Thursday, May 28, 2009

Back to the Eighties! Latest Arrivials


It's the Mid Eighties, the US is rocking with Bruce Springsteen, there are bombs in Beirut, Caribbean Islands are Invaded, Libyan Jets are getting Splashed, Rock on America!!!

They are all included, the Dragon, M203,M16A1, and the M60. Thank you ESCI!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Flaky Paint Blues

I hate colder weather...being quite a lazy person I base coat my figures and models using Black Spray Paint. I also am a cheap bugger...hence the use of Paint from work.

Now I also use Tamyia Spray Paint as an overcoat, mainly for my Soviet Vehicles and I have found that this stuff generally works well even into the depths of Winter, However my base Paint hates the cold and will flake off if you don't judge the temperature right.

Here's some examples of that on my Soviet ZIS 3 Guncrew.

Being the fool that I am I continued to paint over the figures in the hope that the enamel would bond the flaking...fat chance, perhaps the only way out of this is to carry out a PVA glue dip then carry on the painting with the PVA acting as a protective skin.

Monday, May 25, 2009

The ZIS 3 Now in Colour !

The ZIS 3 in all its glory, what a nice kit.
I have base coated the Gunners (why Italeri calls them servants is probably a bit of bad translation) and hope to get them painted this week.
Even my mate Spanky was impressed with the detail of this Italeri fast build(and hes quite pedantic), at $11.70 for two kits and crew its a bargain.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Italeri ZIS 3 AT Gun with Servants

I have a bit of free time this weekend so I might try a quick build ZIS 3 Gun from Italeri.
Opening the box we have two identical sprues, they are nicely moulded and have quite good detail, the Gun Crew is especially welcome.

The plastic is quite malleable and cuts easy.

Done, both Guns took about 5 minutes, and no glue needed! Although I think I will plaster some on just in case.

One of the great things about the ZIS 3 is that it was used as Field Artillery has well as an Anti Tank role, so its very useful as a wargaming kit. Next step...painting.

Friday, May 22, 2009

British M14 Halftrack

As promised the Airfix M3 converted to a M14 APC for my Brit's to serve as transport for there Motor Company.
Maxon mount removed and .50 Cal Browning placed on a pedestal mounting.
Forgive the OD colour, my first and last attempt with Tamiya acrylics paint.
Any Halftracks I will make for my Soviets will be of this pattern.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Brit Halftrack Transport

Because my British Force is designed for a late war North West Europe campaign, I thought it only appropriate to include some Halftracks.
Airfix's White M3 are the most common 1/76th scale kits out there at the moment (well since 1966 when it was released), although Italeri have released a fastbuild twin set, which I will pick up a couple of packets of to motorize my Soviet Hoard. The track above has one of the crewman/sailors from the LCU landingcraft set. Quite a nice selection of figures from that set are useful for dressing up vehicles.
The track above has another selection of Airfix figures, and along with all these shown,I have added the mine racks to the sides. Have since found out that the Brit versions were quite a bit different to these and didn't have them, along with a whole heap of other modifications. A nice link to Airfix Kits and hints on whats correct and incorrect is http://matadormodels.co.uk/tank_museum/4_Airfix_hints_1.htm
I have since built a M14 that is more like what the Brits used and will show that at some other stage. One of the kit's high points is the use of the one piece tracks that are so much simpler to attach than the conventional separate links or tracks, an oldie but a goodie.






Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Recession Buster

Yet another purchase for May, Modern US Soldiers from ESCI, $13.00. I am just doing my bit to stop the recession...honest.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

GMC Fuel/Water Tanker

Kongwell Die Cast GMC Fuel or Water Tanker.
One of the Allied's War Winning Tools, it is perhaps my most favourite type of truck, hundreds of these popped up in NZ especially after the War. My Dad used to drive one in the 1960's for a local transport company, In fact he still has one in his back yard! (Not in the same condition though!)
Seen here with the Airfix/Heller GMC, the Kongwell has the hardtop cabin while the Airfix version is the soft top.In my view, at a cost of $15.00 it is a better option than the Hasegawa kit.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Enter the Achilles

Hat/Armourfast Achilles, 17 Pounder Tank Destroyer.
I purchased six of these as part of a larger auction last year, I have made them all up, but these are the only two up to finished standard. I believe they used two per platoon, six to a company.
Decals from Italeri (M113A1), Revell (Matchbox Firefly) and Airfix (Bren Carrier), the Airfix decals were hopeless, a really thick film spoiled a really good register.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

ANZAC Putty Conversion 2

Spent a couple of hours last night finishing up my HAT ANZAC Putty Conversions.
New Bren Pouches, Helmet, cover and bloused trousers.
More of the same, minus the Bren Pouches.
Nice raised detail on these figures, gone are the legging sacking.
Again the bloused trousers.
This figure from the Revell set, Helmet added.
One of those werid poses you seem to get in every set, how can could you thow a grenade standing like this?
Bloused trousers and 37 Pattern Gaiters.
Overall I am very happy with the outcome of these Troopers, they will be a asset to my ANZAC's

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Another Purchase


I managed to pick up another Matchbox Panzer II for $8.00, quite a nice price I thought. This will bring my total Panzer II Force to three, a decent size Unit.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

ANZAC's Putty Conversions

Two summers ago, my mate Chintz, came over from Christchurch with some putty I had ordered from him. Over a cup or two of coffee he described how he used the putty for conversions, I pulled out some WW1 ANZAC's I had purchased (for this very purpose) and made him put his money where his mouth was. In 15 minutes he had converted the following 7 figures.
This morning I rediscovered them in a drawer in the kitchen and decided to do something about them. Since it was a nice fine day I gave them a base coat of black.
Shown below are some before and after snaps.
Legging sacking covered with putty to make a bloused trouser, 37 pat gaiters to be painted on later.

Again the bloused trouser leg.
I like the fact that they have the WW1 '07 webbing pattern equipment, I have seen plenty of photos of ANZAC Troops (Especially Service Troops) early on the war wearing it, with the last photo's being in Crete, so they will go nicely with my Australian troops from Revell.
Helmets with Hessian sacking covers were popular throughout the war, these were wearing the slouch hats, Bren pouches also added to the soldier on the right along with bloused trousers again.

Revell Australian, with the slouch hat converted to a helmet, nice and simple.

I will find some time this week to paint them up.

Latest Arrivials

It's always nice to come home on a miserable day and to find a parcel waiting for you, it's even better if you know the package contains model kits to add to the hoard.
These arrived for me yesterday, buying 2nd hand kits at online auction sites is always a bit of hit and miss, sometimes you get a really good deal and sometimes you get a dog.
Over the last few months I have encountered both frustration and delight upon opening these parcels, so I was pleasantly surprised find to open this package and find it faultless, they were all complete and well protected, even better was on inspection of the decals they were all found to be in register, another bonus. Cheers to Coonskin in Palmerston North for a great all round trade.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Dave's Allied Armourfest

Another picture from the Spanky files, Armourfast M10 Tank Destroyer Company, Kongwell Jeeps and Kangaroo Personnel Carriers. One of the tings that constantly amuses me is seeing kits that I have given away in use by other people...these Kangaroo's are a great example, brought as part of a bulk purchase, being turretless and allied I had no use for them since I was only interested in building a German Force at the time, within a year I was on a Allied fix...and looking for kits...I had also had gathered enough spare turrets to man them. Drat.