Message from the President:

Styrene DreamsBy

Matthew Toms

Fellow club members, 2012 is now upon us and it’s almost impossible t o believe how the armor modeling world has ex-ploded. New model companies, models being re-leased faster than anybody could build them, new PE companies, new aluminum barrel companies, new track companies, new weathering and effects companies introducing products never seen before! Half a dozen choices in each

c a t e g o -ry! A man could spend all his time keeping a list of what’s on the market and never touch a mod- e l . Or he could t h r o w h i s c o m -p u t e r o u t t h e w i n -dow, just build mod-els, and never run out of new releases to build. All of this in what has been the neglected category of a “dying hobby”. These are good days to be a treadhead. Traditionally, IPMS shows had 36 aircraft catego-ries and 3 armor categories. A dirty tank would never, ever win best of show. The plane guys would proclaim

weathering to be how we covered up our lousy paint-ing skills. And the car guys would boast of their entry, “This was a bitch of a kit – there had to be 40 parts in there! But all this has changed, too. The armor guys are cool now and win more than their share of awards. Younger builders, many who’s Father (or themselves) served on the vehicles they model, have entered the scene. New techniques and processes are changing how finished armor looks and those new to the hobby are getting in on the ground floor. Modelers are go-ing for the whole treatment from build #1, which just boggles my mind. I worked for years on getting the perfect build before I started concentrating on paint jobs and not until after that did I venture into after-market additions. I’m still working on newer weath-ering methods and effects products. It seems strange that in the middle of the Dodd De-

pression, in a dying hobby, there is so much going on and so much growth you can’t keep track of it all. Even after modeling for 43 years, there is so much new that I

want to learn.

Each

model I try s o m e -

thing n e w s o each

b u i l d is a differ-

ent experience. And the greatest thing is that for the last 14 years I’ve been able to share my models with a great group of modelers who are also true friends. Yes, these are good days to be a treadhead.

Photo: Georg Eyerman

Message from the President:

Modeling From the EdgeBy Georg Eyerman

The Terror of Sofia, Bulgaria Theinspirationforthismodelcamein2000attheAMPSnationalsinHavredeGrace,Maryland.WhileIwasthere,IstumbledacrossArmoredVehicles1935-1945:EquipmentandArmorintheBulgarianArmybyKaloyanMatevatoneofthebookvendorsattheshow.OnthecoverwasaPzKpfw38(t)inBulgarianmarkings!IttookthecreationofDecalcomaniacs!DM-014BulgarianAFV’sdecalsheettomaketheprojectpossible.LikeBrazil,Bulgariadidnothaveanindigenousarmoredvehicleprograminthefirsthalfofthe20thcenturyandthereforepurchaseditsweaponsontheinternationalmarket. Bulgaria’sinvolvement(aspartofAustriaHungary)inWorldWarOneresultedinitbeingpenalizedbytheTreatyofVersailles.Formostofthe1920’sBulgariawasnotpermittedtopurchaseorproduceoffensiveweapons.Bythe1930’smanyoftheserestrictionswerecircumventedorignored.ItwasduringthisperiodthatthefirstAFV’swerepurchased;comprisingof14ItalianCVL3/33tankettes(1934)and8Vickers6tonmodelElighttanks(1936).TheVickerswasarmedwiththe

47mmgunasopposedtomachinegunarmament.Itisnotuntilearly1940thatthefirstPzKpfw35(t)’sarrivedinBulgaria.Intheend,Bulgariareceived36PzKpfw35(t)’s,called“Skoda”inservice.AsWorldWarTwoprogressed,theBulgarianArmyreceivednumerousAFV’sfromGermany.Theseincluded97PzKpfwIV’s(eitherausfGorH),55STUGIIIausfG’s,19R-35lighttanks(fromcapturedGermanstocks),20SdKfz222or223armoredcarsand10PzKpfw38(t)’s.Originally,thePzKpfw38(t)’sweresupposedtobePzKpfwIII’sasperanagreementwithGermanyin1942.Duetothedeterioratingmilitarysituation,thesewerereplacedwiththePzKpfw38(t)’s.ThePzKpfw38(t)’sarrivedinBulgariainMay

1943andultimatelyendedupservinginthe9thcompany,3rdBattalionoftheArmoredRegiment.Ofthe10tanks,onewasanausfEandtwowereausfF’s.ThesevehiclesservedintheBulgarianArmyuntiltheendofthewar.

