I have been known to be something called a “tank racist” – because I always say that tanks almost always look identical to me. The reality is, I can normally tell what country it is from and I recognise the iconic tanks. I do not, however, recognise the majority of major tanks (especially what mark or iteration it is). So, let’s change that….maybe?

I had an armour section on this site for a long time, but it’s been entirely empty for this sites existence. Today we change that, and I hope to do more thanks in the future (I can hear you gasp from here, and trust me I’m as shocked as you are).

The Scorpion is another one of those “models I meant to build but had to be left behind in my sudden house move.” It’s also none that my dad bought me when I was a kidthat I was always too scared to make (something I’ve been calling “The Fear” for some time in relation to models). He bought it for me at Bovington Tank Museum on one of our many visits. So, here’s another build to fulfil a promise I made to my dad to build it as a kid.

• 

The Scorpion Tank by Airfix has been listed as HO/OO scale, 1/76 scale, and 1/72 scale. This is relatively standard among tank/non-aircraft model kits to be honest, so this isn’t something I’m concerned about. There appears to be no real consistency, however for ease I always refer to them as 1/72.

As my first tank (other than a WW1 Male Tank from when I was a really tiny kid) I didn’t really know what to expect. I wasn’t sure how the wheel assembly would look and I couldn’t remember how the tank tracks really worked either.

Let me be extremely clear when I say that this kit is tiny. The box is small, but I didn’t realise just how small his model kit was. You’ll see later on how tiny this is in the pictures.

You can see from the pictures here just how small the kit is. I feel like a bit of a female stereotype going for what is clearly the cutest model tank that money can buy. Whilst we’re on that subject let’s just talk about price…I got this from a Facebook group for £16 (including P+P). It looks like originally sealed, potentially a reseal. It looks like this is a standard retail price…

If this is your first tank buy something cheaper first and don’t make the mistake I did but OMG it’s so freaking cute.

PICTURE OF THE SPRUES

Assembly was pretty straightforward. The instructions are a product of their age, but they are remarkably straightforward. The kit is pretty forgiving. You can miss a bit and not worry too much. Some parts are really small, and I had one part fly off into the lands of the never-ending story as I tried to separate it from the sprue.

We do need to address something that as a tank model virgin; the tracks.

Now I’ve known that tracks are a pain to do. I thought maybe a lot of of polycement? Maybe super glue? Maybe Plasto? But no. Of course not. Instead you have to melt them. Did I get that info from the kit? No. That appeared to just be like “hey, just press these two bits together, it’ll be fine friend!”

Never have I felt so betrayed by an Airfix kit.

I did eventually do it but I lost one of the tracks in the process. Luckily I had an old Sherman that I had no intention of ever building that sacraficed it’s track to the greater good. I was, however, unable to weigh down the model enough in final assembly/tighten the tracks enough…so my model sort of hovers. But I’m so terrorfied of breaking it again that I’m just leaving it as a slightly hovering tank.

Painting them model was pretty easy. I actually enjoyed this way more than I ever thought I would! Maybe that’s why people build tanks eh? I used Revell Aqua Color 65 Bronzergrun (Bronze Green) and 06 Terschwarz (Tar Black). I stippled the black on as the green was still damp and this gave a really nice effect. I used 104 Weiß (White) for the light with a thin layer of 312 Leuchtgelb (Luminous Yellow) on top. There were some tools on there which I just did in steel and wood colours, and some other Bronze sections. For the bronze I used 92 Messing (Bronze).

The decals were simple. I found it way too fun putting on a little number plate. It just adds to the super cute nature of this tank. I swear I’m an adult…

Buy or Fly…er…or….Drive?

This kit is expensive. It’s a tank that’s no longer used and bar a few skits or people who have some sort of emotional ties to it, I feel like it’s out of the popular mindset of most people. I got it for emotional ties, but I don’t think I’d ever look at it otherwise. There’s nothing that I really remember it for.

If you have some sort of link for it or want to build it for a specific diorama, then yeah go for it. But otherwise? I don’t really think it’s worth the high price. It’s an expensive model for something that is so small and culturally insignificant.