Monday, November 26, 2012

Polar Lights Releases 1/350 Original Series USS Enterprise NCC 1701!  Trekkies Get Back To Their Roots!


 The new Polar Lights original series USS Enterprise is here!  For Star Trek fans, this is the most exciting model release ever.  As fun as all the different Star Trek series have been, nothing beats the original, and this kit has been long awaited.

Kit features include:

Large 1/350 scale.  Kit is 32 inches long when completed.

Parts are well engineered, and fit is good.

All panel line detail is scribed.

Kit features interior command bridge and shuttle craft bay detail.

Complete decal sheet for all exterior markings.  Interior shuttle bay markings, as well as bridge consoles and view screens are also provided.

This kit is available from King's Hobby Shop.
 Stock number:  3443-880
Price:  $161.99

Visit our website:

Or stop by the shop:

8810 N. Lamar Blvd. 
Austin, TX  78753
(512) 836-7388









Wednesday, November 21, 2012

As some of you already know, I recently moved.  After three long years, we finally got a house; and now I have been able to unpack my book collection.  As I go through these boxes, many hidden gems have come to light and it has really become apparent how far our hobby has progressed. 

We all remember Revell's 1/32 aircraft kits.  These kits were top of the line in the 1970's.  This is an example of the ad campaign Revell ran in 1973; "A box full of action".  And they were!  One of the first models I ever built was the Hurricane Mk I...and it was action-packed. 

The going price for the Harrier in 1973 was about $1, and you can still get it on Ebay for about $20.  Compare this to $170 for the new Trumpeter 1/32 Harrier.  You're probably not going to win any awards at an IPMS show with the  Revell kit, but it can put some fun back into building.  Maybe to get some significant growth in our hobby, we need to rediscover the "Box Full of Action" philosophy.

M  

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Farewell Phil Brandt.

I am sad to report to those of you who haven't already heard the sad news that long time King's Hobby customer and supporter Phil Brandt passed away last week while on vacation in Europe.  Phil had been one of the most valued members of the Austin model building scene for many years and his passing leaves a void which can't be filled.  Phil was also a superstar on the modeling website Hyperscale since its inception.  His support and insight for the model building community world-wide cannot be overstated.  My sympathy and prayers are with Phil's wife Cindy and the rest of his wonderful family.

Thank you Phil for your support and friendship throughout the years.  We will miss you.

Cindy asked me to let everyone know that Phil's funeral will be:

1:00 pm Sunday December 2, 2012 at Oak Hill United Methodist Church.  The Church is at 7815 Highway 290 W in Austin.
  


Friday, October 26, 2012

Coming soon:  Three new volumes on the Sherman tank from Ampersand Publishing.



Son of Sherman


Cover Volume 1

Cover Volume 2

This new series is based on Ampersand's original Modeler's Guide to the Sherman but which includes much more information and is split into three volumes.  Volume 1 will cover Sherman production history.  Volume 2 will cover modeling the Sherman.  Volume 3 will cover additional history (Combat history WW2 and post war?).  Ampersand hasn't yet shown the Volume 3 cover as it is still under development.

Release date and price TBA.  Ampersand Publishing promises Volumes 1 and 2 soon.

You may advance order your copies from King's Hobby Shop.

For more information from the publisher, click on the link below.  


http://ampersandpubco.com/the-son-of-sherman/

Friday, September 28, 2012

Building the Revell 1/48 PV-1 Ventura Part 1


By:  Brad Perry
Model photos:  Milton Bell



I've wanted a good 1/48 scale model kit of the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura for several decades so when Revell released its new kit back in January of this year I was very happy.  I've finally reduced my backlog on the workbench enough to start building this great kit and I'm having lots of fun.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the buzz the kit precipitated on the usual suspect modeling forums, and grateful as well.  there were of course some of the typical nit-picks and off-the-cuff misstatements, but there were also numerous valuable posts in which enthusiasts shared details from PV-1 technical manuals so that modelers (like me) could add or improve detail to this already great kit.

I believe Revell's 1/48 PV-1 Ventura is the best value in scale for 2012 at $36.98.  The PV-1 is a relatively large twin engined subject.  Most other new multi engined kits in this scale cost much more.  The Revell kit has abbreviated interior detail, but it has few windows, other than the cockpit, which allow the viewer to see inside anyway.  Revell was probably able to cut development cost by omitting most interior detail.  There are some parts in the box not used which indicate that a future release will feature the earlier conventional bomber nose.  Even with the lack of interior detail, I stand by my earlier "best value" statement as even some single engine models cost twice as much (see Great Wall Hobby TBD Devastator).

