From: Think Tank Subject: Think Tank Vol. 0072 01/05/2001 Think.tank@tesco.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS' INDEX 1: HMMWV 1/76 scale 2: Dragon Shermans 3: Scratchbuilding cast hulls and turrets 4: Armybook.com 5: Re: 1:1 Rounds 6: Anvil 7: Guy wheeled tank 8: Matilda auxiliary fuel tank 9: Vacform Somua, Sherman and Ram 10: WW1 tank book 11: Softskin and narrow gauge colours 12: Modern UK forces 13: AMPS 2001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: Sale advert (2) 2: Next issue -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: NathyBaby [NathyBaby@ic24.net] Subject: HMMWV 1/76 scale Hi. Being new to this, I thought that I would give it a go. Can anybody point me in the right direction? I need some 1:76 scale HMMWVs (Hummers/Humvees), in any medium. any mode. A UK supplier would be best. Thanks. Keith. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Paul Roberts [tankmodeler@home.com] Subject: Dragon Shermans >> Sherman track is a perpetual problem due to the way the stuff is built - although Friul does a set of it, unlike the metal skeleton stuff (IS, most German WW2, T-55 etc.), each connector spans two links at the same angle, so the only way to make it look right is to use separate end connectors. Consequently, Friuli's track is not much of an improvement. Dragon's and RHPS's efforts share the same constructional challenge, as do the old Top Brass sets if anyone else has some. Very nice, but time-consuming to build. << Well RHPS used to build the same as Dragon, but since the AFV-Club Stuart track came out they have retooled all their old designs to work the same, i.e. longer track pins that fit nicely into the end connectors. I built my Stuart track from AFV-Club in under an hour, without glue. I placed it on the kit and then glued it in position. Sweet! By all accounts the revised RHPS track builds the same. One note to all who build these tracks: paint them before assembly. It really simplifies the job and the slight thickness of the paint makes the track connection a little tighter and the unglued tracks a little firmer during the time you are putting them on the tank. Paul -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Paul Roberts [tankmodeler@home.com] Subject: Scratchbuilding cast hulls and turrets Ian's method will work, but I use a different one that is more "additive" as opposed to Ian's, which is "subtractive". I build an armature out of plastic card that comprises all the outlines if the item that I can glean from my drawings. I then skin the armature, below the final surface, with more plastic card. After it has dries I coat the card armature with epoxy putty. While many people like Miliput, I find it to stiff and coarse. I prefer "A+B" brand from Hexcel. It is finer, more pliable and almost never goes stale, a perpetual problem with Miliput. I continue to add putty to the armature, sanding and carving between each coat, to achieve the final look I am after. With a little water on the fingers, A+B can be feathered out to very thin coats and small details and bumps can be easily added after the major shapes have been established. As you are adding epoxy to epoxy, the thinner coats are as well bonded as the thicker coats. I have made a Matilda I turret and an M103 turret in 1/35 in this manner and am about to embark on an accurate Ram in the same way. Paul -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Clifton W. McCullough [mccullou@hal-pc.org] Subject: Armybook.com The following text is extracted from a message to a Russian (?) company called "Armybook.com", acknowledging receipt of a book which Clifton ordered from them. Apologies to Clifton if my editing has confused matters. The company's email address is admin@armybook.com For the benefit of MAFVA members, the photos and artwork seem very good, thought I cannot vouch for accuracy of the colored artwork. Some of the books are in Russian only, some with English captions under the photos and one is in English only. All told, very impressive. Armada # 14 is a Squadron/Signal-sized 56-page soft-bound book of Tanks of the Russian Revolution Era. It includes color artwork, line drawings, a list of tanks with their UK hull numbers, and more. Language is Russian, with English photo captions. My Russian is very limited, so I am not able to translate the text. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: John Maze [jmaze@neo.rr.com] Subject: Re: 1:1 Rounds Hi, I'm a bit late chiming in on this one, but I wanted to think about it for a while. My suggestion would be to do a resin slush casting; i.e., pour a small amount of resin into a mold and "slush" it around until it starts to set up (I am assuming resin is being poured in through a hole in the base of the round. This hole would need to be plugged during the "slushing".). I would then pour in a little more resin to fill the round's tip and strengthen it. Let the resin set up thoroughly. Leaving the cast in the mold, put a small amount of expanding foam inside the cast. If, after the foam has finished expanding, there is still an airspace in the casting, add a little more foam as many times as it takes to fill the round. Do NOT try to fill the round in one shot, as you run the risk of the foam making enough pressure to crack the cast (another reason for leaving it in the mold while doing this). Once the airspace is filled, you can finish out the fill hole in whatever manner makes it look "real". One more thing, I envision the mold being a two-piece affair with the main body of the round