Mike999

Great job! I thought you had airbrushed that hard-edged camouflage using the Blu-Tack method. Hand-painting it so neatly is really an accomplishment, especially in Braille Scale. If you're insane enough to try a Braille Scale diorama...here's a Japanese page with a battle history of Japanese tanks, 1932-44. It gives the type and number of tanks used in each battle, the units and even names of the unit commanders. The last entry is the horrendous battle of Peleliu in Sept. 1944, where 17 Type 95 tanks took part in a coordinated attack on the US landing force. As you mention, they were no match for Shermans or even bazookas and all were destroyed. http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/history.htm

I'm curious too. With those fender emblems, it's either a 396 or 427. Both available in 1967 and I'd guess the 396. But police contracts were a big deal for carmakers and police agencies often demanded and got some strange combinations. The California Highway Patrol swung a really big hammer with Detroit. In 1955 Buick built 270 copies of the "Model 68" just for the CHP, a Buick Special body with Century engine and front clip. In 1961 Chrysler built a special run of 1,200 Dodge Polaras just to meet the CHP minimum wheelbase requirements. Thanks to the OP for the interesting photo, and something different to do with the AMT kit. A couple of eBay vendors sell flat, non-SS hoods for that kit. Other than that it looks like we just need Poverty Wheels, a roof gumball, spotlight and 2 lights for the package tray.

Freetime Hobbies is having a "Black Friday Sale" this weekend, thru Sunday. They don't have many car kits, but they do have the ICM 1913 Model T Speedster on sale for $19.99, which is about half-price. This link should take you right to it: https://freetimehobbies.com/1-24-icm-ford-model-t-1913-speedster-plastic-model-kit/ EDIT: they also have the Greenlight 1/24 scale die-cast trailers for $14.99 each: Shasta 15' Airflyte, 1964 Winnebago Travel Trailer, and the Teardrop trailer with canoe, bicycle and other accessories.

"I couldn't just leave it sitting there..." Which is how I ended up with a basement-and-a-half full of unbuilt models. Saw this in a local thrift store yesterday, on a shelf with board games and the like. The box was open so I expected a glue-bomb. Nope, it was in perfect shape, with all the parts still in their bags. It cost 1 whole dollar, so I might build it just for a fun change from cars and tanks. Or trade it or something.

Another vote for the Monogram. No contest when compared to the multi-piece body, misproportions and other aggravations of the Pyro. The Pyro kit is also available in a Lindberg box, with great box art. Don't be fooled. The kit inside is not great and is the same old Pyro Cord dating back to the 1950s. Being originally designed for kid modelers, the Monogram kit is easy to build but still looks good right out of the box. I've even seen some with the bodies not painted, only polished out, and they still looked good. If you want to go bigger, AMT did a 1/12 scale Cord. It has not been in production for many years, so it might get expensive.

The 450SL probably has a huge chunk of plastic hanging from the interior roof, about where the rear-view mirror mounts. Every one I've ever seen has that annoying little extra. It takes careful removal with a razor-saw and sanding sticks, to avoid damaging the roof. I have the 2 Rally versions of that kit, Bandama and Hugo Boss. They're pretty good kits, with interior/chassis detail and a simplified engine. The G-Wagen has no engine but is also a nice kit. Conversion potential is huge, since G-Wagens were built in many variations and used all over the world. One of the easier conversions is the 2-door ambulance used by the German Army. Several internet modelers have done this one, and the much more complicated "big box" G-wagen ambulance.

Good catch. That also looks like a photo of a real vehicle, not a model. All the ESCI/Italeri 1/24 scale Land Rovers were the later Series III (wide headlights). So were Italeri's own 1/35 scale kits, the "Pink Panther" recon vehicle and various military hardtops which date back to the 1970s. Back then Tamiya did a 1/35 scale Pink Panther and Ambulance based on the Series II with narrow headlights, like the photo above. But Italeri just recently re-issued the 1/35 Series III kit as a Spanish Guardia Civil police vehicle with a new hardtop, right or left-hand dashboards and some other new parts and decals. So they seem to be "freshening up" their 1/35 Land Rover kits, and maybe that will carry over to 1/24 with this fire truck. Sure hope so. But I suspect we'll just get another re-issue of the old 2-door ESCI 1/24 kit, with the hardtop and roof rack from the "African Safari" version. That version was re-issued back around 2007:

