RED ARMY RF-8 GAZ-98 "AEROSAN" SNOWMOBILE (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 1:35 scale model of the USSR's Red Army's RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan" snowmobile armed with a 7.62mm machine gun. The snowmobile was powered by a small automobile engine (3.3L GAZ M-1 I4), making at capable of 50km/h. This and subsequent Aerosans were developed by Gorki Narkorechflota.

The name on the side is "Lembitu", and refers to the ancient Estonia general who lead his people against the Germanic invaders in the early 13th century.

The kit is well designed and moulded. I used both Vallejo white primer and Tamiya white primer to achieve the overall colouration.Detailing is with real rust, and with Vallejo "engine grime". The tubing sticking out from the engine body is plastic from the kit. It is not brass wire.

It was a great pre-christmas project taking only ten days. It placed second in the IPMS Ottawa January 2017 model contest.

photographed on actual Canadian snow!

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

A real one...

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

on real snow again!

Second place winner in the WWII armour (non-tank) category at CAPCON 2017 on 30 September 2017.

TOPOL MOBILE ICBM LAUNCHER (4D of China)

This is the new and unexpected 1/72 scale 4D "puzzle" model of the Topol ICBM launcher vehicle. Strangely, it is a snap-tight kit, but I glued everything for extra security. All paint is Vallejo acrylic airbrush colours.

The Topol (poplar tree) road mobile RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM was designed by Alexander Nadiradze at the Moscow institute of Thermal Technologies. The missile carries a single large-yield nuclear warhead. The truck is the MAZ-7310 or MAZ-7917 body (depending on the exact date of manufacture). The Topol was manufactured at the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, and entered service in 1985, and was last test fired on 20 March 2014 at Kapustin Yar. Armour kits usually come in 1/35 scale, but as this is a truly massive vehicle, it is about three times the length of a main battle tank, and therefore suitable for a smaller scale kit.

The kit was ordered on AliExpress.com, and cost $20 shipping included.
At the bottom are photos of the new 4D kit with the recent Zvezda kit.

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

A real one...

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

With the Zvezda kit, which is much more detailed, but far harder to construct.

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

With the Zvezda kit, which is much more detailed, but far harder to construct.

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

M*A*S*H JEEP (Heller)

This is a Heller kit in 1:72 scale of a regular US Army Jeep which I converted to a MASH medical Jeep as seen in Korea in 1950-1953. The kit was a gift from the owner of St. John's Hobby store in Winnipeg in the early 1980s. I finished the kit in 1985. It is customized with red crosses, kit bag, and a covered trailer. Mud and snow are courtesy of a cold Winnipeg spring.

US Army Jeep

US Army Jeep

CONTAINER SHIP "CARTIER"

This is an unknown scale plastic model kit of the Dong Fang "Oriental Electric Powered Container Vessel" by ZT Model of China (ztmodel.com). It is about 300mm long. I renamed it the "Cartier".
All of the containers come individually, but are moulded in six colours. I painted them the same colours and weathered and rusted them. The water line white boot-topping has been lightly weathered and rusted, as has the bow and area near the screw. All small windows were filled with clear cement, and the large windows on the bridge are made with sheets of clear plastic. I built a square funnel to replace the open-topped round funnel in the kit. I added four smoke stacks on top of the square, and put a maple leaf on both sides. A tiny radar dish has been added to the rear antenna array. The most detailing I did was to add photo-etch railings to the superstructure and stairs. This was experimental and a good way to learn without ruining a valuable kit.
The decals were only stickers, so I replaced them with decals from IPMS Canada which were for Canadian armoured units.
It was fun, but far from accurate. I have already bought another kit (side-wheeler paddlewheel ship) from them on AliExpress.

Third place winner in the TRIATHLON category at CAPCON 2017 on 30 September 2017. (with a tank and a train)

CUNARD "QE2" OCEAN LINER (1967)

This is the remarkably well-detailed 1:1200 scale kit of the famous Cunard ocean liner "QUEEN ELIZABETH 2" from Revell of Germany (005806). Only 200mm long it has a lot going for it. I have never entered it in competition as it never got completely finished and the two propellers are long gone. This is the ship on which I sailed around the world in the first half of 2007, so I keep it as a memento. Although launched in 1967, the version presented here is the final version which sailed until 2008. The white boot top stripe on the hull is a very long and delicate decal.

QE2

QE2

QE2

QE2