I have been modeling aircraft for several years. With that being said I would like to try Armor. My question to the Modeling community is two fold.
What would be a good first time kit, and what scale
2)I am familiar with aircraft modeling technique( sanding, Seam filling, airbrushing weathering etc)But what is the right way to build armor. Is there a certain way to start the model, and what are some tips and tricks to help me along.
I would like to thank anyone who responds to this note in advance for any help.
I, too, am an aircraft modeler but I tried my hand at Armor this weekend with the Tamiya 1/48 M4A1 Sherman. It was a blast to build and very easy also. No major problems at all. Little trimming and no putty. I built and painted it in a day if you don’t count dry time for the Future. Give it a look! That kit is simple and pleasing. Very nice for a first time armor build.
You sound like me 3 yrs ago! I loved and still love building aircraft. But I always had an itch to build some armor like I did when I was a kid. I remember some old armor kits my dad used to pick up for me at the px. It was pretty cool to build armor after such a long time.
Anyways I’d suggest trying a Tamiya 1/35 T-34 Russian WWII tank. I’ve heard this is a nice kit, perfect for someone building armor for the first time, very straight forward build and you can have a little fun with it. Building armor is very similar to building aircraft. Once your done you can shoot future over it to weather it up a bit then shoot some dullcote to seal it up again. You can try doing a little battle damage or mud your armor up. If your feeling ambitious try taking a look at some of the german armor. Great subjects and paint schemes. You should be able to build a Tiger or Panther no problems.
The T-34 kits are easy, but I really dislike the motorization holes and the running gear which is modified to be run on batteries. I also dislike the rubberband tracks which are too taught. Still, an effective newbie build.
Another fine option would be the German Panther G series or the 1/35 Shermans. Many regard the Panzer II as a cheap intro build. I say go for the Panzer III L, very nice detail, but a bit spendier. Have fun and good luck.
We all have different opinions on scale, but here is my 2 cents on your questions:
If you have big fingers that don’t like little parts, build the Tamiya M3 Stuart (or the AFV Club M3A3). These kits both need a little filler and sanding here and there, but they build up into great kits. If you don’t fear the small stuff, build the Hasegawa M3 Stuart in 1/72nd scale. It is a nice little kit with adequate detail.
As with aircraft modeling, you learn methods as you go. Here’s what I’d say though. Build in subassemblys, and always test fit well into the future of the build too. If the tracks look difficult to place due to obstructions like the fenders, you may want to place the tracks on the model early into construction (and mask mask mask). Vary the shade of your base coat to show the wear. Apply many washes. Dry brush a bunch. Think in teams of wear and tear.
In model shows, the tanks with great weathering do really well.
Grant
P.S.: I’m partial to the Stuart tank, but it is also a good candidate due to the one-color paint scheme. Hasegawa and Tamiya are good first kits no matter what kit you choose to do first.
,… If it’s your first kit, you want it to go together well with as little assembly problems as possible. That logic would exclude much of the 1/35 world, as good as they are.
Are your aircraft in 1/72 or 1/48 ( we know they aren’t in 1/35) ? Why not consider a vehicle model to complement them ? There is such a wealth of quality 1/72 vehicular items out there you can’t lose ! If you’ve got a nice 1/48 german WWWII aircraft speciman, you might consider complementing it with a Tamiya VW… or schimmwagen; they’re great little kits.
If you really want armour, consider Shooter’s suggestion; a Tamiya 1/48 M4… the kit litterally will fall together for you in a weekend.
Rooster makes a good point about tracks. With armor you kinda have to think ahead. With some tanks you have to paint them with the tracks in place so it makes it tricky. With other tanks you can dry fit everything together then take them apart for painting then glue everything together later. Tiger’s are like that. Some kits have those band type tracks made of vinyl while others have individual tracks that you glue together. I prefer the individual tracks but some people curse them since it takes more time and effort. Btw… you can get aftermarket metal or resin tracks for certains pieces of armor. Thats going beyond what you’d like to do but I just thought I’d mention it for the heck of it.
If you go with Juni’s suggestion you might be able to get something like a Kettenkraftrad to go along with your german aircraft. You could probably find something in scale if you really wanted to go that way. It would look pretty nice if you have your aircraft on display.
A good entry kit would be a Tamiya 1/35 T-34. As Tigerman pointed out, there are some motorization holes in the underside of the hull, but they’re fairly easily filled in and not overly noticeble if you don’t. Likewise their tracks are kind of stiff, but there are a couple of easy techniques you can use to get them to not “float” on top of the road wheels. Aside from that, you have a kit that is usaully found for under twenty bucks that can build into an attractive model.
On the other hand, if you want to dovetail your armor into your aircraft, you probably represent Tamiya’s fantasy target demographic for their new 1/48 line of armor kits. As such, you probably wouldn’t go wrong with their T-34 or Sherman kits.
If you’re already familiar with building, painting, and weathering of A/C, you should find tanks easy enough to get into. One possible gotcha is that tank hulls and turrets are usually rougher than A/C skins, so decals will often need more pre-glossing and setting solution to snuggle down.
Also, for a beginner kit, I would first go to Hobby Lobby since their selection is simpler, they stock a lot of Tamiya, they have your basic supplies for paint, glue, ets., and they are having another 40% off internet coupon special this week.
I’ll second the Tamiya 1/35 T-34 kits. Great, easy, simple builds. Fit is very nice, very affordable too. It will give you a good introduction. As for building, well I don’t really know what to say. I used to be an AC guy, and I learnt how to build AC by following the instructions. Offhand, I’d say building a tank is probably the same way [:p]
Seriously, all your AC techniques apply to armour as well. it’s really not that different, just much more fun [:)]
I have seen alot of good advice out there so far, one thing however. What sort of armor do you want? Are you partial to any timeframe, nationality, etc.? The only WWII armor that I build is Russian armor, other than that it is vietnam or modern. Tamyia I would agree is one of the best because of the selection they offer, good detail, and good intructions (some have good models not so good intsructions) but they can be pricey. So any way to narrow down your question?
I would agree with everybody else start with a Tamyia kit something simple like the T-34\76 or the M-42 Walker bulldog or possible the M-4A3 Sherman kits straight forward out of the box kits just follow the instructions and you’ll be fine. Good modelling and remember Tanks Rule
Just like an aircraft, I suppose the first thing I will say is, make sure you like the subject first, and then like the aircraft forum, lots of hints tips and moral support here as well.