MODEL THE LE MANS STARTING LINE

FineScale.com
p. 42
TH

May/June 2022
1982•2022
ANNIVERSARY

DESIGN
We’ve been making a scene since 1982

DYNAMIC
STAGE A
STAR
WARS
DIORAMAS
LOCALE
p. 26

WE SHOW
YOU HOW
TO BUILD
BETTER
DISPLAYS
Ivan Momcilovic
combined several
elements for his
emotive diorama
p. 18

BONUS
HINTS AND TIPS FOR: ONLINE
CONTENT
APPLYING STATIC GRASS AND SAND / POSING SCENE ELEMENTS CODE
SHAPING FOAM & CORK / MODELING SNOW AND ICE / AND MORE! PAGE 3
Vol. 40 • Issue 3
One Box, One Purchase,
Build One of Three Kits COMIN
G
SOON!

(64011) 1/16 Scale Pz.Kpfw.III (Type M)

Kit features 1500 + parts. Two upper hulls
included. 102 individual track links

Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. J, L & M

Build Any One from this Kit
When it rolled off the production line in 1937,
Pz.Kpfw. III was expected to be Germany’s main
battle tank. In response to the increasingly better armor
and armament of the enemy, it became apparent that
to meet the Russian’s KV-1, T34 and other foes, Panzer III
needed both more firepower and better armor. Each variant
from A to N was upgraded.
Here are just a few of the upgrades you’ll find in the box…
Panzer III Ausf. J was up-gunned with a hefty 5 cm Kwk 38 L/42;
Ausf. L was bolstered with additional steel plate on the front and the
turret; Ausf. M now faced opponents using spaced armor on hull sides.
Build any one of the three models, J or L or M.
Gallery Models… Makes Only Spectacular Models
CONTENTS ONLINE CONTENT CODE: FSM2101
May/June 2022 /// Vol. 40 /// No. 3 Enter this code at www.FineScale.com/code to gain access to web-exclusive content

34

FEATURES KIT REVIEWS

12 More than tanks and planes
An unusual 1/35 scale model makes
an excellent focal point for a vignette
ANDERS ISAKSSON

18 Eastern Front orphans

Build a 1/35 scale winter scene with a
T-34 and boxcar 12
IVAN MOMCILOVIC 52 Arma P-51B/C Mustang

53 Academy PzKpfw II Ausf F

26 This is the modeling way
Building a Mandalorian diorama from
54 Polar Lights USS Grissom
3D-printed components
KATHY MILATT
IN EVERY ISSUE
34 Remains of war
Create a simple vignette of a panzer 5 Editor’s Page
after the Fall of Berlin 26
HARVEY LOW 6 Scale Talk/Q&A
42 A place for No. 1 8 New Products
Build an easy, no-muss-no-fuss
display for a Le Mans racer 56 Advertiser Index
ERIC WHITE
56 Hobby Shop Directory
46 Tiger basics
Scene places a German tank in 57 Classified Marketplace
location and history
ARNALDO D'ORAZIO 42 58 Classic Car Kits
FineScale Modeler (ISSN 0277-979X, USPS No. 679-590) is published bimonthly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December) by Kalmbach Media Co.,
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Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement #40010760.
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4 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

EDITOR’S PAGE
By Aaron Skinner

Gotta love a great diorama! Editor Aaron Skinner

Editor, Scale Modeling Brand Group Tim Kidwell
Assistant Design Director Scott M. Krall
Editorial Associate Monica Freitag

T
here’s something about a the added complexities of placing it ART & PRODUCTION
well-crafted diorama that in a diorama. So, I admire the many Design Director Tom Danneman
Illustrator Kellie Jaeger
epitomizes the craft of modelers out there who specialize in Production Coordinator Sue Hollinger-Klahn
modeling. Don’t misunderstand, I dioramas and vignettes.
REGULAR CONTRIBUTING MODELERS
am impressed by freestanding That’s why it was a no-brainer to John Bonanni, Tim Boyd, Paul Boyer, Kenneth Childres,
Andy Cooper, Raúl Corral, Chris Cortez, Marcos Cruz,
models and that’s how I finish include this diorama special issue in Frank Cuden, Chuck Davis, Jonas Dahlberg, Walt Fink,
Tom Foti, Phillip Gore, James Green, Caleb Horn, Ted
most of mine. They look great and our 40th anniversary lineup. The Horn, Joe Hudson, Jim James, Mark Jones, Mark Karolus,
Andy Keyes, Rick Lawler, Rafał Lebioda, Ulf Lundberg,
capture the essence of the aircraft, issue also serves as a callback to what John Maher, Ivan Momcilovic, Chris Oglesby, Jeff
vehicle, ship, or figure. But a sim- prompted the creation of FSM in Pollizzotto, Bill Plunk, John Plzak, Robert Raver, Darren
Roberts, Chuck Sawyer, Mike Scharf, Cookie Sewell, Bob
ple display base 1982, the publication of Shep Paine’s Steinbrunn, Don Suratos, Karel Sutt, Matthew Walker,
Jim Wechsler, Adam Wilder
with basic now-classic book, How to
KALMBACH MEDIA
groundwork Build Dioramas. Chief Executive Officer Dan Hickey
and a figure Chief Financial Officer Christine Metcalf
Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing
gives the Nicole McGuire
Vice President, Content Stephen C. George
model con- Vice President, Operations Brian J. Schmidt
Vice President, Human Resources Sarah A. Horner
text and a sense Advertising Sales Director Scott Redmond
of scale. Circulation Director Liz Runyon
Director of Digital Strategy Angela Cotey
For example, a Director of Design & Production Michael Soliday
Retention Manager Kathy Steele
beautifully painted Single Copy Specialist Kim Redmond
and weathered F4U-1 EDITORIAL
262-796-8776
Corsair always looks
cool, but placing it on ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
888-558-1544
a base with a surface Advertising Sales Representative
Michael Wieloch, Ext. 625
that looks like a crushed-coral run- Andrea Miniatures’ 54mm World War I diorama [email protected]
Ad Production
way with bare-chested ground crew is compact and easy to understand as it shows [email protected]

shows the kind of grueling condi- the brutality of the Western Front. RETAIL, TRADE ORDERS, AND INQUIRIES
Selling FineScale Modeler magazine or products
tions under which many of these in your store:
Phone 800-558-1544
fighters operated. That book’s success prompted Bob Outside U.S. & Canada 262-796-8776, Ext. 818
The height of the art form are Hayden to kick off a magazine for Fax 262-798-6592
E-mail [email protected]
those carefully crafted scenes that, scale modelers, and the rest, as they Website retailers.kalmbach.com

whether they are simple or complex, say, is history. CUSTOMER SALES AND SERVICE
Phone 877-246-4847
tell a story. The best of them require • • • Outside the U.S. and Canada 903-636-1125
Customer Service
no explanation because the elements [email protected]
communicate the story clearly. Expert modeler Tim Boyd has a SPECIAL EMAIL & WEB ADDRESSES
Ad Sales [email protected]
While I enjoy looking at diora- deep knowledge of car kits and Letters to the Editor [email protected]
mas, I often find building them brings that to bear in Classic Car New Products [email protected]
Reader Gallery Contribute.Kalmbach.com
daunting. As the stories in this issue Kits, the latest addition to FSM. Reader Questions [email protected]
Reader Tips [email protected]
show, placing a model or models in a Check out the first installment on
©2022, Kalmbach Media Co., all rights reserved. This
scene requires planning and that has Pg. 58. Tim Boyd has a deep knowl- publication may not be reproduced in any form without
to start before the first part is clipped edge of car models and their history, permission. Printed in the U.S.A. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for
new subscriptions and address changes. Single copy:
from the tree. Do parts need to be which he shares in Classic Car Kits, $7.99 (U.S.). Print + digital subscription rate: U.S.: 1 year
$52.95. Canadian: Add $8.00 postage. Canadian price
modified to fit the groundwork? How the lates addition to FSM. Check out includes GST, payable in U.S. funds. All other interna-
tional: Add $16.00 postage, payable in U.S. funds, drawn
does the finish reflect the scene? the first installment on Pg. 58. on a U.S. bank. BN 12271 3209 RT. Not responsible for
unsolicited materials.
What parts and accessories are
needed to add realism and authentic-
ity to the scene?
I struggle just finding the time to
finish a freestanding model without [email protected]

www.FineScale.com 5
SCALE TALK
Your voice in FSM

ragged paper envelope, faintly marked with

a pencil. Every now and then I pull one out
of my stash and play around with it.
So, I was doing a test assembly of an
F-4 Phantom made by Revell Great Britain
according to letters molded inside a fuse-
lage. It was — and is — a truly bad kit,
with warped parts, mismatched locating
pins, tabs, and slots, bad fits everywhere,
and assembly seemingly demands three
hands and two heads. It was a struggle just Forum with a weekly Reader Gallery. You can
lining everything up into the shape of an find that under the “Extras” tab.
airplane. Let me take this opportunity to say that we
Inspiring the next generation In the midst of this grim but amusing are always looking for more Gallery photos
Dear Editor of Contest Cars, task, I suddenly realized I was in the pres- from readers. You can submit your models at
I love your book and will highly recom- ence of one of the Holy Grails of model- contribute.Kalmbach.com. In the “Comments
mend it. It does what it says. ling: Calvin and Hobbes’ recurring and Instructions” field, be sure to include infor-
I have a few model cars, myself, but I’ve nightmare, the Phantom that just kept get- mation about which kits were used, the scale of
never had a model car magazine. This is a ting worse! I never had much respect for the model, what type/brand of paint you used,
great start. the craftsmanship of Calvin or Hobbes, but what the model represents, and why you built
Keep it up! my opinion has turned 180 degrees! I can’t it. Better yet, upload a text document along
– Mike Wonsala imagine myself even just managing to get with the images giving all of that information.
Maryland all the parts glued together, but Calvin For information about how to get the best pho-
pressed on and completely assembled the tos, check out the “Digital Photo Guidelines”
Ed.: Thank you so much for your letter and whole sad mess before chucking it in the under “Contribute to FineScale Modeler”
kind words. I’m overjoyed that you liked trash! What a man! What a tiger! under the “About Us” tab. - A.S.
Contest Cars and hope it inspires you to build – Mel Kennedy
model cars of your very own. Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada Great customer service!
You should know that every one of the I wanted to acknowledge customer service
models you see in Contest Cars was built by a Ed.: I think all of us have worked on a model above and beyond.
modeler who, at some point, started at the that had us channeling Calvin. Thanks for About a month ago I contacted
beginning of this hobby, just like you. If you sharing. - A.S. MiniArt, which is based in Kiev, Ukraine,
want to, you’ll be able to build models that look as our dog had (I know this sounds like an
every bit as good as those you see in the photos. Gallery, wherefore art thou? excuse I used in middle school) eaten the
There’s no stopping you! Are you ever going to get the readers gal- assembled grille from my build of the 1/35
I promise to keep working hard on Contest lery up and running again? scale Lieferwagen Typ 170V German beer
Cars and FineScale Modeler. But that goes – Michael Wodka delivery wagon. I emailed, hoping I could
for you, too. Do your best in whatever you try, Ann Arbor, Mich. buy the two sprues and photo-etched metal
and that’s the most anyone can ever ask of you. (PE) parts I needed.
- T.K. Ed.: Not sure which iteration of Reader Instead, MiniArt simply mailed the
Gallery you are referring to, but it will be back parts to me at no charge. The company’s
Fun modeling revelation in the magazine, Michael. We have had to representative just said: “We want happy
Several years ago, I purchased a Craigslist move it in a couple of issues because we ran out customers.” All the way from Ukraine! The
bargain — a crumbling carton containing of room. You might also be interested in the parts arrived today, including the PE.
40 unbuilt plastic model kits, largely Airfix upcoming Great Scale Modeling 2022 which – Mark Ebell
and Revell from 50-60 years ago — for contains many a photo submitted to Reader Athens, Ga.
$10. Mostly, they had no packaging, no Gallery that we haven’t been able to use before
instructions, no decals worth using, and On FineScale.com, we replaced the original Ed.: Nice, Mark! Thanks for sharing your posi-
each one was just a tangle of sprues inside a online Reader Gallery that was attached the tive experience. - A.S.

