Finished! Churchill Fascine, Churchill SBG, Austin K2/Y Ambulance

Hi folks,

A tiny little bit still to do on these - mainly crew to add to the tanks and the steel paper to put on the underside of the bases. But other than that, I'm calling these three done!

I've a couple of blog posts to do specifically showing off the parts to each kit, but initially these are all 15mm models:

Churchill conversion kits from S&S Models and Churchill models from PSC
Austin K2/Y Ambulance from QRF

I've used mainly Vallejo paints on these, with a couple of different varnishes and my own 'magic wash'.

SBG Churchill

The SBG Churchill is magnetised in order to make both the bridge and the base removable. This allows the bridge to be deployed and the tank to be moved to a smaller size base.

This tank has been decalled up as a vehicle of 80th Assault Squadron, 5th Assault Regiment,  1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers, 79th Armoured Division.

I also used a new basing technique on these following some feedback via Facebook. I applied two tracks of darker shorter static grass to the base and then applied the usual shade all over as normal. This (hopefully) makes it look like the grass has been crushed by a weight passing over it.

Really nice model and I'm really chuffed with it.

Churchill AVRE

This tank was built with a magnetised Fascine bundle, allowing it to be removed or to be carried on the tank. The front section used to hold the fascine is not removable, so the turret traverse is limited - but I think that this may be historically accurate anyway.

This tank has also been decalled up as a vehicle of 80th Assault Squadron, 5th Assault Regiment,  1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers, 79th Armoured Division. 

Another lovely model - something different, that's for sure!

Austin K2/Y 'Katy' Ambulance

This heavy duty ambulance was used is various theatres but is most commonly known for the role it played in the film 'Ice Cold in Alex'.

My version is painted up for service in NWE. It's decalled up as an ambulance of 176 Field Ambulance, 51st Highland Division (assigned to support 154 Brigade). These are the same markings as my Ambulance Halftrack and Ambulance Jeep. Somewhere down the line is a first aid station...

The weathering powder, on the ambulance especially, looks far brighter than it does on the model. Must be the way it picks up the light, or something my Camera is doing?

So, that is most of my Novelty November Challenge complete, other than my Radio Truck. It is painted, just the basing still to do. I've been held up by a cunning plan to mount some figures on the base with it and make a little diorama. Still in the process of painting the figures, but should have them done in the next day or so.

Thanks for reading - and remember you can get regular updates on what I'm working on via my Facebook page.

State of the Collection - 1st Video Blog!

Hi folks, a quick mid week blog post for me based on something I worked on at the weekend. Egged on by Paul to try out video blogging, and with the new felt table cover to try out, I decided to lay out my painted collection and do a bit of an overview of everything!

The video is a bit long and I could have prepped more (and remembered where the mike was throughout) but you get to listen to me say 'hey ho' several times in my Scottish brogue, so it's not all bad!

For those of you not keen on shaky camera work...

Let me know what you think of my first video blog! Constructive criticism welcome!

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6MMRPC Finished: Ambulance Jeep (Battlegroup Overlord)

Third revision of this post, this time while I'm in a calmer state of mind and using a new app called 'Blogsy' which seems to do a lot more than the official blogger app. Like putting links in, resizing pictures, captions, linking to Picasa, etc.

Anyway, the model! 

This was a conversion of a Battlefront mini to resemble a 20mm model by Milicast. It's been given the same markings as my Ambulance Halftrack, making it part of 176 Field Ambulance, 51st Highland Division. The 'crew' figures are from Skytrex, and not Peter Pig as I stated earlier.
Modifications to the jeep included adding the stretchers and simple frames to hold them and adding Jerry cans and other stowage.

I was a bit sad that the front stretchers more or less totally covered the Red Cross on the bonnet. These were created using plasticard and are perhaps a bit out of scale. But I decided to use them anyway, leaving just a hint of the Red Cross underneath.

I've included pics of it alongside some of my other little creations, just to show the sorts of things I'm trying to achieve!

And since I had the old POWs out...

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