belugawhaleman

I built this kit years ago..... about 1980 or so. I remember it was long before I had an airbrush even! Cool, a bit of nostalgia for me to view your progress. Looking good so far!

Well, I'll be watching for sure! Already amazing progress!

Like that Mazda Cosmo. Interesting diorama possibilities with that Dino... Perhaps a AmX-50b tackling a dino.....both extinct.

Nice work Bill! I'd love to have one of these kits.....It would sit in my closet forever---but still, I would have it!

Nice work! That does like a great kit. I also built the old Monogram kit and would like to make this one.

Yes, the Engines were the same as the ARl-44, Maybach, but were "improved". The Germans did help with some of the design, I read, and were probably not proud of that!

Yes, I did see that someone did a "What if" Israeli scheme. Who knows, with this available, the 6 day war could've been five days!

Perhaps, or one of those colorfully absurd French pre-war schemes...that is, if not for this kit the earlier ARL-44 I bought.

Sure it's not the mother? If then, the bloated appearance may have been pregnancy.

Thanks, I'm probably going to do the other scheme ...earth and dark brown. I also have the Russian version; both nice kits. Yes, while the '13 is not a bad-looking tank, the '50b is like a bloated offspring of the '13. French military weirdness at its best!

Some items today..... First; From Tamiya, it's their Matilda Mk.III/IV British Infantry Tank Mk.IIA* (35300) in 1/35. This is one of two new Matilda tank kits released in the 2000's. This kit features a choice of link & length or rubber band tracks and some very nice figures. The Soviet lend lease version has workable tracks and some details unique to that version. Next; from Amusing Hobby, it's their France Heavy Tank AMX-50(B) (35A049) in 1/35. Another French dead-end tank. Despite several years of development, this tank was never adopted. There's only one in existence now sitting in the SAMUR museum in France. The photos seem to show this thing painted in Blueish gray....at least to my eyes. The ARL-44 sitting next to it, I'm not sure sometimes it looks blue gray, sometimes green to me depending on the lighting in the picture. The kit paint scheme is fake. Anyway, the kit shows that it is well-molded, with surprisingly, the return roller supports and hull molded in one piece! Never seen that before. Last some decals from STAR DECALS; their 16-D 1005 PzKpfw 1 Ausf A. These include markings for German, Croatian, and Spanish Panzer 1a tanks in 1/16 scale. I bought these to replace a set that somehow, I lost. Buried again..

Interesting!

A big finished Wingnut wings bomber kit?

A bit more progress on the Churchill... I did a little more work on finishing the turret. Used gray Surfacer to check for flaws and did some more filling and sanding. Satisfied with it now. Also, started putting together the friul tracks for this thing. One side--73 links. Not too bad. Some clean up on a few links. Drilling, fitting and cutting wire for the links. I found so far two bad links. I wanted to get more done this weekend, we'll see.

Nice work.

Today a couple of items. A much needed spray can of Mr. Surfacer Black 1500. Also, another set of Friulmodel tracks. These I'll use for my Tamiya Hummel.

Nice. I have a bunch of Master's M1919 barrels in 35th and some M6 37mm barrels of theirs. It's amazing that such small things can be machined so nicely!

Looks great Carl! The lighting is perfect and really gives life to the project. Well done!

Thanks, I saw fruils for the Conqueror somewhere, I'll have a look. These kits look like they'll be fun builds. I also have the French ARL-44 and I'm expecting another obscure tank in the mail.

Another Amusing Hobby kit today. "Amusing Hobby" being perhaps among the silliest names out there, they do have some interesting kits of some cool subjects, at least in my view. This time I got their British Heavy Tank FV 214 Conqueror Mk. II (35A027) in 1/35. I didn't know much about this tank. It looks cool, it was huge, heavy, and had a big gun. It was pretty much just based in Germany, used briefly, then became a cold-war relic, I guess. Anyway, these kits look nice. I might start one of these while still working on my Churchill. This kit has individual link "Snap together" tracks, working suspension with metal springs, slide molded parts, photo-etch. and look well-molded.

So sad to hear this.

Yes, it is.

Slight progress on the Churchill build...... Road wheels (rollers?) On , and front fenders on. The fenders were a bit tricky as there's nothing (tabs) to locate them. I would back them up with styrene strips if I were to do it again... Anyway, before I go back home for a bit this weekend, (still at Mom's) to put some paint on, I'll perhaps start on the Friuls. One thing for sure, kit technology has come a long way since 1974 !

I see Meng is keeping current...... A new Merkava 4 with the protective screen over the turret as seen in the Gaza conflict.

Well done! Curious, ...how would you rate this kit? I'm a Tamiya fan.