Tinkering with.....Panzerbefehlswagen Sdkfz265

I'm in the middle of finishing a Heer 46 commission but it's just too windy for the shed! So am inside tinkering....

Been working off and on, on two command Panzer 1's, as speculative projects really, all based around making a viable bedstead aerial for a panzer III command! 

Most likely the bedstead version will end up painted for France and the other will be finished later to coincide with a potential DAK commission sometime in 2016.

As you can see, I've updetailed significantly:

- bedstead aerial

- remodelled antenna stub

- rear mud guard redone in metal

- addition of stowage

- remodelled in scale turret hatches

- added iconic tow chains

- opened up drivers visor  

- drilled out superstructure 

 

It needs a suitable command figure, but am undecided at the moment, never really warmed to most of the warlord ones, can't get my head around the stylised comic heads! Shame really, however there is a late war sculpt I think I can modify to work here or...

Rubicon look like they may have some interesting figures in the offering, but never sure when they will actually be available or.....

maybe convert a Perry DAK figure.....

I'm still working on the DAK version, as you can see the superstructure hatch has been opened so I intend to populate with some Perry tank crew.  I think it also needs some jerry cans but there's a lack of properly detailed ones out there at the moment. 

I'm concentrating on getting back on track with some slipping commissions, usual juggling with real life! So look forward to some 15nm eye candy in late January and hopefully some painted  October War combatants in Feb!

Happy New Year! 

Tiger Ace - Normandy 44

Taking a break from the Sinai and back to the bread and butter.....

Commission request for a specific vehicle, namley SS-Hauptscharfürer Willy Fey, 3 Zug, 1st Kompanie, SS schwere Panzer Abteilung 102 in Normandy, June 1944.  A simple web search will bring up examples of the specific camo and markings, replicated here, I'll leave that to you.

Kit is 1/56th plastic from Warlord Games. Lovely rendition, correct version and wheel set, so ideal. I've carried out minor mods, always room for more, but key here is the weathering.

 Customer is an accomplished figure painter so crew were modelled to fit but not painted.

 As always more pictures on my flickr:  Flickr Gallery

Some interesting stuff coming through at the moment, both 15mm and 28mm, trying to ship out before Christmas. 

Arab Israeli - Egyptian ISU 152

More plastic from BF, suitably up detailed. Plastic set of five ISU 152's ( I have plans for the other two!) converted into Egyptian modified 152's plus the command version. 

I filled the hulls with polyfilla to add some weight, small touch, but then it's all about the little details!

As usual hatches drilled and opened out, together with plastic card hatches which are more in scale. 

Next up was to remove the handle mouldings ( see far hull above) and replace with brass rod. This was a bit of a tedious process and at the cost of several micro drills, but I think worth it in the end. (Yes I know I stopped at the handles on the engine deck, well for now anyway)

I added the front stowage boxes and fuel/water tank and also the rear fuel tanks with revised carrying brackets.

The command version is fairly simple, all I had to do was add some welding beads around the gun mantles blank.

The cages around the lights were complicated but I think I pulled it off! 

Based as per the SU 100s, although the command version may well get a bigger diorama style base to reflect its purpose. 

All three together, ready for priming and crewing. 

White primer, just a light unifying coat at this stage, as I expect I will be adding more detail before the paint stage, alongside the SU 100's . Need to work out what to regards crew, the BF plastic set is great but gives in five I can use directly, so I guess there's going to be some Peter pig head swaps......

Gaming?

Not sure if these ever crossed the suez in'73, but useful to have as options, maybe they'll provide a surprise for some SAM hunting IDF recce on the West Bank. 

I am considering developing this little October War expedition into another display game. Whilst I have been extremely successful in the past, time and real life has prevented me creating anything over the last year or so. Plans are afoot for possibly 26 foot of Sinai ! We'll see.....

And...

Am working on some QRF Mi-8 "Hips", lot of work needed,  but I think they'll come out fine. 

DAK Aufklärungs-Abteilungen/ Zug - 1/48 Sdkfz 221, 222

This set has been my favourite for a while now. These are 1/48 "pre-paints" ( sorry not sure of manufacturer) that have been extensively up detailed and weathered. The subject matter has allowed me to legitimately employ some lovely layering techniques, although I'm not sure the pictures show them that well.

