While I’m lying here at 4am on massive doses of Fentanyl I thought I’d post up a few wip pics of various projects, points and cucumber sarnies for identifying the kits involved . . .
cheers
Q
Wips From the Hospital
Minor Complications
Just a quick note to all who may be checking in, posting which had recently resumed will unfortunately have to suffer a few delays. I had a heart attack on Monday and are currently stuck in hospital awaiting bypass surgery. I’ll check in as possible but no new tank posts until I get through the operation and return home . . .
cheers
Brent
US T34 Heavy Tank – Project ’46
As you might have guessed I have quite a few project pics in the stash ready to sort and post up. So to balance the last 2 German posts, here we have something from the Allies. When I took up modelling again my brother and I decided to work on similar projects at the same time. I started with some German stuff and he picked US Project ’46 stuff, the first of which is the US T34 Heavy Tank “Custer” in 1/35th from Takom.
The Kit is the Takom T30/34 which as the name suggests can be assembled as either the 155mm armed T30 or the 120mm T34. The Aircav Officer is from Bravo-6, one crewman is from the AC Models Pershing Crew set and the other is a stray Tamiya.
As you can see my brother (Lessor Queeg) also has some modelling skill and the finished tank is a bit of a “Beast”, being so big it’s tricky to get decent pictures. We have a few other US Super-heavies in various stages of completion too, all of which I promise to complete . . . sometime. They include a T29E3 which is finished but needs photographing and three unfinished vehicles, a Super Pershing, an M103 and T95 Doom Turtle.
And so without anymore boring spiel it’s onto the piccies . . . .
cheers
Q
Jagdpanther II – Project ’46
What’s this? an actual finished project? Yup, started on this Blog about 12years ago, and jeez that’s quite the damming inditement on how often I finish our own stuff. Apparently I move slower than the NZ government, who knew? Anyway, it was the second thing I completed when I restarted modelling, so here it is.
Project Recap
The original project was to update the Jagdpanther design (which to be fair, was pretty good as standard) but to make it look a little more “46” without any major surgery. The original plan was to add steel wheels and IR gear and pretty much leave it at that. When I picked up the project again a few years back I decided to update the main gun to a 10.5cm KwK L/68 and add some crew.
It all started originally using the Tamiya Late Jagdpanther as a Base with steel wheels and tracks from a donor Tamiya Sturmtiger. The wheels and the tracks were pretty easy to add to the Jagdpanther and I really like how the final look turned out. As a few older followers might know I have this weird obsession with how German tracks should “sag” and these turned out with a perfect catenary sag, a credit to Tamiya.
Painting
I used a pretty standard start to the painting by applying a primer/base coat with the ubiquitous Tamiya rattlecan, TS-3 Desert Yellow. Not much to see here but it ties all the assembly together nicely.
Camouflage
The tricky decision in this scale for me at least was always going to be the camouflage. I always have a worry that after getting the assembly right picking the wrong camo would stuff it all up, and at this size it’s a lot more plastic down the dunny.
I had an old, (really old – nearly as old as me) Tamiya Jagdpanther in a drawer somewhere that I’d made back when I was in High School. It was one of their early kits that still had the fittings for motorisation on the hull, rubber tracks etc . . . good times. As it turned out it would be perfect to test camo patterns on.
The first pattern tried was the one applied to the Jagdpanzer IV in my earlier post, and actually also served as a test for that model. The second was an attempt to jazz up a winter whitewash scheme that I’d been using on my 1/72nd German Project ’46 stuff. Good enough to try I thought and would tie it in theme to the smaller vehicles.
Whitewash
Again using the same process I use on the small-scale vehicles I’ve applied whitewash to, this would be the real base colour of the vehicle. Using very thinned white (all paints are GW acyrlics unless otherwise indicated) I pretty much just drag it in lines aiming for a rough patchy finish and trying to leave some of the base yellow showing. I also blocked in the tracks at this time.
