This is not a full build blog – mainly as I’ve built most of it! However, I thought some might be interested in the details of this little known tank. I must admit that whilst I’d heard of it, I certainly never expected to see one in 1:35, so a pleasant surprise from Amusing Hobby.
For such a small vehicle the box is massive and contains sprues pertaining to their Jagdpanzer Kanone. This is quite useful as there’s loads of small details that are spare such as the Leitkreuz, mirrors, MGs and the like. The tracks are link and length, which I don’t get on with; I never seem to get them aligned as to how and even where they should be. There was another drawback in that the way they are moulded on the sprues made removal extremely difficult, and I ended up damaging a row of link connectors. As I was in a bit of a rush to build this kit for a “What-If” display (more later folks), I snaffled the (very poor) tracks from a Revell Jagdpanzer Kanone, and installed those. My thinking also was that when I get around to building my Revell model, I use the AH tracks in slower time and perhaps get a result.; also, although a bit of a cop-out, I can please myself within the “What-If” concept by fitting whatever tracks I choose.
Anyway, back to the RU 251; it’s very difficult to find out many details of this little vehicle, and certainly I’ve struggled for pictorial references. The thing is by electing to build a “What If” I can, up to a point, finish it as I wish, without I hope, detracting too far from the original form. To that end I’ve added stowage as I thought appropriate, and limited it all a bit. Some features just needed a bit of extra detailing such as the driver’s hatch, which had 2 moulded on “bars”; I gleaned from the box art that these were meant to be handles, so I sanded them off and replaced them with proper handles from lead wire. Note that I still haven’t completed the stowage.
The turret hatches needed a bit of sanding and I replaced the pivots with plastic rod. I was intrigued to note that the Gunner has his own hatch, which is often not the case in AFVs of the period.
AH provide a small etch fret and this handily included chains for the smoke dischargers, which whilst I normally add on my Bundeswehr models in any case, was nice to have ready-made. That said, a test of patience and dexterity.
I added a stowed camouflage net on the turret rack; I may depict some draped cam as well; this is a recce vehicle so its very survival on the battlefield would be dependent on it’s concealment. We’ll see.
Well, that’s it so far. I’ve been smitten with a heavy cold this last week – or Life Threatening Male Virus as I define it; my wife still insists it’s a cold but what does she know? Anyway, it’s put me behind so my New Year modelling resolutions of simply catching a grip have already been sabotaged.
I’ll try and keep you all posted.