ThePzKpfw38(t)’sarrivedinBulgariapaintedindarkyellow.ThevehicleswereleftinthisoverallcolorandwereassignedlicenseplatenumbersfromB-60059toB-60068.Thesewerecarriedontherear(andpossibly

thefront).Thetacticalnumberpaintedontheturretsides(possiblyrear?)correspondedtothelasttwodigitsofthelicenseplate.Theearlynationalinsignia,the“Andreevski”cross,wascarriedinahaphazardmanneranddifferedinlocationandstylefromvehicletovehicle.Also,variousslogansandmarkingswereappliedalloverthevehicles,almostatthewhimofthecrew.MostBulgarianAFV’sdidnotcarryanyunitmarkings,butthePzKpfw38(t)’scarriedacompanyinsigniaofablackskullandcross-bonesinfrontofthetacticalnumber. Todate,therehavebeenthreedifferentPzKpfw38(t)kitsproducedinplastic.Italeri/Revell/Testors,MaquetteandTristarhaveallmade1/35scalemodelsofthisvehiclesinvaryingausfurungsandwithequallyvariedlevelsofsuccess.Italeriwasfirstonthesceneandwasasimplekitwithnumerouserrors(missingtheupperhullhatch),simplifieddetailsandtrulyhorrifictoolsandtracks.Inthe1990’s,MaquettecamealongwithanicelineofPzKpfw38(t)kits.TheyproducedanausfA-D,aBefehelspanzerandanausfG.Thekitswereniceandfeaturedindividuallinktracks,correctdetailsandacoupleofphoto-etchparts.Unfortunately,someofthedetailwas

heavyandtheplasticitselfwasthick.Tristaristhelatestentrantintothearenaandhasproduced2kits:oneausfE/FandanausfG.Thesearetrulystate-of-the-artmodels,featuringindividuallinktrack,extremelyfinedetailandaratherextensivephoto-etchsheet.Oneofthemorenote-worthyaspectsofthemodelisthatfactthattherubberrimsontheroadwheelsandreturnrollersaremoldedasseparatepiecesandcanbepaintedandaddedafterthemodelispainted(nomoretouch-ups!). TheTristarkitisreallynice,butIjustcouldn’tleavewellenoughalone.So,justtomakethingsinteresting,IpickeduptheRoyalModelPzKpfw38(t)detailset,theJordiRubiogunbarrelandasetofModelkasten’sSK-30“Praga”38(t)workabletracks.Asitturnedout,IusedaboutaquarteroftheRoyalset,ostensiblythefendersandbrackets.IdidnotusetheRubiobarrelbecauseofthewaythegunmountandbarrelisassembled.IfoundtheModelkastentrackstobeverywelldetailed,buttheywereextremelyfragileandbrokeseveraltimesbeforetheywereputonthemodel.OneofthenewtechniquesItriedoutwasresistancesoldering.Insteadofusingheat,thismethoduseselectricity.Everythingisset

upexactlythesameasnormalsolderingwithrespecttotheplacementoffluxandparts,butthesolderinitsunmeltedformisalsoputbetweentheparts.Thetwoelectrodesareplacedonbothsidesofthejointandamildcurrentisapplied.Sincethebrassheatsupduetoelectricalresistanceandmeltsthesolder.Theprocessisquickandneat,butdoestakesometimetomaster.Also,theequipmentisratherpricey,butintheendisdefinitelyworthit. Ifollowedtheinstructionswhenassemblingthemodel,butdidleavethe“rubber”suspensionparts,mufflerandtoolsoffforindividualpainting.Ifoundthatwhilethekitwasextremelywelldetailed,partsthatcouldhavebeenmoldedasonepiecewerebrokendownintoseveralsmallparts.I’mnotcomplaining,butthisdoesruntheriskoflossorassemblyproblems.Ifoundthecommander’scupolatobeespeciallyfiddlywithseparatevisionblocks,visionguardsandpanels.Ineededtosandandtestfiteachpartseveraltimestoensureagoodfit.Also,unlessthekitissuppliedwithaninteriorandneedsdetailontheinsideoftheparts,Iseenoneedforseparatehullpanels.Thisjustcomplicatesthemodeler’sjobandrisksalignmentproblemslater.Ithoughttheuseofclearplasticpartsforthevisiondeviceswasaverynicetouch.Ireplacedthetwograbhandleswithonesfromwire.ItexturedthemufflerwithMr.Surfacertoshowarusted,corrodedsurface.Iusedmuchofthephoto-etchsuppliedwiththekitforthetie-downstrapsforthetoolsandtheengineintakescreen.Ileftoffthesmokedischargerbox,asmyreferencephotosdonotshowitinusewithBulgarianvehicles.Assemblyofthetrackswasnottoodifficult,justverytedious.AsIstatedbefore,Ifoundtheassembledtrackstobefragileand

