Desert WWII Free French Vehicle Conversion

Hello There! While moving house I found my desert collection of Free French figures in 20mm.

My favourite vehicle in this collection is this conversion from a Moonlight Models truck and Retro Kit FFL figures of French Marins.

I was very happy with the results of this conversion but was also pleased to find the figures suitable for it as well. The barrels for the model came from EWM and the seated gunner was from the Airfix Bofors gun set with a head swap. The quad gun was scratchbuilt with brass sheet, wire and swearing!

10mm Buildings for Napoleonic Russia

 Hello There! With a couple of on going commissions going on while I have been moving house for the third, nearly fourth, time in two years, it has been difficult to make much progress on this work.

One part of my latest commission includes a mixture of 3D print and resin cast 10mm building which will be seen on the 15mm Napoleonic table of a friend of mine who lives in Norfolk.

I had airbrush undercoated two of the 3D print models to find that either the paint was too thick or I had over sprayed too much.

On using Modelstrip to remove the paint I found that the paint stripper had removed some of the detail of the underlying model. There was not too much detail on the roof in the first place but this was now unacceptable.

I used Milliputt to return the detail to something I feel was better than the original.

Here is the original on the left and the refurbished version on the right. The loss of detail on the stripped roof was very noticeable and the new result is a great improvement

British Napoleonic Painting Guide

Hello There! After reading a facebook post about feeling disillusioned about painting some Napoleonic British Infantry I offered to post my painting guide. I make one of these up for each nationality or troop type that I paint. I find it easier to refer to than a pile of paints spread across my work table!

Also as life keeps getting in the way I do not have to remember what colours I have previously used!

Over the years this system has proved invaluable, especially as some projects have been delayed by many months or even years, but I think many wargamers have had that problem! 

Battle of Culloden

Hello There! Better late than never! Here are a few photos from the New Buckenham Historical Wargamers refight of the Battle of Culloden.

A table over view which was well attended by club members on the day.

As this is a period of history I know very little about I am only able to sit back and let you look through the photographs from the day.

Further photos can be found here.

Suffolk Military Show 29.07.2023-30.07.2023

Hello There! I was able to visit a number of military shows this year. One of them was the Suffolk Military Show at the end of July. The weather was good and it was a very enjoyable show.

I have always preferred smaller WWII vehicles to the enormous behemoths that you see trundling across the wargames table in a giant metal phalanx! Here a Daimler Dingo with a couple of crew. I wonder in the second picture if the guy seated is being asked 'Did you really leave the tea bags at home???!!!!'

The extra stowage on pictures always gives the chance to copy this on my models

I have not seen one of these at a show before and it was a pleasant surprise!

This hardly looks like it will strike much fear in any German Tank crew?! The 2 pdr shell did look incredibly small!

There are always many jeeps at any military show and this was one of many. I presume these must be easy to maintain as I would not expect to see so many at shows.

With the following British vehicles, please message me if I had identified them incorrectly.

OOOOh! This was a test. A Morris Commercial 8cwt radio car? This was the earlier version as the later one had more square and angled front mudguards.

A later version of the Bedford MW. The louvres on the sides on the bonnet appear on photos of the later version, while the earlier versions appear to have had a mesh arrangement.

Another Bedford MW but a higher bridge classification plate. It has a GS body but is heavier?

Now this version has a different cab and may be a OX version. This is in desert/Italy camouflage

Now I always thought that the Bedford, early versions had one front head lamp blacked out while the later versions did not? Someone shall have to enlighten me on this!

In the distance I saw what I thought was a dozer sitting on a trailer, tucked away at the show. With the metal arm high up and next to the engine it does not look like the pictures of early dozers I have seen and it is not armoured either. Perhaps someone reading this blog can identify it?

Another group had British Airborne equipment on show.

Obviously a 'play' on 'Mickey Mouse ' camouflage!

One exhibitor had a number of anti tank weapons on display. I have seen a number of PIAT before but these have always been behind glass. I was able to have a close look at this.

Something I have painted many a figure carrying, a Boyes anti tank gun. The barrel is a long as it appears on the model figures I have painted! I have also seen instruction for the second man to lay across the legs of the firer due to the recoil! 

Now after looking through a few book, I think this may be a Leyland Retriever with a GS body. At first I thought it was an Albion but the mud guards at the front are different and the spare wheel behind the cab is in a slightly different position. Lastly the lozenge shaped tank behind the cab, opposite to the spare wheel helped me get to identify this vehicle.

 

The goggles draped on the motorbike had a definite yellow lens. I do not know if this was an intended design or the effect of age on an original item. Something to bear in mind when next painting a figure with goggles on.

I have never seen a running Bedford QLR lorry before. This was lovely to see.

Also never seen a Carden Lloyd carrier either. This was a reproduction but was very well detailed.

My favourite, an Austin 10Hp utility.

The 'battle' had plenty of opportunity to photograph re enactors wearing the equipment that many of us paint so frequently. Also there were so nice examples of camouflage as well.

The Bedford wireless truck was also a nice find on this sunny day!

Complete with wireless apparatus as well. The owner of this vehicle was also very friendly and approachable.

There was an Italian unit represented as well. These were the Guastatori combat engineers.

Plenty examples of the Italian camouflage patters in both the uniforms and tent squares.

There was also an Africa Corps unit as well.

Further along a wide selection of German small arms and anti tank weapons.

And a number of camouflaged zeltbahn.

The Russians also appeared.

This camouflaged sniper showed another pattern of cloth.

Russian small arms.

More views of German uniforms and equipment.

Can I buy a Vickers machine gun please?

A WWI German Re enactment unit was present. Again something I have not seen before. There were also their WWI British compatriots at the show as well.

Some nice views of a Royal Horse Artillery sergeants uniform.

The Southern Skirmish Association, who were also at the Stonham Barns Show, earlier in the year, were also here. The 'battle' was very good and again provided a number of opportunities to see many different shades of uniform to help the figure painter have some more ideas for their work.

Stripy blanket roll on your next figure?

A detail of one of the Confederate sergeants. Note the colour of the firearm.

This gave a good idea of the amount of smoke produced by just one small cannon. What did a battery look like!?

Overall a wonderful day with plenty to see and in an area that was not too crowded but not a massive area that meant you had to go on an exhausting hike.