Landships II

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Modelling -> Just what can be made from the Airfix Mk1...?
Post Info TOPIC: Just what can be made from the Airfix Mk1...?
Dodo


Corporal

Status: Offline
Posts: 9
Date:
Just what can be made from the Airfix Mk1...?
Permalink   

Hello All,

Here is my first post on this forum.

I have found the Landships site quite helpful, but need some "straight"opinions from the modelling members here. So I've joined up.

I see the Airfix Mk1 tank, while having some accuracy issues, can be made the basis of a decent collection of British tanks.

I have just returned from France and only last week was staying at Flers on the Somme, now I hope to start making the following collection.

Mk1 male, Mk1 female, (as used on the Somme and Gaza), Mk2 male and female (particularly those used at Bullecourt), Supply tanks as used at Messines.

I'm about to invest in some sets from Matador models for improving the tracks and for making a wireless tank. Some Black Lion decals are on the list as well.

Now the big question... can the Airfix Mk1 be sliced up and made into a MkV and/or MkV*

No one seems to make a readily available MkV/V* (not one I can find at least). Same goes for the St Charmand and the British Gun Carrier.

So, I'd like to hear your thoughts/suggestions and if you can supply me with references, so much the better.

 

Cheers

D



__________________
Roger Todd


Legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 1393
Date:
Permalink   

Welcome aboard!

I assume you've checked out the following page, which lists available (at the time it was compiled, it's rather out of date now) 1/72 or 1/76 kits of WW1 tanks:

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/tankkits.htm

As I say, it's a bit out of date, but not massively so in that there hasn't (to my knowledge) been that much movement in opening up the range of WW1 AFV model kits, at least not in terms of the ones you've listed as being interested in. Please note that the Gun Carrier Mk I by RetroKit is no longer made by them and instead is made by Solfig:

http://henk.fox3000.com/solfig.htm

Milicast apparently stock it:

http://www.milicast.com/shop/product.php?productid=2010&cat=114&page=1

As for converting an Airfix Mk I to a Mk V or V*, given that it's not even very accurate as a Mk I (though easily corrected - apart from the rivets) it's probably either not possible or, if it is, not worth the trouble! You might be better off trying to convert an Emhar Mk IV.

As for the St Chamond, it looks like Modell Trans make a very crisply detailed 1/72 kit:

http://modelltrans.blogspot.com/2010/09/mt72801-stchamond-1-serie.html

EDIT

Actually, it looks like there's a lot more going on in WW1 AFV kit land than I had thought! Trans Modell also make a Mk V Male:

http://modelltrans.blogspot.com/2011/02/mt72803-mark-v-male.html

Though it looks like the master is adaped from an Emhar kit, so you may as well do that yourself!

http://modelltrans.blogspot.com/2010/11/mark-v-januar-2011.html

And some interesting images of the master for the St Chamond in progress:

http://modelltrans.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-novdec-2009-stchamond-i-serie.html



-- Edited by Roger Todd on Saturday 22nd of October 2011 02:41:00 PM

__________________
PDA


Legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 1496
Date:
Permalink   

Hello Dodo and welcome to the forum.

A Mark V* is available from Cromwell Models: either male or female. They used to sell the kit with both sets of sponsons, allowing one to make a composite, but I'm not sure if that option is still available.

As Roger points out, Modelltrans make both a female and a male Mark V. The male was initially released with incorrect sponsons, and the word on the street was that they were correcting and re-making them; I don't know if they have or not. Modelltrans also make resin tracks to correct the Airfix ones, but the ones from Matador are much cheaper.

It is possible to make a Mark V or a Mark V* from the Airfix, but you would have to do a lot of cutting and scratch-building - there is no conversion kit available. That kind of work is way beyond my talents, but it might be fun to try!

Something that is very useful is "rivet decals" from Archer. They are little blobs of resin on decal transfer paper that you can use to make the rivets that Airfix left off from the top of the sponsons and the side of the cab.

Also, from Extratech, is a Mark IV male correction photoetch sheet that might be useful - it has a lot of pistol ports - although I see that a Mark IV is not on your list.

The Gun Carrier, as Roger says, is available; made by Solfig. The St. Chamond is made (and is available) by Modelltrans, JMGT, and Reviresco.

There is a St. Chamond on the way from Strelets, and there is also a Mark V on the way from Armourfast. How far these plans are advanced is anybody's guess.

EDIT: forgot to say that, although a lot of Marks are possible using the Airfix as a basis, the end result will be in 1/76 scale, so if you will be placing figures on the same base, the tank may appear small because most of today's figures are in 1/72 scale. There is a 1/72 Mark I available, the old Il Principe Nero kit now sold under the brand name Briga, but it is rather expensive, IMO.



-- Edited by PDA on Saturday 22nd of October 2011 03:57:57 PM

__________________
Ironsides


Legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 1626
Date:
Permalink   

Hi there's is a set of articles from Airfix Mag on the MKI-IV in this thread here which may be fun to do...

http://landships.activeboard.com/t39248649/mk-iv-airship-tow-tank/

Cheerswink

 

 



-- Edited by Ironsides on Saturday 22nd of October 2011 06:13:18 PM

__________________

"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazggimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul"

 
Roger Todd


Legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 1393
Date:
Permalink   

Good advice from PDA and Ironsides there! I might add to PDA's comment about small-scale rivets - as well as transfer rivets, a US firm called Tichy Train Group do tiny styrene injection-moulded rivets to scale (as the name implies, they cater mainly for train modellers):

http://www.tichytraingroup.com/index.php?page=view_category.php&category=NBW+%26+Rivets&offset=0

I've ordered, and recently received, their smallest rivets and they look perfect for 1/72 scale AFVs! You do need to drill individual holes for them, however, using a pin-vice (drill through your styrene sheet, pop the rivet in and apply liquid cement from the other side so as not to swamp it), but the results are fantastic.



__________________
Dodo


Corporal

Status: Offline
Posts: 9
Date:
Permalink   

Jolly good information chaps!

Thanks for your advice.

I've found the listed articles and they've provided me with tons of things to do with the Airfix Mk1 (despite the issue of too many rivets).

I can now start my little collection going.

Thanks also on the info for manufacturers of the MkV , St Charmond and Gun carrier.... will have to start saving up the $$$.

Cheers

D



__________________
Roger Todd


Legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 1393
Date:
Permalink   

I've just found out that Wespe Models bought many of Retrokits's old moulds and now produce the Schneider and others (no St Chamond, I'm afraid, but Modell Trans make a really nice looking one anyway). Not only that but you can buy either kit or ready-built and painted!

You can see various Schneiders on this page:

Wespe Models 1-72 Page 3

And there's a terrific St Chamond railway gun on this page:

Wespe Models 1-72 Page 1

Blimey!



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Modelling -> Just what can be made from the Airfix Mk1...?
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard