Pulp 60's Armoured Division

OK, Not a proper armoured division, purely a pulp version. AC, HQ, Tank troop and SP RA detachment only...

I like the way they have turned out. Still not 100% on the colour but it is growing on me.

The Division is completely fictional so you won't find this Divisional sign anywhere. I'll probably call it something like the 1st North British Armoured Division or something. Certainly that would be a reasonable working name. Plus the colours on the badge look Scottish.

The Daimlers have been given different squadron insignia rather than all having the same one. So technically I suppose each armoured car represents a squadron. I should probably have done the same thing with the tanks. The Dingo (or Ferret? think it's a Dingo. Must check what is says underneath) is marked as a HQ vehicle.

When it came to allocating tyres I prioritised the armoured cars. As yet, the new tyres for this lot haven't arrived. Part of the Saracens missed being sprayed which I hadn't noticed - now corrected!

So that is the main part of  the pulp armoured division. Still got a few support vehicles to arrive and refurbish but this lot are enough for the fighting bit. Thinking about it, might incorporate some of my cheap Chinese missile trucks for AT and/or AA defence.

60's Airfix French Foreign Legion.

Back in the 60's I bought the Airfix fort. It had some French Foreign Legion figures attached, some of which have survived. Back then, my 'wargames' took place outside and artillery fire consisted of throwing clods of earth at them. This lot show the effects of ancient battles...

 

So, first things first a good cleaning was in order!

Based and given covering of PVA glue - OK, accept the pooling to a certain extent, accept the loss of detail, but it should make them a bit tougher!

Total surviving figures... Basic paint job but looks OK, done as pulp rather than 'authentic' - troops should have white trousers but I reckon all French soldiers should have red trousers!

That brown spodge is actually a pistol holster! Also, Vallejo basic flesh doesn't photograph well.

Couple of bases still need touching up a bit. If I choose (and I will) more Foreign Legion troops I'll go with  Jacklex. They should be getting a reasonable amount of business from me in comoing months. I'm currently checking their site daily for when the Chinese come out!

Back in the attic

 The winter attic clean out/sort in the attic continues to draw dividends. In this case a box that we thought was full of Steven's primary school work hid a load of goodies...

Major find was an unopened Airfix Roman Fort. I know there's still more finds of this type somewhere - should have a box of factory painted Hovels Spanish buildings...

Back in the distant past I had a habit of bulk buying Airfix and Atlantic figures when the shop selling them had a lot of stock they weere getting rid of. Can't remember how many boxes of Airfix Ancient Brits I bought - either 10 or 20. Just found the unpainted portion of Ancient Brits...

I have a lot of old plastic figures lying around - these are some of the others I've 'rescued' from the attic recently!

70mm Barrage mortar

Just about the easiest conversion going...

The original consists of a tube resting on a base plate under which is a spike to stick the thing in the ground... Didn't bother modelling the spike or baseplate... The top has to be glued to the figure with the mortar bomb as a second point of contact though.

Crew are the Airfix sub machine gunner and the figure running about waving his rifle in the air. The rifle cuts down to make a mortar bomb. Quite effective. Well, at a distance!

E Bay Airfix

 One thing I'm always doing is looking. In this case, I spotting a useful looking e bay auction and got it.

As they came in the box.

The DUKWs may be useful!

Likewise, given a bit of attention this lot should be appearing in an invasion at some point.

However, these are the reason I bought them, the rest are just freebies as far as I'm concerned.

Several different lots - these are the Japanese. A total of 777 figures - not full sets, most of the heavy weapons are missing for a start.

Important thing with these - cost. Assume a minimum these days of £5 for 50 figures normally - and I think that would normally be wishful thinking. That gives 10p a figure.

This lot? 777 figures cost me £37.75. Works at just under 5p a figure (4.86!). Including the 'extras', seemed like a good deal to me.

Ki-46 Dinah

Following all those Japanese aircraft models Tim Gow showcased on his Megablitz site. I succumbed to temptation and sought out a Dinah on EBay. The Dinah was always one of my favourite aircraft back in my early youth when I did make Airfix aircraft as well as tanks - my memory of my own model, painted in a white scheme, is still quite vivid...

That is a stunning colour scheme!

The red props are my contribution and certainly not Chapter Approved.

But then the colour scheme is meant to be 'hemp' rather than white and I haven't bothered with the yellow transfers on the leading edge of the wings either.