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Wait a minute - I seem to remember something about the towing eyes or hooks on the front of T-34s. Deep in my memory the model company (Tamiya?) used one of the ones at Aberdeen that we had captured from the Germans. The towing eyes had been added by the Germans. When the model company did it they included them not realizing they were a German addition?

Did I come close?

- bsmart

Wait a minute - I seem to remember something about the towing eyes or hooks on the front of T-34s. Deep in my memory the model company (Tamiya?) used one of the ones at Aberdeen that we had captured from the Germans. The towing eyes had been added by the Germans. When the model company did it they included them not realizing they were a German addition?

Did I come close?

Bingo, you've got it- after you mentioned them, I had another close look and they're indeed there.

Interesting tidbit: That Aberdeen T-34 was indeed captured in France and probably served training purposes.

Hi Bob! Hi Folks!

- bsmart

'Wait a minute - I seem to remember something about the towing eyes or hooks on the front of T-34s. Deep in my memory the model company (Tamiya?) used one of the ones at Aberdeen that we had captured from the Germans. The towing eyes had been added by the Germans. When the model company did it they included them not realizing they were a German addition?
Did I come close?

You are right, the problem is the towing eyes.

But the story I was told was the museum at Aberdeen added those towing points so they could use a US tow bar to move the Soviet vehicles around. And Tamiya put those towing eyes on all of their T-34 based kits.

When I was building that kit, I remember thinking those towing eyes were odd for a Russian vehicle, but I was rushing to get the kit finished for a contest and didn't stop to take a look through my references. At the contest, one of the other treadheads told me that Tamiya had copied the vehicles at Aberdeen and failed to asked if any post Russian modifications had been made to the T-34 collection. I have left the towing points to test others who claim they know all there is to know about the T-34 FOVs. I did however make a point to insure I removed all of those towing eyes from all the other Tamiys kits that had them.

The Germans added the towing eyes? The Germans had tow bars during WWII? That's a new one on me!

Well done Bob (F15)!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Well, while not nearly as nice or reflective of as much effort, it's time to show solidarity with Roy and demonstate some of the same foibles...since I used all the stuff in the box. Mainly, I wanted something in a winter whitewash to contrast with all the O.D. in my case, and this was the outcome. Blast away.....
(Yes, I have not put the antenna back in since I moved last...I'm lazy that way)

Hi Bob(A109)! Hi Folks!

- A-109E

Nice to have your comments on the various models, Roy, thanks.

....will update this showcase as I come across your models in that pub.

Thanks Bob!
The right click doesn't work with my PC. All it does is close the hand looking cursor and grabs the document and moves it around.

- A-109E

I build that kit for an Operation Market Garden contest. That is the lead tank of the No. 3 Squadron, 2nd Battalion Irish Guards, Irish Guards Group, Guards Armoured Division, XXX Corps. Without any photos of the exact vehicle, I made a lot guesses as to what Lt. Keith Heathcote's tank may have looked like on Sept 17, 1944 as he ordered his driver to move out for the attack. I just hope I got it close. It's an older DML M4A4 kit with the wrong length lower hull.

- A-109E

That kit started out as a late model A1 and I tried to back date it to an early version of the A1. One of the problems I had been having with the M60 series vehicles was understanding just what the "chin fillets" were. When Joe_D was passing through he took at look at the model and was able to show me just what the chin fillets are. So that tank has a mistake because I had removed those little bulges that are just under bottem edge of the gun mantel. It doesn't show that well in the photos, but check out the TC and Gunner's sights. That silver looking glass is part of a CD disc cut down to fit inside the housing. An Academy kit with a lot of parts taken from an older Tamiya kit.

- A-109E

One of my oldest war horses! I build and brush painted that kit sometime back around 1976, give or take a year. It has traveled the world with me and has almost survived more miles that I would bet some real Chieftains have. Back when I painted it, I had not idea what color British tanks were. I was using Revell Farbe paints. I used two colors that matched the photo on the box top. The reason the main gun barrel has a downward kink at above the front edge of the driver's hatch is the long end is removeable for storage and transport. Over the years the connection has losen some and the front barrel no longer lines up with the rear barrel part which is mounted in the turret. One of Tamiya's early kits.

Somewhere during my Scouting career, I went to school at Ft. Benning, GA to be an instructor for the M47 Dragon ATGM system. During that course, I learned that 1/35 scale AFV kits are great for teaching tank ID classes. That old Chieftain, along with all the other current AFVs I had at the time, were the object of many a Dragon and TOW missile sight over the next few years. You want to mess up a GI antitank gunner? Show him the right side of Chieftain so he cannot see the armour searchlight housing and remove the side plate so he can see the road wheels! One of the three kits I am now working on is a replacement Chieftain.

That old one has a lot of things wrong and damage on the top side of the hull and the turret. I have been thinking about cutting it up and using the running gear for a Accuarte Armour Chieftain AVLB conversion. Picked up one of those resin kits for Christmas a few years back.

Thanks for looking folks!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Hi Doug! Hi Folks!

- Doug_Kibbey

Well, while not nearly as nice or reflective of as much effort, it's time to show solidarity with Roy and demonstate some of the same foibles...since I used all the stuff in the box. Mainly, I wanted something in a winter whitewash to contrast with all the O.D. in my case, and this was the outcome. Blast away.....
(Yes, I have not put the antenna back in since I moved last...I'm lazy that way)

Very nice! I like! I see your's still has the Aberdeen tow bar eyes also!

As for blasting away, you have the same problem with your Russian tanks I have. People keep asking me what is holding my rose bush de-ditching logs and wooden boxes on. In your case, it's that lose end of the towing cable that is just laying on the fender.

- Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Doug! Hi Folks!

- Doug_Kibbey

Well, while not nearly as nice or reflective of as much effort, it's time to show solidarity with Roy and demonstate some of the same foibles...since I used all the stuff in the box. Mainly, I wanted something in a winter whitewash to contrast with all the O.D. in my case, and this was the outcome. Blast away.....
(Yes, I have not put the antenna back in since I moved last...I'm lazy that way)

A.: Very nice! I like! I see your's still has the Aberdeen tow bar eyes also!

B.: As for blasting away, you have the same problem with your Russian tanks I have. People keep asking me what is holding my rose bush de-ditching logs and wooden boxes on. In your case, it's that lose end of the towing cable that is just laying on the fender.

A. They was in the kit, they gots put on.

B. Tell 'em it's none of their dang bid'ness, but in my case, I did make an effort to "bend" the tow cable to give the impression that it's been deformed by the box by some mysterious dynamic process that we'll not go into here. See: "none of your dang bid'ness".

- Doug_Kibbey

Well, while not nearly as nice or reflective of as much effort, it's time to show solidarity with Roy and demonstate some of the same foibles...since I used all the stuff in the box. Mainly, I wanted something in a winter whitewash to contrast with all the O.D. in my case, and this was the outcome. Blast away.....
(Yes, I have not put the antenna back in since I moved last...I'm lazy that way)

Actually, Doug, I think it's quite nice. The overall impression is that of a real (well used) vehicle.

- A-109E

Actually, Doug, I think it's quite nice. The overall impression is that of a real (well used) vehicle.

Coming from an acknowledged master modelmaker, I'm totally blushing (really!)
I threw this together a few years ago because I was deparate to try a whitewash finish. I didn't pay much attention to other details apart from some weathering like oil/fuel/other stains and wear.I scratched more wear in the box with a pin and wore off the whitewash with ultra-fine grit sandpaper and added some rust. That's about it.
(that's a 90mm muzzle from an adjacent M48 obliterating the right front fender)

- Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Bob (A109)! Hi Folks!

Now that Bob has your attention, time for some AFV tests!

- A-109E

Russian SU-85

It's a SU-85, however can anyone ID the type of 85mm cannon that is carried on this version of the SU-85?
Standard Russian SU-85s mounted the M-1939 modified 85mm anti-aircraft gun.

Hi Folks!
I guess none of you CIA types know WW II Soviet vehicles.

The trick to the question is the national marking on the vehicle.
As the T-34/85 was placed into service, the SU-85s with the M-1939 anti-aircraft gun were withdrawn for Russian service. The vehicles where rebuild and issued to the satellite armies, like the Red Polish Forces. As part of the rebuild, the 85mm gun was replaced with a D5-S85A (M-1944) anti-tank gun which had better performance than the older M-1939 anti-aircraft gun did.

There were two types of SU-85s (that is if you don't count the SU-85M) and the only clue to any differences was the national markings.

Spot Report!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

...and from the legendary pages of "The Glue", here's Roy's Crusader Mk III.

Hi Bob (A109)! Hi FolkS!

- A-109E

...and from the legendary pages of "The Glue", here's Roy's Crusader Mk III.

Thank You! Boy you have been digging to find that one.
I think I did that this one about 15 years ago. The tarp (<OK Shawn the trap has been replaced, thanks) is more old Army poucho liner. The leather straps and the straps on the back packs are strips cut out of a pie tin. This tank is one of my early tries at weathering. I hate weathering my tanks. I like the factory fresh look!

Thanks again Bob!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Still waiting for Mr Steinbrunn's works, could even be something old and out of FSM...

Attaboy for Roy, nice Crusader, although a bit on the brown side. I'm not decided yet on which look I prefer, sometimes factory-fresh and uncluttered for the musuem/dog-and-pony look, but some kits just cry out for a restrained weathering and the kitchen sink.

Hi Jens! Hi Folks!

- Jens_O_Mehner

Attaboy for Roy, nice Crusader, although a bit on the brown side.

Thank You Jens! I think I used the kit instructions and Testors paints.

I am not real clear on British colors. Is the brown to dark or should there be a third color on there?

Very interested!
Sgt, Scouts out!

- Jens_O_Mehner

Still waiting for Mr Steinbrunn's works, could even be something old and out of FSM...

Wow! You're relentless, Jens!

Since you're such a gentleman I'll make a freundschaftliches Ãœbereinkommen with you: I'll post these pics if you'll let me hide behind my modest nature.

From this issue of FSM:


Here's the 1/24 scale Franklin Mint metal diecast M4A3E8 ( M4A3(76)W HVSS ) which was torn down to Parade Rest and rebuilt, accurized, detailed, airbrushed, and weathered. This process was necessary since the Chinese modeling company came to Ft. Knox and copied their M4A3E8 exactly, including an incorrect TC's cupola and some diamond treadplate welded over the gunner's sight opening, both merely expedients to close in the turret from the weather. This two errors were just the beginning of my troubles with this "kit".

The model represents "Cagey", the third tank of Charlie Company, 89th Tank Battalion in Korea during the Han River fighting of Operation Ripper in March 1951. This unit was commanded by a Captain Clifford Rice and called itself “Rice’s Red Devils�

The tiger face markings were masked off and airbrushed - they're not decals - and were intended to intimidate the "superstitious" Chinese troops. I would imagine they were more intimidated by the 76mm main gun.

















And now, Jens, my fine virtual friend, we all want to see some of your modeling efforts. All in favor, say "Aye!" ...heheheh.