¹⁄35

251 mit Wurfrahmen

stage 17

This is where the construction of the rockets and all their hardware begins! I was really looking forward to this bit! What I did not expect was the degree of difficulty involved with building them! The instructions I found were really confusing, and it took some time for me to work out exactly what part goes where.

Firstly, decide which rockets you are going to use, i.e. which version....it does make a difference. Different parts are used for constructing the crates, depending on which rockets you are going to use. The crates are constructed in two halves, and when built fit together beautifully and really look the part. Be careful how you align parts U11 and U12, and follow the instructions carefully, and everything should work correctly. The moulded on wood effect on these parts is just right, and under a coat of dark yellow and some burnt umber oil rubbed in, will look amazing!

Once the crates had been constructed, I moved on to building the backing plates for the launchers, and all the scaffolding that fixed them to the vehicle. Care was also need when building these, most of the following arrived at by building the things incorrectly first and then realising how I should have built them correctly!

With regard to the backing plate, Dragon have provided you with two options. You can have the backing plate raised, as it would have been in the stowed position, or lowered, in order to take the crate containing a rocket. Parts V12 and V6 should be fixed with the small arm point up vertically if the brackets are to be depicted in the raised position. If the brackets are lowered in order to install the crate later, then the small arm of these parts should be fixed along the horizontal axis of the plate. The crates actually ‘click’ into position using these small parts, so it’s important to get them in the correct position. If you are going to paint the crates separately, and there is no real alternative to this, then also leave off parts numbered as U9. These click into position later when fixing the crates, and hold them in position.

I found it easier to assemble all the scaffolding tubes for the rocket assembly separately, so that I could paint them later, but it is vitally important to ensure that everything is correctly aligned when cementing. In particular the front pole, V4 should be aligned so that it is horizontally offset to the rear. Each rocket is made up of 4 parts and has a beautiful cast texture that really shows up under paint.

Another thing, is that the instructions tell you to install the handrails, parts D24 to the inside of the upper walls. All my references show this vehicle as being without them, so I chose to leave them off. Even though I did initially fit them!

The ranging guides on the engine cover are provided as photo-etched parts, and are the last things to be fitted before painting can begin.

painting

I masked off the inside of the vehicle with tissue and gave everything a coat off all over black. Repeating the procedure I had followed for the inside of the crew compartment, I misted everything with dark yellow before applying a heavier coat to the centre of panels and around all the fittings. Next I painted all the details such as tools, exhaust, tyres, and then gave everything a light coat of acrylic gloss in preparation for weathering and decals.

Dragon supply a very extensive sheet of decals, with individual numbers for the license plate. Although these look difficult to apply, they actually settle down very easily with a light application of Micro Sol.

I then applied a heavy wash of burnt umber oil diluted in white spirit around all details and in all panel lines, before applying tiny ‘dots’ of neat burnt umber under some of the fittings on the hull and ‘dragging’ them down using a clean brush dipped in clean white spirit. I then misted a coat of Xtracrylix flat varnish over everything, before applying Mig pigments European dust liberally to the tracks and sparingly to the wheels and lower hull. A dry brushing of Humbrol matt black to the hull finished the vehicle off, this applies a nice worn metal appearance to the vehicle.

in conclusion

This is not a kit for the beginner. By it’s very nature, the apparatus for fixing the launching plates to the vehicle is a complex assembly, and the instructions at times, are complicated also. The finished vehicle however, is visually striking, and really looks fantastic alongside other 251 variations. If you haven’t already got one, go and get one now!

My thinks to Dragon for the review sample.