[MoMo]

Sorry...I've been busy on other things, starting new projects and have had problems with aol, etc.

I've not stopped collecting or rummaging through the shops of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

All the goodies which I was expecting from Dragon have shown up :

I bought both 251s with the 2.8 mm sueeze gun, and the 251 with the 3.7 at gun. I am happy with all three, but I'm sure that dragon could have done better with the internal arrangements of the vehicles for each of these models.

I also bought the Jagdtiger with the two ton lifting crane, model no 60266 which is rendered in the Ambush/Fall three coloured camo scheme, further enhanced by contrasting chevrons over each colour cell. This is a must ( even if you hate the Jagdtiger ) because the paint job is a joy! My only complaint would have to be that DRagon do not provide a display case with enough hight to display the crane mounted within the case.

I noticed that some of the Jagdtigers in the other camo scheme ( which looked pretty, but which I passed on....how many crane-toting Jagdtigers can you have ? ) had a small sticker on them saying " Special Version ".

What could this be, I wondered. Aha ! A 'clamped' version...........where have I seen that before???

Come off it, Dragon, get busy producing Hetzers and Mark lVs instead of trying to flog the same stuff eight ways !


I've more to report, but I'll have to get back to other things....Noblesse Oblige ( sic )

[MoMo]

Hi Guys !

I decided to check out one of my favourite shops today and came up with these two beauties which have just arrived on our shores.

First, it was great to see another British Sherman; a mark lll with the narrow mantlet. The finish and weathering is much more subtle and pleasing than this pic, and it is a model which every collector will want to have the moment they see it !

I thought that at first the mounting behind the commander's cupola was a rest for some item of equipment, but, on closer inspection, I think that it may be a mounting for an MG. The vent hole which many members were worried about is missing from this version of the turret. The " Rommel Kist " at the rear of the turret is faithfully reproduced.

Don't take the colours on the pic as representative--the dark colour is actually a washed-out mid-green in the model which I bought.

It was great to see the insignia of the famous " Desert Rats " on the front of the hull. This makes it a must for all Brit collectors !
DR60309
BRITISH SHERMAN MK.III 3rd COUNTY of LONDON YEOMANRY, SICILY JULY 1943

( pic from toybox100 )
DR60304
STUG.III Ausf.G EARLY PRODUCTION, 'GROSSDEUTSCHLAND' DIVISION EASTERN FRONT 1943

( pic from toybox100 )
Best till last :

This early version of the Stug lll is a little gem. It is the first Sgug lll which has appeared, and this one, and it's cousin the winter-washed version, are the first Stug llls to be offered by Dragon ( not just stuck into the catalogue ! ) in real life !

This one purports to be a vehicle belonging to the " Grossdeutschland " Division which saw action on the Eastern Front in 1943.

For those of you who are trying to build up a little collection of vehicles representing this division, it will come as a welcome addition. To collectors in general, it will come as a relief to finally see a Stug lll after all the waiting we have been through.

The finish is a lot greener than the pic suggests, and the weathering is up to Dragon's high standards. It is a "generic" type with no numbers, so Legio LXll will welcome the opportunity to build up a section of them !

My one criticism of the model is that the gun shield is modelled in the folded-down mode, so there isn't even the option to add your own MG to detail the vehicle! Also, the commander's hatch is buttoned-up, so the Stug is in an uncharacteristic pose as a completely closed down vehicle. Typically, this type would be seen with the hatches open, lots of activity going on around it and with gunners feverishly working up a sweat chucking out empty shell cases from the Stug. Close support S.P. guns were not encouraged to be " up-front " where they were liable to be knocked-off by counter-artillery fire or by A.T. guns.

This aside, I look forward to picking up the winter-washed version from the " Death's Head " Division ( pic under ) and all the little Stug llls with skirts and meshes which are sure to appear. ( Which reminds me, why are there no Stug lVs with mesh skirts from Dragon ? Did they only use them on Panzer lVs ? )

" GERMAN STUG III Ausf.G EARLY PRODUCTION 3.Pz.DIVISION, 'TOTENKOPF' UKRAINE 1944 "

( pic from toybox100 )

Cheers and happy hunting,

MoMo

[MoMo]

Oh, I forgot to add : the Zimmerit coated King Tiger has arrived here too, together with the 1.32 scale " Loki " siege mortar.

