Soviet Armour of WWII (Again): Not just a T-26 but a T-26-4 Artillery Tank

I sense a rather long rant coming on. If I am being perfectly honest, it is a rant mostly at myself, not the kit. UM models and me have a love-hate thing. They produce the "off the beaten track" variants and I love them for that. They obviously experiment with materials and sometimes get it spot on. As per the one piece track it this kit. Far better that the old Airfix/Esci fiasco of heat-glue the ends of the track together without melting the damn thing. However I have to say that my concern was more with the ninety (and yes I do mean 90) other parts I had to first assemble for the "tank wheels" it to go over, including four of the dreaded 'etched metal parts' used for the front wheel - and super-glued in place (see below, the T-26-4 beautiful from a 'model-making' and 'kit-collecting' perspective but so daunting at the same time just to make, that is probably why it was "last to do" [and if say I have had this kit for ten years is an understatement] in my stock-pile of Russian kits to do - so, yes that means after this kit I have ran out of Russian WWII things to "make", note "make" ahem not "paint") : 

Zip forward in time and it's done (see below, that was quick - er, no, not quite, but I honestly don't have energy to go into the build details as it was so demanding and intense [I am sounding a complete primadonna here, but it was far worse than "screwing" the Persian War Tower together]): 

Can I point out the annoying "etched wheel parts at the front", there are two, an inside and an outer .. not really sure why. The machine gun to the side of the main gun in the turret is annoying as the hole is placed to the top while on the instructions it is placed to the bottom [and it was not just a case of me rotating it wrong, honest]. But .. once done I fell in love with it .. it was an insane sense of achievement over the odds ,, and yes I would buy another UM model (if a simpler alternative was not to hand), despite all my cussing (see below, a T-26 ready to take on the Fascists): 

Sorry, one final rant, but no it is not about the number of times I dropped small parts on the floor and crawled around on my hands and knees, and believe me I was being very careful. Neither is it the fact that I could not find plastic part 67 (the turret machine gun part, yes - to go in the misplaced hole [top not bottom] in the turret MG socket) anywhere on the plastic sprue - I finally located it specially segregated in the etched parts bag! To be fair, it was where the instructions cunningly said it was .. albeit in the small print. No it is the fact that despite the T-26-4 having a rear MG (a classic design feature of early war Russian tanks) they didn't give you one. Why? Would it have broke the bank? After all it made it to the box art on the back of the kit! So off I go to salvage something from the WWII spates box (see below, my rear MG actually comes from a PSC German rifle .. ha and I don't care .. it feels suitable punishment for this Russian tank to really on a German Lanser weapon!)

Having said all that. I love this little kit. Rant over. Yes I am thinking about buying UM BT5 or BT7 next. Unless PSC do one in 2021 or I can get my hands on a decent five piece resin model instead. Watch this space in 2021 ;) 

Plastic Soldier Company Marder II's (Plastic Frenzy #3)

The assembly line process continues apace. I shall let the pictures do the talking. Plastic Soldier Company Marder II (see below, late version with higher profile but better turret traverse) :

They fitted together like a dream. For the third remaining kit I did the earlier version so I could use it with an earlier purchased UM Marder II (see below, UM being the undercoated base yellow one):

They fit well together, but a nice touch is the PSC rolled up canvas coverings (see below):

This means I think I have the "Royal Flush" of German Tank Destroyer types, from the lowly Pz I (with a Czech 4.7cm gun) through the Marder II's, the Stugs, JagdPanzer IV, JagdPanther, not forgetting the Hetzer and finally the JagdTiger.

This means I have to fill my remaining holes in the 150mm support gun category, which is a Bison and Grille (again on the 38t chasis). From teh front cover of the PSC artwork I was hoping they were going tp come to my rescue here, but alas that may be for another pack at a later date.

Note: I resisted the urge to build the Pz 38t as I already have a formation of Fujimi Pz 38t's and I had the inking that the PSC woudl have 'stood large' by way of comparison.

1/72 WWII Su-76M (UM Models)

This is a lovely little kit of the Soviet mini-tank SPG that I have absolutely wanted to get for ages, then have taken approximately three years to get around to make it. If truth be told I actually would like to have two for a small Command Decision company, so see you in another five years ;)

The SU-76 is a good little asset to have in your back pocket, a mobile howitzer and packs quite a punch for it's size (the classic 76mm soviet Zis gun) and is handily mobile (see below):

The UM Model kit is finely modeled but has lots of parts (too many methinks for a quick build) so some degree of patience is required in its construction (Hint: Don't try and rush it like all UM kits).

No crew which is a little disappointing (as they are needed IMHO), but there are plenty of candidates in the spares box. Another Soviet "Chain of Command" asset to hand!