Made In USSR GB

OK, I can't stand it anymore.   I haven't touched a model in a long while, but this GB might be the stimulis I need to get the paint stirring.  Dug this piece out of the basement stash and  hopefully the photo will show up properly.  I did some preliminary research on the vehicle's actions in Afghanistan.  I've also checked on the Ertl kit and cringed when I read about the problems concerning multi-section plastic tracks.  So if you've got room for another AFV, I'll give it a go.

Jack

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:100:0]

Put me down for both then.

Here's where I am with the Mig 15.

I've used the Eduard Zoom set for this build, not sure why as the canopy will be staying closed.

Fuselage halves are now joined and drying on the bench.

Karl

Terry, thanks for that photo- it certainly looks intriguing and I'll mull it over as I look for a new AB compressor.  What book is that out of?  I'm always looking for good color profiles for future builds.

Are you going to add many details to that tractor, or straight OOB?   It is a sturdy looking machine.

Started the T-34/76 on Friday night, I'm not documenting it nearly as much as the MiG as I was caught up in a building frenzy... turret is almost finished, superstructure is on the hull, road wheels and suspension are done and I've got several more hours of the fiddly bits to put on and it'll be ready for paint.  Of all the CyberHobby/DML kits I've done, this one is easily one of the simplest, most straight-forward builds out there, especially if you forego the PE.   It seems that 1/3 of the parts aren't used on this version- I've got 3 or 4 different engine louvers, back plates, hatches and whatnot for the spares box.   This kit even has an aluminum barrel on the Dragon card, plus one solid plastic barrel and another 2-piece plastic barrel...  I think that I'll use the aluminum barrel with the contest seam.

Late tommorow night ought to see the assembly completed on this weekender....  I'm running out of Russians! 

how about i put you down for both?

If cross overs are allowed can I join with my 1/72 Airfix Mig 15?

I've just started it for the Mig Alley GB.

Failing that, put me down for an AZ Models 1/72 Mig 17.

Karl

Terry:  That is going to look sooooooo good!

Well I have fallen in love with the idea of this GB and the subject, so here we go..........

Well last Sunday evening I sat down and started  on the kit, the 150 track links cleaned up very easily and have a snap together feel to them, the kind remind me of the older model kasten sets in colour and presentation and of course workability. Three hours roughly had the tracks ready.

the tractor has a lower hull spotless clean and beautifully produced, in this shot I have added front details and exhausts and final drive housings.

The drive sproxkets had a fair amount of floash but that is no major inconvenience.

Some of the major components,

THe Tarp.

The bonnet, a beautiful piece.

The Cab again excellently done.

THe return rollers just snapped in place for the moment there is six of these sets and more on the suspension assemblies which gives you a total of 20 return rollers.

The underside of the flat bed, this is the only place I have encountered ejector pin marks and filled them. There is more on the back of the suspension assemblies but they are almost invisible.

The flat bed assembled, the interior parts are not glued in yet.

Just a quick shot of what we are looking at so far,

Now for the intensive/boring bit, 64 road wheels.

These glue together in pairs and are mounted in sets of four.

This is the suspension assembly, two springs which literally clip in place and two return rollers, there is pin marks on the back of these but they will be hidden by the hull.

The progress so far, not glued up for the moment because I need to spray in sub assemblies.

All together so far this accounts for just under 10 hours work.

This is an expensive kit €38.

Maybe not as expensive as a new Tamiya or Dragon release. The quality is certainly up there. Its a great subject, and on another note I have never recommended a kit that would be great for a first armour build but this is. I love it.

Thanks for looking in.

Terry.

Now that's sweet!

Dre Just for you Buddy....

I think that looks cool.

Terry.

Great work everyone! 

Chazzer, thanks for posting that pic, I've read that guy's story at EnglishRussia.   We 'Muricans tend to think that we won the war, forgetting about the staggering losses suffered by the Russians.

I was going to paint the underside of my MiG 3 last night, but my compressor seems to have mysteriously died 24 hours after AB'ing the panel shading.  Campbell-Hausfeld "Built to Last" my butt....

Ozzman, can you add me with a CyberHobby 1/32 T-34/76?

that's right, summer s coming.

The harke scale are 1/444 not 1/144, i know not normal scale but just used a 3 view drawing without comparing the scale before.

You guys are all doing an awesome job. I am truly sorry I can't build more right now, but after the summer I'll get cracking. By the way, I will not be able to build or post during most of the summer, so if I don't respond to something, I am not here, but I will get back to you sometime in mid-august . 

bsyamato

Ok, the one above is the Amodel ka-18 1/72.

The fuselage is about to close, interiors are finished, dunno if is under 50% of build.

The other is the mil mi10 harke 1/.. don't remember the scale, need to calculate,

brand bsyamato

The mi-10 harke is 1/444 scale .

nice picture chazzer, very emotional.

I'm trying to fing good pictures in a huge russian picture share site.. but all in russian language, found till now some good reference for the mig-31 diorama (the kamov too will put in a diorama). I miss again a good picture of mig-31 exhaust. From many pictures seems that they have a fixed external part.

Great image, Chazzer.

He could be thinking of lost comrades.  He could be asking himself why he survived and why those he loved didn't.  He could be the lone survivor or a tank crew or of his family.  He could be thinking of the ice-blasted steppes outside of Moscow in 1941 or the smell of victory in Berlin of 1945.

