alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 704 
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Post by alexb on Oct 1, 2021 20:19:08 GMT
I'll be building Zvezda's M30 122mm Howitzer in 1/35 scale. She's a 1995 kit Zvezda it that was later reboxed for Italeri before returning to the Zvezda fold. She is what she is and I...well I'm not expecting a super awesome fun time with this one....but the choices are a bit limited for a Barbarossa era Soviet artillery piece....Zis-3 wasn't used until 1942.  
We'll get this started maybe tonight if time allows. I've got my sister's kids visiting for the week.
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Post by Paul B on Oct 1, 2021 20:22:14 GMT
That may be a a tricky kit Alex, but in your hands she'll be grand  . |
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Post by Ian H. on Oct 1, 2021 21:03:40 GMT
The venerable M30; great choice, Alex!
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Post by Marco on Oct 1, 2021 21:08:06 GMT
Nice choice!
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Si B
Plastic connoissuer
Posts: 1,342
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Post by Si B on Oct 1, 2021 21:32:53 GMT
Look forward to seeing you put this together  |
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Post by Robbo on Oct 1, 2021 22:35:16 GMT
Looks like a good kit to me
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Post by Boots on Oct 2, 2021 14:24:23 GMT
Nice one Alex  |
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Post by tommygunn on Oct 3, 2021 9:14:10 GMT
Good luck
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Post by JEFF on Oct 4, 2021 13:36:46 GMT
That works for me,Alex.  Good luck with the Kids.  |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 704
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Post by alexb on Nov 19, 2021 19:00:02 GMT
As much I'd like to, I haven't forgotten about this one. This kit is one f the worst I've ever swabbed cement upon. I'm just sort of trudging through it and should have it done in time. She's just a tough one to stay focused on. I think I'll give it something to tow it...Zvezda's GAZ-AAA. I've got a partially built one that I don't have any plans for.
Obviously the whole plan to take all the 2021 GB builds and make a single diorama has been pushed back. I sort of got caught up with some other stuff. I'll probably roll that one over until 2022. It's something I still want to do.
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Post by Robbo on Nov 19, 2021 19:11:30 GMT
Look forward to seeing this one, I like a kit that isn't perfect
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Post by Paul B on Nov 19, 2021 19:28:10 GMT
These older eastern block kits can be very trying indeed Alex. Don't let it get you down fella. Build the kit as is, then through a tarp over the main gun, which is at a guess the worst part, and hitch it up to some vehicle later  . |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 704
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Post by alexb on Nov 22, 2021 16:53:14 GMT
Robbo, I agree and actually enjoy some of these tricky kits. This one...she checks off all the marks. I'd say she's in the running for the worst kit I've ever done. Paul, Mud....lots of mud. |
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Post by Ian H. on Nov 23, 2021 14:09:41 GMT
Don't worry, Alex! A few of us have had our issues with our artillery projects.
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Post by Armorguy on Nov 24, 2021 9:37:53 GMT
Robbo, I agree and actually enjoy some of these tricky kits. This one...she checks off all the marks. I'd say she's in the running for the worst kit I've ever done. Paul, Mud....lots of mud. Or snow ? |
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Post by Robbo on Nov 24, 2021 15:44:58 GMT
Yeah snow sounds good
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 704
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Post by alexb on Nov 28, 2021 16:04:16 GMT
The figures I have set aside are wearing summer kit. I'm sort of locked in to fall of '41.
I do plan on doing a snow dio later...it'll be a what-if Operation Unimaginable based project....maybe. I've got some cold weather US Infantry figures I need to do something with.
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 704
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Post by alexb on Dec 25, 2021 4:06:21 GMT
Alright time to try put slap some lipstick on this pig and wrap it up.
As entioned before, the kit isn't good. The fit is horrible. The instructions...they are vague to point of being more suggestive than instructional. The engineering of the kit isn't all that great but Zvezda can be a bit loony on that part...usually a bit entertaining but not in this case. Parts are numbered wrong. It's just not a good kit. I like a challenge but this is just not fun. I did get basic assembly done.
 
Again, the idea was to use all four of the 2021 GBs in a single diorama. I used a built Gaz AAA I had for a Soviet Field Kitchen as a surrogate for layout of the diorama. I had an unbuilt Zvezda Gaz AAA and I planned to use it to tow the 122mm gun. I had taken a break from the build...it's a hard kit to stay motivated with. I have a woman that comes in every two weeks to clean up. I usually stash away in progress builds so nothing gets knocked over or moved. I had stashed away the gun and took three week break from it. I got it out and I couldn't find the sight and a couple of other parts. Literally looked every where in the hobby except where it actually was.
So I put it away a bit and hoped to come across the parts. No luck so I decided tarp it cover where the sight should be. Tissue paper and PVA glue layered to eventually get the look I wanted.
  
At this point we're getting in to December. I grabbed the surrogate Gaz AAA because I had not really done any work on the kit for the gun. So I grab the truck and guess what was in the bed?
 
I decided to finish it with the tarp. Maybe later I'll soak it at clean all that off...sight is stashed where it shouldn't be able to walk away.
Painted the tarp and dusted it. Played around with some poses...towed. The Gaz looks really god with the canopy top. Reworked the Gaz's canopy top to have a rear flap. It still needs alot of work so I decided to shelve the Gaz and reunite it with the field kitchen...the Miniart Field kitchen isn't bad....insane design but still pretty nice in certain usages. You'll see that and my rant about that in a planned build...later...maybe.       
So some lazy "I'm done" pics.
  
I'm just glad it's plausibly done. The howitzer will be shelved while I ponder it's future in the diorama. I won't be having it towed...it takes up way too much room on an already too big diorama base. The unfinished Gaz is probably going to be used as a civilian Ford Model AAA truck. Anyway, that will take it up to lend-lease era...but that's out of the diorama's planned time period. Did anyone catch all the Soviet vehicles were Russian made kits?
Thanks for the GB. I'm glad I worked through it and managed to finish. Got some big build ideas setting up for the coming year.
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bwilt
Plastic connoissuer
restarted this hobby after 40+ years.... still nice!
Posts: 2,077
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Post by bwilt on Dec 25, 2021 8:30:47 GMT
Hadn't seen this one, but read the whole thing just now, it's like reading a book, a very nice book! I do like the gun, nice wheathering! And you sure made a great save wrapping it up like this, it looks great! ... and offcourse I am dying to see you build that great diorama with trucks towing guns et.. |
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Post by Paul B on Dec 25, 2021 11:06:20 GMT
I shall definitely agree with Bert there , well played Alex |
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Good luck with the Kids. 
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