[MoMo]

Dear Dragonheads,

On today's trip to Edinburgh's premier Model shop, Wonderland, I discovered, yet again, that he who hesitates ( or who just ain't there ) is lost!

I picked up a couple of Dragon Warbirds for £12.00 ( see posting in 'Bargains' ) but, at the same time, discovered that the dealer had received a carton of 30 mixed vehicles with 25 Fireflies in it! All of them were either spoken for as preorders or were sold within hours!

I talked with the guy at the desk and he said that the U.K. distributer had said that he couldn't promise any more! Boy, was I pissed-off!

I did manage to get a hold of the M4A1 Sherman, 7th Armoured Division, France 1944, " Battling Bitch" and was impressed with the simple finish and aplique armour. A simple and effective Sherman with few pretentions.

I thought that the texure on the moulded/cast hull and turret was very fine. Compared to its dad, the old ESCI kit ( now Italieri ) it represents a clear improvement. I loved the old ESCI kit and built a few of them so I felt vindicated after buying the Dragon when I compared them side by side at home.

I also purchased the newly arrived Hummel. Plenty of these on the shelves.

I liked the build and finish of this heavyweight from the 6th Battery of the 4th Panzer Division, Eastern Front, 1944.

I first checked out the traverse and elevation of the gun. Both appear to be correct, for the scale, and both actions worked beautifully. I especially appreciated the interior detail in the fighting box. The gun and the stowage bins are finely modelled. I'm even tempted to buy the kit and try out the detailing for myself. The camo finish and fine detail on the exterior hull are a joy and pro-modellers would find it hard going to equal the superb finish. Top marks Dragon!

After talking with the shop's representative, I asked him if he had thought of stocking any of the Admiral stuff, in the pipeline, and he said that after adding 17.5% VAT and Import Duty, it was not a good prospect to compete with Dragon or FOV. I had to pay £12.99 for the Hummel ( $ 26.00 ) and £10.99 for the Sherman ( $22.00 ). At these prices, I'm sure that Admiral could compete!

The shop assistant also informed me that some variant of the 251 had come and gone. He said that it had gone so quickly that he couldn't recall the variant exactly, " Yellow camo, I think, with some winter scheme sloshed on top!"..????

I'll now have to go on the hunt for the elusive Firefly!

Happy hunting!

MoMo

[MoMo]

Another trip into downtown Glasgow to search for a Firefly. No luck!

Still, I did chance upon the last of these babies and as a bonus scored a Hongwell/Schucco/Cararama 1.72 Jeep in navy blue livery.

The 251 is in the markings of Pz. Gren. Div. " Grossdeuchland" and is camoflaged for the Kursk battle, !943. Neat little thing! ( cost £ 9.99 )

The Jeep cost £1.50 and will vary my collection of Hongwell jeeps. I think that I have all the variant number plates for the military version, including the M.P.s jeeps. I still have to find one in desert camo, and I think that there may be one in dark airforce blue.
MoMo

[MoMo]

Good news for those of us in the UK:

There are still some Fireflies about if you hunt around. I bagged two of the blighters when I chanced upon the last six sitting in " The Treasure Bunker", a shop I visit which is near Glasgow's historic heart, Glasgow Cross.

The Fireflies are the well-known Firefly Vc types which are in the livery of 3 Troop, A Squadron, Northamptonshire Yeomanry, France, 1944.

The hull is the welded type and the paint job is a basic green/kahki with the tank reg. no. '12' on the turret sides. The Allied five-point star in circle is on the rear engine covers and the regimental no '173' is on the front, right mud guard.

It is a pleasing and simple representation of this famous vehicle and I'm certain all Dragonheads will want a few to provide a real ballance to their WW2 compliment, the Firefly being able to cope with Panthers and Tigers on a reasonable level of parity of shot, if not armour. The question of survivability on the battlefield is another debate!

The tank itself, I've always thought of as a good stop-gap to the menace of the Panzers but the longer Brit anti-tank gun and the counterweighting to the rear of the turret seem to detract from the neatness of the Sherman hull. A little like David weilding a log rather than a sling!

Still, it's a welcome sight to all of you who are sick of seeing Jagtigers in 18 camo variants and in need of something to counter the menace of the Tigers!


On another note, I also fell upon the 251 D Hannomags in winter camo which had also arrived ( see other thread )

Cheers,

MoMo

[MoMo]

Some more hunting has paid off, Dragonheads!

First : on a trip to Edinburgh, I came upon some new issues which I'm sure that you will want, if you haven't sought and bought already!

• M4A1 " Battling Bitch" of the 7th Armoured Div. France 1944

great little Sherman with a basic green finish and allied stars in a sort of bluish/grey colour ( dulled-down white ).

• A real star! The new " Hummel ". ( 60189 ) 6th Battery, 4th Panzer Div., Eastern Front, 1944.

Beautifully detailed interior and a two-tone sand and green camo. Everyone will want one!

• M4A1 Sherman, 2nd Armoured Div. Nornamdy, 1944.

great finish and decals. Marked as vehicle " D-32" in two-tone camo scheme, green/earth and " I Want You " hull art.

• Nashorn, s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.560, Germany 1943.

O.K. so it's not that much different from the Hornisse, but it has a good finish ( basic sand and waves of green, horizontal stripes ) and the interior is as good as the Hornisse. The breach-block and sight seem to be rendered in a darker colour-almost metalic black, so they are well defined and stand out well! Traverses and elevates well, and also to scale!


