1:35 WWII German B1 bis

Photo-etched set for the B1 bis heavy tank in 1:35 scale

This set from E.T. Model adds parts of thin photo-etched sheet to a model of the tank, that is the parts that cannot be produced in a matching thickness in plastic. On this vehicle these are mainly the cooling grilles and their frames, the fenders and their stiffeners, the covers, the tool brackets and the small lifting eyes on the hull. The result is a model with a convincing thickness of sheet-metal parts and with see-through openings where a grille should genuinely be open.

The real subject

The B1 bis is a heavy tank of French design from the 1930s with a gun in the front of the hull and a smaller gun in a rotating turret. A tall hull, tracks running around the whole outline of the vehicle and thick armor are characteristic. The vehicles captured in 1940 were also used by the German army, which took them into service under its own designation and converted some of them for other tasks. German service showed mainly in a change of equipment and markings; the basic shape of the vehicle stayed the same.

Fitting and painting tips

Separate the photo-etched parts with a sharp scalpel on a hard surface, not with pliers, which deform the edges. Make the folds in a bender or between two blades. Glue the grilles with cyanoacrylate applied on a pin, so that the glue does not get into the openings. Apply a base coat suitable for metal before painting. It is a good idea to paint the space behind the grille dark beforehand, so that the openings look deep. The fenders can be bent slightly to suggest service damage.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building vehicles of the start of the Second World War.
• Builders of contest models, where the thickness of the sheet and the openness of the grilles are decisive.
• Experienced modelers with experience of photo-etched parts.

An accessory photo-etched set, not a complete kit. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.