BMP-2 BATTLEFIELD TAXI (UKRAINE)

This kit was made for the AK's Tanker magazine. You can find there the article with step by step pictures.

  

Nuclear Blast saga

The 4 models build for my friend connected in the same S-F background. All of them were puublished in Military Modelcraft International and Steel Art.

vol.1 - JS-3

 vol.2 Object 279

vol.3 Jagdtiger

vol.4 Object 704

PZ.KPFW. IV Ausf.G - GYPSY CARAVAN

The Pz.Kpfw. IV in all its variants was used by German Panzerwaffe to the end of Second World War. The historican called it “war horse” and their statement is true - this is why they are so common view in the pictures taken those days. I love to look at Panzerwrecks books to find some interesting displays and inspirations for my kits but this time it was quite easy to invent the basic state of the model because earlier I had the idea to prepare the tank with huge amount of additional stuff which was collected by the crew during their service. Moreover I love the loaded vehicles where the viewer can look at the signs of life and find traces of everyday use.

I planned to rebuild the F2 version into G with the schurzens around the turret and the hull. I did not care if that configuration really existed – my aim was to prepare good-looking kit, so called “eye-catcher” where all details could not be visible for the first time.  I wanted to paint it dark grey with yellow blocks with worn, sandy side shields sprayed with brown and green stripes. As you can see I change a little my plans and the kit has yellow basecoat the rest was unchanged.

 “Gypsy Caravan”… Hmm… I have the picture in my mind where overloaded wagon with tired horses is slowly rolling on the muddy road– fits perfectly! Is a good name for such equipped vehicle. It seems to me that someone use this name before but I do not remember who it was and for what kit he used it.

The best IV’s kits are produced by Dragon company. They are very good detailed and the box is full of parts and other useful stuff. However I had a lot of aftermarkets parts which I bought before the building stage started. 

Here they are:

-      PE parts – Voyager PE 35141 (very nice set but some of the parts are unnecessary and the builder can left them in the frame);

-      fenders – Voyager PE 35145 (they are great addition if you need to damage them, otherwise use the plastic ones);

-        side skirts and turret skirts – Aber 35A18 and 35A06 (highly detailed sets, the hinges can be workable);

-        towing cables – Eureka XXL ER-3505 (they are my favourite products; for everyone who do not know, they are made in Poland);

-        antenna rod – RB Model 35A02 (the next Polish company who conquer the model market with their high quality products);

-        tracks - Friulmodel ATL-04 (the metal links which perfectly fit to the wheels).

Because of big amount of the parts the building was not the walk through the park – the kit consist about 650 pieces and also the PE sets were extremely packed with the elements. So it took almost 20 days to build the kit and prepare it to the painting.

This kit was published in Military Modelcraft International and Steel Masters Thematique.

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Buffalo 6x6 MPCV (2004-2006 Production)

My latest published kit - you can find the full article in Abrams Squad #9!

 

Animal Killer

Why I have built this kit? Well, the reason was quite simple – I received it from my friend! Hahaha, seriously! But after it had arrived, I launched the Internet to find some interesting bases as a painting guide. Of course “SU” is not so popular as “ISU” so I found that it is a problem. The main point was not to build next green frog with communistic slogans but create something interesting drawing from ISU subject.

So, there were two possibilities for me – green with winter white wash or 4-tonned camo which is well known from Adam’s Wilder work he did with his ISU and there are pictures from the war period that shows those beasts painting in that manner. I found two shots where they are clearly visible.

Not sophisticated enough… I mixed both ideas. Unique camo with worn white camo. Tasty!

From the beginning I knew that I need to focus on the white areas of the tank to create the different volume on each segments. I planned to use standard hairspray technique and oil paints to make it. Moreover the colorful camo base intended to be not completely, which means I would like to cover only the sides and front of crew compartment and the gun barrel. On the top only small parts of color block could appear.

The second idea was to make some damages. Lets imagine that the tank took some shots on its right front side – there are traces of those hits and the most visible is lack of two road wheels. It is a bit controversial but I like when my kits provocate to discussion. The most important is the balance – the kit is tilted to the left side!

The third idea was to bring the realism to the kit. I found nice picture of “ISU” where it is shown from the rear left and several empty shells are lying on the engine deck. It was very inspirational so I decided to use it on my kit.

The forth was to use metal tracks from Friulmodel to prepare natural sack of them. There are hundreds of war pictures where soviets heavy tanks have tracks longer that they need. I like this effects so why not to use it?

SU -152 was a Soviet self-propelled heavy howitzer used by Red Army during World War II. As a base KV-1S heavy tank chassis was used and it carried 152 mm gun-howitzer. SU was a predecessor of the famous ISU-152. The vehicles assigned to heavy artillery regiments – in the beginning they consisted of 12 tanks and later their number raised to 21. They started the service in February of 1943. For the first time they were used during the Kursk Battle where they fought with Panthers, Tigers and Ferdinands. Because of their role and capability of knocking out the Germans tanks, they were called Zveroboy which means “animal killer”.  The Soviet propaganda used this name very quickly. In the following months they were replaced by ISU-152.

Today we can find only 3 (from 700 vehicles produced) – 2 of them are in Poland and 1 in Russia

I built this model from Bronco set. It consists of typical Bronco’s plastic trees with parts (the detailed fighting compartment included) PE parts, clear parts for periscopes, individual track links (they can be movable), decals and the instruction.

I had the possibility to change some of the parts for aftermarket products, so here they are:

- Friulmodel tracks ATL-10

- RB Model gun barrel 35B63, shells 35P16 and DSHK 35B122

- Eureka XXL towing cables ER-3542, ER-3502

- Miniart ammo 35076

- Plus Model Loudspeakers 223

- Aber side fuel tanks  35A46

- Tamiya fuel barrel 35186

 

The kit was published in Military Modelcraft International (September 2014) and Hobbyworld (164).

 

SYRIAN STREET FIGHTER - BMP-1

My story of the Syrian BMP-1 started when I saw the picture of this up-armoured with old tires and sandbags vehicle. Wow! It was an awesome idea to build an interesting model. With hundreds pictures of Syrian BMPs this one presented itself as the most intriguing and was a typical eye-catcher. 

I completed the quite big box of additional parts:

1. The tires – a few tires from my old kits and Miniart 35099 set with GAZ-AA wheels;
2. Friulmodel tracks ATL-133;
3. The road wheels – Panzer Art RE 35-188. They are totally detailed and well casted and I was smashed by their quality; 
4. E.T. Model photoetched parts no. E35-170;
5. The towing cables Eureka XXL ER-3537;
6. The antenna mount with rod from RB Model;
7. SKP 194 lenses – they are very nice parts and it is a pity that you cannot see it well.

   

The articles with full S-B-S can be found in: