Normandy Firefight: Kohima British Infantry IV

Not having had time to do anything hobbywise for a few days I made sure I took a lunch break today and made some progress on the Airfix 1/32nd figures for the Kohima project.

The standing figure now has had his trousers extended and tucked into ankle puttees, whilst I have aded a rifle strap to the kneeling figure (this still needs a bit of work where it tucks under the arm.

Having a bit of Green Stuff left I dug out some of the Gurkhas I picked up at the same time of the Australians and 8th Army, and started work on one of the keeling figures, converting his shorts into trousers which is more appropriate for 1944/45. I also replaced his left arm with one of the Multipose ones so that he can be holding his rifle. Still early stages, but hopeful the end result will be ok...

Normandy Firefight: Kohima British Infantry II

Here is soldier no. 2 in standing and kneeling positions. As Boggler pointed out the re-issued Multipose boxes only have six figures, and of that only one is kneeling and one is prone, so this requires a bit of surgery to get a second kneeling and prone figure out of the box.

Luckily, I picked up some twelve figure sets released a way back by Airfix off eBay, so I should have enough figures for the half-section, I may also look at the legs in the Afrika Korps sets as I have quite a few of them and should have enough spare.

The keeling figure here is posed just pushing himself up, I think it looks ok. Now I need to add rifle straps, other equipment and work on the prone figures.

Normandy Firefight: Kohima British Infantry I

It's a little while since I dug out the Airfix Multipose 8th Army and British Infantry sets to mix and match and make some British Infantry to use in a Kohima Normandy Firefight variant, however today I sat down with the heads, torsos and legs I stuck together to make some more progress.

I've done a fair bit of research on what the British infantry in Burma looked like and these photos shows quite nicely the look I want to try and recreate.

Normandy Firefight recommends standing, kneeling and prone figures for each character, which is an interesting challenge. Today, I made some progress on Tommy number one, completing a chunk f the work, including scratchbuilding ammo bandoliers on the standing and kneeling versions of the first character.

These are work in progress photos but show the standing figure...

And the kneeling one...

Normandy Firefight: Road to Kohima

I didn't have enough time today to finish the last few Kriegsmarine I have left (hopefully over the weekend) but I did get a bit of time to "scratch an itch" by starting sticking together some 1/32nd Airfix Multipose for a Normandy Firefight project based on the Battle of Kohima in 1944 Burma.

I like the rules and the idea of having three differently posed figures for one infantryman, it reminds me of my youth when military modelling was as much a hobby to me as wargaming. It will require fair bit of converting as typically each box of six figures has four standing, one kneeling and one lying, but I think I'll be able to cope.

I'm mixing legs and torsos from the two British infantry boxes to have my troops in shirts and long trousers. This will leave me with battledress torsos and legs with shorts but I have seen British troops in this attire in Italy so after Kohima, maybe Salerno?

Not a lot of progress today, but hopefully some more advanced wip photos tomorrow after I have added arms, guns and helmets!