Sdkfz 221, Flag is Archer dry decal on metal foil and then repainted.

 All stowed up and reday to roll!

Bit of extra punch with the 2cm Kwk.

 

 

 

Added a bedstead aerial, bit fragile so I hope its survives postage!

 

As always more pictures in my portfolio:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/troop-of-shewe/sets

BTR 3000 - Khurasan

Another lovely vehicle from Jon at Khurasan, post modern BTR 3000. This one has two MRLS/ Rocket options. Cast is resin and 1/100, painted in soviet camo

 

As always pictures online;

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/troop-of-shewe/sets

Infra red 251 - "UHU" Eagle Owl

 

Sd.Kfz. 251/20 - Schützenpanzerwagen (Infrarotscheinwerfer) "Eagle Owl" 60 cm Infra Red Searchlight.  1/56 Warlord Games, painted as it comes, although it's sold with an operator, he's not seen here.

As always more pictures and more vehicles in my portfolio:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/troop-of-shewe/albums/
 

Arab Israeli - Egyptian SU 100

I

Small addition to my Egyptians for the October war, up detailed Battlefront plastic SU100's.

I'm really liking the emergence of plastic, in both 1/100 but more significantly 1/56, as the possibilities of conversions and detailing, not to mention level of detail and stability of materials is simply impressive. 

The BF SU100 has the additional stowage box on the front right side of the superstructure on the sprue so all I had to add was the track tensioners on the left hand side and some moderate up-detailing.

 I decided to open up one, so chiselled off and cut out the drivers hatch on one, and using a hatch cut and thinned from the spare hull one and cut out, opened up the drivers position. 

(Note I didn't glue the hull at this stage as I would need to add a driver at a later stage)

I also thinned out the track guards but only the eagle eyes would notice!

The forward hatch was also opened up and I decided to add fuel tank supports on the rear. I also modified the mantlet casting to reflect the troughs for the securing bolts seen on the few reference examples.

I then added a simple base ( warbases again) and primed up ready for painting. 

Next up will probably be the plastic BF 152's, with some usual conversions but I'll save that for later! 

A sneak preview of the Israeli howitzer M50 SPG now available from S and S models, this one built as-is but I have three detailed ones in the works. 

Arab Israeli - M577

As with just about everything I'm building for the 1973 war, I've had to do some detailing to make it suitable for the IDF. Information on '73 M577 is scarce so this mod is probably a mixture of fittings from '73 examples to '83 and possibly later. The M577 will be my HQ stand primarily for my M107s but can stand in for the M109 battery as well ( both will use the M548 ammunition vehicles) I think the M50 battery will have a M3 command track to go with its lorry supply train.

So...what I could pick up in the forums is the lack of antenna guards on the roof and removal of the rear stowed tent assemblage. Obviously the vehicle sides have the usual paraphernalia but I really like a reference with tubes holding artillery ranging poles so I took so artistic license.

I started with the Battlefront/ flames of War Vietnam version.

 As it comes before modifying

View of rear tent assembly

Start of adding mods, revised roof hatch and side stowage

The tent coming off was a right pain, should have used the dremel

Most of detail added and installed in base. Have decided all the AIW vehicles will be based, bases bought from warbases, excellent service!

I've added the ubiquitous rolled cover sheet, used to disguise and cover the vehicles when stationary. 

The initial primer coat shows up any surface problems (below) , so this is now ready for its foundation colours.

I think it needs a commander figure either talking to driver, or possibly with binos on the roof ( although I suppose the hatch his shut!) or maybe going in the rear. I have some spare dogs from Peter pig so this may be the opportunity to use one!

Progress is slowly coming on, notable updates

- Urdan copulas moulded by S and S models and work really well on the BF M48

- Khurasan M60s assembled and in the process of up detailing

- M50 left hand side track section complete so that will be off to Shaun soon. Looks like my first complete vehicle  will be on S&S model product list pretty soon!

- IDF artillery loads competed, and moulded, both tubes and shells, should have loads of Cold War applications, again they will be in the S&S catalogue.