AFV Edition - November ‘22 134 Military Illustrated Modeller

military illustrated

134
modeller

ISSUE
AFV Edition - November 2022

SAIPAN
Sherman gets upgraded to Saipan spec
Dragon’s 1:35 United States Marine Corps M4A2
SURVIVER
military illustrated

modeller

AFV edition
£6.95 - November 22 (issue 134)
FREE GIFT 180maskingmetrestape!of

Concentration camp liberation diorama, AFV Club M35A2 truck, Pz.II ausf. J diorama, Pz.II ausf. F reference images, plus news, reviews and much more...
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 modeller
military illustrated

Contents ISSUE No.134 November 2022

4 NEWS
Military modelling news
28
8 WINTER OF DISCONTENT
A chilly-looking 1:35 street scene with the Alan
Hobby Pz.II ausf.J

16 ICE COLD IN AIRFIX

Airfix’s Austin K2/Y ambulance, previewed

18 FREEDOM’S EMBRACE
Daniel Buchmeier constructs a highly evocative
Holocaust scene in 1:35

26 LATE-WAR LEVELLER
Tamiya’s all new WW2 British A34 Comet Cruiser
Tank, previewed

COVER STORY
28 SAIPAN SURVIVER
Upgrading Dragon’s 1:35 USMC Sherman to
Saipan-spec

38 ONE CAREFUL OWNER

An atmospheric and well-known scene from the
Battle of Normandy, 1944

40 PANZERKAMPFWAGEN II
18 AUSF.F
Photo-references for the Panzer II ausf.F

54 ORDNANCE DEPOT
New and recently released accessory sets and
modelling materials

52 REFORGER REFINED
AFV Club’s ageing but excellent M35A2 US,
up-detailed

60 US 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION

IN NORMANDY
An action-filled photo, July 26th, 1944, Battle of
Normandy

60 BOOK REVIEWS
Military modelling-related book reviews

66 SIGN OFF
Refreshments in Colleville
sur Mer, Normandy,

52

AFV Edition 3
 THIS MONTH IN TAMIYA MODEL MAGAZINE...

News In the November 2022 Issue (325) of Tamiya Model Magazine we have an
impressive conversion of Tamiya’s 1:35 BT-7 tank to the howitzer version.
Check it out! www.doolittlemedia.com

NEWS JUST IN... • NEW FROM AFV CLUB

1:35 US ARMY M110 HOWITZER
The heavy-hitting 203mm mobile howitzer is an iconic
vehicle of the Vietnam War era comes to kit-form thanks
to AFV Club. Expect masses of detail.
www.bachmann.co.uk

AFV CLUB
- 1:35 Aluminium PGK Series 155mm
artillery shells
- 1:35 Aluminium M1122 & M454
155mm artillery shells
- 1:35 Centurion Hush Puppy tracks
- 1:35 M1126 Stryker CROWS-J
- 1:35 Royal Engineers
modern pipe fascine
- 1:35 AAWS-M FGM-
148 Javelin
bachmann.co.uk

• COMING SOON FROM TAMIYA • NEW FROM AFV CLUB

MODELING BRUSH HGII X3 1:35 CENTURION AVRE
These three brushes are of The latest iteration of AFV Club's
extremely high quality and are superb 1:35 Centurion is the 'AVRE',
ideal for painting very fine details. or Armoured Vehicle, Royal Engineers.
www.hobbyco.net www.bachmann.co.uk
RFM
- 1:35 Leopard 2 A6
with full interior
tigerhobbies.co.uk

• COMING SOON FROM BORDER MODEL

TAKOM 1:35 AEV-3 PIONIERPANZER '2 IN 1'
- 1:35 Imperial Japanese 150 ton super The mighty AEV-3 Kodiak is an armoured
heavy tank engineering vehicle based on the modern
- 1:16 Kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen I German Leopard 2 main battle tank and
- 1:16 Panzerjäger IB Border's kit is sure to be spectacular!
bachmann.co.uk tigerhobbies.co.uk

• NEW FROM FAT FROG

1:35 M18 HELLCAT DETAIL SETS
Tamiya's superb 1:35 M18 Hellcat kit can
be upgraded with a set of new, 3D-printed
headlight guards, turret hangers and
engine-deck grilles thanks to Fat Frog.
www.hobbyeasy.com
• B & L SCALE MODELS
• COMING SOON FROM FAT FROG These 3D-printed figures and accessories
1:35 SLATTED MESH SIDE/REAR PLATFORMS for Vietnam War subjects are made in
FOR SD.KFZ.7/2 Vietnam and look spot on for the era.
These impressive parts are 3D-printed for the 1:35 More details soon.
WW2 German anti-aircraft halftrack and provide Availability tbc; search Facebook for
some magnificent detail. www.hobbyeasy.com ETA Models for more details

• ON THE WAY FROM KINETIC

1:35 US LAW ENFORCEMENT CARRIER
The International MaxxPro MRAP can now be seen
roaming the streets of the USA on police duty and it
looks even more intimidating in overall matt black!
Expect a highly detailed production.
www.luckymodel.com

• NEW FROM EDUARD • NEW FROM PANZER ART

1:35 SD.KFZ.167 STUG.IV 1:35 WW2 BRITISH TANK CREW
PHOTO-ETCH Polish detail-meisters Panzer Art have
Designed for Rye Field Model's recently created this pair of WW2 British
recent kit and provide some tankers in resin and they look superb!
essential detail tweaks. www.panzerart.pl
creativemodels.co.uk eduard.com

4 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

The World’s Greatest Model Show
Brought to you by The International Plastic Modellers Society (UK)

(It’s our 60th Anniversary in 2023!)

Incorporating the IPMS (UK) Nationa

l Competition
Traders Galore!
Fabulous Model Display
Displays

Join us at
The International Centre Telford Shropshire TF3 4JH
Saturday Sunday
th th
12 November 2022 13 November 2022
Open: 10.00am to 6.00pm Open: 10.00am to 4.00pm
Admission: Adults £17.00 (+ £2.30 booking fee) Admission: Adults £14.00 (+ £2.30 booking fee)
Accompanied under 16s go FREE (up to 2 children per full-paying adult)
No tickets on sale at the door. Advance ticket sales are now available from: ipmsuk.org/ipms-scale-modelworld/

IPMS Members get FREE Admission and Early Entry each day
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 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR DIORAMA ALAN HOBBY 1:35 PANZER II AUSF J (VK 1601) • KIT NO.016

8 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

WINTER OF
DISCONTENT
Takahiro Sumitomo creates a chilly-looking street
scene with the old Alan Hobby Pz.II ausf.J in 1:35

AFV Edition 9
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR DIORAMA ALAN HOBBY 1:35 PANZER II AUSF J (VK 1601) • KIT NO.016

T
his time, I made a small vignette using Alan
Hobby's Pz.II ausf. J tank. I've always wanted
to build this vehicle; Alan Hobby has been
making kits of rare vehicles for a long time,
and I've made a lot of them. The models are not
particularly difficult to assemble and I was able
to build it up with ease, however, I couldn't get
the tracks to come together very well, so I had to
modify them for a proper fit. Stowage is from by
Value Gear.