Happy hunting!

MoMo

[Legio LXXII]

Originally Posted by MoMo

Everyone will want one!

I liked them so much I bought 3. They're not individually numbered which makes it easy to use them together. Add a little stowage and crew to each and you have yourself a nice little unit.

[MoMo]

I bought two, LegioLXX11, but I may buy some more so that I can follow my usual policy of keeping a couple boxed, and also adding a couple to my free-floating AFV collection which is a mixture of everything available in models over the last 20 years or so, as well as fully-builds which I've collected ever since I caught the CDC bug!

I agree that the Dragon S.P. gun collection: Hornisse, Hummel and Nashorn are all great opportunities for modellers to add their own detail.

For those of you who are scared of the idea of painting 1.72 soldiers, check out the advice and pics given by Mr LegioLXX11 and others on the Mini. Figs thread. I strongly recommend " Armourfast's" 1.72 Mortar Team and also their " Machine Gun Team". Both these kits will give you many figures to populate and bring to life the Dragon S.Ps in the uniforms of the 1943/4 period onwards.
Also, Pegasus' set,
" Mortar Team" will give you figures more suited to campaigns before 1942/3.

Even some basic painting of these figures: uniform, boots, leather strapping and flesh is enough to bring them some animation and add something to the character of the collection which you have spent days tracking down and aquiring. A figure or two, used judiciously on an open display, or even in a display case will add a new dimension to your collection.

If you want to spend a fascinating few hours finding out what is available check out the best site for 1.72 fig.s in plastic. The site is huge, but they do list sets in eras and by nationality. You can find painted examples on this site which I hope will give some of you ideas! :

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/

These figures will also enhance the appearance of your 251 collection of Dragons and FOVs. Preisser make figures for 251s and they look brilliant on the Dragons which I have. Think how the inclusion of a few figures with the FOV U.S. Half-Track made a distinct improvement to the appeal of it!

MoMo

[MoMo]

Today : back from a wind and rain-swept city centre. No luck. Nothing new has appeared in the Glasgow shops which I frequent.

One shop, " The Treasure Bunker" has a good stock of Dragons, but nothing new has appeared since Christmas.

Like most of you, probably, I'm awaiting the arrival of some more 251 variants. The Bohemian paint job in particular!

I may try my luck in Edinburgh next week. I'll keep you posted.

Happy Hunting!

MoMo

[MoMo]

Dear Dragonheads,

Well, quite an adventure today. I set off thinking that I would be lucky to find one interesting new piece. Instead I came across no less than seven!

Firstly, at the " Treasure Bunker" I bagged the two new German AFVs, the Tiger and the King Tiger, from FOV. They are now in new BOXES. Still pretty shoddy, but better than the old hang-em-up display packs which were no use to anyone! Pictures and comment on " FOV New Stuff" thread!

To the dragons: The two " Captured/Turncoat" Fireflies, I rejected. I just wasn't sure. How many variants can you collect or have room for? Still, the one in khaki with the white crosses is a brilliant paint job with lots of character, as you can see from the illustration. I'm sure that it will be popular with most of you.

The other " Turncoat" looked a bit too insipid for me, so I left it.

I was glad to get one of the two remaining 'Red Heart Nashorns, Eastern Front, 1944. It is a beautiful model. The interior contrasts well with the exterior, dark como scheme. I like this. It adds depth to the whole ensemble.

The Hummel, Winter, Poland, 1945 ( second bottom pic. ) is a wee cracker!
The winter camo scheme is beautifully rendered and, again, the exterior camo sets a contrast for the interior. This one 'glows' agaist the black background of the box's interior and looks really ghostly ( especially with the lack of animation from figures ) so the effect is one of mystery. This is a beauty, Leggio LXX11, so if you have ordered a dozen, you'll be very pleased.

I was glad to get the Winter Hummel. Dragon have quite a fine collection of vehicles in winter camo now, and they look great together on display. I wasn't quite a happy cat about collecting AFVs in this winter scheme at first, but now I'm hooked.

Pounce!

The last captive to fall my way was the second 251, Ausf.D. from Dragon. This one in the livery of 97th Inf. Div. Bohemia, 1945, is one I've been after for a while. It looks finer and neater than it does in the illustration. The 'Changeover' numbers are expertly managed and the effect is quite wonderful agaist the brilliant three colour camo stripes. This may turn out to be one of the most popular and collectable 251s in the series.

Costs : FOVs have gone up to about $21.00; Hummel = $ $23.00; Nashorn = $ 23.00 and the 251 = $ 21.00.

Okay, stop crowing, Yanks! At least I get the pleasure of examining the goods in a shop and on display with their cousins in the scale model world! Also, I can compare the models phisically. I don't have to wait on mail order and I get to take them away at the time.

Meaowwww, Meaowwwww!

I just wish that we had your bloody prices!

MoMo

[MoMo]

This is what I'm after next :



They are supposed to be available in the U.S. right now. Has anyone seen any?

I'll check out my store in Edinburgh, week after next. Next weekend I'm off to the country.

MoMo

[jim]

I envy you Mo, not a single model shop anywhere around here. When I was a kid I spent hours in the shops mulling over which Airfix kit I was going to buy. It was almost as much fun as building the Kit.