by: Doc Eric Valera

Trumpeter's Kiev Russian Navy Aircraft Carrier

- My first ever ship model -

I chose the 1/700 Trumpeter Kiev USSR Aircraft Carrier to be my very first ship build in my 25-year modeling career. If it hadn’t for IPMS-Manila, then it’ll take me another 25 years to get started! Seriously, I’ve been always tempted to try it years ago but the fear of getting out my comfort zone (aircrafts & armors) always prevails. Fortunately, with the relentless insistence & confidence-boosting lectures of our president, I and several other members were convinced to “set sail” with our first ships.

The Kiev was a Soviet heavy aircraft carrier during the Cold War in the 1970’s that took part in the Northern Fleet. It took on a load of STOL Yak-38s and Kamov 25/27 helicopters. It was decommissioned in the 1990s and was sold to a Chinese company to be part of a military theme park in Tianjin .

I selected an aircraft carrier over other ship types like cruisers, destroyers or battle ships mainly because I dread riggings. A 1/700 wouldn’t be too costly a loss compared to a 1/350 just in case I messed it up. The orange-green deck scheme allured me over those monotonous grey tones of the other ships. And so, that’s the funny story of the selection process which led me to the Kiev !

I found the construction fast and simple, no small thanks to Noel Carpio’s tips during his first lecture. Assembling the tower separately and cementing it last to the hull made deck assembly & painting very easy. One of the first challenges was coloring the deck which called for orange (Gunze Mr. Color 58) and green (Gunze Mr. Color 6). Many of the reference photos of the Kiev in action showed a dull orange (close to dull brown). Trusting Noel’s advice, I went further by adding some red to the orange that brightened the hue. The “toned-down” orange was achieved when I gave the deck a heavy burnt umber wash. Having solved that, all the small assemblies in the deck were straightforward. The decals over the airstrip were relatively unproblematic.

The hull was also trouble-free. The kit provided a waterline option but without the seawater base and so I preferred the full hull. Coloring called for a simple flat black for the lower hull and a two-toned grey (two mixtures of flat white & light gull grey Gunze Mr. Color 11) for the upper hull. Having worked with those colors before simplified the weathering with a light wash of flat black. The bridge was also uncomplicated using the same painting techniques as the upper hull to bring out the subtle details such as windows & ladders.

I must mention that it was my intention to build this one as an out-of-the-box project without the photoetched aftermarket parts. However the kit was only provided with two Yak-38s and two Kamov 25s and so additional aftermarket aircrafts became essential otherwise it will look like an abandoned ship. Fortunately, Trumpeter wisely provides for cheap kits (P138 per set) enough to fill the deck and make it more active. However, I grossly underestimated building & painting these small 1/700 aircrafts! The parts are very fragile (especially the Ka-27 rotor blades). Painting and placing decals on the same plane more than ten times over can be boring but slowly adds excitement when they start crowding the deck.

Call it a beginner’s luck but it tool more than that to finish this kit. The assembling & painting instructions assume too much from the modeler. It takes a while to get acquainted and understand them rendering reference photos a must. Familiarity in masking and weathering using enamel wash is a plus. Still, tips from an experienced ship builder should help most especially if photoetched parts are added.

Finishing the Kiev was both satisfying and inspiring. It gave me that much-needed experience and confidence to try more challenging ships in the future. My ship has sailed, finally!

Added photos from Nick Guangco

Academy 1/72

F/A-18C Hornet

by Rey Anipan

I bought this kit a few months back after i finished my second 1/72 scale aircraft which was the Hobby Boss F-15C Eagle. Looks like i've been bitten by the aircraft bug. Since i build for fun, i always build out of the box.

The Kit

The box contains 3 parts trees in grey and 1 clear parts for the canopy, gear lights and clear parts for the pods. You get an instruction manual with color callouts for parts that need to be painted during construction, a decal sheet with options for 3 markings, and color and decal placement guide sheet. The molding on this kit is nice. The lines and rivets are nicely rendered and the details really stand out. Probably one of the reason's why i liked it. The instrument panels are molded and there is an option of building the aircraft with the canopy closed or open.

Construction and Painting

I started with instrument panels. The main panel has decals for the 3 LCD's but i opted to just paint it with dark gray since the decals are really tiny. The ejection seat was painted as per instruction and was set aside. Next was the fuselage. The cockpit tub should be installed into the lower forward fuselage before mating the lower fuselage to the upper fuselage. Mating the lower half of the forward fuselage to the upper fuselage is a little tricky so care should be taken to ensure a nice fit. The wings and tails were installed next. I followed the paint call out which was Gunze 307 topside and 308 on the underside of the model. Clear Gloss was applied before and after decal placement. Panel lines were done using a wash of heavily thinned black acrylic paint and wiped the excess wiped away with water and a little dishwashing liquid. I chose the VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes marking for this model. Weathering was done using black pastel to simulate streaks on the wings. The landing gear struts and wheels, ordnance and fuel tanks were painted and installed. The canopy was the last part that was attached to finish the build. This a very nice kit. Only downside i saw was the leading edge of the wings and flaps are fixed. Overall it's a great build. Enjoy!

Zvezda 1:35

WW2 Red Army Infantry (1940-1942)

by Timothy Zarco

Let me start by declaring this kit to be extremely useful to those modeling early war Soviet subject matter. This kit contains 8 figures from two separate Red Army Zvezda releases of early war Soviet infantry. The figures are all in dynamic combat poses that would lend themselves quite well to any early war Eastern front diorama.

The Kit:

Parts come on 4 separate olive green sprues. The figures themselves are rather small but are still within the “range of variation” for figures in this scale. The body proportions however are a little problematic with some figures with drooped shoulders, chunky bodies, overly long and lanky arms, etc. The heads are also lacking in the area of facial expression and would be best replaced with heads from other manufacturers like DML, Miniart,etc. or better yet by resin ones. The weapons and equipment are equally clunky and lack detail. Without a doubt the redeeming characteristic of these figures that makes them still worth getting are the combat poses and the make the figures useful in a diorama.

Conclusion:

Though this is a rather dated Zvezda offering that can be considered to be inferior by the present quality standard set by DML, minimart and masterbox, it is nonetheless a useful set of figures due to the subject matter and the poses. Skillful painting and replacing the heads, headgear and weapons will go a long way in allowing these “Comrades” to truly shine alongside the more sophisticated Soviet figures available today.

Overall Rating 80%

French Kissing Trumpeter's French 39(H)

by Ben Borja

The kit was from Trumpeter under kit No. 00352, 1/35 scale, French 39(H) with napalm rockets on side skirts which was used by the German Army. The kit comes with interior detail but I did not construct the interior since it would not be seen unless you don't glue the upper hull to the lower half. Painting was done with Hobby Colors dark yellow, wood brown, flat black with some Hobby Color pastel dust (sand). Some variant of the this type became the Marder I and observation tanks.

HobbyBoss' 1/48 scale Russian T-34/76 1942

by Rey Anipan

This is a build-up of a HobbyBoss 1/48 scale T-34 Russian Tank. I bought this kit in May of last year and started building it the following month. The nice thing about this kit is it has interior detail. Plus I got it for a ridiculously low price of over 400 pesos. Talk about bang for the buck huh? For those of you who are T-34 fans, you might want to know that HobbyBoss' line of T-34 models all have interior detail.

Inside the box

Upon opening the box, one will find 10 sprues, the upper and lower hull, clear parts for the headlights and a piece of wire for the tow cable, an engine grill with pre-installed PE grill, instruction manual, decal sheet and color guide. This kit has link and length tracks with sag already molded for a realistic look. Plus it also has a jig for easier assembly of the tracks on the sprocket and idlers.

Lower Hull

I built the kit in subassemblies so i could test fit them inside the lower hull. I started with the engine, transmission and exhaust system which was made up of 44 parts. The radiators had 3 parts each. then came the ammo boxes, drivers compartment, and instrument panels.

