make it easier to run to ground a particular article or drawing. If you would like to be added to the list, please email to rlockie@hfs.co.uk and request to be included. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Lockie (Think Tank Listmaster) Visit the Miniature AFV Association website at http://homepages.go.com/~mafva/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume