1/72 Sadurní Carrier & Crew, available

In theory, I'm still on holidays --but no longer enjoying them at a remote valley in the Pyrenees, but already at home. However, I couldn't resist the temptation and wait until next Tuesday before letting you know our next release: the carrier version of IGC Sadurní tank at 1:72^nd scale.

Model kit itself is extremely simple to build, as it can be seen by the picture above, for it just consists of 3 main parts. However, kit is completed by a white metal driver and 5 other crewmen --officer and 4 soldiers--, all them superbly sculpted for us by Juan G. Bautista of Xan Miniatures, as usual.

As with other vehicles in this series, the ensemble is completed by a decals sheet comprising a number of insignia used by Catalan made AFVs, as well as markings for VBCW Scotish Republic tanks --all them in excess.

As suggested above, despite my holidays week isn't over yet, I've made this new model kit already available at our website. Don't miss the opportunity to be the first one at getting yours!

1/72 Sadurní Carrier & Crew

We're proud at showing you the third and last version of the Catalan IGC Sadurní tank, that we are about to release pretty soon --less than two weeks' time! The sample model you can see below has been masterly painted by our usual collaborating artist, Rubén of Heresy Brush.

Model itself is extremely easy to build, for it consists of just 3 resin parts. In our opinion, the main goal of this about to be launched new set resides in the complete white metal crew complimenting it: driver, accompanying officer and 4 Republican soldiers --al them superbly sculpted by Xan Bautista of Xan Miniatures. All them showing different poses, as usual in our 20mm figures range.

Despite the Spanish Ministry of War denial to assume its mass production, this carrier was actually built in small numbers and delivered to the Republican columns in the Front of Aragon, where they served until rendered useless by the lack of spares. Here below you can see it along with its more successful tractor version, painted by Rubén too.

1/72 Sadurní Carrier preview

Here it goes a sample I've painted for myself of the Carrier version of IGC Sadurní tank --one of the couple 1/72 AFVs we're going to release in the next few weeks:

The crew you can see here is not the original one of this set, but a collection of modified figures of other makes. I don't remember where the driver comes from, but in any case its head was replaced by the Adrian helmeted one of a Pegasus Hobbies plastic french infantryman. The officer to his right is by Irregular.

As for the soldiers carried on, they all are from Xan Miniatures catalogue: late war German soldiers, that have also suffered some modification. Two of them have been fitted Pegasus Hobbies heads too, while the third one's head has been swaped by that of a BUM soft plastic spanish republican soldier. Otherwise, decals and paper flag are Minairons own.

Here below you can see the ultimate crew of this nice AFV --depicted a few days ago, before completion. Now they're actually finished and on their way to foundry:

All these figures will be included in IGC Sadurní Carrier set (20GEV013), but are to be sold separately too, so as to allow their use as truck passengers or tank riders, under reference no. # 20GEF005.

As to have an idea on the vehicle size, here you have it depicted alongside to a (slightly modified) Universal Bren Carrier of Plastic Soldier Company:

It must be admitted that Sadurní crew is relatively unprotected, if compared to that of Universal. It seems obvious that, had it been finally approved for mass production, Sadurní carrier walls should have been made one or two feet higher. BTW, here below you have a Sadurní carrier in an odd, what-if role as a VBCW alternative carrier for Scottish troops:

In this case, the (still unfinished) vehicle has been painted as if an eventual post-VBCW Scottish Republic had been thrown into WWII --on the Allied side, indeed. An unusual 5-pointed star pattern has been chosen, so as the blue in it matches with that of the Scottish flag.

Spanish Republican tank riders

We're delighted to show you a preliminary drawing of the 1/72^nd scale Spanish Republican driver and passengers we are currently preparing for complimenting our upcoming IGC Sadurní Carrier. This means that they're going to be included in that AFV boxed kit by default; but we also plan to sell these 20mm figures separately, for allowing you to discretionally use them on other SCW trucks and tanks.

The IGC Sadurní Carrier boxed set will contain, besides of tank and passengers, a nice set of decals with Catalan markings --as well as some Scottish insignia for your VBCW-style fictitious settings! Such sheet is logically shared with the rest of IGC Sadurní tank variants.

1/72nd IGC Sadurní tank prototypes

Coming out from workshop the very first prototypes at 1:72^nd scale of the ill-known IGC Sadurní Catalan tank, in all its three versions: assault tank, universal carrier and artillery tractor --this latter, carrying a 155mm Schneider gun.

In spite of sharing some features, such as running gear and lower hull, the amount of parts exclusive to each variant has persuaded us not to make with it one single multi-option model kit; but three different, separate kits instead. The first one to be released is the Assault Tank version (20GEV001), whose releasing is scheduled for September 11^th, Catalonia's National Day.

Here below you can see them compared to all three Panzer I versions alongside. Anything but a huge piece of armour, isn't it?

Apologies for the pictures quality, we definitely should take some lessons on it!

More Sadurní Tank variants

As said on our latest post, the IGC Sadurní d'Anoia tank wasn't approved for mass production, but its concept served for producing two more successful variants: a general purpose carrier and an artillery tractor. Quite logically, both are being designed alongisde with the main tank prototype --and will be brought to production within this year too. Here below you can see all three altogether --the tractor at front, the tank in background and the carrier at right.

From the very first design stages, we realized there would be too many version-specific parts for one single, multi-option model kit. As a consequence, we've finally decided to release separately each one of them, under the respective references of 20GEV001 (tank), 20GEV013 (carrier) and 20GEV014 (tractor) --all at 1/72 scale first.

It must be noted all three model kits will share the same decals sheet including not only real insignia and mottos historically applied on each vehicle, but also a few hypothetical markings else, aimed at giving an option for alternative, pulp-ish or dystopic settings such as VBCW (*). This is what the sheet will look like --the pink colour you can see is no colour at all, but just the varnish layer area depiction:

There is more, though. The artillery tractor version will include white metal pilot and co-pilot, as well as a Schneider 155mm gun! On the other hand, the general purpose carrier will include not only the above mentioned crewmen, but also four Republican soldiers as seated passengers!

...and no, the series isn't finished yet.


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