126

SEPT /OCT 2022 • £6.95 UK $16.99

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FOUR CLOSURE

AFTER SEVEN YEARS, TWO MONTHS & FOURTEEN DAYS

PARKER FINALLY PARKS HIS 1:16 PANZER IV
 CONTENTS
2 M4A3E8- Through Mud and Bullets
Lester Plaskitt talks dirty.

10 The Last Tiger

Erik Gideonse models a Tiger I in the desparate defence of Berlin.

20 ‘46 Panzer IV Schmalturm

Tito Costa enjoys some ‘paper-panzer’ fun with the Dragon kit.

28 IFOR Enforcer, Danish Leopard 1A5DK

Jason Bobrowich returns with another detailed Leopard project.

38 Panzerkampfwagen IV Part 43
The Editor concludes his monumental 1:16 project.

54 Roadrunner
Mark does a quick build of a Vietnam War M48A3 (modB)

60 World Model Expo 2022

We share a few snaps from the ‘Show of Shows’.

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 After the allies defeated the
German battle of the Bulge
offensive in the Ardennes they
faced a series of tough and often
bitter battles fighting into Germany
itself, along with the battles they
had also to face the cold and wet
winter conditions which only added
to the soldiers misery. This is the
setting for my M4A3 E8 Sherman
which I will describe the process
and techniques used to recreate
the mud and damp effects on the
lower hull/ wheels and tracks.

2
3

The kit chosen was the old Dragon M4A3E8 mainly as I had it in
my stash and the suspension units had already been assembled.
The kit was built from the box with the main amount of work being
some extra details added to the gun mount area from Magic
Sculp along with enhancing the texture on the cast turret surfaces
with Mr Surfacer. The obligatory rear stowage was made up from
items from the spares box covered in tarpaulins made from rolled
out magic sculpt. The impact damage to the hull extra armour
was added using a soldering iron.
The base painting of the Olive Drab and Black camouflage was
carried out using AK real colours; the wear on the Black pattern
where this colour has worn or scratched down to the base green
4
Funny how projects come about, the
original plan for this model was that it
would be taken to Spain for a weathering
seminar; the model was to be fully
finished apart from the dust and mud
effects that would then be completed at
the seminar. Unfortunately Covid travel
restrictions both in the UK and Spain
prevented me from attending. This given,
I had really gotten involved with the
painting and weathering on this
Sherman and the more research I did on
the actions fought in Germany during the
winter and spring of 1945 the more I
wanted to finish the Sherman to
represent a vehicle that had seen some
heavy action in the cold wet conditions of
that early spring. This would involve a
heavy mud build up on the lower hull and
running gear as well as mud on the
upper hull and turret coming from the
muddy boots of the crew and any
infantry riding on the tank, something I
felt had not been fully depicted in any of
my previous models.
was recreated by using a combination of chipping fluid and a fine
sponge with finer scratches added using a fine brush. Next
followed filters and washes applied following my usual methods.
The rest of the detail painting was carried out using AK 3rd Gen
acrylics along with selective oil washes. The build-up of dried
winter mud and dust would be added using chipping fluid and
acrylic dust tones as a base for the mud effects.
The crew figures are from Panzerart and Alpine as I think their
poses really help to tell the story of a cold and wet crew with each
man engrossed in their own thoughts whilst taking a break from
the relentless stress of combat along with battling the muddy
conditions.
With all of the painting and weathering completed on the model next followed
the base dried dust effects using Chipping fluid and AK 3rd gen dust colours.

Here we can see the results of the dust layer being

chipped back to represent a layer of wet mud that has
dried out and has started to flake off the sides of the hull.
Notice that the dust layer on the wheels and suspension
has only been removed on certain areas of the suspension
units and around the edges of the rubber tyres. The heavy
dust coat has been retained inside the wheel hubs and in
the treads of the tracks.

5
 To add the heavy mud deposits we use AK Diorama products
Muddy Ground, this is an acrylic pre coloured paste that can be
applied with a spatula or old brush from the pot directly onto the
model. By mixing in dry tea leaves the paste can be bulked up by
the tea leaves and also this gives a pleasing organic texture
representing churned up mud and plant material.

The mud paste is applied to the tracks, suspension units and road wheels, note how
the mud mix is applied to logical areas where mud would naturally gather.

At this point the contrast between the new wet mud deposits and the base
dust coat is quite stark to blend the two effects together, localised washes of
Small amounts of AK slimy dark green enamel wash are now added to
a 50/50 mix of AK track wash and fuel stain enamel heavily thinned is applied
random areas to give the mud further tonal effects.
in the areas between the mud and dust effects.

Here we see the wash being applied and gently blended using a stippling To further enhance the impression of fresh wet mud enamel varnish is
motion with the brush. applied directly to areas of the mud deposits.

6
 To maintain consistency the Muddy ground paste has been used to build up
the groundwork on the modelling foam base and further deposits of paste are
used to build up the mud either side of the tracks that would have been
displace by the weight of the tank. Also our varnish, track wash and fuel
stains mix has been added to the troughs left by the tank tracks. On this
occasion a heavier application of gloss varnish is used to give the impression
of water seeping up into the fresh tracks in the mud.

Here we can see how the texture and colours of the mud on the wheels To finally tie the mud effects on the tracks and wheels to the base, the speckling
and tracks matches the muddy ploughed field base work and the how the technique was used to add mud splashes and deposits to the rear hull sections
models tracks have been sunken down into the base, as would happen that would have been thrown up by the motion of the tracks. Again our track
with the weight of the tank moving over the muddy terrain in real life. wash and fuel stains mix was used for this effect.

7
 In such extreme terrain period images show a large degree of earth
thrown all over the vehicles. Damp weather and crew movement also
contributes to where mud and nature’s debris settles. Gravel and Sand
Fixer helps set various natural grasses and birch leaves which were
ground and chopped.

The finished filthy scene. Even with the improved

suspension and wider track the ‘Easy Eight’ at around 40
tons would still sit into the terrain, especially when wet.
Note also the degree of wet mud present on the boots
and clothing of the figures, using again the same
products and techniques which ties everything together
with a realistic appearance.

