July - Austin Armor Builders Society

Sabot Away!
AUSTIN ARMOR BUILDERS SOCIETY
Volume 13, Issue 7
July 1, 2009
From the Turret
ing from this event alone, I
may dare say no other modeling organization in Austin
has more club spirit and active participating members
than ours.
Oscar Perez and Eric Choy have a good laugh while awarding the “White
Elephant Contest” award. Oscar won with his Italian M13/40 Medium tank.
Pat Rourke came in at a very close 2nd place with his German StuG IV.
Oscar was awarded the Trumpeter German Land Wasser-Schieper (LWS).
Photograph by Roderick Bell.
At our last meeting we had
our annual White Elephant
face-off, and we broke the
club record again this year
with ten models entries (eight
completed and two inprogress) on the table. Not
only do I want to congratulate Oscar Perez and Pat
Rourke for placing first and
second, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to
build his model to support
this club build activity. Judg-
Also instrumental to the success of our contest is our VP
Russ Holm's "gentle persuasion" with his enlarged picture of who received what at
the Christmas party. For that,
we must tip our hats to Russ
also.
As a final note, Russ, Pat,
and I competed in Scalefest
at Grapevine last month,
and we ALL won something
with our White Elephants
models.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Austin Armor Builders Society Membership Dues
Dues are collected in January. This will make it easier
for us to track and easier to
maintain the membership
cards.
The card will be valid for
one year and a new card
will be created each year as
long as your club membership is in good standing.
As always, membership is
$12.00 USD per year. The
membership cards will be
presented to members at the
January meeting.
New members will be given
a card after they pay their
dues. Dues will be prorated
based on the month they join.
Special points of interest:
♦
NAME THAT TANK
♦
STAY LITTLE VALENTINE
♦
MODELER OF THE MONTH:
RUSS HOLM
Inside this issue:
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2
NAME THAT TANK
3
STAY LITTLE VALENTINE
4
MODELER OF THE MONTH:
RUSS HOLM
6
JOIN AMPS
12
NEW KITS
13
Sabot Away!
From the Turret - Continued
Patrick Rourke accepts his 2nd Place award for the “White Elephant Contest” from Eric Choy. Pat was awarded the Tamiya Leopard 2A6 kit.
Photograph by Roderick Bell.
That proves what Russ and I
have been saying all along:
there is no shame in building
White Elephants!
von Erich (Eric Choy)
Calendar of Events
♦
July 1, 2009 - Club Meeting; Presentation by: Rick Herrington
♦
July 11, 2009 - Modeling Day; David C. Ellis Community Center 10AM - 5PM
♦
August 5, 2009 - Club Meeting; Presentation by: Dave Edgerly
♦
September 2, 2009 - Club Meeting; Club Auction
♦
October 7, 2009 - Club Meeting; Presentation by Roderick Bell - “How to use the Testors Custom Decal
System”
♦
October 24, 2009 - AMPS Centex 2007
♦
November 4, 2009 - Club Meeting; Presentation by Jeff Forester
♦
December 2, 2009 - Club Meeting; Presentation by Tom Ferris
♦
January 6, 2010 - Club Meeting; Presentation by Richard Eaton - “The Mighty Sponge: How to simulate
paint flaking and wear and tear”
Page 2
Volume 13, Issue 7
Name this tank
By Roderick Bell
Editor’s Note: Last month we
forgot to do the “Name this
Tank”. So we will do it at the
July meeting.
While doing research on a
particular armored vehicle I
ran across this tank. It is a
strange looking beast. I had
never heard about this tank
or have seen photographs of
it. This tank is a prototype
vehicle from the 1940’s.
“I THOUGHT IT
I thought it would be fun for
the club to guess what it is.
So write down your answer
with your name on it and
bring it to the July meeting
and we will see who found
out what this tank is.
WOULD BE FUN FOR
The answers will be put in a
hat and drawn until we get
a winner! Please make sure
you identify the Country and
the name of the tank.
