Good day fellow modelers!
This time it is the 1:35 Zvezda kit of the Soviet M-30 howitzer. I chose this kit as my entry in a competition we had here in Estonia. The dio is supposed to depict one gun of the 8th ''Estonian'' Rifle Corps' artillery unit. The setting would be Estonia in November 1944, Sõrve Säär more precisely. (Note the arrow on the map.) They are having a little lunch. Their enemy is the force that retreated after fighting the defensive battles in eastern Estonia. Behind this gun are Estonian men who were conscripted into the Red army and on the opposing side Estonians who volunteered into the German armed forces to fight communism. So all in all a sad reality of Estonians fighting Estonians, sometimes even brothers shooting at each other. That is the faith of a small nation in the turmoil of war.
I made a new barrel for the gun. I got the inspiration after I had glued and filled in the seam on the kit barrel. I saw that if I wanted to get it perfectly round I would have to sand it considerably smaller. I became apparent I had some tubing just the right size so I decided to have some fun. I based my measurements on the kit barrel so I didn't go for 100% accuracy and hoped the boys at Zvezda had got it right. Anyway I was happy with how it turned out. I also added some minor modifications and thinned down the shield. Keep in mind ultimate accuracy was not my goal, I just had to get it done in time to add it to the competition lineup.
The crew I used is the wonderful set of guys from Miniart. I got them from their 57mm AT gun set. Simply superb figures and great to assemble.
I am sorry that I don't have proper pictures of the finished thing. I was in a real hurry and just snapped a couple of shots on the balcony. The bright sunlight washes out the colors and really does not do the thing any good so just take the pictures as a rough idea of the dio. I hope to get some better shots of it after it is evaluated. (It is in a glass box in a shop right now.)
Thanks for having a look!
Siim
Threaded Mode