The kit can be built relatively quickly and reasonably accurately straight out of the box.   Like all kits,  this one is not perfect.  The lack of interior detail mentioned earlier is not an issue for me because what is visible inside (the cockpit) is nicely done.  The rear cockpit bulkhead is, however, inaccurate.  The kit crew entry is located conventionally on the kit bulkhead's center line.  The actual aircraft only has a crew bulkhead for approximately the first 1/3 of the width of the fuselage on the port (left) side behind the pilot's seat.  The kit seats, engine control pedestal, and instrument panel are nicely done.  These items are about all you can easily see, so if painted well, you will have a nice cockpit.  Another weak area of this kit are the props.  They are nicely cast, but have incorrect blades with profiles that are too thin.  All PV-1 Venturas had fat paddle blade props.  Several aftermarket companies have come out with correct replacements.  I decided to correct mine with the True Details offering.  These props are nice and easy for me to obtain at the shop.
True Details 1/48 PV-1 prop with correct fat prob blades (Photo:  Squadron.com)


 I have chosen to do some additional modifications to my kit.  I'll be using kit decals and chose the second option on the sheet which is the aircraft commanded by Lt. Butch Mason of VB-135.  This squadron operated from Casco Field on Attu Island in the Aleutians chain (Check it out on Google Maps.  Hasn't changed much since WW2).  I discovered that VB-135 had modified its aircraft in order to perform night photo reconnaissance and attack over the Japanese Kurile Islands.  I decided to perform these same modifications to my model to make it more accurate.  I have focused my efforts on the nose, cockpit, and bomb bay, plus some small external changes.  I found a description of these modifications in the long out of print book Empire Express which discusses the history of USN PV-1 squadrons in the Aleutians during World War 2.

Scratch built K-19 camera, photo flash trigger unit, and camera mount seen through bombardier's window. 
I'll start the build discussion with the nose section of the model.  VB-135 field installed K-19 night recon cameras in their Venturas.  They mounted them to shoot through the bomb sight window.  I started my nose upgrade by adding aircraft internal structural detail.  I used my trusty dividers to measure the corresponding external panel lines, cut evergreen strips to those lengths,  and glued them inside the nose using my micrometer eyeball for the proper positions.  I then found a picture of  the K19 camera on the internet.  I knew that the K19 had a 13" focal length so I used that dimension for the lens barrel, then used my micrometer eyeball again to proportion the camera body.  I used Evergreen tube, sanded and tapered, for the lens barrel.  Various scrap Evergreen was used to construct the camera body and photo flash activation unit.  A silver MV lens coated with Tamiya clear black was used for the camera lens.  After making the camera, I painted it dark gray, applied black oil wash, and dry brushed light gray.  I added decal info placards from a Microscale N scale diesel data sheet and Detail Master power cables.  I then scratch built a camera rack and mounted the assembly above the bomb sight window.

Back view of K-19 and photo flash trigger which also shows nose interior structure.

Stock kit bomb bay painted and weathered.
Bomb bay with scratch built fuel tank dry fit.

I next turned my attention to the bomb bay.  VB-135 installed an extra fuel tank in the rear section of the bomb bay.  I found diagrams of the installation on line (Hyperscale.com) and scratch built the tank.  To replicate the tank, I laminated .080" Evergreen sheet to approximately the correct depth.  I made a sanding template to reflect the correct profile of the tank and sanded the laminated slab to shape.  I glued on plastic strip to represent stiffeners, and then primed and painted.  If you make a tank be sure that it doesn't fit too tightly against  the bulkheads.  You have to leave room for the bomb bay door actuators which share the space.  I've also made a new bomb rack for the forward bomb bay to reconfigure it to accommodate three 500 lb. bombs.