6 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 %P
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$BS
5SVDL
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"JSQMBOF
$PMMFDUJPOT

Q&A For the Modeler Who

Deciphering hairspray Demands Precision
Q I wanted to pick your brain about
best practices and techniques
using hairspray. My current project is a
We specialize in Out-of Production
cars & truck kits old and new.
1/32 scale Trumpeter Su-27. I want to Check out our eBay store!
Model car mountain eBay - id: n2flying27
depict it as a heavily-weathered Arctic Sully ’s Hobbies eBay - id: shredmore

Flanker with some primer exposed. I If you have a collection to sell,

have tried to absorb as much as I can
or want to buy kits from us
directly, please email us.
about the hairspray technique via [email protected]
online videos/resources, but since I
almost exclusively use MRP lacquers,
I am always open to guidance. I also
have the AKAN acrylic paints.
– Michael Purvis
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Watch and Subscribe! ENTER TO WIN the
A The trick with using hairspray is that
whatever paint you intend to wear
away should be acrylic. I have used
#450 TweezerNose™ Pliers!
Tamiya alcohol-based acrylic and Vallejo MakeItXuron.com/FSM
water-based acrylics to good effect with http://www.youtube.com/finescalemodeler
hairspray as a release agent. The base
coat, in the case of your Flanker, the
primer shade, can be enamel, lacquer, or Find Xuron® quality tools
acrylic, because the hairspray will seal
and protect it against the water being
at your favorite hobby retailer.
used to distress the upper colors.
So, use the MRP lacquers for the
primer shades but use the AKAN acrylics
for the camouflage. - A.S.
Read FineScale Modeler on
Go your favorite device!
Working with old decals Digital!
Q I have an old Hasegawa 1/32
scale Fw 190 and the decals won’t
release from the backing paper. I have
Visit FineScale.com/DigitalEditions

tried soaking them in very warm water

for an extended time. Is there anyway
I can get them to release so I can use
them? PRECISION POWER TOOLS FOR
– Frank Stetson YOUR INTRICATE PROJECTS
via YouTube

A There are few things as frustrating as

decals that don’t work. But they are
the components of kits most susceptible
MICRO woodturning lathe DB 250. Center distance 250mm (10”) and 40mm (1 3/5”)
swing. Variable speed control covering 1,000 – 5,000rpm.

to damage from long-term storage. For hundreds of classical miniature turning tasks. Ball bearing spindle is bored through
Compared to plastic, decals are fragile. at 10mm (3/8”) for series production of small parts. Total length 400mm (15 ¾”).
Extremely hot or cold weather can make Weight 2.8kg (6.1lbs).
decal film crack or shatter. Insects,
The PROXXON MICROMOT system
especially silverfish, relish the taste of
features more than 50 high-quality
decal adhesive. But the true nemesis of
power tools and a huge selection
decals is moisture, and I suspect that may of matching accessories.
be what happened to your sheet.
Humidity can activate the adhesive on
Please contact us DB 250
the sheet and permanently attach them for a free catalog.
to the backing paper. There’s not much
that can be done, but there are plenty of www.proxxon.com/us
aftermarket markings for Fw 190s. – A.S.
PROXXON Inc. – Hickory, NC/USA – Email: [email protected]

www.FineScale.com 7
NEW PRODUCTS
Compiled by Monica Freitag & Aaron Skinner

AIRCRAFT
1/32 SCALE

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak USAF U-2A Dragon Lady from HobbyBoss,

Thunderbirds from Revell, No. 85-5996, $39. No. 87270, $59.99. WBR
P-51D-15-NA Mustang late version from
Revell, No. 03838, $61. 1/72 SCALE

C-130J-30 Hercules from Zvezda, No. 7324, Tachikawa Ki-54 Otsu / Hickory ‘Gunner
$87.99. Trainer from Special Hobby, No. SH72445,
AH-1G with Vietnam War US helicopter $27.20.
pilots from ICM, No. 32062, $90.
1/144 SCALE
1/48 SCALE

F4F-4 Wildcat Expert Set from Arma Hobby,

No. 70047, $26.67. Airbus A350-900 Civil Airliner from Zvezda,
No. 7039, $58.99.

Tora Tora Tora! Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

Dual Combo from Eduard, No. 11155, $97.95.

FM-1 & FM-2 Wildcat Deluxe Set from Arma

Hobby, No. 70050, $45. Lun-class Ekranoplan from Takom, No. 3002,
$79.95.

P-51D-5 from Eduard, No. 84172, $34.95

8 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

ARMOR
1/16 SCALE

M114A1E1 CRV from Takom, No. 2149, KV-2 Russian Heavy tank from Tamiya,
$44.95. No. 35375, $65.

StuG III Ausf G from (Gallery Models) Model 1/72 SCALE

Rectifier, No. 64009, $193.48. WBR

1/35 SCALE

M114A1 CRV from Takom, No. 2148, $44.95.

M4A2(75) Sherman medium tank from
Zvezda, No. 5063, $20.99. Snap fit.

1/100 SCALE
UAZ 3909 Russian military van from
Zvezda, No. 3644, $52.99.

Caen 1944 PzKpfw IV Ausf H & Kfz 70 with

crews (Big Set) from MiniArt, No. 36066,
$TBA. German self-propelled anti-tank gun
Marder III from Zvezda, No. 6282, $8.99. Snap
fit.

T-62 Soviet main battle tank from Zvezda,

No. 3622, $56.99. WBR SHIPS
1/72 SCALE

G7107 1.5t 4x4 cargo truck with wooden

body, from MiniArt, No. 35386, $68.99.

StuH 42 & StuG III Ausf G late production

2 in 1 from Takom, No. 8006, $44.95.
USS Missouri MK.7 16”/50 gun turret No.1
from Takom, No. 5015, $74.95.

www.FineScale.com 9
NEW PRODUCTS

FIGURES 1/72 SCALE

1/35 SCALE

US Mine Detectors
from MiniArt, No. 35251,
$18.99.

US Navy Swift boat Mk.1 from Revell,

No. 85-0321, $20.40. WBR
Space Shuttle 40th Anniversary from
1/700 SCALE Revell, No. 80-5673, $78.

1/72 SCALE
AUTOS
1/12 SCALE

USS DD-743 Southerland 1945 Gearing

Class Destroyer from Takom (Snowman
Model), No. SP-7057, $40.99. WBR US Marines WWII from Zvezda, No. 6279,
$8.99.

Lancia Delta HF integrale 16V from Italeri,

SCIFI & SPACE (Model Rectifier) No. 554709, $399.99.

1/48 SCALE 1/25 SCALE

Space: 1999 Hawk Mark IX from Round 2 Mr. Norm’s Supercharger Funny Car from
Charlestown Navy Yard Dry Dock 1 USS (MPC), No. MPC947/12, $51.99. Round 2 (Polar Lights), No. POL989/12, $34.99.
DD-742 Frank Knox 1944 from Takom
(Snowman Model), No. SP-7058, $51.

BOOKS
M107/M110 from AFV Hawker Hurricane IIc
Modeller (Casemate from MMP Books
Publishers), soft cover, $35, (Casemate Publishers), soft
127 pages, 251 photos, cover, $11.90, 24 pages, 1959 Cadillac Ambulance Surf Shark from
ISBN: 9781739751302. color profiles, ISBN: Round 2 (AMT), No. AMT1242/12, $48.99.
9788366549524.

10 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

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www.FineScale.com 11
 More th
and

12 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

han TANKS
d PLANES
An unusual 1/35 scale military model makes an excellent focal point for a vignette
BY ANDERS ISAKSSON

T
he market for scale plastic models is quite VAI — in service with the U.S. Army during
alive and well, and new kit manufacturers World War II. Definitely a model of an unusual
continue to appear. Often, these new 1/35 scale subject. The Army used the tractor for
manufacturers immediately make a name for towing, digging, and various engineering tasks.
themselves by releasing a model of an unusual So far, Thunder Model has released the tractor
and odd subject. in two variants — I fancied the one equipped
Thunder Model, a recent addition to the with a Hough Payloader. But what is a tractor
model manufacturer roster, recently produced a without a place to work? If I was going to build
model of an American-made tractor — a Case the tractor, it needed to be part of a scene.

1 2
The kit came with plenty of details, including photo-etched metal (PE) Complicated subassemblies needed attention, but fit together
parts, wire, and textile thread. While the decal sheet wasn’t large, it had fabulously. The complex PE parts needed multiple bends, and a
gauges and markings for three different vehicles. The vinyl tires could bending tool helped a great deal. So detailed was the kit that the only
be off-putting for some, but car modelers will be familiar with them. extras I added were ignition cables made of lead wire.

www.FineScale.com 13
 3 4
I thinned the front edges of the loader bucket’s sides to give them a The loader had a lot of parts and needed patience and test-fitting all the
more scale appearance. way. The only technical pitfall I encountered was the transverse part
that holds the two vertical beams together in the lifting rails was a little
too long. I shortened it and kept going.

5 6
I replaced a few thin struts with lengths of round styrene rod mostly to Remember those vinyl tires? I hedged my bets and bought resin
speed construction so I didn’t have to eliminate mold seams on the replacements from LZ Models. I’m more comfortable painting and
fragile parts. Soon enough, all the subassemblies were ready for weathering resin tires than I am vinyl. Yes, I did mount one of the tires
painting. with the tread pattern backwards, but I straightened it out later.

7 8
I primed everything Citadel Chaos Black I base-coated with MRP Olive Drab (No. MRP-217) and then mixed olive drab with a small amount
straight from the spray can, keeping the of MRP Mid Green (No. MRP-178) for a bit of variation. The resin tires were painted Tamiya Rubber
subassemblies separate. The black gave the (No. XF-85), and I retouched the treads with rubber lightened with Tamiya Medium Sea Gray
final color extra depth and did a good job of (No. XF-83).
laying flat and revealing details.

