By Nuno Santos
(original article formerly on the miniaturezone.co.uk website)
This diorama was built in 1995 consists of a fortification , with an antiaircraft gun and a truck .
The truck is an OPEL BLITZ in scale 1 /72 ESCI- ERTL . This kit was produced in 1988 with the reference 8355 , and contains 64 pieces.
It's a simple kit without great detail. In assembly, the hardest part is the placement of the cabin. I rode the cab overconfident and the result was discouraging . The last piece was bad seasoned unite with the rest of the cabin. As the pieces have almost no fixation point is we need to study what part should be attached first - is that the assembly diagram indicating the placement sites but do not indicate the assembly steps . I had to take off some of the pieces , which was not easy and I went to hit the assembly , with some cuts and modeling clay to cover imperfections .
In this miniature , I conducted some modifications : I opened one of the doors of the cabin, put ' glasses ' windshield and doors ( I used clear plastic , malleable , I got a package ), the canvas roof has been foil manufactured cooking - the two arcs are small clips .
For miniature painting three colors : olive green , sand and black . I used the colors of HUMBROL : for painting miniature general used 63 -sand color , applied the 86 -light olive colored in camouflage stripes , the 33 -black for the wheels on canvas colors used 26 - khaki for the exterior and for the interior 63 . For the whole model , I applied the ink -mid 84 stone , quite diluted , to enhance the details. Finally in headlights 11 applied silver color and the radiator and side openings 33 used color , well diluted .
The OPEL BLITZ 3 tons , which represents the model arises in 1937 and was one of the first to follow the practice , adopted in 1938 , construction of civilian vehicles that could also be adopted for military purposes . This model has total length 6.10m by 2.27 wide and 2.25 m high. OPEL engine had a 3.5- liter capacity and 64cv then be increased to 3.6 liters and 75hp . The top speed was 85km / h with a range of 320kms .
The anti-aircraft weapon (AAA ) is a Flakvierling 38 quadruple ( four guns) of 20mm and is considered one of the best aircraft at the time, with remarkable firepower - 800 rounds / min .. He was seated on a triangular base that each point had a device for leveling the gun. The three seats were removable , folding cranks and had room for the ammo boxes . The firing of the weapon is made via two pedals , in that each of the cannon fires two on each side.
The shot can be automatic or semiautomatic . The initial velocity was 900m/seg shot . with an effective range of 2,000 m . Because firepower , needed a lot of ammunition. The angle of jurisdiction of the guns was 90 º upward and 10 º downward able to rotate all around 360 º. We used a lot against low altitude aircraft and was installed in permanent premises. They were also installed in some vehicles - OPEL BLITZ ; Sd.Kfz 7/1 ; PANZER IV wirbelwind ...
Fortification is my creation and plaster . The molds were made with kitchen match sticks . It took five molds (Figure 10 ) : the top ( A) , bottom ( B ), the portal ( C ), the lateral wall ( D ) blocks to the steps that were carved after the plaster has dried ( E). The various sections were attached with white glue for wood. I painted the first structure , with color 175 - hellgrau 76 . Once dry , the color wash with 119 -light earth well diluted .
In relation to accessories: the two rifles ( MAUSER ) are of the HASEGAWA - MB35 reference , in the truck , the two barrels and the box are the reference ESCI 8060 , 1986 , the bars are kitchen match sticks , the barrel was pulled HELLER kit with the reference 80815 - " NINA " scale 1/75 .
As for the soldiers , the three that are next to the truck that I adapted for sappers , are the reference AIRFIX 01755 - LUFTWAFFE PERSONEL . Modified only one withdrawing the hand tool . The other two soldiers in the fort are from the Matchbox ( 1982 ) and both were modified . Because they are made of plastic is malleable , with the points of the fingers ( thumb and index) you can change the positions of the arms , legs , head and trunk - for smaller parts ( such as hands and feet ) used a flat nose pliers , and with a knife I removed the objects.
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
© Antònio Santos , 30th August 2000
