De Havilland Sea Venom

The last of my Korean War projects for now

Very tidy, well engineered kitset, no flash, no faults

Pilot is an Esci ground crew figure with the head off a sci-fi figure I found in my bits box, not the best but better than nothing

Base colours, sea grey with thin black shading

Locking in the tail section

Added missiles from the bits box

Working up the topside colours, deep sea blue, think black wash

These were actually operational by the late 1940s and eventually saw service with about ten different nations

They saw active service in multiple conflicts until withdrawn in the early 1960s

Much smaller compared to the US carrier based Panther.

Reinforcements

Had to show you these. Paul sent them to me. They are painted to a very high standard and include some really nice little details, check out his work here http://plasticwarriors.blogspot.com.au/?view=classic

Arrived yesterday, bringing my total Sherman collection to seven models: x2 full companies plus a command platoon - nine if I include the Fireflies 

This is very cool. Tim Gow http://megablitzandmore.blogspot.com.au/ sent me these http://20thcenturywargames.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/shermans.html a while ago and I think they'll fit in just nicely. One of the reasons I've not done a lot of late war gaming is the lack of common allied tanks, now reasonably remedied :)

This may actually see service at some stage

OMG! I have been after one of these for a very long time. I might try and make the paintwork and markings a bit nondescript so that it will fit in as many theatres as possible. About ten nations used this aircraft, and it saw extensive service in the Pacific with the Dutch, Australian and US forces. Great stuff, thanks mate!

Second scout carrier

The second of my carriers, which I finished off the other day...

Same paintwork and similar markings as the first but no crew figures

These are great models and I'd like to get a few more of them eventually

Paul just did up a couple of the Airfix classics with his very accomplished painting and weathering techniques, check them out here http://plasticwarriors.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/carrier-combo.html?view=classic

1/32 Aussie

Something a bit different this. Vietnam era Australian, given to me by Col during my last visit, check out his work if you haven't already seen it http://scratchbuiltarmour.blogspot.com.au/

I haven't quite finished the shading, and will probably remove the base, either that or flock it

The detail reasonable if chunky

NVA

Most of this kit was still in service when I enlisted in 1985, though the SLR was more common. This character would not look out of place in either Waiouru or Tekapo. Call him the ANZAC Rifleman. 

Cavalry machinegun platoon

Still some minor work to do on these...

The horses are from the extremely excellent Revell WW2 artillery set. The figure is Hat trooper with headswap. Added saddlery furniture and a broken-down mmg from the bits box 

Haven't painted horses for ages

Based for CD. Could have included a second mounted trooper but the base size is big enough as it is

This is the dismounted equivalent. HaT figures with headswaps   

Haven't added anything figure-wise to my WW1 collection for ages, so these have been fun. 

Thanks again to all who gave the T55 a bit of thought, I'm thinking sideskirts it is; to be continued...

T55 Help Wanted?

Most of the 4D "models" I have looked at have this flaw, immediately relegating them to the Toy category.....

As you can see the actual hull and topside detail is there or thereabouts. Reasonably modified they would do for my requirements. However, the road wheels are in no way shape or form acceptable, and do not match the pictures on the box, as shown below...

More's the pity! Most modelers and gamers I know like a challenge and would have some fun bringing these kits up to scratch, but what to do about the road wheels? Everything else I can modify or live with.

Ideas please? I don't have a single one of these and wouldn't mind adding this to my cold war collection, just because I could.

Gifts

Another year rolls around...

Tracy picked the recon set, me the sailors

Ash stipulated 'cavalry' as her pick, from my never ending... 'models-books-and-stuff-wishlist'.

Nice!

The Bell Sioux

Well, from that family anyway. This is an old Italeri kit of the slightly later A47 variant.

The pilot is a heavily modified Esci figure from the NATO ground crew set

 

A few of the parts were broken but for the most part it went together well 

It came with machinegun options for quad .30s or twin M60s. I went with just a pair of .30s in the end. Including a crew figure pushed the bubble canopy out slightly, and I will patch this area with some green-stuff later

The air frame has a couple of different shades of green over a green/black base with some black details on the engine parts

  

The landing skids required major repairs

Mostly a recon and spotter unit for my Korean War collection but will also feature in other theatres and other eras. In service from the late 1940s and probably still in use somewhere; this aircraft was eventually adopted by over thirty nations.