A Tale of Two Tracks - The Heller AMX-30/105 Kit

Several years ago I purchased three 1/72 scale Heller AMX-30/105 kits. At the time I was unaware of any issues with the kit and they joined the mountain of kits that have yet to be built.

A couple of years ago I did start making the kits and soon discovered the main issue with the kit is the vinyl tracks. I found them difficult to work with and lacking in detail.

The best fit I achieved on three tanks.

A typical section of broken track complete with evidence of repair efforts.

The tracks were difficult to fit and soon split - often in multiple places - and soon defeated all my usual repair techniques.

This was the more typical fit achieved - complete with post fit rip.

A brief survey of online reviews showed that I was not alone with having these track issues. The AMX-30/105 Construction review by Stephen 'Tank Whisperer' Brezinski is quite balanced with its comments, whereas the review by Scott Van Aken describes the tracks as being 'a joke'. He concludes with the remark 'Shame on Heller for foisting those things on us.'

AMX-30 served on a bed of split and broken tracks.

However I was not going to let issues with tracks prevent the construction of these tanks. My first thought was to use the strapping tape track replacement system I have used previously  

However, I wanted to see if I could print a replacement track system. First I needed to get files for a suitable track, so I purchased from Wargames 3D the files for printing an AMX-30 by VJM787.

A set of FDM printed tracks. the tabs on the side will be eliminated.

The advantage of purchasing the files is that it will allow me to print more AMX-30s without going back to the Heller kit. There is a different in the placement of the road wheels between the two models, however the issue can easliy be ignored as it 

Clipping off the old road wheels.

The suspension is left for the new tracks and road wheels.

Removing the road wheels was my least favourite of the process as the Heller road wheels are rather nice and had assembled with very few issues.

The new tracks complete with road wheels.

Another view of the refitting..

A better view of the road wheels.

All three AMX-30s fitted out with new tracks and road wheels ready for the paint shop.

I am happy with the way this turned out and all that is left is for these tanks to receive a paint job. 

S&S Models 122-mm howitzer D-30

Recently I completed a trio of D-30s from S&S models. D-30s are a very useful artillery piece for gaming the modern era and the S&S model is a nice representation of the weapon system.

In CD terms each one of these models represents a battery of guns, so with the addition of  vehicles and personnel stands to represent transport and supply vehicles, gun crew, forward observers, and command elements, I can table an artillery battalion.

In CD terms this could look like the following (based on the organisation in GDW's Combined Arms and several real world ORBATs):

Artillery Battalion

    Headquarters:

        1 Command stand

        1 Forward Observer stand

        2 UAZ 467 (or similar light vehicles)

    Supply Company:

        2 Heavy Ammo trucks with trailers

    3 Batteries each with:

        1 D-30 122mm Howitzer

        1 Gun crew stand

        1 Medium Truck

 

Note that the above organisation could easily be downgraded by the removal of the Forward Observer, or upgraded by adding in additional elements that increase the capability of the unit.   

In order to maximise the utility of these guns I plan to create a number of vehicles and personnel stands representing a range of different forces. This would let me field the D-30s as part of Soviet, WarPac, USSR successor state, Middle Eastern, and Imagi-nation artillery units.

By doing this I should be able to provide artillery support to a wider range of forces without having to make a large number of  model D-30s.

Some ZSU-57-2 SPAAG For You

 A couple of years ago I ordered some ZSU-57-2s  from S&S Models (product located here), with the intention of painting them up in a way that would let me us them as a support element for a range of forces. 

Note that there are only four road wheels, as opposed to the T-54's five.

Recently, as part of an effort to finish off a number of projects that have been left half done on my work bench, I decided that they would be the next models to complete. 

I gave the crew a mix of brown and black headgear.

The resin turrets, hulls, and track sides cleaned up nicely and the white metal components were nice casts with a minimum of flash to clean.

Despite having been replaced in Soviet service by the ZSU-23-4 Shilka in the early 1970s, the ZSU-7-2 soldiered on in other armies. The Wikipedia page here has information on both previous and current operators.

Of course, in addition to the obvious Anti Air role, the ZSU-57-2 is capable of engaging ground targets. I suspect that will be their major employment on the tabletop as the twin 57mm guns look to be useful against targets such as soft vehicles, and troops occupying buildings. This fire support role was their main use during the wars in Yugoslavia (click here for the history of the ZSU-57-2 in Yugoslavia).

The business end of a pair of ZSU-57-2s.

 

Now that these have been completed, I will need to find another project to finish so that I can continue procrastinating about painting figures for Volley and Bayonet.

Skytrex Warsaw Pact Troops

 Some time ago I purchased a large number of Skytrex Firefight 20 figures from the UK. While long out of production these figures still have a great deal of character and their sculpting style lends itself well to my style of painting.

Armed with a mix of AK-47s, SVD-63s, and RPKs

The purchase was made up of from a variety of their modern ranges, including:

• Dogs of War
• Vietnam War (both North Vietnamese and US Forces)
• Cold War East Germans
• Cold War Soviets

I like the look of these larger stands with prone figures.

Unfortunately there wasn't quite enough of the East Germans or the Soviets to make a reasonable stand alone force. So I decided to combine the figures into one force and paint them all in my usual Soviet paint scheme.

Crew served support weapons.

One of the nice things about this selection of figures is the number of support weapons that is present. I was particularly pleased to discover two packs of  AT-3 Sagger ATGMs

Close up of the Sagger stands.

When these figures were produced information on Soviet and Warsaw Pact produced weapon systems was hard to get and was often based on blurry photographs and speculation.As a result the detaails and scaling of some of the weapon systems are a little off.