8
9
10
11
 STUFF OF LEGENDS
I don't have to introduce the Tiger tank, as a matter of fact
I don't think it needs any introduction at all as everyone,
even non-modellers or military historians know of the Tiger!
During the Tiger’s life there were a lot of modifications
made to the tank, some small, some more significant,
resulting in the final Ausf. E. One would think that all the
older models were destroyed or modified and
replacements would naturally be newer versions.
Towards the end of WWII, and in particular the battle for
Berlin, the Germans had to use everything that could drive
and shoot to stop the advancing Red Army. Surprisingly
there where still some of the 'older' types of Tigers
available and put into the hastily new set up Panzer
Division 'Müncheberg' thrown into battle to hopefully turn
the tide. Well, we all know how it ended...
My enthusiasm to model one of these Tigers was that
there could have been some of the older beasts good
enough to put into action. I really wanted to build one of
these last operational Tiger tanks, unfortunately I couldn't
12
find really hard information on how the tank, or the division
for that matter, was deployed during the last chaotic days
in Berlin itself in May 1945. I always like to know and read-
up on a project to 'get into' the theme and realistically
depict a particular vehicle.
Fortunately, pictures of the last Tiger are pretty well
documented, with pictures from all sides of good quality
which is essential for building a model of a particular
subject such as this.
So now the knowledge is gathered it’s time to start the
model. For this I used the Dragon ‘Initial kit’, mainly
because I had this one in my stash and I liked the idea of
'evolving' the tank myself to a later early/mid production;
just like the real thing!
That said, I had to get into Tiger evolution which is not
always as easy it seems as I discovered studying the
available pictures, relevant books and websites.
As mentioned I used the Dragon
Initial kit for this project. Now as
the Berlin Tiger was (most
probably) a mix from a early/mid
type, I had to do some
modifications, keeping the
pictures close at hand to make
sure I was making the right
modifications. The first thing to
tackle was the engine deck,
which really differs from the initial
to early/mid production type. This
was easily done by using a resin
Tiger Model Designs update set
to exchange the grills and
hatches, although some filling
The next thing I did was the simulation of steel
texture where appropriate by using thinned
Tamiya putty and applied in a stippling motion
on the hull and turret sides. Once dry these
sides where sanded with some fine sanding
sticks to replicate the texture. A simple but still
very effective way to simulate the German
steel used for building these heavy AFV's.

The rest was done by following the instructions, with the help
of an Aber PE set and plastic card, paying close attention to
where the differences are (pictures at close hand).
And then comes 'Murphys Law'; I discovered a couple more
pictures during the build, which showed me that some of the
details I modelled weren’t accurate, It’s always the way with
such things. Fortunately I could remove the offending items
and get back on track. Another very remarkable feature seen
in the War-time images was that the stowage bin on the rear
of the turret was pretty much crushed, using metal foil for me,
is the best way to represent this so a new stowage bin was
made out of brass foil and soldered together to make it really
sturdy. The damage and dents were then simply added by
hammering it with a small hammer until the desired damage
was achieved; as simple as that!
Worth noting is also the Aber MG 34 barrel used in the
Kugelblende as this really pimps up the appearance of the
model. Parts of a Tamiya Tiger kit were also used as can be
seen with the sand and grey coloured parts, simply because I
had them and with a bit of work these fit nicely onto the model.
The Tiger had also some significant damage from small arms
and shrapnel as seen in the original pictures. This was created
by using a motor tool and some sharp blades. By first thinning
down from the reverse so that you can almost see through the
plastic, and then cutting in from the front side one can create
some really nice and convincing battle damage.
The rest of the kit was built using the majority of the kit parts,
in the accompanying pictures you can see the self-made
details added with white plastic stock. Also one can see where
some details were removed after the new info was found...

13
 After the Gunze 1200 rattle can primer was added I started with a
black pre-shading on the corners and edges to start the
weathering process. On top of this a coat of Tamiya XF9 hull red
was airbrushed on, so thin that the preshading still showed
through. A couple of light coats of hairspray were sprayed on
followed, after drying, with the dunkelgelb base coat. Now the fun
begins; With a cup of warm water and a old shortened brush the
surface was rubbed in an irregular manner. By using different tools
you can add different types of chips and damage. A constant
check is required when doing this so that it all looks natural, the
smaller the ‘chip’ the better!
After the chipping was done a light coat of
clear was sprayed on to protect the
previous work and after drying another light
coat of hairspray was added (then after
14
drying) the green and red brown camouflage was sprayed on
paying close attention to the pictures where to add the pattern.
The only (well, educated...) 'guess' work was on the top of the
Tiger as I had no info on that. Maybe Murphy’s Law will bite again
one day...!
A second chipping round was done to show the dunkelgelb paint
under the camo colours, again using the forementioned tools,
again paying close attention to where to add them, like on and
around the hatches and places of crew activity.
The chipping process was further enhanced by painting more
scratches using acrylics, a small brush and a scalpel blade for
very carefully scratching the camo paint off to show the
dunkelgelb underneath. The distinctive decals from Star Decals
were added and the tools and add-on equipment were also
A first filter was added with Humbrol enamel paint to blend the
colours together and then a pin wash with dark brown oil colour
brings out the detail even more.
Fading the paintwork with oils, using a wide pallete of colours, will
simulate the weathering process caused by, as the word
suggests, the weather like sun and rain. Dots of the colours were
blended by a dry brush, the oil paint remains workable for a long
time.
Turning my attention now to the exhaust shields, which are
discoloured by the heat and are made from thin metal sheet. I do
this with different brown and ochre acrylic paints using the sponge
technique. By tapping the different colours ‘wet on wet’ one
becomes a very irregular rust tone. A couple of burnt sienna oils
Next I can turn my attention to the tracks. I prefer to use metal
tracks, in this case Friuls, because after the painting is done one
can add the wear of bare metal realistic by simply using some
abrasive paper. For painting I dip them into the AK Metal
Burnishing Fluid and weather the tracks with the same colours as
used to weather the tank. Adding them is now always a bit of dirty
job (like the real thing...) but always very rewarding as the model is
close to being finished.
With the Tiger almost done, the last thing to add are the
pigments. These were added and fixed with AK pigment fixer
washes will harmonize the rust colour and don't forget to finish the
process with a pure matt clear coat (I used AK ultra matt). Rust
always appears matt!
As the Tiger is situated in an urban battle heavy dirt and mud
wouldn’t be present so I added only light dirt behind the running
gear with pigments fixed with AK pigment fixer. A first light dust
coat was sprayed on the running gear and back of the Tiger with
some Tamiya XF57 Buff. This was also scuffed as the underlying
hairspray was still ‘active’ to get an uneven coat of dust as seen
on real vehicles.
The wear on the running gear caused due to the contact friction
was simply done by metalizing with a silver Edding pen, AK silver
pencil and a HB pencil polished with a cotton bud for a nice metal
under the turret and areas were there isn't that much crew traffic.
Also some pure black was used on the exhausts to create nice
matt soot stains.
I always do add the pigments last to avoid any nasty fingerprints
which only become evident after you take some photographs! The
last thing is my secret recipe; Tamiya X19 Smoke for some oil
spills on the engine deck as this gives that nice thick, smudgy oily
look. Thinned with their own thinners I use this also for some fuel
spillage around the fuel filler openings.
15
 As the Tiger is destined for a Berlin diorama, which I will build in the
near future, I wanted to make at least one crewman. Not only for size
comparison, as man is an instant measure of all things, but also it
looks more dynamic when on display for the time being.
I made a simple tank commander out of some spare parts, a bit of
Apoxie Sculpt and a Hornet head.

The figure was

painted entirely with
acrylics with a
couple of Tamiya
collar patch decals.

16
Now that the Tiger is finished, all I can say is (with some
precaution...!) that in the end this model is a good representation
of how the real tank might have looked like back then, according
to the available info and more than one evening of studying those
pictures. Now on with the diorama...!