Weathering
A bit more involved (and lacking step-by-step pics), is the weathering. Essentially similar in process to the Jagdpanzer IV below and basically similar to all my models, it’s edge highlighting, panel lining, chipping and shadow blending with a bit more streaking on this to give it a bit more of a worn look.
The base camo, just a grey splinter pattern, was laid in after the whitewash and base streaking. It’ll get weathered in to tie it all together later.
Infra-Red Optics
The IR gear was made up next with suitable mountings for both the drivers position and the fighting compartment top. The units were from the Bronco German Infrared Night-Vision Devices kit AB3577 with a bit of wire n plasticard “gizmology”.
Crew
I had a bunch of resin crew in the stash so they were dug out, assembled and base coated before picking a couple of “volunteers” from the line-up. The 2 selected were from TANK, T-35098 1/35 German Stug Crew. To be perfectly honest they look kinda like a couple of “hard men”, if not downright untrustworthy individuals. Perfect for my Project ’46 theme.
Final Weathering and Decals
With it all coming together now it got a good dose of final weathering, from my special pot ™. Unfunny jokes aside, the tracks got a mix of Mig pigments thinned with turpintine and the hull various thinned pigment shades flicked on in layers, hopefully simulating a bit of thrown up and dried mud. I also thought the whole thing needed a splash of colour to contrast all the white so added some classy red, yellow and black unit recognition stripes to the gun barrel.
The decals were stolen from my aircraft decals box, a mystery box of 30yr old brittle and yellowing waterslide magic. I think they were a mix of FW190 and Dornier17. All I know is some were so shit that I had to modify my plan as they broke up in the water.
Finis
Sorry this whole post has been so long, but we really have managed to make it to the end. It only took me 12years to complete this project, so it does deserve a few money shots just to finish it up.
Enjoy
Cheers
Brent
Jagdpanzer IV L/70 (V)
About 2 years ago I decided to return to modelling after a bit of a mental health break. To ease back into it and after much good advice from my brother (my main gaming and modelling partner), I decided to start working on things that had no pressure. This meant no time pressure from commissions, no quantity pressure and limited quality expectations, and by that I mean things wouldn’t have to be dripping in rivet accuracy, I really needed just some build, glue and enjoy time.
Luckily I had a bunch of older/second hand junker 1/35th kits sitting around which would be both a cheaper start and easier for my dimming eyesight …..
Enter the old 1/35th Revell Jagdpanzer IV (I believe its an even older Dragon rebox) which I got secondhand with some parts already assembled. Much earlier I had mostly finished up the assembly but it was sitting around as I had no idea (or intention in all honesty) of doing anything further with it. So as a return/test project it seemed ideal, only needing a little tarting up before being used as a brush painting testbed. As some might know I brush paint everything as a compressor is out of my pay grade, so before getting too enthused in the larger scale stuff, I needed to know if my style of brush painted camouflage and weathering would transfer to 1/35th scale.
So what was the process?
I made a few simple changes, first swapping the L/48 main gun for the spare L/70 supplied in the kit which is for a later kit version. Ideally the front glacis plate should also have been changed to match the later versions gun. I did try to pry it off to replace it but the glue was too stronk and bad things started happening. I faked the steel wheels normally fitted to the front 2 roadwheel positions to offset the added weight of the L/70 mounting, by adding some cardboard disks, good enough for government work. I scrounged up a periscope from the spares box for the commander’s hatch and hacked at some of the track guards as I like to do. That was about it, ready for painting.
Painting and Finishing
As is normal now, I primed/basecoated it with a Tamiya rattlecan. I’ve found this stuff is a pretty strong primer and I prefer to get close to the desired colour as it just makes it easier for my process, don’t think I’d ever prime in black for example. I then brush painted the base German dunklegelb using GW acrylics and did some panel lightening by progressively adding some paler bone colour to the yellow base. Ok technically it’s “zenithal” highlighting but I hate these new-fangled modelling hipster terms . . . I tend to over-lighten the base colour always though as weathering always darkens things. I painted the tracks and rubber on the roadwheels as well at this stage. I have a couple of old “hooked” brushes which make it easier to get in between the wheels and get into the tracks properly. They can always be touched up later anyway.