I then dry fitted the subassemblies to the lower hull prior to painting.

After making sure that the engine, transmission, radiators and exhaust will fit just right, they were then painted and glued to the lower hull. Next I painted the drivers seat, controls, ammo boxes and cannon rounds.

Upper Hull

Building the upper hull was straightforward. The engine grills fit in nicely and gives the builder the freedom of choosing to build the kit with open or closed hatches. The upper hull had guides on where to install the grab-handles, spare tracks and tool box.

Turret

Just like the lower hull, the turret had impressive interior detail. I first built the breech, and cannon

mounts and dry fitted the two turret halves to make sure they fit well. I painted each part as I went

and lastly installed other turret details like the gunners seat. After lining everything up, I dry fitted the cannon and applied liquid cement.

Road wheels, Idlers, Sprockets and Tracks

The road wheels, idlers and sprockets were made up of two halves. The tracks were link and length and had realistic sag molded on. Since I wanted to paint the road wheels, idlers, sprockets and tracks as a whole, I followed a tip by Jeff Herne from an issue of FSM. First, I built the tracks using the supplied jig and left one open link. When I finished with the tracks for both sides, I dry fitted the wheels onto the suspension arms and carefully inserted the tracks. When the tracks were fully installed, I glued the open links together to secure the road wheels, idlers and sprockets. I left the other half of the sprocket glued to the hull and the other half glued to the tracks. After making sure that the tank was sitting flat on a level surface, I then glued the road wheels to the tracks so that when it came time to paint, I will just remove the whole assembly and paint it as one piece.

Painting and Weathering

I applied a pre-shade of flat black on corners and other areas to give it depth before applying the primary coat. I used acrylic flat green mixed with flat white to get a lighter shade so when it's time

to weather the tank, it won't get too dark and hide the details. After painting I applied a wash using burnt umber and burn sienna oil paints to give it a dirtier look. The tracks were painted flat black and weathered with gunmetal using Tamiya weathering master. Decals were left out since i still can't decide whether to leave it as is or do a winter scheme.

Conclusion

All in all, a pretty good build for a really cheap but great kit. Since the kit has superb interior detail, I decided not to glue the upper and lower hull so everyone can appreciate the effort HobbyBoss has put into it.

DML 1:35 German sFH 18 howitzer w/limber

by: Tim Zarco

The emphasis of the major plastic kit manufacturers has always been on AFV’s with little attention paid to towed artillery. It is quite refreshing whenever a manufacturer such as DML decides to release a kit like this since it plugs a major hole in the line-up of German equipment in 35^th scale. Needless to say, this has been a long awaited subject in 1/35.

What the kit contains:

· 10 grey sprues for the plastic parts, most of which are slide molded

· A turned aluminum barrel

· Photo-etched frets for some minor PE parts

· DS 100 styrene parts for the mats and wicker baskets

· A clear parts sprue (for the optical)

· Decal sheet with markings for 8 different pieces

General comments:

As usual, the DML molding quality for new releases seems to only get better. Parts are well molded with crisp detail and minimal flash. Many parts are obviously slide molded to avoid having to separate them into smaller subassemblies. Minimal cleanup for most of the parts in this kit

Fit is simply superb and won’t be much of an issue with this kit. However, care should be taken in reading the instructions because it is chock full of misprints and glaring mistakes. One would assume that after so many successful releases that DML would be able to prevent errors such as this. Apparently they cannot and the apparent Achilles heel of this kit would be its misleading instruction manual.

Conclusion:

Generally speaking this is another excellent release by Dragon of a badly needed German artillery piece used extensively by axis forces during the war. The only element that detracts from its appeal is the messed up instruction manual which DML should correct for the future production runs of this kit.

Overall rating: 92%

Building the 1/32 Hasegawa P-47D-30-RE Thunderbolt (No. ST27) in Natural Metal Finish Using Alclad II Paints

by Dennis Ferriol

When I first caught a glimpse of this kit, I just know it’ll be something that I’d have to build in natural metal finish (NMF) owing to the fine molding quality put in by Hasegawa.

The plan was to build the kit OOTB. Since no seatbelts were provided to go with the marvelously detailed cockpit, I opted to add Eduard’s pre-painted “Late WWII USAF & USN Seatbelts” (Item 32506). I chose to build the plane flown by Major Glenn Eagleston (Option No. 3). Aside from the fact that it offers the modeler a paint scheme in NMF, it is also the most logical choice since the cockpit floor provided in the kit depicts the solid, smooth-type built for the D-27 series and up. Modelers can still build the one flown by Lt. Col. Francis Gabreski but some alterations have to be done to depict the corrugated type made for the D-26 series and below.

So, on with the build!

CONSTRUCTION:

As usual, I started with the cockpit and found that all parts went on well without any fit issues. In my opinion, this has to be the most detailed 1/32 scale cockpit molded to date by Hasegawa. While checking references, I found the instruction’s color call out for the cockpit interior is not correct. The correct interior color for the Thunderbolt’s cockpit is Bronze Green or Dull Dark Green. I used a 90/10 mixture of Tamiya Deep Green (XF-26) with Flat Black (XF-1) to achieve the correct shade. The modeler has a choice of either painting the raised details on the instrument panel or using the provided decals for the panel face. I chose to employ the latter and with a hefty amount of Solvaset, I was able to set the decal instrument face properly. When this was done, I put droplets of future floor polish on each dial to simulate glass. While dry-fitting the cockpit tub with the fuselage halves, I found that the back of the instrument panel dials can be seen through the windscreen. I then decided to put wiring detail at the back of each dial using fine copper wire painted black. Before closing the fuselage halves on the completed tub, I assembled Eduard’s pre-painted seatbelts and installed them on the weathered bucket seat. The superbly rendered Eduard seatbelts really added life to the already busy cockpit. I highly recommend it.

Next step went to the installation of a wing spar (Part D4) which goes at the bottom of the cockpit tub. This serves to ensure correct dihedral for the main wings, as well as reinforcement to the wing halves themselves. Both the left and right elevators were also provided with mating internal stubs that would ensure proper 90-degree alignment with the plane’s rudder. Congratulations, Hasegawa for these innovations.

Going on to the main wings, one should take time to repair some molding sink marks evident on the top and undersides of the main wings. These should not be very hard to do using masking tape and some filler putty. Other than these, the wing assembly went together well with minor sanding on the leading edges for a smooth effect. I painted the wheel wells using Gunze Sangyo Chromate Yellow Primer No. 352. Note that this interior color should also be used for the engine cowling’s innards.

The engine was tackled next with no assembly issues except for the addition of ignition wiring made of fine copper wire. Except for the crankcase which was painted with Tamiya Neutral Grey (XF-53), the engine was treated with Alclad II Duraluminum, given a Black & Burnt Umber oil-wash and finally dry-brushed with Tamiya Chrome Silver (X-11) to bring out the cooling vane and bolt details. Aside from the decal of the “Pratt & Whitney” logo provided for the engine’s crankcase, I also added an engine data plate from my decal spares container. After completion, I found myself staring in amusement at a very good replica of the R-2800-59 (2,300hp) engine. The 4-part cowling was then constructed around the engine and the closed cowl flaps (Part B20) used to complete the assembly.

Moving on to the beautifully rendered main landing gear parts, I only needed to add brake lines made from fine electronic wire, as well as drill lightening holes on the oleo scissors. I spray painted these with Alclad II Stainless Steel which gave a very nice and durable metallic finish. I didn’t install the main and tail gears until after painting of the whole fuselage was completed.