He could be wondering what happened to his youth.

Thanks for sharing, man.  O/T -- how's the snake bite?

Guys, I came across this picture while surfing. Its a shot of a Soviet WWII army tank Vet who found the actual tank he was manned thought-out the war. This picture is powerful and a reminder as to who actually manned these tanks we try so hard to model. Lets not forget there is a human element to what we represent in our builds. Man, what a emotional Picture. It just hit me hard and I thought I would show my fellow modelers. If you've seen it already it's worth seeing again. I put this picture in GB because we are doing a USSR GB. Does it effect anyone like it did me?

Chazzer (Scott)

Wow guys, looking good.

The quality of your work pushes me to greater efforts.

Ok, the one above is the Amodel ka-18 1/72.

The fuselage is about to close, interiors are finished, dunno if is under 50% of build.

The other is the mil mi10 harke 1/.. don't remember the scale, need to calculate,

brand bsyamato

Hey!, do u want me to put your helicopter on the list? just tell me the name, scale and brand.

Dre

all those weapons decals make my head hurt.  Good luck with that.

bsyamato

how many days you predict to put on all stencils?

Thanks Gents.

I'd figured that this kit was mighty expensive & would take a while, but looking at it now, it's going to take so long that it may just be the best value for money kit that I have ever done!

Someone see Ozzman?

wishing to put on another russian piece here.

I have this started giant helicopter on the workbench, the whole post is started on the helicopter section:

and no reply for the harke

Milairjunkie these decals sheets really beat the mig-31

how many days you predict to put on all stencils?

Missiles and the bay are really detailed , good clean work here

Milair, that is mighty fine detail work that you're doing there.   Makes mine look down-right shoddy in comparison...

This should be a beauty once you're finished with her.....  all those weapons decals make my head hurt.  Good luck with that.

Some nice work going on there guys!

I had hoped to be a bit further ahead with the Tu-160 than what I am - hence the lack of posting. As well as being a relatively detailed kit (for 1/72) it's also proving pretty difficult to get accurate pics & info for areas like the wheel wells & what not, many pictures have equally contradicting versions....... I guess thats possibly down to the low rate (very) production these birds.

Any-hows, here is where I'm up to at the moment, cockpit, front landing gear, weapons bays, weapons, part done main gear bays & exhausts;

One weapons bay is going to remain empty;

While the other one is patiently waiting for a full load of Kh-55s, which I'm expecting decal to arrive soon so that I can wrap it up;

The Kh-55's were a bit on fiddly side, with three double folding fins on each;

& I've just started on the exhaust nozzles, which are well detailed & fitting six part jobs;

One issue with the nozzles was the seam which appears where the cross section of them reduces back down in size where they fit into the exhaust body. I tried re-scribing them before removing the seam, so that the recessed lines would remain, but found it pretty much on the impossible side, so unfortunately some detail has been lost - I may try & make up for it when painting them;

Just before finishing these pics, the postie arrived with some much waited for decals. These are from Begemot in Russia & are quite superb, there are two sets, one with the regular decals for whichever Blackjack takes your fancy (they are all named after famous Russian aviation geezers) & the other has a full set of very detailed stencils for everything including the weapons. Both of the sets come with detailed placement guides & accurate colour guides for the aircraft;

& here is the UK version of the Blackjack;

dre good wiring there, whooo.. what large bomb wings

i'll have same problems on all mig-31 missiles 

Castelnuovo ,lots of pieces there like!

Gentlemen,

Here is some progress so far on the Katyusha. The peaces are fitting well, not excellent but well, some trimming was needed, it was a bit chalenging to put this together.

Cheers

Dre:  Looking good.

bsyamato:  Looking forward to more photos of your MiG.

I'm in the Panzer III GB that starts 1 July and I'd like to finish this one before starting another.  Already have one WIP put aside in a box (Tamiya Tiger I from the 25 year old stash).  This Group Build stuff can get to be addictive.

Hehe, imagine the Political Officer's face when Murphy is called at roll....

I've gotten the last of the main body assembling, filling and sanding finished, now everything must dry before I can begin painting.

The kit bomb racks are fairly boring, so I dressed them up with 4 PE wingnuts from a Panzer set and added a short length of superfine wire (from a broken PS3 controller's vibration motor!) to simulate a gravity release safety (or something like that, it seemed like a good idea).

The other stuff is ready for paint and installation- the canopy sections are Future'd and drying, the struts got a length of lead wire to simulate brake lines and the prop is clean.  There are ton of sink marks in the wheel covers that are just going to stay there as I just don't feel up to that task.  Sorry.

The kit decals are for two birds- one white over light grey with red markings, including racy red arrows on the cowling and a motivational slogan.  The other bird is green/light grey with red markings only.   In my spare decals, I found an Arcer dry transfer set for a T-34/85 that has some interesting looking slogans and a decal set for an Su-100 that also has a slogan...  which opens up my finishing options quite a bit.  

 I'm leaning towards a green scheme with the racy rad arrows and a stirring slogan in white on the under the cockpit...

Dre

Co-pilot?  I had one, damned dog walked away muttering something about the Red Baron.... 

Well, perhaps I should've said, "Murphy is my track commander (TC)."

Co-pilot?  I had one, damned dog walked away muttering something about the Red Baron.... 

Well, Murphy is my co-pilot.