[MoMo]

PickMattock

If the Stug llls which were slated as early arrivals, and which appeared on the early Dragon catalogue, appeared in the U.K. I never saw them!

I was keeping track of the U.K. releases, and I'm sure that no Stug llls ever graced the shelves of any model shop which I frequent. They may have sneaked into the lists of some mail-order companies but, again, I never saw them!

I asked a general question some time ago, and that was " Did they ever appear ? ".................no one seems to know.

More importantly, I haven't caught sight of any Panzer lV kits from Dragon. As soon as a Panzer lV kit appears, we'll know that the parade of Panzer lV variants are close behind them. Roll on that day! I can't wait to see which late version types Dragon will choose to use as inspiration for their Panzer lVs ! Starnge that the backbone of the German Army's Panzer Divisions should be so long in appearing.

MoMo

[MoMo]

These are pics of the two Stug llls which LegioLXlll has posted on his Diecast 1.72 site. They are brilliant looking machines, but as far as I'm concerned, they never happened ! I never saw them in the U.K. ( quite a pair of representatives; note the two versions of the mantlet and the two versions of the drive wheels )

DRR 60089

Stug III

DRR 60090

Stug111

[MoMo]

This one is slated to arrive in the U.K. in November :

Model number : DR60309
BRITISH SHERMAN MK.III 3rd COUNTY of LONDON YEOMANRY, SICILY JULY 1943

[MoMo]

But, I'm also waiting on this :

[MoMo]

and this :

[MoMo]

Well, Guys,

Thanks to the shennanigans with the server at the weekend, I could not make my usual weekend post on how things stand in the good ol' U.K.K..

Now I can report that the situation is rosy, and that I had to kick the head off my piggy bank to keep up with the goodies which turned up on my visits to The Treasure Bunker, in Glasgow, and to Wonderland, in Edinburgh.

First, my visit to The Treasure Bunker offered me the choices of buying the good old 'captured' Panther, and much more. I settled for the 'captued' Firefly, no 60321, which cost me a staggering £13.99. I must say that it was worth it. All that added track armour and the pink box seemed to shout : " Take me, take me ! " So I did! However, as Legio LXXll has noted, the track armour on the nose of the vehicle rides up over the two front hatches of the body, making a nonsense of any kind of practical scenario in which the tank is being driven away from a combat zone.

After passing ( for now ) on the captured Panther with the BIG RED STAR, I opted for the 251 C/10 with the 37mm AT gun, model no. 60294. This is being sold here for £12.99 ( ouch! ). I am pleased with the appearance and finish of this model. It represents a combat vehicle in the DAK, around the time of El Alamein. Although I take it that the markings are accurate ( a '13' and a white cross ) it would have been wonderful to see a vehicle sporting the famous DAK insignia. Perhaps we'll see one some day.

Anyway, the 251 was a joy because they have used the etched metal parts for the two ammunition racks which house the panniers for the 37mm. shells. This tiny construction has been rendered beautifully and the rear of the vehicle is as good as you can expect for the price. The ammo panniers sit in the racks, and contrast well because the panniers are painted a dark grey. I was less pleased with the 37mm. AT gun. I tried to traverse it, but it seems reluctant to budge. If you have one, did you have the same problem ? I also love the finish of the exterior. It represents a 251 which has had a lot of the sand finish sand-blasted off it by the wind. This has revealed a panzer grey/green paint job under the sand coat. I thought that this was a dramatic representation which gives the vehicle a worn, battle-weary appearance, especially on the gun shield. I like this sort of visible history of use and want. This is one of Dragon's best 251s, and every avid collector should get one to behold the mighty work which has gone into making the vehicle look real, and to gaze in wonder at the rear compartment !

Get one !

