2025 - A Year in Review

After slow start 2025 turned out to be a good modelling year for me with 7 kits moved from the stash to the cabinet.

No.1 for 2025 - 1/48 Airfix Lightning F.6

Depicted as an aircraft operated by No. 11 Squadron Royal Air Force from RAF Binbrook. I tried to model a tatty looking aircraft near the end of the types service life. 

This is the third Airfix Lighting I've built and probably my last.  They look great when built but the journey can be a bit of struggle.  It's not the best kit but it is probably the best kit of this subject in any scale.

For more Lightning images go here.

No.2 for 2025  - 1/48 Eduard Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk

Eduard's 2025 P-40E is IMHO the best of their subjects (that I've built). Great detail and fit from the box. I bought the Royal Boxings and ended up building them both. 

Depicted as aircraft 41-36402 flown by Lt. Dallas A. Clinger of the 16th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, United States Army Air Force based in Kweilin China in January 1943.

The P-40 looks great with a shark mouth and the cool tail art on 16 FS. aircraft really attracted me to this option.  And it seems it wasn't just me, this scheme appears to have been hugely popular with modellers as I have seen it done many times online already.

 

For more of this P-40E go here

 No 3 for 2025 - 1/48 Eduard Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk

This is the second of the kits from Eduard's P-40E Royal boxing. I decided on an RNZAF aircraft for the obvious reason.

For more of this one go here

No. 4 for 2025 - 1/48 Tamiya / Flowfire Models M1A1 AIM SA Abrams

Depicted as Vehicle operated by A Sqn -  1st Armoured Regiment - Australian Army.

This was on my shelf of doom for a while sitting there mocking me.  Eventually I got sick of this one doing that so decided to get it done.

For more Abrams go here

No 5 for 2025 - 1/48 ICM Bristol Beaufort Mk. IA

Depicted as aircraft DD959 operated by No. 217 Sqn Royal Air Force from Malta 1942.

The Beaufort is another of those funky looking early British bombers from World War II that really appeals to me, so I was happy to see ICM produce one.   A first for me on this build was to fully rivet a model.  It turned out OK in the end.

For more of the Beaufort go here

No. 6 For 2025 - 1/48 Hasegawa Nakajima B5N2 Carrier Attack Bomber (Kate) Model 3

Depicted as first attack wave commanders aircraft from the IJN Carrier Akagi Pearl harbour December 1941.  Crew: Captain Matsuzaki Mitsuo (pilot) Commander Fuchida Mitsuo (observer) and Airman First Class Mizuki Morinobu (radio operator).

Japanese World War 2 subjects are not something that I usually build. In fact I have only ever built one other, that being a Tamiya Zero . I picked the Kate up at the local hobby shop as it was in the 50% off rack to build as a quick palate cleanser.

For more of the Kate go here

No 7 for 2025 - 1/48 Stuart MK I - Colorado

Depicted as 'Colorado', Tank No. T37385 operated by C Squadron, 2nd New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment in 1941. Colorado was first operated by the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment before being captured by the Africa Korps.  It was recaptured at Sidi Rezegh in Libya and allocated to the Kiwi's.

This fully 3D printed kit is a collaboration between Japanese modeller Jun Temma and Mark Kerr (Flowfire Models).  From what I understand, Jun Temma  originally did the core design focusing on the US vehicles and Mark did the parts for British/commonwealth versions.

All the files for this kit are freely available for download at Jun Temma's Wings of Pegasus Website.  The page is in Japanese but translation software (like Google Translate) works well. 

More of the Stuart see here.

The Ongoing Blunty Saga

Like the end of 2024 the Fly Strikemaster still languishes on the shelf of doom.  Although I have spent the last 3 weeks designing and printing some 3D upgrades for the kit.  I actually think I might get it over the line in 2026.

So far I've done:

• Pylons
  
• Drop tanks
• Cartridge / link chutes
• Engine cover vents
• Flap hinges
• Control Sticks
• Centre Windshield pillar
• G meter
• Stopwatch
• Ejection Seat upper handles
• Piece for the rear of the sliding canopy
• Nose Gear
• V/UHF Antenna
• Towel Rail (HF?) antenna
• Gunsights
• Glareshield Stowage box

What's for 2026

At this stage I intend to build a Accurate Miniatures Avenger as part of a buddy build with a few mates. But first of the rank for 2026 will be the Airfix Jaguar.  I've also bought a 1/700 ship which I am keen to have a go at. Apart from those - who knows....

