Tag Archives: turned

Accessory reviews, Kit reviews

OKB Grigorov: Duhov’s KV-4 and 107mm ZIS-6 metal barrel

Big machines have always been a thing in the USSR, and that is definitily true for both aircraft and tanks before WWII. In April 1941 some 20 proposals for a super heavy tank competed within the Kotin design bureau. War interrupted this madhouse, all guns built for the design were destroyed. However since men continue to obsess with heavy tanks that were never built in metal – what you will see below is the winning one in resin.

Georgi from OKB Grigorov has researched a number of the competing designs, and Duhov’s proposal is one of 5 (five) KV-4 variants currently available in kit form from his shop.

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Accessory reviews

OKB Grigorov M24 Mammoth edition – the extras

As you are aware OKB Grigorov is also offering the so-called “Mammoth edition” of their injection molded M24 Chaffee. There are several PE frets and a machined brass gun barrel included in that boxing.

First off are the side skirts. You’ve noticed in my original review of the plastic parts that the skirts are represented in styrene, and that their edges are beveled to appear visually thinner. For those of us who are not satisfied a fret numbered P72017 offers replacement side skirts complete with fastener detail.

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Complete models

Pz VI Tiger Ausf. E – Revell 1/72

The finished article. Paints and effects used:

– acrylic paints by Gunze, Tamiya, Vallejo for the camo job,

– MM Gun Metal for the armament and track base color,

– Tamiya X-11 for track bare metal effect,

– various dark metal shades for the chipping effects,

– thinned Revell browns used for the washes (darker on the hull, lighter on the tracks),

– Agama patinators and Koh-I-Noor pastel chalks for dust, smoke and heat staining on the exhaust heat shields,

– Alclad II Engine manifold on the exhausts for that extra oily exhaust look, feel and SMELL,

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Build articles

Building Revell’s Tiger E in 1/72

First thing to do is to get rid of the molded-on tools. Considering the absurd ideas to make the hammer our of 3 layers of PE and the jack out of 9 layers – some tools were replaced with items from the Attack’s set “Implements and tools”, and I kept the jack almost stock. For the time being I glued on the retaining PE clasps and straps for them and the tow cables.

Stripped from the tools - PE added
Stripped from the tools – PE added

Aside from the molded-on tools and the symmetric turret there are few other issues with the Revell kit:

– directly sticking the spare tracks to the turret walls – there are brackets for this on the actual machine – I used PE items form the Part set.
– the gun that is very crudely molded in one piece together with the muzzle brake – replaced it with RB Models item 72B26 turned aluminum barrel with bronze muzzle brake. Since the barrel is turned there are visible traces from the lathe on its surface – I sanded down with 800 and 2000-grit sandpaper.

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