Sherman Firefly (part three)

Over the past few weeks I have found an evening or two to dabble more on this model. Most importantly I have made the decision to add a highlight layer to the Sherman Firefly. Although this layer wouldn't exist in real life, it looks right on the model and helps pull out some detail when one looks upon it.

I used a color from an old Epic paint set, called Jungle Green, and it works very well with Tamiya Color Olive Drab 2  (TS-28) spray paint. I applied this somewhat thinly, to hint the highlight more than to overwhelm the Olive Drab coat.

These two pics show these results up to this point. Not obvious in these pics are the detail that I painted on the bottom of the barrel, which I assume it a sort of camouflage to disguise the true length of the barrel, so that at first sight, the tank might be mistaken as a standard Sherman tank. 

And yes, you can see in the next pic, the construction of my infantry units is indeed taking place! They are sure to earn their own post soon.

These next pics are some real-world examples I found online. I chose these as the inspiration, or justification, for where to place the decals on this model. And to also justify my choice of painting in solid colors.

Photo swiped from Wikimedia Commons

Another photo swiped from Wikimedia Commons

Those are just two of the photos I found, but the next few pics show the decals going on. Also note that I chose to take these next few pics in natural lighting as I was finding that the harsher light of my painting table lamp was distorting the color a bit, and you can now see in the pics below that the model is painted in a darker tone closer to the real thing.

This last pic shows the completed model!
(Yes is it actually happens).

I dry brushed some Sandstone brown to to dirty up the tracks and the lower hull, and satisfied, I stick the proverbial fork in this model.

The next Bolt Action project will be the British Infantry...tally ho!

Bonus: Here is a great historical overview of the Sherman Firefly: -guide-sherman-firefly.

Sherman Firefly (part two)

I have made some more progress on the Sherman Firefly tank since the first post. 

I started the painting of this model by brushing on a layer of Apple Barrel Colors Forest Green. Note that I did not prime this model, as I want the thinnest layers possible on it. This is really only a concern on the metal parts ultimately, as I fear this decision could lead to chipping, but I will just have to be cautious as well as remembering to be liberal with the matte varnish! 

The next step was to take a can of Tamiya Color Olive Drab 2 spray paint (TS-28) and spray a layer over the slightly darker Forest Green. This seemingly backwards way of painting a model (in my mind anyway) actually worked!

The freshly sprayed on Olive Drab

Next I went back and touched up a few spots with the Forrest Green, then I painted the track assembly with Citadel Abaddon Black. Ultimately I will apply metallic paint to that area to, well, 'metal it up' a bit more as well as add some layers of 'dirt'.

Base coating the treads

Next, I mixed green, black and (a dot of) yellow ink to create a dark Olive Drab ink. I then applied this to the joins and recesses around the tank, as well as using it a glaze like manner on the indented surfaces of the tank.

And the next steps will be the treads (and If I can get them soon) the decals, before I start to apply any weathering and battle effects. Unlike a 40K tank, I believe these historical models should look like they mostly do in the photos, and not over painted with extreme low-to-high lights. That's what I've tricked myself into justifying this simplified approach to painting to anyway! Contrast that to the glimpse of Chaos Vindicator in the above pic, which is waiting for it's highlights!

While searching for actual pics of this tank to use as a reference, I found some cool historical footage that I found quite inspiring. Also, I might add, I believe that my feeling that the Warlord 1/56th scale models just might be too small maybe right after all. Enough to make me think that any additional models should be chosen at the 1/48 scale. Despite this feeling, I am still on the fence regarding this whole scale matter.

Sherman Firefly (part one)

Bolt Action is a game I have been thirsting to play ever since Screech turned me onto it over a year ago. I love the rule set, and the models for the most part, although I feel there could be scale issues with the 28mm minis and the 1/56th scale that Warlord has chosen, but these are left best discussed, questioned and debated for the more dedicated modelers than myself.

The cutting mat's grid proves handy!

Having selected the Brits as my army of choice...OK, let's explore that for moment: I blame all the Victor, Eagle, and Battle Action Force comics I read while living there in the early '80s for that choice. But it was a close choice, as I also read G.I.Combat, The Unknown Soldier, Weird War Tales and Sgt. Rock almost as zealously. But it might be that I lived within walking distance of RAF Welford and often walked the abandoned rail line and roads that led up to the base. It fascinated me. Also anyone who lives there can tell you that there is tons of wartime construction elements left all over the English country side and it's quite easy for a young mind to be immersed in such vivid history.

So, having selected the Brits, and bought my first box of troops over a year ago, I have to say that I was intimidated by the small parts. I think I can blame GW for their "heroic scale" having spoiled me with their ease of construction. So I just never got around to building them. Recently, I decided I deserved a treat, so I bought Warlord's Sherman Firefly kit to see if I couldn't light my fire a bit and get this army (finally) started.

After cleaning it, I made my first attempt at assembly As you can see in these pics, getting the tank's barrel straight wasn't too hard, it just took a bit of focus. However something seemed off about the chassis and the tracks, as I was getting a bit of a 'wobble' from it when it was tapped.

Sure enough, something was off with the treads, and although I thought the pegs and holes were aligned properly, the track to the left in the pic below was slightly off. Notice the two bumper things that jut out from the front of the hull that act like tread guards? They are supposed to be a bit flush and look like the one on the right.

At first I thought it was a casting error, which wouldn't surprise me when it comes to resign. However looking at it from all angles, I couldn't find where I made an obvious mistake in assembly as the joins seemed to fit well.

The rear of the the tank was really telling however, as it just looked like a royal mess back there. This truly had me vexed!

I took this pic, and looked at the box photo, and it then hit me that track must not have been positioned correctly, that it wasn't that the tracks were different lengths.

Sure enough, after popping the assembly off of the hull, it occurred to me that the holes were bigger than the pegs, and that it I didn't tug the assembly toward the front of the tank  then I would get this problem.

Now it's reassembled (the first pic shows the current state of it) and it looks better than it did. Although the damn thing still wobbles...