Onto the camo. Pretty simple, select the pattern and apply in stages. I stipple first with the chosen shade (see the green in the pics) which has about, roughly, 50% of the base yellow added. This gives a nice blended base – faking some tricky airbrushing work right there. Then I add more green over that initial blend, sometimes using a different green depending on the look, till it gets dense enough. I did the next colour (the red/brown) in the same way before giving the finished paint a light drybrush of the base yellow. This ties the camo colours into each other and the base.
Finishing up involves edge highlighting, panel lining, chipping and shadow blending. Edge highlighting is just a very light edge drybrush with a very pale yellow, really to give a base for edge chipping but it also adds some old school drybrushing definition. Panel lining uses black or brown and is built up in layers Don’t start with very dark shades. In general and for all the steps, it’s easier to add but very hard to remove things if overdone. Chipping is small dots and scrapes using a blue/grey mixed custom colour, although really any darkish grey could be used. It isn’t all meant to represent “chipped paint” but also dirt and general crud. I use some of my finest brushes here working to keep it random and semi-logical. Finally, I blend around things, post shading is what the cool kids call this I believe. For this I used both a thinned acrylic red/brown and oils, the oils being very, very forgiving to use.
And there it is. I was happy enough with the result to figure I could box-on and brush paint the bigger scaled stuff, and so went off to finish some more things, more of those later. But, is it finished. Nah, the sharp eyed will see a lack of track mud and dust, no decals etc. But I will get around to those, at some stage, maybe …..
cheers – Q
A Bit of a Return …… Hopefully
Not going into too much as people looking at modelling pics don’t need to have their ears worn down but I’m going to try and revive the blog and post up some new stuff (and probably a few oldies as well). TLDR is there’s been a host of life changing things that have affected both myself and my family since my last regular update many years ago. I couldn’t face modelling or many other things to boot. Restarting modelling (in a way that’s mentally healthy) and the Blog are a way of resetting and reinvigorating a lot of things.
So first up are a few projects, not quite finished yet and in the unusual for me scale of 1/35th. When I originally started modelling (shhh … over 50yrs ago), it began with OO/HO Airfix tanks and soldiers,1/72 aircraft and when I got a little more serious it was looking at the Francois Verlinden model pictures in the Tamiya Model Catalogues that made me try 1/35th AFV kits. I didn’t make very many but have always wanted to go back and try them with some of the skills learnt on our smaller scale wargaming stuff.
So a few quick pictures to start with, probably followed with proper project style posts when they are finished.
And in no Particular order these are;
Tamiya – Sd.Kfz 7/1 2cm Flakvierling
Meng – A39 Tortoise
Dragon – Mid production Tiger 1
Dragon -8.8cm Flak auf PzIVH
Project ’46 – Sd.Kfz 350/3 FSV Dragon Hummel/Kugelblitz conversion
Project ’46 conversion Sd.Kfz334/6 APC Dragon Sd.Kfz 243/2 Puma conversion
Hope you enjoy
cheers
Brent
Commissions ……. and Cancer 2
Update …..
A bit of an update from the last month. Leias had a difficult time with the initial treatment going pretty well but only having 2 days at home before developing both pneumonia and a very serious lung infection which required being isolated in ICU for a week. Partially recovered she had another trip up to Starship for more Lumbar Chemo and Bone Marrow tests. And upon returning shes fighting another infection in her good lung. As can be imagined she is very tired and weakened but fighting to improve.
Through all of this Leia has been a real trooper, remaining very positive and coping in a way well beyond her year and we are all very very proud of her !!!!
Finally a shout out to the Hastings Childrens Ward staff, Starship Childrens Hospital staff and Ambulance and Air Ambulance staff and finally CCF and Canteen who have been so helpful and supportive towards Leia – we are and continue to be very grateful.
Brent and Family (mum Cherrie, Jarrod, Chani and cats Ozzy, Zazz and Leias new kitten Midge)
Leias Cancer beads of Courage …. she gets one per procedure or special event.