1/48 Stuart MK I - Colorado - C Sqn 2nd New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment 1941

Depicted as 'Colorado', Tank No. T37385 operated by C Squadron, 2nd New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment in 1941. Colorado was first operated by the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment before being captured by the Africa Korps.  It was recaptured at Sidi Rezegh in Libya and allocated to the Kiwi's.

The Kit

This fully 3D printed kit is a collaboration between Japanese modeller Jun Temma and Mark Kerr (Flowfire Models).  From what I understand, Jun Temma  originally did the core design focusing on the US vehicles and Mark did the parts for British/commonwealth versions.

All the files for this kit are freely available for download Jun Temma Wings of Pegasus Website here.  The page is in Japanese but translation software (like Google Translate) works well. 

I purchased a printed kit from Mark at ScaleACT 2023 as I didn't have a 3D printer at that time.  The quality of the 3D printing is amazing and there were no layer lines that I could see.

The Build

Removing the parts from the supports takes a bit of time. You have to take care as there lots of them and many of the parts are really fine. I did break a few bits but managed to glue them back together.

A rotary tool with a cutting blade was used to remove the supports from the tracks. This worked well.

Some clamping was needed to hold everything in place while the Epoxy set. I thought I had used 5 min epoxy but after it didn't appear to be setting I realised it had a 7 hour setting time - Doh!!.

Despite this I still ended up with a tiny step on the left side between the top and lower hulls. As this vehicle has mud guards this wasn't an issue. 

No instructions came with the kit but Mark posted these CAD images to the 1/48 Armour Modelling Facebook Group. I have reposted them here to assist others in building the kit. These show where you the various can go as there are a few options.

The first coat of AK Real Colors Portland Stone was applied and base coat applied to the tracks. To fit the tracks to the model I first inserted the drive sprocket. This is a really tight fit, On one set of tracks I got it in with a bit of pressure, on the other set the track shattered into 5 pieces. These were glued back together around the drive sprocket. In the future I'd consider breaking apart the tracks before fitting them.

After some dry fitting I figured that I could glue the back (idler?) wheel assembly onto the model and then fit the drive sprocket over its axle. This did work but in hindsight I'd fit the drive sprocket first and then glue the back wheel assembly to the hull. Or, if I'd broken the track, fit the drive sprocket and back wheel assembly, then join the track. 

Guards fit well but they are really close to the drive sprocket. Perhaps to close?  But nothing can be done about that, so I am cracking on.

I had misplaced the Tool set so I simply headed to Jun Temma's site, downloaded them and printed them. I stripped the paint in that area to ensure a better bond.

Painting

I chose a vehicle operated by C Sqn 2nd New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment in November 1941. It is painted in the attractive Caunter scheme. 

There are a number of images of this vehicle, including a profile, in Jeffery Plowman's Camouflage & markings of the Stuarts in New Zealand service. They’re not great quality but you can see bits of the Caunter Scheme. I pretty much made up much of the scheme.

AK Real Colours (Silver Grey (BSC 28), Portland Stone ( BSC 64 and Slate (BSC 34) were used for the paint work. These were part of a set kindly lent to me by a clubmate (thanks Kent).

The red and white markings signifying that the vehicle had (or was) taking part in Operation Crusader were SMS Insignia White and Tamiya Flat Red.

As the tank is so small and is covered in so much raised detail, masking the scheme proved to be a pain, and took way longer than I'd expected.

Stowage and Weathering

I added a bit of stowage from a Black dog set.  I didn't want to go overboard with stowage and hide the lovely detail on the model.

For the weathering I used Mr Weathering Colour Sandy Wash for the initial dust layer and Shade Brown for the panel line / detail wash. I'd forgotten how nice this stuff is to use. Some Pigments were used for some texture.

I still need to add some rope and bit more dust textures.

The Base

The base is insulation foam skimmed with some AK terrain paste to protect it.  The groundwork is sieved fine dirt from the bush where I walk most days.

 

The tank was secured to the base with more AK terrain paste and more dirt pushed around it. Some Mr weathering colour was also used to add some darker areas. I'm quite happy how this turned out. The rope was painted darning thread (cotton).

The Figures

I found a couple of free figures on cults3d. The Tank commander is a sample from Art of War (here) , the other figure is part of 35 Scale Canadian Sherman crew (here). These were printed out and painted, albeit badly. I designed and printed a cup for the guy on the ground. 

Conclusion

Once I figured out how to assemble the tank this was pretty straight forward project. The painting was the most time consuming part.  The detail on this kit is quite spectacular and that it is available for free is quite amazing (assuming you have access to a 3D printer.) Thanks to Jun Temma and Mark Kerr for doing that.  For other Jun Temma has a number of other free 3D designs available on his website.

The Photos