I wish to thank Tom Cockle for providing me the missing parts.

Thanks Tom!

17
 Dragon’s kit consists of a compilation of multiple sprues
from other pre-existing kits. Obviously, the hull comes from
their Panzer IV Ausf. J Late and the turret from Panther F,
both kits are really good. Nevertheless, the assembly
process gets a bit tedious and complex when having so
many sprues on the bench. Because of it, I took the time
and work to separate those pieces to be used from their
sprues and reduce the level of confusion in front of me.
There are many unnecessary pieces and they were
immediately put into the spares box.

The assembly in general is quite simple, the most tedious

part of the assembly is the wheels and the 8 suspension
boogies. Once finished, the rest of the process is really
simple. I just added some minor improvements such as
adding Modelkasten’s wing nuts and Aber PE tool clamps.

20
21
 I decided to change the kit‘s DS tracks by others corresponding to
the so called “Ostketten”. This change is just for aesthetic
purposes, as in practical terms this model could have not used
them since they are heavier than the normal tracks and the engine
could have been taken to its limit due to the Schmalturm’s extra
weight. For using the Ostketten track the schurzen must be placed
extending them to the widest position. This is done by extending
the supports that are placed on the side of the fenders.
Fortunately, the space that is left is enough for placing the
Ostketten, even with the schurzen in position.
I added the spaced armour from Voyager designed
for Panther F and a night vision device I took from
Bronco’s set. Fortunately, it fits pretty well on the
Dragon’s cupola ring. I also added the cables using
metal wire. I also added a couple of round impacts at
the turret’s front. Nothing so exaggerated, only two or
three, including one diagonal on the gun mantlet.
Base Coat and painting
I decided to paint the model with two camouflage schemes,
assuming the vehicle was mounted by recycling a previous Panzer
IV Ausf. J late chassis, to which the Schmalturm was then added.
Using this excuse as a creative license we can obtain a major
contrast between the two different parts of the vehicle, as it
features a much weatherworn hull and a relatively newer turret.
For the chassis, I used Resedagrun RAL 6011 as the base coat by
mixing Mission Models colours, which was modulated by adding a
mix of dark yellow and white to lighten the base colour. The
camouflage consists in Rot Braun RAL 8017 diagonal lines and a
lighter shade of Red Oxide German WWII RAL 3009. The
camouflage was applied with low pressure and airbrushing as
close to the model’s surface as possible. I also apply the
camouflage on the hull’s wire mesh shields.

I also wanted to add some damage on the chassis,

so I simulated a serious impact on the front of the left
fender, using a PE textured plate and copper sheet for
the frame. With needle-nosed pliers I bent the main
plate until getting the desired effect, then I fixed
everything with CA glue, taking care not to make the
union to the main fender visible (I cut a whole fender
panel) Luckily, the kit includes Thoma wire mesh
shields with PE frames, as well as a plastic PE
bending tool, but you must be careful as they are a bit
hard to work with, the plastic tool will not complete
the whole work. It is necessary to soften up the PE by
annealing it under a flame and pre-bending before
using the tool.

22
For painting the turret, I once again used Resedagrun
RAL 6011 and Red Oxide German WWII RAL 3009. For
painting the disc pattern I used the excellent DN
Models Set and applied the colours inversely, starting
to paint with green, next red and last, yellow. Finally in
order to merge the colours I applied Tamiya’s
Modelling wax with a piece of cloth. The final result is a
very smooth surface with integrated colours to
eliminate the remaining unevenness when using the
stencils. Finally, I separately painted the accessories,
such as the Night Vision lenses and the turret’s

23
 Weathering

For the weathering process I started with some orange tone filters
on the turret and blue tones on the hull. After that, I applied a
general wash with Burnt Umber mixed with sepia. The chipping
was made with acrylics and a fine brush, starting with a base
colour lighted with white and finally a mix of dark brown on the
inside for representing metal. In the case of schurzen I applied a
wider variety of tones for the chipping, including primer red,
especially on the frames.

After that, I applied rust streaking effects coming from the deeper
chipping and applied pin washes on different parts of the vehicle,
especially on the turret, where I added some grey green filters to
reduce the contrast between colours and simulate accumulated
grime.

For making dust effects I used ochre and grey enamels mixed
with some plaster, which I brushed on the
sides of the hull. On the upper hull I applied a
similar mix without plaster.

Figure

The figure is from Alpine, which I had to trim down at

the level of the knees, so that it could fit in the hatch
as the night vision device makes the available room
for the figure a bit narrower. I carefully placed the
figure so that the hand was supported on the
night vision’s base. For painting I used
Andrea’s acrylics, which are my
favourite for brush painting.

24
25
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 Jason Bobrowich
builds a Balkan deployed
Danish Leopard 1A5DK

