Keep on trucking

Keeping on the theme of "tank riders" here are the the US version from HaT. Nice figures, but again the problem of not fitting in Jeeps or the driver's seat in most vehicles.

As the GMC trucks had existing bench seating the figures were added individually rather than based as before. The exception was the dumper trucks.

The number of figures per vehicle is lower than I would have preferred, but I decided to spread them across all my empty vehicles

My venerable Airfix half tracks get some passengers


I actually got to use the tank crews as I had a number of open topped AFVs still looking quite empty.


Trouble with doing this is then looking at my US infantry and realising how dated they are, but I'll leave that task until PSC brings out their promised Americans later this year

SU76 crews

Some people were interested in how the Russian tank riders were used as SU76 crews so here's a close up as requested.

Russian tank riders

Took a while working out how I could use the Hat tank riders, there are two main problems, firstly the figures at at the large end of 1/72 and they have a lot of equipment/packs, this makes them difficult to position in some vehicles, especially the smaller ones such as Jeeps. In the end I managed to find 6 suitable figures that would fit in my SU76's and decided to base the rest in modules to fit into my Gaz trucks

The finished modules, typical that the one mis-aligned barrel would be at the front



All mounted up and ready for action.

WW1/RCW Artillery

The latest HaT Russian Putilov 76mm artillery guns (Hard plastic and excellent) and gun crews (rubbery soft plastic - just about OK) will at long last provide some much needed support for my WW1 and Russian Civil War Russians

Painted as generic WW1 Russian Artillery, which will then be able to act for either side in RCW actions, but most likely as Reds as I have no other specific artillery for them yet.


Painted as Whites, from left to right Artillery from the Guards, Markov and Kornilov Infantry Divisions of Wrangel's Army.

To add a bit more variety I mixed in a few figures from the HaT heavy weapons

Generic camp

After a while sorting out the bits and then painting it, my generic camp is now finished. It's intended for use from the seventeenth to early twentieth century.

Each pair of tents is on a 12cm x 6cm base, which is the same size I use for my modular buildings. The major component is the vacuum formed tents from Bellona, then the parts from the Atlantic US Camp, the boxes, barrels and buckets came from various left over sets. The stacked muskets came from the Revell Napoleonic British Artillery and the pile of logs and straw bale from the Airfix Waterloo Accessory set

Work in progress picture

WW1 Austrian Artillery - a quick fix

It's been a while since I completed the Hat Austrian guns and when I spotted some spare painted German gunners (I can't remember why I painted so many) I decided to create some temporary gun crews until I get the proper Austrians.


Guns are the Hat 100mm Feldhaublitze and the crews a mixture of Hat and Emhar.

Russian 85mm AA guns

Here's my finished my impulse purchase from WMMS, These really are proper Russian 85mm AA guns and a worthy replacement for my existing Airfix 88mm "conversion"

In the course of researching a bit about them I found that captured models of them and and the 76mm AA guns were used by te Germans, so something for those who want to make a different version.

In general the Zvezda kit assembled easily, the gun cradle just needed a little filing so the gun can be depressed to fire at ground targets. The wheel axles are a bit fragile and if I were to build the kit again I would dispense with the provided base and make my own so the wheels are better protected

Renault AMC 35

When I first saw the model of the Automitrailleuse de Combat Renault modèle 1935, I thought "good it will fit in with the rest of my R35s". However this is an R35 on steriods, it's far larger. It actually has a two man turret with a 47mm gun, so definitely the best of the French light tanks.



Lots of pictures on the Chars Francaise site

British Para Reece Jeeps

Four jeep conversions based on the Matchbox LRDG set, plus parts and figures from SHQ. The command jeep is an an Airfix one, again with SHQ bits and figures.

I still need to add a Polsten gun to complete the unit.

On the Workbench - March 2012

Yes, I've been drifting a bit, my holiday didn't help, so I need to get back on track, but inspiration is also needed, so the main items will be:

• 2 x Zvezda Russian 85mm AA guns and crews ( Yes,I know that they are just purchased but they are so tempting)
• HaT British, US and Russian Tank riders ( Ditto, I just have too many vehicles without crews)
• Finish the camp
• Crews for the Russian WW1 artillery
• Continue work on all the odd vehicles
• Get started on all the desert armour that has been cleaned up
• Desert crews for the 5.5" guns (thanks to Charles I have some useful tips from John Sandars)
• and if I get chance start work on the Para AT guns

Camp - Work in progress

For those that like to see how things go together, here is my new camp built using the Bellona tents and various odd bits I had lying around. It took a while to find some of them. All the bases are 6cm x 12cm the same as my SYW buildings, etc.

Just given them a coat of primer so painting should start this afternoon.

WMMS

After a holiday, what better than a trip to a wargames show?

My highlights were the battle of Fishguard, already seen at Penarth


The battle of Rocoux 1746






A nice version of Antietam on hex terrain


An intersting WW1 game based on Loos


Not sure about the slag heap, but the mine buildings look interesting.


As ever a very tempting pirate game (must get mine out to play sometime)


SOGGy members James and Tony debate the finer things in life! By early afternoon the French had succeeded once in taking Hougomont out of four attempts





As for purchases

• Airfix Tank transporter (off the B&B - haven't made once since it was first produced)
• Caesar Sdkfz 10/4 with 20mm Flak 30
• Caesar Sdkfz 10 with 50mm Pak 38
• Hat British tank riders (Apparently the most popular set, even though the Germans had stocked out)
• Hat Russian Tank riders
• Hat US Tank riders
• Zvezda 85mm AA gun (couldn't resist Mr Models had them at £6)
• Zvezda Swedish Artillery (yes I'm still interested in the early C18)

And thanks to everyone who bought my bits and pieces, and if you bought my ACW figures then some escaped so let me know how to contact you.

British Para Heavy Weapons

OK, back to work, and first off the table are the heavy weapons for my British Paras. The MMG and mortar on the left are my originals (Britannia I think) just rebased and the new ones on the right are from SHQ.

Off to WMMS tomorrow (link) hopefully I'll manage to buy some much needed bits and pieces. If anyone wants to say Hi I'll be helping out on David Lanchester's Military Books.

El Djem - a few pictures

Since quite a few people are interested, here are some more pictures of the Colloseum at El Djem (historic Thysdrus)

Looking down at the arena

High up in the cheap seats, there were plenty of stairs so it could be filled/emptied quite quickly.


A view over the arena, showing how high the cheap seats are, amazing to think it could hold 35,000 spectators


The more expensive seating , mainly reconstructed.


Down underneath the arena, where the animals and captive were kept, there were two lifts to take them to the surface.


An explanatory board

What a gem, I'm back again

Slow progress indeed, I went of to Tunisia to get some sun and history. The real highlight was the Colosseum at El Djem.

So back to "reality" and more posts will follow