Update 4/2020: The postage has gone way up now, either it was due to Covid-related postage surge or the expiration of the US-China postage agreement which had been artificially depressing the fee. Today it is 85RMB first 0.5kg and 40RMB each 0.5kg afterwards. This almost double the postage and erased a lot of advantages going through… Continue reading Buying kits from China – my experience with buying direct from Taobao.
Category: Models
Anything about model building
Final reveal: Panzerbeobachtungwagen III Ausf. F(Sd. Kfz. 143)
This is my “target practice” model where I try a bunch of weathering techniques on. It’s obviously a bit heavy handed since I was throwing experiments at it, but I learned a lot and this feels like I’m making progress where different elements were mixing together and I had a better sense of how layering… Continue reading Final reveal: Panzerbeobachtungwagen III Ausf. F(Sd. Kfz. 143)
Build Review: Ryefield Model 1/35 5015 Late Production Tiger
Introduction The iconic Tiger had a relatively long life in its service, and Ryefield had previously captured various versions of it in a DAK version (5001), early (5003), Fehrmann (5005), middle (5010) and now late (5015). The original releases came with interior and later ones without, including this kit. The late production is mainly distinguished… Continue reading Build Review: Ryefield Model 1/35 5015 Late Production Tiger
Build review: Dragon 6332 1/35 M3A1 Half-Track
This Dragon 6332 halftrack kit is yet another kit I’ve gotten from one of the sales. Halftracks were a very useful concept in WW2, the first time I encountered it was in the movie Kelly’s Heroes. It looks very different from regular tanks so I was interested in checking it out. This kit being touted… Continue reading Build review: Dragon 6332 1/35 M3A1 Half-Track
Build review: Dragon 6819 1/35 Sturmpanzer Ausf.I als Befehlspanzer (Umbau Fahrgestell Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G)
This kit pops up very often in sales, often for below $25. Here is the official description from Dragon. It’s a more advanced kit so perhaps that’s why people weren’t biting. The kit is relatively recent (2015), but in fact is a slightly updated version of 6596 and 6500 which were the original ones with… Continue reading Build review: Dragon 6819 1/35 Sturmpanzer Ausf.I als Befehlspanzer (Umbau Fahrgestell Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G)
Build review: Dragon 6860 StuG.III Ausf.A MICHAEL WITTMANN, ‘LAH’ (BARBAROSSA 1941)
I got this kit as a surprise due to a seller error. The kit’s code is one off from the Stuka zu Fuss I was trying to buy and the seller sent the wrong kit; we had an arrangement to fix the deal and I got this kit for about $23, which wasn’t bad. The… Continue reading Build review: Dragon 6860 StuG.III Ausf.A MICHAEL WITTMANN, ‘LAH’ (BARBAROSSA 1941)
Build review: Dragon 6792 / DML 6792 1/35 scale Panzerbeobachtungwagen III Ausf. F(Sd. Kfz. 143)
This is my second Dragon kit, since I was really happy with my build of the unreviewed Tiger I 131. The subject isn’t my top choice in terms of coolness, but I got the kit on sale for about $18 so I thought it’s another good kit to practice armor on. This particular vehicle is… Continue reading Build review: Dragon 6792 / DML 6792 1/35 scale Panzerbeobachtungwagen III Ausf. F(Sd. Kfz. 143)
Build review: 1/35 HobbyBoss German Sd.Kfz.182 King Tiger “Porsche Turret” w/ Zimmerit 84530
Hot on the wheels of their Tiger I with Zimmerit comes the HobbyBoss King Tiger in Porsche turrent (yes the Tiger I is Trumpeter’s but they are the same company now, not sure what logic they use to decide which label gets to release a particular kit…). There is some sort of market acquisition thing… Continue reading Build review: 1/35 HobbyBoss German Sd.Kfz.182 King Tiger “Porsche Turret” w/ Zimmerit 84530
VF-31J Siegfried Hayate Custom Final Sortie version – Macross Delta – 1/72 Bandai model kit
I finished this kit a while ago but forgot to take shots. This is Hayate’s custom on the final sortie, which has a number of customizations on it, including the flying knight insigna, and reaction bombs. The build is very much like the rest of the Bandai VF-31s. The reaction bombs are from Macross Frontier… Continue reading VF-31J Siegfried Hayate Custom Final Sortie version – Macross Delta – 1/72 Bandai model kit
Panther ausf. D 1/35 from Tamiya
It’s the year of the Panther, so this is my second after the Meng’s Panther A. I have built a few Shermans from Tamiya but I think this is the first time I build their German armor. After the Meng experience I can safely say that the Tamiya was really easier, with no loss in… Continue reading Panther ausf. D 1/35 from Tamiya