VEHICLE PAINT
I used Tamiya Lacquer Light Sand (LP-30) as the
base colour for the Pz.II, and for its camouflage
I used Mr. Color Olive Drab for the green and
Tamiya Lacquer Brown (JGSDF) LP-25 for the
brown. I painted the tracks and steel tools with
Weathered Black (UA723) from Lifecolor's 'Railway
Weathering' set. The rubber part of the wheel
was finished with AK interactive Rubber Black I made the building with styrene board and cork sheet. I made it with zero planning, so it was full of corrections, but it took shape in a day
and a half. The bricks were also chopped freehand and cut appropriately, the notches in the bricks carved freehand. The fittings are from
(AK1027). I used the decals from the kit as they MiniArt. Above right; I made the base board from things from my usual 100-yen store (Seria). An accessory case and a photo frame for the
are, but the small cross on the side of the turret grand total of 200 yen!
comes from a Dragon model. For the weathering
and chipping I used AK Interactive's Chip Colour
and VIC hobby (white). I didn't colour-wash it all
over, it was more like a pin-wash, but I used AK
Interactive's streaking grime and Mr Weathering
Color's White Dust to form surface dirt.
I used Mr. Weathering Color 'Sandy Wash'
for the dirt on the tracks and running gear. The
headlight was coated with Vallejo silver on the
inside and filled with light curing resin to create
the lens. I applied fine scratches with oil paint
and rubbed the edges with a pencil. Work was
completed by correcting the areas where the
colour-washing was forgotten and any zones where
there was a sense of incongruity.

FIGURES COMPLETED
This time, I did not paint with an airbrush, and tried
to paint everything with a brush. I used a method
in which very diluted acrylic paint is applied over
and over again creating shadows in black and
white. Trial and error continues! •
The styrene board could be attacked by certain thinners, so I used the
water-based Green Stuff World Surfacer Primer which is matte and has
a nice finish; I really like it. When thinning, I use Liquitex Brush Aid. The
vehicle, figure, base and building were all painted black, then airbrushed in
white from above
The road surface was made with Green Staff World’s ‘Dutch brick’
pattern-roller with handle (GSW-10490). I drilled a number of
shallow holes in the base, applied wood glue, spread on a thin
layer of paper clay and textured it with the roller. I sprinkled on a
little cornstarch to prevent the clay from sticking to the roller

For the base shade, I lightly applied sail colour (GSI Creos water-based hobby colour) and randomly airbrushed sky and white. Over that, acrylic paints from Vallejo and VIC Hobby were diluted considerably and applied
with a brush. Since the base was already shaded, I could create an atmosphere just by applying a fairly diluted acrylic paint. Above right, the finished street scene - the manholes are made by Yen Models

10 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

Close-up on the building's facade - all home-made!

Alan Hobby Pz.II ausf J, assembly completed. I bought it because it was on sale for 1,580 yen. It wasn't particularly Trying out various positions for the tank on the street scene
difficult to assemble and the parts fitted almost perfectly

AFV Edition 11
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR DIORAMA ALAN HOBBY 1:35 PANZER II AUSF J (VK 1601) • KIT NO.016

Basic painting of the vehicle completed; base shade is Tamiya

Lacquer Light Sand (LP-30), camouflage is Mr Color Olive Drab
(Colour Modulation Set Highlight 1, CMC01) for the green and
Tamiya Lacquer Brown (JGSDF) LP-25 for the brown

12 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

AFV Edition 13
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR DIORAMA ALAN HOBBY 1:35 PANZER II AUSF J (VK 1601) • KIT NO.016

MODELSPEC
ALAN HOBBY 1:35 PANZER II AUSF J
(VK 1601) KIT NO.016
Materials:
Injection-moulded polystyrene, waterslide decals

Paints used:
Noted within captions

Availability:
Alan Hobby kit is out of production; check
online sources for secondhand examples, or
alternatively, use the Hobbyboss kit No.83803
Pzkpfw.II Ausf.J (VK16.01)

14 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

NEW from the ‘HOW TO BUILD...’ series
How to Build...
TAMIYA’S 1:48 LOCKHEED P-38F/G LIGHTNING
By Marcus Nicholls

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an iconic US fighter from the Second World War. Its twin Allison
V12 engines were mounted in booms to free-up the nose so it could house a fearsome array of
four M2 Browning machine guns and a 20mm cannon. The twin-boom airframe became a sight
feared by enemies wherever it served, with good reason.
In 2019, after several years of painstaking research, Tamiya released an all-new kit of this sleek
aircraft and it has taken its place proudly in the 1:48 Aircraft Series as No.120 in the range.
In this new ‘How To Build’ book, Tamiya Model Magazine’s Editor, Marcus Nicholls, presents no
less than four built-up examples of Tamiya’s fantastic model; one Lightning each from Brett
Green and Spencer Pollard, plus two from Marcus Nicholls.
The second of Marcus’s models incorporates resin and photo-etched super-detail sets from
Eduard, showing how they can be used within the build to take the detail to an even higher
level. New photos of the other models show how Brett Green and Spencer Pollard built and
painted the models in their own styles.
The book includes four complete builds, covering the following topics:
n Adding photo-etched parts
n Using resin upgrade components
n Extending the nose undercarriage leg
n Upgrading the cockpit detail
n Weathering the airframe
n Alternative decal sets
NOW IN
MODELS BY
Marcus Nicholls
Brett Green
Spencer Pollard
Only
£15.95
plus p&p
STOCK

Also available

Order online at www.doolittlemedia.com or on 01525 222573

 KIT PREVIEW AIRFIX 1:35 AUSTIN K2/Y AMBULANCE • KIT NO.A1375

ICE COLD
IN AIRFIX
Airfix's eagerly anticipated 1:35
Austin K2/Y ambulance arrives
Service Corps, NW Europe 1944 (overall dark

F
rom our usual inspection of the kit parts in
the box, Airfix’s new kit looks incredibly well
done. Delivered on three large sprues of
sand-coloured polystyrene plus one in clear
and a generous sheet of waterslide transfers, the
subject is given a comprehensive treatment here,
inside and out. As it is an ambulance, the rear
‘box’ is fully furnished with shelves for a quartet
of stretchers – themselves nicely detailed – plus a
liner for the roof that includes a pair of air vents.
It's really well done and just needs some blankets;
check out www.redzebramodels.co.uk for a superb
set of these in resin. The model sits on a chassis
which builds up element-by-element; chassis rails,
crossmembers, leaf springs and drivetrain. Only the
lower parts of the engine are provided and they
should appear perfectly adequate when viewed
from below. The bonnet is a one-part moulding, so
if one were to add an engine to the mix (should the
aftermarket produce one), this will need cutting up
and hinges adding. The driver's cabin comes with
a full set of driving controls with the neat touch of
decals for the dashboard-dials. Seat belts are not
needed, because the real thing didn't have them!
Markings are supplied for one of four Austins; 30
Corps, Motor Ambulance Convoy, Royal Army
green), British Army, North Africa 1940 (Caunter
camouflage scheme), British Army, Alexandria,
Egypt 1942 (overall sand colour) and Auxiliary
Territorial Service, England 1944 (overall dark
green). The huge red cross emblem decals are
perfectly printed and will provide the ideal finishing
touch; just add DEF Model wheels/tyres for the
icing on the cake (shown opposite right). Overall,
a brilliant subject choice, comprehensively detailed
throughout; there's no upper engine, but not a
great loss. •
www.airfix.com

16 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

www.defmodel.com

AFV Edition 17
 FULL-BUILD 1:35 WORLD WAR TWO HISTORICAL DIORAMA

FREEDOM’S EMBRACE
By Daniel Buchmeier

O
n April 27th and 28th, 1945, the US
12th Armored Division and 101st
Airborne Division liberated Kaufering
IV, one of 11 concentration camps
in the Kaufering complex near Landsberg,
Germany. When the Germans got word that
the US would be arriving, they marched as
many prisoners out to the other camps in
the area and left many that were too weak
and sick to travel at the camp. Then they set
fire to the barracks and left before the US
arrived. Out of 3,600 prisoners, only a few
hundred survived.
This is hard to write. I did not take making
this diorama lightly as I understand the
sensitivity of the subject. I am by no means a
great model builder, and I did not make this
for the shock value. I felt compelled to tell this
story and I wanted to see if it was possible
to create a simple diorama/piece of art that
evokes an emotion that goes beyond the
usual awe we feel when looking at a well
built model.

