KV-II 1/35

[MikkoH]

Beauty and beauty.. This beast of KV family has always intrigued me and when I saw trumpeters KV-II I just fell in love. :lol: Overall fit is great and it has one of thinnest fenders that I have ever seen in injection model. Unfortunately mesh screens on engine deck and below rear flap are solid plastic "plobs". Thats really onl thing that needs aftermarket stuff, and perhaps barrel also cause it's too short. Kit both vinyl and link and lenght tracks are nice and donn't really need replacement , but I wanted to use friul metal tracks.

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29028&img=P7090002.JPG

Even OoB this kit builds a nice piece but with Friulmodel tracks, etched mesh set(this time aber) and metal barrel it builds in to a show stopper.(of course depending builder skills, wich I don't have :lol: ) Well anyway heres couple of shots.

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29027&img=P7090001.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29030&img=P7090006.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29031&img=P7090009.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29033&img=P7090010.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29034&img=P7090011.JPG

One overall view so far. Sorry little bit shaken pic.

More pics to come. Comments are very wellcome.

Cheers Mikko

[Panzergrenadier]

Mikko,

Thats a real nice KV II there. :thumb:
Yes the tracks are ok in the kit but they require a bit too much cleanup.
I started mine pretty soon when it came out. I fell in love with with the model right away. :lol:
I built it but wasn't very happy with the painting and how I had cleaned the tracks. Will buy another one soon thanks to your model. ;)

Siim

[James Tainton]

Looks pretty cool ;)

[Larry Bates]

Nice texture you got going on the turret and hull

Larry

[MikkoH]

Hi!

Thanks guys! Warms to hear you like it! I'm pretty pleased myself with the texture effect. I think russian heavy tanks has a pretty rough texture on metal plates, even in peacetime constructed.

One thing I noticed when I looked at pictures. Hand holds on roof of turret are very high.

http://www.go2war2.nl/artikel-afb/KV-2_00083_1g.jpg

This pic is from www.go2war2.nl. It clearly shows that those handholds are almost as high as periscopes next to em. Perhaps I should fix them in my KV.

Cheers Mikko

[Ebbe Bergman]

Hi Mikko!
Nice KV! Yes you might raisen it a little. Think it looks like the Trumpeters is somewhat low compared to the picture. Where is that photo taken? Do you know? Maby the first attack against germans at the Russian front?
Cheers!
Ebbe

[Finnmodeler]

Hi Mikko,
looks very good. How did ou do the texture?

Niko

[MikkoH]

Thanks guys!

Ebbe: go2war2 web site says it's taken in Ukraine july 1941. Could be, don't know for sure. Early in the war that can we say for sure.

Niko: I used humbrol liquid cement, old toothbrush and sandpaper tecnique that Siim mentioned to me on his KV-1 thread. :) Liquid cement with brush on plastic, then twirling old toothbrush on cements soften plastic. I used old nailsanding stick on sanding. Results depend on amount of cement and how hard you press and twirl that brush.

Last night got it little bit ahead. Take pics as soon as I can. Forget earlier to mention, I'm not happy at all with the aber mesh set. The metal used is so d**n hard, too difficult to bend. Mesh is a beauty but frame below it looks like driven over by a dozen of KV's. Let's see if I use it or not.

Any idea anybody what is the right amount of track links per side?

Cheers Mikko

[Ebbe Bergman]

Hi Mikko!
Well I thought that or maby against the Finns. I guess they used such vehicles against your country?
Thanks for the tip regarding the cement and toothbrush! Might come handy in the future.
So you can recomend this kit? Thought of buying this from Puma hobby in Sweden.
But I´m somewhat affraid of the Allied armor :(
Cheers from a sunny Sweden!
Ebbe

[paulyrichard]

Awesome start, Mikko! The texture on the armour is simply awesome, too! Love it! :)

[MartinD]

A really good looking KV so far. Just add a small maount of weathering and that texture will pop right out. Excellent work! Can't wait to see more.

[Larry Bates]

Mikko,

Use a flame to soften the brass. This is called "annealing". be careful not to over heat the piece or it could melt.

Larry

[Finnmodeler]

Originally posted by Larry Bates@Jul 10 2006, 08:07 AM
Mikko,

Use a flame to soften the brass. This is called "annealing". be careful not to over heat the piece or it could melt.

Larry
Yes,
annealing is way to go. I managed to destroy several already soldered pieces as somehow heat accumulated to tin melting all into one big mess :lol:

Niko

[MikkoH]

Thank you guys, you make me blush! :)

Ebbe, actually theres no much stories that these were used against us. Personally I have a slight memory trace that I read one being a road block somewhere near Uhtua/Kiestinki and finnish engineers got it finally blasted away. Like one was against 6th PD in Baltia. But I have to check that. Go for it. It's cheap and easy to build and no camo and marking problems, Just green, green and green.. :lol:

Larry it tried it then but not much help. And it's not brass like Aber usually use.