Leia in ICU …… Doc Dad and Nurse Chani plus The Hair Must Go
Air Ambulance Transfers …. with Air medic Kelvin and Pilot Sam
Starship Childrens Hospital ….. View plus Leias Gift Quilt from the Childrens Cancer Foundation (CCF) and her Angry Kat Pillow 🙂
A Final Word from Kermit
… snapped at Auckland Zoo during a day out before starting chemotherapy for the first time
Packaging AFV models for Shipping
Packaging fun ….
So while shipping off several large commission vehicle groups recently I thought it might be interesting and/or useful to show how I go about packaging up my vehicles for shipping.
Anyone purchasing a made up or completed kit has two things they should consider, firstly they have a right to expect their purchase to arrive well packaged, safe and undamaged, secondly what they’ve purchased is a fragile item and incredibly difficult to package to achieve the first requirement.
For the sender the issues include how to physically pack the item safely but also the realisation that they have absolutely no control over the handling during the delivery process, and this is the major point for all to accept, both customer and sender have zero control over how the item is handled during shipping.
While most parts of the mailing/postal process is designed for reasonable care and most individuals involved are very helpful and as careful as time allows, we’ve all seen Utube vidoes of parcels being tossed about like footballs in the rain. Also while applying “this way up” and “fragile” labels might give some peace of mind there is no requirement in the industry to follow such labels, as stacking density is the primary goal of shipment.
So for myself I package my vehicles based on the assumptions that the package will be knocked, dropped and shipped upside down. Another side issue many purchasers might not realise is the time and process involved in packing up, with a large order regularly taking 3 or more hours to completely pack and this time and materials often aren’t charged for as part of the job. All of this is done to the best of my ability but even then the shipping part of a commission is usually the part with the most worry involved as the full combined time, effort and value of the project is now passed on and transits completely out of your control.
Basic process
Wrapping
The vehicle is protected with foam where small projections such as MGs require it and wrapped with layers of tissue. Sometimes items such as turrets are removed are packaged separately.
Sub package
The wrapped vehicles are secured to a foam-core base and fixed down with double sided tape. At this stage the wrapped vehicles can be tipped and shaken and still remain fixed in their wrapping and to the base.
Box fill
Although secured to the base the vehicles are covered with foam beads (bean bag fill). Vertical foam-core risers create compartments and provide protection against top crushing. The compartments and beads work to prevent the vehicles from coming loose if the package is shipped upside down.
Boxing
Most packages receive a top layer of foam-core and sometimes either interior side or external side cladding is also added to provide extra stiffness if the main box requires it. The box is completely taped to waterproof it and printed labels attached and sealed under tape.
Q
28mm Vehicle Packaging
Land Raider Packaging
20mm Vehicle Packaging
Cat Help ….. not !
Updated …. Modern Transport Box.
Not permanent transport case as it was just for a one-off transport to a convention. The foam-core insert comes out and the vehicles sit into recesses that stop them sliding around. With better sides and top the base would work to transport vehicles around as long as they aren’t tipped up over about 30o.
Commissions ……. and Cancer
Two C words …..
It is with some regret that I have to announce that after I finish the current few commissions I won’t be taking on any more for the foreseeable future. I will be maintaining the blog and still modelling but due to a bunch of reasons, some me and some out of my control, I am unable to concentrate enough to finish commission work in the timely and professional manner they deserve.
Why? Well for many years I have had a series of health issues including the ups and downs of dealing with depression. Last year I got a very serious infection and this took most of the year to control and get on top of. As I’ve dealt with my own issues commissions have been delayed, far more than they should have and this is unacceptable going forward, mentally for me but more importantly for my long suffering customers, many of whom are friends. More relevant and serious than my minor problems however is the recent diagnosis of my 12 year old daughter Leia with Cancer. She has been ill for some time and it has taken the better part of 5 months to get the health department here in NZ to take it seriously enough and get specialists involved, fortunately (hopefully not too late) things have moved very fast ever since.
