I made the Stug IV from Revell some time ago, but only now i talk about what was one of my best tank models streight from the box. Working almost at 1/72 give me the possibility to mix planes with vehicles, like in a air base scenário or in a crash scene. So, in display he have de company of a kuwel in a medium base with some trops.
But for this publication i put on a EOL display, solo, with some soldiers from Matchbox, Esci and Airfix (i love old kits). The model was so good that in times i brought another one to do the second version (in the box), but time and money are short so i sold him to a friend (in the meen time, i recieve a lot of models to repear, and there it was a stug III and Jagpanther).
Talking about the kit, it was a fine experiênce without any problems and were all the pices worked just fine, with a great detail and always the possibility of add new pieces if we want to, or removing shielding in the sides. In the end i like the result and i advise who like to work in 1/72 tanks or attack guns to build this one. Even the price is good, what not always is a important aspect by Revell. But let's talk about in more detail.
Talking about the kit, it was a fine experiênce without any problems and were all the pices worked just fine, with a great detail and always the possibility of add new pieces if we want to, or removing shielding in the sides. In the end i like the result and i advise who like to work in 1/72 tanks or attack guns to build this one. Even the price is good, what not always is a important aspect by Revell. But let's talk about in more detail.
For a 1/72 model a lot of pieces and instructions. Several days in montage, and some of the areas like the weels or the main gun, requires some time and attention, even they match just fine. Probably the most dificult piece was the support of the machine gun, who broke some times, but nothing to worry about.
I don´t know why the machine gun never came with bullets or the boxes for them. At this time i resolved the problem making misself the boxes in plastic and the bullets with tape and cobert wire little pieces, but today Roco have all that staff in 1/89 what is fine por using in 1/72 kits. Sometimes i made the hand scracht but for 5 euros it´s much more easy to buy a full hand of acessories.
Stell plates are most important pieces in this model, so one of the reasons i chose this version was that de model have them with camouflage. I cut one of the plates like he was lost in the battle field and although the support is fragile they don't brake. And with the conclusion of this part, assembly was all made, so time to go the painting.
I used Tamiya and Revell acrylics in my Aztec airbrush and i was very happy with the result. After, and to give the final touch in some parts, i applied enamel paints with a brush. A final step using dry brush 3 or 4 times in some parts, and finnito . Great the way that paint basically went good to the fist round, with only a minor nead to make some corrections.
After painting came the oils, who give that old and use aspect to the model. First the black and then in the some parts more close the ground, the dust efect with burned siena and umber. In this fase i never used dry pastel, wich is one of the main tecniques for me today (but not in that time, since was new to me, and i prefer a more confortable way to doing so).
Troops were painted with enamel from Revell. This old Esci and Fujimi figures are very good to put in the tanks, with some modifications using Hasegawa parts and ajusting the arms with a stileto and plastic glue. Today, some marks make crew from most everything in a number of different poses, like in 1/72 and 1/48.
The base was alredy done and i brought from EOL in Paris, probably one of the best physical stores that i enter. From kits to paints, passing by vacum form and also Rc models, there's a unique diversity that is a gift to all the clients. And the personnel? 5 stars and a special simpathy to the tourists who like to read and speak about military history.
I'm not a fan of ceramics bases, but this one is very good and much of the work is just fine. I remember that the display at the store had several ones, in different size and cenário, but the money was always short, so i brought just one. The curiosity: They were all civillian bases, so i chose one that could be used in a military cenárium.
In the end a good and detailed model (at least for 1/72 scale), made from a Stug IV series from a "people's company", the Revell (not a specific or hard one model company), with a nice price and completed with international material from a french super store. Old figures from ancient marks only made my modeling more happy. And salute to all o make this hobby out there. Cheers.
