Sunday, October 20, 2013

Model Laboratory No.3

The original idea was to do an armored vehicle with numerous impacts -historically documented in several episodes- where these "beasts" were reached by a fair amount of hits, but in spite of those it kept working. Several research pictures showing armored vehicles with different hits, pictures of the specific vehicle, of vehicles in the same unit, etc. were used for backup. Taken all research materials into account, we've gotten to this "313" belonging to the 505, as being a unit received on July the 8th 1943, with camouflage which was intended for the African scenario, where this vehicle never did actually set tracks upon. The fact that all the vehicles of this unit have the same camouflage pattern, allows us to infer that these were not repainted in a provisional fashion while fighting in the front. That is why we've portrayed this vehicle with the RAL 8020 "Braun" -base paint for the African scenario being the norm since March 1942- and RAL 8017 "Rotbraun" designated as a secondary color following the February 1943 norm. The Tamiya kit is an excellent and very true kit with a wonderful parts fit and a good mold. It has few mold ejector marks, and these are well placed. However the level of detailing has been surpassed by other brands and that is why we absolutely need a number of other products and accessories in order to make the finest kit possible.

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