United States M3 Lee - A Stopgap Tank for a Global War

The United States M3 Lee was an interim tank design developed under urgent wartime conditions, intended to place a powerful 75mm gun into service before a fully turreted solution could be fielded. Produced by five different manufacturers, a total of 6,258 M3 Lees were built and saw service across multiple theaters, most notably in North Africa during the early stages of U.S. involvement in World War II.

This model represents my first olive drab U.S. armored vehicle and required a slightly different approach to weathering compared to European camouflage schemes. The finish emphasizes subtle tonal variation, restrained wear, and accumulated grime rather than heavy chipping, reflecting the practical, utilitarian nature of early-war American armor.

Queen of the Desert: The British Matilda II

The British Matilda II infantry tank depicted here represents service in the North African theater, where its heavy armor proved highly effective during the early stages of the desert war. Although slow and lightly armed by later standards, the Matilda’s protection made it exceptionally resilient against contemporary Axis anti-tank weapons.

This build is based on the Tamiya kit and was finished primarily with acrylic paints, using a deliberately restrained weathering approach. Only two weathering media were employed: VMS Black Steel pigment for subtle metallic wear and Tamiya panel liner to enhance surface detail. The result emphasizes accumulated dust, operational grime, and tonal variation appropriate to desert conditions without overwhelming the underlying paintwork.

Where Armor Was Born: Britain’s Mk.I Tank of the Great War

The British Mk.I was the first tank ever used in combat, marking the birth of armored warfare during World War One. Developed in 1915 and first deployed in 1916, it was designed specifically to break the deadlock of trench warfare by crossing barbed wire, trenches, and shell-torn ground that had stalled infantry advances.

This model represents the “Male” version of the Mk.I, armed with two 6-pounder guns mounted in side sponsons along with multiple Hotchkiss machine guns for close defense. Its distinctive rhomboid shape and track layout allowed it to climb obstacles that were otherwise impassable on the Western Front.

The kit is Takom’s 1/35 scale Mk.I and was finished using acrylics with restrained weathering to reflect the harsh operational conditions of early armored warfare. Mud, wear, and surface texture were emphasized to capture the crude, experimental nature of these pioneering machines and their place at the very beginning of tank history.

Steel Behemoth: The 1946 “What-If” E-100

This model depicts a late-war “what if” scenario in which the German Panzerkampfwagen E-100 reached limited production as the war dragged into 1946. Shown in early spring conditions, the vehicle retains remnants of a hastily applied winter whitewash that is fading and wearing away, revealing the underlying camouflage beneath.

Conceived as part of Germany’s Entwicklung series, the E-100 was planned as a super-heavy breakthrough tank with a projected crew of six and an estimated combat weight of approximately 123 tons. Standing over eleven feet tall, it represented the extreme end of late-war German armored design philosophy, prioritizing firepower and protection over practicality.

This 1/35 scale kit by Amusing Hobby was finished using acrylics, oils, and VMS and AK pigments. Weathering was focused on heavy operational wear, corrosion, and neglect consistent with a vehicle rushed into service during the final months of the conflict. The hull camouflage wires were deliberately over-aged to emphasize rust and deterioration, reinforcing the sense of a massive machine deployed too late to alter the course of the war.

Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe: The Lion That Never Roared

A “Paper Panzer” hence it existed only on paper though some sources say a hull was found in the closing days of WW2 for it. The Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe (Lion in English) was designed to have the L/70 high velocity gun and a 1,000 horsepower Maybach engine. The Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe (“Lion”) was a proposed German heavy tank design that never progressed beyond the drawing board, making it one of the many so-called “Paper Panzers” of the late war period. Conceived as an intermediate step between the Panther and the massive Maus, the Löwe was intended to combine heavy armor protection with greater mobility than Germany’s super-heavy designs. It was planned to mount the high-velocity L/70 gun and be powered by a 1,000-horsepower Maybach engine, giving it formidable firepower on paper.

