S-Model 1/72 scale Hotchkiss H-35 and H-39 Fast Build Kits: A Review

[BlackWidowPilot]

On my blog that is: http://blackwidowpilot.blogspot.com/2016/01/so-you-saw-these-in-background-in-last.html







Colorful lil' beasties these!

[worrywort]

Hello

Good stuff !


Thank you for the review in your blog.

The François vauvillier books are a must !

[BlackWidowPilot]

Hello

Good stuff !


Thank you for the review in your blog.

The François vauvillier books are a must !

Why, merci beaucoup, kind monsieur! I had fun painting those lil' critters up for my eternally growing 1940 French Army, and hope to build them up to company strength by the end of the year if possible (I already have my SOMUA S-35s done - photos and blog post pending!).

I also have to seriously consider stripping down my RAFM MIniatures R-35s, H-38/39s, and Lorraine Chenillette APCs, as the knowledge of what the colors of French AFVs were during this period has changed dramatically since Steve Zaloga's Blitzkrieg book, and that means soaking the lot in uncut Pine Sol for a number of days and then having at 'em with an old toothbrush and lots of water (Ick!). Of course, the fun part of that nasty process would be I'd get to repaint 'em all in the more elaborate multi-colored schemes depicted in Monsieur Vauvillier's latest masterful tome, which would be loads of fun, really....

Or, I could just get my hands on either some S-Model Renault R-35 kits or a few more of the very nice RAFM metal Renaults and get to work thus having still more Renault R-35s to mess around with on the wargame table.... Hmmmm....

[worrywort]

Difficult choices !

A New range is always in my point of view a real pleasure and it's more easy.

[BlackWidowPilot]

Difficult choices !

A New range is always in my point of view a real pleasure and it's more easy.

The S-Model kits are a real treat if you prefer plastic model kits. They also make several 1940 Campaign AFVs including an early Cruiser tank for the BEF. The French currently include the R-35, the H-35, the H-38/39, and the Renault UE tracteur legere. They also offer a number of early German vehicles for the period as well.

I know that the Char B1bis is available from Chinese sellers on EBay at a very good price, prebuilt and painted 1/72 scale plastic models so between these sources and the plastic French infantry set from Pegasus Hobbies, building a quick, cheap n' cheerful (and dangerous!) war game army to defend la belle France against the panzerwaffen is a quite easy and financially reasonable thing!

My next project is to get some R-35s on my workbench, enough to render one each of those portrayed in the latest Vauvillier book. I will also steal some of those schemes for my 15mm Sci-Fi subjects while I'm at it, as nobody does camouflage like the French!