28
The Danish deployment of Leopard 1A5DK Main Battle
Tanks in war torn Bosnia began in March 1994 during the
UNPROFOR mission. The Leopard Squadron with the Jydske
Dragon regiment (Jutland Dragoon Regiment) formed the heavy
armour capability in the Nordic Battalion (NORDBAT 2). Danish
Leopards engaged in combat on several occasions in Bosnia
including April 29, 1994 during Operation Bøllebank when under
heavy fire by Serbian forces using a variety of indirect and direct
weapons they fired a total of 72 105mm rounds from the
Leopard's L7 main guns to destroy threats and protect fellow UN
Peacekeepers. The transition of UN Peacekeepers to combat
operations raised the attention of many right up to the UN Security
Council due to controversies raised regarding the "rules of
engagement". The UN white Danish Leopards soldiered on in
Bosnia throughout the remainder of 1994 and into late 1995. On
December 20, 1995 UNPROFOR was relieved by NATO forces with
IFOR (Implementation Force) under the provisions of the Dayton
Peace Accords. The NATO-led forces' primary goal was to end the
hostilities in Bosnia.
Under IFOR, troops and vehicles would no longer be denoted by
the UNPROFOR blue helmets, white vehicles, or UN markings.
Troops who were already in Bosnia and transitioning from
UNPROFOR to the IFOR mission hastily repainted their vehicles
and applied IFOR markings. The white painted Danish Leopard
1A5DKs were repainted in a hurried manner over a period of only
several days using paint on hand. The Danish forces did not have
enough black paint to properly repaint all of their vehicles in the
standard Danish green and black camouflage. The result was
Leopards appeared with green camouflage bands applied over
the UN white with thin black stripes outlining the white sections.
This created a very unique and poignant unintended winter
camouflage on the Danish Leopards. Ironically this application of
camouflage lasted for only a couple of weeks until additional black
paint arrived and the remaining UN white was covered over
removing the final reminders of the UNPROFOR mission.
29
 DANISH DOZER
Many years ago I built an UNPROFOR Danish Leopard 1A5DK
(Meng AFV Modeller, Issue 14). Modelling an IFOR Danish Leopard
1A5DK in the unique green, white, and black camouflage was a
goal of mine for many years and a combination of new Leopard
kits and aftermarket items set my plan in motion.
The Meng Leopard 1A3/A4 kit was selected as the base for the
build. Meng has done an excellent job capturing the details of the
Leopard and the ability to build an A3 or A4 version provides the
modeller with options for building and finishing.
To build an accurate Danish Leopard 1A5DK I had to look no
further than the Legend Productions Leopard 1A5DK UNPROFOR
conversion set. The set is very well designed and the resin casting
are nearly flawless. As the IFOR Leopards were simply the
UNPROFOR Leopards repainted and remarked the conversion hit
the mark from an accuracy standpoint.
The Danish Leopard Squadron deployed to Bosnia consisted of
gun tanks, mine plow tanks, and dozer tanks. The dozer blade
was the implement I selected and I chose the Perfect Scale
Modellbau Leopard 1 Dozer Blade with Extensions. The dozer
blades used on Danish Leopard 1s have removable extension
sections that attach to the blade ends when in use and attached
to the back side of the blade when stowed.
FROM THE GROUND UP
Danish Leopard 1s received a variety of modifications from first
delivery to the final Leopard 1A5DK-1 version. One of the most
prominent modifications on the hull was the addition of stowage
boxes along both sides . I started the hull build modifications by
filling and sanding the kit pioneer tool mounts to allow for the
30
attachment of the resin bins. I then moved to the glacis plate and
repeated the process to eliminate the grouser rack mounts.
Before adding the hull kit and aftermarket parts I improved the
visible weld seams on the lifting eyes, the NBCW filer housing, the
glacis plate, and the rear hull. I use a tried and true method of thin
stretched sprue attached along the desired seam with liquid
cement. I then dabbed more liquid cement along the sprue to
softened it up. Using a sharp #11 blade push into the sprue
multiple times to form the weld seam. After several applications of
liquid cement and repeated small cuts with the blade the weld
seam takes shape.
The Meng kit tow cables are provided as braided string.
I have steered away from using string tow cables for many years
and sought a more realistic metal look. I took the opportunity for
this build to use a set of RMG Resin Models Leopard 1 tow cables.
Consisting of resin cable eyes and tightly wrapped copper cables
these cables are extremely pliable allowing the cables to run along
the hull and fit into mounts and the tow pintles just like the real
cables.
The Meng kit is unique in that it provides both vinyl tracks and
individual links. The individual links are simplistic in that the end
connectors are attached making assembly along straight runs. As
the tracks wrap around the idlers wheels and drive sprockets the
end connectors don't quite meet the required angles. In the case
of my build it would not be a major issue due to the intended
heavy weathering. I have never attached tracks fully to a build
without at least base coat painting the hull and track sections. This
would be a unique opportunity to fully attach a set of tracks before
painting any of the kit.
DOZER POSER
The Perfect Scale Modellbau dozer blade is a kit in itself.
Consisting of resin and photo etched parts it builds into an
impressive implement for the Leopard. The resin parts do not
provide the ability to make this a working dozer and a decision
should be made early in the build as to which position it will be
posed. Test fitting was key with the mount and hydraulic pistons to
ensure the parts were aligned and fit on to the lower front hull
properly. As I stated earlier, the Danish dozer blades have
additional end sections which extend the width of the blade
beyond track width. In reviewing reference images the Danish
Leopards mounting dozer blades in Bosnia stored the extensions
on the back side of the blade. The end of the dozer blade and the
extensions have matching mounting holes. The holes are present
on the castings but required additional drilling out to make the
detail stand out. Meng bolts were added to the extension mounts
to supplement the details.
Once the dozer was attached to the hull the focus turned on the
headlights and power cables. A wire cable was run from the
socket on the rear of each headlight mount to the hull headlight
power sockets. The dozer is electrically operated via a power
cable run into the hull. The Legend Productions conversion set
includes a detailed photo etched cable cover which angles across
the glacis plate. I used lead solder to create the cable and finished
off the placement by running it down through the driver's right
periscope opening.

TURRET ALERT
The turret modifications started off with cutting a hole in the turret
roof forward of the Commander's hatch to fit the Legend
Productions resin EMES 18 gunner's sight. This can be a daunting
task when cutting into a major plastic component in any kit. The
conversion instructions provide a line drawing template which aids
in land marking where to make the cuts. I mapped out the
perimeter and made the cuts from the inside out making small
adjustments while test fitting the EMES 18 housing. The
conversion provides wedge shaped blanking plates for the original
gunner's sights as well as the add-on storage box for the turret
rear.