This model represents a realistic late-war “what if” interpretation of the Löwe, imagining how it might have appeared had construction progressed far enough for a prototype to exist. Built and finished to emphasize weight, scale, and industrial brutality, the weathering reflects a vehicle undergoing trials rather than combat. Acrylics, washes, and restrained aging were used to suggest a machine caught between concept and reality - an armored lion that never had the chance to roar on the battlefield.

Char 2C - WWI’s Colossus, WWII’s Relic

The French Char 2C remains the largest tank by volume ever to enter production, a true armored giant conceived during the final stages of World War I. Designed as a breakthrough vehicle, the Char 2C carried a massive crew of 12 and embodied early interwar thinking that emphasized sheer size, firepower, and psychological impact. Unfortunately, it arrived too late to see combat in WWI and by the outbreak of World War II it was already obsolete - slow, mechanically complex, and vulnerable to modern anti-tank weapons.

One of the most well-known vehicles, Char 2C No. 92 “Picardie,” broke down during the 1940 campaign and was captured intact by German forces. Its ultimate fate remains unclear, though it was almost certainly scrapped. This model represents the Char 2C in 1/35 scale, built from the Meng kit with the tailskid modification added. Subtle weathering and restrained aging were used to emphasize the vehicle’s immense scale and mechanical presence, capturing the look of a technological marvel that history ultimately passed by.

Le Hussard (1848) - My First Wooden Ship Model

Le Hussard was a French naval vessel launched in 1848, a period of rapid political and technological change in France. Built during the era when sail-powered warships were reaching their final refinement, Le Hussard represents the transitional age just before steam power and ironclads began to dominate naval warfare. Ships of this type were typically used for patrol, escort, training, and showing the flag in coastal and colonial waters, relying on speed, maneuverability, and skilled seamanship rather than heavy armor or armament.

As a sailing vessel of the mid-19th century, Le Hussard reflects the culmination of centuries of wooden shipbuilding knowledge - complex hull framing, carefully planked decks, and intricate standing and running rigging that demanded constant maintenance and highly trained crews. By the time steam propulsion became widespread only a few decades later, ships like Le Hussard had effectively reached the end of a long naval tradition.

This plank-on-frame wooden ship model is based on the Artesania Latina kit and was built in the early 1980s, making it the first wooden ship model I ever completed. The project marked my introduction to traditional ship modeling techniques, including frame alignment, hull planking, deck construction, and basic rigging. While it clearly reflects the learning curve of an early build, it remains a meaningful milestone in my modeling journey.

Remarkably, the model has survived several major cross-state moves over the decades largely intact—a testament both to careful packing and a bit of luck. Today it serves not only as a representation of a 19th-century sailing vessel, but also as a personal reminder of where my interest in detailed, hands-on craftsmanship first began.

Midwest’s Dinghy – A Working Boat of Everyday Life

Small wooden dinghies like this were once a common and essential sight across the lakes, rivers, and backwaters. Long before aluminum hulls and fiberglass became standard, local boatbuilders produced simple, practical wooden boats designed for fishing, short transport, and everyday utility. These boats were built to be light, stable, easy to repair, and capable of being hauled up on shore or loaded onto a trailer without much effort.

Through the world’s waterways, dinghies in one form or another, were often used on inland lakes, farm ponds, and slow-moving rivers, serving fishermen, hunters, and landowners rather than commercial sailors. Construction was typically straightforward: lapstrake or plank-on-frame hulls, basic seating, and minimal hardware. Durability mattered more than refinement, and many of these boats were repaired repeatedly over their lifetimes with whatever materials were available.

This wooden dinghy model reflects that utilitarian heritage. The clean interior layout, exposed planking, and restrained finish are meant to capture the honest, workmanlike character of a real small boat rather than a decorative or yacht-style craft. The scratch-built fishing rods, reels, and tackle box reinforce the idea of a boat that is actively used rather than displayed.

Rather than representing a specific named vessel, this model is intended as a snapshot of everyday boating culture—a quiet moment on the water where function, simplicity, and familiarity mattered more than speed or prestige.