Finished: 15mm AVRE Fascine (PSC and S&S Models)

Hi folks,

Completing my years roundup earlier this month made me realise I had finished at least one model I hadn't posted - so for completeness sake, I'm doing that now. 

This was another PSC plastic Churchill kit with a Fascine conversion kit purchased from S&S Models. I'd previously completed one such vehicle back in November 2016 (see here). However with the large D-day game we had planned in August 2021 I decided I should have another, so that I could land two breaching groups.

Of course, the painting technique used doesn't match the older painted version. 

2016 version on the left, 2021 version on the right

Looking at the pictures of them side by side, I prefer the look of the 2016 model! But on a 17' by 6' table, the newer technique stands out a lot more and looks fine. That's the problem with looking at our hobby via a camera lens! To eye, the 2016 just looks dull and bland - a green blob!

At the same time I painted the new fascine layer, I also painted up two more standard AVREs - one shown here alongside its cousin. 

I did go a lot lighter on the stowage of the fascine carrier. Having dug these models out, I also realised that I had details to finish. The radio aerial was missing from the fascine tank, a tank commander is missing from the gun tank, etc. I'll spend a little time this week getting these minor things sorted before they get packed away again. 

Currently the collection included two armoured D7 dozers, a Churchill SBG layer, two fascine layers and 4 plain AVREs. Plus five Sherman Crabs. I may add some other bits in the future, as there are more options available via 3d printing. Perhaps a Churchill Ark or something!

Finished! Churchill Fascine, Churchill SBG, Austin K2/Y Ambulance

Hi folks,

A tiny little bit still to do on these - mainly crew to add to the tanks and the steel paper to put on the underside of the bases. But other than that, I'm calling these three done!

I've a couple of blog posts to do specifically showing off the parts to each kit, but initially these are all 15mm models:

Churchill conversion kits from S&S Models and Churchill models from PSC
Austin K2/Y Ambulance from QRF

I've used mainly Vallejo paints on these, with a couple of different varnishes and my own 'magic wash'.

SBG Churchill

The SBG Churchill is magnetised in order to make both the bridge and the base removable. This allows the bridge to be deployed and the tank to be moved to a smaller size base.

This tank has been decalled up as a vehicle of 80th Assault Squadron, 5th Assault Regiment,  1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers, 79th Armoured Division.

I also used a new basing technique on these following some feedback via Facebook. I applied two tracks of darker shorter static grass to the base and then applied the usual shade all over as normal. This (hopefully) makes it look like the grass has been crushed by a weight passing over it.

Really nice model and I'm really chuffed with it.

Churchill AVRE

This tank was built with a magnetised Fascine bundle, allowing it to be removed or to be carried on the tank. The front section used to hold the fascine is not removable, so the turret traverse is limited - but I think that this may be historically accurate anyway.

This tank has also been decalled up as a vehicle of 80th Assault Squadron, 5th Assault Regiment,  1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers, 79th Armoured Division. 

Another lovely model - something different, that's for sure!

Austin K2/Y 'Katy' Ambulance

This heavy duty ambulance was used is various theatres but is most commonly known for the role it played in the film 'Ice Cold in Alex'.

My version is painted up for service in NWE. It's decalled up as an ambulance of 176 Field Ambulance, 51st Highland Division (assigned to support 154 Brigade). These are the same markings as my Ambulance Halftrack and Ambulance Jeep. Somewhere down the line is a first aid station...

The weathering powder, on the ambulance especially, looks far brighter than it does on the model. Must be the way it picks up the light, or something my Camera is doing?

So, that is most of my Novelty November Challenge complete, other than my Radio Truck. It is painted, just the basing still to do. I've been held up by a cunning plan to mount some figures on the base with it and make a little diorama. Still in the process of painting the figures, but should have them done in the next day or so.

Thanks for reading - and remember you can get regular updates on what I'm working on via my Facebook page.

Recent purchases + honeymoon

Hi folks,

While my painting time has taken a bit of a hit in the last few weeks, I have been busy this week finishing off a load of 3mm Soviet stuff for my 3mm Team Yankee project. Pics of that to follow, once everything is based.

In the mean time, I thought I'd share some pics of my recent purchases and visits to historic sites!

Our honeymoon consisted of a week (well, 5 nights) in an apartment in Kenmore, which is beside Loch Tay in Scotland. 

Unfortunatley on our first night, after arrival, my wife took ill and we had a 1 hour journey to the nearest hospital (in Perth) at 3am. It was Wednesday afternoon before she was discharged, so the first week was mostly gone! Still, she was fine and we did get to do a little in the remaining time.