If you ever see a 1939 movie named "Indianapolis Speedway," it will be very familiar. It's a direct re-make of "The Crowd Roars." Very direct - even most of the dialogue is identical, so they must have just dusted off the script from 1932 and shot it. You'll notice all the racing footage is also the same. Turner Classic Movies showed both movies once on the same day. When "Indianapolis Speedway" came on, I sat there thinking, "I already saw this!" IMDB has some neat trivia about it. The designer of the breakaway tow bar for the racing sequences was August Duesenberg. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022792/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv

Picked up this oddball Jo-Han '68 Eldorado at a kit swap meet a few years ago. It's a "flat-box" with the custom version shown on the box-top. It also has all the stock parts inside. I think this was a short-lived gimmick that Jo-Han called the "Custom Series." I really like the box art. It reminds me of the black Toronado described in Stephen King's book "The Dark Half."

I just went looking for info on Italeri's re-issue of the old ESCI Range Rover Police Car. Looks like Italeri is also doing a 1/24 scale Land Rover Fire Truck, which I believe is something brand new. AFAIK, ESCI never did a Land Rover fire truck. They did a Mercedes G-Wagen small pumper, but it had the pump in the interior rear, not on the front bumper like this Land Rover. Sorry for the bad photo, but it's the only one I could find. Looks like the kit will be a hardtop with the front-mounted pump, searchlight and a great big roof rack. Since Italeri-USA was part of the Hobbico conglomerate, I don't know when, or even if, this one will hit the stores. A couple of Euro model stores say it is "Due For 2018." But there's no mention of it on the Italeri-USA website or even their Italian site.

OK, Jo-Han historians, here's one I've never seen before. A Jo-Han '64 Dodge Polara in the flat box, but it appears to build a stock-only kit. What's the story on those? This guy is selling his personal collection of over 5,000 rare kits. He ain't kidding about the "rare." A mint in box AMT '63 Nova convertible for $99 actually sounds sort of reasonable... https://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRA-RARE-JOHAN-1964-DODGE-FLAT-BOX-ANNUAL-UNBUILT/282965449406?hash=item41e20e1abe:g:pdoAAOSwl2xa-arA

Just yesterday at the SCMA swap meet/contest, I saw a Jo-Han '62 Dodge hardtop also painted in thick yellow goo. No box, it was missing all the tires/wheels but still had the metal axles and wheel backs. It was also missing the steering wheel and I think the engine. The seller was asking $40, but would have probably taken less. Another seller had a '60 Plymouth Police wagon in the original "USA Oldies" box. It had been painted gloss black, but the paint had been stripped. Interior was still painted in thick brown stuff. He was asking $30. I was going to grab it, but noticed the hood was missing. When I told the seller, he didn't want to sell it any more. Said he had the hood "somewhere at home," then took it off his table. No big deal. I bought a mint/unbuilt one of those off eBay not long ago for $43, shipping included. I've found a few other Jo-Hans on eBay for reasonable prices. It just takes some patience and a lot of luck.

Stopped at the Ollie's today in Anderson, SC...and for anyone in the area, they were just putting out the model kits! Unfortunately the car selection is not good. And one employee was nice enough to look thru the unopened boxes of kits in the storeroom for me. This store does have the Lindberg 1/16 Fiat and Bucket T. Dodge L700 car hauler with 40 Ford. Also the 2 custom Lindberg '38 Fords, the Lindberg T, the Mercedes SSK and Bugatti, '72 Challenger and the '61 Impala convertible. And that Revell pre-painted Camaro. Lots of ships and aircraft. I didn't see a single Danica Patrick Fusion, or Lindberg '64 Dodge in this store.

Just got back from the South Carolina Modeler's Association contest & swap meet in Simpsonville, SC. Great show, guys! Along with some off-topic armor and aircraft kits, and random 1/25 parts, I picked up the following: Monogram '30 Ford Cabriolet "Special Interest Series" (been looking for that one awhile!) Tamiya 300SL Gullwing Heller Citroen Type H "Fourgon" Van Jimmy Flintstone resin bodies: '27 Ford T with track nose, and '64 Fairlane "Thunderbolt" 2-door station wagon. Ford never built a '64 2-door Fairlane wagon, but an internet search shows that some hot-rodders have built them.

I just checked the weekly sale at HobbyLinc.com. They have the Tweedy Pie for $16.91. Here are a few other kits somebody may be interested in: AMT 1949 Ford Coupe "Gas Man" $16.89 MPC 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (the last re-issue, blue car on box) $13.92 MPC Super Drag Zinger $6.41 Phoenix Toys 1/24 Diorama Stuff: Garage Barrel, Pump, Pads, Stool, Gas Container, Battery $8.76

Yep! My store is showing the models on the new flyer too. I'll have to make another trip...