14 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 9 10
In preparation for decals and subsequent weathering, I airbrushed When I sealed the decals under a second coat of clear, they wrinkled
Tamiya Clear (No. X-22) to give everything a glossy sheen and protect and cracked and became unsalvageable. I carefully sanded them off,
the work done up to now. repainted the damaged areas with olive drab, masked and painted new
markings with Lion Roar PE stencils. Another coat of clear sealed it all.

11 12
As soon as the clear was dry, I went over all the details with a few coats At this stage, the lifting device for the loader was attached to the tractor.
of Vallejo Model Wash Dark Gray (No. 76.517). Water-based, it works well Then the tracks made by the loaders small wheels that run up along the
to give depth to the model’s detail and simulate traces of oil stains and two beams were simulated with the help of artist pencils to represent
other wear. traces of oil and grease.

13 14
To show where the paint had worn away on For mud accumulated around the wheels, lower parts of the chassis, and under the fenders, I
the loader, I applied AK Interactive True Metal tried Vallejo Environment Mud and Grass (No. 73.826) for the first time. Clay colored with strands
Steel (No. AK457) with an old paintbrush to the of static grass, I was pleasantly surprised at how well this mixture worked to simulate thick mud.
edges and corners of the loader bucket and
allowed it to dry.

www.FineScale.com 15
15 16
To tie everything together and soften the contrasts with a layer of dust, I Lastly, I mixed together a clay-like pigment consisting of AK Interactive
misted on heavily thinned Tamiya Buff (No. XF-57). European Earth (No. AK042) and turpentine and flicked it on the lower
parts of the tractor to simulate mud spatters.

17 18
The base for the vignette started as a round MDF pedestal with a I surrounded the exposed edge of the insulation with plywood veneer
shaped edge. I attached thin foam insulation to it and built up the for a more attractive finish.
groundwork with smaller pieces.

19 20
The groundwork was further built up with After the clay was dry, I cut the plywood veneer with a sharp hobby knife to follow the contours
papier-mâché clay. The product can crack as it of the groundwork.
dries, so it’s sometimes necessary to patch
spots with more clay afterward.

16 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

21 22
Another thin layer of papier-mâché clay went on top of the existing When the top layer of clay had dried, I brushed it with diluted white
base. I made tire marks in it using the kit’s vinyl tires. glue and sprinkled decorative sand over it. The sand gives the
groundwork a reasonably uneven and realistic surface.

23 24
I wanted the ground to be mushy. For that effect, I went back to the Pre-made flowers, shrubs, and lichen from Polák Model in the Czech
Vallejo Environment Mud and Grass and applied it with an old paint Republic gave the groundwork variety and life.
brush.

FINAL
THOUGHTS
THE LOADER AND ITS various cables
were a challenge to assemble, but, with
patience, everything ended up looking
as it should. I had no illusions about
making the loader movable —
everything was superglued in place. The
cables themselves are lycra cord. For a
human presence, I painted an American
Army mechanic from The Bodi with
muddy boots and a far-off look on his
face. To my surprise this vignette went
25 26 by fast. Not surprising, I suppose, seeing
A German-language sign made from wood Finally, a tiny amount of pigment powder that the subject matter isn’t large. Still,
strips and painted with a warning of brushed on the ground gave some variation to patience and planning were necessary,
minefields I thought added a bit of drama to the landscape and visually tied the and, in the end, produced a display
the scene. The German helmet certainly makes groundwork to the tractor. piece I’m quite happy with.
a point.

www.FineScale.com 17
EASTERN
FRONT
orphans
Build a 1/35 scale winter scene with a
T-34 and boxcar

BY IVAN MOMCILOVIC

O
rphaned children are a constant but
often hidden repercussion of war, and
I wanted to build an Eastern Front
scene showing displaced children with ICM’s
1/35 scale T-34/85 (No. 35367) and MiniArt’s
railway goods wagon (No. 35288) as the
backdrop. Beyond careful planning for the
scene’s layout, a lot of the work focused on
weathering to tie together all of the elements.
I wanted the diorama to represent part of a
train station but without any buildings or
other large objects that might distract from
the story it told.

www.FineScale.com 19
 1
Since I planned to pose the T-34
on terrain, I wanted to be able to
pose the tracks over groundwork.
I trimmed off pins that anchor the
road-wheel arms to the springs.
Of the five wheels on each side, I
modified the middle three using 2
the front and rear wheels to fix the Over a base coat of Ammo by Mig Jimenez (Ammo) Black Primer (No. A.MIG-2005), I airbrushed Ammo
tank’s final angle. Russian Base (No. A.MIG-0932). While most Soviet World War II tanks wore single-color camouflage, there were
exceptions. For more color, I airbrushed Ammo Medium Brown Dark Earth (No. A.MIG-0070) freehand.

3 4
For interest, I added distressed winter camouflage. Over Tamiya Clear I let the parts dry for 24 hours, then applied dots of Ammo Oilbrusher
(No. X-22), I sprayed a generous layer of Ammo Heavy Chipping Effects White (No. A.MIG-3501) to edges of the white. I blended these with
(No. A.MIG-2011) followed by thin layers of Matt White (No. A.MIG-0050). enamel thinner on a fine brush, streaking top to bottom on vertical
Using a brush hot water, I began eroding the white paint. surfaces and using a tapping motion on horizontal surfaces.

5 6
On the hull, I added artist oil paints around crew and engine hatches. I added dirt and mud to the hull starting with the lightest shade, Ammo
The front driver’s hatch was a popular egress for the crew, so I blended Acrylic Mud Arid Dry Ground (No. A.MIG-2100), which can be blended
dark brown around and down to represent dirt. At the rear I used brown with water. When that dried, I used Ammo Heavy Mud Turned Earth
around the transmission hatch and black for exhaust stains. enamel (No. A.MIG-1702) to add fresh mud to the lower hull.

20 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 7 8
For a filter layer to blend the two colors, I applied Ammo Splashes Dry I focused weathering around the suspension under the fenders,
Steppe (No. A.MIG-1751), another enamel, with a fine brush. applying Ammo Heavy Mud Heavy Earth enamel (No. A.MIG-1704) over
the Arid Dry Ground brushed earlier. I made thin lines and blended
them with fine brush and enamel thinner.

9 10
To add contrast on sloping surfaces such as the front and sides, I mixed I used a fine brush to apply two layers of color for chipped paint on the
black and burnt sienna artist oils and applied thin streaks. These were base camouflage. Light green first and then dark brown give the
then blended from top to bottom with a flat brush. damage a 3D appearance.

11 12
I wanted this winterized tank to have a muddier exterior. So, on the For accumulated earth and mud, I brushed on railroad scenery
sloped sides, I applied streaks of light brown artist oil paint. materials. Photos helped place these effects, and most ended up on the
upper hull where it was tracked by infantry riding on the tank. To make
it look more realistic, I applied a little Ammo Dry Steppe Effect.

www.FineScale.com 21
13 14
I replaced the kit’s vinyl runs with Friulmodel individual-link metal MiniArt’s detailed railway wagon went together easily but needed care
tracks, soaking them in burnishing fluid for a realistic finish. Then I because many of the parts were fragile. I used a little putty to eliminate
weathered the track using the same process and materials as I had used the seam between the roof sections. With the wagon together, I began
on the lower hull. Sandpaper restored bare metal on salient features. to sketch out a rough plan for the diorama.

15 16
Over black primer, I airbrushed the wagon with Ammo Brown Oxide For a worn paint scheme, I applied chipping fluid before airbrushing the
Primer (No. A.MIG-2026). Next, I sprayed Scale 75 Warfront Sahara Sand body with Warfront SS Camo Light Green (No. SW11) and the roof with
(No. SW36) in several extremely thin layers following the plank pattern. Light Sky (No. SW56). Using water and fine brush, I removed much of
The roof was painted with mix of brown orange and red for rust. the top colors; I wanted the wagon to look quite worn.

17 18
To pop details, I flowed on Ammo enamel U.S. Modern Vehicles Wash I further emphasized details with a mix from black and burnt sienna
(No. A.MIG-1007). It not only deepened the gaps between the planks, artist oils. Using a fine brush, I applied this as a pinwash between the
but also added a used-wood tone to the walls. planks and corners between metal and wooden parts.

22 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

19 20
The next step added dust and helped the wagon look cold in keeping Before adding the same icy, dusty rime to the wagon, I added streaks of
with the wintry setting. Starting with the doors, I applied Ammo Dry dark gray artist oil. After painting thin, random lines from top to bottom,
Steppe around the edges with a fine brush. To blend this toward the I blended them down the surface with enamel thinner on a flat brush.
center of the doors, I used a fine brush and enamel thinner.

21 22
Then I weathered the lower sides as I had the doors, daubing on Ammo Since the tracks in the railcar kit weren’t enough for the scene, I grabbed
Dry Steppe along the lower edge of the car. I blended this the opposite more from a second kit. I painted the ties with the wooden shades used
way I had the streaks, pulling a brush damp with enamel thinner up the on the boxcar; the metal parts were finished with dark gray. The tracks
side. were placed on an insulation foam base with model railroad ballast.

23 24
I cut small squares of insulation foam and attached them between the After the acrylic mud set, I airbrushed the blocks with acrylic sand and
tracks with Ammo Acrylic Mud Dark Mud Ground (No. A.MIG0-2104) to gray to look like concrete. I intentionally omitted some blocks to add
make a concrete walkway. They are intentionally uneven to look worn drama to the scene.
and damaged.

www.FineScale.com 23
25
Using a toothpick, I lightly
scratched the surface of the foam
to replicate cracks and chips in the
concrete. This requires a deft hand
as the soft foam is easily
damaged.

26
To blend the blocks into the groundwork, I randomly brushed on more Ammo Dark Mud Ground. I wanted to
partially, but not completely, cover the blocks, so I blended and worked the mud with water on a fine brush.

27 28
Over the dark gray base coat, I painted the rails with a thin mix of rust- I airbrushed thin Warfront Flat Black (No. SW15) between the rails to
colored acrylics. It was thin enough to act like a wash, but because replicate the stains commonly seen along railbeds. Warfront’s flat colors
acrylics dry faster than oils or enamels, I had to work quickly. have a dead flat finish, so they are perfect for this kind of weathering.

29 30
To highlight the top of the rails worn smooth by the passage of trains, I For sparse vegetation, I glued bits of The Army Painter Battlefields:
drew along their length a steel marker I found at an art supply store. Frozen Tuft (No. BF4225P) randomly around the scene.
These enamel pens don’t leave streaks like Sharpies can.

24 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

31 32
My favorite snow for large surfaces and dioramas is a mix of equal parts I used the same mixture to add snow to the roof of the railcar. For icicles
model railroad snowflakes and white glue. You can use any tool to around the edges, I superglued on bits of stretched clear sprue.
shape deposits of snow on the base. Changing the ratio of flakes and
glue will alter the consistency of the snow.

