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1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:28 am
by flyboy_fx
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:13 am
by aferguson
yeah i found those a while ago...there are zillions of them. I'm not convinced they're actually 1/18, but they may be. Can always been enlarged if they're not. I can't find any other info about them or the company anywhere.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:27 am
by flyboy_fx
They look like they are nice.. YOu could use the paper as templates for Styrene, then once the basic shape is built, add your own details.
The stug is supposedly 35cm, the 1/18 panzer IV is about 33cm. I might give one a try and let everyone know how it works.
Just really busy, but I'll add it to the list.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:37 am
by flyboy_fx
Also, a Luchs in 1/18 would be 25.5 cm, theirs is 26. Or so they say...
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:45 am
by aferguson
well maybe they are 1/18......doesn't make sense but you never know.
btw you can scale up 1/25 paper models to 1/18 very easily and use them as templates as well. 1/25 is the most common scale for paper model tanks and pretty much everything is availablee.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:31 am
by Jnewboy
I would love for someone to try one and let us know!! something small to start with... they show a fish as an example and that looks like allot of cutting and then I see they make 1/200 Battleships???
http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/34 ... alers.html
Seriously? someone cut out the guard rail that runs all the way around that ship? WTF??
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:37 pm
by aferguson
1/200 is a very common scale for ship paper models. Lots of subjects available, including aircraft carriers. I think the rails are like phote etched, only made out of a paper like material and precut.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:41 pm
by normandy
flyboy_fx wrote:They look like they are nice.. YOu could use the paper as templates for Styrene, then once the basic shape is built, add your own details.
That's just what I was thinking Flyboy. Great find!!
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:41 pm
by TankAce
They can work good for diorama background. They are cheap and already painted.
the only downside i see is the time it takes to put it together.
Has any body in this forum put together one of this? and if so,
How many estimated hours is involve in one of this projects?
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:38 am
by aferguson
i've done a couple of scaled up 1/25 kits, in 1/18. It takes ages. Building the basic hull/turret etc isn't overly long...a couple of weeks at a moderate pace. It's the detailing that takes forever. Every hatch, intake, rivet etc plus mantlets and other tricky details. They usually look like crap if made out of paper so you need to scrounge and scratch build.
The fact that they are 'pre painted' is not really that great. There will be a reasonable amount of touch up needed, plus you'll need to paint any details you make and matching a paint colour to the printed paper colour is nearly impossible. It's best to repaint the whole thing.
However, as backrounds in a dio for pics, you coud build them quick and dirty, with minimal detailing and they'd probably look fine.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:41 pm
by TankAce
If it takes that long to build,it is better to take the extra effort to build it with styrene sheets instead of paper or cardboard.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:15 pm
by aferguson
i don't disagree, but that will even be more work, with all the sanding required. I've gone that route too. The nice thing about paper models is that you can make large hulls and turrets fast, with folding paper rather than cutting out individual facets, gluing them together (at exactly the right angle) and then sanding the seams.
Paper models are stronger than you'd think...if properly reinforced on the inside. The biggest drawback of the paper construction is the edges where the folds are have slight cuts in them and are noticable close up. You can partially eliminate this with painting, and more so if you soak the edges in krazy glue and sand them lightly.
A styrene built model is definitely a lot more work than a paper one.
Drawbacks and effort aside, the nice thing about paper models is that you can make anything you want, if you're willing to put in the work.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:22 pm
by aferguson
i think this is a complete list of what is available. Some pretty neat stuff.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/403832/ ... model+tank
after doing a bit of poking around, i think what these are are actually 1/25 papermodels that the seller has scanned and then printed out in 1/18 scale. Not sure if i'm correct, and it's not a big deal if that is what he's done as it saves the effort of enlarging them yourself....although it probably violates some copyrights. It is interesting he chose to do this in 1/18.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:30 pm
by AJWW2
They come with instructions right? Are the hatches and tracks static? They're fairly affordable and look so awesome, the stuart looks so cool. Do i need a special knife and glue to assemble them?
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:51 pm
by AJWW2
Did you guys see those other 1:1 models and guns!? They are amazing and so cheap!
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:46 pm
by TankAce
The Jagdpanther even has interiors.
I wish they would have made dioramas in 1/18 scale to put them behind my tanks display.
Thanks Aferguson for clearing up a lot of questions about this subject.
All the stuff i dream of in 1/18 scale,but made of paper instead of plastic.

Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:58 pm
by TankAce
aferguson wrote:i think this is a complete list of what is available. Some pretty neat stuff.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/403832/ ... model+tank
after doing a bit of poking around, i think what these are are actually 1/25 papermodels that the seller has scanned and then printed out in 1/18 scale. Not sure if i'm correct, and it's not a big deal if that is what he's done as it saves the effort of enlarging them yourself....although it probably violates some copyrights. It is interesting he chose to do this in 1/18.
Some of this tanks like a jagdpanzer that sells for $59.00 said on its features:diecast.
when they said "diecast" i am guessing plastic parts.
It may by original because the diecast parts.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:41 am
by aferguson
hm...i'd be very skeptical about it having anything but paper parts. And some of the built up paper model pictures look more liike plastic model pictures to me. Most seem to be actual built up paper models, but a few of them looked like model kits that are trying to be passed off as paper models.
There's only one way to find out. Any volunteers to buy a kit and find out what's what?
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:17 pm
by flyboy_fx
I might give one a try. Cut it all from plastic.

Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:36 pm
by normandy
I've been checking the site since Flyboy posted the link, there are a few I'd like to order and then do in styrene.
Just wish there was a seller on this side of the planet.
Might order the Puma..........
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:40 pm
by flyboy_fx
Check the size first. SOme tanks seem too small, like the maus. The luchs seems right, so does the panzer IV variants.
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:22 pm
by TankAce
The Hetzer seems to have tracks made of plastic

Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:25 am
by normandy
flyboy_fx wrote:Check the size first. SOme tanks seem too small, like the maus. The luchs seems right, so does the panzer IV variants.

I see, they've got the Maus listed at 40cm and the Jagdpanzer also at 40cm.
What should the Maus be in 1:18?
Re: 1/18 paper tanks?
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:28 am
by aferguson
yes you need to check each model carefully....read the descriptions. Many seem fine but some are off and some pics are clearly of plastic models, not paper models. However the seller has good feedback so overall i think the products are fine.
For a huge selection of paper model tanks check out
www.papermodelstore.com They're mostly 1/25 but easilly enlarged and can be used as templates, or built directly and painted.