31
 The rest of the resin and photo etch conversion part are added
with relative ease to give the turret the Danish flair it requires. The
long photo etch cable cover running down the centre of the turret
did require slight modification as it comes fitted with the mounts
to externally stow two Danish M/96 Carbines. During the
UNPROFOR and early IFOR missions the mounts were not
attached to the cable covers so I snipped off the photo etch parts.
The carbine mounts were a modification made to the Danish
Leopards when they were upgraded to the Leopard 1A5DK-1
version. The Danish white light searchlight and mantlet cover
provided in the conversion are both very well done. I added a wire
cable to the searchlight which was run to the opening of the cable
cover on the turret.
I used Leopard Workshop Danish Leopard 1 Aerials to replace the
Meng parts. This little set is a gem with resin antenna bases, finely
crafted springs, a metal antenna top, and metal antennas. These
are finely crafted parts and greatly aid to the level of detail on the
turret.
Moving to the front of the turret I replaced the kit two part L7
105mm barrel with Perfect Scale Modellbau Leopard 1 L7 105mm
WHITE NOISE
The base coat started off with a complete application of Tamiya
XF-2 Flat White. With the previously applied primer coat the flat
white when on smoothly. Layering the white in several thin coats
ensured the primer coat was covered over leaving the snow white
finish.
The application of Danish green camouflage was next and this
called for some pre-planning. The elusive Danish green is seldom
seen out of bottle and requires a variety of paint mixology to get
the shade looking accurate without being either to garish or too
dull. What I did notice when comparing reference images between
the IFOR Danish Leopards and other Danish Leopards was that
the green used on the IFOR Leopards was darker than the
traditional Danish green. Experimenting with Tamiya paints I was
32
happy with a mixture of Tamiya XF-67 NATO Green lightened
slightly with Tamiya XF-4 Yellow Green.
barrel. The resin barrel has great detail on the barrel jacket and
clamps and best of all no seam lines to deal with. The attachment
of the barrel to the kit mantlet was very simple with only a small
modification to enlarge the mantlet mating hole.
PRIMER TIME
To prepare the turret and hull for base painting I airbrushed on a
primer coat using Tamiya XF-53 Neutral Grey. I took this
opportunity as well to prepare accessories for the hull glacis plate
and back deck. On the glacis plate I would be attaching two spare
road wheels. The resin road wheels were provided in the Legend
Productions conversion set.
On the back deck two 105 mm ammunition crates would be
strapped down. I dug into my accessories and decided to use the
105 mm ammunition crates included in the Tamiya Modern U.S.
Accessories set. I added detail to the crates by drilling out holes
on each end and attaching thread to replicate the rope carrying
handles. As well, each crate received a small photo etched clasp
on the front.
From comparing reference images I noticed immediately that the
IFOR Danish Leopards did not have an identical pattern. As the
camouflage was applied by the crews in Bosnia over a short
period of time there were variations. I used a variety of reference
images to apply the green in a tight airbrushed pattern. The UN
white Leopard immediately began to take on a new look with the
green camouflage.
The black stripes that created a border between the white and
green are a unique form of unintended camouflage. As stated in
the introduction, a limited supply of black paint led to just the
outlining of the black camouflage and created enhanced
demarcation lines along the edges over the entire hull and turret.
The black stripes were applied using Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black
with white and green touchups to keep the lines tight and
overspray to a minimum.
The road wheels and suspension components were kept white. My
weathering plan for the suspension would cover over any base
coat painting so there was no need to detail repaint parts green.
To finish off the base painting I masked off the exhaust grills and
airbrushed on a coat of Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black to set up further
weathering.
MARKING MADNESS
The transition from UNPROFOR to IFOR required wholesale
changes in visible markings. The black UN markings were
replaced with IFOR lettering on all vehicles. The application of the
green and black camouflage potentially muted out a blanket
application of black IFOR markings. Therefore a combination of
black and white IFOR lettering which overlapped the camouflage
lines would be required for this build.
The Eduard IFOR stencil mask set was selected to create the
multi-colour IFOR markings. Using reference images I identified
the three locations on the turret for the IFOR markings. On the
right side of the turret I would only be using black due to the very
limited amount of camouflage overlap. On the left side of the
turret and storage box I would need to use both white and black
lettering to contrast the white and green camouflage. The Eduard
stencils are simple to use and the result is sharp IFOR markings
painted on like the really thing.
The Danish Leopards in Bosnia received a variety of turret art. For
this Danish dozer tank I selected the cartoon figure of the
mischievous boy with flaming orange hair with the "Trust Me!" logo
from the Leopard Workshop Danish Leopard 1A5DK with
UNPROFOR decal set as I confirmed this was a dozer tank.
Added to the cartoon markings was the standard Danish red
and white flag shield for another pop of colour. I opted to not
add the Danish Army registration number to the driver's tool box
on the hull rear as it would be covered over during weathering.
FINE POINTS
Before I started the weathering process I identified a couple of
details that I wanted to add. The first was a Danish water
can on the turret stowage box. The only 1/35 aftermarket
Danish water cans available are in the Legend
Productions Danish Leopard 1A5DK-1 conversion set.
The resin water cans are cast in the jerry can rack with
a photo etched strap. Instead of using the water cans in
that set I turned to Canadian modeller Jim Carswell and
his growing passion and skills for 3D printing. Doing some
digging I found the Danish water cans for sale online. Using
the dimension details provided for the water cans as well as
reference images Jim was able to create 3D printed Danish
water cans for my Leopard.
33
34
The second detail I added was a muzzle cover and retaining chain. The muzzle cover appears
to be a rubberized cap provided for fording. Attached to the cap is a long retaining chain that
lazily hangs to an attachment point on a barrel jacket clamp. I used a punched styrene circle for
the muzzle cap and then carefully wrapped a thin piece of Tamiya masking tape around the
muzzle to build up bulk. I added the protruding triangular shaped pull tabs to the muzzle cover
and then attached some narrow photo etched chain in a drooping loop.
I next tackled the majority of the detail painting including mirrors, tow cables, track tools on the
back deck, grenade dischargers covers, commander's sight, loader's hatch interior, search light
power cable, machine gun ammunition box, EMES 18 sight, headlight cables, and the dozer
power cable.

MUD BOGGING
What really stood out to me with the IFOR Danish Leopards was the amount of wet, dry,
splashed, and built up mud that was coating the suspension, the rear hull, side skirts, and the
bottom surfaces of the dozer blade. There is no doubt that the Squadron of Danish Leopards
was very active patrolling in late December 1995 when the weather was wet, muddy, and snowy
all at the same time.

I mixed up a slurry of AK Interactive Fresh Mud, Mig Productions Europe Dust pigments, and a
touch of Mig Productions Black Smoke pigments. Using an old brush I applied the mud build up
very liberally on the road wheels, tracks, the majority of the lower hull, side skirt lower edges,
and the rear hull. The initial effect was a bit of a shock but I knew that additional layers of
weathering would blend the mud effects.
If you have not been told, dental hygiene is critical to armour modelling. The regular
replacement of tooth brushes provides the modeller with tools for applying splashed mud
effects. Using a recently replaced soft bristle tooth brush dipped in the mud slurry I created mud
splatter to create a gradual upward splash effect up the sides of the side skirts, dozer blade,
rear hull, and front fenders.
With the darker wet mud applied I wanted to ensure that a rising dryer mud and dust
accumulation blended and faded the upper edges of the mud and provided a natural display of
weathering. Using Tamiya XF-57 Buff I airbrushed upper hull surfaces, lower turret edges, and
the back deck.
I turned my attention to detail weathering with pin washes applied using Windsor & Newton Raw
Umber oil paint. I've used this brand of tube oil paint for many years and it has held the test of
time. The Dark Umber shade provides depth and a deep weathering effect on both light and
dark base colours.
Using the Raw Umber oil paint and AK Interactive Rainmarks for NATO tank enamel colour I
added a variety of subtle streaks to create some subtle weathering effects on the vertical turret
surfaces, dozer blade, and along the side skirts. The streaking further blends the dust and mud
effects and provides some random tone variations.
I paused the weathering to add the 105 mm ammunition crates and road wheels to the hull.
They required individual attention with the weathering and attachments. The crates were painted
white and washed and dusted to blend them with the rear hull weathering.

35
 IFOR enforcer

36
The crates were strapped down to hull using the carrying handles on each end to
create stability. Using Tamiya masking tape I created thin straps that led from the
crates to the tow cable mounts and to the gun crutch. I added small photo etch
buckles and ratchet type devices to the straps for additional detailing. A total of five
straps were used to secure the crates to the back deck.
On the glacis plate I chose to paint one road wheel green and the other white for some
variation. The back side of the road wheels were painted a bare metal shade to
represent new road wheels. The same process was used with Tamiya tape and photo
etch buckles to create straps to secure the road wheels in a convincing manner.
To create a further degree of weathering on upper surfaces I used fine brush
applications of Mig Productions Europe Dust pigments. The goal was to show small
deposits of dirt and dust build up. Even in snow and wet conditions dirt and dust still
accumulate on tank surfaces much to the chagrin of the crews. As the weathering
neared completion I wanted to add some wet mud effects on the suspension and lower
hull. Using a variety of pigments, oil paint, and acrylic gloss I dabbed on a light
application of the mixture to show irregular wet mud build up.
Final detail and weathering touches includes using pigments to provide a soot build up
on the exhaust grills, applying rust to the crew heater exhaust, adding the vertical
indicators on the rear hull corners, attaching the MG3 to the loader's position, and
painting the periscopes.

