Vickers Light Tank - 1940
Vickers Light Tank - 1940
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Eric Mc

Original Poster:

124,906 posts

289 months

Monday 18th June 2012
quotequote all
In a bit of a departure from my normal modelling comfort zone, I decided to have a go at some armour modelling.

This is the Airfix 1/76 Vickers Light Tank Mk VI The model depicts one of these tiny tanks in the colours of the 9th Lancers, 1st Armoured Division, British Expeditionary Force, France in 1940. No doubt, the real one was left behind following the Dunkirk evacuation.

The kit went together amazingly easily and fast (I started it on Saturday evening). Not one speck of filler was needed. However, I'm not giving Airfix any credit for this as this is kit originally moulded by JB and Airfix has fairly recently acquired these moulds. I was very pleased with the outcome and I might be tempted to do a few more 1/76 or 1/72 tanks.






SlipStream77

2,153 posts

215 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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You're getting through these kits a bit fast Eric! wink

Looks great, the finish is just right.

I tried a building a Challenger 1 once in 1/48, not sure what the manufacturer was though. It looked ok when finished but I didn't know how best to paint the black rubber tracks. It was a static version of a remote control model so there was a bit less detail too.

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

124,906 posts

289 months

Monday 18th June 2012
quotequote all
This one was so easy. Not having a cockpit interior or cockpit glazing to deal with certainly speeds up the process. Using acrylic paints and cyano glue also helps.

Shar2

2,263 posts

237 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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Very nice Eric. It must be tiny in 1/76 as even in 1/35 it's not very big.

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

124,906 posts

289 months

Monday 18th June 2012
quotequote all
I was going to put an AA battery beside it to show its size but I was worried the battery might fall on it.

dr_gn

16,768 posts

208 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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It looks excellent.

IMO the genuine Airfix military vehicles (and the control tower) are geat little models. I just need the Refuelling Set and I'll be building all the RAF vehicles again, only doing them right this time. I love the box art for them too.

The Bofors Gun and Tractor was a very nice model too IIRC (the desert scheme one with the raf roundel on the top). I might have another go at that as well one day.

dr_gn

16,768 posts

208 months

Monday 18th June 2012
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
I was going to put an AA battery beside it to show its size but I was worried the battery might fall on it.
Anti-Aircraft Duracell?

I did wonder what you meant at first...

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

124,906 posts

289 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
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Took me ages to stop calling them HP7s.

I have a few vehicles and AFVs in the stash of shame so, following the enjoyment I got from doing the Vickers, I'm going to have a go at a few more. Next up is 1/72 Armourfast Jagdpanther.

Nuclearsquash

1,329 posts

286 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
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Looks fab Eric as always but...

Erm... did you miss a mold line on the guns? (I assume they are guns, they look gun like).

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

124,906 posts

289 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
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Hadn't noticed to be honest.

IroningMan

10,598 posts

270 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
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They're guns.

For me it's always the tracks that are the weakest link - they're essential to conveying the sense of mass of an AFV and not many kit manufacturers get them right in 1/76 or 1/72.

The Armourfast kits that I've seen are really for gaming tables, so they're super-simple, but the hard-moulded running gear can be very effective and you do get two for the price of one. That said, there is also a range of quick-build wargaming kits from Italeri which are terrific - nicely detailed, brillinatly moulded and a proper 'presence', even unpainted - but nothing like the range that Armourfast have to offer.