Howdy guys. I just purchased my first armor kit, a Tamiya Sd.Kfz. 234/2 in 1/48th scale (to keep in scale with my aircraft) on a blind whim. Is she a decent kit? Any simple beginners advice for building armor for a guy who has done exclusively aircraft?
Thanks
And so begins your journey to the dark side.
I can’t comments on that kit, but its Tamiya so you should be fine and i have not herad anything bad aout there 1/48th range.
With armour kits, it helps to have an idea of the sequance you want to use. Some people add all the tools, tracks (not in this case) and everythign else before painting. Personally, i paint those off the vehciles and add before weathering. I never really thought about it, i just built them whether it was armour or aircraft.
LOL! I was thinking the same thing!
Congrats on getting your first armor kit!
It’s really an Italari Kit reboxed by Tamiya,should be okay.1/48 is a good starting point in armor.
I built the Tamiya 1/48th Sherman, Panther, and Panzer IV when they first came out. I really enjoyed them, good detail though of course not as nice as 1/35th, good engineering, and excellent fit. I have no idea about Italeri kits reboxed though.
I built the Porsche King Tiger and loved it. The 1/48 Tamiya kits are wonderfull! In that scale you can get away with leaving the weathering to a minimum, so just treat it as you would your aircraft and you should be golden.
Have fun!!
Oh Jeez, Mike had been kidnapped and he’s being impersonated!
What??! I’ve been kidnapped?! By whom? lol I’m six foot and 240Lbs! Who’s going to lift me??? '
C’mon! You can get away with as much or a little weathering as you want and you know it! lol!! Its his first armor build and we all know how timid we are to get messy with our first builds lol.
None of us have managed to talk Toshi into really getting his hands “dirty” yet when he builds armor. But we all come around eventually LMAO!!
Its the Dark Side, we have to be gentle to coax them in slowly. 
MuWahahahahah!
Finally decided to give this one a go.
Putting the main hull together:
And eight wheels
Decided not to worry about doing anything with the spartan interior since I’ll have the hatches closed. Next up, the suspension. I had originally planned on painting before I installed it, but I have decided to install then paint. Any surfaces the airbrush can’t get to won’t be visible anyway.
Your off to a good start. And only 8 wheels, your breakin yourself in easy. [;)]
You’ll love the Tamiya 1/48 kits, great fits, great detail. I wish we had more in that scale to choose from.
Terry
Well they are up to around #85 or so I think, with 10 or 15 being figure sets and road signs ect. They seem to be putting out 3-5 new ones a year. I would like to see a M3 Lee and /or something Japanese, but Tamiya is doing a wonderful job with their 1/48 line. Would be nice to see Dragon get into the 1/48 armor game though.
She’s lookin’ good, you’re making great progress.
looking good! Welcome to 1/48 armor modelling, I got into that scale for the same reason you did - to stay scale consistent with my aircraft. Besides Tamiya, there are smaller # of kits from Hobbyboss, ICM, Italeri, Bronco, and Hasegawa. There’s even more if you are willing to venture into much smaller Eastern European brands. The only ones I cant get into the the Resin kits, the cost are just too prohibitive.
Yes the Hobby Boss T-34 and KVs looks very good, and I have read great things about them. I’m sure I will end up purchasing one to see for myself. And I have also been eyeing some of the UM Soviet vehicles.
And now I have all 19 pieces of the suspension in place.
LMAO!! Very good Mike…
Ajd3530, I hope you enjoy your build and I’ll be watching. I have never built an armour kit before so I look forward to watching you on your first. Looking great.
But not to slowly, the dark side only has so much patience.
I like the look of that, some nice detail on the underside.
I am enjoying this so much, that earlier today I ordered the 1/48 Panzer II and Panzer 38 from one of my favorite shops, Omni Models of Champaign, IL.
I can see one of the disadvantages of armor in this scale; some of these parts are tiny!
And here is the turret, complete with the hatches and smoke grenade launchers ect.