18 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

AFV Edition 19
 FULL-BUILD 1:35 WORLD WAR TWO HISTORICAL DIORAMA

While I was waiting for the figure to arrive, I began construction Searching for the proper barbed wire seemed like a herculean effort.
This figure set did not exist. I could have tried to cobble on the camp fence. Miraculously, there were dried weeds in my I wanted REAL barbed wire and I found someone who makes it, but
a couple of figures together or tried sculpting them, but yard that resembled worn wooden posts, so I grabbed a bunch that naturally, something that complex was expensive. I thought about
there was no way I was going to achieve the kind of I thought were to scale and started cutting them to size making real barbed wire from scratch myself, but that was way out of
emotion that this story deserves. So I looked to my friend my patience range. I settled on a photo-etched set from KiloKits. This
Le Xuan Giang who is an incredible 3D artist and owns set worked best because of the length of each run of wire, and well, it
Paracel Miniatures. I spoke with Le and told him what I looks relatively realistic
wanted to do and he was excited. I sent him a bunch of
reference photos and he got started on a rendering. After
a couple weeks of work, he sent me screen shots of the
CG model in progress. He nailed the pose with his amazing The guard shack required
talent. He then 3D printed the figure and shipped it to me. two attempts. I’m not
The anticipation of its arrival was like waiting for a new a mathematician
model kit release and I don’t
know how to
measure for
scale, so everything
I do is eyeballed.
Needless to say, the
first attempt at the
guard shack looked
more like a dog house
than a Nazi checkpoint.
You might say picking a Holocaust theme is Basswood was used
a cheap way to get an emotion out of someone for construction.
Unfortunately I found
and you’d be right, but I chose not to portray the reference photo of
the horror of the Holocaust specifically because the actual guard shack
that is what most people expect to see. I also at Kaufering IV, AFTER
wanted to explore the balance between art and I completed the diorama
and would have tried to
model making as I think they are one in the match it better
same depending on the subject, story and style
of the artist/model builder. I see many people Wood glue was my friend while making the fence. The colour and
matte finish of the glue blended in with the “wood” poles and
these days elevating model building to an art dried very strong. I used historical photo reference to try and
form and they are a great inspiration to me. match the fencing as best I could
I believe this 'hobby' can be more than just a
model on a shelf.
A special thanks goes out to Le Xuan Giang
who has been my saviour lately as he is the
only one I know who can realise the figures
that I want to use in my dioramas. We have
collaborated on three 'sets' of figures now and
without his artistry and the new 3D printing
technology, I could have never completed those
dioramas the way I envisioned them.
I also want to thank everyone on Facebook
who commented on this piece while it was on
the forums. Many people had very positive
things to say and I think that helps when you’re
not sure how a diorama will be received. Say
what you will about Facebook, but I believe the Fence and guard shack
modelling community is one of the most positive coming together nicely
things on the internet.
Thank you to my peers for your inspiration
and kind words: Rick Lawler, Jesse Naughton,
Joe Bevens, Roger Hurkmans, Marcus Nicholls,
Ken Hamilton, Calvin Tan, Yanglei Zheng,
Barlas Pehlivan and many others. •

20 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 It takes a month to get a standard shipment from Vietnam, where Le Xuan Giang lives, so I had
“plenty of time” to work on the base in preparation for the figure’s arrival. I guess I’m a bit of
a creature of habit because I make all my bases in a basic box form, using foam and basswood.
I used Sculptamold and railroad ballast to add ground texture, then ran a set of Jeep wheels
through the wet plaster for tire tracks as if the CO of the 101st drove through the gates.
SIDENOTE: You’d think a modeller of a certain stature would have a nice studio workspace and Primer applied and work
all sorts of tools to make elaborate bases, but I don’t want to get into that right now on the composition

“One of the most moving dioramas

I have ever seen”
Bart Howard

“This is the first time a diorama THE FIGURE ARRIVED!

THE FIGURE ARRIVED!
has made me cry. Great work” Let’s see how it looks

Daniel Goldstein

“A true masterpiece. This is not a

kit or a diorama, but a snapshot of
a moment in history”
Dano Anoran

I better hurry now with the base since I have the figure. I used a range of
Vallejo acrylics on the base to simulate the dirt. I wanted the ground to feel
like a Spring rain had fallen, so the ground is a mix of dark browns with
highlights added here and there. I added a smattering of fall and spring
grass tufts (from Martin Welberg) to imply rebirth and renewal. The fence
was weathered with black and brown Vallejo acrylics

Back to the shack. Like I mentioned before, I found the reference of the actual guard shack AFTER I built the diorama, so with
what reference I had, I made a believable stand in. A coat of Tamiya flat red was used for the base coat, then various washes
of browns to get a weathered look. I sanded the edges to reveal the wood under the paint for more wear and tear. What’s
the rule? If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try, try, try, try, try and try again. I made the sign (Attention: No entry
without authorization) with the help of Google translate and design software. I was able to print it at the local Staples store.
I then attempted to trim it and weather it to look convincing. Looks like #11 was the charm

AFV Edition 21
 FULL-BUILD 1:35 WORLD WAR TWO HISTORICAL DIORAMA

On to the figure. I sat with this for a few days After priming with Mr Surfacer 1200, I started Adding more details builds confidence Now comes the big plunge. I blocked in a large section
thinking of how to go about it as I knew it would with the ‘easy part’. I’ve painted quite a few US of the camp uniform base colour. Easy peasy
be a big challenge for me. I was terrified to begin servicemen and have the go-to colours for them, so I
because I didn’t want to fail given the subject matter. started in familiar territory
Le Xuan Giang provided me with three prints in case
I screwed one, or two up. Luckily, the first one came
out okay

While I was in my thinking

stage I decided that I
wasn’t going to try and
freehand the stripes on
the camp uniform. I know
the limits to my anger
management. I was able to
find some really great auto
painting pin-striping tape
that had enough stick to
adhere to the curves of the
figure, but not too much to
leave a sticky residue. The
pin-striping tape is 1/32”
which is perfect for the
stripes on the uniform

The big reveal. After

removing the pin-striping
tape, I was pleasantly
surprised that the stripes
looked pretty good. Way
better than if I tried hand
painting them. Still, some
touch up was needed. After
painting the pale flesh tones
and shoes, I moved on to
weathering the uniform

Sometimes for whatever

reason Vallejo acrylics
have a sheen to them, so
I knocked it completely
flat with AK Ultra Matte
through the airbrush

22 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

This page; Kaufering IV. ‘Kaufering’ was the common name of a system of
eleven subcamps of the Dachau concentration camp which operated between 18th
June 1944 and 27th April 1945 and which were located around the towns of
Landsberg am Lech and Kaufering in Bavaria

“Probably the best WWII diorama

I have ever seen... Not so much
because the technical work is so
well done (it is a masterpiece),
but because it perfectly captures
the emotion of such a difficult
subject and what may be our
USA's finest moment in the whole
war. Well done”
Mike Micciche

