shelftanks

[Inbox] Messerschmitt Me-109 G-2 (HobbyBoss 1:72)

shelftanks — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:03:31 +0000

I keep collecting kits of aircraft models, used in the Bulgarian Royal Airforce during WW2. Til the last Christmas I missed a very remarkable type of Messerschmitt 109 – the G-2 type, such as the one, flown by Dimitar Spisarevski – the most famous Bulgarian WW2 pilot, who lost his life in a direct hit with a “Flying fortress” in the sky over Sofia.

The HobbyBoss kit is from the “easy kit” series. It contains two plates of light grey plastic, another two of clear plastic and separate details for the wings and fuselage. Decals are presented for two versions – VI.JG52, 1942, Russia and III.JG53, 1943, Tunisia. The instructions sheet is on gloss paper with colourful camouflage scheme.

As for details and quality of plastic, the kit is pretty neat. All parts are good engraved, there are no sprues or defects. The usual disadvantage of the “easy kit” series is the poor cockpit. It is cast in the fuselage and represents only the pilot seat.

Conclusion: Great kit for beginners and not only. I will love to build it into Bulgarian Airforce Messerschmitt “Strela”, flown by lt. Dimitar Spisarevski.

Sd. kfz.8 (12ton) Krupp Essen – walkaround

shelftanks — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:16:29 +0000

My first experience in modeling semi-track vehicle is going to end with a gallery of the only one preserved German semi-track towing vehicle, used in Bulgarian army - Sd. Kfz. 8 (12ton) now in decay in the yard of the National Museum of Military History. Probably this particular machine was captured from the SS Division “Prince Eugen” while fighting in Yugoslavia in late 1944.

It used to look like this years ago:

But now the sad reality is this:

Bulgarian Sd. Kfz.7 (8ton) – gallery

shelftanks — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:37:02 +0000

I found this rare picture of the vehicle from late after the war – on a military parade in socialist Bulgaria maybe in the 80′s. The inscription in the front says “TITAN” and on the left side “Praise the leaders!”. It looked like this:

Another picture from the war (but here I think it’s Sd. Kfz.8):

And the finished model:

Sd. Kfz. 7 in progress – part 3

shelftanks — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:55:36 +0000

So, as I said in my previous post, it was time for the tracks! Painted them in Humbrol’s tank grey. Then applied some water colors, and some tempera, as it was not enough to look like mud. While the tempera was still wet, I poured some rust (I keep in a little vial a pinch of real rust, which I collected from a rusty detail of a real tank T-34, so it couldn’t be more authentic) and the rust became dust. Yeah, a low-cost option, but for this moment I like it this way. Here are the pictures:

You may see also:

Inside the box of Sd. Kfz.7 (8ton) – Tamiya, 1/35

Sd. Kfz. 7 in progress – Part 1

Sd. Kfz. 7 in progress – Part 2

Sd. Kfz.7 in progress – Part 2

shelftanks — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:43:41 +0000

And then… after some paint covered the chassis, I was ready for the front pair of tyres and then the numerous wheels of the suspension.

As you may notice, I paint with brushes and this was really tough work – there are 30 wheel plates to be painted and weathered. Argh… It took me an evening and then a whole morning to finish this boring stuff but then the assembling was real fun.

And here we are… ready for the tracks.

Half of the vehicle, haha!

You may see also:

Inside the box of Sd. Kfz.7 (8ton) – Tamiya, 1/35

Sd. Kfz. 7 in progress – Part 1

Sd. kfz.7 in progress – Part 1

shelftanks — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:58:49 +0000

Well, I didn’t have patience and in the first days of the new year I started to build my semi-tracked towing vehicle. A number of Sd Kfz 7 were delivered to the Bulgarian army in 1943 (of the models Borgward HL m11 and Krauss-Maffei KM m11 models). Several were also captured after 1944, when Bulgaria was fighting the Wehrmacht in Serbia and Hungary.

Started with the little detailes – exhaust, transmission, etc. Painted the whole under surface in dark yellow and applied some coats of water colours – different shades of brown with some black.

Exhaust tube was painted with water colours and salt crystals to look like rust. Simple.

Inside the box of Sd. Kfz. 7 (8ton) – Tamiya 1:35

shelftanks — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:06:27 +0000

One of the greatest presents for my birthday in the last days of 2011 was the long-awaited Tamiya kit – Sd. Kfz. 7 (8 ton). Yeah, the kit with the whole company of 8 soldiers, blabbering and having fun in the towing vehicle.

The box is huge, as it must be for such a model. It contains three plates with details of beige styrene, the chassis and carriage on separate details, a small plate of rubber details for the wheels and the wheels themselves of hard black rubber. There is also a plate with figures of 8 soldiers and their armament, two vinyl tracks and the clear plastic of the front glass panel. Ah, yes, a metal bolt for the back suspension, two metal axles and the sheet with decals as well.

Advantages of the kit:

- The well-known excellent quality of Tamiya makes sure that the built process will be without problems and details will fit to eachother well.

- A nice assembly of different detail types – rubber tyres, metal axles…

- Attractive crew of 8 men, talking to each other in the vehicle (one of them is eating an apple, haha!)

- Very detailed transmission and chassis.

Disadvantages of the kit:

- Completely missing engine and other machinery under the hood. This is sad, because you can’t make the vehicle with open hood, showing an engine.

- All hatches of the baggage boxes are in closed position, so you can’t leave an open one for better looking.

- No equipment included (such as fuel barrels, cans, wooden boxes or other stuff, usually carried in the vehicle. Should find after market or try some scratch-build.

Conclusion: After all, a nice kit, relatively easy for average modellers, looking superb in every AFV collection! May be logically combined with 88 mm FLAK, towed behind the vehicle.

Mitsubishi A6M Zero – another diecast model

shelftanks — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:10:38 +0000

Happy new year everybody!

In the first days of 2012 I got another model from the die-cast collection “Fighter planes” just for fun. It comes from the land of the rising sun – Japan. The legendary “Zero”! It’s wonderful and I have it right here on my desk in the office. Have a look!

Later I’ll show you the birthday and Christmas presents

Arado 196 A-3 (Revell, 1/72)

shelftanks — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:59:57 +0000

Revell didn’t stop surprising me for the last year. After 2010′s boom with their astonishing kit of the legendary German float plane Arado 196 A-3 in the monstrous scale 1/32, this year they put forward the same dude in the more acceptable scale 1/72. I got both versions and it’s time to show them up…

The kits comes in 4 sprues of light grey plastic, relatively good detailed and engraved. It’s a bit thin and soft, but hopefully it won’t be a problem. The cockpit glass is in three parts, which is great. The decal sheet is detailed enough, typical for Revell.

I’m going to build Bulgarian float plane Arado from this kit. The only surviving example of this bird can be seen now in the aviation museum in Krumovo in very poor condition.

And the gallery:

Fokker Dr.I 1/72 (metal fuselage)

shelftanks — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:08:14 +0000

Got to boast ein bisschen

Look what I found on a news-stand – the legendary Fokker Dr. I, flewn by Manfred von Richthofen, Der Rote Baron! Obviously, there is a series of diecast models of battle aircraft and this first issue was the Fokker. Just for EUR 1.50!