Renault UE German Scout Car - Mirage (35307) 1/35

Very interesting vehicle!! I see alot of deeper scratches where it looks like you were sanding with a sanding stick maybe? Not sure if they will show through the finish or not, but I like to knock those deeper scratches down with some steel wool. Be careful with it though, it will remove/soften detail pretty easily.

Look forward to seeing more of it.

Oh, and welcome to the forums!!

Wow, that is one crazy looking tank! Definitely have not seen that before! Welcome aboard Maddog!

As far as tips or hints, Keep going, its looking good so far!

I'll have to keep the steel wool in mind.  This is a small model and was hard to get to places with my sanding stick.  I have it primed and it looks like it covered it up pretty well.  However, I managed to mess it up priming because I was too far from the model and the paint dried in the air, giving a dusty bumpy look.  After two tries of priming and easy off over cleaner removal I figured out what I was doing and how to fix it...so these scratches are the least of my problems I guess.  I'm not too happy with how this is going.  Hey, but thanks for the welcome!

So in my attempt to remove the priming to fix the bumpy look I managed to break off the MG-34's and the headlights.  I'm not going to reattach the headlights, being most pictures I've seen of the renault didn't have the lights anyways.

Man this thing is just plumb nutty looking! Nice save on the primer.

Verrrrrry interesting! Enjoy some laughs & kick back.

“Modeling is the world that I feel most welcome in.” — Brooke Shields

David:

Hey! COOL!  Welcome to the world of slightly rough east-block renditions of the oh-so-diverse re-used Renault UE! 

I'm a fan of the general type - and have done a few of the Mirage/RPM kits (those with the wurframen, and a base model), and I just picked up the kit with the 3.7cm PaK 35/36 gun mounted on it.  These kits are all pretty much the same - and they are pretty far removed from the Tamiya version.  But I found them actually in some ways pretty good.

It's apparent that you did some homework and accessed some reference pics.  All power to you!  What I might suggest is that you study a few pics of the general type, and maybe choose a few bits to tweak.  I found it pretty enhancing to add a few of the tiny and tinny details around the box, and I replace the tow cable with a wire one with some little metal or styrene clips for holding it onto the front deck. This could be the single biggest boost for the least effort. That, and the heat shield over the exhaust- it was a tinny piece and the kit part looks much better if you seriously thin the visible edges, and do a little scoring with your X-acto tip to create some depth under those pressed-out cooling slots. Check ref pics and note that many panels appear to have distinct thin gaps and seam-lines around them- I found that scoring these and pin-washing made it pop a little more.

The hands-down fiddliest part of these little kits is the track  They are rather crappy.  When you hit those tracks... the length bits are OK - the links are really tiny and don't have much positive connection when you assemble them .... I found that things worked best to fit the painted road gear on, including the sprocket, and then assemble a short run of links for that sprocket by setting the links onto a piece of masking tape (stick them on face down) and applying a little thin cement to the run - let it set several minutes, and then gently lift it off the tape and fit it around the sprocket.  As I like to paint my track off the tank, what I did was to do this set-up, let the run harden in place, and then pull it off the sprocket and let it fully dry. I painted all the lengths and a run for the idler and the sprocket each side, and then re-set them onto the running gear using some super glue. I had to do a tiny amount of touch-up painting to cover the glue, but it worked pretty well. Do take care and look at the attached track runs from front and back... these little tracks do like to twist and tilt, and that is fatal if you put it on a show table! I been there  NO T-shirt resulted, either.

The decals are OK - but I pretty much skip those things in favor of spraying crosses on with a template. But that's me.

When you get paint on, maybe keep in mind that these were rear-area airfield vehicles and probably did not have great paint-jobs...!

I look forward to seeing it all done and posted!  Again, COOL and really nice to see someone else getting into these strange but actually fairly common little vehicles!

Bob

Hey, thanks for the tips!!! These are neat little tanks, I actually have three more on the way in the mail.  The Tamiya kit, there I plan to mount a 3.7cm PaK on top of it like you mentioned, and two more Mirage kits with the wurframen.  When I start a kit I like to do all the variants that are available...call me crazy. 

Your idea for the tow cable is great.  I'll have to admit I didn't know what it was until you mention that.  I bet I could use some small nylon twine to simulate a cable. I've got some PE laying around too I could use for holding it in. 

I really don't look forward to the tracks, if you noticed in one of my shots the injection didn't fill entirely so I am short two links....and there are no spares it appears.  The instructions seem to say I could have 4 or 5 sets of two links on the rear so maybe I will have some to spare.  We'll see.

Welcome David. 

I admire you for tackling something so bizarre as that. That is something I've never seen before. I like where this is going.

Mirage kit with only a few models under your belt? I bet you're the type who'd like to try to swim the English Channel as a swimming lesson!

A lot of those Eastern European kits are a bear to build. Plenty of rough fits and lots of mix and match sprues. I think that base vehicle is available with no less than a dozen (probably more) different versions created by tossing a set of sprues at it.

I built (or actually "started") the tankette version, AMR-UE, that I got at my local hobby shop 10 years ago for less than $10. They are not for the faint of heart. I gave up on the UE myself when it stopped being fun and relaxing. I wish you all the luck. My kit looked very much like the reference photos you have posted.

@Rob G.;

"Mirage kit with only a few...."   Yeah. IF most guy's first go with the girls was typically like one of these as a first..., I'd be willing to bet we wouldn't have half so many people on Earth as we do! 

But I guess I'm off for a trip across to that Channel! LoL!   I'm a old re-tread in the styrene world - built some planes back in the early 70's, bailed out in '75, returned to the hobby in '08. It's been armor ever since. First kit outta the gate was this Polish kit of a wierd little French thing that those Germans had later plopped a set of bombardment rockets (28cm wurfrahmen) on top of...  I've posted a pic of this first little go over on Armorama - Campaigns - "Under a different flag" page 6 Panzerbob01 post... And yeah. It was a BEAR. I got scars to prove it!  I don't yet have a handle on posting any of my pics on this site and thread, else I would! 

@David:

OK - bitty tracks - take two:  You also got a short shot on the molding? Yeap. I did, too!  Blah.  But the kit did have several extra links (I didn't paste any spares on - I doubted then and still that the Germans did that with these things, as they were for local use only and I never saw a pic with such mounted. But there could have been one done thusly somewhere..! ) and, as it turned out, more than enough to fix up a couple of those short shots.  So I think you'll be OK - just clip off the crappy end and add on a "spare" link or 2.

IF you go to the above Armorama page, you'll see what I did for that first UE.  For the tow rope, I used some heavy cotton "button-hole" thread (remember, this was a bitty thing and pics that show tow ropes show what really looks like something of the maybe 1/2 US inch diam sort... in 1/35 scale perhaps only 1/70 or so inch - or around 0.014 inch...) with 0.005 styrene sheet wrapped and glued around the loop to represent the metal sleaves.   I painted the thread with some acrylics (black with a little rust) followed by some chalk pastel dusting.  The mounting clips were made from strips of 0.005 styrene, with the thread coiled in a loop and slipped over the 3 clips "like the real thing". After a few times around with clips breaking off, I finally resorted to super-gluing it down.  I had dreampt of having it actually fit in place like a real rope- but I hadn't read hose bitty plastic clips into my plan! 

And yeah, if you do look at my pic, you'll see that there are some seams and stuff... . Really blew it around that box edge (the corner frames were welded together and no real gaps to be seen...) and up front. But on the (maybe) up-side, you can easily add in some details like the little fender gussets and braces on the box, etc.  And I found that those little cupola-caps had slits in them... I was rather crude with them but, hey, we are talking little east-block bears, dancing or otherwise, and recently-lost virginity here, aren't we!

PS: I like to scratch and fiddle, and almost never indulge in PE. So my mods are all "old school" styrene, etc. Not, you understand, that PE is a bad thing. I'm just CHEAP!

And I'm with you on the "do the series" thing! And also on that Tamiya kit and plans for it!  I plan to park a Dragon 3.7cm PaK on top in the "first-draft incarnation" where the Germans tied the whole gun, wheels and all, on (France, 1940).  The RPM/Mirage kit is of the later "version" where some rear-area shop fit some sort of swivel mount on to the top deck... there's maybe 3 pics of this thing out there. Bet it was neither common nor successful! But it is kinda cool (and of course likely another little bear) , and I'll build (fight with) it.

Carry on! Your UE is going to look SWEET!  Bob

Definitely not something you see get built up every day! Welcome to the forums!

Just goes to show if it ran and the Germans could figure out a way to arm it, they would.

Rob: Yeah, I would say it's a bear, not sure what I'm getting into.  It's still fun so I have that going.  The reason I started with this kit because I am going chronologically through a book I own of nearly all AFV's of the 1900's.  I decided to start with 1930's because from then and on interests me the most.  So the Renault UE showed up first, so I got it not knowing the reputation of the kit. 

Bob: I took a look at your build, very well done.  I'll fiddle with the wire idea.  I did take your idea about the muffler guard, making it look thinner and scribing the vents.  Had some trouble but liked the result.

Bill : Thanks for the welcome!  Yes, the Germans had a great recycling program for AFV's.

Progress report.  I've painted with a Panzer Dunkelgelb 1943 from Model Masters.  Painted Gunmetal on the 34's and then rubbed with powdered graphite.  Did the same with the muffler, I will try Bob's idea with the red wash and some pigments.  I've simulated rust using a Rust color paint and some Mig Pigments, but I'd like to see how this other method works.

I'm also working with getting suspension and wheels together.  So far it is working out much better than expected.  Also thinned the muffler guard and scribed the vents.

Started two more Mirage kits, 35518 and 25519, the German Stuka zu Fuss variants. I'm putting the scout car on hold and getting the other two caught up. Debating on having the scout car in a winter theme or just keeping it the dunkelgelb.

So I've made progress with the launching mounts for the 28cm and 32cm rockets as well as the wooden cases.

Nice little set of triplets you've got going. 2nd pic shows some pin marks still visible on the inside of the crate (you may have already dealt with them, if so apologies!). The wood grain that Mirage provides is kind of iffy, maybe sand it down and replace it with some light scoring to get something more in-scale for effect? Hat's off to you for tackling these little beasts for sure!

I will try to get those taken care of, I did notice them.

Tried out some Color modulation starting with a black, and working layers but I think I mixed too much paint and made it too light.  The pictures just go up to the Midtone of the german grey sprayed from above.

Hi there , I've just read your post here it's a nice looking little tank .

But the boxart is a little wrong ! The correct name for this vehicle should be 'Sicherungsfahrzeug UE(f)' !

It was used as a security vehicle by the German Luftwaffe (airforce) , the decals show it right on the license plates have a WL-xxxxxx , the L stands for Luftwaffe !

As far as I know they were used only by the airforce . I'm not  trying to be a smartass .

You don't have to care if you build it to stand somewhere by it self , but it would look quite questionable to place it beside a Wehrmacht combat unit .

I was thinking to get one of the Renault 'mini' tanks myself , probably the standard version as a munition carrier, the Munitionsschlepper Renault UE(f) with trailer .

I'll be watching your progress , nice work !

The box art I believe is in Polish, that's why there's a different name.  Thanks for the info!

Paint work is coming along nicely David.

Thanks Bill!

Here is some more work on the Scout Car, put on decals, paint chipped with XF-63 German Gray on a sponge which I think came out too heavy.  Next time I will use enamel paints, Tamiya dries too fast on the sponge I think.  Also gave it an oil wash with Umber.

Enamels are a little more friendly vs. acrylics for weathering, this is true. You might try dry-brushing some of the base-coat in the areas where you feel it's too heavy? That would blend it back in a bit and make it more subtle.

It looks great!   I agree with you and Bill... little too heavy on chippng.  Do what Bill suggested should help.  I have been following your work since day one and it has been fun.  Thanks for sharing!

Well I did a little touch up with the chipping.  I managed to get the tracks on with not too much problem...and a lot of super glue! ;) Added some dirt and used Migs for mild rust on the tracks.  Also used some artist oils for rust marks.  Next are my other two. Hopefully i can make some faster progress with those.  I'm ready to shut this project down and move to the next.

Definitely an improvement with the toned-down chipping. Like the pigments and other weathering as well.

  NOW it looks great! 

She looks great   Have long been waiting to see these kits built up.  Being that they can have many problems believe they are often overlooked.  You did a really good job on a not so good kit.  The effects you added in the end are fantastic and I look forward to the completion of the other two.

Thanks all for the input and interest.  I am eager to get these other two done. Not to mention I have the Tamiya kit as well.  Then I'll be done with the UE series I think.

So I had more pictures of the progress of my 28cm rocket renault but seemed to have deleted them while at the Kansas City Competition, so I just have the current stage of it...oh well.  Have what little decals it had applied and the rocket boxes assembled.  Scored in some wood grain as well.  Painted them with a desert yellow and a red oil paint wash.  Next step is future coat and then umber oil wash.....and tracks. *sigh*