Well it's time to get my little boy asleep and then, KV here I come! ;)

Cheers Mikko

[Jan Peters]

Mmmm, KV tanks, who can resist them? :lol:
Great start, can't wait to see more!
Jan :)

[MikkoH]

Tried to paint end weather tracks. Pretty nice results but pics didn't look so good. Try tomorrow take pics with better light. Also put some small parts and KV is starting to be ready to take some paint. Now good night. Have to wake up 5,5 hours. Work is disturbing hobby. :(

Cheers Mikko

[Ebbe Bergman]

Moi Mikko!
Miten voit?
Hopes the tank comes along nice. Think it looks darn nice! Thanks for starting me to like russian tanks! :angry: :)
I will buy one of the KV2 and put it in a diorama just for fun sake.
Cheers!
Ebbe

[MikkoH]

Hej Ebbe!

Tack ska du ha för fråga, Jag mår mycket bra!

Have had couple of rough days at work so not much modelling now but hope on weekend continue. Hah, it's good to change sides now and then. It's refreshing. :) I think after this KV I make a visit to "dark"side. :lol:

Cheers Mikko

[MikkoH]

Hi all!

Sorry for slow update, but working has taken it's toll.=( Here's couple of shots in middle of weathering. Hope you like it and comments are wellcome.

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29211&img=P7150036.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29210&img=P7150035.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29208&img=P7150033.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29189&img=P7150028.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29191&img=P7150030.JPG

http://www.kitpic.com/is.php?i=29192&img=P7150031.JPG

Cheers Mikko

[Panzergrenadier]

Looking good. :thumb:

Siim

[Jan Peters]

Looking very good indeed! :thumb:

[dukwhunter]

Hi Mikko,
Nice looking KV 2 you have going there ! :lol: I would like to ask a question , if i may ! I am working on Trumpeter's KV 1 Model 1941 (actually it's a model 1940)small turret.I am currently working on the hull, but have come up with a problem concerning the back plate(part A12) There is a lip on the bottom of part A12 , does this lip overlap the bottom of the hull ? Or should i trim the lip off and mount it flush? I have looked thru 100's of photos , but have been unable to find one showing the underside of the lower hull from that angle. Have seen numerous ones of the back plate , but none showing the back plate mounted to the lower hull underneath. Thanks for any help that you can provide. Once again , great looking model !


best regards
JOEY

[MikkoH]

Thanks guys!

Joey, I know what you mean. I wondered that also but desided to overlap it cause it fits best that way. Somebody who have access to take pics from museum KV's could take pic. ;)

Cheers Mikko

[Ebbe Bergman]

Hi Mikko!
Nice to see the weathering and painting in process. But did´nt you raise the handrails on top of the turret? Very good job!
Cheers from Sweden where it is around 25 degrees celsius!
Ebbe

[brokeneagle]

Mikko,
nice weathering.....it's looking real tough ;)
Have you thought about bending the guards a bit? Battle damage?

[Sheeds]

Nice looking KV Mikko.

The only suggestion I will make, is to perhaps add another couple of pastel colours to add a touch on tonal variation to the mud on the lower hull and running gear. :)

Willy.

[MikkoH]

Thank you friends!

Ebbe, no I didn't raise handrails. Those are not so low and on some photos seems to be bit smaller rails also. So size vary? Here in Oulu temperature is only 17.(luckily :) )

Ian I thought that but haven't mady my mind if put battle damage or not. If I put then not much, little bent or something. At this time I tought to do vehicle that has seen not much battle.

Willy yeah I will do. I tought to put a little bit mud also in some places but not much.

Cheers Mikko

p.s. Hopefully more update later today. But first I have to kill some ants. Let battle begin.

[dukwhunter]

Hi Mikko,
Thanks for the help on the lower hull , overlap it is ! Good luck with your build ! Maybe i'll try and post some of mine when i get a little farther a long.


best regards
JOEY :thumb:

[MikkoH]

Hi Joey! Good to hear that I could help you and thanks!

And about battle damage. I watched pics and KV2's on operational don't have much damage on fenders. And K.Oed also don't have much either, little bent here and there even if tracks are broke. For bigger torn it should have take serious blow. I think one reason is that KV's have tracks outer than fenders, so they take the first blow from trees and so on. This all for now.