Cockpit module with modified crew bulkhead.
Kit seats with Eduard color seat belts.
After doing doing the above modifications, I shifted my attention to my favorite part of any project, the cockpit.  I purchased and installed an Eduard zoom set for the PV-1 cockpit.  I added .005" clear plastic sheet into the Eduard color etch instrument panel sandwich.  The clear plastic gives the instruments uniform "glass" faces.  The Eduard throttle, prop, mixture, cowl flap control console upgrade is a nice improvement over the kit part.  The Eduard control levers are more delicate and provide more definition than the kit equivalents.  I also used the color etch seat belts and  shoulder harnesses.  These always look great unless I flake off the color while bending them to fit the seat contour.  I managed to not flake color in this case! I added cloth tape wrapping to the control yokes using thin white glue and buff paint.  I scratch built a clock for the top of the instrument panel combing and detailed the back of the panel as it is somewhat visible through a v shaped forward opening.  I next decided to fix the inaccurate rear cockpit bulkhead.  I cut off the errant right 2/3 of the bulkhead and added correct detail from photos using Evergreen strip stock.
Detail added to rear instrument panel and cabin bulkhead.


Scratch built radio operator station behind crew bulkhead.
Starboard and rear bulkhead detail of R/O station.
As noted earlier,  Revell didn't provide much detail to the rear of the cockpit.  After correcting the cockpit bulkhead, I realized that I now had a huge empty hole in my model where there should have been a scale radio operator's compartment.  I broke out my Ginter Publications book on the PV-1 and started plotting to scratch build said R/O compartment.  Everything in the compartment was made with Evergreen plastic except the R/O seat.  I stole the seat out of my yet-to-be-built Great Wall Hobby P-61A Black Widow.  My P-61 won't have an upper turret and won't need the gunner's seat.  The squadron of the aircraft I will build removed all the gunner's equipment, including the seat, to lighten the unit's aircraft.  The Great Wall seat looks good in the Revell PV-1 also.  It comes with rollers on its base which I mounted on a scratch built tube track.  Lockheed built PV-1s with interior paneling to the forward crew compartment walls which hid internal aircraft structure.   I added paneling to the fuselage walls.  This was easy except for precisely fitting it around the cabin windows.  I also made the R/O compartment rear bulkhead and floor.  I then built the R/O desk which includes lower left hand drawer, and built in clipboard to the right rear corner.  I populated the fuselage walls and bulkhead with various radio equipment seen in photos from the Ginter book on the PV-1.  As a final touch I made a fire extinguisher which I attached to the right wall above and behind the cabin window.  I'm happy with the way it looks and realize that it won't be very visible when the model is finished, but I had fun doing it.  You will, however, be able to see that something is going on back there besides a dark void.
Port R/O station.


 Now that I had everything in the fuselage, it was time to assemble the the major model components.  Fit of the parts is very good.  Wings and tail surfaces almost snap in place, and alignment is easy.  Minimal self-inflicted seem filling and finish sanding will be required.  I've dry mounted the engine nacelles to the wing and their fit is almost perfect with virtually no gaps or steps.  I'll glue them in place after installing the main landing gear struts.  I'm very impressed as this area has often been problematic on other kits.  Now my Ventura is taking shape.

Great fit of nacelle to wing (Dry fit).
I have a few more things to do before I start painting.  I've already added spark plug wires and rocker drain suction tubes to the kit R2800 engines.  I plan on adding some detail to the inside of the windscreen and canopy including backup compass and ring gun sight as seen in photos.  I probably won't add much to the main landing gear bays as the kit detail is reasonably complete for what will be seen.  I'm also looking at the shape of the barbette fairing for the Martin turret on the rear upper fuselage.  It appears to be correctly flush with the top of the fuselage at the forward and rear ends.  Photos, however, indicate that the sides curve downward from the top of the fuselage.  As molded, the lack of downward curve makes the fairing appear tall.  I've corrected the shape by sanding the sides down in order to improve the kit's shape.  I haven't, however, seen any photos of finished Venturas that have corrected this, and the finished models look good. In addition, I'm adding details to the turret interior to improve the accuracy of the visible areas.   The only other modifications I'll make concern antennas. I'll add an additional D/F loop antenna to the lower forward nose of the model.  I'll also replace the upper fuselage kit D/F with a smaller diameter antenna to match the one seen in photos of the aircraft I am building.  Both D/F loops will come from Tamiya 1/48 P-47 Thunderbolts.
Kit engines with added detail in progress. 
     

This wraps up part one.  Stay tuned for part two where I'll paint and finish this project.

Special thanks to Milton Bell for taking the great photos for this blog.            

