British First World War Whippet 1/35 scale.

[Phil57]

This Meng 1/35 scale whippet is what I have been working on for the past few weeks. Overall, the vehicle is as good as finished. Just a light spray with some matt Varnish and a bit of black chalk dust to emphasis the exhaust. I have started working on a base but that will take me some time yet which is why I thought I would give you a sneak peak at the main subject.
This was my first Meng kit. Overall, I thought the detail was good and the fit is pretty good too. A few issues however. I am not used to having to bend plastic pieces like etched brass to make them fit. This was kind of scary as the fighting compartment had to be bent in several places and at the right angle otherwise it would never fit. Fortunately it all went relatively smooth. The tracks are link and length and whilst they snapped together easily they would not hold together when I tried to put the track on the vehicle. I ended up having to glue certain sections onto the running gear otherwise it would just not go on. Give me a rubber band track any day.
Whilst trying to attach the tracks I ended up bending and actually breaking one of the machine gun so it you do this kit be warned. Leave the machine guns to last.
The base for this vehicle will be across bare wet earth so I ended up really giving the vehicle the treatment when it come to mud and dirt. It would look kind of ridiculous all clean in a muddy battle field. Thats about it for now. More pics to follow when I do the base. Thanks for looking.


Phil

 

[Greysteele]

Well done. I especially like the weathering. Does anyone make a Whippet kit in 1:72 scale?

 

[Phil57]

Well done. I especially like the weathering. Does anyone make a Whippet kit in 1:72 scale?

Good question. Up until the 100 year anniversary there were very few WW1 AFV kits available. I think Emhar did have a a Mk 1 and a Whippet in 1/35 scale, but from what I have heard, they are average kits at best. Since then a couple of the bigger companies now produce WW1 vehicles but still very limited compared to WW2 and modern AFV's. As for 1/72 scale I do know Emhar do market a whippet but I really cant say about its quality. Have a search with google.

 

[Pantherman]

This Meng 1/35 scale whippet is what I have been working on for the past few weeks. Overall, the vehicle is as good as finished. Just a light spray with some matt Varnish and a bit of black chalk dust to emphasis the exhaust. I have started working on a base but that will take me some time yet which is why I thought I would give you a sneak peak at the main subject.
This was my first Meng kit. Overall, I thought the detail was good and the fit is pretty good too. A few issues however. I am not used to having to bend plastic pieces like etched brass to make them fit. This was kind of scary as the fighting compartment had to be bent in several places and at the right angle otherwise it would never fit. Fortunately it all went relatively smooth. The tracks are link and length and whilst they snapped together easily they would not hold together when I tried to put the track on the vehicle. I ended up having to glue certain sections onto the running gear otherwise it would just not go on. Give me a rubber band track any day.
Whilst trying to attach the tracks I ended up bending and actually breaking one of the machine gun so it you do this kit be warned. Leave the machine guns to last.
The base for this vehicle will be across bare wet earth so I ended up really giving the vehicle the treatment when it come to mud and dirt. It would look kind of ridiculous all clean in a muddy battle field. Thats about it for now. More pics to follow when I do the base. Thanks for looking.


Phil

Nice one Phil.
Pantherman

 

[Phil57]

Nice one Phil.
Pantherman

Thanks mate.

 

[Phil57]

Well, I finished the base for the Whippet. I have tried to replicate a ruined landscape around Villers Bretoneaux in August 2018. I thought about using a few figures as I have four to choose from, but in the end I decided on just the one. I am not a fan of figure painting and I really only ever use them to add scale to the vehicle. Thanks for looking.

Phil

 

[Pantherman]

Well, I finished the base for the Whippet. I have tried to replicate a ruined landscape around Villers Bretoneaux in August 2018. I thought about using a few figures as I have four to choose from, but in the end I decided on just the one. I am not a fan of figure painting and I really only ever use them to add scale to the vehicle. Thanks for looking.

Phil

Phil, that's some fine work. Looks very realistic. I'm loving the details on the base, it set's the model off perfectly and the single figure just adds to the whole thing. Great build. Looking forward to seeing your next endeavour.
Pantherman

 

[Phil57]

Phil, that's some fine work. Looks very realistic. I'm loving the details on the base, it set's the model off perfectly and the single figure just adds to the whole thing. Great build. Looking forward to seeing your next endeavour.
Pantherman

Thanks heaps Pantherman. My son game me a Tamiya JS3 for christmas which will be my next build. I don't wish to sound ungrateful, but I don't really do post war vehicles even though the JS3 was made during the later stages of the war, it did not see any action that I am aware of. However, so as not to disappoint my son, I will do the build and just put it on a simple street base kind of like the Russian parade through Berlin.
I have however just ordered the same Tamiya tiger you are currently doing. I have made a few German tanks, but not a tiger so really looking forward to that. My aim is the Leningrad front during winter.

Phil

 

[Pantherman]

Thanks heaps Pantherman. My son game me a Tamiya JS3 for christmas which will be my next build. I don't wish to sound ungrateful, but I don't really do post war vehicles even though the JS3 was made during the later stages of the war, it did not see any action that I am aware of. However, so as not to disappoint my son, I will do the build and just put it on a simple street base kind of like the Russian parade through Berlin.
I have however just ordered the same Tamiya tiger you are currently doing. I have made a few German tanks, but not a tiger so really looking forward to that. My aim is the Leningrad front during winter.

Phil

The tamiya tiger 1 is a great kit. I would recommend the tamiya zimmet, it's a bit of a pain to fit but I'm liking the end look. Don't make the same mistake of not fitting the rear hull parts before applying the zimmet though.
I'm just about finished the main build and will post some photos shortly. Just the weathering, figures and base to sort out.
Have fun.
Pantherman

 

[Phil57]

You have just answered a question I raised with you on the tiger in your post. My aim at this stage is to just do the kit as is with no zimmerit. Early tigers sent to the Leningrad siege were not fitted with the paste or at least not all of them. I am too nervous about trying zimmerit with putty and a tool and I am not all that keen on the glue on zimmerit like you used. I looked at some of the competition and there are a couple of Dragon Tigers and I think Meng also, with moulded zimmerit, but all had full interiors which I don't want and object to paying for really. I will think about it more when I finish the JS3.

Phil

 

[GaryG64]

Good question. Up until the 100 year anniversary there were very few WW1 AFV kits available. I think Emhar did have a a Mk 1 and a Whippet in 1/35 scale, but from what I have heard, they are average kits at best. Since then a couple of the bigger companies now produce WW1 vehicles but still very limited compared to WW2 and modern AFV's. As for 1/72 scale I do know Emhar do market a whippet but I really cant say about its quality. Have a search with google.

I did some research on the Emhar, and yes, from my poking around they are just right at an average kit.
I think Emhar would be a nice weekend or filler build to keep the fingers and mind sharp.
Takom did a great job on this kit (I built one not long ago) and, Phil, you did an astonishing job.