The flaps were then assembled in the down position, using the alternate parts for the actuator arms (D2, D3 & R5), and attached to the main wings. This was followed by assembly and attachment of the bomb/fuel tank racks for the wing undersides. The two (2) 500 lb. bombs were tackled next and given an overall texturing using Mr. Surfacer 500 to achieve the coarse feel on the real things. These were painted Tamiya Olive Drab (XF-62), decaled, weathered and set aside. The kit provides a choice of both the Hydraulic Hamilton-Standard Propeller used on the early P-47D-25/26, as well as the Curtiss-Electric Symmetrical Paddle Propeller used on the P-47D-27 and later models. I used the latter together with the late-type gun sight (Part D27) which is listed as “parts not for use”. These were painted and also set aside for later installation.

PAINTING:

For this model, I deviated from my usual painting routine to try a new technique I learned to simulate NMF.

After wiping the model clean with Isopropyl Alcohol to remove oils and molding residue, I used Tamiya Rubbing Compound to polish the surface prior to painting. Next, I used a 0.1 drafting pen to draw on all the recessed panel lines and rivets. After this was done, I directly sprayed Future Floor Polish on the whole model. This was again done with a day’s interval between sprays. This method serves to: 1) Seal the panel lines I made using the drafting pen; 2) Protect the plastic from the Alclad II paints I was about to use; and 3) Provide a primer coat on which the Alclad II paints could adhere properly. When it was time to paint the NMF, I first sprayed Alclad II Duraluminum on the entire model, taking care not to paint over the drawn panel lines and rivets. I let this first coat dry hard for 48 hours under a plastic bin to prevent dust and lint from sticking on the wet surface. As I wanted to do minimal panel shading on the model, the other Alcald II paints used were Chrome Silver and an 80/20 mixture of Duraluminum and Jet Exhaust. The latter was used on the gun bay access doors, gun blast tubes (which I drilled out) and leading edge covers while the Chrome Silver was sprayed on the aircraft’s underside and fuselage side panels since these areas were not subjected to foot traffic as compared to the wings. The cowling was sprayed next with Gunze Sangyo Yellow No. 329 then masked accordingly. I used Tamiya Semi-Gloss Black (X-18) on both the upper portion of the cowling and cowl flaps. For the anti-glare color which ran from the front of the windscreen to the back of the canopy, I sprayed on the same Bronze Green mixture used for the cockpit.

While the paints were again left to dry, I worked on the canopy and windscreen. After dipping all the clear parts in Future Floor Polish and giving them ample time to dry to a shiny finish, I masked off the canopy and windscreen using Tamiya Masking Tape. I first sprayed each part with the Bronze Green mixture used for the cockpit followed by a topcoat of Alclad II Duraluminum. The canopy and windscreen, together with the other parts set aside prior to painting of the airframe, were installed next to complete the model. I added fine fishing line, painted Tamiya Gun Metal (X-10) to represent the aerial which extended from the base of the antenna mast to the tip of the rudder.

MARKINGS & WEATHERING:

When the paint completely dried, I lightly buffed the entire model using a soft, lint-free cloth to bring out the luster on the panels. Buffing proved to be very rewarding because some panels showed patches of discoloration just like the real “McCoy”. The areas where decals will be placed were next given a light coat of Future Floor Polish. The kit’s decals were adequate and easy to use with ample amounts of Solvaset to make them settle properly on crevices and raised details. After all the markings and stencils were placed, the entire model was again sprayed with Future Floor Polish in preparation for the oil-wash and pastel weathering to follow. A thin mixture of Black & Burnt Umber oils with White Mineral Spirit was applied to the main and tail gears, wheel wells, supercharger vents and supercharger housing assembly. Exhaust stains were replicated along the undersides using a sprayed on thin mixture of Tamiya Flat Black (XF-1) and Red Brown (XF-64). Minor paint chipping, using Tamiya Chrome Silver (X-11), was dry-brushed on the propeller. As a final touch, ground pastels mixed with Isopropyl Alcohol were applied on areas like the engine cowling and exhausts.

CONCLUSION:

I have always admired Hasegawa for their excellent molding and quality kit engineering. This is one kit that shouldn’t be passed up by experienced aircraft modelers, and those planning to venture into 1/32 scale modeling for the first time. It affords beginners an inexpensive (compared to new “high-tech” releases in 1/32 scale by other manufacturers), yet highly-detailed, easy to assemble kit that will make you want to come back for more. My efforts were rewarded when this model got 1^st place in the 1/32 category of the club’s open competition held at the Robinsons Galleria in November 2007. I highly recommend this kit for excellent quality and ease of construction.

1/35 EX Advanced BATMAN BEGINS Batmobile Tumbler Model Kit (BANDAI)

by Manny Salvador

“Ta-na-na-na-na-na-na-na (2X) Bat-maaan…Bat…maaan.!” As with most people my age, my introduction to the celluloid world of the Caped Crusader came with the TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. The series showcased the lifestyle of the swingin’ sixties and featured a cast of unforgettable but somewhat cartoony characters. The show was what one would call cheesy but hey, it was entertaining!! Fast forward to the late 80’s and the big screen showcased a number of big budget and commercially oriented Batman movies that ranged from interesting to downright boring! One thing that I noticed was that Hollywood would change the look of the Batman’s signature vehicle as often as it would change actors who would philanthropist-billionaire Bruce Wayne.

The last incarnation of the Batman franchise, “Batman Begins” was no different. However, what made the movie standout from the previous movies was that the retelling of the Batman saga was darker, had the best story-line to date, was truer and page homage to the Batman origin and had a kick-ass antagonist. In other words, the movie simply rocked! What does this all have to do with a model kit review, you may ask? Well, simply put, the new batmobile, christened the “Tumbler”, reflects the coolness of the new movie!

The Tumbler stared of as a prototype vehicle designed by Wayne Industries for the military. This 2.5 tons, 9 feet 4 inches wide, 15 feet long vehicle with hoosier racetrack tires in front and four Rear 44 inch super swampers tires was designed as a bridging vehicle. It featured a rear jet burner which allowed it to jump over chasms. Its main weapon consisted of a pair of front firing machine guns.

Rather than build it as the Batmobile, I decided to build it as the prototype vehicle because I found the desert camouflage scheme much more interesting.

The kit comes in three sprues with a modest parts count and features smoke tinted clear parts for the windshield and windows with rubber front and back monster truck tires. As with most Bandai kits, the 12 page instructions are well laid out and clearly illustrated but are in Japanese. However, the steps and the illustrations make it easy to follow the assembly sequence.

I began the build by assembling the very sparse interior as it consisted only of a pair of seats with no instrument panel, steering wheel or stick to speak of. An intermediate modeler may consider scratchbuilding an interior it is possible to detach the roof pane to expose any interior detail. Those familiar with the Bandai kits are aware that the kit can be built without need of glue since the fit between parts are fairly tight. However, in order to have a more stable model, I decided to cut of the joining pins halfway and glue the parts together. The detail on the rubber tires and the suspension are extremely well done and completely evoke the rugged look of this vehicle. What it lacks in interior detail it more than makes up for in the interior detail. I have seen a number of die-cast Tumblers sold in the local toy stores and the details on these ready-made models pale in comparison to this Bandai kit.

The kit does not feature any decals so I would have to rely only on my limited painting skills to make the model interesting. Since the kit did not provide any references for the desert camouflage scheme, I did my research via the internet. I was somewhat overwhelmed by the number of sites dedicated to batman but only a few yielded useful photos and schematics of the prototype. To supplement my reference materials, I took vidcaps of the scenes from the movie where Wayne was test-driving the vehicle and was glad that shots generously covered a lot of the angles of the vehicle. The camo scheme consisted of a base coat of Tamiya light sand and red brown. The jet intake was painted with Gunze metallic colors while the suspension detail and the trim on wheels were detailed with Humbrol gold enamel. Since this is a prototype vehicle, weathering was kept to a bare minimum and was mostly a process of using Tamiya weathering powder on the rubber tires.

