Alan Hamilton

Some time ago I had a problem with tracks on the Airfix Lee Grant tanks. I had bought 7 for our grandson's birthday as he wanted to add them to his wargame army. It was a several months before he decided to build them with me only to find the tracks were stiff and broke as we tried to fit them. I contacted Airfix on his behalf and after a long conversation by email I sent the faulty tracks back and grudgingly received replacements. They were identical to the first lot. They were brittle too and again broke on being fitted. I could not face another interrogation so gave up. Now the useless models are in the scrap box where they remain and I bought him resin replacements. These were the last Airfix tank kits that I bought. Other manufacturers have far superior tracks and they get my cash now.

I'd love to see a 1/72 Bristol Beaufighter Mk2 (Merlins) ideally the night fighter my father flew in - NG-G of 604 Squadron. Military (all 1/76) New Tool SdKfz 234 series SdKfz 231 SdKfz 250 early and late series SdKfz 251 early and late series Valentine tank and Archer maybe even scissors bridge? New tool PzIV later models with schurtzen bazooka plates Steyr and Horch light/medium cars New tool M3 medium tank with both Grant and Lee turrets Daimler armoured car and Dingo scout car as a pair CMP trucks Then there are lots more Russian, French, Italian, American vehicles too.

My grandchildren aged 6. 7 and 10 all build models. Some are very good and others less so. But the important thing is that they all enjoy making and painting them.

David, I use a set of home grown rules that were originally written by my friend John (Slim) Mumford in the 1960s and have had only a few additions since. We use a rough strength scaling of 1/5 or 1/6 giving a tank battalion depending upon priod of 7 -12 battle tanks. We have played games at Brigade.Division level on an 8x6 foot table though we usually play smaller forces Lots of pictures of my armies which include scratch builds, conversions and substitutions http://www.morvalearth.co.uk/Inch_High_Club/Inch_High_Intro.htm If youwant a copy of the rules e-mail me info@morvalearth.co.uk

These form the second battalion of my wargames German Panzer Regiment. These models date back to when the original kit was issued and was the most readily available 1/76 model of the PzIV. /media/tinymce_upload/d311d006250e2b20ec2314262cb287f2.JPG

My grandson bought 7 Airfix M3 Lee-Grant tanks to start a wargame army about a year ago. He and I built them the weekend after his purchase and a few weeks after that when we played another wargame at least one of the black tracks was broken on every tank. We had a very long e-mail battle with Airfix to get replacements even though we sent the broken ones back. We eventually got replacements and fitted them. These also broke after a few weeks. Both sets of tracks were of a firmer less flexible type of plastic to the ones that I am used to. After our experience we did not bother Airfix spare parts again and made our own tracks out of paper and card. We have never bought an Airfix tank since and his entire armoured force is now made up of "fast build" 1/72 tanks. Indeed we seldom buy Airfix because of this, though until then I have always had great service.

I build all my model aircraft with the crew in their places assuming that they can be seen when the kit is built. Like others I feel cheated if the little men are not there. I certainly do not want to have to buy another set to get a pilot. I know some people miss them out and build the plane on the ground and that is easier to miss him/her out than it is to find one frome somewhere else that might not fit. After all we often get alternative parts (weapon loads, cowlings, engines etc) in the box so would a pilot add much more? Extending this a bit - why are the model tanks crewless? We all know that tank commanders spend a lot of time, even in action, with their heads out of the cupola.