Astute class

So the secret project is revealed, I've been working on this 3D printed Astute class submarine a friend did for me.

Interesting project as there are limited photos of these especially below the waterline, as such I've gone for a limited paint scheme, black with a few details in Grey or Dark Green.

The base is white based MDF which I edged with iron on strip.

2024: A Year In Review

So, another year, another annual summary blog post.

What can we say about 2024? Well, looking at the graph below, it's not been my most productive year.

However, it was at least better than 2022s progress, especially when you consider that I've moved house twice this year (and the pre/post work that involves), and lost my permanently set up painting space.

So what have I achieved this year?

Firstly, my Late War Germans got a big boost, with the following completed.

• 3 Panzer II
• 3 Sd Kfz 221/222
• 2 Jagdtigers
• 4 Stug IV
• 21 Sd Kfz 251 halftrack in various configurations
  
• 4 Jagdpanzer IV
• 4 Puma Armoured Cars

My Soviets gained a lend lease Tankovy of 21 Grants and 10 Stuarts.

For 1:72/OO railways I completed the following:

• 4 Gun Crew
• Universal Carrier
• 6 Pounder Anti-tank gun
  
• Cromwell
• Churchill
• 10 Beer Kegs

That's the stuff published anyway. In addition, over Christmas I managed to assemble 8 Soviet Heavy Mortars and 9 medium Mortars. I was hoping to get paint on these, but poor weather delayed priming and then illness delayed painting.

 

I also have another model in the works, which I will hopefully show soon.

In addition, in the Cloughbridge post, I also mention I was working on a small railway, while my OO layout was disassembled. I have made some progress on this over the course of the year, This has become my layout "Cherry Blossom", a Japanese Z Gauge layout. This is still in progress, but can be seen in it's current state below, including my repainted KiHa 40 motor carriage.

The other thing I need to do more is arrange more games, I haven't done a lot this year for various reasons. I'm booked in for Corrivalry at Battlefield Hobbies, so I shall try to build from there.

 

So, onwards to better progress in 2025!

The great Soviet Lend Lease Tankovy

So what happened to all those american tanks?

Well after an admittedly hectic period when I've moved house again, I've managed to paint 31 tanks to form a Soviet Lend Lease Tankovy.

I've finished 21 Lee's and 10 Stuarts.

In addition to these I've also painted 12 beer kegs for the model railway I still need to rebuild.

Still up to 85 models this year between two house moves which isn't bad. I'd like to hit 100, but fear that won't happen.

The Great US Tank Assembly

So despite a batch of Covid I've managed to assemble a lot of Lee's over the last few days.

These have joined the Stuarts I managed to assemble earlier.

This has given me a Lend Lease Tankovy of 21 Lees and 10 Stuarts, greatly trimming the pile of shame and adding to my Soviet force.

Now we are just waiting for some good weather so I can prime them and start the painting!

The Germans are coming!

 I was hoping to get this out earlier, however several issues and poor weather for spray varnishing has prevented this.

I've managed to get several platoons finished this month for my Germans. All are Battlefront models and all assembled well.

Firstly we have the Puma set, which I've assembled with the 2cm turret so I can make two platoons of Sd Kfz 234/1 as well.

Secondly we have 4 Jadgpanzer IV L70 (Vomag produced)

Finally I have 4 more Sd Kfz 251 half-tracks completed.

These bring the German painting session to an end. Most of my other unbuilt Germans are in storage, so I can't work further on them for a bit.

As such, I'll be moving onto my Russian lend lease company, which I've part built so far.

Flammenwerfers

Today we are looking at a bunch of things that werf flammen aka German Flamethrowers.

In particular, the Sd Kfz 251/16 half-track. I've painted 6 of these up for my Germans.

The kits are Battlefront, and generally go together ok, however the Metal Flamethrowers are part of the figures, have nowhere to mount, so are a bit uneven and can't be painted with the vehicle, which resulted in a bit of a mismatch.

Nevertheless 6 more models done this year!

Stummel Wagons

This week's update is 6 Sd Kfz 251/9 or "Stummel"  (stump) after the short 75mm cannon they carried.

They work quite well in Flames of War due to their economical points cost, so I'm looking forward to getting them on the table.

Models are all Battlefront, in this case the earlier plastic version (Ausf C)