New release: 1:72 Befehlswagen I B

Minairons Miniatures is delighted to formally present its latest production, the Pz. Befehlswagen I ausf. B in 1:72^nd scale. This is a kit mostly made in resin, albeit with a couple of optional parts in hard plastic, aimed at allowing you to build the model as a regular fighting Pz.Kpfw I ausf. B. The whole set consists of 10 resin parts, a couple of them also optional, besides of the above commented plastic pieces.

As a novelty with regard to prior releases, this new set is complimented with a decals sheet including not only the expected historical national markings (German, Hungarian and Spanish Nationalist), but also a fictional set. Indeed, sheet also includes BUF symbol roundels for the fictional Very British Civil War (VBCW) setting.

As many of you already know, Very British Civil War (VBCW) is a trademark owned by Solway Crafts & Miniatures and is used with their kind permission.

As a matter of fact, you'll be able to build the model not only as either a fighting or command tank, but will also have the option to build this last one as either its former or later version, as used in SCW and WWII respectively.

This our new kit retails in our website at EUR 10.95. As a number of aficionados may have already experienced, international shipping fees have become unsustainably expensive lately, so that this might prevent some from buying the model straightly from us --unless planning to do a significant purchase and thus to save postage expenses. Nevertheless, all those attending Salute 2013 in London will also be able to find it at Caliver Books' stand. Take advantage of the opportunity Dave Ryan is kindly bringing you!

PS: We've been holding for some days releasing of this new kit, in the prospect of having its own box properly designed and printed. However, as Salute 2013 date approaches, we've had to desist from such hope. Therefore, this very first batch of models is to be released in plastic bag with a header card --just as our 20GEV903 Bilbao AFV was.

Pz. Befehlswagen I B, in production

Good news for our 1:72^nd scale fans: the Pz. Befehlswagen I B command tank is about to be released, as a mixed resin + plastic kit as promised, and a first batch of them is currently being cast.

Model will consist of 4 resin main parts (hull, crew superstructure and both sides' wheel/tracks sets), as well as an optional upper dome allowing you to build the command panzer as it was used in Spain, or in the later WWII version; and upper hatchets (both open and closed) that can be fitted into either of those two sub-versions. besides, the kit will be completed with two plastic parts intended for optionally building the model as a regular fighting Panzer I ausf. B.

Except for the unprimed models picture above, the other captions shown correspond to the very first models already cast, some of which have been delivered to me for ultimate approval, while some other are in hands of Heresy Brush for some artwork. Naturally, I wouldn't be missing the chance to build and paint these by myself!

Please note that the stowage items that can be seen on mudguards (spare wheel, toolbox, helmet and rifle) are not included in the kit itself, but come from my own spares box. As for the crewman, it is just a crude prototype of that one to be ultimately included in our plastic T-26 sprue.

1:72 Panzer I B / Befehlswagen 1st prototype

We can already show you pictures of our next 1:72^nd scale model, which is no other than the Befehlswagen I B command tank, with option to be built as a regular Panzer I B. This is what the model looks like, compared to a Panzer I A hull:

Please note that the upper hatch dome is optional, so that you will be able to build the command tank without such part (as in the early version used in Spain) or including it instead (as used later in WWII). In both cases, you'll have the option to represent the hatch with either open or closed doors.

As said above, 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 you can see:

Worth to be noted that a couple of issues are to be fixed however. The first one, the command version MG will be oversized as to become the same diameter and length as that of the plastic turret. Secondly, we're still struggling for having a tank commander in time for release!

A latest hour piece of news on Decals: Just as any of our model kits, 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!

(*) A Very British Civil War, or VBCW in short, is a trademark owned by Solway Crafts & Miniatures, who have kindly granted us permission for using such what-if setting name in this decals set. As for BUF, it's the abbreviation of British Union of Fascists, a historical party forming one of the VBCW fictional factions.