This was a fairly easy build and is suitable for modelers of all skills. My only gripe with the kit is the very high price (as I understand that the EX series of kits by Bandai are of a limited run) relative to its diminutive size. However, since it is a military vehicle, it does make it somewhat appropriate to be offered in 1/35 which would allow me to display the Tumbler beside my other 1/35 armor models. Thanks to Malvin Lim from Great Toys for ordering this kit for me at a relatively good price. Now if I can only get my hands on a 1/35 scale batman figure……

Academy's F-86F

Sabre

By: Alex Maula

This is my first build ever of a 1/48 scale aircraft.

The kit is from Academy and is built straight out of the box. The fit is quite good and the assembly of model went well. My brother guided me thru the painting process. It was painted with Gunze H8 Silver for the base. I then used a mixture of H8 Silver and H28 Gun Metal. The final color was Humbrol Chrome Silver. It was coated with Gunze H46 before the decals were applied. The yellow bands on the wings and fuselage were painted on.

The decals were a problem since they won't stick to the surface. My bother advise me to add some elmer"s glue to the water used to dip the decals and the apply Mr. Decal Softener after positioning the decal and it has dried. A final coat the gloss was applied.

To finished, the subassemblies (gears, fuel tanks, missiles, etc) were glued Also, though not shown, the engine and trolley was assembled and painted. It also comes with a pilot but it was decided not to use it.

Modeling Trumpeter’s 1:144 Kilo Class Submarine

by Jun Villalon

The Russian Kilo class started it’s career in active service in the early 80's and since then has been used by many countries such as China and India. One of the quietest subs of the kilo-class type, the diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) has been named by Tom Clancy as "The Volkswagen of diesel submarines". The reason for this rests in its compact design and economical features.

The Type 877 EKM was first constructed at the Komsomolsk shipyard. Construction has since then moved to the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Pertersburg. The more improved version of the Kilo, Type 636 has a quick torpedo loading system and has improved on its stealth capabilities. Both Kilo class submarines are presently being used in Anti-Submarine and Anti-Surface Ship Warfare.

Technical Data

Designation Kilo

Designer Rubin

Builder Admiralty Shipyard (Sudomekh),

Displacement 2,300-2,325 tons Surfaced

3,076-3,950 tons Full load submerged

Speed (kts): 10-12 knots Surfaced

17-25 knots Submerge

Dimensions (m): 70.0-72.6 meters long

9.9 meters beam

6.2-6.5 meters draft

Propulsion: diesel and electric motors

2 x 1000 kW Diesel generators

1 x 5,500-6,800 shp Propulsion motor

1 x 6-blade fixed-pitch Propeller

Diving depth: 240 meters Operational

300 meters Maximum

Endurance: 6,000 miles w/ snorkel (@ 7 knots)

400 miles Submerged (@ 3 knots)

12.7 miles At full run (@ 21 knots)

45 days Sea Endurance

Missiles: 8 Strela-3 (SA-N-8 Gremlin) or 8 Igla (SA-N-10 Gimlet)

Torpedoes: 6/533 mm Torpedo Tubes

18 VA-111 (w: c/nuclear) Torpedoes or 24 mines

Systems: radio communications

combat control information system

navigation system

1 MRK-50 (Snoop Tray-2) general-purpose detection radar

MGK-400 Rubikon (Shark Teeth) active/passive Sonar

2 Periscopes [one for commander, one for air defense]

Trumpeter’s 1/144 Scale Kilo Submarine

The kit…

The kit is in 1/144 scale. It is designed for a Level 2 (Revell rating) skill level. It has 53 parts on three sprues and an upper waterline line hull and a full hull so you can build both versions if you like. The completed model is 20" long by 6" high by 4"wide. It comes with markings for Russian Navy SSK Kilo Class Type 36.

I bought this sub specifically for one of our club’s contests. The theme of the contest was all things Soviet so this was the obvious choice (especially after I thrashed my other entry – a MIG 23) and a large model that can be built quickly (because it had a few parts) but look nice was more than enough incentive to buy it. I started construction immediately because I had a few days left before the contest proper.

The box itself was neatly packed. The hull and other parts were intact in their sprues. The box art drawn on the box was notably quite good. You’ll find the bottom hull split along the vertical axis. This made assembly quite easy. The rudder and other parts were nicely and neatly molded onto the sprues. The 6-page instruction sheet was reasonably clear and easy to understand.

The build…

The model is very easy to build since it only contained 53 parts (most of it appendages, railings, antennae, etc.) The body was a long piece and it fit reasonably well. Very little sanding and putty were needed to make it seamless. The Trumpeter guys were nice enough to make sure the panel lines aligned (which is more than I can say for some other model makers…)

I used chloroform to join the body and most of the parts – especially those that needed putty to mask seams. The nice thing about chloroform is it makes the plastic soft so if you press on the mating parts a little, you get instant putty in your seam – courtesy of the melted plastic where the chloroform was applied. Prior to gluing, I did a dry fit first with upper and bottom hull and I noticed a fit problem. The bottom hull curvature was not the same as the top. You will notice that the bottom is “wider” while the upper hull is smaller. I realized this problem is its curvature (I do not really know if it’s a design issue or just an error in molding). I simply “pushed the sides together through the conning tower hole at the top portion of the upper hull using a stick and allowed the CA to do it’s magic. A while later I realized that there could have been an easier solution (but I didn’t see it till the kit was done) to put styrene strips on the inside portion of the wider half of the hull so that it would form a “lip” that would automatically align the two mating arts… I had about a few minutes of banging my head against a wall to pay for that moment of stupidity…

The conning tower likewise was glued together using chloroform. The deck details were very simple. You just had to apply glue and stick. I liked the styrene material Trumpeter used. The quality f the molding was very good and there were very little rough or uneven surfaces. Whatever ones I found could be fixed with a little elbow grease and some fine sandpaper (no putty required… ain’t that a relief…)

The periscopes and masts were glued together using cyanoacrylate glue and CA accelerator (I am too lazy to wait for melted plastic to dry) as well as the railings along side the conning tower.

I decided to make the conning tower removable, that is to say that I can remove it at will to make transportation to the contest easier. I just put a little white glue before the contest to make sure it does not accidentally topple over when the judges pick it up.

Painting and decals…

I used Tamiya Acrylic for this job as I have done with most of my models. I noticed that the model does not have a guide markings for the water line. That made painting the upper part of the sub and the bottom part along the missing middle line a challenge. The solution was attaching good old reliable masking tape along the middle line and painting it hull red on the bottom.

Unfortunately, the masking tape I used was not exactly as reliable as I had hoped because it left some seepage marks but I covered them up when I applied the black paint on the top portion of the hull. I had to hand-paint the missle hatch and the conning tower ports.

The decals were not difficult to handle but like all Trumpeter decals, care should be take or they’ll break easily. I applied some Gunze’s Mr. Mark Softer to make the decals smooth over the plastic and them topped it off with Solvaset to make it stick. Then I applied gloss lacquer all over the ship to seal the coats and decals and make it shine. Believe it or not, I use Hudson (a cheap, local automotive paint brand) Clear Automotive Lacquer and Hudson Acrylic Thinner in a 70/30 mix.

In Conclusion…

Trumpeter’s 1/144 Russian Kilo Class Attack Submarine Kit is a great-looking model when it’s done. The fit is quite good. There are no major factory defects. There is little modification needed to make it faithful to the real thing. The only problem was the fit of the top and bottom hull and a little difficulty fitting the diving planes.

I believe this kit is a good start for the beginners since it only has 53 parts and has an impressive size for the effort (it took me about 30 man-hours to build it). Whether you are a novice or an experienced modeler, you’ll love the final result when this model is finished. I believe it was a good buy.

By the way, I won second prize for the effort… not bad, huh?

CAUTION: Chloroform is being used by some experienced modelers. But we do want to inform all of you that it is also TOXIC. Modelers who are below 18 years of age and those who have NOT used this chemical should first seek practical lessons on the use of it. If you are comfortable using modeling glue or super-glue, then we advise you to stick with this medium.