being one piece, and a round "plug" being the second piece forming the base of the round and have the pour hole in the center of it. I can make a drawing, if this is not clear. JohnM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: peter samolinski [peteski@charter.net] Subject: Anvil Anvil is going out?! Oh, woe is me! I just recently discovered them, and I did a set of T-34s in about 21/2 hours...wouldn't ya'know it? All too true, regrettably. The problem was that James's caster had to stop due to pressure of his "real" job and it would be too difficult and time-consuming to train up a replacement. The news was posted on Missing Links a few weeks ago, but although existing orders were being filled (mine is just about to go out), they were not accepting new ones. A great pity and I am very glad that I stocked up when I was in Melbourne last year. Hopefully someone else will take over production but I have not heard anything yet. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Michael Starmer [mike_starmer@hotmail.com] Subject: Guy wheeled tank The book "PHANTOM" by Philip Warner (Faber) states that six vehicles of the first production batch went to France with GHQ Liaison Regt. This supports John Rulton’s report. One of these cars is visible in the background of a photograph in this book. Another photograph appears on page 96 of "BLITZKRIEG IN THE WEST - THEN AND NOW" by J. P. Pallud (After the Battle 1991). As for colours, the following may provide some answers. In the Humber Armoured Car File at the RAC Museum the specification notes include a letter from the War Office to Guy Motors dated 1938. The specified finish is:- "Section 2. All outside surfaces to be two coats Deep Bronze Green No. 24 BS 381c". This has been crossed out and an updated amendment added changing the colour to Khaki Green No. 3 overall. The picture in Warner's book shows a car in a single very dark colour, appearing almost black whereas that in Blitzkrieg definitely displays two colour tones. It is therefore quite possible that some of the unit's cars did have the original colour while others carried the later specified scheme. From what may be seen on the photographs I would opt for overall semi-gloss Deep Bronze Green No. 24 or the two-toned Middle Bronze Green No. 23 (Khaki Green No.3) and Light Bronze Green No. 22 (Light Green No. 5. Other than the BEF squares no other markings are visible and indeed for security purposes none may have been carried. The white squares are painted on right front mudguard and left rear mudguard, both markings are aligned along the outer & lower edges, that on the turret being at bottom edge of the turret rear side plate about 9" from the rear edge, and presumably both sides. Hope this is useful. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: Michael Starmer [mike_starmer@hotmail.com] Subject: Matilda auxiliary fuel tank I too have never seen photographs of Matildas in the desert with these tanks. I believe that they are on the artwork as artistic licence! My son-in-law's late grandfather commanded a Matilda with 42 RTR from 1941 till 1943 in the desert. He told me that they only ever carried the fuel tank on exercises and transit journeys, NEVER in action. They were very susceptible to shell splinters and the muzzle blast from their own gun could create a nasty "own goal". The usual rear fitting was a low slung strip metal rack similar to that on the Cruisers. This carried water and oil in 4 gallon flimsies and provided a rail along which a canvas bivvy could be carried. A number of photographs show this and one of them shows a "Caunter" pattern painted over the canvas. Mike Starmer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Michael Starmer [mike_starmer@hotmail.com] Subject: Vacform Somua, Sherman and Ram As far as I an aware both Raretanks and Armtec products are now deleted. Unless you are a collector of such items, some 1/76 resin kits are available. Matador does a cast hull M4A1 conversion for the Airfix kit but it would still have the wrong transmission housing and bogie units. I could not recommend it. I know not of a Lee. The Ram was produced by a mate of mine under the name "Tandair", I helped with the master mould. It was produced as a vacformed conversion for the Airfix Grant, two versions on one sheet consisting of two hulls and turrets. It is simple moulding of the curved bits and needs some plastic sheet and detailed additions. However at least a resin kit is available from someone in at least two versions. Mike Starmer I have not seen the Matador M4A1 hull but if the nose of the Airfix M4 is replaced with one from Matchbox's M7 and the suspension with Matchbox M7 (for early bogies) or Matchbox M4A4 or Esci Sherman variants for late, you might be able to use it with Airfix's hull. I built an M4 a few years ago from Airfix's hull with Esci bogies, Fujimi turret modified to low bustle type and Matchbox M7 wheels and it looked OK. However, if Matador has designed its hull top to fit the Airfix turret, which is irretrievably small, you are in for a lot of work. Matchbox's Sherman VC turret can be backdated to a 75mm version as a better bet than carving up Fujimi';s 105mm, but at the time, I happened to have more of the latter ;-). Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Mike Cooper [coopmik1@hotmail.com] Subject: WW1 tank book Dear All First a quicky apology to anyone who has been waiting for copies of my IPMS WW1 tank articles. I've been off work and out of photocopier range, but I've started to get sent off. Now, David Fletcher is about to get a new book on WW1 Tanks published. "What a surprise" you say, "Mike interested in such things!" Title is The British Tanks 1915-1919, publisher is Crowwood, I think, and price is c.