Hobbyboss Defender XD Wolf WMIK

Next on the bench is the hobbyboss WMIK, a superb kit with some fantastic detail.



As you can see I have the legend stowage set as well and will use some elements from this as well as Accurate Armour items on the build. The plan is to build an early version fitted with Clansman radios and set on Salisbury plain or Iraq. Just can't decide yet! Some corrections are needed particularly the TUAAM boxes and bases on the wings for an accurate clansman fit.

It's been quite a while since I built any modern British armour so I am looking forwards to seeing how the kit goes. First steps are building the engine and this is a very nice item. Extras have been added including a new extra alternator which is fitted to vehicles which are fitted for radio (FFR) made from the kit sprue. Not 100% but will pass inspection.









I think the hardest part of the build will be trying to find decent pictures of the actual radios in situ on the vehicle, seems like the holy grail of WMIK at the moment as I have found very little to help me build them. Oh well that's the joys of modelling!

Soviet Sword

Finished off the sub over the weekend very pleased with it even with the rather brittle decals.

Dodgy Decals

What is it with me and decals? I seem to have nothing but trouble with them lately. The decals in the kit are decidedly dodgy in that they are extremely brittle. I managed to knacker two of the flags before resorting to dipping the decals in klear before applying. However the rest went on fine in the end. I think next time I would spray the white pin stripe around the hull and mask much easier than adding the decals.





The base was sprayed gloss back allowed to dry then cut back and then polished. The plaque was sprayed with the base colour then sanded back with a fine sanding stick so that the colour stayed in the lettering then polished and attached with double sided tape.



I have also painted up a few tamiya figures to add to the model.

Awesome Akula

The sub is now assembled, quite a bit of sanding was required for the upper and lower joint line but only a small amount of filler was needed. Unfortunately I had to re scribe the torpedo doors which was not the easiest of tasks! However they look pretty reasonable. The periscopes and assorted bits have all been sprayed with alclad chrome and finished off with vallejo colours. I have also painted the model using tamiya acrylics namely hull red and a mix of german grey and NATO black for the upper surfaces, pictures will be up soon.









So far a very easy and enjoyable build and quick too!

Swift Progress

The build phase of the Akula has been very swift indeed. I used some cocktail sticks as spacers to ensure the upper hull fitted correctly and scribed the torpedo doors on the nose so that when I come to sand the joint line down I will not loose them. That's the plan anyway!

For the Motherland!!

Здравствуйте comrades here is my latest model to grace the bench Bronco's Akula II attack sub in1/350th scale.

In the very stout box you have a total of 52 plastic parts a very nice base, decals and a small etched brass fret.











There is no flash on any of the parts and the details are very crisp indeed.
The decals look very well printed and the supplied base is rather smart. The etched fret has three parts for attachment to the model and a nice plaque to fix to the display base.

The instruction sheet is in colour and has a colour table listing suggested colours in mr hobby, hobby colour, humbrol and tamiya paints. The painting guide suggests an overall colour of black upper surfaces and hull red lower surfaces on the sub. A very impressive looking kit indeed and quite large even in this scale. Let the glorious construction begin comrades!

Italian Stallion

The Ariete is now complete. Finished off the figure last night and a few other bits. Very pleased with how the model turned out just as I had visualised which is always a bonus!

Dusty Devil

Yesterday was rather dusty on the work bench! I worked over the model with a mix of Mig pigments gulf war sand and light dust using them wet and dry. The tracks and wheels received a wet application then once dry this was dusted off. Also added some rain marks in the pigments by using a fine brush moistened with water.











Now it's just a case of finishing off the figure and she's done!

The Final Countdown

Some more work on the figure and the periscopes on the drivers hatch and the turret. The figure was painted using a base of vallejo 70893 US dark green and then shadows and highlights added. The head is a different one as I cannot find the original. Another sacrifice to the carpet monster! Helmet is a darker shade of the above. Just a little bit more work to be done on the figure namely the flesh areas. I am thinking of giving the figure a bit of bling in the form of a gold watch just for a laugh.





Also added the lights to the front of the hull using little cars 2.5mm lenses and have painted the rear lights etc with the corresponding tamiya clear colours.



Lastly I have been adding the periscopes using good old sparkly party scatter. Great stuff this as it comes in nice metallic colours ideal for depicting the the anti laser coatings seen on these periscopes as well as optics of all sorts on armour and aircraft. Just cut to size and fix with a dab of micro kristal klear or white glue.

Pizza Anyone?

Little bit more progress on the Ariete. I gave the model a very light chipping all over using vallejo German field grey then added two coats of MIG filters in this case P246 grey for bright green plus some localised pin washes. Once dry the effect looked awful so after much head scratching I decided to matt the model down and use pigments for the weathering/dust.

Luckily once the varnish was on it looked much better so I breathed a sigh of relief! now I just need to leave the matt to cure for a couple of days then it's out with the pigments!

A Day Out In Dorset

Yesterday saw me take one of my regular trips to the tank museum at Bovington and also to Plastic Pastimes in Poole, a real Aladdin's cave of models stacked from floor to ceiling. Managed to bag a couple of kits which took my fancy then headed off to Bovington.









After a nice tour of the museum I then went off to one of the viewing areas overlooking the army training grounds to see what was about. No Challengers but plenty of sand coloured stuff obviously destined for Afghanistan.