Post by losboz on Feb 12, 2024 8:50:05 GMT -5
How many of you are forever guilty of popping new lids open when multiple WIP builds already languish on the bench? I'm the worst, but you know, if a build takes a year, five, hell, even ten years to complete, I’m OK with that. It's not a race. Well for me it isn’t! Unless I get involved with a group build, I can happily build a kit and then leave it five years before I fire any paint at it.
We are so, so fortunate these days, there are simply so many new excellent products out there and the hobby has never been healthier IMO. Whilst its almost become overly saturated within certain genres there's never been a better time to be a modeller.
So, whilst I already have plenty of WIP's glaring at me, I've just recently started five more 
Two are from RFM. These are first builds of Rye Field Model products, and I had such a great time building the first one that I immediately went out and bought the interior version.
Their moulding finesse and detail is as sharp as the best Dragon could knock out mid noughties, but without the cluttered instructions, and more importantly with Tamiya-esq engineering. Stunning kits IMO
This is the RFM Panzer IV Ausf J kit #5033. Its 95% built with the addition of just a 3D printed empty fire extinguisher bracket and a Dragon tow clevis. I’m a few days in with the 'not so tedious as it could be' process of building up some T-Rex 3D printed links. All the spaced armour is dry fitted and for some reason none of the hatches, sprockets or idlers were popped on for the pic 
This is the RFM Panzer IV Ausf J interior kit #5043. I’m only 50% in on this one but it’s got my full attention! The interior construction is 99% complete but the majority of all the sub-assemblies will have to be painted before final placement, so it’s been an endless build, then test fit, build, and test fit again, to find out what parts can be fixed and what parts will have to be painted separately. At least the exterior is as kit 5033, so I’m not due any surprises. Unlike kit 5033 above, Ive gone with the four return roller alternative as it will represent (when eventually finished) a vehicle that ended the war intact in Czechoslovakia in 1945. There are several period images that show civilians standing on it with many of the hatches open so it will be nice to see as much of all the interior work as feasible.
Dragon's 11-year-old StuG.III F/8 Early Production #6620 is a lovely kit. Even with the rook of 1/35 scale StuG and StuH's that have appeared in recent years, this can still compete. The instructions are a nightmare but that’s par for the course with DML, but the kit is sweet. Most of the PE has plastic alternatives which is always a good idea IMO, and even though my later boxing had rubber tracks, I'm pretty sure these were once released with magic links. I sourced some 3D printed ones from QuickTracks. These are a snap fit, and both runs took less than 30mins to put together. They are robust once constructed, but unlike the type with pins to insert, due to the friction fit, they need a little adjustment once fitted, to get the perfect looking sag between the return rollers.
Takom’s Blitz series StuG III Ausf G (early) was released in 2020. As an antidote to more challenging projects on the go I figured this would be a nice quick build. And it was. it's been ripped to pieces in terms of accuracy but that didn't bother me on this occasion. Again, I just added a 3D printed fire extinguisher. It builds up nice with link and length tracks and a minimum amount of PE, so another relaxing and pleasurable build.
Last up is the venerable Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf J. This kit is 30 years old this year and, on the whole it is STILL a fabulously engineered kit. Sure, much of the fine detail is missing or crudely represented but it snaps together like LEGO and the majority of the shortfall in detail can be upgraded. The barrel is of the old split down the middle design so was replaced with a turned metal one, specific to this kit from Aber. Parts lacking in detail or more crudely moulded like the hatches, pioneer tools and Bosch headlight were replaced with parts from my Panzer IV spares box. I purchased this kit specifically for a MonroePerdu paper Zimmeret set I purchased a few years ago. I've still got some upper turret and spaced armour parts to clean up and add and it is awaiting the arrival of some 3D tracks.
It is such a pleasure to build a kit of this age without the need for major surgery. In this instance only a quick chat with the triage nurse was required to tackle an extremely tight fit between the main running wheel halves 
