[bitsandkits]

Ok non wargame related post, one of my suppliers just sent me a "promotional" 1:35 scale M1A2 SEP tank from dragon models (3536-01 for those of you in the know).

I have to admit i have never seen a dragon model product before, but i am very impressed firstly its got 730 bits ,rubber tracks,etched brass,steel tow cables,machined metal barrel(not moulded someone has used a lathe to make it) 17 sprues and an instruction book that would pass for the times newspaper.

Obviously everything is made to scale and would only be useful as a display piece, but i honestly can't put the box down, i keep telling myself i have loads of other more pressing projects to start and finish but im drawn back to it.

I expect the model will be a challenge to build though i think the paint job would be pretty easy as most military models are very bland and as this tank seems to have only seen desert warfare so the paint and marking guides are almost all sand coloured, as its a display model im likely to go with the "historic" paint jobs and markings rather than going down the artistic licence route.

So do we have any military modellers ?anyone else doing 1:35 scale models for display? any tips? any other good kits in the range worth looking at?should i just chuck this model in my cupboard and finish my other GW and forge world stuff first? any other manufactures worth looking at in the scale?

 

[Svartmetall]

Dragon, Tamiya, AFV Club, Trumpeter - they're all good. Other 1/35th manufacturers have some good models but are less consistent.

The imaginatively named Military Modelling magazine/webzine is a pretty decent source; some of the work in there is amazing.

 

[humakt]

A book I would highly recommend getting from the library when doing military models is 'The model makers handbook' by Albert Jackson and David Day. It has a large chapter on how to do weathering which you may find useful. I know this could be used for gaming, but you can put so much more on display projects as they wont be handled so much.

Personally I dont have enough display space for me to start doing real world vehicles, but I certainly would if I had enough space available.

 

[yanlou]

from my experience of building 1/35th of which was mainly tamiya, its best when you build it, to build it in sections, so wheels, lower hull, hupper hull, turret sperate, and also some of the detail seperate, done this will help with painting. If its got clear parts like periscopes glue them in after.
Some things like photo etched grills for the engines, if it has any might need masking and take your time lol.
Hope this helps alittle and makes sense.

Also lucky bugger, dragon kits arent cheap, i reckon without looking at any sites that sell dragon kits, i reckon that must be a good £35 kit youve got there.

Im actually looking at getting a 1/35th tiger 1 again (my brother trashed my 15 1/35 military model collection, which included a jagdpanther, panther, tiger 1, kingtiger, sturmgeschutz 4, t-35-85 and many others).

 

[bitsandkits]

thanks for the info so far, im pretty pleased with the kit,though im not sure lucky bugger is the best way to describe me for what is essentially a free plastic heroin hit given to an addict lol,im fairly sure the supplier gave me the kit to encourage me to start stocking the range.
Im pretty fascinated by the kit, its a bit of an eye opener to say the least, the only tanks i have done in the past are GW, scale model wise i have either done planes (mainly spitfires) or ships.
The scale model hobby seems to be far more supported that i gave it credit for, obviously i was basing my limited knowledge on visits to local model shops,who only seem to be interested in RC or hornby trains.
Anyway keep the advice and info coming, any tips are welcome.

 

[fynn]

@Yanlou, if your after another tiger, have a look for the new combat tank magizine, thats out in the shops. its (strangley enough)about combat tanks, and issue 1 and 2 include an Italiari 1/35th tiger tank kit, so may be a chance to pick up a nice kit a bit cheaper, and looking a the sprues, carries a lot of internal detail.
@B&K, dragon kits are very nice, can be a bit pricey, but then you get what you pay for, and over the past 12 years or so, there kits have got better and better.

 

[yanlou]

@Yanlou, if your after another tiger, have a look for the new combat tank magizine, thats out in the shops. its (strangley enough)about combat tanks, and issue 1 and 2 include an Italiari 1/35th tiger tank kit, so may be a chance to pick up a nice kit a bit cheaper, and looking a the sprues, carries a lot of internal detail.

thanks for the tip fynn +rep for you.

 

[Bubblematrix]

'The model makers handbook' by Albert Jackson and David Day

The book that inspired a small boy to make model kits *nostalgia*

I picked up a copy in a charity shop one time, it really is a good read on military diaramas and gives some excellent tutorials on model making, every child (inner or outer) should have one