BALKAN LEOPARDS
The IFOR Danish Leopards provide a colourful heavy armour variation seldom seen on
standardized camouflage tanks. The crews used ingenuity and artistic license to quickly
transition the Squadron from UNPROFOR to NATO duties. While only a temporary look
for the Danish Leopard 1A5DKs it is eye catching and was clearly very suitable for the
late December 1995 wet and wintery conditions. The Danish Leopard 1A5DKs held their
own in Bosnia with UNPROFOR and the early phase of IFOR. They would hand the torch
over to the Leopard 1A5DK-1 version which would continue through the remainder of
IFOR and on to SFOR missions in Bosnia and finally finish with the KFOR mission in
Kosovo. Perhaps those will be future builds?

37
 Panzerkampfwagen
David Parker builds Trumpeter’s 1:16 kit Part Forty Three

Completed, finished, ended, parked,

done and dusted.

Seven years, two months and fourteen

days after I started work on Trumpeter’s
big Panzer IV I think it might be a wrap. In
this final installment I will run through some
of the techniques and details used to finish
the model. You may recognise the vehicle
from its much-published photo taken in
Villers-Bocage where it had been disabled
and was photographed being recovered by
the Germans.

38
39
 I went back and reworked the centreline cross on the turret skirt to pull it out from the overspray effect The spare tracks on the bow were a factory fitting
and make it more visible. This was done by brush painting the stronger tones over the existing markings and consequently painted along with the rest of
and working around the number. the hull. I decided that I could weather them in situ
so I added the clamps that hold the bow tracks.

Red oxide patches were applied where brackets had been removed for The ball mount was painted black which appears to have been the factory finish for
the skirts and for a section of damaged zimmerit on the front mudflap. this part and I also added the red cross on the glacis. This is thought to mark the
tank centreline possibly for rail transportation.

Above I used one of our AFV Modeller decals to

apply the ‘braun ark’ lubrication marker to the gun
sleeve in a space that I had left in the camouflage
colours.
Right Fear of the blank canvas, I have to admit
that moving ahead with the weathering was
daunting but I began with some acrylic pin
washes.

40 I mixed my own dried mud colour using Lifecolor acrylics and this was This of course allowed me to selectively remove the dried mud to expose
applied over a coat of hairspray. the underlying dunkelgelb.
Photos of the real vehicle clearly show deposits of mud on top of the The mud clogged idlers were filled initially with Magic Sculp with paint and
suspension and the spokes of the idler wheels are completely clogged. I talcum powder applied over this. I added extensive grease stains around the
mixed talcum powder into my paint to create the lumps of mud. axle.

Before joining the wheels together I weathered the internal rims beginning I then ran some graphite around the centres of the rims and blended and
with a random wash and speckled application of rust tones over the steel polished it with a cotton bud. Although its not highly visible once the wheels
finish. are joined together it does add to the realism of the finished wheels

The finished effect can be seen from the right I also added some grease stains to some of the Tracks were spayed in a grey brown mix using
angle. wheels but I kept them quite restrained to match Gunze acrylics. An acrylic wash was applied and
the condition of the real vehicle. the track contact areas treated with Uschi Van der
Rosten metallic burnishing powder.

A series of acrylic washes were applied to the vehicle to recreate the look of
my subject vehicle. It is operating in June in dry conditions so I wanted some
dust effects laying on the horizontal surfaces.
41
 I had just tacked the vision block mounts onto the turret hatches during painting. I now removed them
and painted the interior black as well the edges of the vision block itself. They were then reassembled
for this convincing look with the handles and rubber strips picked out in black.

I have to admit that the exhaust muffler was something of a struggle to paint
and I came close to stripping it and starting again but I stuck with and I am
happy with the result. I had some wartime colour photos of the exhaust on a
new vehicle which was almost entirely pink which is where I started but
clearly as the service of the tank extends the pink tone is confined to the
lower surfaces. I built up the layers of colour using a mix of sponging and
stippled brush work. I mixed some pure purple into the brown shades to get
the darkest colours. I was unsure how to handle the dented area and initially
applied some bright orange to this area but it just wasn’t working so I painted
over it and I retained the orange just in the centreline crease.

Two more shots from along the tortured

route to a pleasing result. I applied rain
streaks which were subsequently
painted over and the graduated end
caps.
Below the finished muffler had dust
airbrushed into the back between the
muffler and hull and just a hint of dust
around the mounting straps.

42
I removed all the tool stowage to paint them individually which felt like a step
backwards but pays off in the end. I applied some signs of wear and usage
indicative of a six month old vehicle having regular maintenance.The
woodgrain effects were painted with oil paint applied over an acrylic base.

To add some interest to the stowed spare track

links which would have been painted at the factory
I added a single unpainted link. I applied some rust
spots starting to break through the paint on the
painted link and traces of rust around the holes in
the unpainted link.

The trusty galvanized ‘Panzer Bucket’ hanging

from the track stowage is one of my designs and
part of the AFV Modeller range and just adds that
bit of character.

43
 To add some interest I printed a wheel with the hubcap missing
that had failed and been swapped out. Leaking grease was also
indicated seeping out of the bin onto the trackguard.

A selection of pictures showing the completed tool stowage

around the tank.

44
 Above some careful painting brought the tail
light and reflector to life.

Left My initial plans for the tow rope was to use brass picture wire with my
own printed tow eyes but I really was not happy with the appearance of the
wire or the mis-match of twist patterns between wire and eye. Above Instead
I designed and printed some wire to match the eyes. Although the printing
resin is rigid applying heat makes it flexible and it worked far better than I had
hoped.

Fitting the cables required some forward planning and I left the tow eyes duplicate the first cable. The final touch was to add the small chain that
separate so that the cables could be glued in place in situ. I used hot air to tethers the cables on the back of the hull. I used one of my 3D printed chains
help shape the cables and get a suitable realistic sag. The second cable was for this.
then added in the same way but I varied the cable position so that it didn’t

In preparation for fitting the tracks I glued the tip

of one of the track pins in place on the inside face
of the tracks.
45
 Panzerkampfwagen Ausf.H
Manufactured by Nibelungenwerk Jan ‘44

Part of Kampfgruppe Ritgen, Panzer Lehr Division

46 Photographed in Villers-Bocage, Normandy 13th June 1944
47
48
49
 Fitting the tracks was carefully planned to make sure they were fitted securely and I undertook
several dry runs to make sure I had the correct track sag before fixing the idler positions. I
found I had to add a couple of links to get everything fitting to my satisfaction. I began by
gluing the sprocket in place using 5 minute epoxy and then gluing each roadwheel to the
track also using epoxy and leaving this to set. I then applied glue to the idler and fed in the
top run of track to join at the sprocket. I inserted a copper pin to join the tracks and then
capped this with another cut down track pin. I was able to lift the top run of track over each
return roller and apply a small touch of epoxy to each so that the top run was also secured.