Gate of Kaufering I after liberation

AFV Edition 23
 FULL-BUILD 1:35 WORLD WAR TWO HISTORICAL DIORAMA

“That’s the modelling equivalent

of a well-written five-word story.
There’s just so much there”
Dan Shoemaker

“Your work is beautiful and

serves as a reminder to all of us
to never forget what happened
and more importantly, never let
it happen again”
Numba Toby

“I must say, I was close to tears

when I was looking at the photos
close up. It’s an astonishing piece
of work”
Marcus Nicholls

24 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

AFV Edition 25
 KIT PREVIEW TAMIYA 1:35 BRITISH CRUISER TANK A34 COMET • KIT NO.35380

LATE-WAR LEVELLER
Tamiya's all new WW2 British A34 Comet Cruiser Tank is here
and it looks to be the best kit yet of this late-war Panzer killer
NEW-TOOL MODEL

T
he Comet tank or 'Tank, Cruiser, Comet I
(A34)' was a British cruiser tank that first saw
use towards the end of the Second World
War during the Western Allied invasion of
Germany. The Comet was developed from the
earlier Cromwell tank and was fitted with the
new 17-pdr High Velocity gun, in a lower profile,
partly-cast turret. This weapon was effective
against late-war German tanks, including the
Panther at medium range as well as the Tigers. The
Comet entered active service in January 1945 and
remained in British service until 1958. In some
cases, Comets sold to other countries continued to
operate into the 1980s.
The British 11th Armoured Division was the
first formation to receive the new tanks, with
deliveries commencing in December 1944 and
the 29th Armoured Brigade, then equipped with
Shermans, was withdrawn from fighting in the
southern Netherlands early in the same month
for re-equipping. After arriving in Brussels and
preparing to hand in their Shermans the Ardennes
Offensive commenced, and the brigade was
forced to hastily snatch back its Shermans in
order to take part in the countering of the German
attack.
The unit returned to the Brussels area in the
middle of January 1945 three weeks later and
finally traded in its Shermans in exchange for
Comets. The 11th Armoured would be the only
division to be completely refitted with the Comet
by the end of the war. The Comet saw combat
and twenty-six were destroyed, but due to its late
arrival in the war in north west Europe, it did not
participate in big battles. The A34 Comet was
involved in the crossing of the Rhine river and the
later Berlin Victory Parade held by the Allies in July
1945. (Military Illustrated Modeller Issue 132).
Tamiya's kit is 100% new for 2022 and is No.380
in Tamiya's iconic Military Miniatures Series. The
parts come on five sprues of olive drab polystyrene,
plus one in clear for the lights and vision block
and two polycaps. The decals provide markings
to complete one of two Comets; 'Crusader', 11th
Armoured Division, Germany, Spring 1945 and
'Celerity', also of the 11th Armoured Division in
Germany, Spring 1945. Both are overall dark
green tanks, naturally.
Highlights of the kit include link-and-length tracks
moulded in kit plastic, which are vastly superior
to one-piece flexible tracks in not only detail but
also how they hang on the running gear. If these
are anything like the tracks in Tamiya's recent
M18 Hellcat, they will fit like a glove and provide
remarkable realism without the need for additional
expenditure on aftermarket products.

26 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 The towing cables are moulded parts which
won't initially please some modellers, but when
inspected up close, they look very realistic and
outclass cables made from nylon cord in the way
they wrap around their stowage brackets. Arguably
the highlight of this kit is the crew, who are clad in
'zoot suits' (later called pixie suits) and are some
of the best detailed figures Tamiya has yet created.
They really bring the model to life and even if you
don't usually install the tank crew in your AFVs,
these are well worth adding.
Tamiya's Comet is typical of the company's
modern kits of armoured fighting vehicles;
straightforward to build with a sensible parts-count
and packed with subtle detail. We will, of course,
be building this kit up (in fact, construction has
already begun) and the full, in-depth feature will
appear in Military Illustrated Modeller's sister-title,
Tamiya Model Magazine, soon. •

AVAILABILITY;
Tamiya models, accessories, paints and materials
are widely available from good model shops and
online. UK import and distribution by The Hobby
Company Limited; www.hobbyco.net

AFV Edition 27
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ALLIED ARMOUR DRAGON 1:35 SHERMAN M4A2 TARAWA • KIT NO.6062

SAIPAN SU

28 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 Javier Redondo

RVIVER upgrades Dragon's

1:35 USMC M4A2
Sherman to a
Saipan machine

A
fter conquering the Marshall
Islands, the Americans made
the leap to the Marianas in their
approach to Japan. On the island
of Saipan, the 2nd and 4th Marine
Divisions, under General Holland Smith,
clashed with the 43rd Division of the
Imperial Japanese Army. In a bloody
battle from June 15th to July 9th, the
Japanese once again displayed their
fanatical resistance and their suicidal
'Banzais' charges.
There the gelled-gasoline bombs that
would receive the name of 'napalm'
would be used for the first time by the
United States. Of a Japanese garrison of
31,000 men, 921 prisoners remained
alive at the end of the battle.

THE MODEL
The model is from Dragon – kit No.6062
Sherman M4A2 Tarawa – a good
replica of the ubiquitous North American
tank of the version used by the US
Marine Corps. The kit consists of 282
grey polystyrene parts, with another
twenty in transparent plastic, a photo-
etched metal fret, some braided cable
to simulate the towing cable and some
T54E1 vinyl tracks.
I assembled it following the
manufacturer's instructions, stopping
when the time came, to build with
Evergreen plastic section, the wading
system, the additional side plank
armour and the frontal plates. The rear-
loading twenty-five-gallon drinking water
container was constructed from a suitably
sanded and detailed plastic cylinder.
Other minor details easily visible in
the photographs complete an assembly
job without noteworthy problems. I
wanted to represent the famous Sherman
M4A2 'King Kong' of the 4th Marine
Tank Battalion in the Battle of Saipan
during June/July 1944. The photographs
that show us this Sherman allow us
to interpret how it was painted with
the factory Olive Drab No.9 and the
added additional armour painted in the
standard colour intended for the USMC,
Green No.11. Camouflage was brush-
applied with Sand No.3. •

AFV Edition 29
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ALLIED ARMOUR DRAGON 1:35 SHERMAN M4A2 TARAWA • KIT NO.6062

The assembled model, showing

suspension bogies and tracks left
unglued to ease the painting and
weathering processes

The wading exhausts, side-armour and other details were created by the author using The rear deck, showing the drinking-water barrel, plus some already-painted tools
simple Evergreen polystyrene sheet

I began painting the vinyl tracks using Dark

Grey colour from Agama. I like these acrylics
as they have good covering power and are
very resistant to further aggressive work

30 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 Then, some filters
were applied, using
Dark Yellow 76503
and Sepia 73200
letting each dry
between applications. I
like to use these filters
as they dry quite
quickly so I don't have
to wait too long to
keep the work going

For the lower part of the tank and bogies I used Vallejo Primer US Olive Drab 70608

The rubber parts of the

wheels and return roller
were brush-painted with
Vallejo 806 Dark Rubber

For the tracks I followed a similar pattern, in this case with Dark Some hours later I rubbed the teeth and edges of the links with a
Brown 76514 graphite bar to imitate the polished metal

With the graphite bar, I also polished the idler wheel

I applied pigments 'dry' with a brush on the lower

part of the chassis. I also used the same pigments
on the tracks when mounting them in their final
position. With this, I had the lower part ready and
could avoid unnecessary subsequent manipulation

AFV Edition 31
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ALLIED ARMOUR DRAGON 1:35 SHERMAN M4A2 TARAWA • KIT NO.6062