33 34 35
For accumulations of snow on For an icy sheen, I brushed Woodland Scenics The Soviet soldiers in winter uniforms and the children in
other parts of the wagon, I Realistic Water (No. C1211) onto exposed their care are all Stalingrad Miniatures figures. I painted
applied Wilder Textured Snow sections of the railcar’s roof. them with Scale 75 and Warfront acrylics.
(No. SN-01). It looks slightly
different from the other snow, but
works well for small areas.
FINAL
THOUGHTS
TO FINISH THE
RAILYARD SETTING, I
added a water crane
from MiniArt (No. 35567)
and a buffer from Armor
35 (No. ARM35029). I
imagine the children
have lost their parents
and are left to fend for
themselves in extreme
conditions. This is,
unfortunately, one of the
most recognizable
aspects of war and that’s
why I named this
diorama Orphans.

www.FineScale.com 25
 This is the
modeling way
26 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022
 Building a Mandalorian diorama from 3D-printed components
BY KATHY MILLATT

T
he Mandalorian is an iconic addition to the Star Wars saga and brilliant for a
lover of sci-fi like me. There are countless models and 3D-printing files to
buy or download and 3D printing allows you to choose to print a model in
any scale, perfect since I wanted a larger model. The Din Djarin pose I picked is
based on promotional posters for Season 2, which I used as reference when
painting. You can see how I did that in the April 2022 FSM DLC.
Since I wanted to place the finished figure in a diorama, I purchased files to print
a speeder bike and planned a scene set on Tatooine. The diorama had to be large
enough to fit the speeder bike and Din but small enough to fit on my bookshelf, so
I settled on one 3 feet long, 16 inches wide, and 16 inches tall.
www.FineScale.com 27
 1 2
I printed the bike at a layer height of 50 microns on my Peopoly As printed, the bike’s mount attaches from the side on the starboard
Phenom using Deft resin. It took two 28-hour sessions to print all the side, but I planned on leaving the wall at the back of the diorama
parts in 1/8 scale. After clipping off the supports, I wet-sanded the removable. Plus, the bike is quite heavy, and I didn’t think the
components with metal files to remove resulting nubs. Wet sanding lightweight foam I was using for the wall would support it. Hedging my
cuts down on the resin dust which is not good for your health. bets, I filled the hole on the bike and drilled a new one underneath.

3 4
The bike comes in two major pieces that I joined with 5-minute epoxy. For a little extra detail, I added brake and accelerator cables made from
Once the epoxy set, I filled the gap with acrylic putty and sanded it magnet wire superglued into holes drilled into the resin.
smooth.

5 6 7
I sprayed the bike with gray Tamiya Fine This bike is old and dusty, so I heavily dry- Finally, enamel washes — Mig Productions
Surface Primer (No. 87064); the other parts brushed the saddlebags and seat with a light Brown Wash (No. P221) and Neutral Wash (No.
were primed with black automotive paint. brown to highlight detail, add depth, and P222) — further emphasized details on the
Most of the parts were then painted with create the illusion of wear. bags and seat.
LifeColor acrylics. But I liked the color of the
gray primer for the bike, so that became its
base coat.

28 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 8 9
I followed a similar process on the bike, but started with a layer of dust I took most of the washes off with a brush dampened with white spirit.
airbrushed from underneath. Then I layered on multiple colors of Mig The key is to keep grunge around the details and leave some
washes, starting with Dark (No. P220) followed by Neutral and Brown. discoloration over flatter areas. I added vertical streaks to the sides by
removing excess wash.

10 11
I painted some of the details with the enamel washes and picked out Underneath the bike is a large, rusty piece of equipment with heat-
others with acrylic dark gray, brown, silver, and red, including deep dissipating fins. I painted it a bright rust shade, then mixed darker rust-
scratches and worn areas, all the while using images from the TV show colored pigments with matte medium and brushed it on to texture the
for reference. device.

12 13
I flowed brown enamel wash around details to add rust in some spots. Finally, I used beige tile grout to add a dusty texture on upper surfaces.
When that dried, I used diluted acrylic paint to add dust on the upper This is far cheaper than pigments in the quantities needed for this
surfaces and in other areas it would naturally accumulate. The acrylic speeder bike and matches perfectly with the terrain, which I made from
paint was thin and did not sit well over the enamel washes, so it took a the same product.
while to achieve the right result.

www.FineScale.com 29
14 15 16
For the diorama base, I used extruded To make the figure removable, I glued I covered the base, including the edges, with
polystyrene insulation foam. Holes cut in the magnets into its feet with 5-minute epoxy. Sculptamold. The groundwork is generally flat,
foam will accommodate solid wooden mounts After propping it upright, I attached matching since it represents a road, but this layer firms
for the Mandalorian figure and speeder bike; I magnets into the base starting with the front up the foam.
used hot glue to secure everything. foot. The plastic bag prevented me from
gluing the figure onto the base.

17 18
I used foil-faced polyiso foam (recovered from a neighbor’s house To make the building look like a typical adobe-style Mos Eisley
renovation) for the backdrop, peeling off the aluminum cover and structure, I made a slurry of equal amounts sand and beige tile grout
carving the foam to shape. I didn’t have any single piece big enough, so mixed with a generous quantity of white glue. I didn’t sieve the grout
cocktail sticks and hot glue held the sections together. A massive piece for this initial layer, so it was a little lumpy with visible brush strokes.
of foamcore glued to the back added a bit more strength.

19 20
I sanded the first layer to eliminate bumps. This mix was fairly robust I added a second, thicker layer, filling the uneven areas and trying to
and sanded easily with a coarse grit paper. eliminate brush strokes. It ended up a little too smooth, so I painted on
a mix of just sand and glue to increase the texture. Next, I applied a thin
mix of white and beige tile grout to give that bloom you see on the
buildings and sprayed on an acrylic brown wash for variety.

30 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

21 22 23
To add the iconic image of stormtrooper After spraying the helmets with white Tamiya I hand-painted the gray and applied Vallejo
helmets on spikes seen in the first season, I Fine Surface Primer (No 87042), I sanded them Black Grey (No. 70.862) for the black to lend
found a full-size 3D file at prusaprinters.com. I to remove revealed layer lines. I mixed Tamiya more fading to the helmets. I added a black
thickened the walls so I could print then in 1/8 acrylics to produce a flat beige color on the enamel wash to all the cracks and details,
scale, printed several, cleaned them up, drilled lower parts for an aged and discolored removing excess with a brush dampened with
holes in the tops to fit spikes, and added battle appearance before spraying gloss white from white spirit.
damage to a few. above.

24 25 26
I followed up with scuffs and marks painted I built several 28mm MDF wargaming terrain As I filled the gap between the backdrop and
with Vallejo Black Red (No. 70.859) and Black pieces to fill the diorama’s right side, painting base with Sculptamold, plastic cling film
Grey before brushing on Mig Neutral enamel them with beiges and browns before adding prevented both from sticking to each other
wash to discolor some areas and add streaking neutral enamel wash and beige tile grout to tie and allowed me to disassemble them when
to the helmets. them into the base. needed.

27 28 29
I carved square wood sticks into rough spikes I painted the base with a thin mix of neutral I test-fitted the figure using cling film to
and painted them black gray before and buff titanium artist acrylics and sprayed protect him from the dusty base and cleaned
weathering with a rust enamel wash. After the front section with a brown acrylic wash for off the magnets to ensure a snug fit. I also
impaling some of the helmets on them, I weathering. To build up sand drifts, I scattered added Woodland Scenics’ fine grade talus to
pushed them into the foam base. a mix of beige tile grout and sand. the mix for variation in the ground.

www.FineScale.com 31
30 31
I arranged some of the helmets at the base of the spikes before adding Now, I spritzed a mixture of 1 part 99% isopropyl alcohol and 2 parts
more of the grout and sand mix. The tops of the helmets were cleaned water onto the groundwork to hold it in place. Then I flowed a 5:1
off and the mix was teased into place. I added scuff marks and water/Modge Podge mix to hold it all in place. The layer of sand and
footprints to the rest of the base as well as attaching the 28mm grout was quite deep, so I dripped on quite a bit of glue. A little more
wargame pieces. tile grout scattered onto the wet glue helped fill thin areas.

32 33
For a tarpaulin covering some of the boxes, I covered them with cling I made a canopy and the rags dangling from the helmet spikes from
wrap and draped cloth over the top. To stiffen this, I applied the same cotton fabric cut into pieces and distressed with a brass brush.
thin alcohol and Modge Podge layers used for the groundwork. It dried
stiff and removable. I painted the tarp Tamiya Deck Tan (No. XF-55) off
the model, then weathered it with beige tile grout in place.

34 35
To dye the fabric, I soaked it in thinned red and black artist acrylic paints I mounted the canopy on bamboo sticks painted black grey and
in a plastic bag and spread it out to dry. It needed several dips to inserted into holes drilled into the backdrop. After fixing its shape and
produce a deep enough color; I added more black to the final dip on position with thin Modge Podge, I dusted it with beige tile grout.
the spike rags.

32 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

36
I placed the rags and helmets and painted the speeder-bike mount beige to match the base. Finally, I brushed some tile grout onto Din Djarin’s
boots. I can lean his jetpack against the bike to hide the mount. FSM

www.FineScale.com 33
T
he more details you add to a model, the more still needs an initial vision. Decide what the main idea is and if it
interesting it becomes. You can measure a model’s needs any secondary supporting elements such as a figure or
success by how long it maintains viewers’ attention. historical prop. Are you telling a story? Are you replicating a
For aircraft, a pilot and/or ground crew can serve historic event?
that purpose; for armor, interesting or unusual stowage might make This project started with a single photo in the book Panzers in
the difference; and for model cars it could be a superdetailed Berlin 1945 (Panzerwrecks, 978-1-908032-16-4), showing a
engine or rust effects. Panzer Stellung (dug-in tank) on a Berlin street. Devoid of
The environment in which a subject operated is also vital to running gear and half-buried in the pavement, a far cry from early
displaying it in historic operational context. I kept those things in days of the war and Blitzkrieg, I felt the image epitomized the
mind as I set out to replicate a entrenched, immobile Panzer IV in dramatic collapse of Hitler’s war machine in its futile attempt to
a Berlin street. stem the Soviet onslaught.
Although smaller and less complex than a diorama, a vignette I wanted to replicate the original photo as closely as possible,

REMAINS OF
WAR Create a simple vignette of a panzer after
the Fall of Berlin
BY HARVEY LOW

34 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

including the tank’s camouflage and position of the groundwork.
I always start with the base because the terrain creates context
for the vehicle’s modifications, colors, and weathering. Arts and
crafts stores are a great source for inexpensive frames and shadow
boxes. Choose a frame with room to display the model and space to
add interesting terrain. Placing the model at an angle to the sides
makes it more interesting, and I often choose bases that provide
height for better eye-level viewing and prominence on show tables.
For this project I used a dark brown 8- x 10-inch shadowbox by
Studio Décor. At 2½ inches tall, it offers a good viewing height and
the space underneath can accommodate wiring and batteries for
lights.

