So just before I went to the Warfare show at Reading this weekend I turned my attention to the two Zvezda kits that I'd taken in replacement for the out of stock Opel Blitz's..
Lest you think this is turning into some kit bashers geek fest, worry not... the Zvezda kits are purpose made for wargamers... This is what you get when you open the box.. the Hanomag experience continues... just one sprue...
...and when you take the relevant bits (carefully) off the sprue you get the following - even less parts!
I do like these kits, the parts are sharply defined, clean, and lack any flash... a simple scalpel craft knife is all that's needed to get a clean cut from the sprue...
..but the best bit, is that they don't need any glue.. they quite literally just snap together.. and at the end of it you get this..
Very nice looking tank... 37mm main armament (so a baby compared to the later German tanks), and with twin machine guns..
Nice!!
Steve the Wargamer rates this as a very definite 9 out of 10.. next post will show it painted..
Lest you think this is turning into some kit bashers geek fest, worry not... the Zvezda kits are purpose made for wargamers... This is what you get when you open the box.. the Hanomag experience continues... just one sprue...
...and when you take the relevant bits (carefully) off the sprue you get the following - even less parts!
I do like these kits, the parts are sharply defined, clean, and lack any flash... a simple scalpel craft knife is all that's needed to get a clean cut from the sprue...
..but the best bit, is that they don't need any glue.. they quite literally just snap together.. and at the end of it you get this..
Very nice looking tank... 37mm main armament (so a baby compared to the later German tanks), and with twin machine guns..
Nice!!
Steve the Wargamer rates this as a very definite 9 out of 10.. next post will show it painted..
The Zvezda kits are so inexpensive and so darn easy to assemble it is amazing that they do not own the hobby. I've been contemplating an early war Czech tank company and this just moved me closer to committing.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I do with my plastic vehicles is to add a layer of BBs (any metal would do) in the lower hull to add some weight to the figure. Somehow they just feel better with a bit of mass to them.
I've got a few Zvezda reviews at my blog, SpottingRound.com. Check them out if you get the chance.
*Nice* webite, Nick..! I've added you to my Google Reader subscriptions... did you ever try the Plastic Soldier Company Sd Kfz 251/D Halftrack Conversion kit with the Zvezda kit?? Was looking at them at the Warfare show last weekend and was tempted....
DeleteSteve, quit reading my mind! After wrapping up reviews of the Sd Kfz 251s from the seven sources I found I'm planning a post specifically on how the Plastic Soldier Company heavy weapons conversion kit works with all of them.
DeleteI can tell you already that not all the heavy weapons will fit all the models, but the Zvezda and PSC models are very close in size so the kit ought to work well. I think the post will see the light of day in early December as I am still waiting on one last 251/1, from Peter Pig, that hasn't shipped yet.
One of these days I'll stop reviewing these halftracks and actually get some panzergrenadiers on the table!
Excellent - not sure I'd actually use them because my 15mm WWII project is France 1940 but I saw the conversion kit at a wargaming show at the weekend and my interest was piqued.. see following (if you haven't already) I did a comparison of the Zvezda kit with the Peter Pig one....
Deletehttp://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.com/2012/11/zvezda-1100-15mm-sdkfz-251-hanomag.html
I just finished up my comparison series on nine sources of 15 mm Sd Kfz 251s I was able to find. (If there are others you denizens of the internet know of, let me know!) The conversion kit is coming, but I need a breather after that last post.
DeleteI love the extra stowage you added to the models in the comparison post you listed above. Nice touch and reminds me that one of these days I'm going to have to up my game.
Cheers Nick - yours was a good post.... so which vehicle is next?? :o) Stowage was from Skytrex I think (http://www.skytrex.com/page210.html)
DeleteGreat stuff. One spruce is definitely the way ahead.
ReplyDeleteI meant sprue. Damn predictive text!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for that Phil - I thought *I'd* made a spello! :o)
DeleteThey look excellent!
ReplyDelete