YOUR NAME ON IT
Maybe you will win the prize!
WHO FOUND OUT
THE CLUB TO GUESS
WHAT IT IS. SO
WRITE DOWN YOUR
ANSWER WITH
AND BRING IT TO
THE JULY MEETING
AND WE WILL SEE
WHAT THIS TANK
IS.”
Here is the prize that will go to the
person who correctly identifies this
tank. It is the Italeri Horse Drawn
Breda 20/65 with servants (Kit No:
6464).
Don’t these look like Yeti tracks?
No wonder that darn horse doesn’t
want to go any further. There is a
Yeti nearby!
See you at the meeting.
Roderick Bell
Here are four photographs of the mystery tank. Can you name this tank?
Page 3
Sabot Away!
Stay Little Valentine
By Eric Choy
Gaso.Line 1:48th Scale
Tracks (GAS48076). Around
$7.80
Parabellum 1:48th scale PE
for Bandai/Fuman Valentine
(PME-48001). Around $9.12
“THANKS TO
TAMIYA AND
HOBBY BOSS’
MAJOR BACKING
WITH NEW
RELEASES, THERE
HAS BEEN A
Thanks to Tamiya and Hobby
Boss’ major backing with new
releases, there has been a
renewed interest in 1/48th
scale armor modeling in the
last few years. Even the discontinued Bandai kits of yesteryears receive much attention on eBay as they are being traded handsomely in the
$30 to $40 range. Well if
you’ve been thinking of ridding that laughable and unphotographable Bandai/Fuman Valentine in your
closet, you might want to reconsider letting it stay a while
longer. I can recommend a
couple of recent make-over
sets to change a hair or two
and bring it up to the 21st
Century modeling standard.
The first one is a link-tolength track kit from
Gaso.Line. This French company should be no stranger
to any hardcore quarterscale armor modeler. They
have been producing AFV
kits in this scale for years.
Included in this kit are 2 new
drive sprockets and 173 resin
tracks (two 35-link sections,
two 24-link sections, four 8link sections, and 23 individual links). Since 84 links are
needed for each side, you’ll
only have five leftovers in
case of “accidental” disappearance into the carpet or
for the spare track racks. The
resin pieces are cast with
minimal flash, and construction appears easy enough for
anyone who has experience
with resin track installation.
The second set is a photoetched (PE) detail set by
Parabellum of England. I’m
not familiar with this English
mail-order company, and
until now I do not know of
anyone who makes a PE set
for the Valentine (all the
more reason to grab one
while you can!). On the PE
fret are 80 parts to replace
the kit’s thick fender brackets
and add new items like tool
boxes, storage bins, engine
deck hinges, handles, etc. The
brass is of typical thickness
(0.15mm) utilized by other
big Czech PE guys like Eduard and Hauler. These PE
parts should make you smile
with your heart and enhance
the look of your model tremendously.
Bruce Burden and I both con-
RENEWED INTEREST
IN 1/48TH SCALE
ARMOR MODELING
IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS. ”
Here are the Gaso.Line Valentine tracks in 1:48th scale. The kit is resin and the tracks are link to length. Photograph
by Eric Choy.
Page 4
Volume 13, Issue 7
Stay Little Valentine - Continued
“P.S. FOR THOSE WHO
LONG FOR A BRAND
NEW VALENTINE, AN
ALL-RESIN KIT IS IN THE
WORK BY MR
This is the Parabellum etched parts set for the Bandai 1:48th scale Valentine tank. Photograph by Eric Choy.
MODELLBAU OF
GERMANY. NO WORD
cur that the old Bandai armor
series are decent kits, and
the weakest links of these kits
are the rubber band tracks.
With the help of Gaso.Line’s
resin tracks and Parabellum’s
PE update set, you can defi-
nitely make your Valentine
one of your favorite work of
art.
