The best military models were on display in Fredericksburg, Va., in April 2014 at the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society's annual international show. Here are 20 models we didn't have room for in the gallery in the September 2014 issue of FSM.
Michael Powers, Charlottesville, Virginia
Michael undertook a major transformation of Academy's 1/35 scale Warrior to the Medium Repair Vehicle (MRV) variant. He used a resin set from Accurate Armor for the conversion, then painted the vehicle with acrylics from Polly Scale, Tamiya, and Testors Model Master. Artist's oil washes, airbrushed dust, pastels, and homemade paint filters weathered the MRV for operations in Kosovo.
Tony Higgs, Nashville, Tennessee
To model a Hetzer in service with the SS cavalry, Tony added a Def.Model resin mantlet and metal barrel to Academy's 1/35 scale Jagdpanzer 38(t). The camouflage was painted freehand using late-war German colors as well as washes and streaking effects from Ammo of Mig Jimenez.
Bill Malick, Orlando, Florida
Bill built Tamiya's 1/35 scale IS-2 entering Berlin at the end of World War II. The model is painted with Tamiya acrylics over primer and weathered with washes and pastels.
Brock Hopkins III, Gambier, Ohio
To improve Academy's 1/35 scale PzKpfw 35(t), Brock added stowage from Dragon and Value Gear, and metal tracks from Spade Ace. After priming with a very dark gray, he post-shaded with lighter and darker shades, then weathered with artist's oils, gouache, and MMP pigments. For context, Brock posed the early-war German tank on textured Apoxie Sculpt groundwork with Joefix Studio vegetation.
Frank Blanton, Richmond, Virginia
A Legend Productions conversion set turned Academy's 1/35 scale M3 Lee into an M31 tank recovery vehicle of the 191st Tank Battalion, deployed to southern France in 1944. Tamiya acrylics and artist's oil dry-brushing gave the vehicle its distinctive camouflage; enamel washes and powdered pigment weathered it. Frank applied Aves ClayShay to styrene foam for the base.
Russell Holm, Round Rock, Texas
Russell built AFV Club's 1/35 scale M3A3 Stuart out of the box in Chinese service during World War II. He airbrushed the model with Testors Model Master enamels, then weathered it with artist's oils. To display the light tank, he laid Sculptamold and kitty litter groundwork over an old piece of wood.
Bill Schmidt, Ansonia, Connecticut
With interior details from Verlinden, photoetched metal from Voyager, and metal barrels from Royal Models, Bill's M50A1 is ready for action. He built Academy's 1/35 scale Ontos for U.S. Marine Corps service in Vietnam, then painted the body Model Master Marine Corps green over black primer. AK Interactive filters and washes and Mig Productions Vietnam earth pigments weathered the little vehicle to match the base built on insulating foam.
Jack Ratterman, Jacksonville, Florida
Modeling an M60A3 of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at a Reforger Exercise in Germany during the Cold War, Jack tore up the left rear fender and damaged the bustle rack on Tamiya’s 1/35 scale Patton. After airbrushing the model with a base green color from Testors Model Master enamels, he penciled on the camouflage so he could follow it as he freehanded the pattern. Artist's oils washes, dry-brushing, and chalk pastels weathered the vehicle. Jack says the damage he modeled resulted when the full-size tank got tangled up with a German farmer's plow.
Sturgis Paine, Durham, North Carolina
To improve Tamiya's 1/35 scale M109A6 Paladin, Sturgis added Voyager photoetched-metal details, a turned-metal barrel from the Barrel Depot, and AFV Club individual-link tracks. He primed the self-propelled gun with AK Interactive sand, airbrushed black into recesses for pre-shading, then built up the camouflage with five layers of color. Mig Productions enamel washes finished the process.
Peter Hlavka, South Plainfield, New Jersey
Peter updated AFV Club's 1/35 scale Israeli Centurion to a Sho't Kal Gimel version with a Legends Productions conversion set, and added Legends resin stowage and Friulmodel metal tracks. He painted with LifeColor Israeli sand gray 1982 over black primer, and weathered with LifeColor pigments, Mig Productions filters, and AK Interactive washes and effects.