thepinsbrokeveryeasily.Iendedupsuper-gluingseveralsectionstogether. Withthekitassembled,Iprimeditandthetrackswithblackautomotiveprimerfromaspraycanandleteverythingdrayovernight.Ithenstartedtopaintthetoolsandmuffler.Forthebasecoat,themodelwasairbrushedwithmyPeakX3airbrushas40psifromSprintjetcompressor.ThePeakX3seemstobeanIwataHP-BCSclonewithoutthechromefinish(thePeakisblackenamel)ortheprice.IfoundthebrushworksjustaswellasmyIwata.Forpaint,IusedacustommixIhadmadealocalhardwarestore.Ihavefoundthatflatacrylichousepaint,whenthinnedenough,airbrushesnicelyandisvirtuallyimpervioustoanythingIuseinmodeling.Idilutedthepainttoroughly20%paint,usingWindexasathinner.Thefirstcoupleoflayersarealmosttransparent,butafteracoupleofpasses,thepaintbuiltupenoughtobevisible.Atthatpoint,IaddedsomeCeramicoatputtycoloredpainttothemixtolightenitandnowconcentratedonthecentersofthepanels.Irepeatedthisprocess,addingWindextokeeptheconsistencyright.IusedPollyScaleDirt,heavilythinnedwithwaterasasuper-heavywashonthelowerhull.Onceallthepaintingwasdone(afterabout4layersofpaint),themodelwassetasidetodryforafewdaysinmyspray-booth.Myruleofthumbisthepaintisdrywhenyoucan’tsmellthethinneranymore.Thisisacarryoverfromtheolddayswhenoil-basedpaintswerethenorm.Ipaintedthemachinegunsflatblackaswellasthemetalpartsofthetools.ThehandleswerepaintedTamiyared-brown,withthewoodgrainpickedoutinbrown.Themufflerwasalsoprimedred-brownatthistime.Thetracks

wereprimedinblack,giventhesamePollyScaleDirt“superwash”asthelowerhullandrubbedwithgraphiteforwear.

IthenpreparedmodelfordecalsbybrushingonsomeModelMasterclearglossontothepanelsthataretobedecaled.Fordecals,IusedtheDecalcomaniacs!DM-014BulgarianAFV’ssheetthatcontainedeverythingbutthetacticalnumbers.Iscroungedthoseupfrommydecalsparesbox.IusedSolvasettohelpsnugglethedecalsontothemodel’ssurface.Atthispoint,Iaddedthetoolsandmufflerwithsuper-glue.Afterlettingeverythingdryovernight,IsprayedthemodelwithArmouryFigureFlat.Itdriesdeadflatandcompletelyclear.Ithencoatedthemodelwithafilterofburntumberoilpaint.Ifollowedthatupwithapin-washofrawumber.Boththefilterandthepin-washwerethinnedwithThin-Xodorlesspaintthinner.Ileteverythingdryforafewdaysandpreparedtousethe“dot”techniquetoweatherthemodel.Istayedawayfromthereallydarkcolors(black,brown,siennaandumber)forthedotsthistime,concentratingonwhite,yellowsandsomegreen.Afteradayofdryingtime,openedupthemodelingpowders.ImixedupsomeMMP“mediumearth”withacrylicflatmediumdilutedwithwaterandwithanoldbushspatteredthemixturealloverthelowerhullandfenders.Irepresentdriedmudontheroad-wheelsandrunninggear,pressingtheroad-wheelsintothedrypowderandthenaddingheavilythinnedwhitegluetosecureit.ThemufflerwasweatheredwithvariousrustcoloredpowdersthinnedwithThin-X.Oncedry,Iwashedthemufflerwiththeburntumberfiltertomutethecolors.Finally,theroad-wheelsandidlerweremountedandthetrackswrappedaroundthesuspension.Iadjustedthetensionusingtheidlerwheelsandsecuredthemwithultra-thinsuper-glue.