I don’t wax on about personal life much (if at all) here on the blog or in any public forum but I feel Leia deserves to know how much we love and support her – she’s been a real trooper and dealt with the situation and possible outcomes in a much better way than I have or would. So my decision, a difficult one in some ways would you believe, is to be there to give her (and with the rest of the tribe) the extra time and support she deserves ….. Lele this is for you babe 🙂
Q – Brent
Off to Starship Childrens Hospital …. look out staff !!!!
Empress Miniatures – T90A conversion wip15 and Navy Combat Divers
A little more …
Small steps closer to finishing. Base weathering started and crews greenstuffed and base painted.
And a bit of fun. As a change from basic black I decided to paint the Empress Navy Divers up as French Commandos from Operation Pork Pie. So officially they are French Commandos, disguised as Navy Seals, disguised as retro French Oceanographers, and all to try and fool the NZ Police Force (which they failed at by the way). Now I need a few 28mm Zodiacs ….
A Bridge Too Far – Finished Project
1/56th Bridge Too Far finished project pics ….
Finally processed the finished project pics, now packed up and ready to ship.
As a recap the project for Bolt Action Gaming purposes represents the 9th-SS Hohenstaufen SS-Aufklärung-Abteilung (Recce Battalion) and with a little historical licence comprises;
HQ
1x Humber A/C – Grabners Humber
1x Schwimmwagen – Recce/command (4 troops)
1x 251/8 – Medical (2 medics, 2 troops )
1x 251/7 – Engineers (9 troops)
1x SP Flak – Opel Blitz and SPAA Quad20mm
AC Platoon
1x 222 – 20mm light a/c
1x 232 – 20mm heavy a/c
Recce Platoon
1x Luchs – 20mm recce light afv
1x 250/1 – SPW (5 troops)
1x 250/1 – SPW (5 troops
Heavy Support Platoon
1x 250/7 – 81mm Mortar
1x 250/8 – 75mm SPG
Infantry Platoon
2x 251/1C – 20 troops
1x Opel Blitz – 10 Troops
And the gaming kits used were
Warlord Games
Opel Blitz with open canopy
Opel Blitz and 2cm Flak
SdKfz 251/1C SPW (Plastic kit) x2
SdKfz 251/8 Ambulance
SdKfz 250/7 Neu 81mm Mortar
SdKfz 250/8 Neu 7.5cm SPG Stummel
PzKpfw II Ausf.L Luchs Recce
Flakvierling 38 20mm
Schwimmwagen
SdKfz 222 Armoured Car
Grabners Humber Armoured Car
BlitKrieg Miniatures
SdKfz 231 2.0cm 8rad Armoured Car
SdKfz 250/1 Neu SPW x2
JTFM
SdKfz 251/7 Engineer SPW
Q
Project DAK – Finished : Perry Minatures, Blitzkrieg, Rubicon 1/56th – 28mm
DAK Project …..
A couple of “big” pics from the finished project.
Q
Perry Morris CS8 AT-Portee – Project DAK finished
Perry AT-Portee finished ….
Finished the Perry Morris CS8 Bofors AT-Portee. Kept the finish plain as the vehicle is pretty busy anyway and Caunter would have been a bit tricky to pull off, plus most pics of Portee conversions show a basic sand finish. All in all a very attractive model and should look even better when the new owner add the crew ….
Q
And the build wips pics. I added the white styrene mudguards and rebuilt the supports for the overhead stowage rack.
Empress Miniatures – T90A conversion DV wheels and OKB tracks wip14
Wheels and tracks fitted …
I finished base painting the new wheels and tracks and they’re now fitted permanently. Started making the unditching log and mountings to go on the rear hull plate but will leave the final shading and weathering until the crew are done. Have to greenstuff some lower bodies for them and do a little scribing work to sharpen them up, apart from that it’s just trying to match the Russian camouflage pattern.
Q
My Love Hate relationship with “Modelling” forums ….