The remains of the skirt rails were next and I decided to completely remake badly bent sections would have lost most of their paint so these were finished
the rail itself from Evergreen L section given the extreme damage with the in bright rust whereas on the bent support frame I restricted the paint loss to
front section bent back on itself. It seemed reasonable to assume that the areas of heavy bending.

50
From the photo of the real tank it looked like the spare roadwheel balanced
on the trackguard may have been painted a darker colour so I applied a coat
of Olivegrun to it along with some heavy grease staining. The wheel sits on
the stowage clamps for the engine hand crank so I positioned this as though
it had been just placed on the trackguard rather than properly stowed.

Below I applied some old oil stains to the engine deck, in a dusty environment
these would attract the dust rather being shiny and wet.

Weathering on the turret doors was kept deliberately minimal on this relatively
new vehicle but I added a few scuffs around the locking handles and similarly
on the schurzen door a small scrape where the latch has swung.

51
 A greasy hand print on the Driver’s hatch helps break up the surface and
bring it to life.

I used 3D printed chains to secure the tow shackles. The small area of detached zimmerit on the front mudflap adds some interest
with remnants of the coating on top of the red oxide primer.

52
Final Thoughts
This has been a monster project by any standards and I
have ended up replacing large amounts of the original kit
at a guess somewhere between 60-70% is no longer
original Trumpeter. Hand in hand with this has gone a huge
amount of research into the interior of the vehicle some of
which was I think previously unknown as there was almost
no information on this and any web search would only
throw up a handful of images at best. It was frustrating to
see the 1:35 kit manufacturers lift this information (with my
at that point, uncorrected mistakes) fail to adapt
components for different Ausf and provide erroneous
colour guides for the interior parts which are now taken as
gospel. It has been a project that has seen me transition
from traditional scratchbuilding to state of the art
scratchprinting yet even at the end of it I found myself
working with plastic to recreate the twisted skirt rails.
To complete the base I created a placard in the style of the placards used in the real vehicle. I am proud
to report that the Panzer IV was awarded a Gold Medal in the Master Category at World Model Expo
I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who has
helped me out across the seven years with references, bits
of information, sometimes the key critical image, or
direction to where it might be found. Those on the
Facebook Panzer IV build group who have taken the time
to ponder and prove or disprove my theories about
obscure bits of machinery in the tank. You know who you
are and I want you to know that it has all been appreciated
by me. Don Campbell was a huge help with his design
work on the engine and one or two other bits along the
way as well as steering me in the right direction with my
own foray into 3D design. To Mark and Keith here at AFV
Modeller who have consistently asked “is it finished yet?”
and quite correctly taken the piss.
53
 Time flies when you’re having fun but
it’s hard to believe that this Dragon kit
is almost ten years old (and there
have been around ten variants also
M48A3 (mod B) based on the sprues in true Dragon
fashion!). This was a major release as
Modelled by I remember well, the aging Tamiya kit
Mark Neville was long overdue a replacement and
although I for one was hoping AFV
Club would have risen to the
occasion, it was left to DML to satisfy
the wants of the Vietnam War era
modeller.

54
The initial excitement was ever-so-slightly
tainted by the fact first we were given a
‘Mod B’; perhaps a marketing ploy as the
more commonly seen (in Vietnam anyway)
M48A3 came along soon after.
M48A1s were upgraded to M48A3
configuration with the major points being
the engine and tranmission converted to
the diesel AVDS-1790-2A engine and CD-
850-6A respectively. This lead to an M60-
style engine deck and rear exhaust grille,
‘dry’ fender mounted air cleaners and
removal of the auxiliary generator. Around
600 A3s were in use by the Army and
around 400 by the USMC in 1964,
deployed later in Vietnam.
Due to tank lessons learned and combat in
Vietnam, Bowen-McLaughlin-York, Inc.
(BMY), converted 578 tanks to M48A3 Mod
B standard starting in 1967. The ‘Mod B’
tanks differed from the earlier M48A3s by
having a re-designed cupola incorporating
large vision blocks and a new hatch but
were still cramped for the commander with
only around fifty rounds ready for the
.50Cal ( many photos in the field show the
.50Cals mounted externally with a full-size
ammo box.) Armoured frames now
protected light clusters and the rear doors /
exhaust and one of the main visual away prominent seam lines (which you can
features, the large searchlight. So why on see still on the end connectors
earth did Dragon omit this from their kit? unfortunately).
Not only that but also the characteristic
mantlet cover. A big disappointment in a kit The kit does build very well with little fuss
which offered much more than the Tamiya and detail is good throughout. Clear parts
vintage motorized model. are provided for the cupola and vision
blocks and little more was done other than
Thankfully DEF. Model came to the rescue thinning-out some of the parts (fenders,
with a superb detail set addressing these light guards) and adding texture to the hull
issues; DM35029 gives you the searchlight and turret with Mr Surfacer stippled with an
(with or without cover), searchlight stowage old stiff-bristled brush old-school style .
fixings and various photoetch details.
Dragon’s release of the ‘regular’ M48A3
does give you the searchlight and covered
mantlet but the soft DS Styrene looks very
poor in comparison to DEF’s resin parts.
The kit tracks are also in the soft, flexible
DS Styrene, hated by some modellers but
as I was planning on adding a crust of mud
I saved my AFV Club T-97s for another day.
The tracks were pretty slack so I removed
a couple of links and used them as
stowage. Liquid cement gives a good bond
on this material and can be used to brush
55
 DEF’s set is a worthy addition to this kit (check-out A great benefit of modelling post WWII
their other M48 detail sets too; superb!)
subjects is the availability of colour
Note: turret not seated properly at this stage.
images. A large image I’d often admired
in a book of mine was an Army ‘Patton’
in Vietnam, rolling down Highway One
with a heavy coating of the typical red
dirt seen in certain areas of the country.
The searchlight cover sported some
artwork of the looney Tunes
‘Roadrunner’.
U.S. armour of the period often has a
much ‘bluer’ cast to the O.D. and is
pretty dark providing a nice contrast to
the pink tones of the dust and mud.
Mission acrylics were mixed and
oversprayed until I was happy with the
tone. ‘Modern Russian Green’MMP-032,
Olive Drab MMP-025 and Blue MMP-048
were used. Lifecolor Olive Drab and
khaki was a good match to the canvass
and tarps in the photo.

Multi part wheels

make for crisp Mod B featured new
detail. Much of the detachable light units,
U.S. armour probably another
damaged in ‘bush-bashing’ lesson
Vietnam was due Exhaust pipe for the from Vietnam.
to mines breaking interior heater; can’t
wheels and tracks. imagine that being used
much in Vietnam?