Super-detailing

Trumpeter's 1/16 Scale

T-34 Russian Tank

by Fyzal Opada

I was fascinated with this model the moment I saw it. As soon as my pocket can afford it, I treated myself and and brought it home. I couldn't wait to build it.

I first built the turret which came in two pieces; the upper part and the lower part. As I cut the upper part of the turret, I attached the main turret to the lower part and simulated the welded section. I use an acrylic paint and let it dry..

Now let’s get to how the inner part of the turret was modified.. I just added some electrical wires to the speakers of the radio and weathered the main inner turret. Not much surgery on that part.

The next and most exciting part was building the engine of this huge model. The kit itself already has a well detailed engine. It would however look raw without the cables and lines.. From the engine to the main gear, I placed some wires which went all the way to the driver’s compartment. Trumpeter included a photo-etch engine mesh, ammo racks, fuel belt etc.. That saved me the labor of scratch-building a mesh. I used styrene for the brace of the engine compartment because I had to cut the upper part of the hull for me to show the whole engine. Remember that the most used area of the tank is the crew compartment. I first painted it with Red Brown with a mix of Black for the surface color To simulate the chipped paint, I simply used the "Salt-technique" to do this. I replaced the kits molded skirts and used aluminums from empty soda cans. I then modified the tool box. The gun barrel comes in two pieces. I simply had to do is to make sure there was no gap between them, An aftermarket barrel is available but that was too expensive for me.

The kit comes with standard round gasoline tank. I wanted a bit of realism on this area so I simulated dents on these parts by heating them on a candle stick. I had to be very careful not to melt it!

As I finish all the details, I painted it using flat green mix with steel. I used Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna Oils for the wash. After that, I did a bit of dry-brushing using Tamiya Weathering Set I- basically the Color Sand included in the set. I did control the amount of weathering so as not to dirty this project too much.

Since Russians just used a paint brush to put their markings on their tanks, I did not the decals that Trumpeter provided. I painted these markings myself using the decals as guide.

Assembling tracks is not difficult to do unlike the standard vinyl tracks. This set of tracks is a "snap-on" type so there should be no problem putting them all together. These tracks are working once and it works very well with the model. If you turn this project into a Remote Control Tank, the tracks will work best for you. I panted these tracks with Sand color from the Tamiya Weathering Set I. Then, I dry-brushed it with Red Brown. I had to paint this several times to achieve the right color. When I was satisfied, I washed it with Burnt Umber oils as well.

There you have it! My 1:16 T-34 Tank. I hope you like it.

The 1/200 Scale

Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship "Yamato"

- A shipbuilder's dream

by Noel Carpio

When I was still in my late teens, I always saw this gigantic kit, the Nichimo 1/200 Scale Battleship "Yamato". I first saw it up-close and personal when one was displayed at the model exhibit at the Quad Carpark during the early 80's. I told myself that someday, I will have that kit in my room!!! Believe it or not, my friends were teasing me as being too much of a dreamer. Back then, I couldn't even afford to buy more than my "merienda" at Kowloon West. I am a shipbuilder by heart. I get to build armor and aircraft models once in a while to break the ice. But I always return to ship-building. The Yamato was my dream kit - this 1/200 scale Nichimo kit particularly. In my mid-20's I was at many times tempted to buy the 1/350 Tamiya Yamato kit. But I never did. Then when I got married, my wife also wanted to buy me that Tamiya kit. I said "no thank you". I would rather not buy a Yamato kit if it wasn't the Nichimo brand. Last December 2005, my family took a trip to Hong Kong. Our first trip to that island. As I strolled the streets of Mongkok, I saw my dream ship-kit. The Nichimo 1/200 Yamato. It was priced at around 9,000 pesos (converted from Hong Kong Dollars). My eyes couldn't get off the box as I slowly opened to see what was inside. Instantly, I saw the gigantic hull. I was salivating. My wife couldn't take the delay and pushed me to buy it as she was eager to go to the Ladies Market as well. So I got it! 20 or so years after I ambitioned to get one. When I hand-carried the kit to the Philippines, I told myself that I will build it to the best of my ability. Now I present you my 1/200 Scale Nichimo Yamato Battleship.

The 1/200 Nichimo Yamato kit is around 5 feet long. The kit is made of ABS plastic which is why Super Glue or C.A. glue won't work for it. You can only use your ordinary Modeling Cement. The kit has a one piece hull, a three piece deck and about 250 parts out-of-the-box. Building this kit out of the box will put it to waste. With its shear size and space for a lot of detail, buying the Gold Medal Model (GMM) 1/200 Yamato Battleship Photo-etch (PE) set is a must. The set costs $80.00 when I bought it from GMM. You will need some styrene sheets as well because there are balconies to scratch-build and a hangar to detail. The kit is easy to build...believe me. But with the details that I had to put it made it a large project for myself.

I first built the island without installing the anti-aircraft guns first. From there, I placed balconies, stairways and gang-ways connecting floor to floor and from the bridge to the smoke stack to the rear of the island. When that was done, I started placing the PE handrails. I detailed the smoke stack by placing wire to simulate the tubes around the stack and aligned bars for the other smoke pipes. I also installed gun-barrel guide-bars for each anti-aircraft gun. These guides are not in the kit. I made them from brass wires. Barrel guides are solid bars that limits the turn of the barrels during fire-fights. I added ladders and remove the kit molded ladders and stairways that shouldn't be there in the first place. The smoke stack had to be super-detailed as well. I placed several wires underneath the top mesh and bars. The main gun directors situated on top of the main bridge had a long brass bar attached to it making it freely rotate. The radar panels were detailed as well using the GMM PE set. After this, I set this entire island aside for painting later on. At the stern, the rear hangar had a bit of detailing by removing the plastic using my very-abused- KYK Tool. I scratch-built the hangar based on the references I had.

I then placed the deck together. Remember that this kit was made to be a Remote Control Model. So the deck bulges on the sides and the connecting segments. I had to rework the deck after it was dry by sanding it to make it as flat as possible. It took me about 6 hours to do this alone. When I was contented, I started to paint the primer to locate gaps and seams. This kit - to be very honest - was a poorly manufactured kit. There are a million and one seams and about half that plenty of sink-holes. But my love for this hunk of a kit surpassed those hurdles. The rigid sanding took away the plank details. That didn't matter because I was going to paint the planks anyway. I used Desert Yellow, Deck Tan and a mixture of both to simulate the planks. When I liked what I saw, I took a break by toying around with the turrets placed on the deck. Each barrel can be raised independently like the real thing. Man!!! That was fun! Yes, I even made bombardment sounds and only stopped when my wife gave me that "Hey you weirdo"-Look. I detailed the turret mounts based on my references and the bow received a good amount of details as well. As you can see from the picture on the right, the planks are evident. Too evident actually but not to worry. A wash of Burnt Umber oils will do the trick later. To my shock, there were little evidence of gaps on the adjoining segments of the deck, so I still had to fill those up again and repainted the planks. Slowly but surely, the ship was starting to show itself. And what a sight it was for me. Notice that this model is so large that it did not fit our dining table. I had to place two mono-block tables in our dining area for about 2 months to house this work-in-progress! The final painting of both the deck and the hull took about 12 hours alone. Just imagine how many bottles of Hull Red I had to mix to evenly paint the entire hull!!! (5 bottles!!!!)

