The Model Box

I've finished the rear of the tank with the completion of the two boxes connected near the exhaust. Some of the pictures show the ESCI 1:72 tank side by side with the Tamiya 1:35 version for comparison. For some reason though, the boxes didn't look correct when I used the locator nubs at the bottom of each box. So, I broke these off and eyeballed the location using some reference pictures and glued them straight onto the rear hull. The boxes need some sanding and I can help but think that the plastic usedin this kit is quite brittle. Whether it is really the case with this styrene type or a consequence of age, the material feels a bit different to work on. soon, work on the front hull.

A lazy weekend indeed. Two days and I only got to dry fit the petrol tanks ( of which only 3 were included in the kit), the rear hull grill, as well as the exhaust pipes. I've got the sand and clean up the tanks though. And I just noticed someting funny about the kit. there were no dentifying marks on the sprues even though the instruction had a part name for each piece. So, I had to go by familiarity with the tank in looking for parts. I can't remember if all the ESCI kits of the T-34/76 were like this. Were they? I'll glue these tonight after I finish cleaning up the seamlines on the petrol tanks.

 Another T-34/76, this time in 1:72 from ESCI. This kit was released in the late 70's or early 80's I believe. Friends have warned me about the tracks and I'll get to those soon enough. For starters though, the plastic was quite brittle. The 76mm F34 looks tapered, quite different from the earlier kits I made. And I didn't like the fact hat I had to glue on the muzzle. I always muck stuff like that up. The turret halves had a lot of flash, especially at the lower back of the turret. No problem though with sanding equipment but the brittleness of the plastic made me worry of losing detail when sanding off stubs and flashes.   The top of the cast turret featured the big hatch opening and a stand for the interior where the half of the tank commander's torso is placed. I refrained from adding that at this stage and will get back to that after I clean up the parts. The tracks are two vinyl band with lots of flash. F...

I found this small easy-build model at the grocery where we do our weekend market for around a dollar. I was curious and picked it up, along with some other helicopters. All the boxes seem to have Korean writing. Inside, there's a small pamphlet and parts from 3 sprues -- one in grey carrying the rotors, another in green carrying mostly the fuselage and another in colored transparent plastic which includes the cockpit and the weapons. This is the first one I've built and the model is very simple and required no glue. The box says its in 1:115 but I'm not too sure. I'll see what I could do to amp up the model's accuracy and overall looks soon.

Vintage tank kits I just scored. The Jagdpanther is in the white box with the track violator released in 1987 while the King Tiger is the in the full color box released in 1986 I think. The Russian T-34/76 1942 model and the T-34/76 1943 model in the full color boxes released in the late 70's.

A series of fast-build tanks that scale better to 15mm rather than the onbox advertised 1:72. The M1 Abrams. Main gun is too short and the tank hull a bit too wide. Turret details are also missing or altogether wrong. More of the models available for less than a dollar each. A T-55, a JSU-152 and a Chinese Type 98 tank. All the models share just one chassis, as well as turret hatches and machineguns. These are more toys then accurate scale models. I'll probable build them though as hardware for my HO army men.

The Korean "4D Tank Model 1:72" Abrams. Two IMPORTANT things to keep in mind: 1. It is NOT 1/72 2. It is NOT scale model accurate. All the models share just one chassis, as well as turret hatches and machineguns 3. More a toy then an accurate scale model The product lineup poster with the World of Tanks ripoff logo. The models I could find. There's another set out there with mostly German WW2 armor.