Tiger tanks in 1/35 scale

by Aaron Weidenkeller

I show you two Tiger tanks in 1/35 scale from AFV-Club and Dragon.

 

 

 

 

New episode from Warfare in Scale

by Kasper Fischer

It's time for a brand new episode of Warfare in Scale. This time Juan Carlos Carmona takes a look at the new beast from Meng Models. I am of cause talking about the British A39 Tortoise Heavy Assault Tank, Meng released a few month ago. The kit looks great and I'm sure a lot of people will have to get this machine on their worktable. I know I got to try it.

Juan Carlos makes a great little diorama and gives you some inspiration for your own build. Enjoy the show, fellows.

Les Allemands sont arrivés

by Dino Krafczyk

 

This is my latest diorama, called "Les Allemands sont arrivés" and it shows a Panzer II of the 7th Panzerdivision in France, 1940. Actually, what you see in the pictures is just a test fitting. The figures are fixed with blu tack and there are some minor touch ups to do. I also think about adding a few details, like a number at the door, some signposts, maybe a poster on the wall.
The test pics I shot came out so well that I decided to show them to you. But if you spot a little blu tack on the figure's feet or some flaws, it's okay, I'm aware of that..  ;)

Some time ago I bought the Alan model of a Panzer II Ausf.C. It was one of the rather unpleasant building experiences. Parts wouldn't fit too well, some parts, like the hooks that are located all over the vehicle, were detailed on one side, but completely flat on the other, the decals would break very easily, a LOT of flash and distorted parts, the individual track links that came with the model would not fit on the road wheels - either the road wheels are too thick or the space between the two rows of "teeth" on the tracks is too narrow - and other little annoyances tested my nerves.

Some modellers actually like that situation, because they love to fix, correct and scratchbuild a poor model into a good one or modify just any model they can get their hands on, I'm not like that! I try to fix the flaws with a good paintjob and weathering. I love to build my models out of the box, without spending lots of money on aftermarket products that are, imho, WAY too expensive. And, by building OOB, I try to boycott that.  It's probably some sort of rebellious spirit that drives me.. But don't get me wrong: if I just discribed your philosophy, please, don't be offended. If you like to add value to your model with expensive aftermarket products and you're happy with it - fine! It's just not my philosophy..  ;D

Anyway, my attempt to build the Panzer strictly OOB failed because of the weapon barrels. They simply weren't usable. Not only were the parts distorted beyond all means, the 2cm cannon barrel also wasn't correct for an Ausf. C. So I spent a few bucks and bought a metal barrel for the 2cm cannon, the MG34 barrel came from the spares box.

After a lot of patience, filling, sanding, painting and dusting with MIG pigments, the end result actually looks quite pleasing, I think.
I decided that my Panzer II would have been in use during the "Blitzkrieg" campaign in France and I thought of a little scene with the gunner and the tank commander checking their maps on their way to Dunkerque. (Figures by Dragon)

An old farmer stands in front of the door to his property, the wall surrounding it and the power pole already showing signs of destruction from the "Blitz". The cruelties of the last world war still fresh in his mind, he looks at the German soldiers and he might think, what I chose to be the title of the diorama: "Les Allemands sont arrivés", the Germans have arrived. But look at his face! Is there a smirk?! Or might he think something else, including words like "merde" and "bâtards", who knows?!?  ;)
(Figure by MasterBox)

The diorama basis is a complete, vacu formed set by Mini Art (Wall with base, item nr.36035), I added some rubble, some grass and the fence and power pole are from a Tamiya set. I used enamels from Revell for the painting and artist oils for washings and wooden parts. An old tyre from the spares box gives some life to the backside of the wall. The boards are the unevitable wooden sticks you can scrounge at a major fast food restaurant..  ;)

The tarp that is draped over the tyre was made from tissue paper soaked with diluted white glue. When still wet, it will attach to any surface and will look very much like cloth. When dry, it's almost as solid as thin styrene and can be painted and weathered. Looks convincing, doesn't it?!

Well, that's it for this time. I hope you like what you see. Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome.

Cheers  :)

New plastic infantry from Battlefront

by Kasper Fischer

Battlefront have finally decided to step out of the dark ages and are about to release a range of plastic miniatures to replace the oldschool white metal. I have been waiting for this for quite some time because my mind really had problems dealing with the oversized proportions the metal ones provided.
On the battlefront website they have just posted these pictures from the first box set and I'm very impressed how they look and if the price is somewhat compatible with the PSC infantry set, I will certainly be making a permanent switch.

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Albatros DV (1/32 ) by Keld Kofoed Hansen.

We often share our users pictures on Facebook and greatly appreciates, when people post their work on our page. Last night we asked if you guys had done any dioramas for your aircraft and Keld Kofoed Hansen, from Denmark, responded with these wonderful WWI fighters. Keld is not sure weather they qualifies as dioramas and neither are we but it really doesn't matter.
The quality of, not only the model work but also the pictures, have really impressed us and since we have an almost completely different audience here on the website, we have decided to show the rest of you too.

-Kasper

SE5a also in 32nd scale.

"Stalingrad Station" diorama in 1/35 scale

by Michael Rieß

This diorama shows a fierce fighting scene during the battle of Stalingrad in 1942.
The Panzer III J is from Dragon, the figures are from Masterbox. The water pump is a resin model by Plus Model and the railway tracks are from Trumpeter.
I made the debris by my own using pieces of a smashed brick stone and plaster.

