Thanks for the Birthday wishes for today my friends. I felt compelled to look up my first ever blog - it was on here from September 2009!
**It seems that I completed my FIRST EVER BUILD (Tamiya Tiger I 1/48) at the end of September 2009 so I’ve only been an armour modeller for just over 3 years! **How time flies - I can’t believe how much I’ve learnt in such a small amount of time too! The thanks has to go to all the guys I’ve met on the forums - the honourable brotherhood of Armour Modellers (aka the Dark Side)!
I was given a bit of money to go into the stash fund, some decent aftershave, that new wingy thing DVD with Cuba Gooding Jr called ‘Red Tails’, some new Sprue cutters and a pack of Tamiya Fine Finishing Abrasives! Finally, and best of all, the Dragon Elephant with Zim kit (Dragon kit #6465).
It’s a nice kit only slightly let down by the use of old sprues from the old Ferdinand kits - they make up for it by repacing the original kit barrel (an awful two part affair that is a real horror) with a nice Aluminium Barrel. The muzzle brake is plastic but a new mould and very tidy so no RB this time! Friuls no doubt but that’s it. They have also replaced the horrid plastic shackles with lovely metal examples with bolts. PE is supplied to allow the basic kit Sledgehammer and Jack Block to be made to look much better. There’s some nice scale chain for pistol ports and overall this is a kit I cannot wait to build. It’s going to be a battle damaged monster this time!
Painting and marking options allow for Polish and Italian vehicles painted with the usual two or three tone cammo or plain whitewash over Dunky. I’m undecided yet but I’m going for one of the Polish vehicle paint schemes and markings.
So, thanks again guys - I’m now off to make lunch and paint these tools!
Happy Birthday Ben! Sounds like you made off with a decent haul and I’m sure the Elefant will be quite the treat when you get to it. Enjoy your day! [B]
On top of the great stuff I got something amazing was to follow!
For Dinner today my parents went to a Packington Hall Manor House as part of a Game Shooting meal and discussion hosted by Lord and Lady Aylesford - The Guest Speaker was only Max ‘WWII Historian’ Hastings!
He spoke with my parents who told them it was my Birthday today and he only sent me two of his his books for me - SIGNED!: DAS REICH - The march of the 2nd SS Panzer Div. through France, June '44 and INFERNO - The World at War '39 to '45 [Y] x10
Very cool Ben! Make sure you hang onto those and DON’T READ THEM! Keep them in pristine condition somewhere and instead get another set of books to actually read. You’ll be glad you did in the future as you never know what they might be worth down the road. Highly personalized things like this can be quite valuable to collectors.
**How time flies - I can’t believe how much I’ve learnt in such a small amount of time too! The thanks has to go to all the guys I’ve met on the forums - the honourable brotherhood of Armour Modellers (aka the Dark Side)! 
