Tuesday, July 24, 2012

1/144 C-2A 'Greyhound' Conversion - OzMods

1/144 C-2A 'Greyhound' Conversion - OzMods
Ok, its not the first (Y-Kraft), its not the most detailed and expensive (Foxone), but it is the best value and most practical. That right, OzMods have commissioned a new conversion for the Revell Hawkeye kit and will be available from thier website soon. The kit will consist of two half shells of transparent clear injected plastic for the revised fuselage, plus injected tail plane and cargo doors, accompanied by a resin cockpit, nose wheel well and assorted aerials. Decals are provided for USN VRC-30.

See OzMods Website ( here  & contacts)

Also available seperately are the Hamilton 8 Blade Propellers.

An out of the box review will be produced shortly.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

1/144 BAe Hawk T1 or T51 - OzMods



1/144 BAe Hawk T1 or T51 - OzMods
OzMods have reissued their Hawk kits in new plastic and a choice of canopies.
Plus, now with added PAYPAL payment options!!
http://www.layuqwam.com.au/Ozmods/Complete.html
The older T2 is also still available.

For some real action pictures of RAF Hawks see my Farnborough 2012 photos (KG144BBS)

Monday, July 16, 2012

1/144 Mi-8MT/Mi-17 - Eastern Express





1/144 Mi-8MT/Mi-17 - Eastern Express
Sprue shots of these have been popping up on Eastern European model sites for some time, and now it appears they should be reaching our shores soon.

It appears there is a Mi-17 that comes with options for two Aeroflots liveries, and a MI-8 that come with a military and an "unknown" livery.

However, the after-market for decals should explode on this item as there have been so many national users!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-17
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-8

EE 14500 1/144 Mi-8MT/Mi-17
EE 14501 1/144 Mi-8MT/Mi-17

http://findmodelkit.com/content/new-releases-eastern-express


the other hot news is to expect a Mi-26 will release about August time!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_Mi-26


Saturday, July 14, 2012

1/144 Vomag 88 - "Late War" CAMO Version - Kampfgruppe144




1/144 Vomag 88 - "Late War" CAMO Version - Kampfgruppe144

Now available with Camouflage paint Scheme! (also in Dunkelgelb)

The Kampfgruppe144 Black Label Series will seek to bring fresh and innovative miniatures to the collector by utilising the latest design and production techniques available to 1/144
The VOMAG is one of the most interesting vehicles in the inventory of Wehrmacht in WWII. It was not as some think a ‘paper panzer’, but a real operational vehicle that saw action across Europe.

The development of the VOMAG is an interesting one, based upon the Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik AG (VOMAG) design for the Büssing NAG 900L. The chassis had three axles, two of which were driven, and was powered by a 6-cylinder diesel engine that was capable of reaching 90 km / h. (55 mph).

It was armed with the 88mm Flak 18, but with barrel from the Flak 36. “Arguably, making it the original and most fearsome ‘monster truck’.....!?”


The Vomag served exclusively with the original Wehrmacht unit of the Führerbegleitbrigade (FBB: Führer escort brigade). It was highly mobile and easy to deploy to ‘hot spots’ across Germany and Occupied Europe. Notable engagements where the defence of German cities against Allied bombing, protection duties at Hitlers HQ the Wolf's Lair (Wolfsschanze) near Rastenburg, before the destruction of the units in February 1945 during the siege of Budapest.
Late War Updates
The original doctrine had seen the VOMAG designed to operate as mobile Anti-Aircraft batteries to defend German Cities, Factories, Military formations etc...

As the nature of the war changed and the Wehrmacht (Heer) became more defensive in nature, it would be natural to assume that consideration was given to using the VOMAGs against ground forces in ground fighting (erdkampf).

This would be the natural point at which to add the gun shield as a factory or field modification to the crew with more protection. It is not clear how or when this change was implemented, but as it would seem with many German engineering solutions there was not a standard pattern 'splitterschutzen' provided, there seems to be two types of these 'splitterschutzen' in the photographic evidence available. This gives weight to the argument for a field based approach to the upgrades, or that the factory just used what was available for a numbers of VOMAGS concerned? 

Additionally, by this time crews had also made changes to the seating arrangements with some of the 'jump seats' removed, or stowed in the upright position to provide more room on the gun deck (or, simply that there were insufficient replacements).

The late war VOMAGS were involved in a number of campaigns on the eastern front, the following represent some last significant involvement of the VOMAGS and their units in the war, not least as following these actions most are recorded as official destroyed.