For replicating dust I’m a big fan of water-based

designers’ gouache. Windsor and Newton produce the
best I’ve tried; white, cadmium red,
cadmium yellow and lamp black were
mixed and applied by brush, airbrush and
sponge. Gouache is great to work with as
you can thin it down and wash it away very
simply with water using various brushes and pieces of
sponge.
Attention was paid to the areas of heavy dust, where it
was rubbed away and where rain and damp conditions For the lived-in
streaked and collected. look various
At this stage only the stowage, clothing
gouache is applied, and tarps were
Being water based, the dust and dirt effects remain My photo showed the tow heavier mud build-up added, some from
stable under subsequent oil colour blends and washes. cable left strewn on the was added later. the spares box
front bow. Karaya soft and some made
copper cable was ideal to from Magic Sculpt
form the shape. rolled thin.

A side-by-side
comparison with
the vintage
Tamiya kit (albeit
with some extra
work) shows a
few dimensional
and detail
differences.

56

By mixing the gouache with
some Wilder ‘Stoney Road’
diorama texture paste heavier
mud build up was added. Note
the darker, damper tones
where it’s at it’s thickest. Note
also the thinned-down kit
fenders and the grey and black
exhaust stains done by
airbrushing pigment powder
with water.
The kit sprockets are
missing the open slots
which prevent mud
build-up. Easy done by
drilling a hole each end
and cutting between
with a sharp blade.
After the mud and dust, shading
and highlighting was done with
selective pin-washes of oil colours
(mainly Lamp Black and Burnt
Umber).
Stowage and canvas parts were
finished in acrylics adding a touch of
pink to harmonise with the dust tones
and finished with a light scrub of pigment
powder for a dead flat finish. In contrast,
areas of the base green were ‘polished’ with a
Some of the
finger for a slight sheen as you can observe in
suspension
assembly is tricky period photographs.
but well detailed
and all on show.
Around crew hatches and access panels I
indicated polished edges and a few scuffs and
scratches with soft pencils; certainly no flaking
or chipped paint seems apparent in photos of
operational vehicles in Vietnam.

Engine intake grilles show a heavy

There’s no denying, a figure or two give life and scale to any
build-up of dust and some damp fuel
The Grunt’s armour model and they don’t come much better than those
and maintenance fluid spills were
telephone was from Bravo6. These two are from the ‘Too Darn Hot’ set
added to the rear deck. Note the
mounted here specifically for the M48. The resin was primed in black with
darker dust where there are grease
on the Mod B. some ‘directional light’ airbrushed from above with white
points such as the gun cradle.
This allowed the primer. This is a good start for shadows and highlights with
troops on the the acrylic colours applied in gradual layers.
ground direct
communication
with the tank
crew in combat.
Dragon’s M48s build well
and have decent detail. The
IDF versions suffer some bad
press regarding accuracy
and many modellers won’t
be happy with the kit tracks
and mantlet cover
throughout the range but
aftermarket improvements
won’t break the bank as the
kit can be picked up these
days very reasonably.

Some final touches

of very light dust
were added with
pigment powder for
a little variation.

57
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 Every four years modellers have their own ‘Olympics’ in the form
of the World Model Expo. With it’s roots firmly in the Historical Miniature
world, the WME has expanded to encompass Fantasy and Sci-Fi, Aircraft, Civilian
subjects and of course Military Vehicles and Dioramas.
As the WME moves around the World, the torch was handed to Holland for 2020
and the organisers of our long-time favourite show Scale Model Challenge. Then of
course the World was hit by a pandemic and the show subsequently delayed by
two years. During the numerous lock-downs and restrictions I think it’s safe to say
there’s been more modelling done throughout the World then ever before and it all
came gushing out over the weekend of 1-2-3 July 2022 at the NH Convention
Centre in Veldhoven!
This really was the Show of Shows, Scale Model Challenge on steroids with the
same slick organisation and presentation by Robert and Margot Crombeecke and
their team, the buzz and atmosphere was tremendous with friends from all over the
World reunited emotions were running high (and the hotel beer supply running
low!).

This was of course the ultimate gathering of geeks for David to display his finished
1:16 Panzer IV for the first time, so there was just the minor matter of actually
finishing it in time, which he did...just. So after numerous cancelled flights we got
there by car, a lengthy journey but worth every mile. Here’s a few snaps we’d like to
share to get a feel for the ‘Show of Shows’ if you didn’t manage to get there.

Idiots.

Judging at WME is a
serious business, and
with around 4500
entries, teams of
experts in their fields
adhere to a strict set of
rules all helped by
digital scoring and
...but is modelling art? sharing.
Take a look at this judges display by
An unenviable task to
Chloé Plattner and try and argue
against the fact. say the least!

Chema! Vallejo’s acrylic master at work.

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 Radek Pituch the artist behind Poland’s
Rado Miniatures who had some
superb new releases on show.

Representing the UK with a huge haul of

medals were the guys from Dartmoor. From
some of the very early issues of AFVm, Darren
Thompson and with even bigger smiles than
usual, Pete Usher scooping two gold medals Legends of our hobby...and the Editor.
for his stunning entries. Taesung Harmms of Alpine Miniatures
Andy Evans also scooped a medal for his and Calvin Tan.
dramatic SAS jeeps in Commando comic style.

Remember the RAM Kangeroo from our previous

issue? Here’s Fabio Sacchi and his son Tommaso
helping out the HD Models guys from Italy.
The standard of work was staggering...and just so
much of it meant it was impossible to see all the
competition had to offer.

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 Dioramas great and small; if you don’t
come away from this show bursting with
ideas you probably need a new hobby.

Another inspirational diorama from the

master of the craft, Roger Hurkmans.
His simply stunning Hungary 1945 scene.

AK Interactive announced their first full

injection moulded kit, completely designed
and manufactured on their home turf of
Spain. Very nice it looks too!

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 A small taster of non-AFV subjects which
made WME the spectacle that it was.

While WME has it’s roots in the figure world

the diversity of subjects make it a true feast
of miniature art of all genres; the standard of
work is staggering to say the least.

Also making the journey from the UK were

the saviours of scratch-builders, Albion
Alloys with their range of precision metal
profiles and finishing materials.

It’s great to see a new generation of

modellers (and girls!) getting involved.

Always looking for something new and

inventive, Chris Meddings of ITA
publications and The Sprue Cutters Union
podcast forgets air-guitar and gets a
demo in air-turntables.

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 Hopefully we’ve given you a taste of the magnitude of
modelling on display. If competitions are your thing there’s
no higher accolade than being awarded a medal from The
World Model Expo (or Scale Model Challenge for that
matter).
The next Expo moves to Versailles in four years time and
Scale Model Challenge returns in it’s usual format in 2023.

It’s so refreshing to see such enthusiasm and

professionalism to showcase our hobby but it’s people who
create the buzz and feel-good factor...you know who you
are! A big thank you from us to everyone who made this
show what it was.

64
 from AFV Modeller

1:16 STUG III

Corrected Radio sets with transformers and comms

boxes.

‘C Hooks’ available as
stowed and deployed
versions

Replacement shell catcher bag for Das Werk kit.

Ammunition stowage set with two

ammunition lockers and folding racks.

Pressed pattern track guard 75mm muzzle brakes, four types

supports

Steel return rollers, three different types Cupola armour wedge

www.afvmodeller.com