Minairons: 1:72 Befehlswagen I B prototype

[Lluís of Minairons]

We at Minairons Miniatures can already show you pictures of our next 1:72nd scale model –a resin Befehlswagen I B command tank, including an option to be built as a regular Panzer I B. This is what the model looks like, compared to a Panzer I A plastic hull:

Also, the vehicle can be built as a regular Panzer I B tank, by replacing the resin casemate by the plastic turret and platform the kit will include. Both sets of parts fit perfectly to each other, as it can be seen in the following picture:

Decals: Just as in every model kit of Minairons, this one will come with a complete decals set depicting several national markings of the Nations having used this tank: Spanish Nationalist, German, Hungarian and... VBCW* BUF!

More pictures and info on the subject this piece of news on our blog.

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(*) With kind permission of  Solway Crafts & Miniatures, who are the owners of VBCW trademark.

[moif]

A flesh coloured tank! (Just kidding. I like it)

[dice shaker]

Hello Luiz,

 thank´s for the box with 3 Pz. 1 A. I like the other tanks in the pipeline, but i prefer plastik kits. Resin, I don´t like resin at all. But, perhaps your company can bring them later in plastik. A box with 3 T-26 will be nice, perhabs the Vickers 6 ton light tank. Some civil cars: Ford T, Ford A, Citroen Traktion Avant and a London Taxi. Motorcycles and combinations of 1935. There is a wide and open field in 1/72 plastik land. 
On the other side, if you prefer resin, I will wait for Plastik Soldier, Armourfast or Pegasus Hobbies. Maybe Maco or IBG. S-Model make a nice french tank, plastik too.
I like your tanks PZ 1 A, but I can`t find the frontlight.

   friendly   Sebastian

[Lluís of Minairons]

Hi Sebastian,

True, we'd love releasing all of our planned stuff in plastic solely. But plastic manufacturing is still very expensive comparatively, due to mould making costs. So that your only expectation for redeeming the invest is by producing by the thousands.

You can reasonably expect to sell a few thousands of Panzer I or T-26 tanks, for instance. But by no means other kind of more specialized, unusual or even bizarre vehicles (such as SCW "tiznaos" improvised armour), which you can expect to be sold by the hundreds at most. As production in plastic is unaffordable, you have no other chance than bringing these into resin.

Such is the case of Befehlswagen I B, a vehicle that could be found at the ratio of 1 vehicle per company. How many would be purchased by one single user? How many of them would be deployed on a tabletop?

Sadly, this is the matter.

However, please have for sure that we're trying to make our resin AFVs as closely as possible as they would have been made in plastic: that is, CAD designed, easy to assemble, sacrifycing some detail in order not to include lots of tiny, fragile parts, and so.

As for T-26, it will be produced in plastic, of course. Models "A" of 1931 and "B" of 1933 (i. e., you'll be able to build it as a twin-turreted MG-armed tank, or with the cylindrical, 45mm gunned single turret). Its mould for 1:72 scale is already being made. Afterwards, it will be re-scaled  to 1:100 and 1:56.

[Sangennaru]

Hi Lluis!

the tank is quite nice, sadly it's not my scale. I was just wondering: which 3d printing service did you use? is the quality good enough compared with the price?

Cheers

[Lluís of Minairons]

I was just wondering: which 3d printing service did you use? is the quality good enough compared with the price?

Hi,

We haven't used any online service such as Shapeways --if this is what you had in mind. We've used a local service linked to a University. Good quality/price ratio 

[Mainly28s]

It looks nice, but it's the wrong scale for me.

[Sangennaru]

Hi,

We haven't used any online service such as Shapeways --if this is what you had in mind. We've used a local service linked to a University. Good quality/price ratio 

and it is not possible to ask them for an order, is it?

[dice shaker]

Hello Lluis,

 thank you for the quick answer. In case of the PZ 1B I believe it can be a good box for 3 plastik tanks. Maybe a conversion kit with 1 option for command tank (Befehlspanzer) and/or Panzerjäger 1B parts or/and 2cm Flak (AA) could be a solution.

Atb. Sebastian

[WillieB]

Hello Lluis,

 thank you for the quick answer. In case of the PZ 1B I believe it can be a good box for 3 plastik tanks. Maybe a conversion kit with 1 option for command tank (Befehlspanzer) and/or Panzerjäger 1B parts or/and 2cm Flak (AA) could be a solution.

Atb. Sebastian

Absolutely agree with that! Really hope you'll eventually bring them out in 28mm-1/56th.
Any 1930 (SCW) truck would also be very welcome, but a bus most of all. Often seen in SCW pictures as the transport of choice by both sides but no model of it is available except for a resin one and that one , alas, has solid windows.

[Lluís of Minairons]

Been suggested trucks and buses before. Worth to be noted 

What making them of is a real issue though. As for our current experience, producing 1:56 plastic stuff seems too costly for even redeeming initial invest. As many of you already know, Plastic Soldier Company has nearly stopped releasing new 1:56 products --and they make WWII, not a sideshow conflict as we do!

Unless toolmaking costs come significantly reduced in the future, I foresee a long life to resin 1:56 models...