For the hull-side mud, I used Light Yellow Ochre,

Natural Shadow, Beach Sand and Brick Powder
from Vallejo and Mig Productions respectively Later I airbrushed with Humbrol
US Marine Corps 161

With half of the painting process ready,

I started to work on the wood planks,
here using Vallejo 310 Old Wood

After waiting a few minutes for

the paint to take hold a little, I
started rubbing part of the paint
along the planks grain using a
brush and thinners

I masked the wooden 'armour and painted the rest of the

hull and turret with olive drab. For this I used a mixture
of Tamiya Acrylics XF-11 JN Green, XF-61 Dark Green
and XF-62 Olive Drab. Then I used Dark Yellow and Black
to create some highlights and shadows airbrushing them
diluted at the required zones

32 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 I used both Vallejo colours
988 Khaki Brown and 976
Khaki Yellow mixed to paint
the sand stripes camouflage
using a fine brush

The front plates were made of other vehicles

parts,and to give the tank a bit of variety I
decide to alter the tone of some of them. I used
Andrea Colours 54 Union Blue and Vallejo 922
Neutral Grey and 941 Burnt Umber

With the sponge technique I applied orange oxide 71.130 from Model Air Followed by Light Rust 505 from Vallejo with the same technique

AFV Edition 33
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ALLIED ARMOUR DRAGON 1:35 SHERMAN M4A2 TARAWA • KIT NO.6062

With an airbrush I applied a layer of Medium Chipping fluid Once this is done, I used Olive Green 968 reduced with a little Yellow 915 With warm water and a brush I removed paint, working on the
edges of each plate

To give a bit of diversity I simulated an unpainted steel plate, again using the sponge technique I simulated traces of rust with Orange Oxide 71.130 from Model Air

I fixed the decals of the

Star Decals Set dedicated to
USMC vehicles in Saipan using
Vallejo's specific products

34 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 I mixed plaster, Calcined Shadow pigment
and Humbrol 72 Khaki Enamel

I painted with diluted Tamiya XF-57 Buff the zones that tend to accumulate dust I added water and stirred until the different components were well mixed

We impregnate a hard-haired brush with this mixture and with the help of a toothpick we sprinkle the areas For the effects of spilled fuel I used diluted oil
that we consider convenient

I reproduced the humidity with diluted glossy varnish and applied in successive layers With Calcined Shadow and Yellow Ochre pigments applied dry, I simulated accumulations of earth

AFV Edition 35
 FULL-BUILD: WORLD WAR TWO ALLIED ARMOUR DRAGON 1:35 SHERMAN M4A2 TARAWA • KIT NO.6062

MODELSPEC
DRAGON 1:35 SHERMAN
M4A2 TARAWA KIT NO.6062
Materials:
Injection-moulded polystyrene,
waterslide decals

Paints used:
Listed within photo captions

Availability:
Dragon models and accessories
are widely available from
good model shops and online.
UK import and distribution by
The Hobby Company Limited;
www.hobbyco.net

36 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

AFV Edition 37
 WORLD WAR TWO REFERENCES

38 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

ONE CAREFUL OWNER
T
his is a well-known image from the Battle of Normandy, but it’s worth seeing again in large format. On
board a requisitioned German Horch 40 Kfz.15, we observe Canadian soldiers of B Company of The
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada-Princess Louise’s, 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Cdn Armoured
Division. On the left and at the back of the vehicle are prisoners brought back to Trun, certainly the former
‘owners’ of the vehicle, which belonged to the 85 ID. Behind the Horch, on foot, we can see an FFI militiaman
armed with a rifle and wearing the Adrian helmet. The photo was taken on August 19th, 1944 at the entrance
to a Regimental Aid Post established at the Trun hospice. On the left a Canadian medic tends to a wounded
German prisoner. A great scene to depict in miniature model form. •
Photo: Canadian archives/public domain

AFV Edition 39
 MODELLING REFERENCES WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR

PANZERKAMPFWAGEN II

40 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

AUSF.F Model references of the well-preserved Panzer II ausf.F
on display at the Tank Museum, Bovington, UK

T
he Tank Museum’s Panzer II
is an Ausf F model, built in
May 1942. It was shipped
to Tunisia in December and
used by the Reconnaissance
Platoon of Panzer Regiment 7
and was captured by the British
when the Afrikakorps surrendered
in May 1943. It is painted in the
early camouflage of panzer grey
and brown to represent an earlier
model, as used during the German
invasion of France in May 1940;
more accurately it should be in
desert yellow. It is, however, is an
excellent state of preservation and
makes a fantastic reference-piece
for scale modellers. •

www.tankmuseum.org

AFV Edition 41
 MODELLING REFERENCES WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR

Close-up of bow plate showing weld patterns Transmission access door revealing its welded hinges

Two of the vehicle’s three two cable brackets revealing their prominent welding seams Close-up view of a frontal towing hook, revealing its distinctive shape

Left-side/rear of the turret showing its welded armour-plate construction

42 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

The prism-shaped structures seen here on the upper deck surface are ‘splash-guards’, designed to deflect incoming anti-tank rounds upwards and away from the based on the turret

AFV Edition 43
 MODELLING REFERENCES WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR

Detail view of the stowage box mounted on the right-side track guard. Note the shape of its extended brackets where the guard slopes downwards to the rear. The front of the stowage box sits flush on the top of the track guard

44 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 Right-side of the engine deck, showing the cone-shaped bolts in the access hatch's hinges and lifting hook in
the foreground

Close-up of an upper hull lifting lug with characteristic holes Suspension leaf spring in detail

The tops of the track guards carry a diamond-shaped non-slip pattern. Note also the cable conduit to the headlight, itself missing

AFV Edition 45
 MODELLING REFERENCES WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR

Detail view of a tool bracket, still with its butterfly nut in place; don't worry if your photo-etched parts Aerial base and track guard close-ups on left-side
aren't quite straight!

Looking backwards along the left-side of the tank, showing open driver's observation hatch and front of the aerial trough

46 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

Side view of the shovel bracket Left-side aerial trough which was of wooden construction, as evident here

Large stowage box on the tank’s right-side; note the loop-shaped catches

AFV Edition 47
 MODELLING REFERENCES WORLD WAR TWO AXIS ARMOUR

This device is the main aerial base – complete with leaf springs – which was mounted on a stout rod and could fold Front-left mud-guard; note the two areas where the diamond pattern is missing to allow the two hooks
down towards the rear into the wooden trough. The front end of the trough can be seen in the left of the photo to be fitted

Right-side idler and final road wheel, with the track exhibiting noticeable sag. Note the manufacturing data in Behind the right-side drive-sprocket we can see the final-drive hub, plus welding seams on the bow plate
the wheel disc

48 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

An awkward shot, looking up into the smoke discharger rack, or 'Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung' to give it its full name. The rack sits behind an armoured cowling, seen here sporting a balkenkreuz marking

The perforated exhaust box shroud is an item almost perfect for miniature replication in photo-etched brass!

