Flyhawk Model 1/72 Renault FT-17 Light Tank (Cast Turret) / by Şerif Sadık

 

Dear friends,

I would like to share my latest project with you. I have been doing research on WW1 at the level of curiosity for a while and this pushed me to make a WW1 project. I wanted to evaluate the 1/72 scale FT-17 kit I have. Many of our experienced modeler friends have knowledge, but in case there may still be those who are curious, to briefly talk about the kit; There are enough sprues to produce 2 tanks from the box. In addition, although not very detailed, the PE parts in the box definitely increase the quality of the model. For this reason, it is 100% recommended for 72 scale lovers..

 Please have a look at our box review article.: https://miniafv.blogspot.com/2015/08/flyhawk-model-172-renault-ft-17-light.html

Back to the project, during the assembly of the tank, while I was digging through the reference photos, I came across a photo with some French soldiers and a caisson cart in the background. Therefore my vignette idea was conceptualized. For this reason, I believe that 2 horses, a cart and a few French soldiers, which I printed with my 3D printer, took my vignette to the next level. As a result, it was a work that I felt comfortable with, except for a few mistakes that caught my eye in the photos.See you next time.  Keep with miniafv.

Şerif Sadık...

Completed model...

Armour Models 1/72 OT-64 A SKOT (by Zsolt Czegle)

 

Hello dear friends,

Today's page was created by our dear Hungarian member Zsolt Czegle. On behalf of the "Miniafv" team, I would like to thank Zsolt.

Erhan..

____________________________

Hi,

The OT-64 SKOT (Czech: Střední Kolovy ObrněnýTransporter , Polish: Średni Kołowy The Transporter (German: Opancerzony Transporter) is a Czechoslovak-Polish amphibious infantry fighting vehicle with rubber wheels, developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The first prototype was completed in 1959 and entered service with the Czechoslovak People's Army and the Polish People's Army in 1964. The combat vehicle was manufactured in Poland at FSC in Lublin, but some components, such as the Tatra engine and the Praga transmission, were manufactured in Czechoslovakia. Serial production ended in the early 1970s, at which time approximately 4,500 units of this type were produced, one-third of which were exported. The vehicle was used in several local wars in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. (Source: Wikipedia)

Last year at the Mosonshow 2024 I received this OT-64 SKOT armored personnel carrier from the manufacturer Slovakian company Armour Models. The manufacturer's product range includes several versions in both 1:72 and 1:35 scale. Naturally, I built the model in 1:72 scale.

The construction itself was not a difficult process. What was unusual so far was the "release" printed on the box for the components. As more and more 3D-printed models come onto the market, we are slowly getting used to the technique of removing support structures. The manufacturer offers several of each of the many individual parts in case they break or fly off during separation. The only thing we get is one from the headlight, which broke off while I was painting it, but I found it in the vacuum cleaner bin (at least it tidied up a bit around the workbench).

The parts fit together well, only the rear panel of the armor needed to be sealed. The tool holder is so thin that I bent it from thin wire. According to the photos, the taillights and front indicators had protective grilles, so I made those from partial wire as well. All the handrails were imprinted with the armor and therefore did not need to be replaced. However, two of the doors were missing, which I replaced.

After priming, I sprayed Russian Green and modulated the surface. Then I airbrushed the shades with Ammo Shader and applied with decals and a semi-gloss finish. After the needle wash, the vehicle's small details, previously hidden on the light gray surface, became visible.

I then used oil paints to create the gradients and added additional contrast to the upper horizontal surface. I painted the tires of the wheels in a rubber color and then imitated the dirt with Ammo Shader, and drybrushed it with a with lightened gray .

Since the photos showed that the exhaust pipe was rusty, I used the sponge technique to imitate the rust spots. I painted the metal parts of the tools gray and the handles in light beige and buff colors.

I wanted to show minimal dirt on the model, so I sprayed Green Stuff World’s liquid pigment only in the wheel arches and the bottom of the vehicle The dirt streaks and were created with AK pens.

The manufacturer supplies the lenses for the lamps as 3D lenses, so painting is not necessary. At the very end of the build, the vehicle received two rearview mirrors from the photo-etched rearview mirror set of Hauler .

The kit is recommended for anyone interested in Cold War-era Eastern Bloc vehicles, but it can also be used to build IFOR and SFOR vehicles. The simple shape of the kit allows for easy removal of the 3D-printed supports, making the separation effortless even for those who have never done this before.

Thank you for your attention, I hope you like the final result!

Zsolt Czegle...