Enjoying my current spate of AFV modelling, I decided to stick with the 1/56th scale to go with my 28mm figures and for speed of assembly.
At last month’s North Somerset Model Show, held at the Weston-Super-Mare Helicopter Museum, I bought myself the Warlord/Italeri Puma model for the princely sum of £17.
Incidentally, this is a superb museum with (at my guess) 50+ different Helicopters on display including an awesome ex-East German Hind D!
I’m planning to display my 1/56th AFVs at this coming weekend’s IPMS Model Show at Thornbury, Avon, so thought if I got a move on, I could add this to the collection.
Once again, a simple kit contained on just two sprues. However, there is a good deal of detail incorporated.
The instructions are basic but adequate. You start by assembling the lower hull and suspension, which is a little complex, so needs care. The detail includes the leaf springs, drive shafts, track-rods etc. and really looks very good.
Fit of parts is generally very positive, with little or no flash encountered. The rest of the assembly is very straight forwards, and I left the wheels off to make it easier to paint the hull. If I have one complaint, it is the wheels. They are hollow which is a real shame given how detailed the rest of the kit is. Not really visible on the finished model but could have been better.
I went for a typical German paint scheme of Vallejo Air Dunkelgelb, over sprayed with Vallejo Brown Wash once dry.
The wheels were sprayed with Citadel Black Templar Contrast paint before picking out the hubs firstly with Army Painter White (Their new paints have incredible coverage!) followed by Vallejo Air Dunkelgelb & Brown Wash.
Then I over sprayed stripes in Vallejo Air Olivegrun before adding decals. These I took from some Rubicon spares as I felt the kit decals were too large.
There is a single half-figure commander included that’s nicely sculpted and easily painted.
The pioneer tools etc. were picked out individually before using Army Painter Strong Tone wash to fill the grooves & crevices.
Once all was dry, the model was given a dry brush of Vallejo Iraqi Sand before spraying a coat of matt varnish to blend everything together.
A really nice addition to the collection, recommended.
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