AFV Edition 49
 ORDNANCE DEPOT

SSR MODELS, FINLAND

This is a range of 3D printed weapons, figures and equipment, available in 1:35 and 1:72 scales. The level of detail is simply astonishing and the accuracy
is simply incredible. The range includes modern and WW2 subjects, with many Scandinavian items that are impossible to get elsewhere. For example, the
Lahti 20mm anti-tank rifle, used by the Finns in the Continuation War and the Suomi SMG used by the Finnish forces throughout WW2, are now available to
modellers. We also have a set of work gloves, and RK-62 rifles, all if these items showing a level of finesse that is simply beyond belief. The producer, Sven-Åke
Grufsetdt, does not have a physical shop and sells exclusively through the Facebook page SSR Models. CLS

HEAVY HOBBY, CHINA

Recently arrived from Heavy Hobby are set
of 3D-print tracks for Tamiya's Cromwell and
Centaur tanks and if you have good eye-sight,
fine tweezers and a steady hand, you'll be able
to bring an extra special touch to the kits by
using them.
With the imminent arrival of Tamiya's new
1:35 Comet tank, HH’s pack of ‘Type A’ aerial
bases is perfectly timed. This device is extremely
difficult to depict in injection-moulded plastic
thanks to its design, so 3D-print has proved to
be the ideal medium. They are even made from
a slightly flexible resin so they won't just shatter
when you trim them from their printing supports.
Also for British WW2 armour is a set of aerial
bases ‘Type B’ and again, there is some
extremely fine detail on show here. Assemble
with CA (superglue) and finish with normal
model paints. MIM

1:35 3D-printed accessories

• WWII British Aerial Bases A (HH-35029)
• WWII British Aerial Bases B (HH-35030)
• WWII Britain Cromwell tank tracks (PT-35024)

50 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 AMMO: www.migjimenez.com
WHERE DEF Model:
Heavy Hobby:
www.defmodel.com
www.heavy-hobby.com
TO BUY? SSR Models: Facebook page

AMMO, SPAIN
This pack from MIG contains a range of
components which can be used to create dry
powder snow and wet, slushy snow. The four
items in the box begin with a bottle of white
powder grains to scatter on groundwork and
which can be fixed in place using varnish
(supplied) or with Cleaner and Ultra-glue,
which need to be purchased separately.
The Glossy Lucky Varnish in the pack can
be used to build up thicker deposits of the
powder snow. To produce the wet snow, the
pack contains Snow Binder and Wet Snow,
which are mixed to form a slurry to apply
to groundwork, for example at the side of a
road. The pack contains a booklet showing
how to use each part of the provided
materials, with clear illustrations and text.
With these modern materials, modellers are
able to create convincing snow scenes, and
by trying different combinations, it will be
possible to blend the various forms of snow
that are seen in real life. The amount of each
component in the set would allow for making
two or three typical dioramas, although
this would depend on the size of the base
and thickness of the deposits. Overall, this
is bound to be a very useful set, and with
average modelling skills, a very convincing
representation of snow will result. Useful
for the creation of snow scenes, for bases
and for vehicles, but some of the techniques
specify additional purchases, although these
appear to be household items in fact. CLS

• Winterizer Real Snow Set (A.MIG-7458)

DEF MODEL, KOREA

New in from this wonderful Korean manufacturer is a set of sand tyres/wheels for Tamiya's (and Italeri's) 'Pink Panther SAS Land Rover. Again, these will add
a real touch of class to the look of the finished models. One of Tamiya's most iconic vehicle kits is the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) Chevrolet, released in
its original form way back in 1976 and still a much-loved model to this day. To bring it bang up to date, DEF Model now offer two sets of resin wheels/tyres
for it, each comprising six wheels (two spares in each set) plus pre-cut masks to make painting easy. As always, the detail is superb and the weighted flat-spots
add extra realism. MIM

1:35 resin wheel sets

• 'Pink Panther' SAS desert car sagged wheel set (DW35140) for Tamiya and Italeri
• LRDG Chevrolet Truck Sagged Wheel Set 1 (DW30005A), Set 2 (DW30067)

AFV Edition 51
 FULL-BUILD: COLD WAR NATO SUPPORT VEHICLE AFV CLUB 1:35 M35A2 • KIT NO.AF3504

REFORGER
R EFORGER
Pawel Krupowicz
took AFV Club's ageing
but still excellent
M35A2 US truck and
added some detail
improvements.
And then, he bought a
3D-printer...

52 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

REFINED
REFINED

AFV Edition 53
 FULL-BUILD: COLD WAR NATO SUPPORT VEHICLE AFV CLUB 1:35 M35A2 • KIT NO.AF3504

T
his was supposed to be a quick and simple
build… Not 'out of the box', as I generally
don’t do those, at least not for modern armour
subjects. But initially I planned to take one of
a few AFV Club M35A2 kits from my stash and
build it with little detailing and only a couple of
aftermarket additions, like resin wheels from DEF
Model and a few carefully chosen parts from the
Eduard photo-etched set.
I actually even started the build in this fashion;
I constructed most of the frame and suspension as
per instructions, adding only a few bolt-heads here
and there (slices of Plastruct hexagonal styrene rod
or parts from one of the Meng bolt sets) and some
cables and pipes (solder wire). Only those things
that are visible when looking at the model from
the sides, front or rear. I didn’t bother with lots of
detailing in places one cannot see – I don’t put
my models on mirrors and anyone who’d try and
lift them up to see the details underneath, would
be unlikely to live long enough to actually realise
that there are none. In any case, the quality of the
kit parts was so good, that not much was needed
to get a reasonably accurate representation of the
real truck chassis. Hard to believe the kit is now
twenty-seven years old!
Then I assembled the cab, and because I
decided to build it fully closed, I didn’t bother
with much additional detailing inside. I only
added a few parts that would be visible through
the windows, like windshield support arms (PE
parts from Eduard) and turn indicator assembly First dry fitting of the 3D printed grille – much more scale accurate
(scratchbuilt from scrap styrene bits), missing from
the kit steering column.
The cargo bed was then built, with several
Eduard PE parts used for mudflaps and other
details, and painted inside, the same way as
the rest of the truck; I’ll get to that later. From the The grille and some
beginning I planned to put a tarpaulin over the tiny 3D printed details
bed, but still I thought that adding at least some before painting
cargo would make the model look more realistic.
Nothing fancy, just some paper MRE cartons from
Tamiya, stacked on MiniArt pallets. I used the
plastic part for the canvas tarp, included in the kit,
but it needed some improvements. The fabric folds
on the sides and top look nice, but the bottom edge
of the part is completely straight and featureless,
so I modified it with a sanding stick, giving it more
wavy contour. Then I masked off a thin strip around
the bottom edge and sprayed thick primer on it.
After the masking tape was removed, I got a very
slightly raised band, simulating the folded canvas
edge. I made holes in appropriate places of it, to
add tie down ropes later.
The front grille with paint applied. It’s a shame that in this model And now the same area with the first light coat of base colour
CANVAS COVER most of it will be hidden behind the photo-etched mesh screen
At this time I realised that AFV Club 'canvas' parts
require some further modifications, to look right.
The soft top of the cab, as moulded in the kit, ends
sharply at the bottom, where it meets the cab rear
wall. But that’s not how it is in reality. In the real
truck, the canvas overhangs the cab rear wall by
a few inches. Similar problem existed at the rear
of the cargo bed tarp; AFV Club moulded the part
with a weird cut-out shape to clear the tailgate.
Actual canvas of course does not have such shape,
it just drapes over the tailgate.
It took me a while to find a solution to that
problem, but I think I found a decent one. I used
a thin aluminium foil and laminated it over the
kit parts. For the cab top, I applied the foil over
the entire side and rear part of the kit part. I
used Microscale foil adhesive and burnished the
foil carefully over the kit part, that way all the New door handle and grab handle. Also note the canvas top New grab handle and electrical receptacle, which is missing from the kit, even
original folds and details were preserved. I left extended using the aluminium foil though there is a rectangular flat spot moulded onto the cab wall for it

54 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 the extra length of the foil at the bottom and cut to
appropriate shape. This additional foil now nicely
overhangs the cab rear wall, and looks way more
accurate.
The cargo bed tarpaulin was a bit more tricky.
First I removed some of the plastic from the rear
of the kit part, so that now the tarp ended in a
straight line a few millimetres above the tailgate on
both sides. Then I glued two rectangular pieces of
a lead foil onto the plastic part, one on each side.
I had to use some putty to blend edges of the foil
into the plastic surface. I now obtained the correct
rectangular shape of the tarp rear end, made of
thin flexible material, that I could realistically drape
over the tailgate. The winch at the front of the truck
was dressed up with a copper cable (from Karaya),
a length of chain and a hook (from the AFV Club
M54E2 kit). I added a lot of small missing details
to the front bumper, like bolt-heads, nuts and tiny
PE chains. I also thinned the edges of the bumper
ends down to a more realistic thickness.

DIGITAL REVOLUTION
At that point I thought that the rest of the build will
be very straightforward and mostly out of the box.
And then something happened that changed it
Here you can see how the rear of the soft top was extended downward with aluminium completely – I bought a 3D printer… I immediately
foil and the machine gun ring pillars replaced with copper tubes started to look at the model in a different way,
searching for things that could be improved by
replacing them with my own 3D printed designs.
Parts that were 'acceptable' only a few days
before, were no longer adequate, when I could
easily make new, better ones. Easily, because I’m
New details at the rear
of the truck frame: photo-
a mechanical engineer by trade, and even though
etched bumperettes and 3D I never worked a day in my life in that profession,
printed glad hands and the learning to design my own parts in CAD didn’t take
pintle hitch. In this photo long. I quickly found the best 3D printer settings for
chains, on which the glad
hand handles hang, are PE my needs and the production of new parts for my
parts, but I later replaced trucks had begun!
them with more three- First was the front grille, supposedly a difficult
dimensional 3D printed ones part to print, but somehow – probably beginner’s
luck – I succeeded at first attempt, then myriad
small details: tarpaulin rope hooks, door and
storage box handles, hood hinges, grab handles,
tow pintle, indicator lights (with lenses printed
in clear resin, as the kit ones are solid opaque
styrene) and many more small bits. The most
intricate and tricky to design were side mirror arms
and brackets, surprisingly complex shapes on a
real truck.
The biggest 3D printed assembly for the truck
itself, was a completely new M66 machine gun
ring. The one in the kit is adequate for out of
the box build, but not for my – now more than
initially anticipated – detailed one. Mine, based
on reference photos and diagrams from technical
manuals, is much more accurate and detailed.
For this model I used the M2HB machine gun and
M23 pintle mount and cradle from Tasca, although
The original kit M66 machine gun ring And the new 3D printed one of my design I’ll make my own in the future. I only replaced the
ammo tray with a 3D printed newer style one (the
one in Tasca set was a WW2 type), added a few
tiny 3D printed chains and made a blank firing
adapter (BFA) for the .50cal gun barrel.

Tasca parts for the M23 gun cradle with 3D printed details
BFA – blank firing adapter – on Tasca M2HB barrel. I used styrene
rods to connect 3D printed parts, but in hindsight using stiffer
brass rods would be a better idea
WATER TRAILER
Somewhere along the way I made a decision to
hook up a water buffalo trailer to the truck. I had
the M149A2 resin one from MMK in my stash
and at first I thought I would use that… Until I took
a closer look at the parts and realized that not
only the quality of casting and detailing wasn’t
good enough for my taste, but additionally there
were some serious accuracy problems. The water
tank was much too big and many parts present

AFV Edition 55
 FULL-BUILD: COLD WAR NATO SUPPORT VEHICLE AFV CLUB 1:35 M35A2 • KIT NO.AF3504

3D printed castor wheel

assembly for the trailer

The front part of the trailer frame, with castor wheel and towing eye. Tiny
3D printed eyelets for safety chains are visible in the photo, but I later
replaced them with copper wire ones, as the resin pieces were too fragile

Here you can see various parts of the braking system. Only one small, brownish resin part came from the MMK One more look at components of two braking systems of the trailer, service and parking ones.
kit, the others were 3D printed and connected with thin solder wire As you can see not everything is 3D printed - I also used pieces of white styrene sheet and
solder and copper wires

Complete – mostly 3D printed –

trailer in base Forest Green coat.
Only the wheels, one small resin
part (mentioned earlier), and a
few photo-etched brackets, come
from the MMK kit

The same trailer, but still only as a CAD image.

No wheels, as I used the MMK ones

56 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

on the real trailer were missing. To remedy
that I started building my own trailer in CAD
(switching from the M149A2 version to the
earlier M149A1 along the way, more suitable
for the time period I wanted my truck to represent),
again using technical manuals and real thing
photos as references. I really tried to use as many
parts from the MMK set as I could, but in the end
I only used their resin wheels, literally one other
small resin part for the brake pump, and a few PE
details. Everything else I designed myself in Fusion
360 and printed on my Elegoo Saturn S machine.
Once the trailer was fully assembled, I hooked
it up to the truck pintle hitch, adding some
wires, pipes and chains for a more accurate
representation of the real truck – trailer connection.
One final part I added to the model was a warning
beacon light over the cab. As from the start I had
planned for my truck to represent one used during
the REFORGER manoeuvres in 1980s, this part was
almost mandatory. I used the clear upper part from
the Italeri M923 truck kit, but made my own base
“At that point I thought that the rest of the build
for it, to make it look more like the ones I saw in
reference photos from Germany.
will be very straightforward and mostly out of the
My decision for the 1980s REFORGER setting
for the truck meant that a choice of the painting
box. And then something happened that changed it
scheme was easy: winter verdant MERDC
camouflage! For that I used AK Real Color paints. I
completely – I bought a 3D printer…”
first applied the Forest Green paint over the entire
model and then put patches of the Field Drab
over it. I tried to follow a pattern from the MERDC
technical manual, even though the diagrams shown
there were for a different variant of the deuce and
a half truck. Reference photos show though, that
there was a lot of variance in the application of
the MERDC camo, and practically every vehicle
had its own unique pattern, so there’s no need to
be overly pedantic here (unlike the modern three-
colour 'NATO' scheme, where patterns of CARC
paint are factory applied and almost identical
on all vehicles of a given type). To get a soft, but
relatively tight colour transitions, I used 'sausages'
of WhiteTack for masking. Squiggles of sand and
black colours were airbrushed mostly free-hand,
although I used WhiteTack masks for some of the
larger sand patches. To be honest I didn’t modulate
or shade the camouflage colours much, only a little
bit of post-shading with lightened versions of the
main colours. Various small details were painted
with Vallejo and Lifecolor acrylics.

