Finished: 1:144 Hawker Typhoon

Hi folks,

Alongside my two recently completed Spitfires, I added another Typhoon to the collection - this being my fourth. Shown below next to one of the Spits. 

This was a 1:144 scale resin and metal battlefront kit I'd picked up 2nd hand quite a while ago. It had also languished on the painting pile for a long time, as I didn't desperately need another one. However, since I was painting the Spits I decided to get it done too. 

The addition of this model to the collection gives me two flights of two of these beasties for use in big games. Ideally, if I can find suitable models, I would switch two of these models over to being bomb armed, rather than having them all with rockets.  

I nabbed some of my Team Yankee flight stands to make these models a bit taller on the table. Decals are from the old BF aircraft kits. 

Finished: Two 1:144 scale Spitfire IX

Hi folks,

Playing catchup on completed work again - figured I should get these done before my 2023 roundup post in a few weeks. 

These models are some long time lead pile lurkers - mainly as I was lacking in confidence in how to do them justice. The models are 1:144 scale Battlefront resin and metal kits (ACO13 for those interested) representing Spitfire IX fighter-bombers (commonly referred to as Spitbombers). Battlefront originally released these as part of the v3 'Road to Rome' allied book - possibly back in 2016?

Anyway, I'd picked up a pair of them over time - with the intention of doing some Spits for my Normandy games. 

I'll say here and now that I don't consider myself to be a modeller per say - I build stuff to play games with - so these are no perfect replicas. However, as much as I hand painted the stripes and undoubtedly bodged the markings and the likes, I'm pretty happy with these. 

The two models are armed with bombs, machine guns and cannon. They seemed to have been used in a divebombing role, which they were apparently unsuited for. The Spitfire IX (mk.9) was initially a re-engined Spitfire Vc - rushed into service due to huge RAF losses caused by the German introduction of the FW190. When development of the Spitfire moved on, the Spitfire IX's were relegated to other roles, such as divebombing and ground support. 

I nicked the flight stands for my Team Yankee SU25s, as I like to use the taller flight stands. 

Finished?!: 15mm M5 Halftracks - again

Hi folks,

Another outcome from my recent reshuffle of transport vehicles for the 17-pdrs was a re-working of the previous halftracks into a new unit. 

I have two planned units which would use M5 halftracks as transport vehicles. After a bit of a think I decided to re-do the 5 halftracks as part of The Lake Superior Regiment (of 4th Canadian Armoured Division). 

These 5 vehicles include four plastic PSC models and one resin and metal BF kit. In the images, you can tell which is which by the crew members - the Battlefront kit has pairs of soldiers. 

Previously, they looked like this:

The Battlefront model, in it's initial scheme of a Pioneer vehicle

The PSC models, in their initial A/T regiment markings

So these have now been re-based and given some weathering to decals and hull. I've added some tactical markings in green, and the appropriate divisional and AoS markings. A full company of these would have 12 halftracks and some command vehicles (possible M3 scout cars). 

It shouldn't take much to finish off the unit... but a project for another day.