Yes, only in certain stores, and it sure is a bummer. I just got back from my closest Ollie's in Anderson, SC. No kits. Asked the manager if they were getting any, and mentioned the new flyer. She said she never knows what she is getting until the truck arrives from the warehouse. She also said each Ollie's is a stand-alone store, and all stores don't necessarily get all items. Though after reading Paul Alflen's post, I don't see anything I really want in that list. The day wasn't a total loss. At Hobby Lobby I used the 40% discount to get the new '50 Chevy pickup "Union 76." Suckered me right in. I already have several, but I really like the side-boards and new decals. Some people in another thread said their Hobby Lobby had lots of missing Revell kits, with empty shelf spaces. This store didn't. It was well-stocked with all the current Revell kits. And some that have been out for a while, like the GMC Pickup with Snow Plow and Foose '64 Impala.

The '63 Vette is an easy fix if you want a more detailed chassis, and someone on this forum tipped me off about it. Snake45, I think. The chassis from the MPC '64-'67 Vettes are nearly a drop-fit under the AMT body/interior tub. The chassis from the '68-'77 Vettes are also very close and will fit with a little fiddling (since real Vettes used the same chassis until 1983, IIRC). The MPC "Night Stalker" '67 Corvette hardtop is probably the easiest to find and cheapest on eBay. I got one of those a few months ago for about $10, with this very conversion in mind. For the Mustang, the detailed chassis from the AMT '67 kit is a pretty close fit. I have one of those on the Eternally Unfinished Project Shelf, an original AMT '65 convertible body mocked up on the '67 frame. The hardest work seems to be in the firewall/front fender liner areas.

Drat. The on-line flyer for my closest Ollie's doesn't show any model kits at all for sale (yet). This happened the last time too. Just scroll up to read about it. So before anyone drives a long way for this sale: click the link below and enter the ZIP code for your store. Your flyer may or may not have the model kits. The sales seem to be regional. I have to drive about 25 miles to Ollie's, but it's near Hobby Lobby, Books-A-Million and Michael's. Plus some thrift stores. So it won't be a wasted trip. http://www.ollies.us/currentflyer/flyer.html

Most of them at my local Ollie's were $7.99 the last time, so that's a $2 price bump. I still have some with the price tags on them. IIRC, the Lindberg 1/16 scale Civil War artillery kit was the most expensive, at $19.99. "Over 74 models to choose from." Hmph. I hope 72 of them aren't Lindberg Crown Vics.

Ditto for their old 1/48 (or O Scale) '56 Ford Pickup with Motorcycle, and the '56 Chevy Stake Truck. And like the cars mentioned above, all of these have nice big, complicated 1950s wrap-around windshields. Some people make their own, by carving a mold out of wood, or making one out of 2-part epoxy putty. Then heat-forming clear plastic over the mold. That might be easier if you have an aircraft-modeling friend with one of the old Mattel Vac-U-Form machines.

You met the challenge! Looks great and I hope mine comes out looking that good. Thanks to ICM for doing some new 1/24 scale classic-era kits, which no one else seems willing to try. Now if they would just enlarge their Packard Twelve up to 1/24 scale... ICM also does several Model T's in 1/35 scale: a 1917 Ambulance, only available before now as an expensive resin kit. Also 1/35 models of the Australian WWI armed patrol version, and a Model T military supply truck. Years ago RPM did 1/35 plastic kits of a Motor Machine Gun Section Model T and a different supply truck. But those are very crude short-run kits and not really worth building with the ICM kits available.

A very good read: "Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History." https://www.amazon.com/Yugo-Rise-Fall-Worst-History/dp/0809098954

Ha! And most of their kits have treads, not wheels. They're a Russian maker of "short-run" vehicle kits. The plastic is of varying quality/colors and often riddled with sink-holes, short-pours and other fun features. Tiny fragile parts on big thick sprues, etc. But for years, they made the only 1/35 scale kit of the Russian modern "jeep," the UAZ-469 used all over the world. AFAIK, that was their only 1/35 kit. It had full engine/chassis detail but was a monster to get together. Trumpeter finally released a better kit. The most interesting thing about MW is their choice of subjects. A Russian X-series tram? A GAZ parade car? I'd love to see stuff like that in a bigger scale.

The coolest aerosan ever (no pun intended). Built around the GAZ M-20 "Pobeda" (Victory) sedan. There is a kit of it, but only in 1/72 scale, from the company Military Wheels.