Harriers

Well after a week or so of bad weather preventing me varnishing these, I have finally got my Harriers finished. While Cold War warplanes might not be massively tasteful ATM, this blog is to log my painting progress and these are what I have painted most recently.

These models are the old resin Harrier GR3, made by Battlefront. Quite nice kits, but one of the intakes had a nasty extra piece of resin and I had to repair one of the intakes with putty after I damaged it fixing the casting error. As these are now out of production, I had to sort it out myself, rather than get a replacement.

I think they have come out well.

Signal of the Times?

So a railway update this week. I have finished my Signal Box!

This kit is from Metcalfe. While building it, I realised that the cabin windows were rather large and that the bare interior would be quite visible. As such, I ordered the Metcalfe Signal Box interior kit, which is pictured below, and also while being installed.

Finally, I touched up bare edges with paint (Citadel Contrast is useful for this) and fitted gutters and a drainpipe to the rear (previously the snap off end of a CV-19 test swab, shame to throw perfectly good 3mm rod away!).

There's a hint in the last picture as to the next blog update, those Harriers have paint now!

A Decent Update

So I've actually got some stuff done over this month.

Firstly are these 2 Armoured Sd Kfz 7 Halftracks. They are from Forged in Battle and came with one of the 8.8 Flak gun kits. I had no use for them, but decided to rescue them from the ebay pile and paint them instead.

Next up are the final 4 Panther tanks from my company. As with the previous models these are also Forged in Battle. The biggest challange with these at the moment is finding space for them in the German Army boxes!

 

 

Finally, my Team Yankee British have received a boost, with a platoon of infantry to support my Chieftains. These are produced by Battlefront and are from their Team Yankee range.

 

Lineside Huts

A small update for today. This week I've been working on a bunch of models, but due to the weather I have not been able to varnish them outside and finish them off. As such, I've started working on a card LNWR signal box kit from Metcalfe.

The signal box is coming on well, but I would like to put an interior in the top floor, due to the large windows. This requires another kit, which is currently in the post. However I have managed to get the Lineside Hut and the Fuel Store for this kit completed. The card kits goes together well however. I have painted the bare card edges (largely with Basilicanum Grey Contrast Paint and Vallejo Terracotta) for better realism.

Ready for the Desert

No new painted content this week, although I have a few things mostly complete on my painting bench at the moment. Hopefully they will be finished soon.

What I have done today however is done a full force layout and photographed my Desert British. I have the basis of a decent force now, with a Honey Stuart company, a Heavy armoured squadron (Grants and Shermans) and a Motor Company, with a selection of support.

 

The Full Force

 

Light Armoured Squadron of Honey Stuarts

 

Heavy Armoured Squadron of Grants and Shermans

 

Motorised Infantry, CMP 15cwt Transports and Universal Carriers

 

Captured Italian 47mm Anti-Tank Guns and Bofors Anti-Aircraft Guns. Hurricanes and Humber Armoured Cars in the background.

 

The Royal Artillery, 25 Pdr Howitzers and 17 Pdr Pheasant Anti-Tank Guns. An Observer Honey Stuart is available to spot for the guns.

The Flying Tank

Today's update is 2 IL-2 Sturmovik aircraft for my Flames of War Soviets.

The IL-2 was a ground attack aircraft used by the Soviets in WW2. These models are Zvezda 'Art of Tactic' kits, they are quite simple, but easy to put together and quite effective.

 

 

Another little project has been basing these two trees, which I rediscovered in a box today!

2021, a year in review.

Well that's it, 2021 over, a year I doubt many will miss too much.

With that it's nice to summerise what I've achieved this year.

I've managed to paint 140 models in 2021. These were:

• Several piece of scenary
• 4 Pheasant Anti-tank guns
• American Glider infantry
• 4 Jordanian M113 Armoured Personel Carriers
• 4 German Steyr Trucks
• 5 Buffers
• 12 Jordanian 25 pdr artillery pieces
• 12 Jordanian Gun Tractors
• 2 Jordanian command teams
  
• 10 Nurgle Cultists
• 2 8.8cm Anti-Aircraft Guns
• 3 Elephant Tank Destroyers
• 4 Stug IV Assault Guns
  
• 20 Zombicide Zombies
• 4 Panzerwerfer Rocket Launchers
• 8 Captured T-34 tanks
  
• 2 Jordandian M48 Patton tanks
• 1 Viaduct
• 10 Panther tanks
• A Gravel wagon
• 9 Universal Carriers
• An Assault Bridge
• A 1:76 Panther
• 5 FV432 Armoured Personel Carriers
• A Coal Staith

All in all, not a bad collection, but I need to try and keep the pace up in 2022. I have a few projects on the go at the moment, so keep your eyes on the blog and I'll let you know when I've got more done!