(www.quarter-kit.com) courtesy of my wallet.
ON THE RELEASE DATE
p.s. For those who long for a
brand new Valentine, an allresin kit is in the work by MR
Modellbau of Germany. No
word on the release date
yet, but news is posted periodically on their website
www.mrmodellbau.de.
POSTED PERIODICALLY
Eric Choy
Highly recommended.
Both kits were purchased
from Gaso.Line website
Page 5
YET, BUT NEWS IS
ON THEIR WEBSITE
WWW.MRMODELLBAU
.DE.”
Volume 13, Issue 7
Modeler of the Month: Russ Holm
By Roderick Bell
This month’s Modeler of the Month is Russ Holm. Russ is an excellent modeler who
continues to impress club members and model show judges with his modeling talents. Russ is the guy everyone wants to talk to and so I had no problems asking
him a few questions:
What is your hometown or where are you from?
♦
I was raised in a Military family. I was born in Washington D.C., and raised in
Virginia, Maryland, China, New York, Hawaii, Montana and Colorado. For now, and
the past 19 years I have lived in Texas. (yes, I am a "seasoned individual").
How old were you when you began Modeling?
♦
I think I was about 7 years old when I first built a model.
What was your first model you built?
♦ It was an Aurora Hellcat. 14 pieces if I recall correctly. Even with the raised
lines for the national insignia, I managed to put them on upside down.
Who has influenced your modeling building the most?
♦
Early on, through my 40's my brother had the greatest influence in my modeling. He is exceptionally "gifted". Lastly it has been
Brad Perry @ King's Hobby, Milton Bell, Phil Brandt and Bob Bethea.
What is your favorite type of modeling?
♦
I guess I enjoy building armor/artillery at the moment. I like the inherent tents, logs, groundwork, crew, foliage that
is associated with armor and thin skinned vehicles. I enjoy the challenge of making what is a "plain Jane vehicle" look interesting or "busy" with paint or accessories.
What do you like most about modeling?
♦
I like trying, and the emphasis is on the word "TRYING" to make something small look real. It's the art of fooling the mind and
eye, to what we are looking at. where the viewers mind fills in voids, and color and the model becomes real.
What don’t you like about modeling?
♦
I don't enjoy "bolt counters". However, I am glad they are there in the background to help promote accuracy from the model
companies.
How many modeling clubs and organizations do you belong to?
♦
Currently, I belong to 3 clubs and 2 organizations. I belong to IPMS, International Plastic Modelers Society and AMPS, The
Amour Modeling Preservation Society. The 3 clubs are Austin Scale Modelers Society, Austin Armor Builders Society and
Lone Star Military Miniature Society.
What scale is your favorite scale to model in?
♦
My favorite scale is 1:25th scale.
What is your favorite Tank model?
♦
Something obscure and Russian.
What is your favorite Figure model?
♦
My favorite figure models are knights of the Middle Ages.
Page 6
Sabot Away!
Modeler of the Month: Russ Holm - Continued
Are you a builder or collector?
♦
I am mostly a builder.
Do you build for accuracy or build for fun?
♦ I would like to build for " fun", but I
wind up trying to build for accuracy to
satisfy the "fools".
How much research do you do before building a model?
♦ Initially, I do little, but as I build, I find
myself researching the details more than I
would have expected and I become a "lowlevel expert, anal retentive expert".
What tool or technique could you live without?
♦ Gloss coat underneath decals because
of the myriad of methods available to
eliminate decal silvering.
What tool or technique couldn’t you live without?
“WHAT DO YOU
THINK ABOUT
♦ I cannot live without or If I could not
find my straight tweezers, then I would be
limited to large, clunky models
MODELING
MAGAZINES?
I "LOVE" MODELING
What do you think about modeling magazines?
MAGAZINES. THEY
PROVIDE
♦ I "LOVE" modeling magazines. They
provide techniques, a forum for display for
our work, and a history lesson and information on the latest products/accessories for
us .