The excitement in me peaked when the ship's island was to be placed. I had to fit and refit the island to make sure that when cement is placed to bond it together, it will really fall into place well. And it did after about 2 hours of fitting and sanding. One must note that this model was designed for the user to lift the island and replace batteries for the motor assembly. Therefore, the fit is not good and styrene strips had to be used to fill them. I had to fill bits of gaps between the island and the deck to ensure a perfect fit and look. When that was done, I started weathering the island with pastels. This had to be done before placing the anti-aircraft guns so I can properly weather the hard-to-reach corners of the island. Then the individually weathered anti-aircraft guns were placed. These guns had their PE's placed and set aside as subassemblies when I was working on the bridge. I detailed the stern as well. I scratch-built the emergency rudders that was hung at the starboard side. This was used to help steer the ship in case the main rudder was hit by a torpedo. (They learned this from the unfortunate experience of the German Battleship "Bismark"). I also scratch-built boat-covers and oars for the life-boats located on the deck. When all of them was in place, I washed the island with oils. and finally gave the deck the wash it needed. This immediately blended the plank-colors. (See the pic on the left). Washing the deck with Burnt Umber, brings the light colored planks to a darker shade catching up with the Desert Yellow painted planks. Soon, the ship came to life!!! The rigging was not as difficult because of the shear size. My hands can well maneuver from side to side for the rigging.

When "MY" Yamato was done and ready, I placed/screwed it onto a custom made base simulating a drydock. Putting the base together to have this done made me consume about 12 tubes of Super Glue. Then I painted the base with hardware brown paint. I made plates describing the Battleship Yamato, the Japanese Flag and Admiral Yamamoto who had the Yamato as his flagship. I glued them on the sides of the base for everyone to read. I also had custom-made "Yamato" plates that were glued on both side of the hull. A 1/4 inch thick glass was custom made for this project as well. The total weight of the glass casing alone was about 20 pounds. The entire model weighed so much that it takes two people at least to take it off the shelf, three people to bring it to the car to transport to an exhibit and four people to properly place it on display.

This project may not be the best there is but I am proud of it. I feel that this was a completion of a life-long dream as a ship-modeler. It continues to be the centerpiece of my office and of our club's exhibits. The size and shape of this finished model never fails to put viewers at awe. It was once placed at the Ateneo Grade School Library to inspire grade school students to get into plastic modeling. The model stayed in their library for three months. At last! A dream-come-true. At last - MY dream-come-true! My Yamato!!!

Building Trumpeter's

1/48 Focke Wulf Fw 200C

Condor

by: Mitch Doren

with Technical Support

from Art Gavino

(Pics have been

sent to the Gallery)

“The hateful stares of grim sailors on a lifeboat followed the Condor circling overhead as the humungous aircraft surveyed the remains of its latest victim -- floating debris and the remaining crew of an allied merchantman sunk somewhere in the vast Atlantic Ocean. The Focke Wulf Condor took it upon herself to sink this lone, courageous but hapless ship bound for England. During the early years of World War II, the convoy system of the allies was not yet organized, so, many merchantmen became easy prey along the Atlantic shipping lanes. A lone merchantman or a straggler is game for these long-range reconnaissance planes, not worth calling in the effort a U-boat. Luftwaffe’s Condors, in coordination with the Kriegsmarine, was one of the hated machines by Allied Maritime in the arsenal of the Nazi Germany. With fourteen (14) hours flying endurance, the Condor, in its time was deadly.”

INTRODUCTION

Building a 48^th scale Fw Condor 200C kit by Trumpeter is quite a challenge. Matter-of-fact, this is one of my most challenging in building a scale model aircraft. The model aircraft, with its graceful lines, is a beautiful kit. The kit has many shortcomings, though. The cockpit is bare. Its compliment of bombs and armaments are meager. There are only two of the four 551 lb (250-kg) bombs. The waist machine guns are not available with the kit. A floor compliments almost the whole length and breadth of the fuselage. The three part ventral gondola is completed with clear parts on both ends. It houses a hand held 13mm 131 machine gun positioned towards the front. The aft 7.9-mm MG 15 ventral gun is not also included in the kit. One (1) fuselage oil tank and five (5) fuselage fuel tanks are positioned aft of the radio cabin. Its fuselage windows (clear parts) are not precision fit. And the decal sheet, prohibitive. Building the kit took me more than a year to finish on my own leisure time. The result is gratifying.

ASSEMBLY

The Cockpit

The cockpit comes with the barest minimum of parts. The control panel (plus printed acetate) and three seats — the co-pilot, pilot and the rear dorsal gunner’s take-off seat at his back. The radio compartment portion of the trumpeter kit is austere. This is the part of the kit wherein did major work. I took the liberty of using some control panel parts from the DML Ju-88 to enhance the cockpit of the Condor. I added throttles on the control panels. Using super glue, I cemented the thinnest copper wires on the two control columns of the pilot and co-pilot. On the right side of the co-pilot just below the canopy, a control panel was cemented in place. This greatly improved the appearance of the cockpit. I added a platform (about a fourth of an inch) below each seat for added elevation. With the raised seats, the pilot and the co-pilot already have better and clear visibility. I then added seatbelts made from masking tapes (including the seat at the back of the pilot) and also pasted a miniature map of the Atlantic Ocean at the bulkhead at the back of the pilot. I painted the whole interior Tamiya Acrylic XF22 RLM Grey and a wash of Tamiya Enamel XF1 Flat Black.

The Radio Compartment

The radio compartment is separated from the cockpit by a bulkhead. I added another seat as well as seatbelts, for the radio operator inside the radio compartment. A parachute pack was placed on the floor beside the seat. Parachute packs were also placed hanging on the walls and near access escape hatches.

Fuselage and Wings

All parts except the fuselage halves, the gondola below the fuselage, the endplate fin-balance, and the wing roots fitted nicely after being cemented. Gaps of about 2mm appeared on the upper surface of the fuselage (just aft of the aerial mast and thru the cabin ventilator/air extractor) after the two halves were cemented. The gap on the upper surface of the fuselage runs almost a third the length of the whole fuselage. To eliminate these gaps, I used Mr. Surfacer 1000 by Gunze Sangyo as filler. After five (5) applications in a span of 2 weeks, the filled gap is ready for sanding. The whole process was done simultaneously with the wing roots (with about one (1) mm gaps on both starboard and portside) and also the gondola below the fuselage. Afterwards, I scribed the faded recessed panel lines on the areas affected by the sanding procedure. All other parts fitted nicely. The flaps fit nicely. No need using liquid cement.

PAINTING

The whole aircraft was painted the standard Luftwaffe splinter camouflage pattern. The upper surfaces were airbrushed with Tamiya XF-27 Black Green and XF-61 Dark Green. Simulating the splinter pattern, I used an Evercel scotch tape for masking, including its clear parts (canopy, turret, ventral gondola and dorsal glazing. Since the Trumpeter Manual shows only a vague color chart, I just followed the Heinkel 111 splinter camouflage pattern (other photographs reveal similar placement of camouflage pattern). The underside surfaces, I painted XF-23 Light Blue. The engines were painted 1:1 ratio of Tamiya enamel XF-1 Flat Black and XF-16 Flat Aluminum and the exhausts, XF- Rust. As yet unassembled, the propellers and spinners were painted black green. Afterwards and prior to cementing the propellers and spinners, I airbrushed the tip of the spinners white. The airbrushing was done after the masking the four spinners.

Weathering

After drying, I dry brushed the rust colored exhausts with XF- Metallic Grey. After a week, the washing technique was applied mainly on the underside parts using Tamiya enamels XF-1 Flat Black and XF- Rust. The rusty effect on the aircraft was simulating the effect of the Condor’s intensive flying over the salty Atlantic. After drying, I over sprayed the underside light blue using the paneling technique to soften the stark effects of the flat black and rust wash application. The wheel wells and landing gears were painted RLM Grey. I painted the wheels, Tamiya acrylic black. Afterwards, I did a little dry brushing with the wheels using acrylic XF-57 Buff to simulate dust and dried mud.

To simulate paint chips and flakes, I used a double zero brush and hand painted the leading edges of the nose cone, engine cowlings, wings, propellers and other aircraft parts where chippings and flaking usually occur. I used enamel XF-16 Flat Aluminum paint to achieve the effect. On places where I overdid the hand painting, I retouched with either XF-27 or XF-61 enamels.