Yeah, yeah …. I know, first world problems …
Grrrr just a rant that’s been building for some time so feel free to ignore and look at the nice pictures. My New Years resolution was also not to suffer fools by staying silent when someone’s trolling an audience by sounding all experty n stuff because if no one speaks their view the rubbish being put forward becomes internet and RL fact. By the way I will ramble to so if you read on prepare to be obfuscated and confused.
Forums. Firstly I know you have no control over them and sometimes as little control over your own responses in them when irritated. And forums have a cycle of topics and posters, stay around in your favourite ones long enough and you’ll see things get loved and bashed and then loved again. I have three or four forums I frequent, that to be fair to them I do know cater 99% to modellers or shelf kit builders as I term them. So I shouldn’t get my back up when Wargamers get tarred for crap kits, the rise of 1946 over genuine subjects and the Reichstag Fire. I also go through periods where I lurk, don’t post or comment and my personal reason for this is pretty much that I often don’t feel I have much to contribute or to drive either technical discussions or the forums forward. I don’t do months of deep or primary research, I don’t correct an 18 bolt wheel to a 16 bolt one, I don’t correct a 52o slope to the correct 56o one and I don’t do dioramas.
So why do you to them go I can hear you screaming now. A couple of reasons. Firstly the forums I’ve stuck with are generally the ones I started posting on when I first ventured out into the modelling interweb and so feel they deserve a bit of support, even if it’s only through traffic. And I do annoy the regulars occasionally by posting my gaming tat if I think it’s good enough. Actually I feel for all the work in detailing I can generally produce something with my paint that more often than not gives an equal or sometimes more favourable overall impression of the subject than having the correct tool box locks on a build will.
Secondly there are some great and generous people to that I’ve met through forums, in fact the majority try to get along or are at least reasonable when voicing opinions and “assistance”. This can make forums a fun and worthwhile experience.
Lastly I do really enjoy seeing the detail builds, technical discussions and superb ideas and paintwork. I learn from them and despite what “real” modellers” think, do try to incorporate as much improvement in my work as practical, given the budget, end use and probably most significant – the time constraints. The consensus term is rivet counters for the detail obsessed but that isn’t fair or accurate. Sometimes a person has a singular in depth knowledge of a particular subject, that’s fantastic but I don’t have the time or reference material to specialise in that way, nor to be honest the inclination. My interests are way too varied but I can learn and take what I can from their far better knowledge or experience. I’ve also seen detailers (how’s that for a PC and Friendly SJW term) getting an uncalled for bashing for their approach (without which we often wouldn’t know when things are wrong or how to improve them) and a stouch then inevitably breaks out between them and the OOB/fun building crowd, with each not able to appreciate what the other brings to the hobby.
So what’s pushed my rant button then? As I mentioned it’s been building. The last 2 years probably I’ve found the web forums a far less friendly and generally more polarised place than previously. People are tense and ready to diss others views at the drop of a pin, don’t know whether it’s more life pressures recently or people getting older and crotchier but “go time” is set to “on” and just waiting for a manufacturers release to set two sides up for a handbag throwing debate. And this in a time where there’s so many new kits and of niche subjects that I really can’t understand how manufacturers are making money on some releases but I do know we should be at least partly grateful for the bounty.
Anyway my back is getting bent firstly by the “hate and don’t understand” 1946 modelling crowd. Ok also some 1946 supporters too, both sides seems to bring out a red rag instead of an “oh that’s nice” or an ignore. Bring up a new 46 release and those who hate it just can’t help themselves and stay out of the thread. Likewise get Panzer 46 and Fantasy 46 mixed up and you’re likely to become banished to glueless modelling limbo, shunned by both real prototype and real 46 modellers. Ignore if you don’t like the subject, comment if you do. Geeze such a simple formula you’d think, just like all baby food. I did think about waging a crusade of hate against Tankettes. I mean they’re like 46 models right? They don’t really make any sense in the real world? Or Thornycroft pre ’39 Lorries. What’s modelling those about then, why release a kit of that when another perfectly serviceable kit of a Tiger or Panther could be made – good point right? Bollocks it is. For me anyone that’s likes a subject should just have fun and/or get some enjoyment and satisfaction out of it. I can appreciate well built Tankettes or lorries, even if they aren’t my subject of choice. But do you think they could ignore ’46 stuff … it would appear not.
