Roll out the barrel!

Having rectified my T-26 engine's air outlet cover grill, I only had the model's rather weedy 45mm gun barrel to replace. So, I placed an order with a Polish company - Model-making.eu - for six Aber metal barrels...

£2.15 each, they take the budget price of my Pegasus T-26 models up a bit.

The advantages are clear, the spindly Pegasus plastic 45mm gun barrels are poorly moulded. There is little chance to be able to drill out their barrel and, in any case, the muzzle doesn't have the appropriate rim. Plus, the metal version is perfectly turned, has no mould seam and is nice and straight.

Left: The original Pegasus barrel. Not the best.

I'm satisfied with the majority of the other features of the Pegasus model, really it's very nice even when compared to some of the display quality kits out there.

As a matter of fact, I also need this metal barrel for my excellent Mirage T-26 models. For some strange reason, Mirage included the original Finnish 37mm gun in their Finnish T-26 models instead of the Soviet 45mm gun (which the Finn's retro-fitted to all their versions as the war progressed). This then makes the Mirage models near perfect, and the best models available of the T-26 variants in 1/72.

Ex-Finnish T-26 Model 1933 light tank in the Bovington Tank Museum.
Source: Wikimedia

A cargo of cargo

This months hobby spends are having to be curtailed somewhat - what with the festive season at the back of my mind - so I've tried to concentrate on things I actually need to finish ongoing projects than adding to my 'stash'. What I needed for this month was cargo.

Some of my small fleet of trucks will require stowage for their cargo decks, things like crates and rolled tarps, etc. While I could make these bits and bobs myself - and things like this were fun to do when I first began - the time it takes to make these small ornaments could be better used elsewhere.

I discovered Lancer Miniatures recently and while looking through their online catalogue notice they had some stowage items that were quite cheap. I bought a packet of their 'stowage items' (40 items for £4.50) and a couple of their 'boxes/crates' (10 items for £2). This seemed quite good value for money for what I wanted.

Next, and not so cheap I suppose, was a cargo set by Value Gear. Their amusingly named 'truck blobs' are sets of two sculpted cargo truck loads. At €9 each plus international shipping these are accessories primarily aimed at the display modelling market, but they are very nicely sculpted.

And finally, I bought one of Plastic Soldier Company's new 1/72nd German stowage and tank commanders sets. For £12.95 you get three large sprues, each with a variety of commander and driver figures plus a good miscellany of German Army themed vehicle stowage, accessories and weapons.

This particular set was needed for the next model in my Bolt Action project - an Armourfast StuG III which I want to dress up a bit. But there is more than enough useful items in this set to keep me going for quite some time.

One word of warning though. As I suspected the PSC items are  like their figures - at the larger end of the 1/72 scale and may not be exactly compatible with other 1/72 German figures from manufacturers like Revell, Italeri, Caesar, etc.

Plastic Soldier Company 1/72 German Stowage set

All good things comes to he who waits! PSC have answered my wishes that someone makes a vehicle stowage set - not just with the usual crates, tarps and spare road-wheels but one that provides driver figures and other small items useful for 'dressing up' you vehicle model.

Click on picture to enlarge.

This set - which includes 3 of the above pictured sprues for £12.95 - also includes tank commander and driver figures, which is very welcome (given my moans about the lack of 1/72 driver figure sets).

There is enough in this set to embellish a large number of your German vehicles and it should last you quite some time so represents good value for money really. It's usefulness is not restricted to vehicle customisation either as the small items of personal infantry kit are particularly nice for undertaking figure conversions.

- Though a word of warning: PSC figures are slightly larger than most other makes of 1/72 figures - like Revell and ESCI, etc, so you may find the weapons a little large for integrating with other makes. -

This is a really nice set, although I still think it's missing some items, like spare headlamps and tools. Headlamps are so often neglected from 'quick build' models, as are horns, tow hooks and other smaller surface detail. But maybe I am being picky.

I hope PSC follow this set up with similar sets for other nations (Soviet set please). :)

Plastic Soldier Company - 1/72nd German stowage and tank commanders.