I've really enjoyed building these simple yet detailed kits. They are affordable, easy to assemble, and allow a nice departure from the ordinary models. I find the challenge is typically in the painting, as virtually all details are molded in. My only real complaint is the inclusion of photo-etch pieces (usually for grilles and such) that are virtually useless. These same things are molded into the model, and using the PE parts instead would require more effort than is worthwhile. Ironically, I found these PE parts make decent sewer grates and drains for either 1/144 or 1/72 dioramas.
I realize there isn't likely to be a surge of 1/144 armor models, but I'd love for Dragon to offer more. I've done almost all the ones currently available.
For my scenes, I find many N scale train items work suitably. However, the people are too small. Does anyone know of soldiers available in
1/144 scale? Preiser offers some, but only 3 sets, and mostly related to aircraft.
Thanks for any leads, and happy modeling!
Randy IPMS Houston
We're living in a world that's been pulled over our eyes to blind us from the truth. Where are you, white rabbit?
Some wargames are set at N-Gauge ~ 1/160th scale, namely CAV and Mechwarrior. There are soldier figures in those scales, albeit more sci-fi-ish than you'd probably like.
This weekend I've been painting and building Mini Hobby Model (a.k.a. Trumpeter)
1/144th Soviet tanks for my slowly growing wargame army. The details on these are very nice, even though they lack the photoetch parts of which you speak.
snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (Randy Pavatte) wrote in news:12218-4380C11B-215 @storefull-3275.bay.webtv.net:
If you have the Dragon Karl-Morser go get a copy of the Trumpeter. Not that teh Dragons are bad but the Trumpeter are much better. Much finer detail. The hand rails are incrediblly thin.
I have the Dragon Odin, Rail transporter and the one with the munitionschlepper and 2 of the Trumps.
The only early one (8 raodwheels, external swingarms) so far is the one with the munitionschlepper. This is also the only one that seem to have a choice of firing or transport position tracks. I say seems as I have have almost no info on these outside of what I've read on the net so far which is sketchy at best and an entry in a book on German armor. I have the Schiffer book on these on order, hopefully here this week, this is all I've been able to find so far. All the others seem to be in transport mode. Odin and Loki (Dragon) both include 10 or 12 troops each. The other 2 come with artillry observation Panzers one a II and the other a V.
I think they might make a very cool dio, as they always seem to have been dwployed in pairs. I also have one of the Dragon K5s. My next purchase is going to be all 4 of the Dragon rail sets,
I think that the Dragon kits are clunkier than the Trumps, not as finely rendered. But that is not to say they aren't nice. They certainly look the part. I have Odin almost done all major assemblies finished and painted in OA Panzer Grey SG. He needs decals and detail paint. The PE is a bit much, especially since it seems to be in each kit but not each kit has directions for it. The shell base and the engine deck screen seem OK, the rest seems a bit much. I tried to put the rifling in after I'd glued the barrel in place. I believe that to be an error, the rifling should go in from the back, I'm not really adept at PE yet either. That will probably be very impressive if done right. I had one real problem on the Dragon kit, getting one of the track section flush to the hull. Not really sure if it was me of the kit, I was using CA and the test fit seemed to work and then didn't when the glue was applied. I finally got it to work, but I'll see on the next one. I used CA and Testors Liquid Cement, probably could have used Testors for all of it, the glueable rubber or vinyl really does. The gun mount itself went together but left wome ugly seams most of which will be hidden but the loading tray was off center when inserted to the the slot at the rear of the superstructure, kife and file work fixed it. The projectile supplied appears to be the 540mm one being to long for the loading tray.
The Trump has only been partially test fitted but I'd say it will go together even easier being of more conventional layout. The roadwheels will actually appear to be pairs as one wheel is on the hull siode and the other is molded as part of the track, Dragon's were simply one piece.
All in all some great potential here, especially with the inclusion of the railroad sets. Now what we need are some softskins, and maybe a locomotive for the rail transporters.
Even with just the armor more interesting dios are possible. Multiple vehicle in roadmarch or attack wedge formations become more doable, considering the distances between Tigers in a typical wedge you can at least make it more believable in this scale.
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