1/72 Ural 4320 w KS-2573 - Diorama of the Day

What a brilliant idea! I really think this is a very creative way to make an attractive looking diorama. The piece was made by Péter Horváth from Cobra Modelling Club and yes it's the same guy who made the Saipan Beach Sherman, we have featured on our channel.

Great going Péter and we are looking forward to see what else comes out of your workshop, in the future. 

-Kasper

1/100 scale German Infantry from Wargames Factory

by Kasper Fischer

In my quest to find suitable plastic infantry for my Flames of War army, I have come across this box from Wargames Factory. The kit has a lot of problems, as I explain in the video but it's still a very good subliment to the infantry box set from Plastic Soldier Company. I'm really looking forward to put these guys on the battlefield along my other soldiers.

The Coast Line RR - Diorama of the Day

Yesterday I shared some pictures from this amazing Swedish model railroad on our Facebook page and I realized how long it has been since I showed you guys anything from that corner of the hobby. My bad and I'm going to make due for that right now.

Troels Kirk is a big model railroad fan and have been into the hobby for a long time. He is also a extraordinary model builder and his layout really shows. I'm really amazed by all the beautiful scenes he has created on the railroad and I only wish I could get an overview of the full size of the layout. Check out the cool pictures and see what you think. If you wish to see more, please visit the layout, either on Facebook or on YouTube.

-Kasper Fischer

Crossing the bridge over troubled waters.

A well hidden aircraft for the pioneers.

Dock side at the train station.

Plastic Soldier Company review

by Kasper Fischer

I do not have a lot of money for my hobbies and the official figures and miniatures for Flames of War are very expensive so I spend a lot of time searching the market to find cheap alternative on the internet. If Plastic Soldier and Zvezda hadn't released their range of cheap plastic vehicles and soldiers, I properly wouldn't have gotten into the game at all. I have a lot of different model hobbies and I really didn't need another expense but looking at gameplay videos on YouTube, I just knew it was my kind of game. I am now about 8 months deep and I'm slowly learning my way around the game.

Another aspect that wasn't really to my liking was/is the proportions of the figures and the details of the vehicles and tanks. I don't like how all the details has been exaggerated. Sometimes the figures heads are as big as their torsos. It don't really matter for the game but as a model builder, it's very hard to accept. Luckily the releases from PSC, Zvezda and WGF doesn't suffer from the same issues.

Most the alternative companies has focused on the late war German side so I have decided to start here as well. I really want to play a mechanized list but it wasn't possible with the miniatures available. The infantry set from PSC can form the basic, even though they are in regular Wehrmacht uniforms and the PSC halftracks can support it but there were no weapons options. Everybody that has seen the German army lists know how impossible it is to make a infantry list, without Panzer Schreck's and Faust's, heavy machine-guns and mortars.

These new releases from PSC really closes this gap and finally provides most the units needed for a mechanized army and I am getting started on building my army. So far I have been playing a straight Panzer list and I'm really looking forward to some variation.

Compared with all the resin and metal models I have seen through time, I really like the plastic kits and I will choose plastic every time the choice presents itself. No doubt. It's a cheap, light and durable product. It's also very easy to manipulate and I'm use to working with it so I'm sticking with plastic.

The first video is a close look at the new conversion kit for the German Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack. I really like the idea behind this kit and I think it's a really good idea to make it as a conversion, instead of making a new kit for every variation of the vehicle. The detailing and the manual is a problem though but you can see that in my review.

The second video is a look at the heavy weapon set. I made this video some time ago but I haven't presented on the website before now. I really hadn't anything to ad so I thought I'd leave it on YouTube but since I also have made the other review, I thought I would post them together.

I think the infantry from PSC are the best on the market and I highly recommend both the Russians and the Germans. I really like the sculpts and I especially appreciates the "true" proportions of the figures. I have tested in game and they are very hard to break. I have dropped them several times and I don't have any issues at all. I would have liked if they had Panzer Grenadier uniforms but I can live with that.

The Rock Island - Diorama of the Day

This wonderful piece is one of  Takanori Aiba amazing creations and I am completely in awe after seeing his work. I'm not sure how to categorise his pieces though. Is this conceptional art or advanced modelling? It really doesn't matter what it is because it's truly fantastic to see all the details in the diorama.

Takanori Aiba has done many pieces like this one and have won many awards over the years. He has always been into modelling, especially railroad, and I invite you all to check out his website.

-Kasper

HM Cutter Alert - Diorama of the Day

"Alert" 1/48 scale scratch build diorama by Kazunobu Shirai.

All men on deck! The HM Cutter is in a very dangerous position in the hard storm and the crew needs to be alert.

I love when model builders are creating a story line in their pieces and this amazing diorama from Kazunobu Shirai is a perfect example of this. Not only is it a stunning model but Kazunobu truly shows he understand the sea and I have received information from a good friend and a professional seaman, that the sea and the ships positioning is very realistic depicted.

The model itself is not less impressive. The HM Cutter is a 1/48 scale model and is completely scratch build and hand crafted. The rigging looks great and the whole model just looks so damn good. Most the figures are converted from Tamiya German soldiers but it really don't show. I will be stopping by his website in the future to see what goes on in Kazunobu Shirai's workshop. If you want to see more of these beautiful ship models, please follow this link...

-Kasper

1/35 KV II

by Aaron Weidenkeller