Cheers Mikko

[Ebbe Bergman]

Hello Mikko!
Well after looking at the picture the angel might be the answer why the handrails might look so high. Thought the russians where not in the position to make good looking and perfect tanks.

About the battle damage at the first brunt of battles with the germans, the KV:s and T34 had little damage due they where send right into battle I think. If you are depicting Ukrain I guess they attacked in the opend. After all what tank at that time could kill a T34 or the KV1 and 2?
Cheers!
Ebbe

[Ebbe Bergman]

Hi Mikko again!
I was looking at Blastmodels website and discovered that they have the late -40 and the late -41 barrels to the KV-2. So what should be correct depicting the KV-2 during the sumer/atum in Russia during Barbarossa?
Cheers!
Ebbe

[MikkoH]

Hej Ebbe!

Ilooked at Blast Models website cause those names sounded so strange. Well late model 40 is for trumpeters "Big Turret" wich is a initial version and was used earlier at Winter War on Carelian Isthimus. Not against finnish troops, but against already captured bunkers for test shots. It's also called model -39.

http://worldwartwo.free.fr/Materiel/chars/KV%20II/Clipboard05.jpg

And late -41 is for normal production KV-II. Well I don't know where heck they got those names for barrels.

:o

Cheers Mikko

[Ebbe Bergman]

Hi again Mikko!
Starts to itch in my hands, want to buy some kits now!
Regarding the barrels, Trumpeter makes both kits. The KV-2 with the big turret early version they call it. On the box it looks like the wintercampaing. I don´t know if they want to make it look like it´s taken place at Moscov during Thyphoon.
The other kit is the same you got and painting.

But honestly I don´t know what timeframe the early KV-2 with the late version of -40 gun would fitt. Would they still be in the war against the Germans or would they have bein scraped during -41?
Cheers!
Ebbe

[MikkoH]

Hi Ebbe!

Those "initial" Big turret KV's were used against Germans. As far as I know KV II's were withdraw from front before snowfall, but can't be absolutely sure. Some ref says that some were used at static gun nests in front of Moscow and 42 in Stalingrad.

Cheers Mikko

[MikkoH]

Hi friends!

KV is going to be finished. Little touch up here and there but not much. Here are pics hope you like it. As usual comments are very wellcome, good and bad.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240034.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240033.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240032.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240031.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240029.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240027.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240025.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240024.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240023.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/MikkoHeikkinen/P7240022.jpg



Cheers Mikko

[Finnmodeler]

Hi Mikko,
that looks very good. Will you bring it to some show this Autumn?

Niko

[Finnmodeler]

Originally posted by MikkoH@Jul 17 2006, 01:12 PM
Hi Ebbe!

Those "initial" Big turret KV's were used against Germans. As far as I know KV II's were withdraw from front before snowfall, but can't be absolutely sure. Some ref says that some were used at static gun nests in front of Moscow and 42 in Stalingrad.

Cheers Mikko
I can't confirm the source but it said that some KV-2's were still used in Kursk. That is of course something that can't be confirmed without any pics or real text.

Niko

[Panzergrenadier]

Nice dirty KV. :thumb:

Siim

[MikkoH]

Thanks Niko and Siim! Niko I try to come to Ipms Open. Not a chance to go Euro and not much intrested abt Lahti model show. Let's see what my wallet says. It ain't cheap trip to visit south. Kursk KV-2. Gee. I would like to see that one! And if somehow somewhere we see that thing it definitely means that I have to get another KV-2.. :lol:

Cheers Mikko

[Larry Bates]

Very nice Mikko, I think you captured the essence of the KV-II

Larry

[MikkoH]

Thank you Larry! :)

Cheers Mikko

[MikkoH]

I Hate this bandwidth thing. Don't even know what it actually means but sure do hate it when it comes... Aaarrrnnn..

Cheers Mikko

[Finnmodeler]

Originally posted by MikkoH@Jul 25 2006, 09:43 PM
I Hate this bandwidth thing. Don't even know what it actually means but sure do hate it when it comes... Aaarrrnnn..

Cheers Mikko
Hi Mikko,
I know what you mean. I had the same problem earlier but now I have webpage with 500 MB from Kolumbus so no problems there. Not that I would build anything that would take all the BW :lol:
Only decalling of Axis planes and that is NOT interesting...

Niko

[Panzergrenadier]

Mikko,

Try www.photobucket.com ;)

It has a album size of 1GB and monthly bandwidth of 10GB.

Siim

[MikkoH]

*Swatamm* and there we see kitpic flying, flying, flying.. away.. no more thank you..

Niko yeah I have think something like that.

Siim Thanks for tip! ;)

Pics are updated now.

Cheers Mikko