Model reviews

Plastic Soldier Company Sherman M4A4 (Sherman V)

 The box contains 5 models, each contained on a single sprue containing enough pieces to make either a 17pdr firefly or a standard 75mm version. The moulding is clean requiring little cleaning up but some care is required when removing the parts from the sprue. I managed to break one of the track mouldings but it was simple enough to repair

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I think the tracks would have been better connected to the sprue at the sides rather than on the ends as this a very visible  part of the finished model but a bit of careful scraping with a scalpel blade makes it presentable.

The track units are a 4 part assembly, Upper track, lower track, drive sprocket and main wheel suspension moulding. As long as the tracks are fitted the right way round they fit well together. Im not sure about the track support skids though as I can't find any prototype photos showing this version, however I'm no expert on shermans (or anything else for that matter).

 The kit comes with a basic instruction sheet which shows the parts that are unique to each model type but to be honest you can't really go wrong with this model. As most of my earlier models are white metal I do miss the lack of weight that results from a plastic model but it is possible to add a little weight into the empty hull moulding before assembly. (Ive added some flattened 9mm bullet heads to my PSC Stug IIIs).The main plus with PSC models is the price of £17.50 per box which is £3.50 per model compared to around £6.50 for a metal or resin one.

The sprue contains a few small track sections, a jerry can, stowage box and a road wheel for attaching to the hull which can help to make each model a bit different. Also a commander figure is included if you decide to model the turret hatch open. The sprue contains a .50 cal gun but I haven't seen a photo of a firefly fitted with one but I would imagine somewhere there is one. This gun moulding is really a bit to fragile for a wargame model and I don't think it will last long anyway.

This model is slightly smaller than my Peter pig and Battlefront miniatures models but this could be due to the finer moulding that is possible with plastic models. For me price is a major consideration so this model will (as will most other PSC models in future) be my first choice. They are easy and reasonably quick to make which again for me is a major consideration as my spare time is very limited.  I always carry a couple of kits at work in case I have an hour or two spare.

Left BF Miniatures, Centre PSC, Right Peter Pig

      




The almost finished item




I hope this is of some use and I will end by recommending this model to anyone who wants to build a reasonably priced collection.

Graham


Skytrex Sdkfz 7

Heres a metal model I bought a few months ago which has been sitting on my desk along with a bren carrier & 6pdr a/t gun.



Like all skytrex models I have bought it only contains a few parts so is easily assembled in an evening.
The castings do require some cleaning up but that is normal with white metal models.


This is the worst bit and unfortunately it is on a detail area. I use a heavy blade in a swann morton craft knife to cut most of the excess metal away the finish with a fine file and a bit of wet & dry paper. Other than this the castings were pretty clean.



To be finished later.... maybe tomorrow if i have time

Well I didn't have time to finish as had work to do but did solder the tracks on


with skytrex 88mm







Plastic Soldier Company StuG III

Like the sherman looked at earlier, the stug III comes in a box of 5 models. Each model can be built in one of 4 variants, Ausf F/8, Early Ausf G, Late Ausf G and 105mm Sturmhaubitze.

The sprocket wheels are handed so must be fitted to the correct side or the tracks don't fit quite right but a few seconds work with a file soon fixes this. Track assembly is the same as the sherman with a top and bottom track and a wheel moulding to which you have to glue the outer sprocket and idler wheels.

Instructions included


The machine guns for mounting on top are very fragile and I doubt they will last long, 1 of mine was already broken on the sprue, I also managed to snap a main gun barrel while cleaning the model for painting but that was soon fixed. As with the sherman model, I prefer the feel of a white metal model but now for me price is everything, and on the plastic models the detail is a lot crisper than metal/resin equivalents.



Zvezda AEC Matador.


The AEC is a new release from Zvezda and I hope there are going to be more British models following this.
This kit consists of 2 sprues and is a simple clip together construction. For a model that costs just under £3.00 this is well worth buying, all I need now are a couple of 5.5" guns.







1:144 aircraft

I also bought a couple of aircraft models with the Matadors and although they are the wrong scale they will do to represent aircraft in my games. I have 2 Hurricanes and 1 Me 109. These again are simple push fit kits and take only a couple of minutes to put together. Transfers are also included.











2 comments:

  1. All the best, Dude. Nice beginning. I didn't know you could even get plastic 15mm kits. Sounds like a good way to go. What sort of range is there?

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  2. Hi archduke
    Sorry for the delay in respondingbut I can't write anything on here from my phone.
    The 15mm range of plastics are still limited for now. Available are PzIV, Panther, StugIII, a few different shermans and a bit of russian stuff. Also a few russian kits but not sure what they do except for the opel blitz cos I got 3 of them. I'll get a few pics up later.

    Plastic soldiers website is www.theplasticsoldiercompany.co.uk
    Its worth a look

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