                 



       

Thursday, September 27, 2012

New Kits for 4th Quarter 2012

These four new kits are due to be released between now and the end of the year.

Advanced orders can be placed at King's Hobby Shop.


Gallery Models / MRC:  1/48 UH-34D Seahorse
Stock Number:  3408-64107
Price:  $55.95

Italeri:  1/72 Short Sunderland Mk.1
Stock Number:  3290-1302
Price:  $78.98





Dragon: 1/35 T28 Super Heavy Tank
Stock Number:  3149-6750
Price:  $83.50





Polar Lights:  Star Trek USS Enterprise NCC-1701 TV Original Series
Stock Number:  3443-880
Price:  $161.98

These will all make great Holiday giftsOrder yours at King's Hobby Shop today to reserve them before supplies get short!



Monday, September 24, 2012

Kitty Hawk 1/48 F-35B Coming Soon!

Reserve one today at King's Hobby Shop.


The new Kitty Hawk 1/48 F-35B Lightning II should be arriving late this week or the first part of next week.  This is the first kit in 1/48 of this state-of-the-art stealthy jet fighter.  We've had lots of inquiries concerning the release date of this model so act quickly.  They won't last long!

Reserve your kit today at King's Hobby Shop!

Price: $59.95
Stock Number:  3319-KH80102

Friday, September 21, 2012

Upcoming Kit Release Announcements from the All Japan Hobby Show

*  Thanks to Milton Bell who has been a long time King's Hobby Shop customer and supporter who forwarded this information from another long time friend of the store Masahiko Nakasone.

Upcoming releases from Japan's Fabulous Four for the end of 2012 thru the first part of 2013.

Tamiya:
1/20 Red Bull RB6 Formula One
1/12 Honda NSR500 1984 ( Re-release with some updated parts.)
1/24 Mazda 787B #18 Le Mans 1991 ( Re-release with new livery.)
1/35 M1A2 Abrams Tusk II (Updated re-tool from M1A1 kit.)
1/48 German Mobelwagon self-propelled AA AFV
1/32 P-51D/K Mustang (New boxing of 2011 kit with new parts and decals for different versions.)

Hasegawa:
1/72 EF-2000 Eurofighter Typhoon (All new.)
1/48 F-15E Strike Eagle Tiger Meet 2005 (Updated with some new tooling.)
1/12 Yamaha YZR500 1988 (New tooling.)
1/350 IJN Heianmaru Sub Tender (New tooling.)

Fujimi:
1/20 Ferrari F2012 Formula One (New tooling.)
1/20 McLaren MP4/27 Formula One (New tooling.)
1/20 Sauber C30 Monaco GP Formula One (Updated with some new tooling.)
1/24 BMW Z4 GT3 Hatune-Miku 2012 (New livery.)
1/12 Honda CB1300P Police Motorcycle (New tooling.)
1/350 IJN Mogami Heavy Cruiser (New tooling.)

Aoshima:
1/24 Subaru BRZ (New tooling.)
1/72 Type 73 Truck JASDF (New tooling.)
1/700 IJN Amagi Aircraft Carrier (New tooling.)








Monday, September 17, 2012



M4:  Modelling the Sherman Tank


Stock number:  6292-AFVBK1322
Price:  $54.95
Publisher:  AFV Modeller Publications   

This is an exciting new release from AFV Publishing and authored by David Parker.  Fans of the M4 have been anticipating its availability and King's Hobby will have it later this week.  This is the most up to date guide for modelling the Sherman and includes information on all the latest kits and accessories.

The Book features:
  Soft cover 9.5" x 10.25" format. 

168 pages.

300 plus color photos.

Thirteen diverse modelling projects featuring the M4 tank by award winning modellers from around the world.

Archival Photographs.

Up to date Sherman kit and accessory listings.


Check out additional images from the book:




Reserve your copy at King's Hobby Shop today!





                                  

                                 

                                   

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Expendables 2

Yes, last night was the opening of the second installment of the greatest franchise since Rocky.  And it did not disappoint.  So, with the Austin Scale Modelers' annual show just one month away...and the theme being "Hollywood"...read on...

Here is a list of featured military vehicles and aircraft from the new movie, "Expendables 2";

In the opening scene there is a nice UAZ 469;
The Soviet equivalent to the M-38A1 or M-151, these show up everywhere.