AFV Edition 57
 FULL-BUILD: COLD WAR NATO SUPPORT VEHICLE AFV CLUB 1:35 M35A2 • KIT NO.AF3504

58 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

NO FANCY WEATHERING
I’m not an artist when it comes to painting, so no
fancy techniques or sophisticated weathering was
done. I try to get through that stage of the build as
quickly as I can… After the base colours were on,
I airbrushed the whole model with Gunze GX100
gloss clear lacquer and applied decals on top
of it (my own prints). Not many markings on the
truck or trailer, just bumper numbers (appropriate
for a generic 1st Infantry Division truck during
REFORGER 1982 "Carbine Fortress" manoeuvres)
and some warning stencils. Identification squares
on the cab doors were made of pieces of thin
kitchen foil painted blue and glued to cab doors,
as the real ones were also stickers, not painted,
so that method seamed more appropriate. Then I
sealed the markings with another coat of GX100
and applied a dark brown oil paint pin wash
around all the details. After that the model received
a coat of Testors Dullcote flat lacquer.
The final light weathering was done with various
Flory Models clay washes, some applied thinly
diluted with water (with addition of a few drops
of Tetenal photography wetting agent to break
the surface tension), as an overall filter to give the
model a very slightly dusty appearance, others
applied thicker, straight from the bottle, to get
more muddy and dirty look, particularly on the
suspension components and wheels.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m very happy with the final result. While the build
took way more time, than I had initially expected,
I learned a lot about 3D design and printing along
the way, so it was time well spent. Also, all the
parts I created for this model, will also be used on
other M35 truck family kits I have in my stash, so
those builds should now be much quicker, while
equally detailed. •
MODELSPEC
AFV CLUB 1:35 M35A2 KIT NO.AF3504
Materials:
Injection-moulded polystyrene, waterslide decals
Paints used:
AK Interactive: Real Color
Accessories used:
DEF Model, Eduard photo-etched
AFV Club models are widely available from
good model shops and online. UK import and
distribution by www.bachmann.co.uk
AFV Edition 59
 WORLD WAR TWO REFERENCES

60 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

US 9TH
INFANTRY
DIVISION IN
NORMANDY
n this photo, taken on July 26th, 1944 during the Battle

I of Normandy, we can observe the commander of US 9th

Infantry Division, Major General Manton Sprague Eddy
(on the right in the Jeep, hand on windscreen), requesting
information from an infantry officer along a dirt road. In the
background, GIs are resting near a farmhouse. The image
was taken in the hamlet of La Courmiette, south-east of the
Champs-de-Losque (north-west of Saint-LÙ)
On the night of July 9th to 10th, 1944, the 9th US ID took up
position behind the 113rd Cavalry Group along the road from
Dézert to Champs-de-Losque and cleared the Saint-Andrè-de-
Bohon salient at Graignes. The offensive resumed on the 12th
and the fighting took place from farm to farm. The 9th ID was
master of the crossroads on the afternoon of July 13th. It would
resume its march after Operation Cobra on the 25th. Note that
the Gi in the foreground has the emblem of the Third Reich
stapled to his case Colt 45. A wonderful idea for a vignette
using any of the excellent Jeep kits now available. •
Photo: public domain

AFV Edition 61
 BOOK REVIEWS
SURVIVING D-DAY TANKS IN NORMANDY
CRAIG MOORE
www.keypublishing.com
This very unusual book tackles the subject of military vehicles in Normandy in a rather unique way. The
112-page book begins with a description of the D-Day landings and the specialised vehicles employed
by the Allies, followed by very simplified maps of the Commonwealth and American beaches, with the
locations of preserved vehicles marked. These vehicles are a mixed bag of museum specimens, roadside
monuments and town displays. The history of each vehicle is then dealt with as a separate entry, giving
a photo, basic details of the vehicle, and a history of the particular tank. Altogether, 47 vehicles are
given this treatment, overwhelmingly Allied tanks with the
occasional German example. These include some vehicles
that were not part of the battle (as in the G13 ‘Hetzer’)
but the coverage does also include some turrets used in
static defence. For anyone travelling to the Normandy
area, this book is invaluable as a quick guide to what
can be seen on a visit. The fact that the book gives a
little history to each vehicle is particularly useful, not
only to bring the vehicles to life, but also to identify
those which have been creatively restored or brought
into the area, rather than being genuine relics of the
savage battles in the bocage. CLS

SNIPING RIFLES IN WORLD WAR I

MARTIN PEGLER, OSPREY WEAPON 83
www.ospreypublishing.com
The concept of sniping had developed throughout the development of firearms, but the British experience
at the hands of the Boers had demonstrated the value of carefully aimed shots. This book, in the standard
softback format of Osprey publications, takes a look at the weapons used for sniping in WW1. The
Germans and Austrians were masters of the art, with suitable rifles and excellent optics from the outset,
and the other nations had to work hard to catch up. The
British SMLE rifle was adapted with a variety of sights, and
the French, Italians and Americans all developed their own
weapons. The book does not cover sniping on the Eastern
Front, where the Russians would later become masters of
sniping in WW2. The author concentrates on the rifles and
associated equipment, and then looks at the training and
use of snipers. Pegler has written a number of Osprey
books on the subject of sniping, and this particular book
fills in the gap of WW1, providing details of the way that
sniping became a recognised part of modern warfare. CLS

62 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022

 CLEVELAND TANK PLANT
DAVID DOYLE
www.DavidDoyleBooks.com
With 112 pages, this A4 landscape book covers aircraft and military vehicle
production 1942-1970 at the huge Plant 2 in Cleveland. Each of the vehicles and
planes is shown in very clear photos, illustrating the assembly and service of the
equipment. The gigantic factory was built specifically for war production, and
churned out an astonishing number of items, from experimental XP-75 fighters
and Superfortresses, before switching to tanks in the post-war period. The
plant initially manufactured
M41 Walker Bulldog and
M42 Duster tanks. The
factory moved on to
M56 Scorpion, M108,
M109, M114 and
M551 Sheridan, and finally
the MBT-70. The last part of the book covers the
use of the vehicles in service, using many colour photos to really show
what these armoured vehicles looked like in the field. This book is very unusual for looking
at the range of production from a single factory complex, rather than concentrating on a particular vehicle or
aircraft, but this approach demonstrates clearly the varied output through an incredible series of photos. CLS

PANZERWRECKS 24, GERMAN ARMOUR 1944-45

LEE ARCHER, PANZERWRECKS
www.panzerwrecks.com
As the hackneyed phrase goes, the latest book in the wonderful Panzerwrecks series “does
what it says on the tin” or in this case, cover, offering the reader 130+ pages of original
wartime imagery that reveals abandoned German tanks from the last years of the Second
World War. As with the previous twenty-three volumes (is it really that many?), the format
is heavily pictorial (thank the heavens!) giving the reader – inevitably a scale modeller
– the chance to enjoy the detail in
these remarkable photographs in
all its glory. We hardly need to list
the vehicle types on offer, as they
are the usual (welcome) suspects; Pz.IV,
Panther, Jagdpanther, StuG.III, StuG.IV, Jagdtiger and
more, but there are some delicious oddities too, such as ‘Schulefahrzeuge’
(training vehicles) based on the Pz.I Ausf A and fitted with wood-gas generators which
look distinctly Steam Punk and would make fantastic modelling subjects. As ever, if you are remotely
interested in the armour of late-period Third Reich, this is an absolutely essential addition to your library. MIM

AFV Edition 63
modeller Next Issues
military illustrated

ISSUE No.134 November 2022

Editors; Aircraft Edition - Brett Green Military Illustrated Modeller Issue 135 Aircraft
Publisher;
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Alan Harman Edition on sale 17th November 2022
Graphic Design; Alex Hall
Advertising Manager; Alan Harman
Administration; Gordon Angus
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Web Team

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AFV Club's 1:35 M113 in Vietnam War
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...AND MORE!
AFV Edition 65
 MODELLING INSPIRATION...

UN VERRE DE
VIN MONSIEUR? The same spot in
Normandy as it is now
looks virtually unchanged
Photo: François Mathy

I
n Colleville sur Mer, Normandy,
on June 7th 1944, we see a
US non-commissioned officer
(horizontal white line at the
back of the helmet) and a couple
of Normans with bottles of
wine. Although the wine bottles
are uncorked and seem empty,
suggesting a staged photo, it would
still make a wonderful vignette. •
See you again next time!

Photo: public domain

66 Military Illustrated Modeller - November 2022