1/35 Hobby Boss, Soviet Ba-6 Armoured Car, Republican Forces, 1938

This is an unusual looking armoured car and the mind boggles at the thought of the crew when that gun went off! This model is from Hobby Boss and comes with markings for a captured nationalist vehicle, however I have used some spare decals to show it in its original Republican use.

The kits is complex and perhaps struggles from being over complicated with very precise locating pins and vague instructions in places. I had intended to build this one as a quick build but the level of detail slowed this down. I was surprised at just how much detail there is with two etch sets included, a full engine, a complete chassis with all the pipe work and suspension as well as a partial interior!

The inclusion of the engine meant I just had to put it on display and I posed all the doors open but in a manic moment I sliced the engine access doors in half to pose them open but on closer inspection I was using pictures of a Ba3 as reference so these should be (as they come in the kit) a whole door hinged at the top not hinged in the middle for a folding appearance as I have done them.

I would highly recommend this kit and advise that time is taken to work around the vagaries in the instructions to ensure you get a good fit. As I said the level of detail is surprising and complete.

I used MRP 4BO Russian AFV green and pigments from Mig for the dirty look.

Nice. I like the weathering, dirty but not too much.
Is the left front wheel slightly out of alignment?
Is the fit of the wheels "wobbly" ?
/ Robin

Looks nice, is there a reason the headlights are missing?

Hi, possibly but I did try and give them a slight turn but the kit itself is very intricate, surprisingly so with very small attachment points. It's a great and detailed kit but you really need to take time building it, I may have been a bit quick in places

Hi, yes if you have a look at these being used in the SCW they seemed to have had a real hard time of it and look totally battered, they actually look in better health once they were captured and re-used by the Nationalists! So I left a few things off, mainly the headlights and put a few dents here and there.

They didn't tend to stay in the hands of the Republicans for too long as they were generally misused and lost rather quickly.

Thanks for the warning I'll try to remember to be careful when I finally get around to building mine
/ Robin