Then our stars show up in three heavily modified Landrover Wolfs;

Six Landrovers were provided to the studio by a custom shop called Portal Rover.  Heavily modified, they make a spectacular entrance, but this is the only promo shot I can find of them.  Half Wolf / half M-1151, they are worth the price of admission;

Perhaps Portal Rover will do a feature on their website about the modifications.

Then there's the trucks...the good guys use URAL 375's (no stills from the movie available...boo...);



Or maybe they were Zil-131's...there was a lot going on;

Then the bad guys use the Gaz-66;



Without givivng away too much of the plot (and there's not much to give away), our team of heroes find their way onto an abandoned Soviet military base in the Albanian mountains.  They drive past gate-guards of SA-2 Guideline missles (as seen in the trailer, unfortunately, this is all you get to see of them);




Then right in the middle of a particularly fierce firefight, a rogue T-72 appears;



How do our heroes escape?  You'll have to see the movie.  But rest assured, by the time they get to the grande finale, our team is attacking a bridge defended by two ZPU-4's;






and a relic 76.2mm Zis-3;



All of these are available in kit form, and many are in stock at King's...so let's see some Expendables 2 entries at the ASMS show in October.  Happy building.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Tamiya 1/48 Il-2 Shturmovik


Tamiya 1/48 Il-2 Type 3 Shturmovik
Stock Number: 3500-61113
Price:  $79.98

We're expecting  the new Tamiya 1/48 Il-2 Shturmovik on Monday July 9.  In box and preview build reviews indicate that this kit is great.  Comparative reviews with the older Accurate Miniatures Il-2 released in 1997 have the Tamiya kit as more accurate and easier to build.  The Tamiya kit has a more accurate spinner profile and propeller plus more accurate wing and fuselage surface detail. There are also differences with the respective kits' main windscreens although both kits are thought to be accurate and merely different styles. Another nice feature included in the Tamiya kit is optional early and late style under wing rocket rails (AM kit includes only early rails).  The big difference in the kits is apparently the ease of build that the Tamiya kit has over the older Accurate Miniatures offering.
Tamiya Interior


The Tamiya kit represents the ultimate technically mature version of the Shturmovik which is designated Il-2 Type 3.  It was the most produced version of the aircraft with an estimated 17,000 built from a total of 36,000 plus of all versions.  It featured a boosted Mikulin AM-38F engine, factory installed rear gunners position, and 15 degree sweptback wing made of wood and later metal.  The increased sweep of the wing is to compensate for the increased rearward shift of the aircraft's center of gravity due to the gunners position.  Early two-seat Shturmoviks without the sweep where hard to handle.  With 36,000 plus produced, the Il-2 is the most produced combat aircraft ever and one of the most produced aircraft of all types.  Tamiya's kit represents its most typical metal wing form.
Kit landing gear


The kit offers three choices of markings.  The box art option is for an aircraft from the 6th GShAP (Guards Ground Attack Air Regiment).  It was flown by Captain I.F. Pavlov who was awarded the Gold Star Hero of the Soviet Union on two occasions.  Pavlov's rear gunner was G.I. Mamyrin.  The aircraft is a presentation aircraft paid for by the workers of Kustanai which was Pavlov's hometown.  It is depicted as it appeared in mid January 1945 while in action in East Prussia during the assault on Konigsburg.  The second option is for the Il-2 flown by the commander of the 227th ShAP (Ground Attack Air Regiment) Captain V.I. Mykhlik.  Mykhlik was also twice awarded the Gold Star Hero of the Soviet Union.  He had flown at Leningrad and then during the Belorussian campaign.  The inscriptions read "Avenge for Khristenko" and "For Leningrad".  The third choice in the kit is for an anonymous 16th VA (Air Army) Il-2 during the final campaign for Berlin in April 1945.  The aircraft is marked with a white 12 on the rear fuselage and upper left wing.  The vertical tail displays a white triangular leading edge and white dot on the rudder behind the red star.  The tail markings are probably unit markings but none is specifically attributed except to note that it is a unit from the 16th Air Army.  This final marking option is of interest because it is more representative of a typical late war Shturmovik.
Rear gunners position with Berizin UBT 12.7mm gun