Bob Smyntek, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Bob made a bunch of improvements to Dragon's 1/35 scale Sturminfanteriegeschutz 33B, including damaging the front fenders, repositioning the rear fenders, and adding mud guards, a jack block, and spare tracks. After spraying the model with Floquil black primer, he airbrushed the dunkelgelb base coat and hand-painted the green squiggles. Artist's oil pinwashes emphasize shadows and recesses, and AK Interactive pigments add layers of dirt and dust.
Michael Del Vecchio, Flemington, New Jersey
Bronco’s 1/35 scale M114A1 stands ready for its next fire mission, thanks to Michael’s detailing work, which included dozens of cast ammunition rounds, homemade decals, and a bunch of scratchbuilding. The 155mm howitzer and fire base were airbrushed with Tamiya acrylics, then weathered with Mig Production pigments and AK Interactive washes.
Mark Clabaugh, Stewartstown, Pennsylvania
This is Roden's British armored car Pattern 1920, built out of the box with spares-box stowage and camouflage netting made with gauze and white glue. Using Testors Model Master enamels, Mark primed the model with flat black, then airbrushed olive drab and masked with Silly Putty before applying desert sand. Oil washes for recessed detail, chalk pastels on the tires, and chalk pencil streaks on the vehicle finished the project for Mark, who says he enjoyed building something different.
Errin Hoffman, Coopersburg, Pennsylvania
Inspired by the work of master modeler Adam Wilder, Errin built Dragon's 1/35 scale Sherman as a Pacific warrior modified with field-applied armor from Mig Productions. He painted the model with Tamiya acrylics and weathering supplies from Mig and AK Interactive.
Mark Wolf, Rochester, New York
Tamiya's 1/35 scale Mobelwagen SdKfz 161/3 received a bunch of new detail from Mark: styrene sponson plates; Mr. Surfacer mud; drilled out towing arms fitted with chains; wired lights; photoetched-metal tool clamps; and scratchbuilt rear fender springs. The Ostketten tracks from Friulmodel were rusted with Blacken-It, then given a thin black wash and pastels weathering. Mark used sandpaper to shine the high points of the tracks.
Mike Balis, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Setting a 1/35 scale scene in Tunisia in 1943, Mike built Dragon's Tiger I and surrounded it with Dragon and Tamiya figures. He detailed the tank with twist-tie wires for the lights and antennas, and added bolts to the turret stowage bin using the Nutter from the Small Shop. Testors Model Master paints sprayed through a Paasche H single-action airbrush colored the model, and artist's oil pinwashes weathered it.
Tony Fradkin, Rutherford, New Jersey
The driver of an M3A1 scout car gets to know the locals during the 1941 Louisiana maneuvers in Tony's 1/35 scale scene. He detailed the HobbyBoss vehicle with Eduard photoetched metal before finishing it with Tamiya acrylics, oil washes, and powdered pigments. A scratchbuilt house and Apoxie Sculpt groundwork completed the work.
Rebecca Hettmansperger, Sumter, South Carolina
Rebecca backdated Dragon's M48A3 Mod.B for U.S. Marine Corps service using Tamiya headlights and a searchlight and mantlet cover from Legend Productions. After priming the model, she airbrushed Model Master enamels for the camouflage, post-shading with a lightened layer of the base coat. She weathered the tank with Mig Productions washes and Garland pigments for a tank in Vietnam.
Jim Mesko, Akron, Ohio
Heller's 35-year-old SOMUA S-35 needs lots of additions, according to Jim. He improved the 1/35 scale tank with a resin turret, photoetched metal, extra gear, a rebuilt muffler, and Friulmodel tracks. For the camouflage, he masked with Silly Putty, then added the black line with a Sharpie marker. To model a tank defending France in 1940, Jim applied washes and pastels, then placed it next to a model railroad plaster wall topped with a Tamiya rooster.
William E. Winter, Micanopy, Florida
After loading Italeri's 1/35 scale RSO/1 with a resin Maybach engine and various fuel drums, William hitched it to a Tamiya quad 20mm gun trailer. After a layer of red brown Tamiya acrylic, he sprayed the cab with hairspray, then a coat of German desert yellow. A damp, stiff brush removed a little of the paint to reveal the red brown underneath. Weathering with artist's oils, filters, and powdered pigments finished the job.