Panzerwreck
s

Inspired by a post-war photo

of a PzKpfw IV that had been
used as a defensive position
during the Battle of Berlin,
Harvey built this simple but
effective vignette.

www.FineScale.com 35
THE BASE

1 2
I removed the glass from the frame (it will make a clean cutting surface Flipping the base right side up shows how the shadowbox frames the
later) and replaced it with a thin piece of wood locked in place with scene. The hole will allow the wiring to pass from the tank to the battery
wood pegs. This will serve as the foundation for the groundwork. pack when it’s installed.

3 4
For relatively level terrain like a street, cork sheet works perfectly. It is I started the groundwork with a foamcore foundation and cut out the
easily cut and can be layered to produce gradually undulating slopes; location for the tank. I did not glue the foam board to the wood initially
use a sharp blade for precise edges or tear edges for a rugged effect and because construction and painting are easier without the added weight
excess can be turned into rubble and rocks. of the base.

5 6
Since the tank sits quite low in the ground, both the foam board and I placed the partially assembled hull on the cork to get a sense of its
cork needed a cut-out across all layers. position and begin considering the placement of other items.

36 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 7
To fully establish the terrain, I used four layers of cork with a break across the middle that produced a gradual slope. Features like this add interest
when compared to a perfectly flat surface. Incidentally, throughout this project, I used Llorell 3⁄32-inch cork that comes on a 24- x 48-inch roll.

8 9
I attached the first layer of cork to the foamcore with 3M Super 77 spray I brushed on Vallejo Ground Texture White Stone (No. 26.211), a dense
adhesive. I placed the partially built tank to check the position in water-based acrylic paste that goes on smooth. It can be colored with
relation to the groundwork. Using a knife and engraver, I drew cracks in acrylic paint, is workable, and dries in 48 hours. AK Interactive Hard
the pavement. Putty (No. AK103) works well for refined texture work like cracks.

10 11
I blended and smoothed the cork layers with more putty. Now, the I followed up with a few layers of AK Terrains Concrete (No. AK8014)
groundwork is beginning to look like real pavement. using a roller wrapped in tin foil to texture the material.

www.FineScale.com 37
12 13
Rubble is essential for any urban battle setting. I recommend using Photos show unique building debris around the tank, especially large
debris of various sizes and shapes. You can find some appropriate items square concrete pillars or slabs. Unable to find suitable shapes, I made
at model railroad shops, but I find the second-best source is my my own from several sizes of Evergreen styrene, cut and sanded to
backyard! Use a strainer to sift-out unwanted dirt and debris. replicate torn and worn edges and painted shades of gray.

14 15
I airbrushed the road surface with Tamiya gray, brown, and tan acrylics. Weathering takes time to ensure you get the effect you want; don’t be
These colors add depth and interest to the otherwise boring neutral afraid to experiment with colors by blending various browns and grays.
concrete. I use a combination of weathering powders and enamel washes and
filters; each produce their own effects from dry dust to wet effects.

Vignette vs. Diorama

LET’S DISCUSS TERMINOLOGY. While
they are similar, in modeling, there are
differences between a vignette and a
diorama. Typically, a vignette is small and
focused on a single subject, character, or
idea. A good example would be an aircraft
on a carrier deck with deck crew. Dioramas
typically tell one big story or several smaller
ones that tie into an event, for example,
infantry struggling up the beach. Another
way of looking at it is that a vignette sets
the scene and places the subject in context;
a diorama tells a story. With that said, the
16 differences between them can often be
The devil is in the details — items and features that help retain the audience’s interest. I added subjective, so many contests will define the
pools of water with AK Puddles (No. AK8028), vehicle tracks airbrushed through Vallejo Hobby differences based on size or number of
Stencil Tire Markings (No. ST-TX002), and period posters and magazines from Duplicata (Nos. vehicles and/or figures.
41D-35 and 32B-35).

38 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

BUILDING THE TANK
I used the excellent Ryefield Models Panzer IV Ausf J with interior The details that “keep the viewer’s eye on your model” included
(No. 5043). While most of the hatches will be posed open, I did the German Signal magazine discarded on the crew seat and a
not add all of the interior details, focusing instead on the those that crewman’s wrench left on the floor, 23.
can be seen through the open hatches, 17. A wash of Winsor & Newton raw umber artist oil and light
I drilled two holes through the firewall, 18, to accommodate dry-brushing of white oil paint finished the weathering. Don’t
two LEDs from a Bandai lighting set, 19. The engine was omitted forget to include dirt and mud where the crew would track it from
to make room for the wires and lights. Other alterations inside outside, 24.
include a scratchbuilt commander’s seat back more accurate than The tank in the photo is a “hybrid” with a Panzer IV Ausf H
the kit part, and omission of the transmission as the full-size tank hull and an Ausf J turret. Rather than combining two expensive
didn’t have one. kits, I backdated components as follows, 25:
I painted the interior in steps, starting with a primer coat of
Tamiya Flat Black (No. XF-1), 20, followed by Royal Light Gray Turret
(No. XF-80), 21, and Flat White (No. XF-2), 22. The gray and • Removed the splash guard over the mantlet’s left telescopic
white layers were applied only to the highlights, and then more sighting hole.
white was misted on to blend it all together. • Added partially worn away Zimmerit on the left side of the
I painted the main floor with Tamiya Hull Red (No. XF-9) to mantlet.
simulate red oxide primer and then hand-painted details with • Replaced the side doors with Tamiya Panzer III turret side doors
Vallejo acrylics. from my spares box with hatch vision slots. They fit perfectly!
Other details, such as the seats, were hand-painted with Vallejo • Added broken mounting brackets for the missing rear stowage
colors in varying shades of brown. bin.

17 18

19 20

www.FineScale.com 39
Hull Painting the panzer
• Drilled out the locating holes for only four return-rollers as After masking the open hatches, I airbrushed a primer coat of flat
indicated in kit instructions. black followed by random patterns and squiggles of white, 26. This
• Added brake cooling air-intake guards on the brake access provides a modulated effect when I lightly layered subsequent
hatches. colors over it and added interest to the finish.
• Relocated splash guards around the hull hatches with styrene For the camouflage, I used AK Interactive 1945 German Late
strip. War Colors (No. AK554). This set’s acrylics airbrush nicely out of
• Omitted all running gear, drive sprockets, idlers, wheels, and the bottle with no thinning. They look vibrant when applied —
return-rollers. maybe too vibrant — but weathering washes and filters muted the
• Made extra 30mm frontal armor with 1mm styrene held in place contrast for a realistic finish.
with Tichy Models hex-bolts (No. 8080). After applying an overall raw umber wash, I layered on
• Omitted all rear hull detail, including the exhaust. weathering products including artist oils, dry pigments, filters, and
• Removed all of the fenders (Parts G1 and G2), leaving only the various stain and spill effects. I didn’t follow a specific sequence,
parts attached directly to the hull, and added L-shaped brackets instead layering and re-layering these products until I got the look
on either side to replicate brackets I wanted. Since this was a static, non-moving tank, I added debris
• Replaced rear tow hook with an earlier version supplied in the kit. on the vehicle but little mud underneath, 27. Oil and grease stains
• Added hull-side vision slots and rivets. were concentrated on the engine deck using Wilder and Mig
• Applied styrene rod to simulate welded-over vision slots. engine weathering products, 28.
• Cut and bent kit photo-etched metal side engine grilles and I used a white Prismacolor pencil to replicate the manufacturer’s
posed them at odd angles to match photo. number stamps on the hull, 29.

21 22

23 24

40 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

25 26

27 28

FINAL
STEPS
WITH THE MODEL
PAINTED, I attached it
and began positioning
the debris around it
matching the photo as
closely as possible. Then
came the rubble and
debris, ranging from tiny
rocks to large slabs. I added a broken Nazi eagle on the ground,
along with discarded objects like an axe, empty shell casings,
bottles, and torn newspapers. The tiny objects add a human
element viewers can relate to. Finally, I added two figures — a
child with a helmet nearby for scale and a dog doing his business
on a Waffen SS flag. Both were painted with Vallejo acrylics. This
was a fun project for a model that really needs a base to give it
context.
29
www.FineScale.com 41
A place for
Build an easy, no-muss-no-fuss
display for a Le Mans racer

BY ERIC WHITE
No.1
A
fter recently finishing Meng’s 1/24 scale 1966 Ford GT40, I wanted
a little more than just an open spot on the shelf for it. While doing
research for the build, I came across a photo of Ken Miles and
Denny Hulme’s No. 1 car sitting on the starting grid just before the
race. Fans milled about and both they and team members were checking out
the cars. I thought this could be just the spot to display the car — still clean
before the race, but ready to go.

1 2
A piece of ½-inch foam insulation served as the vignette’s base. Seen in To get the finish I wanted for the road surface, I coated the foam board
reference photos, concrete panels separated the pits from pit lane. I cut with joint compound, making sure to spread it in thin layers to prevent
these from 3⁄16-inch foam core. By comparing the panels to the people in cracking.
the photos, I figured the panels were about 3 feet tall.

3 4
With a thin layer of compound on the foam board, I used a wide spackle Once the joint compound was dry and smooth, I sprayed it with Rust-
knife to make the surface as smooth as possible, consistently working Oleum Automotive Filler Primer from the can. When that dried, I used
from one side toward the other. Don’t sweat every line. A few swipes Rust-Oleum Painter’s Choice 2X Gray Primer and alternated back and
with a sanding sponge will get that smooth surface you’re after. forth until I got a blotchy gray surface that resembled reference photos.

Read the kit review at FineScale.com/MengGT40 www.FineScale.com 43

 6
I covered my foamcore panels
with .020-inch sheet styrene for a
nice base for decal signage. In
preparation, I painted the walls
white Tamiya Fine Surface Primer
(No. 87044) and followed with a
coat of gloss white on the front
5 where the decals would go.
To darken the color a bit more, I applied a wash made from black acrylic craft paint and water with a wide
brush. Again, I worked from one side to the other, making consistent passes across the base each time.

7 8
To paint the pavement markings, I used the pit walls to judge the With the walls out of the way, I marked the track edge, placing a line of
distance for the edge of the track and marked the spot with masking tape against my tabs. I didn’t want to draw on the finished surface of
tape. the track, so the tape was used to plan and place different features.

9 10
Using an architect’s scale, I marked out a pit lane 20 scale feet wide and I used more lengths of tape to measure out lane markers 8 scale inches
divided it in half to indicate stopping and passing lanes. wide and placed another line of tape. No expensive model paint here,
just good ol’ latex ceiling paint for my lane markings.

44 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

11 12
The markings at Le Mans that year (or any for that matter) were worn. To With the tape pulled up, I had slightly fuzzy-looking pavement
simulate the look, I dabbed the paint on with a foam brush. markings. Exactly what I was looking for!