We visited the National Cranog Centre in Kenmore, just along from where we were staying:

 Where we had a lovely afternoon sitting in the Cranog in front of a wood fire hearing about the building of the structures, theories surrounding their purpose and what we know of the lives of those who lived in them. There were also some fantastic demonstrations of various ancient crafts - such as wood turning, flour making, fire starting, etc. There was also an area dedicated to weaving and dyeing. I took a picture of some of the colours that volunteers had made using locally available ingredients.

While in Kenmore we also travelled to the Enchanted Forest at Pitlochry. This is a seasonal show put on in autumn in a large section of forest, featuring light and sound displays - and a fantastic 3d holographic light show using the water from a fountain that really was spectacular. All I've got to show here is one odd photo!

After our first week we moved to a small cottage just outside Dunblane. This turned out to be a fantastic location, not far from Perth, Stirling, Glasgow and a host of other places.

Using this as a base I got to visit Stirling Castle - which features the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum. I took loads of photos, but there was very little WW2 stuff on display - much more was given over to regimental silver and things like the Crimea and WW1. Here's a picture of 'the thin red line' - the Argylls deployed in line beating off a Russian cavalry charge.

As well as being a spectacular castle, it has a host of interesting displays. One I found touching was these toy soldiers, found during renovations:

The castle itself has seen a lot of change over the centuries, and as such currently has a look of an almost Napoleonic defense, rather than a medieval castle. I was particularly interested in the cannon shot damage to some of the walls, mainly from the Jacobean period.

We also visited the Battle of Bannockburn visitors centre, which was really good. Not so much a museum as an interactive experience - included a walk through of the tactics employed in a room where you stand with 3d glasses in the middle of a heavy cavalry charge and archers firing - as well as a chance to take control of part of the English or Scots army on a 3d contoured holographic battle map (akin to the Total War series of games, on a simpler basis and with you giving verbal commands).

Outside, you get to visit the Bannockburn monument:

At the shop here I picked up an Osprey book on the battle - perhaps the start of an interest that might expand to the table top!

We also visited the Wallace Monument, which was built in the 18th Century to honor William Wallace and other important Scots. From the top, you can see the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge (Stirling Castle is spotted by the gold coloured building on top of the hill on the right - the Great Hall returned to the original colour of lime wash):

After all this, I got to visit the Black Watch Regimental Museum in Perth. This was a really really good museum, much better than the Argylls museum with a lot more display space and a lot of really interesting artifacts. Again, not a huge amount of space given over to WW2, but more than the previous museum. With this visit I had also managed to visit every Regiment in 154 Brigade over my honeymoon (and all it cost me was a days clothes shopping in Glasgow!).

We also spent a day in Glasgow, where we met Paul Alba and his wife for dinner, a visit to Falkirk to see the Kelpies and a renovated defensive tower we had free entry to (and a ice cream dairy and fudge shop):

The Kelpies - dedicated to the horses who worked the various Scottish Canals

So a very touristy honeymoon with lots of visits to historic sites. If anyone is looking to visit Scotland on a holiday, I can really recommend the Stirling area. Lots to do, really friendly locals, good places to eat and really central for a lot of historic sites.

So, purchases. I was really pleased to get a couple of badges linked to my Flames of War collection:

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders badge

Black Watch badge

I also managed to visit a games shop in Stirling and make a start on my planned Canadian Shermans. A visit to a local show last weekend also got me some Fireflys for the same list. 

 

At the same show, I got some Osprey books - and ordered a book online which also arrived this week. This might give a clue as to a possible project I am looking at for next year (hint, the book about Sherman Crabs was just cos it was cheap and I had change to use up!). 

Not forgetting my 15mm WW2 collection, I also put an order in for some Royal Engineer vehicles (as I've been threatening for a while). A Churchill SBG conversion kit and a Churchill Fascine conversion kit for some PSC Churchill hulls I have. As well as a Cromwell ARV conversion kit and plastic hull. All from S&S Models and the Churchill kits were only released last month. I can't actually remember if I previously bought a ARV Cromwell for my Poles, but I suspect not. 

Hopefully, I will get the AVsRE built and painted during the MMM 'Novelty November' challenge. This challenge basically involved picking something unusual from your painting pile and trying to get it finished in one month. As these are 'funnies', they qualify for me! Also on the table will probably be a 'Katy' ambulance and a British Radio truck I picked up from QRF. 

Lastly, I picked up a copy of the newest Team Yankee book, Iron Maiden. Really interesting book that has made me think I should skip the 6mm GHQ Americans I was planning and go straight to Brits. Yesterday a surprise package arrived containing some 6mm US Marines - courtesy of Des in Scotland. These will be getting used to do some cold war US marines in advance of a Team Yankee book for them!

Hopefully, thats not bored everyone to tears! More updates coming soon on my 3mm Soviets, then back to my polish Shermans before the Novelty November challenge starts!