27/06/2023

3D printing has ceased - for now

So a degree of normality has resumed as I don't have to keep the monster fed and cleaned up - it is just like a new born - always needing attention, getting prints ready, levelling, printing, cleaning and curing! So nice to sit back and reflect on the output.
Napoleonic Dutch infantry and militia - these will be used as Prussian reserve infantry
Thalassa triremes and penteconters, I preassembled the masts and saile to ensure they were robust enough. I also decided not to use the provided crew as the supports made them unusable and they weren't available without them.
15mm Bundeswehr infantry - I "based" the figures before printing. I also modified a unimog to make an open back version but it still needs work, ditto the Gepard turret
An assortment -loads of baggage camels (all with 4 legs), a couple of test French Dromedaries, German Hf2 wagons and horses, plus SYW Austrian Grenz
I've aleady started some of the Grenz and the Zulu commanders
Another assortment - a couple of Challengers to go with my Airfix Cromwells, The Lancia 3RO tanker and trailer for "DAK attack" (THe 28mm version for Dave W printed off OK), Water Buffalo for Vietnam (from my previous print run - but included to remind me) a trio of sdkfz 10s for Alan M; a pair of Indian Pattern Carriers ( I had a previous one "explode" as I didn't know it was hollow in the engine compartment.) Some undersized Zulu commanders, a trio of Castro and Che figures and loads of German DAK truck crew I have worked on and use as a filler in odd spaces in the prints.
More Waco gliders and Jeeps. Since the gliders would be shown landed I created a jeep and trailer to fit inside
Waterline versions of LVT2's I can add the superstructures from the land versions as needed. I just need to find a suitable base, ideally clear acylic. Also three FK96 77mm guns for my Turkish WW1 artillery.
Not shown are the Lancia 3RO tanker and trailer in 28mm as already mentioned, test prints of the Grenz & Zulus (under-sized), preassembled loads for Jeep trailers (already painted) and some bunker doors for using on some scratch built bunkers.

But already new files are appearing to tempt me, such as Dani Dunbars AA carts.

26/06/2023

Loads of Bundeswehr armour

Seemed to take a while matching the camouflage to a template, but I have now completed all my 3D printed Bendeswehr armour ready to use for Battlegroup Centag in 15mm. Thanks to Ian and Dennis for the decals
Leopard 2s
Leapard 1s
Gapards, I need to dunk one in boiling water to straighten out the barrels. Also it was badly printed at the rear of the turret.
Fuchs
Jaguar 1 & M577
Luchs
the next stage is painting all the infantry and a few softskins

25/06/2023

A great weekend

To start, an apology as I didn't have my camera with me and I only took a few usable pictures with my phone camera.

I joined with the rest of the Lance and Longbow Society at Phalanx on Saturday for a Crusades bash using the usual modified Lion Rampant rules
Impressive terrain for this Star Wars game
A nice Napoleonic run ashore
With an imprssive battery.
On Sunday the Gentlemen Pensioners met for an English Civil War bash loosely based on the battle of Coperedy Bridge.
Purchases at Phalanx were very few, but most importantly a copy of "What a Comboy", which looks very promising after a first game.

06/06/2023

Some work in progress from the printer

A quick view of some of the intems coming off the 3D printer. From top left: another Waco glider and some bagge camels; a selection of various 1/76 vehicles, including waterline LVT-2s; Thalassa triremes; SYW Grenz infantry and some Zulu commanders.
Passing on to the 1/76 vehicles, a few problems printing a Lancia 3RO tanker and trailer, I'll just reprint the damaged components and repair it. I also plan to print a 1/56 version for Dave W, and hopefully I have work out what went wrong.
German Hf2 wagon, printed OK, but my clumsy figures manged to damage a wheel removing the model from the supports, looks nice so more care needed for any reprints.
A couple of US para jeeps, looks nothing unusual, but using 3D builder I started from a 4 crew version and replaced one crewman with some stowage. Then created a version with a mirror image of the rear half.
Thalassa crews, these are 1/300 and supplied presupported. The supports are a nightmare to remove and not damage the figures. I think that using H&R metals would be a lot easier.
Finally the Seven Years War Austrian Grenz and Zulu commanders. The arms and heads are all printed seperately. This test print revealed that both were undersized and it will be a right game to affix the arms, so I need to see what I can fix in 3D builder.

04/06/2023

On the workbench - June 2023

The printer started back in action at the beginning of the month so a fair bit of time will be spent on sorting out the files to print and then the printing and clean up. Other than that I hope to work on
  • Painting all my previously printed 1/100 Bundeswehr vehicles.
  • WSS French Musketeers of the Guard
  • WSS Dutch Cuirassiers
  • More WW1 Turkish Infantry & Guns
  • Then as time permits work on my terrain
I also plan to be at Phalanx with the Lance & Longbow society.

02/06/2023

Some WW2 bits

Some WW2 bits I just managed to finish in May.

A resin printed DAK sdkfz 10.
and a Kleiner Funk und Beobachtungspanzer auf Infanterie Schlepper UE(f) - a tiny artillery observation vehicle used by 21st Panzer in Normandy, again Resin printed.

Cossack Horse Archers

The last of the Orion Ukrainian Cossacks have been painted up as a unit of Cossack Horse Archers
Above in closer order, below skirmishing