Then there’s the “Real” and “Serious” modellers versus Wargaming Children. Yup, this has been trotted out several times over the last year and it just won’t die. It seems that Wargamers are to blame for the rise of tatty quick build kits and any shortcomings a company likes to push is because it must be aimed at the Wargaming crowd. Hmmmm ….. No. But let me work this one over a bit. There are companies that cater mostly if not entirely to Wargamers. Great, I buy occasionally from them if the subject is good enough or unique. They don’t hide who their market is, nor do they try to appeal overly to shelf builders, except maybe again if the unique category gets ticked. But to compare their stuff to, and then get ticked off when it isn’t up to shelf building standard, is like me complaining about a rugby ball having two pointed ends when I only play soccer. WTF?
The fall of Dragon is one of my … not beefs, but definite disappointments and is related. Going from genuine “Armour Pro” releases to simplified mouldings, one piece track and wheel assemblies is definitely a direction I don’t like. But as an aside to that, a recent “discussion” from “Real” modellers asserted that that approach was ok as long as the base vehicle shape was good. Real modellers were always going to replace the tracks anyway and apparently always correct everything, so to expect a kit to be detailed and serviceable out of the box was a bit to much to be asking. This was their argued viewpoint, seems oddly opposite to what you’d think their view would be right?. Also said view was snidely backed up in several subsequent threads whenever the opportunity presented itself too. Funny men. Now however a Wargaming Kit producer has released a quick build that must be a subject that was badly wanted in kit form due to the spotlight threads it has received. Admittedly I think the company took a few accuracy liberties. Ok they were lazy and didn’t bother to get some of general shapes or details right. And apparently expert help has been offered before and cheerfully ignored as a matter of course. So who cares right. Well apparently “real” modellers. Because the gaming kit company was lazy it’s the fault of Wargamers that their product isn’t up to snuff. Because we don’t give a toss what things look like. A truck that has a cross on it is good enough to be a German one to all Wargamers – apparently. Well not apparently, they were stated “facts” about Wargamers as well as them being like children. It’s Wargamers fault that kit release standards are slipping, Just so you know.
All this would be just wind and pee but the number of Wargamers that build kitsets in “20mm” 1/76th, OO/HO or 1/72nd isn’t that great. They exist sure and I know some avid 20mm gamers and collectors, but are they enough to make shelf kit manufacturers decline their quality and production standards? Are they battering down the doors of kit manufacturers, organising petitions and causing market paradigm shifts demanding pre-builds, die-casts and any kit – just get it out quick sharp? This with their mega dollars of hobby kitset expenditure …. ?
Um. Only in unicorn land I’m afraid ….
So will I continue to forum? Yeah sure. For the positive reasons I stated above, and yeah, there were some, go back and read it again 🙂 What I’m making a conscious effort to do though is to call BS and not back off, why should I when others won’t. And I’m not posting my Project ’46 stuff (or Wargaming dross) up on one forum in particular, maybe a few others too. I can’t be bothered ignoring the back handed snickering for one thing. Plus when I started my own Project ’46 about 10 or 11 years back it was to have an interest that “detailers” (see there’s that neat SJW term for them again) or shelf builders couldn’t call out as being inaccurate. It was stressless imaginerring for me and until recently many others seemed to appreciate it for what it was. But now as WOT has popularised “Paper Panzers” and “What if” 46 stuff it seems that we get a little more release anger spinoff each time a manufacturer wastes their time making 46 junk no one wants or understands when what they should really be doing is making Tankettes or Lorries ……
Rant over, resuming model building and enjoyment mode ……
Q
ps If this doesn’t make any sense, it’s not my fault. Well it is, I’m blaming my lack of focus and education however and I did warn you I’d ramble 🙂
Empress Miniatures – T90A conversion DV wheels and OKB tracks wip12
Quicky update …..