Metal winged Il-2 Type 3 Shturmoviks were introduced to combat during June 1944 at the start of the Belorussian campaign better known as Operation Bagration.  By 1944 the Il-2, like the Soviet Air Force (VVS) had matured in capability.  It had overcome its early shortcomings such as lack of defensive armament (rear gunner), poor handling, and it was somewhat underpowered.  In the first two years of the war, Soviet pilots were poorly trained, and tactically insufficient in most respects compared to their German adversaries .  By the start of the Belorussian campaign Soviet aircraft performance was in the ball park with German types, and in some respects better than German.  Soviet air leadership had also developed more effective doctrine in all aspects of tactical air warfare including close air support.  Soviet aircraft outnumbered German according to some accounts by as much as six to one by 1944.  The Luftwaffe was no longer capable of maintaining air superiority over any sector where the Soviets wished to concentrate force.  The Il-2 Type 3 made up approximately 1/3 of the combat inventory of the VVS and was its premier close air support and tactical strike asset.

Il-2s were therefore, the Soviet's most effective tank killers.  Western post-war myth has the American supplied Bell P-39 Airacobra as a top VVS tank killer.  James Gebhardt who translated Dmitry Loza's Attack of the Airacobras:  Soviet Aces, American P-39s, & the Air War Against Germany  believes that the misconception of the Airacobra as tank killer stems from a mistranslation.  Gebhardt states that the Russian language phrase most often used to describe the role of  Soviet P-39 units is prikrytiye sukhoputnykh voysk or coverage of ground forces.  Soviet accounts from P-39 units note they were tasked with patrolling above a specific zone of the front and destroying bombers attempting to attack Soviet ground forces and hence, coverage of ground forces.  Western writers have assumed the phrase "coverage of ground forces" to mean close air support, which is incorrect.  Western sources unanimously note the effectiveness of the P-39s 37mm cannon against German armor.  This would undoubtedly be correct had Soviet Airacobra units been equipped with armor piercing ammunition, but they were not.  They typically were issued and fired 37mm high explosive rounds which were devastating against enemy aircraft.  Attack of the Airacobra author Loza notes that Soviet fighter units acted as Shturmoviks only in the closing months of the war when the Luftwaffe was no longer a regular threat.  He further states that FAB 100 bombs where used to attack armor not the 37mm cannon because Airacobra units were still primarily tasked with the air superiority role and issued high explosive ammunition.   We are therefore left to remember the Il-2 as the top allied tank killer on the Eastern Front.

With few exceptions, noteworthy pilots from the World War 2 Soviet Air Force are not well known in the west.  Below is a list of the top 10 tank killing Shturmovik pilots.

Aleksandr Nikolayevich Yefimov -- 198 ShAP, 62 ShAP -- 126 Tanks
Aleksandr Afanasyevich Bonder -- 59 GShAP -- 70 Tanks
Grigorij Ivanovich Kopayev -- 59 GShAP -- 70 Tanks
Viktor Maksimovich Golubev -- 258 ShAP, 59 GShAP -- 69 Tanks
Zakhar Solomonovich Kitalishvili -- 232 ShAP -- 69 Tanks
Vasilij Ivanovich Koslovskij -- 810 ShAP -- 68 Tanks
Anatolij Ivanovich Kadomtsev -- 688 ShAP -- 65 Tanks
Stepan Kharitonovich Markovtsev -- 208 ShAP -- 63 Tanks
Vasilij Fyodorovich Kolennikov -- 78 ShAP -- 56 Tanks
Arsentij Antonovich Malen -- 74 GShAP -- 53 Tanks

*V.I. Mykhlik noted above in the kit marking discussion was credited with the destruction of 50 tanks.




   





       

            
    

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Stug III at the Museum of the American GI

If you have been able to attend the Museum of the American GI's open house the last couple of years, you couldn't miss the new Stug III! 
We wre also lucky enough to have itjoin our Hetzer at the Texas Military Forces Museum's Muster Day Celebration in April.  But, believe it or not, the Stug started life as this;
The British FV 432 Armored Personnel Carrier.  According to the crew, the work was done in Sweden and Mr. Mullins bought it from a collector.  The following photos show the immense amount of work that has gone into the conversion.  It scales out to about 60% of the size of a Stug III and has been equipped with a propane main gun and MG 34.  I would like to say "thank you" to the Museum of the American GI.  Please visit their site and show your support;





and enjoy the following tour;
Now try to convert a Tamiya Stug III into an FV 432!