The last vehicle which I purchased from The Treasure Bunker was the first of the SU-100s to arrive in the U.K. I love this vehicle. I think that it is a sure winner. It is model no. 60299, the winter -washed tank destoyer of the 7th Mechanised Corps, Hungary, 1945. What a finish! ( cost, here, £10.99 )

( notice the rust along the seams and underparts. Many vehicles which I had a good look at did not have this exacting finish )
I had some correspondance with Legio LXXll about this one whem MH was down. When I was in the shop, I noticed that this vehicle was finished to two standards. First, we have the conventional finish of white over green. Great washes and giving the vehicle a suitably washed down look. At the bottom of the pile of SU-100s I noticed one which seemed to have a more refined touch. It included a great deal of rust-brown under the white wash, and gave the vehicle a more worn, and dramatic, and professional finish. There is no way that I could emulate this finish without using an airbrush to the most exacting standards. I also like the track 'hang' over the road wheels.

WOW ! I'd never part with this one ! It looks like a contender for the " Best DRagon ".

When I visited Wonderland in Edinburgh I examined all their newly arrived SU-100s and, sure enough, most were conventionally white over green, but a few were finished to the standard of the one which I had bagged in Glasgow. My best guess is that two or more groups are finishing off SU-100s in China, and that there is a marked and distinctive gap between one group and the other! Check out the finishes on this one if you are able ! Please post if you see the same distinction in your locality !

In Edinburgh I opted for the M4A3 105mm HVSS, model no. 60316, 20th Armoured Infantry Battalion, 10th Armoured Div, Germany, 1945. What can I say ? It's an East Eight with a 105 in green. A nice little number, but not very inspiring. It looks as if it just rolled off the Liberty Ship because the circle stars are just too white and clean. This one could have done with some more weathering to take the gloss off it ! There is weathering to the tank's body which is well done, and which defines the edges to the vehicle well, but a little extra thought should have rendered the stars a bit duller and more worn !

Also, in Edinburgh, I bagged a vehicle which I had not seen before, and which had probably come and gone quickly when it was current. This was the Command version of the Jagdpanzer lV L/70, Germany, 1945. Model no. : 60239. This tank destroyer is in Fall/ambush camo, so how could I resist ? I know that the ' Duck ' has not been a popular release among you, but I have a soft spot for the ugly, squat little beasts. I have the other Command vehicle, and had to have this one. It is very accurate in the running wheel configuration, having the front two running wheels replaced with all-steel wheels to compensate for the wear of the weight of the overhang from the L/70 gun. The side skirts are a great way of showing off the three colour camo.

I was going to write an interview which I undertook with the guys at The Treasure Bunker, but I'll save it for later because it is getting late, and I'm heading for bed!

Happy Hunting !

MoMo

[chascbv]

Great report, MoMo!

I've been watching pictures of Su-100s and indeed there seems to be two distinct finishes to this product. I was lucky to receive one with the "premium" finish (I hadn't noticed this peculiarity, and purchased my Su-100 on Ebay!), and it's simply awsome... You get the impression that this one was finished by some professional model-maker for his/her own collection, as the weathering (rust and dirt) is first-class! I fully agree with you, MoMo; this one should be included in the list for the best Dragon Armor ever... and I think it should win, as the painting and detailing (sagging tracks, for instance) put it in a class of its own!

[PickMattock]

As far as I know, that captured Firefly (60321) is just not coming out in North America. Dragon USA doesn't list it at all, same for the Red Star Panther. Not a big deal for me as I wasn't all that interested in these particular models, but their absence here has me worried about missing future releases that might interest me.

[tankguy]

I would like them to do a repaint of that exact same Firefly but in OD w/Brit markings. *That* would be a cool piece!

[MoMo]

I've been watching pictures of Su-100s and indeed there seems to be two distinct finishes to this product. I was lucky to receive one with the "premium" finish (I hadn't noticed this peculiarity, and purchased my Su-100 on Ebay!), and it's simply awsome... You get the impression that this one was finished by some professional model-maker for his/her own collection, as the weathering (rust and dirt) is first-class! I fully agree with you, MoMo; this one should be included in the list for the best Dragon Armor ever... and I think it should win, as the painting and detailing (sagging tracks, for instance) put it in a class of its own!
chascbv

I agree...I'll get round to reviewing the posts on the ' 10 best ....' thread this weekend, and I hope to have the poll started shortly.

If you are looking to buy this model of the SU-100, be sure to check the paint job, Guys, and go for the better version !

MoMo