Finished the second track run today and fitted them to the T90A conversion. Had to do a little more relief grinding due to the rear sprocket being wider and a tad higher but it’s all looking pretty good I think. Should be able to get some paint on them tomorrow and then start thinking about finishing the crew …… it’s nice to see this bad boy on the home stretch finally.
Q
Empress Miniatures – T90A conversion DV wheels and OKB tracks wip11
More track action ….
Got one suspension unit fully upgraded today with replacement T72 wheels from Djani Vrsalovic (contact via Track48 forum) and recently released resin T72 tracks from OKB.
So the steps to get to this stage were to first grind off the outer roadwheels. While nice looking and sharply cast they don’t really look like the Russian 8 hole wheels. Not much else to say, much grinding with a full face HEPA filtered mask.
Next the track was removed, ground down tight against the front idler sprocket and the rear drive sprocket was cut off as a fab looking replacement, complete with PE mud scraper ring comes with the OKB track set. I also cut a recess into the remaining Empress resin wheels to ensure that the track centre guide teeth had clearance as I wasn’t entirely sure where they’d end up sitting.
The rear sprocket was fitted by trimming a section of the inside sprocket teeth off so it could fit recessed and spaced correctly onto the rear mounting plate.
The OKB tracks are a superb piece of work and the first time I have handled a set (ohhh I’d love some for my German tankie projects). They are cast from a flexible resin and are close to the sharpest resin casts I’ve ever seen and I’ve handled a lot of resin. You get 6 single length runs and 10 individual links (plus 2 PE mud scraper rings) so you can either bend the long lengths or use the individual links around the drive and idler sprockets and there’s plenty of spare left over. I used a bit of heat from a hair dryer to carefully work them into shape, dipping them into cold water to help set the shape. I also trimmed down the guide teeth on the links that were shaped around the front idler. Overall it was a very easy process taking around 10-15mins to do both although I recommend not rushing, using the heat on low and in small bursts, continually checking the fit and being careful not to overheat them and soften the detail.
I should point out that yes they are a little overscale, being 1/48th vrs the smaller 1/50th Empress kit. And the wheels are late 6 spoke T72 and the tracks are the T72 RMSh type and quite a bit different from the T90 tracks which can be fitted with rubber insert blocks.
But I don’t care. They are such a vast improvement over the stock gaming running gear (not dissing those, just one is designed for gaming and these are kit AM parts) that even my OCD can cope with the size and technical differences …. 🙂
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Ersatz M10 Panzer Brigade 150 – Dragon 1/72nd Panther and Cpl Overby conversion kit wip4
Base builds ….
Final assembly of the Ersatz M10s and getting close to base painting. Still have some pin holes to fill and a few lifting eyes to replace and will box on once some new fine drill bits arrive on shore …. a little more modern and some PSC PzIVs and 251s up next.
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JTFM Tortoise, Boarhound and Staghound – wip2
Base primer ….
Been battling with the Ersatz M10 project (having problems with bubbles and fit) so splashed some primer on a few things for a break. The JTFM vehicles are part of a 1946 themed project and are in the very early stages of the builds. Primered with Humbrol, the next step is to work on some detailing. Also going to replace the wheels on the Staghound with a set off the Boarhound to improve it’s look and sit. I may also adjust the gun lengths a bit too, while I like big guns as much as the next person the 17pdr on the Boarhound is bigger than the 32pdr on the Tortoise. Early days ….
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Empress Miniatures – T90A conversion wip10
A little xmas progress …
My new replacement wheels for the T90A conversions arrived from Croatia yesterday care of Djani Vrsalovic (via Track48 forum or FB 1/48 Armour Forum). As it was either mix and converse with the family, gouge out an eye or sneak in a little work on my project, the project was a clear winner.
Basically the process is to grind off the outer roadwheels and fit the new ones. The new wheels, actually late T72 6 spokes, are 1/48th and the spacing is a little cramped but I’m pretty sure the much improved look hides the slight increase in diameter. If I really want to I could always reduce the size a touch if it bugs me but at the moment I think it looks pretty good.
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Musings from the warp 