Stug IV Vs T-34. Kirovograd 1943.

By Francis Lee

Models:
Academy Stug IV
Tamiya T-34/85
ESCI figures

Happy New Year to everyone!

During Christmas day, I built up this diorama. Without a heater at home, the recent cold weather of 8-10c in Hong Kong. (It is already COLD temp. here.) it brings me the mood to make a winter snow diorama. I try to call back my feeling of snow which was 2009, december. I was in Rovaniemi, Finland.

Start with layers and layers of toilet paper to create the slopes on a base board, I poured a layer of gesso paste (I brought it at art material shop), after it dry out I sprinkled alot of gypsum power and spreaded it smooth by a tiny tea spoon. Finally I place the tanks and figures there.
I try not to sneeze or I will blow my snow away! Please let me know if you have better way to make it! And I am sure you guys have it!

Beside, I this is my first time to use the Tamiya zimmerit coating applicator, my feeling of it is fine, but I guess a pack of handsaw blades may work the same but cheaper than the Tamiya, and this time I try not to use the epoxy putty to make the zimmerit but using a very common office stationary of "Blu tack" or "Bostik ". They are soft enough for me to apply the texture and it gets harden after I painted on it. Although it wont as hard as putty but it is still OK.


Video of this diorama:

Academy 1/48 MH-6 Attack Helicopter

by Kasper Fischer

This small scout chopper was an really easy and fast build. The Academy kit is an old but very good kit and I can only say good things about it. It is very cheap and Academy has a lot of different versions available. Every thing comes together very well and no real problems worth mentioning. I still have some problems dealing with the clear parts but that's what this is all about. Practice...

Academy 1/48 MH-6 Attack Helicopter

by Kasper Fischer

It feels awesome to be back in the workshop and I'm almost done with the next project.

I started the next project straight away and I will properly complete it tomorrow. It's a small 1/48 scale black attack helicopter from Academy. A really easy model without too many problems, though it seems I really got some issues with the clear parts in general. When I have done this one I will move straight on to my Apache so this little scout chopper was execellent practice. I am really looking forward to the Longbow...

PBY4 Catalina Flying Boat 1/72 scale

by Dusan Lekic




Produced by Consolidated Aircraft PBY "Catalina" was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of WWII. "Catalina" were deployed in practically all of the operational theatres of World War II, PBYs were used in patrol bombing, anti submarine, escort and search and rescue missions.

This version PBY-4 was the last of the early versions powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-72 (1050hp) Twin Wasp engines, with new propeller spinners, blisters over waist guns (later units).
Only 33 where built by order (including one initial as a XBPY-4 which later became the XBPY-5A).

This is my model of PBY4 Catalina Flying Boat in 1/72 scale by Academy.

This model is 99% out of the box, and painted with (US WWII standard) gunze colors, to represent Catalina in the Philippines.