Withthat,themodelwasfinished.Iwasaimingforamoreweather-beatenlookthanactualcombatdamage,astheBulgarianArmydidnotengageincombatoperationsuntil1944.Eventhen,theywereengagedagainsttheGermans,ratherthanRussianforces.Thisparticular

vehiclehasnotbeenwelldocumentedinphotographs,soIallowedmyselfalittlemoreleewaywhenconstructingthemodel.I’msureintheupcomingyearsmoreofthesemodelswillbegintoshowupincompetitions,butfewwillbesportingthesemarkings!Asidefromthesmallgripesduringconstruction,Ienjoyedbuildingthemodel.Idon’trecommenditasafirstkit,butmoderatelyexperiencedmodelersshouldnothavemuchproblemwithit.Remember:killnetworkTV,buildamodel!Seeyounexttime!

Reference:Francev,VladimirandCharlesK.Kliment.CzechoslovakArmoredFightingVehicles1918-1948.ScifferPublishing,Ltd.,Atglen,Pennsylvania:1997.

Francev,VladimirandCharlesK.Kliment.PragaLTvz.38.MBIPublishingHouse,Prague,CzechRepublic:1997.

Kliment,CharlesK.andHilaryL.Doyle.PzKpfw38(t)inaction.Squadron/SignalPublications,Carrollton,Texas:1979.

Koran,FrantisekandVladimirFrancev.Pz.Kpfw.38(t)Ausf.A-Dindetail.RAK,Prague,CzechRepublic:2006.

Matev,Kaloyan.ArmoredVehicles1935-1945,EquipmentandArmorintheBulgarianArmy.AngelaPublishers,Sofie,Bulgaria:2000.

Brazil received about 300 M-41’s as part of theU.S.’s Military assistance Program (MAP) in the 1950’sand60’s.Bythe1980’sthevehicleswereobsoleteandcostof replacement beyondwhat theBrazilian economycouldafford. Asaresult, theBernardiniCompanywasawardedacontracttoupdateandimprovethetanks.Anewengine,reworkedgun,newfirecontrolsandstowagechangesmadeuptheconversion.

Theprimecriticismof theM-41hadalwaysbeenitsshortrangeduetotheuseofagasolineengine.Partofthe upgrade package included the installation of a Saab-ScaniaDS-14deiselengine.AstheenginewassubstantiallylargerthantheContinentalAOS895-3,anewenginedeckwithsignificantlymoreairflowwasdesignedandinstalled.Also, theexhaustwas reroutedoutone sideof theenginecompartment. The space takenon the opposite fender by

oneofthemufflerswasusedforanotherstowagebox. Somewhere along the line, it was decided thatincreasing theM-41’sfirepowerwouldbeagood idea. Itwas discovered that the chamber pressures of the old 76mmgunwerehigher than thatof theCockerillMk III90mmwhichwascomingintoservicewithCascavelseriesofarmoredcars.Theold76mmgunbarrelswereboredoutto90mmandthenheavilyreinforced,hencethesleavingofthebarrel. Initially, a significant up-armoring package wasenvisioned,butduetocostandweight,thiswasabandoned.However,theup-armoringblockswereusedasstowagebinsaroundthesidesoftheturret.Also,smokegrenadelauncherswerealsoaddedtotheoutsideoftheturretstowagebins. RenamedM-41B,thesevehicleswereusedfromthelate1980’supuntilthemid-1990’swhentheywereplaced

Brazilian M-41 B

Brazilian M-41 B Walker BulldogWalker Bulldog

Photos By Georg EyermanPhotos By Georg Eyerman

by Leopards and M-60’s (former Ft. Drum, NY tanks).TheynowareusedasgateguardsatmanyBrazilianmilitaryinstallationsandmuseums.Tomyknowledge,theyarenorunningexamplesleft. Thisparticularvehicle is locatedat theCondesdeLihares’MilitarMuseumintheSaoCristovaodistrictinRiode Janeiro. Iwas taken there bymy friend JoseAntonioVallesbackin1999.It’saneatlittlemuseumwithabunchof tanks andartillerypieces, includingaU.S.-built 8 inchrailroadgun.

