Military Model Scene

I have recently been able to buy an example of the new LST-1, a 1/350 scale model from AFV Club. My immediate reaction on opening the box was that this is superb. I do have to be honest though, at a retail price of over £70.00 I think it is very expensive. If you want any 1/350 vehicles in it, to help bring the LST to 'life', then you have to buy them separately, at a retail cost of over £20.00. for a set. I have a personal view that considering the price, then at least one sprue of vehicles (and that only give you 1 Sherman tank) should have been included in the base kit. That is my only 'whinge' and that a relatively small kit is now over £70.00 retail, and that will put off a lot of people from buying it, which is a real shame. I believe there is a danger from the ever growing price of plastic kits from some manufacturers is restricting sales to a point that puts younger modellers out of the market and for elder modellers such as myself, pensioners, where you have to seriously think about what kits you buy.

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Right, having got that off my chest, let me talk through what is still a really rather lovely model.

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The hull starts things off, with the internal tank deck. That needed to be painted before the deck goes on if you are having the bow doors open.  There are 7 options for colours and markings, depending on where the LST was during the war. This impacts how many of the smaller Higgins boats are carried. There are variations of 2, 4 or 6. If you choose any of the 4 or 6 options then there are holes to be drilled in the main deck before it is fixed in place. The option I am going for has only 2. Fit of parts so far has been very good and I do like the look of it.

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More to come as the build progresses...

Well, I have now got all the AA guns done and fitted, and the basic paintwork done. The model has been brush painted and helpfully, all the colours I needed were in the US Navy Colour Set 1 from Lifecolor. The lower hull red is not in this set, so I used a hull red from a Japanese Navy set. I have yet to add the LST Number transfers, for my chosen option, that of an LST in Normandy in 1944. Next I need to add a few of the vehicles on the main deck, and a Sherman coming off the ramp. Also the whole ship needs some weathering to be done, so more still to come.

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Robin