TECHNIQUES, A
FORUM FOR DISPLAY
FOR OUR WORK,
AND A HISTORY
LESSON AND
One of Russ Holm’s Medieval knights. Photograph by Eric
Choy.
INFORMATION ON THE
LATEST PRODUCTS/
What do you think about modeling websites?
ACCESSORIES FOR
♦
US.”
What other hobbies do you have?
♦
I enjoy modeling web-sites. See above.
Bad-mouthing the television: shooting skeet/trap, 5 Stand: bad Scotch and good Bourbon:
fishing: sleeping in front of the television - I'm 64!. I enjoy my grand-son, and traveling.
Page 7
Volume 13, Issue 7
Modeler of the Month: Russ Holm - Continued
Would you rather build a state of the art kit or a kit from when you were a kid?
♦
I would rather build a state of the art kit because of the challenges it offers, from painting to assembly to the accuracy of the
final product, which will always look better than a kit from 50 years ago.
Russ is a joy to be around and he makes learning his modeling techniques fun. I want to thank Russ for being our Modeler of the
Month for July 2009. Several of Russ Holm’s models will follow this text. Enjoy!
Roderick Bell
This is a Tamiya 1:35th scale M3A1 Light Tank “Stuart”. Here is an example of Russ tanking an older kit and making it look like the real thing! Photograph by
Eric Choy.
Page 8
Sabot Away!
Modeler of the Month: Russ Holm - Continued
Here is the CSS Pioneer submarine modeled by Russ Holm. Photograph by Roderick Bell.
Here is Russ Holm’s Italeri 1:35th scale Autoblinda AB 41 Italian Armored Car. Photograph by Eric Choy.
Page 9
Volume 13, Issue 7
Modeler of the Month: Russ Holm - Continued
Here is a photograph of Russ Holm’s 1:35th scale Tiger I Bergpanzer with the Porsche chassis. Photograph by Eric Choy.
Page 10
Sabot Away!
Modeler of the Month: Russ Holm - Continued
Another modeling passion of Russ Holm’s is Civil War artillery pieces. Here is one of his Confederate Costal Guns. Photograph by Eric Choy.
Page 11
Sabot Away!
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OR MONEY ORDER, SEND YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUES AND COMPLETED FORM TO THE ADDRESS
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Page 12
Volume 13, Issue 7
New Kits
By Roderick Bell
Two new kits from Great Wall
Hobby. This is the new company name for Lion Roar.
The two new kits are based
on the sWS half-track frame.
The first kit (L3511) is the
popular sWS 60cm INFRARED Searchlight Carrier
“UHU”. The second kit
(L3512) is the sWS General
Cargo variant with 4 crew
members. It is good to see
that Lion Roar will live on in
Great Wall Hobby. The details on these kits are fantastic.
Roderick Bell
Page 13
Seek, Strike, and Destroy
AUSTIN ARMOR BUILDERS SOCIETY
Roderick Bell
2002 Boxwood Path
Round Rock, Texas 78664-7129
Phone: 512-507-6104
E-mail:
[email protected]
The Austin Armor Builders Society is an organization where members gather and share information
on building scale armor and figure kits. The Austin Armor Builders Society was founded in 1997
and has about 30 active members. The Austin Armor Builders Society is the local chapter for the
Armor Modeling and Preservation Society (AMPS). Every two years the organization host an
AMPS Regional show known as AMPS Centex. This show attracts armor and figure modelers from
around the state of Texas and is one of the Premier AMPS Regional shows.
We are on the web: AustinArmorBuilders.com
Support our Troops
An M1A1 Abrams tank manned
by Marines from 2d Tank Battalion, 2d Marine Division
blasts a round down Range
500. 17-Jan-2002. The
Camp Lejeune based Marines
are currently participating in
Combined Arms Exercise 32002. Photograph by Cpl.
Allan J. Grdovich