Some henchmen on this site know I’m partial to auctions, but I avoid purely on-liners because I won’t fork out without actually seeing/handling the item – old habits die hard, I used to work for Sotheby’s London in the 1980’s. And then last week SWMBO found a bunch of un-made and made kits in a local Canberra on-line auction of general Militaria….and all items were on display at their premises 15 minutes drive away. Scenting “sleepers” I cased the joint and opened the boxes to check for tampering/missing items, and decided to bid on these two lots:
Fellow local member SamS and I were interested, he wanted the Krupp & I liked the Henschel. I got them as a pair for A$60 (US$ 40) net against no opposition - both had unbroken bags of contents plus Instructions & decals.
The RFM Sturmy had caught my eye because I’m a sucker for pointless full interiors. Research indicated it was a fairly good kit from 2018 - if I ordered it fresh from BNA now it would cost me around A$150 (US$ 99) including freight. At the on-line auction I dueled with one other guy and ended up winning right on my max limit, A$110 (US$ 73) net.
But because I’d inspected it beforehand, I knew the vendor had already started construction….
So I took a calculated risk that nothing was missing, and following a more detailed review at home I’ve found he’d finished the torsion bars & engine/transmission. A very nice clean job, he was no dummy….
It looks like he gave up (or expired?) trying to assemble the multi-part/multi-media/fiddly racks holding the shells - some completed, others not so much. It’ll be a challenge even if I can just pick up where he left off. And I’m aware the tracks are likely to age me several years unless I find a better alternative – suggestions welcome.
But those who know me well here also know I usually don’t just build a kit, I build vignettes/dioramas to put them in some context. So what now? I’ve never done a late WW2 scene before…there’s a well-known sequence of photos of a derelict that comes to mind…hmm…
Exactement mon ami – the first three images were in my mind, but at least the 4th would save me from 50% track-dementia…except I don’t think even the elusive Prieser did that many 1:35 kids (?)
To my mind, there’s far too many depictions of trashed AFVs on the display tables (and hats off to those who do, indeed, replicate burnt out and rusty wrecks - it’s a skill I have not got), so why not depict the mighty Sturmtiger in all its pristine glory being re-ammunitioned as per this pic:
You’d have the contrast of the very interesting ambush colour scheme - or a variant of it - against the dense black of the uniforms; the interior could still be seen, and then you can show-off the lovely looking ammo itself from AFV Club:
All set, say at somewhere like Paderborn; a cobbled base/concrete hard-standing; you’d have to hunt around and convert a couple of figures, but then also add a couple of goofing officers say.
So, to sum up: no battlefield damage, mud, marauding enemy nicking stuff. No damage, no kids; just a smart-looing beast being ammo’ ed up. Some nice colour contrast too, as I say: the vehicle itself; crew, and then the ammo.
I also really liked the following that didn’t meet reserve at AUD 268 (Euro 150, USD 179) and I would love to have the room to get it. It’s a 1941 US field desk with typewriter that is still in working order.
Norske Løve = Norwegian Lion (the o with a diagonal across is the Danish and Norwegian
equivalent of the Swedish ö (also the German umlaut for o?).
The Danish Navy had six ships named Norske Løve 1634 - 1653, 1654 - 1666, 1665 - 1679, 1680 - 1715, 1735 - 1764, 1765 - 1798.
There was also a merchant ship (slaver) owned and operated by the Danish East India company,
launched 1704.
The number of cannons/gun ports makes me think that the model is actually the ship launched 1735. The design style doesn’t “feel right” for a warship back in 1643.
The Norske Løve, a galleon, launched 1634 had only 42 guns distributed over one enclosed battery deck and one open deck, the model has two enclosed and one open.
The ship from 1634 was designed by a Scotsman and would probably have resembled this
English galleon:
The ship launched 1735 served during a rather calm period and I don’t think she was involved in any battles with the Swedish navy. The galleon from 1634 did fight the Swedish navy.
Maybe the war photographer rounded up a bunch of kids from the nearest village/farms and told them to pose for a photo.
Some candy and/or chocolate would be payment enough.
Well er….right…OK….thanks all, nobody expected the 1941 typewriter or the 1643 galleon but I’m happy to embrace esoteria. I said esoteria.
I think I can safely say nobody under 18 will appear in whatever I do – just too difficult - but thanks for the inputs guys.
Further overnight forensics indicate the Sturmy’s original builder had a unique process, I’m wondering why he departed from the seemingly logical S-b-S of the Instruction booklet (28pp)…? Why would you jump from the hull steps in mid-progress to the upper hull interior…? A mystery wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a riddle…I guess I need to research other build reviews, I have a nagging feeling he had his reasons but I don’t get it.
I had a look at David Byrden’s website, maybe I’m blind but I can’t see if he covered Tiger variant kits like this one (I thought he did) so can anyone point me in the right direction please?
Thanks Ryan, I shoulda gone to Specsavers. And thanks for the belly laugh when I saw “Nuts inside the rear wall”, so many innuendos so little time – of course I’m referring to the fiddly design/parts, and difficulty of assembling that part of the interior, and the effect on the previous builder & probably myself too.
And a good one mate, thank you. I agree the temptation to show this beast as a wreck has been overwhelming for others, I feel it too because I like wrecking things as you/others know.
But I’m seeing the horns of a dilemma looming as I delve deeper into exactly wtf the vendor was doing. So far there’s a bunch of tiny photo-etch MIA - probably pinged/launched into his carpet monster’s gullet, as well as small plastic components. I think I’m up to replacing them but not sure if it’s worth it as they all relate (so far) to the mostly invisible interior.
In fact it’s a very strange feeling coming into a kit-in-progress, I’ve never experienced anything like it before. You’re constantly trying to get inside his head and second-guessing “did he know something I don’t? What am I missing? Why do it that way?”
I’m suspecting it would be easier to make it a wreck - covering up whatever deficiencies there may be, and providing opportunities for interest whether with inspecting GIs or civilians. If I “restore” it to running condition that forces me into the dreaded German figures & uniforms multiverse where I’m generally uncomfortable.
Whatever, I guess I’ve got plenty of time to think about something unusual (no, not a factory scene), this won’t be a quick build.
Why?
Is there some law of nature that says that all operational vehicles must be manned
at all times (24/7)?
A non operational vehicle waiting for repairs has mechanics crawling all over it 24/7?
A wreck is always infested with curious spectators?
What about a vehicle in a museum? External and internal parts would be missing
(taken by souvenir collectors when the vehicle was first found).