Decal Application

The Trumpeter kit gives the modeler an alternative of two aircraft markings, both of the Luftwaffe’s Kampfgeshwader or the KG 40 attached to the Kreigsmarine. The squadron emblem is a globe circumvented by a yellow ring positioned semi-horizontally. The squadron emblem is painted on both sides just below the canopy. The description I just gave is actually not necessary as KG 40 is famous during its time. All modelers, especially World War II Aircraft enthusiasts recognize this.

For a 48^th scale model aircraft the size of the Condor, the decals should have been quite extensive. Anyway, I had to contend with what was available. Using a small sharp scissor, the decals’ excess parts were removed. After the decals were in place, I just applied Solvaset decal setting solution. With the application of the solution, the decals just snuggled firmly into position. In my own experience as a modeler, after the decals are already and firmly in place, I swab it repeatedly (up to three or four times) with a thin film of kerosene or paint thinner. I am not recommending this to fellow modelers, but I have observed that the decals losing its sheen afterwards. The decal dulls upon drying and after a few weeks, it looks just like paintwork. Many of my models went through this process and their decals became matte.

Now, I’m preparing for another big bird like this 48^th scale Condor very soon. I’m planning to make another one. I am obsessed with a white distemper finish eastern front Condor which played its part in Stalingrad.

REFERENCES

1. Bombers of World War II, by David Donald – Grange Books

2. The Gatefold Book of World War II WARPLANES, by Grange Books

3. Luftwaffe: Birth, life and death of an air force, by Alfred Price – Pan/Ballantine

4. The Sea Eagles: The Luftwaffe’s Maritime Operations 1939-45, by Peter C. Smith – Greenhill Books, London

5. German Heavy Bombers, by Manfred Griel and Joachim Dressel – Schiffer Military/Aviation History Apglen, P.A.

Challenging yourself with Dragon's 1/35 Scale Karl Morser by: Dennis Ferriol		In the race to be the first to release Germany’s huge and heavy WWII mortars or “bunker busters”, the Karl “Morser”, in 1:35 scale, Dragon emerged the victor. The first one to hit the shops was their early model variant, Karl-Geraet 040 Nr. V & VI 60cm Morser, followed a few months after by the second variant, the 54cm Morser “Loki”. For this short review, I’ll be tackling on the latter. After amassing some references from various sources in print and on-line, a quick examination of the kit revealed that a lot of simplification was made by Dragon. To make it a bit up to date, I purchased Eduard’s Photo-etch set, ED35568. The kit has a total of 396 plastic parts in light grey plastic, two small springs, a short length of brass rod and a small decal sheet. Overall molding is satisfactory with minimal flash and ejection pin marks that are mostly hidden from view when assembled. The kit comes with a modest set of photo-etched parts. These include a piece to replicate the rifling for the 54cm barrel (not included in the Eduard set). Although, majority of the photo-etched parts that I used came from the excellent Eduard set. Construction was very straightforward. I started with the lower hull, which is very sparse in terms of inside detail as compared to the recent releases of the same kit by Trumpeter. Nevertheless, these will all be hidden from view after you install the main gun on top so no need for further interior scratch-building. One thing to note is that Dragon molded the suspension arms in the lowered traveling position. So modelers who intend to build this kit in the raised firing position should be ready for some serious surgery and scratch-building. I chose to overlook this detail and proceeded with building it as per kit instructions. Assembly continued on to the upper hull and gun breach which I enhanced by adding cast texture on the surface. This was achieved using Tamiya basic putty, dissolved in lacquer thinner then carefully stippled with an old toothbrush. Another enhancement made was the rusty texture given to the exhaust systems. I first hand-painted them with Tamiya enamel XF-1 Flat Black and while still wet, sprinkled baking soda on the surface. After the various sub-assemblies were completed, I painted them overall with flat black to both prime the metal details and to provide a post-shading effect for the base color. Using Tamiya acrylic paints diluted in Gunze lacquer thinner, I painted the camouflage colors of this behemoth. In order to accentuate and lighten the initial base coat, I added a bit of Tamiya XF-57 Buff to each of the original colors and carefully oversprayed on the center of each camouflage color. After applying the decals, I sealed the model using Testor’s Dullcoat thinned with Gunze lacquer thinner. Next came the fun part. Karl Morsers were normally not exposed to extreme weather and terrain conditions but they usually ended up dusty on the surface after firing their guns. So, to replicate this, I liberally washed the whole model with a thin mixture of yellow ochre and titanium white diluted in white mineral spirits. For the undersides and running gear, I used the usual mixture of burnt umber and black. After this, I highlighted the details with weathering powders & pastels to add depth and further enhance the dusty appearance that I wanted for my model. To represent chipped paint, I used an enamel mixture of Tamiya XF-63 German Grey and XF-56 Metallic Grey and painted them randomly on areas of wear & tear. As a final touch, I assembled three figures from Dragon’s German Artillery Crew set and painted them with Tamiya enamel paints. Overall, I spent about 60 hours building this kit. It was a challenging build (with all the small photo-etched details) but nonetheless, rewarding. I’m very satisfied with the way it turned out that I’m already planning to try out Trumpeter’s release minus the rail cars. Cheers!

Building Timothy Zarco's Tamiya Cromwell IV A27 1/35 *(Pics have been* *sent to the Gallery)*		Despite the many exciting 1/35 AFV kit releases of relative new comers such as DML, AFV Club and trumpeter, many modelers (especially beginners) continue to look for kits that are relatively simple and easy to construct and build into fairly accurate scale representations of the real thing. For those looking for kits with the aforementioned “quick build” value proposition, you may want to consider getting Tamiya’s Cromwell 1/35. The Model In 1942, the Cromwell was being developed as medium cruiser tank meant for dealing with German panzers. The Cromwell was armed with a 75mm cannon and had up to 76mm of armour plating ,but its strength lay in its mobility, with it capable of achieving speeds of up to 65kph on good terrain. However by the time it was deployed in Normandy in 1944, it had proven to be rather inadequate when dealing with the heavier German panzers such as the Panther and Tiger. Nevertheless, the Cromwell had served with distinction with British armoured units such as the 7^th, 11^th and Guards armoured divisions and other allied formations throughout the Normandy campaign up until the end of the war. The Kit What you get : 6 sprues of dark green plastic parts (includes one tank commander figure) plastic mesh for the exhaust screen sprue for clear parts some string for the tow cables Rubber tracks decal sheet with markings for: 7^th AD, 11^th AD, Guards division, Polish division Czech division This kit builds WITHOUT any considerable fit problems. Some of the noteworthy construction options are the addition of the Normandy cowling and a hedgerow cutter. Though this is a rather dated Tamiya release (1997) the kit doesn’t really show its age and is generally accurate based on Osprey’s excellent New vanguard series book on the Cromwell. Building and painting I built this model out of the box as one of the Cromwell IV’s of the 11^th armoured Division deployed in Caen during the Normandy Campaign. It was first primed with Tamiya flat black, then received a coat of Gunze lacquer dark green and finally was painted with Tamiya darkgreen and buff. To add an extra layer of detail I decided to put some assorted stowage and hessian tape, a common camouflage material used by the British on their tanks in the Normandy campaign. This was done by cutting and pasting with white glue some bandage gauze and some Tamiya tape strips to the vehicle then painting the material khaki drab. Conclusion This is an excellent build for both beginners and advanced modelers. Beginners get an uncomplicated, excellent fitting kit with just the right number of parts. Advanced modelers get a generally accurate depiction of the Cromwell (which is also the only commercially available Cromwell plastic kit) with a lot of upgrade potential. This is one the few Tamiya kits today that still shines despite all of the other new releases in the market.

