Have Gun Will Travel: SP Artillery GB 2011

OK Thunder i'll throw in the Emil to the mix.

I think i've got some PE for this somewhere around here.

Tony Lee

Welcome to the firing line, Tony -- Order of Battle is updated!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

I think I'll probably go with the M109A6.  Although I did just pick up Dragon's M7 mid production for $18.99 last week at Sprue Brothers.  Too many Priests, not enough Paladins, I say...

Jeez, I sound like I should be playing a video game.  

Excellent, Smitty -- that's one awesome SP gun! I have a shot at the same kit at the moment and would appreciate your appraisal of the contents when you open her up! (Call it an in-box review, if you like, not that it'll be in the box for long...)

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Here's the beast I'll be doing:

It's pretty good in the box, I did some work on its many years ago, mainly the gun to a subassembly level, it'll be great to finish this one. I foresee an olive drab paintjob with MiG "Vietnam dust" in copious amounts...

Possible extra detailing includes soft wire to replicate connections and hoses if I can get some good reference data. I'll build her spade down and barrel up, fighting trim, and if I can source a few figures they'd really bring her to life.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Here's my entry:

A little look at the instructions:

Some detail for the mesh templates for the side baskets:

The overall quality is fair, I guess.  The vinyl tracks are wrong for the A6, and are extremely stiff.  Some AM tracks may be in order, will have to see.  The kit compares to the DUKW that I built a couple of years ago, and some of the sprue attachment points are overly large.  I have read reviews that the fit is notoriously bad, but that's why I have putty, I suppose.  Lots of parts, detail seems to be pretty good, if not a little soft in some areas, but then again, Italeri isn't going to be mistaken for a Tamiya or Dragon kit, either at the cash register or during construction.

Thunderbolt, I'll get some detailed shots of the sprues up soon so you can see for yourself.  I had about a half dozen parts off the sprues when I opened the box, but it's been moved around a bit over the last couple of years.

Many thanks, Matt, I'll be looking forward to your comments as you have the chance to review the parts. As you say, it's not from one of the big guys, but the price reflects that as well as the details. (They're pretty pricy here in Aus too, as it happens...)

Mike

Would a Sturmtiger qualify as SP Artillery ? It's got that big mortar on it.

Cheers

Tony

Tony -- I reckon it would, that 15" rocket mortar was ideal for taking out installations and hardened targets, always a traditional artillery role. The same would go for the Karl Morser.

Cheers, M/TB379

Thanks Mike, it's an AFV Club 1/48 Sturmtiger, started build, but not that far down the line. I'll post a current photo as soon as I can.

Cheers

Tony

What th' heck, fire fer effeck..

1/35th Italeri M109A3...

B-3/3 FA 2AD Ft Hood, TX ca. 1985

Hi all,

Here are some photos showing the current state of my Sturmtiger. As I'm 'in between' builds at the moment, I might get stuck straight into this one for a while.

Cheers

Tony

Tony and Hans -- welcome to the build, those are good looking subjects with plenty of firepower! Page 1 is updated as of now -- looking forward to seeing some plastic come together!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Hi Everyone,

I've gone hard on the Sturmtiger over the last couple of days. Most of the construction is done, except that you have to apply your own zimmerit to the hull sides, and I haven't decided whether to use indy track links or the kit rubber bands yet. This is all straight out of the box, except for some internal bracing I've added to take some unwanted flexibility out of the superstructure.

One thing, you can see right down the wide open barrel into bare plastic inside, I think I'd better blank it off.

The hull is not glued to the upper half as yet.

Cheers

Tony

Great stuff, Tony, she looks solid and convincing! I especially like the PE grills, they add an excellent dimension. The internal bracinmg is a good idea too. You're moving ahead nicely here!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Thanks Mike.

Tonight's progress was to represent the polished interior of the barrel with Mr Color metallics, polished with a cotton bud (Q tip). I've also cut a circular disc and painted it flat black to blank off the barrel.

I've never done Zimmerit before, I've been messing around on some  scrap plastic using thinned Tamiya putty and the kit supplied etched Zimmerit rake, as well as a small screwdriver, trying to get the right look. It still needs more practice, but it's better than when I started.

Cheers

Tony

Tony, check out Cavalier zimmerit, they have 1:48 sets now. I can vouch for the generic sheets as being supremely easy to use and delivering a great result! Their online catalog doesn't look up to date, I have their 1:35 Sturmtiger set for Tamiya but it doesn't appear on rthe list... They may have a 1:48 set or generic sheet applicable to the Sturmtiger by now.

http://www.cavaliermodels.com/Zimmerit.html

Cheers, M/TB379

Wow Tony, you're moving right along aren't you.  Looking good so far.  Nice job with the internal bracing too.  Keep up the good work.

I will try and get some sprue pics of the M40 soon.  I got a set of AFV Clubs T84 indy link tracks to replace the kit supplied T66 rubber band style tracks.  I might add some other aftermarket stuff.  I will have to see what is available.

Tony,

I can vouch for the Cavalier Zimm kits.  I'm using one on a Tiger 1 Mid Production right now, and that stuff is REALLY nice.  It usually includes a small zimm tool with each kit as well, for touch ups, etc.

Still working on my Panther II for the M1 Group Build.  I keep looking at the 13 steps to build up the front mine clearance array, and I break out into cold sweats.  Should be starting on the Paladin soon.  But my Dragon M7 Priest showed up in the mail today... that's one SWEET kit...

Thanks Mike, Matt and Kevin,

I had shelved this as being a bit of a complicated build, but the kit engineering is actually quite good, and I was able to just keep going and get it done.

I wasn't aware that Cavalier were doing 1/48 zimmerit, which I will store for future reference. I haven't been able to locate any for a Sturmtiger,although I checked the Cavalier and Track48 websites, then googled it.

Nonetheless, I bought some Milliput at lunchtime today, I'm told it is easier to work than the Tamiya stuff.

Good luck with the Panther II mine clearance array, sounds like a challenge waiting to be licked.

Cheers

Tony

BigSmitty

But my Dragon M7 Priest showed up in the mail today... that's one SWEET kit...

Got mine the other day....it is an awesome looking kit.  From the GB roster we will be able to see quite a few built up.

Got some progress to report, I did a solid hour on the M110 tonight. Italeri is better that Ertl but behind anything from the Far East...

It turns out I added the driver's hatch parts and torsion bar swing arms in the round I did long ago, so for tonight's target I lined up the drive sprockets, a small part inside the front hull, and assemble the hull. I must have had the rear plate on at some point before because there was old glue to clean up on both surfaces and they didn't really want to fit very well. I used gel superglue on the main joints but had to reinforce the joints to the stern plate with strip and angle anyway, as you'll see in the pic. The sideplates went on with liquid glue, very snug and secure. I don't really see the moulded in crew seat surviving the assembly process, one of the supports is already  snapped and will get superglued. If the other snaps I'll reattach it at the end.

As for Vietnam markings, she's the wrong variant. This is the long-barrel type built in the late 70s through the mid-80s at least and serving with a huge number of armies around the world. The kit includes markings for four countries but they're all olive drab overall with a few minor decals at front and back. Only the West German decals have anything more, a national insignia and vehicle name on the barrel, so that's the version I'll go for.

Tomorrow's build target is the recoil spade and possibly some hull dressing parts.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Hi Mike,

It looks like you're well on the way, keep it going. I'm not familiar with ERTL armor kits, what was it that you built from them ?

Cheers

Tony

A little late...but...may I join in with a Trumpy Chinese Type 89 122mm MRL?  

I'd like to paint it up in one of those fancy digi camo schemes that they've got on their equipment.

Beav -- not late at all, we're only a week into a six month build! I've added your project to the roll on page 1.

The Trumpeter trio based on the same chassis (Type 83 SPG, Type 89 tank destroyer, and MBRL) are well detailed, with tons of interior detail too. One point -- beware the tracks! I was building the Type 89 TD for "The Hunters" back in '89 and was moving along well when I discovered the tracks were too short by at least three links. I tried everything I knew to stretch them with heat but it didn't work, and despite approaching Trumpeter twice I was unable to buy extra tracks to butcher (take three links from a fresh track, splice them into each track on each of the other three kits, and all's fine.)

I have seen these models build up, but how folks got around the track problem I don't know! I'll be interested in your solutions -- or if indeed you encounter the problem at all...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

I'll definitely update you on how I solve the track problem.  I suppose my motivation has been the neat builds that are relatively current over at armorama; lots of guys have been building the digicam stuff; and I want a shot at it.  I was able to score this kit on ebay with a second MRL and one of those cheap hobby fan jeeps w/recoiless rifle (the one marketed as a feedayeen jeep).  The second MRL may just be transformed into the Type 93 Antiaircraft vehicle someday.

Hi all,

I've searched a bit harder and found that CMK do a set of Zimmerit for a 1/48 Tiger I, which should be usable on the Sturmtiger.

I'll have another go with putty over the weekend, and if I can't get it right, then I'll order a set.

Thanks for the heads up, you set me in the right direction.

No progress since the last update, have been completing another build, which is now done.

Cheers

Tony

Thanks, Beav, I'll be looking forward to your experiences with those tracks. You can't simply pull them tight until they reach, or you'll snap the last trailing swing-arm... Ask me how I know!

Tony, looking forward to your zimmerit experience -- is the CMK set etched brass sheet?

Well, some more progress, tonight's target wasthe recoil spade for the M110, and here she is:

A bity fiddly, made more so by plans that were a little vague on some counts, but simple enough in the end. I left off two very fragile structures which I think are shell cradles mounted on the spade struts, they seem to be in the right place for the loader mechanism to line up with -- but I could be entirely wrong! They'll get added as close to the end as possible.

Target for tomorrow is to assemble the wheels (steel-rimmed, so no tyres to paint, yay!), and take a shot at the breach assembly and gun cradle. As part of the cradle and the gun itself were done long ago, this beast is moving right along.

Cheers, M/TB379

TB,

    I've got Academy's M-12 155mm GMC that I got off of E-Bay a couple weeks ago. I'd like to add this to the GB if I may.

-Stephen