If I had to sum up 2011 in a single word, I’d probably go with “grinding”. This has been a year. Two job switches. A layoff and a month and a half of unemployment. Building a house. A move (which we’re still recovering from!). A November of aggravating ailments and injuries. The hottest summer ever…
Category: AFV Club Achilles Mk.IIc
AFV Club Achilles – DONE
And…that’s a wrap. Overall, I found the AFV Club kit less than impressive, and certainly will think long and hard before purchasing another of their kits, but on whole I’m pretty happy with the end result. Check out the completed build HERE.
AFV Club Achilles Build Report 4: Weathering
The Achilles has been a long build, but I didn’t realize how long until last night. As of today, the 17-pounder has been taking space on the bench for sixty-four days, far longer than any other kit I’ve tackled since coming back to modeling. Now, at long last, the end is in sight. The weathering…
Fixing Rubber Band Tracks
Of the (many) headaches I’ve had with AFV Club’s Achilles Mk.IIc, one of the most persistent has been the tracks. AFV Club provides a set of soft, flexible “rubber band” tracks representing the T51 flat rubber block-type track common to many VVSS vehicles. At first I was jazzed about these, since individual links freak me…
AFV Club Achilles Build Report 3: Decals, Details, and Track Issues
With World War II aircraft, I feel like I’ve found a pretty satisfactory build process. Obviously each bird has its own small variations, but for the most part, the process is at least similar. Not so with armor. The Achilles has been a logistical nightmare for me. A confused series of subassemblies that can’t come…
AFV Club Achilles Build Report 2: More Assembly + Paint
I can’t believe it’s been something like three weeks since I posted the last Achilles build report. Where does the time go? Work on the Achilles did slow down somewhat while I polished off the Mosquito NF Mk.II, but now it’s roaring ahead full steam. In this build report, a bit more assembly, then paint….
AFV Club Achilles Build Report 1: Not Like All the Other Tanks
I’ve built enough tanks to have a feel for the overall process. Much like aircraft, armor kits have a broadly similar buildup, that goes something like this: Wheels/suspension Lower hull Upper hull Turret Detail pieces, accessories, etc. Tracks So I was a bit thrown when the Achilles kicked off inside the hull. At first, I…
On the Bench: 1/35 AFV Club Achilles Mk.IIc
After Tamiya’s M4 Sherman Early Production, I was itching to dig into another armor build, but my stash presented me with too many interesting choices. To help things along, I took the decision out of my hands and opened it up to a poll. Well, the results are in, and the Achilles crushed the competition…
Doogs Models 