MoMo

[MoMo]

Hey Guys,

check out the new announcements on Dragon USA!

At last, Dragon have produced a diorama which looks useful enough to excite the imagination of collectors ! This one lacks the Ferdinand + Pinnochio buildings which they favour to promote all those models which they couldn't sell last year !

Instead, we have a very useful firebase, some traedmarks on mud, a palisade for protection and some shell cases and discarded ammo box. Also, of course, a very presentable Hummel. The only feature I would like to have seen is the obvious one. Where's the crew ? If you leave the diorama like this, it looks as if the crew have decamped and headed for the hills ! Too lifeless.

WE need : a couple of figures dealing with the ammo; a firing crew; the back doors OPEN; some more debris; some packs, water bottles, helmets, canteens, etc. hanging on the vehicle.

Not too much to ask for, is it?

I will check this one out when it hits our shores and will, no doubt, buy it to add to the fantasmagoria of stuff which makes up my collection. Let's hope that Dragon learn from the feedback of collectors that they don't mind paying a bit more for added figures.

DRR60334

Coming Soon January 2008

1/72 Sd. Kfz. 165 Hummel Late Production 4.Pz.Div. Eastern Front w/Bunker Base, Ammo case and spent-shell

I probably won't buy this Ferdinand, which is also slated for january. Surely Dragon have covered every Ferdie and Jumbo ( Dumbo? ) ever created from the rejected Tiger chassis by this time!
I have plenty. I don't know if collectors have room for any more !

Also, despite the half-decent buildings, and well moulded cobble stones, the round base is NAFF! I'd rather see a more realistic scenario, such as the one above !

What do you think ?


Cheers,

MoMo

[Splashone]

I like that Hummel dio. I agree MoMo, the rectangular dioramas appeal more to me than the round bases which sorta remind me of snowglobes.

[MoMo]

Cheers, Splashone.

I think that most of the guys on the site would agree with you. The round base is fine if you just wish to collect and display without adding details to the piece, but I like to detail some models so that they look as if they have some life. So, the Hummel diorama has possibilities. What do you think guys ?

[Legio LXXII]

I think it's an improvement, but nothing that great. There are loads of diorama items available on the market much better than this.

[tankguy]

This one surprises me a bit as I thought the Hummel were all good sellers. Most previous dios have been sturmtigers, elefant, and jagdtiger which have also stuck around shops in their standard packaging.

[MoMo]

Re: Today's Dragons in the U.K.

---

This one surprises me a bit as I thought the Hummel were all good sellers. Most previous dios have been sturmtigers, elefant, and jagdtiger which have also stuck around shops in their standard packaging.
tankguy

Yes, Tankguy,
I must admit that the choice of the Hummel did throw me. I agree that it has become common folklore that Dragon have viewed the diorama avenue as a way of off-loading slow sellers. However, this Hummel looks very interesting in it's site.

I also agree with Leggio LXXll that you can get much more interesting diorama material from the modellers who run small businesses. However, these can often be expensive, and you do have to add your own creative input. I think that for many of our members who are crying out for figures and props to add life to their collections, Dragon may just be a possibility, if they take the right direction.

MoMo

[MoMo]

Hi guys,

I was in the " Treasure Bunker " yesterday, and asked the guys there if there had been any sightings of the Jagdpanther. No luck. It has not arrived, but is on order.

I did pick up an interesting piece of intel, confirmed by the pic from " The Flying Mule ", that a new 251 C should appear at the start of the new year. It looks as if it's carrying a 3.7 AT ( pea-shooter ) gun, with a gun shield similar to that of the 2.8 squeeze gun. Don't be put off by the overexposed/badly lit pic. The guys from the Bunker let me have a look at the image which they had from their supplier's site, and I'm glad to say that the camo and weathering are extremely subtle , and well up to Dragon's usual, high standard. So, this pic which looks as if a vandal has gone mad with a can of spray-paint should only serve to show you the general arrangement of the vehicle.

DM-60337
SdKfz 251 Half-Track Diecast Model
German Army Pz.Gren.Div LAH, Kursk, Russia, 1943