Here we go again. Another year over in a flash. But I don’t intend to complain. Eventhough I did not finish a lot of models I am still happy and look back on positive memories and great events that came and are yet to come in 2026.
Bevor anything else I have a lot of people to thank, this year, all of the previous years and I hope that I will be able to count on all of you even in many years.
This article is about another year of scalemodelling but without so many people I would simply be unable to do it. Thus I very much dearly want to thank my parents as well as my fabulouse partner for always supporting me whereever possible as well as all of the great scale-modelling-community which I have now more and more often the pleasure to experience. It is really nice meeting you all and just talking about this hobby. I just as much want to thank the online community, you guys are always great supoort and assistance. And last but not least a big thank you to you, the reader. I hope you will enjoy this little recap so let’s get right into it:
But now, enough of the talking and let’s get into the models:
Let’s first of all begin with recapping what we completed this year. It may yet again only be two models, but two I am very proud of. So in all honesty I am happy with that. Of course I would also love to have met the goal of four models, but rather two good than four somewhat shitty ones.
The first model to be completed with almost exactly a year of delay is the Churhcill Mk.3 AVRE. A very nice model and a small redemption from the Valentine I built in 2024 I believe… Now with the propper colors for the camouflage. However I did apply the same weathering on the tracks I liked so much on the previous model. Also the out-of-border base turned out really nice in my opinion. However not all can be seen through rose-red glasses. The tracks – segment resin tracks by accurate-armour were just a pain and metal tracks or individula plastic ones would have been far better. Also getting them to sag in the front was almost impossible, atleast for me.
And the second one on the list has a very eventfull story behind it. Multiple trips to and off the shelf of shame and a full rebuild. Of course I am talking about the M31T2-ARV. However the end result was absolutly worth it. Also I am glad I had another excuse for a small experiment: rain effects. And I have to say that I am very happy with them, especially after all the great respones I got at the exhibition. (That is technically still to come, so more on that in next years report.)
Let’s take a look below the surface
Now we get into the not so flashy part of the year, however it’s a big part of modelling and also of the complete progress for the year: the uncompleted, continued or started models: Still a big list, as always, however as of right now I have about an even result in terms of new models started and models finished, so that should be fiiiiine, right?
Well anyways, let’s get right into it, shall we?
T-62 bdd – not too much progress, but progress is progress?
a very complicated project that takes a lot of time. However the base kit with all of the pe and stowage is done now. I am just thinking wether or not to add the IR-Shields on the turret. Then we can hopefully get into painting and weathering soon. I especially like the stowage and straps on this one. A technique I will continue to use on future models. I am however still unsure with the figure. I just got some colors for the skin and will just experiment. The hatch can still be closed no problem though. The trust in my ability to paint something like this ain’t to high particularly. Additionally there are sideskirts, I leave them off to ease painting. The article will have them in the end of course.
T-62 1962 – the chilled brother
Well, the story behind this model is very simple. I love myself a good old T-62 but was kinda burnt out with the bdd you can see above. This is just a quick and simple model completly out of box. Just some stowage and armour textures and that’s all. I also already started with the weathering and painting, since there just wasn’t much to see I did not make a WIP-article. I just need to decide on wether or not to paint a camouflage or not. Next up: detail painting, maybe the camo and then weathering.
FV4005 – still unsure
well unsure describes this model perfectly. I got it gifted and started immediatly with the build, however without a clear goal in mind. And this goal is still missing. Some occasional ideas here and there but just not a complete picture in my head. Up until that I will sadly put the model on hold. Please let me know if you have an idea, I would love to know.
Centurion Mk.5/2 – shapeshifter, yet again
now I have finally decided. Just a normal Centurion Mk.5/2. But what a way it was to get there. From an israeli shot-kal to a centurion then to a strv-102 and now finally back to the normal mk.5/2. Additionally I have now started painting. So no going back now.
M983 – last but certainly not least.
all of the last models (excluding the T62 1962 and FV) had very little progress. And that luckily for a good reason. Here we have the reason: The M983 Hemtt. Fully decked out with PE, tubes, wires resin wheels and everything the heart desires. And that also already very far in terms of progress. I am very very proud of him. He even topps the Maz 537 in terms of details and wirering in the chassis. I am so excited to see him with full weathering, washes and all. Now: enjoy the current state. Maybe I will even get him done this year. But no promises:
And for the models without continuation this year we have the T55-AMV; Stug 3; H39; MAN-kat1; Stug 4; T-55a and the Chruchill mk.IV
And now, the rest of the year and what’s to come
Well, this is now the section where I just talk and tell a bit about what kind of stuff happened in the last year. Which is actually not that much for this year. I did manage to expand my workshop with more machining tools which I now do as a hobby next to model making. But I sadly still have to spend an absurd amount of time on studying since I am on my way to a degree in mechanical engineering. Which is also the reason for my “secondary hobby”.
Also I did not really go in the workshop on a regular basis, rather in big chunks, which certainly did not make hitting my goals easier. Talking about them. I sadly did not manage to complete them. However I am somehow perfectly fine with that and still sattisfied with this years progress.
And thus that is also exactly what I want to be focussing my effort in for the year to come. Just to have fun. Build models without pressure, continue writing these articles, go the exhibitions and als be an exhibitor again. In this place there would usually be a section where I talk about the goals for the next year. I won’t add them this time. I rather want to talk next year about what I achieved, which new things I experimented and what I achieved even without seeting a factual goal.
This does not even in the slightest mean there won’t be new tings, techniques and models. I hope very much that this will achieve the exact opposite, but that we can only say once the next year is over. For now I want to take a step back and find the joy in making models again. The joy that has brought us all to this hobby and eats away our time and we are happy to give it our all.
I am very sorry if this got a bit emotional, but that’s I believe the reason why posts and models stagnated this much in the last two years. I just hope 2026 will be different. Even if there wont be more models, I atleast want to have fun in making them.
And just some documentation – stats
completed models: 2 (+0)
continued models: 5 (-3)
not continued models: 7 (+4)
total unfinished models: 12(+1)
models moved to the shelf of shame: 0 (-1)
models moved from the shelf of shame: 0 (+0)
total models on the shelf of shame: 4 (+0)
unstarted models: 11 (-2)
and the current stats can always be found here.
Until we meet again,
Floh out