Brazilian M-41 B

Brazilian M-41 B Walker BulldogWalker Bulldog

Letter from the EditorBy

James F. Zilvitis Jr.

This is the first issue for the newsletter for NMMA in quite some time. I asked Matt if I could re-vive it for the porposes of having a great newsletter for all of us to enjoy. I also would like to gain the needed experiance of designing and creating the grapichs por-tion of the newsletter. Something that will build my resume for potiental work down the road. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a for-mat that I thought would look good. Please give me some feedback on what you all think. I hope you like it. Let me know how you think it fits with our club’s purpose. I tried to create something a little different for the background. Let me know how you like it. Is it too distracting or does it look good? I can tone it down even more if I need to. While I was hoping to get the Zimerette demo done for this issue I was more interested in getting the

first issue out the door so to speak so I will have that for the next issue. I also have a walkaround for next issue thanks to Matt Toms, who provided me photos of the Russian armored car at the Military Museum of Southern New England. Thanks Matt. I would also like to take time to thank Georg Eyerman whose massive contirbutions would have otherwise made this first issue even longer in coming to fruition. Georg provided both of the articles for this first issue. Without that you would not be reading this right now. Thanks Georg. So in closing I would like to ask all of you for your support for future issues. Anything you feel relevant to the continued success of our club and the benifit of all those involved. Here is what I am looking for specificaly, show reports, walkarounds, reviews, build features, meeting photos or anything else you wish to contribute. I would really appreciate those of you who can make it to the AMPS International or IPMS Nationals to send me something as I cannot af-ford to go. Thanks again to Matt and George and I hope that you are all building something great for this years show season. It is coming faster then you think. So I’ll see you all in the next issue. Cheers for now... Jim

Spring Calendar Events

MassCarModelClub March18,2012 MassCarModelCar24th AnnualModelExhibition HolidayInnTaunton 700MylesStandishBlvd. Taunton,MA02780-7330 StuartMarcus1-603-382-9724

ValleyConn, March25,2012 KnightsofColumbus 460GranbyRoad ChicopeeMA01013 AlLaFleche1-413-306-1270

IPMSHudsonValley March31,2012 FleetOPSModelShipBuildingHistoricalMiniaturesGuild Seminar EastFishkillCommunityLibrary CommunityRoom 348NewYorkRoute376 HopewellJunction,NY12533 MarcNorman1-845-227-6406

IPMSSouthernMainScale April1,2012 Downeastconn2012Modelers ThortonAcademyHighSchool 438MainStreet,SacoME04072 GeorgeBangs1-207-625-8007

NewJerseyIMPS April7,2012 MosquitoConXX1 WaynePAL 1PALDrive,WayneNJ07470

IPMSNiagaraFalls April15,2012BuffCon29 KnightsofColumbusClub 2735UnionRoadAtWilliamStreet Cheektowaga,NY14227 TomFaith1-716-875-0234

IPMSChamplainValley April21,2012CAN/AMCon10 HolidayInn 412StateRoute3 Plattsburg,NY12901 FrankBaehre1-518-561-4265

AMPSInternational April26-28 AMPS2012 InternationalConvention 5634C.R.11A AuburnIndiana

Noreastcon41 May5-6,2012 AmericanAirpowerMuseumLongIslandScaleModelSociety 1230NewHighway Farmingdale,NY11735

IPMSPelikanModelClub August8-112012 WaltDisneyWorld’s2012IPMSNationalConvention ContemporaryResortand ConventionCenter

4600NorthWorldDrive OrlandoFL,32836 MikeVanSchoonhoven 1-727-424-5660