From: Think Tank Subject: Think Tank Vol.0100 01/12/2001 Think.tank@tesco.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS' INDEX 1: Revell Cromwell 2: Window cleaning 3: Premo 1/87th tanks 4: Syrian Pz IVs 5: Wheels and Tracks 6: Finnish KV-1 air intakes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: Daniel Taylor [d-taylor@dircon.co.uk] Subject: Revell Cromwell Hi All I thought a few musings on Revell's new Cromwell might be of interest to anyone thinking of getting one. I cannot think of a model that I have more eagerly anticipated. The Cromwell is a vehicle I've modelled a number of times ranging from a conversion of the old Matchbox Comet through to scratchbuilds based on the plans by Dick Harley. I thought I'd done a pretty good job. Until I built this kit. Scale Being an ardent 4 mil modeller, there is a tendency to write off 1/72 efforts as too bulky. The good news is that it fits the 1/76 bracket rather well. In length and height it is within 1mm of Dick Harley's plans. The width is over by about 2.5mm and, so far as I can see all of that is in the hull, the track guards being spot on. That being said, the shape looks better from the front than my own scratchbuild, when compared to photographs of the real thing, so I am beginning to doubt my own build. The wheels are all spot on for 1/76 (incidentally, I do not have access to my HMSO book on the Cromwell, how many teeth should the drive sprocket have?). They might have compromised in order to fit the individual track links to go round it. The turret is correct for 1/76 height and approximate length/width dimensions although the angles do not appear to be quite right from the plan view. This is not noticeable if it is not sitting on top of the plans so no need to lose sleep. Pros This list could be quite lengthy so I have cut it down to the best bits. The detail is exquisite. The nicest example are the small, triangular plates for the keyholes on the engine plates. The whole thing, though, is beautifully rendered and slots together with barely a reference to any sanding materials. The tools, though moulded in, are intricate and accurate. Hell, even the inspection plates on the bottom are all there! It took about an hour to build everything but the running gear, which is stuck together awaiting attachment, and the tracks - link and length, easy. I can't remember having taken so little time to get a tank to this stage (I usually reckon in months as opposed to hours for something that looks this good). Cons Err... It is fairly churlish to complain. I would like to measure a Cromwell myself before questioning that width thing too much. My main problem with the model is that it is so good that, when you convert to another mark, the standard of your conversion will have to be really high to match the rest of the model. Scratching around for something, the gun has been fitted to the sprue in such a way that the marks are on the top surface of the barrel. A bit of work will be needed to fix it. The brush guards for the lights are a bit heavy but then wire will fix that. Quick eulogy I like it. The cupola is moulded integrally which is a shame because I would like to pinch it for a Churchill. Save for the cupola, the hatches are closed but they have to leave proper modellers something to do I suppose. Revell I used to shy away from Revell kits. In the 70s and 80s there were a number of fairly dire examples, some of which have survived to today. Of late, though, they seem to be turning out some excellent kits at very good prices. The Cromwell appears to retail for under a fiver which is very fair. Someone I spoke to said, a little dismissively, of the kit that it was pantographed down from the Tamiya model. If so, they have done quite a lot of work adapting it for the scale and so should be applauded anyway. From photographs in the HMSO tome, there should be 20 teeth on the sprockets of an A27. I do not recall if the pitch of the track (and thus the number of sprocket teeth) changed when the wider track was introduced, but I do not recall reading anywhere that it did. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: Daniel Taylor [d-taylor@dircon.co.uk] Subject: Window cleaning Jon Barker asked about cleaning model windows. Assuming that you can't remove the offending pane and replace it with clear plastic, you should raid some female's pedicure set. She might have a multi-way buffing board which is designed for doing the same job on her finger nails, I understand. The glorified nail file is split into sections of differing qualities of 'wet and dry' paper attached to a slightly flexible bit of board. The course one will remove the paint, leaving lots of scratches. the medium one (sometimes two) remove most of the scratches. A very fine one brings it back to a clear transparency. Use water to lubricate for best results. For recessed areas that are difficult to get into, I cut up the board into appropriate sizes that give a little working room within the shape. I then blame the disappearance of the board on my three year old son. He might need to be bribed to continue to carry the can. If you do not have a child, a pet will do. If you do not have a female, try picking one up at a local supermarket. Dan Taylor I have some plastic polish, made by Bare Metal, that I acquired when in the US in 1997 (then, having forgotten the fact, I got some more when in Kentucky this year…). The heretics who swear allegiance to the winged devices that some modellers build seem to find this useful for the polishing of canopies once the scratches etc. have been removed with such abrasives. Needless to say, I have never used mine… Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: Malcolm N. Waite [mw99@rapid.co.uk] Subject: Premo 1/87th tanks Hi Has anybody ever come across a range of models from Russia called Premo in 1/87th? They come ready assembled and have a "Minitanks" look about them even down to the colour of the plastic. I got a few T-28s and T-35s several years ago, and I want a few more. Help Malcolm I have never seen them but Cookie Sewell mentioned in a review of the Heiser’s 1/87 Sherman kits in a recent (36/1) AFV News that the Premo range is now totally marketed by ROCO. My suggestion would be to seek out the ROCO importer and enquire there. Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: cdward [cdward@supanet.com] Subject: Syrian Pz IVs Not really my thing, but have fished out the Mil Mod article you mentioned by Bob Fleming in Vol 27 No 19 Dec 1997 (does anyone do a Mil Mod Index?). Photos are from Mark Hazzard, an obvious source of info for Israeli items, but not sure he a member of Think Tank (or even on email). Brief summary is as follows: 87581 Tel El Aziziat ex-Czech ? Nuheillah ex-Spanish 84553 Latrun ex-Spanish (or ex-French) 84683 Latrun ex-Czech 85575 America? 83558 Latrun ex-Spanish ? Batei Haosef ex-Czech Bob suggests French tyres might be wartime manufacture as at least half the tracks were made there. Thus French connection may be a red herring. Will Ward I am producing an MS Excel index of all the interesting (i.e. interesting to me) articles in all my magazines, although I do not have a full set of Mil. Mod or anything else as not every issue passes my contents/price test. I do recall posting a request here for help with the ones I am missing a whole ago but was met by a deafening silence…. Anyway, the military entries now amount to c.1200 lines so I find it handy. Scale Models used to do an annual index but it was catalogued in a way that was not as helpful as I would like and obviously you still have to leaf through dozens of years’ worth of indices. I think the APMA website has something on it but unfortunately Mil Mod’s website itself does not. Maybe suggest it to Ken and see how hard he punches you! Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: cdward [cdward@supanet.com] Subject: Wheels and Tracks If you were like me and didn't pick up on the value of Wheels and Tracks until late on, you may be interested in their current special offer of the complete set (75) for £75 (p&p included!). Not a total giveaway, but was cheaper for me than buying those I needed to complete the set - at £3 plus each. Delivery was within 48 hours. Will Ward -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: Listmaster Subject: Finnish KV-1 air intakes Can anyone who has visited Parola and photographed or examined the KV-1 z. ekranami (the one with all the bolted armour additions) please confirm how the Finns rebuilt the air intakes on the engine decks? It is apparent from those photographs I have see, and also the plans in a Finnish IPMS magazine, that the Soviet mesh effort was replaced with a design which was lower at the front and which appears to have a series of longitudinal bars instead of mesh. However, I am unclear as to the exact configuration and specifically, whether the ‘bars’ are really bars or actually horizontal slats. Thanks Robert -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert Lockie (Think Tank Listmaster) Back issues of Think Tank (thanks to Shane Jenkins) can be found at: http://www.tac.com.au/~sljenkins/thinktank/thinktank.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume