It is years since I actually started a new kit of my own, instead of working on ones I’d started before house and 1:1 classic vehicle projects got in the way, or helping my son start his journey into model making.
I was inspired by @Armor_Buff 's excellent review of the base version of this kit to buy the Kursk edition with the intention of building it into one of the Panzer IIIs I believe from my research were used in Normandy by the Windhund Division, having inherited them from 179th Reserve-Panzer-Division’s panzer battalion.
Having been guiding my 9 year old son this weekend with his first 1/35 build (Tamiya’s venerable universal carrier - “Forced Recon” version), I decided to start this kit when everyone had gone to bed and I had peace and quiet. I will be building it out of the box with no aftermarket…not even replacing the link and length tracks.
I was impressed by the minimal cleanup required, the plastic, the instructions and parts fit. All this ties in with Wade’s review.
Within 27 minutes of grabbing sprue A, I had something that very much looks like the hull of an armoured vehicle!!
Lucky you’ve got a dedicated space. Maybe a more comfy chair would help. Sitting on those slats would remind me of my days in uniform travelling on timber seats for hundreds of klicks for some random exercise only to have it canceled at last minute and have to head straight back meaning more hours of uncomfortable murder on the behind!
Seat is handy because it folds when not in use, which is helpful when the room also has a drum kit, exercise bike and soon to have a pool table - very multi functional!!
Today has been a suspension and wheels day. Modified the suspension arms to get a bit of variation on where the wheels sit to conform with the Miniart base the tank will be going on. Dry fitted the wheels ahead of learning how to use link and length tracks having only ever used rubber band ones.
And I’ve had the boy hard at it with his universal carrier, testing out the lighting I’ve installed at the desk.
The Academy kit, as well as some of their others, are some of the best kits on the market, IMHO. Not overburdened with complex assemblies, or interiors, & at a decent price. I really like the direction Academy has gone over the last few years.
It’s been a while since I’ve made much progress with this but over the last few weeks I’ve built the turret and the crew.
The turret went together very cleanly but still needs the manlet cover but I need to paint beneath it before fitting. I lost one of the lifting hooks on the turret to the carpet monster but will hide it with either some stowage of foliage.
One of the turret crew needed significant (for me) surgery with arms from another figure from the set to fit, and modifications to one of the arms to fit over one of the turret doors and to rest on top of a grab handle, with sleeve altered to drape over it and hand to hand limply.
The figure being used as commander needed some surgery to it’s bum to lean against the cupola edge and a hand re-orientating to rest over the lip of the cupola.
I specifically wanted one with schurzen, which I don’t believe RFM offer and I didn’t fancy paying extra for aftermarket to add them.
It’s wonderful how much choice there is these days of injection kits from different manufacturers, with each seemingly offering slightly different options.
