Hi guys,
Thanks for the Birthday wishes for today my friends. I felt compelled to look up my first ever blog - it was on here from September 2009!
It seems that I completed my FIRST EVER BUILD (Tamiya Tiger I 1/48) at the end of September 2009 so I've only been an armour modeller for just over 3 years! 
How time flies - I can't believe how much I've learnt in such a small amount of time too! The thanks has to go to all the guys I've met on the forums - the honourable brotherhood of Armour Modellers (aka the Dark Side)! 
I was given a bit of money to go into the stash fund, some decent aftershave, that new wingy thing DVD with Cuba Gooding Jr called 'Red Tails', some new Sprue cutters and a pack of Tamiya Fine Finishing Abrasives! Finally, and best of all, the Dragon Elephant with Zim kit (Dragon kit #6465).
The kit:
http://www.dragon-models.com/d-m-item.asp?pid=DRA6465
It's a nice kit only slightly let down by the use of old sprues from the old Ferdinand kits - they make up for it by repacing the original kit barrel (an awful two part affair that is a real horror) with a nice Aluminium Barrel. The muzzle brake is plastic but a new mould and very tidy so no RB this time! Friuls no doubt but that's it. They have also replaced the horrid plastic shackles with lovely metal examples with bolts. PE is supplied to allow the basic kit Sledgehammer and Jack Block to be made to look much better. There's some nice scale chain for pistol ports and overall this is a kit I cannot wait to build. It's going to be a battle damaged monster this time!
Painting and marking options allow for Polish and Italian vehicles painted with the usual two or three tone cammo or plain whitewash over Dunky. I'm undecided yet but I'm going for one of the Polish vehicle paint schemes and markings.
So, thanks again guys - I'm now off to make lunch and paint these tools!
Take care,
Ben 