1:35 ESCI German Horse Drawn Convoy

[Fenlander]

My latest acquisition, thanks again for spotting it Gern. This horsey heaven kit is some years old. The date on the decal sheet is Dec 1989. It has obviously been stored somewhere a little damp as the box has a distinct musty smell but is in very good condition and the decal sheet has not been affected. The box is much bigger than I expected and there is quite a bit to it including 11 soldiers and 4 horses. Loads of bits and bobs to make a nice scene including fuel drums, boxes BUCKETS and a table with radio set.

There is a bit of flash on the tan plastic sprues and the green but nothing serious. The green sprues are the ones left out of the original ESCI kit when Italeri re released it, not a great decision in my opinion as these parts will make it a much more attractive scene.

The two sets of sprues with the horses are identical so getting poses of the horses as depicted in the box art will not be possible without surgery if at all. Detail on the parts looks good including some plastic chain for the harness fittings.

One odd bit is the colour call outs. The wagons are mostly called out as brown??? why this is not grey as on the box art I just don't know but grey it will be.

Here are the sprue shots, just need to get a few jobs cleared before I start it, if i can keep my hands off it that is. Best £10.99 I have spent for some time

It is this type of kit that I really get excited about as it is different and a bit quirky.

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[Richy C]

Hi Graham. your not a farmer by any chance are you with all these animals you keep getting (only joking) , looks good mate, and a lot different to the normal stuff thats available , if your making a dio from it keep us updated mate.

Richy

 

[Gern]

Hi Graham,

I know you said you have a few jobs to do and you're trying to keep your hands off this kit, please don't keep them off too long 'cos I'm eagerly waiting to see what you end up with! I think I mentioned I've got one of these on my wanted list. It may get bumped a bit closer to the top when I see your build!

Gern

 

[Fenlander]

No I aint no farmer lol, I just like something a bit different. I am struggling to keep my hands off it but I appear to be starting loads and finishing nothing. But having said that, I could finish this first

I would love to, and intend to create a diorama with the field kitchen included with these. However, the dioramas are getting so good on here, I am a bit nervous about having a go. One good thing about a diorama though is that so long as the kits are OK, you can always scrap the dio and start again if it doesn't look good enough.

 

[noble]

Graham you got yourself a cracker there, where did you get it from? iam looking forward to this being built keep posting those pics.

scott

 

[Fenlander]

It is off ebay Scott. Gern gave me the heads up on it (and may wish he had got it for himself lol). I lost out on the Italeri one a week or so before which went for £16 but does not have as much in the kit so I am really pleased to have got this one. The Italeri is just a re release of the ESCI so it is identical.

The seller was tigersmodels, they have quite a bit of old boxed stuff on sale.

 

[Fenlander]

Well, after a week of Spitfire building, it is time to get on with the weirdest kit I have bought, the horse drawn convoy. Just put the main parts of the Ambulance wagon together. Instructions not very clear, fit is a bit odd in places but nothing to stop this from being a great kit to build. I was a little surprised by the size of the wagons, both very similar. The length of the body of this, not including the sticky out bit that the horses get fastened to, is 4.5 inches and it stands 2.75inches high on its wheels as you see it. I don't thing the Panzer 1 I have will be much bigger lol

Anyway, first pics but not all there yet. Also I have been trying to work out how I am going to finish these. The box art shows the familiar blue grey colour which should possibly be more grey. As they are made of wood, then weathering is an issue as it will need as much faded paint as dirt. Wooden wagons in service would fade in some way so shadowing and fading will be in order. Mmm, any suggestions more than welcome.

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[Ian M]

Me thinks you are going to have to paint it to look like wood, then paint it again in the required colour.

Im thinking "hair-spray"....

 

[Fenlander]

I did consider that Ian, then I thought Naaa. I think I will spray the base colour then wash it and then spray a fading mist, base coat with a tad of white. There is lots of places where grime and muck would gather so there is options for that. Also, a surprising amount of metal work so a bit of rust and rust staining should lift it OK. Should be fun making something out of them though.

 

[Fenlander]

Just a quick post with the wagons base painted with Tamiya XF-63 German Grey. The second wagon is together apart from not having the suspension and axels on. I have done this to see if I should have left them off before painting on the first one lol. No problems airbrushing with the bits underneath added though. From here I plan to do some washing and then, maybe a spray weathering using fading using lightened grey and from the bottom up, dark earth dusting.

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[Ian M]

If you wise to expand you collection, I saw yet an other set on E-bay.de today. One wagon drawn by two ggs and a couple of uniforms driving it.

 

[Fenlander]

Thanks for the info will try and find it. Trouble is, I have so many horses waiting for painting not to mention what they are doing to fill my stock of 1/35 buckets.......

 

[noble]

This is looking good mate keep posting those pics iam eager to see this completed.

scott

 

[spanner570]

Thanks for the info will try and find it. Trouble is, I have so many horses waiting for painting not to mention what they are doing to fill my stock of 1/35 buckets.......

I put some money on one of your nags running in the Grand National.................I believe it has just been issued with a miner's lamp!!!!

 

[Fenlander]

I really must get back to this one one day lol.

 

[Ian M]

Ou! I thought you had done a bit. Never mind I'll look again later!

 

[spanner570]

Sorry boys, I couldn't resist it!!!

Ron

 

[Gern]

Do you own a coat Ron? 'cos now's the time to fetch it!

Gern