13 14
I finished the markings with the diagonal start position line for Ken For the backdrop, I used Photoshop to remove the perspective skew
Miles’ GT40. and an unfortunately placed gendarme from the original photo that
inspired the display. Then I printed it out on a laser printer and mounted
it with spray adhesive to a foamcore board.

FINAL
THOUGHTS
THE PROJECT WENT EXACTLY as I’d expected. Quick, easy, and
gives my Ford GT40 a place that looks more at home than a bare
spot on a shelf. I tried to find photos of the sponsor logos behind
Miles’ GT40 and was able to turn up Mobil. However, I had to
make the L’Action
and Mintex signs in
Adobe InDesign
with fonts that
approximated the
right look. Now, all I
need are a couple of
15 mechanics tweaking
In the photo, there appear to be a series of fuel tanks behind the pit the engine before
walls. I made a solid piece to act as the bottom of the photo, cut trim race time.
pieces from .020-inch styrene sheet to finish off the edges of the
backdrop, and painted The top of the “fuel tanks” and trim pieces Tamiya
NATO Black (No. XF-69).

www.FineScale.com 45
 A
fter I built Dragon’s 1/35 scale Tiger I as the tank under
the command of the leader of the 101st SS Heavy Panzer
Battalion, I wanted a base that clearly placed the big
vehicle in France in the weeks after the D-Day landings. To do
that, I added figures and built a simple base. You can read how I
modified the kit in FSM’s December 2021 DLC, available for
download at FineScale.com/Feb2022DLC.

46 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

BASICS
Scene places a German tank in location and history
BY ARNALDO D’ORAZIO

www.FineScale.com 47
 1 2
The three figures needed to look slightly different to add interest. The Here are all three figures ready for the painting. The Oberscharführer
Scharführer about to jump from the turret wears the summer variant of (right) who leans forward over the loader’s hatch ready to re-enter the
the so called Erbsenmuster, commonly called “Pea Dot Pattern tank wears the autumn variant of the Erbsenmuster.
Camouflage.” I modified his pose to reflect movement.

3 4
Before painting the crew, I tested their fit on the turret and made any I dressed the commander in the standard panzerjacket, which I painted
necessary adjustments. with a mix of 3 parts Humbrol Black Matt (No. 34) and 1 part Humbrol
Flesh Matt (No. 61) over Tamiya white primer.

5
Over white Tamiya Fine Surface Primer and Humbrol Desert Yellow (No. 93), I hand-painted the other two crew members with Vallejo Model Color
Middle Stone (No. 70.882). I painted the shirt of one with LifeColor RAL8002 Signalbraun (No. UA209) and started the camouflage pattern by hand-
brushing Model Color German Camouflage Dark Green (No. 70.979) or German Camouflage Extra Dark Green (No. 70.896). Next came tiny dots of
yellow, dark brown, and bright green. For the flesh, I applied a base coat of Model Color Iraqui Sand (No. 70.819) as foundation for artist oils starting
with burnt sienna, followed by raw umber and ochre, then highlights of titanium white.

48 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 6
I painted the helmet covers with summer and autumn variations of the oak leaf pattern. For the former, I started with Vallejo Model Air Light Green
Chromate (No. 71.006) over Ammo by Mig Jimenez RAL9001 Cremeweiss (No. A.MIG-0017). Then, I hand-painted Model Color Middle Stone and
outlined the pattern with Model Air Green Brown (No. 71.020). On the latter, I started with a mix of Model Color Dark Yellow (No. 70.978) and Model
Air Light Green Chromate followed by a sap green wash. I hand-painted the pattern with a mix of Model Air Mud Brown (No.71.037) and Model
Color Green Brown (No. 70.879) and finally Model Color German Camouflage Dark Green.

7 8
As a focal point on the turret, I gave the commander navigation tools — The groundwork is topsoil from my garden, sifted, and sprinkled over
a map, set square, and a measuring compass. I scratchbuilt the last with thin white glue on a wooden base. I impressed Tiger tracks into the wet
styrene sheet and fine hypodermic needles for the points. ground with kit tracks; plastic wrap prevented the tracks sticking.

9 10
I added a roadway to the corner with a piece of printed cobblestone The embossed mortar pattern didn’t match the printed cobblestones,
paper from Verlinden. After attaching the paper with white glue, I so I brushed on several layers of a mix of white glue and Model Color
added weight to hold it in place as the adhesive set. Middle Stone to soften the paper and eliminate the impressed lines.
Then I traced the printed outlines with strips of styrene in a pin vise.

www.FineScale.com 49
11 12
After the paper was dry, I picked out some of the cobblestones with I painted on a mix of Mig Productions Rubbel Dust pigment (No. P234)
Ammo acrylics to add realism and break up the monochromatic street. and ochre oil paint to tone down the contrast and give the mortar a
dusty patina. Finally, I highlighted individual stones with gray and raw
umber and added oil stains.

13
In preparation for foliage, I brushed the groundwork with thin wood
glue …

14
… and sifted on several colors of static grass …

50 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

15 16
… using my homemade static grass applicator built from a modified To firmly establish the tank’s location, I added a sign damaged by the
handheld bug zapper. I made sure to spread the grass evenly in several tank. Scratchbuilt from balsa wood, it took me a few attempts to get
thin passes to control the dispersion of vegetation. right.

FINAL
THOUGHTS
WITH THE DOOMED SIGNPOST and
the tank putting it in jeopardy in place
I called the model done. A base, even a
simple one, goes a long way to putting
a model in context and giving it
meaning.

www.FineScale.com 51
WORKBENCH REVIEWS

Arma Hobby
P-51B/C
Mustang

R
ight out of the gates: This is the and opened versions of the standard canopy
best “fullback,” Merlin-powered and the retro-fitted “Malcolm” sliding hood.
Mustang in 1/72 scale — possibly Separate flaps are intended to be in the
in ANY scale! Arma Hobby is a dropped position, but you can clip off the
relative newcomer to plastic model hobby, attachment tabs and raise them if you like.
but this Polish company is producing qual- Options include three sets of lower-nose
ity kits that rival long-standing leaders in “breathers,” paper or metal drop tanks, and when the fuselage is closed. Two large
the industry. 250-pound bombs. There is also a choice of molding pins must be removed from the
Arma’s Mustang features the finest exposed or hooded exhaust stacks. Photo- radiator floor insert (Part A30) for fit.
recessed panel detail and excellent cockpit etched metal (PE) parts are provided for Once the interior is finished, the real
equipment, including separate radios and the seat harness and grilles for the under- fun starts. The fit of the three-piece wing
choice of two seats. Outside, you get a fuselage radiator. Decals are given for six assembly is outstanding, and so is its fit to
choice of fins: standard and with the lead- Mustangs, including four American, one the fuselage. However, I found the plastic
ing-edge strake. Clear parts include camera RAF, and one RAAF. One American air- so soft that even cutting with a brand-new
windows for the F-6C, along with closed craft has an option of overpainted Japanese parts clipper they left substantial divots that
hinomaru after its capture in China. required filling.
The well-detailed 27-step instructions Arma provides a separate windscreen, a
require careful study to understand the set of closed or opened standard canopy,
positioning of the available detail parts. and two Malcolm hoods (one slightly larger
Step 1 erroneously shows the frame posts to fit over the rear fuselage in the opened
of the armored seat back going into depres- position). Separate slide rails for the
sions in the cockpit floor too far forward of Malcolm hood come attached to the lower
where they should go. This will cause the rim of the canopy. Full disclosure: I com-
seat to sit over the mounting hole for the pletely forgot about using the kit’s pre-cut
Kit: No. 70038 Scale: 1/72 control stick. The armored plate should be vinyl masks for the canopy framing and
Mfr.: Arma Hobby, armahobby.com placed against the raised portion of the wheels. Doh!
(Sample courtesy of mfr.) Price: $39.99 cockpit floor and is shown correctly I painted my model with Gunze Mr.
Comments: Injection-molded plastic; installed in Step 2 and 3. Color lacquers then used the perfectly
115 parts (12 photo-etched metal); Small illustrations in Step 2 show printed kit decals for James Howard’s
decals; masks Pros: Excellent exterior optional arrangements of the fuel tank, “Ding Hao!” (By the way, photos of this
and interior detail; excellent fit; lots of radios, and equipment. Arma even provides aircraft show it with either the standard or
optional parts; dropped flaps; choice of tiny labels and stencils for these items and Malcolm canopies.) The decals laid down
drop tanks or bombs; opened and many more on the cockpit sides. Decals beautifully.
closed standard and Malcolm hood can- also decorate the instrument panel and the I spent 23 hours on my P-51. It was
opies; alternate fin with leading-edge PE brass seat harness. I’m not a fan of PE slow at first because of all the interior
strake; excellent decals parts, and I found that placing the decals detail, but quickly accelerated with the
Cons: Instructions require careful study; without the PE are sufficient in this scale. excellent fit of the major assemblies. Wow!
soft plastic tears at sprue attachment In fact, I used none of the dozen PE parts What a kit! Arma has announced a bubble-
points even when cut with sharp tools in this kit. The others are grilles for the top P-51D coming, too! Tamiya: Check six!
radiator and intake — all but invisible – Paul Boyer

52 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

Academy Panzer II
Ausf F “North Africa”

A
cademy has just released a new each of the drive sprockets. I was tempted slide-molded main gun barrel has a hollow
1/35 scale plastic model kit of a to build the captured vehicle, but photos of muzzle, but I had to drill the machine gun
fairly uncommon armor speci- the real tank showed an unusual stowage barrel to improve realism.
men: the Panzer II Ausf F in rack and box not included in the kit. After paint and a coat of Tamiya Clear
North African service. “Uncommon?” you Instead, I opted for markings for the 7th (No. X-22), I applied the decals with some
ask. Well, by the time the Panzer II Ausf F Panzer Regiment. help form Micro Set and Micro Sol. The
began production in late 1941, the tank’s The multipart hull assembles without yellow markings are a bit transparent and
role had been switched primarily to recon- difficulty. Fitting the running gear to the don’t show up well over the dark yellow
naissance. Only about 500 were built by the hull, I noticed the road wheels, drive underneath. A flat coat sealed everything to
end of 1942 when Germany started using sprocket, and idler were tight, but the finish.
the chassis solely for self-propelled guns, return rollers were extremely loose. The Thanks to the excellent fit of the parts
like the Marder II. link-and-length tracks’ upper run is molded and one-color paint scheme, I only spent
The kit includes markings for six North in one piece with correct sag. I used it to about 17 hours building my North Africa
African vehicles, including one captured by make sure all of the other track pieces fit Panzer II Ausf F. The finished vehicle
U.S. Rangers. The instructions have clear properly before all the glue set. The number matched the dimensions in the Standard
assembly diagrams, but because of all the of links shown in the instructions fit per- Catalog of German Military Vehicles (David
available options in the kit, they can get a fectly. When the tracks were dry, I was able Doyle, Krause, ISBN 978-1-1440203-55-
bit complicated. I suggest you pick the ver- to remove the tracks and running gear from 8). Academy has produced another fine
sion you want to build and go through the the hull, making painting easier. plastic scale model kit any modeler that
instructions crossing out the steps you I did wind up with an unfilled locator has a bit of experience should be able to
won’t need. Disappointingly, the painting hole on the front right fender because the build.
guides lack top views for the camouflaged vehicle I was building had the jack – John Plzak
vehicles. Also, the two colors for the cam- mounted where a short pry bar (Part D26)
ouflage are so close in tone it is difficult to would normally go. I filled the hole by
make out the pattern; the box art will be clipping the front bracket off the pry bar
some help for a camouflaged vehicle. and installing it. (It may not be correct, but
Overall, the kit features cleanly molded it worked). Also, the thread provided for
parts and excellent detail, but you’ll want to the tow cable is poor quality and fuzzy.
fill the three ejector- Even soaking the thread in diluted white
pin marks on glue failed to work get rid of errant
strands. Fortunately, the spare wheel hides Kit: No. 13535 Scale: 1/35
much of it. Mfr.: Academy, academyhobby.com
The turret took no (Sample courtesy of Model Rectifier
time to build. I left off Corp., modelrectifier.com) Price: $44
the vision block ring Comments: Injection-molded plastic
(Part D18) to install (tan yellow); 281 parts (13 photo-etched
after the turret was metal; 8 rubber; thread); decals
painted and avoided Pros: Well-molded link-and-length
masking or painting tracks; slide-molded barrel Cons: Fuzzy
the vision blocks in tow cable; unclear camouflage painting
place. Vinyl bushings diagrams; differences in fit for running
allow the gun mantlet to gear parts
raise and lower. The

www.FineScale.com 53
WORKBENCH REVIEWS

Polar Lights
Star Trek
USS Grissom

T
he Oberth-class science vessel
USS Grissom appeared in Star
Trek III: The Search for Spock and
was promptly destroyed by the
Klingons. The filming miniature did survive
and was remarked and appeared in several
episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation
and Deep Space Nine as well as the films
Generations and First Contact.
Polar Lights’ 1/350 scale Grissom com-
prises 79 parts, but almost two thirds of
them are clear parts for windows and lights.
Also included is the Polar Lights’ standard Then came the fun part — masking and mary hull, some small gaps were filled with
domed display base. The parts are designed painting all the trim. I mixed 4 parts Flat perfect plastic putty and the excess was
with holes and supports for wiring and White and 1 part Tamiya Light Grey (No. removed with a damp cotton bud. The clear
lights, a nice touch. Photos on the box are XF-66). This was a little darker that I parts were added to the domes and the
useful for painting and decal placement, but wanted, but I lightened with a mist coat of upper dome was glued in place. After the
the actual color and marking guide is flat white. Other Tamiya colors used were pylons were added to the secondary hull,
printed on the sides of inner tray. That Chrome Silver (No. X-11) on the center of the primary hull was glued in place.
makes the diagram small and difficult to the dome on top of the primary hull, the I spent about 37 hours on my Grissom
follow exactly. Also, lines linking the decal underside dome, two small domes under — about seven on construction and 30
numbers to the marking locations are miss- the warp nacelles, and on the secondary masking, painting, and decaling. A begin-
ing adding to the problems. hull’s metallic domes. I applied light streak- ner can easily build this kit, but it will take
On the primary hull, I skipped adding ing to the secondary hull with gun metal. someone with painting skills to do the sub-
the windows to the domes so I could add The greeblie behind the saucer, the small ject justice. Despite a few negatives, I think
them after painting. The parts mostly fit rectangle behind it, and the center of the Polar Lights did a great job on the kit.
well, but I had to fill small gaps at the rear rear plate were also painted gun metal. I – John Plzak
of the hull. Paint the rear plate (Part 6) sealed the paint with clear gloss in prepara-
before attaching; it’s difficult to paint on tion for decals.
the model. The clear impulse engine part The decals are nice and thin but are a bit
was left off for painting. brittle and can tear or break if handled too
The warp nacelles have recessed panel much. I recommend cutting some of the
lines molded on the upper surfaces but not larger decals into smaller pieces to mini-
the sides; decals are given to replicate them. mize damage. Decals 22-31 are only used if
I left the nacelles separate for painting. you build one of the Next Generation ship.
The secondary hull It required filling of I installed the blue striped decal on the
the bottom seam as well as around the bottom of the primary hull slightly off cen-
deck. Diverging from the instructions, I did ter. Cutting it into smaller sections would
not add the pylons as shown in Step 1; they have made it easier to install, but you can- Kit: No. POL991M Scale 1/350
are easy to slide in place later and will be in not overlap the parts because the back- Mfr.: Polar Lights, round2corp.com
the way for painting and decals. ground color is transparent, and any overlap (Sample courtesy of mfr.)
After spraying the subassemblies with would show. I tried installing one of the Price: $55.99 Comments: Injection-
Mr. Primer 1000, I painted the recessed panel line decals on the warp nacelles, but molded plastic (white, black, clear); 79
panels on the primary hull and pylons with even though I worked hard to match the parts (1 metal); decals Pros: Parts set up
Tamiya Light Blue (No. XF-23). The dimensions of the lines on the decal, you for lighting; good fits; decals include
inserts on the secondary hull, the finned could see where I missed even by a slight several optional ship names and registry
radiators on the nacelles, and the center of amount, so I decided not to use them. If I numbers Cons: Painting and marking
the upper dome were painted with Tamiya were to build another kit, I think I would guide on the box sides can be hard to
Gunmetal (No. X-10). I masked all f the scribe these lines and match the painting to decipher with a lack of location lines
panels and airbrushed the entire model the lines. and optional decals not explained well
with Tamiya Flat White (No. XF-2). The warp nacelles were added to the pri-

54 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 TOTALNAVY.COM Ad Index
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advertisers. If you do not receive your merchandise or a CONTENT AT
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www.TotalNavy.com The Advertiser Index is provided as a service to FineScale
Modeler magazine readers. The magazine is not responsible
for omissions or for typographical errors in names or page
Online Reader Gallery
numbers.
Check out the latest creations from
fellow modelers and FSM readers with
ak-interactive.com _____________________ 55
the Online Reader Gallery. Each week,
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FineScale Modeler Products _____________ 11 provide quick how-to advice from the
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Read FineScale Modeler rier for service
on your tablet or laptop! with NASA. Tim
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56 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022
 CANOPY MASKING AND MORE! WWW.EZMASKS.COM MODEL CAR AND TRUCK KITS. Unbuilt, started or
Classified List $3.00. Chris Loney, 75 Golf Club Rd., Smiths Falls, ON, built. Any size collection. Good prices paid. Please contact:
Canada K7A 4S5. 613-283-5206, [email protected] Fred Sterns, 48 Standish Road, Buffalo, NY 14216. Phone:
Marketplace FRED’S MODEL WORLD sells model kits too darn cheap!
716-838-6797. Fax: 716-836-6057. E-mail: [email protected]
This section is open to anyone who wants to sell or buy scale modeling
Check us out at www.fredsmodelworldonline.com, Facebook, YOU WILL NEVER FIND TIME TO BUILD ALL THOSE
merchandise. FSM reserves the right to edit undesirable copy or
or contact Fred at [email protected] or call 716-838-6797. Our MODELS. We buy unbuilt plastic model kits, all scales and
refuse listing. For FSM’s private records, please furnish: a telephone
address is Fred Sterns, 48 Standish Road, Buffalo, NY 14216 subjects. Milam Models, 519 DiLorenzo Dr., Naperville, IL
number and a street address.
60565, [email protected]
All Copy: Set in standard format. First several words only set in bold SEVEN 1/18 SCALE DIECAST QVC AUTO’S:
face. If possible, ads should be sent typewritten and categorized to ’40 Ford Coupe, ’49 Mercury Coupe, etc…too many to list!
ensure accuracy.
Coming Events Rate: $45 per issue (55 word maximum). Ads will
Asking $60 each, plus shipping. Stored on shelf with dust covers. MISCELLANEOUS
412-855-1511 1ST AND ABSOLUTELY THE BEST MUSEUM-QUALITY
contain the following information about the event: state, city,
MODELS. IPMS Nationals winner building aircraft and
sponsoring organization and name of event, meet, auction or show, SHIP AND AIRCRAFT MODELS. Built for display. For armor to your specification, including conversions and
dates, location, times, admission fee, name and/or telephone additional information contact, Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, scratchbuilt. Call BC Models for quote and information at
number and/or email of person to contact for information. Name, NJ 07605. www.modelshipsbyrayguinta.com 913-385-9594 or visit www.bcmmodels.com
daytime telephone number and street address of the person
providing the information is also required but need not be included THOUSANDS OF MODEL KITS for sale. All types from
in the ad. Unless otherwise requested, ads will be published in the Old Aurora to new releases. Send a $.70 SASE
issue month that the event occurs in. Additional months are to: Dean Sills, 113 West Exchange St., Owosso, MI 48867. Specify
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FOR SALE boats. Contact [email protected] or 773-387-1400.
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1/32 scale. Call James Hartgraves for list. 682-234-7059 Call John in Michigan 248-707-4430. Email: [email protected]

Closing Dates:
July 2022 closes April 18, September closes June 13, November closes August 15