Battle for Romania, (Aug. 1944) 



Debrecen, Hungary (Sept. 1944)

Siege of Budapest, Hungary, (Nov. 1944 – Feb. 1945)

Recent research shows that some battalion elements of the Flak Regiment also saw action as late as April 1945, but is not clear if this was as an armoured or infantry unit. 
No photographs are known to exist from this period.

Taufkirchen, Linz, Austria, (April 1945)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Offensive

Model update (Late Version)
This 88mm Vomag has been updated following ongoing research and the discovery of additional photographic evidence, resulting in the following changes.
1.
The addition of a standard 88mm Splinter Schürzen. Two designs have been observed in use and neither are original fittings to the Vomag. The design with the strongest photographic evidence has been selected.
It is believed that these are either:

a)factory modification to the second batch of Vomag produced, or more likely,
b)field modification to protect the gun crew from close quarter combat as was being experienced in the war period, such as the Siege of Budapest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Budapest).
2.
Revisions to gun area seating, further evidence has reviled greater clarity regarding certain design elements, and operational use of the Vomag:
These being:

a)configuration of the rear bench seating and interior wheel arches,
b)on a practical basis, to allow for the Schürzen, the front folding seats are now shown in the raised position

Now available with Camouflage paint Scheme! (also in Dunkelgelb)

Available from: 
CGD eBay Store / (#item)
CGD eStore (direct)

Friday, July 13, 2012

1/144 US M12 & German G4W31 - Panzer Depot

1/144 US M12 & German G4W31 - Panzer Depot
Panzer Depots releases this month provide both an American and German item at opposing ends of the scales.

The 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 was a U.S. self-propelled gun developed during the Second World War. Only 100 were built; 60 in 1942 and a further 40 in 1943. It mounted a 155 mm gun M1917, M1917A1 or M1918 M1, depending upon availability. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M12_Gun_Motor_Carriage)

The Mercedes-Benz W31 typ G4 was a German three-axle off-road vehicle first produced by Mercedes-Benz as a staff/command car for the Wehrmacht in 1934. The cars were designed as a seven-seater touring car or closed saloon and were mainly used by upper echelons of the Nazi regime in parades and inspections as they were deemed too expensive for general Army use.(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W31)

  

Thursday, July 12, 2012

1/144 Bristol Bloodhound Mk.2 - Matti's Minis



1/144 Bristol Bloodhound Mk.2 - Matti's Minis
New guy Matti produces an excellent model without peer in 1/144 a classic SAM, what better way to guard your 1/144 RAF fleet of Hunters, Lightnings, TSR-2s and rest of the V-Bomber Force?

Introduced into RAF service in the 1950s, this ramjet powered rocket could reach Mach 2.7 and had a range of 85km. "By the time the missile has just cleared the launcher it is doing 400 mph. By the time the missile is 25 feet from the launcher it has reached the speed of sound (around 720 mph). Three seconds after launch, as the four boost rockets fall away, it has reached Mach 2.5 which is roughly 1,800 mph"

 It was also used by Australia, Singapore, Switzerland and Sweden.

 For mor info on this missile system and those who used it, please refer to the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Bloodhound
http://www.bloodhoundmkii.org.uk/

http://www.shapeways.com/model/619125/1-144-bloodhound-with-launcher.html
Available in
"White, Strong & Flexible"
"Fine Ultra Detail"

Sunday, July 08, 2012

1/144 Vickers Wellington Mk.X - Amercom



1/144 Vickers Wellington - Amercom
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a bomber by the larger four-engine "heavies" such as the Avro Lancaster. The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft. It was the only British bomber to be produced for the entire duration of the war. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Wellington

The new Amercom "Fortress" Series pages:
http://amercom.com.pl/59-latajace-fortece 

Available 20 July 2012
As usual with these Amercom releases, outside of Poland and the Czech Republic the best approach to look on ebay.


The only problem for the avid collector is that it appears in the same markings as the IXO/ALTAYA Wellington of Coastal Command ( see here ), with the exception of a Polish insignia (as seen above)

Saturday, July 07, 2012

1/144 German 12.8cm Flak 40 Zwilling - CGD.



1/144 German 12.8cm Flak 40 Zwilling - CGD.
The  new 1/144 German 12.8cm Flak 40 Zwilling from CGD. This vehicle is fully painted in Panzergrau scheme and weathered. Minor assembling required.

12.8cm Flak 40 Zwilling - This was a twin gun variant of the 12.8cm Flak 40 single gun version which started development in 1936. Production was by Rheinmetall Borsig. The Zwilling version was used primarily for use on the Flak Towers, with some mounted on rail trailers for limited mobility. The single gun version already weighted 26.5 tonnes, so the Zwilling version was impossible to be used as a towed artillery.

The gun used a charge four times as powerful as the 88 Flaks and could fire a 27.9kg warhead to a ceiling of 14800 meters. The warhead reached its target one third the time required by an 88 an was effective against high speed targets.

Designed using Official Archive Drawings

The 12.8cm Flak 40 Zwilling required a crew of 21 to operate excluding the Geschützführer, although 10 of which were to just bringing the ammunition form storage to the gun during firing.



This model features a traversing bracket on a mount to be fixed on a concrete platform. Guns can be elevated in sync with hydraulic pistons.

Available from: 
CGD eBay Store
CGD eStore

Sunday, July 01, 2012

1/144 Vomag 88 - "Late War" Version - Kampfgruppe144





The Kampfgruppe144 Black Label Series will seek to bring fresh and innovative miniatures to the collector by utilising the latest design and production techniques available to 1/144
The VOMAG is one of the most interesting vehicles in the inventory of Wehrmacht in WWII. It was not as some think a ‘paper panzer’, but a real operational vehicle that saw action across Europe.

The development of the VOMAG is an interesting one, based upon the Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik AG (VOMAG) design for the Büssing NAG 900L. The chassis had three axles, two of which were driven, and was powered by a 6-cylinder diesel engine that was capable of reaching 90 km / h. (55 mph).

It was armed with the 88mm Flak 18, but with barrel from the Flak 36.
“Arguably, making it the original and most fearsome ‘monster truck’.....!?”


The Vomag served exclusively with the original Wehrmacht unit of the Führerbegleitbrigade (FBB: Führer escort brigade). It was highly mobile and easy to deploy to ‘hot spots’ across Germany and Occupied Europe. Notable engagements where the defence of German cities against Allied bombing, protection duties at Hitlers HQ the Wolf's Lair (Wolfsschanze) near Rastenburg, before the destruction of the units in February 1945 during the siege of Budapest.

Late War Updates
The original doctrine had seen the VOMAG designed to operate as mobile Anti-Aircraft batteries to defend German Cities, Factories, Military formations etc...

As the nature of the war changed and the Wehrmacht (Heer) became more defensive in nature, it would be natural to assume that consideration was given to using the VOMAGs against ground forces in ground fighting (erdkampf).

This would be the natural point at which to add the gun shield as a factory or field modification to the crew with more protection. It is not clear how or when this change was implemented, but as it would seem with many German engineering solutions there was not a standard pattern 'splitterschutzen' provided, there seems to be two types of these 'splitterschutzen' in the photographic evidence available. This gives weight to the argument for a field based approach to the upgrades, or that the factory just used what was available for a numbers of VOMAGS concerned? 

Additionally, by this time crews had also made changes to the seating arrangements with some of the 'jump seats' removed, or stowed in the upright position to provide more room on the gun deck (or, simply that there were insufficient replacements).

The late war VOMAGS were involved in a number of campaigns on the eastern front, the following represent some last significant involvement of the VOMAGS and their units in the war, not least as following these actions most are recorded as official destroyed.

Battle for Romania, (Aug. 1944) 


Debrecen, Hungary (Sept. 1944)

Siege of Budapest, Hungary, (Nov. 1944 – Feb. 1945)

Recent research shows that some battalion elements of the Flak Regiment also saw action as late as April 1945, but is not clear if this was as an armoured or infantry unit. 
No photographs are known to exist from this period.

Taufkirchen, Linz, Austria, (April 1945)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Offensive

Model update (Late Version)
This 88mm Vomag has been updated following ongoing research and the discovery of additional photographic evidence, resulting in the following changes.
1.
The addition of a standard 88mm Splinter Schürzen. Two designs have been observed in use and neither are original fittings to the Vomag. The design with the strongest photographic evidence has been selected.
It is believed that these are either:

a)factory modification to the second batch of Vomag produced, or more likely,
b)field modification to protect the gun crew from close quarter combat as was being experienced in the war period, such as the Siege of Budapest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Budapest).
2.
Revisions to gun area seating, further evidence has reviled greater clarity regarding certain design elements, and operational use of the Vomag:
These being:

a)configuration of the rear bench seating and interior wheel arches,
b)on a practical basis, to allow for the Schürzen, the front folding seats are now shown in the raised position


Available from:
CGD eBay Store
CGD eStore