£19.95. So far Caliver Books and Warehouse Publications are both listing it, but Hannants, Barbarossa and co can also surely help. Review when I get mine! Mike Cooper Sunny Reading, UK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: Mike Cooper [coopmik1@hotmail.com] Subject: Softskin and narrow gauge colours Dear All Me again banging on about colours. Has anyone come up with anything that holds water about British lorry painting in WW1? By extension, does anyone know anything about horse-drawn wagons and narrow gauge locos and stock? My current best info is torn between greens confirmed in contemporary accounts for lorries and dark grey from secondary sources for wagons. Just wondered if anyone restoring anything had got back down as far as the base coat? Mike -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: Malcolm N. Waite [mw99@rapid.co.uk] Subject: Modern UK forces Hi The Modern British green/black; does anybody know if there are standard schemes? What about units do they use the same patterns or is it just down to the bloke doing the painting on the day? Malcolm Waite Liverpool UK From observation only, there does not appear to be a standard scheme as such (in the manner of the US 4- or 3-colour schemes) but the general principles set out in WW2 documents seem to be followed, such as breaking up hard lines such as around wheel arches and avoiding vertical demarcations. Perhaps someone with first hand experience can confirm or deny this? Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13) From: Listmaster Subject: AMPS 2001 I have just returned form a week in the US, visiting as many east coast sites as we could fit in, including Fort Knox, Fort Eustis, Quantico and Aberdeen and finishing up at the AMPS annual show in Maryland. All a very worthwhile visit and much in the way of good stuff to see, particularly as we got a sneak look at the sheds at Knox where the interesting stuff lives. At least it is under cover, unlike most of that at APG, where the elements are taking their toll and apparently much of the "mile of tanks" has been moved from the central reservation of the road because someone managed to drive his car into one and is now suing the museum for leaving them there. Much of it is lurking in a compound on the other side of the base. The Elefant has also been moved to a location on the other side of the railway lines where it stays following an abortive plan to restore it, which involved cutting through the plates joining the upper and lower superstructures, apparently to remove the top for rail transport. The AMPS show was excellent, with around 250 models on display and the standard similar to the best of the UK shows, although heavy duty scratchbuilding was less evident. It was my first exposure to the AMPS judging system, and although there were some things I would not be inclined to copy, there were others that are certainly worth consideration, such bas the use of gold, silver and bronze medals as opposed to 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. The Canadian contingent, with whom several evenings of ritual prayer and fasting were spent, generously contributed their ideas as to such matters, so maybe elements will find their way here as well ;-). Congratulations to Mark Hazzard who won a gold and bronze medal at Advanced level, Barbarossa Books who received the "Best new reference work" award for the T28 and T35 books and Ken Jones for his lifetime contribution award as editor of Military Modelling magazine. Thanks also to Mark and Andy for taking on the driving task in a country with (what seemed like only two roundabouts and to mark for his organisational efforts in arranging the trip. By the way, it is most definitely a bad idea to go away for ten days in the same week you move house! A return visit is definitely tempting for another year and next time our success in the McDonalds "Who wants to be a millionaire?" promotion will yield more than about ten dollars and assorted McDonalds comestibles for our 100% record of correct answers from 11 games ;-) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Clive Harman [cliveharman1@yahoo.com] Subject: Sale advert (2) The second surplus book from my Russian trade has arrived! Modern Tanks by B.S Safronov, Arsenal Press, Moscow Currently OOP - its an A4 H/B book.319pages contains details of modern tanks both Russian & other - lots of b/w pics & line drawings,plans & suspension layouts etc. Russian text. GBP£8.50 plus postage. I bought a lot of Russian books last year - I should have waited, these were cheaper.... If anyone is interested in a trade with Modelpoint barrels let me know, I am almost certainly going to have some unaccounted value on the books they are after. If you haven't heard of Modelpoint take a look at:- http://www.hyperscale.com/reviews01/modelpoint35barrelsreviewbg_1.htm Not fast but works out cheaper than any other source I have found. Clive -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Listmaster Subject: Next issue I am off on a trip to Normandy over the next weekend, so 73 will probably go out o the evening of 8th May. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Lockie (Think Tank Listmaster) Visit the Miniature AFV Association website at http://homepages.go.com/~mafva/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume