Autoblinda AB 40 Ferroviaria

Dear JohanT and Waynec

Thank you very much for your replies. I will try and input on the forum my build progress. I don't know when yet I will start but am looking forward.

FLOWCS i have one of these and will be following your build.  JIBBER and i are doing a RAILROAD GB starting in january and this would fit in nicely (shameless plug). i suppose it's possible to have a german repair crew with an italian vehicle.

JOHANT thanks for the input.

Hi Johan

Thank you very much for your reply, which is very useful indeed. I will certainly try out your suggestions, and as I haven't tried battle damage on model vehicles before I will experiment first on scrap pieces before trying it out on the actual model.

The picture I have in mind is to portray the Autoblinda undergoing field repairs by a couple of mechanics who are ringed by a handful of infantry keeping lookout for partisans. My first choice was, and still is, to model it as an Italian version, but as there are so few suitable Italian figures in 1/35 scale I'm considering modelling it as a German vehicle instead. There are far more choices of 1/35 scale German military figures.

Hi Flowcs,

The Autoblinda goes together nicely. Need to be a bit careful when assembling the front plates and ensure that the undercarriage sits in level. Not sure if the railroad version undercarriage is as complex as the armored car version.

I have little experience with adding small arms fire damage but I have seen some of the guys having good success with needle heads that have been heated and pushed slightly into the armor plates.

Rather then trying to bend the plastic parts I would replace the damaged part with sheet styrene or sheet metal. Bends more realistically then the rather thick plastic in the kit parts.

The Autoblinda is a rivet body so you might consider drilling out a couple of rivets where a plate lifts of the body-frame.

Good luck with the Autoblinda and the diorama.

Please share some pictures of the progress :)

Very Best Regards

Johan