Small Scale Military Headquarters

I know these tanks are old news to most on this board, but I had no idea they existed until this spring. Some of you may remember I debated buying one of these a while back but passed because it was missing the figures. I have been thinking about it for nearly 4 months and I recently had the chance to buy it again, I got a better deal and took it. It is going to need a little work. I am going to have to cast the missing 2 antenna bases off the commander's antenna base and one of the turret mounted track links as well as fabricate new antennas out of wire. This missing figures are proving to be a bigger challenge. I am down to resin kits that will be very expensive or using 1:18 figures, neither of which I am crazy about. The resin kits are about $40 a pop which could negate my good deal on the tanks and the 1:18 looks so toyish with it. This tank is so cool, I just sit and stare at it, it really puts our 1:18th stuff to shame. It is not all metal, but mostly and heavy as heck. It even sounds like the Tigers in Private Ryan when you roll it (and yes I know those were really T-34s).

Man that looks great.They are sweet.

What kind of deal did you get on it ?

I kind of wished I had gotten the Wittman. I do have the other version though.

I also passed on their Sherman. Now I kind of wished I had gotten that one as well.

But when that one came out business took a nose dive and has not come out of it yet.

Casual observers who were not really into military pieces would never notice the difference in size in the third photo. I have taken the 1/16 figures that come with the Heng Long 1/16 tanks and put them next to some of the 1/18 figs I have and there is simply no difference in size between them what so ever. I posted photos of the comparison some time back.

Maybe this link will work to my old post.
viewtopic.php?t=15156&highlight=

If you look at all of the photos in the post, I think its hard to say that 1/18 figures look out of place with 1/16 vehicles.

pickelhaube wrote: What kind of deal did you get on it ?

It started at $350 and I got it down to $250. I didn't realize that the antennas and a track link were missing until after I bought it. I was hoping you might have some ideas on the figures, you are always good for a tip.

hotrodrock wrote: Maybe this link will work to my old post.
viewtopic.php?t=15156&highlight=

If you look at all of the photos in the post, I think its hard to say that 1/18 figures look out of place with 1/16 vehicles.

Thanks for that information, unless I can come up with something better, I will probably end up repainting some of the XD winter panzer crew.

$250 is a really good deal.

But it will take a bit of work, like you say. And those resin figures seem awfully expensive.

But you have a fantastic model, that is almost complete.

Nice Tiger YT, too bad you didn't get figures with it. While I collect both 1/18 figs and 1/16 tanks and I do mix them, you just can't beat a 1/16 figure on a 1/16 tank IMHO.
I'm not too keen on painting 1/16 figs, hopefully decent prepainted figs like the FOV will become available in the future
Nev

S&T Productions are the way to go my friend (IF you can find them). This is the commander on my HL 1/16th Tiger I.

Wow he is great, but pricey!

Those 1/16 figures are beautiful made. Great pics!!

plasticboy wrote:Those 1/16 figures are beautiful made. Great pics!!

Thanks PB, they're probably the most beautiful resin figures I've ever worked with. Pricey...yes.

I actually had to chop his left arm off at the elbow to get his arm resting on the cupola since S&T Products forgot to include the other optional arm. A little "green stuff" (Citadel Miniatures), a little sculpting, and good to go. I'm pretty sure S&T is out of business at this point. The figures were sculpted by a Hollywood effects professional.

VERY NICE

That commander looks fantastic!

I assume that you had to do the painting, NWarty? If so, you did a great job.

How "pricey" was he?

Really adds to the realistic look of the tank.

* Congratulations YT * ... I must say I am a proud owner of # 007 + actual production # .


- Mitch

MG-42 wrote:* Congratulations YT * ... I must say I am a proud owner of # 007 + actual production # .


- Mitch

And I bet its still in the box too!...lol

VMF115 wrote:

MG-42 wrote:* Congratulations YT * ... I must say I am a proud owner of # 007 + actual production # .


- Mitch

And I bet its still in the box too!...lol

>>>

.............. "nice pics too btw guys". *




- Mitch

Mitch, you know you want to take it out and fondle it, I know you do...so come on, and take out Mr whitman 's Tiger tank....

Snake,
Thank you much for the compliments. Yes, I did all the painting on the figure. The figure was bought from coloradominiatures.com for roughly $45 USD. The figure is full-length, but used a razor saw to cut him below the waist to fit into the Heng Long Tiger. I'm still trying to track down the loader figure, but having a hard time since S&T is no longer in business.

I started working on replacing the parts that were missing when I bought the old girl tonight. I have done a little casting before but never anything like this. I picked up the Alumalite casting kit at Hobby Lobby using the 40% off coupon. It includes resin, mold material, clay, cups and mixing sticks.




After a little trial and effort, I got a couple of decent casts, although they will need quite a bit of clean up, they will do. I made 2 antenna bases, 1 track link to go on the turret and a couple of Vietnam era Huey pilots.



Here on are the antennas, they are made of piano wire. Making the loop on top was a rough, they aren't perfect, but goode enough.



Next I have to get everything cleaned up and painted.

These heads came out great, what a neat casting kit you've managed to find YT

Finished up my replacement track link and antennas. I think they came out pretty good. I didn't put a lot of thought into paint matches, I just used stuff I had.


Can you spot the replacement track link?



Antenna bases are pretty close.


I broke down and paid a king's ransom for 2 figures, they are from the TIger2, but I really like them. They are a head taller than the 1:18th figure in the middle.

Looks really good, YT.

Good job on the antennae, and the figure look very nice as well. At the end of the day, your FOV 1/16 Tiger now looks complete. Congratulations.

Yt- Great job on the redo. It looks all original to me

Nwarty- That figure does look great as well.

My collection had expanded considerably. The display case is from Ikea and the grimy fingerprints are from my son! I still need to so some work with the presentation, I want to frame and display the COA's and maybe put some of the literature down on the bottom shelf.

Very nice collection.

VERY nice, YT.

You must be proud to have all three of them.

Some serious money in that cabinet.