Local Hobby COLORADO • Aurora

Large inventory of models from the
world over! Detailing accessories, research
NEW HAMPSHIRE • Dover
Best plastic, resin & balsa kits from around the
TEXAS • Houston
HO & N, Lionel trains. Complete line of
plastic kits, military, architectural supplies,
world. Scratch building & diorama supplies,
Shop Directory publications, games, trains, R/C, tools, and
supplies. Easy access from D.I.A.
http://www.colpar.com
reference books, large paint selection including
Humbrol, Citadel & Testors
paints and tools. Open Mon-Fri 11am-6pm,
Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-5pm.
www.gandgmodelshop.com
Local Hobby Shop Directory listings are available COLPAR HOBBIES ELITE HOBBIES G & G MODEL SHOP
for the next six issues for $165 (payable in advance) 1915 S. Havana St. 800-876-0414 #334 90 Washington St. 603-749-0800 2029 Southwest FWY 713-529-7752
or at $37 per issue (billed to established accounts
for a minimum of six insertions). Ads will be set CONNECTICUT • Milford NEW JERSEY • Kenvil TEXAS • San Antonio
in standard listing typography. All insertions must Extensive selection of armor kits & Verlinden Full service hobbies, a full line of Scale modeling from beginner to expert. Wide
be consecutive and may be invoiced if you have accessories. Military, auto & aircraft plastic HO, N, 3-Rail, military, cars, boats, selection of aircraft, armor, autos, figures,
credit established with us. No mention of mail models. Photo-etched parts. O gauge train planes, dollhouses, scratchbuilding ships, & sci-fi. Lots of reference material, de-
sets. Open Tues - Sat 11-6, Sun 12-5. supplies, plus details-details-details! tail parts, decals, tools, & eight lines of paint.
order business permitted. For information call www.HQHobbies.com Tue-Sat 10am-6pm   www.dibbleshobbies.com
888-558-1544, ext. 551. Closing dates listed in HQ HOBBIES KENVIL HOBBIES DIBBLE’S HOBBIES
Classifieds section. 394 New Haven Ave., Unit 1 203-882-1979 590 Rt. 46 973-584-1188 1029 Donaldson Ave. 210-735-7721
ARIZONA • Payson MASSACHUSETTS • Norton NEW JERSEY • Magnolia (Camden) TEXAS • San Antonio
Unique selection of plastic kits, tools, figures, 10,000+ model kits, old and new: Autos, Armor, Huge foreign & domestic model selection ONE STOP SHOPPING FOR PLASTIC
decals, history and reference books. Planes & Sci-Fi. Reference books & supplies. all scales. Automobiles, aircraft, ship, books, MODELS! Stocking Aircrafts, Armor, Car, Ship
Discounts for IPMS and AMPS members. Th&Fr 12-7, Sat&Sun 12-5. Rt. 495 to Rt. 123E, wargames, scenery, diorama and Sci-fi models and detailing accessories.
Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am – 5pm. behind Dunkin’ Donuts.  www.mymummy.com supplies, parts & tools. Open 7 days Full lines of Tamiya, Vallejo, and Alclad Paints.
Email: [email protected]
BISON 76 HARRY’S HOBBIES & COLLECTABLES AAA HOBBIES & CRAFTS HILL COUNTRY HOBBY
410 W. Main St., Ste. D 928-951-1141 250 E. Main St., Rt 123 508-285-8080 706 N. White Horse Pike 856-435-1188 9355 Bandera Road, Ste. 109 210-681-2007
ARKANSAS • Jacksonville MASSACHUSETTS • Wakefield NEW YORK • Astoria WASHINGTON • Seattle
Headquarters for scale hobbies. Models; Complete line of model kits & supplies, plus Car, Plane, Military, Models, Trains, Plastic Model Specialists. Largest selection of
N-HO-O trains; gaming; tools; paints, etc. toy soldiers, figure kits, games, etc. Paints, Tools, Diecast. Art Supplies, plastic models in NW! We have Aircraft, Armor,
Discounts & special orders. Open 10-6, Open 7 days a week.  Shipping available. Wood & Wood Models. Auto, SCI-FI, and Gundam, along with great
closed Sundays and Wednesdays. Info: hobbybunker.com Open Wed., Thur., Fri., Sat. 11:00 to 6:30. paint selection. Email us at [email protected]
or look us up at www.skywaymodel.com
RAIL & SPRUE HOBBIES HOBBY BUNKER, INC. RUDY’S HOBBY & ART SKYWAY MODEL SHOP
1200 John Harden Dr. 501-982-6836 103 Albion Street 781-321-8855 3516 30th Ave 718-545-8280 12615 Renton Ave. S. 206-772-1211
CALIFORNIA • Burbank MICHIGAN • Owosso NEW YORK • Middle Island CANADA–ON • Toronto
Large selection of plastic kits, paints, and Thousands of model kits from old Aurora to Excellent selection of lead miniatures- Large selection of new & out-of-production kits.
supplies. Special orders no problem new releases. Mon 4pm-7pm, historical and fantasy. Plastic models, Accessories & finishing products. Servicing the
Visit us in person or online Tues - Fri 11:30am-5pm. Sat 11:30am-4:00pm wargames & modeling supplies. hobbies since 1986. We buy kit collections.
www.houseofhobbies.com E-mail: [email protected] Books and magazines. www.wheelswingshobbies.com
Secure online ordering
BURBANK’S HOUSE OF HOBBIES DEAN’S HOBBY STOP MEN AT ARMS HOBBIES, INC. WHEELS AND WINGS
911 S. Victory Blvd. 818-848-3674 113 West Exchange St. 989-720-2137 134 Middle Country Rd. 631-924-0583 1880 Danforth Ave. 416-752-0071
CALIFORNIA • Garden Grove MICHIGAN • Traverse City OKLAHOMA • Owasso
Rewards program for 10% back on purchases. Let your imagination run wild! Oklahoma’s largest plastic kit, paint & after- Run your Retail Directory
Plastic aircraft, armor, ships, cars, decals, Aircraft, ships, cars, armor, special orders, market inventory. Planes, cars, trucks, armor,
books, paints, tools, miniatures war-games.
Mon-Thur 11-8, Fri 11-midnight, Sat 10-mid- diecast cars, model railroading Z to G ships, trains & sci-fi. Special orders welcome!
Tue - Fri 10-5, Sat 11-5, Closed Sundays &
ad in the next issue of
night, Sun 11-7 www.brookhursthobbies.com and more... Mondays. Web site: www.topshelfmodelsllc.com
BROOKHURST HOBBIES TRAINS & THINGS HOBBIES TOP SHELF MODELS FineScale Modeler!
12188 Brookhurst St. 714-636-3580 210 East Front St. 231-947-1353 119 S. Main St. 918-274-0433
CALIFORNIA • Hollister MICHIGAN • Ypsilanti-Metro Detroit OREGON • Beaverton Call 888-558-1544,
Model planes, car, ships & figures. Model train Your single stop model building shop.
scales: Z, N, HO, O & G. Paints, tools. R/C & Michigan’s largest selection of new and vintage Complete full line hobby shop. ext. 551 for more information.
parts, incl. service. Craft & educational kits, kits in all genres plus everything needed Z, N, HO, O, Lionel, and LGB.
supplies, products. Clinics available. Tue-Sat to build them. Please call for hours. Open Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5.
11-6; Sun 12-4.  [email protected] Visit us on Facebook.  www.modelcave.com
B.C.T. HOBBY & CRAFTS MODELCAVE TAMMIES HOBBIES
201-C McCray St. 831-635-0537 103 W. Michigan Avenue 734-316-2281 12024 SW Canyon Rd. 503-644-4535

When contacting advertisers, mention you

saw their ad in FineScale Modeler magazine!

www.FineScale.com 57
CLASSIC CAR KITS
By Tim Boyd

AMT 1964 Buick Wildcat

A one-year wonder marked a change for AMT

B
uick’s Wildcat debuted in 1962½ in answer to the single-piece grille and tail-panel assemblies, clear red taillight
Oldsmobile Starfire and Pontiac Grand Prix. It continued inserts, and those four metal screws that now signify what collec-
as a performance-enhanced mid-market offering posi- tors call a “screw bottom” model car.
tioned between Buick’s mainstream LeSabre and its lux- However, the biggest attraction for many AMT annual kit buy-
ury-focused Electra 225 until being superseded by the Buick ers was the treasure trove of parts for the custom and racing ver-
Centurion in 1971. sions. Here, the engine option was a 4-71 blower case with a
For 1964, AMT, as Buick’s kit maker of record, switched from side-mounted carb, custom air cleaner, and racing headers with
producing replicas of the Electra 225 to the sportier Wildcat, optional exhaust side dumps. Interior options included a six-part
which presumably would appeal to young kit buyers everywhere. racing roll cage, custom bucket seats and console plate, an acces-
Also, in 1964, AMT adopted entirely subject-specific box art for its sory instrument panel, and a deeply dished steering wheel. Beyond
annual kits. In keeping with this change, AMT’s art department the stock wheel covers, AMT added the new-for-1964 Buick five-
developed a box top graphic treatment using Buick’s Wildcat spoke imitation mag wheels and a racing wheel setup with an outer
badge in both outline and silhouette. ring mating to an inner wheel half engraved with finned brake
Inside that box, modelers found a precisely rendered two-door details.
hardtop body (a companion convertible kit was also offered). The For the body, racing additions included a large hood scoop,
pristine white styrene was highly polished and the lower bodyside headlight covers, and plated racing mirrors. Custom options
moldings and three front fender strakes were crisply molded. offered builders a large open grille assembly with separate head-
The chassis was the typical “promo-style” one-piece molding light pods split by a narrow bumper and a complementary rear
with metal axles representing the last year of GM’s X-type frame panel with two custom taillights, faux side exhausts, fender skirts,
with side rails that joined together under the center of the car. The and rectangular spotlights.
simplified Buick Nailhead V8 was rendered in 15 parts, including a Portions of AMT’s 1964 Wildcat kit tooling were derived from
separately molded oil filter. the earlier 1963 Electra annual kit (including the engine and the
A simple interior bucket replicated the Wildcat’s narrow seat slightly shortened chassis representing the Wildcat’s 3-inch wheel-
and door panel pleats, while bucket seats, an base reduction), but the remainder was mostly
instrument panel, a steering wheel, and a floor new. AMT started entirely from scratch for its
shifter accompanied the molded-in console. AMT 1964 BUICK 1965 Wildcat kit. The company went on to
Builders then added a firewall, radiator, wind- WILDCAT produce yearly replicas of the 1966, 1969, and
shield washer jar, battery, and AMT’s metal 1970 Wildcats. Only AMT’s 1966 and 1970
hood clip that was difficult to install but Kit No.: 6524-150 kits have seen reissues in the ensuing years,
worked well if used on the model as designed. Introduced: 1964, never reissued thus turning the 1964 Wildcat into one of
The showroom stock version assembly fin- Present Value: $115 those “one-year wonders” that make kit col-
ished with beautifully engraved and plated lecting such a fascinating hobby.

58 FineScale Modeler May/June 2022

 AMT’s Ford LN8000 Race Car Hauler
Some truck! Some kit! The truck of the seventies, Ford’s Louisville Line LN-8000!
This authentic strip-or-speedway transporter is ready to hit the road with that
favorite race car-stocker or funny car! With incredible detailing throughout this kit is
the perfect compliment to any classic1:25 scale race car build!
• Over 200 parts • Deluxe expanded decal sheet
• Molded in White, Chrome, and Clear • V-8 Diesel Engine
RACE CAR HAULER FORD LN 8000 LOUISVILLE LINE • 12” long assembled • 1:25 scale (paint and glue required)
#AMT1316 (1:25 SCALE)

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RACERS AT: ROUND2CORP.COM!

MONTE CARLO SUPER STOCKER RAMCHARGERS DODGE CHALLENGER ‘40 FORD COUPE (COCA-COLA)
#MPC962M (1:25 SCALE) #MPC964 (1:25 SCALE) #AMT1346M (1:25 SCALE)
Ford Motor Company Trademarks and Trade Dress used under license to Round 2, LLC. GENERAL MOTORS Trademarks used under license to Round 2, LLC. Dodge HEMI® and related logos, vehicle model names and trade dress are trademarks of FCA US LLC and
used under license by Round2 LLC. AMT, MPC and design is a registered trademark of Round 2, LLC. ©2021 Round 2, LLC, South Bend, IN 46628 USA. Product and packaging designed in the USA. Made in China. All rights reserved.
TAMIYAUSA TAMIYAUSA TAMIYAUSA TAMIYAUSA TAMIYAUSA
OFFICIAL