AGS-17 stands.

The biggest error is in the size of the AGS-17 Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGS). It is rather larger than it should be. I did debate replacing them with a more accurate version, but I decided against it as it would have involved a great deal of effort removing the weapon from the gunner (it is a one piece casting) for ultimately marginal benefit.

82mm Mortar stands.

The mortars are most likely meant to represent the model 82-PM-41 82mm mortar a WW2 era system that soldiered on in the Cold War. While the 2B14 Podnos 82mm mortar had entered service during the 1980s, the bipod for that weapon attaches further down a much longer barrel, so it is very unlikely to be intended to represent that weapon system. 

Other support weapons include a couple of RPG-7s and a pair of SA-7 Grail MANPADS.  The SA-7s are rather chunky and held at an angle suggestive of being an anti tank weapon rather than an anti aircraft weapon.

Also included in the selection were two figures that could be used in Command Decision as command stands, and three figures that could be used as radio stands or as FO/FAC stands.

 

Overall I am very happy with how these figures have turned out. I can only hope the rest of the figures turn out as well.

Soviet Anti-Tank Rifles

 I am currently attempting to finish a number of unfinished projects that are overdue for completion. This weekends effort was finishing off some WW2 Soviet Anti Tank Rifles (ATRs) of which some had been lurking around uncompleted since at least 1999 - if not even earlier!

I have started using larger bases than the standard Command Decision base for some prone figures and support weapons - particularly where the figures the protection a larger base can provide. 

Esci Russians converted using resin Leva Productions parts

The first two stands  use figures from the Esci Russian Soldiers set (PSR review here). Two prone LMG gunners had their DP-27 LMGs removed and respectively replaced with  PTRS-41 and PTRD-41 ATRs from the Leva Productions WW2 Russian Pioneer Equipment set  that also contains dogs with anti tank mines, demolition charges, flame throwers, and various other combat engineer stores. (Henk of Holland has details on Leva Productions and other Leva sets)

Spot the Clone 

One of the figures on the right hand stand is a scaled down clone of an Airfix 1/32 scale Russian. I have a number of these Hong Kong produced figures spread throughout my Soviet forces.

More ATR stands

Since I was already doing some ART stands I figured I could paint up some metal figures of unknown manufacture that I acquired in the early 2000s but had done nothing with. I had enough to make four ATR stands - each equipped with a PTRS-41. 

ATR stands or AMR stands 

I hope to be able to integrate these stands into both WW2 Soviet and postwar Soviet/Russian equipped forces as either ATR stands or as Anti-Materiel Rifle (AMR) stands. Post WW2 both the PTRS-41 and PTRD-41 ATRs have seen service, with the most recent use being in the current conflict in the Ukraine as an AMR (click here for more information). Given that, it would also seem very likely that they would be used in that way by various forces in Twilight 2000.

3D Printing Round Up

 Late last year I was fortunate to receive as a late Christmas gift a 3D printer. Since then I  hae been experimenting with it to produce models and terrain pieces. Most of what I have printed, I haven't taken photos of and as a result it hasn't made it on to the blog.

M1133 Stryker MEV upscaled to 1/72 scale

M1133 Stryker MEV file located here

As I don't know how to digitally model items in 3D, I am reliant on the hard work and talent of others. The files that I am using to print are sourced from:

• 3d printing community sites that host free files, 
• Websites that sell files,
• Kickstrarters, or
• By direct arrangement with the file creators.

I suspect that the vast bulk of people using 3D printers to produce gaming aids are reliant on the efforts of others to produce the files they print. Hopefully this potential market means that folk who create files find it worthwhile to continue doing so.

1/72 M1074 Joint Assault Bridge 

M1074 JAB file located here

105mm L118 light gun (file from here)

My 3D printer uses filament so doesn't produce models with the same crispness as a resin printer. I am planning to obtain a resin printer in the future in order to produce more detailed models and figures.

NZLAVs around a vehicle obstacle ( obstacle file here)

More NZLAVs

1/72 Scale Technical (file located here)

As I intend to post more on this blog there will be more 3D printe items in the future.

Heller Bobkit Commando Set

A while back now I purchased on a local auction site  the Heller Bobkit Commando set. The Bobkit range has always interested me due to the quick assembly snap fit vehicles and the figures that only seem to have been released in these sets.

The packaging is very 1980s

The contents of this set did not disappoint, as it contained five individual figures, a McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender helicopter, a VAB APC, a Renault J series truck, and Hotchkiss M201 light utility vehicle.  The set also came an instruction sheet that I have reproduced below:

Side A: Advertisement for other Heller products

Side B: Easy to follow instructions

Everything was complete and undamaged - except for the helicopter rotors that required careful repair. I haven't assembled the helicopter yet as I want to paint it before assembly, but I very quickly build up the other three models.

VAB APC and French Commandos (Esci Warsaw Pact figure for scale comparison)

The figures are quite animated and will make a nice addition to the  French figures from the ESCI NATO set. Detail on the VAB is basic, but it assembled quickly and was fun to put together. I expect that once painted it will work nicely with my other VABs

 Renault J truck and Hotchkiss M201 light utility vehicle 

The reason why the Hotchkiss M201 light utility vehicle looks like a Jeep, is because it is a Jeep! The French built them under license after WW2. Further details can be found here.

Overall, the set is a very nice collection of quick build models that are useful additions to a 1980s French force. I enjoyed building them, and hope to paint them and some other French vehicles over the upcoming Christmas break.