The Encyclopedia of Armour Modelling Techniques Part 1 Book Review

By Michael Benolkin

Review

The folks at Ammo by Mig Jimenez have started a five-volume series covering different techniques for amor modeling. You've seen the five-volume series also from Ammo by Mig Jimenez covering aircraft modeling and those volumes are full of tips and techniques useful for the novice and experienced modeler alike. With the aircraft series, several volumes focus on model construction given that most modelers will paint the interior subassemblies as they build. Also, aircraft modelers do not weather their models as much given that real aircraft won't remain operational if they look even as partially worn out as many armored vehicles.

This is volume one in the armor series and it focuses on model construction. This title starts with the basics - recommended tools and why, then dives into interior and exterior construction. Each section has great photography to illustrate a given technique, and each section demonstrates several different methods to achieve a given result. This is very useful for a wider range of modelers who can find the techniques that work the best for them. Let's take a look at the coverage:

• Tools and Parts Preparation
  • Tools and Materials
    • Tools
    • Materials and Products
  • References
  • Removing Parts from the Sprue and Part Preparation
    • Detaching Parts and Cleaning Attachment Points
    • Removing Mold Marks
• Assembly of Vehicle Interiors
  • Interiors in Cars and Trucks
    • Basic Assembly of Car and Truck Interiors
    • Detailing Car and Truck Interiors
  • AFV Interiors
    • Textures and Raised Details on AFV Interiors
    • Detailing AFV Interiors
  • Detailing Engines
• Assembly of the Vehicle Exterior
  • Basic Exterior Assembly
    • Gluing Parts
    • Filling and Sanding Join Lines
    • Filling, Sanding and Polishing
    • Scribing Panel Lines
  • Advanced Exterior Assembly
    • Grab Handles
    • Mesh Grilles
    • Screw and Rivet Detail
  • Textures
    • Rolled Steel Texture
    • Cast Steel Texture
    • Oxyacetylene Torch Texture
    • Weld Lines
    • Zimmerit
  • Battle Damage
    • Damage to the Armor
    • Other Types of Damage
  • Exterior Detailing
    • Photo-Etched Parts
    • Metal Gun Barrels and Resin Accessories
    • Part Conversions
    • Scratch-Build Parts
    • Resin Copies

You'll like the progression of techniques and each technique is very well illustrated. By the time you near the end, you'll be seeing some great tutorials on scratchbuilding out of styrene and when you inevitably scratchbuild a part like a track link which you'll need to replicate many times, there is even a tutorial on casting your own parts out of resin.

Unlike aircraft modeling, armor modeling spends far more time with painting and weathering than construction, not that any one part is less important than another. In the next four volumes, they will cover: 2) Interiors and Base Color; 3) Camouflages; 4) Weathering; and 5) Final Touches.

Whether you're a novice or experienced modeler, this title presents a nice variety of solutions to each aspect of modeling and I've already spotted several ideas I'm going to try on the bench soon. If the head chef in your household can collect recipe books for inspiration, why not indulge in some modeling inspiration of your own and check out this series.

My sincere thanks to Ammo of Mig Jimenez for this review copy!