Tamiya's 1/35 scale *Challenger I* *by Mitch Doren* *(Pics have been* *sent to the Gallery)*		The Challenger I is a nice kit in itself and a "must-build" by all armor modelers, either he is in the intermediate level or advance level. It was a challenge to build the Tamiya Challenger I. The moment I acquired this kit I said, *"this one will not stay unassembled for long."* The British figure supplied by the kit was very realistic. I added a throat-mike and a sun goggle for this piece upon assembly. I made sure that he looked more battle worthy and life-like after he was painted. I chose to paint his uniform plain dark yellow to make the details of this 1/35 scale figure's standout. The fit of the Challenger I was fine. The assembly was straight-forward with no problems. No photo-etched parts or resin parts were included in the kit. I hand-painted the whole tank by using Tamiya acrylic paints Desert Yellow XF59 and Flat White XF2 ( with ratio 3:1). I let it stay to dry for a day before I washed the Challenger I with Tamiya enamels Red Brown XF64 and Flat Black XF1. I left it to dry for a week before I started the weathering process by using Tamiya enamel Buff XF57 and Metallic Grey XF56 with the dry-brushing technique. Rust and fuel streaks were done using red brown, metallic grey and flat black. I also used Weathering Color Set by Gunze Sangyo to simulate some soot, oil drips and a little rust here and there.. The two antennas were made from stretched sprue with a nip of white glue on the top end. I placed two triangular pennants on each antenna made from tissue paper dipped in white glue diluted with water and after dried painted the pennants Tamiya enamel Flat Red XF7. Tarpaulins on turret parts were dipped in water diluted white glue and painted Enamel Khaki Drab XF51 and dry-brushed with Buff. The kit gives you a sad or measly choice on its decal compliment. I cannot wait to finish the kit so, I just selected from the kit's tiny decal wad. The detailing of the armor and putting its accessories in place was done afterwards. The kit has some bonus accessories but it is far from what could make this tank look real. So here came the part of the kit-building where I had to scrounge or scavenge from my horde of extra parts and accessories accumulated from my past 35th scale models. I was able to get some from the 35th scale Tamiya Modern U.S. Military Equipment Set (No. 266). I also incorporated DML Accessories like a pair of combat boots and British modern helmets which I stacked nicely and randomly on the Challenger I. I placed tarpaulins on some of the turret areas as well. And that's it! The Challenger I is ready to roll and rumble. One of my favorites indeed!

Trumpeter's Mig 21MF *by Noel Carpio*		I am a shipbuilder. I have been for so many years. Going into the Aircraft arena is much of a challenge for me. Something close to a mid-life crisis! But with the continuing support and positive reinforcement of my friend and fellow-member, Rico Maula, I have been having fun amidst the so many mistakes I experience in my undertaking. Rico's works on his aircraft surpassed all that my eyes have seen upclose and personal. Yes, I think no one can beat this dude when it comes to aircraft. No one as yet. After building my 1/32 F4E Phantom, I told myself that it will stand well with its arch-rival, the MIG21. I got this 1/32 trumpeter kit which cost me 1,700 pesos and started my build. The kit perse is cool. The parts are crisp and clean and the details are superb for what its worth. But here are the following challenges that separates the boys from the men: 1. The Lead-nose is cool but the joints breaks easily. Unless you have a better way to reinforce the joints that connects to the nose of the aircraft, use the plastic part and simply fill it with weight so the nose is heavier than the tail. 2. The engine's body comes in four parts. Yes! 4 difficult parts. Considering that the engine is filled with lines and ribs, it will be extremely difficult for you to sand and fill those gaps. What did I do? I glued the end-half of the aircraft without exposing the engine. (Life is short. Why make it shorter?) 3. The fit of the half end of the fuselage is not so good. The fin creates a large gap between the fin's base and the fuselage top. Making the half-end permanently glued made me correct this with a bit of extra effort. 4. The wing, if simply inserted to its fuselage connector will create an unbalanced dip on both sides. You have to fit, adjust the connectors and refit until you get the desired wing angle with the horizontal. It took me about 100 hours building this model before it was actually ready for silver painting. I had to make all the corners of this aircraft as clear and clean as possible because when the silver paint gets in and you didn't do enough cleaning, all your error will make your day a living nightmare. Sanding the aircraft came easy with the proper grit of sandpaper (1500 grit) with wet-sanding techniques. I used Gunze Mr. Surfacer 1200 to make sure that all the undesired scratches are filled and smoothened. I bought and consumed the following paints so far: - 2 bottles of Gunze Super Fine Silver - 1 bottle of Gunze Super Stainless - 1 bottle of Gunze Super Silver - 1 bottle of Gunze Classic Silver - 1 bottle of Modelmaster Jet Exhaust - 1 bottle of Gunze Clear #46 - 1 mixture of Tamiya Flat paints - Blue, Green, Gray, White and Yellow to get the Russian Blue-Green interior. - Gunze Green for the nose, fin and blade. So far, I think I am on track. I am doing the final retouches on the silver plating and I coated this baby with Gunze Mr. Super Clear Gloss. I will still put a lot of details as I can possible place on the landing gear compartment, the nose and the landing gears themselves. I opened the machine gun magazine bay to place the kit-provided bullets-belt on this. I purchased the Cutting Edge Decals from Meteor Production with the PE set for the cockpit. Unfortunately because of the yuletide traffic, my order arrived late January and my fuselage has already been glued together. So I sold the PE set to a fellow member. I will use the North Vietnamese decals for my project instead of the German/Chech/Chinese version the kit provides. I may not be able to make this one a show-stopper like Rico's planes always do. But what the heck! I am proud of what I have been doing on it and most importantly, I am getting this work-related stress I get everyday out of my system from this project. I am having FUN. Don't sit on your comfort zone boys and girls! Challenge yourself. Get into another realm and learn the ropes! Have fun!

*Building Dragon's T34/76* By: Jojo Capino		This is a quick review of Dragon's T34/76 1941 Kit no. 6205. You can build two versions of this tank - one from the 21st Tank Corps 130th Tank brigade sporting a dual color camouflage scheme or one from the 1st Tank brigade, the winter version with cross hatch pattern rendered in the box art of this kit. Other variants are available as the kit is supplied with a heavy offering of Cartograf Decals. The other versions that can be represented are about 11 more in the basic Russian green paint scheme. I built the tank straight from the box. The kit contains enough photo etch parts to bring it to modern day detail standards. Some of the best photo etch offerings are the tie cables of the external fuel tanks, the engine grille and the hinges. Compared to other kits in DML's line, it's the most updated so far in terms of tooling and detail offerings. Although as of this writing, new T34 variants have been issued by DML containing better detail such as the T34/85 with bedspring armor. Kit construction was elementary save for the photo-etch hinges and external fuel tank straps. The kit comes with individual track links that had less fuss to clean. The headlamp comes in transparent plastic with very good representation of glass while the tooling had less clean-up jobs. After constructing the kit, I painted the tank using and airbrush and various combinations of green Tamiya Acrylics to represent dynamic shading. The kit was initially primed with Flat Black and layered section by section with varying shades of the highlighted and darkened green paint. Once dry, a wash of oils and diluted enamels made the crevices stand out. As for the tracks, a heavy wash of artist oils were brushed on and while wet, rust colored chalk pastels were liberally applied. Added details were pin wash detailing with burnt sienna oils on the rust areas coupled with light brushing of chalk pastels to add personality to the rather monotonous green color of the tank. The hatch was left open to make space for a Russian tanker from an old Tamiya T34/76 1942 kit. The hatch was painted flat white and washed with a yellow ochre tint after adding some scuff marks using a scouring pad and Tamiya Hull red. A flag made of tissue paper was glued to the figure and folded realistically. After the glue had set, the flag was hard as a rock and painted with red oil paint. To seal everything, a final coat of matte varnish was liberally added after placing the decals. The kit was a joy to build. After experiencing similar builds from Zvezda and Tamiya, I'd highly recommend this kit to every T34 fan out there who wants to add a detailed piece in their collection of soviet armor and progress to more challenges in building a popular subject. The kit won an award in one of the club's internal competition and it was one of my few builds that I enjoyed doing from start to end using mixed media of paint, weathering materials and techniques learned from club meetings and the internet.