Completed Panzers

Some shots of my completed panzer iv's from Plastic Soldier Company, finally complete.  Just confirming that my painting and modelling time is genuinely out of the window these days!

First panzer iv complete (finally!)

After my airbrush problems I had to go a different direction with the Panzer IVs.  German armour camouflage wasn't particularly standardised, with the brown and green added by individual maintenance crews using whatever was available: sprays, brushes, rags, etc.  In the end I decided to go with a 'hand applied' look.  Quite pleased with the result overall.

EDIT: Just realised that I've but the back piece on upside down!

I've fixed this on the remaining two panzers,  but to late for this one

Still too more to do.  German armour takes much longer to paint than British, flat green is much easier to do!

The PSC panzers are a lovely kit though.  Still a fast build but more complex than the Churchills were, and the instructions could do with improving.  Other than that, highly recommended.

Airbrush Woes

Had some time off work recently, so whilst Mel took the little miniature to various baby groups (I believe dancing and singing is involved, which is why she does it rather than me!), I decided to get out the airbrush and get some camo on those Panzers and Stugs that have been half finished forever.

It did not go well...

Even using VJ airbush paints, the result was far too speckled to be usable.  Unfortunately re-doing the base coat only made it worse:

Oops.  Good job I only practiced on the one Stug!  Back to the brushes then (as shown in the test on the left of the photo).

Still not sure how to rescue that Stug though...

Churchills Complete

A bit of work still needed finishing off the tank commander, but to all intents and purposes finished.  Could probably do with some stowage but I'll leave that for now.

Painting process was simple.  Spray undercoat of black, then PSC spray over the top, allowing the undercoat to show through in the recesses.  Touch up with VJ Russian Uniform and drybrush with Khaki.  There's a lot of nice detail on the PSC kits, so they come up well.

That WAS quick!

Very quick update.  Progress on the two PSC Churchills.  When these are billed as being fast build, they're not kidding!  About an hour and a half total build time, including waiting for glue to set, and deciding where to place all those spare track links the kit comes with.

Realised I've made a slight error in giving them the 75mm gun option, which wasn't very common, should've gone with the much more common 6 pounder.  Oh well, they really don't look that different!

Back again!

The little miniature's scale creep continues well.  She's getting into a regular sleep pattern now, which is giving me a bit of time in the evenings sometimes to do some painting and modelling.

First thing I decided to do was complete the Bedford QLT from Airfix, the companion to this one.

Another nice kit on the whole.  The transmission's a bit fiddly, I ended up simplifying it (I'm a gamer, not a finescale modeller), and I just couldn't get all the bits to go together right on the cab, I seemed to be all fingers and thumbs!  Passengers are from the HAT tank riders set.  Pity Airfix don't include a driver.

Group shot with the QLD

Also been working on the PSC Churchills.  Talk about fast-build...

New year, New miniatures

Hmm, I seem to have dropped off the internet for a while there.  Apologies to all those whose blogs I meant to comment on but didn't get around to.  The reason is the arrival of a new miniature in the house.

Not the rather nice PSC Churchills my Sister in Law got me for xmas:

Not the PSC Late War German Heavy Weapons, from my Sister, which will certainly come in handy...

Not even the old matchbox toys I randomly picked up from Chesterfield Flea market for some unspecified SF purpose (seriously, why do I do these things!?)

No, none of those.

It's this miniature:

Rosa Lucy, born 2nd January 2015.  Here shown paying attention to a lecture on the different marks of Sherman tanks.

So, the obvious question arises.  Matt or Gloss varnish?